Hi everyone! Welcome back (or welcome to) my story.

Sorry for the short chapter – I split the one I had written and will upload the second half as Chapter 17 as soon as I finish smoothing it out, hopefully some time 7/1/09 or 7/2/09

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans or any DC entity. I do own the plot line.

Chapter 16

Flustered was the understatement of the century. Kori was late for work. It was still dawning on her what had happened, and how it could have been misinterpreted. Having just spent much of the last hour with Dick Grayson. With her hands all over him. Alone. In the back of his car.

When they were supposed to meet for coffee, she saw that Dick was in a great amount of pain and knew she could help him. Whatever he had wanted to talk about she felt that it had to wait and she just hadn't thought that it might have been misinterpreted until now.

Not that anything happened at all, but had anyone seen them? At least the Escalade had tinted windows. Her need to help outweighed her common sense. She never, ever put herself at risk. Not that Dick posed a threat, but she hadn't known him two weeks ago! Plus, he was the first guy she even found herself attracted to in, well, forever so she had to question herself if she was being reckless.

Kori decided that if she were to work that night with Karen or Tara or the others that she was getting friendly with, she would not say anything about meeting Dick for 'coffee'. Especially with Dick's behavior at the party at Vic and Karen's. But she began to feel that the interchange between Dick and Kitten might have been different than it appeared. She would give him a chance to tell her. Again, somewhat delayed, she finally realized that it was probably what Dick had been so insistent about talking to her about in the first place.

Resolved to take a positive attitude toward Dick and unable to take the smile off her face, she entered Lincoln's ER a couple minutes late for her Wednesday 3-11 shift.

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Dick was in another world. He had been so uncomfortable and now he felt fantastic. He had been sure he was going to spend at least the next few days half doubled over after his fall. He had even rearranged his work schedule because of it. Even if it was strictly therapeutic, he really liked Kori's touch. Why did have the nagging feeling that Kori only wanted to be friends? He smirked to himself and made the decision that even if that were the case that he would try very hard to change her mind.

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Dick enjoyed the next day. He still felt wonderful and spent most of the day over at Bruce Wayne's stable, Dark Night Farm, tending to the horses along side the staff.

He got reaquainted with Nightwatch, or 'Bully' as he was known around the farm. He was their first 'good one' – the horse that could really go somewhere. He had come back from the Gran Prix show jumping circuit for a break. According to his rider, he just wasn't doing as well as he had been, knocking down a lot of rails, and that he just might need a break from the campaign so he was shipped home.

At 13, Bully was getting to the point that he was going to either make it or not. Bruce had put a lot of money and time into the horse and Dick had known that he was unhappy that the horse was home. He went in to take a look at the horse himself. He didn't want to think anything was wrong, but he knew Bruce would not accept that the horse might 'just need a break'.

Dick stood the horse on cross ties and looked him over carefully with Manny. Satisfied that there was nothing obvious wrong with him, Dick decided to hop on him to see if he could figure it out what might be wrong.

Bully was very different from his first son, Buster. Imported from Germany, the Dutch Warmblood stallion was very highly trained when Bruce purchased him five years before. He was schooled to 4th level dressage and could easily do the highest jumps. He had been drilled and drilled and drilled till he had did everything right every time. Bruce had payed a lot for him but thought it would be worth it. The best part for Dick was that it gave him a world class horse to ride, even if at this point he only rode for fun.

Dick put on Bully's saddle and bridle, checking everything carefully himself. Dick first worked Bully on the lunge line, having him circle about to watch him go. It always seemed funny to Dick – only imported a few years ago, the horse only 'spoke' German, so he went through the verbal cues 'gehen', 'traben' and 'handgallop' and worked him in each direction.

Dick thought he saw something wrong, so he told Manny his suspicions and asked him to watch the horse go. Getting a leg up, Dick got on Bully's back and eased him through his paces. The horse almost anticipated every move; all Dick had to do was think about it and the horse did it.

Finally Dick pulled him up and asked, "How's his back end?"

"You're right, he definitely isn't engaging his hind end as well as he usually does. I'll get the vet out and come up with a game plan."

"Hopefully its not a big deal or Bruce is gonna have a fit."

"Yup, and you're going to have to tell him."

"Me? Manny don't make me do it..." Dick almost whined.

"Sorry Dick, I don't get combat pay, so its up to you." Manny said. "I'll call the vet though."

"Gee thanks, Manny."

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Friday came and it had been two weeks after Kori started to work at the ER. Kori got to work at 3 PM and Dick was due at 7 PM. She thought about him with a blush – she only had meant to make him feel better and to help him when she worked on his back two days before – but in retrospect she liked having her hands on him. She admonished herself – wasn't that inappropriate? Well, it was a friendly encounter when she gave him the acupressure treatment, it wasn't like he had come to her as a patient. She had to relax – maybe life would improve if she could just let her guard down every now and again.

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Thanks for Reading – please review!

I realize almost nothing happened and there is an exciting few chapters going up I promise!

For those concerned about the plodding along of the plot – the events of Chapter 16 actually take place only two weeks from the beginning of the story. We started in early April, its now mid April. I even know the actual dates just 'cause thats the kind of geek I am! I will also do my best to continue to update this story at least twice weekly.

Nightwatch is actually loosely based on two different horses I have owned.