3. When Time Doesn't Heal

Time seem to fly by ever since Yuki moved in with the turtles and they all couldn't be happier, even Leo seems to have adjusted to having the girl live with them but they still have their tense moments. Yuki was now in school and wasn't able to spent the whole day with her new friends. But everyday, after school and homework if she had any, she would join in ninja training with the boys and to everyone's surprise she was really good at it.

But today was different. For one thing Mikey was the one who picked her up from school not Raph. She found out, from Mikey, that training was canceled for the day. He didn't answer her when she asked why. He was acting very weird, even for him. She found out why when she was met at the door with arguing from Leo and Raph. "Why not? What is your problem with her?"

"I don't know Raph! I just don't know if we should trust her!"

"Why not? She hasn't done anything that would put us in danger of revealing out hideout! And she's been through a lot of hard times! She deserves to have some fun! You don't know anything about her!"

"I just don't think we can trust her, she's…." Leo looked up to see Yuki staring at him. Yuki. Leo waited for her to respond back to him but she didn't. Her bans just fell over her face and she ran to her room. "Yuki I….hn…"

"Nice going, Fearless Leader." Raph hissed as he passed by his brother to go check on Yuki.

"What has gotten into, Leo?" Don asked.

"You've never acted like this before. What's up?" Mikey asked.

"I don't know. I don't know why I'm acting like this." Leo replied.

"Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to spend a day alone with Mr. White to get to know her better." Splinter said.

"HUH?" Leo looked shocked at him. "I couldn't…I mean I don't…..I wouldn't know what to say."

"My son, Yuki needs our help right now."

"I understand, sensei." Leo looked defeated. He couldn't help but wonder why he was acting like this. What did he have against the girl anyway?

Raph walked into her room and sat down quietly beside her. "Hey Leo's just being a jerk."

"Raph."

"What?"

"It would….probable be a good thing for me to move back home."

"No I don't want you…." Yuki held up a hand to silence him.

"I never meant to come between you and Leonardo. I know your family means everything to you and I don't want to destroy that." Yuki turned away from him to hide the tears that stung her eyes.

There was a knock at her entrance, since they haven't been able to put a door in yet there is a curtain hanging up. Splinter stepped in. "May I come in?"

"Sensei? Of course."

"I believe I have found a solution between you and my son Leonardo." Raph and Yuki exchanged confused look as Splinter smiled.

The next day…..

"Do I have to do this?" Yuki asked.

"It's for the best." Raph replied smiling at his little friend. He took a moment to notice how much she looked like a child still. Her thirteenth birthday was coming up soon and he still needed to get her a gift. His eyes locked onto her star shaped necklace she was wearing and thought back to when he asked her about it.

"So, what's with the necklace?" Raph asked.

"A very special friend gave it to me."

"Oh." Raph sounded disappointed and Yuki looked at him and studied his disappointed face.

"Oh no! Nothing like that. The guy is, like, old enough to be my dad. He has a little magic too and he saved me once from almost drowning when I was six."

Raph was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Leo's voice. "Will you two let me go? I'm not a child!"

"Then why are you acting like one?" Mikey asked. And he was. Don and Mike had to drag Leo out of his room. He didn't want to face this day at all.

"Just get going already." Don said. "This isn't going to be as bad as you think."

"Here." Raph handed Yuki a small microphone and ear piece then handed Leo the same thing. The plan was for Leo to spend the whole day with Yuki but since he couldn't actually go into the school with her this was the next best thing. Now Leo was about to hear everything that goes on in Yuki's everyday life.

With a little bit more arguing the group managed to get Leo and Yuki into the battle shell and to her school. Raph hugged her. "Just be yourself."

Yuki nodded. When Raph asked her if she would do this she easily gave into him but now…..she was having second thoughts. She's never been alone with Leo so she never had to confront him about anything. Don then said, "We'll come pick you two up when you come to an agreement."

"Right." Leo nodded. What Don really meant was 'don't come home until you work this problem out'.

After the three remaining turtles left Leo headed up the fire escape of the school building as Yuki headed for the front door. "Yuki? Can you hear me?"

"Yes. Everything is working fine. Don made these after all." Yuki said looking at the small microphone that was clipped on her shirt collar.

"Right." Leo knew he should say something but he just couldn't form a conversation with her.

Inside the school…..

Yuki walked down the hall hugging one of her books. Several other students were talking and having fun. "Oh look the weirdo is back."

"Hey what's with the sun glasses?"

"You're in a school for crying out loud."

"You're so weird."

Leo couldn't believe what he heard that day. No wonder Raph was so defensive about Yuki having some good times. It was like that for half the day. Once it was lunch time Yuki joined Leo up on the roof. She sat down on the edge of the small house like thing that held the door into to the school and opened her lunch.

Leo was trying to find the words so say…..anything to her. Yuki looked up at him. "No lunch?"

"Didn't bring one."

"Want some of mine?"

"No thanks. I'm not hung…." Just then his stomach ground out loud and made him blush. Yuki handed him half of hers.

"Here."

"Uh….thanks." Leo took the lunch and sat down beside her. They smiled at each other and ate.

Later that day…..

"Here you go." Yuki handed Leo a sundae.

"Thanks." There was a moment of silence between the two. "Yuki?"

"Hm?"

"I'm…I'm sorry."

"Hm?" Yuki gave him a curious look with the spoon hanging out of her mouth. Leo had to admit she looked really cute like that.

"I don't know why I reacted to you the way I did. But I understand you a little better now. I understand why Raph is so fond of you." Leo stirred his ice cream. Yuki got a dream look on her face at the mention of Raph's name. Then she couldn't help but think something she normally wouldn't have.

It's because I love him.

Leo spit out the bit of ice cream he just shoved in his mouth. "You love him?"

"What?" Yuki blushed bright red. "I'm not…."

"Of course! Man, I'm such a shell for brains! Why didn't I see it before?" Leo pointed at her. "You're in love with him, right?"

"Well…I….um…the truth is…."

"It's ok, Yuki. I know now."

"Alright, I am in love with him."

"Since when?"

"Not sure really. Since we met I guess. He is the first real friend that I have had. He means so much to me." Yuki lowered her ice cream and looked at the ground. "Sorry."

"It's ok. I understand now." Yuki looked up at him confused. "I know now why I was so defensive about you being around Raph. Somehow I knew deep down that you had more than friend feelings for him. And that you two can't really…."

"Be together?" Leo nodded. "I know. But it helps knowing that I can be near him. And I don't want that to change."

"It won't." Yuki looked at him. "You are family now and you're stuck with us."

"Thanks Leonardo."

"But I do have a question."

"What?"

"Why can we…I mean how are we…talk I mean read each other's minds? Uh…whatever…."

"That has been bothering me too. I can't figure it out. I think it may have something to do with your trained and disciplined mind and my powers. Maybe they are on the same wave level. If that make any sense. Oh I don't know."

"I think I get it."

"Leonardo, I really am happy that you took today to get to know me."

"Me too. And please call me Leo. We're friends now after all."

"Yeah, Leo."

"Awe how touching." The two looked to see they were surrounded by Hun and Foot ninja.

"Yuki, get behind me!" She obediently obeyed and stepped hind him. Leo took out most of the ninja with no problem then came along the elite guard and took Leo down. Hun grabbed Yuki from behind.

"Leo!"

"Let her go, Hun!" Leo growled but was in no position to do anything about it.

"Sorry you green freak. The master has special plans for this little girl." Hun tilted her chin up to look at her. Yuki instantly didn't like the way he said that.

"No…" Yuki cried.

"Yuki?" Leo could feel something was happening to her. She started to glow baby blue.

"Ah!" Yuki released her powers and the Foot vanished. Yuki immediately dropped to the ground after Hun vanished. Leo grabbed his katana and ran to her side.

"Yuki? Yuki?" Leo lifted her up and sighed to find she was just sleeping. He placed a worried hand on his face and spoke softly to her. "Yuki? Sweetie, can you hear me?"

"Hn." Yuki stirred in her sleep then opened her eyes halfway up and looked at Leo. "L…Leo?"

"You ok? What happened?"

"I lost….control…I think…I…teleport…ninja…."

"It's ok. Don't talk anymore. Save your strength." Leo then picked her up and stood up. "I better get you back to the lair before more Foot show up."

"Leo…." Leo looked at her. She was trying to force herself to stay awake. She wanted to say something to him. "Tha…..thank you….Aniki."

Yuki slipped off to dream as the last word slipped out of her mouth. Leo smiled. He knew a bit of Japanese and felt good about being her big brother.