Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or any other entities related to WB or DC comics

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For anyone unfamiliar with the idiom 'to smell a rat' (I am not sure if it is an American idiom, or if it used throughout the English speaking world or elsewhere): to smell a rat means to start to believe that something is wrong about a situation, especially that someone is being dishonest (as per the online Free Dictionary by Farlex)

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Double Take

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Chapter 54

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The Mother of All Monkey Wrenches, Part 1

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Babs checked the caller ID. She couldn't help but be disappointed that it wasn't Dick again, although he was on his way to pick her up. It was Xavier.

"Hi Xavier," Barbara answered.

"Hi darlin', I just had a thought about our little plan: operation 'breaking up our favorite happy couple'."

"Alright, but make it quick, Dick's on his way over."

"Sure. You have to tell Dick to take Kori to Vic and Karen's wedding instead of you. You'll take me. Karen won't tell you that you aren't welcome, because what's two more when they've asked 300? And who knows, I might be invited, they are inviting a lot of the hospital medical staff."

"But-"

"Hear me out: You see Babs," Red explained, "by letting Dick off the hook, you look good, he looks bad for considering taking her and leaving you in the lurch because you know he must have been, and we both go to the wedding. Kori and Dick are both upset and better yet Kori will be mad at Dick for not asking her sooner. We really win here."

Babs smiled, "I do see your point. When should I talk to him?"

"The sooner the better. I take it he hasn't said anything."

Babs' mind was considering all the possibilities,"No, and I'd imagine that with the wedding about five weeks away, the invites will be out any day so he'll have to discuss it with her. No matter what, Karen'll invite Kori. It's bound to be awkward."

"So you'll have a preemptive strike."

"Yes, I will."

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Dick was relatively relaxed and and felt refreshed as he drove to the Gordon's, but once he had picked Barbara up, he felt as though he had dodged a bullet. He had been always thankful that Babs was still staying with her father so that she had support and someone to keep an eye on her through her treatment and recovery; but that particular evening, well that evening, she was more forward physically than he would have liked. He could only image what she might have been like had she not been restrained by having her father being nearby. If they were at her brownstone, that could have lead to quite an awkward situation. Dick had to admit that he was still attracted to her. Not that he didn't adore Kori, not that he didn't want to spend his life with her, but Babs held his heart or at least his interest for a long time, and he was a guy after all.

Dick was put off a bit at first but also turned on more by the slightly provocative outfit that Babs had on. Dick always loved her in teal, and the wrap dress she wore fit her beautifully, accentuating the finer points of her tight, petite frame. She also wore his favorite perfume and had on more makeup than she usually wore to meetings and group therapy. Was she was pulling out all the stops for him? Or maybe she just wanted to look good for herself – he knew women do that sometimes, and she seemed to be feeling a bit better about things. He probably shouldn't flatter himself, maybe there was someone else in the group, or a late date afterward? If it was him, he should say something so she'd back off, but he would not confront her until after the meeting.

Either way, Roy is going to have a field day with this one...

No matter why she was dressed for, or for who, Dick couldn't hold back a compliment.

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While driving to the session, he blocked out Babs' constant chatter about this luncheon or that charity auction as he always had to maintain his sanity, Dick wondered if Kori had been a bit too accommodated that night. Not that he had necessarily been given a proverbial rope to hang himself with, but what if he had? Was he imagining it, or was it that she seemed almost as though she didn't care. No, he thought, she was just weary with all they had to endure. She seemed almost defeated. All of this was way more that Kori could have bargained for.

For now all he hoped for was that things would go quickly and smoothly with Barbara so that he could have some time with Kori that night after he got back. He should have known better than to have even entertained that possibility.

"Are you even listening to me, Dick?" Babs said, annoyed.

"Sure Babs, sorry, just, uh, worried about things with you. How are you feeling? I mean you look fantastic, but are you up to these functions already?"

"That was so nice of you to say. Oh, of course I'm ready to socialize!"

Dick chuckled. It was nice to see Babs so bubbly that evening. Her eyes sparkled when she smiled and was so animated. He always loved it when she was like that.

I wish Kori had been like that lately. I just gave her a promise ring and she didn't even seem that happy today. Don't compare them, Dick. Remember all the stress... Maybe she doesn't want to get married yet... I mean she doesn't want to...

"Dick? What is with you tonight?" Babs demanded.

You. Kori. Damnit. "Sorry Babs, a few things on my mind. So how's Mrs. Waterson? Is she back from the annual stay at fat camp?"

Babs laughed. "Why yes! The worst kept secret at the country club! The 'spa of rejuvenation' or some hokum. She took her 15 and 17 year old girls this year."

Dick chuckled, even though he knew it was unkind. Those poor things reflected their mother's end of the gene pool, "How did they look?"

"Barely made a dent."

Dick and Babs laughed, "that's cruel."

"Cruel? You brought it up!"

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The meeting went well but as expected, Roy pulled Dick aside as Babs spoke with Jade about her pregnancy and preparing for the baby.

"Dick, what's going on? If I didn't know better, I'd think you and Babs were together again. Are you crazy? What about Kori?"

"Oh, Babs and I are just old friends," Dick said dismissively, "Kori and I are fine. Not that this is common knowledge, so don't say anything, but I actually gave her a ring of my mother as a promise ring."

Roy smiled, but then the smile faded, "That's great, but what, are you in High School? Why didn't you just get engaged?"

"Thanks for that, Roy." Dick said as he rolled his eyes, "It's actually a pre-engagement ring. It's complicated right now with the media attention and all this with Babs. Once we get through this, we'll make it official and set a date."

"Still waiting?" Roy said with a waggle of his eyebrows.

"I'm sure you're just asking about it for the sake of the betting pool. And yes we are, not that it is anyone's business."

"I don't know how you do it." Roy put a hand on Dick's shoulder.

Dick let out a sign, "Honestly, it's not always easy, but she's worth it."

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Dinner after the session with Barbara was fun and Dick got swept up in the moment. They went to a Japanese restaurant but the a la cart side was closed on Mondays, but they did serve teppanyaki. With teppanyaki, you sit at a large table around a grill and a chef cooks the food in front of you and entertains you with his antics such as tossing food to you so you can catch it in your mouth. They sat with eight other people. To the rest of the patrons and the chef, Dick and Babs appeared to be a happy couple, joking and enjoying watching their food cooked in front of them. It wasn't until the other patrons started to talk with them as coffee and dessert were served that he realized that people really saw them that way.

Dick went to pay and Babs beamed, "You sure know how to treat a girl," she said, her hand on his forearm.

"You two are adorable together," one of the women that sat close by said.

Dick said with a pleasant smile, not wanting to not appear rude, "Well, actually we aren't together anymore, we're just friends."

The woman looked embarrassed, "Really? I never would have guessed that."

"Oh, don't you recognize him from the papers? He's the one who's been dating that princess," Babs said.

"Barbara-" Dick said in a warning tone.

"Oh, of course," the woman replied, "and where is she tonight, or has she gone back to Tobago?"

"It's Tamaran, and she is in the area, but she had other business to attend to. My friend Barbara and I here had some things to straightened out and now that it's done and we've had dinner, I think I need to make sure she gets home," Dick turned to Babs, trying to suppress his anger, "ready to go?"

"Sure, Dick."

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"What was that, Babs?" Dick said angrily once they had entered the Escalade. He hadn't bothered getting the door for her.

"Well, I didn't want people to think that you were cheating on Kori."

"Yeah, you really helped there."

"Whatever."

"Babs, as much as I want you to get better, and Kori and I want to do all we can, you have to be careful with how we are perceived, please."

"Alright," Babs took a deep breath, "Sorry, I thought I was protecting your reputation."

"Okay Babs, your intentions are reasonable, but that woman might not have recognized me. Now she knows who I am and that I was out with you and not Kori, and that she thought we were a couple."

"I'm sorry," Babs said, doing her best to at least sound sincere although she was anything but, "what you're saying makes sense, I guess I wasn't thinking it through."

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The rest of the ride to Barbara's father's was quiet. For whatever reason, as Dick mulled things over and decided that Babs wasn't being malicious.

When Dick pulled up to Jim Gordon's house, he walked around to help Babs out of the car and walked her to the door almost automatically, something he hadn't done in months, and certainly not since they started going to therapy together. Sure he would go in to her Dad's when he'd pick her up to say hello to Commissioner Gordon, but when he brought her home after therapy, Dick would just wait in the car for her to go inside."

"Here you go, Babs," Dick said with a smile.

"See you tomorrow night then?" Babs said.

"Sure."

"Dinner also?" Babs asked.

"Probably, let me check with Kori. Let's do it before though if we are."

"But that's too early," Babs whined.

"Yes, I know, but Kori is going to be asleep by the time I get home tonight and I really need time with her."

Babs didn't acknowledge the statement. Instead, she chose that moment to talk about the wedding, "Dick, I was thinking, I know you and I were going to Vic and Karen's wedding together, and I would still love to go with you, but I think I'd better back out. You really should take Kori, after all you're dating her. Maybe Karen will let me come anyway."

Dick ignored the 'dating her' statement about Kori. Babs knew how close he and Kori were. "Wow, thank you Babs, I really appreciate that," he kissed her on the cheek. "You know Karen'll invite you. Would you bring Red?"

"I guess. He's fun, but we aren't in it for the long haul. I just don't feel that way about him like I have in the past for other people."

Dick knew who she was talking about: him. Dick couldn't resist the urge to hug her to comfort her, "You'll find someone Babs," he murmured reassuringly in her hair. He knew he was playing with fire but he felt she needed the confidence boost.

Dick pulled back and looked down at Babs and before he knew it, her arms were around his neck and she pulled him in for a kiss on the lips. It was longer then a polite peck, but it remained closed mouth and not heated and it left Dick actually wanting more.

Playing with fire indeed.

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Dick got home to a quiet Wayne Manor. He was racked with guilt and when he didn't find Kori in his room. He took a long shower, deciding that he'd feel better if he'd try to wash away the guilt. And Babs' lipstick and perfume.

It took him a while to fall asleep, flipping through the channels, unable to settle on anything to watch. What was he going to do? What if the woman from the Japanese restaurant called the press?

And would Kori be upset that he didn't come to her room? No, he thought, feeling a bit bitter. If she'd wanted to stay with him that night, she would have stayed in his room.

He had forgotten that Kori had always said that she wasn't comfortable with being in his room unless he was there, but would be happy to move to his room at any time during the night, whenever he'd get home.

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Kori woke at 3:30 AM and realized that Richard had never come for her. Perhaps she should have left a note to remind him, not that he needed it before. What if he were still out with Barbara? Unless she relapsed, that would be his or her or their only excuse. Unless that were the case or something just that reasonable, Kori's temper, so well hidden, would bubble to the surface quickly.

First Dr. Rafferty's comments, now sleeping apart. Sunday they were pre-engaged and in a little over 24 hours she was considering leaving the manor. Perhaps they should even take a break from the relationship. The thought upset her but she had to be practical and also protect her heart. The sooner they'd put things on hold, the sooner Babs would get better and then they could resume things and get engaged and married.

At least that's what was supposed to happen in theory. But the theoretical setting and the real world setting can be quite different.

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Kori woke at her usual time and went to the kitchen and chatted with Alfred. He knew she was upset, but avoided asking her about it. Master Dick's affairs were his own, as were Princess Koriand'r's, or as she preferred, Miss Anders, and he understood privacy and discretion. But he was a ready ear as well, and through the years he had heard many tales of woe from Bruce and Dick, including ones about the women in their lives. Babs had come to him, which he was a bit shocked at. It seemed so terribly forward. He imagined Kori would never act that way.

Kori might be isolated in the Manor, but she had a support system in Philly and DC, and even though she had been there in DC for a few months and that all her friends also were friends of Richard's, she knew she had people that would be there for her no matter what.

She moved her tea to enjoy on the terrace paged through the late edition of the Tuesday paper. It had the Asian market reports, so Bruce preferred it to the earlier editions. But it wasn't the business section she was looking for. She scanned the national and international news as she always did. There was a tiny blurb about her sister taking control over the guerilla forces again, but it was unclear if this would pose any real threat. For seventeen years her sister had terrorized her own country. It was beyond Kori's comprehension. It can't be said that Komand'r wasn't persistent.

Kori was sipping her tea when she looked at the limited 'People and Society pages'. There wasn't a picture, but she couldn't have missed the headline: Dick Grayson: Back to his old ways? Kori dropped her teacup on the slate patio.

She read no further and fled to her room.

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Alfred moved at a brisk walk to investigate what had happened to find only the broken tea cup and then saw he newspaper turned to that page and read the headline. Not ignoring his duties, he picked up the broken pieces of the 95 year old Haviland Limoges tea cup from the patio floor and disposed of it, and then picked up the newspaper and proceeded to Dick's room.

For perhaps the second or third time that he could remember, Alfred almost walked in to an occupied bedroom without knocking. But Lord knows what Richard had pulled. Could he have possibly brought another woman home? He thought that would be impossible, he and Kori were so devoted to one another, but with Master Richard's track record and all the stress, who knew?

Alfred did, however, knock extremely loudly on the door. When there was no answer, he knocked louder and finally heard an annoyed, "What?"

"Master Richard, it's Alfred and I must speak with you. It is a matter of utmost importance."

"Can't it wait?" Richard shouted back. Alfred had rarely heard that tone from Richard when addressing him.

"No sir, ergo the term, 'utmost importance.'"

"Alright, alright, let me unlock the door."

Richard came over and let Alfred in.

If Richard was going to act like a spoiled prep school student, he would be treated as such, "Locking the door," Alfred remarked, cocking an eyebrow, "What if Miss Anders had tried to come to your room last night?"

"I knew she wasn't going to," Richard said, with more anger in his voice than he meant to have.

"I see that you are a bit, shall we say, irritable this morning. Well let me show you this, because things are likely to be going to get worse."

Alfred handed Dick the paper and he read the headline, "Fuck."

"And before you ask, Kori has already seen it and left abruptly from her table on the patio. I came here to show you the article. It is not my place to meddle, but I thought you should know."

"Thanks, Alfred," Richard said, voice dripping with regret, as he scanned the write-up. "the article says I was just out with an old friend, but the headline of course makes things seem awful."

"I do not believe Miss Kori got beyond the headline."

"Great. I'll shower and find her. If she tries to leave or if you see her, please tell her I need to talk to her. And order some red roses for her."

"Very well sir," Alfred replied. Because roses are going to make this all better, Alfred thought sarcastically.

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Kori could only sit on her bed and shake. She refused to cry. She had cried plenty in her life and until she knew everything, she would do her best not to. She wished that she had read the article. She wished she hadn't told Dick to take Babs to dinner. She wished that she was more impassioned about how she felt, that it was her time as well, and that Babs' recovery was important, but so was her relationship with Richard. They had gotten pre-engaged and they should have had a more romantic celebration no matter what, not that meeting with Rafferty.

As for Richard, he was in an even harder place than she was. He hadn't really let her down before except right after she remembered him as Robin from his summers in Tamaran. And even then he came to his senses fairly quickly. She had to give him a few more chances. They had a great future, she couldn't just walk away. Maybe put themselves in a 'holding pattern', and not a true break as Rafferty suggested. The more she ruminated about the conversation with him he day before, well, the more she thought something was truly amiss.

She smelled a proverbial rat – or perhaps two or three.

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Only about twelve minutes went by before Richard was knocking on her door. Kori got off her bed and walked over and without a word answered it.

"Kori," Richard said and pulled her into a hug and she stiffened at first and then relaxed, almost falling limp.

She then straightened up. "Shall we talk in here, or somewhere else?"

"Wherever you want, as long as you're talking to me," he replied with a slight smile.

"I'm glad you also wish to do the talking. It's fine in here with plenty of privacy," Kori replied, taking his hand and leading him over to her bed.

For a moment Richard thought more would happen than just talking but when Kori sat Indian-style in the middle of the bed facing the headboard, his hopes were dashed for the time being. He took a seat leaning against the headboard, his legs out straight in front of him.

"Where should we start?" Richard asked, knowing there were a few matters to discuss. Knowing he was manipulating her a bit, but also knowing he needed to use everything he had in his arsenal of things Kori liked about him, he gave her his lopsided grin.

The lopsided grin gave her a sentimental twinge but she was not going to be swayed, "Let us speak first about Karen and Victor's wedding. It is in about eight weeks, is it not? Karen has asked me to be a bridesmaid last night. It was at the last minute for Victor's cousin is coming home early from the war and will be able to be a groomsman. I knew that they were to be married of course, but why had we not discussed our arrangements to attend the wedding that day?"

Richard rubbed the back of his neck, nervous about things and thankful that Babs had let him off the hook the night before. "I'm sorry Kori, I should have. I was supposed to go with Babs because save the date cards went out months before we met, but she and I decided not to go together of course because I'm dating you now, so of course we are going together."

Kori couldn't ignore how it was said, but she needed to clarify, "When was that decision made?"

Richard ran his hand through his hair, he was beginning to sweat, he was so busted. He knew if he'd lie it would only be worse, "Last night."

"I see," Kori said in a small voice, and she looked at her hands in her lap, willing herself not to cry and to not twist her fingers, the nervous habit that Richard would recognize. She had to control her emotions or this conversation would deteriorate and it had barely begun.

"Kori, I was planning to take you. To be honest, I had no idea Babs would have expected me to still take her. I mean you and I have been dating since, uh,-"

"Since May, Richard," Kori said softly. "We began doing the dating in May. It was my understanding however, of the American way of what used to be referred to as courting, as well as the Tamaranian way, which you said you wanted to abide by because it was important to me, that we bypassed the dating." She looked up. As much as she wanted to give him a hard look and to sound bitter, she also loved Richard, and couldn't help but think about their time together fondly, "We were immediately exclusive, immediately girlfriend and boyfriend, and on Sunday we promised ourselves to one another, that we would soon be engaged and marry."

Richard smiled, "I didn't mean to belittle our relationship. And don't remember, we fell in love a long time ago."

"That we did."

"And you were happy about receiving my mother's ring?"

Mostly she had been, but he had given her doubts, but she wouldn't say anything for the time being, "Are you doing the joking, Richard? I have never wanted to do the pushing, but I would have loved nothing more than for us to have already married." That part wasn't a lie. If only they had gotten married, all this would have been avoided.

Richard reflexively felt his stomach clench: married? He hadn't quite realized that it did scare him in the concrete but was fine in the abstract as in 'someday we'll marry', but it was not the time to worry about it. It was the time to patch things up with Kori before he blew it entirely with her, "That is a wonderful thought. I'd imagine if we'd stayed in touch from the time we'd met in Tamaran, or found each other again when you were at Penn and I was at Princeton, we would definitely be married now. I love you very much, and I am so glad you like my mother's ring."

"I'm so glad," and with that, Richard pulled Kori next to him. He knew better than to push to quickly, but he really hoped he'd be able to distract her.

"And the next topic," Kori said, surprising him with her diving into another topic, "the newspaper article."

"Did you read the article?"

"Actually no, I did not," Kori admitted.

"Well, in spite of what the headline said, it did give the correct information that I was out with an old friend. It didn't even say she and I used to date. It turned out that we were seated at a large table with eight other people and that Babs made sure that the other patrons at that table knew that I was your boyfriend and that I was only her friends."

"Oh, I see. I am sorry that I reacted badly. I do wish that the headline had not been so misleading."

"I can hardly blame you, Kori, I'm sure it was quite a shock."

"It was, and I must apologize about breaking that lovely tea cup."

"It is certainly understandable," Richard said and pulled Kori close.

"There is one more thing Richard," Kori said, again her smile fading.

"Sure Kori, what?"

"Why did you not come to find me last night. I wish sleep by your side but you never came."

"I'm sorry about that, too. When you weren't in my room I figured you didn't want to."

"But I always wish to."

"I'm sorry, I guess I was expecting a note."

"I haven't really ever needed to leave a note, but early on we have texted or you have fallen asleep on my bed," Kori pointed out, but deciding there was no reason to argue at this point, "But in the future if you wish me to, I can." She paused a bit and smiled, "Are you tired now?"

Richard smiled, "A little."

"Perhaps we can cuddle up for a bit?"

"I'd like that, and you know what?"

"What?"

"I'm going to tell Babs that we aren't going to do anything before or after her session today. I need time with you."

Kori was a bit taken aback but didn't let it show. Since when did Babs get a standing dinner date every night with Richard, who was her boyfriend?

She'd enjoy their day as best she could but she even after the conversation, there was some reassurance that Richard might not be one of the rats, but she knew that she smelled at least one rat, and she was going to figure out who it was and soon.

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To Be Continued...

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Star of Airdrie