We were just kids when we first met, me and you. Our fathers had been roommates in college and had managed to keep in touch. I was the typical 'Daddy's girl', so it was no surprise that when my father was picked to cover a new charitable deed of your father's that I begged to fly over with made it a family affair so Mom could come too. That was my first time on a plane, that trip to Gotham. Our fathers easily picked up where they left off, our mothers getting along. The two of us...well it took some nudging from dear Alfred but we eventually hit it off. Made it all the easier when our parents left us under Alfred's watchful eyes while they went to the charity event. We played and laughed and stayed out of trouble for the most part besides the one point where Alfred was playing hide and go seek with us and had to look. By the end of the weekend, we had grown close enough that we were actually crying when it was time for me to return to Japan with my parents.
We saw each other a few more times after that. Either your family would fly to Japan or mine would fly back to Gotham. Each time would be filled with fun and games with plenty of pictures taken for memories. Until that one day…..the day when everything changed. Daddy and I had been going over everything we needed for our upcoming trip to Gotham. It was to be just me and him flying out as Mom was pregnant and too far along for flying to be safe for her and the baby. Daddy called your house, expecting for Alfred to immediately pass the phone to your father like he always did. Only to be told that your parents had been killed the night before and that the funeral was to be held the day after we were scheduled to fly in town. Daddy told Alfred we would be there at the funeral in support of you and him during this tragic time
In those two days between our receiving the news about your parents and our arrival, you had changed. Hardened your heart, locked away your emotions. It was as if you were a completely different person. I reached out to you, tried to get you to understand that you didn't have to close yourself away. But you refused my every attempt. The only time I saw you let go then was at the funeral. The only time during that whole visit that you allowed me to touch you, to hold your hand and tell you it would be okay. But after, you were back to pushing me away.
"Stop shutting me out!"
"Just leave me alone Usa!"
I told myself I would get you to be yourself again, to smile and laugh again someday as Daddy and I flew back home. Eventually my little brother, Shingo, was born and it became too expensive for us to fly out to Gotham to see you. For months, Daddy would still call to check on you. Each time Alfred would tell him that you were no different from when we left. So I continued telling myself that I would do whatever I could to change you back.
Little did I know that day, that it would be years before I would get the chance…