Now we're back to my usual use for italics: dreams. That's what the italics represent now. Sorry that it's short.

Artemis backs into a corner, a large shadow falling over her. "I'm sorry, Daddy. She just left. I tried to stop her, but I couldn't. I really tried!" She whimpers. Fear and tears are evident in her usually fearless gray eyes. "Please believe me Daddy! Please!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it," her father growls. "You let her leave. Sure, you tried to stop her, but you didn't. Meaning that you let her leave."

'No she didn't!' Jade desperately wants to yell. But she can't, no matter how hard she tries. 'I just didn't listen to her! She tried her very best!'

"I-I..." Artemis stammers, unable to come up with a good response.

"That's what I thought," Crusher says and slaps the small girl's cheek, hard. More tears fill the girl's eyes, threatening to spill out. "No crying," He slaps her again. A tear trickles down her reddened cheek. "What did I say?!" He roars. Artemis flings her arms up to cover her face.

Infuriated, Crusher throws the girl to the floor and begins to kick her. Artemis curls into a small, tight ball, holding back tears and screams of pain.

Jade bolts upright, a sickening feeling in her gut. Her hand instinctively reaches out for Roy, but he's not there. For the first time, he's not there to comfort her after a nightmare.

She grabs his pillow and squeezes it tightly against her chest. She grabs her phone and calls her boyfriend. He hadn't answered any of her texts or calls, but she desperately needed him now. Desperately enough to try yet again. Surprisingly, he picked up.

"What is it, Jade?" He said, sounding exhausted and annoyed.

"I-I," Jade stuttered. "You know what, it's not important. I'll just-"

Roy cut her off. "It is important. What's wrong, Jade? Something's wrong. You have another nightmare?"

"Yeah," She answered quietly.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"The usual, then? Ok, you're fine, Jade. It was a nightmare, not real life. It'll be ok."

Jade felt better. "Thanks, Roy. I'm gonna go now, if it's ok."

"Of course it's fine. Goodnight, Jade. I love you."

"I love you, too." She hung up. There was a knock at her door. "Who is it?" Jade called. She hoped it was Roy, even though she knew that there was no way that it was.

"Dad," Oliver answered, followed by Dinah's "Mom."

Jade got up and opened the door. "You ok, kiddo?" Ollie asked, concerned. He could tell that something was wrong.

"Yeah."

"You sure?" Dinah asked. "You don't look so good."

Jade was too out of it to pretend to be offended and joke that she looked perfect. "Yeah, I'm sure. It was just a nightmare."

"Again?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah. Can I go back to bed now? I'm tired."

"Of course," Dinah replied. She gave a Jade a quick kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, Sweetheart. I love you."

"Night, Mom. Love ya, too." Ollie ruffled Jade's loose black hair.

"What about me?" He asked.

Jade rolled her eyes. "Goodnight to you, too, Dad." She thought about her dream. She was so lucky that Oliver was her dad now. He'd never purposely hurt her. Unlike her biological father, who had purposely hurt her, both emotionally and physically, on numerous occasions. She gave Ollie a bear hug and went back to bed.

"Love you, kiddo," Oliver whispered.

"Love you too, Daddy." The door closed.