Donatello drove Leann home. The entire ride home he was silent. Leann was bursting with curiosity. She wanted desperately to ask him why he had gotten so angry. It didn't really make sense to her. She kept silent though. The look on Donatello's face was enough to keep her from asking questions.
Finally Donatello himself broke the silence.
"Are you ok?" He asked as they sped down the road in his car.
Leann nodded.
"I'm fine. Just a little confused," Leann said with a timid smile.
Donatello shrugged.
"What's there to be confused about? I didn't think you were safe at my house and so I drove you home. Nothing confusing about that," Donatello said calmly.
Leann made a face.
"Everything you just said is confusing! First of all, there didn't seem to be any danger at your house! I felt completely safe. And why would you even care in the first place?" Leann demanded to know as she looked at him intently.
He smirked slightly. Even when he smirked he was beautiful.
"You have no idea just how dangerous...." His voice trailed off and he looked frustrated about something. Finally he spoke again. "Things could have took a violent twist for you," Donatello said vaguely.
"Violent twist? I was with Daisy! There's nothing violent about Daisy! And you still never explained why you're suddenly concerned for my well-being," Leann said.
Donatello turned to smirk at her.
"Sadly, we're at your house," Donatello said.
Leann looked outside the car window. Surprisingly enough, they were at her house.
"Oh," Leann said.
He laughed softly at her. Leann was still looking out the window when she noticed something. It was a purple van. Leann felt her stomach drop. She knew that van. She knew who was inside of it.
"Oh my god. I can't believe this," Leann muttered softly to herself.
Donatello however seemed to have heard her.
"What?" He asked.
"My mother is here," She said hollowly.
"And that's a bad thing?" He asked.
"A very bad thing," Leann said softly.
Donatello looked at her. His eyebrows shot up when he saw the expression on her face.
"Are you ok?" He asked.
Leann bit her lip, unable to say anything. She got out of the car and shut the door. She heard the other car door opening and supposed that Donatello had gotten out of the car too. Leann walked up to the van and looked inside. Her mother was sitting inside the vehicle, smoking a cigarette casually.
"What are you doing here?" Leann asked.
Her mother smiled.
"Hi honey, you look good. I was just stopping bye to say hi," Her mother said.
Leann looked at her incredulously. She really didn't know what to say. The words all got caught in her throat and she suddenly felt dangerously dizzy. She wished in vain that she hasn't drunk so much tonight. She needed her head clear in order to talk to her mother after all this time. Leann just stared at her in disbelief. It was impossible to accept that she was here.
When Leann didn't say anything, Donatello did. He had gotten out of the car and was standing slightly behind Leann. He was looking at Leann's mother with narrowed eyes.
"You came to visit your daughter at 2:30 in the morning?" Donatello asked.
Leann's mother just looked at him.
"Who are you?" Leann's mother asked rudely.
"I'm Leann's friend," Donatello replied smoothly.
Leann liked the way he said friend. As if it had some other meaning behind the word. That was beside the point however. She had other things to concentrate on and anyways, Donatello didn't like her like that. Did he? Why did she even care?
Leann forced herself to look her mother in the eyes.
"Mom, what the hell are you doing here? I haven't talked to you or seen you in months. And now all the sudden you show up at my house? At 2:30 in the morning? What the hell is going on? Are you drinking again or something?" Leann asked.
Her mother sighed impatiently.
"You know Leann, it is quite possible that I missed you after all this time," Her mother said.
"I don't care! I don't care if you missed me! You have no right to show up suddenly in my life after abandoning me like you did!" Leann declared.
Her mother rolled her eyes.
"I see that talking to you now is impossible. Whatever Leann, don't say that I never tried," Her mother said.
Then she started her van. Without another word Leann's mother drove away. Leann felt so dizzy. The sky above her was spinning dangerously fast. Her knees felt weak. Without even realizing it, she was falling.
Donatello was there in an instant. He caught her as she fell and held her tightly in his arms.
"Leann? What's wrong?" He asked in concern.
"I...can't believe she just showed up and acted like everything was normal," Leann muttered.
Donatello obviously could tell that Leann was in no condition to walk herself into the house. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her inside. He carried her through the dark kitchen into the dark living room and up the dark stairs. Somehow, he found her room without even asking her which one it was. He laid her carefully on her bed.
"Are you ok now?" He asked anxiously as he sat down on the edge of her bed.
Leann bit her lip. Tears were leaking out of the corners of her eyes. She tried desperately to hide her tears from Donatello. He probably assumed already that she was a ditsy drunk. She didn't need him thinking she was a cry-baby on top of that.
"I just..." Leann's voice trailed off and she was unable to finish her sentence.
"I'm sorry you're upset. I always feel horrible when I see girls sad," Donatello said with a weak smile.
Leann tried to smile back but it was impossible for her to fake a smile right now. She was too raw. Her emotions were going crazy. After months of not talking to her or calling her, her mother had shown up at her house. It was such a shock and it also hurt so much. Leann was caught completely off guard and she didn't know what to do.
"I wish Drake was here," Leann said quietly, "I don't want to be alone right now."
"You aren't alone. I'm here, obviously," Donatello said.
"You can't stay here with me," Leann said.
"Watch me," Donatello said and slid onto the bed next to her.
Leann was even more shocked then she already was. What other surprises did the night have in store for her? She couldn't even really concentrate on the fact that Donatello was inches away from her in her own bed. The pain from seeing her mother was still too fresh and too deep. She was past trying to hide her tears now. They streamed freely down her face.
Without saying a word, Donatello pulled her over to him. He wrapped his arms around her. Leann didn't even think about what she was doing when she laid her head down on Donatello's chest. It all felt natural, like he was supposed to be the one comforting her right now. Leann let herself cry openly on his chest as he held her.
Donatello stroked her hair softly. After her crying had calmed down slightly, Donatello spoke.
"Can I ask you something? Without seeming too rude?" Donatello asked.
"What?" Leann asked softly.
"Why was seeing your mother here such a shock to you?" He asked gently.
Leann sighed.
"It's a long story," Leann told him.
"I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon, so that's alright," Donatello replied.
Leann smiled to herself through her tears in the dark.
"Well, my mother...our relationship is complicated," Leann said.
"Explain if you will," Donatello said.
"Well, god, I don't even know how to explain that. Let's just say that some people are truly never meant to be parents, and that about sums up my mother," Leann said.
"I'm sorry," Donatello said sincerely.
"Me too. A couple months ago, she lost the house that we had both been living in together. Then one morning, I woke up and she was gone. There was nothing there but a note explaining that she had left. She didn't say where she was going or tell me that she would be back for me. She just said that she was leaving," Leann said.
Donatello tightened his hold on her as she spoke.
"What did you do?" Donatello asked.
"Went to Drake. He was always there for me. He let me move in with him. I've been here for 7 months now and I haven't heard from my mother. Well, until now," Leann mumbled.
Donatello was quiet for a moment. Leann felt so content in his arms. She closed her eyes.
"Drake is a good friend," Donatello said.
"The best," Leann replied sleepily, "even if he is an asshole."
Donatello laughed softly. His laughter was smooth and soft, like velvet. It made Leann feel safe. Everything about him made Leann feel safe.
"It's good that you and Drake have each other," Donatello said thoughtfully.
"Mmm-hmm," Leann murmured, her voice full of sleep.
Donatello continued to hold her. Before she knew it, Leann drifted off to sleep, in Donatello's arms.
