Zella had pulled out her Ipod right after Astro had left. When Cora glanced over to see what was on her play list, she was a tad shocked.

PlayList: ASTRO 3

She-Wolf

According to You

Shut up and Drive

And more stuff that made Cora's stomach flip.

She was currently listening to Already Gone.

"Oh please…" Cora muttered as she saw a tear go down Zella's face. "This is just a minor setback."

"I'm sad." Zella stated plainly, "We are going to die by Astro's hands. And," she sniffled, "I'm going to break up with him over song."

"So you're listening to Already Gone?" Cora's eyebrows raised. "I'm the one he's filing to become his personal prostitute!"

"Don't talk about that! It's SUCH a touchy subject!" Zella sniffled, "Why didn't he choose me?"

"You're such a sicko." Cora forced a smile. It felt good to be using a 3 year old word again. That first kiss in Tenma's living room seemed so far away.

She sat on the hard floor and closed her eyes. Trying to imagine the kiss she had given Astro. His lips were soft, like they always were, but the kiss had felt different. His aura, I'm such a hippy, was not bliss and happiness. Not the sort that always made Cora feel good. Not the kisses that made Cora have to fight with every scrap of her will not to beg him to take it farther. This was a cold, dead kiss. She frowned. Would it really make an impact on Astro?

Just when she was beginning to muddle out her problems, a robot came into the room. "Astro wants to see you." he said. The unblinking piece of junk stared straight ahead.

Zella looked up at Cora uneasily. She said something that shocked Cora. "Hey, be careful in there." she said quietly. Then turned back to her iPod.

"Thanks." Cora whispered. Her stomach was fluttering like crazy as the robot led her through the corridors.

When the great, mahogany doors opened and Astro could be seen sitting on his "dad's" office chair. Looking quite small and serious.

The robot left, leaving them alone in the room. Cora shuddered. Astro was so strong. She couldn't fight him off.

He raised his red eyes up to Cora's. "Cora?" his voice sounded softer.

"Astro… Tenma?" Cora took a hesitant step forward.

"No, I'm not Astro Tenma," Astro shook his head, "I'm Astro Stone."

Cora bit her lip. Her eyes were feeling dangerously close to watering. "Yeah, okay. What do you need?"

"I needed to talk to you. You remind me of something. Perhaps if you kiss me again…?" he raised an eyebrow. Looking truly irresistible.

"No." Cora said firmly. "Please don't make me."

Astro let out a laugh, and Cora saw a little bit of the old him. "I can assure you that, though I may be a killer I am not a rapist."

"You talk differently from your old self." Cora let out, feeling relieved.

"Do I?" Astro was toying with her. Interested in her dream world. Cora could feel it as he rose out of his chair and stalked towards her.

Cora took an uneasy step backward. She cringed. She had hoped that she would never have to be scared when in the company of Astro.

"Do I make you scared?" Astro's eyes widened. He looked… hurt?

"You're not your old self! I think we are all confused. You have red core energy in you now! I'm just, all muddled, and I don't - really know," Cora found herself sobbing, You stupid girl! she mentally hit herself, but to no avail, she kept spluttering on, "We used to be best friends, maybe even more, but then Stone took you - he changed your memory around . I- I , oh Zella's listening to Already Gone and I- I just, I don't know.."

She stopped suddenly when she felt Astro's arms around her. "I suppose we should prove this is all bologna you idiot." he whispered menacingly. Then he clamped a hand against her mouth. "Come with me."

"Mmmpfh!" Cora shouted into his hand. She kicked him. Of course, Astro didn't even really notice. So she did something she knew he would. She licked, yes, licked his hand. He let her mouth go with a frightened and surprised yelp.

"Ahh disgusting!" he shouted. "Don't ever do that again!" he grabbed Cora and shook her so hard her teeth rattled.

"Stop it!" Cora mustered up all her strength and tried pushing Astro away. "Stop it you're hurting me!"

Astro, with a deft twist of his wrist, flung Cora onto a couch. She was out of breath and her ribcage felt bruised. Like he had secretly been punching her there, too.

Without being able to register what was happening, she felt his lips pressed against hers. It was rough and forceful. She tried screaming but that wasn't going to work. Then she felt his body pressed against hers in a man-on-top position.

Oh no! Oh no, no, no! Cora thought wildly. She already felt Astro clawing at her shirt. Cora began to tug and push on him to get him off. She couldn't help but moan in her exertions.

All of the sudden, Astro's eyes whipped wide open. He fell backwards with an, "oomph". Cora sat up, breathing heavily and shaking.

"Not a rapist huh?" she stuttered and gasped.

"C-Cora…?" Something funny was happening to Astro's eyes. They were switching from hazel to red again. "What was I… and you… then…?"

"Astro Tenma?" Cora said hopefully. Still shaking.

Astro cocked his head. "I think."

"But that's impossible for you to remember!" Cora spluttered, "You're… well, filled with red core!"

And yet his eyes were still flickering. "But… something jogged my memory. What was it? What are you doing on that couch? Why is your shirt all scrunched up?" Astro asked innocently.

"How can you remember? It's like a past life!" Cora didn't bother to answer the questions.

"I'm really not sure… I need that blue core back in my system though. I'm not really positive this momentary jog will last forever…" Astro mumbled. He helped Cora off the couch, and her legs buckled in all the excitement.

"Let's go find Stone, and fast." Astro said, helping her up. "But before we leave, can you answer those questions I asked?"

Cora took a deep breath, "I'm really not sure how to start… but, you were sort - of…" she wasn't sure she could say it, it was just SO embarrassing, she figured that her moaning had jogged when he had moaned and … well, yeah. "raping me? Then… I moaned?" she said meekly.

Astro's mouth went open like an O. His eyes flickered like crazy. "I- I am so, so, -so, I am so, sor- sorry-… I am…" he stuttered.

"Don't worry." Cora forced a small grin, "It helped you."

"How far did I go? Are you all right?" Astro was checking her all over, his hands brushing her lightly.

"It's okay, I'm fine, honestly, let's go before you snap out of it." Cora stepped away from Astro's hands. "We might as well get Zella, she may be useful. She's a technician and she can probably get that blue core back into you."

"Yes of course. I'll have to make this up to you, somehow…" Astro trailed off.

"Tell you what, next time I want you to come down on me, you come down on me. Got that?" Cora laughed.

"Oh, are you talking about the hotel?"

"Yup."

Astro sighed. "Alright, fine."

"You're hesitant?" Cora was hurt.

"It's nothing. Just a self-control super-powerful Edward & Bella sort of thing." and with that Astro and Cora ran to get Zella.