"Deep breath." He said grinning as he closed the car door behind her. Kori had only been to Wayne Manor once, the first date that they had. As she flashed back to it she remembered how grand and beautifully decorated it was. She remembered how the headline that next morning revealed that Walker, she mentally shuddered as his face flashed through her mind, had tried to crash the party. As the pieces started fitting together, she let out a small gasp when she figured out more clues. Richard gave her a quizzical look.
" That night, our first date, you tried to take down Walker." She said, staring straight at him. He looked at her with a blank face. It had been two days since she had found out his secret but she was still figuring it out. He nodded slowly.
" Yeah, we have been fighting him for years it seems. He's gone now," He said reassuringly reaching for her hand. He thought that he had told her everything, but he was continually realizing that they hadn't discussed the campus or the night that they were having dinner in his office. " He went after you because of that day he tried to get you at school." He said. Kori looked at him confused and then her eyes grew wide with understanding. She was so overwhelmed the past 48 hours with discovering Robin, Bat Man, being invited to dinner, and trying to handle her school work.
" You- you saved me!" She let out. He kissed her forehead.
" And I would do it all over again if I had to." He grabbed her hand. " I can't however save you from this." He flashed her favorite grin and took her hand to the door. She still looked bewildered and Richard assumed that she was replaying the entire scene. " I was jealous of Robin that day, you were so awestruck by him." He laughed. Kori blushed. As he opened the door Alfred was standing there expectantly.
" Master Dick, Miss Anders." He gave a slight bow.
" It is nice to see you again Alfred." She smiled back.
" Dinner is prepared on the table, I do apologize I wrote down the time of your arrival incorrectly,"
" Ah, damn it!" Richard interrupted. " I'm sorry Al, you don't have to cover for me, I wrote it down wrong. We were supposed to be here earlier, sorry!"
" You were, but you are here now so it is not trouble." Bruce said as he appeared, with a drink in his hand. He had a grin on his face, and he put out his hand to receive Kori's and gently kiss the top of it. " It is a pleasure to see you again Miss Anders, thank you for accepting my invitation to dinner tonight." Kori blushed.
" Please, call me Kori. You have a lovely home." Richard squeezed her hand to give her a boost of confidence.
" Thank you! I think it's quite a nice place to live." There was a pause in the conversation, " Come in, Alfred has created us a wonderful meal and I would like the honor of knowing you better."
He led them through the entrance and through halls that lead to a dining room. As they entered a room there was a long and grand table with three places set. The sight was almost comical to see 3 places set on the massive table. Everything looked so grand and expensive around them. As she followed Bruce to a chair, right of the head, he held out the chair for her to sit at. She gave him a small head nod to say thank you, and sat. Richard sat across from her and Bruce sat at the head.
There were glasses of water on the table and Alfred disappeared through doors, which Kori assumed lead to the kitchen.
" So, the two of you have been together for, "
" 6 months." Richard answered Bruce. Bruce gave Richard an annoyed look.
" 6 months is a long time, I apologize for not having you over sooner, but I am certain that you understand," Bruce hesitated. " We have different aspects of our life, that need to remain secret."
" I understand Mr. Wayne." Kori said, " I can assure you that your secret will be safe with me. I have no intention of exposing you. I hope that I can be a support to both of you." She said boldly. Richard gave her a giant grin.
" I do believe you Ms. Anders, I mean Kori. I want you to know that I was hesitant about you at first, I am sure that you are smart enough to figure that you but I wanted to set things right. I am sorry." Richard began to choke on the water that he had just sipped. Bruce glared.
" Mr. Wayne, there is no need to apologize. You were doing what was right. Please know that Richard never lead on, and please let us move forward." Bruce smiled and took a drink.
" Well, since you know so much about us how about we find out about you." He began to ask her questions about her father, and how he owned a small construction company, and her mom was a homemaker. Kori talked about the love for her big brother who was a solider over seas but she barely talked about her sister. Richard had met her parents a few times and she didn't talk about her brother often to him because it pained her when she did. He knew that her and her sister had a complicated relationship but he never ventured to ask why. He had things in his past that hurt him to talk about, so he understood, he only hoped Bruce would show that same compassion.
" I hope to meet your family soon." Bruce said with a s mile and Richard gave a sigh of relief. As they proceeded to finish their meal, Richard noticed that Bruce was being genuine and Richard began to release the tension that he hadn't noticed building up. He watched as Kori gracefully entered in conversation and he felt the overwhelming sense of joy. His life seemed to be perfect in this moment. As they stood up Bruce invited them to sit in the living room Richard intertwined his fingers with hers. As they sat down in a large room, on comfortable couches Kori took in the scenery. Richard had kept her away from here on purpose, but now that she was in his home she felt like she understood him better.
" Well, I would say that it has been a successful night and that luck was on our side tonight." Alfred said cheerily as he handed them tea from a silver platter. " The two of you have not been interrupted this evening, and we have had a splendid chance to get to know you better." He gave Kori a wink. Bruce laughed and knocked on the wood side table next to him.
" Don't jinx it Alfred." They shared a short laugh. Richard put his hand her knee in a simple gesture of affection. " This is a rare occasion," but his face became more serious, " I am sure Kori is already aware of the responsibility that we have and how she can help in that." Kori nodded,
" Yes and I will do my absolute best." The way that her voice was steady and clear Bruce didn't give it another mention.
" Well Master Dick, how about you give her a grand tour of your home." Alfred said with a grin.
" Sure." Richard said taking her hand and pulling her to her feet.
" Everywhere except upstairs." Bruce said into his glass but loud enough for Kori to turn red and Richard to glare at him. Bruce grinned at him and left the room.
Kori stood up and walked around. She found herself wandering by the mantle and a picture captured her eye. It was of two young people, who looked early twenties. The bride's dress was obviously 80's with large sleeves and her permed hair. Her eyes resembled Richard's. The groom has a grin that looked all to familiar to her, and the dark hair have her a pain in her heart. She felt Richard come up behind her.
" Alfred felt like we needed something of them in this place. It was too painful by my bed , so he moved it here."
Kori stroked the picture with her left hand. " They look so happy."
" They were, at least from what I can remember."
" They are so beautiful," She turned and gave him a smile. " You look just like your dad, except you -"
" Have my mother's eyes." He finished. Kori slid her hand through his. He grinned back and squeezed . There was a moment of silence. " I really miss them." He sighed. " I love Bruce and Alfred, and I am grateful for the home and family that they provide, but," He stopped. His friends and ex-girlfriends knew that he was adopted, but he never really talked about him, they probably figured he was either over it, or had no desire to talk about it. The later was true. He never felt like anybody cared to know. Which was untrue. He closest friends, Garfield, Victor asked questions and he knew that they cared about him. Babs cared about him. He had people who were interested in him, but he sheltered his heart. Here, with her, it felt natural to talk about it. She was not overly sympathetic and she was not blowing it off.
" You are allowed to love both parties equally, you are not betraying any one by missing them." Those words brought comfort to him, and he kissed her softly.
" I love you." He said looking into her eyes.
" I love you too." She was about to say how much when Richard's watch started beeping. They both knew what that signal meant.
" I hope this doesn't take too long." He muttered and kissed her again, with more passion.
" Go and save the city." She grinned, but a dark thought crossed her mind. " Please. be careful." She said to him, meeting his passionate gaze.
" I'll come home to you, I promise," His boyish grin left with him and he bolted out of the door. As he ran out Alfred calmly walked in. After Richard left he noticed her face sink, expressing nervousness.
" Don't worry Miss Anders, it gets easier to trust them after a few missions. After all, over half of his life has been dedicated to training for this." He gave her a confident smile and refilled her tea.
" I sure hope so." She said quietly.
"Richard, or should I say Robin, has been more successful lately, I think because he has something he wants to live for." Alfred looked at her, she met his eye gaze and he gave her a soft and sincere smile. Kori didn't have a response. " Master Bruce and Richard have rarely experienced defeat. Have faith." He left the room giving her more time to gaze on Richard's parents.