As the day progressed it was getting colder and colder. Which was why he was inside. His last class ended thirty minutes ago and he was done for the day. A sigh escaped his lips as he looked down at his phone. Blue eyes lingering on the contact displayed on the screen. He liked her, he really did like her. Yet he was torn. Why did he feel this way? Was it because of his feelings for Megan?

Deep down he knew he still loved her. Megan was the first one to show him how to love, how to live. How could he ever forget her. But then there was Wendy. She was so smart and so full of life. Everything with her was made into an adventure. "Screw it" he mumbled dialing her phone number. The cold air was nipping at his fingers as he paced back and forth. What was there really to do?

It took a moment but she finally picked up the phone. Butterflies began to appear inside of his stomach. "Good afternoon Conner" she said over the phone. He could just hear her smiling with the way she spoke. "So I um was wondering if you would like to go skating maybe? Possibly" he said, his cheeks a light shade of red. That's when he heard her sweet giggle. "You sure you can handle skating?" she asked curiously.

"I'm from a farm, we used to skate on the pond all the time" he said with a smirk.

"Well then farmboy you just got yourself a date" she said, another light giggle escaping her lips.

All he could do was stand there with wide eyes. Completely forgetting that he was still on the phone. She did all of the hard work for him. It would have taken him ages to ask her if it was a date. Maybe this could even lighten up the mood. Lately everything's been so dull and depressing. He might just have some hope yet. "Sure. I'll pick you up around five" he said hearing her giggle.

"Whatever you say" she said before hanging up.

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She walked down the street hurriedly. At this point she was so done with all of the secrecy and lies. All she needed to do was get out. The cold air was actually welcoming for once. Being cooped up in that house for so long could make you go crazy. Her frosty breath danced through the cold air with every breath she took. At this point anywhere was better than here. Hundreds of thoughts were going through her mind at once.

It was like her brain opened the floodgates and let all of her thoughts pour out. She walked and walked until she couldn't anymore. Looking around she noticed that she was by one of the Gotham U living area's. The dorms here were actually pretty nice. It was too bad that they were so expensive. To her surprise she saw a familiar red head walking around.

Running across the road shr dodged several car's. In this city no one was willing to stop and wait. "Hey girl where are you going" she said standing behind her. Hands placed on her hips and a smirk plastered to her face. Megan turned around to look at her. She could see just how much this was all affecting her. The puffiness of her eyes, pale skin, overall she looked sick.

She ran over engulfing her in a surprising hug. Roquette felt guilty for not coming by more often. The girls really needed to get together soon. Then it crashed down onto her again. The girls. Zatanna was no longer there to be apart of their group. The thought of that made her heart fall to her stomach. She wrapped her arms around her thin frame. "Why are you here?" Megan said with a sniffle.

Fresh tears brimming the young woman's eyes. She could see just how much she was trying to hide her pain. Even with all of that makeup on Roquette could still see through her. "Kal. I needed to go for a walk, to get away for awhile" she answered, gsze drawn down to the ring on her finger.

"Kal. What am I going to do with you?" she whispered to herself.

"Do you want to grab a coffee?" Megan asked curiously.

"You know what, sure. That sounds like a great idea" she said with a warm smile.

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She ran out of the living room after that. Her footsteps fast against the hardwood floor of the apartment. Tears were now streaming down her cheeks. Her father couldn't help her, no one could. Her mother was dead and she wasn't coming back. The door slammed behind her as she jumped into her bed. There was an elephant plushie which she held close to her chest.

All of her tears now freely flowing down her cheeks. Everything was so hard on her. There's been so much pain that she's gone through. Her father didn't come after her. Neither did her Aunt or Uncle but maybe that was for the best. Sometimes things like this had to just be dealt with by crying. It was okay for her to feel sorry for herself once in awhile. Her whole body was shaking with sobs.

How could Damian say that to her? She thought they were friends. It just crushed her on the inside. She knew Zatanna wasn't her biological mother. But she practically raised her and gave her all of the love any real mother would. It hurt. It hurt to know that maybe she wasn't coming back. The goodbye they had wasn't they greatest. It felt like hours had gone by until she fell asleep.

When they opened she looked around. Everything looked so different so strange. Looking down she noticed how small she was. She clung tightly to her elephant plushie. Stumbling over her own feet as she walked around the large place. In the distance she could hear yelling. "Mommy?" even her voice was different. It was one of a young child. Her long dark hair was a tangled mess as it fell in front of her eyes.

Peering into the next room her green eyes went wide. Walking in she looked up. It was her mother and that, that man. The one who stole her away from them. Mar'i backed up into the wall behind her. The man held a gun up as she watched in horror. "Mar'i run!" her mother's voice echoed in her ears as she reached out to her. That when there was a gunshot. Blood splattering everywhere as her body landed at her feet.

She was completely covered. The plushie hanging from her left hand. Why did this happen? All she could feel was the blood running down her skin and soaking into her clothes. Tears now streaming down her face as she stood there numb. That's when her eyes shot open. Sitting up and gasping for air. Holding her chest to feel her quickening hearbeat. She was normal again. She was herself. But her mother was still dead and she couldn't change that.

She would always be dead.

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T

hey were walking along the side of the road. Hand in hand and injured. Then again her insane boyfriend didn't show much mercy. To her or their daughter. "Is papa going to hurt me again?" the small girls voice was shaky. She was terrified of him. The woman turned to face her daughter. "I promise baby he won't hurt ya again. Mistah J won't hurt anyone ever again" she said before picking the girl up.

Her pigtails swayed behind her as she walked. The two looked almost identical. A car past them on the road. The driver not even bothering to look over at them. Then again he looked rather busy. With the glimpse she got she could see that he was wearing a beige coat and had blonde hair. Then again that was just a brief observation. He was driving pretty fast after all.

It felt like they've been walking for hours. Which was probably the truth. She put the girl down back on her feet. Cuts and bruises littering her poor frail body. She began to run ahead. Probably to get her mind off of the horrible thing's she's just endured. The further she ran the more she saw. The sun was high in the sky. Its heat hitting against the ground, against her skin.

That was until she saw something strange. She approached a bridge. Down below there was a shady shore followed by the rushing river. There was a young woman lying on the shore. The young girl stood looking over the bridge. "Mommy look!" she yelled pointing to the unconscious woman below. Her mother ran over, ignoring the pain she felt as best as she could.

The two leaned over to look down. "Come with me but'cha have to be careful 'kay?" she said as the girl nodded taking her hand. Carefully they made it down to the shore. Cautiously approaching the unconscious young woman. She looked to be in very rough shape. The closer they got the more they could see. "Melody stay back" she said as the girl nodded.

Instead looking to the rushing river at her side. Her mother walked over and crouched down next to the woman. There was a gun shot wound in her back. As well as scarred up wrists, cuts, blood, and deep dark bruises covering her pale body. She was in worse condition than they were in. "Hello? Can you hear me?" she asked before checking for a pulse. There was one.

But it was very, very faint.

Skycrystal23 ;)