Chapter Seven: Sifting Pieces

Quick Sticky: This is the real chapter seven. I accidentally posted chapter six twice. Starrob, there's no need to have a cow, here's the next chapter. I didn't know Starfire was so tall! Geez! Lol, poor Nightiwng! You're ex is taller than you are…!

"Where are you?" Nightwing asked himself in his room. He started off at the wall, not really looking at anything. He had to do this, he had to stop Slade. He had to do this for all of them.

"Where are you?" he demanded to his arch foe that was not there. "I'll get you Slade if it's the last thing I do!" He slammed his fists down on the table, scattering the various newspapers and clippings flew off the tables and scattered to the floor.

"Nightwing?" Starfire's quiet voice came to him from behind the closed door. It slid opened and she stood looking at him. "Please, will you rest now?" her voice was filled with concern.

"Not now Starfire, I have to find out what Slade is up to."

"Slade will always be there, Nightwing. You can face him tomorrow."

"That's the problem, he'll always be there and I'm sick of it!" Nightwing turned and glared at her.

"You don't understand, Starfire, I have to do this. For the city, for us; as long as he's loose, he's a threat. I don't want him to hurt you, or Raven, or anyone else again. "

"I understand that, but you need to rest yourself."

"Please go, Starfire," Nightwing said, his voice growing angry.

"Nightwing please—"

"Get out!" he growled.

"I only want you to—"

"Get out, NOW!" Starfire was so astonished by the expression on his face. She backed up from the door and shut it behind her. Nightwing turned his attention back to the articles and clippings.

"Just give me time, Starfire. Just give me time…"

Kory Anders quietly smiled to herself; content with the evenings events. She had enjoyed herself immensely that night with Dick Grayson. More than she had enjoyed herself in a long, long time. She was surprised just at how comfortable she had felt around him, as if she had known him all her life. She felt as if she had spent time with him before, but she couldn't have. She tried to convince herself otherwise, she had just met him less than a week ago! She began to wonder if Dick could possibly be…no, it wasn't him. It couldn't be him, she would have recognized him if it were him. She put the thought out of her mind and drove home.

Arriving at her house, she changed out of her dress and into her Starfire uniform. Flying out of a window, she headed for the museum. She landed silently on the roof of the museum, watching, waiting for some sign of movement. She looked around, she was expecting someone and she had a feeling he would come very soon.

Dick Grayson drove home deep in thought. He had enjoyed spending time with Kory Anders, Starfire. He had to admit to himself that he missed spending time with her. Now if he could have enough nerve to tell her the truth he would feel a great weight lift off his shoulders. He hated lying to her, but he thought that he might succeed if he could start over with her.

He came home and changed into his Nightwing uniform and began his patrol rounds. He felt drawn to the museum; he felt he should go there. He decided he would stop by and take a look around and see what was going on. Parking his Night Cycle he prowled around the nearby street, checking for any signs of illegal activity.

He raised his eyes in unconscious routine to the roof. He thought he saw something, a flicker of movement. He decided to check it out. Removing his grappling hook, he launched it onto the roof, hoisting himself up; he was not surprised to see that the figure he had seen from the ground was Starfire. But why was she here?

"So, what's going on?" he asked Starfire. She didn't answer. She as watching, waiting for something or someone, he had no idea why she was here. He knew she would speak when she was ready, he felt no need to prod her for an answer.

"I have discovered that Red X broke into Wayne Enterprises. He stole the Zynthonium to power his suit and he's going to break into the museum to steal the Clock of Eternity."

"I'm impressed," Nightwing congratulated. "You figured it out without me."

"Is that a backhanded compliment?" Starfire asked.

"No, it's the truth. I am very impressed that you have figured out what was going on without my help."

"I thank you, but I do not understand one thing."

"What would that be?"

"You are the protégé of the World's Greatest Detective. How come you did not discover these things sooner?"

"It's a long story, Starfire—"she suddenly cut him off.

"Shh!" she hissed in his ear. "I thought I heard something." They turned their eyes toward the street below as they saw a shadow move in the darkness.

"It is Red X!" Starfire whispered. "Just as I thought."

Together, they leapt off the roof and landed in the street, blocking the figure making its way towards the museum. Red X let out a surprised snarl of rage; he immediately launched himself at Nightwing. Nightwing blocked the vicious blow aimed at his midsection. He began punching Red X will great force, further enraging the villain.

"How did you people get here?" he demanded angrily.

"Lucky guess," Starfire smirked. Red X's eyes narrowed. Flipping over Nightwing, he punched Starfire; she ducked but received a viscous kick to her stomach. Gasping she staggered back. Nightwing smashed Red X with his fist and quickly spun kicked his foe hard.

Flying back, he landed on his feet and began to run. Nightwing took off in quick pursuit. Red X grabbed an X-a-Rang from his utility belt and hurled it at Nightwing, he quickly dodged and then X pulled out another and threw it this time at Starfire. The X-a-Rang suddenly smashed into Starfire; she gasped, cried out and flew back, hitting the pavement hard.

"Starfire no!" Nightwing cried out in horror, he rushed back to her side. Red X took advantage of the situation and teleported out of the area. He quickly pulled the X-a-Rang that had knocked the wind out of her of her so she could breathe.

"Are you alright, Star?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"Yes, I am fine Nightwing, I—" she suddenly felt his warm lips pressed against hers. She wanted to fight him, resist his affections. But something inside her stopped her from trying to fight him. Starfire felt his arm wrap around her waist. She tried to, as gently as possible to break the kiss. Though deep down she wished she hadn't.

"I'm sorry," Nightwing hastily apologized. He had no idea what had come over him. "We'll get Red X tomorrow. For now I think he'll think twice before he tries to go for the Clock of Eternity." Starfire quickly lifted off the ground and began flying away.

"Starfire!"

"What?"

"I still love you."

She was too startled to say anything. She just picked up speed and continued on her way home. Dick Grayson climbed aboard his motorcycle as he wondered what had come over him, and Kory Anders flew back to her house as she wondered what had come over her.

FBI agent and Private Investigator Tate Marcells sat in his office in the Jump City Police Department. He was working on paperwork from the Wayne Enterprises Incident and he had just about finished when Police Chief Nicholas Rufus Dennis walked into his office. He looked up at his boss, wondering what was going on.

"What's up, Chief?" Tate looked up from his work, sipping his coffee.

"I need you to look up some information for me."

"On who, a mugger, a serial killer, a rapist, a psychopath, what else is there, a supervillain? I can find almost anything on anybody."

"That's the reason we hired you, but I'm looking for information of quite a different nature."

"What would that be?"

"Kory Anders."

Tate raised an eyebrow. "Kory? Why her?"

"Because we hardly know anything about her; besides, I want to satisfy my own curiosity."

"Why don't you just ask her?"

"Because I have a feeling if I did she wouldn't give me the answers I want."

"I see. Okay, Chief, I'll get on it right away." Tate Marcells sat at his computer deep in thought. He began to type in the name "Kory Anders," into the computer database. The results came up. Kory had no criminal record. At least she was clean and didn't have any secrets. At least, so he thought.

He logged on to the internet and typed in the name Kory Anders. He found results this time, but it wasn't what he was looking for. The way the name was spelled didn't bring up a lot either. Obviously, there weren't many people with her name. He wondered why he hadn't found a college degree or a high school diploma. There had to be something about her somewhere.

He decided to access FBI files just to see if there was anything about her there. He doubted he would find anything but it was worth a look. He punched in the name. To his surprise, he found a match. He decided to open it and read it. What he read startled him. Tate couldn't believe his eyes.

He'd seen a lot of things in his life, but this was just too much for him. This information was the most astonishing thing he'd ever seen, the Vegan Star System? Aliens? Tamaran? Diplomatic immunity? He stared at the screen. She was a princess? His eyes went wider.

Her other stats read as follows:

Names: Kor'iander, Kory Anders
Alias: Starfire
Affiliation: Teen Titans
Height: 6 ft 1"
Marital Status: Unmarried, divorced
Former spouse: Nightwing
Residence: 1221 Phoenix Ave, Jump City 23654

A former Teen Titan on the police force? Impossible!

The Chief would be in shock when he told him about this. He began printing off the information. He was going to need all the proof he could get.

Kory Anders awoke the next day very tired but satisfied. She splashed some cold water on her face, staring at the mirror, she looked at her reflection. She recalled the events of the previous evening and she wondered what it all meant.

She quietly went into the kitchen and sat down beside Raven and Beast Boy and Raven who were already up and eating. "Good morning Raven, Beast Boy. Sleep well?'

"Yes, we did. Did you enjoy your date last night? It seems you had a good time." Raven smiled.

"Well, I'll admit that I did enjoy last night. It has been a long time since I have been happy. Beast Boy why did you not tell me that you knew Dick Grayson?"

"Well, I just never thought about telling you about him. It escaped my mind."

"A lot of things escape your mind Beast Boy," Kory laughed aloud.

"Very funny Beast Boy, very funny." Beast Boy said sarcastically.

"I do have a question for you," Kory looked at him intently. "Last night when you split your pants, was that part of your act or was that an accident?"

"Oh that? I that was a part of my act; an icebreaker so that I can get people to laugh," Beast Boy smiled.

"I see. Well it was quite funny." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "I have to go now."

"We'll see you later," Raven looked at her. "If you need anything just holler."

"I will, I will," Kory replied, shutting the door behind her. Her footsteps receded down the hall until they faded into silence.

Raven looked at Beast Boy after a long moment. "I don't like this."

"What don't you like?" Beast Boy asked.

"Not telling the truth. Lying to her like this. It isn't right?"

"We're not lying, we're half truthing," Beast Boy shot back.

"Still, we have to tell her," Raven argued.

"We may not have to," Beast Boy said. "Maybe she'll find out who Dick Grayson is without us having to tell her."

"Maybe, time will tell. Time will tell…" Raven quietly sipped her tea. Beast Boy for the first time in awhile, stared out the window and looked very thoughtful.

Kory Anders had a sneaking suspicion her friends weren't telling her the truth. Not completely, they were leaving things out. She wasn't sure what it was, but it had to do with Dick Grayson. There was something, something vaguely familiar about him. She needed to know what it was.

Why do I feel like I know Dick Grayson? She asked herself. I just met him but I feel as if I know him already. Why would I feel this way? Kory Anders felt a thought come to her mind. It was a shadow, a flicker, a wisp of an answer, but what came to her mind made absolutely no sense.

Nightwing is Dick Grayson. "No, no it could not be him. I would know it." It was illogical, irrational. Dick Grayson was too important, too prominent to be Nightwing. Why would a rich man care about justice? He could buy justice with his riches. Affluence was what made many individuals corrupt in their greed. Why would Dick Grayson care about justice to become Nightwing, if it was even him behind that mask?

Then she remembered something Chief Dennis had said, "Dick Grayson's parents died when he was a kid. Tony Zucco, a mobster, he threatened the owner of Haley Circus when the man wouldn't buy his insurance policy. It's said his thugs cut the high wire while his parents were performing their act."

That gave Dick Grayson a motive to become Robin, hence become Nightwing, but still she had no legitimate proof except a hunch. She needed proof. Now came the hard part, how to get it. Then it hit her.

Nightwing had been shot in the shoulder during a fight with robbers. She had seen it herself. If indeed Dick Grayson was Nightwing, he would still be recovering from it. But how was she supposed to know for sure?

If that were true and Nightwing was Dick Grayson, then who was Bruce Wayne? He could be anyone, she began to think. There weren't many male vigilantes in Gotham, there were plenty of villains to go around though. The Batman, Bruce Wayne had to be the Batman, and Nightwing was once called Robin, she remembered that they had been called the Dynamic Duo.

The pieces were coming together. It was sifting through them that and figuring out what went where was difficult. She had managed to find most of the pieces and the picture that was forming all starting to make sense.

Kory climbed into her police car and drove to the station. Chief Nichols Rufus Dennis was waiting for her, coffee in hand. "Hey Kory, you headed for Wayne Enterprises?"

"Yes, this is my last visit there. After this I shall turn in my last report on my investigation."

"Are you sure you don't need anymore time?" he asked. Either this was the fastest investigation he had ever seen or she was trying to finish in a hurry. He had read her reports and was startled by all the information she had found. She suspected Red X was the culprit behind the break ins and the museum and Wayne Enterprises.

What caught his attention though was all the information she had on Red X, she hadn't been on the force for a very long time, about five years, she wasn't yet considered an experienced veteran by her superiors but she seemed to have a vast knowledge of Jump City's criminals. How did she know this? Where had it come from?

"I have had all the time I need, Chief," she gave him a smile. "I must be going. I will file my report when I return."

"Alright Kory, I'll see you later," he smiled as she turned and walked away. Just then, Detective Tate Marcells walked in the room. "Hey kid, what'd you find for me?"

"Is she gone yet?" Tate asked.

"No, she's still in the building," he replied.

"I can't tell you what I found 'til she's gone." Nicholas nodded patiently. The door finally shut. "Good. Now I can talk."

"What'd you find on our young friend?" Dennis asked.

"You're not going to believe it unless you see it boss." Tate Marcells handed him the printed pages.

"You're kidding right, Tate? This can't be our Kory Anders." He stared at the information in disbelief. "This is incredible! Are you sure this is her?"

Tate Marcells nodded. "I'm as sure as daylight, Chief. You know how she acts when the subject of Nightwing comes up. We all have seen her. She basically clams up and shuts down."

"That hardly proves that she's his ex," Nichols Rufus Dennis frowned. "Need more than that to convince me."

"How do you think she knows all this information about Red X?"

"I'm not sure honestly," the Police Chief admitted.

"She knows because she's fought him before. And who knows? She might have fought him recently?"

"Really? How do you know?"

"Starfire's been spotted by civilians. I guess she's decided to come out of hiding."

"Not quite. She hasn't told anyone."

"True, but she probably wants to stay hidden."

"So what'll we do about it?"

"Nothing. We'll do absolutely nothing," came Chief Dennis' reply.

"Nothing? Why?"

"Why should we expose her? It wouldn't do anything. Besides, now that we know what she does it could be a great asset to us."

"I see. So you satisfied Chief?"

"Yes I am. You're a good man Tate. You can go now. I'm sure you have a lot of other work to do besides talk to me."

"Thank you Sir."

"No, thank you. I knew they sent me the best when they sent you here."

"You're welcome Sir." Tate Marcells turned around and walked out the door. Police Chief Nicholas Rufus Dennis shook his head as he stared at the pages.

"What a small world we live in…"

Kory Anders pulled up to the Wayne Enterprises building. She let out a gusty sigh. Her final day of the investigation, soon it would be over…then what she would do?

She walked through the door. Dick Grayson was waiting there as always. "Hello, Kory, is this your last day?"

"Yes it is," she replied. "This investigation is over. I guess Red X is leaving you alone. He hasn't been back since his first break in. Obviously security is tighter."

"I have taken every necessary precaution. I guess it worked."

"I am glad to hear it," Kory smiled. "I will have one last look around if you do not mind."

"Sure, take all the time you need." She walked away from Dick Grayson and began looking around at the lab, the roof, everywhere she thought there might be any clues, but there wasn't any for her to find. Richard "Dick" Grayson watched her go and wondered if he would ever bring himself to tell her the truth about who he was.

After an hour, maybe two, Kory Anders came back to him. She smiled. "It seems that Wayne Enterprises is once again in working order. It appears my investigation is over." She purposely placed her hand on his right shoulder. That was Nightwing's wounded shoulder. If Richard Grayson was Nightwing the injury would still be healing and he would experience pain if pressure were placed on the wound.

"Do not worry about Red X Mr. Grayson," she pressed down on his shoulder, not too much to cause suspicion, just to see if she could get her desired reaction out of him.

Dick Grayson let out an audible his. She pulled back. "Are you alright?" she asked, feigning ignorance. This was the proof she needed, she hoped she was right.

Looking down at his right shoulder, there were little dark patches of what she thought might be blood possibly leaking from gauss beneath his suit.

"It's nothing. Just a scratch, had a rough night."

Kory Anders leaned into his face and whispered in his ear, "Blood never lies, Nightwing…" Straightening herself, she gave him an all knowing look. Turning around, she walked out the door. Richard Grayson could only stare in barely repressed shock. How does she know who I am? What am I going to do now?

These thoughts swirled in his head as he returned to work. He was surprised she hadn't simply exploded in a rage. But he knew her well enough. She would wait for the right moment to explode on him. He was one the receiving end of her wrath, and he knew that was definitely not a good thing.