Chapter 31 - The Dog House

The reason I updated to today was because I am super excited for an upcoming chapter. It's very emotional. This chapter didn't go in the direction I expected it to, but those are usually my best chapters, and I think this is one. I certainly enjoyed writing it. 485 reviews for an update.

1. I just feel like reminding you all the Joker is still on the loose.

2. Next chapter is the one with a bunch of side stories that are cute, funny, romantic, and possibly serious, so send in your ideas. Oh, and to the guest reviewer who suggested that Dick teach Kori to drive... I love you.

3. One more chapter before all hell breaks loose for the final time in the story.

Wednesday, February 20th 12:00 PM - Tameranian ship

Normal POV

Richard had slep nearly all of the last three days, and now as he paced back and forth across the common room of the ship, Kori, along with the rest of the group, found themselves wishing he would go back to sleep. They were nearing Earth, and after checking in with the Watch Tower, they would be picked up from the exact same area they departed from by none other than the Dark Knight himself.

That alone was enough to make Nightwing nervous. He knew his father was going to question him on the events that took place over the last three weeks, and he wasn't planning on mentioning that he nearly died... again. He had spent the last hour briefing the group about what questions he were going to ask, and exactly how to answer them. He was a master at this by now.

Kori becoming dizzy from watching Nightwing pace back and fourth, stood from her seat in between Bee and Wally and walked over to him. "Will you please do the relaxing?," she pleaded with him, putting her hands on his chest to halt him.

"Relax? Relax? Your'e telling me to relax? Do you know what we're about to deal with? He knows how to pick people apart with questions."

"It's true," the Flash agreed with a mouth fully of food, which Raven, who sat opposite him, got a good look at and grimaced. "I've watched him bring super villans to tears just be giving them 'the look.'"

"It shall be the okay. We understand you do not wish to worry your father. None of us will tell him what happend," she assured.

Nightwing knew that was easier said than done. They had never experienced a interigation from Batman. Could they take it? He hoped so.

Suddenly the ship came to a stop, and a moment later a guard entered the room. "We have arrived in Earth's atmosphere, but we have not been given permission to land. Someone by the name of Superman wishes to speak with your chosen first," he informed looking over at Kori.

She nodded. "Very well." Kori turned back to Nightwing. "You must go speak with Superman before we may land. I do not believe the he trusts our guards."

"Someone has been hanging out with Bats to much," the Flash joked, earning snickers from Beast Boy and Cyborg.

Nightwing, ignoring Wally, nodded to Kori. "Alright." With that he turned on the heals of his black combat boots and followed the guard off to the contol room. Once inside he made his way over to speaker like object, similar to a hand radio with a cable at the end. "Nightwing to Superman."

"Superman here. Provide landing code," he instructed to make sure it was really him.

Nightwing fought not to chuckle. He really had been hanging out with Batman to much. "03116498."

"Just had to check. Glad to hear your back. Everything go well?"

"For the most part. All the Titans and the Flash returned with me so that's all that matters."

"Good, Batman was already preparing his case for why we should send a search and rescue party to Tameran. A few more days and he would have had the whole Justice League there."

Nigthwing let out a snort of laughter. No one could say Bruce didn't love him, even if he rarely voiced it. "Is he at the pickup point?"

"He and Oracle left the Watch Tower almost an hour ago, so he should be there by now."

Nightwing eyes widend behind his mask. "Babs is with him?"

He heard Superman laugh. "Yeah, and she is not happy with you. Apparently you didn't tell her you were going off the planet for three weeks. Says she called you a hundred or so times and when you weren't answering she asked Bruce where you were and... well, you can figure it out from there."

"Shit...
," he mumbled under his breath, knowing he had a scolding coming.

"Alright good luck, landing promission granted."

The line clicked off, and Nightwing turned to the gaurd and nodded.

The guard understanding what he was trying to communicate moved the controls of the ship, while Nightwing made his way back into the common room. When he entered he look over at Kori, who had retaken her seat.

"Babs is mad," he informed.

Flash burst into laughter, drawing everyone's attention to him. "Oh boy, you didn't tell her about this did you? She is totally gonna kick your ass."

Nightwing frowned at him. "Some friend you are."

He laughs even more. "Me? You and Babs used to be like this, and you didn't tell her." He crossed his fingers together before looking over at Kori. "Boy, could I tell you some stories about them two. Like this one time I was staying a few days at the manor and I walked into Dick's room without knocking, and..."

Before he could finish Nightwing rushed over and covered his mouth before whispering something into his ear. Kori looked on as the Flash's eyes widened.

"Ummm, suddenly it just slipped my mind."

Kori sent a glare up at Nightwing. "I am sure it did."

He gave a sheepish smile, but before he could say anything, the ship came to landing, jarring everything slightly. He had never been more relieved in his life.

Everyone stood, grabbing their bags as they did. The hatch opened and in a single file line led by the Flash, who after what Nightwing just had told him, couldn't get off the ship fast enough.

Once they reached the sandy dessert floor, the large black Plane came into view, a stoic Batman and a not to happy Babs standing in front of it. On the bright side though Babs was standing, not a wheel chair in sight, but then again if she had her legs working that was just one more limb she could use to beat Nightwing to a pulp with.

Nightwing put himself behind Kori, like a small child would. He didn't want to deal with Babs right now, but considering he was anywhere from four to six inches taller than her, he could still be seen clearly.

By the time they reached the Batplane, the ship was already taking flight. Batman waited to the ship's sound had faded out before saying anything.

"How'd it go?"

It was a simple question. Not the least bit of accusation in it, but it somehow managed to make everyone nervous.

"It went fine." Nightwing took Kori's hand. "It was a pretty open and shut thing."

He nodded. "I see. No injuries?"

Nightwing waved his hand dismissively. "Bumps and bruises, nothing major."

Batman studied him for a moment, looking for any weakness with his trained eyes. Not detecting anything, he nodded once more. "Alright, let's go." He turned on his heels and leaped into the Batplane, everyone slowly following behind.

Nightwing let out a sigh of relief. He expected more, but then their was still the wrath of Babs to deal with.

After a moment it was only him, her, and Kori on the outside of the plane. She studied the couple, her eyes narrowed, her arms crossed over chest, and her foot tapping against the sandy ground. In other words, she was not happy at the moment.

Kori and Nightwing traded nervous glances. Even though it was around fifty degrees outside, both were sweating.

Babs raised her hand, holding up one finger. "Okay, one," she turned to look at Kori, "You're a princess?"

Kori began to twiddle her fingers together nervously. "Actually I was Grand Ruler for a very short time."

"And why wasn't I told about any of this?" She turned to look at Nightwing. "And how can you go off the planet without telling me? Do you know how worried I been?"

Nightwing sighed. He had two options here. He could nervously studder, or he could turn on his playboy side and charm his way out of this. He liked option two better.

Stepping forward, he wrapped his arms around Babs and pulled her into a hug. She was caught off guard at first, but her hands somehow found their way around him as well.

Kori found the ground interesting. She wasn't overly happy about the display.

Nightwing began to speak. "I'm really sorry Babs, but we weren't even sure she would ever be called back and we didn't want to worry you."

It comforted Kori slightly that he used 'we.'

"I really missed you and I'm glad to see you standing. It really amazes me how much progress you made," he continued, lowering his voice.

Babs swallowed. "Thank you. I'm sorry for being upset, I was just worried about you... and Kori of course, especially when I heard they sent Wally."

"I can hear you," the Flash exclaimed from inside the Batplane.

Ignoring Wally as usual, he kissed Babs' cheek. "Everything's okay. Everyone came back with little to no injuries to report, so let's go."

She sighed, and released him from her hug, which Kori was secretly delighted about. She kept telling herself that if Babs was Raven or Bee this wouldn't be and issue, but he hadn't dated them.

"Alright, but next time," she poked him in the chest and he fought not to wince in pain, "if you go anywhere off planet, you tell me."

"Promise," he said, holding up his hand.

With a nod and a small smile, Babs turned back to Batplane. He saw that she was struggling to get in, so he came up behind her and lifted her up by her waist.

Kori didn't like where his hands were, but at least he had a pratical reason behind it.

With Babs in, he turned to Kori and extended his hand out to her. "Ready N'laene?"

She glanced at his hand before a smile appeared on her face. She took her boyfriend's hand and intertwined their fingers. "Yes, I am."

The Dog House

Thursday, February 21st 11:00 AM - Richard and Kori's house

Normal POV

Wally awoke in a guest bedroom at his best friend's house. After Being dropped off by Batman and Babs yesterday, he decided to stay over for a couple days, after all he didn't have to report to the Watch Tower till Friday, so he had a whole day to spend with his old friend.

Zipping down stairs, he quickly made a sandwich in the kitchen, nearly swallowing it whole before walking into the living room to find Richard sitting on the couch, watching t.v.

Wally walked over and plopped down beside him, throwing on arm over his shoulders. "Hey Richie-rich, where's Kori at?"

Richard shrugged. "Don't know. She woke me up at nine and said Bee was picking her up and she was going to be gone till this evening. I was to out of it to ask where she was going or what she was doing."

"Wow, way to keep track of your girlfriend," Wally teased.

Richard turned to him, frowning. "I don't have to keep track of her. Bee is with her and most likely Raven. Besides, the girl can lift an oil tanker with her pinky, I think she can handle herself."

"But what about all the guys that will be flirting with her? She is fiiiiine," Wally exclaimed.

"Not worried about that either. Ever since I started dating her ever guy in school has tried to take her way, and it hasn't worked yet. She doesn't understand pick up lines anyway." With that he reflected on something that she had told him almost two months ago. She said some guy told her she had been running through his mind all day, and her matter-of-fact response was "No, I have not. I have been in school all day, and how would I get into to your mind? I am not psychic."

He could only imagaine what the guy's face looked like after. Just another reason to love her.

He was drawn out out of his thoughts when Wally abruptly stood from the couch. "That's yet. Come on bro, she out having fun, let's go do something too," Wally pleaded.

Richard sighed. "What did you have in mind?"

"Let's go to the mall. There's always fine girls there," he reasoned.

Richard looked at his friend blankly. "I'm not going to pick up girls."

"Fine, come watch me do it."

"No."

A grin spread across Wally's face." Fine, I'll just tell Kori all the dirty little stories I know about you."

Well, that settled it. Forty-five minutes later the two were walking in the mall's front door.

As Richard looked around, he saw that Wally was right. There were a bunch of beautiful girls there, most in there late teens to early twenties.

They made there way to the food court and Richard couldn't help, but notice the seductive smiles he received as he passed by some of the girls. Six months ago, and he would have at least one, possibly two, coming home with him, but that wasn't him anymore. Kori had truthfully changed him for the better.

Richard and Wally took a seat at a circular table, and Wally began to scan the prospects around. So many beautiful women in one place. It was killing him internally.

He finally laid eyes on a blonde headed girl at a table just twenty yards away. A grin crossed his face and he stood from the table. "Watch this," he said, looking down at Richard before walking over to the girl's table.

Richard looked on as Wally began to talk. The girl was laughing, and seemed to enjoy his company. He saw her take her phone and them exchange numbers. Wally stood from the table and waved before walking back over to where Richard was seated. "That's how it's done my dude," he said confidently.

Richard waved him off. "Before I met Kori, I would have had that girl begging me to take her back to my place."

Wally grinned once more. "To bad she chopped your balls off, huh?"

"Just because I stick with one girl doesn't mean I don't have balls."

Wally raised up his hands. "Okay, if you say so. I mean it doesn't really matter, you've probably lost your game by now anyway."

Richard was become irritated at this point, and Wally knew it, so his grin got wider. "I'm the son of a billionaire, an All-American quarterback, and I'm hot. You honestly think I lost my game?"

Wally nodded. "Yup."

Richard gritted his teeth together. He hated being challenged. "Fine, pick any girl in here and I bet I get her number."

Wally beamed a Kori like smile at his friend before scanning the mall once more. He came to stop on a drop dead gorgeous brunette standing near the outside of a clothing store. "Her," Wally pointed.

Richard followed his finger to find one of the top five hottest girls he had ever seen. "Fine." Richard stood from the table and approached the girl.

She wasn't facing him and was oblivious to his presence, so he tapped her on the shoulder. "Excuse me."

She turned around and her jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Hi, I apologize for bothering you, but I saw you from my table, and I just had to come talk you," he said with that charming smile that made any female who saw it heart melt.

She swallowed. "Umm no, it's fine. You're totally not bothering me. You're like Dick Grayson."

He let out a fake chuckle. "I am, and what's your name?," Richard asked as he glanced back at Wally, who was shaking his head vigorously and mouthing something. Richard, ignoring his friends strange behavior turned back to the girl.

"Umm, Courtney. Courtney Harris."

Richard smirked as he took her hand in his own, shaking it lightly. He looked her directly in her brown eyes the whole time and he could tell she was mesmerized by him.

"You know, you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen," he commented slyly. That was the biggest lie he had ever told. Nothing could compare with Kori's eyes.

The girls face turned beat red. "Your's are amazing too, but ummm... don't you... don't you have a girlfriend?"

On the inside he cringed, but he was trained by the most stoic person on the planet. He could hide what he felt well. "We actually just broke up," he said in the most believable way.

"We have, have we?," came an all to familiar voice from behind him.

Richard's heart stopped in his chest and he turned to Kori looking a mixture of pissed and hurt, a wide eyed Bee and Raven behind her. He wasn't even aware that the girl he had been talking to scampered off, not wanting anything to do with the situation.

"Kori, I..."

"Save it," she exclaimed, putting her hand up to stop him. "We did the breaking up remember?" With that she stormed off, tears already beginning to form in her eyes.

Bee glared at him. "You... mother... ahhhgh!," she screamed in frustration before running after Kori.

"Idiot," Raven barked before following behind.

Richard stood stund. Did that really just happen? Wally was at his side in seconds. "Dude, I told she was coming."

"I couldn't understand what you were saying," Richard retorted. "We need to get back to my house now."

Wally shrugged. "Whatever you say. You're in the dog house either way."

Thursday, February 21st 1:00 PM - Richard and Kori's house

Normal POV

Richard burst through the door of his house, completely ignoring Bee and Raven as he ran up the stairs. He'd let Wally deal with them.

When he entered his and Kori's room he found her standing by their bed, throwing close into a suitcase. Tears were falling from her eye, but he couldn't tell rather they were from anger or sadness.

"Kori, why are you packing your things?," Richard asked as he came up beside her.

She looked up at him and her tear filled eyes narrowed. "I may love you, but I will not let you cheat on me."

"I haven't cheated on you," he said, grabbing her hand, but she instantly jerked away.

"I heard Richard, you were doing the flirting with that girl. Do you not love me? Am I not good enough anymore?," she questioned angrily.

"Kori, of course you are," he replied in almost a pleading tone.

"Oh, so you have just become board and did not believe you would get caught, is that it?," she continued her anger filled rant.

"No that's not it. Wally was saying all this stuff about how I had lost my game, I was just trying to show him I could still do it. I'm so sorry."

"Do not blame Wally for what you did! It should not matter what he thinks of your game. My opinion is the only one that should matter on that subject," she yelled.

Richard hung his head "You're right. I got angry, and I did something I shouldn't have. It's my fault, and I'm really sorry for doing it and hurting you, but I swear to God, I have never cheated on you, or even thought about it."

Kori's anger still burned. "How am I to believe you when as soon as you are out of my sight, you go off and do something such as this?"

He didn't have an answer for that. She was right, it was that simple. "Kori, just please don't leave. I'll sleep in a different room or whatever, but don't leave," he pleaded and he could fill tears gather in his eyes and he didn't care enough at the moment to stop them.

Kori saw the tears begin to run down his cheek and almost gave in, but she needed this. "I must. You must decide what you want. I refuse to be with you if you act like this. I will follow your lead in combat, I will attend to balls of charity with you, but until you prove to me that I am the only one, we are over."

His heart shattered at that moment. She really did just break up with him.

Closing her eyes and biting her bottom lip, she grabbed her suitcase and walk passed him. He didn't stop her. Once she was out the door he fell to his knees and cried. Not a few tears falling down his face, but full out cried.

He felt hands wrap around him, and Wally voiced come in his hear ear. "I'm so sorry, man. I... I... this is my fault."

Richard shook his head. "No it's mine," he sobbed into Wally's shoulder. "I did this."

Wally ended up staying the next two days, despite his orders to return to the Watch Tower. His friend was more important than any other matter at the moment, especially because he felt responsable for the whole thing. He tried to cheer him up, tried to make him feel better, tried to make him smile.

It did't work.

Richard was able to function at least. He had been trained to block out emotions, to become heartless for a long period of time. He wasn't as good at it as Bruce, but it was enough to keep him going. He tried calling her many times, but she didn't answer. When he called Raven to see how she was doing, Raven's response was "no better than you." And that was true. Kori, who had been staying with Raven, was heartbroken and angry.

Bee and Raven were on totally different sides of the fence regarding the situation. Raven said she should just forgive him and that he really did love her, and Bee was in the process of convincing her to chop his balls off... literally. Kori was confused to say the least, and Richard's constant phone calls weren't helping any.

She wanted to answer so badly. She wanted to tell him she loved him, and was sorry for reacting the way she did, but then her anger would boil over and saying that it wasn't her fault, and that he needed to see that he needed her just as much as she needed him. She found herself actually looking forward to monday, because at least they could talk then.

Sunday night came around and Wally had to leave Richard. It hurt him to leave his best friend like this, but he had responsibility. With Wally gone, Richard sat alone in his big house. In his mind, his friends were mad at him, Kori hated his guts at the moment, and he was completely alone. He almost wished an alert would go off so that he could see her, but unfortunately all the criminals in the city must have taken a vacation.

At some point during his time alone he became bitter at his friends, bitter at Kori. He almost died for her, wasn't that enough to show how much he loved her? He guessed not.

When monday morning came around it was time to head back to school. He didn't even bother to go to Waffle House that morning. He wasn't welcomed there currently.
Instead he headed straight to school. Vic's charger was already in front, with all his friends standing in front of it. He gritted his teeth as he parked beside it.

Without a word, he got out of his car and walked passed them. Kori's face was one of complete shock along with the rest of his friends, but he didn't care. He was angry. Irrational even. He wasn't going to play this game, he decided.

In first period he didn't sit at his normal seat. He sat in the back of the room by himself.

Kori was fuming as she watched Kitten and Britney talk to him, but he said nothing in response. It didn't take long for the rumors to spread that they had broken up. When anyone asked Kori she would say "no, we are still together," just so the girls wouldn't try to get with him. When they asked Richard they got a far more honest answer. "She dumped me."

Kori had never been more ready for lunch in her life. When Kori Gar exited their fourth period class, she wasn't surprised to find that Richard wasn't there, but she hoped he'd at least sat at the the table with them. She wasn't that lucky.

When she entered the lunchroom she found a sizeable crowd of girls gathered around a table. She didn't have to look to know who was over their. In a fury she marched over to the table, pushing passed the girls and found Richard sitting there, ignoring pretty much anything around him. With a forceful yank she grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the table of to one of the room's corners.

"What do you think you are doing?," she growled.

"I was eating lunch before you interrupted me," he said with no emotion in his voice.

"I did not realize eating lunch required the assistance of twenty girls," she retorted.

"For one, they came to me, and I haven't said a word to any of them, and two, it's not like you have the right to be mad. You're the one who broke up with me."

"But I love you, and you know this. The reason I broke up with you is because of girls. This," she motioned to the table full girls, who were waiting, not to patiently, for him to return, "is not going to help you."

He was become frustrated but hid it well. "I'm not arguing with you, Kori. If you can't see that I love you, then that's on you." With that he turned away, leaving Kori angry and hurt. She really did wish he would have given her that charming smile, and told her she was the only one he wanted. She would have accepted it, but he didn't.

By the end of Monday, it was pretty common knowledge around the school that the schools ex-playboy was back on the market, and the girls of Jump City High couldn't have been more happy about it. As kori walked down the hall after eighth period, she heard the whispers about how she dumped him, about how he was back on the market, ready to be taken, about how crazy she was for letting a guy like him go.

When he ignored her that morning she was irritated, When he sat at a different table at lunch she was mad, but now she was pissed. He was not on the market, he was her's. Wasn't he? As she put her stuff away in her locker, Brittney of all people approached her. "Heard you and Dick broke up."

Kori's fist clenched. "Who did you hear this from?"

"I asked Dick himself. He said that you dumped him and that he was single. I think I'll take another swing at him," she said with a grin.

Kori slammed her locker door shut. "You will not. He is my..." She couldn't finish because she didn't know what he was. Letting out a frustrated scream, she pushed passed a smirking Britney, and walked out to the parking lot with a purpose. She caught Richard just before he left. Opening the passenger side door, she got in before shutting the door behind her.

He watched stoically as she huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Aren't you in the wrong car?"

She ignored the question in favor of asking on of her own. "Why are you telling people we did the breaking up?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Because they asked me. You dumped me remember?"

"It was not supposed to be like this. The girls, they were not supposed to know," she retorted.

"Well, when we don't sit near each other, we don't talk, we don't even look at each other, it's not to hard to figure out," he droned.

Kori was more confused in that moment then she had been in her entire life. She didn't want to be with him until he showed her that she was the only one, but she didn't want ever girl in school trying to sleep with him either. "Why must it be this way? Why must it be so hard? Why cannot love be simple? Why can it not be the easy?," she cried, burying her face in her hands. She was so tired of crying.

His eyes widened and his stoic expression broke. Kori's tears easily crashed through whatever walls he had built up. He reached for her and pulled her over so that she was sitting in his lap. She didn't hesitate to bury her face in his neck and hug him.

He stroked her hair slowly. "Shhh, it's okay baby."

"It is not the okay. We are no the okay, and I do not know what to do."

He raised her head so that she was facing him. Looking her directly in the eyes, electric blue meeting emerald green, he said two words that made her heart skip a beat. "Kiss me."

For some reason she wasn't completely sure of, she did. She leaned in and placed her lips to his, and it didn't take long for tongues to get involved. It was the most passionately they had kissed in months. So much love, so much want, so much passion.

They only broke away when Kori's cell went off. Cursing in Tameranian, she glanced down at her phone to see that it was Vic. "Hello," she answered as she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes.

"Hey Kor, where you at? We're standing at your locker."

Kori looked at Richard who was smiling at her. She smiled back without even knowing it. "I am busy at the moment. You may leave without me."

She heard laughter from the other side. "Back together with Dick?"

She stared at him for a moment, before putting her phone on mute. "Can you truthfully say that I am the only one you wish to be with and you have never done the cheating on me?"

"Kori, I love you more than I can say. I almost died for you, I wanna marry you. What I did at the mall was stupid. You're tha only girl I want, and I swear I have never cheated on you. I mean think about it, I could have brought any girl I wanted home with me today, but you're the only girl I want."

She smiled and unmuted her phone. "Umm yes, I do believe so. I believe this is mostly a misunderstanding."

"So, pizza?," Vic questioned.

Kori looked at Richard. "Would you like to go eat with our friends or do you wish to do more of the making out?"

Richard response was to reach for her phone and hang up before taking her lips in his own once more.

She pulled away just enough to mummer, "I hoping you would chose that."

"You know I really am sorry, right?"

"Shhh N'leane, stop talking," she said before rejoining their lips, only to pull away a moment later. "But you are still sleeping on the couch for the rest of the week."

He smiled. "Whatever it takes to get you to come home. I miss you."

"You do not have to miss me anymore."

The sun would go down before they left the parking lot.

Leave your ideas. The less I have, the longer it will take to write the next chapter. Review.