Marisa and Lyra were settling into their own routine. Before Marisa ever thought about sending Lyra to school she hired a tutor to help Lyra catch up on her schooling as the Master of Jordan failed to keep up with Lyra's education.

While Lyra was doing her school work, Marisa was doing her own work for the Oblation Board. After a few hours Marisa caught up on what she had to do and went to check on Lyra.

"How is she doing?"

The tutor just stares at Marisa and looks back at Lyra and her school work.

"Oh Marisa, you aren't going to let that slide are you?" Said the golden monkey to his human.

"I asked you a question madam. I will not be ignored in my own home"

Lyra looks up to her mother. "I'm learning maths, look mother see I'm getting better. But I'd rather be learning about the north than silly boring math"

Marisa smiling at Lyra and puts her hand to her face. "Darling, you'll need to know math. How will you know how to calculate how much you need to pay for items up north and figure out how far you'll need to go. Maths is very important"

The north isn't a place she'll ever take Lyra, not now not ever! Marisa is too afraid Lyra will find her father and he'll tell her everything.

The tutor left and once Marisa looked over all off Lyra work, she decided to treat Lyra to ice cream and a visit to the park. Lyra chose her ice cream but Marisa decided not to get any. On the way to the park Lyra decided to ask some questions.

"Mum?"

Marisa looks down to Lyra and grabs her hand.

"Yes darling"

"When you saw me... when I came up to you when I saw you sad. Did you know who I was?"

Marisa stopped and couches down to be Lyra's height.

"Yes I did. You see every year on your birthday I'd get pictures of you. The Master was kind to send me pictures." Marisa looks to the side where her dæmon was. Lyra doesn't need to know how much I hated getting those pictures in the beginning. Marisa draws her attention back to Lyra and smiles.

"Can I see them when we get back to the flat?"

Marisa inhales and lets out a big breath. Ever since Lyra moved in she decided to hide the pictures even though they were in her office. Marissa looks at Lyra and cups her face with her hands.

"Yes darling you can"

Both mother and child spent a few hours at the park. Marisa sat on the bench and watched Lyra. At first Marisa didn't understand the joy of playgrounds till she saw the excitement on her own child's face. A woman approaches Marisa.

"Is it ok... if I sit here?" The woman said pointing to the space beside Marisa.

"Yea sure" replied Marisa

"I've never seen you hear before" the lady said with a curious tone

Marisa wasn't liking where this was going

"Which one is your child?"

Marisa stands up and flares at the lady. Trying so hard not to get angry in a public space and especially one that has Lyra in it. Before Marisa could say or do anything Lyra runs up to her mother.

"Mum lets go, I want to go home now"

Relived, Marisa happily takes Lyra's hand and walks away.

Back at the flat Marisa tells Lyra to wash up as dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Marisa walks to her bedroom to lay out her clothes so when she was ready for bed her clothes were ready too. Going over in her head with what happened at the park.

"You don't think she works for the church do you? The golden monkey thought to his human.

"Impossible, I know everyone and I've never seen her before"

"It was just a thought Marisa. We can't go there anymore, just in case she's there waiting for us again"

Glaring at her dæmon, "we can't do that to Lyra, she likes it there and I don't want to take that away from her because of one silly human who asked too many questions"

The dinner bell rings.

Before Marisa joined Lyra for dinner on the terrace, she went into her office and grabbed the four photos that she got every year on Lyra's birthday.

Lyra was patiently waiting for her mother as she was really hungry. At the table Lyra always sat at one end and Marisa sat at the other, but tonight it was different. Marisa sat next to her child and put the photos on the table in front of Lyra.

"Are these the pictures?" Lyra said all excitedly

"Yes" Marisa said with tears in her eyes

"If there is one thing I could change about my past and that would be that I kept you. I missed out on so much, I don't want to miss out on anything else"

Lyra got up and hugged her mother so tight. Marisa never wanted that moment to end.

After dinner Marisa bathed Lyra and got her ready for bed. Once she knew Lyra was a sleep she went to her office and had a drink. Usually the photos are kept in the draw of the desk but tonight Marisa decided to leave them on her desk.

Once in bed, Marisa went straight to sleep hoping to have a peaceful night. After weeks not having that nightmare, it returned but now it was slightly different. Instead of the Magisterium taking her child... it was Asriel