A/N: Hello there! I KNOW IT'S BEEN FOREVER! A Leo solo one this time! I want to explore how Leo has such control over his anger all the time. I think it was in chapter 4 that I had Leo lose it after Donnie got attacked, so this is the aftermath of that.

I OWN NOTHING!

Enjoy!


"Donnie?! Donnie! Where are you?!"

...

"...What do we do with it?"

"Hmmm...well, It could be some kinda alien or somethin'...maybe we could get some big cash for it if we hand it over to the police!"

"Yeah! Good idea there, Bobby! C'mon, let's get this thing outta here before someone else sees it!"

...

"If you ever come near my brother again, I will kill you myself. Understood, Nick?"

...

"Don't tell Splinter."


Leonardo suddenly sat upright, his eyes still close as he cried, "DON'T TELL SPLINTER!"

All was silent.

Leo became aware of the silence as he cracked a single eye open. He was still sat in the dojo on his knees with his hands folded over his lap. Uh oh...if he was still in the dojo meditating, then that must mean...

He opened his other eye, and he slowly turned his head to the left to find Master Splinter still sitting next to him, looking down at him with a raised furry brow. Leo's cheeks flushed dark red as he looked up at his master and father, realizing that he had said that out loud.

"Don't tell me what, Leonardo?" Splinter asked his oldest child curiously. He and Donatello had arrived back home from their garbage run nearly and hour ago, and Leonardo had come to Splinter asking if he could meditate with him. Splinter was confused, for his soon looked as if he had done something wrong, twiddling his fingers and shuffling his feet against the floor, but even so he agreed to let him meditate. It was after a silent half an hour that Leonardo had suddenly burst out with "DON'T TELL SPLINTER!" that nearly had the old ninja master's fur stand up on end.

Now he was questioning if his son had in fact done something wrong whilst they were gone.

Leo squirmed nervously under his fathers' questioning gaze. Should he tell him? he promised Donnie that he wouldn't tell Splinter about what happened. If he did, he would never allow them to go to the junk yard on their own ever again. Donnie loved going there; he could find everything that he needed to create the amazing things that he someday wanted to make himself, and not just fix the toys Mikey and Raph always broke. It would break his heart if he told on him.

Perhaps he could stretch the truth a little?

"Um..." he began hesitantly, rubbing his left arm with his right hand, "...I didn't wanna tell you about this thing...this thing that I did...at the junk yard today..."

Splinter raised a brow. "Oh? Is that so? Tell me then, my son; what is it that you did not want to tell me?" he asked patiently.

Leo shifted his eyes from his lap to his father. Oh how he hated lying to his father; it was something he rarely ever did. That was more of a Raph and Mikey thing. And lying only ever lead to trouble.

But he had to. For Donnie that is.

"W-Well...something happened - I-I mean, I lost sight of Donnie for a little bit, a-and then...I got mad at him and I slapped him..." he said guiltily.

Splinters' brows rose in surprise, before it faded into a disapproving frown. "Leonardo..." he said slowly.

Leo started to panic. "I didn't mean to hurt him or make him sad, Sensei! Honest I didn't! I-I was just scared because I thought I was gonna lose him forever and I..." he trailed off as he lowered his head in shame. "...I got angry again, Sensei...I'm sorry..."

Splinter's gaze softened as he looked down at his child, who looked as if he were about to start crying as his lower lip trembled and his eyes shone with unshed tears. Leonardo had been struggling with keeping his emotions in check the past few years. It had started when he was around seven, just after the incident that could have cost Raphael his life. The oldest turtle had been forever regretful of that day, and had blamed himself continuously about how he couldn't control his anger. So it was then that Splinter had tried something that he thought would help him; meditating over the matters that pressed him. The meditation combined with his regular training with his brothers seemed to help, until once again, at the age of eight, another outburst between him and Raphael had triggered a fight that left the two grounded for a week, and both turtles with black eyes.

So after that, Splinter tried putting him through a deeper, more calm state of meditation, and have him practice his katas during a one on one training session, which the boy gladly accepted. It was only up until now that he had failed to keep his anger under control once again.

But it was understandable; the safety of his younger brother was involved this time, and even the serene ninja master had trouble containing his worry whenever they explored the sewers on their own. In fact only a few minutes ago he had let Michelangelo and Raphael wander out to play by themselves before Donatello had come to ask if he could venture to the junk yards. He had Leonardo by his side when he had told him that there was nothing to fear, but the fear was still running through his veins.

It would always be there, but he knew that he had to control it.

Splinter placed a clawed hand on Leo's shoulder, causing the child to look up at him again. "Leonardo, we have spoken of this time and again, as I have done with Raphael in the past," he said softly, "but I do not blame you for becoming angered with your brother; fear can cloud the mind, and as it settles over our heads, our emotions are not as easy to control. However, you must remember what I have told you; Let the feeling of anger and fear fade like the markings of an old wound. Do not let it reopen and hinder you any longer. Understand?"

Leo remained silent for a moment, as if he were pondering over his fathers' words. Then he looked up and nodded. "Hai, Sensei," he said at last.

Splinter smiled and patted his shoulder. "Good..." He frowned as his ear twitched towards the dojo entrance, hearing someone entering through the turnstiles, and he stood up. "Hm. Your younger brothers are home. Come, let us greet them," he said, extending a hand, which the young turtle took as he helped Leo to his feet and followed him out of the dojo.

Raph and Mikey were just walking down the stairs and into the common room, holding each others' hands tightly as Splinter approached them, looking down at them in a mixture of slight worry and confusion. There were tears still running down their faces as they sniffled.

Splinter knelt down on one knee before them. "What is wrong, my sons?" he asked gently. Leo stood beside Mikey as he put an arm around his shoulder, rubbing his thumb across it gently. Mikey turned to him and smiled softly at the gesture, but his hand tightened around Raph's.

Raph sniffed as he rubbed a hand over his teary eyes. "We were playing, Sensei, and t-then there was this pipe...Mikey nearly fell, but I caught him and then..." Raph's green eyes spilled over with tears again. "I'm sorry, Sensei...I chased him into that place and I didn't listen...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" he wailed.

Splinter frowned, and he hugged both children to his chest, letting them sob into his shoulder. "Hush my sons, it is alright," he soothed, "I am just relieved that you are both alive and safe."

Splinter wouldn't punish them for this, not this time. It was obvious that they had been through a lot as it is. Besides, he was to relieved to punish them now.

Leo watched the scene from the sidelines, frowning sadly as he watched his younger brothers cry into their father. How could Splinter not be frantic over them? How could he remain so calm and collected?

'...Let the feeling of anger and fear fade like the markings of an old wound. Do not let it reopen and hinder you...'

Then he understood. He probably was frantic, on the inside. He didn't show it not because he couldn't, but because he couldn't show it to them.

Now that he understood, Leo knew that he had to follow his Sense's example, keep his emotions in check. He would have to be strong, for his little brothers, and his father.

If Splinter could do it, then Leo knew that he could too.


Training had ended over an hour ago, and the four boys were doing whatever activity they chose to do for the rest of their day, be it watching T.V or playing on the pinball machine...or for Mikey, sneaking food from the fridge. Again. For Leo, however, it was meditating alone in the dojo. He continued to ponder over what Splinter had said to him, and what he saw when Raph and Mikey returned to the lair in tears.

'...Let the feeling of anger and fear fade like the markings of an old wound. Do not let it reopen and hinder you...'

Leo took in a deep breath through his nose, and released it with a controlled sigh. Splinter was right. His Leo was ever going to be a good ninja, or be a protector to his younger brothers who needed him whether they knew it or not, he would have to control his emotions, namely his anger and his fear, just like his father.

He could do it. This was nothing compared to their training exercises. Just like he told himself before; if Splinter could do it, then so could he.

"LEO!"

His eyes snapped open with a little gasp as he turned to find Donnie stomping towards him, a stormy look on his face as he came to a stop with his arms folded crossly. "I can't believe you!" he cried.

Confused, Leo stood up. "What are you talking about, Donnie?" he asked calmly.

"Don't play stupid, Leo! I know you told Splinter! I thought you promised you wouldn't tell him!" Donnie demanded.

Leo's eyes widened a fraction in realization. That conversation they had earlier...Splinter must have asked Donnie about it too. "I didn't tell him everything, Donnie," he protested, frowning a little as he felt something rising in him, "All I told him was that I thought I lost you and I slapped you because I got mad -"

"You said you wouldn't tell him anything!" Donnie cut in, poking Leo in the chest hard, "because of you I might not be able to go out to the junkyards on my own at all! I have to take somebody with me! I'm old enough to take care of myself, Leo! I don't need you hovering over me any more!"

Leo grit his teeth together as he pushed Donnie's finger away from his chest. "Enough, Donnie! I only did the right thing!" he argued, his temper growing hotter, "I can't lie to Master Splinter like Raph and Mikey do! And besides, maybe you do need someone to look after you, since you almost got yourself killed the last time for not paying attention, you dummy!"

Donnie then shoved Leo backwards, causing him to stumble. "You're the dummy, Leo! I'm the one who always fixes everything you guys break! So how am I the dummy?!"

Leo clenched his hands into tight fists. "Because you never pay attention, Donnie!" he yelled, "A ninja's supposed to always -"

"Enough with the ninja stuff, Leo! I don't wanna hear any more of that!"

"Well if you don't wanna hear about it," Leo yelled again, raising his fist to strike out at Donnie, "then why don't you just leave?!"

Donnie let out a gasp of fear as Leo's fist raised above his head, ready to swing it, and he closed his eyes tightly and waited for the blow, wincing as he did.

It never came.

Donnie cracked an eye open to find Leo's fist hovering just in front of Donnie's face. He looked over it, and saw that Leo's eyes were wide open, and he was completely frozen in place as he stared at his raised hand.

What was he doing? Was he really going to hit Donnie again? Had he failed to control his emotions again? He looked back at Donnie, and found that his younger brother had tears starting in his eyes. They were tears of fear, fear that he, his older brother and protector, was going to hurt him...

Slowly, he lowered his fist, and noticed how Donnie flinched slightly from the movement. Leo looked down at his feet in shame, tears brimming in his own eyes. "...Donnie..." he whispered sadly, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to get mad at you...I wasn't gonna hit you...I'm sorry." He covered his face with his hands, muffling the sounds of his crying.

He expected for Donnie to just leave him, call him a baby and stomp off. But he didn't. Instead, he felt two arms wrap tightly around him, holding him close to a hard-shelled chest. He glanced up to find that Donnie was hugging him, nuzzling his face into Leo's shoulder.

He didn't say anything. There was no need for words this time. Donnie was smart enough to understand what Leo was trying to say, and he felt bad for not getting it beforehand. In fact, the only thing the young scientist could think of to say was simply;

"...It's okay, big brother. I love you."

Eyes widening slightly, Leo bit his lip to hold back more tears as he held his younger brother back with all the force he could muster. "...thanks, little brother. I love you too," he wavered.

After a moment, the two of them finally drew away, drawing in long breaths and sniffling to get rid of the last few tears as they smiled at each other. Donnie put out his hand, "Why don't we go grab a snack?" he asked.

Leo smiled back, taking Donnie's outstretched hand and grasping it firmly. "Yeah. I could eat something," he replied. And it was then that Leo realized. Trying to gain control of his emotions on his own was never going to work, no matter how hard he trained or meditated.

It was only when he was with his brothers, the people he loved more than anything in the world, that he felt he could do anything.

As they walked out of the dojo hand in hand, Donnie whispered, "...don't tell Splinter?"

Leo laughed and nodded. "Don't tell Splinter."