LOL, I was trying to lead you all off topic, but I guess it didn't work...no, it's not Blackfire, or Speedy.

I don't know if this is necessary, but I don't own the Band-Aid company (if it is a company. I wouldn't know, cuz I don't own it.)

At the door, looking better than ever, practically glowing to see her, was Richard. "Hey, Mari. How are all of you?" he asked. There was no trace that he had ever even been in the hospital except a cast on his left arm, which had been broken, apparently, and a red, yellow, and green Band-Aid on the back of his right hand where they had put the IV needle. He noticed Mari staring at it, confused, and laughed. "I know it's a bit childish, but I had to have it. I feel like Robin again."

Kori came to the door, wiping her hands on a towel. When she saw him, she threw down the towel and rushed at him. "RICHARD! You are back from work!" she squealed happily, bringing him into a crushing embrace. Richard instinctively hugged her back, but threw a confused glance at Mari.

"Work?"

"Yeah. You're back from work, and I'm ten years old and missed my soccer game at eight o'clock this morning. Also, there was a monster in the kitchen which heavily resembled an ant," said Mari bitterly. Richard looked down at Kori sadly, and then buried his face in her hair, but not before Mari saw a single tear run down his face. He held her tightly.

"Kori, what have I done to you?" she heard him whisper. Kori was still off in her happy little world, and didn't catch it. Richard pulled away. "Kori, we need to talk," he said, loking at Mari, who nodded.

"I'll leave you guys alone...to catch up...I think..." she improvised, edging away as fast as she could. Dylan stared at the whole scene uneasily, before taking his leave. Mari went into the kitchen and closed the door. Richard was going to tell Kori everything, help her come back to the real world, and Mari did not want to see her mother's reaction.

Richard and Kori emerged a few minutes later. Kori looked completely spent. Richard had his arm wrapped around her waist and her head was lying on his shoulder. Mari gazed at them, unsure of what to do. Richard placed Kori in a chair and sat down beside her. An awkward silence hung over the whole family while Kori stared at the floor shamefacedly. Mari finally broke the silence.

"Mom? Are you..." she began. She had wanted to ask something along the lines of "are you lucid, or still insane?" but that probably wouldn't have come out right.

"I'm sorry, Mari," she whispered. She started to cry, and Richard graspd her hand.

"Mom, what have you got to be sorry for? This is all my fault, I should've...I don't know, but I should've approached it better than this. I almost killed Richard, and I would have if Rachel hadn't been there. I almost made you go insane, and now...I don't even know what's going on now. all I know is that I've ruined both your lives. What have you got to be sorry for?"

Kori cried harder, and Richard shook his head. "You haven't ruined our lives, Mari, you've mended them. You've done for us what we couldn't do for ourselves. I would have died before my time anyway, with the way I was drinking, and Kori..." he glanced at her, not wanting to speak for her.

"I've been such a bad mother, such a horrible mother," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

"No you haven't! What do you mean? You never raised your voice to me, never hit me, and I was happy until...until I figured out that I should have a dad. You were a great mom, you just couldn't take the place of both my parents."

Kori shook her head. "That is not an excuse. It gives no reason as to why I collapsed at the first sign of something different. I was never strong enough for you..."

"I don't blame you, mom," said Mari quietly. "You were an amazing mother, even without considering the fact that you never wanted me."

Kori's head snapped up, and Richard looked at Mari with alarm. "Don't think that, Mari, please," Kori said. She was begging. "Of course I wanted you. You were my daughter. Whatever gave you the idea that I didn't?"

"Well, you just...whenever you looked at me, it was like you'd burst into tears. And now, when Dylan said--" She covered her mouth. She hadn't meant to say that. Richard's eyes blazed.

"That boy you were with just now? He told you we never wanted you?" he asked. Mari shook her head.

"N-no, he didn't say that, it was something else, but it's not important now. Really. And anyway...does it all really matter now? What matters is were back together, right?" she asked, in a feeble and cheesy attempt to cover it up. They bought it.

"Yes, I suppose. I believe I am blessed to have such a wonderful daughter," she smiled warmly at Mari. That was the first genuine smile Mari had ever seen on her mother's face. Richard grinned.

"So am I." Kori kissed him and beamed happily, reaching over for Mari's hand. This is how we should have been for the last twenty-three years. A family.

Over the next few days, Mari often found Richard looking flustered and anxious. She soon found out why, when Richard pulled her aside. "Mari, I...you know, I technically never married your mother," he started. Mari's eyes widened in expectation.

"You want to propose?"

Richard nodded. "But I want to know if it's okay with you first." For the millionth time in the last few days, Mari felt she had never been so glad to have Richard as her father.

"Of course it is."

Mari had never been so glad, or felt so light-headed. She thought she would pass out. She had never seen her mother so happy, either, but it was as if Kori was controlling and limiting herself, afraid that she would find out that she was still insane.

The same day, all three of them were lounging on the couch, flipping through channels. Richard was in the middle, with Kori's head on one shoulder and Mari's on the other. Suddenly, Richard cleared his throat. "Kori, I wanted to ask you something."

Mari almost started laughing. He wouldn't take her to some expensive restaurant or something, no. He would propose to her while watching T.V. and sitting on a couch.

"Kori...I don't know how to do this," he said, throwing his hands up in mock frustration. Mari did start laughing.

"Just ask her already!" she said. Kori looked at her.

"Ask me what?"

Richard pulled at his collar. "It's kind of spontaneous, but we were all just sitting here, and I just thought that we should be a real family," he said. He glanced at Kori, who looked slghtly confused. "You know, by law."

Kori's eyes widened in understanding as Richard kneeled on the floor. He procured a small, black box from his pocket. Opening it, he asked, "Kori Anders, will you marry me?"

Mari gasped at the ring. No wonder he didn't take her anywhere. That ring must have cost more than ten restaurants. It was a gold band in an intricate design with a huge diamond star in the middle, which Mari assumed was referring to Starfire. There were smaller stars on either side made out of emerald and jade.

"Beautiful," Mari whispered.

"Yes!" squealed Kori. "Yes, yes, yes, yes!" She barreled into Richard, who fell over backwards, hugging her and laughing. Suddenly, Kori started to hover, and Mari herself got that I-don't-weigh-a-thing-I-think-I-could-fly-too feeling. She understood it now. She had gotten it all her life whenever she was happy. It usually spoiled the moment, but now...

"Now we are a family," said Kori happily. She gazed at Richard lovingly, and he held it. Mari, having the sneaking suspicion this would turn into a make-out session, left quickly.

So it ended happy. Not that this is the last chapter, because there are still a lot of loose ends to tie up. Review please!