Author's Note:
Hello everyone! I'm back and (hopefully) better than ever! I hope everyone had a great New Year and an even better rest of the year of 2019 ;) So, I've been reading everyone's reviews from the ending of
Resistance and I'm blown away! So grateful for everyone who loves this story! I know there's been some backlash about Rachel and Jason and the only thing I will say is this- I would never make a pairing in the description and have no intention of not keeping it that way. I wanted to involve at least one love triangle in this story. Plus, I like to see who ships which couple. With that said, every story needs drama! Sheesh people LOL.
On another note, I would like to point out that my writing in this story will be much mature. I'm trying to make as little grammatical errors as possible. Also, there will be more mature scenes as well as heavier content and use of bad language. So, if you're sensitive to that kind of stuff, then I guess don't read this? Haha!
Anyways, here we go! The SEQUEL!
Enjoy and REVIEW! Xoxoxo
TT
Chapter 1: A June Wedding
It was a beautiful day in June. The sun was high in the sky, the weather wasn't too hot, and and the sky itself was cloudless. It was just hitting two in the afternoon, and somewhere South of California there was a wedding about to begin.
The marriage of Richard Grayson and Kori Anders was the wedding of the summer. It made headlines nearly everywhere, especially since Bruce Wayne's prized prodigy was just seventeen years old, as was his bride. That was definitely out of the ordinary and was a hot topic to be discussed amongst the world of fame.
The ceremony was close to starting at the beautiful resort. The guests were seated, the groom stood patiently at the end of the altar with the priest, and the small orchestra was off to the side playing soothing music.
Richard had his hands clasped in front of him as he waited for the ceremony to begin. He was nervous—really nervous. He was still a teenager and getting married. But he was getting married to the absolute love of his life, and that alone was enough.
In the very front row sat his adoptive Father and his beautiful girlfriend, Selina. His butler Alfred, who was more like his grandpa, also sat in the front row. His select friends who weren't in the bridal party were sitting in the row behind them. They were the ones Richard was avoiding eye contact with.
Isaiah, Mal, Jason, Jericho, and Kole sat together and they were trying their best to make Richard laugh as he stood in front of his two-hundred guests. It wasn't entirely a favoritism thing when it came to picking his groomsmen, but he chose who he was closest with. The guys knew that too.
Richard took a deep breath and could feel the positive vibes in the air. He could also feel the love throughout the atmosphere. He didn't feel an ounce of negativity, regrets, or doubt. It was the start of a beautiful June wedding.
A few more minutes passed by and the orchestra began playing the classical music for when the wedding party walked down. Richard felt his nerves immediately watt up in his stomach as he watched the wedding party pour out of the resort and head down the aisle.
First was the flower girl and ring bearer, the daughter and son of one of Bruce's best friends. They were four and five years old; they nearly looked like twins. They did a good job of providing entertainment, for the little girl ran out of flower petals too quickly and kept pretending to throw them anyways. The little boy stuffed the small pillow that held the rings down his shirt and ran to the end. Laughs were shared throughout the crowd.
After that, the first couple to walk down was Vic and Karen. They looked perfect next to each other. Karen couldn't stop smiling, but that was more for the fact that she knew there were cameras all around. Vic was smiling too, but that was because he knew his girlfriend would kill him if he didn't.
Next was Alain and Tula. They took perfect strides, just like they'd rehearsed at the rehearsal dinner the other night. They were one of the only couples that listened to the coach. Naturally, they looked perfectly in synch.
Then, it was Jade and Wally. There couldn't have been a worse pairing. Jade was clearly smiling through clenched teeth as she death gripped Wally's arm to keep him from acting like a fool. The redheaded jokester smiled through the pain and made sure to be on his best behavior. He knew if he screwed anything up, Jade would have his head on a stick.
Richard laughed at them as they walked down. He paired them together on purpose; he knew Jade would keep Wally in check. That, and it would be a great memory to look back on and laugh about.
After them was Toni and Gar. They looked pretty goofy next to each other. Gar was shorter than Toni by a couple of inches and while his hair was green, hers was red. They looked like Christmas together. However, their smiles shined as bright as a Christmas tree.
Lastly was the maid of honor and best man: Roy and Rachel. They were no brainers for Richard and Kori when it came down to picking those prized spots. They looked content next to each other. Roy looked handsome and incredibly proper next to Rachel, who was practically glowing.
While the wedding party finished their walks down the aisle, Kori stood nervously up at the resort. It was kind of a long walk, but she'd went over this so many times in her head, she knew she'd be okay.
But there was a secret growing inside of her—quite literally too. Only minutes ago did her best friend Rachel find out about it as well. They took the few short minutes to discuss it and swore to keep it a secret until further notice, but that didn't make Kori feel any less nervous about this entire day.
She tried taking a few deep breaths and gripped her beautiful bouquet of white roses and hyacinths so tightly, her knuckles turned white. She closed her eyes for a minute, and when she opened them back up, she saw Bruce coming up to her.
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and she asked, "Bruce, what are you doing down here?"
He smiled gently and offered her his arm. "I figured you'd need a lift down this long aisle."
Kori looked surprised at first. She had every intention of walking down alone, and was completely fine with that. But having Bruce as an anchor was even better.
"I'd like that very much," she said. "Thank you, Bruce." She linked her arm into his and immediately felt a wave of comfort wash over her.
He patted her hand softly and said, "You're my family now, Kori. I'm not going to let you fall."
Kori smiled and knew there was a double meaning behind his kind words. Soon, the orchestra stopped playing and instead the song 'Say You Won't Let Go' by James Arthur began playing through the loudspeakers. That was Kori's cue to begin her walk towards her groom.
Kori walked with Bruce slowly and gracefully. She kept her eyes ahead on one thing: Richard. Her long train dragged elegantly behind her and she looked like a goddess walking down the aisle.
At the end of the altar, Richard couldn't stop smiling as he saw his beautiful bride. She looked more beautiful than ever. She stood out, but in a good way. Her dress complimented her skin tone perfectly. Curly strands of red hair framed her face exquisitely. He really was a lucky man.
The song tugged at his heart strings, as it did everyone else's. Richard felt tears sting in his eyes from the overwhelming emotion of pure love. That, and seeing Kori making her way to him in such a captivating way made him feel like he was on cloud nine.
When Kori finally met Richard at the altar, she gave a quick kiss on the cheek to Bruce and engulfed both of Richard's hands in her own. Her green eyes never left his blue ones. The guests seated themselves down and the priest began the introduction of the ceremony.
"We are all gathered here today as friends and family to celebrate the love between Richard John Grayson and Kori Anders…"
As the priest went on to recite the typical wedding script, Richard and Kori held each other's eyes with nothing but love and adoration. It was a beautiful thing to be witnessing at the moment, and anyone who was around could tell that, though they were young, they were quite in love.
The time came to exchange vows, which they both chose to write out their own. Richard went first but took a deep breath before starting.
"Kori, when I first met you...I wasn't exactly all that nice." Laughs from the guests erupted. Richard himself chuckled at his sad but honest truth. "But you awakened an emotion in me that had been lost for so long, and that is love." He squeezed her hands tightly and continued. "I never thought I'd be getting married at seventeen, and some might say it's for the wrong reasons or it's simply just wrong, but there is no one I'd rather be spending the rest of my life with."
He took another deep breath but it was staggered, for he was on the verge of crying himself. And even though he loved Kori, he did not want to cry—he knew the guys would give him shit for it for as long as he lived.
"You are worthy. You are beautiful, inside and out. You are kind, caring, strong in so many ways. You taught me how to be all of those things, and so much more. I promise to always protect you, always. I promise to never let you forget that you are by far the brightest star that ever burned. This I vow to you, always and forever." Richard slipped on Kori's ring and kissed her hand afterwards.
Kori then looked up and took a deep breath. She let a few tears escape her eyes, but not enough to ruin her makeup. It was now her turn to exchange her vows.
"Well, I do not know if I can match that," she said, earning her a laugh from the crowd. "But I can try." She smiled at Richard and recited the words she'd been practicing in her head for months. "Richard, I have truly never met someone like you; a man of strength, honesty, compassion, and love. You are the light that guided me through this past year, and will continue to guide me from now on. I believe I have loved you since the moment I first laid eyes on you."
Kori sniffed and didn't care at this point that the tears were coming. She bit her lip and laughed. "Even now, as we stand here in front of our loved ones, in front of so many people and cameras, all you see is me. You see who I really am, and you accept me as I am. There is no greater gift than that. I will love and cherish you till death do us part. I will keep you safe and help you in this chaotic yet beautiful life. This I vow to you, always and forever." She slipped on his wedding band and looked up at him with complete and utter joy.
The priest smiled widely and nodded approvingly. He then said, "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss your bride, Mr. Grayson!"
The guests clapped and cheered and Richard gently dipped Kori and gave her a long, passionate kiss. When they pulled apart, they faced everyone and interlocked their hands together. They began heading down the altar and the wedding party followed behind.
It was a perfect ceremony, to say the least. Everything went accordingly, and there were less dry eyes than there were tear-filled ones. It was definitely a day to remember for everyone—especially Richard and Kori.
Now, it was time for the reception.
TT
"CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!"
A swarm of guys chanted in unison while Gar was being held upside down on the beer keg. The beer dripped down his mouth but it was evident he was, in fact, chugging down the bitter beverage.
When Gar was let down, he fist-pumped in the air and shouted, "WOOOOOO!" The guys all patted him on the back and cheered with him.
There was a good mixture of Richard's friends and even Bruce's friends around. Bruce already mentioned the whole underaged drinking thing to Richard and his friends once tonight. However, he didn't pick too much on the topic considering it was one night and it was a celebration.
It was already almost an hour into the reception and the ballroom in which it took place was buzzing with positive energy. The decor in the ballroom was absolutely stunning. There was a huge light chandelier hanging on the ceiling right in the center of the dance floor and colorful disco lights on either side of the DJ booth. The round tables had tall vases filled with marbles and white roses in the center. There was a photo booth in one corner as well as a popcorn machine going. There was a dessert table, lavender decor everywhere, and a slideshow of pictures of Richard and Kori on a constant loop. Everything looked amazing.
The guests, old and young, were enjoying the atmosphere. Everyone was mingling, dancing, eating, or a mixture of all three. Kori and Richard had yet to arrive and were currently upstairs in the master suite. Kori needed to change into her reception dress, a more comfortable form of attire, and Richard was waiting for her.
Richard knocked on the bathroom door and said, "Kor, hurry up! It's almost been an hour!" He leaned his forehead on the door and groaned.
"Almost ready!" Kori called as she replaced her long dangling earrings with diamond studs. She stood a deep breath and placed her hand on her stomach.
She was pregnant.
And the only person who knew about it so far was Rachel. However, it did make Kori feel better that Rachel did know about it. But she was scared, she was only seventeen years old, like Richard. It was crazy enough that they'd just gotten married—now she was pregnant.
She'd just started to feel slightly sick and hungrier a month ago. She thought it was all just the nerves considering her wedding was quickly approaching. But just at the last minute this morning, she decided on a whim to take a pregnancy test. She's been on earth long enough to know the symptoms and how the test worked.
She didn't think in a million years it'd actually be positive.
Richard would be furious, at least she was sure he would be. He wasn't ready to be a dad, just like she wasn't ready to be a mom. They'd just become husband and wife. They needed to live their lives at least another five to seven years before kids even came into the picture.
Kori promised herself she'd tell Richard she was carrying their child soon...just not too soon.
"Kori!"
She jumped at the sound of Richard's voice. She sighed and closed her eyes. She opened the bathroom door and he nearly fell over.
"I'm all ready now," she said sweetly.
Richard's eyes grew wide at the sight of his wife. Her reception dress was gorgeous. It was sheer—see-through—floor-length, and white. But underneath she wore a white bodysuit. It was not a traditional dress, or attire for that matter, but it was unique and gorgeous just like Kori. Her hair was let down, so all the red curls flew freely and cascaded down her back. She looked stunning.
"You look amazing," Richard said as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her forehead gently. "I am the luckiest guy in the world."
Kori giggled. "And I am the luckiest girl." She kissed him on the lips and together, they headed down to the ballroom where all their friends and family waited.
They walked hand and hand to the elevator, down to the first floor, and approached the double-doors in which their reception was bustling behind. It was loud, and the flashing colorful lights could be seen through the doors. Two security guards were on either side of the door but when they caught sight of Richard and Kori, they greeted them.
One of the security guards said something in the tiny mic attached to his suit. Then looked at Richard and said, "They're ready for you, Mr. Grayson."
Richard nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Chuck. And please, call me Richard."
Chuck cracked the smallest of smiles. "Will do Mr. Gr—Richard."
When the doors opened, Kori and Richard walked in and the DJ announced into the microphone: "Ladies and gentlemen please give a warm and exciting welcome to Mr. and Mrs. Grayson!"
The guests cheered and clapped as Kori and Richard walked through. They gave hugs to their friends and couldn't stop beaming. They went to the center of the dance floor where they'd share their first dance.
The song for their first dance was One and Only by Adele. As the guests stood around watching the newly weds slow dance to the song, the mood settled down a bit. There were multiple photographers taking pictures from every angle, capturing the beauty of this special moment.
"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" Richard smiled down at Kori as they swayed to the music.
"Very many times, Richard. I've never seen you smile so much in one day." She laughed at her own humor, and laughed harder when he gave her a look. "I am quite fond of your smile."
"Well," he said as he twirled her around. "There's a lot to be smiling about today. And forever...and always." He kissed her on the lips just as the song finished up.
The crowd clapped as they walked off the dance floor together. Immediately, their friends surrounded them and congratulated them.
"How does it feel to be MARRIED!?" Karen asked excitedly.
"Yeah, this is nuts you guys. Also, whoever your wedding planner is deserves a trip to somewhere tropical because damn!" Wally added as he motioned to the extravagant ballroom decor.
Richard and Kori both laughed. "Thanks guys, uh, yeah. Our wedding planner did a really good job!"
"Indeed! I love these colors!" Kori beamed.
Soon, Gar walked up with two bottles of champagne and Rachel. He was already drunk, but clearly the alcohol was not stopping him from having a good time.
"Alright lovebirds! Time to celebrate with some alcho-ma-hol!" Gar boasted and popped one of the bottles. He handed it over to Richard, who in return took a few big chugs.
Richard was on a mission to actually enjoy this night. It's been a long time since he's let loose and gotten drunk. He handed the bottle over to Kori. "Here babe," he said.
Kori's smile vanished and she looked over at Rachel. Rachel immediately saw the panic in her eyes. Kori couldn't drink any kind of alcohol because of her fresh pregnancy.
Rachel yanked the bottle out of Kori's hand. "Me first." She chugged down the beverage and once finished, let out a loud burp.
Everyone stared at Rachel in disbelief. Out of everyone, she was the one who never drank, danced, let loose—have fun. This came as a shock to everyone. But really, Rachel was doing her best friend a favor.
"Kori, you should really eat something before drinking," Rachel said.
Kori nodded, thankful for her savior. "I should! Let's go!" She grabbed Rachel's hand and dragged her away to the buffet table.
Richard and his friends shrugged and continued to drink. Soon, they made their way out onto the dance floor and showed off their best moves. Richard was already feeling the buzz.
Kori loaded her plate up with almost everything. She was starving and avoiding her friends because she knew they'd never let her go the entire night without a sip of alcohol.
Kori frantically threw chicken wings, mashed potatoes, rolls, etc. onto her plate and drenched everything in mustard. Her eyebrows were furrowed with worry and she almost started to hyperventilate.
Rachel grabbed ahold of Kori's wrist to stop her from doing anything else. "Kori. Calm down. Everything is going to be just fine."
Kori closed her eyes and set her plate down. She leaned against the table and sighed. "I do not know what to do or how to keep this from anyone. Sooner or later they are going to find out and—and—"
"Kori!" Rachel stepped in front of Kori and put her hands on her shoulders. "Stop. This is your wedding day. You should not be this strung out. It's going to be okay. No one is going to even notice that you haven't drank anything. They're all going to be too wasted to care."
"I know but…" She looked up at Rachel and bit her lip. "I don't know how to tell Richard after the wedding is over."
Rachel gave her a sympathetic look at this. She wanted to tell Kori everything was going to be just fine and that Richard was going to be excited. But she didn't want to lie to her. To be quite honest, Rachel didn't even know how Richard was going to react.
Rachel grabbed ahold of Kori's hand and squeezed it. "Let's worry about all that later. You need to enjoy tonight."
Kori nodded and smiled. She was truly grateful for Rachel. Their friendship has come such a long way in the past year. "You're right. But first, I would like to eat this plate of food. And then check out the dessert table. I am craving lots of cake."
Rachel let Kori drag her to the bride and groom table with her massive plate of food. Rachel groaned slightly and said, "Why me?"
TT
When midnight rolled around, the reception finally reached its ending point. Half of the guest list was drunk and the other half was tired. But everyone found the decency to line up along the walkway out front to hold sparklers as the bride and groom headed to their car.
Richard wanted to take Kori out of the country for their two-week honeymoon but given they were still only seventeen, he figured Florida would suffice until they were older.
They'd be going to Orlando and staying in a vacation home on the beach that Bruce owned. Security would be with them, and Richard was planning on taking Kori to Universal Studios as well. She had no idea where they were going, but anywhere outside of California would be a surprise.
As the two walked down the walkway surrounded by sparklers, friends, family, and love, they held hands and animatedly got into their car. The driver waited for Richard's cue to head to the airport.
Just before they pulled away, their friends came up to the window. Roy said, "You guys be safe now." He winked, implying another form of "being safe" in that sentence.
Richard rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever. We'll see you guys when we get back."
Behind Roy, Gar was hanging onto Rachel and Jade for support. He was definitely the most drunk out of them all. "Congratsh guyzzzz...really happy for boths of yous…" his words were slurred but somewhat meaningful.
Richard and Kori laughed. They said their goodbyes and soon, the car pulled away. Off to their honeymoon they went.
The gang stayed behind after all the guests left. They'd be staying at the resort tonight, some of them would be going back to their families whereas others were welcomed to stay at Wayne Manor for the summer. A majority of them were staying at Wayne Manor, but for one last night, they'd all be together until the school year. Well, minus Kori and Richard.
"Alright well, we're going to go dunk Gar in the indoor pool!" Vic said. Him, Mal, and Wally all walked towards the resort to start sobering up their friend.
"Ugh, I'm exhausted," Karen yawned. "I'm whipping on a face mask, laying in bed, and watching Gossip Girl until I fall asleep."
"What about Vic?" Toni asked.
"Please, this whole resort to ourselves for the night? Vic and the guys will be up the rest of the night." Karen crossed her arms and snorted. She began walking inside and the girls followed behind.
Everyone but Rachel and Jason went back in to start preparing for bed—or whatever it is they wanted to do. The two stood awkwardly in silence. The night air blew through and provided a slight chill. Rachel rubbed her bare arms.
Jason took off his jacket. "Here, take this." He held it out for her.
Rachel shook her head. "No, I'm okay. Really."
Jason draped it over her shoulders anyways. The two of them then turned to look out at the night sky. Neither one of them said anything for awhile. That was how it always was when they were around each other though.
After Rachel started dating Gar, her and Jason didn't really talk. Their feelings towards one another were never discussed either. They were basically strangers with underlying emotions for each other. Jason didn't want to interfere with her happiness.
"So, how are you and Gar?" Jason finally asked without looking at her.
"We're good." Rachel stole a quick side glance at him. His jaw was tensed up. "Um, we both decided to stay at Wayne Manor for the summer. Together."
"That's nice." A pause. Then, "So you two are pretty serious then?"
"Yeah, we are."
"Good."
"Yup."
Silence engulfed the two of them once more and Rachel could feel the sudden tension in the air. She took his coat off of her shoulders and handed it to him. She then began to walk away.
Jason called out, "Why are you being like that?"
Rachel stopped and turned around. "Like what?" She asked a little too angrily. "Like I don't want to talk to you? Well it's because I don't."
Jason rolled his eyes. "What did I do wrong? You made your choice. You're happy. I'm happy for you."
"Choice?" Rachel asked incredulously. "There was never anything to choose between. Gar is my boyfriend, he's someone I care for deeply and you—"
"I'm what?" Jason stepped closer to her. "Just a stray your friends picked up off the streets? I'm what, Rachel?"
Rachel stepped towards him and pointed an accusing finger at his chest. "Don't you dare try and make it seem that way! After everything we've all been through. You're someone I care about too, Jason. Just…" she trailed off and looked away.
"Just not in that way. I get it." He sounded sad at the end. His anger was suddenly replaced with sorrow. "I get it."
Rachel closed her eyes and sighed. "Jason, I care about you. It's just, I...things would never work between us and I'm not good for you."
"Don't." His voice was stern. He took yet another step towards her until they were just a few feet apart. "Don't ever say that."
Rachel stared up at him. His grey eyes were boring into her amethyst colored ones. For a moment, it felt as if there was nothing else around them. She rubbed her lips together and swallowed.
Jason brought a hand up to her cheek. He slowly brought his lips closer to her...and then…
"Stop," she said and put a hand on his chest. "I'm with Gar."
Jason backed away from her. A look of hurt was evident on his face. He shoved his hands in his pockets and brushed past her. "Have a nice night," he said as he disappeared into the resort.
Rachel sighed and stayed outside for a little while longer. She felt bad, she really did. Truth be told, Rachel liked Jason. She had feelings for him—intimate feelings. There was infatuation there and she knew it.
But Gar was her better half. He was the one who filled her lonely existence with happiness. He captured her heart since day one.
Rachel loved Gar. She liked Jason.
However, in this very moment, she couldn't help but feel as if she didn't make the right choice. The only thing she could do, though, was bury that feeling.