Kori looked out to the city, taking in the familiar breeze. She had missed her home and she didn't even realize it until she came back. Happy memories that this place has given to her rushed through her mind. Glad to finally be back, a smile came to her. Her time in Key West had been good for her sanity, it was the break desperately needed, but it was now time to step back into reality. Jump city was her home, it was where she had first arrived after escaping the Psions, and it was the only place that she wanted to be in.
Now she would be here for the next few months with her old team and she knew that old scars would be open again despite her efforts to prevent it. 'You are here for the team' she kept repeating to herself. It was now a prayer she said regularly, in an attempt to actually believe it.
"X'hal that seems like ages ago," she sighed and tried to keep all the bad memories away. She leaned on the ledge of the roof.
"What seems like ages ago," a deep voice said from behind her emerged. She turned to see the man who had haunted her, since she arrived to earth. He was still as handsome as ever, with those piercing blue eyes glued to her. He wore jeans and tight v-neck, exposing his biceps. His ebony hair was bit longer than the last time Kori had seen him. 'How long had he been standing there' Kori wondered, but her excitement was too much.
"Dick!," she finally said, when she realized that he was still waiting for an answer. "I didn't think you would get here so soon," she embraced him tightly.
"My schedule cleared up sooner than expected," he chuckled. His arms wrapped around her. "It's nice to see you again," he began stroking her back.
Kory gently let him go, convinced that it was better to create some distance sooner rather than later. They had not been anything more than just friends for years (although occasionally they would fall to temptation) but despite it would be a lie to say she was over it. Like a wound that would never heal, she still felt hurt over their breakup. Distance was the only thing that ever gave her a relief with their whole situation. Unfortunately the hero business rarely took pity on her needs. They were still friends, good ones and she treasured that friendship dearly. But sometimes she couldn't help but think of what more they could have been.
"I'm not interrupting anything am I," a soft voice said from behind. They both turned around to see their friend Donna standing at the door with a smirk on her face. Her head was cocked to the side making her her dark brown hair fall to the side. She was in loose t-shirt, and shorts.
"No, not at all," Kori blurted out. Quickly distancing herself from him and making her way towards a chair. Donna grinned, and then turned all of her attention to Dick.
"So Dick, do I even get a hello," Donna pouted playfully.
"Of course," he walked over to her and gave her a big hug. "I've missed you so much," he kissed her forehead.
"Same to you," She said still in his arms. "So boy wonder how's Bruce doing?"
"Well… He is Bruce. So you know, the same as ever," Richard chuckled. "How's in Diana?"
Donna took a steep back releasing him. "She is back in Themyscira, training with the Amazons. I was surprised when she let me come,"
"You do realize you're an adult right? You are able to make those decisions now," He teased. Donna had always had the reputation of being a goody two shoes, after all their years of friendship Dick knew exactly how to get under her skin.
"Haha very funny." Donna faked amusement. "But I don't know I still feel the need to consult her before I make decisions."
"I understand that," Kory interrupted. "She is like a sister or a mother to you, her advice is only given with the best intentions."
"Exactly," Donna agreed. "Diana is my princess but apart from that she is like a big sister to me." Dick looked like he wanted to say something but Kory quickly interrupted.
"Well if you excuse me I have to get ready to go on patrol." She quickly got up. "We will catch up later," she hugged them both and made her way inside.
Her hair gently bounced with the cool air of the night as she flew beside the buildings. She loved going on the night patrol. Although a lot more crime happened at night than day, it was not all too common generally speaking. She had to give praise to the Titans, she had never seen Jump city so calm. Compared to Gotham, Jump city was a utopia. She began to remember that time when Richard took her to Gotham to help Bruce. Bruce was out of the country for a reason she couldn't remember and Richard had promised to help. So of course Kori volunteered to go with him, in an attempt to spend time with him. She had no idea what she was in for, never in her life had she seen so many muggings and drug deals so out in the open. They even had to help with a few cases of sexual assault. She was exhausted at the end, but Richard seemed to go about it like nothing was wrong as if it was a normal day in Gotham.
The attraction that Kori and Richard had always made it difficult for them to pursue a platonic relationship. Richard being the emotionally suppressing dude that he was, tried to shove his feelings to the side at first. Eventually his love for her was too much, and so they became tangled in young love. For 4 years they were together, those were some of the best years of both their lives. But like all young love, things happen and hearts are broken in the end . Trying to save their friendship they tried to act like nothing had happened for the sake of the team, but this proved to be too difficult on both of them. Especially when he began dating other women (a lot of women). Kori quit the titans, in an attempt to save the team and her sanity. She joined the outlaws, and then went solo. But even in her attempts to avoid him, she still kept close contact with him. Sometimes they even found their way back to each other, but this was only briefly and usually just for sex. It would be easy to blame him, but even she recognized that it was her fault too.
All those feelings she had suppressed came rushing back in when she found out of his 'death'. Now of course it turned out to be an elaborate plan, in which he faked his death in order join a spy organization. When she found out he was 'dead' it was like her world crumbled beneath her, she sank into a deep depression that otherwise would have consumed her if it wasn't for Roy and Jason. She would forever be thankful for their help, and support through one of the hardest moments in her life. Then when Richard 'came back into her life', all those years of separation couldn't hold back her feelings.
She looked at her watch 3:47 AM. Thoughts about him would make this a long night, she flew down she could kill sometime if she walked.
7:12 AM She was now at the far south end of the city but it was time to go back. It had been a pretty nice patrol, there had been few drunks that tried to catcall her but nothing too out of the ordinary had happened. She flew up, to see the sun rise and she flew quickly to back to the tower.
She was surprised to see somebody standing by the door. The closer she got the more clearer he became. "Kori," there it was the same voice except angrier. "You shouldn't have gone by yourself". Kori was a bit surprised by it, he rarely ever spoke to her like that. He was acting like she was a child.
"I can handle myself just fine," her expression had changed. "What is your problem Dick?" she said with disbelief.
"Look if we are going to be a team we have to communicate," he retorted back.
"I did communicate… Or did you not hear me." she rebutted. "Yesterday with Donna, I told you both I was going on patrol." She looked right at him, she was not backing down. 'I mean who the hell does he think he is' she thought.
"Yes but you went alone. You said nothing about that," even though the last thing he wanted was to fight with her, his stubbornness proved to be too great.
"I was going to go with Cassie, but she had to pack. So I told her I would be fine. Honestly though I am perfectly able to handle myself, you of all people should know that Dick." her words fired like bullets. "I'm not new to this."
"I don't know what kind of team the Outlaws were, but we are back to being the Titans. And so I would prefer if we would stick to the same rules as before…," he continued but he knew he had hit low. "You know that in this team we never go on patrol by ourselves"
"Fine," she said wanting to end this before they said things they would regret. She paused but continued, "And Dick don't talk about them so condescendingly." She said trying to hold back the rage building up. She tried to walk away, but his hand reached out to stop her. There was a long break before he spoke again.
He let out a long sigh, "I'm sorry." He looked down, "You're right I'm acting like a total asshole. It's just… I was worried about you."
"Worried?" She lifted a brow.
"Yes, worried. You left without telling anybody else. You forgot your pager and your phone. We need to be able to contact you. Plus you didn't check in at all throughout the whole night-"
"-Okay you're right too, I think I have just been alone for a while and I forgot that we do all of those things. I was excited to see the city and I left as quickly as I could. I'm sorry." She sighed, "Look rich- I mean Dick, I appreciate your concern for my well being and all but I'm going to take a nap before the others leave." He hesitated for a bit, she could tell he wanted to say something but nothing came out. He stepped to the side and she went straight to her room.