After making sure that all the doors were safely locked, Karen threw Vic and the rest of the gang out of the studio. Before shutting the lights, she activated the hidden camera she put in Kori's workshop. She smiled evilly and walked out, locking the door behind her. She joined her friends who were somewhere further down the street, walking towards Vic's car.

Somewhere higher above them, stood a bored Kori. She was looking out the window and spotted them walking all together. She envied them and envied Donna. She turned around and faced Richard. ''I guess it's just you and me.''

He tried to hide his excitement. ''I guess so.'' He stood there, staring at her. It was the first time during two years that he would spend more than fifteen minutes with her.

''Well don't just stand there, look around. Karen said we might find something.'' She said, as she walked away towards a cabinet.

''Right…'' he walked towards another small table and searched.

As she looked around, the silence started to get on her nerves. ''You'll be stuck with me for eleven hours. Good luck with that.'' She said, playfully.

''I'm sure we'll get along just fine.'' He smiled. She looked at him and just realized that he hadn't put his shirt back on. She didn't really mind… ''We used to get along well, two years ago.''

She hated it when he would bring the subject up. She sighed. ''Can you just let it go?'' she asked, desperately hoping he would say yes… but on the other hand, no.

He slammed the drawer shut, only being able to find papers and sketches. ''No, because we never got to solve anything between us. You just left me this stupid letter.'' He said pulling it out of his pocket and waving it, for her to see.

She was shocked. Kori walked over to him, grabbed the letter and examined it. ''You still have this? I would have sworn you would have thrown it away.'' She said, crunching it into a ball and throwing it to him.

He caught it and tried to open it carefully. ''It's the only thing I have left, that comes from you. You really think I would have thrown it away?''

''Just let it go, okay?''

Clearly annoyed, he sighed and violently opened another drawer. ''I've got some blankets here…'' he said, throwing them out. Kori walked over to him and picked them up.

''Any pillows? Matresses? Tents?'' she asked, sarcastically.

He shook his head. ''Nope. Nothing. Nada.''

She unfolded the thick sheets and put one on the longest couch, which could take three people. Then, she grabbed the other one and placed it on a smaller couch. ''We'll have to deal with this for now.'' She looked over her shoulder and yelled, ''on which couch do you wanna sleep on?''

''I don't really care. You decide.'' He said, almost absent-mindedly.

She put her hand on her hip and leaned to the side. ''No. You decide, I insist.''

''I said that I didn't care.'' He said, nearly crawling in the drawer obviously searching for something. He mumbled something under his breath, but she ignored it.

''Since you're taller than me,'' she began ''I guess you should take the long-comfy couch.''

''No.'' he said, taking his head out. ''YOU take the comfy couch, I can manage.''

''Look at the size of those legs,'' she said pointing at them. ''you need this couch.''

''But you'll be uncomfortable.'' He insisted.

''I don't care.''

''I said I didn't care first.''

''Stop being so fussy and go to bed.''

He raised an eyebrow. ''Last time I checked, you weren't my mom.''

''That's not what I said.'' She responded, running out of patience.

''That's what you said.'' He said, convinced.

''You're hearing things I don't say.''

''Are you saying that I'm crazy?''

''No I'm not, Richard.''

''Are you saying that I'm a liar now?''

''See! You just said I said you were a liar and crazy.'' She said, trying to rest her case.

''Because that's what you said.''

''I never said that.''

''Now you're the liar.'' he blamed.

''Am not.''

''Are too.''

''Not.''

''Too.''

''Are we gonna fight over a stupid sofa?''

''I hope we're not.''

''Well that's what we're doing.''

They both took a breath.

''So who's taking the comfy sofa?'' she asked, demanding an answer once and for all.

''Let's both take the sofa.'' Richard exclaimed, wiggling his eyebrows.

''Go back to what you were doing.'' She ordered.

He went back to his drawer.

Silence… for a moment…

''Hey! Condoms.'' He exclaimed holding around five in his hand. ''Woah Kori, you need this much backup?''

She looked at him extremely confused. She looked like a fish. ''I don't know how they got there.''

He read the label. ''Strawberry flavored.'' He sniffed it. ''You really think it tastes like strawberries?''

She shrugged.

''You wanna find out?'' He opened the bag and raised both eyebrows.

She looked at him, disgusted. ''You're not serious are you?''

''Of course I am!'' he stretched it open. ''Now, how do we put this on…'' he said holding it in front of him. ''Is there a manual or something?''

''RICHARD!''

''I'm kidding.'' He said, raising his arms in self-defense.

She sighed in relief.

He looked away… then back at her. He waved the condom in front of her. ''You're sure you don't wanna find out?''

She walked away, fuming. ''Okay, party time is over till tomorrow morning at 8:01 am.''

He gasped. ''Party. That gives me a really good idea.'' He grabbed all the bags and opened them all. He brought the tip of the condom to his mouth and blew it up.

''Does is taste like strawberries?'' she asked, in a joking manner.

He nodded and kept on blowing.

She looked for something to hit her head with.

After blowing it up, he held it with one hand and was ready to let it go flying all over the place with that irritating sound. But luckily, Kori cut him off.

''Don't you dare.''

'' 'don't I dare' what?'' he asked, innocently.

''Don't even think abo—''

''Too late.'' He said, letting the condom go.

--

She opened another drawer and tried to ignore the condoms that had now become balloons. ''It's our own balloon fest.'' He said, trying to make her smile.

She didn't. It was time to talk about more serious things.'' You know, I'm getting married.''

''You're such a party pooper.''

She stared at him in shock. ''It's time to be serious. You're not Peter Pan and I'm not Wendy. We can't have fun forever.''

''Yeah I know you're getting married. Who doesn't know? Ever since I came here, you've been trying to shove it in my face.'' He couldn't help but answer.

''I was just letting you know the hard way. If I would have known we would be talking like human beings I—''

''You would have taken the opportunity to shove it in my face even more and complain and blame ME for everything that went wrong in your life?''

She was shocked at his outburst.

''I would never do that.''

''That's what you've been doing.'' He replied bitterly. ''And then, you invite me to your wedding. Leaving me wasn't enough for you? Did I do something so that you would go on revenge mode?''

She didn't answer. She just tried to push back the tears.

''Well I'll be at your wedding.'' He said, trying not to cuss. ''I'll sit in the front row. Wouldn't that make you happy? I'll see you're jerk boyfriend slip a ring around your finger and say 'I do' while I'll be standing there and regretting everything I didn't do.''

She shook her head.

''You don't even know Roy and if you did, you would know that he's an honest guy. Not like some men I know…''

He took it personally. ''What did I do that wasn't good enough for you?''

''Stop it.'' She ordered. Honestly, she couldn't answer his question. Because he did way more than what Roy could have ever done. ''If you're trying to change my mind about marrying Roy, you have one in a million chances of succeeding.''

He approached her, seductively. ''Well, that's still one in a million.''

''Well, you're going to fail.'' She answered convincingly, trying to look away.

Strategy number one; let the opponent know that you have already won.

''We'll just see about that.''

Strategy number two; let the opponent know that you're not nervous and that you're up to the challenge.

''You're already playing it dangerously, inviting Donna over to have supper with your fiancé.'' He said, smoothly.

Strategy number three; blame the opponent. Let them know that they are putting they're position in danger.

To him, it was all a game, but the prize meant everything to him.

''What are you trying to say? That after tonight Donna's gonna be pregnant or something? And for your information, Grayson—'' she began, her voice getting louder.

''Richard.'' He corrected smoothly.

She sight and rolled her eyes. ''For you information, jerk, Donna's a wedding planner.''

''So?'' was all he had to say.

''So?! SO, it explains everything.'' She yelled. She mumbled idiot under her breath and looked away.

''Selfish.'' He replied.

She stared at him, in shock. ''Porky-pine!''

''Fire truck!''

''Immature.''

''Pathetic.''

''Giant dick.''

The insults were said rapidly, but Richard stopped at the last one. He smiled in delight. ''I'll take that as a compliment.'' Then he looked at her. ''Sexy red-head.''

Her heart skipped a beat. She cleared her throat and approached him.

They stared at each other for a moment. He took a step closer to her. She started to melt inside. ''Come on, you know you can't resist this.'' He said, looking at her straight in the eye.

''Stop it.'' She answered gently, pushing him away playfully.

He took her hand and placed it on his shoulder. She did the same with her other hand and tried desperately not to blush, but failed miserably. His flirtatious ways were unbeatable.

''Seems like I'm off to a good start.'' He said, grabbing her waist gently.

''Very good…'' she corrected.

What did she just say ?!

They both were surprised but didn't let it seem too obvious. Richard kept his comment to himself because this was too important of a moment to ruin. Kori didn't say a thing because she simply didn't feel like it.

She remembered her mom telling her once that some mistakes must be made to learn our lesson. She freely accepted her mistake and learned whatever lesson there was to be learnt.

She leaned her head against his chest. He had grown… She could hear his heartbeat. It was as soft as a kitten's purr. She knew that he was very alive and very present with her at that moment. She had never been as happy to know that he didn't have a shirt on.

She closed her eyes and almost fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat. It was the most peaceful sound she had ever heard. She didn't want it to stop, in more ways than one.

Right before she fell asleep, she felt something slip into her ear then heard a beat… an electric guitar. It was Don't Go Away by Oasis, the same song that they had danced on. She closed her eyes once again and let Richard rock her to the sound of the music.

Her eyes stayed open for a few seconds then closed definitely. Holding her up, Richard led her to the big couch and laid down with Kori's light body on top of him. Grabbing the sheets, he covered them and watched her as she rose and fell. She used his chest as a pillow and he didn't mind at all. He closed his eyes and listened to the song, hoping that none of this would ever end.

So? Kori/Rich fluff? Loll!!

Please review! Please please pleaseee

Thanks to all who reviewed for the last chapter once again :)

Hugs, kisses and cookies to all,

Cryingdove.