I own nothing of Finding Nemo or Finding Dory! Enjoy!

Chapter 1 – A Misconception

Marlin and Dory sat there at the drop off for about five minutes before Marlin turned and addressed his friend.

"Dory? Is everything okay?"

Dory nodded absentmindedly.

"Sure. I'm okay. How about you?"

Marlin chuckled, drawing his fin in the sand awkwardly, trying to make his stomach stop jumping in excitement now, every time she was around.

When they first met, he could have said he would have never felt this way about her. She was confusing, irritating, stubborn, and crazy.

She had constantly forgotten Nemo's name, and for a long time, he thought she was faking it.

Marlin chuckled as he recalled her aggressively challenging him, when she thought he was stalking her.

"I'm okay… for a minute I thought you may want to leave again…"

Despite what he thought Dory was actually listening intently.

"Huh? Why would I do that?" She looked at him in the eye, a confused expression on her face.

"I just…I-"

"My family is here… my parents, Hank, Bailey a-a-and Destiny…Nemo"

Marlin beamed with pride. Her memory was coming back…

She looked at him.

"You" she said quietly, rubbing one fin with the other.

"But if you- "she sighed. "If you don't want me…"

"Dorcas Ariel Tang, don't you ever say that again!"

Dory was caught off guard by how serious Marlin's tone was. He'd never used that tone of voice with her as long as she'd known him. Maybe in freaking out, but never in conversation…

Wait. How did he know her full name?

Marlin sighed.

"I care about you. I do… I just don't want anything to happen to you…"

There. He said it, right?

No…who was he kidding? Telling Dory that he cared about her was not telling her that he was head over scales in love with her!

He watched his friend intently, wondering what was on her mind… She was always on his, and he never wanted to forget her beautiful smiling face, the softness of her scales as he hugged her, or held her fin.

The longer Marlin sat beside her, the harder it became for Dory to recount her adventure of finding her family.

Thinking back, she thought the best part were the otters and their cuddle hugs.

What human wouldn't stop to see and take a picture of an otter family; a mommy, daddy and baby otter…?

Dory's mind started to wander… mommy daddy and little ones…

Blush

No way…there's no way he could think of me that way!

Dory pushed against the whisper inside, the peace that said everything would be alright…

No. Everything would not be all right.

How could she think to swim into their lives that way?

His…?

Marlin grew curious when he noticed a deep red blush stain Dory's face.

What was she embarrassed about?

"Dory… are you okay?" He asked.

No, no I'm not okay… she thought. I love you and I can't say anything. I'm not a clownfish, I can't be Nemo's mother…

"I'm fine" she said absentmindedly.

Dory turned around away from Marlin; he couldn't tell the expression in her deep violet eyes. He wasn't buying her answer for a second.

Dory had her eyes closed, trying to get rid of the awkward, happy, silly, preposterous idea…or a hope of some kind.

"Are-Are you sure? Do you want me to swim back with you?" he asked, tentatively reaching out a fin.

Dory suddenly shook her head violently, glaring at him.

Marlin swam slightly back. He wasn't expecting that look. It made his stomach and heart flip rather oddly.

"I said I'm fine, Marlin!" She snapped.

Both friends looked at each other awkwardly, dark brown pleading into dark violet eyes.

No! Dory thought as she swam for her sanity, back to the safety of her parents' coral home.