Kori brushed some stray red hair behind her ear and she sighed as she walked up the metal stairs. She wasn't the biggest fan of clubs; she found them too loud and the intoxicated people within them were no better. When she reached the top of the stairs, she got slightly distracted and she began to look out into the night sky while her friends wandered inside the overbearing building. The club was created within a large warehouse that had been abandoned for years so it wasn't short of space; it was just too bad that the space was taken up by inebriated idiots.

Kori felt a tug on her hand and she turned her head and smiled. Dick tilted his head at her and smiled back, "Everything okay?" He asked, brushing his thumb against her hand.

Kori nodded, "Everything is fine. Shall we go in?" Kori lied. She was not in the mood to sit at a bar and have drunk guys hit on her or drunk girls be bitches to her; two situations that seemed to happen quite a lot when she went to places like this in the past.

Honestly, Kori couldn't stop thinking about the previous night. She wasn't able to get much sleep after she heard the noises in the bushes on her way back from Rachel's cabin. She had the strangest feeling that someone was lurking as she tossed and turned under the sheets. When she had attempted to go to bed, her heart had thumped continuously and she didn't even know what it was that was frightening her so much.

Kori was brought out of her thoughts of the night before by Dick who was clicking his fingers and waving his hand in front of her face with a raised eyebrow, "Kori? Are you sure everything is alright? You really spaced out then," He stated, tightening his grip on her hand,

She bit her lip for a moment, unsure whether or not to tell Dick about what she had heard. She forced a smile, "Apologies. I promise... I am alright." Kori shrugged, pulling Dick into the club with her.

Smoke was the first thing that Kori could taste. The air was thick with the stuff and it travelled into her system through her senses before anything else could. She spluttered as she felt the smoke fill her lungs.

"Nice." Dick said, sarcastically. He squinted his eyes to attempt to see through the solid mass of smoke in the air. He knew it would dissipate once they were properly inside of the club so he yanked Kori's hand and they began to walk.

Kori really didn't love this. She could barely hear anything on account of the powerful blast of music that was causing her ears to ring and her head to pound. She could roughly make out shapes as the lights and lasers of the club were blinding her and making it close to impossible to see anything other than white spots. She shook her head and allowed Dick to lead her over to the bar.

She let go of a breath that she didn't realise she had been holding. She and Dick took a seat and Dick ordered them some drinks. Kori decided against having an alcoholic drink; she didn't feel that she needed it. She didn't think she should use beverages to force herself to have a good time. Dick leaned on his elbows and smiled at Kori who hadn't noticed he had been staring. He leaned closer to her,

"You look really nice tonight, by the way," He half shouted,

"What?" Kori yelled back, not hearing his compliment over the loudness of the music,

"You look really nice tonight!" He howled, laughing slightly. Kori turned to him and smiled. She then mouthed a, 'thank you' before she touched his chin gently and brought him in for a sweet kiss. It wasn't forced and it wasn't rushed. Even so, sweet kisses like that caused Dick to have 'butterflies' which he couldn't seem to cease.

He gave her a goofy grin as she released him. Kori giggled and reached out for her drink and took a sip through the pink neon straw. Suddenly, Wally and Rachel appeared before the couple. Dick chuckled at their expressions. Wally looked like he was exhausted from dancing already and Rachel looked like she wanted to kill everyone in the room.

"I feel ready to pass out!" Wally yelled, breathing heavily.

"Having fun then?" Dick returned, matching his volume. Wally simply shot him a grin as a response. Dick shook his head and smirked. He turned to Rachel,

"Is the new boyfriend embarrassing you?" He shouted, grinning,

Rachel looked back at Garfield before answering him. The energetic guy was jumping all over the place like he had ants in his pants. Rachel sighed and shook her head.

"Just a little!" She yelled back to Dick who simply laughed. Kori giggled at the antics of Garfield and the reaction of her best friend.

While Kori flipped a section of hair over her shoulder, her eyes scanned over something that made her heart stop and her blood run cold.

She had to double take to spot him again but when she attempted to do just that, he was nowhere. Kori shook her head as she felt her face heat up and heart speed up.

Her sight was gaining interference; the lights in the club kept brightening then dimming. Her vision was becoming blurry and disorientated. She knew she was beginning to panic.

Suddenly, she saw him again. Her breathing became deeper and she felt weak with fear. She prayed that she was imagining it; that he wasn't really there.

He was coming closer to her and her fear wasn't decreasing. The one person she thought she had escaped was here and was getting closer to her. Her eyes darted all over the place in hope of locating the exit door.

Dick and Rachel turned to Kori who looked like she was suffocating within her own thoughts and imagination.

"Kori?" Rachel shouted,

"Kor?" Dick repeated, just as loudly.

Kori wasn't responding and didn't until Dick rested a hand against her bare shoulder. She flinched and turned to him with wide eyes.

Her breathing didn't cease to a normal level as she looked between Dick and the exit, "Apologies... I must... Ugh..." Kori panted but couldn't finish her answer as she bolted for the door.

"Kori, wait!" Dick shouted, getting up off of his seat in the process.

Kori pushed her way through the crowds of drunken people with force, desperate to get out. Her chest was beginning to hurt where she was struggling to breath at a normal pace. She glanced behind her and had a small pang of fear as she saw him closer than he had been. With a shrill scream, she shoved the door open and sprinted outside.

The icy night air hit her like knives piercing her skin. She sucked in a harsh and uneven breath. She felt hot tears beginning to roll down her cheeks. She placed a hand on her forehead as she attempted to calm herself and control her breathing.

Xavier. She couldn't believe it. Surely it couldn't have been him. How would he even know she was here? She didn't tell anyone where she was heading.

She couldn't erase the mental image of his face from her mind no matter how hard she tried. A small cry erupted from her throat as she lost control of her emotions. She was beginning to question her sanity. Was he really there or was it simply a figment of her imagination?

Kori's legs were refusing to hold her so she stumbled slightly and rested her back against the wall beside the door and let herself slowly slide down it. She rubbed her hands over her tear stained face and drew her knees up to her chin as she allowed more tears to fall.

That was how Dick found her a couple of minutes later. He speedily glanced around as he threw open the door. He heard sniffles and immediately turned towards Kori.

"Kor?" He whispered. He stooped and sat right beside her as he gently touched her arm. He was instantly worried about his girlfriend. She was cold, crying and shaking. Whatever had happened inside of the club had clearly spooked her to an unexplainable extent.

"Kori?" He repeated. Kori slowly raised her head and his eyebrows furrowed in concern at the fresh red rings circling her beautiful jade eyes. He stroked her hair tenderly and noted that she closed her eyes, clearly soothed by his actions.

"Kor, I'm gonna take you back to the cabins, alright?" He told her. Kori silently nodded in cooperation. He calmly kissed her forehead and stood up,

"I'm gonna go and tell the others. I'll be right back, okay?" Dick informed her. Kori hesitated before she nodded in agreement. Dick retreated back into the overbearing club to tell the others that they were leaving.

While she was alone, Kori replayed what she saw in her head. Why was she seeing Xavier now; real or not? She hated him with everything in her. He was a monster who was vicious and who had done despicable and unforgivable things.

Kori furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, anger, fear and sadness. She had so many emotions swirling inside of her; there was no wonder that she had broken down minutes beforehand.

The frightened red head slowly got to her feet and gripped the metal railing in front of her for support and balance. The chilly night time breeze danced around her and flowed through her long tresses of auburn hair. She hugged herself and jumped slightly as she heard the door open again.

Although, she suddenly felt a weight lifted from her and she was able to breathe without hiccupping as Dick placed a soft hand on her waist and another on her arm.

"Ready to go?" Dick asked, calmly. Kori nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder. She wasn't sure why but she felt so safe with him; she felt like he would protect her from her own demons.

Dick took Kori's cabin keys from her shaky hand and opened the door for them. He softly released her and watched her carefully as she stepped inside and made her way into the bedroom.

Dick sighed. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to help Kori. He knew he was falling in love with her so it caused him pain to see her so distraught and to not know how to make it better. He placed the keys on the side counter in the kitchen and made sure the door was locked before he wandered into the bedroom.

He noticed Kori trying to take off her heels but her shaky hands were not allowing her to do so easily. Dick smiled patiently and rounded her bed and kneeled before her. Kori tiredly tilted her head at him.

"I'll do that for you," He said, softly as he began to unbuckle the thin strap on her heels.

"Thank you," Kori croaked, gently stroking Dick's face. She gave into a deep sigh and leaned back on her elbows. She let her head fall back slightly and felt her long hair cascade over the bed. Dick continued to remove one heel and he added small signs of affection as he placed small kisses over the bottom half of her leg.

Once both shoes were off, Kori brought her legs up and crossed them upon the bed. Dick straightened up and sat beside her.

"I suppose I should let you sleep..." Dick trailed off as he moved to get up to leave. Kori's eyes widened and her breathing sped up. She whimpered and touched his hand.

Dick smiled sweetly and sat back down. He took her hands in his and kissed her cheek, "Do you want me to stay the night?" He asked,

"Please?" Kori replied, softly.

"Of course, Kori." Dick answered in a hushed tone. Kori gave him a small smile and gently kissed his lips. It was quick but it was enough to tell Dick, 'Thank you'.

"I have to go to my cabin to get something to sleep in but I'll be back before you know it. Okay?" Dick explained. Kori bit her lip and her eyebrows furrowed but she slowly nodded.

Dick released Kori's hands and left. Kori smiled as she heard him pick up the keys and lock her in so she felt safer. She sighed and got to her feet. She grabbed a pyjama set that consisted of a baby pink string top and white sweatpants.

She trudged into the bathroom and almost screamed at her own appearance. She had lost her usual golden glow and she looked as pale as Rachel. Her eyes were dark with lack of sleep and they had hints of raw pink where she had been crying. She looked frightful and she began to wonder how Dick hadn't ran for the hills at the sight of her.

She retreated back to her bedroom and she took a seat on the bed once again. The dark corners of her imagination were beginning to seep into the logical side of her mind. She started to believe that she could hear whispering outside the window and that she could hear shuffling too. She squeezed her eyes shut and tapped her knee, hoping none of it was real.

A crack of thunder caused her to gasp and her eyes shot open. She immediately glanced at the window that was getting pelted with rain. Kori screamed and backed up against the headboard of her bed as she was certain that she saw Xavier's face. However, with a flash of lightening,; it was gone.

Kori groaned and broke into tears once again. She cuddled herself and drew her knees up to her chin. She could feel a lump in her throat and her hair was beginning to stick to her face from the wetness of her cheeks.

Suddenly, Kori felt a hand touch her shoulder and she sat bolt right up and gasped. Dick held his hands up in defence, "Kor! It's me... It's just me..." He hushed.

Kori's shoulders slumped and she hiccupped as she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder. She felt his arms wrap around her waist and she instantly calmed a little. Dick was beginning to get more and more concerned with Kori's behaviour. He hummed a soothing tune and gently rubbed Kori's back,

"It's okay, Kori... I promise..." Dick whispered, running his fingers through her long ruby locks. He felt her nod against his shoulder.

The two of them shifted and began to slowly and silently slide beneath the sheets. Kori gave into a long yawn. She was exhausted. The whole evening had not only freaked her out but it had also worn her out in the process.

"Do you want to cuddle?" Dick wondered, brushing his thumb over Kori's slender fingers as they held hands beneath the fabric that covered them.

Kori broke into a cheerful smile and nodded. Dick grinned and shuffled closer to her. Kori turned so her back was facing Dick. He wrapped his arms around her stomach and rested his chin against her shoulder. Kori sighed in contentment. She felt serene and relaxed while Dick was around her. She felt like nothing could get to her while he was there. She had already placed so much trust in him and she knew she was not wrong to do so. Although Dick caused her to relax, she was still concerned and scared about what she had been seeing and hearing recently.

Dick watched Kori as she drifted off to sleep after a short period of time. Her chest rose and fell with an even pace. He wasn't tired. He remained beside Kori for the first 4 hours that she was asleep just making sure that she was okay. Although, around 3am she began to groan and mumble incoherent things. He didn't need to hear the words to know that she must have been having a nightmare. She grew sweatier and she struggled to stay still. Her words fuelled by fear got louder and suddenly, she sat bolt right up and screamed.

Dick followed her actions and sat up immediately. Kori dropped her head into her hand and panted heavily. Dick swallowed the lump that was in his throat and placed a comforting hand on Kori's back. He brushed the hair that was in her face behind her ear.

"Kori... Baby..." He whispered, "I have to ask what it is that's been freaking you out..."

Kori gave into a shaky sigh, "I have already told you about my ex-fiancé, Xavier. Yes?" Kori began,

"Yeah... The basics of him being an asshole." Dick responded. Kori faintly smiled.

"He is... worse than I made him out to be..."

"How can he be worse, Kori?"

Kori looked down at her lap.

"Kori?" Dick urged.

"He did worse things than being unfaithful to me with my sister..."

"Like... What?"

"Well... My relationship with him was not happy and was not... like this; not like our relationship. It was a dark relationship. I... I was physically abused by him and on one occasion; only one, he... He..."

"He what, Kor?"

"He... Raped me and attempted to explain it to be a misunderstanding... The product of that horrible event was a child... I became pregnant after that night... Although it was a horrible way to conceive a child... I... I was so excited..."

"Wh-What happened?"

"Xavier forced me to terminate the pregnancy... He threatened me and told me that he would leave me and no one would love me if I had a child..."

"Why wouldn't he want a child with you?"

"He told me that he could not... Bare to have a child with me... We never talked about the subject again... That is as much as I can think of that he did... Richard... I understand if this is too much and I would understand if you wish to terminate this relationship..." Kori said quietly. She kept her head down and refused to look Dick in the eye.

Dick was speechless. He was horrified by the things Kori had told him about. First and foremost, he was enraged. He wanted to find Xavier and torture him until he begged for mercy which wouldn't be given to him. He was livid; he couldn't believe that someone could be so cruel and could put someone like Kori through all of that.

Kori had grown unhappy and she could feel tears falling down her cheeks. Dick hadn't answered her for such a long time; she was scared that by telling him, she had ruined everything.

She sighed and turned away but was shocked to feel Dick place his hand over hers to stop her. She looked back at him, confused.

"What makes you think I would wanna give you up so easily?" He asked, smiling and brushing a fresh tear away.

"But... My past... You do not wish to break up?" Kori stuttered,

"Of course not. Kori, you've been through a lot but that just makes me wanna stay with you more. I wanna be the one that proves to you that not every guy is like that scum, Xavier."

Kori faintly smiled,

"None of this changes how I feel about you, Kori. And I swear to God, if I ever meet Xavier; I am going to kill him."

Kori sniffled and leaned up to kiss his lips. Dick gripped Kori's waist and pulled her as close as possible. They released each other after a moment and smiled at one another. They quietly laid back down and drifted off to sleep at the same time. Kori was happy that Dick knew every bit of the truth in connection with her relationship with Xavier but she was still uneasy. She felt like things were going to get worse before they got better...