Chapter Three

Secrets, Lies, and Almost-Kisses

A/N: Hello, all. It's me back again with another chappie. I hope you all like it. By the way, the villain in this story (I will not tell you the name yet so you don't burst out laughing before you get there) is dedicated to my all-time Best Friend, StarfireTT. She's a laugh. The character was created by none other that her sister, Jen. Props to them both. And on with the story!

As the cool rush of winter air hit her face, Kori thought only of this Slade person, and what her father could have possibly seen to have given him such a terrible fate. After a while, the T-Tower came into view, even through the darkness and fog.

"Come on!" Beast Boy shouted as he touched the ground. He was in human – or as close as he can get to being human – form now.

Kori landed a few feet behind Beast Boy and looked at the tower.

"Where is the door?" Kori asked as she realized she could not find one.

"I'm not sure. Robin is the only one who knows how to open it." Beast Boy said.

"But, you're sure there even is one?"

"No," he replied. "Actually, I'm not. Oh well!" Beast Boy turned to leave.

Kori whipped her head around to face him. "Oh well? Oh WELL? I will hear NONE of this 'Oh well' cra – well, you know what I mean! We shall wait for your team, the Teen whatever, and I WILL GET AL THE INFORMATION I NEED TO FIND THIS SLADE PERSON!" Kori yelled with such fury, her eyes and hands glowed neon green.

Beast Boy's eyes did not glow green, however, but instead grew wide with fright. He gulped. "Y-yes ma'am!" and crawled behind a rock and whimpered, praying all the while that Robin, Raven, and Cyborg got here soon. He wasn't too thrilled about having Larry here. (A/N: Yes, ppl. Larry the Titan is in the story. I just love his character. Besides, this story needs another annoying person. Beast Boy just doesn't cut it.)

Beast Boy looked out into the inky black sky. "Look! There's a dead bird flying!"

"…" Kori glared daggers at Beast Boy. "You really are a-" She stopped dead, for what she had seen ad taken her breath away. A boy of about seventeen had appeared on the scene. He had dark hair, a cute button-nose, and lips Kori, for some reason, was willing to do anything to be able to kiss. She found herself wondering what lied beneath the mask he wore over his eyes. Kori longed to see his eyes, though oddly enough, she felt as if they were watching her with deep passion. Kori averted her eyes to his chest, skimming over his red shirt that hugged his abdomen. Then she went back to wondering about his eyes, afraid to go down any further.

Robin's PoV:

As soon as Robin arrived, he stopped short, for he could have sworn he had seen an angel. She had long, red hair that was whipping in the light wind, glossy emerald green eyes, and lips he thought he needed to have for his own. He then looked at her shirt and found himself loving the way it showed off her midriff. He looked back up to her face, afraid she had noticed he almost looked further down.

End Robin's PoV

"Hi," Kori said, walking forward and reaching out to shake his hand. "My name is Kori."

"Hi, Kori," Robin replied, accepting the shake and holding on just a little longer than required. "My name is Robin."

"Hello, Robin. It is nice to make your acquaintance." Starfire said.

"Hello, Kori!" Beast Boy said, interrupting their conversation. "I didn't know you're name. You never mentioned it. People usually tell me their name BEFORE they let out their entire life story, but for you, I made an exception because you're life had been really screwed up and at least now I know you're name, and it's great to know you're name because you have a beautiful na – OW! WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR!"

"You wouldn't shut up and I HAD to do something!" Robin said, for he had smacked Beast Boy across the head. Then he risked another glance at Kori before he became suddenly interested in an ant crawling along the gravel road.

"Hey, ya'll, what's cracking?" Everyone turned around to see Cyborg standing next to the T-Car.

"All right, I can say it now!" Beast Boy yelled. He cleared his throat and bellowed "DUDE! I'M A VEGETARIAN!" And he grinned like the idiot he knew he was.

Everyone except Beast Boy slowly shook their heads from side to side, and Cyborg said "Dude, one, that was the worst possible time to say that, and two, nobody cares about your eating habits. But now that I think about it, I am a little concerned about your bathing and grooming habits."

"Cy, we have a guest." Robin explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Hi, I'm Cyborg, and I EAT MEAT!" He said, glaring at Beast Boy as he said the last two words.

"I'm Kori."

"Dude, where's Raven? I need to see my dark cuddle bunny!" Beast Boy exclaimed gleefully.

"Call me that again, and I'll break your legs off." Raven said, but as soon as the words escaped her mouth, she longed to eat them right back up. She wanted to be anywhere but here, for she had seen Kori standing next to Robin, a look of utter shock upon her face.

"Rachel? What is going on here?" Kori exclaimed, wondering why she was here, and why Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Robin were referring to her as Raven.

"Kori – What are you doing here?" Raven replied with uncertainty.

"Answer my question first!" Kori almost yelled, still confused beyond recognition.

"I – I –" Raven looked imploringly at the other Titans, asking for help. Unfortunately, Beast Boy received the message first.

"She's Raven, a Teen Titans, and hopefully one day, my wife."

"You're – you're a Teen Titan?" Kori started. "How could you – you lied to me! I trusted you with – with everything!"

"Kori, you don't understand! I –"

"What don't I understand, Raven, or whatever you call yourself now!" Kori screamed.

"I didn't mean to lie to you, I –"

"She only meant to deceive you in a way that you'd never realize!" Beast Boy interrupted again.

"Beast Boy! Not helping!" Raven yelled, glaring at him. "Look, Kori –"

"Don't talk to me! You knew al along about what really happened to my father and you never said anything!" Kori exclaimed. "It was a mistake to come here. I'll find out what I can about Slade on my own, without you're help!"

"No," Robin said. "I'll help you, if you'd like. I know everything about Slade. He has me under his control once, and I gained a lot of knowledge. Want to go somewhere and talk? I promise you've never met me before."

Kori mulled it over in her head for a few moments before replying, "Well, I guess that would be alright, as long as it's just us two. I don't want to talk to a crowd right now."

"What about me? You don't know me either!" Cyborg complained.

"Me neither. We've just met, and I already know your problem." Beast Boy added.

"Guys, I think I should talk to Kori alone for a bit, unless she is okay with having you guys come along, too." Robin stated, hoping that she said no.

"For now, I believe Robin is correct. Just one person is all I can handle right now, considering the circumstances." Kori said, throwing a nasty look at Raven. It took all the restraint Robin had not to jump up in elation.

Kori led him down to the shore, away from the others.

"So, why do you need to know everything about Slade?" Robin asked looking into her eyes, hoping the answer lied there. It didn't – not yet, anyways.

So she told Robin everything, including the part that Beast Boy had told her, and then she asked, "Is it true? Did you hear that?" She looked deep into his eyes, just like Robin had, except she knew the truth before she heard it.

"Yes," Robin explained, and sympathy was etched along his string jaw line. "We tried everything we could to find out who the man he was referring to was, but we had no such luck. Kori, I'm sorry, if only we had –"

Kori placed her fingers upon his lips to shush him and said, "It wasn't you're fault. There was nothing you could have done. I am now beginning to believe that maybe – maybe, this was how it was meant to be. Although I still miss him terribly, and want him back in my life, I feel as though if none of this would have happened, I would not have met you. That would have been a terrible shame."

Robin stood frozen to the spot for a moment with Kori's fingers still on his lips. He gently took hold of her wrist, brought it down to rest next to her waist, and took a step closer to her. He inched his way closer, exchanging glances between her eyes, and her lips. He was seconds from kissing her, when all of a sudden –

"What in Tamaran's name is that?" Kori looked into the sky, somewhat regretful that she averted the kissing that she was sure was about to take place.

"I don't know." Robin replied, also regretful for the distraction. "It's a bird…It's a plane…It's a – who's throwing sticks?"

"It is I, Swivel-Sticks! Hear me…pick up sticks!"

Robin and Kori whipped their heads in the other direction and saw what looked like a tree flying in mid-air. She looked like she walked right out of 'Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest'. She had arms, legs, and pretty much everything made of branches. She had a sharpener attached to her left writ like a watch. She had sharp twigs for fingers, which Kori guessed were the reason sticks were being thrown. Robin and Kori burst out laughing when they saw her.

"I have come to – what's so funny?" Swivel-Sticks asked.

Robin and Kori could not answer, for they were now rolling on the shore, clutching their stomachs with their mouths ajar, laughing silently.

"Do you find me that funny-looking?" Swivel-Sticks inquired.

Robin managed a nod.

Kori was still writhing on the floor, gasping for breath.

"All right then. I shall come back another time, when you are more capable of restraining yourselves long enough to hear me out. And pick up all those sticks." And with that, Swivel-Sticks flew off.

Gradually, Robin and Kori managed to stop laughing.

"I can't believe she actually thought she was a villain." Robin said after regaining his breath.

"I can't believe we were interrupted in the process of kissing so we could roll over the floor." Kori added.

"Who says we were interrupted?" Robin asked slyly. He walked over to Kori, and without waiting, without stopping, he kissed her passionately. After what seemed like an eternity, they broke apart.

Kori was momentarily rooted to the spot, but then returned the kiss with gusto. She wrapped her arms around him and loved the way she felt safe in his arms, felt special.

Robin ended their vertical 'From Here to Eternity' moment and said, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I don't know." Kori started. "I'm thinking we can leave our conversation about Slade for a later time tonight."

Robin nodded, grasped Kori's hand, and led her down the shore towards the rushing tide. Then they laid back on the sand, and got to know each other a little better – well, at least they tried to.

END OF CHAPTER!

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