Helloooo it's been awhile... I'm sorry I've been away, but the writing bug left me and it might slowly be coming back. For those of you who have read my past story, An Invisible Bat (which was written in 2013) this will be the same character idea, same idea as "Nightwing Beyond" but delivered in a slightly different way. This will not be quite the same Jo Grayson you all read, nor will it be quite the same story. I'd like to think my spelling, grammar, and writing has improved over the last three years, but who knows? I still love the character Jo, but there were some big errors I want to correct going forward, to do justice for the character I love (ex: in the original I spelled her name Joe, but here I want it to be 'Jo'). But enough about me, and more about this world.

The DL on Gotham:

The Beyond universe I'm going for is set in late 2039, with Terry just completing his first year as Batman (in my mind, finish Season 2 & Return of the Joker). Neo-Gotham is built on a series of levels, the lower the level the more impoverished you are and the more dangerous it is to live there. The original Gotham (level 1) is extremely dangerous. I will keep to the cartoon canon, but there have been different lines of Beyond comics so I will be combining different elements of storylines and history to create the universe I have in mind... you all will just have to see how it plays out ;)

Chapter 1

Jo did not want to get up early this morning.

She should be spared from this nonsense and not have to rise at 5 AM. The alarm blared and she refused to open her eyes as she rolled over and groped for the snooze on her alarm clock. THUMP! The alarm clock hit the floor and rolled underneath her bed, merrily blaring all the way. Jo cracked open an eye in irritation and let out a low moan in agony.

She actually had to get up.

Jo peeled herself off her pillow and tried to hang her torso off the bed. She reached her arm underneath the bed, trying to find the terror of her mornings. Finally, her fingertips brushed the alarm, which was shaking with the noise it was emitting. She huffed as she scooted herself further towards the edge of the bed to grab it, trying to breath with a face full of mattress. Victoriously, Jo snatched the alarm, but, unfortunately, the teenager found herself tipping off the bed. In the most ungraceful manor possible, Jo tumbled onto the floor, dragging most of her bedding with her. And of course, she still did not have the opportunity to switch off her alarm, which happily screeched in her ear.

Jo grit her teeth as she slowly opened her other eye and looked up at the ceiling.

"I hate mornings."

Her father opened the door and yawned, "Jo Grayson, turn that godforsaken alarm off."

Jo wrinkled her nose with irritation as she finally hit the snooze alarm and angrily popped it over her shoulder and onto her vacant bed. Her father walked over to her jumbled mess and started to chuckle. Jo's eyes flashed grumpily, which cut her father off mid chuckle. He nodded shortly, and said, "I'll go make some coffee."

Jo sighed and untangled herself from the bed sheets. She walked to the bathroom and grumpily went through her morning routine, and as she brushed her teeth, wallowed in her exhaustion by seeing how tired she could make herself look in the mirror. By the time she got dressed in her workout attire and headed toward the kitchen for the most important objective at the moment: coffee.

Her father, Dick Grayson, stood by the coffee pot, and quietly sipped his coffee while watching the early morning news. Jo poured herself a cup of coffee and studied her father as she tentatively took a sip of the hot beverage. Her father was always different when he watched the news, particularly if Batman was involved, and she wondered why he continued watching the news on the caped crusader if he disliked it so much. He looked at her sharply out of the corner of his one eye and Jo quickly looked down at her cup, and back up at her father.

"Anything exciting happen last night?"

He shrugged as he turned to face his daughter, his one blue eye rolling. "Nothing new."

Jo nodded and set down her coffee cup, the caffeine effectively pulsing through her veins and she finally felt a bit less grumpy.

"So what's the workout today, coach?"

Dick smiled slightly and took another sip of coffee. "Warm up run and then you're on the beam for the next hour." Jo made a face, "You know how I feel about the beam."

Her father shrugged, "You want nationals, you're gonna' have to do the beam." Jo sighed and trudged toward the staircase. She wasn't sure how she felt about living atop a gymnastics training center; it was both a blessing and an curse.

After her run, Jo spent a grueling hour being trained by her father on a beam. By the time 7 rolled around, she was dripping with sweat and felt the waves of fatigue wash over her as she climbed the stairs. Her father was something of a tyrant when it came to gymnastics, but it was what got results. She and her father shared the same passion, and although he rarely mentioned his past, Jo knew "The Flying Graysons" were some of the best acrobats in the world. He would never let her join a circus, but gymnastics was the next best thing. Acrobatics ran in her blood.

Jo had to hurry her shower and rush out the door if she wanted to get to school on time, which left her in a sour mood. Her skin was still damp after toweling off, so Jo had a difficult time pulling on the pair of tights. She hopped around the room, unbalanced and angered at the difficulty of the situation. Finally, Jo managed to pull the tights up to her waist and she hastily put on her navy kilt, buttoned up her shirt, and threw on her blazer. She glanced at the clock, and muttered, "Shit!" when she saw the time. 7:38 AM.

She was going to miss her train. Jo put on her boots and grabbed her backpack, praying that she had all her books and homework. She grabbed her hat and heavier jacket as she hustled down the staircase and out the door. She didn't wave back at her father, who had started training an older student, and Jo pulled on her hat as she slid out into the cold Gotham morning.

Her breath steamed in the frigid air and she sucked in a breath as her wet hair started to freeze. She pulled the warm hat over her head and straightened her jacket as she made a beeline for the train station. Luckily, it was only two blocks from home, and Jo partly ran, partly shuffled because she didn't have time to properly put on her backpack and jackets. She ran inside the train terminal and sucked in a breath of frustration. Jo skidded to a stop as the train she needed to be on zoomed to the next station. She groaned and ran a hand over her face.

"Terrific."

Her stomach rumbled and she glanced down at the unhappy organ. Coffee was not enough to satisfy her, and Jo wouldn't have food for the next 4 hours. She wasn't sure she could make it. One thing was certain: this was not going to be a good day.

The feminine automated announcer boomed across the station as she declared, "The next train will arrive in… Eight. Minutes." Jo took off her backpack and dug around for her phone. The time was 7:43 AM, and Jo would probably get to school around 8:10. Fantastic.

She let out a defeated sigh and tried to fix her rushed state. Jo straightened the jackets she wore, checked her bag, and tried to mentally relax. The station was outside, and a scathing cold wind blew through the station. Jo sucked in a breath and drew her coat a little closer around her. Snow covered the tops of buildings and a part of Jo wished Neo-Gotham streets didn't immediately melt the snow on the sidewalks. Snow reminded Jo of her mother, or at least, the stories Dick told her.

As Jo became lost in thought about her mother, the train whistle blew and thundered into the station. Jo flinched as she was jostled out of her train of thought and peered into the train windows as she waited for the doors to open. She hated taking this train; it ran from the lower levels of Gotham and generally was filthy. Especially in her school uniform, Jo was a target for con artists and pickpockets. The doors opened and Jo gingerly stepped onto the train.

As usual, the trains just before eight were packed and so Jo grabbed the nearest bar and stayed alert as the train doors closed and lurched forward.

The other girl with her hand on the bar was obviously in high school as well, as she wore an oversized Hamilton High letterman jacket and sported a backpack with the school's insignia. Jo glanced at her and quickly looked away. She hated large crowds, but being around someone her age made her even jitterier. Jo felt that she needed to start a conversation, but the thought of actually opening up and saying, "Hello," terrified her like no other. She could feel the girl give her a once over and Jo's skin prickled with discomfort.

"Gotham Academy?" The pink haired girl asked, unafraid to start a conversation, and Jo turned her head to meet her confident gaze. She nodded and looked down at her feet, unsure how to continue and the awkwardness almost felt tangible. God, Jo hated talking to people. Still, this girl wasn't too intimidating… she seemed to be good-natured and genuinely interested in Jo. Her warm brown eyes curiously regarded Jo, and Jo felt that she should at least return the favor.

"You…" Jo hated it when her voice was weak, and she cleared her throat to speak more clearly. "You go to Hamilton High." She lifted her gaze to look this girl in the eyes, and her stomach churned and her palms started to sweat. Why is this so difficult for me?

The girl nodded, her short, bright pink hair swept across her eyes and she stuck out her hand that was not holding onto the bar.

"I'm Max."

Jo swallowed and returned the gesture, smiling softly, "Jo."

The train reached the next station and more people filed in. Jo scanned her surroundings again, trying to find any means of conversation. "Uh, how… what stop are you?"

Max glanced up at the screen, which displayed the train's course.

"I'm the next stop, what about you?"

"Two more." Jo glanced down at her bag, unsure how to how to carry this conversation. Max nodded and an awkward silence fell between them. Max looked around like Jo, trying to think of a conversation. Thankfully, the train pulled up to the next stop and the African American girl moved towards the door.

"It was nice meeting you…" She faltered as she already forgot Jo's name, and Jo gave her a slight smile and a small wave. Max disappeared in the flow of people and Jo let out a sigh of relief. She gripped the bar a little tighter as the train lurched forward and tried not to think about the day ahead of her, filled with classmates, teachers, and the explanation of her lateness to her advisor.

…

It was Jo's sixth late that month, so that meant she was sentenced to after-school detention.

Usually, Jo got a little stir crazy by was 12 PM; all Jo wanted to do was be on the gymnastic bars, or trampoline. By 6 PM, Jo was close to doing routines down the hallways, or bailing and going back home. With Nationals in less than two weeks, and Jo needed to train as much as possible. When she and her fellow private school "delinquents" were dismissed from detention, Jo was all but running to the train station.

She walked as quickly as possible down the streets of Neo-Gotham, hustling towards the train station a couple blocks away. As Jo walked past a coffee shop, she was so focused on getting home she didn't see the open door until it was too late. She slammed head first into the door and was knocked promptly to the ground.

Jo stared up at the door. Who the hell uses swing doors anyway?! Her bag had fallen a bit away from her, and her books had spilled out. Terrific.

"I'm absolutely over this. Call me when you decide what you actually want," A girl snapped at someone inside the coffee shop. Jo glanced up to see an Asian girl marching away, oblivious to the fact that she knocked someone down. Of course she didn't notice her, no one ever did. Jo sighed and sat up. She started to gather her books, inwardly cursing the few professors who refused to switch to tablet textbooks.

"Dana wait!" A boy called, but the Asian girl was already gone. Jo glanced up and saw the boy 'Dana' walked out on. He turned around and took a surprised step back as he realized Jo had fallen victim to the door. Their eyes met. For a moment, Jo almost felt electricity cackle as her pulse sped up and stomach started to churn. It wasn't the usual nervousness she felt around people: it was something deeper.

It was much more terrifying.

Automatically, she dropped her gaze and scrambled to pick up her books. Jo felt heat rushing to her cheeks and bit her lip to try and regain control of herself.

"Here let me help you." The boy knelt by Jo, and grabbed the book she was reaching for. Jo recoiled her hand and forced herself to look back at the boy across from her. He gave her a grin and as he handed her the Shakespeare book and said, "Doors are a violent thing."

She wanted to say something that would make him laugh. Something that would make her seem cool, noticeable, or stand out. But her nervous system was taking over, and Jo was distracted by trying to take in his features and controlling her reddening face. She never acted this way, and the fact that she was flustered her even more.

"Yeah," She stammered lamely as she took the book. He arched an eyebrow and his blue eyes gleamed with mischief. The boy ran a hand through his dark black hair and stayed in his crouch, mirroring Jo and studying her. She felt her cheeks get even redder, and Jo dipped her head down as she stuck the final book in her bag and stood up. Stop it, she tried to order her flushing face, but it wouldn't listen. She swung the bag over her shoulder and started to turn away.

"I'm Terry McGinnis," He stuck out his hand and Jo paused mid turn. She looked down at the extended hand. With horror, she realized her palms were sweating and she took a step back and gave him a small smile.

"Jo."

Even though the train station was only a block away, Jo turned around and walked the other way. Her head felt light and her thoughts buzzed over what just happened. Her hands were still shaking as she turned the corner. She glanced out of the corner of eye and saw Terry look at her with a puzzled expression. Her stomach did another somersault and she hurried up the other side of the block. Jo exhaled as she got out of sight of the boy and ran a hand over her face.

Her thoughts felt airy as she kept reliving that moment of connection. Then, as she started the different route to the train station, Jo started to berate herself. Why did she act that way? Why didn't she give him her number, or smile, or ask to hang out or something?! Now she wouldn't see him again… but those eyes. Jo let out a frustrated breath and hurried her steps. He would probably forget her, just like everyone else. Jo's thoughts went in that vicious cycle for the rest of the night.

By the time she got home and started training, it was 7 and her father was not happy. They were planning on starting training by 4 and he had canceled all his classes and students to train her.

He pushed her extra hard, and Jo's head was not in it. She balanced on the beam trying to complete the routine she practiced on the mat that morning. There was a lot of difficult aerial work in her routine, which ended with a double salto, or flip, while twisting in mid air and landing solidly on the ground. Jo kept landing incorrectly, or not quite twisting her body correctly. She was off balance, wobbly, and after an hour and a half of messy routines, her father was at his wits end.

Jo took a break and toweled off some of her sweat as she leaned against the balance beam. Her father walked up to her and handed her a water bottle, he was unable to keep the concern out of his eye as he leaned beside her and sighed in frustration. The condensation from the water bottle created a paste on her chalky hands and Jo decided to stare at it instead of her father.

"Jo, what's on your mind? Did something happen at school?" He asked, and she took a tentative sip from her water bottle. She was seventeen, but boys had never really been a priority in her life. Since she started competing in fifth grade, gymnastics had been her life. Jo had no idea how Dick would react to her interaction with a boy, and she was also embarrassed by how she handled the situation.

"Uh, not really.I mean... its just... This is my last chance to qualify for the 2040 Olympics."

Her father sighed and put an arm around Jo. He pulled her in close and gave her a comforting side hug.

"Winning isn't everything Jo. If you don't qualify, you don't qualify. Do this cause you love it, not for a gold medal. I'll be with you every step of the way."

Jo nodded and managed a small, fake smile. While his words did ease some of her nerves about Nationals, it did not solve the real source of her distraction.

Not in the slightest.

I know its a different story, but newcomers I hope you like it, and older readers I hope you keep an open mind... I've changed and I don't think I'll update the Invisible Bat sequel just cause I really made a mess of the story at the end and I want to reboot this character.

Anyway, hope you all enjoyed it, chapter 2 will be along soon!