Hope the new years is treating everyone well! So this chapter definitely has some angst in it. With most of the groundwork established, I think the drama can happen! Pretty excited with how this story is progressing! Please review, I'd love to know how I'm doing. I'm pretty friendly, and love to make new friends! : )
"'It's alright," she says, "It's alright. Take anything you want from me." Anything. Fly on, little wing." - Jimi Hendrix, Little Wing.
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The dreams weren't happening. Kori sighed, she figured the voices in her head must have been sensed the empath very close by. Leaning back, Kori felt something stir within her.
If she possesses these powers beyond comprehension, then these voices must have done this for its own safety.
Kori stared in her blank chamber at the same white wall for the umpteenth time. She had no idea what time it was, let alone the date. She couldn't remember the date of her capture, all she could recall was the voices placing her in a state of shock, then her body entered a coma of some sort. What the people behind this one way window did to her was beyond her, but she figured she would be okay if she still had clothes that covered her body, let alone a room that could be inhibited by a human.
There was the possibility of breaking out, it flowed around Kori's head, but she had seen some of the heroes on television. There was a Kryptonian that found safe passage in a small Kansas town, apparently is said to be the strongest man in existence. Kori had heard stories from her Knorfk'a flying to their planet, saying their technologies were advance, that there were colours there that people couldn't even begin to describe or imagine. She was told their strength rivals that of Tamaraneans, even surpass. Then there was Diana of Thermyscira, the Amazonian race. Kori couldn't help but sneer, she knew they two would not get along for a multitude of reasons.
The voices told stories of heroes who were all powerful Martians, men who could run faster than the speed of light… She even heard of a lantern coming to protect this solar system with a magical ring and willpower. Willpower, this hero must be a Green Lantern.
She noted Silkie jumping on the couch, giving a little run around before he would jump off, then do it all again. She couldn't help but laugh at her dog, simple things definitely amused simple minds.
"Kori Anders?"
Turning her head, she greeted the lady with a smile.
"Greetings, Rachel."
"What do you know?"
Reluctant to answer, there was a certainty that the voices didn't like this Azarathean, but Kori didn't sense the uneasiness her audio hallucinations did. Then again, Kori didn't inhabit the mind of a being.
"I know everything about you." A dark shade appeared on the glowing face that was once Kori Anders. Almost as if she was coming off hostile. Given the memories Rachel had observed, she could understand the current situation, still… watching over her movement, Kori always seemed to give off a radiant bubbly personality. Even held in captivity, she showed no hesitation to roll around with her handbag dog. Rachel couldn't place her finger on it… what changed?
"And I take it the voices told you not to converse with me?"
Kori bit her bottom lip for a bit. She could've mentally slapped herself for the facial cue giveaway. What's stopping her from looking like a bigger idiot?
"What voices?"
That. That sentence made her look sillier than before. If Rachel was capable of laughing, she would've. If anything, she admired her persistence, even if she knew how stupid she looked.
"You can play that game with me, or I can rip open your pretty little head and say hi to the voices myself." Rachel leaned in to Kori, her eyes starting to glow black. With a kick of adrenaline, Kori found her eyes glow that same dangerous green when someone dared to challenge her.
"I can safely assume that you will violate others' memories without permission? You already did that in my sleep."
With the vision of her future fuelling her fire, this was a side Kori had no idea she had. It was a side she kind of wished she didn't have for she didn't like back chatting and coming off so arrogant, but if there was just one small opportunity to live a normal life – then by all means, there was not a single entity alive that would rip that away from her.
"I do it when I find out someone knows everything about my friends, things they're not meant to know. How's that for a violation of others memories?"
Rachel leaned back with a satisfactory grin, but Kori didn't want to back down yet. Her futures friendships, working career and by the sounds of things – love life were all on the line. Even though she had never experienced the following, she wasn't going to let an over protected Azarathean take it all away from her.
"I apologize, your over protection descends upon the night you found Malchoir in bed with your former best friend Toni Monetti? Perhaps it was when your heart broke when you found out a Garfield Logan decided to rekindle his relationship with a Tara Markov. Or should we being to talk about the feelings you had for Richard Grays-…"
Without warning, Rachel's hands began to glow a dangerous black, raising the bed she sat on as she flung it at Kori. Being a girl with amazing reflexes, Kori flew back as she caught the bed in mid-air before lunging it back at Rachel near light speed. If it wasn't for the barrier Rachel threw up in a blink of an eye, she knew she'd go right through the one way window with glass shards all over her body. Rachel sighed, she was lucky she was a fast thinker.
Kori and Rachel stood at a standoff with nothing but a floating basin, but that was interrupted by none other than Richard Grayson.
"Rachel! Calm down!"
The floating basin smashed on the ground, following by a gasping Rachel.
"Forgive me, Dick. I let my emotions get the best of me."
"You need to meditate."
With Kori's sudden outburst of Rachel's confessions, Rachel hung her head in shame. She couldn't believe a person had the power to infiltrate even the darkest secrets without the person knowing, especially if that person was someone like Rachel who spent a lifetime exploring the mind and its potential.
Kori watched as Rachel bowed her head, leaving the room. Before Kori had time to hear Nightwing's response, Kori swooped Silkie in her arms and retreated into the safety of the corner.
Deciding to leave the girl in peace, Nightwing walked out of the room not bothering to lock the door. The only lock that he needed was the reassurance the whole Justice League would drop everything the second she attempted a breakout. After her display of power and potential, it was an understatement to say she would be placed under surveillance at all times with a double up of security and someone on call, preferably someone who could get there the fastest.
Donna took a seat next to the now unmasked Richard, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder.
"I didn't know you and Rachel had a thing."
"Neither did I." Bitter and curt, definitely a trait she could see Rachel liking, but Richard grimaced at the thought of the girl he once thought of as a sister. "But there are more important things to worry about."
"Got some information from Hal. Orange skin, green eyes all over, ruby hair… She's a Tamaranean, no doubt about it." Donna threw the paperwork right on the table. Richard's frown only intensified, Great. More paper work. "Super strength, flight, advanced healing and adaptive to different climates – it explains how she was able to live in the snow. Prime traits of a Tamaranean."
"And the power balls emitting from her hands and eyes?"
"That's what stumped us. It's unheard of a Tamaranean to have those characteristics. There were suggestions floating around – cross breeding, genetic modification, mother jumping the fence… List goes on."
Looking into the window, Richard saw someone he could have easily passed off as a cheerful happy young lady without a care in the world. She seemed so happy with the simplest of things, even just having her dog in her possession is enough to keep her going. Many girls were so reliant on possessions, he figured that maybe she came from a less than fortunate upbringing which made her appreciate everything she comes into contact with.
Yet, she sat in the corner crying. If Rachel's demon face wasn't enough to make her hide in the corner, Richard couldn't even begin to think what was going through this girls head at this very moment. It was doing his head in not knowing.
Folding his hands, not once did his beautiful blue eyes leave the sight that is Kori Anders.
"Donna? What was she like before?"
Donna sighed, folding her hands as she too began to examine the alien. "She was carefree, bubbly and happy. Would never hurt a fly."
"But she challenged Rachel, knowing she was the daughter of the devil."
"I know. That stumped me too."
Donna couldn't offer an explanation, but Richard deducted a plausible explanation, one he knew was right.
"Come and get me when she's settled down. I want to talk with her."
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The empath and Nightwing have left the floor.
It was a familiar scene. Kori was sitting on the ground pouring her heart out to a canine that couldn't even talk and voices in her head that communicated with her so frequently, she struggled to see her life without the audio hallucinations.
Gripping her hands around her shoulders, she would've killed just to felt someone comfort her. Just for someone to tell her that everything was going to be okay… to feel what it was like to be cared for, even if it was just for a moment.
Why did you do that?
I didn't trust her.
So trust me! You know I wasn't going to say anything. Why did you take control of my body again?
Kori, this is for the best. You will understand.
"Understand? It is near impossible for me to comprehend this current situation, not to mention I am the one stuck in the middle!"
Don't vocalise your thoughts. You'll raise a cause for concern.
"Oh X'Hal, they are not stupid! They know, you're just delaying the inevitable!"
… That's exactly what I'm doing.
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Kori began to cry harder, she could talk to the voices all she wanted to, but they just talked in riddles. The second she figured something out, three fresh riddles evolved. She was always stuck in the middle of whatever ploy the voices thought up of, she was sick of living in fear she would walk into a trap.
"Oh Silkie, you must be annoyed with the reoccurring situation. But I must ask…"
Kori looked dead in the window, knowing her eyes met Donna's. Little did the League know that the voices were always active, even when they seem dormant to outsiders. The voices were watching, waiting to spread secrets hid in their closet.
Secrets that if people know, it would literally end the world.
"Why me?"
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"How's Babs' going?"
"There's a number of possibilities I could answer that question."
"And they all somehow relate to either her struggling to cope with her new impairment, or me being the biggest douche?"
"You always were smart."
"Knew it."
"Just be glad she didn't hear about Rachel's little confession with the Tamaranean."
"Jesus, Dad. Who the hell told you?"
"Son, you're forgetting who I am."
Not bothering to hear the rest, Richard threw his phone on his sofa. Patrol tonight was a bit slow, a few thieves here and there.
A sudden wave of guilt hit him when he pulled up his phone. It had 10 missed calls from Babs.
10 missed calls? I must be the worst friend in the world. He became an even worse of a person when he couldn't even bring himself to ring her.
I'll go and see her after my interrogation tomorrow.
Being back in Gotham definitely brought back many nostalgic memories, but being here for his father was the main thing – even if he was on his way to his private jet. Yup, the old man decided to learn what a vacation was, and decided to join the rest of the world. Selena opted for the Bahamas, and that girl always got what she wanted.
It was a relief to hear Bruce going on a much needed holiday. Flash was taking his patrol even further out to Bludhaven, warning Dick on some suspicious activity and even the odd hold-up. Needless to say, Wally was being a great help in his absence, now the trouble was finding something to give to him in return. There was the possibility of sending him and Linda on a getaway when this was all over, that would be a sure way to wingman a best friend.
"Foods up!"
Walking into the kitchen, long-time friend Victor Stone decided to play Alfred in his absence. That, and he couldn't pass up the opportunity to eat all his food.
Known as Cyborg amongst the Justice League, he had given up most of his field work to work on machinery, communications and gadgets. But he didn't mind, Victor often found himself in his forte surrounded in anything used by either oil or electricity. There were the odd times he would jump back in on the physical action, but they were mainly related to something involving technology.
Owner and operator of STAR labs, his wife Sarah Simms was currently travelling around the world performing maintenance and checks at the operating sites. There were reports of malfunctions that could have been easily avoided, Victor decided it was best to stay here and help out his friend. Not to mention a side of him missed patrolling and kicking bad guy ass.
Richard began to eat, but his appetite slowly diminished as he watched the cyborg. For every waffle he ate, Vic ate four. It was like this guy had a black hole as a stomach.
Vic noted his lack of appetite as he placed his fork down. "Still down after Rachel's little episode?"
"First Donna, Bruce was just waiting to rip me down with it and now you. God, for all we know, this could've been a little crush that happened when we were like 16."
Vic found his appetite hiding in his stomach, and then he began to munch down everything edible within sight. "Try a week ago. And it's been there for a while."
Dick froze. He really didn't need to hear that. Slamming his hands on the table, he leaned back in his chair, chest puffed, arms folded and fingers twitching in irritation. Vic drew on a happy smile, taking this as a full stomach, Vic picked up Dick's breakfast and began to ate it. Dick didn't even bother to defend his food.
"Could've gone a lifetime without knowing."
"So could I, but you're not the one on the hearing side of it."
"Right, so she still has a crush on me?"
Dick watched as his cyborg friend layer inhumane amounts of maple syrup on his waffle stack. How Vic didn't have diabetes was a mystery to the second best detective in the world, it was something he would never be able to figure out. If anything, it would definitely give Bruce a run for his money.
"Well the day before yesterday she just started blushing whenever your name came out. And you know what Rach is like – you're lucky if you hear a sentence from her."
Rubbing his temples, Dick wandered if there was a possibility if he could make Bruce's trip to the Bahamas in time. He didn't care if he had to sleep on the floor.
"This is the last thing I need. First there's an alien who can predict shit, Babs ringing me on a continuous string and now this."
"Why don't you go and see her? I'll be there in case things get a bit awkward."
"She's rung me 10 times in a space of 2 hours."
"Stage 5 clinger." Victor gave a small chuckle, Richard gave a half-hearted version of a smirk, but he could tell the new comer in confinement was causing him too much grief. As if the poor guy didn't have enough on his place. Victor cocked his head slightly, he couldn't even remember a time he mourned for his dead brother.
"That Tamaranean doing your head in?"
"She's leaving me at a stump with the refusal to talk. My only way of getting her to open up was with Rachel, but now…"
"Yup." Vic let out a burp, before rubbing his stomach. "You're stuck, buddy. But I'll come down to the investigation room to help you out."
"Thanks."
"No problem." Victor's happy façade began to fade as he leant in, a stern look appearing on his face. "While you interrogate, I'll run some diagnostics on her, see if we can pick up on anything Raven's magic might've missed out on."
"Anything will help, thanks again."
"No prob."
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The dreams were still absent. For once, Kori could actually get a good night's rejuvenating rest. Even if it was in a confinement room.
Kori was just grateful that this confinement room had a bed in it.
Looking over at the door, she saw Silkie eating new portions of food. Walking to the table, Kori noticed a bowl of honey porridge, a banana, a glass of milk and her water bottle filled. With nothing else to do, Kori sat at the table attempting to eat her food.
Recalling yesterday's events, her appetite seemed to have ran away along with her liveliness. At this point, Kori just wanted to lie back on her bed and pull the covers over her head. The voices were circulating around in her head, but she tried her best to lead a normal day in confinement. Kori sat there trying to figure out what exactly these vigilantes were trying to achieve, obviously Kori didn't have the freedom to expose each and every person, but she couldn't be locked here forever, it was just unheard of – especially if she was innocent.
"Kori?"
Kori moved her seat back, looking at the newly entered person.
"Good morning, Mr. Grayson."
Richard looked at the girl, she had no accordance with time. Picking that she must have woken up, he decided not to correct the girl that it was 3pm in the afternoon. Never one to pick at irrelevant information, Richard took a seat beside the girl.
"Call me Dick."
Kori nodded.
"How may I be of assistance?"
"Well." He noted the amount of food she had, she probably turned over a few oats and attempted to open the banana before throwing it back on the plate. Mentally linking lack of appetite with depression, there were obvious signs of mental illness. Of course, this was all to be expected with voices telling you every secret in the world.
"That wasn't you talking with Rachel, was it?"
"What do you mean?" Kori cocked her head like a little bird looking curious, but Dick saw right through that little ploy of innocence.
"I know of your voices. Donna told me about your last encounter. I know you didn't tell Donna everything, I know the voices have the ability to take over your body and control it." Kori gave a sigh of relief knowing she had no more tears to shed. If anything, she was glad someone was able to see through her little secret of her own. "So correct me if I'm wrong, but I know that wasn't you talking to Rachel yesterday."
Kori leaned back in her seat, listening to Dick's elaborate explanation. "Donna told me that you weren't capable of hurting a fly, and someone with a personality like that would hide at the sight of Rachel, not throw a bed at her face."
She couldn't help it, with the amount this guy predicted so correctly, her chipped brittle fingernails became so much more interesting.
"Please, Kori. I just want to help."
Peaking her up, a faint hopeless smile drew upon her face. Richard noted the drained colour, weak attempt to shield what secrets she had.
"I want to get these secrets out of my head. I know of things many people will kill to keep quiet."
Richard sighed with relief. It's a start.
"When did these voices start?"
"Hmm." Kori tapped her chin, to be truthfully honest, Kori hadn't thought about when this all started, they were just with her as far as the experimentations started.
I've been with you since the experiments. You're free to talk to him.
So why can I talk with him, but not Rachel?
Because, I said so.
Seems hardly fair, does it not? Which going back on topic, how did you even come to inhibit?
That's a story for another time.
Noticing the frequent changes in facial cues and breathing, Richard folded his hands, leaning back into his seat. "Are your voices talking to you?"
Kori had completely forgotten about Richards presence after thinking of the questions he would come to ask. It would have helped if she too had an idea of what was living in her head. Nodding her head, Richard continued. "What are they saying?"
The Tamaranean became hesitant, but the voices pressed. You can tell him.
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"They said they came to me when I was used as an experiment."
"An experiment?"
Kori nodded her head. Richard had his finger on what Donna said the other day, things were very slowly piecing together. Of course to Richard, these things came together with time and logical sense. "So, that's how you got your solar beams and eye beams?"
What?!
How did he know that? What she truly that predictable? Her breathing intensified, but the inner speech in her head knew it had a person to protect.
"It is a time I'd rather not reflect upon. Unspeakable, unforgivable things happened whilst I was in confinement." She tried hard, but the tears could not be restrained. Richard reluctantly tried to answer, but Kori shook her head as a means to let her carry on. "I remember being experimented upon by the Psions, left for dead. The voices came to me to let me know how to escape, it navigated my way to Earth and has helped me live on this planet ever since. But during this time, I have learnt things… Things that should be left unspoken of."
"Give me an example."
"I can't. If I voice them, something unfortunate will happen. I know it."
"Kori." Richard held his hand out, he could just see the pain and heartbreak floating around in her emerald orbs. A forgiving smile appeared on her beautiful face as Richard continued to talk. "You can trust me."
"… You will not betray me?"
"I promise."
He has to trust you, Kori. Remember, he knows that you're capable of knowing anything. He knows the damage you can do if he betrays you. You have me.
A smile appeared on her face, she had another person she could trust.
"I knew of the death of your brother Jason Todd before it happened." A deep breath in and out, Kori found determination to carry on. She could feel the tension in the air become thick with this confession but she wanted to continue. "I predicted the Joker would lock you and Batman out as he had beaten him to death with a crowbar. I also knew through the duration, your girlfriend Barbara Gordon would become paralysed after being shot with a Desert Eagle in the lower abdomen. I also know Babs is-…
NO. DON'T SAY THAT.
"But you said I could trust him?! Did you not say Babs would come to learn her fate last night?!"
HE DOESN'T KNOW THAT YET.
"What?! B-but you just said…" Slowly grabbing the root of her hair between her long thin fingers, she looked back at Richard who began to protest, worried for the sake of his friend.
"Kori? You need to tell me. What's wrong with Babs?!"
You've given it away, altered the future. Foolish girl!
"B-but I don't understand." Kori stood from her chair, retreating back to the safe haven of the corner. Regaining herself in foetal position, she pressed her face as close as she could to her knees, crying in hysterics.
"You said I could trust him!"
Richard sprinted, skidding on his knees as she slid to Kori's side. Grabbing her shoulders, he began to shake the girl frantically. "Kori, you need to tell me! What is wrong with Babs?!"
"D-did she not ring you last night after your patrol?!"
This girl really does know everything. Richard grew numb, he knew something was wrong. The second he saw those missed calls, he knew something was up. Instead, he was too busy with the alien, this beautiful alien with many, many secrets he needed to know. Just seeing the pain this girl had, he wrapped his arms around her.
"You have been the busy, the death of your brother, the distress of your father, the disfigurement of your friend, leaving your designated city to patrol another area, not to mention the outburst my audio hallucinations made yesterday regarding the Azarathean. I am sorry, I did not realise that your girlfriend did not make communication with you."
Richard leaned against the girl. All of a sudden, all the worries about the voices were turned around on him, making him see how much he had on his place. Falling against the wall beside the alien, he took a quick second to reflect back on the amount of drama that had fallen on not only his plate, but in his drink and all around the table.
"But if I don't control everything, who will?"
Kori looked over at him, wiping away the tears that stained her cheekbones. A strong smile appeared on her face. "If there is one thing the voices taught me, it is that some things we want to control just need to naturally take its course."
How ironic, she was now the interrogator. The comforter. Richard smiled, this beautiful girl exceeded that of what Donna spoke of. She really was a selfless thing.
He needed to face how terrible his neglect had been.
"I need to know, what is wrong with Babs?"
If you tell him, he needs to give his word that he does not visit her.
But if my friend was in hospital receiving this news, I would want to see her as well. Besides, she rang him wanting to tell. It is not in my place to tell him.
"Whatever those voices are saying, I need to know. Please, I can't face her. Not after everything that's just happened."
She was having an internal conversation with her voices and reasons. Giving a small gasp, Kori turned to the handsome vigilante, folding her hands with determination. She knew the plan that the voices was making, and as much pain she could see dwelling in Richards eyes, she believed the bigger picture to be just as important.
"If I am to tell, you are to leave her alone. If she sees you now, she will be even more confused and look for comfort."
"Well of course I'm going to comfort her! You wouldn't do that if you had a childhood friend in hospital?"
"Of course I would. But, the voices predicted a horrible fate befall if you should leave after what I have told you."
"What will happen?"
Kori gave a sigh. She was grateful the voices allowed her tell the forsaken truths this one time. "She will think of the comforting as you loving her again as boyfriend and girlfriend, but the press will be circulating the hospital as her father will be there for the next week."
The sad future began to unfold from Richards possible actions. He gave a sigh, he really was in a terrible situation not even he could find a way out of.
"Rachel will find statements in the paper that you have rekindled a relationship with Babs, she will become unstable and distance herself from you. After hearing that there is no relationship, Babs too will distance herself away from you. She will become deeply depressed. She is currently taking medication such as Valium to cope with the stress and anxiety as well as codeine, but with the confusion, physical impairment and the feeling of vulnerability and betrayal circling – she will become dependent on these meds until it becomes prescription abuse."
Kori held her hand up, she knew he would intervene with the statement being something along the lines of 'I'll have her under constant supervision at the time.' But Kori already knew what would happen if that would happen.
"Should you do that, she will run away. There lies an even worse fate."
Richard sighed, this girl really did know what was going to happen. With every word she spoke of previously coming true, he knew this would really happen. He couldn't see his friend abusing pain killers, but then he couldn't see Rachel having a crush on him.
"Okay, I give my word."
Kori slid back, retracting all parts of body so she was not in any form of contact with Richard. Giving a sigh, she looked him deep in the eye.
He gave his word.
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"Richard, the gun shot hit her reproductive organs. Babs is now infertile."
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Richard couldn't breathe. Tensing his eyes shut, he too began to grab his fingers between his ebony locks. Deep breaths in and out, almost to the point of hyperventilation. Kori bowed her head at the sight of the mourning bird. Tears flowed down her silent face, waiting for a reaction. Just anything to signal that he was okay.
Richard shook his head, he was anything but okay.
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"I need to go."
But Kori sprinted to the door, using herself as a barricade. "You gave your word, Richard."
With a fierce yelp, Kori threw her head to the side. Richard had slammed his fist as hard as he could only centimetres away from where her face was previously located. Slowly retracting her head, Kori could see his determination to not break down in front of the alien.
"I'm a terrible friend."
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Comfort him.
Why? I am a stranger. I will not give him warmth he desires.
You will. You are the sweetest girl in existence. Trust me.
And so she did.
Mustering the strongest smile she could, the thought of having someone to embrace gave her the feeling of unbridled joy. To have a person in her arms gave her the power to take on the world. Levelling herself to his tall height, she placed a hand over his still tensed fist.
She thought of all the times she cried her heart, the nights she wept herself to sleep, the times she begged X'hal to send her a person she could shower with affection. Being a loner, Kori knew all too well how she wanted to be comforted. In similar ways, he too was a loner. Putting on a façade to bear the strength of his family and friends, he needed someone of his own to lift him high and steal his pain away.
Kori could help fill this void.
His tense softened the longer Kori kept her hand on his own. A small smile appeared on her face. This new found confidence empowered her to wrap her arms around his muscular neck, whispering in his ear.
"You need not worry, Richard."
Stroking his back, Richard had fallen on her, hands wrapped tightly around her waist. His entire body had fallen on her as he collapsed sobbing. Just caressing his lower back, holding him up and rocking him ever so slightly, Richard began to whisper words of pain and regret in Kori's sternum, but she still rocked him, cooing sounds escaping her thin lips.
As he continued to mourn, she held his beautiful face up, Kori ran her hands through his hair. Recalling herself once in this position, she spoke of words that she longed to hear from another person,
Words she knew herself that would come true.
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"Everything will be okay, Richard. This I promise."
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