A/N Wow! It's sure been a while. XX. It takes a lot of prodding to get me to write. Glad everyone enjoyed it, and I'm sorry if this chapter's a bit short. I wasn't sure what else to put!

Also: The new title change is only temporary. If you have an idea for a better title, tell me. I just couldn't stand the first title "Life's Like This." So, please, if you have a new title suggestion, don't hesitate! Or not, if you like "My Mechanical Soul"

She knew something was different even before she opened her eyes. For one thing, her body just felt so full of, life. She was about to open her eyes when she felt a jab of pain in her chest. Pain? She couldn't feel pain.

"Breathe, sweetie." A voice told her.

Breathe? She tried it. She inhaled slowly, then exhaled slowly.

She opened her eyes. This can't be possible, she thought. I'm . . . human.

"What have you done to me?" she spoke, getting used to have a real voice.

"I have made you human, young one." And older man, a young blonde man standing beside him.

She tried to remember her life before that moment, but couldn't remember anything, as a sharp pain came to her brain. A man. . . but it was all vague. All she remembered was being lifeless, her days programmed into her. Now she was human.

"I can't remember anything."

"Well, you might just have a little spell of amnesia darling. Don't you remember me, your father? Well, my name is Robert Dawson. Your name is Marie. And don't tell me you don't remember your fiancée, Henry Johnson?" he asked, a shiny look in his eye.

The younger man, Henry, gave him a strange look, but smiled gently and said, "Darling, you don't know how much I've missed you! I've been longing for the day you could finally return your love for me!"

"My head hurts. I still don't remember any of this." She said, looking around. It was as if she was really seeing things for the first time.

"I'm sure you'll come around, sweetie." The old man, her "father" said.

Marie swung her legs, rather clumsily, over the side of the bed, and slowly put weight on her legs. She felt like a newborn foal, as she was truly walking as a human for the first time. Her legs trembled, and the young man, Henry, grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. He blushed a bright shade of red. Why is he blushing? She wondered. I thought he was my fiancée.

She walked forward a few steps, with Henry's help, and soon felt stronger and more accustomed to her human body.

"I'll lead you to your room…"Henry said, uneasiness in his voice.

Marie nodded. This still doesn't seem right, she thought.

Meanwhile, back at the Smith mansion…

"You don't know where she is, Norman?" Roger paced around the room, running his hands through his hair.

"No, master, she didn't wake up at her usual time this morning, so when I went to check on her she was gone, without a trace!" Norman's face furrowed into a worried frown, and continued, "I have, however alerted Colonel Dastun and the Military Police is on a search for her."

"Do you think it could be Beck?" Roger asked.

"Colonel Dastun informed that Beck has yet to break out of prison, and wouldn't know anything about it."

"Who would want to steal Dorothy, besides Beck?"

"I don't know sir."

Roger sighed and put his head into his hands.

"Dorothy, please be ok…" he murmured quietly.

Marie, who had been sitting on her bed, stood up with a start.

"Who's Dorothy?" she asked Henry.

"What?" he asked.

"Dorothy… I just had a memory. A man, and he was yelling at a girl, and she was playing the piano, and her name was Dorothy…" she rubbed her aching head.

"I have no idea, dear. It must've been a dream you had when you we're under the anesthesia." He gave a nervous smile.

"I guess so…" she frowned.

'I'm just so confused,' she thought.

"Well, if I may, can I sit her alone for a while and just… try to figure things out?" she asked him, gently. It was difficult for her to find such emotion, for it was a new sensation.

"Certainly, darling." Henry seemed almost grateful for her wish to be alone, and he stepped outside the door quickly.

Marie closed her eyes and searched through her head to find any hint of what her life had been about. If what Henry said was true, why would he choose to marry and android? She assumed that the man who claimed to be her 'father' was the man that created her. Her mind was swirling with a vast amount of thoughts, and she was not used to such disorganization. She carefully lay down and tried to sleep, but found that it was more difficult being human since she had to wait for her body to naturally do so.

Natural… it felt so strange, this word did, to Marie.

"Norman! Why on Earth did you let me sleep in so late? It's nearly three!" Roger groaned, staggering out of the hallway with his hair a mess and his black pillow in hand.

"Master Roger, I apologize. You had quite a lot to drink last night. I did not think you would be too keen on awakening at an earlier hour," Norman said with a sigh.

"Oh… yes, I forgot. I'm just used to her waking me up early," Roger said as he cast a glance to the floor. "Any news yet?"

"No, Master Roger. I do hope she returns soon."

"So do I, Norman. So do I."

"I would like to go out for a walk, and get used to using my legs, if you don't mind," Marie said as she stepped awkwardly into the room where Henry and her father had been talking. They seemed to quickly end their conversation as Marie walked into the room.

"Oh, Marie. I'll go with you," said Henry, who quickly rose from the couch and carefully took her arm and helped her move towards the room to the door. Henry looked back to Marie's father and told him, "I don't think this will be long, but it will be good for her to experience fresh air, right?"

"Of course." That smile again. Marie couldn't help but feel…. What was it? She felt intimidated. By her own father. 'I don't think I quite understand my emotions yet,' she thought to herself.

Henry and Marie descended the stairs and crossed a peculiar looking room with tables that had stacks with beakers, papers, and strange liquids bubbling in test tubes. "What… is all this?" Marie asked slowly.

"Oh, this? Your father enjoys creating things, using science, in his spare time. He can create an array of interesting things. He'll show you sometime." Henry's voice still sounded awkward to Marie. It was strange, she had supposedly known this man for a long time, but she couldn't remember being in love with him. They exited the building and Marie found herself standing on the sidewalk of a bustling city.

"This city… what is it called?" asked Marie, looking around at all the buildings in an almost nostalgic way.

"This city is called Paradigm."

"Paradigm…"

"I can't take it. I'm taking the car, and I'm going to go look for her. Don't worry about dinner," Roger announced, who had been pacing back and forth for a quite some time. He grabbed his coat and headed out the door before Norman had time to respond.

Marie stood taking in all of the city. Yes, she vaguely remembered it. She noticed all the people walking down the street, all the cars driving down the street…. All the cars… that car… That car! She knew it, she knew that car!

Sleek, black, it drove by in a blur, but a memory in her mind matched up to it, like placing a piece of transparent paper over a photograph. Marie gasped. And then her mind drew a blank. The city disappeared in a black swirl, and she collapsed onto the pavement.

A/N: Thanks for waiting! All who read this, no flames please! I love you all!