This is the part of the chapter where I apologize for being late. There are a few excuses, good ones too, but who cares? I need to get these chapters up!

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Double Take

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Chapter 62

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Kori hadn't really had the opportunity to sit around with her friends during her adult life and talk about relationships and certainly didn't get a chance to talk about this relationship. She had barely reviewed all the details about the love she and Richard shared with herself. They were so bonded and spent so much time from the beginning that it was impossible to do much more than live in the moment.

This retreat and respite on Paradise Island had changed that, and given the time to reflect, she gained a perspective that made her want to patch things up. The stress and the fast pace of the relationship was overwhelming to her, and she needed to talk with Richard and see how much all of that contributed to his daliances with Babs and his other actions that seemed almost out of control.

Kori knew Richard loved her and felt hopeful that he was coming to some the same conclusions about their relationships that she had and that once she got home in another week or so they would work on things. Perhaps things would be back to normal by Vic and Karen's wedding...

But as far as talking to a girlfriend about her relationship as girls and women of all ages tend to, Kori had her longest talk was with Taryia, but that day was somewhat tainted by Richard's leaving after becoming overwhelmed once he and Kori realized that they had known each other as children by their nicknames, Robin and Starfire.

Now she had Donna's undivided attention, and all of a sudden it was like they were 13 again and Kori was able to talk about Richard, allowing her to talk about all aspects about the relationship, but a great deal about the romance and the positive things.

"Although he did have the reputation of badness, he did want to do the right by me, to do the dating the way I wanted. Of course the funny things was that when he first saw me, I have to admit I saw him do a double take."

"A double take? That would be flattering." Donna giggled.

"It was. But it took a while for us to go on a date, and then it was only after Bruce and Galfore 'introduced us'."

"Was that embarrassing?" Donna asked.

"No, it was wonderful." Kori's face was wistful.

"And after that?"

"Things went well, and well, things progressed quickly." Kori recounted the horse show, realizing that they knew each other as she had already told her, and then the paparrazzi and the 'outing' as a princess. And Babs and the NA meetings. Donna was a good listener, but actively asked questions and the women enjoyed themselves immensely. Even when things that were upsetting were discussed, it was great to have a close friend to share them with.

"And then the seclusion. I was going stir crazy, but we were getting closer. And then Richard gave me this ring of his mother's as a preengagement ring... Oh X'Hal!"

It was at that point Kori realized that she didn't have the ring on, the Robin ring that Richard had given her, the one that his father had given his mother on Richard's first birthday. She realized she must had left it at the manor by accident, never intending to have left it behind, never intending to take it off. She only did that to shower, and not always.

How could she have left it behind and how could she have gone so long without noticing it?

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Although she should have been relieved that she knew where it was, she was concerned that Richard wouldn't understand why she left it behind, especially with no explanation. He wouldn't understand, especially because she had explained why she was leaving behind both the necklace and bracelet he had given her ('for the safe keeping').

The ring already meant much more than the other pieces, although they each meant a lot. It was a pre-engagement ring that he had given her as well as a cherished keepsake of his mother's. To carelessly leave it behind was a betrayal of the highest magnitude in her opinion, and she was certain that Richard would be upset and likely very angry. He would feel betrayed. It would break his heart, and she would never, ever do that, but she was fairly certain that he wouldn't realize it at the time.

Kori had to get word to Richard or Alfred and she had to do it fast.

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Kori remained composed initially, it had to be easy to contact someone in the US - but it wasn't. There was no land line or cell towers and the weekly mail that was flown in had gotten there a day before. There wasn't a satellite phone so there was no way to contact anyone without leaving the island. If she was unable to get word out otherwise, she would go to Greece in three days to contact Richard and explain that she left the ring by accident.

As she had from early in her stay, she continued to write Richard and express her feelings. She chose not to send all the letters, but sent one each week, knowing that they would arrive within a week of mailing them.

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Richard was feeling like he dodged another bullet as he was being discharged from the hospital. His wounds had been debrided, or cleaned out by removing the infected and dead tissue, in the OR, his pain was under control and he had been started on stronger antibiotics. He had to go home with IV antibiotics and pain meds and would start daily hand therapy at home. Red told him he would be around every few days, which he had no reason to doubt.

As for Xavier Red, he was pleased his original work on Richard's hand would not go to waste, that he had gotten him back in the OR in time. He was genuinely feeling sorry for Dick and actually liked him, and even though the feeling wasn't exactly mutual, at least Dick was very appreciative of Red's compassion as well as his outstanding abilities as a hand surgeon.

Red had another and new part of his plan to break up Kori and Richard that he decided to add for good measure. Ronnie Dahl was a brilliant occupational therapist. She was also a notorious flirt and beyond stunning. Men flocked to her. She rarely fraternized with her patients, but rarely isn't never and without suggesting it, Red hinted about Dick's availability and vulnerability... and excessive wealth.

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Kori was getting frantic. There had been no way to get off Paradise Island and no way to contact Richard. She needed to let him know that she had left the ring by accident. She felt guilty enough as it was with that, but Kori figured he'd understand, or at least she hoped he would.

On the day she could get off the island, she only had a 90 minute turn around time to get back to the island. She only needed a few minutes however: the letter had been written about the ring and her feelings and it was ready to be mailed. The only other thing she had to do was call Richard and explain.

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Richard liked Ronnie a lot, but not in a way that would further complicate his life. He was still sorting out how he felt, although he felt a little better about himself. Chase saw him as well, and was helping him understand his self-destructive streak. He was making progress, but was still feeling unworthy of Kori, angry at the situation and the world, and even somewhat abandoned and betrayed by her. He knew that wasn't rational.

Dick was ready to face her and needed to contact Kori and see when she was coming home. Vic and Karen's wedding was still a few weeks away and Kori would be home then, but that was not the time and place to reconnect in case there was any drama.

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Kori left a message on Dick's cell phone. She was disappointed that he hadn't picked up but at the same time relieved.

"Richard, hello. I hope you are well. I am missing you and look forward to returning home in a week or so.

"I realized that I left your mother's ring in my bathroom the night you were in the ER. I took it off to wash my hair and forgot to put it back on. I never meant to leave it behind nor have I broken our pre-engagement by doing so. I was very rushed and upset and I forgot, I am sorry.

"I have been unable to contact you from the island I am staying on and this was the first chance I had to return to the Mainland. I have been writing, but as I have said in my letters, the mail is only picked up weekly.

"I again hope you forgive me, and forgive me for leaving. I thought it was for the best, but I should not have gone so far when you were the injured.

"I love you Robin, I always have and I always will. I will see you soon."

It was at that point that she was upset about being so far. Kori realized she should have been there for Richard. She was unable to arrange it for that day, but she decided that the following week, she needed to get home.

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During Dick's rage after coming home from the hospital the first time, one of the first thing he destroyed was his phone. He didn't want to see anyone and or talk to them and there was the house phone anyway. Plus, it wasn't like people wouldn't just drop by. They always seemed to.

Kori had been gone for almost two weeks. Dick's life was pretty good, all things considered. Therapy was going well with Chase. Hand therapy was going well as well and he really liked the young Ms. Dahl - he challenged him in a great deal of ways - but she got him talking about Kori which surprised him. Ronnie was a flirt, but she also seemed to realize the level of connection between Dick and Kori and if anything was nurturing it, asking about her and pointing out the possitives about reuniting.

Babs had been around too, but was mostly playing the friend card. Mostly. Dick brushed off her advances but she was persistent. Her daily routine was to meet her old friend Ted Kord, the mailman, at the mailbox and chat for a bit and then come up to have lunch with Dick and bring him his mail.

Barbara felt about 15 seconds of guilt when she removed the letter with the Greek stamp on it from Dick's mail pile. Her further investigation in the privacy of her home when she opened the letter affirmed her fears that Kori wanted to work things out with Dick. That just couldn't happen. Babs had worked too hard for that now! She had managed to drive Kori out of the country for Heaven's sake. She knew she had to remain vigilant about any communication from Kori and also as pursuasive as possible with getting Dick to return her affections.

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It was the first day that Dick felt up to going to being Kori's room. He hadn't let Alfred touch the room. He wanted to be close to her, to feel their connection. He looked forward to Kori's return and hopefully their reunion. They could work it out, he was sure of it.

He had already known about the necklace and bracelet and gave little thought about it; there was a note that explained why she hadn't taken them and Alfred had shared it with him. As Richard looked around the room, there were a few other things left that had notes on them as well that no one had seen or at least shown him. A note on her laptop; on her piles of notes; on her dresser. She explained what things were and that she would return for them, in each case apologizing for the inconvenience of leaving most of her things there. Richard smiled at her thoughtfulness.

Richard looked in her bathroom and caught the glimmer from the sunshine hitting the precious metal. When he reached over and picked up the ring he was shaking - Kori left it, she left her pre-engagement ring? She never even mentioned it. He couldn't imagine why she had done anything that callous. Even if she had done it in a fit of rage, her rejection was brutal and spiteful and beyond hurtful. He had bared his soul to Kori, planned to marry her; sure he made mistakes but on the very day he was getting his mind about making amends to find this sign of either spite or betrayal or thoughtlessness...

Something broke loose in Richard, something dark and cold.

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To be continued...

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