Here is the next chapter of Double Take. It's a very pivotal chapter. Be ready because from here on out folks, to quote Bette Davis as Margo Channing in All About Eve (1950), "Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride." (It actually is a misquote, but it is the one that is always said as the idiom – the line ends in night not ride, but ride works better.) The chapter got very, very long so I divided it. This first chapter was over 7,600 words of text. I hope to post the second part by the end of the week, but no promises.
I have reedited this so many times over four days and I hope it's all right. It's a tough one and I wimped out a bit of how brutual is was at first. Let me know if it is up to snuff.
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Some Definitions:
Tempered Glass: auto glass comes treated in two ways: tempered and laminated. Windshields are laminated which assists with UV protection and are very difficult to break, they tend to "star" and crack when impacted and if shattered will create deadly shards of glass. Side and often rear windows are tempered and when broken shatter into small granules. They are designed that way because they are easier to break so that victims of accidents can be removed from the vehicles and when the glasses are broken, the damage done by the granulated glass is much less than by the front laminated glass.
Kidney Bowl: the small bowl given to a patient in the hospital roughly 7 x 4 inches, and shaped like a kidney bean. It is also known as an 'emesis (vomit) basin'. Usually plastic and disposable, these were once stainless steel and reusable.
'Pick ups'/forceps: tweezers
General Anesthesia/General: The combination of rendering a patient unconscious, amnesic, and pain free. This is done by a combination of IV (intravenous medications) that first put the patient to sleep, then paralyzing them, at which time they would be placed on a machine to breathe for them (a ventilator) via a breathing tube (an endotracheal tube, placed through the mouth or nose in a process known as intubation). It is highly unlikely that in the scenario described in this chapter that general anesthesia would ever be used for he injury described, no matter who the person was that is requesting it.
Versed: (Midazolam) a short acting drug that is used to produce amnesia or unconsciousness during a medical procedure
Twilight: Short for Twilight Sleep or conscious sedation, a dreamlike state of anesthesia where the patient is not fully unconscious but will have no memory of the event. Versed is the drug of currently the drug of choice used for this.
Dissociate: It is the ability for a person to distance themselves from a traumatic event which is too much for them to experience at once. This ability can come from either drugs (recreational or prescription) or from exposure, usual repetitive, to devistating events such as abuse, war, severe pain. It can lead to clinical conditions known as dissociate disorders, and in extreme cases creating 'alters' which we once referred to as 'multiple personality disorders'. Please note: I would never play fast and loose with this condition if I did not have personal experience with it, having a friend with the disorder related to traumatic dental treatment that was necessary as a child.
Hand anatomy - explained within text but when the body is place in proper anatomical position the hand is positioned with the palm (palmar aspect) facing out. The thumb side is the radial side and is lateral or away from the body. The pinkie side is the ulnar side and nearer or medial to the body. The thumb is the first finger and the index is the second and so on.
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Double Take
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Chapter 56
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Self-Loathing in Washington, DC
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Kori began to awaken, coming out of that first cycle of heavy sleep after finally falling into a slumber after a playful and loving session with Richard. This was after he had come into his room quite late after helping Barbara sober up, and not realizing Kori was there instead of her room as planned, he was basically parading around his room naked after a shower.
It was then that she woke to see him for the first time in all his wondrous glory.
Kori was surprised and embarrassed and Richard was certainly amused, but he did his best to put her at ease. Well, after a little bit of teasing. Once he was safety within the confines of his pajama bottoms, they spent there time saying goodnight, keeping things light and fun and without challenging any of their well established boundaries.
They laughed and wrestled and joked about when all this would be over, when they would spend their lives together as husband and wife, when there would no longer be any boundaries, when they would be able to make love and share themselves completely. Was it dangerous to talk about it? No... they'd had those conversations before without consequence beyond longing glances... and an aching need, but those would be there regardless. Kori felt that it was a necessary bonding experience, and Richard was happy to hear it: he needed the reaffirmation that he was wanted, that they would be together. He was frustrated and he wanted her so much and he wanted if not needed her now, but he had to be willing to wait. Especially when he had something so wonderful to wait for, he could wait longer, couldn't he?
They decided that night that because of their relative lack of commitments and nearly unlimited disposable income that after the wedding they would honeymoon far away from everyone and everything for an extended period, perhaps a month or two. There would be no demands from others, no demands on their time, no paparazzi and clothing would be completely optional. It would be perfect.
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So as Kori regained her wakeful state, she was sure she was still dreaming when Kori felt Richard's weight partially over her, kissing along her neck as his hand gently cupped her between the legs. He touched her outside the fabric of her underwear, but still that was something she had never invited him to do, the temptation would be too great. She did not take even a moment to enjoy the sensations
"Richard!"
His hand moved from between her legs to rest beside her breast. "I love you, Kori," he murmured into her ear and then kissed her deeply.
She melted into the kiss automatically, relaxing. She assumed that he had been kissing her neck and touching her that way during his sleep, but when Richard returned to the same tactic and began to kiss down her neck, his hand gliding down along her body past her the dip of her waist...
"Richard!"
He pulled back and saw the fear. He was awake and he was pushing her. Time for some real self loathing...
"Kori, I'm so sorry, I don't know why-"
"It is my fault, Richard," Kori said, trying to hold back tears as she gave him a tiny smile.
He gave her a confused look, "How could it be?"
"The talking about the honeymoon. I-I-I enticed you with those thoughts..."
"Kori, darling, I have those thoughts about you all the time, and I know you know that."
"Yes, and I do as well," she admitted.
He ran his hand through his damp hair. "It's my fault, I shouldn't have let the stress of things tonight get the better of me and I shouldn't have had a couple drinks before I came up here-"
"I did not want to do the prying, but why did you do the drinking alone? It is not like you."
He shrugged. Babs. "I'm just so irritated with this whole situation. Having to be up late with Babs, rather than be here with you. Missing your session with Chase, again, so I could be there for Barbara. It's as if my priorities aren't right, but it's out of my control... But that isn't a valid excuse either." He rubbed his face with his hands, "Why isn't she getting better? This is so much more than you and I bargained for. Why can't you and I just move on and be together?"
Kori went to snuggle closer to him and stopped, feeling vulnerable. Richard saw her shake a bit and knew that he had really frightened her. He was devastated. No matter what the words he said, they wouldn't make up for his actions. How could he have scared her this way?
"I'll get your robe."
"Thank you, Richard."
He retrieved it and handed it to her and walked over to use the bathroom, allowing her some privacy to put it on.
On the way back to, he grabbed a tank top out of his drawer and put it on. When he returned he sat on the bed, taking her hand, "Would you like to stay here alone, Kori? I can stay in your room."
She touched his face, "You did," she said with a sad smile, "but to rebuild the trust, I must stay here with you, unless you think it is unwise."
"I would like nothing better than to stay here with you."
"It is quite late my love, let is attempt to return to sleep, shall we?"
Kori leaned up and kissed him on the lips, still shaking slightly which did not go unnoticed. Richard suppressed a sigh, looking at her sadly, still wanting to fix things and knowing that he couldn't at that time.
"Goodnight m'love."
"Sleep well, Richard." Kori laid next to him and then turned to face away from him.
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Richard woke up with cotton mouth but only the slightest of headaches. He reached over and Kori wasn't there. He lifted his head and looked to make sure and felt a lurch in his stomach.
What was going on? Richard had the woman of his dreams, his first love, the girl that he thought he lost forever, that he was certain had been taken away from him by an act of terror and cruelty at none other than by her sister's hand. To find Koriand'r again was nothing short of a miracle, as if by Providence, and here Richard was playing fast and loose with it.
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Kori had slept fitfully, after she had been awakened by Richard's bold advances. If Richard had wanted to consummate their relationship, why not just bring it up and talk about it? But for him to have been drinking, to have spent the evening helping Babs, and then to have started his seduction while she was sleeping... it left her feeling unsure about everything.
There wasn't a long enough shower, not enough time to think it all through, not enough time to pray for guidance. And the ironic part was that Richard was the only person that she could discuss this with to work through her feelings, and she had no idea how she would react when she saw him.
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Richard showered and his mind worked a mile a minute. How the hell was he going to make this up to Kori? Did she need her space or did he need to give her comfort? Any of the other women he had previous in his life could be easily bought out of this mess. Not Kori. As simple as flowers, a cashmere sweater or a necklace or as extravagant as a Ferrari convertible, a beach front property in the Hamptons, a shopping spree in Manhattan or Rodeo Drive would mean nothing to her – in fact any of it would be an insult.
All he could do was to offer her an honest apology, tell her how much she meant to him, and offer to provide her with whatever she needed.
God why couldn't they move up the wedding? But at this point, would it fix anything?
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Dick texted her rather than going to her room, writing out his words to not risk any misunderstanding from using texting shorthand:
Kori darling I am so very sorry about last night. Would it be all right if I came by to see you whenever you're ready so I can properly apologize?
I love you so much, I hope to spend my life with you and I hate to know that I've hurt you and have shattered your trust in me.
Kori couldn't help but smile at the text. In spite of everything, with that text he had done everything that he could have done correctly: he hadn't come unannounced, he had apologized, he professed his love, and he realized the implications of his actions.
She returned his text:
Thank you for texting, my beloved. If it is acceptable, please meet me in the rose garden in twenty minutes. I would enjoy a walk while the day is still cool enough and perhaps we can talk under the grove of pine trees that are nearby.
Richard smiled and let out a breath he had been holding, relieved that his instincts were correct.
Sounds perfect, my beloved Koriand'r.
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Her dress was very demure and she had it for a few years. It was nearly ankle length with a peasant style bodice, showing no cleavage and with short sleeves. It was made of a lightweight white cotton eyelet fabric, embroidered with pink, green and blue flowers that became more concentrated toward the hemline and waist. She wore white canvas flats. She wore no makeup because and pulled her hair back into a ponytail and then knotted it into a makeshift bun.
Kori had never looked more beautiful as far as Richard was concerned, but she also never looked more innocent and young. She looked in her early twenties, reminding him of when they first met. And it was her looking like that which made him feel that much worse. How dare he even try to touch her without her permission?
As for Richard, he wore a simple light blue polo, khaki shorts and docksiders. His ever present sunglasses were quickly pushed back onto his head as soon as soon as she looked up.
Kori found herself both intimidated by Richard's solid physical form and protected by it. And she also felt very attracted to him as she always had, both purely by how he looked and by who he was to her. After all, he was and always would be, her one and only.
They walked toward each other, and Kori found herself blushing, barely able to meet his gaze. Richard watched her carefully, waiting for her to make a move, studying her body language. He was unsure if he should hug her, kiss her, or take her by the hand. In the end he took both her hands in his, and he gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. He felt her immediately relax and he was relieved, and as she lead him to a stone bench, his heart pounded at as a it crossed his mind for the first time that maybe she would break up with him. A brief brush of his right thumb over her left ring finger reassured him that for the moment at least, she kept his mother's ring on.
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He waited for her to sit and then joined her, speaking first, his eyes tearing up as he spoke, "Kori, I can't express how sorry I am about last night. I crossed the line. I'm so ashamed about what happened. I took advantage of you, and you have every right to never want to see me again."
Kori closed her eyes for a moment and tears fell as she spoke. "Thank you for the apology, Richard. I will accept. I believe you to understand me."
Richard let out a long sigh and smiled, "Thank you so much Kori. I never expected that you would forgive me so easily."
Kori paused, cocking her head, "Why would I not forgive you easily? We are promised to each other."
"I guess because I was being so inappropriate, I was pushing you as you slept, without asking you, without considering the consequences."
"Yes, but it did not happen. Why would I not forgive you?" She paused and considered, "Richard, do you wish for punishment?"
Richard looked away.
Kori continued, "Why? Why would you want for me not to forgive you? Is there anything else that is unforgivable?"
Richard finally looked at her and clenched his jaw, finding himself about to lie to his future wife as he looked her straight in the eye by not mentioning his feelings for Babs, "No Kori, it's just that I don't deserve you."
Kori furrowed her brow, "Perhaps this is an American thing, yes? Is it not up to me to decide if I wish to be with you? You may wish to be with me or not, but as to if you deserve me?... I am not a prize."
"That's not what I meant, Kori. You aren't a prize. I just mean that you're wonderful and I don't deserve anyone so wonderful."
Kori furrowed her brow, "I still do not understand. Is it not up to me who I wish to marry? Arranged marriages like the one that Galfore wanted me in when I was younger is the barbaric, no?"
Richard clenched his jaw even tighter, angered by the thoughts of Karras pushing her and leaving her for not sleeping with him, then wondering if he was no better.
Kori continued, "Perhaps my mind is just unclear from doing the overthinking of things. Richard, can we discuss this later?"
"Whatever it takes, all right, and I'm sure we'll need to figure out what is best for us," he said earnestly.
"We are in agreement then, yes?"
"Yes, Kori, we are in agreement," Richard said with a relieved smile.
Kori smiled shyly back at him, "Richard, could you hold me for a bit?"
"I would like nothing more, Star."
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They spent the rest of the day together, walking the grounds, having an intimate lunch in the wine cellar where it was always cool and then reading in the library.
Kori had again suggested that Richard spend time with Babs after her group therapy if Babs needed to. It was Tuesday and she knew it would be the last chance he'd have to spend extra time with Barbara due to his work schedule in the ER. Kori thought she would be fending off the chance of trouble later in the week and she felt no reason to worry. Kori assumed she might be pretty tired by the time Richard would be home from the session.
They had planned that she would sleep in her room and that he would come to her room when he got back. They also planned that they would spend their nights more fully dressed to ward off temptation. They would soon be engaged and married. With the wedding to be held at the mansion anyway, they'd be able to have it as soon as they wanted. Well, as soon as Babs was through treatment and the press was no longer hounding them.
Things seemed as though they were looking up.
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Richard groaned inwardly as he met Barbara at the door. As demurely as Kori had been dressed, well, Babs wasn't. She wasn't dressed inappropriately per se, but she had on sandals with a heel, shorts and a low cut sleeveless top. She looked hot. And not in a it's 95 degrees out way.
Good Lord, it's going to be a tough night.
The session went well. Richard was lulled into a false sense of security, that everything was fine. She spoke up with none of the glowing remarks about how "Dick helps me" and "Without him I'd surely have died". Babs was strong and he found himself so proud of her, so when she suggested a place that was well known for its utmost discretion, it seemed like a good idea. No chance that anyone would say a thing about Dick Grayson and his ex-girlfriend, the Commissioner's daughter, having dinner together. Mob figures and politicians took their mistresses there and no one ever said a thing.
They flirted, they shared a bottle of wine, and he had most of it. Babs was alluring, intoxicating, and he hardly needed the wine to have a whole host of feelings that night. Babs again reminded him of all their fun times together, usual the ones that ended up with some wild or at least novel sexual experience.
And there they were, in her father's driveway behind the house, with her lying her seat back seductively, beckoning him to join her. He was already flying high. He gave into temptation and climbed over to her, laying over her on the captain's chair. He rose higher in his flight, growing bolder, his heated pecks turned into much deeper kisses, his hands moving over her clothes...
Barbara arched against him and moaned and sighed and reacted in ways that spurred him on. She clutched his shirt, and stroked his muscles further and further down his muscular body. She was only more aggressive than he was but he didn't throw up any roadblocks. Soon she was at his buckle and tugging at his zipper. He was about to allow himself to feel her exquisite touch after all this time...
Finally he did stop but it was too late. He had let himself fly so high and he got too close to the Sun: just like Icarus, with his grave miscalculation, his wings melted and he came crashing to the ground. Dick had to wonder if his entire world was crashing down along with him.
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"Barbara we can't," he said calmly, stilling her hand prior to its goal. He was numb rather than panicked. This was all his fault, not hers, or at least that's how he felt at that moment.
Babs fought the urge to smile. She couldn't believe how far things went. She could not believe how he wasn't even angry with her. She never thought it would work out this well. Rafferty and Red hadn't even thought she'd pull anything like this off. Hah! She knew Dick's weaknesses. Now how could she drive the wedge completely between Dick and Kori? Maybe his own guilt was all that was needed...
"Of course, Dick, we can't, we shouldn't have gone this far. I mean, you're going to marry Kori."
Dick looked away and then moved over the console and pulled his clothes together.
She put her hand on his forearm. "You know I'd never say anything."
Richard grunted in response and closed his eyes tightly. After a moment he nodded and said, "Let me walk you to the door."
Dick walked around and opened the door for Babs, who stepped out of the SUV and had waited for that point to take the opportunity to straighten her clothes. They walked in silence to her front door and only exchanged looks as she went inside. The fact that he wanted to kiss her, the fact that he wanted to follow her inside and do much, much more to her made him angry. Not angry with Babs, no never angry with her. He was angry at himself.
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By the time he made it to the Escalade he was raging, boiling over with anger. What the hell was going on? Did he want Babs instead of Kori? No, that was ridiculous, he never felt that way about Barbara. Was he incapable of remaining faithful, even to Kori?
His temper flared up further. He balled up his right fist, let out nothing less than a roar, and punched at his SUV, striking it at the juncture between the back seat window and the door jam. In his blind rage Richard didn't feel the shredding of the skin or the bones breaking. The one thing he noticed was the tempered glass blowing back into his face and chest, feeling a lot like grainy refrozen snow spraying under rather unfavorable conditions on the downhill ski slopes.
He remained numb, frozen in place, barely aware of Babs' voice as she approached him. Her voice finally sliced through his detached state, and with that, time resumed and the pain kicked in.
Dick looked at his hand and he realized his injuries were significant and noted them clinically.
After taking a moment, and not looking up at her he said, "Barbara, I need you to get the golf towels out of my bag in the back there and bring them to me. Then I need you to go inside and get a gallon plastic bag with ice in it and bring it out to me. Next I need you or your father to take me to Lincoln ER. I'll want to call ahead and talk to Vic. I'm going to need a hand surgeon."
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Commissioner Gordon drove Dick and Babs to Lincoln. He asked no questions about the injury, nor about the rather impressive amount of damage to the Escalade and the glass all over his driveway. Babs dialed Dick's phone and he spoke with Vic who gave him the news that the hand surgeon on call was none other than Dr. Xavier Red.
At that point Dick prayed he'd have an aneurysm or a freak heart attack and just die a quick death before reaching the hospital. There was no way he was going to survive this unscathed.
Not that he deserved to.
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As hard as Vic had tried to keep things quiet and even with the use of the back door, a quiet Tuesday night became one abuzz with the word that their very own Dr. Dick Grayson had arrived to the ER that night, a) with a very messed up hand, b) driven in by the police commissioner, c) with his ex, the commissioner's daughter, and d) with his very serious girlfriend and their coworker Kori Anders, nowhere in sight.
Karen and Vic were the only ones allowed in the room along with Babs, and with Babs only at her insistence. Richard was incredibly passive, which was almost as disturbing as the rest of the picture. Commissioner Gordon went home via cruiser, leaving his personal car with Barbara and the promise that she would come home soon.
"Barbara," Karen said, keeping things professional, "Vic and I need to take a good look at Dick's hand and then the x-ray tech will be here. I need you to come with me."
"I'm staying with Dick," she said firmly.
"Hospital policy. We need you to wait outside while we examine him." Vic said.
"Follow me, Barbara," Karen said.
They reached Vic's office and Barbara asked, "Why don't I wait in Dick's office?"
"You'll wait in Vic's. It's more comfortable in here than the regular waiting room. Here's the TV remote." Karen walked out without another word, pulling Dick's office door shut and locking it as she passed it on her way back to the exam room.
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"What happened man?" Vic said once he was alone with his old friend. Dick stared ahead. "Dick?" Vic waited but still received no answer. "Should I call Kori?"
Dick flinched. "No Vic, I can't face her yet," he said quietly.
Vic fought off an urge to demand an explanation for that answer, for the presence of Babs, and the Commissioner... oh, and again, for the injury. But he had to be, at least for the moment, in professional mode and attend to the wound. He gently pulled back the golf towels, surprised at the damage done. He let out a low whistle - so much for said professional mode.
"You did a number here, Dick. You said you hit the door jam?"
Richard pointed to where the right hand had struck the SUV, "Over the second and third knuckles."
Vic manipulated the hand. He started from the with the palm up from the radial side, or at the thumb working medially, or toward the body, and the smaller fingers. He felt the bones move, shocked that Dick didn't flinch at all. "Something's broken in there."
Dick shrugged, "It feels like there is."
Vic looked over the entire top of the hand all the way to the 5th finger or pinkie, on the ulnar side of the hand, "And some glass seems pretty deep on the ulnar side. You're probably lucky that you didn't sever the ulnar artery or nerve."
"Yeah."
There was a knock at the door, "Sound like x-ray's here. Now don't forget your shield. I can't wait for all those cute little Dick n' Kori babies. The latest betting pool says they'll be four. I'm saying seven."
Dick smiled sadly. A few days ago that would have seemed reasonable, now he didn't think he didn't deserve the right to breed.
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As much as Karen wanted to kill Dick for what was going on, she knew it was neither the time nor the place. Plus she didn't have the whole story. Karen was one of the few that knew about Babs rehab, so she was one of the few that knew that he had a somewhat reasonable excuse to be with her – the operative term being somewhat.
"I guess you really wanted some more time off," she joked as she did what she could to remove the glass shards from his hand. She removed what was on the surface only, not going in and fishing for them; that would be done in the OR. Yup, Dick Grayson had bought himself a little time in the operating room with this stunt.
He didn't answer beyond little shrug, looking away, so Karen tried to lightened things up a bit more, "At least you've still got one good hand and arm, only a few scratches on that handsome face that will certainly heal, and your legs still work. Because after all, my man has been waiting a long time for you to stand up for him."
Richard smiled and turned to Karen, "And it's an honor to."
"Dick, we're alone," she said gently, "do you want to talk about it. I'd never say anything, and I won't judge you."
"Nurse-patient confidentiality, huh?"
"Something like that."
He looked away again and hung his head.
Karen 'accidentally' nicked some intact skin with the forceps, "Oops, sorry, snagged you with my pick-ups," she said with an innocent look on her face. He hadn't flinched but he did look up. She flashed Dick a quick smile before she adjusted the overhead light.
"You know Dick, I'm probably imagining something much worse than whatever happened, so why don't you tell me."
"Karen-"
"I have two sets of forceps and I am willing to use them."
"Fine."
"Twenty questions?"
"Whatever. My life is over. I am such a total shithead."
"What happened?" she asked, not looking up as each little granule of glass made a clinking noise as it was dropped into the kidney bowl.
"I thought we were doing twenty questions."
"Okay, number one: did you sleep with her?"
He shook his head, "No."
"Well, that's good."
He snorted in response.
"Let's start from the other end of things. Number two, did you hold hands?"
"Yes," he answered.
"Number three, did you kiss her?"
"Yes."
"Four, with tongue."
Dick winced, "yes."
"All right, I've changed my mind. Maybe this isn't a good idea for us to talk about this while I'm wielding semi-blunt instruments."
"Maybe you should just nick my carotid artery and put me out of my misery."
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As tired as Kori was, it was too early to retire. Yes, the pressure was getting too much. Maybe she was too young to get married. How could thirty be too young? Well, she had hardly had a normal life. But he was the one for her no matter what. Destiny had brought them back together for a reason, hadn't it? And they were being challenged for a reason as well. But if they needed time apart or whatever it took, they'd do what it took to be together. That was the goal after all, wasn't it?
She declined Bruce's offer to dine with him, asking Alfred for just a sandwich to have in her room, Kori was fast asleep before nightfall.
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Vic walked into his office to see an agitated Babs pacing. "Yo Babs, you still here?"
"Of course!" she snapped, "what's going on with Dick? You guys throw me in here like I'm some sort of leper, and don't tell me anything."
"Sorry. I just figured you'd head home. Dick hasn't asked for you and you aren't next of kin." Vic said, happy to challenge her a bit.
"Well, is Kori here? Or Bruce?"
Vic didn't answer. Dick hadn't asked for anyone at that point.
"Can you ask him if he'll see me at least Vic?"
"Sure Barbara. Let me call Karen on the intercom."
Vic hit the button on the wall for the treatment room that Dick was in. "Karen?"
"Yeah, Vic?"
"Does Dick want Barbara to come in?"
"No." She answered for him. "Hold on," the intercom switched off. "Dick says okay, and I'm saying for just a minute. Red's due in anytime and he called Mr. Wayne who should be here within 20 minutes, plus the OR should be ready for his in about 35 - 45 minutes."
Vic looked over to see Babs, hands on her hips, "Okay she'll be over in a minute."
"Babs, you have just a minute or two, then you'll have to leave. We have to get him ready for Dr. Red and the OR plus his father is on the way and he's next of kin."
"But-"
"Sorry Barbara, it's policy."
"Fine, Vic," she said and brushed past him and headed to him room.
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Bruce stood quietly as Alfred knocked at Kori's door. "Miss Kori, I hate to disturb you, but Master Bruce needs to speak with you." He knocked again, "Miss Kori?"
Kori woke with a start, "Yes, Alfred, what is it?"
"Again, I hate to disturb you, but Master Bruce needs to speak with you, it concerns Master Dick."
Kori gasped and checked the clock. It was after 10:00 PM. She grabbed her robe and put in on. She opened the door, wide eyed.
Alfred stepped back and Bruce spoke, "Dick's in the ER Kori, apparently with a hand injury that requires surgery. He called me just a few minutes ago. He said that you had a rough night last night and needed your rest and would talk to you in the morning,but I took the liberty to let you know in case he wasn't thinking clearly. Alfred is available to you if you decide to come to the hospital." He put his hand on her shoulder, "As far as I'm concerned, you're next of kin, not me."
Kori smiled, feeling very worried and anxious. As much as she was an ER veteran, for her to have an injured love one was devastating: Not that it would not be expected considering how she lost her parents and brother.
"Thank you for letting me know. I'll be ready in five minutes."
She was in the foyer within a few minutes and before she was able to process all of what was happening they were almost to the hospital. She remained silent, trying not to picture the devistation of her family's injuries from the bombing or imagining what had happened to Richard. She did her best not to fidget, smiling politely in the darkness and thanking Bruce and Alfred softly as they offered words of support.
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Babs entered Dick's room like a storm force wind, "Oh Dick, I'm so sorry, they wouldn't let me in to be with you!"
"I'm fine Babs."
She pulled up a chair to his left side, as his hand, now still soaking in Betadyne was propped up on the tray table. She had her right hand on his thigh and with her left she lovingly brushed his brow and kissed his cheek. "What can I do?"
He thought for a moment. "Turn back the clock a week or two," Dick answered, looking into her eyes.
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By the time Red walked into the room, he was all puffed up with his usual arrogance. Oh, this was rich. Dick Grayson injured while out with Babs, now under his care. He wanted to know the juicy details. He gave his girlfriend a wink and smirk as Dick averted his eyes.
As smooth as ever he said, "Hi Dick, I'm sorry this happened to you, let me take a look at these x-rays first and then we'll see if you've damaged any tendons? How are things Babs? I missed your call earlier."
"Oh, they were fine earlier, Xavier, everything was great until this happened. Poor Dick, this is awful," she said, not bothering to move away from Dick even though the man she was dating was in the room.
Now this is uncomfortable, and also surreal... "I'm sorry to bring you out here so late Red," Dick said with contrition.
"I'm glad I'm on. We'll get this right. You owe me both a tennis and a golf game, remember?"
Not of your life... "It will have to be backed up a few months, I'd imagine."
At least Dick knew that Red was a professional, well in the OR at least, and a perfectionist. He would get top notch care. He still he hated the bastard. Red quickly looked at the x-ray films in front of the light box, "Fractures are pretty minor Dick, I think we lucked out here."
He walked over to the bedside and looked at the bandaged hand, "And I think we can leave things wrapped up until preop. Karen got all the external glass. I'll just take my time and open in up and map out what I need to do once I'm up there. Plus I have anesthesia coming in. How out of it do you want to be?"
Dick decided to drop any pretense, "I hate to be a wuss Red, but I think completely under. I just need to check out a bit."
"Not just Versed?"
"Nah, if Anesthesia says it's okay, twilight isn't enough, I want to go all the way under, General Anesthesia."
"Sometime we need to just get away." Red commiserated.
And never come back...
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Babs was reluctant to leave. Quite reluctant. She was standing next to Dick, with one hand on his thigh, and then moving in, bringing her other arm around to cradle Dick's head against her chest. She had no way of knowing her timing. Red had left the door to Dick's treatment room open. How convenient for Babs.
Kori saw them via the reflection in the ceiling mirror used to be able to see things coming around a blind corner. Again, how convenient for Babs. How devastating for Kori.
Kori studied the image, like an impending car wreck that you can't look away from. She saw it all, Babs placement of her hands, her cradling him close. Perhaps he was passive at that point but then Babs gave Dick a lingering kiss that was returned followed by words and a look were exchanged. No, that wasn't passive. In fact, it appeared very intimate. It appeared as though it was not the first such kiss or exchange between them recently.
Kori froze and stood, dropping her eyes from the mirror to watch Babs leave the room. Initially headed the other way, Babs paused and must have felt Kori's eyes on her, so she turned and walked toward Kori.
"Oh, I thought you were sleepy," she said in an almost mocking tone, "Dick said Bruce was coming. He would be next of kin anyway. Don't worry, Richard has been in good hands tonight, Kori. If there is anything I can do for him later, have him call. Get some rest, you look so tired. Good night."
Babs didn't wait for a response, not that Kori might have been able to formulate one.
"Oh Kori, you did come," Red said as he came up behind her, "You've just got a minute with Dick I'm afraid, I just came back down to get the consents signed and then we're off to the OR as soon as transport gets here with the stretcher. He decided on general anesthesia, so I won't have him back to you until after dinner tomorrow."
Kori looked at him blankly.
"Kori?"
She shook almost inperceptively and didn't say anything. "Let's go get someone," he said, walking her away from Dick's room. Something had happened and in his brief conversations and as frequent as possible observations of Kori, she was always composed. Was it Dick that upset her? Babs? Both of them?
With lack of any response, he lead her into Vic's office and called Vic and Karen on the intercom to meet him back there.
"Red, what's up?" Vic said as he got there.
"Something's going on with Kori." Red said quietly. "I found her outside Dick's room like this. I have no idea what happened or if she spoke with him. Babs had been in there but she was gone when I found Kori. Vic, She hasn't said a word."
Vic peeked in to see her hugging herself, still staring ahead, "Thanks, man."
Karen immediately went in and sat at Kori's side.
"I have to get up to the OR to get ready for Grayson," Red said.
"Don't fuck up his hand," Vic said, " I know it's tempting."
"It is, but I have my reputation and I need the referrals."
"Yeah, cause you're really suffering financially. I saw the Aston."
"Yeah, pretty sweet. I'll stop back on the way back," he popped his head in to the office, "talk to you soon Dr. Anders."
Kori looked up and managed in a monotone, "Thank you, Dr. Red."
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Bruce walked into Dick's room, finding his son with his eyes closed, a couple tears having escaped. Although as a child tears had never been tolerated, he felt compassion for his adopted son. "Dick?"
Dick looked over at Bruce, "Hey Dad, thanks for coming."
"Where's Kori?"
"Kori?"
"She headed over to see you once we got here. I caught up with Dr. Red for a couple minutes and then made sure you were getting the best suite for after your operation and-"
"Kori's here?"
"Of course, she's your-"
Dick started to panic, "I told you not to disturb her-"
"But she has a right to know." Bruce eyed his son carefully. "What is going on Dick? Does this have anything to do with all your late nights? I saw Babs leave. She said hello and looked like the cat that ate the canary." He paused and watched Dick for another moment, "Are you cheating on Kori?"
Dick sighed and said quietly, "I don't know."
"Jesus Dick, what is wrong with you!"
There was a knock on the door and the orderlies arrived with a stretcher, "Sorry to interrupt Dr. Grayson, but the OR is ready."
"This discussion isn't over," Bruce said to Dick in a low tone.
"Maybe if I'm lucky I just won't wake up from the anesthesia," Dick mumbled, "that's the best thing that could happen."
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To be continued...
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Will Richard and Kori survive this?
Thank you for reading and please review. The second half of this chapter should go up soon!
Next up?
The fallout from Babs and Dick's indiscretions.
Kori makes a decision to move out of Waybe Manor and contacts an old friend who offers her a unique opportunity. Will she decide to leave Richard and the area to pursue it?