No POVs in this chapter, though it mostly revolves around a Leo/Raph Talk.
How long can I keep this enjoyment streak up. Lets find out. Please enjoy.

A little lesson

"If you could say that the colours Red, Orange, Purple and Blue had meanings,
they would be fiery rage, lighting excitement, calm winds
and a wash of cool...depressed water."

Although he had entered the room with out a sound, the silence was deafening a poor little turtles eardrums. As much as he wanted to ask for his Master's forgiveness for walking out like he did, the little blue masked turtle could not. He wouldn't have admit it out loud but he was ashamed. Ashamed that he didn't see through Master Splinter's scheme. Ashamed that his brothers were just wanting a good time, but his was to much of a sissy to go along for the ride. Worst of all, he was ashamed that he could have killed Raphael. As much as he detested Raph for his hot-head and his 'let me at them attitude', Leo could not help but to envy his courage, bravery and selflessness. Leo thought of what things would be like if he hadn't been in the exact same glass container as his brothers. No, before that, if he wasn't in the same ocean as his brothers when they were scooped up to be pets for some fortunate child. Or even further, if he hadn't been born. Leo could only think that life would have been much better. He went over to his bed and just 'plonked' down onto the mattress. He didn't even both repositioning himself. He just lied there contemplating his worth. Suddenly, after eons of thinking, the door opened.

Great. Master Splinters come to give me a lecture.

"What's wrong with him?" An American-accent voice spoke out.

"He can't be bothered moving that's what," spoke a calm, young voice.

"No duh, Donny, even I can see that," exclaimed a high-pitched voice.

"Wi.. yo.. jus.. go aw..," Leo mumbled in his awkward position.

"Yes. He lives," yelled Mickey at the top of his voice.

"Leo are you feeling better?" asked Donny.

"Does it look like it?"

Donny opened his mouth to say something, then thought for a moment. "You have a point there." Donny admitted.

"Well you better get better soon Leo cause not the whole world revolves around you. Re-phase that, none of the world revolves around you. So grow up already," Raphael almost shouted.

"Take your own advice," Leo retorted.

"Ouch. Good come back by Leonardo," Mikey said in a sport reporter fashion.

"3 points," replied Donny the same way.

"Why I outa..."

At that moment, Leo got up from his position and faced his brother face-to-face. Two-inches-away, noses-almost-touching face-to-face. To his brother's surprise, Leo still had tear lines. Leo shouted everything he had at his brother.

"YOU OTTA WHAT, RAPH? I KNOW, MAKE UP SOME NEW GAME WHERE WE ALL TAKE A VOTE AND IF I LOSE I HAVE TO LEAVE. I KNOW WHAT YOUR ALL THINKING. LEO IS SUCH A PARTY-POOPER. LEO NEVER LETS US HAVE ANY FUN. DON'T YOU THINK I MIGHT HAVE A REASON FOR THAT. DON'T YOU THINK FOR SOME WEIRD COINCIDENCE THAT I MIGHT ACTUALLY BE DOING THIS SORT OF STUFF. FOR MORE THAN THE EXPERIENCE, MORE THAN FATHERS PRIDE. MORE THAN ME BEING A COMPLETE SHOW OFF. I DO THIS BECAUSE I KNOW SOONER OR LATER, WE ARE GOING TO GET INTO A FIGHT THAT WE MIGHT NOT GET OUT OF." He fell to his knees, overcome by his own words, quietly sobbing. His voice was finally reaching a stable level. "You don't know how many times I have nightmares about us in fights. Us trying to fend our way back home. Knowing we can not just run away. I keep on seeing you either unconscious on the ground or captured before my eyes. I just don't ever want that to happen to you guys. I can't live without you."

He didn't even need to look up to know his brothers' had a startled expression on their faces. He had seen Raphael's turn from anger to horror the moment he stood up. He wasn't focused on his other family members, but the young Master-of-ninjitsu-in-training knew that they to were shocked with his sudden out burst and break-down. Mikey seemed to recover first.

"Wow. Did you practise that or was it off the top of your head?"

Leo opened his mouth again to yell some more when he was interupted by Donny. "Mikey, Leo just spoke his heart out. I'm surprised it didn't stop for a second there." All was left was Raphael. But he was never distressed or fully taken aback. He knelt down in front of Leo and waited until he looked up. His 'fearless leader' seemed a lot less fearless and a lot my sorry. Raph then let a tear run down his own cheek.

"Bro, I know we don't tell you his much but we don't always think that you show off. Sometimes I find myself even envying your skill. I know that it may seem like were being a pain in the shell on purpose, but the truth is..." Donny interrupted to contribute. If you had seen Donny's face that day, it was a face filled with truth.

"...we admire what you do. We respect what you can achieve now that, with your help we will achieve later. But we also want you to know that we trust you. That we know your always looking out for us. And we are also so..." Mikey then finished Donny's statement. Donny was about to break-down and Mikey was no different.

"...sorry if we caused you pain in this training session. You can even admit that you were bored. We just...just wanted to see how hard it was to be each other. And to make us closer as a family. 'Cause, I hope, that's what will always be, right guys?" His brothers' all nodded in response. By now, all 4 turtles had tears running down their cheeks. But all of them were now tears of joy. That they were a family that will not be broken.

Mikey sheepishly looked at his brothers before asking, "Group hug?" Raphael beckoned the 2 standing turtles to come over and they rushed into a brotherly cuddle.(I must ask you to use your imaginations for this. For the love vibe in the air was so great, it can not be described in words.)

"Thanks guys,"whispered Leonardo.

"Don't..." Donny started.

"...mention it..." Mikey continued.

"...ever." Raphael finished. Leo could not help but smile at the comment his brother said. It assured him that he definitely wasn't dreaming and that he was still with the family he loved and always will love.

The mystic energies surrounding the turtles in their bond had made their way to the room of Master Splinter. He smiled at how much his young family cared for each other. It was like it was only yesterday the were starting to talk, and now, they are talking to each other as if they had been doing just that for centuries.

And tomorrow, they will have grown up into great Masters of ninjitsu. Oh how I dread that day might come to soon.

Don't all fathers.

So sorry it took so long and if I sidetracked a little. Hope you love the brotherly moment there.
Hope you still enjoyed. Reviews requested.