A young couple of twenty lay in the grassy field, staring at the blue skies as they watched the birds pass them by. The redheaded female nuzzled against the young man's chest, and she shivered as his breath tickled her ear.

"Richard?" she asked softly, not wanting to ruin the moment. "Do-do you promise to always be here for me? With me?"

"Kori, why do you even bother to ask such a question? Of course I will!" He bent down to brush his lips against hers lightly, and she knew that both of them loved the chills that went down their spines whenever there were cherished moments such as these. She loved him so much, and Kori knew that he would keep his promise for eternity…

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The front door slammed open as it banged into the wall as Richard stormed out with a tear-streaked Kori behind him.

"No, no, NO! Richard! Please, you can't do this!"

Richard's back remained faced towards Kori, and she saw him clench his fists slightly. "I'm going Kori, I want to do something other than sit in a room with old guys talking about some stupid device! The country's at war," he said. He paused as he listened to her sharp intakes of air as she cried relentlessly.

"And I want to help," he added quietly. He hated seeing her cry. Hearing the silent sobs she tried to hide were bad enough, and he despised himself every time he heard her sniffle a tear.

"But Richard…you promised! You said," she wailed out into the hazy afternoon, "That you would always be there! Richard, I don't want you to go!"

But when he still didn't turn around, she clamped a hand down on his shoulder and swerved him around with all her might.

"Richard! Don't go, you can't do this to me! YOU JUST-"

But the effect she had hoped for was the opposite of what she had planned, and his blood began to simmer with rage. "God, Kori! I did this for us; I did this so that you could be proud! PROUD THAT I WAS HELPING THE COUNTRY!"

Kori fell to her knees light-headedly and she clasped her hands together in tears. Her eyes were puffy and red from the news she had heard just a few minutes ago, but she couldn't help but feel like time was torturing her by making the time slip slower than usual.

"Richard, Richard, please! I don't want you to-"

But the only thing he did was turn around slowly and walk past her, and Kori thought she saw disappointment raging in his eyes. "I can't talk to you right now Kori. I just…I just can't." And he simply walked away without turning his head around.

She chased after him, calling his name as her neighbors stared absurdly towards her direction. "Richard, no please, I-"

She was cut off when the door that he had pushed himself in through slammed closed, though it was slightly ajar. She toppled to the porch of the mansion in tears, wishing she could have done something to change his mind.

"-Love you, Richard," she finished in a hoarse voice, and teardrops fell as she silently walked to the rocking canopy and swung herself on it, one leg dangling in the air.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

It has been five years.

Five years since he went missing.

Five years since he left her.

Five years and his body was never found.

The redhead, now with dark circles under her eyes lazily picked up the ringing phone and answered dully, "Hello?"

"Hi, I calling for a Kori Anders? This is reguarding Richard Grayson."

Her eyes lit up for the first time in five years, and she leapt up from her bed. "Yes? What is it? Have you found him?"

"Yes. I'm calling about his will."

"His will? But why would call me..."

"They found his body by a nearby building. He's dead. And he left all of his possesions to you."

Slowly the redhead set the phone down. Shocked, he curl;ed up in a ball and began to weep.

THE END.