Sorry for the delay. Long story, Mommy duties, heat wave, more excuses...

And I got held up for having to mostly scrap this twice. We've all been to weddings before, no reason to put in all the minutiae. I was about to scrap it again until I ran the penultimate scene by Kryalla Orchid and got the seal of approval. (Call me Ima Namedropper)

I also totally goofed at the end on the last chapter. I was so focused on thinking about Vic's Grandma (that scene from 'Fractured' always cracks me up when Cyborg says, 'uh, why does the entire world looks like it belongs on my Grandma's fridge?' (Teen Titans, Episode 211, Fractured, Written by David Slack)), and I completely forgot about Karen's parents.

Well, Karen has parents, and they're fantastic. Wedding etiquette was followed, and Karen's mother was seated late, escorted down the aisle by Dick Grayson.

Awright, I'll shut up now... no I won't:

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, but I do own this plot.

And as per usual, for any medical terminology used, I will do my best to define either contextually or in the author's notes at the bottom. If further definition is needed, I'm available via PM. 'Cause I will take every opportunity to have a 'teachable moment'!

And, you shouldn't be disappointed, the chapter's over 4900 words of text! You can thank me with reviews!

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Double Take

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Chapter 71

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The guests all stood as the music changed to Ode to Joy, and the guests stood for the bride.

Few that knew Karen were surprised that she took that walk down the aisle by herself. Not that it was an 'it's all about me' moment. Nor was it about independence, even though she had proven from a young age to be her own person and was quite self-sufficient. It was about the symbolism: Karen would be walking down the church aisle that summer morning alone, and not a half an hour later, Karen and Vic would walk back that same aisle together, and that walk together would represent a true fifty-fifty partnership.

As they both wanted it to be, as they both would make sure it would be.

Karen looked beautiful. Her dress suited her so well and she looked relaxed, confident and happy. Not that there was ever a question about that; they were a dedicated couple, with only a few difficult times along the way. What was nice was that they also knew how lucky they were having seen the harshest realities of life that one faces every day working in the ER, the types of things the average person might have only touch his life once or twice in a lifetime or otherwise only hears about on the evening news; well yes, that does give a person perspective.

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When Vic saw his bride, he had to put in some effort not to drop open his mouth, and Dick had to repeat himself twice, finally touching his friend's shoulder to get his attention, "Karen looks stunning Vic, you're a lucky man."

"Uh huh," Vic managed with a dry throat, not able to take his eyes off his soon-to-be wife.

Dick turned his eyes to Kori, and sensing his eyes on her, her gaze turned back to him. He couldn't help but think of her in what she would she would look like in her wedding gown. It would be in a more traditional silhouette; if he was lucky she'd go strapless, and it would definitely be a ballgown, that had to be her style... then Dick realized he was still in so deep to be thinking of her in that way and hoping she was thinking the same.

Kori saw the look on Richard's face as his eyes were boring into her. He was looking so serenely at her, allowing her to continue to hope things were going to be okay.

By the time Dick turned his attention back to the ceremony, the minister had already greeted the dearly beloved and was on to making sure that the bride and groom were indeed there of their own free will. Dick was relieved that Karen hadn't repeated the line that were the first words she ever said to Victor: "There's not a man alive who can tell me what to do!" Oh, that day had gone down in the annals of ER lore. No one would have guessed that afternoon that the ER's teddy bear of a medical director who could come up with a solution to any problem - yet was a tad overprotective of some of the pieces of equipment - and the feisty new head nurse would turn out to be a perfect match; but that changed nearly immediately.

Kori's attention also returned to the ceremony. There would be plenty of time to sort out the situation with Richard but the way he was looking at her but she felt herself drift, lose focus. As she began to get a bit lightheaded, she had to attribute it to her physical health, not nerves. She mused, in a nearly dreamlike way that the man would probably always make her swoon, but that she really needed to get herself something to drink. And eat. Oh Lord, that's right, there would be pictures right after. Was there a receiving line too? Well, she was resilient.

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Dick did his most important duty during the ceremony and turned the rings over to Vic when it was time. Tears came to the groom's eyes; Vic had wanted this for so long.

Vic tried to stay calm, "Karen, I give you this ring as a symbol off my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day."

Karen's voice was strong and true – she was never so sure of anything in her life. "Vic, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day."

The minister went on to read the selected Scripture, and Kori caught Dick smiling at her again and blushed, wondering what he was thinking about. Again, it had to be a good sign. She knew the wedding wasn't the time to solve all their problems, but X'hal, if they could reconnect, she would be so happy. The relief she was feeling was staggering, but she also knew intellectually she shouldn't count on it as a definite, not yet.

Dick was so happy for Vic and Karen, a couple he could believe in, one truly set in stone. Now seeing Kori across the way, so close, he couldn't help himself feeling optimistic that he and Kori could that way, even after everything.

No, he knew a marriage couldn't solve everything, and when it kept crossing his mind right then, it seemed so natural yet... He couldn't believe he, Dick Grayson, wasn't running out of the church screaming. Two months or so ago, he and Kori were headed that way, but the last few weeks with Kori gone, he was back to the person he had been for all those years, that playboy who thought marriage was something that other people needed and wanted. But it was not him.

But she changed all that.

Dick was so glad he didn't fully act out those playboy ways in Kori's absence or with Barbara before Kori left for Europe. He did some terrible things, but were the unforgivable? Kori would have to decide, but he would tell her everything.

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Finally the minister's voice took on a tone with a grander purpose, "Victor and Karen, in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Matrimony. Have promised your love for each other by these vows, the giving of these rings and the joining of your hands, I now declare you to be husband and wife.

The minister raised his hand for the Benediction. After it was complete, he paused and took a dramatic look about the room and Vic began to tap his foot, losing his patience. Dick covered his mouth for a feigned cough to cover a laugh.

"All right Victor, congratulations, you may now kiss your bride."

After a quick glare at both his minister from childhood and then his friend for nearly as many years, Vic did just that, giving Karen a quick dip. The couple soon ended their kiss to the cheers of the guests.

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Karen had always dreamed of a morning wedding, and a morning wedding she got, right at 11:30 AM; and just as Karen got her morning wedding, Vic would not settle for anything but an evening reception, so it was going to be a long, long day.

As it turned out, that would give a chance for Karen to have a much needed rest between the two. The first trimester is the time when women find they are extremely tired. Karen might be the only bride in history to get a nap in on her wedding day. She relished the idea.

But first there was a matter of first a receiving line followed by pictures. An opportunity was lost for Dick and Kori to have a private moment to even say hello, as Babs, Dick's actual date was by his side immediately after the service. Xavier, didn't as much as foist himself upon Kori as her date, as make himself available to her immediately following the ceremony. For Kori, it actually was a Godsend, as Xavier was very solicitous, and he actually was not stifling. He was a competent physician and he couldn't help but note that she needed to get something in her system, so he made sure she had plenty available to her to eat and drink and was as comfortable as possible.

Kori also took comfort in Xavier as a distraction, and it kept her mind off of Richard and Babs. Not that they were acting like a couple from what she could observe from her vantage point, but still, Babs was nearby during the receiving line. Kori was caught off guard with what to do with Xavier there; he seemed expectant, but not romantically. Not that she wanted anything from Xavier other than a friend, if that, but Xavier had a nice way about him, a side he hadn't shown her until that day.

Dick did not see Xavier's actions toward Kori that way, but one to keep up appearances, he did not as much as glare daggers at Xavier as he would in other situations. Plus, he couldn't help but notice he had brought Kori somethings to eat and drink. Dick ground his teeth: he should be taking care of his Kori, but Dick knew he knew that wasn't going to happen at the moment, not with Babs there, and an audience of people, many well aware of the dynamic, some perhaps interested to see if there would be some drama unfolding before their eyes.

Unfortunately, the church setting of the pictures offered no privacy as many of the celebrants decided to stay to watch the pictures being taken. Given the break until the rehearsal, the guests had time on their hands, and it was fun to watch as the photographer directed the bridal party and the various family members.

"Kori, I can run back over to the restaurant at the Hotel or there's a deli down the street of there's anything you'd rather eat-"

"No, Xavier, the club sandwich is amongst my favorites and my appetite is coming back." She pulled one of the sections of toast but reconsidered and then put it back down. She just wasn't going to be able to eat right then. Maybe it was nerves. She put a hand on his forearm. "You are being such a good friend, this is very thoughtful. I shall eat, but I believe it is time for the 'bridesmaids' pictures again."

Xavier pulled Kori in for a hug that she wasn't expecting and she stiffened, which no doubt nearly everyone saw. He kissed the top of her head and she froze. "I really missed you, Kori," Red murmured as he held her, at least two beats too long.

Sensing her tensing up, knowing he pushed his limits, he let her go, looking at her with remorse, "I'm sorry, I had no right to hug you, I just... I just want you to feel better, to be happy again. Why don't I go now? Perhaps I'll see you later?"

Kori nodded, reassured that Xavier was sincere that he realized that he had pushed things, and he had been so thoughtful.

She was deep in thought when Rachael put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?"

"I think so." Kori's voice was shaky and her smile did not fool her friend.

"The photographer said these are the last shots and then we don't have anything until the reception at 5:30. A bunch of us are headed over to the Seward Inn for lunch-" Kori paled at the name, the place where she and Dick went on their first date. "Kori, are you sure you're doing okay, because you really don't look right-"

"I am fine Rachel. Xavier just did the throwing off of me by the hug. And also I am the lagged by the jet. Let us press on and get the pictures done. Perhaps I just need to do the napping, yes?"

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Dick was trying to play nice. He swallowed his pride, appreciative that Xavier was bringing Kori food, knowing that it was his own fault that he couldn't be their for her. Babs was behaving, back to being a regular date as if they were just friends; he had his suspicions about that, but Dick didn't take the time to analyze the situation. He was just thankful that he wasn't having to placate Barbara on top of everything else.

But what really set him off wasn't even Xavier hugging Kori – okay, he had to admit, it set him off some that he hugged her – it was that when she stiffened, Red didn't back off right away. Dick observed the entire interchange between Xavier and Kori, but just because Kori survived it as best as Dick could tell, it didn't mean Dick wasn't going to do something about it.

And Xavier's reaction to Dick would make the difference between whether X would receive a butt-whooping or not.

"What happened back there?" Dick growled in a low tone as he stepped in front of Xavier in the outer lobby of the church.

"Ah, and so it begins," Xavier began with only a touch of smugness.

"And what would that be?"

"The reaction of the jealous ex." Xavier then changed his tone, "I'm sorry Dick, I thought you didn't want her in your life anymore."

"Her name is Kori."

"Yes, of course I mean Dr. Anders. Dick, you have a date, I do not. Kori looks tired and I thought I would see if she needed anything. No harm, no foul. I apologize, Dick. I didn't mean to step on your toes. By the way, how is your hand?"

Dick tried not to be thrown by Dr. Red / Mr. Hyde. Man, now he remembered another reason why he never liked the guy, even with how the two men had gotten along the last couple of months. Xavier was a good doctor and had helped Dick out a lot, but Dick knew he should never have trusted him. But Xavier had reached out to Kori when Dick couldn't, and maybe he had moved out of the hug as soon as it was obvious Kori wasn't comfortable with Xavier holding her...

"It's fine, thanks Red. Glad we're down to this soft cast," Dick motioned to his right hand, wiggling his ring finger and pinkie for added effect. "We'll get there."

"Yes we will." Red nodded and added meaningfully, "are we good?"

Dick wanted to roll his eyes, brown noser. "Yeah, sure."

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"Oh X'hal, no," Kori groaned, as she backed into the wall of the hallway beyond the little church kitchen, further away from the lobby outside the Sanctuary. She wanted to just get back over to the hotel, to not be seen again now that the pictures were finally over. She moved away from the voices of the guests that she heard, voices mixed with laughter, which were being drowned out by the rushing noise in her head. The rushing noise grew louder and louder, sounding more like a far away train now. She moved along the wall, relieved by the coolness, and thankful for the support. Then a sudden warm and almost electric feeling washed over her skin; she broke out in to a hot sweat, followed by nausea.

There was another doorway about 30 feet away and Kori tried to focus on it. She reminded herself that after a turn at the end of the hall, then a short hall by the church offices, through the back parking lot, across the street and not one-third of a block to the hotel and she'd have a good four hours to nap...

"I can make it to my room, then I can do the crashing."

She felt herself sway, black blotches blocking more and more of her vision. The train noise started to really pound, her vision was fading entirely to black, "No, not now, please no..."

"It's me, I've got you." Kori felt warm arms around her.

Richard pulled her to him, bracing her against him and held her firmly. Knowing it was him immediately, Kori relaxed, and Richard dropped to his knees as he eased her bottom gently to the floor.

"When I imagined holding you again after all these weeks Kori, this wasn't what I imagined."

Kori wasn't sure she heard him right - or was it just what she wanted to hear?

Unable to answer, things were getting worse, not better for Kori, she gave a snore as her head lulled back. Richard gathered her up bridal style and looked for a place where to go. He was not going to let her lay down in the hallway to recover.

He ducked into a small prayer room almost directly across the hall, not much more than twenty feet square. Luckily the room was empty and Richard laid her out on the front pew. It had a long maroon velvet cushion that smelled of cedar and was surprising comfortable. He considered her condition, and cradled her head for a moment as he took a seat, and then placed her head in his lap.

Kori's eyes were now partially opened although she had become completely unconscious at that point and wasn't coming around easily, her breaths were shallow but even, with a light open mouth snore. Even an ER veteran is not immune to the unpleasantness of seeing a loved one in this state.

Her mouth closed and she swallowed reflexively, her right hand came up to her face and she dug her left heel into the cushion. Good, she's moving well, just a syncope...

"Star, sweetheart, you're coming 'round, but you have to take deeper breaths," Richard coached her, as he took her pulse at her wrist.

He reached into his pocket and dialed his cellphone. "Rae, can you come back to the church? I'm in a prayer room between the sanctuary and the back exit."

He paused while Rachael spoke on the other end of the line.

"I'm with Kori. I need your help."

"Nothing like that."

"Really. Please get here. Thanks"

Kori stirred a bit more as her eye flicked open. Dick smiled down at her as she gained her bearings and grasped the reality of the situation. Her head was still very throbbing and she fought the strong urge to either move away from Richard or snuggle closer.

"Kori, you with me sweetness?"

"Um-ye-yes."

"Keep breathing. Are you okay if I leave for a sec? I'll be right back, I'm going to get you a damp cloth."

He gingerly lifted her off his lap and guided her onto her side on the pew facing forward as Kori brought her hands up and rested her head on top of them. Satisfied that she was steady and safe for the moment, Richard walked across the hall to the church's kitchen, grabbed some paper towels, moistening some with cool water.

He returned and knelt in front of her and placed the cool cloth over her forehead.

"Richard, I-" Kori started to sit up and was hit by nausea. She wasn't about to protest further.

"I'm not going anywhere. Let's give you a few more minutes to recover before we see how you are?"

Kori smiled at the first part but still let out a small groan in protest. Richard was certainly more concerned than his words made it sound.

Richard studied her briefly and her color was so poor she couldn't even manage a blush under her scrutiny, a blush knowing her, he was sure that would have been there. He sensed her discomfort, "Let me sit down, like before."

He sat on the pew and lifted her head back in his lap gingerly. They sat there, not talking, Kori with her head on Richard's lap, looking forward, toward the small prayer room's small lectern and large unadorned carved wooden cross. Her left ear on his right, she could hear her own heart beat, while feeling Richard's.

She shed a tear when she realized that they were not in sync, even though her rational mind reminded her that her heart rate and his had nothing to do with their actual feelings.

As the fog continued to lift from her spell and she gathered some strength, the urge became stronger to get some distance between them.

She crossed over right hand to push herself up and Richard placed his casted hand over hers to stop her.

"Just take a few more minutes... Hey Kori, I'm worried, though why would you syncopize?"

"Not sure." The added head shake was a bad idea. "Richard, I will be the fine." Kori partially sat up as to demonstrate and wretched, covering her mouth.

Richard turned her fully away from him and over, holding her over the side of the bench just in time for her to have a clear shot at the floor and not his pant legs as her stomach emptied. She vomited up frothy emesis of thin phlegm and bile that was tinged with blood onto the wooden floor. She then dry heaved four or five times in succession, tears running down her face. She fought off the temptation to sob, but she could not stop shaking.

Satisfied that she was finished with her dry heaves, Richard handed her his handkerchief and held her securely as she caught her breath, He only let his hold loosen when she signaled she was okay with a nod.

He said nothing as he guided her back partially, leaving her facing away from him, leaving her more upright and holding her against his chest.

"I apologize-"

"Oh, Kori, don't apologize, just keep breathing deep, through your mouth."

She looked back at him and shot him a look, as to say 'that's my line', given that it was a classic nursing instruction.

"I am the o. and the k. Really I am, Richard. I just needed to do the vomiting. I just took the long trip from Europe and have the lag of the jet and not enough sleep and this is a very exciting day."

Her stomach lurched with the effort of saying that much, but her stomach was empty and she didn't even dry heave. She closed her eyes and was disheartened that the spinning was still present and a single tear escaped the corner of her left eye.

As much as Kori wanted to be close to him, she still hated the idea of Richard seeing her so vulnerable, so rutha, so weak. He had already seen her faint and vomit. Perhaps if they were a couple he could see her like this, but not now, she could not allow it.

She turned and looked up at him and was taken aback. How could she have forgotten how his eyes were so wonderful, and how they could tell her so much about what he was thinking?

"I am fine, I need to get back. I just did the-"

"fainting," he finished for her with a concerned look on his face, feeling her forehead, and then smiling.

"I did faint, but I did the coming around, and fairly quickly, correct?" she said with a playfulness that he wasn't expecting but he was so happy to see.

Kori struggled against him, surprisingly strong, he noted, but he held her fast, eyeing her carefully – she did not offer any further resistance against him.

Richard cupped her face with his hands and stared at her, both lovingly and as it turned out, clinically. He used his thumbs to pull her lids down and inspected the sclera of her eyes and the inside of the lids, he brushed a thumb across her lip to feel for moisture, fighting the urge to kiss her.

She looked at him expectantly, and he stopped himself. This was as far as the reunion could go right now. She had a medical condition that needed to be addressed.

"Star, I barely got there in time to to catch you. You fainted right after that and were out cold as I carried you in here."

"I thank you for that, I am the fine now. Let me get up now please." Her voice had some bravado to it. She softened her tone with the entreaty, "Please Richard."

"Kori, not yet. The fact that you only dry heaved told me you haven't eaten." He gently took her wrist and felt for her pulse, flipping left wrist out to check his watch for 10 seconds or so. "Your pulse is 120 and bounding. You're dehydrated. I bet your pressure is at best 100 over 70 and I already know you'll tilt. You know you need IV fluids-"

"No Richard-" She knew he was right, but again, she couldn't appear this week.

"but maybe we can try Gatorade and then advance your diet... but Kori, is this from just not eating, drinking and sleeping enough along with all the travel?"

But as Kori recovered from her fainting spell, Richard considered the rest of her and was disheartened to see his observations were correct from across the church; perhaps things were worse than he thought: Kori was so thin. There was no way Richard wouldn't have remembered her exact size, how she felt in his arms, how she felt next to him. They always fit together perfectly and now her size had changed so much, it was such a marked difference.

Not that he thought that at that moment she didn't feel right as she lay close to him...

Richard was so worried about her health. "Anything else I should know about?"

"No, I do not believe so..."

"Let's be sure Kori, we have to get fluids into you, and we can't have you passing out again. If you'd let me, I'd love to dance with you at the recep-"

"I am definitely not the pregnant." Kori blurted out. She cringed once she said it.

"Good to know." Dick took a minute to recover from that being said, and then gave Kori a wink, "although I hear there's a lot of that going around these days." He studied her and added, "I would never have thought that anyway."

"Karen and Vic, it is wonderful!" Her exclaimed, and then her smile became a sad one, her tone became hushed, "and you would have been the one, the only one that I would... or I would want to... be the father..." Kori started and she began to cry and he pulled her close.

"Shh, I know that, and we'll talk about it all soon but not now. Don't cry, Star."

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"Oh Azar, Kori," Rachael said as she came in, "I'm sorry, I got held up by some of the guests coming over from the hotel, and I didn't want to draw any suspicion as to why I was coming back here. Kori you're more pale than I am and that's saying something."

Dick made no motion to get up or move Kori's head from out of his lap. Rachael cocked a brow at him that did not go unnoticed by Kori. Rachael repeated taking her pulse and also checked her inner lids and then her gums.

"Kori, we have the time, let's sneak you into Lincoln and get you pumped up with a bag or two of ringers and some IV Zofran so we can really enjoy tonight?"

"Oh, Rachael, how about just PO fluids-"

"Not a chance," Rachael said firmly. "Gar and I will take you down right away."

"Rachael, I've got Kor-"

"Dick, let me take Kori. You're Best Man." she added pointedly to Dick. "Plus you have other responsibilities. We'll be happy to get her there, if that's all right with you of course, Kori."

"I believe it is, Rachael."

Dick knew better than to argue with Dr. Roth on this one. He touched Kori's cheek. "Star, we'll talk very soon about... about everything."

"We will, Richard. And thank you for helping me."

Temptation took over and Richard kissed her chastely on the lips and then hugged her and helped her sit up slowly. "I've missed you, Star," he whispered in her ear.

"I've missed you as well, Robin."

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To Be Continued...

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Thank you for reading and please review.

Catch the line from Titans East II?

I will try to update ASAP.

BTW, I have updated All Things Titan and I also have posted the sequel to One Man's Junk, aptly titled: Another Man's Treasure

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Medical Terminology:

Syncope - a fainting spell

Syncopize - verb, transitive, meaning to faint; also seen is syncopate, but syncopize is used more in the ER's I've worked. A syncope (three syllables, long e at the end) is a medical term for fainting.

Bounding pulse - means you're dehydrated, when you take the pulse at the wrist, it'll feel like a loose rubber band.

Dehydration is not enough fluids, we all know that, and with less volume of fluid in the vessels (veins and arteries, the blood pressure drops. The body compensates by increasing the heart rate (60-100 is normal for adults - kid's and young teen's rates are higher).

Emesis - vomitus, vomit

Zofran - a drug classified as an antiemetic, that is, used to treat nausea and vomiting.

Tilt - When you take a patient's blood pressure lying down, sitting and standing, they 'tilt' if there is a significant difference between these numbers.

Advance diet - clear liquids to 'full' liquids to bland solids etc...

remember to PM if you need me to explain...