Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or any other copyrighted characters.


Part III

"Richard…?" Kori took a step back as the door opened a crack; she hadn't expected him to actually answer—the door slamming in her face was more of the customary greeting these days. But her hope was short-lived as she caught a glimpse of Richard's irritated face, and she faltered.

When Richard saw her, his annoyed expression softened slightly. "Kori…" his voice still held a bit of an edge as if he was scolding her, but it was softer tonight, as if he didn't have energy left to spend on anger. His face, pale and weary, was a telltale sign of fatigue. "I told you I'd be working late tonight. Go to bed, don't wait for me." He made to close the door, but Kori quickly seized her only chance.

"Richard, please… can we talk?" she ventured hesitantly, expecting a snappy response in the negative.

And then Richard blinked; finally, he looked directly at her and saw her face, pale in contrast to the dimness inside the room. But more importantly, he saw her tear-stained cheeks, her eyes swollen with crying. Looking more worried now, he opened the door wider and at last allowed her entry. "What's wrong, baby?" he asked, pulling a chair out for her.

Kori remained standing up, shaking her head. She had forgotten how emotionless he could be at times, but… why were Earth males simply so… dense?!? Her heart had slowly been torn to shreds over the past few weeks, months. She was dying inside; without love, she was a flower fading slowly from the world, a flower whose petals bled tears of blood… and yet he remained so oblivious to all her pain, all her suffering, all her tears. "What's wrong?!" she repeated angrily, "What is wrong? Can you not see what is wrong?" she retorted in a flash of fury. "You clearly are not making any effort to display affection towards your loved ones… especially not on this day," she paused to poke him sharply, "an Earthling celebration of love and joy. And you still ask me what is wrong? What is wrong with you?"

"Star…" Richard began again, his eyes betraying dismay and regret. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"You did not mean to ignore me and our children? You did not mean to refuse to play with Mar'i? You did not mean to refuse to spend time with your son? You did not mean to deprive him of a goodnight kiss, because you were too busy with your 'work'?" Kori concluded impatiently for him. "Do you not understand?" She was almost shouting now, something she hardly ever did, and definitely not with Richard. Hot tears erupted from her flaming jade eyes. With every tear that fell, Richard felt as if he was suffering sharp blows to his heart. Of course he cared for her, and for the children… he cared for them more than words could express. Why couldn't she see that?

"Then perhaps… do you love... someone else... another woman?" Kori had never brought herself to face the possibility before, and she felt a sharp pang of fear stab at her heart as Richard opened his mouth to say something. Quickly, she averted her eyes so that he couldn't see the tears. "I could understand if—"

"Don't… don't say that, Kori," he snapped shakily and when she turned around, Kori could clearly see the fear in his wide eyes. His voice and expression softened, "Of course I love you. You're the only one, Kori. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else…" Richard reached out, longing to hold her close, longing to kiss away her tears, but she shrank away from him, turning away.

"Richard, we cannot keep on doing this. It's not fair to you and me, and Bruce and Mar'i… Think of the children. They need their father, they need you. I need you. You know I love you, Richard. But if you proclaim the same, then you… must prove it. I once thought we would be happy together, but… if you… are not… if you do not love me as I love you, then perhaps… we should… just…" Kori couldn't finish the sentence; she felt as if saying the very words would bring to reality what was too terrible for her to even imagine, "…perhaps it would be best for both of us, if… we..."

"Stop it, Kori! Stop saying things like that!" Richard interrupted, on the verge of shouting. "Don't say that! I don't want us to… be separate. I won't let it happen."

Through the blur of tears, Kori saw his thoughts flickering across his face, emotions dancing in his expressive deep blue eyes. She willed him to say something—anything was better than this tormenting silence. Anything was better than the doubt, than not knowing what he really felt, not knowing what was truly in his heart. Just as Kori was beginning to regret her sudden outburst of anger and emotion, Richard sighed heavily and buried his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees. Surprised, she gingerly placed her hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. He whispered, "Oh, Star… Kori… what have I done?"

Kori felt a lump form in her throat. She had simply meant to chastise him a little, for ignoring her and the children; she hadn't intentionally wanted to hurt him, or shout at him… What had she done now? Kori knew she could not stay angry at him for long, and now that the tide of fury had subsided, her eyes lost their fire and were restored to bright emerald orbs, shining with fresh tears. "Oh, Richard, I did not mean to—please, do not blame yourself—"

"How can I not?" His voice was shaking, and his body trembled, as if he was sobbing. "I tried to do the right thing for everyone… Batman told me that if I caught one more villain tonight, then one more person would be able to wake up happily and enjoy Christmas. Oh, Kori, tell me what I've done wrong! I wanted to help everyone, but look at me—what have I achieved? Nothing. I've failed you, and the kids; I've failed Batman; I've failed my parents and my friends; I've failed the city… I've failed everyone! I'm a failure, that's what I am! I'm not a hero; heroes save people, but I end up helping no one and hurting the people I love the most. And now my kids—our kids—will never know what it's like to have a father who cares for them, who loves them, who spends time with them… Kori…" he looked up, shame and regret filling his eyes as he reminisced his childhood and his parents' death. "I never told the people I loved the most how much I loved them while I still had the chance… and now it's happening again. I'm sorry…"

"Oh, Richard…" She fell into his arms, and they shared a tight embrace, seeking comfort in each other. At length, they let go. Kori cupped Richard's cheek with her hand. "It will not happen again, if you choose to do the right thing now," she told him softly.

Richard's fingers closed tightly around Kori's own, warm and secure. "I want to do the right thing, Kori. I have to make it up to you, and the kids… before it's too late. But I don't know what… or how…"

At his words, a radiant smile lit up Kori's tear-streaked but still beautiful face. "Oh… but I know…"


A breath of wind stirred up a few strands of Bruce's hair. His eyelids fluttered gently, and he shifted in his sleep. Through half-open eyes, the young boy thought he saw—a figure moving between consciousness and the world of dreams—could it really be—

"Daddy?" he murmured, still half-asleep. If this was a dream, it certainly was an unusual but pleasant one. In the morning, he would tell Mommy that he saw Daddy…

"No," the figure replied slowly, fingering his silvery-white beard. "I'm Santa Claus." Bruce's eyes opened wider in surprise. This certainly was a strange dream… if it was a dream at all. He blinked and rubbed away the sleep that weighed down his eyelids... it really was Santa Claus! The friendly saint was wearing a bright red suit, trimmed with cottony white fur, exactly like the drawings in Bruce's storybooks. And he even had a large sack, bulging with presents for… Bruce.

"Santa!" The little boy squealed in childish delight, immediately sitting upright in bed.

Santa Claus put a finger to his lips. "Shhhhhh. Tell me, Bruce, have you been a good boy this year?"

Bruce nodded.

"And you want your Christmas present?"

Another eager nod.

"What do you want for Christmas, Bruce?"

A look of dismay crossed Bruce's now crestfallen face. He hurriedly wiped his eyes, hoping that the single pearly tear on his cheek went unseen by Santa's sharp blue eyes. "I… I want Mommy and Daddy and me and Mar'i to be happy," Bruce pronounced slowly, carefully wording the sentence, "Daddy doesn't play with me and Mar'i anymore. He doesn't love us anymore."

Suddenly, and much to Bruce's surprise, Santa scooped up the young boy and held him close to his silvery beard. Bruce fidgeted, slightly flustered at Santa's sudden, strange course of action. Then, in one quick movement, Santa removed his feathery beard and red-and-white hat, to reveal…

Richard Grayson disguised in a Santa Claus costume.

"Daddy!"

Richard smiled and swung his son around in circles just like his own father used to do, before setting him down on the bed again, hugging him fiercely. "Daddy loves you, Bruce. Always and forever," he promised determinedly. Finally, Richard kissed the top of his son's head, and casually ruffled the mop of untidy, jet-black hair, so much like his own. After all, Bruce was his son. His and Kori's son, proof of his love for Kori—which he still had to prove to her… again.

"I love you too, Daddy… Merry Christmas," Bruce murmured sleepily, already half-asleep again. A combination of fatiguing excitement over the unexpected visitor and staying up past his usual bedtime had taken its toll on the little boy, who was drifting off to sleep on his father's shoulder.

"Merry Christmas, my son." Richard smiled and tenderly tucked his son into bed, making sure the bedcovers were carefully smoothed out. Then he kissed his son goodnight again and left the room noiselessly. As he left, a single sliver of golden light crept in through the crack at the bottom of the closed door and shone on the peacefully sleeping child, already lost in pleasant dreams of Santa Claus and flying reindeer.


Kori smiled in quiet amusement as she watched Richard remove the clumsy, heavily padded Santa Claus costume awkwardly and rather humorously. "You know," she mused softly, hiding a giggle with the back of her hand and watching him fold away the bulky costume in frustration, "You look so irresistibly cute doing that."

In one swift and practiced motion, Richard spun around and grabbed her hand, pulling her around and pressing her body against his. His lips found hers in an instant; his tongue navigated its way inside her mouth. Kori felt shivers of pure delight crawl up and down her spine as he pinned her against the wall, their lips locked together in a passionate, fervent kiss. She surrendered herself to Richard's heated, dominating display of affection; she had missed his adoring kisses, his tender touch… she had missed his love.

After a while, they broke apart, both breathless and panting. "Not as cute as you always look, baby," Richard declared, pressing his forehead against hers. His eyes held her gaze firmly, and Kori found herself drowning in a swirling blue ocean of emotions. "Kori," Richard whispered in a shaky voice, "I never want you to doubt or, God forbid, forget that I love you. I know I haven't been very… affectionate… recently. You know me, Kori, better than anyone else. You know how I get too absorbed in my work. But that doesn't mean I don't love you. I love you with all my life, Starfire… Kori… and I want you to know that no matter what, I will always continue to love you. Promise me you'll never forget or doubt that."

"I promise," she whispered in reply, her lips against his mouth. "And I am sorry that I doubted you…"

He kissed her again—a short but sweet kiss, filled with fiery passion. It was a kiss that held a promise, a kiss to make up for all the lost months of kisses, of love—he would somehow have to make it up to her, in the future. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk. I love you, Kori. I love you so much… I always have and I always will."

Kori smiled at his avowal, a genuine smile of happiness that lit up her face like a ray of sunlight shining through a dispersing rain cloud. She let her fingers trail themselves up Richard's chest, his collarbone, his shoulder; her fingers entangled themselves in his sweat-soaked ebony hair, which she fingered lovingly. "I know… I love you too, Richard. Merry Christmas."

He gazed at her, eyes filled with love, and smiled back. "Merry Christmas, Kori."


A/N- It's almost Christmas!!! Wheeeeeee!!! (Yeah, I'm a little hyper—how could you tell?) Anyway, consider this fic a Christmas present from me to you, and... if you review, I'll consider that a Christmas gift :) So, uh, review please!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year, everyone!

Love,

The Silver Phoenix