I'm glad you guys liked this, I hadn't expected it. Sorry about the long wait, I've been camping.
I own nothing in this chapter, just my own ideas.
8/22/06: I was writing the third chappie when I realized that the part I had written belonged here. It's at the end. Thank you again for your reviews and tell me whether or not I made a smart move. (That's code for R&R)
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Richard hadn't seen this coming. Just this morning, he had been the simple Vice President of the company. Then, after a 10 minute meeting, a bomb dropped on him. Bruce was retiring, with Richard to take his place.
The new CEO of Wayne Enterprises, who was thinking of renaming it to Grayson Enterprises (probably not, that would happen over Bruce's dead body), was walking towards the mail room when he saw Kitten Moth, one of his colleague's secretary run into a messenger girl, knocking the papers out of her hands.
Kitten sneered at the poor girl, then sailed on. The girl clenched her hands to her sides, as if trying to restrain herself from strangling the secretary, although Richard wouldn't cry if she did. Finally, the girl took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, through her teeth. After she was done hissing, the girl knelt down and started picking up the strewn about papers.
The next thing he knew, he was handing a stack to her and asking if she was OK. She looked up, and both of their eyes widened. Hers, most likely, were from seeing the new President, but his were from meeting a goddess.
She had sun-kissed skin, with a figure that was nothing short of spectacular and she face and coloring to match. Her red hair was put into a bun, but it looked as soft as silk and shone like fire. But it was her eyes that captured him. Big, expressive liquid emeralds; currently surprised and confused and full of innocence, but looked like they've had their fair share of life and what comes with it. Suddenly, he realized he was staring, so he forced himself to tear his gaze away and pick up the papers.
"I'm fine," she mumbled, and even lower, "Thanks."
"No problem," he managed to say in what he hoped was a cheerful sounding voice, but to him, it just sounded like he swallowed a frog. They finished filing in silence.
The girl stood up carefully, and Richard discovered just how tall she was, just about three inches shorter than he. "Well…" she said awkwardly, "I need to take these to the file room so…bye."
She started walking away, causing Richard to panic. He couldn't let the girl of his dreams walk away like that! He looked around wildly for an excuse to spend more time with her, when his gaze fell on the mail in his hand. His face split into a relieved grin.
"Wait!" he called. The girl hesitated, then turned, "Mind if I join you? I need to go to the mail room anyway." Her brow furrowed a little bit, but she shrugged, turned, and continued walking, with Richard running to catch up.
They reached the elevator and both tried to push the button. Their hands collided, causing a small but searing lightning bolt to shoot up her arm and dance around her neck. They met each others eyes and Kori abruptly noticed their color; the deepest cerulean blue she had ever seen. She then slapped herself mentally,
You idiot! You can't be attracted to him
Why not? Her "inner Kori" countered.
Because we have a boyfriend!
That we stay with…why?Shut up, the elevator's here. They got on and Richard pressed the floor button.
The silence was unbearable, and Richard decided to break it. "So um…what's your name?" Gotta start somewhere, right?
"Kori Anders." The response was so sudden, and softly spoken, it took Richard a second to respond. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Anders, I'm-"
"I'm well aware of who you are Mr. Grayson, I don't know anyone who doesn't. Congratulations on your promotion by the way." Richard was surprised by the way she spoke. Soft and articulate, with a slight accent, and sort of… giggly, for lack of a better word. And she didn't say her words with flirty adoration, like too many girls he's met, nor was it cold or bitter like some people do when they address their bosses. She had simply stated it with a sound of genuine happiness at his fortune.
"Uh thanks, and please, call me Richard."
"Only if you call me Kori."
He nodded and held out his hand, "All right Kori, nice to meet you."
Shifting her papers, and holding them with amazing balance and strength, she placed her soft hand in his, and it was Richard's turn for the hair on the back of neck to stand up. "And its nice to meet you too Richard." He liked the way she spoke his name. Unfortunately, he had run out of things to say, however the silence was no longer awkward. But, the silence was short-lived, as the elevator doors soon opened.
Kori nearly ran out, desperate to get away from Richard and his big, warm, and impossibly soft hands. However, she unwittingly caused her drawing, which had been in her pocket, to fly out and fall to Richard's feet. He picked it up and nearly called her, but then he noticed what he was holding.
He wasn't an artist, and he wasn't an art sophisticate per se, but he did have a friend whose fiancé was a designer, so he knew talent when he saw it.
He quickly dropped the mail into the slot, looking at the picture, then glanced up when he saw Kori beginning to take her leave. "Hey!" he called, stopping her once more. "Did you draw this?" he showed her the picture, causing Kori to gasp, then snatch the paper away from him, as if expecting him to tear it up.
Confused by her impulsive act, Richard raised an eyebrow, causing Kori to turn scarlet, weather it was from her action or his reaction, he wasn't sure. "I-I'm sorry," she stuttered, "I just…do not like people to see my um…work."
"Well you should," he replied, "That picture looked like it came from a computer, its so good!"
Kori's expression changed from surprise to delight to embarrassment and finally to skepticism. She raised her own eyebrows and a playful, possibly flirtatious smile crept over her mouth, "Are you normally this flattering Mr. Grayson?"
The fact that she looked utterly hot when she said Mr. Grayson made Richard blunt. "No, I don't flatter about this sort of thing, I tell the truth. And the truth is, you should do this for a living, because you definitely don't belong here." And for the first time in a long time, Kori showed her pearly whites in a genuine smile.
"Thank you," she said in a happy but confused way, but the unpracticed smile disappeared, and the well-practiced rueful one replaced it, "but whom am I kidding? Who would hire me?"
"Who wouldn't?" he countered defiantly, stunned at her low self-esteem and angry at whoever had made her feel this way.
Now Kori's expression was suspicious, "Why do you care at all? Is being an art connoisseur one of Mr. Grayson's secret hobbies? Or is it just for the ladies?"
Richard controlled the impulse to squirm like a little boy caught throwing a paper airplane. This girl knew him pretty well. He was a womanizer, he admitted it. However, his compliments at this time, oddly enough, had had no hidden agenda. He had been simply telling the truth.
Which kind of made him wonder what was wrong with him.
And before he knew it, he was telling the truth again, "I just like art, it's not really a hobby, and I'll admit that knowing the difference between Michalangelo and DaVinci has it advantages when you're on a date. And I care because you have some real talent there and I know someone who'd be interested in your work." He took a deep breath, as he hadn't during his speech.
Kori looked disbelieving at the last part, "Who?"
"Ever hear of Jinx's Closet?"
She pointed to her boots, "These were designed by that line. Why?"
"Well, I'm friends with Jinny Flow, the lady who invented the line."
Her mouth was now open slightly, "Truly?" she asked, her shock making her revert to her old manner of speaking.
He smirked at her gawking face, "Yep, are you interested?"
Her mouth opened even more, "Have you lost your sanity? I am most certainly interested! But…"
"But what?"
"Well…I um…it is merely…um…"
He knew she was talking herself out of a great opportunity, so he decided to stop her. "When's your lunch break?"
"What? Oh um…" she looked at the clock. "Now, apparently."
"Have any plans?"
"Uh-uh," she grunted, lost in thought.
"Then mind if I join you?" That question snapped her back to reality, and she checked the vague impulse to look over her shoulder to see if he was talking to someone else.
What's the matter? said inner Kori. This guy is cute, nice, cute, polite, cute, honest, cute, trying to help us get out of here and fulfill our dream, cute, and did I mention cute?
"About 6 times."
All right Rachel! C'mon! We never do anything fun anymore!
HELLO! We have a boyfriend!
Is that your name for him?
Shut up.
PLEEASE?Fine! If I go, will you stop badgering me?
Sure, why not?
"Where?" she asked aloud.
Richard did a mental victory dance. "How does pizza sound?"
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"What're you doing?" asked Richard, eyes wide.
With a final squirt, Kori put the bottle aside, "Eating my pizza," she said obviously as she took a bite out of the now yellow slice.
"With mustard?"
She almost rolled her eyes and said, "No, its ketchup," but decided against it and resolved to stop spending so much time with Rachel. Instead, she asked, "Have you ever tried it?"
Now it was his turn to sound obvious, "No!" This time, Kori did roll her eyes, but then a thought struck her. She quirked an eyebrow, which was enough to put Richard on guard.
She picked up the yellow bottle, and Richard instantly held his perfect, condiment free slice to him like it was a holy relic. Kori swiftly tried to mustard it, but Richard just as swiftly held it out of the line of fire.
Kori's eyes lit with the joy of battle and once again tried to cover the pizza in the tangy liquid, but Richard, also anticipating the fight, moved it once more. And so the mustard war began with the two locked into a dance of squirting and dodging, with mustard flying everywhere.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTwo men who had been passing by watched the battle with a mixture of amusement and fascination, but mostly amusement. "My money's on Rich, Vic," said one.
"I dunno Gar," replied the other, "Kor has a bit of an edge."
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTWith the two opposers slowly, but surely, weakening, Kori knew that she would have to strike soon to win. She faked a squirt and as Richard pulled it out of harms way, she saw her chance. With a ninja cry, she let loose a yellow stream from the bottle. Her aim was true, and the slice was now thoroughly covered. However so was Richard's face.
Meanwhile, an irritated Gar was handing a 5 dollar bill to a jubilant Vic. "Aww YEAH! Who called it? Tell me who called it grass stain!"
Kori kept her face straight with superhuman might, "Now take a bite," she said in a motherly, your-going-to-eat-your-broccoli-and-your-going-to-like-it! kind of way.
Richard glared at her, then shoved the slice into his mouth, not quite accepting defeat, chewed, and swallowed. He looked at the slice in surprise, causing Kori to ask saccharinely, "Now, was that so bad?"
Richard couldn't think of anything to say, so he did the only thing that came to mind: he stuck out his tongue, which was now yellow.
Kori's composure broke, and she did some thing she hadn't done in a long time: she laughed hysterically, and Richard soon joined in.
In between gasps, Richard finally said, "I guess… y-you two…aren't…as crazy…as I thought."
"Two?" she echoed.
For some reason, Richard blushed, "Um, yeah…I've seen someone else who also likes your…pizza topping."
"Who?"
Her face turned a deeper shade of red, "Um…well…her name is…Star-fire," he mumbled.
Kori nearly choked on her soda, "You like Teen Titans?" she gasped. Richard's now scarlet face was her answer; "I LOVE THAT SHOW!"
Richard looked up, the shock evident on his face, "You do?"
"YES! Robin and Starfire 4 EVER!"
Richard's expression changed from confusion to delight, "I heard that!" he agreed loudly, holding up his hand, which Kori slapped mightily.
They spent the rest of their lunch discussing the best subject in the world: Teen Titans and they were still arguing whether Red X should be with Cheshire or Blackfire (Richard on Cheshire's side, Kori on Blackfire's) when they reached Kori's desk. Where Richard immediately noticed Starfire, "Whoa! You drew that too?" Kori nodded happily, now pleased that someone appreciated her work. "Can you draw me Robin?"
Kori pretended to be deep in thought, "We-ell, it'll cost you," she said jokingly, holding out her hand, and was absolutely flabbergasted (A/N: don't ask) to feel a bill slide into it. She looked at the paper, and saw Mr. Franklin looking back. Her mouth fell open as she looked up into Richard's chuckling oceanic orbs. "I-I was kidding," she breathed.
"I wasn't," he responded easily, "Your art is worth it, but just make sure I get my moneys worth." He spoke the last part sternly, but his eyes were anything but. Unable to think of anything to say, she wouldn't have been able to form words anyway, she simply nodded shakily and looked back at the bill. "Hey." She looked up, "Do you realize that we never got around to discussing getting you an interview with Jinny?"
Kori's eyebrows rushed to meet each other, "No," she said wonderingly, and had a small smile as she recalled what they had been doing, "We didn't did we?"
Richard shrugged, "I guess we'll have to wait till next time," she nodded, still slightly dazed. He patted her on the shoulder, "Take it easy Kor," and he walked away.
Kori sank into her chair, not noticing the stares people were giving her or the files piled next to her. Then her eyes popped open, "NEXT TIME!"
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT"Hey Kole, any calls?"
Kolette "Kole" Crystal, his Personal Assistant, didn't look up from the paper she was filling out. She nodded her pink head; her hair was just a shade lighter than Jinny's, and handed him a stack of letters.
"Yep, Gar called and wanted to talk-" she suddenly broke off.
Richard looked up from his mail and his face grew concerned at the glazed eyes and open mouth his PA had acquired, "Kole?" Suddenly, she put her paper and pen aside, she pulled her chair back from her desk, took a deep breath, then exploded into hysterical laughter. Richard eyebrow was now halfway up his forehead.
Finally, her giggles died down enough for her to gasp, "Y-yo-you're ye-yellow!" she went off again into gales of laughter as she reached into her purse and handed him her makeup mirror. Richard opened the case and found that it was true.
Now, his face was reddening, therefore making the color you get when mixing red and yellow: orange. And he had been wondering about the weird looks he had gotten…
Suddenly, he started laughing too; he just remembered how Kori had looked with the condiment on her face. "I know," he said without the slightest amount of sarcasm, "Isn't it great?" That comment stopped Kole cold, and she watched, wide eyed as the still chuckling Richard went into his office.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTKori opened the door to an empty apartment. She wasn't surprised, Roy always caught the bus to his job as a security guard at the shooting gallery, then to the graveyard shift at a convenience store. She once again picked up the green bottles, Only five, she thought, maybe he's improving. But she knew he would make up for it tonight, although there wouldn't be nearly as many bottles as there was this morning. It had been Poker Night, and Roy's buddies were all alcoholics. "Just like him," she mumbled, then realized what she said.
"No!" she objected loudly, "he's not a drunk! He just…has a problem."
But the words sounded hollow, even to her.
She quickly shook the thought away as she changed clothes. She noticed some mustard on her vest and smiled fondly, but remembered her boyfriend and got out her art supplies. Drawing will help, she thought, I hope.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTKori colored in the last bit of white and signed the bottom with a flourish. "Done!" she announced triumphantly. As if on cue, Roy opened the door and was rocking on his feet. "Hey baby," he slurred.
Kori's good mood plummeted. She wordlessly rose and helped him to the bathroom. She turned on the shower and exited, carrying his shoes. After putting them in the closet, she got a clean set of clothes and once again headed for the bathroom.
She picked up his work outfit and placed the other pair next to the door. Suddenly, the sound of retching rose over the running water, and she grimaced. I hope he gets it in the toilet or the tub this time, she thought, I'm SO not in the mood to clean up vomit. The smell of her soup came to her nose, and she followed it to the kitchen.
It was being ladled into bowls when Roy came stumbling down the hall, his face unnaturally pale in comparison with his bright orange hair. He managed to make his way to his chair and he sat down shakily.
Kori placed the bowls on the table and ate steadily, forcing down the mouthfuls. At one time, she had been so uncomfortable eating under Roy's brown bloodshot gaze, it made her lose her appetite for the rest of the day. It had nearly driven her to anorexia, and she wasn't going to let it happen again.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTRoy hated this time of day; he had to get to the convenience store in an hour, and he had to endure the hurt look in Kori's eye as she tried to make small talk as they ate. Tonight, for example, he fought the urge to bolt for the refrigerator and the blessed green bottles inside as Kori spoke about some job opportunity.
However, he gripped one side of the chair as if to anchor himself there and concentrated on his food. After Kori had stopped trying to make her unusual native food and went to a couple classes, she had turned out to be a pretty good cook. He was grateful for her soup tonight. The rich tomato broth always did wonders for settling his stomach.
Halfway through the bowl he felt the warm tide of drunkenness wash over him. He tried to fight it, tried to prevent what he was about to become, but he never succeeded. It always happened like that. A few minutes of clarity, then he sunk to the bottom of a swamp while he did or said things he never remembered.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTKori sensed, rather than saw Roy sink into his "amnesia phase" as he called it and fought to keep the tears back. When Roy was like this, he became angry, almost cruel. And if she questioned him on the smallest thing, he exploded. He never hit her, but it was always frightening. So now when he commanded gruffly, "I'm gonna watch TV. Go get me a beer. Now." She didn't waste any time. But when he asked for a fourth one, she couldn't help but ask how many he had had already.
It was the wrong thing to say.
"Why do you want to know." the sentence was stated, not asked.
So nervous was she, Kori reverted to her old manner of speaking, "I was merely concerned for your well-being Roy. Having so much alcohol in your system is not healthy, and I do not think-"
"I don't care what you think," he hissed viciously. "Did I ask for your opinion?" Kori knew not to speak, so she shook her head as an answer. "No I didn't, and I don't know why the hell you ask so many damn questions! It. Gets. On. My. NERVES!" he shouted.
Kori shrank back, but her voice was firm, "Roy, please try to calm down."
"Calm down?" he repeated unbelievingly, "Calm down? Who the hell do you think you are to ask me to calm down?!" He threw the bottle in his hand at the wall, casuing a dent and green shards to rain down on to the floor. Suddenly, Roy seemed to shrink in size and anger.
Kori breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. When Roy was in the amnesia phase the only way to get him out of it was to make him mad enough to break something. For some reason, it was brought instant sobriety.
Roy looked at the wall, the glass, his hand (which was cut slightly from his nails digging into his flesh), and Kori.
His eyes were glassy and he looked like a little boy who had lost his mother, and it had the same effect on Kori that it always did. So few people saw Roy at this point. They only got as far as his amnesia phase before they gave up. But Kori was the first and only person who was there when he lost touch with reality and when he came back. She saw his genuine remorse and sadness, and it was that phase of his drunkenness that made it all worthwhile.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTRoy didn't apologize, he knew they were way past that. He simply got out a broom and dustpan while Kori got the trashcan.
Finally, Kori broke the tension with, "You came out of it sooner this time."
"I did?" his voice had a soft-spoken hope to it.
"Mm-Hmm, we're making progress. Soon you want even have these spells."
"Ya think?" now his voice was full of self-loathing.
Kori fixed her green eyes on him unwaveringly, "Yes I do Roy. You can do this. You simply need hope. And courage. And the faith that I'll be here to help you."
Roy stared at her. How does she DO that? He thought, she holds me up when no one wants to or they're too tired to do it. She tries to stop me when I'm battling myself when that is about as smart as stepping between two lions And THEN she makes reasons to feel good about myself when I really shouldn't exist. His eyes fell on a particularly sharp piece of glass he was holding. It would be so easy…
Kori's voice broke his thoughts, "Roy, for your thoughts I will pay six grubthars."
He nodded a little before answering, "I'm fine, thanks to you Princess."
Her small smile lit the dark room, but it fell when she saw the clock. "Roy! You're going to be late for work!"
He spun around to discover she was right. He cursed swiftly and grabbed his things. Giving a quick farewell, he ran out the door, leaving Kori to clean up the rest of his mess.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTShe wasn't crying. That was what surprised Kori. Normally, there would be at least a few waterworks by now, but instead, she was smiling. Smiling at the pictures she had drawn and smiling at how she thought Richard's reaction would be when he saw them. Even she knew that she had out done herself this time. And what surprised her most was that she was looking forward to work tomorrow. She slipped into bed and dreams came on so quickly, she had no sense of falling asleep.
She was running. Whether it was to or from something, she wasn't sure; all she wanted was to get out of her currant state.It was cold and dark, with lightning and thunder constantly crashing, accompanied with a stinging rain that beat down on her head. Then she tripped and fell. And fell, and fell. She thought she would fall forever and she opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out.
She waited for an impact that never came.
A pair of strong arms pulled her out of her descent and held her close. She leaned her head on his warm chest; she didn't care whose it was, so long as she was safe. Warm breath and soothing voice caressed her ear in an oddly familiar way. "It's OK, your safe now, and I promise I'll always keep you that way."
She lifted her head, but the darkness prevented her from seeing his face. He gently pushed her wet hair from her eyes. She felt herself go limp as his other soft hand caressed her face.
A flash of lightning briefly illuminated his features. She saw long raven hair, midnight blue eyes, and a warm smile. A bell of recognition rang, but she was too content to care. He leaned in, and she got up on tiptoe. His lips touched hers…when she woke up.Kori looked around for whatever had woken her up. The alarm clock. That was to be expected, she guessed, after all, I DID set it.
But that didn't prevent her from throwing the offending timekeeper at the wall for disturbing such a wonderful dream.
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R&R please. Hey, why do they put that at the end of chappies? They've already read it, so shouldn't you just put "R"? Whatever, now I'm gonna work on TSMMWCT (This Star made my wish come true).
8/22/06: Yeah I hope you liked it. I did. REVIEW!
L8r
SAT :)
