(A/N): Wow I am so sorry about how long it took me to update this! I got completely swept up IRL with the kids and everything that I forgot about this story. I would like to thank Vmpi5h for sending me a message and alerting me to the fact that I still have people wanting to know what happens. Well this is the second to last chapter, its not super long like I had hoped but a lot of things happen. Well Enjoy and please don't hesitate PM me if there was something you liked or didn't like. -Darkrubie
Kori sighed as in content as she placed her sweet baby in her crib. It seemed like the past few weeks have flown by and now that she had a routine, she found things were easier. Not to say that Mar'i was a hard baby, because she was far from it. Kori was so relived when she realized that the horror stories from other moms about their babies that cry all the time and never sleep didn't apply to her precious daughter. Mar'i seemed to only cry when she really needed something or when she was being held by someone she didn't know. It surprised Kori with how forward people seemed to be towards new babies. She was constantly fending people off from touching her child. Richard was even worse! Kori at least tried to be polite about it but when someone came to look at Mar'i, a growl emanated from deep in his chest and people immediately backed off. So here Kori was, happily looking down and running through her sleeping child's thick raven coloured hair and thinking about how life couldn't get any better when the phone rang.
"Shoot!" She whispered as she ran out of the bedroom, hoping to get to the phone before it woke Mar'i.
She reached for the receiver and breathlessly answered "Hello, Grayson residence."
Kori's blood froze when she heard the high pitched, ear grating, voice on the other end say "Already trapped him into marriage eh? I'm surprised he is actually there. Haven't you told him about your night with Xavier? I doubt he would want you then." Kitten said with a laugh. "It's only a matter of time before he finds out and then he will leave you and that disgusting child."
Kori took a shuddering breath. "I-I don't know what you are talking about."
Kitten laughed "Please. What is he going to say if he is told that he isn't the father of your brat?"
Kori choked back a sob.
"Nothing, he would believe me over anyone else. You missed your chance on the Grayson express and now I have my one way ticket to happiness with my family. They mean the world to me and don't call again." She finally shouted out and slammed down the receiver.
Kori tried to get her emotions under control. She didn't want Richard to see her upset and ask what was wrong. She just wanted to put her past behind her and move on from everything Kitten and Xavier did to her and she hoped Richard would never find out.
Richard was down in the kitchen making dinner for he and Kori. He smiled as he thought of the past couple of weeks that he spent with the love of his life and his beautiful daughter. They were his world and he couldn't imagine a life without them. The phone started to ring and he swore and ran to it, hoping to pick it up before it awoke Mar'i. He picked up the phone and heard Kori speaking and he smiled at her greeting. Dick couldn't wait for the day that she became his wife. As he was about to put the receiver down he heard the worst voice he could possibly imagine. Richard mentally grimaced and wondered what she could want. He knew it was wrong to listen to Koris' conversation but he just couldn't bring himself to walk away. When he heard Kitten ask Kori about what I would think if someone told me Mar'i wasn't mine, my blood started to boil and when he heard Kori say "You missed your chance on the Grayson Express. It's my turn-" his heart stopped and his ears started to ring.
"Is that all she thinks of me as? A ticket to a better life?" Richard thought with panic. He felt as if his world was coming down around him. Now the rage started to build within.
"This is what I get for actually opening up to someone. My heart stomped on." He growled out.
Richards head snapped up when he heard Kori coming down the stairs and the fake smile she had plastered on her face just made his rage boil even more. Kori's smile faltered and she looked down and noticed the phone in his hand.
"Let me explain." She started off but flinched when she heard Richard shout.
"Don't even say it! I should have trusted my gut from the beginning! You only see me as a ticket for a better life!" He continued.
Kori rushed to try and tell him that he was wrong and he was so much more than that to her but he cut her off with "Don't even bother! I'm done here!" Richard shouted as he stormed to the door.
He couldn't stay here any longer. He felt like his heart was being crushed and lit on fire the longer he stood in the same house as her. His car door quickly slammed shut and sped off towards the only place he could go and wallow in grief and rage.
Kori sank to her knees as she heard the front door slam. She felt as if her heart was broken beyond repair. She almost didn't hear Mar'is mewls over the sound of her own sobbing and Kori ran up and picked up her only source of comfort. She sat down in the rocking chair with her little bundle of love and held her close. It was like Mar'i sensed how much Kori needed this and wrapped her tiny arms around Kori's hand. Kori smiled at her daughter and tried to choke back the sobs that were building in her chest. They sat like this for about 45 minutes and Kori almost jumped out of her skin when she heard Rachel call her name from the doorway.
"What's wrong?" Rachel questioned as she rushed to Kori's side.
"Don't tell me it's nothing. I have never sensed more heartbreak and sadness from anyone in my life. Where's Dick?" She asked which brought a whole slew of fresh tears to Kori's face.
Rachel was patient as she waited for Kori to calm down enough to tell her what happened and when she was finally told the story she couldn't believe it. How could Dick believe that skank over Kori.
"He always goes off half cocked without hearing the whole thing!" She silently fumed.
Rachel looked at Kori with compassionate eyes and asked Kori if she wanted to change and feed Mar'i then out her to bed while Rachel ran down to make them some tea. Kori sniffled and agreed. As Rachel prepared the tea she tried to think of how to help her friend. Thinking about it just made her angry and the only person who has a worse temper than Dick was Rachel. She tried to hide her frustration when she heard Kori come down the stairs and judging by the look on Kori's face, Rachel guessed that her blank face was firmly in tact.
"Do you know where he went?" She finally asked as they sat down at the table.
"No." Kori finally got out after blinking back tears and getting herself under control.
"I'm sure he will pop up again at some point. Let's call Karen and she can bring over some pizza and well bring Mar'is pop up crib down and have... Girl talk" Rachel said with a shudder than smiling slightly when she heard a small giggle come from Kori.
Richard finally approached Wayne manor and roared into the garage. Of course the only person he thought he could trust was there waiting for him with a curious look on his face.
"Master Dick, I was not expecting you and Miss Kori until dinner next week." Alfred greeted. He noticed a sour look on Dick's face when Kori's name was mentioned and continued saying "Unless I've really gone senile and I'm mistaken about the date."
Dick brushed passed him and said "No, it was next week but you might as well cancel it.. And any fixture dinners with that tart." but the last part was mumbled and he thought Alfred hadn't heard him until he hear the disappointed sigh.
"You can think whatever you want but it's over between Kori and I." Richard continued.
Alfred did something that surprised Dick which was gasp.
"But what about little Mar'i?" Alfred asked.
"It doesn't matter. I should have trusted my first insincts." Dick replied with and he went up to his room and slammed the door.
Alfred stood there in a state of shock, Richard loved Kori and their baby.
"What could have possibly happened?" He wondered aloud.
He quickly walked to the kitchen and picked up the phone than dialled the number for Kori's house.
"Dick you are seriously living up to your name right now! How could you leave them alone?!" He heard before he could say a word
. "Sorry Miss Rachel but I'm afraid you have the wrong person. I was calling to find out why Master Dick was here." He finally got out when Rachel was done yelling.
"Oh I am truly sorry Alfred. I thought it was Dick." She then began to tell the story of that happened earlier that day and by the end of it Alfred was stunned.
"Thank you for sharing Miss Rachel and I will have a talk with him right now." He said when he could finally find the words to say.
"Don't bother! He isn't welcome back here again!" Rachel said then said her good byes.
Alfred shook his head "How could things get so messed up he wondered. He sighed and walked up the stairs straight to Dicks room than knocked.
"Go away!" He heard which made him roll his eyes.
It was a very un-Alfred thing to do but nothing seemed normal at the moment. Alfred opened the door and looked at the man- child sprawled across his bed which made him cluck his tongue at the lad.
"Don't you think you've been sulking enough?" Alfred asked.
He got a glare from Dick and he said "You don't know what happened, don't lecture me."
Alfred glared right back and said "I do, I called the house and Rachel filled me in. She is there comforting your love right now."
A look of pain crossed Richards face when he heard about Kori but than it quickly hardened and he said "I love no one." And rolled on his side.
Alfred walked over to the other side of the bed that Richard was now facing, exasperated, and said "I don't believe that for one minute. Did you let her explain? Did you even hear everything she said?"
Richard glared again and said "I heard enough, I don't need explanations."
Alfred finally got tired of it and said "Well if you don't believe the love of your life, one of the few people you can trust, than why don't you get the story straight from the source. Go talk to this other girl and see what she says. Or check the tapes from that night at the ball!" than he stomped out of Richards room leaving him to think.
He finally came together with a plan which was to watch the tapes than talk to Xavier himself.
Next Chapter: Sadly the story comes to an end in the next chapter! Will Richard find out the truth? Will Kori forgive him if he does? Find out later this week!