A/N: Sorry about the lateness in updating. The last two weeks have been shocking as I had an assessment in every one of my subjects. I also had to update another one of my fics. I have two more assessments to do for next week, but after that I have school holidays (thank God!). Hopefully I'll be able to finish this fic before I return back to school in term 3.

In other news, the new TMNT cartoon tapes have arrived in Australia. I know this because my brother works at the TV station. Yet the contract hasn't been finalised so it may or may not go to air. But because my bro works in the tape library, he managed to copy the first episode for me, so I could quite possibly be the first kid in Australia to watch it! I saw it last night, but I need to watch more episodes before I get an opinion of it. Anyway, you're probably dying to know the answer to the question 'will they or won't they?' So read on and enjoy!

Chapter 5: Courtship.

No words were passed when Raphael and Venus realised they were breeding partners. Instead they sat at the opposite ends of the glass cell, allowing the uncomfortable silence to take over. The other three gave the pair unreadable expressions, as though they were torn between the feelings of joy because Raph and Venus were no longer in solitary confinement, and the feelings of jealousy and worry. Dr Aquel and Dr Yesmal were both staring at the two, recording any observations into their jam-packed clipboards.

"I would have thought that the blue male would have suited her better," Aquel commented to her colleague as she stared at the unresponsive female.

"Dr Welner thought that too, but he didn't want to separate him from the orange turtle and purple one," Yesmal informed her while he jotted something down.

"Why is that?" she inquired. The two scientists turned around to look at Leo, Mike and Don.

"Because without the blue one, the other two would be too timid and shy for display or for effective study. They're not independent unlike this red one here. Besides, it saves cleaning up another night enclosure. And it gives this big guy something meaningful to do with his time," Dr Yesmal explained, turning to look back at Raphael. The red-wearing turtle responded to the unwelcome attention with a rude gesture. "Spoke too soon," Yesmal muttered with a frown on his face.

Dr Aquel couldn't help but snigger at the turtle's offensive actions. She soon had to cover her mouth to control her laughter, earning a glare from her associate. "You know, he only does that to you," Dr Aquel commented while smiling.

"Great! That's nice to know. A giant turtle has it in for me," Dr Yesmal said while rolling his eyes, then returned to glaring at Raphael.

"You have to admit that it's pretty funny," Dr Aquel said. Dr Yesmal just gave her a look. "Alright, I'll stop teasing you. Want anything from the vending machine? My treat?" she offered.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind a Twix right now. I'll come with you. Doesn't look like we'll get any action out of these two tonight," Dr Yesmal responded before closing up his clipboard and following his coworker out of the room. The lights were turned out for the night, leaving the turtles in pitch-blackness.

The temperature dropped drastically. Venus settled down on the floor and tried to go to sleep. But she couldn't stop herself from shivering. Her teeth began to chatter and her breath started to become frosty. All of a sudden two strong arms wrapped around her. "Warmer?" a gruff male voice asked. Venus didn't respond, yet she didn't push him away either. The two turtles rested side by side, glad that they weren't in a cell of their own on this cold night.

*****

When the morning came, Raphael and Venus went back to sitting at the opposite ends of the cell. The awkward silence returned soon after. Becoming bored, Venus sat in a lotus position and began to meditate. Raph glanced at this and sneered. He hated meditation as it reminded him of Leonardo, and because he wasn't good at it himself. The silence continued between them for another few minutes.

Venus' eyes snapped open when she heard a repetitive vulgar sound. She glared at Raphael who was creating farting noises through the use of his left hand and right underarm. "Raphael!" Venus called out in annoyance. The male responded with a smirk.

"What? Mikey's doing it!" Raph said as a defense while pointing to his partner in crime in the cell opposite. Sure enough, Michelangelo was doing the same thing. Leonardo looked as though he was annoyed with his brother in orange, while Donatello looked liked he was about to burst out laughing. Venus sighed, starting to get frustrated. She knew that it wouldn't be easy living with Raphael.

"Besides, it's my cell, therefore it's my rules," Raphael continued.

"Why, did you write your name on it?" Venus retorted. Raphael pointed to the steel wall where he spelled out his name with his own urine earlier. Venus stood up in shock and backed away, covering her mouth a hand. "That's disgusting!" she exclaimed after she'd taken the sight in.

"Yeah well, git used to it," Raphael said using a slightly harsh tone, but had a sly smile on his face. Venus just responded with a look of exhaustion. Fed up with dealing with him, she sat back down and started to meditate once again. The silence returned.

The sound of trickling liquid interrupted her focus. She opened her eyes once again to find the source of the noise. Raphael was going to the toilet. He caught her staring and snarled. She immediately looked away and shielded her eyes. "Sorry," Venus said. There was no response. After hearing the toilet flush, Venus anxiously returned to her meditative state. It didn't take long for Raphael to interrupt her again.

"Why don't you do something useful instead of thinking of nothing?" Raphael said, looking towards her. Venus groaned inwardly in frustration. She was beginning to wonder if Raphael was being irritating just for the sake of being difficult. Venus suddenly knew what Leo was on about when he used to speak to her on the subject of the delinquent turtle.

"What do you want me to do instead?" she asked, trying not to sound as irritated as she was.

"Like, I dunno. Maybe get us out of here?" Raphael inquired with that usual annoyed tone of his.

"I can't Raph. Otherwise I would have already," she said, her accent coming out a little stronger as she spoke.

"Useless," Venus heard him mutter.

"I'm not useless Raphael," Venus debated, standing up for herself.

"You were useless that night when we were captured. You were a great help then!" Raphael said harshly with sarcasm.

"You think I don't know that!?" Venus snapped back, shocking him while doing so. Tears slowly began to take shape in her eyes. Venus looked away from him and tried to compose herself. She didn't want the guys to see her cry. But the words Raphael said to her cut straight into her soul. It was the same belief that repeated through her mind all those days that she had spent alone. Venus had gradually convinced herself that it wasn't her fault, but when Raphael said it, it brought all the horrible thoughts back into her senses. The tears began to fall and this time she didn't care.

'Good one Raph,' he thought to himself. Raphael looked at her cry and couldn't help but feel awkward. He was never good at calming others; he usually left that up to another member of his family. Instead, he crossed his arms and tried to ignore her. Raphael grunted, being annoyed with himself. He caught Leo's angry glare from the opposite cell. Raphael glared back, almost as if he was challenging him.

Dr Welner entered the room. After a quick inspection of the turtles, he opened the steel door to Leo, Mike and Don's cell. Leonardo stomped outside and made his way over to Raphael's cell door. "Raph, how dare you talk that way to Venus!" Leo yelled through the steel.

"You don't even know what we said!" Raph yelled back.

"I don't care what was said. I want you to apologise to her now! She is a lady and ought to have respect!" Leo responded with an angry tone.

"Shit! We're not even in the same room and you're still lecturing me!!" Raphael argued back.

"Apologise to her or I'll-"

"Or you'll what Leo? Break down the door?" Raphael said sarcastically. He could almost hear the steam rising from Leo's angry soul. Raphael smirked when he didn't hear a response for a while.

"Are you okay Venus?" Leo asked with a softer tone, ignoring Raphael. Venus didn't answer. "What did you say to her Raph?" Leo yelled, all too easily becoming angry again.

"Oh fuck off Leo!" Raphael said, getting really annoyed. Infuriated, Leonardo began to give one of his infamous lectures.

*****

Michelangelo and Donatello sat side by side at the pond. Don looked upwards to stretch his neck only to lock eyes with a camera-bearing tourist. He quickly broke the gaze and stared at his feet in the water, still not used to all of the unwanted and prying eyes of the public. Michelangelo stared at Leo who was still at Raph's door. He'd been lecturing for over an hour now; a new record because for the first time, Raphael couldn't escape Leo's words.

"I feel sorry for Venus," Donatello muttered as he stared in the same direction of Mike.

"Why? Is it because Raph's acting like such a jerk, or that she also has to listen to Leo's speech?" Mike asked inquisitively. Donatello had been rather quiet since the whole ordeal began and Mike was more than happy to have a conversation with the withdrawn turtle, hoping to change him back to his normal self. Don gave Mikey a small smile.

"Both," he said, making eye contact with his friend. "Actually it's because I worry about her safety. I know that she's capable of defending herself, it's just that Raphael didn't cope too well with solitary confinement," Donatello continued, voicing his opinions.

"You don't seriously think that Raph would hurt her do you?" Mike asked, not wanting to believe Donatello.

"I don't know. When we spoke to him that first time, he didn't seem the same. You've seen what he did when he was isolated. I don't know how healthy he is in the mind, Mike. Who knows what he's going to do," Donatello analysed thoughtfully.

"Are you trying to say that Raph's insane in the membrane?" Mikey tried to ask seriously, but a big smile wrecked the facade. Don gave a shy smile back and nodded. "But Venus was isolated for longer Donny. She seems okay," Mike said, being optimistic.

"But she coped with it better… I really don't know. I just hope that they'll get along with each other, that's all," Donatello sighed, looking at the arguing Leonardo.

*****

An hour had passed since Leonardo had stopped lecturing. The agonising speech lasted for two hours, much to Raphael's disgust. The blue-wearing turtle stopped talking after finding for the first time in his life that he had nothing more to say on the matter, in which he then wandered over to Mike and Don to see what they were doing. Once again there was silence in the room.

A sniffle was heard. Raphael looked over at Venus to find her crying again. "Shut up," Raph remarked, still agitated. Venus gave him a depressed look before crying further; allowing all of her built up stress to pour out. Raph cursed himself for being such an idiot.

"I'm sorry Mei," Raphael said softly, regretting what he said.

"It's still the truth though," she responded, her voice cracking in-between sobs. Raphael sighed. He hated being put in this position. The turtle didn't know what to do or say to make it better. He walked over and sat down beside her.

"Listen. It was all of our responsibility to take on Bonehead, not just yours. If anything, I'm the useless one as I was the one who was knocked out first," Raphael explained; though the words did come out a little harsher than he had intended.

Venus looked up at him and dried her eyes with one hand. "Do you mean it?" she asked timidly. Raphael nodded sincerely. A few moments passed. "Thank you," she whispered, accepting Raph's apology and reasoning. Relief swept through Raphael when he realised that he had actually helped.

"Don't mention it."

*****

Four days later…

Venus and Raphael stared at each other across the glass prison. There was a lot of tension in the room, yet it wasn't of the same kind compared to when they had first moved in. Over the past couple of days, Raphael and Venus had solved most of their problems, even though it was through intense arguing. But by the third day, the conflicts had ceased, leaving the two turtles more at peace with themselves and with each other. Yet awkwardness still filled the atmosphere.

Venus had always been physically attracted to Raph. He was strong, stubborn and bold, placing him into the 'survival of the fittest' category. Raphael was always the most animalistic out of the boys, which caused Venus to be naturally attracted to him. Yet it was his attitude and personality that repelled her, which resulted with Venus making better friends with Leonardo and Michelangelo.

Raphael on the other hand had no other option but to be attracted to her, as she was the only female of their species. But like Venus, Raphael didn't get along with her in conversation, forcing the two apart until now. There wasn't much else to talk about in the glass prison, leaving the two turtles with the awkward tension of the physical attraction that they had remained hidden.

"Let's just do it to get it over and done with already," Raphael said suddenly, breaking the awful silence.

"No. It's what the scientists want us to do," Venus responded, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"So?" Raphael asked. Venus didn't answer. Raph sighed and peered through the glass. "I s'pose you'd rather be placed with Leo," Raphael murmured, looking into the empty prison opposite. The other three were currently outside in the enclosure. He turned to look at Venus. She was blushing as much as a turtle could. She turned away to avoid eye contact.

Raphael sighed with frustration and punched the glass, causing Venus to look at him again. "You're the lucky one you know that?" he started.

"How am I lucky?" Venus asked, wondering where he was taking the conversation. Raphael sat back down and crossed his legs.

"You know, you're probably going to be placed in with one of the others, if we don't work out. You're lucky in that you'll be able to speak to them normally, not through a steel door. I'm probably never going to be placed in with one of the others, which means that you are going to be my only company," Raphael summarised with a sad tone. Venus had never seen him so sensitive before. He slowly walked over and sat down behind her, wrapping his arms around the female turtle as though she was going to get away.

"Please. If we don't, then you'll simply be moved into another cell with one of the others. Then again, I might be your only chance and you'll never be with another. But please, don't let me be alone again. We'll stay together if we do," Raphael begged and explained to her compassionately with a voice that was nearly inaudible.

He softly began to kiss her neck as his hands uncertainly explored. His eyes locked on to Venus', awaiting her decision. To Venus, it felt so right, yet it also seemed wrong. She was confused with what to do, yet if she decided to reject him she couldn't, as her shield was already down because the temptation was too great.

Raphael tilted his head upwards and kissed Venus passionately on the lips. "Raph. What if the scientists come?" Venus asked softly, staring into his eyes.

"Then we'll give them something to look at," Raphael said slyly as he positioned himself over her.

Fortunately there were no interruptions from the scientists, and the other three turtles didn't expect a thing when they entered their glass prison at the end of the day. Raphael and Venus once again sat at the opposite ends of the cell; except instead of exchanging glares, they exchange smiles of pure happiness.