Introducing a new character – wonder who it is? Guesses? Kori isn't in this chapter, will be in the next which is in the works. Sorry this is kind of filler-y, but there needed to be a set up for what and who is to come in next.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans. If I did, I'd share them with Kry.

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You've Got Mail

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Chapter 58

Richard's golf game was barely affected although scenes from the aborted weekend with Kori – and not just the good ones – kept creeping back into his head. Not quiet as flashbacks, but in the form of short teasers, reminders that he had handled things differently than he should have, mixed in with reflections on the moments when she was so playful, sexy. She was also stressed and the travel he asked her to do only added to it. Popping the question on top of it all? It wasn't that he hadn't thought of it before, knew that they'd be together always, it was that he just asked her on a whim. That never was never Dick Grayson's MO.

This perspective partner had insisted that there meeting was this week and not the following as scheduled, was why Dick was on the links today. He now he faced three days to a week that he was thankfully mostly prepared for. Dick had researched all the perspective investors, partners, possible acquisitions, and competitors far ahead of time to varying degrees of depth. What else was there to do? Bruce had a way of working in questions during random Skype chats or phone calls about minor details on future matters and projects that were in the pipeline. Aspects of Bruce's job that he had already delegated to others but being CEO it was all Bruce's domain, he was privy to all the details, knew more than he would let on. He often feined ignorance and did actually miss things which happened when he was socializing also, but that just meant that people had to be more on their toes. It was a guessing game to know what Bruce really knew, how far his reach was. Dick was certain Bruce was being more annoying with intermitent check ins than actually confirming that Dick was prepared and doing a good job.

Another test, another hoop to jump through. Same as it ever was.

Dick could not balk on this perspective partner, push him to the previously agreed-upon week, although Dick wished to God he could have. Dick would be professional and he doubted Cameron van Cleer, an acquaintance of Selena and Bruce's was one to manipulate. Bruce on the other hand...

One to always be able to slip back into work-mode, the proper mind set easily, Kori stayed on his mind. For as much as friends and Bruce gave him a hard time about it, he did always produce, his mind had always been on the job when he was with Babs. But now, perhaps ten percent of his brain thinking about Kori, but with ninety percent of his mind on his work, he would do better than nearly any one else in a similar position. Dick wished he hadn't pushed so hard to get Kori to come and see him when her schedule was so busy. The stress getting to her, seeing her cry, causing it at least partially. He was the one who should have made the effort to see her. It would have been easier for him to forgo sleep, deal with jet lag, work out a short week. He could have done that for her, he should have done that for her. It was his job that was making things difficult for them.

This job wasn't going to break them apart.

This job wasn't going to break him either – he was sure it was a test as well as a way for Bruce to force him to stay – but that didn't mean he had to be in Europe all the time. Kori's face when the realization their time was cut short. Only a flash of sadness and perhaps some hurt and then her look quickly changed to understanding, resignation. He'd returned to his arrangements within moments. Had she really thought he wouldn't make sure she got home?

When she slipped away he had noticed but made nothing of it, assumed she was giving him privacy and was perhaps going to take a shower or get organized She'd soon after informed him of her arrangements and he was all the more impressed with her but a bit hurt too. She made no assumptions that he'd book travel for her, and the truth was that he hadn't yet seen to getting her back to California. No it wasn't his first priority knowing the corporate jet was a call away. He had failed her, yet she'd impressed him. Getting home sooner made more sense than waiting for the jet. There was no discussion necessary, it made the best sense.

Kori was sensible, level-headed. Other women would have thrown a fit about the time being cut short, their travel not a priority, their hurt feelings not worried about and placated with words and assurances and gifts and promises. Kori was like no other woman. He wished he could have put it into words but the right ones had escaped him, any of the usual sentiments echoed empty. Kori was being who she was, part of the reason he cared so deeply for her and respected her so much.

The least he could do was upgrade her seat to First Class, an upcharge of nearly $14,000, not that the money mattered to him; it was the gesture that counted. He hoped she wouldn't be angry, but he figured she'd forgive him once she would realize she would be afforded an actual bed so she could rest all the way home as well as excellent food and service. British Air did things right.

Again his mind turned to the engagement. So rushed. Not a total debacle as Kori had said yes, just not near good enough. He had always imagined something romantic; he hadn't even gotten a ring he admonished himself. He would have to take his time with that part, get it right. It occurred to him that Donna would know what Kori would like. Had he forgotten to say anything more about it before she left? How did that not register with him? With either of them?

But there were some great moments, there time together wasn't all bad was it?

Dick had to concentrate on his potential partner. He shook his head to clear it and realized Dr. van Cleer was talking. Dick looked up and cleared his throat. "Sorry."

"Oh, just mentioning that I was always wanted to play St. Andrews."

"It is something." The vista was stunning and this was the birthplace of golf. Where Dick would have taken on a bored tone and masked his features with a competitor, this was an outing where he needed to be cordial in the beginning, neither solicitous nor standoffish. It was almost like an interview. Or internet dating.

Which turned his thoughts back again to Kori.

Dick attempted to refocus, scanned the fairway, resetting his ball. They played the Old Course, the most challenging and famous of the seven courses at St Andrews. Dick requested his 3-iron but the caddy handed him a 6-iron, discretely mentioning to Dick that rather than using the long iron which offered little height, that he use the mid-iron that offered considerable loft. Dick had failed to take the grade into account when considering his shot, looking only at the distance. The caddy assured him that he had the power to make it to the green with the 6-iron and needed more height to manage the rise. Well, as it turns out, his game was affected. The caddy was worth the 80 pounds Sterling per round plus tip after all.

Even if it wasn't thoughts of the weekend that offered some distraction, it was Dr. van Cleer's mannerisms that were. There was something a bit off about him, beyond social awkwardness. His speech was pressured once he got going on a topic. He'd stand with his feet apart, gesticulating with his arms as he wound himself up, rocking up further and further on the balls of his feet. He'd move around a bit in a pattern as he spoke and took the occasional pause to gather his thoughts – or take a breath. The motions became more and more rapid the more and more excited he'd become, and apparently aeronautics excited him quite a bit. With big glasses for what must be profound nearsightedness and the frenetic movements, there was something almost insectlike about he. It was fascinating, but it was also disturbing.

Both van Cleer's and Dick's caddies worked well in concert to move along the game, a none-so-easy task given van Cleer's tangential conversations and little 'performances' on the prospects of a partnership with Wayne Enterprises. When the eighteen holes were completed, Dick signed their cards with a 100% tip because without their help they likely would have held up any number of foursomes behind them even given that there was only the two of them playing.

Parting ways with van Cleer until later that evening for dinner, Dick headed back to the hotel to shower, study up on the odd man he spent the day with, and order flowers for Kori.

The Old Course Hotel was right at the 17th Hole of the course they had just played, and Dick had breathed a sigh of relief that the two rooms that he was able to secure at the last minute were far apart from each other in the phenomenal resort. The downtime could be a blessing or a curse. It did give him time to figure out more about van Cleer, strategize a bit, and catch up on rest, but as he kept replaying the weekend in his mind – well, that part wasn't productive.

Dick delved into the background information on van Cleer and realized he knew this guy's story and not from his recent research. He also couldn't place it, but the van Cleer name, not a common one, he could swear he'd met someone else with that last name recently. In any event, there was no doubt the man was brilliant and further research showed he could build a company from the ground up. He'd done it before. But not as Cameron van Cleer.

He was born Drury Walker, Jr., son of an exterminator and daughter of a want-to-be socialite and florist, Dorothy van Cleer. He was fascinated with flowers and bugs and spent most of his free time with his parents. He noticed in his as a child that bugs did not do too much damage to Chrysanthemums. Toiling away first in the lab at school or the one in his basement, he started to develop a formula that was repelling bugs. His research continued, he found a botanical pesticide that worked. Investors flocked to him. He made billions.

His first products were botanical, so well received. Then he got greedy. Walker didn't like being 'the exterminator who made it'. After launching a product that wasn't purely botanical, he made a change. False advertising, fraud, dead pets. Bad for one's image. Oh he found a fall guy the ran his manufacturing plant so there was no jail time and only marginal fines, and the profits continued, he was cleared.

He reinvented himself, well, as much as he could. And Cameron van Cleer was born.

He still used his title as he had an earned doctorate, and Dr. van Cleer got contacts and a Brooks Brothers wardrobe and a Rolex and a Maserati. He enjoyed the social scene and hobnobbed with Gotham's elite.

Cameron married and left Gotham soon after, moving to Detroit, fascinated with cars. He studied at night, but still hit the social scene. A new degree and more ambitious than ever, he left his wife and baby behind. He moved to Germany to study engine design and then on to Japan, his quest for knowledge insatiable, his thirst for another big success driving him.

Van Cleer loved engines, especially automobile engines and developed his own innovation from a standard straight eight. With some contacts he'd made, this nice, powerful and sturdy 8-cylinder was very well received after market item, then in stock car races and finally by some NASCAR drivers. Dodge made him a great offer for his design for their trucks, so he sold the patent, only for them to tame it down so it was an acceptable if still powerful and durable street machine.

He'd made a name for himself, but he was somehow disappointed. He regretted the sale, had wanted to be the next DeLorean. It killed him his design was reconfigured. It was supposed to be a revolution, not more of the same, and because the patent was sold he'd have to come up with something different and new.

Frustrated he looked for a new industry. He looked into clean energy and began making speculative investments while learning more about types of energy and that industry.

It was at that point that NASA was becoming critically underfunded.

Looking at the solar panels and their use in space, the civilian opportunity for involvement in space aeronautics, van Cleer then set his sights on marrying his last two interests. He had the capital from his pesticides, an aptitude for science, and a lot of drive.

Dick considered that yes, there was drive, intelligence, but that no van Cleer was not, however, an ideal partner. A prospective partner he was set to spend between three and five days with discussing options, knowing full well that van Cleer was going to exhaust all options before he would take 'no' for a final answer.

When they met in the lobby, Cameron had gone through a bit of a metamorphosis. Not a complete change, but the buttoned-to-the-neck white Munsingwear polo was replace for a reasonably fashionable suit and tie. There was still too much hair gel in his hair, but gone were the glasses in exchange for contacts.

Not all had changed. Over dinner Dick found the conversation exhausting trying to follow van Cleer's stream of consciousness, the ever changing topics as Cameron spoke about his ideas for Wayne Aerospace. Emerging markets, space tourism, return on investment, colonizing the moon. He was meshing buzz words and catch phrases you were likely to hear on campus from business school majors mixed with those at sci fi conventions.

Dick struggled to keep his eyes from crossing and from drinking too much. And how many days did he have with this guy?

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To be continued...

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Thank you for reading and reviews always appreciated. I should be updating again shortly.

Chapter 59: Kori talks to Donna about her trip, Donna's in a bind and Kori's help could lead to a new opportunity, Kori finds out something out she wasn't meant to, Dick drunk-dials