Chapter 17 - The dance - part 2

Richards POV:

Slamming though the double doors that led away from the disco, I scanned the empty hallway for any sign of Kori. Ignoring the pleas from my friends to calm down, I continued on, mind whirling with worry.

What they didn't realize was that I was perfectly calm, just a little tense. Sure, Kori had arrived at the school safe and had now been missing for about an hour, but there was no reason to worry. Sure, she could be hurt, she might have gotten lost in the school at night, or even cornered by some of the schools less friendly students... Yeah, I was perfectly calm.

Stop thinking that way, she's fine.

But the pounding of my heart told me otherwise. Something wasn't right.

It wasn't like Kori to just run off somewhere without telling anyone. What's more, I was concerned she was upset after what Karen and Vic had said. They'd reluctantly confessed that they'd been discussing a bet of some sort and that Kori might have overheard. My friends betting on our love life only made me roll my eyes, but I could see why she'd be annoyed by it.

I shook my head and continued down the hall, hands balled into fists at my sides.

Behind me, the girls looked into the empty classrooms for any sign of Kori. A few of the stray students in the halls were stopped by my friends, who asked if anyone had seen her; one boy caught their attention.

"Yeah I saw her, she was by the punch bowl with some shady guy earlier." A short bald boy named Simon answered, with a voice so high pitched it could rival Kittens. He had writing scribbled on his back pack that read 'Gizmo's.'

When he continued down the hall, I turned to my friends. "It has to be Xaviour."

Jenny looked skeptical as she crossed her arms. "You sure about that? The description was a bit vague to jump to him."

"Even if it was him, we'd have no reason to be concerned. They're friends after all" said Rachel.

Wally shrugged. "But don't you think Kori would have told you where she was going anyway? She would've known that you would worry if she just disappeared."

Vic nodded and put his arm around a worried Karen, who looked up at him gratefully. "Yeah, let's go back to the disco and ask if anyone's seen Xaviour. He's more likely to be spotted than Kori, and hey if it wasn't him, he might know where she is."

As they walked off down the corridor we'd just came from I stayed rooted in place. Turning on my heel, I quickly opened the door that led upstairs, leaving my friends to their own plans. From behind the door, I could hear their voices.

"Um... guys? Where's Richard?" Gar's tentative voice called out.

Everyone groaned, and footsteps carried on up the hall, now searching for me.

"That's it, I'm getting you all micro chipped!" Said Karen.

When their voices were a little further away, I ran up the stairs, hoping that my instincts were leading me in the right direction.

OOO

Koris POV:

I'll never forget the moment that I laid eyes on him again. The sight caused terror, fear and worry to imprint every detail into my mind. I'd never been in a serious fight, I'd never been mixed up with a gang before, but Xaviour certainly had, and now he was paying for it.

The boy who had now introduced himself as Fang had taken me up to the roof of the school. I'd remembered Kitten's words from earlier and had thought for a moment that she was behind this, that she'd asked her boyfriend to give me a little scare as payback. But as I'd reached the roof, I realized just how bad the situation really was as I took in the group before me. I'd tried to fight back but Fang kept a firm grip on me until I reached where Xaviour lay in a pool of his own blood, the moonlight blanketing his beaten form.

He then released me, and I sank down to my knees, touching my friend's shoulder tentatively.

"Xaviour? X, can you hear me?" My voice shook.

Hazel eyes opened and blinked unfocused for a moment, before widening. "K-Kori?! What are you doing here?"

I smiled through my tears. Seeing him so broken, so far from how he usually was, made my heart clench in pain. "It'll be alright."

It was an outright lie, we both knew this. His head had been hit at the back, and his jacket was dirty with imprints of grime and boots, like he'd been kicked and beaten. His face had a few bruises, while his knuckles were raw, the skin split from where he'd been punching. Obviously Xaviour hadn't gone down without a fight judging by the state he'd left some of the gang members in.

"How sweet, you know I'd actually feel sorry for you X if you hadn't of brought this on yourself. You were asking for us to come find you when you left the gang and burned down our base as a goodbye present." Fang looked down at us in boredom, while some of the other members lips twisted at his words.

I glanced at X. "You burned their base? Is that what this is all about?"

He winced as he tried to pull himself up into a sitting position. I quickly put my arm around his shoulders, steadying him. "It was the only thing I could think of to distract them when I ran away. I wanted to leave the gang peacefully, but the arrangement is less than friendly and it called for more drastic measures." X smirked tiredly, looking at Fang.

"Once you're in, you can't leave. Not unless you suddenly find yourself adopted by a millionaire. " The smoker chuckled hoarsely and my eyes widened.

"Is that...what happened to Richard?"

A member of the gang spat on the floor at his name and turned to me. He was a mammoth of a guy, with big muscles and long greasy ginger hair. "Don't even mention that waste of space. He's nothing to us."

"But he's not nothing to you, is he X? He was your best friend once." Fang looked down as us, a slight smirk on his face.

"It must've hurt allot to be abandoned by him like that, after everything you'd done for him. You were the one who saved him after his parents' death and made him who he was. Yet even after all that he still turned his back on you, I wonder if it was because of your little...problem."

I turned to Xaviour questioningly. He shrugged and looked away, "I was...a pyromaniac back then. I couldn't resist torching places just to feel alive. I couldn't be a normal citizen, but Richard was normal, he had a shot at something great and he took it. I don't blame the guy. Not anymore."

Fang chuckled. "Yeah, and now he's going to take the girl away from you. Now that's gotta sting. Hope you don't have any feelings for her or anything."

I stared at him for a moment, a little taken aback. When I looked at Xaviour and he avoided my gaze, my heart clenched.
"What's got to sting even more than that? I guess seeing that same girl in our hands before you die would do."

My hands shook as they gripped Xaviours shoulders, heart thudding in my chest so loud I was sure they could hear it. Fang signalled to one of the boys behind us, but I kept my eyes on him. I had no idea what to do, I was terrified and my mind was blank. When Xaviour's cold and bloodied hand covered my own, I started and looked at him with wide eyes.

He moved into a more upright position, wincing in pain. I was about to protest before he leaned towards me, his lips close to my ear.

"Run Kori. It's you they want, not me."

I pulled back slightly, to look him in the eye. "I can't do that, I won't!"

Xaviour shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "Idiot. Don't go all noble on me. They know about your involvement with Richard and plan to use you to get money out of Bruce. I was just a way of making sure their reputation stays intact. You need to go, now."

I knew he was right. But in my mind I could see each scenario playing out, and if I chose to run, or chose to stay by Xaviour's side, each of them ended with his death. I didn't want to leave him alone with these mad men, and if I went for help we wouldn't arrive on time to save him.

His hazel eyes narrowed when I didn't move, and I couldn't stop the tears as they began to flow. "I-I do not wish you to be alone, friend Xaviour."

My accent didn't surprise me as it slipped out with my words, but what did was how Xaviours eyes softened.

"Idiot," he muttered fondly.

Because I'd been so focused on Xaviour I hadn't been paying attention to the gang. When their footsteps sounded like they were approaching I looked over my shoulder fearfully, and stopped when I saw Fang. A red metal can was in his hand, quite large but obviously not too heavy by the way he strode forward easily. Even from where he was standing I could smell something sharp in the air, a metallic, noxious aroma. In an odd sort of way it was a pleasant smell, but from the boys twisted expression it wasn't meant to be.

Hands grabbed me roughly from behind and I found myself dragged away from Xaviour. Without my help supporting him, his body slumped to the floor again, but he twisted helplessly to watch me, hazel eyes frightened. With a sick feeling in my gut, I realized in a moment of clarity just what Fang intended to do. What I couldn't understand is why Xaviour seemed more fearful for me rather than himself.

I screamed and kicked but the large mammoth of a boy held me back. Two thin boys with taunt faces stood next to me, just in case I managed to escape his clutches. One had dark hair and a pale, almost lifeless face, the other was a boy I remembered who had been expelled from school. Seemore, I think his nickname had been, turned to look at me.

"Look we don't wanna hurt you, we're just here to settle a score with X."

I looked them over, true they looked like they hadn't had a decent meal in weeks, but they didn't look as...broken as Fang or Xaviour.

"You mean Fang is here to settle a personal grudge don't you? You don't look as if you even knew X when he was in the gang."

The two exchange a glance and Seemore shrugged. "What's the big deal? It's not like it matters. Fang just wants to scare him a bit as payback is all."

I looked over at Fang as he leaned over Xaviour, his foot pressing down on his ribs as he spoke lowly to him.
He didn't wear the expression of man who was just playing around. His eyes were deadly serious as his fingers twisted the top of the red metal can.

"Thought it would be kind of poetic or whatever to give you a send off this way. They do say 'live by the knife, die by the knife.' In your case it'll be live by the fire, die by the fire."

Xaviour coughed up some blood before Fang lifted his foot away. Despite being bloody and haggard looking, a wry smile stayed plastered to his face. Fang noticed and sneered; "What's so funny?"

X chuckled hoarsely, "oh, nothing. Just you. Playing the big bad gang leader. I hope you realize though just how pathetic you shape up against the real deal. One day you'll see just like I did that there's always a bigger group out there waiting to knock you on your ass. They'll come for you when they hear about what happened tonight. A little upstart like you shooting your mouth off? You won't last five minutes."

Fang's jaw clenched but he didn't show any other outward sign of being angry. "At least if I die it'll be because I decided to face them, I wouldn't run away like a coward. You're no better than Richard when he abandoned you to a life on the streets alone."

Xaviour only smiled wider, "self preservation has always been a nasty habit of mine. Richard had that same habit too, which is why he did the smart thing and left when he could. We were always so similar him and I..."

He then looked Fang right in the eye, "he knew that you were a worthless piece of shit too."

It was then that the leader snapped just as his fingers slipped the cap open. In one quick motion he poured the contents onto Xaviour, the metallic smell now overpowering.

Xaviour coughed harshly and shook his head, soaking wet. He locked gazes with Fang who had stepped back a bit from the gasoline creeping slowly across the floor.

I turned back to the two boys, "does this look like petty revenge to you?! He's going to burn him alive! How can you just stand there and let him do this?"

"Shut it!" Said the one who held me.

The boys looked shaken though, as did a few of the other gang members watching the scene. All of them looked so young to be mixed up in this. I knew in the moment that Fang brought out Xaviour's red lighter though that none of these boys would be of help.

Fang's empty, bored eyes looked down at X, lacking any mercy for him. Xaviour made a move to get up, but winced and clutched his side, gritting his teeth in pain. A sigh seemed to shudder out of him as he lay back down, seeing it was useless.

"It smells just like how I remember. So nostalgic it's almost beautiful." He muttered, staring at the stars.

I couldn't watch this, I wouldn't.

Richard...I knew it was such a silly thing to think of at that moment, such a selfish thought, yet I couldn't help it. Sometimes the most ridiculous thought can make you feel a little more like yourself, and just a little braver.

The thought of him gave me mixed emotions but one thing I latched onto was the thought of his strength. I felt my limbs lock into a stance my uncle Galfore had taught me. With one swift motion I kicked behind me hitting the boys shin, and again to set him off balance. As he reeled back and loosened his arms enough to free mine, I elbowed him in the gut and broke free.

Yet even as I ran forward, I knew I couldn't make it in time. I opened my mouth in a silent scream of horror as Fang flicked the petrol lighter down and held it over Xaviour's still body. His grip loosened, threatening to let go before I could reach him, I cried out to stop him, but someone beat me to it.

"STOP!"

Fang hesitated, looking up at Richard, who had burst through the door onto the roof. His eyes were hooded, breathing heavy, fists clenched at his sides.

Immediately the whole atmosphere changed as the gang looked at Richard. The pale boy and Seemore looked terrified at the sight of him. Fang and a few others had a cold sort of resentful look about them, but they all couldn't quite mask a look of fear in their eyes.

"Richard..." I breathed.

He didn't look at me, instead keeping his eyes on Fang, but when he spoke his voice was unnervingly calm.

"Did they hurt you Kori?"

I tensed, Richard had never looked this way before, not even when he confronted Xaviour and those boys. "N-no I'm fine."

Fang had lowered the lighter and snapped it shut, his dull eyes focused. "And so the prodigal son returns, huh Rich?"

The larger boy who had held me earlier spat on the ground, sneering with distaste. Richard straightened, regaining a bit of control over himself as he noticed Xaviour on the ground, looking worse for wear. He pointedly ignored Fang and asked X quietly, "you ok? You look like hell."

They met each others gaze and X gave a small smile. "Knew you couldn't resist the opportunity to see me get the ever loving crap beaten out of me. I'm fine idiot, worry about them."

With the gang looking so wary, Fang turned to them angrily. "Are you seriously just going to stand there and do nothing?"
One of them spoke up. "But boss, Richard...when he used to fight he was-"

"Friggin Psychotic that's what he was! You're telling us to fight him?" Said another.

"Ah your referring to those rage blackouts he used to have?" Fang mused as he walked around Xaviour's body on the floor.
"L-lets just say we didn't know anything about him being here. We thought it was just Xaviour we were after tonight not...him. This makes things a little more difficult." Said Seemore.

"Hmm…well I guess you guys may have a point, but there's one thing you've not considered. Richard is no longer a street urchin, he's a pampered billionaires son, who is nothing like he used to be. Or have you forgotten that its been years since Richard's been adopted?" Fang faced them, raising a brow with forced calm. At his sides his hands trembled slightly.

The members seemed to relax at this and Fang finally turned to the boy in question.

Richard smiled for the first time that night as he set his sights on the leader. "So I see you've become the new boss, huh Fang? The gang must've been pretty desperate to choose you."

Fangs eye twitched. "Yeah well what else could we do? You left us without a second thought to go live it up with the millionaires. X taught us how to go on, but then he ran off as well, destroying our base in the process, so really could you blame the guys for wanting someone stable?"

Richard laughed and even X, bloodied and broken, smirked. When his laughter died down he looked up with mirth dancing in his eyes, "and that's you is it?"

Fang twitched, his mouth twisting into a dark grin. Richard's matched it as they both stared at each other for a moment, neither moving an inch.

Then suddenly, it began. Richard was before Fang quicker than anyone realized and landed the first punch, glancing Fang's jaw. Before the leader could retaliate, Richard sent another that doubled his opponent over, knocking the wind out of him.

Surprise registered on everyone's, even on my own. Richard waited calmly as Fang recovered, gasping for air. After a moment, he seemed to still before quickly answering Richard's punch by landing one of his own. Richard's face snapped to the side, and he moved back as Fang straightened.

He stood rigidly with a stance that spoke of inexperience, eyes bulging with rage as he stared at Richard. Fang advanced quickly. "You...little..." He took a step forward and tried to calm himself. "You're just an orphan at heart...your nothing. Yet you act like you're better than us?" Richard only wiped his bleeding mouth on his sleeve and smiled coldly.

This seemed to make Fang snap as he landed another blow. I knew the second he landed it in Richard's gut that it hadn't been hard enough to make a difference. Fang seemed to know this too as he brought his fist down to land another. The spry, smiling Richard only ducked. Before Fang could even register the dodge, however, another shot, this one to his ribs that seemed to send ripples of pain through his torso.

Seeing what Fang had intended to do to X and watching Richard fight so easily he might as well have been breathing had shaken me. Since the moment he'd arrived it was as if the very air called for blood between Richard and the gang. I could feel it like a crushing weight suffocating me, stealing my breath. From where I stood near the edge of the school roof, I watched their fight fearfully. I didn't want to be afraid, but what if Richard got hurt just like Xaviour?

Jump City wasn't meant to be like this, teenagers fighting each other over bad blood. It reminded me of the boys back in Tameran, who took fighting too far and seriously hurt their opponent from time to time. Those fights usually involved a weapon though...

And sure enough I spotted something I'd easily overlooked every time my eyes had landed on Fang before. Looking at his back, I caught the glint of light from above his belt that could be seen from where his shirt had ridden up. At his side, his hand twitched, itching to take out the knife the moment Richard was close enough.

The pressure to act, to do something, anything that might help stop this, suddenly fell upon my shoulders, hard. I clenched my teeth and waited, biding my time as they moved closer to where I stood. I couldn't rush in like I wanted to, not if I wanted to save Richard without him getting hurt.

When they were finally within range I flew at Fang's back just as he reached behind him to pull out the knife. It glittered dangerously in the moonlight, but my hands did not hesitate in snatching his wrist and seizing his arm. He'd turned to me in outrage, but acting on instinct I squeezed tightly and the confidence left his face as the knife sailed to the floor.

Looking back on it, it was as if from that moment all hell broke loose. Sirens blared in the distance as the door to the roof flew open on its hinges. Victor and the rest burst through the entrance, looking enraged as the gang members took on the look that only criminals got when hearing the police. The two gangs flew at each other, and amidst the confusion, Fang moved his arm sharply out of my grasp. The sudden movement jolted me, and with a final shove of his arm as he carelessly scrambled away, I fell back.

My scarlet hair flew up in front of my face as I fell down and over the edge of the roof.

OOO

Falling so suddenly from the roof, I didn't have time to do much else but let out a scream of panic as I fell. Richards horror struck face was the last thing I saw before squeezing my eyes shut, heart racing, hand outstretched in front of me hopelessly.

Just as quickly as I'd started to fall, I was jolted up again, my arm stretched taut above me painfully.

Tears pricked my eyes at the sensation, and I opened them reluctantly. Looking up and blinking with surprise, I saw Richards determined face. He must have grabbed onto me at the last second and was now leaning over the side of the building, holding my wrist with such force it stained his fingers white.

"Don't worry Kori. I've got you. Trust me" He muttered, his body tense with the effort of holding me up.

I could see the pain in Richards face but I was more worried about the commotion I could hear around him. Richards friends were shouting at the gang members and a scuffle seemed to have broke out. I was finding it difficult to focus through the deafening thud of my heart in my ears, my chest thundering like a drum beat.

"H-hey! Don't think about them, look at me Kori!" Richard worried voice called out and I fought to keep calm, looking into his worried, ocean-blue eyes.

I nodded and smiled through my tears. "I-I'm ok, but, my feet...I can't find anything as a foot hold." I looked around for something my other hand could grab onto, but there was nothing.

"That-that's ok," his teeth gritted with effort. "I'm going to try and pull you up now, alright?"

Nodding mutely, I squeezed my eyes shut once again in pain as he tried to pull me up. However, he'd been holding me too long now, and the strength had left his arms. I tried to find my footing again but it was hopeless.

The effort to move me had only sent Richard further over the edge so he was laying down on the roof now.

I looked into Richard's blue eyes, knowing he'd let go in a few minuets after total exhaustion; I could see the strain in his hand. He knew this too, but the fear in his eyes would not win out. For a moment, his eyes looked as if he'd follow me down if I fell, and my own widened in response.

However, when his grip finally loosened and I thought he'd have to let go, another hand snapped down and reached out towards me. Blinking, I stared up at the face of Xaviour before quickly swinging the hand at my side up and grabbing his outstretched one.

They both pulled and I felt my body move up as more hands came to help. Richard and Xaviour, with help from Karen, Jenny and Rachel finally pulled me up and caught my body before I slipped.

I felt my legs quake beneath me as I clung to Richard like a life line. I was safe...but still petrified. Dazed, I listened to his rapid heartbeat as I sat on the floor, wrapped in his arms like a child.

As I slowly calmed, I began to take notice of my surroundings, comforted by his fingers as they stroked my hair. Xaviour sat beside us and smiled weakly at me when I looked at him.

From what I could tell around me, the gang members had been arrested shortly after their fight with Richards friends. Fang sent us a resentful look over his shoulder as he was led away, Kitten following after him like a lost puppy. As we waited for the ambulance to arrive that would take Xaviour away and check on us, I sat quietly with the two boys beside me.

"Thank you for saving me. " I said to both of them, reminding myself to say it to my friends later on.

Richard sat beside me closely, when he chuckled, I felt it move through my body, warming me. "It's not like you didn't save us first."

Xaviour slumped against the side of the school that we were leaning against as the authorities moved about, asking our friends questions. We'd moved as far away from the edge as possible. "Yeah Cutie, you don't owe us anything. In fact, we owe you." He then reluctantly looked at Richard. "And I guess I owe you too kid."

Richard rolled his eyes. "If that's the case then stop calling me kid and we'll be even."

"Fair enough."

They lapsed into silence when an officer came over and asked us a few questions. When we were alone once again, I sighed and looked from one to the other. "If you'd like to make it up to me...you two could settle things between you and bury the axe."

"It's bury the hatchet Kor...and I don't know if we can." Richard sighed, not looking at either of us.

Xaviour said nothing and I looked dejectedly at Richard until he leaned his head back against the wall tiredly.

"Fine. Look, are you going to tell me what that thing was with Roy and Malchior? You know, when you beat me up and knocked Kori unconscious?" I looked at him sharply, but Richard didn't look apologetic in the least.

X shrugged weakly, still smelling strongly of gasoline. "Like I told Cutie before, I guess we got carried away. Or maybe I got carried away. Too much buried resentment maybe." He muttered as an after thought.

Richard and I exchanged a glance, looking over at him in surprise. Richard spoke up after a shocked moment. "X, I did offer you to come and live with me after I was adopted but you dismissed it. You taught me how to survive on the streets so it was the least I could do to pay you back. This all started after you said 'no'...but why didn't you come with me?"

Xaviour waited a moment, listening to the approaching sirens. "Guess I just felt like I couldn't adapt to that sort of life. Like I didn't deserve it." He turned slightly, his hazel eyes far away. "You were always made for greater things Rich, you didn't need me dragging you down. When you left, I think I got pissed at myself for missing such a great opportunity that I turned it towards you."

The ambulance had arrived in the parking lot now, judging by the sirens and flashing lights below us. Richard, after a moment of silence, just smiled and shook his head. "And that makes what kind of sense?"

Xaviour chuckled and seemed to genuinely return the smile for once. "None whatsoever."

He then looked at me and grabbed my hand weakly. "Hey Cu-, uh, Kori, I don't want you coming with me to the hospital ok?"

I stared in horror "what! Why not?!"

X just smiled in that odd way of his, which could both make you annoyed and shoot a fond feeling right into your heart. "I'm not going to ruin your night anymore than it already has been. Make sure she has a fun time Rich."

Richard crossed his arms, before wincing and uncrossing them. "Yeah, because the night beforehand was so dull."

Xaviour turned to me, as if seeking confirmation that I'd do as he said. I shook my head, scarlet hair fanning over my shoulders. "I make no promises." His smile fell a little, but his eyes softened.

When the paramedics arrived they took Xaviour away and examined us. Luckily both our arms hadn't been sprained and we were otherwise fine, though I did urge Richard to go with them just in case. He refused however and took my hand.

"Where are we going?" I squeaked.

"To the hospital, I didn't actually agree not to take you." I smiled up at him gratefully and he returned it with one of his own.

OOO

Later Richard and I along with our friends resumed the dance. Not at the school however, instead it was relocated to Wayne Manor, Richards home. Apparently his guardian and his butler Alfred weren't home, and too much had happened at the school to make the night enjoyable there. The teachers and parents (and my sister) had been informed of what Fang had done, and our six friends left the school to meet up with us after our visit at the hospital.

Xaviour would be staying awhile to recover. His ribs were in bad shape, but he still managed to look annoyed when we walked into his room later on. When Richard left us alone to make a few calls, we sat together, talking quietly. X didn't feel safe in Jump anymore, which was understandable. So he confessed he'd been thinking of moving to another city as soon as he was better.

I supported his decision but it was still a little difficult, thinking that my friend would soon be leaving. We promised to keep in touch, 'like pen pals' he'd said dryly.

After the horrid scenario that had played out earlier I decided to enjoy myself to take my mind off it. So there I was, dancing with my close friends in my formal dress, hair slightly messy, a few bruises on my arms and heels off, dancing in bare feet. We spun around the living rooms and explored the manor as a group, laughter and merriment echoing through the dismal looking halls. When Gar knocked a vase over Richard groaned "Bruce is going to kill me..." before shrugging it off.

Even when the night had worn on some more no one left the manor. In some way I think we were recovering from such a frightening night by staying together, making sure each of us were alright. Richard and I were watched like a hawk by Karen and Rachel, that is until a late night TV soap distracted them.

At the first opportunity, Richard was at my side. "Kori, do you want to come with me?"

I nodded but inquired, "where?"

"It's a surprise, come on.." He took my hand as I slipped on my shoe's. We crept out of the room before walking down the hall silently, stealing glances at one another while holding hands.

Finally, we arrived at a beautiful glass conservatory overlooking the gardens outside. The ceiling was high, the glass glittering wonderfully in the moonlight. Richard led me to the center of the room, the light making the shadows catch at his form as he stepped away for a moment.

"Close your eyes," he whispered gently, and I did, trusting him.

I heard him leave for a brief moment and click something. My breath caught as a song came on.

You light. The sky. Up above me...

Forcing my closed eyes to stay shut, my smile widened, this was my favorite song. I'd only mentioned it in passing to Richard the other day.

A star so bright, you blind me..

A hand suddenly twined with mine and I was pulled into the warmth of his body as I opened my eyes. "Did I even need to close my eyes?" I teased and he answered me with a smirk.

Don't close your eyes. Don't fade away, don't fade away...

My heart began to beat faster as Richard pulled me close, "too cliché huh?" He murmured.

I shook my head "I like cliché. No one's ever done this sort of thing for me before."

Yeah you and me we can ride on a star. If you stay with stay with me girl, we can rule the world...

Richard chuckled softly "It's just an iPod speaker Kor, nothing special. However one of the fringe benefits of being a millionaire's son is that I can provide you with many nights like this one."

I wrapped my arms around his neck as Richard wrapped his own around my waist, swaying to the music. Both of us smiling like we hadn't just barely gotten out of a dangerous situation alive. Thinking back to when Fang had brought out the knife, my hand found itself on his chest, hovering over his heart.

Yeah you and me we can light up the sky. If you stay by my side, we can rule the world...

Concerned, I looked up at him. "You don't think I'd be here with you if all I wanted was a millionaires son do you?"

Startled, Richard blinked, before smiling ruefully. "No, you're not like that. Though really I don't see why else you'd want to be, I haven't exactly been the nicest guy to you Kori, and after tonight...aren't you scared? Of what I used to do? Who I used to be?"

A tender smile touched my lips and I shook my head gently. "No, not at all. If anything the man I saw tonight has the highest and deepest respect from me, do you know why?"

He stood mutely before me and I giggled. "It's because you were fighting to protect your friends. How could I think or love any less of you?"

Both of us were too lost in our own world to notice six people peeking through the key hole to watch us lightly dance.

(Behind the door)

"Move over!"

"You move over!"

"Guys shut up! I can't hear what their saying!" Karen looked through the keyhole and saw the look in the pairs eyes...it was happening!

"Who ever doesn't shut their trap in the next 5 seconds will be force fed Tofu!" She warned and everyone but Gar immediately shut their mouths.

(With Richard and Kori)

Richard stood frozen in place before me, eyes widened as he held me in his arms. He stuttered out a response, looking more surprised and flustered than I'd ever seen him.

"Did you just say that you loved me?"

My face flushed red and I thought back to what I'd said, realizing that yes, I had just admitted that out loud like a love confession. I nodded hesitantly, suddenly unsure of how he'd take it.

"I suppose I insinuated it..." I looked away.

When I felt a hand curl in my hair and his arm tighten around my waist my eyes snapped forward again as I was met with a kiss. The effect was like seeing fireworks for the first time. The air became sharp and sweet, like smoke had trailed in its wake. I inhaled a sharp breath through my nose in surprise. His lips parted against mine, just slightly, his hand leaving my hair to trail down my back pleasantly. I hesitated only a moment before responding to the kiss, my hand still on his chest, feeling his heart drum against my hand.

We stayed in each other's arms for a little while, finding this new arrangement very pleasant and welcome. When we finally broke apart, I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"Then this is me, insinuating it too." He breathed, and my heart thudded in my chest.

When I pulled away slightly to look at him, his eyes had darkened."Kori, I tried not to face my true feelings for you because...something always happens to the ones I love. I would never forgive myself if I lost you and tonight was almost proof of that-"

I shook my head and placed a hand gently on the side of his face, saying in a forceful tone that I truly believed. "You're not going to loose me."

He seemed to believe me too, as his frame relaxed considerably. We were about to kiss again when the door suddenly flew open and out walked Karen, Wally and Victor looking triumphant.

"Booya! That's 60 bucks you guys owe me!" Vic announced to the others behind them.

"No way, they owe me 60 as well." Karen joined in, beaming at the two of us. I felt my face heat.

"Me too!" Wally cheered. The all high fived and Richard smiled, knowing that the others had bet on when we would get together. My annoyance from earlier had vanished and I giggled at their antics now.

Gar on the other hand frowned as if doing some deep thinking. "So wait, that means I owe you guys...hmm 60 plus 60 plus 60 equals..."

"It's 180 genius," Rachel smiled.

"WHAT!?"

Richard groaned and decided he'd had enough, he pushed them out of the door mumbling something about them ruining a special moment and shut the door.

He walked over to me and I fought to keep down the giggles that had over took me at the sight of my friends being shoved none to gently out the door. He rolled his eyes at their antics and tried and failed to look serious once more as he smiled and out stretched his hand again.

"Shall we?"

My smile widened, "I think we shall."

Taking his warm hand once more, we swayed silently together in the light of the moon, late into the blissful night.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx...And as all fairytales tell us, they lived happily ever after...xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxx...But as reality will tell us, love takes work, and begs the question - Or would they? xxxxxxxxxxxx

***************************Dedicated to my best friend Emily Woolnough**********************

To find out read the sequel: its going to be called What happened next: Thank you very much to everyone who read and reviewed, I loved doing this fanfic because of you lovely people!

Disclaimer for all my chapters: I don't own Teen Titans...or Take That.

Edit as of 2014: Alright guys I've rewritten allot of this story, so obviously by now you would have noticed the changes. My reasons for doing this is because I realized that I couldn't just leave it as it was written because of all the plot holes/grammar and spelling mistakes. (Heck its a high school fic, it doesn't even have much plot XD)

I thought it was a bit unfair that I made Xaviour the bad guy before, so I hinted through some of the chapters at X's darker past catching up with him, and made him a kind of anti hero. Kori getting mixed up in the cross fire at the end just seemed like the way to go. (The amount of times I've made him suffer in my fanfictions though its a wonder he's still alive XD Poor guy.)

So I made it more of a redemption story for him, and a catalyst for Richard to change. Kori changing him for the better is pretty much the same, but its left on a more ambiguous note on whether they could keep what they have, when they're not sure who they are and what they want from life yet.

So yeah, I've changed allot and I'll be going through What Happened Next along with all of my other stories. If you've never read this fanfiction before, cool, please give a review or PM me to say if you liked it or not. If you read the first version, likewise, please tell me if you like the changes ^^ I know its not a great fic but it was important to me to go through all of it and make it readable. XDD

Hope you enjoyed!xxxx