A slightly belated Happy Independence Day America! And a belated Happy Canada Day to my friends up North!

Here is the next chapter – as all sorts of tensions fly and feelings surface, the story progresses. Kori has some realizations. Some good, most not so good as things begin to normalize. There needs to be some changes and she isn't sure how Richard will react.

May be a bit rough... I'll double check a bit later in the day. It was awkward and I've been going cross-eyed over the past three days with it.

I promise I am trying to update as fast as I can! Thank you for sticking with the story! And please review, I know it takes time, but it really helps to keep me inspired.

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Double Take

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Chapter 55

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The Mother of All Monkey Wrenches Part 2

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Things were by no means getting any easier between Richard and Kori that Tuesday.

Maybe it would be easier if Richard stayed out with Babs late so I could be alone.

Of course that kind of thinking was as ridiculous as it was foreign. She would have the Wednesday and Friday evenings to herself when Richard was working. Being with Babs was courting disaster, no matter what Rafferty's alleged professional opinion was. The man was dead wrong, Kori knew it.

With both Richard and Kori each feeling awkward but not wanting or really needing to be apart, they sat together reading on an old leather couch in the library. It was the first time that they had spend any real time together there. As they took their positions on the couch, they chose to sit on opposite ends, legs outstretched, facing each other. It was odd for them not to be practically attached at the hip or holding hands as they always seemed to be. Blame it on the heat and the humidity, or the stress, or even Rafferty's suggestion that they 'distance' themselves from one another for Babs' sake.

The couch in the library was actually large enough that with their knees slightly bent, their feet did not touch. It was wonderfully cool in the library and it was also kept very dry to help preserve the books, kept cooler than the rest of he mansion save the wine seller, which was a wonderful contrast to the increasingly sweltering days of the DC area in the summer.

Kori was quickly lost in her thoughts and knew that she had to make peace with Richard rather than push him away. She had been distracted already, quite irritated by Rafferty's advice and the more she considered it, if she were to follow it, wouldn't she risk handing Richard over to Babs? Babs seemed more than ready for that to happen. Not just ready: praying for it to happen. It wasn't the first time that she wondered about a coordinator effort with Babs and someone getting Richard and Kori apart: She always figured Xavier was involved. Could Rafferty be involved as well, or did he actually believe that it was a good idea that she and Richard break up so Babs got better? Kori always had a sense about things like that. A good nurse in home care and hospice gets involved with families and their friends and learns to pick up on certain dynamics. And working in the ER you needed to sense these dynamics immediately as well. Kori was picking up something here, that was for sure. Not that it wasn't obvious – it was an odd situation with Rafferty, but who would fathom a coordinated effort? Were people capable of behaving that low?

That train of thought was not productive and prior to sitting down, she had picked up the copy of leather bound Shakespeare she found in the tidy stacks. The crack of the binding told her that she was likely the first to open that particular book. She had chosen it carefully, refusing to read something about love or something light. Her mood dictated that she read no romance, no sonnet, no comedy. If she were to brighten things, to lighten the mood, it would be on her own.

For now, she read of an impending battle that a person of royalty was to wage.

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Kori moving to the other side of the sofa and not snuggling close did not help Richard's tenuous state of mind. He was doing his best to get his mind off Babs', or at least that is what he told himself. Why the sudden attraction? Was it sexual frustration? Was it Rafferty's suggestion to push Kori away for the sake of Babs' treatment? By doing that, there was a void or at least a potential one... His mind pictured the red head that had spent way too much time occupying his thoughts and even his erotic ones and his dreams, and not the one who wast within ten feet, not the one he intended to marry.

And why did Babs have to look so good the previous night?

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Kori made the first move. She had to do something or things could be lost do to her stubbornness. She did have that stubborn streak after all... She shimmied down a bit to make sure that she could reach Richard's feet with her own. She pretended to do it unconsciously, as if so engrossed in her copy of Act III of Richard III that she hadn't realized her position change. Who couldn't being engrossed in a monologue that starts out with the words "Of comfort no man speak: let us talk of graves, of words and epitaphs"? If her Richard were to ask in a disapproving manner why she was, well, playing footsie, she'd be able to explain that it was the great Bard's words that had enthralled her and that it was an accident.

Well, predictably, that was not the case. A few minutes later, after the monologue Shakespeare had crafted for King Richard III was finished, Kori gently started rubbing her bare feet one Richard's. At first he was surprised given the awkward to cool interactions they had had all day, letting out an almost strangled groan and he soon responded in kind.

He looked over to her and she met his gaze and soon their tomes were set down and wordlessly he moved over to her side of the couch and slowly began nuzzling her and caressing her face before finally kissing her.

It went no further but in its restraint, their time on the couch in the library was extremely erotic and it seemed to reestablish their bond. Communicating without words but without taking things to a more physical level brought them back close again.

With a sad smile, a check of the time told both of them that it was time to go.

"I love you, Kori."

"I love you as well, Richard."

"May I ask Alfred to prepare dinner for us this evening?"

"I would enjoy that very much."

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The next few days went well. Kori and Richard fell back into a happy routine for the most part. Richard had work on Wednesday and Friday, so they stayed up late on Tuesday and Thursday and slept in the following mornings to keep him on schedule. The sleeping late part was always easy to do in spite of the being the longest days of the years. Doing shift work, Richard had seen to it that the finest sunlight blocking curtains were installed in his room. It could feel like the middle of the night at noontime. It could be quite conducive to bedroom activity at any hour.

Kori felt things were great for the most part. She continued with Chase, and Richard attended a couple of the sessions, at least part of them, and they worked on their past history and a little on their relationship now.

Per Kori's request, Dr. Meridian did not discuss Dr. Rafferty with Dick, although of course she would if he brought it up; he didn't. Dr. Meridian agreed with Kori that Dr. Rafferty's behavior was suspicious and unprofessional and that she should do her best to not comply with his request that Richard and Kori separate for Babs' sake. As Kori did, Chase speculated about an ulterior motive and wondered why there would have been one.

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Richard attended Barbara's daily meetings with her as promised. On Sunday he did take her out to dinner at Kori's behest. She wasn't feeling well and thought it was reasonable for Richard to spend extra time with Babs.

As if laying in wait, Babs was ready for the right time to strike, just the right occasion. She had dressed well every night, spending her days exercising and shopping, working hard to look as good as she could for Richard. She dressed the way he liked. It was easy for her to remember those things: his favorite perfume, how he like her hair, make up, clothing, the colors on her, everything. She spared no expense and pulled out all the stops. She was only slightly more subtle than Kitten. She didn't have to place her hand in his lap to get a similar reaction.

But at the same time she was patient yet persistent. She didn't strike quite yet. Babs' had to gain Richard's trust so that he would let his guard down, relax around her, let him kiss her again, give into that attraction and feelings again as he had before.

So by Sunday it was time to place the next stage of her plan. It was a warm up, a trip down memory lane. Lots of joking, recollection of good times, starting with the tame and working toward the early flirtations, then the early experiences, then to the more interesting moments. It was fun to recall those times together. It wasn't like Dick never thought of them: they had some truly wild times together. Babs had some uninhibited moments. Scratch that: he had many uninhibited moments.

Richard went home, a bit too excited, feeling guilty for the state he was in. He hadn't kissed Babs beyond a sensual brush on the lips in the car. It would have lead him to days of guilt weeks ago and now, boy was he proud of himself.

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Monday came and Richard tried to not think about Babs. Kori was feeling better and Richard was not trusting himself, but this time around Kori. So what was it – was he frustrated over not being about to have Kori and transferring those feelings toward Babs or was it vice versa.

Kori and Richard played tennis in the morning. The only thing positive about the experience was that now Richard was certain that all the feeling: emotional, sexual, were toward Kori. Those grunts and groans with effort. The way her skin looked from the sheen due to the sweat and the color from flushing. He had to rein it in but those feeling were all for her. It certainly wasn't the first time he'd be feeling that way after a physical activity, especially a competition – it had always been hat way between them. Kori had been aware of it before, and it wasn't like she didn't understand.

And then she beat him, and that was the sexiest thing of all.

He pulled her into a sweaty hug. It was 9:15 AM when the match ended but the day was heating up fast, although it wasn't like the night's low temperature had dropped below 79 degrees.

He groaned. "God Kori, if only we were married and I could shower with you I would be the happiest man in the universe."

Kori felt a pang of guilt. It wasn't the first time recently it crossed her mind that Babs would have no qualms to hop in said shower without having taken marital vows, "I am sorry Richard. I wish I were the different so I could be with you, but I cannot."

We have not been naked together. Would he think we should be? The temptation would be too much for me, surely it would be a great deal for him as well...probably more and we have waited this long. I promised myself I would wait until marriage. I cannot compromise myself due to the fact that I am feeling the threatened by Barbara.

Richard pulled back to look at Kori. He didn't mean to make he feel bad, or did he? He did wish she'd change he mind, or at least bend the rules.

Maybe a shower but no sex... no, we agreed and I can't push her. No, far too much temptation – I couldn't easily stop... I couldn't stop without difficulty... I couldn't stop without the iron will of 10,000 men... Maybe if she realizes that Babs would, she give in to the impulse. No Dick, you can't do that. If she regrets it you'll never forgive yourself.

"I should be the one apologizing. Even by suggesting it when we aren't kidding around... it isn't fair. Especially now that it seems that we can't even be on our own schedule," Richard said sincerely. "We've always talked about it, agreed to wait."

Kori looked away, "The pressure is difficult. I just wish we could just be ourselves again. No publicity. Just working together, being in love, no complications..." No Babs.

Richard pulled her back into a hug, "I agree and I miss how things were. I'd love to move forward. Just you and me. Get engaged, get married."

No complications, no temptations, be able to make love to you finally and not feel so frustrated. What is wrong with me? Why can't I be satisfied just to wait? That isn't the reason why we're getting married, it never was... Kori is worth it – she was before, she is now, she always will be...

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Still the undercurrent didn't quite feel right to Kori. The love was there, but she was reading it more as sexual... perhaps it was her imagination.

Richard worked on Foundation business and went into his office at Wayne Enterprises. Kori worked on her research and she was thankful that the new normal was feeling much more 'normal'. If she could only leave the mansion, go back to work, somewhere, anywhere. It was great being with Richard as much as she was.

But it was in that moment when things that she realized that things were feeling routine that she realized how they were really not how she wanted them. That they weren't on vacation at the horse show anymore, that they weren't hiding from the paparazzi so much, that they were falling into some likely ongoing restrictions. There were no longer those excuses. The life they were living was a life they had chosen to live for the most part.

Richard could now leave and return to his normal life. He could work at the ER, do foundation work from the home off or from Wayne Enterprises. He could go to the barn, attend social functions and even help friends, and go out to dinner.

Kori could work on her academics research with colleagues throughout the world. She couldn't do direct research, but she could conduct analysis with Taryia. She could write academic papers and although she was not yet back to it, soon she'd be able to return to giving talks and presenting posters and publishing. Perhaps she could teach again, or at least guest lecture. Wouldn't a limited clinical post be rewarding? As soon as the publicity died down, as soon as she had security in place, she'd go back to a fairly normal life.

Their social life, going out to dinner wasn't back, but being together, even the time in the library and the tennis court was feeling like they were an actual couple again.

And so then it hit her: she was actually living with him!

Sure, Alfred was around all the time and Bruce and Selina sometimes. They had separate rooms, but really they didn't. They were living together and that was not ever her intention! Not before marriage. Sleep overs were one thing, that is, sharing a bed. Yes, they hadn't made love, but this was not what she wanted. Things had moved so quickly, she hadn't noticed and now things were getting back to the way their lives had been before she was outed as a princess. There was no longer a real excuse for her to be there. They were living in sin

Kori needed to move somewhere else and soon or get married to Richard or she was betraying her beliefs. She would no force marriage, not as things were as difficult as they were. If Bruce were around more maybe things would be better, but he wasn't and even with the Babs' situation, they were acting like a couple and it suddenly felt wrong. A whole new sense of panic settled in. Who would possibly understand her current predicament.

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Kori already had an appointment with Dr. Chase Meridian. She felt so weak by being so vulnerable, but felt like that this was not an easy topic to broach with Richard directly prior to taking Babs to group therapy.

Soon there was a knock at the door. "Come in."

Richard walked in, wearing lightweight dark navy dress pants and white dress shirt and royal blue striped tie. His sleeves were rolled up and his sunglasses were pushed back and he looked incredibly handsome, "Hi there. I was hoping we could grab a late lunch."

Kori looked up from her work, a little sheepish from from how her bedroom looked. Once Richard got past how cute she looked in her short green eyelet sundress, he took in the state of her room. The guest room that Kori had been using had a small desk but it was far to cramped of a work space. Kori had two laptops, various textbooks, and reams of output in piles all over the floor.

He chuckled as she sat Indian-style, mocking up a draft of her bibliography in light blue pencil, "Star, I think we need to set you up in a proper office for you to work in."

She gave him a sad smile, trying not to say anything about the 'living together' situation. She had a lovely study in the living quarters in the embassy and setting up a study in the manor would only deepen the 'living together' situation.

"I would love lunch," she managed, her eyes welling up a bit as she fought off tears.

She set her work on top of one of the piles and got up, Richard taking her hands and helping her negotiate her way through the obstacle course of her work. "Are you all right sweetheart?"

"Yes Richard," she lied. She wanted to be honest, she was a terrible liar, and felt guilty about it. "May I reorganize for a moment? I wish to have things in better shape for when I return."

"Can I help?" he gave her a concerned look, knowing that she was upset.

"No, thank you." She couldn't meet his gaze.

"Star," he put a finger to her chin and lifted it so she had to look him in the eye, "please, what's wrong?"

"It is silly really," the words left her mouth and she felt even worse, how could she lie?

"What's that?"

"We can talk about it later."

"Humor me, we have time. Please?"

She drew in a breath and her shoulders slumped. She gathered up the piles of work from her bed and moved them to the floor by the wall. "I am uncomfortable about being here."

Richard was first surprised and then a bit angry, "What?" he said sharply.

Tears came with the tone. Had she heard that tone of voice before?

She had nowhere to go, she felt trapped. "Please leave Richard. I need some time alone."

"Fine," he replied, again in a sharp tone. He would spend time with her. He'd find out what was going on then. He was behind in his work at the Foundation. He'd go back into the office, and head to Babs' father's from there.

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Both were shocked by the exchange. Kori cried. She never just sent him away before. Richard gripped the steering wheel. He had never treated Kori that way.

There was no way that Richard could get any work done. Things really had never been like that between them. He went home before he needed to go to Commissioner Gordon's and went to see Kori, who was still in her room.

He knocked on Kori's door at 4PM. "Kori, it's me. Can I come in?"

"Yes, Richard."

She greeted him at the door. "I'm sorry about before. We will talk about it later and work things out, right?"

"Certainly Richard, and I am sorry I just pushed you away like that after saying what I did. I will explain later tonight. I love you very much."

"I love you. And I know that you feel cooped up here. It must be hard to see me come and go and you have to just stay here."

It was not what she had meant, but at least there was an apology.

They shared a lingering kiss.

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Unfortunately, it was the absolutely wrong night for Babs to have a relapse; well a relapse of sorts. She had a fight with Xavier, or at least that was what was said She had gotten drunk afterward at a bar in downtown Georgetown that she luckily took a cab to and was unable to go to the meeting. Richard went to pick her up and she wasn't home. Her father was worried, and she wasn't answering the cell phone. Richard started hitting her favorite bars as Red supposedly did as well. Mr. Gordon waited at home. Dick finally found her at a favorite bar. Without anywhere be there as her sobered up, he took her to her brownstone.

Dick texted Rafferty, Red and called her father. He made sure she ate and got plenty of water and coffee and sat up with her. He finally had to make the call he didn't want to make: the one to Kori. He called from another room. He had suspected that Babs' wasn't as drunk as she appeared and was pissed as hell that Babs didn't want Red to help her because of the fight or her dad to help her because of the 'shame'.

Richard's next call was one he wished he didn't have to make.

"Hello?"

"Kori?"

"Yes, Richard?" Kori was in her session with Chase. She tried to cover up her sniffles. She had been crying.

"I have some bad news. I'm with Babs. She's been drinking. I'm going to be with her now until she sobers up."

There was a pause. Richard winced.

"I see. Is her father on a case or out of town?"

This time Richard paused, "No Kori."

"Then why must you be there, is he not home?"

Richard let out an exacerbated sigh, he couldn't win. "We are at Barbara's house."

Another pause. Richard thought it went on forever.

"For what reason? Is she not staying at her father's?"

"She is."

"I do not understand."

"Kori. Can we... explain this later?"

"Dick, sweetie... I don't feel good... can you... can you help me get to the bathroom... please my love?" Babs said loud enough in the background that Kori could clearly hear.

For a moment nothing was said.

"Richard, apparently Barbara needs you. Take your time. I shall talk with you in the morning perhaps, when you get in, yes?"

"Kori, Star," Richard implored, "I'll see you tonight at bedtime, all right?"

"Good night, Richard. I love you."

"I love you, too."

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Kori's session with Chase went well, surprisingly. She was reassured that she had a right to her feelings, but so did Richard. He would understand or he wouldn't, but either way, he had to know. They could only work things out if he understood what upset her: that she felt that she had finally crossed a line she couldn't live with: that they were, well, living together.

But sharing a bed was fine, and for the first time, Kori wasn't sure why, but she decided she was fully comfortable to go to sleep in Richard's bedroom that night when he wasn't there. She didn't want things to blow up fully between and felt like they could. She also knew that she wanted to savor their nights together. She needed to stop living at the manor as soon as she could arrange it. God, she hoped he'd understand and that it wouldn't ruin things.

She also wanted to show him the extent of her attraction and that had not at all faded. There was some competitive piece with Babs. She wasn't going to go any further – they were as intimate as she intended until their wedding night – but they hadn't visiting that boundary in a little while and she knew he was more than interested. She took off her robe revealing black boy shorts a climbed under the 1,000 count thread freshly laundered Egyptian cotton sheets.

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Richard arrived home at 2 AM. How the hell did it take Babs nearly 10 hours to sober up? It didn't help that Babs was extremely forward physically, professing her love, touching Dick inappropriately, kissing him. At some point he gave up. He told himself it was just easier to let it go on than to extricate himself from her. He told her no of course. Usually. God he hoped she really was blacked out like she swore she was by the time she woke up from finally passing out for a bit, right before Richard got Babs' back to her father's.

So needless to say the whole experience had him all riled up. Quite a bit. His next mistake was the two Scotches he had, which he drank neat. Oh, and they were doubles. Not like Richard had much to eat through the evening. He told himself that he needed the Scotch to bolster his confidence to go talk to Kori. Again, a mistake. A double mistake. Times two.

Richard stepped into his bedroom fully expecting to go to Kori's room. He didn't even look over at his bed. He stepped into the shower and washed up, trying to settle himself down. Man was Babs making things difficult on him. He brushed his teeth and gargled, realizing that Absolut might have been the better choice over The Glenlivet. He shaved and toweled off, walking naked over to his bed to turn on a light so he could see, fully planning to then walk over to his walk-in closet and find a fresh pair of pajama bottoms.

When the light on his bedside table came on, was when he first noticed a sleeping Kori who stirred and stretched. Richard smirked but stood in all his glory in front of her, dying to see her reaction, hoping it was the one he wanted. As the word came into view, what was at her eye level caused her eyes to go wide and she gasped and dove under the covers.

"Kori, what's wrong?" Richard teased.

She tried to suppress her giggles, and her nervous excitement, "Richard, you know what is wrong," she finally managed.

Somehow all the talk about the concerns over Babs and the living together situation were forgotten.

"Hmm... let me see." He paused briefly to draw out her 'suffering', "I don't think I can come up with anything." Richard sat on the side of the bed. Kori squeaked and moved over a bit toward the other side of the bed and Richard chuckled. "I'm very tired, I better get some rest," Richard said playfully, and started to lift the covers and Kori squeaked again and scurried so far on the other side of King size bed that she started to slip off.

"Richard you cannot!"

"I cannot do what?"

"Get... get into... into the bed!"

"But why Kori?" Richard feigned innocence.

"But you are... you are..." she sputtered, "are... th-the naked!"

"I am?" The sheeted rustled as he lifted it for effect. "Oh, yes. I am. And this is a problem for you?"

"Yes. No. I mean yes."

"I bet you're topless," he teased, making her suffer even more. He could only imagine the color she was. He finished lifting the covers and got partially under, "Kori, I'm covered. Can you at least uncover your face so I can talk to you?"

"No, I am too embarrassed. You are naked."

"How can you tell?"

"Richard, I-I-I saw... saw... i-i-i... I mean I saw you!"

"And now I am under the covers."

"But I still know!"

"Know what?"

Kori let out a nervous giggle and a sigh, "That you are the... the naked!"

"Do I have to put on my pajamas?"

"Yes, Richard. I am sorry, but please... you are naked"

"All right, but first, you have to look at me."

"Whilst you are the naked?"

"No, just at my face. I promise I'm covered again."

"A-All right."

"Come here, Star," he said gently and leaned toward her and when she moved toward her, he cupped her cheek, "Star, I won't bite."

He kissed her and she didn't relax. He chuckled and then asked playfully, "Now what's wrong? And who is it that you don't trust? Me or you?"

He pulled her close, the skin to skin contact of their chests feeling incredible, but before their bodies were completely flush, he stopped them.

"Richard, we cannot," she said softly and then added, matching his earlier tone, "I believe it is I who cannot be the trustworthy tonight. You are too the tempting." She blushed furiously.

Richard's tone was serious as he searched her face, "I know, but thank you for trusting me."

Richard was surprised by his own restraint, especially given the Scotch, not that it was at all kicked in. Things were looking up after all.

Kori dove under the sheets again and Richard chuckled and he headed to the closet to grab some pajamas so they could get some time together in and then some rest.

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To be continued...

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Please, please review. It's easy and it remains tax-free throughout the known world! Plus it makes me happy! I appreciate the favorites and alerts beyond belief but would love more feedback as I start to wrap up this story (really, it will wrap up... someday).

Let's see, things that may need some definition/explanation:

Scotch served neat:

Served without water or ice marring it. If it must have anything, a fine sparking preferable Scottish water would be alright, preferable a splash, neither shaken not stirred thank you. Although it can be 'drained' quickly, it is in no way considered or to be taken as a shot. It is to be savored. We aren't talking about some blended stuff, but for a fine Scotch like The Glenlivet (and yes it is THE Glenlivet, although it is usually asked for as Glenlivet) it is to be enjoyed. Actually, some aficionados would say there is no wrong way to drink any whiskey, be it Scotch or blended or whatnot...

Absolut is a brand of premium Vodka.

Kori's reaction to a naked Richard:

Remember she is a nurse, actually a nurse practitioner who has worked in the ER and in hospice. Okay, as a nurse we see lots of naked men especially in both those clinical settings. We see their 'naughty bits' during examinations and care. And whether boys are undressed or dressed, they may have a physical reaction to the wind blowing or having their blood pressure taken. Occupational hazard.

But within the setting of this story, for this version of Kori, things are more complicated than that. When you see your boyfriend unexpectedly and it was something that you both weren't planning on happening, well that's another story. It didn't help he was enjoying teasing her with the situation or that she found herself torn about it.

Any other questions/concerns or to chat, please feel free to write.

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Coming up in upcoming chapters:

A kiss; A fist thru Escalade window and an ER visit

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