Next chapter should be coming soon! Thank you for reading! And thank you to those who have sent kind messages and reviews
Disclaimer (Just in case I haven't yet) I don't own Teen Titans.
Kori adjusted her necklace to make sure that the clasp was in the back for the umpteenth time. Her heart was pounding and her stomach was in knots. The cup of coffee she made at her apartment was full and cold sitting at her desk. She kept glancing at the clock. Today was the biggest day of her career thus far. She worked hard to get this interview and it would be her first time published in a prestigious newspaper. This would be huge for her portfolio and resume. She was also interviewing one of the most famous men in the weapons industry. She knew that Richard had been talking to Wilson about deals and had to decline them. She also knew that he was uncomfortable with her talking to him in a private room but she wasn't worried. Bruce and Richard would be right next door being interviewed by Roy.
"You ready?" Roy asked as he dropped a small brown bag on her desk. Inside was her favorite donut, but she was too nervous to eat.
"You look good." She laughed as she took in his now formal appearance, compared to his usual wrinkled pants and untucked button up.
"You think so?" He grinned, "Have to look good if I am keeping up with Grayson and Wayne." Kori gave a polite laugh. She saw Richard some lunch breaks but not for longer than half an hour a break. She was nervous to see him, and she mentally scolded herself for being nervous. She loved him and he loved her. This time when he was in Jump City was a lot harder than she was anticipating. Every night she was constantly worried that Slade would appear, and that fact that he hadn't yet made her uneasy.
She spent time in the Bat Cave watching him as Nightwing. He was such a natural. Even Bruce had been impressed. But the longer he stayed in Jump the less time she spent in the Bat Cave and the more time she spent at home working.
She looked at the clock, it was half an hour until the interviews were to take place which means that men people should be arriving soon. Her phone buzzed on her desk. When she checked it she was a text from Richard. He had texted her when he arrived home that morning but she didn't respond because she was busy trying to look her best for today.
"We should be arriving soon. I can't wait to see you. You are going to be amazing today, just remember to be safe around him. I love you."
She smiled at his text but was also slightly annoyed. That was all he said to her lately, "stay safe". Since the Slade incident he was on edge and completely over protective. She wasn't an idiot. She had been in danger twice in her life so far, and both times he had been the one to save her from her it, and she felt he thought her totally incompetent. She gave a short response of "Love you too" and put her phone back in her purse.
A few minutes later her editor walked in dressed nicer than she had ever seen, and his face calmer than she had ever seen it. He was followed by Wilson and Bruce walking side by side with Richard and the other few right behind.
" Welcome to our office gentleman, and thank for your agreeing to let us write an article about the success you have experienced to encourage our writers and our readers. We have you each assigned with a writer in a private conference room. "He gave a short speech on what types of questions and why the paper thought it was important to get their story out there, but Kori wasn't really listening she and Richard were having an unspoken conversation.
As soon as he entered the room his eyes went straight to her. She was so much more beautiful than he remembered. He couldn't recall the last time that he actually looked at her.
Her eyes gravitated towards him as soon as he walked in. Her already nervous heart slipped a few beats and she felt her face flush when he gave her a giant grin. He mouthed," I miss you." And she smiled even bigger and nodded her head in agreement.
"Our most promising writers were assigned to interview you, and we thank you again." Her bosses voice broke her eye contact with him. " Mr. Harper and Ms. Anders, could you step forward?"
Kori stood up straighter and Roy put his hand on the small of her back as they walked forward. Richard's face went crimson but Kori barely noticed as he removed it to reach out and shake Bruce's hand.
"Mr. Wayne, pleasure to meet you." Bruce responded with a solemn nod. " Mr. Grayson, great to see you again." Richard's mouth was a thin line as he nodded his head and reached out his hand. Their hand shake lasted longer than the prior one, and Kori felt uncomfortable. When they released hands Roy faced forward and started to led them to their assigned conference room. When they passed Kori he gave her a small thumbs up and whispered, " Go kill this Anders." She gave him a thumbs up back but instantly faltered in Richard stopped next to her.
" Good luck. Be careful, Wilson can be dangerous." She nodded and gave a small smile as he walked away.
She stepped forward and stuck out her hand. " Mr. Wilson, it is a pleasure to meet you."
He responded with a firm grasp, and smiled kindly at her.
" The pleasure is all mine Ms. Anders, please led the way." He said with a handsome smile. She turned around and walked towards their conference room with her pen, paper, and recorder in hand. She held the door open for him, he gave a polite nod as he entered. " Do you have a preference to where I sit?" he asked regarding the table with a chair on each side.
" Either is fine." She responded closing the door.
" I will sit facing the wall, I will let you face the windows, it will be less distracting for me." He joked as she took a seat facing the window walls opening up to the office.
She sat down and gave a smile. " Mr. Wilson, it is an honor to interview you, you are such a prominent figure in the weapons industry."
"How much do you know about my business?" He asked as she adjusted her papers. Without hesitation she answered,
" I know what you have been proposed regarding nuclear weapons regarding technology. Please tell me, why do you think that every big corporation has chosen to not back you?" She held her pen up, ready for an answer. Wilson laughed.
"You are eager aren't you Ms. Anders."
"I'm just trying to tell a story Mr. Wilson." She said back.
"Then I will answer. Corporations are too busy counting their cash and hiding behind their name, that they are afraid of real power. What I am offering to people is to back the greatest weapon of all time." He watched her reaction. She didn't grimace, she automatically asked a followed up question.
"Why do you feel the need to create this?"
"Power, Ms. Anders. The ability to do what I want, and to protect what I want."
"And what do you want to protect?"
"Now that Ms. Anders, is my secret to keep." He chuckled.
"What heightened your interest in this industry?"
"Ms. Anders we have plenty of time to conduct this, how about we slow this down." She blushed.
"I apologize sir, I do not want to take up your time, I know how valuable it is."
"Ms. Anders, answer me this. What attracted you to journalism?"
"The power to tell a story, the ability to make my readers feel something. I want to tell people the truth and what is important."
"Then you and I aren't all that different, because that is my answer." There was a pause as Kori pondered his answer. "Tell me, what does your beau think of your profession?"
"Excuse me?" She asked, this question catching her off guard.
"I have seen your picture in the paper. Richard Grayson and yourself are in a relationship. He works in a corporation, what does he think of your profession?" Kori hesitated, this was not on her script that she had in front of her.
"He, is," she paused, "he is very supportive. He agrees that justice and truth should prosper."
"Almost to a fault one might say." Wilson said, but Kori's eyes were transfixed on the television screens that she could see outside of their room. From what she could tell Jump City's bank had exploded and the reporter was discussing the death toll and flames burst from the building. She stood up and went to stand outside of the door, Wilson following.
Everyone was on their feet watching the television and she watched as Richard emerged from the door. His face was pale. Bruce whispered something and Richard left automatically. Her heart sank and he left, knowing what he was about to do, and the fact that he didn't acknowledge her as he left. Bruce watched her as her eyes followed Richard out, when she met his eyes, Bruce gave her a solemn nod, confirming her fear, he was headed to the jet to get there as fast as he could.
Bruce and Kori's fears were confirmed as the police dragged someone out of the building with a disk in his hand, with and "S" engraved in it. Kori's mouth closed in a thin worried line.
"This is crazy." Roy said as he came up behind her. She couldn't respond.
Their editor came out of his office, "Why is everyone out here instead of- "he began to yell and stopped once his eyes followed theirs to the television. "Damn it." He said. "Anders! Harper!" he barked, "all my real writers are out working, you two are my top interns. Try to scrape something together about this and if it's decent, we will go with it." He paused, "we will have to reschedule this for another release date. Gentleman, thank you for your time. I cannot tell you how sincerely sorry I am. Please, allow us to contact you to reschedule another time." There were nods from the men as some left.
"Keep in mind Ms. Anders, weapons destroy, but also protect. "Wilson said as he left, leaving her with a quizzical brow. Roy watched him leave after that comment with a confused and concerned face which left Bruce time to come up and give Kori a note.
"I'll see you at the manor." He said as he left.
As the office dispersed to do their jobs Roy and Kori sat in a conference room watching a replay of the entire scene with their connections to a security system, which allowed them to watch from the cameras inside the bank. The connection was grainy and sometimes stop motion as they tried to draft a story.
"This technology sucks." Roy said frustrated. Kori kept her mouth shut. She knew exactly where they could watch this with a crystal clear picture, but she couldn't say or act on it. As they watched a video again, Roy interrupted the silence. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course." She replied.
"What is Grayson's deal?"
"Huh?" She looked up from the screen and met his face.
"Well, I mean you and I weren't friends until just recently, but he always looks like he is pissed off, and you, well you aren't. I am trying to figure out how two people from completely different worlds make it work."
Kori opened her mouth, but then closed it. Unsure on how to answer. "I love him." She started, "He loves me. We just, work." She said. Roy sat there quietly.
"Then how come he left without even telling you good-bye?" he asked.
" Roy, he has a huge job. A huge responsibility. He is getting ready to open a Jump City branch of Wayne Enterprises, and this bank effects it." The lie came so natural it scared her. She realized it wasn't a complete lie, this bank did effect his work considerably but it was his job as Nightwing that this effected most.
"True, but isn't taking care of you more important than that?"
Kori got uncomfortable with this conversation. Part of the reason that she avoided friendship with Roy was because he made his attraction to her so obvious. She thought Roy was a great guy, but didn't want to lead him on.
" Roy, you are a great guy, and a great friend, can we leave it at that." Roy opened his mouth to respond, " Please." She begged and then he nodded his head. They went back to work, trying to write something print worthy.