(A/N This chapter may be a little more violent then usual)

Chapter Twenty-Three: Here's To The Fallen

(Kori Anders POV)

His eyes, those hollowed out burning coals that stared back at me with such rage, such thrill, they consumed the entirety of my vision now. My entire body, every limb, every nerve, which was previously numb to existence suddenly sprung to life in a wave of immense pain. Mr. Roth's calloused hand lunged toward me, gripping at my throat so tightly, air was a memory now. I was only aware of a few things. One, the smile plastered across his gritted yellow teeth, the stench of his sweaty, alcohol scented presence clinging to the small amount of air fighting for recognition in my lungs, which was quickly evaporating, the satisfaction in his eyes as mine began to glaze over, my body convulsing ,... I knew this was the last way I ever wanted to die. His face, his horribly scarred face, it was never this bad. What he had been through to earn him such scars I wasn't sure, but as he thrust me back against a wall the world around me fell into silence. I could hear nothing aside from the train of thought which moved at an epic slow, taunting pace. For those who believe your life flashes before your eyes when you die, if this was it for me, that wasn't happening. My mind was focused on one thing and that was my attacker. My eyes pleading before him, the act of desperation only feeding his hunger.

Two, the other thing I knew, Terra was sitting somewhere in the room. And while I knew I couldn't see her, I knew she could see me. I knew very well, that unless she had fled and I was unaware of it, which to be honest was perfectly capable of being a possibility, in the end she was doing nothing to help me. We had taken her in as friends, perhaps not with as much of a warmed welcoming, but I had truly tried my best to make her feel comfortable. And this was it, this was the moment, my body convulsing in an even more of a riot against Mr. Roth's iron grip which had thrust me back into the room and against the wall behind me. Time, minutes, seconds, I don't know, which is where I come to number Three, I knew I was running out of time. I was running out of breath, the pain which had surged through me relentlessly the entire time was beginning to sharpen. Even as I forced both of my hands against his single death grip upon me, there was no way I was getting out of this on my own. My vision around me, while mostly devoured by Mr. Roth's presence, it slowly began to flicker, ever noise, every grunt of excitement and satisfaction of his actions receded into nothing more than vibrating sounds which suffocated me further. Suddenly, I felt a numbness, a static like emotion slowly begin to devour my body. It began in toes, moving ever so slowly, as if patience was the lesson in all of this, it crept up my body, rising like a wave of death. Maybe it was because my brain was finally beginning to give in, to shut down, but I couldn't feel anything now. My entire body, even my hands as they fell from his grip lifelessly, it was as if they ceased to exist. I felt myself, my weight, begin to fade. My mouth opened once more to inhale, inhale something that wasn't there, that wasn't being received, his grip tightening as my eyelids began to give way. I could see through my eyes that my surroundings were beginning to fog on the edges, the black rim surfacing around my sight began to close in. The last thing I would ever see, it would be him, his greasy smile, his lifeless eyes as they widened now, focusing on mine intently as if taking in every second of my death would be nothing short of the thrill he was looking for, and unfortunately, he would get it.

Then, without reason, to me, he suddenly released me. Every nerve in my body awoke to the throbbing, agonizing pain which surged through my body as it attempted to reboot itself. I fell from his grasp and onto the floor, face down hard, unaware of where he was or why he had spared me, or if being spared is even what you would call it. My vision was worse now, black splotches danced across my blurred vision. My throat, while it struggled immensely to deliver air to my lungs, it still did, maybe in harsh, stressed, painful intakes, but breath none the less. My lungs and mouth coughed violently, as my mind tried to gather as much strength in this moment. I lifted my eyes to my surroundings, my body refusing to lift itself, and as I looked around I couldn't blink enough to clear my vision. My eyes remained clouded in utter confusion, which was frustrating enough in itself for I knew every inch of the Manor, every room, and yet, I could not figure out where I was, nor did I recall the room in which I had stepped into when hearing Terra's frantic voice earlier. Everything was gone, at least for the moment.

I felt my body convulse once more before a loud,excruciating cough stabbed at my throat again. Feeling slowly began to reignite in my body, and while it was painful I attempted to lift myself at the very least into a seated position. It was as if with every movement I was activating the strength of a poison as it invaded my veins, but I fought against it with everything I had. I blinked once more, my eyes noticing Mr. Roth. Then, the sounds around me, everything came rushing back to me like a hurricane. I could feel my panting, my hoarse throat cowering before a vicious, undying cough, and I could hear Terra now. My weak eyes narrowed over a tangled blond mess in the direction of the muffled screams. I could see Terra now, her body as it fought against Mr. Roth's who lingered over her, tossing blows of his violent fists down at her. I opened my mouth to speak, to tell him to leave her alone, because I knew at this point, she was the only reason I was still alive. I was convinced she must have tried to flee from the room as he attacked, which is the only reason for his sudden, mistaken, mercy as he released me. I tried to force the words from my mouth again, her cries vibrating in echoes against my eardrums, but my voice could not be found. I couldn't speak, and while my attempts did not desist, I knew I was getting no where. If either of us had a chance of getting out of here, I would have to make a move.

I coughed once more, forcing my body to glance around the room again. I still had no clue where I was, I was in the Manor, that's all I could tell you. Then there it was... my escape. I could see the doorknob only a few feet from me, a few feet which I take advantage of in everyday life thinking this distance as nothing more than a few steps in any normal sense, but now,... now it might as well have been a mile away. My body shuttered in pain as I turned toward the door. It was a moment that's hard to explain, aside from the missing pain I suppose you could relate it to when your leg falls asleep. Your staring down at your body, your mind focusing with everything to spark the nerves in your body to move, even if just an inch, it would progress, and yet, nothing. I glanced back at Terra once more, her cries had began to fade, and I could see blood forming in a pool beside her. Inhaling deeply, I turned back to the door digging my nails into the wood floor and pulling, scratching, everything I could, the entire moment happening too slow for me, too painfully. And then... then I was there. My throat, and the scarce breathe that suffered within me grew more stressed but I couldn't stop now, I lifted my hand, tears falling from my cheeks, and I gripped the doorknob tightly. I tried to lift myself against its stationary position but all I was capable of was opening the door.

The moment the door was open panic rose in me. I tried to scream, to call for anyone, but my voice would not carry in the high volume I demanded of it at this moment. I could hear Terra fall silent, heavy footsteps coming toward me now. I knew, I knew all my effort would go on wasted, he had caught me now. My mind began to race, it was only a few seconds before his grip would be on me again. Suddenly my eyes lowered to my wrist, the bracelet Dick had given me for my birthday, it was the brightest thing, the only thing with vibrant rays of color emanating from it. I immediately forced it off my wrist tossing it to the center of the hallway, and just as expected, I felt a tight grip on me again. While my scream came off as silent to the world, my insides cried out in agony. Mr. Roth had tightened a fist into my hair pulling me back with immense force, shutting the door behind us.

Now this moment, this moment happened all too quickly. I felt the pain of his fingers laced within my hair pull tightly, and as I looked down at myself I could see that he had lifted me onto my knees. He dragged my body, and don't think me so weak, I tried to fight back, I tried to kick and scream, and claw at him, but I just wasn't all there in this moment. I felt my eyes go wide as his footing came to a halt. I could hear his voice spring to life in criminal words, his tongue lashing a threat at me, but I comprehended none of it. My mind was focused on nothing more than the edge of the desk he had stopped before. Me eyes widened and I tried to scream one last time, but I was too late, he pulled my head back then thrust it forward. I saw the desk coming toward me, or me coming toward it, and a loud, sharp pain invade me before the darkness overshadowed, then, then it was silence, my world fell into a black hole of nothingness.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT TTTTTTTTT

(Rachel Roth's POV)

Pacing... pacing was all I could do. My mind was beyond meditation at this point, and I don't know if it was because of the strength of what I was feeling or that I didn't want to stop feeling it. I released a growl of frustration into the silent air around me. My feet had wandered violently back and forth this large room for the past twenty minutes, no solution being found for the conflicted... I guess, emotions... I felt. It was all becoming more then I wanted to deal with at the moment. Why am I having a mental break down you ask? I'm fairly certain you are aware that Gar was my momentary issue as of now. Why he would kiss me, I don't know, but while I wished I could admit my complete and utter disdain for the action, I couldn't. A part of me was pleased that it happened. If there was one thing to drive my thoughts from my father, it would have been that. But then again, that's where the conflict ignites fully. Why did he do it? Was it merely to occupy my mind during my frustration, or was it because the pathetic little shit that I had fallen for was actually one for requited feelings?

If there's one thing I hate most in this world, it's not knowing something. Not in terms of gossip or, whatever else pathetic means of knowledge I depict pointless, no I hated not knowing the facts. I read books because books were safe. They were never misleading, they were always solid, never-changing. What was meant to be written in a novel remained that way, burned into every page with black ink. And Gar, well, Gar pissed me off even more now because he was not only irritating me when in his presence, no, he was actually now pissing me off in my own thoughts. Thoughts which refused to take a break.

I could hear my breathing increase, then I would focus on it and it would calm, then I would focus back on my thoughts and the entire process would need to be repeated. To say I was struggling internally would be an understatement, I was struggling mentally and physically... I had to get out of here. I had to get some fresh air. I knew that as much as I hated to discuss my feelings, something inside me told me I had to find Kori. Whether I spoke about these relentless passing thoughts or remained silence, I needed her presence.

Inhaling deeply I grabbed my sweater from the bed beside me, quickly shoving it on then pulling my thick blue hood over my head I stepped into the hallway. I took one step then paused. My eyes narrowed as my mind completely drained of all my vicious circling thoughts that had consumed me. I wasn't sure what it was that caused this but it was as if something in the air effected me subconsciously. I could feel my eyes flicker back and forth down the hallway, the heaving of my chest only becoming noticeable to me as I looked down at my shaky hands. My eyes narrowed, what could it be? What could have happened in the few seconds that I had taken to step into the hallway? What could have changed?

I felt the essence of fear rising in me, and yet, I couldn't figure out why. The silence in the hallway shifted itself before me in a demented, decrepit, taunting silence now. I knew there was something happening that my mind was aware of that I had yet to become alert to fully. I kept telling myself that it was nothing, because I knew for a fact that if my father had been here, Dick would have been the first to know. There was no way to gain entry passed the Manor gates without alerting someone.

I lifted my feet slowly stepping down the hallway, the feeling yet to subside. My eyes were wide, I knew it, and I couldn't stop them from gaping out in every direction as if every small sound was a clue, a hint at what I was feeling and why. I tried to focus on my breathing, the corridor never seeming so dark, nor so long, in any of the past times I had ventured down it. The Manor seemed more like an old house of torture at the moment. The high ceilings, the old pieces of decoration that scattered across the narrowing walls, it all seemed wrong. Without removing my eyes from ahead of me, I lifted my phone to my vision, immediately texting Kori about her whereabouts, but there was no reply. This alone set in my fear more, not because the possibility of Kori being asleep didn't cross my mind, it again, was more of the sensation that jabbed at my thoughts pleading for me to be cautious.

Replacing my phone into my pocket I quickly passed a glance behind me. The hallway stretched back into darkness, and while I knew it was the fear in my mind that was casting demons in the shadows, I was becoming more frustrated that I couldn't shake this feeling, and that, if anything, it was growing, heightening. Still undefined, yet still drenched in danger. I jumped slightly as a small crunch sounded beneath my left foot as I brought it down in front of me. I paused, looking up the hallway ahead of me, then back behind me once more, then I knelt, moving my foot. My eyes narrowed as my hand lifted the object in which I had stepped on. My gaze lingered over it as I straightened my posture once more, lifting the gold bracelet toward the light.

"Kori's bracelet?" I whispered to myself.

I knew she never took it off, and it was right in this moment that, that taunting feeling became realized. This emotion had a face now, and a scarring one at that. It was as a whiff of air seeped from beneath the door frame to me left that the realization set over me. My eyes widened. I knew that stench anywhere. It didn't matter how long I had been away from it, no amount of years could strip that toxic, disgusting scent of alcohol, sweaty musk and cigars from my memory. I could feel my breathing increase at a uncontrolable rate, my eyes widening on the door to my left. My shaking hand dropped the bracelet from between my fingers and I had to force myself to turn the doorknob. I knew what I'd find, I knew someone was hurt, I knew this was the moment that had haunted my every waking day, tormented my dreams, altering them into nightmares, all since I was eight years old. I could feel my eyes glaze, and while I knew I wasn't crying I knew on the inside I had never been more terrified. My entire body was shuttering with unbearable shaking, but I had to continue.

As I forced the door open my every fear came to life. There he was, his gruff, demonic figure turning to mine. My breath became hard to contain, I felt as though my lungs were never satisfied, my mind rebuilding the scene of my dead mother all over again. There was blood on his face, pouring from his lips, his knuckles, his eyes gleaming with insane hunger. There was only a second I had to notice Kori lying face down in a pool of blood, whether she was alive or not, I didn't know, but it would be all my fault. I hitched my breath in my throat and immediately tried to race down the hallway back to my room. My weapon, the one thing I demanded everyone let me have without argument, I didn't have it on me. I had told Kori not to worry that I would protect her and there she was lifeless. And as much as I wanted to see if she was alright, as much as I needed to know that she was alive, I couldn't let my father win.

The moment his eyes lay upon me, a sick queasy smile surface from his torn and bloodied lips and he immediately lunged toward me. As I turned back to my room into the hallway, a scream surfaced from my lungs, I had felt his fingers claw at my side, me only escaping by sheer luck. The entire moment, the hallway, the sound of my strained breath, the sound of his eager panting trying to reach me, it all fell around me with a disturbing amount of recollection. I was focusing on the hallway before me, trying to run as fast as I possibly could, the fear of him being right behind me only making this harder, and yet my mind kept showing vibrant flashes of the day he first tried to kill. I was eight, but I remember it, especially when it played so often in my taunting thoughts and nightmares. The anxiety in my chest streamed relentlessly in my chest, my feet and legs never feeling so heavy. I could see my door now but the harder I focused on it, the farther it seemed to flee. I knew it was in my mind and that I would reach it eventually, I just didn't know if I would make it there without being caught in his grasp.

I felt a single tear strip itself from my eyes lid, watering my vision slightly. I inhaled deeply at the sound of his taunting breath as it crept closer to me. I knew if I looked back and saw how close he was to catching me that I would lose precious moment of time to reach the door so I continued. I felt my chest heave as I stopped before my door, my hand reaching out to the door knob. I thrust it open, and in the corner of my eyes I saw him plunge toward me. There was no amount of time for me to react or move out of his path. He had shoved me back into the door, his firm grip finding its way quickly to the back of my neck, shoving me to the floor within the room. As he shut the door behind him, locking it, I immediately lashed my body toward the backpack which remained beneath my bed. I was inches from it, my fingers scraping the side of its fabric before I was being pulled away violently.

I turned my body to face him, my free leg kicking at his chest sending him back into the wall behind him, a loud grunt escaping him. I tried to reach for the gun again, but his presence forced itself upon me once again, this time with a hand fixing his fingers in my hair. A tried to stifle the pain as it settled over me, I didn't want him to have the satisfaction of hearing me cry out in pain at his hand. There was no words in this moment, just anger being exerted in a struggle against each other.

He yanked back at his grip on my hair once more, bringing my face at an angle to him, as he smiled, soaking in my distressed state. Gritting my teeth I brought my elbow back into his face. IT didn't make him release me, but it loosened his grip enough to give me more room for movement. I immediately lifted a leg between his legs. Now this, this I was certain would make him release me, but it didn't. As he knelt now in pain, struggling against my attack, he yanked my head down with him, making me fall flat upon my back.

He stared down at me, his eyes glowing in a never-ending black gaze his scelra bloodshot and gleaming red in anger. His brows raised and a laugh, a demonic laugh, one that would belong to the insane, a laugh of a killer who shows no remorse focused down on my. His eyes widened in excitement. "No matter how much you fight Rae,... you will never get away."

My eyes shut slightly as he pulled back on my hair again. I brought my hands up against his trying to pull myself free of his grasp, sending a foot to his chest now. Finally, while the pain was annoying, I finally managed to free myself of his grasp, his hands still gripped the purple strands of my hair in which he had managed to keep ahold of. Before he could regain his balance I jumped to my feet taking the glass lamp on the corner table beside my bed and I bashed it against his skull, fleeing the room.

I shut the door behind me, another scream released from my lips as I backed into something. I turned to find a confused Vic staring back at me. Without explanation I took his hand, pulling him down the hallway toward the front door. I need a moment to think, a moment to absorb all that was happening. Vic only quickening his pace, falling silent at the sound of my father growling in anger behind the door as he scrambled through the mess I had made around him.

"What the hell Rachel? What happened to you?" Vic shouted as we reached the living room.

My breathing was panicked and all over the place as I tried to explain. "He... the son of a bitch is here?" I swallowed hard. "He fucking found us."

Vic's eyes widened. "How? How did he get it? The Manor is ..."

"The only way he could have gotten in undetected is if someone let him in."

Vic's eyes narrowed. "That just leaves Roy or Terra."

"We need to call Dick."

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

(Richard Grayson's POV)

"Come on, don't look at me that way," I laughed as Gar's cheesy smile settled over his features.

I rolled my eyes as his squeaky voice sounded now. "I knew you two would finally get together." He paused, sitting back upon my bed. "So... whats it like? ... ya know, kissing your best friend?"

"I don't have time for this."

"Ahh, so I really did interrupt something important." His eyes widened, his brows wiggling suggestively.

"Don't talk about Kori like that. When it comes to Kori and I... I don't even want you thinking about us holding hands, just the thought of you thinking of us it... its strange." I sighed running a hand through my hair, trying to calm myself from the heated moment with Kori moments ago. I was completely frustrated with Gar at the moment. It seemed as though he always had a way of ruining certain intimate situations, not just with Kori, but in the past with other girls as well. It was as if he had this internal alarm clock that picked up on certain situations.

"Are you happy?" He asked.

I paused, lowering my gaze to the floor, a smile creeping across my face. Yes, yes I was. Kori was the best thing that had happened to me since the day I first met her, and now, she was the surprise in my life that I hadn't excepted but would cherish everyday. I nodded, a slight blush gracing my cheeks. The fact alone that Kori was willing to be open about our relationship and allow it to no longer be a secret, I was even more happy. "Yea, man..." I looked to him now. Shaking my head at his cheesy smile, and laughing. "I don't think I've ever been this happy."

His smile stretched even further across his cheeks, grinning ear to ear. "Glad to hear it dude."

I cleared my throat, now. I didn't mind mentioning Kori, but I was in no way willing to go into detail about her relationship with me to Gar of all people. I hesitated. "Wait, didn't you come here to tell me something?"

To be honest, because of Kori I was certain I knew this had to do with Rachel, but I played oblivious nonetheless. He nodded, his once enthusiastic smile fading, replaced by a drooping frown, his posture receding into a slouch. "Yea, dude, I... I don't know what to really do right now and since your good with women I was hoping... I just..."

"What happened?" I asked. Sure I felt bad that my voice came off more as impatient with him in his time of need, but I was far more irritated that he had interrupted Kori and I for this conversation which probably could have waited until morning.

"I kinda, sorta... might have kissed Rachel."

I laughed, sounding far less sympathetic than I naturally intended. The fact being that while I knew this was what he was going to tell me, when it actually came from him it sounded absurd. I shook my head. "No... I don't mean to laugh I just... I'm surprised she let you live."

Gar sighed, laying back upon the bed. "Tell me about it. I don't know what happened dude I just... did it."

"Do you regret it?"

He hesitated, his brows burrowing. "No... I don't think I so."

"So whats the problem?"

"Dude, Terra, duh." He replied in an annoyed tone as he propped himself up on his elbows. "Oh, right also lets not forget that this is Rachel. I should be counting my lucky stars that she didn't kill me for kissing her in the first place. I don't actually expect her to consider letting me do it again or..."

As he fell into silence I saw a small light eliminate from behind him. My eyes narrowed. "What is that?"

Gar hesitated, trying to understand what I was motioning to. He turned on his side, then lifted a phone into his grasp. "Uh your phone."

I stepped toward him, knowing perfectly well that my phone was in my pocket. "It must have fallen out of Kori's pocket when..." I fell silent as my eyes skimmed over the text. "Look who it's from." I said giving Gar a taunting smile. "Rachel... your dream girl."

RACHEL: Where are you?

Gar rolled his eyes, and yet, as he began a rant on how childish I was for teasing him, my mind wandered back to the phone in confusion. When Kori left she said she was going to find Rachel, so why was Rachel texting about where Kori was? My mind paused for a moment then as I went back to the phone's inbox my anger immediately rose. At some point today she had texted Roy. It wasn't my place to read them but my jealousy got the best of me once again and I did. I began pacing, unaware of Gar's ranting beside me. My eyes focused on the last text from Roy. It was an unread text but I checked it just the same.

ROY: Meet me in the back by the pool at midnight.

I gritted my teeth, the realization that not only was Kori speaking with Roy and hiding it from me, but that this, by the pool, was certainly where she was, Rachel's text merely confirming my suspicions. Before I could devise a plan within my head as to how I would deal with Roy, a loud bang sounded within the Manor. Gar and I both jumped slightly.

He turned to me wide-eyed. "What was that?"

I paused listening once more... nothing. I stepped to the door, shoving it open, me and Gar stepping out into its dark silence. My eyes narrowed over the long hallway before I paused looking back to Gar. "Look, you go find Rachel,.."

"What?' He said nervously. "I can't go see her after what I've done."

I shoved him back against the wall. "I'm asking you to do this for me."

As he left hesitantly, I began making my way to the pool. It took me a brief moment but as I stepped out into the cool night, I checked Kori's phone once more, ... 11:59 pm

I gritted my teeth as Roy's voice asserted itself into the cold night.

"Kori?"

His eyes narrowed as I stepped into the light. A brief silence following us as we glared back at each other. "I told you to stay away from her. Your lucky I'm even letting you stay in my house."

Roy rolled his eyes, looking to the pool now. "I can't believe she actually went to you about this."

"She didn't I discovered it on my own. The point is that you shouldn't be trying to sneak around with her in the first place."

Roy laughed now. "Kind of hypocritical don't you think?" My jaw tightened in anger. "I mean, you... the whole time I was with her you had your claws so far deep into her skin she couldn't call me without checking with you first."

"Doesn't matter. I don't have to justify myself to you." I turned to leave now. "I'll only ask once more Roy, stay away from her before things get ugly."

"Have you slept with her yet?"

The arrogance in his voice brought me to an abrupt halt. I could feel my heart beat quicken in a uncontrolable rage. I turned back to him. "Don't for one second try to get me to believe she would ever sleep with you."

"Don't pretend to believe it's not a possibility. Did you ask her?"

"I don't have to. Kori wouldn't do that. You two weren't together long enough in the first place."

He laughed, making my patience for him even thinner. "Well maybe she learned from the best teacher she had... you."

I could feel my feet move quickly toward him, I had my fist clenched ready to attack him, but came to a pause as my phone rang. I glared at Roy for a brief moment before answering.

"What Rachel?"

"Dick... its bad, it's so bad,... he's here."

My eyes narrowed. "That's impossible. The only way he'd..."

"Is if someone let him in. Think about it."

I paused my glare returning to Roy again. I ignored him for a moment speaking to Rachel. "Where are you? We all need to be together on this. When you hang up with me call the police."

I hung up the phone and turned to Roy. "Did you let that son of a bitch past security?"

"What are you talking about?"

I lunged at him gripping my hand upon his throat and pushing him back against the metal fence which surrounded the pool. "Answer the fucking question."

"No... no... I don't... I don't know what your even talking about."

I swallowed hard. I wanted nothing more than to bash his face in but right now, my friends needed me, we needed each other if we were going to survive this. Releasing Roy I stepped toward the house, him following close behind. I spoke in a whisper. "Alright, Rachel's father is apparently in the house. We need to make our way to the others without being seen."

It took us a good ten minutes to reach the living room as a result of me taking an alternate route, but when we finally got there a sigh of relief washed over me. "Is everyone here? Anybody injured?" I paused noticing a small trail of blood from the side of Rachel's head. I lifted my hand to check the severity of her wound but came to a pause as she shoved my hand out of the way, her expression guilty now.

"I couldn't get to her."

My eyes narrowed. "Who?" My eyes immediately scanned over the dark room before us. Gar, Roy, Vic, Rachel... My eyes widened. "Where's Kori? Does anyone know where she is?" I could feel my heart begin to pound rapidly now. "Where is she?"

"Dick, I... I just... I couldn't..." Rachel began.

I stepped to her shoving her back, harder than I probably should have, but my anger and fear was in full flare now. "Dammit Rachel where?"

"Calm down Dick." Gar pleased.

I shot him a daggered glare then fixed my gaze back to Rachel unblinking. "Where?"

She swallowed hard. "I just... I saw..."

"Cut the shit Rachel. Just tell me where."

"Lower your voice Dick or we're all done for." Vic added.

I ignored him, and focused solely on Rachel as she continued. "I don't remember which room. I just... " she inhaled deeply, fear rising in me at the fear in her eyes. "She was face down... I could see a pool of blood but..."

MY chest was heaving now, my fists tightening. "She's alive though right? I mean, she's a little banged up but ... but she's alive... right? ... RIGHT?"

Rachel shook her head. "I don't know. I ran.."

"You ran?"

"He was coming after me Dick. It was either..."

"Fuck Rachel!" I turned to the wall beside me, resting my forehead against it. I tried to clear my mind, come up with a plan, but my mind was racing, too crowded with the fear of Kori actually being gone. I released my fist against the wall in a strike of anger. "Mother Fucker!"

"Dick, calm down, Kori will be fine. I just.."

I turned to Rachel now, wide-eyed. "You fucking ran? you just left her there? How.. how could you do that? ... to Kori of all people?"

The argument fell quiet as loud sirens began to sound from outside the Manor. The flashing lights spiraling out of control as they sped into the Manor gates, cops rushing the scene quickly. Before any of us could react cops were banging on the front door. I turned to Gar and Vic. "Get everybody out of here."

"Dick..?"

"I'm not leaving without Kori." I said, leaving them behind and taking to the hallway in a rush. I jumped slightly as Rachel came running toward me. "Go back."

"This is my fault Dick. If you think I wanted any of this then your fucking crazy. I care about Kori just as much as you do."

I made her fall silent as I lifted a finger to my lips. "Do you hear that?"

Rachel nodded.

"Where was the last place you saw him?"

"My room."

"Where's the gun?"

She hesitated. "My room."

I swallowed hard then stepped toward her door. I wasn't sure if the brief noise I had heard earlier had come from Rachel's room or not but we entered either way. We entered the room immediately finding it empty. I watched the door trying to rush Rachel as she leapt over the bed and pulled a backpack from beneath the bed.

"Hurry." I whispered.

I paused, giving her a double take as her eyes widened, her hands no longer moving. "Its gone."

A loud cry sounded from down the hallway causing Rachel and I to immediately race down the hallway again. "Which room... which room Rachel?"

She hesitated, then paused lifting a bracelet, the bracelet I had given to Kori from the floor, then pointing to her left. I shoved the door open hearing a cry escape from the corner of the room. I immediately flipped the light switch on, disappointed when I found Terra to be the cause of the cry. I turned back to Rachel. "I thought you said it was this room?"

She nodded her head, pointing to the large pool of blood beside me at my feet. "This is the room, Kori was right there."

"Are you sure?"

Her brow raised in annoyance. "I know what I saw. That's Kori's blood."

A fragment of hope entered my mind, she was still alive, or at least the possibility of her being alive was now... my mind fell silent as a gunshot echoed throughout the Manor.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

(Kori Ander's POV)

Bitter... the bitter, thick taste of blood was the first thing to sting at my senses. The second was the unbearable pain that revived itself from my body. Third, Terra's small whimpers which had begun to sound in a loud ringing in my head again. I could tell from the silence of the room aside from Terra and myself that we were alone. I swallowed hard against my dry, sore throat, cringing at the taste of my own blood, forcing my eyes open. My mind, while still in severe pain, seemed to be slightly clearer. Clearer in the sense that I now knew where I was, which room, which hallway, everything. Inhaling deeply, I cringed gritting my teeth forcing my hands down flat upon the ground before me. As I pulled myself up from the wooden floor, my head immediately began to pound in undying waves of pain, my thoughts were beginning to cloud again, and my stomach fell pray to relentless dizziness and nausea.

Regardless of the pain, this time around I was capable of movement. That's not to say it was back to my original amount of ease but I could fight through the pain. I crawled toward Terra, her frightened eyes narrowing over mine as her entire body flinched before me.

I cleared my throat, placing a hand upon her knee. My voice raspy from my injuries, but capable of forming recognizable words nonetheless. "Its going... to be alright." I coughed again, my hand removing itself from her knee and clasping itself upon my throat. I placed pressure over it to try and ease the pain, but it ease was no use. "I'll get help."

Her eyes moved frantically over mine, her condition no better than mine. "Don't.." she paused coughing up a large amount of blood. "Don't leave me here."

My chest heaved. "I... I can't save us both without getting help." I took her hand into mind holding it tightly. "I promise you will make it out alive."

I had no choice but to ignore her cries and pleading as I made my way into the hallway. It was empty, there was no one there, no sounds, nothing. Bracing a hand upon the wall, I forced myself down the hallway, each step agonizing, each breath drawing blood from my lungs, and each following cough, drawing more attention to anyone close enough to hear me. I was scared but for some reason the moment around me made me go numb. I felt as though I was in a dream, the colors of the night and the walls around me moved slowly and unevenly. The black spots blinked and danced across my vision again, the spinning in my head becoming harder to fight against. I ignored the urge to puke,... this was something that with each step I found more difficult. I braced both of my hands against the wall now pressing my body into it as I continued, slowly, down the hallway.

When I finally reached one of the doors my relief became realized once more. I was standing in front of Rachel's door, the gun, I was sure would still be here. That is if no one had moved it. In the end I wasn't even sure who knew about what was going on in this house. I couldn't call for help without announcing my position to Mr. Roth recklessly. Entering the room, my body gave in, falling to the floor, the noise of the collision not startling me as much as the pain from the broken glass which pierced through my skin. I looked down in a whimper at the broken lamp which remained to my right. I shoved myself away from the glass trying to quiet my cries as I began to quickly remove the shards of glass within my palms, forearms and calves from the fall. It took much longer to free myself from the glass as a result of my shaking fingers, the pain I felt growing, becoming worse with every second. I could hear a gruff voice echo down one of the hallway now. The sound immediately raising the adrenalin within my chest.

I ignored the pain and crawled my way to Rachel's bed. My eyes scanned over her room quickly, the darkness not helping. The voice in the hallway growing louder now.. his words becoming clearer.

"Rachel..."

I lowered my head into my hands and allowed myself a moment to weep. There was no way I was escaping this without the gun and it clear Rachel had already taken it. The thought of whether or not she was even alive stabbed at my mind now. This thought, this tragic, horrific possibility suddenly arose a fire within me. By the looks of her room, her father had gotten to her, probably killed her in the night, in the middle of her sleep. I kicked my foot out in front of me in a fit of despair, pausing as it collided against a hard object. I lifted my eyes from my hands, narrowing them as I noticed a dark object beneath her bed.

"Come on 'Daddies little Raven' ... Come out come out wherever you are Rachel."

My heart began to beat even faster now as I realized the object to be that of Rachel's backpack. My body shook even faster as I leaned forward, diving my hands into the backpack. I inhaled deeply as my hands met the cool touch of the pistol. I pulled it into my chest, immediately checking for bullets. It wasn't loaded. My mind almost broke down, but I couldn't give up not now, no matter how much closer Mr. Roth's voice became.

"Tick... Tock... Darling..."

I released a sigh of relief as two small bullets could be felt at the bottom of the backpack. My hands panicked, moving quickly to grasp them, yet they managed to slip through my fingers continuously, until I managed to force them against the side of the fabric, my nails digging into the side as I pulled them free. I had no time now. The voice was far too close for me to remain where I was. Gripping the bullets tightly within my sweaty palms, I took to my feet. As I struggled down the hallway now, trying to get back to Terra, I tried to focus on loading the gun, my fingers still being uncooperative with me.

I paused before Terra's room, my eyes widening as those dark eyes ignited, glowing in the dark now.

"We were just getting to the fun part. "Mr. Roth said, stepping toward me slowly. He tilted his head to the side in an unnatural manner, his smile creeping across his lips in a smile. "I was saving you Kori." I backed away trying to force the bullets into place, yet not wanting to remove my eyes, or underestimate Mr. Roth as he stepped toward me casually. He extended a hand to me. "I was saving you for last." I quickened my pace back down the hallway, my fingers moving frantically, my mind still spinning, and my feet ready to give in any second. A small laugh escaped him. "I was going to make you die with Rachel. I know how close you two are."

We were further down the hallway when I finally succeeded in loading the gun. I inhaled deeply, directing it at him. He still showed no fear, both of our feet moving, mine backward, his forward calmly, as if he were not afraid of death.

"It's never going to be over Kori... can't you see that?"

I was so consumed by fear now that as I lifted a thumb to the hammer, pulling it down then inhaling deeply, I fixed my finger over the trigger. "Don't do this... just stop."

His eyes widened, the look on his face as the light within the hallway lamp crossed over his feature, I was certain would haunt me. He shook his head, brows burrowed. "I told you Kori... that's just not the way this works."

Then within a split second the hunger behind his eyes deepened and he lunged at me. I pulled on the trigger, my eyes shut. There was a brief silence then I opened my eyes to find Mr. Roth laying face down in front of me. I remained perfectly still... in shock of everything until footsteps headed toward me. I saw Dick and Rachel pause staring back at me wide-eyed.

"Put the gun down Kori." Rachel demanded. "Its over."

I remained unmoved, until Dick slowly made his way to me, taking the gun from my hand and pulling me into his arms. "Are you aright?"

I couldn't bring myself to cry in this moment, I mean, there were tears rushing down my cheeks but I was not weeping. I just buried my face into Dick's chest, his strong grip instantly comforting me. I felt him lift me into his arms bridal style, then pausing before Rachel, he handed her the gun.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT TTTTT

I sat now, forty-five minutes after shooting Mr. Roth. My eyes wandered over all of my friends, which gather around me in my hospital bed. Dick sat beside me on the bed, Vic and Gar sitting within the two chairs in front of the bed and Rachel in a nervous stance against the door frame. We all remained silent in this moment, each of us passing glances to one another, showing an unspeakable amount of love for each other, and how grateful we were that none of us were fatally harmed.

I inhaled deeply as Dick tightened his grip upon my hand, kissing me gently upon the forehead. I looked to Gar, he was hurt, not just because of what happened, and the fear that consumed all of us in this night, but because it was Terra who had allowed it to happen. He felt betrayed. I looked to Vic now, he was in shock still, his gaze fixed upon the floor at the moment, and then lastly, I paused against Rachel's hesitant gaze. I knew she felt guilty for what happened but in the end it really wasn't her fault. It was no one fault but Mr. Roth, and while the gunshot wound I had given him didn't kill him, he was inches from death. We were all waiting for it to be confirmed within a few days, the fact that he still fought against death sickened all of us, but we were together.

Clearing my throat I looked to Rachel, her eyes immediately looking to mine. "I love you guys."

My eyes wandered over all of them again, each of them standing and surrounding me in one prolonged, comforting hug. We knew the fight against Mr. Roth wouldn't be over until he was dead, but we would all still be here together, when the time came... just like we always have been.

As we pulled out of the hug, they all returned to their positions as before, a comforting smiled gracing each of their expressions. The room had fallen silent once more until Gar finally spoke.

"You know... maybe this isn't the best time..." we all turned to him narrowed eyed and unsure of what he was going to say, He scratched nervously at his green hair then looked back and forth between Vic and Rachel. "... but you two owe me two hundred bucks... each."

Dick and I both looked to each other.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well... this was my year..."

"Your year for what?"

Gar hesitated as even Vic and Rachel looked confused in his words. "This was the year I said Dick would finally start dating Kori."

There was a brief silence as the school years bets between the three flooded our memory. Gar hesitated in silence, then all of us burst into laughter... only Gar... only Gar...

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

(A/N) WOW, alright, so as much as I loved this chapter, I really really hope you all did too. I realize its a little darker chapter and perhaps a little longer, but I really enjoyed writing it. So please remember to R/R =]