Hey, guys! Hope your Holiday was great! I know mine was!

Well, I have to make this hurry, 'cause I need to leave for work. So, I'll just get on with it.

Disclaimer: I did not get the TMNT for Christmas, so they are still not mine... :(

TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT

Hate.

To dislike intensely or passionately; to feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility towards; detest.

Hate is such a small word in our language, but it has possibly the biggest and most heavy meaning in that language. And us humans use it constantly, not really meaning it. Perhaps not truly knowing the full meaning…

We hate doing chores. We hate doing homework and going to school. We hate out friends when they joke around with us and tease us.

But rarely, very rarely, do we truly feel hate towards someone.

Us humans are the only living things to feel this hatred towards someone else. It has helped destroy one another through wars, bullying, and even within our own families.

So why do we continue to hate, when we know it's wrong?

When you can answer that, we'll have found the best way to achieve world peace…

But for now, let's get back to our story.

TMNT

"I hate you."

Raphael's words were said quietly, dangerously, and with malice written all over his face.

The room was quiet, broken only by the heavy breathing of the eldest turtle. Casey and April shared a look, returning their gaze quickly back to the two turtles. Mikey's mouth hung open, his eyes pleading and watery. Donnie's hand hovered where it had been slowly approaching Raph's shoulder, eyes wide. Said turtle was staring at Leo, the emotion of his words radiating from his eyes.

And Leonardo…

He just stood there, face blank, eyes wavering between Raph's, swords held tightly at his side, his breathing ragged and sweat pouring off his green skin and down his shell.

Donnie's and Mikey's eyes went from Raph to Leo, from Leo to Raph, back and forth, like a tennis match.

No one could believe what Raph had just said. Not one of the four brothers had ever said those forbidden words to one another. They were forbade by Master Splinter years ago, ever since they could talk.

"Are you finished?" Leo asked, breaking the bleeding silence.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," was Raph's bitter reply.

"Then you won't mind if I continue training," Leo said, turning his shell to his brother and taking a stance, ready to finish his interrupted kata.

"Whatever," Raph said, turning towards the door and pushing his way through. April and Casey gladly moved away, but he had to physically push Mikey out of the way.

Donnie turned to Leo. "Leo…"

"I would like to continue training, Donatello," came the reply.

Donnie got the hint. Leo hardly ever used their full names, unless something was wrong. And right now, Donnie needed to have a long and heart-filled talk with his second oldest brother.

"Come on," Donnie said, leaving the dojo. April and Casey followed, all three allowing one last look at the blue- banded turtle.

"You too, Michelangelo," Leo said, never breaking stride.

"Leo, I can't… Raph didn't mean… I'm sure he…"

Mikey was having trouble getting his sentences together. He was still in shock of what had happened between his two older brothers. This had never happened before.

Leo never said anything more.

Sighing defeatingly, Mikey turned, leaving Leo alone.

Oh, how he wished Master Splinter were here…

TMNT

Raphael stormed over to the couch and lay down on it, turning on the television as he did so. He continued to race through the channels, hitting the remote in anger.

Stupid Leo, he thought. If he would just try not to be so perfect, he wouldn't make me so angry! I hate him! I hate him!

Donnie, Mikey, April, and Casey all joined him shortly, sitting in the surrounding chairs.

No one said anything for the longest time, and the only things heard were the T.V. and the sounds of air meeting metal from the room next door.

"Raph?"

"What do you want, Donnie?"

"We need to talk…"

"I'm busy."

"Shut off the T.V."

"No."

"Turn it off."

"Nope."

"TURN OFF THE T.V.!"

Everyone turned, shocked, to Mikey. He was on his feet, his nunchakus out and spinning dangerously. His eyes had a fire in them that had never been there before.

"Okay, I'm turning it off…" Raph reached forward cautiously and hit the "POWER" button on the remote. The television went dark.

Mikey's weapons became still. An angry Michelangelo was not to messed with. Unlike most people, whose anger blinds them, when Mikey got angry, his anger gave him more control and made him think more clearly.

Donnie glanced warily at the youngest turtle before addressing Raph again.

"Why'd you say that to Leo?" he asked.

Raph shrugged.

"You don't really hate him, do you?" Mikey piped up, his anger gone, replaced with sadness. His voice was soft.

"Yeah, I do!" Raph cried, anger taking over him once again.

"Why?"

"Because he never listens to me! He never gives me the attention I deserve and he's trying to replace Master Splinter!"

Suddenly, it became clear why Raph had said the things he had said. He didn't hate Leo; he hated the idea of replacing Master Splinter.

"Do you think that Leo hates you?"

The question caught Raph off-guard. "What?"

Donnie repeated the question. "Do you think that Leo hates you?"

"Yes…"

"What makes you say that?"

Raph thought about it. "He's always ordering me to do stuff!" he said. "He never has time for me and whenever I try to talk to him, he just ignores me! He never lets me do what I want to do!"

"Take a look around, Raph," Casey said. "Leo makes sure you have food and shelter."

"He makes sure you're well-rested," April supplied.

"He took care of us when Master Splinter died, and he took care of Master Splinter's remains," Mikey piped up.

"And he's always looking out for best interests," Donnie finished. "Do you think that Leo would do that if he hated you? If he hated us?"

Raph was silent. He knew they were right, he just didn't want to admit it.

"Apologize to Leo," Donnie said. "When you're ready."

With that, he and Mikey stood up. April did so too, followed closely by Casey. But before the two humans left, Casey whispered some advice to his young turtle friend.

"Take some advice," he said quietly, slipping a light jacket over his broad shoulders. "The sooner you two talk, the better life will be."

Raph was left to think as he left with Arpil, and Mikey and Donnie went to bed.

TMNTTMNTTMNT

So, I've always wondered what would happen if those words were said, especially to Leo. So this is what happens :)

And I've a;ways thought that Mikey should not be messed with if angry. He seems like he would be dangerous...

Anyways, review please?