Aloha!

It's that time of year again, where I can eat a lot of food and have a ton of time to write and update (hopefully). Anyway, let's get on with the story…

-JB11

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans.

Everything Changes: Chapter 7

TT

The funeral was fine. There were a lot of Ryan's friends there and some of Kori's friends were there for moral support; Roy didn't show though. Not really a surprise though, he didn't really seem to have much time for her lately.

There was some girl at the funeral. Kori offered her a Kleenex. She said she was Ryan's girlfriend. She didn't even know he had a girlfriend, let alone liked anyone. How well did I really know him? Kori wondered.

The reception was nice too. A lot of people shared some really nice stories about Ryan, but they only made Kori think about if she really did know her brother. Kori's mother had too many glasses of wine for her own good and Kori's father didn't stay too long until he left for work.

Richard drove Kori home, since her mother was incapable of doing anything really in her present state. He didn't tell her he was sorry, or that Ryan was in a better place now, and for that Kori was grateful. It didn't matter what people said to her, it didn't make it hurt any less.

Richard walked Kori to the front door. Kori opened her mouth to say thanks, but no words came out. Her eyes welled up and for the first time since the bus caught fire, Kori let the tears flow freely. Richard gathered her in his arms and held her close. They stayed that way for a long time, until Kori pulled away and fumbled with the key in the lock before finally pulling the door open. She grabbed Richard by the hand and pulled him inside.

"I…I don't want to ask you of much more, but please, could you stay with me? Just…just for a little while," Kori struggled out.

"Of course," Richard nodded and let Kori pull him upstairs. She shakily opened the door to her room and sat in the middle of her bed. She motioned for him to sit next her and when he obeyed; she curled into his chest and tucked her head under his chin. He rubbed her back soothingly and whispered comforting words to her until she fell asleep in his arms.

Kori dreamed the same dream she always did. She was watching the bus burn; a little hand pressed against the window and screaming. Ryan's screams, and then Kori's screams joined the chorus. Ryan's girlfriend was there, this was new. This time the nameless girl was yelling at her, that she should have done something, she should have saved him. This was all her fault, all her fault.

Kori woke up then, cold and alone. She scrambled off the bed and to the floor. Rummaging through her bag, she grabbed the phone and quickly slid open the lock. There was only one person she could call.

"Kori?" Richard scrubbed his face with his hands.

"Ri…Richard?" Richard immediately was awake.

"Kori, are you okay?" he panicked.

"Um…I… I just had a nightmare. I needed to talk to someone. And well…well you were the first person I thought of."

"Are you okay? Do you need me to come over?"

"No…no I'm fine. Could you just…I'm sorry…just talk to me? Tell me a story?"

"Sure, sure." And so Richard told Kori the story of little Richard Grayson and when he finished, she was sleeping soundly. He could hear her even breathing through the phone.

TT

It was a few days later, a Wednesday night actually when Kori called Richard once more. He had offered to drive her to school when she was ready to go back. "Hey…I think I am ready to go back to school. If, if the offer still stands, I would appreciate a ride, to school I mean."

"Of course, no problem. I'll pick you up at 7:10, okay?"

"Okay, and… and Richard?"

"Yes, Kori?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Kori smiled sadly into her phone.

TT

Kori walked into the school side by side with Richard. A girl who was in their biology class approached them. "Hey Kori, I heard what happened. I'm really sorry."

"Thanks," Kori said blankly. She looked right pass the girl. Richard cleared his throat.

"Thanks, Tula. That was very kind of you." The girl, Tula, smiled sadly at Kori.

"I'll see you in class, Kori."

Richard followed Kori to her locker. Jade had the locker next to Kori's. She was always busy with some guy, if you know what I mean. Richard saw them first; he did his best to shield Kori. He really did. "Hey Kori, let's go to the…the bathroom. Don't you need to go like, I don't know, fix your hair or something?"

Kori snorted at him, "I'm fine, Richard, but thanks I guess."

"No, I really think we need to use the bathroom." Richard pulled on her arm.

"Stop! What is wrong with you?" Kori exclaimed. "I need to get my books out of my locker. Seriously, I don't know…Roy?! Wha…what are you doing?"

"Kori?" Roy broke away from Jade. Jade seemed disgruntled at the interruption. "I…I didn't know you were coming back today."

"It doesn't matter when I was getting back! You're my boyfriend! My brother just died, and you had the gall to go behind my back and cheat on me? I needed you and you weren't there for me!" Kori shrieked.

"Kori, I'm…I'm sorry."

"Of course you're sorry! Everyone's sorry! But do you know what, Roy? Sorry doesn't make it better! Sorry doesn't make my dad stop working all the time, sorry doesn't make my mom sober, and sorry doesn't bring Ryan back! It doesn't! No matter how many times I wish it did, it doesn't!" She cried. "It doesn't, it doesn't, it doesn't." Kori covered her ears with her hands and shrunk to the floor, crying.

Kori could hear muffled scuffling behind her hands and a few moments later, Richard was crouching in front of her, cradling swollen knuckles. Kori sniffled, "What happened to your hand?"

Richard rubbed the back of his neck with his good hand. "I ahh…sent Roy to the nurse's office."

Kori weakly smiled at him, "You didn't have to do that."

"C'mon, let's get you home."

"No, no I can do this," Kori gulped. She wiped the edge of her sleeves underneath her eyes catching her stray tears. She stood on her tip toes and pressed her lips to his cheek softly. "Thanks for everything, Richard."

"It's no problem, Kori. You're worth it."

A/N: And Jade is Cheshire, just in case there was any confusing. I actually really like Cheshire a lot, I think she's awesome. Her and Artemis Crock, seriously they are some of my favorite characters in DC.