DC Shorts

**Spoiler for events in Infinite Lyght and Brightest Lyght**

Another prompt fic: Memory. Brightest Lyght is book four in the Lyght series. While this actual event may not happen, two things mentioned make the spoiler tag necessary.

A/N: Review replies can be found here- http://www2.adult-fanfiction.org/forum/index.php/topic/53634-review-replies-and-discussion-for-kokoa-bs-dc-verse-stories/

The old woman stared blankly at the white-haired woman. She wondered why the girl was crying, or at the very least near it. She gave her a weak smile and placed a feeble hand on her cheek.

“Why you crying? Are you lost?”

“…… No. I ain’t lost. You… don’t remember me… do you…?”

“Am I supposed to know you? Oh… don’t tell me you’re my daughter…” her brow crinkled as her voice cracked. She looked away, “I don’t remember having a daughter…”

Tabitha looked down as her hot tears fell. She trembled yet she had no idea how she should feel. Every emotion coursed throughout her body: anger and sadness were the main ones. Her hands made fists as she continued to shake.

“You do. You have a daughter. You have two sons. You have five grandkids and two great grands! Bev just started walking…” she choked out. Tabitha glared at the old woman in bed, “I don’t get it! It ain’t fair! Why?! You were a Violet Lantern!! You helped me… with so many things! I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you!!” she sobbed. Tabitha was out of her chair and fell at the side of the bed.

It had been a month since her health started deteriorating more than before. Regardless of what she encountered, Tabitha always went by to visit. A lot of days were pleasant but they were quickly far and in between. Now, the days were filled with Tabitha trying to restore her best friend’s memories. For the past five years, Dr. Jamila Lindsey suffered from dementia.

She didn’t understand it. All the medical advancements yet no one found a cure for the disease. There were slight improvements; before, people with dementia usually died from strokes or pneumonia. While no one with the illness had succumbed to those ailments in years, it still ate away at the person’s body. She could’ve had herself cloned but both women agreed that it wouldn’t be the same. The clone would have all of the memories and would be a restart of life for the former physics professor. It would have no knowledge of ever being cloned. However… Tabitha would know.

The older woman stopped gazing out the window and paid attention to the girl who laid sobbing at the side of her bed. Something told her that she should’ve been frustrated at everything. But she was calm. Slightly confused; she had no idea why the girl was crying, never mind why she was there! Whatever the case, the girl needed comforting. Jamila put her hand on top of the woman’s head.

“Ssh. You stop all that carrying on. Everything’s gonna be fine…” she tried to coax.

“N-N-No… it’s not! Why did this have to happen?! Is it… a curse…? Is it because I can’t die t-t-that… you have to… l-l-like this…?” Tabitha continued to cry.

“Oh, child; everyone dies. No one lives on forever…” the thought of it made her mind wander. She looked at the girl who continued to cry. There was something vaguely familiar about her. She studied her hair: it was perfectly white. It slowly started to come back to her. It had been ages since she had seen that mane of white. The crying… she was crying back then as well.

The scene started to form as Jamila listened to the muffled sobs. Some sort of alley and the girl was curled up in a ball. She was filthy and terrified; her eyes gave it away. Jamila slowly tilted the woman’s head up, looking into her eyes. It was the same girl, she realized. She had taken that girl away from the alley and welcomed her into her home… their home.

She had a family. A husband and children. Where were they? She took a good look at her hands; she was old. She started to slowly remember… everything. All of her memories, good and bad, flashed through her mind. When she finally realized where she was and why she was there, her eyes welled with tears. She looked back into those chestnut brown eyes.

“… Tabs…?”

“Doc…” Tabitha smiled through her tears.

“I’m dying, Tabs. I’m… so sorry…”

“I just… I just wish we could switch…”

“No. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. So, I definitely wouldn’t wish this on you. No one deserves this…”

“… You definitely don’t…” she sniffed. Jamila tried to smile.

“I was a… good friend… right…?”

“The best…”

“Good. That’s… good…” Jamila sighed happily as she patted her friend’s head. Tabitha sniffed as she leaned into the hand. She had to take whatever coherency she received, she realized. Overall, she was happy that Jamila finally recognized her as well as remembered.

The hand on her head became heavy, something that worried Tabitha suddenly. She looked up and saw that Jamila had fallen asleep. The more she watched her, the more she worried.

“D-Doc…?” she desperately waited for a response. More tears flowed from her eyes, “… Jamila…” she cried. Once the reality set in, she shook as a wail escaped her lips. The one who came into her life fifty years ago… was gone.