Chapter 25 - Bon Voyage

It's alot more challenging to write chapters that you have to think about. I enjoy writing much more when the story just flows. Anyway this chapter we're gonna dive a little into Kori's passed, and for any of you who have read the comics you know Starfires passed isn't a happy one. I did change some things around to be less graphic and to fit my story better, but the main details are the same. 340 reviews for an update.

Sunday, January 20th 7:00 AM - Richard and Kori's room

Normal POV

The morning sun peeked in through the window of Richard and Kori's bedroom, hitting Richard directly in the eyes. Why was it in his eyes? Wasn't he usually shielded from the light by the Kori's head? Where was she?

The conversation they had the previous night replayed itself in his mind. She wanted to leave him. Had she? The last thing he could remember was carrying her to the bed where they made love. After that he guessed he had fallen asleep.

His eyes open with haste, and as he had feared, the spot next to him was empty. She was always there when he woke up. Rather she was asleep or not, she was always there. His mind instantly jumped to the conclushion that she had did as she wanted to do last night and left him. In a panic, he rushed from the bed, and out of the bedroom door.

When he saw that the livingroom was empty he became even more frantic. "Kori?," he called.

"I am in here," her voice came from the kitchen.

Relief coursed through him. Feeling his heart start back beating, he rushed into the kitchen to find her in the process of making breakfast. He had never been so happy to smell burnt eggs in his life. He ran to her, lifting her off the floor and setting her onto the counter before squezzing her to him.

She looked down at him, concerned. "Richard, is something wrong?"

"You're here," was what he said.

She cocked her head to the side. "It is wrong that I am here?"

He shook his head. "No, I mean I thought you had left. I woke up this morning, and you weren't in bed... I just assumed you left."

Now understanding she cupped his cheek with one hand as the other made circular motions on his back. "Oh, N'laene no, I am here. I promised you that I would not leave. I love you, I promise I will not hurt you again. I only wished to make you something to eat to make up for the things I said last night."

In the past twelve hours she had seen him more vulnerable than she had ever thought him to be. As selfish as it was, she was secretly happy that she was the only one that could make him this way. It just showed her that he indeed did love her as much as he said he did.

He just laid his head down on her lap as her hand made it's way to his hair, running through it like someone would do to comfort a child. This was real love. The kind that there was no question that they meant more to each other than anything. The kind that meant forever... even if both them weren't around for it.

Sunday, January 20th 2:00 PM - Richard and Kori's house (workout room)

Normal POV

Starfire flew at Nightwing, attempting to ram her shoulder into his abdomen. He turned at the exact moment she made contact, using all her force against her to toss her across the room.

She caught herslef in mid-air before zipping back at him, he rolled under her charging form, managing to land a half-force kick into her stomache as he did.

She grimaced slightly, but continued her assault, throwing powerful punches at him in rapid sucession, all of which were blocked or dodged. It was very frustrating how quick he was.

Managing to finally get ahold of one his arms, she slung him toward one of the walls of the workout room, but he summersaulted in mid-ar, planting his feet on the wall before pushing off with all his force and leaping back at her, sucesfully tackling her to padded floor.

He rested his knee on her chest, and now had a night-a-rang in hand, the blade resting on her throat. "Yield," he demanded through heavy breaths

She smiled up at him. "I yield."

The rest of the rooms occupants gave standing ovation.

"That was so cool," Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Yeah, you guys went on forever," Cyborg agreed.

"To bad she went easy on you," Bumble Bee teased.

Starfire frowned at him. "I did not go the easy on him. I was trying to 'break his face,' just as he instructed me to do," she said as she slipped her treasured engadment ring back on her finger. Starfire was from a warrior race. She didn't know how to go easy on a opponent.

"You totally went easy on him," Beast Boy insisted. "You din't even use your green energy things."

Her body slightly tensed, which didn't go unnoticed by Nigtwing or Raven. "I am training him to combat Prince Karras. Prince Karras does not have that abillity... no Tameranian does, outside of my sister and myslef," she informed, somberly

Everyone raised eyebrows. "Why's that," Nightwing asked.

Raven's eyes widend in horror as she saw the memorys play in Starfire's mind. "Oh, Azar," she breathed.

"What?" Nigthwing questioned, looking from Raven back to Starfire.

Starfire hung her head fighting, tears as she reflected.

"Everyone out," Raven demanded, urshering the now very confused Titans out the door, before heading out herself, sutting the door behind her.

Once alone, Nightwing turned back to Starfire and took off his mask. "Whats going on? What did Raven see?"

She glanced over at a weight bench on the far side of the room. "May we sent down?"

He nodded before gently taking her hand and leading her to the bench. "Now, tell me what's wrong," he instructed softly.

Her eyes found the floor, a single tear falling as she looked down. "I have kept you vage on the majority of my past for a good reason." She looked up at him, her eyes almost empty. "When I tell the story, it shall change the way you view me, but please do not break up with me."

If she wasn't so upset at the moment he would have laughed. He spent last night begging her no to leave him, and she actually thought he would break up wit her. "Kori, I can garantee nothing you tell me is gonna make me even consider breaking up with you. I mean how bad could be?"

"Bad," was all she said in response.

He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. "Kori, trust me."

She somberly nodded. "Terrible things have happend to me, Richard."

"What do you mean?," he asked, staring into her vacant eyes.

She was quite a moment, gathering her courage before answering. "Four Earth years ago, Tameran was in conflict with a race of horible, vile creatures known as the Citadel. It was very stressful on the people of Tameran. To resolve the conflit my father gave me to them as a war prisoner, but they treated me as a slave."

More tears came. "I was given to a master. He was not supposed to touch me..."

Richard's eyes widend and he felt sick at his stomache. No words could be found, so he just continued to listen.

"I was subjected to horrible torture that I wil not go into detail on. When he did not find that arousing anymore he began to feel on me. At first it was just my legs and arms, then more private areas," she said vagely, but Richard could guess which areas she was referring to. "He was becoming impatiet waiting on me to mature, so one day he forced me onto a bed, and..." Tears began to pour, casuing her to pause.

"No... no, he didn't, did he?," Richard said, the horror and pain visible in his eyes.

Kori shook her head, tear drops being slung about as she did. "No he did not, I would not let him. When he tried to enter me, I... I killed him, and made my escape."

She looked over at Richard, not sure what to make of his facial expressin. "Please do not be upset with me. I know your family does not do this, and it is considerd wrong by Earth culture, but..."

He cut her off when he pulled her into him, hugging her tightly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. That bastard got what he deserved."

"You do not think I am disgusting?" She was sure he would find her revolting after he discovered that. She couldn't even look at herself in the mirrior without grimacing for months after it happend.

"No, of course not, you couldn't control any of that. You did what you had to do." He kissed her forehead. "But that doesn't explain your starbolts."

She sighed. "There is much more to the story. After escaping, I roamed in space for over a month, but was captured by a race known as the Psions. It wasn't till I was aboard their ship that I found out they had my sister, Komand'r as well. She had been exciled months earlier, but of course there is no way I could have know this."

Anoter pause. "They conducted experiments on us for months, wanting to know how much energy are bodies could hold before they exploded. We managed to break free, but not before we had both been super charged with energy." She lit a starbolt in her hand to demonstrate her point.

"With no where else to go, I returned to Tameran to find that we were at war with the Gordanians for control of our planets resources. I was welcomed back by my people, but I understood that because of the great conflict I would have to marry sooner than expected. After meeting many suitors, it was decided that Prince Karras would be the best choice for Tameran." She paused, obviously reflecting on something.

"I did not like him. He was filled with himslef." Richard knew what she meant, so he just kept his mouth shut. "He called me princess, and looked at me as if I was nothing more than a way to the thrown. Before I was married to him, my parents were killed. That is when my K'norfka sent me here. It was important that the last member of the And'r clan be protected."

Richard hung his head, feeling his heart ache for her.

"What is wrong, N'laene?," she asked, noticing his dejected expression.

"You've just been through so much in your life, more than I ever could have imagine or even concieve. How are you always so happy?"

"You," she answered simply. "You make me happy, as long as I have you the past cannot hurt me."

Richard studied her for a moment before saying anything else. "Just last night you were trying to break up with me. Why would you do something like that if it was going to hurt you?"

"I feard for your safety. Your well-being is more important to me than my own, just as I know mine is more important to you."

She was so selfless, always trying to do what was best for him, no matter how it would affect her. He didn't deserve her, but he would try to become a man that did, and that started with winning the right to marry her.

He smiled lovingly at her. "You hungry?"

"I am always hungry," she replied smiling back, truthfully happy to be off the subject about her trying to break up with him.

"Trust me, my wallet knows," he joked as he pulled her to her feet.

She giggled and allowed herslef to bed led from the workout room.

They found their friends sitting around the kitchen table. When they walked through the door they got confused stares from everyone, besides Raven, who just seemed concerned.

"So, anyone wanna tell us what that was all about?," Gar asked.

"It is a personal matter that I do not like to discuss," Kori replied as she sat down by Vic at the table, While Richard took a seat across from her.

Bee quickly changed the subject. "You guys hungry? Vic made sandwhiches," she informed offering a plate with assortment of differnt sandwhiches on it.

Kori reached for one. "Yes, I am most..."

She paused when what sounded like a machine gun being fired mixed with a jack hammer echoed throughout the house, orginating from the front door. She looked over at Richard, who was the only one not looking the least bit alarmed or confused. "Are we being attacked?"

"We're not that lucky," he said, standing and walking out of the kitchen turning toward the door.

He opend the front door and his jaw dropped, not because it was Wally standing there, he was expecting that. Who else could knock that fast? No, the reason he was shocked was because the Wally was standing there dressed as the Flash.

What are you doing?," he exlaimed, hurridly pulling the Flash into his house and shutting the door behind him. "You can't just show up to my house in the middle of the day dressed as the Flash."

"Calm your tits, buddy," Flash said waiving his hand dissmively before throwing his arm around his best friend's shoulders. "No one saw me." He glanced down to see Richard was in his Nightwing suit. "Wow, you just hang out in that thing, huh?,"

Richard scowled, but before he could reply there was a loud 'epp' from behind him, followed by the Flash being tackeld by a giddy Tameranian.

She squezzed the life out of him. "Flash, it is so good to see you."

"Starfire... Kori... whoever you are right now, I can't breath," Flash struggled to say.

She quickly released him. "My apologies, I just did not expect to see you so soon. Why are you here?"

He glanced at Richard. "Dick, didn't tell you?"

She looked over at Richard. "Tell me what?"

"Batman's sending me with you guys," Flash informed.

Kori clapped her hands together. "Oh, this is glorius. You can teach me more of the 'moves,' yes?," she asked.

Richard raised an eyebrow. "What moves?"

"Oh, Flash tought me how to do the twerking at the Cristmas party," she exclaimed.

Richard looked over at Flash, who was smilling sheepishly. "You tought her to twerk?"

He laughed nervously. "Well,..."

"Yes, is it not glorius Richard?," she interjected. "I must admit at first I found the dances of this planet most strange, but now I enjoy them very much."

Richard made a mental note to never leave Kori alone with Wally again before turning on his heals and heading back to the Kitchen.

Kori looked at the back of him oddly. Had she done or said something wrong? Shrugging it off she floated off behind him, the Flash right behind her.

When the Flash enterd the kitchen, he almost instantly reconized the people sitting around the table as the people that Nightwing had brought with him the the Justice League Cristmas party, only they looked different."

The short scrawny kid was no longer green, The half robotic guy was now all human, the girl that had worn the white cloak with the hood that somehow managed to completely blackout her face now in normal close, and the African-American girl with wings now looked completely normal, the wings gone.

He briefly wonderd how they managed to change their appearance so drastically, then he noticed the hologram rings on three of their fingers, the ravend hair girl, ironically known as Raven, obviously not needing one. He looked over at Kori, wondering if she were wearing a ring, after all, her eyes had been glowing green the last time he had seen her.

He found that she was indeed wearing a ring, but not a hologram ring. No, it was differnt kind of ring, one with a diamond, and on that one special finger that could only mean one thing.

The heroes' eyes widend in realization.

"Flash, I assume you remember...," Richard tried to reintroduce everyone, but he was interupted mid-sentence by the Flash.

"Yeah, they Titans, me Flash," he said, hurrying the introduction along before grabbing Richard by the arm and dragging him out of the room.

"What was that about?," Vic asked.

Kori just shrugged before retaking her seat at the table. She took a bite of one of the sandwhiches, filling everyone in on the reason the Flash was here as ate.

Meanwhile, Flash enetered the living room, a complaining Richard being pulled along behind him.

"What are you doing?," Richard questioned, growing increasingly frustrated with his friend.

Flash turned to him. "What am I doing? What are you doing?," he said poking Richard in the chest.

Richard raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, don't give me that, you know what I'm talking about. It's one thing to fly off to some alien planet to fight to death for a girl, but to marry her? Have you lost your mind? I mean yeah, she's hot now, but what about in twenty years when everything starts to sag?," he exclaimed, throwing his arms dramatically into the air.

Richard looked at him blankly. "Are you even hearing yourself right now?"

"What happend to us being bachelors for the rest of our lives? What happend to you?"

Richard blinked, the blank expression still on his face. "We were twelve when we agreed to that. I grew up, and fell in love. It happens."

"But dude, what about all the partys. The woman. The boobs. Do you really wanna miss out on all that?"

"I don't need or want any of that anymore. I love her, and I'm going to marry her. Period," Richard replied definitely.

Flash opend his mouth to say something else, but Richard beat him to it.

"One more word about it, and I'll let it slip to Kori you're trying to talk me out of getting married. Trust me, you'll need super speed then."

Flash's mouth snapped shut.

Richard smirked. "That's what I thought. Now, let's join everyone in the kitchen. We got food," he informed, knowing that would be enough to coax Flash to follow him.

"Well, when you say it like that...," he trailed off as he made his way back out of the living room.

When they re-entered the kitchen, Kori stood and motioned for Richard to come and sit in the chair she had been occuping, so that the Flash could have the one that her boyfriend/finance been in. Richard sat down, Kori taking a seat on his lap, while the Flash sat in Richard's old seat.

Vic looked over at the Flash, who was now eating a sandwhich. "So, you're going with us to Tameran?"

He nodded. "Batman's sending me. Besides I couldn't let my boy go off to an alien planet to brutally die with out me," he joked. Kori suddenly found the table interesting, and Richard sent the Flash the bat glare, which Flash noticed and quickly changed the subject. "Congradulations on the engadgment by the way," he said, looking over at Kori.

The change of coversation instantly brightend her. "I thank you. I am most excited," she smiled.

Flash nodded absentmindedly before looking around the room, studying each of the people in it. "So, you guys don't do the whole secret identity thing, huh?"

Richard shrugged. "We trust each other."

The Flash considerd him a moment. He guessed if Richard trusted him, so could he. Reaching his hands up to his face, he pulled off red mask, revealing a red haired eighteen year old. "My name's Wally West."

Gar smiled. "My name's Gar Logan."

"Kareen Beecher, but just call me Bee."

"Vic stone."

"Raven."

Wally raised an eyebrow at the girl. "Isn't that your hero name?"

She shrugged. "I used it before I was a hero, so I just kept it."

He was about to reply when Richard's phone went off.

"Is it an alert?," Gar asked.

Richard frowned as he looked at the screen. "No, a message... from Tameran."

Sunday, January 20th 3:00 PM - The Nightwatch

Normal POV

Kori and Nigtwing stood at the head of the room, the rest of the Titans and the Flash looking on in the background.

Richard pressed a button and suddenly the image of a another insanely large man appeared on the screen. He had long red hair, as well as a red beard. There was a scar over one eye causing him to be blind judging by the bluish grey color it had, instead of the being bright green like his other one.

Richard noticed Kori's eyes brigthen and a huge smile appear on her face. "K'norfka Galfore," she exlaimed gleefully.

He now understood why she was in much beter spirits about this man than she had been about the other. She had spoken of her K'norfka many times before, and described him as what Bruce was to him.

"Koriand'r, it is glorius to see you. I was told that I might I be able to reach you here," the man said in a booming voice, even though he wasn't yelling.

She nodded, still smiling. "I trust you are well, k'norfka?"

He nodded. "Yes, now that the war is over. I trust the same for you?"

"I am truthfully happy for the first time I can remember." Galfore smiled at this. "I am very well off by Earth standards, and have a wonderful friends and my chosen is a glorius man."

Everyone traded glances, having no idea what was being said.

He stroaked his beard. "Yes, Councilmen Niro made me aware that you had a selected a chosen, which one is he?"

She grabbed Nightwing's hand, interlocking their fingers. "This one. He is great warrior of Earth. He goes by the name Nightwing."

"Rather small, is he not?," Galfore questioned, but not in a judging tone, just making an observation.

"Compared to Tameranian males yes, but he is quite large for and Earthen male," she replied.

"I see." He studied Nightwing for a moment before saying anything else. "You love this human, yes?"

"I do. After our buisness on Tameran is taken care we our to be married by Earth standards."

"Do you believe he will be able to defeate Prince Karras?"

Kori glanced, at Nightwing, noticing a slight scowl on his face, Probably from hearing Karras' name. She turned back to Galfore. "I do, what he lacks in strength he makes up for in agillity and technique. He defeated me in combat."

Galfore wordlessly nodded. "And what of the throne? You are Grand Ruler now."

"I am aware, but I do not have the abillity or the desire to be Grand Ruler. As soon as Prince Karras is defeated I shall apoint someone who is best for Tameran, and I shall return to Earth. My home is no longer Tameran. I belong on Earth with my chosen and my friends."

Galfore continued to run his hands through his beard as he contemplated her plan. "Very well," he nodded. "It seems you have thought this through. I just wished to make sure before you boarded the ship." He knew after that there was no turning back.

"I would be lying if I said that I was not concerned for the safety of my chosen, but I cannot be happy without him and he cannnot be happy with out me, so it must be done."

"Then it is decided, I shall see you soon my little blumgorf."

"I am looking forward to," she smiled back and the transmition clicked off.

"Well?," Nightwing questioned.

"He was making sure that I had thought my decision through. Niro must have spoken with him, probably asking him to talk me out of it, but Galfore only wishes for me to be happy, he will not attempt to persuade me into anything that I do not wish to do," she explained.

Nightwing nodded. At least they had someone on their side on Tameran. He had a feeling that they were probably goin to recieve a less than positice reaction when they arrived.

Saturday, January 26th 12:00 PM - California dessert

Normal POV

The rest of the days came and went rather quickly. The time being was spent with preperations for trip, Nightwing sparring with Starfire to prepare, School, which everyone found it hard to act normal in, knowing in just a weeks time they wouldn't even be on the same planet, and finally, a last minute visit from Batman. The Batplane would be taking them to the location of the ship. They couldn't take there vehicles for obvious reasons. It just wouldn't do to have Nightwing be seen in a car registerd to Richard Grayson.

The somewhat dreaded day finally arrived. The coordiantes they had recieved earlier in the week, told them to be at a remote California dessert, which by the Batplane landed at, a sizable ship was already waiting for them, it's hatch open and to stoic faced gaurds with spear-like objects at it's front. Both took interest in the black plane, but neither moved from their spot, probably under strick orders to gaurd the hatch until the Grand Ruler arrived.

On his lap, in the very back seat of the the plane, Nightwing noticed Kori swallow hard, obviously nervous. The fact that she had a death grip on his hand only made it even more clear.

"Relax, everything's going to be fine," he assured.

"You are right," she replied taking a deep breath.

"You ready, Kor?," Cyborg asked from the seat in front of her, Bumble Bee in his lap.

She straigtend her back and hid the anxiousness that was visible on her face. "Yes let us get this done with, so that I may move on with my life."

Grabbing all the bags full of food and other suplies, the group made their way out of the Batplane. Everyone waited out of earshot as Batman and Nightwing had a conversation, that seemed to be pretty emotional. Kori had no doubt that it was a 'just in case I never see you again' chat, and that no one besides Nigtwing and Batman would ever know what was said in it.

After they parted from each other Batman found his way back into the Batplane which didn't waist time taking off, and Nigtwing made his way to his freinds and girlfriend. He stopped just in front kori and held his hand out to her. "Ready, N'laene?"

She smiled at him. He rarely called her N'laene, In gact she could could the times he had on one hand, but when he did it made her feel like she was on top of the world and nothing could bring her down. "Yes, I am." She took his hand and the group headed for the ship, lead by Nightwing and Kori, their friend flanking them

When the gaurds saw their Grand Ruler apprroaching, both dropped down to a knee in a bow. Kori along with her chosen and friends passed directly by them and borded the ship. Once the teens had passed the gaurds ammediately rose to their feet and wordlessly followed them up the ramp.

As they came to the first room, which was nothing more than a large grey and purple circular area with a few pieces of furniture placed about, they heard the hatch shut, making each of them realize that there was no turning back now.

"Well, here we go," Beast Boy commented before walking over and taking a seat on one of the couches in the room. Nightwing and Kori took a seat on the couch beside him, Kori chosing to set in Nightwig's lap, so that he could wrap his arm around her. She need the contact at the moment.

Not long after everyone was setteld in, a gaurd approached Kori, stoppin just short of the couch. He shot a quick glance at Nightwing before refocusing on her. "Grand Ruler, the ship is ready to depart if you are."

She nodded. "Let us go then."

"Very well. We have your rooms prepared. I shall have my men carry your things to your room."

"No need. My chosen is capable of carrrying our things to our room." She purposefully made it clear that they would be shairing a room just to test what the gaurd's reaction would be.

There was none, he only bowed before turning on his heals and heading down one of the corridores.

"What did he want?" the Flash asked.

"He asked me if I were I ready to depart, we will be leaving shortly," she answered simply

Before anyone could reply, the door swishing open on the near side of the room caught their attention. "A 6'5 man with long flowing red hair walked through the door. He had about the same build as Nightwing and he wasn't wearing a shirt oddly enough. The man laid eyes on Kori and a smirk crossed his lips.

"Hello, Princess."

Review. Seriously it takes ten seconds. Next chapter we get to Tameran.