The sun was shining but it was still bitter cold outside. That didn't stop the girls from wanting to go to the park. Of course Gotham wasn't luxurious in some parts but that didn't stop them. "How does the song to again?" the two children were sitting on the swing set. Their feet just barely grazing the ground beneath them. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when the skies are grey. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. So please don't take my sunshine away" the dark haired girl sung cheerfully.

"Can you sing it again Mar'i?" the younger girl asked.

Mar'i didn't have the heart to say no to the girl. After all Melody was her best friend besides Damian. Since two days ago she had been enrolled in Gotham Academy. Mar'i was a little upset to find out they wouldn't be in the same class. Melody was a year younger than her. Once again the girl began to sing the lovely lullaby. Her father would hum the song to himself all the time.

Sometimes the man could seem dangerous but he was in fact as cuddly as a stuffed bear. Soon Melody got the hang of the song. The park was full of their joyful laughs and sunshine songs. "One, two, three, four," her voice trailed off as she covered her hands over her eyes. The two were playing a game of hide-and-seek. The younger child was dashing through the park. Looking back every other second to see where Mar'i was.

The blonde looked to her right and saw the opening to a small forest. Gotham had greenery laid about the city around its parks. Without another thought she ran inside. "Ten! Ready or not here I come!" Mar'i yelled as she began to look around. There was no one else at the park. The girl shouldn't have been that hard to find. Mar'i's eyes were drawn towards the forest.

Reluctantly she walked towards it. Before entering she looked over her shoulder at the park. Twigs snapped underneath her boots as she walked down the path. "Melody? Melody where are you?" she yelled, hands cupped around her mouth. She could feel the fear beginning to bubble in her stomach, it wasn't a pleasant feeling. "Melody! Its getting late we need to get back!" she yelled a little louder.

Her voice echoed around the forest. She came to a stop and looked around to where she was. The path ended awhile ago and she had now been walking through the thick shrubbery. Through the silence she could hear the soft sobs. The further she walked the louder it became. A large oak tree stood in front of her. Behind it Melody was crouched down sobbing. "Are you okay?" Mar'i's voice was laced with sorry as she kneeled down in front of her.

The sky above was beginning to darken. Not to mention how chilly it had become. The young girl looked up, eyes red and watery. "I don't like it here anymore" she cried out as Mar'i hugged her. Soon the two stood up and began to walk around hand in hand. The further they walked the more lost they became. The sky was pitch black by now. It was hard to see where they were going. They were continuously stumbling over logs, twigs, or anything that littered the forest floor.

A cool breeze whistled through sending chills through their bodies. By now the two girls were beyond terrified. "I want to go home" Melody whimpered sticking close to the taller girl. Mar'i nodded with a fake smile on her face. If her father taught her anything it was always to act strong during a stressful situation. They stumbled upon a fallen tree that was covered in moss. Mar'i took a seat pulling Melody down next to her. "My dad will come look for us soon. Let's just stay here until he can find us okay?" she said as the girl sniffled and nodded.

"Okay"

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Light was spilling into the bedroom. The young man turned over in his bed pulling the sheets up higher to keep him warm. His eyes were still closed, this was a subconscious act. The door to the apartment opened as the young woman walked inside. A sigh escaped her lips as she put her bag down. Class was stressful and tiring like always. There was an early morning lecture that she had just come back from.

The warmth of the apartment was nipping at her skin. It was still so cold outside. The day was still early and her next class wasn't until the afternoon. Her feet dragged across the floor towards the bedroom. Pressing her hand against the door she quietly pushed it open. Soft snores could be heard from inside. She changed out of her clothes and into a robe. Loosely she tied the string around her body.

Their dog was curled up on the sofa as she then walked past into the kitchen. Grabbing a mug from the cupboard she poured some water into it and took a sip. Her throat was awfully dry. A yawn escaped her lips as she walked back towards the bedroom. For a moment she leaned against the door frame. Mug hanging loosely in hand as she gazed at her sleeping boyfriend.

The robe had slid down, it was definitely a larger size. Raising the mug to her lips she downed the rest of the water. By now she was barely awake as she fell into the bed. Wally almost immediately knew she was home. Rolling over and pulling her close. His face resting in the crook of her neck as he breathed her in. "Tired?" he whispered.

"Yep" she replied.

"Homework?" he then asked.

"Yes" she whispered.

Homework was the last thing on her mind at the moment. All she wanted was some rest. Wally would happily let her sleep. As long as he got to cuddle up with her.

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The young woman was quite nervous. Her and Kori were friends but she had never been invited over before. Apparently Kori had just moved into a condo near the fashion district. Zatanna wasn't surprised to hear that the red head was a model, after all she was beautiful. Luckily Mar'i had gone to stay over at Melody's place for the night. She was glad that the kid had someone to hang around with other than Damian.

She didn't have anything against the boy but it seemed like Dick didn't like him hanging around the girl. The skyscraper stood in front as she looked up at it. The sunlight nearly blinding her as she craned her neck upwards to look at the building. It was stunning, the lobby had marble floors and a fountain upon entry. Soon she stood in front of the doorway on the sixty-first floor. Taking a deep breath she raised her fist and gently knocked.

It took a moment before the door opened. Kori stood there, a bright smile now fixed to her face. The two had quickly become friends. After all it would be ideal for the two of them to get along for Mar'i's sake. "Would you like something to drink?" Kori asked as she let the dark haired woman inside. Zatanna's eyes were drawn to the living room. Large windows stood behind the couch and stretched all the way up to the ceiling. The view of the city from there was absolutely breathtaking.

After hearing her question Zatanna gave a small nod. Kori's lips quirked up ever so slightly. "Coffee, tea, soda?" Kori asked walking towards the refrigerator.

"Soda please" she said as the young woman nodded.

They both sat on the couch across from each other. Zatanna had one leg tucked under her and one arm hanging behind the couch. The other hand brought the cold drink to her lips. Outside the city sparkled in the sunlight. The apartment she shared with Dick and Mar'i was beautiful but this view was magnificent. "How is Mar'i doing?" Kori asked, eyes glued to her lap.

Her fingers were entangled in the hem of her shirt as she played around with it. Zatanna noticed the nervousness that she held. The way her eyes never met hers and how she played with her shirt like that. "Don't be nervous or scared Kori. Mar'i is quite happy that she's met you and that you're a part of her life" Zatanna said reassuring her. The red head flashed her a small smile.

After what happened Kori had no memory for such a long time. She just woke up back home one day. The last thing she remembered was being sent away to high school. Raising the cup she took a sip of her drink, the cool liquid running down her dry throat. "Do you remember anything?" Zatanna blurted out.

"My memories are still scattered. Bits and pieces, fragments come back to me to remind me of what happened during those missing few years" she said as the girl gave her a sympathetic smile.

Those smiles were something she was used to. Back on the island she was the princess with no memory, she was so lost. Desperate to cling onto any memory that was clear enough for her to remember. The night she remembered Mar'i was horrifying. "How did you know that Mar'i and Dick were here in Gotham?" Zatanna then asked.

"I first remembered my child while I was asleep. It was more of a nightmare, the dream being of the crash. I remember crying after for what felt like a millennium. I made it my duty to find where she was. I needed to know that my little bumgorf was safe" she said, eyes trained on her hands.

"The only thing that kept me alive was the thought of seeing her and Dick again" Zatanna whispered to herself.

They were her motivation to keep on living, even when it seemed like her life was grim. Kori and her were quite similar. Holding onto memories to try and desperately relive the days they were the most happiest. Zatanna's mother and father were both dead. Closing her eyes she leaned back into the couch. For a moment she swore she heard her mother's laugh. The smell of her cooking dinner and the laughter emitting from her father.

Such sweet memories that she would cherish forever. Zatanna didn't wish for Mar'i to go through the pain of losing a mother. She remembered it, the feeling in her gut, the realization that she was never coming back. Having a child bare such pain was madness. At the time no one knew were Kori was or if she still had memory loss. So Zatanna was the girls only mother and she couldn't have just died and make her bare the same pain that she felt all of those years ago.

Skycrystal23 ;)