UPDATED MARCH 2013
Disclaimer:See Prologue.
.:. Bound To You .:.
Chapter 3
The next month passed by rather uneventfully for the Titans. Aside from casual burglaries and muggings, the town had been quiet, leaving Dick to concentrate on other matters. The day after Kory had expressed her concerns to him about Jinx, Dick contacted the Titans stationed on the West Coast, specifically Roy, and demanded that they keep an eye on the Alcatraz. He hated when he had to play the role of the tough guy; he didn't like having to remind people to do their jobs. However, he had to admit that he was good at it; the Titans always responded well to his orders and never second-guessed him. A Titans West "team" no longer existed; instead, two years ago with Victor's help, Dick created a Titan's Network that connected all Titans across the globe and established the Titans East tower as an official headquarters. It was a lot of work, but it was much easier than dealing with different teams; there was too much paperwork involved. The network also allowed him more time to go into Gotham, which was important. Barbara was entering her last year of graduate school and her time for nocturnal activities was limited; at least that is what Bruce told him.
Between his physical rehabilitation, trying to hold the reigns over a blossoming Titans Network and his back and forth act between Gotham and JumpCity, he had unintentionally put Kory on the back burner. He knew that he'd been slightly preoccupied lately, but he hadn't meant to be, at least not around her.
God, I'm a shitty boyfriend.
Determined to make it up to her, he decided that he would surprise her by taking her into town for lunch, just the two of them. Victor recently purchased Rock Band so Dick didn't have to worry about him or Gar trying to tag along and he didn't have a clue where Raven was – not that she would go anyway.
Dick stealthily rose from the bed, being extra careful not to wake Kory and walked into the bathroom to start his shower. The hot water beating against his tired body felt therapeutic. His muscles ached from all the recent activity and he was hoping that today would be a very welcomed day off. He closed his eyes, leaned against the shower's tiled wall and allowed the heat and steam to engulf him.
I should consider adding a sauna to this place, I bet-.
His thoughts ended abruptly as soon as a cool breeze and a pair of breasts entered the warm confines of his shower walls. His body shivered slightly and he couldn't tell whether it was from the cold air or from the sight of Kory standing right in front of him; it could very well have been both.
"Good morning to you, too," Dick said through his boyish grin. "I guess that I wasn't being as covert as I thought. Not that I'm complaining, mind you." He glanced up and down her body, taking her in fully. He was convinced that she was the hottest, sexiest girl in the world and her beauty bore no comparison.
"I woke up as soon as I heard the shower running and thought to myself, 'hmm, I kind of need one of those, too'." Kory ran her fingers up and down his chest. "I hope I am not bothering you."
"No…no…not at all." He swallowed hard. He felt exposed; he was exposed. There was absolutely no way to hide his arousal – not that he wanted to.
"Someone looks glad to see me this morning," Kory giggled. "Too bad I am so busy this morning that shower sex just will not possibly fit into my schedule."
Dick raised an eyebrow at her sarcasm. "Is that so?"
Kory continued to laugh. "Yes, unfortunately I don't have a single minute to spare, which I know is all you would need. I am sorry; it just isn't do-able." Kory knew that statement would definitely set a call to action.
Dick wrapped his hands around the back of Kory's neck and pulled her in for a passionate kiss and mumbled against her lips, "only a minute my ass."
Dick and Kory both exited the site of their much-needed 'sexcipade' with smiles on their faces. Between the ribs and Dick going into super Robin-mode (which is the term she used for Dick when he was all work and no play) they had not been intimate for a month; it was difficult to get through. She hated it when he started pushing her away and she learned very quickly that the best way to snap him out of it was to confront him about it. Today was their six-year anniversary and she'd be damned if he forgot about it because he was spreading himself too thin. Dick was always good about going the extra mile on their "special days" and even though he acted like a jackass sometimes, she knew that he really loved her.
I pretend not to make a big deal out of anniversaries because they weren't a part of my Tamaranean culture, but in reality, I look forward to them greatly.
"Hey, Kor, want to go into town and grab a bite to eat... just me and you?"
Kory couldn't hide the big grin on her face.
It starts!
She thought about running over and taking him into one of her signature "super hugs" but instead, she opted to watch him get ready.
He is really looking good these days. She giggled inwardly
"Help me pick out a shirt; your choice."
Kory smiled and sauntered over to his closet; she shifted through all of his shirts before pulling down a dark gray t-shirt and tossing it in his direction.
"Thanks."
She watched his abdominals flex as he lifted the shirt over his head.
He is definitely a magnificent human.
"Kory, are you okay?"
Kory felt a blush creep up across her face and she gave a quick answer. "Sure Dick. All I need to do is throw on some clothes and I will be ready to go."
Dick looked at her and raised an eyebrow; he brushed off her behavior and let it go. "I'll wait for you outside in the main room."
She heard the door shut and then let out a sigh of relief. She quickly threw on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a pair of sneakers. She ran towards the door before stopping at her vanity.
Eek! I look like a mess!
She contemplated putting on some makeup before she decided against it—too much of a time restraint. A little lip-gloss should help. She pressed her lips together and took one last look at herself in the mirror before grabbing an elastic band and throwing her hair up into a loose ponytail as she headed out the door.
When she walked into the main room, Victor and Gar were playing their new video game.
"Hey, Goldie, come play with us! Maybe you can convince Dick to stop being such a party pooper." Victor shouted before turning back to the screen to play his guitar solo.
"You can sing! I bet you have an awesome singing voice!" Bassist Gar Logan added. "We have been trying to convince Dick to come in and play the drums. This game is so freakin' awesome!"
"Hey, maybe later," Dick declined. "Kory and I are going to lunch; we'll be back." Dick grabbed her hand and made a quick dash to the exit. He wanted to get out of there before the two guys invited themselves to come along. He really didn't feel like wearing his costume today.
Victor and Gar just shrugged.
"Their loss." Victor said, flipping his guitar to activate the bonus multiplier.
"For real."
She would never admit it to him, but motorcycles terrified her. Dick always claimed that the bike made him feel free and uninhibited- made him feel one with the road and liked the wind in his hair. All she could figure is that he had the same sensation riding on his R-Cycle that she did when she was flying. Therefore, as soon as he parked, Kory hopped off and hastily placed his helmet (that he stubbornly made her wear!) in its appropriate place on the back of the bike.
"Is this place alright with you Kory? If not, we can always go somewhere else."
Kory looked up and nodded as she noticed the all too familiar sign for La Belle Fille.
"Dick, it is perfect," Kory said as she clapped her hands together in excitement. "Any dining with you is beyond satisfaction – unless of course we were going to eat…"
"I don't think I told you yet, but you really look nice today," Dick quickly interrupted her before she could start describing food so grotesque that even she wouldn't eat it. "Helmet-hair and all," he teased.
"Thank you Dick," Kory accepted the compliment graciously; she ignored the tease about her "helmet-hair" and made a mental note to fix it in the restroom once they were sat.
Reaching the restaurant, Dick opened the door for her, "after you, mi amore."
Dick drummed his fingers on the table impatiently. They had been at the table for three minutes and the waiter still hadn't come by; the service was unacceptable. He looked at Kory who had a bright smile on her face and he allowed himself to relax a little bit. This day was about making up lost time with Kory- there was no hurry. He was about to open his mouth to speak when the waiter interrupted.
"Hey guys, welcome back!" Their waiter exclaimed. "Sorry it took so long—the lunch crowd is pretty big today. What can I get you guys to drink?"
"Coke."
"And for the lovely miss Kory Anders?"
Kory tried to hide her reaction behind the menu; every time they came into the restaurant, Chad insisted on being their waiter and he would always pay her the nicest compliments. Of course, she realized that he was flirting with her, but she would never let on that she knew. She was slowly acclimating to all the "positive" attention that she would get from Earth males; however, she was sure that Dick was not.
"Water will be fine, thanks."
Dick smiled to himself remembering all the times that she would come in here and try to order mustard for a drink. Even though he was glad that phase was over, he couldn't help but miss the naivety of it.
"Awesome, one water and one soda coming right up," Chad winked at Kory before walking off into the sea of tables.
Dick experienced a small pang of jealousy. Appearance wise, Chad exhibited certain features that one would associate with an attractive male; at least, he knew that women considered him good-looking. He had even heard Raven refer to him as 'hot' before – hot or not, he didn't want him hitting on his girlfriend.
Chad was a regular waiter at La Belle Fille, and over the years, he had weaseled his way into being acquaintances of all the Titans, Dick being the exception. It probably had something to do with the fact that Chad always, without fail, flirted carelessly with Kory.
I should be used to guys flirting with her all of the time, but it has been something that I haven't been able to come to terms with.
"Does he think that I didn't see that? Or does he just not care?" Dick asked angrily.
"Dick, I do not think he means any harm; he is just trying to be congenial. Waiters are supposed to be friendly, are they not?" Kory put down her menu and slid it to the side. "I love you." She placed her hands on the table, palm side up, inviting him to place his on top.
He obliged. "I love you too, but changing the subject isn't going to change my opinion; there is something off about that guy."
Kory raised an eyebrow, "Dick, you are not jealous of Chad are you? I mean, because if you are, there is not any reason to -" Dick cut her off before she could finish.
"I am not jealous!" he said a little too loudly, gaining glances from various diners. In a quieter, calmer voice he continued. "I'm not jealous. I just don't like him; that is all. He rubs me the wrong way and I really don't like the way he puts moves on you right in front of me. Okay? Let's talk about something else." Dick cleared his throat.
Kory knew this routine well. Dick had the tendency to get jealous and most of the time she thought it was really cute and flattering; however, she was fond of Chad and didn't want to make Dick any angrier so she dropped the subject. She wondered quickly if maybe he was on edge because of their anniversary; perhaps he had something planned and he was getting nervous about it. Men often got nervous on the television when they were about to…
"Hey Kory," Kory snapped out of her daze to meet Dick's questioning eyes and Chad's white smile. "Do you know what you want to order?"
"Yeah, I will just have a Caesar salad, like always." Kory folded up her menu and handed it to Chad. "Thanks."
"No problem, I will be right back out with your orders; just flag me down if you need anything."
Dick made sure that Chad was out of earshot before he began conversation. "Where were you just now?"
"Dick, what do you mean? I was right here, silly."
"What were you thinking about?"
Kory knew that Dick wouldn't let it alone; she was going to have to tell him something- should she just tell the truth?
I just really don't want to bring it up right now.
"Nothing really, I was just wondering if our friends would still be playing Rock Band when we got back. Who knows, maybe they were able to convince Raven to play." Kory laughed at the thought. "Can you imagine," she let out another small laugh. "Raven playing Rock Band?"
Dick smiled- the thought of Raven playing Rock Band was amusing. "Yeah, I highly doubt it, but hey, you never know."
The rest of the meal went smoothly; Chad kept his distance and Dick was happy about it. The less he had to see of his face, the better.
Maybe I am overreacting. If I really thought that there was a threat, I would have taken her to a different restaurant, right?
"How was your meal? Satisfactory I hope?"
Dick watched as Kory made conversation with Chad, asking him about his day and work schedule; they were trivial and meaningless questions, but annoying all the same. He was determined to sit there and stay silent. He was sure that Kory was just messing with him and punishing him for being jealous in the first place.
Women are impossible.
Chad was talking directly to her; he even had his back turned to Dick- closing him off completely from the conversation. Dick growled. He couldn't take it anymore. He had let this flirt fest go on far too long.
"Chad, here is the money," he said placing the money on top of the ticket lying on the table. "We need to get going. Keep the change." Dick stood up from his seat and as if on cue, Kory did the same.
"Thanks man!" Chad shoved the money in his pocket and walked off, but to Dick's dismay, not before attempting to give his girlfriend a farewell hug.
Kory knew that Chad wanted a hug but after hearing Dick's growl and now seeing the look on his face, she decided against it. She didn't want to make Dick think that she felt romantically towards Chad; although, it saddened her to think that she may have hurt Chad's feelings. She walked out the door, leaving Dick to trail behind her. She felt bad for blowing off Chad, but she was sure that he would understand. She made a mental note to apologize later.
Once outside, Kory looked at the clock tower that stood in the middle of town.
12:05.
"Now where do you have planned for us to go?" Kory asked geniunly; he hadn't mentioned anything yet, but she was more than sure that he'd planned an afternoon for them.
"Home I guess, there isn't anything that I need in town, what about you?"
"No." Kory had to admit that she was slightly disappointed; shopping at all the smaller boutiques in town square was always so much fun! But, admittedly, she didn't think that it would be as fun for him. She grabbed the helmet from Dick and slid on back on her head.
She climbed on the bike and grabbed onto Dick's waist again.
Maybe there is a special plan for tonight and he is just making me feel as though he has forgotten. Oh! I am sure that is it!
Dick took off abruptly causing Kory to let out a scream reminding her, once again, that shereally didn't like motorcycles.
They both arrived back at the tower in less than 10 minutes; the drive to the tower usually took 15. When he shut off the engine, Dick silently cursed himself for driving too fast. He had been so deep in thought on the drive home that he didn't even realize just how tight Kory's death grip on his waist was until she let go. Suddenly feeling as though he could breathe better, Dick inhaled sharply.
He had a lot on his mind; no excuse, but it was true and he didn't feel like discussing it – least of all, with Kory. He knew that she probably noticed but was too afraid to ask and he didn't know whether to be bothered or relieved. He felt the weight of the bike shift and watched Kory as she headed towards the tower entrance. She was beautiful even when she didn't try. She had on jeans and a t -shirt, no makeup, and her hair disheveled from the helmet; yet, she was the most gorgeous girl in the world. He hoped that she knew that her looking like that wasn't making anything easier on him.
"Are you coming?" he heard her ask. He just wanted to revel in his thoughts for a while. Was that too much to ask? Before he could open his mouth to speak, she spoke again.
"Well, I guess I will see you upstairs then." And she was gone.
She was upset; a person didn't have to be a detective to see that. She wanted more, but it was more than Dick thought that he could give her now. He had been playing the oblivious card and for a while, it had been working, but he didn't see it working for much longer.
I really am a shitty boyfriend.
She hadn't even been herself lately and he knew that somehow, he was the cause- that's what bothered him the most. It broke his heart to see the look that she gave him when they left the restaurant, but he had to ignore it. He was too confused about everything. He knew that she wanted to get married.
But now…just...it just isn't the right time. She'll see that eventually, right?
Every time he thought about it, millions of things started to circle in his head: JumpCity, Bruce, children, their teammates, life, death, etc. He wanted to scream, "Stop!" With marriage came new responsibilities- new risks and he didn't know if he could deal with it. How many attacks towards Starfire would occur in order to get a reaction out of Robin? It would kill him if someone ever used her as bait. If any of the themed rogues in GothamCity ever found out, it would be a disaster of nightmarish proportions. Sure, perhaps they could keep their relationship inside the masks a secret as they have been, but he was sick of doing that; it wouldn't be fair for either of them to keep up the charade post-marriage. He just wanted to make her happy.
Dick sighed. No matter how much it sucked, protecting the city and its citizens was his job- a duty that he had pledged his life to. He knew he would have to sacrifice many things when he took on the task of forming the Titans, but he had done it to prove to himself, and to Bruce, that he was more than just a sidekick.
Frustrated, he launched himself off the motorcycle and began stalking towards the door. He had to stop thinking about all of this, at least for right now or it would drive him crazy.
Upstairs, he looked for Kory in the main room and couldn't find her.
Perhaps, it would be better just to give her a little bit of time and let her anger blow over.Defeated, he sat down on the couch and watched as Victor and Gar finished a song.
"I can't believe you guys are still playing. You've been playing for how long?"
"Not long enough, here!" the cyborg said, handing Dick the wooden drumsticks. "Play for a little bit... it'll be a good distraction."
Dick smirked; nothing got passed Victor. He had probably guessed that something was awry the moment that Kory entered the tower 5 minutes before he did. Looking at the sticks in his hand, Dick said, "what the hell," it probably would be a fun way to take his mind off things.
"Ready, bro?" Gar asked, taking Dick's nod as affirmation. "Let's rock then; wooo!"
You Can't Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones started to play and as soon as Dick heard recognized what song he was playing, he vehemently stood up from his drum stool and shoved the plastic, multi-colored drum set out of his way.
"AH!" Dick screamed throwing the drumsticks into the cushions of the couch. "I give up!"
He walked out of the room and headed towards the training facilities. Screw having the day off. He needed a distraction and if wasn't going to be fun and games, then it was going to be work.
"Wow... Vic... to think that I was hard on myself in the beginning- he couldn't even last through the intro," Dick heard as the heavy door to the main room closed behind him.
Halfway up the tower staircase, ingenuity struck. Kory was determined to sort out her situation, even if she had to take extreme measures to do it.
What do you do when you cannot figure out what someone is planning? Answer: Ask someone who knows.
What do you if no one knows? Answer: Ask someone who can find out.
This idea had spiraled into what she felt was a fool-proof plan and now Kory was standing in front of Raven's heavy metal door, knocking and begging to be let in.
"Please Raven, it is important. I know you are probably busy but we are friends."
"Kory- you know its meditation time-" Raven had finally opened the door and was cut off by an over-excited Tamaranean embrace. "Great Azar, Kory... Super-"
"Yeah, super strength... I got it; sorry." Kory dropped her hands. Fighting away the feeling of embarrassment, she concentrated on the task that brought her to Raven in the first place. "I would like to request a favor from you."
"I thought you said that this was important." Raven glared.
"It is." Kory swallowed hard because Raven always made her nervous. With her eyes pointed at her feet, she continued.
"This will probably sound very strange to you," Kory looked up briefly to meet Raven's impatient gaze. "Yes, anyway. I will get straight to the point, today is the six year anniversary of Dick and I, and I want you to look into his mind and tell me if he has something planned."
"No."
"And if he does, I do not want you to tell me what it is because I want to be surp- Wait, what do you mean, 'no.' Can you really just say no to me? Just like that? Please Raven?"
"Of course I can, and I just did. Now if you will excuse me." Raven started to close her door and Kory stopped the door with her hand.
"Please, Raven. I have to know something; it is driving me crazy." Raven reopened the door to full capacity. Kory wanted to grin but suppressed the urge. She needed to play cool.
"Crazy is right. Why not, hmmm, I don't know... talk to him? He is your boyfriend after all, isn't communication one of those key elements; you know, the key elements to a healthy relationship?" Raven sighed. She was getting too soft. She felt herself slowly giving in to Kory's request.
"Yeah... I know... just... I do not know...Dick can be so hard to talk to."
"Dick doesn't like me entering his mind Kory, you know that. He would get very upset – at ME – if he ever found out."
Kory couldn't hold her smile any longer. She could tell that Raven was giving in.
She would do it!
"He will never know! I will never tell! And if he did ever find out, you could blame it on me. Seriously, all on me; please!?"
"Ok, fine; I will do about anything just to have my privacy back." Raven closed her eyes and Kory watched her intently. This had been her best idea ever! After half of a minute went by, Raven's eyes reopened and Kory was hanging on the edge, waiting for an answer.
"Yeah, he has something planned. Now can you please leave? I have to finish meditating and there's a book I need to finish reading." Kory stopped herself from trying to give Raven a second hug, opting for a "thank you" instead, Kory skipped down the hallway towards the bedroom. She was going to make sure that she looked stunning.
Raven waited for Kory to be completely out of sight before shutting the door to her bedroom.
"Great, now what have I gotten myself into," she mumbled.
Dick had no idea that it was their anniversary, so of course, he didn't have anything planned out- but by the look on Kory's face, he had better turn out something quick. Raven weighed her options: A, she could communicate with him telepathically, making it possible to give away the fact that she had already entered his mind once today- or- B, she could just go find him. B sounded like a much better option.
Raven's ideal afternoon didn't include walking around the tower and trying to find someone else's absent-minded boyfriend; so after four hours of an unsuccessful search, she was ready to give up. Let him suffer the wrath; he obviously deserved it.
But then it makes you look bad because you lied. Her guilt spoke up within her.
I should have just told the truth and then went on about my business. But no, Raven, you have to be the good guy. I hate being the good guy.
She decided to keep looking in spite of her extreme disinterest. She really didn't want to see Kory get hurt; she considered Kory to be the closest thing to a 'friend' that she had, even though she couldn't stand her sometimes.
She had started her search by asking the boys if they had seen him- they told her what happened and since then nothing. She was about to attempt a telepathic connection when the mission siren came on.
Fabulous.
By time she made it into the main hall, Dick was already there, front and center, in full Robin regalia.
Yeah sure, I look for hours and of course, he is the first one in costume and ready to go.
"...Titans... Gizmo was able to break through the prison's security systems. We can only guess that he is planning to break into the LexCorp vault and steal a few top secret blueprints."
"How did he break through the prison security system?" Robin asked. "Obviously, Gizmo learned a new trick or two."
"We are currently working to find out that specific piece of information..."
"Should we wait for Starfire?" Cyborg asked.
"Actually, I don't even think we'll need the full team for this. Raven, you and Starfire stay here just in case Gizmo is a distraction; If we need back-up I'll set off your pager."
Raven looked over and saw Kory, in uniform, hiding behind the wall listening to the whole conversation.
"Robin, I can go. I know you've overexerted yourself lately. Maybe it would be in your best interest to sit this one out?" Raven suggested, trying her best not to look over at Kory's face. She had obviously put on makeup and fixed her hair. Raven felt her stomach turn with guilt. "If Gizmo is, in fact, a distraction, wouldn't it make more sense for the leader to stay behind and issue orders from command?"
I shouldn't have gotteninvolved. I shouldn't have gotten involved. I shouldn't have gotten involved.
"Raven, you have a point, but you and Star both have the ability to get to a scene quicker than I; it would make more sense for me to be in town already.
Robin turned back to the monitor to continue talking to the mayor of JumpCity. Raven knew that getting him to stand back was a lost cause. She glanced over at the grief-stricken face of her lonely friend, standing behind the door and couldn't help the overwhelming sense of guilt that encompassed her.
This is all of my fault.
"...Good luck Titans. Over and out!" The screen went black.
"Okay, boys... let's go!" Robin exclaimed.
"Could I talk to you for a quick second? Just a seco-" She had to try although she knew at that point, it was hopeless.
"When I get back Raven, okay? Time to go." And they were gone.
She silently meditated to herself in order to arrive at an instant solution; perhaps she could quickly telepath Robin to bring some flowers home, although that would be as pointless as trying to talk to him.
Maybe if she just explained to situation to Kory, she would understand. Raven glanced over to where the hidden titan had been standing – nothing. Starfire had removed herself from the shadows and Raven quickly identified just how heartbroken she was; in fact, Raven couldn't remember ever seeing her this sad.
Raven thought about going after her, but stopped herself.
Would that even help the situation? What's better: letting her know that her boyfriend forgot their anniversary all together – or – letting her think that he dropped the plans with her to stop a lunatic from running wild in the city?
Raven really had no idea what to do. I really suck at all of this relationship crap.
"Don't worry about it Raven..." her apathy spoke within her. "At least you tried."
Kory had often watched movies or read stories where the main characters complained of a deadening numbness that coursed through their bodies rendering them helpless. She had never known what that meant – until now. Numb. That is how she felt – numb.
She entered the bedroom and plopped down on the edge of the bed, her entire body acting as dead weight. She couldn't believe that this situation was even happening. She had always been the nice, quiet, innocent Kory – the "never say anything to offend anyone," Kory – the "don't ask too many questions because you don't want to annoy people with your curiosity," Kory.
The numbness quickly subsided making way for a new set of emotions– every inch of her body filled with anger and resentment. She stood up from her position on the bed and started to pace the width of the room. Kory usually felt as though she needed to keep her composure but at that moment, she didn't care. She wasn't worried about the fact that she was most likely overreacting and she certainly didn't think about what Dick's reaction would be.
Screw Dick!
Dick was the reason she was so angry right now; he was the reason that she felt as though her heart had been ripped out of her chest and stomped on by a giant shoe or rather Robin's ugly boot.
Then she started asking herself why.
As soon as the question came, the anger taking over Kory's body relinquished some of its control and allowed sadness to enter the equation. Kory felt her legs give out and she collapsed to the ground crying profusely on the carpeted floor. She had never felt this unhappy before; in fact, she was sure that 'sad' was an Earthly emotion because she never experienced such distress on Tamaran.
Why?
There it was; the question that she desperately avoided. In her opinion, he had abandoned her, for what, so he could get a little fighting practice in by beating up a little bald guy? He could have let Raven go, but no.
"He had to go because the city simply cannot survive without him." She thought about her remark.
It wasn't true. He knewthe city would survive without him. He had left the city multiple times to go off and fight with whatshisface in Gotham City. He had also sat out a full two weeks recovering from a couple of broken ribs. He knew damn well that the other titans could have handled the fight; he just chose to go because he wanted to. He wanted to go fight crime instead of spending the time with her. Kory gasped.
He wanted the distraction; he wanted something to happen to get out of anything that he had planned.
Still crying, Kory rose up off the floor and made her way to the vanity where she took a seat on the long bench. Thick mascara deposits had formed under her eyes, her face was red, eyes bloodshot, and her hair was a mess; she had spent hours preparing her hair and makeup just for him.
She gazed into the mirror trying to recognize herself, but couldn't' this wasn't her. Kory ran her fingers under her eye attempting to reduce the evidence of crying but instead only made it worse by smearing it down her cheek. She glanced over at the dress that was hanging on the closet door – the dress that she was about put on before the siren began to sound – she felt like an idiot. Who says that he would have even asked her to marry him, anyway? Why had she allowed herself to get her hopes up? Why did she allow herself to think that things could ever be different? Staring at her reflection, Kory couldn't help but get angrier.
Why will the city always come first?
Why do I know what I want and he does not?
Why am I reacting like this?
She couldn't take it anymore. While letting out a heavy scream, Kory grabbed the first thing she could and chucked it at the hideous misrepresentation of herself causing it to shatter. Still not satisfied, she violently wiped her hands across the vanity causing all its contents to crash onto the floor. She looked at her now bleeding hands, not even feeling the pain. The numbness had returned.
"So yeah, dude, we probably should have brought the girls along. A star bolt to that little twerps hard drive would have more than done the trick."
Before following the guys into the bedroom corridor, Dick stopped by the kitchen to get a glass water. The main room was dark making it very difficult to navigate.
Sure Gar and Victor have it made, they have night vision. Note to self: Have Bruce design me some sleek night goggles.
"Ahem," Dick heard someone in the darkness clearing their throat; he quickly placed his hand on his Bo staff, preparing for a fight if an intruder had infiltrated the tower security system.
"Kory?"
"Guess again."
"Oh, hey Raven, why are you sitting here in the dark?" Dick relaxed himself and started walking toward the corridor.
"You may not want to go back there right now, Dick. She is pretty pissed off at you." Raven said, standing up.
"Why would she be pissed at me?" Dick raised an unseen eyebrow. He was getting pretty tired of screwing up, just once could he do something right?
"I'm going to bed; goodnight." Raven said, disappearing.
"Wow... whatever." Dick said to himself as made his way down the hall. He never really knew Kory to be "pissed" especially at him. He closed his eyes before opening the door, not knowing what to expect.
The room looked like a disaster area. There was broken glass everywhere and vanity items strewn all around the room. He noticed that there were bloodstains on the carpet and on Kory's clothes. And then his eyes fell upon Kory – his beautiful Kory. Her golden face, streaked with mascara residue and her fiery hair, a mess. She was standing at the closet throwing her clothes into a suitcase.
"Kory, what are you doing?" Dick swallowed the lump in his throat and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Dick, I think that it would be best if I slept in my old room for a few days – nothing permanent – just a few days."
"Why? And if it wouldn't be permanent, then why are you packing up all of your clothes?" His voice squeaked. He had no idea what he had done, but he needed to fix this - fast.
Kory stopped what she was doing and turned to Dick. "Did you just ask me 'why'?"
"Yeah; Kory, I have no idea what's going on. In order for me to fix things, you're going to have to tell me. And why does this room look like a storm hit it? Why's the mirror sha-" Kory cut him off mid-sentence.
"I will play your "I do not know" game. I do not know...why the mirror is shattered. I do not know...why the room looks like disaster zone. I do know, however, that today was, our six-month anniversary. I also know that on today, of all days, you chose to parade your skills around town instead of spending the night with me. I can only guess that you did so to avoid me. I am going to give you a little bit of space and sleep in my room for a while." Kory didn't even bother to stop the tears that were forming in her eyes.
The realization hit Dick like a ton of bricks. It was their anniversary today.
How could he have forgotten? No wonder she had been so sad all day, she was waiting for him to remember! This was an easy argument to fix – although he didn't really understand why she was getting so upset about it.
"Kory, I am sorry; I don't really understand why you are getting this upset about it though, I mean, you never made a big deal out of anniversaries before."
"No, but you do! You are so wrapped up in yourself that you totally forgot about my feelings. You are a selfish, cruel, heartless person who is only concerned about one thing- proving that you are good enough: to Batman, to this city, to the Titans. The only one that you do not care about proving yourself to is me."
Dick couldn't control his blood as it started to boil. "Selfish? Cruel? Heartless? I don't see how I abandoned you, but I'll go along with you and say that I did. I'm the leader of this team and it's myresponsibility to make sure things run efficiently around here. I had you and Raven stay back as a part of a much grander scheme. It wasn't about you Kory; it had nothing to do with me needing a distraction. I'd say that if anyone were being selfish around here, it'd be you."
Kory opened her mouth to offer a rebuttal and Dick stopped her.
"No, let me finish. So that takes care of selfish, let's move on to cruel and heartless. I don't see how you can even say that about me. I put my life on the line every day and night for this city, for Gotham, for the Titans and yes, you; I always have. If that's cruel and heartless then I'm stumped, Kory."
"Dick, all I am saying is that you could have taken one night to stay behind and spend with me; Raven could have taken your spot. I really do not see what the difference would have been." Kory crossed her arms over her chest. She wanted to see how he would try to explain that.
"Kory, you are a Titan; this isn't just my job, it's your job. You signed up for this – noone forced you to join this team - our team! Above all else, the city and its citizens come first; not our anniversary, not romantic nights at home, nothing; that's all included in the job description. I thought it was understood; this has never been an issue with you before and for the life of me, I don't know why it is now."
Who is this standing before me and what have they done with my girlfriend?
She did agree that she was sounding selfish. "I do realize that I am coming off selfish, Dick, but I do not mean to be. I cannot help how I feel; I have been holding it in for so long that now it is just exploding within me. I feel like I am going crazy and I cannot stop myself."
"Okay, look; let's just calm down; we are both starting to act a little irrational and we need to stop arguing before we both say hurtful things that we don't mean. I have a confession to make that may clear up a few things." Dick threw up his hands as a sign of peace.
"Yes?"
"I have noticed that you've been acting kind of different lately and I think I know why."
Kory narrowed her eyes at him, wondering what he was going to say. There couldn't be anyway that he'd found out about her betrothal on Tamaran. She'd taken precautionary measures and promptly deleted her father's transmission. Plus, if he knew, he wouldn't be acting so calmly about it; Dick would be furious. Still, her heart began to race out of her chest in fear of what he may say next.
"You want to get married."
Kory's heart relaxed a bit at his words, but why does he say that like it is a bad thing? Should she not want that? "Dick, I do not quite understand; should I not want marriage out of our 'arrangement'? Is that not a common 'next step' in a long-term relationship?"
They had never spoken about "the future" with one another before; a hero's relationship isn't like that of a normal couple and she knew that. She knew that the fight for justice wasn't always fair and that planning a life with someone that may not be around tomorrow seemed a bit silly; nevertheless, she wasn't a slave to the human race. Just because she volunteered to protect a race of beings that she'd grown to love, did not mean that she was going to give up any semblance of happiness. Even if said happiness just so happened to be with a member of that lovely human race.
"Yes, but you don't understand; now is not a good time."
"What does this have to do with your confession?" Kory stared at him in confusion; she honestly had no idea where he was trying to go with this conversation.
"That was my confession, Kory. You've been acting different lately; it's a small, but albeit noticeable change in your behavior. I understand that for a while now, you've wanted me to propose to you. Today, I saw the look on your face as we were leaving the restaurant; you were hoping that I was going to ask you, weren't you?"
Kory offered no response.
"And this is why you got so mad about our anniversary, right? Because you thought I was going to propose?"
It took all of Kory's self-control to keep her from shooting him with a star bolt. Why was he making her out to be some pathetic shlorg?
"Kory, there are just so many things at stake right now. What happens when someone attacks you and uses you as bait to get to me? I cannot risk losing you; you are too important to me."
"It is extremely presumptuous of you to think that my recent behavioral alterations are exclusively linked to the absence of your proposal. I will admit, as of late, I have somewhat buried myself in the idea of marriage as an escape from more serious matters that have taken recent precedent in my life."
Dick remained silent as he somewhat regretted buying her that Oxford English dictionary as a gift a few birthdays ago. Big words usually meant that she'd thrown up a wall of defense and those were very difficult to break through. She had a point – Dick hadn't thought to attribute blame to her missing brother; perhaps his assumptions about marriage had been a bit too hasty.
"Second, let me make a few things clear. I do not hang around like some pathetic glorphenk desperately waiting for you to propose to me! I don't just sit around praying to X'Hal for it to happen."
"We are part of a team- we have all placed the responsibility of protecting this city on ourselves; not just you. We make commitments to our teammates every day – a trust that we all must depend on. Then why is a personal commitment such a big deal? I have been thinking about it lately and I do not think that it is. Do you honestly think that if we got married, the city would fall to shambles? Because it would not, we would fight just as we do now, if not moreso, to live another day. I thrive on happiness, Dick. You could too if you would just give it a chance. How dare you use my safety as an excuse not to marry me? I do not need your protection; I am a trained Tamaranean warrior, fully capable of taking care of myself."
Kory swallowed before proceeding with her final statement. "I am so perplexed by you. You strive to be your own individual, a warrior for justice in your own right; however, you keep falling underneath the shadow of your Batman and you let it consistently foul your efforts." She walked over and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps, -"
"Don't touch me!" Dick said, shrugging away her hand. "You don't have any idea what you're talking about."
"I have an idea, Dick. You come home in a weird mood every time you work with him. Do you not think I notice? I do not know why you still torture yourself by trying to be something that you are never going to be."
"Kory, just stop..." Dick warned. Family was a touchy subject and one that he didn't want dragged into this particular argument.
"I am not trying to bring you discomfort with my words, but I feel that is an issue that needs to be addressed."
"Kory, stop. You have no idea, none, about my past and what haunts me. So don't talk about it like you're an expert on the subject."
"You are right, I am not. I have no idea because you never tell me. In fact, you never tell me anything. Sometimes I feel as though I do not know you at all. I guess I can just add that to the reasons we do not work as a couple."
"...You don't think we work as a couple..."
Kory saw the impact she had made and immediately felt awful. "Dick, I am so sorry... I did not mean that."
Dick couldn't even speak.
"You threw old words at me not too long ago, 'someone once told me that you could not support those who don't support you'. So I do not understand, why you would recite it back to me if you did not feel it was advice worth taking for yourself."
"That was just a little bit different," Dick said, obviously biting back anger.
"Except for the fact that I am forbidden to go home, how is my situation any different? How is my situation a lesser version of your own?" Kory could tell that the conversation was heading into dangerous territory now, but she couldn't stop it. She was furious that he would take her familial problems so lightly, but then place such importance on his own. "You are being a hypocrite."
"And you are being a complete bitch!" The words flew out of Dick's mouth before he could stop them and as soon as she heard them, they cut through her like a knife. He never spoke so harshly toward her.
Kory glared at him for a few seconds before giving her attention back to her suitcase. "I am a bitch? Then you are...you are..." She searched her brain for an appropriate English term that epitomized everything she felt he was in that exact moment; however, in this instance, English wasn't going to work. "You are a Klorbag!"
"Well great, I am a klorbag?! If I am such a klorbag, than there's not even a point in being together anymore. In fact, I probably never should have started a relationship with you in the first place. Instead of moving back to your room temporarily, make the move permanent. Get out!" Dick practically pushed Kory out of his room and put her suitcase out in the hall.
"That wasn't how that was supposed to happen..." Kory said quietly, lifting up on the handle. She didn't even bother to wipe away the tears falling down her face.
She looked at her hand before turning the knob to enter her old bedroom. She definitely felt the pain now. She picked out the pieces of glass and wiped any remaining blood on her pants. The argument definitely didn't go well. She really didn't know what she had been thinking.
Why did I say all of those hateful things?
She knew that she hadn't been feeling like herself lately; in fact, at that moment, she felt like a shell. The news of her father's illness had bothered her more than she had let on -Perhaps I too am guilty of not disclosing enough information.
He had told her that he was severely ill. That news was hard enough to hear without the information that followed it:
"Koriand'r, you must return to Tamaran," her father's words bellowed through the speakers of her portable transmission module. She had relocated to the roof to take the "call" in private, but his voice was so loud, that she was sure all of JumpCity could hear it.
"We have had this discussion and I will not have it again, father. Earth is my home; I am serving a purpose here."
"Child, I don't have much time left and I need an And'r heir by my side when I pass; you are the only one left that can take my place."
"Only heir left? What of Ryand'r?" The question hung in Kory's throat as she was deathly afraid of hearing the answer. She had already lost her mother at such a young age.Not Ryand'r too, please, X'Hal.
"Koriand'r, I thought you had received word. Ryand'r has been missing in battle for a while now. We suspect that he was sacrificed by the rebel forces."
Kory didn't know how to react; it made her sick to think that anyone would turn against their own kind like that.
"No, I did not receive news of it," she said solemnly. "But it still does not change things, I cannot come to Tamaran."
"If you do not, the throne will be passed on to the Ond'r name."
Kory knew the Ond'r name very well.Sorond'r... on Earth he would be called my childhood sweetheart, but on Tamaran, he is my betrothed; a fact that I was not aware of until I was 15. She hadn't had contact with Sorond'r since he left for warrior training on Okaara a year before she did; he never returned. She wasn't too heartbroken, though. Something about their relationship had always seemed forced and controlled. When she found out from Blackfire that they had been betrothed since she was age one, she automatically dispelled the idea of being with him- out of principle.
Her father had grown up with Sorond'r's father, Gorond'r. In the stories they tell, they were the best of friends since childhood. When her grandfather passed his crown down to her father, Gorond'r was his first appointed advisor.
"Gorond'r is your most trusted friend, father. Would it be so bad if he were to resume rule?"
"Gorond'r is aging as well, Koriand'r; the successor would be Sorond'r"
"Again, would that be terrible?"
"Our family line has been ruling this planet for centuries and the fact that you would abandoned your royal duties is most disappointing and disrespectful, Koriand'r. I expected more loyalty from you, but I suppose you are free to make your own choices. I do not possess the resources required to do anything about it; however, Sorond'r does. I feel he will not be as lenient with your freedom as I have been."
She felt the fire burning in her eyes as she listened to what her father was saying. Through gritted teeth, she asked, "What is that supposed to mean?"
"You are his betrothed; bound by Tamaranean law. On this planet, he owns you. We are at war, a wife at his side is crucial for intergalactic diplomacy. Should you deny him, he has the right to send the council to bring you back by force." She could tell that her father wasn't too happy with that prospect. "That is why it is important that you come back."
"The council? I would like to see him try!" She raised her voice angrily. "I have friends here! Friends that would help me fight for my freedom."
"You know as well as I do, that a group of Earthlings wouldn't stand a chance against the council. If you cared about your friends, you would spare them the defeat."
Kory thought long and hard about it; he was right. The council would not be concerned with fatalities; her friends could die.
"You must not shy away from your duties as an And'r."
"I will come, father." Kory announced. "Under one condition."
"What is that. my child?"
"Dick will accompany me. I will stay and take the throne until I can decide on an suitable replacement."
"If you bring that off-worlder onto this planet as your...mate... you will most certainly deal with a revolt of epic proportion. I urge you to reconsider."
"I will not."
"Then I have no choice but to ban your Earthling from Tamaran; as long as you are with him, you are no longer welcome. If Sorond'r wishes to enforce action against you, then I wish your soul well."
The news of Tamaran stressed her out greatly.
Perhaps I was hiding behind marriage as an excuse not to go to Tamaran; maybe I was hoping that my people would except me if I were already married?
She knew now how ridiculous she had been acting and suddenly felt embarrassed. Instead of just communicating with Dick and telling him what had been bothering her, she let everything build up.
She immediately wanted to turn around and go apologize until she remembered him shoving her out of his room.
"He probably does not care to talk to me right now; I should wait."
When she finally did talk to him though, she decided that she was going to tell him everything that had been going on. He may even be able to dispense some useful advice.
As she opened the door, she was struck be an eerie feeling. The room had been empty for a couple of years now. It most certainly didn't possess the homey feel that it used it. She felt as though she should be crying, but she was out of tears. She looked around the room and took in all of her old scenery. The closet was partially open with an old uniform hanging in it. The light lavender walls were barren. There were some very dusty bookshelves set up in the left side of the room and on the right side, sat a big wooden desk. On the desk, a picture of her and Dick when they'd first started dating. Kory tried to take in a deep breath, causing a large amount of dust to fill her nostrils. The sneeze that occurred afterward stirred up even more dust.
She sat on her old bed and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. This room is depressing. She couldn't be there right now. She just needed to get out of the tower; maybe, she just needed time to think- some time alone. She ran through a list of friends in her mind and couldn't think of any. All the friends she had were titans and they were all asleep by now. I guess I will just go into town and see whathappens. Starfire washed all of the old makeup off her face, all of the dried blood off of her hands and put up her hair all before changing out of her bloody clothes and into jeans and a shirt. She stepped out onto the balcony and shivered – she would indeed need a coat.
She closed her bedroom door and made her way through the Titan tower. Flying would be out of the question right now; she was too upset. She was going to have to travel the old-fashioned way- on foot. She made her way downstairs and stopped in the garage.
The bicycle.
Dick had taught her to ride a few years back and she had totally forgotten about it.
Well, it is better than walking.
The first thing that caught his eye was Kory's destroyed vanity. He had never gotten an official answer about what happened, but he could guess. She had gotten so upset that she felt the need to break something. He never knew Kory to get like this before and the fact that he was the cause broke his heart. It didn't help his conscience at all. He could only assume that his neglect and absent-mindedness had finally driven someone over the edge - his Kory.
He started to pace back and forth in his room, thinking about the horrible things that he had just said to the love of his life.
He had broken up with her; the thought of being her ex-boyfriend made him physically ill; he wouldn't be able to function if she weren't his.
"Stupid!" Dick yelled, slamming his fist into his bedside table.
All she said to me where the things I've been thinking to myself for 3 months...and I called her a bitch for it...Real. Smart.
Dick sat on the edge of his bed and tried to calm down, but it didn't help. The more he thought about what happened, the more it made him nauseous. Before he knew what was happening, Dick felt himself rising to his feet and running to his bathroom to vomit up what seemed to be a week's worth of food. He couldn't remember the last time that he'd thrown up last. Oh wait, yes he could.
In order to move to titans tower permanently, Bruce made Dick had to agree to graduate first, because no heir Wayne Enterprises would go without the best diploma that Bruce could buy. Upon arrival in JumpCity, he enrolled in Brierton Prep, the best private school that JumpCity had to offer - because the public school system obviously isn't good enough for the ward of billionaire, Bruce Wayne.
I guess being the best school in the city still doesn't protect its cafeteria from an outbreak.
During his senior year, he had broken down and decided to eat in the cafeteria even though he had made it a point never to eat in there before; of course the day he eats there is the day that bacteria is on the menu. He was sick for two, almost three days. He even had to go to the hospital because Raven couldn't help his severe dehydration.
Once he got back from the hospital, Kory took the best care of him.
He stopped hugging the toilet and leaned back against the wall continuing to think; Kory had always taken good care of him. He thought back to the rest of his senior year and remembered how hard it was to juggle the Titans and high school, but he had done it, with Kory's help. Kory.
What am I going to do?
He needed to talk to her. There was no way that they were "over." She had to know that he didn't mean that; that he could never mean that. Surely, she knew how much she meant to him. When wasthe last time he told her how much she meant to him? Dick frowned. He couldn't remember. She had been right about another thing; he never really filled her in on his past. It was just habit – he never spoke about his past to anyone; it was too painful. He would make everything up to her, somehow. He just needed to talk to her first. He got up from his spot on the floor and rinsed his mouth out.
Dick stood in front of her door, knocking, for what felt like ten minutes. When no one answered, he knocked again.
"Kory? Please answer the door. I'm sorry; will you open the door? I just want to talk to you, please?"
…Still no answer…
He typed in her numeric code and heard the door unlock. He opened the door to a dark room and turned on the light – she wasn't even in here. He saw her bloody clothes in the laundry hamper and her suitcase unzipped and laying on the bed. Dick wracked his brain trying to think of all the places that she may have gone and then he noticed the door to her balcony was unlocked. She must have walked out there and forgotten to lock it back.
Her coat is missing, too. She must have left... where would she go?
Dick could only assume that she went into town. Dick ran into his bedroom, grabbed his leather jacket and commenced his new mission: To find Kory and bring her back.