"Doesn't he ever smile?" was a common question addressed to Nemo about his father. "More now than he used to," was often a reply.

When Nemo had been taken by the divers, Marlin's deepest fears came into play. He had lost the last drop of love he had left in his middle-aged heart. Worst of all, the last sound of his son's voice before he had disappeared were three terrible words: I Hate You.

How would you like it if your last drop of love had just told you he hated you?

Not so peachy-keen, huh?

Marlin didn't think so either.

But whether Nemo hated him or not didn't matter; all that mattered was that he find his only son. That's what love is – even if it's only a drop.

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Dory swam, as most fish do, and as she swam, she sang a small hum to herself. It wasn't on key and it didn't quite have a foot-tapping rhythm to it, but Dory found it amusing, as she is so very easily amused.

She was on her way to see Marlin, a good friend of hers, so she could ask him a very important question, which she had probably already forgotten by now, seeing as she is very forgetful. But as far as she was concerned, she had a very fine reason to be swimming so merrily, and it didn't matter that she couldn't quite remember what that reason was.

As she swam, she noticed a strange something floating carelessly nearby. She crept cautiously around it, wondering what it could be. As she examined the something, she realized it wasn't moving and, in fact, didn't even have a face, so she found it safe to take it with her. Now she can ask Marlin a question, which was her intension in the first place.

Nemo was waiting rather impatiently for Dory to arrive, so when he saw coming down the reef, he was jumping with glee. "Dad! Dad, Dory's here!" he shouted. Marlin poked his head out of the anemone as Nemo jolted in Dory's direction, attacking her with a great big hug.

"Hiya, Jojo!" she said happily

"That's Nemo, Dory," Marlin said swimming up to them.

"Nemo, right, got it," she said. "Hey!" she beamed, pushing the something she had found in their faces. "Look what I got!" Nemo looked at the long strip of pink fabric in awe. "Pretty neat, huh, Cello?"

"Nemo," Marlin said.

"Nemo, right, got it. Pretty neat, though, right?"

"What is it?" Nemo asked, poking it.

"I dunno, that's what I wanted to ask you," she said. "So, what is it, Marlin?"

"Well, how should I know?" he asked. "I was just sitting here, and –"

"Don't forget about Elmo," Dory said.

"Nemo,"

"Nemo, right got it. Him too," Dory said.

"Right. Nemo and I were just sitting here and –"

"Fish don't sit," Dory said.

"Dory…"

Right, sorry. Continue."

"Anyway, we were just here, and along you come with some object-from-another-world, and you expect me to know what it is?" Marlin asked, now a bit aggravated with Dory.

Dory pondered this a moment and concluded with, "Yes."

"Well, I don't," he said.

Nemo suddenly sprang with an idea: "Can we find out what it is?"

"Oh? And how do you plan to do that?" Marlin asked sternly.

"Dory, where did you find this – this thing?" Nemo asked, taking the thing from Dory's fins.

"A while back that way, I think," she said.

"Dad, can Dory and I go explore?" Nemo asked with excitement. Dory became thrilled at the idea. Oh boy, an adventure, she thought to herself.

"I don't know…"

"Pleeeeeease, Dad?" Nemo pleaded

"Yeah, Dad, Pleeeeease?" Dory chimed in.

"Don't worry, I can take care of Dory," Nemo said hoping that would reassure is worry-some father.

"Yes, but there's no one to look after you," Marlin said

"Nu-uh, I could do it!" Dory beamed.

"Dory, you can't even remember his name."

"Yeah-huh! Watch," she straightened out with her head held high and said rather confidently, "Chico. There, see?"

"Yes, I do. Nemo, you're not going."

"Aww, but Da-a-a-a-ad!" Nemo protested. He made a sad, pleading face, and Dory joined him. Marlin sighed with defeat.

"But I'm coming with you," he said.

"Eh, you know what they say: Two's company, Three's a crowd…" Dory said subtly.

"Dory..." Marlin said.

"Right, sorry," she apologized. "Woo-hoo! We're going exploring!" She and Nemo sang cheerfully while Marlin followed close behind. Dory held the pink fabric in her fin and the two of them began to take guesses as to what it was.

Author's Notes

There. Now I've got a story starting. The previous chapter was more of an introduction that will come into affect later on. Still not a very long chapter, maybe they'll get longer. R&R Please and Thank You. :D