Back to the story, sorry about the delay.

The muse remained out on summer vacation well into the fall and again, yet again, a Dell computer betrayed me! Imagine that. If I didn't have the warranty, I wouldn't keep fixing them, and using them, and they wouldn't keep destroying my files. And if I had a reasonable learning curve, I'd have things better backed up. And what does this all mean? I lost – completely – Chapter 58 of Double Take. Whoopee! So let's do a second take (he he) on it, shall we?

You'll note that this chapter is not only short (I do apologize, no need to note it in your reviews, I'm well aware I am disappointing my readers) and it is a bit back and forth and in bits and pieces. It is the start of a transition to the piece.

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Double Take

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Chapter 57

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"Wake up, Dr. Grayson, your surgery went fine, you're in recovery."

The words echoed a bit in his head and he couldn't open his eyes as he clawed his way through the fog out of the cloak of general anesthesia. He did, however, feel the scrape and soreness in his throat as the endotracheal tube was removed. He felt suddenly cold and shivered and heard the nurse say, "He's shivering, grab some blankets from the warmer please, Darlene." Moments later he felt their warmness cover him.

He drifted off again and then heard, "Squeeze my hand, Dick." He tried with his good hand, the one Xavier held. "Good. How's your pain?"

Dick grunted. It wasn't bad, the worst of it at the moment was his throat, but the throbbing was increasing in his injured arm and hand. He'd later realize that it was keeping him quite distracted – along with the fuss of the recovery room – from everything else that was going in his life, that is, Kori, Babs and the shambles of his personal life.

"Let's increase his morphine drip..."

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The next time Dick awoke it was 8:45 AM and he was in his room. Alfred sat straight in a chair at bedside, sipping tea and reading a copy of the London Times.

"I see you are awake, Master Dick. Shall I ring the nurse for you?" the concerned butler asked.

"No, thank you Alfred, I just need to get my bearings."

Dick looked at his arm. It was bandaged with five coils that came out at the tips of each of his fingers from beneath the wraps and then flexed the fingers down, like a claw, attaching it to the rest of the mechanics hidden somewhere under a cast over the wrist and forearm.

"That is quite a contraption you have there. I never saw anything like that in my days as a medic in her Majesty's Army."

Dick chuckled, "I don't think I've seen anything quite like it either. Glad I don't wear contacts."

"It is wonderful to see you are in good humor, sir."

Dick looked up and saw a sadness in Alfred's eyes and he knew.

"Kori's gone, isn't she?"

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A nod was Alfred's response. Dick turned away before tears fell. The anesthesia and the post-operative period had given him respite from any thoughts or even dreams about the situation. But the truth crashed in on him right at that point and he couldn't avoid it a moment longer. Part of him wanted to hit something equally as hard with his other hand. Part of him wanted to let out a primal scream. Part of him wanted to find her and marry her, no matter what he had to do to convince her. Part of him wanted to curl up and die.

"I shall leave you alone for a few moments, Master Dick. I will be close by if you need me."

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Although it had been a decision made quickly as far as in the amount of time it took to weigh through the options, everything had been carefully weighed. Kori knew the importance of the decision. This wasn't a dramatic storming out. Her decision to leave the manor or not, and if she left, when, would greatly impact her life. The last exchange with Richard had made it clear that he was confused and needed some time apart. She wasn't one to walk away, even if only to gain perspective, but this time she felt it was the only option. He had asked for it, and it was an option to learn about herself, and perhaps save their relationship. She was too willing to take him back, even he questioned it. But still it felt selfish, but she was barely ever selfish. Perhaps that should change.

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"Thank you Bruce, for everything," Kori said, trying to steady her voice.

"No need to thank me, Kori," Bruce assured her, his hand on her shoulder. "I think you both need this time apart."

"I do believe there is no other way," Kori replied, resigned to what she was sure was the truth.

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It was surreal to be leaving like this, but once she had spoken with one of her dearest friends who invited Kori to join her, she knew she had to go. It was one of the most private places in the world, a place for respite and retreat, and Kori knew it was the place she had to go to so that she could think through her situations, her problems, and her future.

So she found herself on a private jet at 4:30 AM, and even at the general aviation airfield, they were practically the only ones there. Kori was the only passenger on Bruce's jet accompanied by the six person crew. Bruce made arrangements for her transatlantic flight. He offered to accompany her but she politely declined. Not that she wouldn't have minded the company for the long flight, but she was a big girl now, and anyway, where she was going men were, well, frowned upon.

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There were many, many details that hadn't been taken care of and many things left unsaid, at least for the moment. She wanted to talk to Richard and Galfore, but knew that either could talk her out of going, or she would simply lose her nerve. She left short notes for each, and follow up communications would be taken care of when her mind cleared.

As for the press, her whereabouts were explained as an extended stay overseas, to get away from the paparazzi and the public. It was explained that after Richard's surgery and rehabilitation, it was expected that he would join her. Kori thought that this was for the best. There was no need to borrow trouble for Richard with the press. It was bad enough that she wasn't there after his surgery.

For the most part, Kori's things that were at Wayne Manor would be returned to the embassy, after Galfore had some word as to how she was doing. Perhaps the why wasn't going to be fully explained, however. She worried about how he would feel if he knew the details of her relationship with Richard.

And Richard, well, the more she thought about it, the more unclear she was about things, other than that she loved him. For now, she left him a note, the words concise, and to the point.

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The rest of the hospital stay was shear agony for Richard. Not in the physical sense, although he wasn't comfortable, but in the mental sense. He knew Kori was gone, but he wanted to be home in the Manor, in an irrational hope that she was still there, so he wanted to see it for himself. At least he only had to wait a few hours until his discharge.

The staff was polite and were getting the message that this was not the Dr. Dick Grayson that they were used to working with. Not the notorious flirt, or the arrogant snob, or the most recent version: the calm and in love former playboy. He was the broody patient who was behaving as such for any number of reasons. There was plenty of speculation, of course, but around Dick, people kept it professional, courteous and were in and out as fast as possible.

A few hours later he got part of his wish and he was home. The other part, well, he knew it was beyond hope that Kori would be there anyway. Bruce did greet him solemnly after Dick confirmed she was no longer in her room or his. Bruce then wordless handed him the envelope with her note.

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The flight from DC to Greece was a long one. Kori was thankful that Bruce's flight crew were attentive enough to not be intrusive. She was also thankful for the selection of things to read, although she spent most of her time thinking through things. She wondered if she should take notes and resolved to later. If she started to write down the hints and signs as well as the actual things Richard had admitted to doing with Babs, well, she'd likely cry. Bruce's crew was professional and discreet, but there was no reason to have them question the story that she was going to an obscure island in the Mediterranean to get away from the media attention.

She did find a copy of the note that she had left for Richard. It was the exact wording she had used, it was just that had a tear stain on it so she copied it over one last time for him.

My Dearest Richard,

In reflecting on our conversation last evening, I agree that we need time apart. I do not wish to be away from you but a break may give both of us perspective and you some understanding about what is happening.

I thought it would be easier for both of us to stand by this decision if I left before you returned from the hospital. It is my understanding you are doing well and I wish you the best in your recovery and rehabilitation.

I know that I love you and you love me. I am very happy that we found each other again, Richard, and I do hope that we can find a way to be together again.

Love Always, Koriand'r

And though she had read it at least twenty times before, she realized for the first time what the last sentence said and what she actually felt: For the first time in weeks, from nearly the start of their relationship, she considered that he might not have him in her future. The entire time they were together, even when he walked out that night in Devon, even when Babs was pulling various antics, she never saw her life without him.

She thought she was this modern woman, with a great education and career and in spite of an overbearing uncle, was independent and strong, and she came to realize that she fell into the trap of never seeing herself without her boyfriend.

For some time now, it never crossed my mind that we would not do the ending up together... I never did the seeing of my life without him as my husband or without him as the father of our children.

She shook when she realized it really could be over, that they might never be together again.

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To be continued...

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Who is her friend and where are they going? It's another comic book reference.

Thank you for reading, and please review. Again, I apologize for the long delay and the short length and I am fully aware of both.

If you get a chance and haven't seen it, I do have a new one-shot, in universe RobStar What would you do if it was your last day on Earth.

Also, for those who have been following it, You've Got Mail is going through a major rewrite and I am nearing where I had left off from prior to starting the rewrite, so keep an eye out; however, there is a number of plot changes started about chapter 7 so if you are a fan of the story, I'd suggest a reread.

I am working on the next chapter of Jukebox as well and hope to have that up shortly.