Love, Football, and Superheros - Your Average High School Story
Chapter Seventeen - Crossroads
This is another one of those chapters I love. It's entertaining and sets up the main plot for arche two of the story. 195 reviews for an update.
Monday, October 18th 6:55 PM - Babs' apartment.
Richard knocked on the door to Babs' apartment, doing his best to forget that Kori was mad at him. Not an easy thing to do to say the least.
"It's open," he heard Babs' voice call from the other side.
Richard opend the door to find an empty livingroom besides the furniture. "Honey I'm home," he sung, trying to be as cheery as possible.
He heard a sqill followed by the roll of a wheelchair coming from the dining room. A second later Babs was rolling toward him from the kitchen doorway.
Richard met her halfway and leaned down, wrapping her in a tight hug and kissing her cheek. "God, its good to see you," he said.
"You two," she replied as they broke away. "You've gotten so much bigger," she added as she looked him over.
"Selina said the same thing," he smiled proudly.
She laughed. "Watch it, if your ego gets to much bigger your head is going to explode."
"Ha ha, very funny."
"I do try."
"Keyword's try."
She rolled her eyes at him, but smiled regardless. "You haungry?"
"Yes, what did you cook?"
She smiled up at him before turning her wheelchair back toward the kitchen. "Follow me," she instructed.
Richard obliged, letting her lead him through the kitchen and into the dinning room. He was a little unnerved by her setup. The lights were dim, and there was a candle in the middle of the rectangular table. It was all very... romantic looking. On the bright side, the food looked fantasic. Grilled chicken, that looked suspiciously to much like KFC's.
"Take a seat," she motioned to the seat on the far end of the table.
Richard nooded and walked over to the table, sitting down.
Babs rolled her chair to the other side, and looked over at him. "So, what do you think?"
"The chicken smells really great," he replied, not wanting to voice his opinion on the setup.
"Thank you, it took me hours to..."
"I know it's from KFC," he interjected.
"Darn," she snapped her fingers before both burst into laughter.
"Anyway," Richard began, "what's this big secret you were talking about?"
Babs smiled brightly. "Okay, close your eyes."
Richrad raised an eyebrow.
"Just do it," she commanded.
He sighed, but did as instructed and shut his eyes. He could hear a rustling sound, but not much more. Definitely not enough to have any idea what she was doing.
"Okay, you can open them."
Richard opend his eyes, and his mouth fell open. Babs was standing out of her wheelchair with a wide smile on her face. She was standing!
He felt a rush of hapiness come over him, and he rushed from his seat to the other side of the table and pratically tackled her. She laughed as he swung her around in a complete circle before placing her feet back on the ground. "How?," he questioned in disbeliefe.
"The rehab's working, and the doctors are amazed. I still can't walk very far, but it's more than anyone ever thought I'd be able to do," she explained. With more rehab and a little luck I might get full use of my legs back.
"Why haven't you told me?"
"I wanted to show you in person, that's why I've been begging you to come back for the last few months," he explained
Richard looked he over, unabale to stop himself from smiling. He couldn't believe she was actually standig after nearly a year spent in a wheel chair. "This is amazing," he exclaimed.
Babs cupped his cheek. "I hope this will be too," she whispered before leaning in and placing her lips against his.
Richard eyes went wide as saucers and he backed away. He saw the odd look she gave him, and it made him feel terrible. He wished he could kiss her, he really did, but there was Kori. The girl he loved more than life itself. He wouldn't do that to her. "Babs, I can't. I have a girlfriened."
She sighed and dropped her hand from his cheek. "I heard. I just thought it was just some fling, and we could be together since you'll be moving to Bludhaven next year and I wouldn't be such a burden now.
"Babs, you were never a burden, and you know I love you, but not like her." He thought for a moment, smiling as he shook his head "She's... I really don't know how to describe her, but she's the best thing to ever happen to me," he said after a moment.
"You sure it's not beacuse I'm in a wheel chair?"
"If I had never met Kori, I wouldn't hesitate to kiss you back. Even though I left abruptly and we had to break up, I still had feelings for you right up to the second I saw her, but then I just fell."
Babs smiled lightly. If he was happy then she was happy for him. "You really do love this Kori girl, huh?"
Richard smiled back her. "Yeah, I do."
"I'm happy for you then," she said.
"You okay?," he asked, concerned.
Her cocky smirk played on her face. "Of course I'm okay. I got guys lined up at my front door, I just thought I'd give you first choice, but looks like your setteld."
He scoffed. "And here I thought I was special."
She smiled and punched him in the arm. "Well, think again playboy."
Richard frowned as he rubbed the spot on his arm where she had hit him. She still could knock someone out, no doubt.
She then sombered slightly. "But just because your all wifed up now, don't forget about me."
"Babs, I could never forget you. You were the first girl I loved, and you're always gonna have a place in my heart," he replied honestly.
She smiled, and gave him a hug. "Let's eat," she said against his chest.
He returned her smile and nodded.
The rest of dinner went really well, discussing the good times they had, not only as Robin and Batgirl, but as Dick and Babs as well. It was certainly a trip down memory lane. Before leaving Richard promised he would stop by a couple more times before he left, which she was greatful for. They had obviousy missed each other.
On the way home he couldn't help but to think about the kiss. He felt so guilty even though he pulled away. He was gonna have to tell Kori, so he was dreading returning to the hotel, and sadly for him the drive from Babs' apartment back too the Plaza didn't take nearly long enough.
Once outside the room's front door, he stood there for around five minutes, trying to figure out what he was gonna say, before finally slinding his room card into the scanner. When he walked in, Kori was sitting on the bed in a pair of his jogging pants and one of his baggy white t-shirts, watching something on t.v. She didn't even so much as glance at him, which hurt, and he knew if she was mad now, she was about to be livid.
He took a deep breath before walking over to the bed and taking a seat beside her. He knew if he didn't tell her he was going to feel guilty, so it was best to get it out of the way. "Kori," he bagan, "we need to talk.
She looked over at him and Richard was able to see the worry hidden beneath her cold exterior.
"Me and Babs, we kissed," he said, dropping his eyes to floor.
Her coldness warmed up really quick. In fact she was blazing. "You kissed her?," she exclaimed, standing to her feet.
Richard followed her. "No, she kissed me."
"It does not matter Richard, you went," she retorted, pratically fuming.
He sighed, not wanting to argue. "You're right. This is my fault. I put myself in the situation, and whatever happend as a resault of that is on me." He began to make his way to the door. "I'll give you some time to yourself, I'm pretty sure I can get another room."
Kori watched him walk away. As mad as she was, she needed him and loved him, and she knew what he was telling her was the truth. She took to the air, flying over his head, and landed between him an the door.
He gave her a questioning look when she put both her hands on his chest and pushed lighty away from the door. She then looked him in his eyes. "Richard, don't go. I am sorry for being so jealous, but try to understand that the reason I am reacting this way is because I fear losing you."
"Fear losing me? "Kori," he cupped her cheek, "you're not gonna lose me."
She thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I cannot be sure of that. No matter what you say, you are able to fall out of love with me, or be tempted by another female. Yes, I know you love me today, but that is no garantee you will when you wake up tomorrow," she explained somberly.
Richard thought what she said over. He now understood why she was so jealous anytime he spent an extended period time any girl that wasn't Raven or Bee. It was true, he could wake up one day and simply not love her anymore, and if he put himself in her shoes it would scare the hell out of him knowing he could lose her, but would never be able to get over her. He couldn't even imagine how much it must eat at her to know that.
"You're right Kor, I could wake up one day and not love you, but if that day ever comes, we'll fix it together. If love can be lost, than it can be found as well."
A light smile crossed her lips. "Truly?"
He nodded. "I can't promise I will love you forever, but I can promise that I will never leave you for that."
She layed her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him. In response he lifted her, and carried her over to bed. "C'mon I wanna snuggle," he said into her ear as he laid her down.
"Yes, I wish to do the snuggling as well," she agreed.
The two piled into, bed and Richard turned off the t.v, leaving the room dark. He then wrapped his arm around her and pulled her as close to him as possible.
They laid there for awhile, just looking into each other's eyes. This was nice for him, but Richard wonderd if this was something people did on her home world, in fact he was very curious about many aspects of her culture, but he knew she didn't like to speak of her planet for some reason, so out of respect, he tried not to ask. Still though, his curiosity was clawing at his brain, and he reasoned with himself that he had the right to know.
"Kor?" he finally asked.
"Yes?"
"Relationships on your planet, what are they like? I mean, do you guys have boyfriends and girlfriends or what?," he inquired.
Kori shifted nervously, "No, we do not have the boyfriends or the girlfriends. We have what would translate to the chosen, like you and I would be, and the arranged, couples who are forced to be together for political reasons," she explained.
"Your planet does arranged marriages?"
She nodded. "Yes, but only royals."
"You're the princess, right? You would have been forced into an arranged marriage?," he reasoned
"Yes, before the war I as meeting suitors daily, mostly princess from other familys or generals, but they were not right. I did not have the feelings for them."
Richard picked up on something that he hadn't previously caught. It was always "before the war," but what about after? Then what happens? How could he have not asked this before? "Kori, I have a question. What happens after the war on your planet is over?"
Kori tensed, and paled considerably. "I do not want to talk about it now," she replied, no longer meeting his eyes.
Richard could hear the fear in her voice. She was scared to tell him. He sat up in bed, and released his grip on her waist. "I think I deserve to know."
"Richard please, do the forgetting it," she pleaded, setting up and trying to pull him back down into the bed, but he refused to go.
"Kori," he said shortly.
She shrunk down, wishing the bed would just swallow her, so she didn't have to face this now.
"You need to tell me what's gonna happen, right now," Richard said, his voice cold.
She swallowed hard and wiped the forming tears out of her eyes. "Xhal bless me," she mutterd under her breath. This was it. She knew after she told him she was going to lose everything. She had been praying it would workout, he would never ask and Tameran would never call, but that was just to much to ask for.
"Richard," she began, her voice weak, I love you, you know this, and..."
"Get to it, Kori," he commanded.
"It is likely that if Tameran is victorius, I shall be called back and forced to marry Prince Karras to ensure Tameran's strength," she spoke barely above a whisper, but loud enough where Richard caught every word.
"What?," he exclaimed, getting to his feet with haste. How could she have kept this from him?
Kori followed him frantically. "Richard please understand, the marriage is just a formallity. You could come with me, and we could still be together."
"I can't just leave Earth. Damn it Kori, why didn't you tell me this before I fucking fell in love with you?" He ran his hand through his ebony hair. "I can't believe you would do this to me. If you really loved me you wouldn't have done this," he shouted.
"Richard, do not doubt that I love you. Please." She reached for him only to have her hand knocked away.
"Don't touch me." She retracted her hand as if it had been stung. "I can't be with someone who I can't trust, we're done" he snarled before turning and storming out of the door without another word.
Kori jumped as the door slammed. As soon as he was gone she fell to her knees and broke down completely, crying harder than she ever had. He was right, she had done him wrong, and now he hated her. She didn't even blame him, because right now she hated herself too.
Tuesday, October 19th 12:05 AM - The Batcave
Normal POV
Bruce walked into the Batcave followed by Tim. When Bruce came to sudden stop, Tim ran face first into his back. "Oww, why did you stop?," Tim asked, rubbing his nose.
"I hear something, listen," Bruce instructed, holding up his hand to shush his sidekick.
Tim quitend and did as instruncted. He could hear it too, a faint sqeeking sound echoing throught the cave. "What's that?," he asked.
"That would be me," Richard called from the black leather chair in front of the Bat Computer as he spun around and round, causing the sqeeking sound Bruce and Tim had heard.
Both Bruce and Tim looked toward Richard, who was slumped in the chair, looking like the world had just ended.
Bruce frowned. Whenever Richard was a kid he would come down here and spin around in the chair whenever he was upset. It calmed him for some reason. "Tim run along upstairs and let me talk to Dick in private," Bruce said in a tone that left no room for argument.
Tim nodded and headed back up the stairs, through the secret passage, leaving Bruce and Richard alone. "So," Bruce began, approaching his son, "something wrong?"
Richard, who was still spinnig, stopped abruptly and let out a sorrow filled Sigh. "Considering the girl I love is a fucking princess from the planet Tameran, and as soon as some stupid war's over she is gonna be called back to Marry some guy named Prince Karras or something like that, I'de have to say there's alot wrong."
"Oh," Bruce replied simply. In actuallity he already knew most of everything Richard had just told him, and had for awhile. As soon as he got wind of there relationship and how serious it was, he'd done a background check on behalf of Richard and couldn't find anything, almost like the girl didn't exist.
With that in mind, Batman had made and unschedueld vist to Jump to obtain some of the girl's DNA, which he sucessfully acomplished through means which involved breaking into to Richard's house while he was at school and the theft of purple tank top laying in the girl's floor. After running the DNA he found out most of what he needed to know, but Hal Jordan filled him in on the specifics of Tameranians.
"Oh? Oh?," Richard exclaimed. "I tell you I'm dating an alien princess, and all you can say is oh?" Aren't you gonna yell, or tell me how stupid I am for not doing a background check before I got involved?"
"Maybe a year ago I would have, but with you leaving, and the death of Jason I learned some things," Bruce replied evenly. "All I know is that it doesn't make much sense to be here in the middle of the night, tearing up my chair, when you should be wherever she is trying to figure out a way to keep her here."
Richard thought over what Bruce had said for a moment. As mad as he was at Kori for not telling him, he did need to be there with her. He loved and knew if ever lost her it would devistate him, Maybe there was something he could do. Richard stood. "You're right."
"I know," was Bruce's reply.
Richard frowned before walking past him toward the staircase. About halfway up the stairs he turned back to look at his father, now realizing something. "You knew about her didn't you?"
"Yup."
"How?" He shoudn't have even asked that because he knew what Bruce was going to say. The same thing he always said when he didn't want to dive into an explanation.
"I'm Batman."
Yeah, he saw that coming.
Tuesday, October 19th 1:00 AM - Central Plaza Hotel
Normal POV
Kori sat in the middle of the hotel room's bed, her face buried in her already tear soaked knees. It had been hours since Richard had left and she was convinced at this point he was done with her and never wanted to see her face again, so she was suprised when she heard the door open. She couldn't bring herslef to look up, knowing it was him. Had he came to yell more, or to just to collect his things?
She felt his weight center itslef on the bed, and his arm drape around her waist. "Please stop crying, Kori. I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean to yell at you, and I don't wanna break up," he said into her ear
Kori looked up at him through her red eyes, completely thrown. Why was he the on apologizing? She was the one who had done wrong. "No Richard, you were right. I did wrong by not telling you. My reasons were selfish, and I am a terrible person. I just didn't want to lose you, and I was hoping they would never call and you would not bring it up. I understand why we must break up. I do not deserve you," she said, tears still pouring like rain.
"Kori no, we're not breaking up, I want let it happen. Is there anything I can do to keep you here?" he asked in almost a pleading tone.
She hung her head, but Richard could see she was hiding something. "Kori, if there's anything I can do now is the time to tell me," he said softly. "You need to trust me in order for me to trust you."
She sighed, knowing she shouldn't tell him for his safety, but keeping secrets is what got her here in the first place. "When and if I am called to return, you may come with me. I can proclaim you as my chosen, and that shall give the right to challenge Prince Karras for my hand, but it is dangerous. Tameranians can fly and are much stronger than humans. Prince Karras is also a fearce warrior. You could die, Richard," she cried.
"Don't you have faith in me?"
"Of course I do. I know you are a great warrior, I am just worried you will die."
"Kori, I've sparred with Superman, and I can garantee that this Prince Karras guy is nothing compared to him. Besides, a world without you isn't one worth living in. There's nothing to lose," he replied, giving her a soft kiss.
"Richard, you say that now, but..."
"That's it, end of discussion," he silenced her. "When they call, we go, and I will win," he said surely, "but what about after?"
"If you are to win then I would not be obligated to stay on Tamerean. I could chose a new Grand Ruler to take my place and we could return to Earth and spend the rest of our lives together if that is what you wished," she answered.
"Is that what you want?"
"All I want is you," she responded, sounding as if she had never been more sure of anything in her life.
Richard thought quitely for a moment before saying anything else. "Kori, I'm not sure I want you giving up your home for me."
She let out a breathless laugh. "Richard, my home is where you are. I do not care where I am as long as you are beside me."
He smiled and leaned his forhead against hers. "As long as you are happy."
"You are my happiness." She pulled him in and hugged him, never wanting to let go. "Richard?," she utterd after a long while.
"Yeah?"
"You still love me, yes?"
"Of course," he answered, pushing her back gently so he could look her in the eyes.
"Will you say it?," she aksed, needing to hear it.
He smiled lightly and kissed her as caressed his hand through her firey hair. "I love you, n'loene."
"Hold me?"
"Okay." He pulled her down to the bed and held her to him, giving her the emotional support she needed. They held each other the rest of the night, neither saying a single word. There was nothing to be said, it was just now understood, Richard would fight to his last breath for her, and that may very well. happen, only the future knew for sure.
God, I love Babs! You guys have no idea how close I came to having something go down between her and Dick. I just love writing her in, espically her realtioship with Dick. Next chapter we get some action involving everyone favorite villian. Be afraid, Be very afraid.