Chapter Twenty-One: Thank You For The Venom

(Kori Anders' POV)

My body was tense at the moment... I knew Dick would arrive soon, and I was equally aware that he knew Roy was with me... how could he not? The fact that I ended the phone call with him so abruptly, I knew, only made things worse. When we weren't 'together' he was over protective... now... I knew if I didn't get Roy to leave, he would be furious.

I turned to him... the look upon his face began to affect me. He looked so upset... and confused with me... and I didn't exactly blame him.

"I really need to understand Kor."

My eyes widened, as he stepped closer to me. I could feel his breath beaming down to me in a sweet wave. I cleared my throat. "I get that this is... strange but... I just ... look Dick is gonna be here soon so you should probably just go. It's hard to believe that you went so out of your way to follow me."

"I had to talk to you."

I swallowed hard. "And now you have..." I hesitated as he remained firm in his position before me. I felt bad but in the end... my heart was crying out for Richard... not Roy. I had to be honest... well, to some extent. "Listen... I'm sort of in the middle of something... with someone else."

His eyes widened, and the hurt upon his expression tore at my composure... had I really become this person? ... a person so... cold?

"Who?"

"I... I don't.."

"Who!" He shouted, his anger rising, leaving me to my relentless nerves which had surfaced now.

"I don't think you know him... and even if you did... you don't deserve this... not from me, not from anyone."

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me who." He snapped, stepping closer to me... I had never experienced such anger from him. His tender blue gaze faded into a piercing cold glare.

I lifted a hand to my forehead, shaking my head nervously. "I'm sorry Roy... I can't give you the answers you want. The truth is... I don't have them myself. I don't know exactly where I am in this... thing I have with this..." My eyes glanced to his in a guilty pause. I shrugged. "I ... I don't know what it is. It may not be anything... and ..."

"Is this why you ended things with me? ... because you found someone else?"

I would almost feel bad for him if he was not shouting at me.

"NO... Of course not. I ended things with you because..." I paused, fully taking proper time to analyze the situation. "I wasn't myself,... I was upset and depressed and... Dick and I were fighting..."

"Right... but your not now."

I opened my mouth to reply but fell silent as the lights... everything shut off throughout the room. Fear surged through me at an alarming rate now as the world around us fell silent. Rachel stood immediately, looking to me in hesitation. There was a loud knock upon the door which startled all of us. Rachel pulled the pistol from her backpack and directed it at the door. I covered my eyes as the door knob shook, another loud knock sounding. I paused as Roy placed his arms around my shaking body... my ears focused on nothing more than the sound of Rachel stepping to the door, pulling it open quickly.

"What the hell?" several voices shouted.

My eyes widened in excitement as I noticed Dick standing beside Vic, Gar, and ...Terra? ... Ignoring the others, I stepped past Roy and ran toward Dick. Paying no mind to the glare Dick had daggered into Roy's existence, I stepped to him embracing him. I kept my arms wrapped tightly around him, my eyes shutting in relief as I felt his left arm wrap around me. I lingered in the hug until Gar's voice sounded, causing me to step back in a giggle.

"We're glad to see you too Kor."

I turned to Gar, stepping past Terra and gave him a warm hug... then , doing the same to Vic, I paused, looking to Terra. "It is great to see you again."

She nodded, brushing a blond strand from her face. "Yea... you too."

Chills ran through me as I felt Dick's hand upon my waist, him pulling me into him as Roy stepped toward us. The tension as he spoke was obvious to everyone.

"What are you doing here?"

I looked to Roy nervously. He scratched at his auburn hair, then shrugged. "I'm here for Kori."

A slight, unamused, chuckle escaped Dick. "Yea well..." he paused motioning to the door. "... its best if you just leave."

"Just because she's not my girlfriend at the moment..." Roy began as he stepped toward Dick in a challenging tone... Dick tightening his grip on my waist. "... doesn't mean you can stop me from talking to her. You don't reign over everything she does."

"Is that so." Dick said,... the anger in his voice becoming more apparent to our small group who remained in an awkward, anticipated silence.

"Enough!"

We all came to a halt as Rachel slammed the door shut, locking it quickly. "Everyone just calm down... there's no need to make a scene."

I could see the hesitation on Dick's expression, but,... regardless, we all fell silent, knowing perfectly well Rachel was on edge. It was clear from the mere glare that invaded her eyes in a cold display of anger that it would be best to just listen to her words. I felt bad for her... noticing her brief glance to Terra. Terra and Gar, sure they were together,... but her just being here pissed Rachel off, no matter how much she tried to not let it bother her... I still knew.

Dick situated himself on one of the chairs surrounding a small wooden table in the corner of the room, making sure I took the only other chair, beside him. We all remained quiet... the mood shifting from anger toward Roy to a calmer, more concerned mood for Rachel.

"So... what exactly happened?" Gar said... breaking the silence.

Rachel sighed, crossing her arms in front of her and leaning to the side, against the wall to her left. She paused, passing a glance at Vic who sat beside Terra and Gar on my bed. "I don't want to make a big deal about all this alright."

Dick stood. "Rachel... this is a big deal. WHy haven't you gone to the police?"

Before Rachel could unload her anger on him...I stood, stepping between them. "No one's going to the police about this." I gave Rachel a brief smile, as she looked to me confused. "We are doing this on our own."

"Right." Rachel confirmed. She looked to Dick now. "SO you all wasted your time coming here... Kori and I are leaving tomorrow morning and we wont be back for a while so..."

"If you think I'm letting you drag Kori into this... " Dick said, his voice underlined with anger.

"Don't worry about your precious Kori," Rachel replied, stepping to her black backpack and placing the pistol back into it. "I've got it covered."

Dick looked to me in disappointment. "Did you know about this?" I nodded. "Look... Rachel... we're going to do this together... the way we always have."

"Yea dude... put that thing away." Gar said in disgust.

It was now that Vic stood. "Put it away Rae... we don't need it."

Rachel tossed the gun back into her back pack then turned to me with a sigh. "Fine... everyone stays... but we stay together. No one leaves."

Roy sent me a smile. "Good."

"I don't think so..." Dick said ignoring the sigh of frustration as Rachel crossed her arms before him... her patience in this moment thinning. "Rachel... we don't need him here. He's just in the way."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "He stays... maybe then he can calm Kori down."

"I can keep Kori calm... he..."

"I don't want to hear it." Rachel shouted. "I could leave all of you behind if you like."

"Stop!" I shouted... my eyes watering in frustration. I inhaled deeply. "She's right... everyone stays."

"Kori..."Dick said, his eyes pleading before me.

I shook my head. "Look Roy and Terra know too much already... its better if we all stay together."

It quieted down for a long while... everyone in deep thought. I glanced to Dick... who sat across from me. He looked upset and I knew it wasn't merely because of Roy's presence... it was because I defended Roy. But that wasn't what everyone else was feeling... the silence... it lingered because of Rachel's father... we were all trying to decide what we could do. In a moment of utter fear... we banded together... we were all we had against this unknown enemy... and enemy we obviously knew from the past... but with this much time having gone by... we weren't sure what to expect. We knew, even in our silence, that Rachel's father was dangerous and while the logical option would have been to got o the cops... inside, we all knew it wasn't worth the trouble. IF anyone knew our enemy best,... it was Rachel. And if she was hell-bent on keeping the cops out of this and fleeing ... I was with her... the whole way.

I jumped slightly as my phone rang. I felt the eyes of the entire room fall upon me as I stared down at the caller ID on my phone.

"Who is it?" Dick asked.

I shrugged then lifted the phone to my ear, my voice answering in a nervous shake. "H-hello?"

There it was again... the breathing into the mouth piece... my eyes widened. "Who is this?" I knew who it was... as did everyone else as they observed the fear on my face.

The voice sounded now, a gruff, uneven tone. "You know who it is."

I stood. "What do you want?"

Rachel stepped to me now... taking the phone from my grasp... her voice yelling through the mouthpiece now. "Leave my friends out of this you sick son of a bitch... this is about you and me."

Fear settled over me further as Rachel's eyes widened over me... then she quickly ended the call. She hesitated... then tossing the phone down at the ground she unleashed the contents of her water bottle over it.

"What are you doing?" I shouted as I watched my phone slowly die.

She looked to me with a slight amount of fear in her eyes. "We need to go... he knows where we are."

There was a pause as the mood surrounding us relinquished itself into fear... and a part of me could tell there was more information she had gathered from the phone call... and while I wasn't sure why she felt the need to keep something from me... I knew there was more to the situation. I could tell from the look in her eyes.

"We're going to the Manor." Dick said. We all turned to him hesitantly,... somewhat anticipating Rachel's response. "...look Bruce leaves with Alfred tomorrow morning. We can stay there until all of this blows over."we can't run from this."

Rachel sighed. "We need to get as far from here as possible... the Manor..."

"The Manor is the safest place to be right now." Dick said, stepping to Rachel, his gaze endearing yet confident. He placed a hand upon her shoulder. "We can't run from this... we wont run from him."

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(Dick Grayson's POV)

So... I finally managed to bring things to calm. We remained in the Manor now... and to be honest it wasn't all that exciting to be opening my house to Roy of all people, but aside from that... things seemed, ... alright, I guess. Vic and Gar fell into their usual habits...destroying the kitchen with the odd concoctions of what they referred to as food... and while Rachel remained in her cautious... jumpy attitude... I could tell she felt better to be around all of us. My only issue was that of Kori... I had hardly had time with her since we arrived at the Manor last night... Roy didn't exactly help the issue either. He was constantly trying to pull her aside... convince her that he was worth one more chance... and while his arrogance pissed me off... I couldn't help but laugh. Kori may not have been her normal self but I knew it was only a result of her fear of the current situation we all faced. She still... when we were alone to ourselves, had allowed me the freedom to adore her and our secret love affair was... to my relief... not put on hold.

It was morning now, ... I awoke to find Kori missing from the bed beside me... the scent of her sweet presence still lingered beside me. Rubbing at my eyes, I released a yawn, then took tot he hallway. I narrowed my against the rays of the sun in the living room where Rachel sat, her nose in a book, and the curtains which were normally closed, were now wide open. I gave her a brief nod... a gesture she ignored entirely and I was in no mood to protest to the lack of conversation... I was in search of Kori. I stepped from the living room and shook my head with a smile as the ecstatic voices of Vic and Gar sounded. They were in a usual argument... one we were all too familiar with. Why they could never simply accept the difference in each others tastes was beyond me... Gar was vegetarian and Vic wasn't... get over it... they should know by now they will always clash in the department of food.

I smiled as my eyes lay upon Kori... she looked nothing short of amazing this morning. She sat with eager eyes set on Vic and Gar's argument... sending a giggle to the air now and then. I stepped to her... she turned to gaze to me, tightening the messy bun, her red hair remained in.

"Morning." She said with a smile.

"Good morning." I replied. She hesitated as I leaned toward her sending a kiss to her cheek. This whole secrecy thing was beginning to get on my nerves, and I had begun to slowly give in in certain instances... not that she wasn't constantly flashing me wide eyes in warning. I merely smiled through them... knowing perfectly well she would never really be upset with me... she enjoyed it each time we touched just as much as I did... and I took advantage of that fact. I paused looking to a tired eyed Terra. "Whats up?"

She shrugged. "Do they always do this?"

I looked to Vic and Gar. "Yes... yes they do. You get used to it eventually."

It was now that Gar looked to me. "Come on dude, Dick... will you please tell Vic that ..."

He fell silent as I shook my head. "I'm not getting in the middle of your argument... I've learned from past mistakes. You two continue on your own."

I smiled as Kori giggled. "It amazes me you two are capable of recreating the same argument over and over again... you've all heard the insults you have against one another... does it not get old after a while?"

It was now that they both fell silent, sending Kori into a giggle again. I smiled as she turned toward, Terra, her hand placed gently upon my leg beneath the table, as she spoke to her. "So, Terra... are you comfortable living here? I feel horrible that you were drawn into all of this."

Terra shrugged. "Its cool... I don't have much else to do. It's actually nice to be involved in this circle of friendship you all have...its a change for me."

"Well,.. we're glad to have you." I added.

"Yea... I can barely contain my excitement." Rachel added, joining us at the table... Vic and Gar soon joining as well.

I paused, lowering my hand to Kori's beneath the table, my thumb caressing back and forth against her soft skin. "Rachel... how are you feeling today?"

Her looked to me with a sigh, casting her violet hair behind her... "It's whatever... I"m fine."

"I propose we all spend some time together today..." Kori said with a finger raised in the air in excitement. "Perhaps a movie ...?"

I laughed, in response to Rachel's distaste in the matter... regardless... she shrugged.

We all finished breakfast then merged our way into the living room... the decision on a movie proving far more difficult to agree to. Noticing the argument everyone remained in I casually took Kori by the arm... taking her into the hallway.

She looked up to me with a hesitant smile. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head, lowering my lips to hers. "I just want time with you... just you and me."

It was not that she giggled, lifting herself on her tiptoes, a hand fixing itself behind my neck as she pulled me into another, drawn out kiss. I was beginning to enjoy myself when the sound of someone clearing their throat beside us in the hallway sounded. I shut my eyes in frustration as a squeal of panic set in over Kori. We both turned to find a displeased Roy.

He looked to me with gritted teeth. "Can I have a word?"

I hesitated, basking in the moment of anger and jealousy he felt for my current situation with Kori... my hand still firm upon her waist. I smiled at him. "Sure..." I paused looking down at Kori,,... she stared back at Roy nervously, and ignoring her discomfort I placed a hand beneath her chin, drawing one last kiss from her. "I'll join you in a moment."

She looked to me with narrowed eyes and I could tell she was disappointed in my behavior at the moment, ... she knew I was just trying to rub in the fact that she was with me and not Roy... but I didn't care. As her frail figure moved passed Roy in the hallway, her head lowered to the floor in guilt... I smiled back at Roy with a shrug. "Is there something you need?"

He shook his head at me. "I should have known you were the one."

"What do you mean?" To be honest I wasn't sure what he was referring to.

"When Kori said she was involved with someone..." He hesitated releasing a chuckle of annoyance. Me... I was actually surprised Kori had mentioned anything about the situation. Roy rubbed at his mouth in thought. "... I should of known it was you. Who else would try to take her from me?"

"She isn't anyone else's to claim... so yea... you should have known." I smiled confidently. "Is that all?"

His gaze hardened against mine... "This isn't over Dick." He stepped toward me, his voice unable to fully mask his anger in the moment... a moment I found was rather enjoyable... at least for me. "We all know your habits... who do you think she'll come running to once you've had your way with her and no longer desire her?"

My smile faded in response to his, my jaw tightened in held back rage. I inhaled deeply, allowing him a moment to enjoy his preconceived ideas and theories, then I stepped closer to him, my posture straightening in a challenging demeanor, my eyes unblinking. "Believe what you will Roy..." I shook my head. "... I'm not like that anymore. I'm with Kori for good."

His laughter made it even harder to hold back my need to smack the smile from his face. He took a step back, his hands at his sides. "Sure... what ever you say..." He paused, his expression turning serious once more. "I'm just giving you fair warning... enjoy her now... I'll just be here ...waiting to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart once you grow tired of her."

I remained in the hallway a long while, merely engulfed in the anger I felt at his audacity to approach me in such a way... and at the same time trying to suppress my emotions of anger inorder to return to Kori without rising suspicion in her.

When I finally joined everyone in the living room again, I sat beside Kori, who immediately looked to me with worried eyes. I gave her a kiss upon the forehead and ignored her concern... my mind still struggling against Roy's words. We were half way through the movie before the sound of someones phone ringing, invaded the air. Vic paused the movie as we all looked to an obviously disturbed Rachel. She stared down at her phone then looked to Kori... her eyes struggling to mask the fear she clearly felt in the moment.

"I should go to her." Kori said as Rachel stood and exited the room.

"No..." Gar said, removing his arm from Terra and stepping to Kori. "...I'll take this one."

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(Rachel Roth's POV)

I sat ever so still upon a bar stool within the kitchen now... basking in the silence. The air hung around me in a heavy thick fog. I knew my mind was immune to the forceful attempts I had thrust to bring its screaming to a calm... but I kept at it anyway. I inhaled deeply, my eyes shut ... I could hear conversation in the next room but to be honest I couldn't stand their company at the moment. And like my luck has continued to prove, with the past... when I really was enjoying my silence... someone would interrupt.

"Hey Rae..." Came that squeaky voice I had become so fond of.

I sighed... trying to ignore him. Sure, I had a soft spot for Gar, but with everything going on... all the thoughts swarming my concentration... I didn't need this right now. I peeled an eye open as I felt Gar's presence upon the stool beside me. "I'd rather not do this right now."

I paused, looking to him narrow eyed as his composure slouched into a sense of depression and worry. His large emerald eyes poured concern over me, and while I tried to convince myself it didn't affect me... it did. I inhaled deeply, resuming my mild attempt of meditation.

"Look... I just wanna say that..." he paused as I looked to him again. I figured... what the hell I might as well hear him out... it's not as though if I ignored him he would just go away... we all know him far better than that. I raised a brow in his direction as he diverted his gaze to the ground, in search of his words, his hand raking through that disturbing mess of green hair. "...I wanna make sure you're alright."

"I'm Fine." I replied carelessly.

There was a brief pause... his voice sounding now in an even more nervous state. "I just... I'm worried about you. Your father hasn't stopped harassing you nor has he made a move." I swallowed hard against his concerned gaze. "Rae... what are we doing here? We should have gone to the police before any of this happened."

"We can't Gar... you need to understand that." I was quickly becoming frustrated with his presence. I didn't need a lecture at the moment... I had Kori for that, and my patience was already thinning. I paused as he shifted his body toward mine in a heavy sigh.

"You know... you really aren't as tough as you seem."

"Yes well, ... don't tell anyone else." I replied sarcastically.

"I mean... sure, your fearless,... but... " My arched brow quivered slightly, my attention anticipating his continuation of such a statement. His shoulders lifted in a shrug. "I can see through the walls you force around yourself in order to keep yourself guarded... we all have weaknesses Rae... and sometimes ... sometimes its alright to let them be seen."

I hesitated, my gaze focused upon his... I hated him in this moment... but he was right... I guess. Inhaling deeply I shrugged his words away. "Is there any more wisdom you wish to share with me?" I heard a sigh of annoyance escape him. "What?"

"What are you avoiding?"

I rolled my eyes. "The inevitable I suppose."

"You don't have to be so guarded around me... it's just me."

"I'm not..." I laughed. "This is who I am Gar... you know that."

"You weren't always this dark person... you used to have... hope."

"Hope is for the weak Gar... and its something I can't afford to be exposed to right now." I looked to him with a shrug. "Are we done here?"

He shook his head... "It's ok to be afraid... we all are."

"I told you Gar... I'm not afraid, just... anticipating this end... his end."

"So you're willing to risk everything around you to bring him down?"

"Don't ask something you wont like the answer to. I'm merely being honest with you."

"Are you?"

My eyes narrowed... I could feel the beginning of a headache forming in my mind. "I don't even know how to interpret that? What are you talking about?"

"Rachel,... I know you think you know what you want. The problem is,... events in your life have hardened your heart, made you shun emotion, dilute feelings." He shook his head. "You don't know what will happen should your father finally strike against us... who will get hurt or..." He sighed heavy now. "Must it really take losing something for you to realize what you would truly be sacrificing? "

I hesitated... his words stinging at my thoughts now. "I..."I exhaled heavily. "I can't shake this foundation I've built Gar... not now... not after all this time I spent building this tolerance to him. He has..." I looked to him, angry that the fact that I knew my expression was not of the determination I felt in this moment, but the fear of the situation we found ourselves in. "He's done so much to break me down... I can't let his reign over my life continue. He's hurt the people I care about and he's never going to stop until one of us is dead... its me or him... and I choose him. It has to end."

I paused as his eyes lowered once again... hesitation settling over him. I inhaled deeply, then paused as he spoke. "I think you've focused enough on all the negatives..." I felt myself become still as his eyes focused on mine now. "... maybe... maybe it wouldn't hurt to take a look at the positive sides in all of this... the negatives will still be there tomorrow."

My entire body went numb as I felt his hand position itself upon my knee... he leaned forward, his lips pressing themselves against mine unexpectedly. I felt a strange emotion settle over me but before I could fully digest what was happening Gar stood. I could see the hesitancy in his eyes as he stepped to the door. He paused in the kitchen doorway and looked back at me once more.

"Things will get better. We'll survive this... all of us... together."

I swallowed hard... I can't believe that of all people, its Gar who has left me speechless.

"Take your time Rae, we're all here when your ready to let us in." He said before vanishing into he other room and joining the others.

I remained still... what the fuck just happened?

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(A/N) Just the beginning of the Gar and Rachel's ... I guess you could say beginning. Fun Fact... in the comics, just before BB and Raven share their fist kiss, Gar comforts her by saying "I think you've worried enough about the bad...so why don't we focus on the good for a change?" This quote was really touching to me especially since Raven is so hard to break through to in some instances... totally loved this chapter... I hope you did as well. Please remember to R/R =] ... Also, just posted a new story so, do me a favor and check it out, let me know what you think, its a little different then this one, but still decent =]