Breaking Free
"All little birds fly from the nest eventually. Now, it's my time to do just that. A Grayson was born to fly. "

Author's Note: Yo! Long time no write! –pelted with tomatoes- Okay, I know, I'm sorry, but sometimes life gets in the way, like it did in my situation. But now, I'm a college kid, and this is the first story I'm writing from big kid school.

This is a Teen Titans story about Mar'i Grayson, who is the cannon daughter of Robin(Nightwing) and Starfire, so naturally, this contains RobStar. I wrote this from her point of view, I found it more fitting than my usual style of third. Umm, can't think of anything else right now, so on with this….whatever this is.

I own this plot, that's it. If I owned Teen Titans, I would not be a poor college student.

College: it has two definitions. The first and official one is "an institution of higher learning". The second one, which is also true if you think about it, is "the party before the hangover that is adulthood." For the longest time, it was the first that rang truest to me. I was a dedicated student throughout my high school life, I had wonderful friends, and a supportive family, yet the whole time, I felt a little bit…smothered. I wanted to break free and be my own person. I didn't want to be connected to my family, mainly my dad's name, anymore. Now, don't get me wrong my dad is amazing, but sometimes, it can be so uncomfortable being constantly called out as the eldest daughter of Dick Grayson. Sometimes, I really just want to be Mar'i, no last name attached, just Mar'i and no one else.

But now I have that chance. I'm not a little girl anymore, I'm a college student. My parents and siblings dropped me off a few days ago. It's a scene that I've played out at least hundred times since they left.

"Oh, my little starshine, I will miss you so much." My mother cried as she gave me one of her famous bone-crushing hugs.

"I'll be alright mom. I promise. We're going to Skype, so we'll still see each other…sorta." I assured her for the millionth time. It seems like we've had this conversation that many times.

"Mar'i, will you be in the stands cheering me on at my basketball games?" Candice, my younger sister, asks

"And your still going to come home and watch me bump, set, spike it, right?" my youngest sister Daisy-Candice's twin- chimes in, her blue-green eyes sparkling with anticipation.

I love my twin little sisters. We're all three so close and I absolutely hate letting them down, so pull them in a hug and say, "Of course, sisters, you're both my superstars."

However, our moment is interrupted in a way that only a thirteen year old little brother could, "Introduce me to some hot college girls?"

My green eyes look up at Bruce who looks dead serious about his question. And I know for a fact he is. So, like any older sister, I teasingly say, "Maybe when you go through puberty Brucie."

Bruce huffs and rolls his blue eyes in annoyance, but he has a smile on his face. He knows I'm teasing, that's the way our relationship is.

"Are you gonna hug me or are you just going to stand there?" I ask

Candice and Daisy step out of my arms to let Bruce in. I have just enough time to ruffle his red hair before they join us in one big Grayson sibling group hug. I'm really going to miss not having those every day.

Finally they let me go and head towards the door to join my mother, who's trying really hard not to show it, but I know that she's crying. I turn to face my dad who's standing near my newly made bed.

"Daddy?" I ask him, "You alright?"

He looks up at me and smiles. "I am Mar'i, except this is a lot to take in."

"It's not that far away, and I'm coming home whenever I get the chance." I told him

"I know sweetheart, I know." He says

I know this is hard on him, departure always has been, and it's no secret that there has been a lot of it in his life. After the death of my grandparents and when he left the circus. When he parted ways with his teammates, and the "Robin" identity behind, it happened all over again. Now, he's parting ways with me. And what's worse, I'm the first to go, in four years, Candice and Daisy will be gone, and then Bruce. It's a cycle of leaving for him. I wrap my arms around my dad, except for our straight black hair, we look nothing alike. He wraps his arms around me, and says these words.

"It's time for you to fly."

And then my family leaves me standing in my now empty dorm room.

It was in that moment, I fully came to understand my father. He wasn't just my dad anymore; he was a teammate, a mentor, and most importantly a friend. He knew that letting me go was hard, but it was something he knew that was right. All little birds fly from the nest eventually. Now, it's my time to do just that. A Grayson was born to fly.

End Note: I'm actually quite proud of this. I think that it actually turned out somewhat decent. I'm not sure exactly how old Mar'i is in the comics so I aged her in this to be 18, college aged. I just left for college so, you can see a little bit of me in Mar'i here. Also, Candice, Daisy, and Bruce are the main characters in my story TT2: The New Chapter. It is a next generation story. I'm still fleshing out everybody, especially Daisy, I keep having some issues with her, but I wanted to include them in this.

Anyways, I hope that you enjoyed this little story.