In the dreaming

[mari_grayson]

In the waking world, she is a woman, but here tonight she is a child again, in her treehouse, looking at the stars.

"That's Lyra, an' that's Vega," she says proudly. When can I go?"

"Not yet, little one," says her mother. "You can't fly that far now."

"I bet I couldHer mother laughs. "Perhaps you could, but it is not wise. You could get lost

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[_nightwing_]

There's something not quite right about this dream. There's someone else here; silent in the shadows. Not malevolent, but attentive, curious, enthralled.

[mari_grayson]

"An' then what happened?" she prompts her father.

"And Superman told your mommy that he also knew what it was like to fight to save a world that had become your home."

"Can I meet him yet?" Mar'i bounces excitedly. "Can I fly with him? I'm big enough to fly with him, right?"

Her father looks sad. "Maybe someday, princess. Superman's real busy."

[_nightwing_]

It's a look the person in the shadows is all too familiar with. He knows there's more to it than that. There has to be. Torn between wanting to know and not wanting to inadvertently alert Mar'i to his presence - this is a part of her life he was never privy to, and would never be in this time.

[mari_grayson]

Her mother looks disapprovingly at her father. Mar'i is too young to know what it means. "Aunt Donna was fighting, too, right?"

"That's right, little one," says her mother. "Your Aunt Donna, and Uncle Gar, and your Uncles Don and Hank." She sighs sadly. "X'hal note Don's bravery."

"'Cause he died saving kids like me at the end of the Crisis, right?"

"That's right," her father says.

"Is that gonna happen to me?" Mar'i's lower lip quivers.

"Hey--hey." Her father hugs her tightly. "You're too young to be worrying about that, okay?"