"Aww, yeah! Go punch his face, yo! Ya'll got it goin' on!"

Richard stirred. "Shutup," he mumbled as he dug his head back under his pillow. He heard another noise, but this time the room shook each time he heard it. As soon as he realized it wasn't Tara, he scrambled up in bed. His blurred vision began to subside and he tried to make out a tall brown figure as-

"-Cyborg!"

The muscular teen jumped up, switching the TV off and putting back a game controller in less than two seconds. "Oh, uh…" He suddenly clasped his hands stiffly like a robot together as if he knew that he missed his cue and continued. "I'm the Ghost of Christmas Present."

Richard's jaw remained on the floor. "Cyborg? You…died?" he whispered in a heartbreaking tone.

"Yeah," Cyborg whispered, " I died because…" A wry grin suddenly appeared on his face. "…YOU GAVE ME A BUMBLEBEE DOLL FOR CHRISTMAS, YO!" He began to roll on the floor cracking up, while Richard was not the least bit amused.

"Seriously, if you're not Cyborg…then who the heck ARE you?"

Cyborg ceased his fit of laughter and rose from his crouched position. "I AM Cyborg. Except I'm the part of him that died in the car accident before he became an actual cyborg."

"Wait, so that means you're- you- he-"

"Yup, tis' the human Cyborg! I'm VICTOR!" he spat out gleefully. He held his hand out and Richard just stared at it hesitantly.

"Well?" Victor exclaimed questionably, "You gonna take my hand or what?" Richard clamped his hand on his grumpily and mumbled something.

As soon as his hand made contact with Victor's, his vision swirled and he felt himself get sucked into the shadows of his room. A moment later, he felt something fall on his face. As he gazed up towards the sky, he recognized it as snow. Victor gestured for him to follow him, directing him to a window outside a large apartment building.

"Where are we this time?"

Victor placed a small smile on his face, but it wasn't as cheerful as before. He took Richard's hand once more and pulled him through the building. "You'll see."

Richard roamed around the crowded room, his ghostly body going through every person he passed by. There were so many people in cocktail dresses and tuxedos holding up there champagne glasses with their luxurious fur coats- who was he supposed to be looking for anyway?

"Victor, I really think-"

He cut himself off as one particular person caught his eye; he didn't notice Victor smirking in the corner. He gazed at the marvelous beauty in front of him. A slender young woman looking as vibrant as ever in an elegant but flaunting black gown with only two tiny delicate straps to hold it on her shoulders. Could it really be her?

Yes, it was, he decided irrationally. Those haunting emerald green eyes could make any man fall down to his knees, yet ever be forgotten. Her auburn hair was still as vibrant as ever, and that smile. It was only then when Richard realize how fast his heart was beating.

"Starfire," he murmured. He reached his arm to stroke her ginger locks but stopped himself before he made a fool out of himself.

"It's okay," came Victor's voice from the other side of the room. "She can't see you."

But his words went in one ear and out the other. Richard continued to fixate on the goddess that lay before him, how could anyone take their eyes off her? A man walked towards the young woman.

"Kori!"

"Drew!" She pulled him in for a quick and friendly hug. As soon as they both pulled away from each other, they continued to smile.

"So," Drew said, "Where's Roy? I thought he was supposed to be here tonight; it's Christmas Eve."

Richard continued to occasionally stare at Kori. Was it just him or did her eyes cloud over at the mention of Speedy's name? Apparently the middle-aged man didn't notice.

"So," he pressed on, "What's he doing at a time like this? He should be here with you, at your own party! And he also…"

This time tears began to well up in her eyes, making Richard furious. Couldn't that man see that he was pushing it too far?

"…Say Kori, when do you think he'll pop up the question, huh? I bet-"

Poor Kori couldn't take it anymore. "I'm sorry, Drew. I just…I need to go somewhere…"

She pushed her way through the crowd, with Richard running after her. Making sure that she wasn't seen, she opened a door and stepped inside a large room with gold strung all around it. Richard watched as she made her way to her bed, throwing herself on it carelessly. As her tears began to fall, Richard wanted nothing more to just wipe them off her face. God, how he loved her.

'Wait, did I just say-'

Again he was cut short by the pain of seeing her cry. Her tear-streaked face was slightly smeared by the tiniest bit because of her makeup, but that didn't change a thing of how beautiful she still looked. He continued to observe her as he rested himself on her bed.

She pulled her head up from her pillow and reached for something on her nightstand. It was a photograph of…him and her? Richard thought he was hallucinating, but a moment later he proved himself wrong. She stroked the picture ever so gently.

She sobbed. "If only you could be here right now…with me."

Richard was surprised at her words. Did that really mean that she lo-

"You," she sniffled lightly, "would always be here for me. You would never do anything to hurt me. You would always be faithful and…love me…for who I am…"

Her voice trailed off as Richard realized that she didn't know how right she was. He still loved her and he always would love her. She hadn't given up on him yet.

"…But I know that you could never love me back. Have you ever loved me? Have you ever-"

A pale purple-haired girl in a suede white gown burst into the room, her face filled with liveliness. "Kori, come'on, let's-"

But that liveliness disappeared when she saw her weeping best friend studying a picture in tears. "Oh Star, not this again. In fact we've been over this already- you can't let your memories of him break you, Kor."

"But Rae-"

"No. You get cleaned up and have fun out there. It's your party- you should be enjoying it. Don't let some guy ruin Christmas Eve for you." She took hold of Kori's hand and dragged her out the room, leaving Richard alone with his thoughts.

"Victor, does this mean that she loves me?" He only got silence. He looked around, but he was no longer in the room. In fact, he didn't know WHERE he was. He stood there, alone in the dark.

"Victor?"

A/N: Cliffie right there! Please review! I would very much appreciate that since I worked really really REALLY hard on this chapter. My imagination hurts right now, lol. Till the next chappie!