A/N: So this ins't the best chapter in the world, it's more of a filler chapter because Dick cannot gt from Central City to Bellside over night.

TheNextBatgirl- Thanks! I'm so glad you like it! And yes, the Team knows about Mary(Wally decided to let Dick find out about her on his own/have Barbara tell him!) (:

Chapter 2

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Barbara's alarm clock blared. The sleepy red head got up and shut her alarm off and proceeded to the master bathroom to freshen up and brush hair. She then looked through her closet for something to wear. She ended up going with a light yellow Eyelet dress from JC Penny by ELLE. It was made of soft cotton and ended at her knee with a light colored grosgrain sash and eyelet embroidery gave it a wonder full finishing touch. In addition she slipped on close toed white leather wedges. Barbara then returned to the bathroom to do her makeup and put her hair in a curly ponytail.

Feeling satisfied, Barbara hurried downstairs to make pancakes and chop pineapple and squeeze orange juice.

First the single mother got out the bisquick and made the pancake batter by adding the eggs and milk after preheating the stove and letting a red nonstick pan heat up. She then proceeded to pour enough batter in the pan into the pan for one pancake at a time. In between flipping the pancakes and pouring batter, Barbara chopped a small bowl of pineapple and squeezed a pitcher of orange juice.

When everything was ready, Barbara hurried upstairs and woke Mary.

"Mary, Hun, come on," Barbara coaxed, "I made breakfast. Everything you asked for."

Mary's eyes fluttered open and she sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Okay, Momma."

Barbara picked up the drowsy child and carried her downstairs. Mary sat at the bar in the kitchen and waited for her mom to finish making her plate.

"Thank you, Momma," Mary said as Barbara set a plate and glass in front of her and cut her pancake.

"You're welcome, Sweetie," Barbara said and kissed her daughter's head.

"Can I have a bowl of syrup to dip?" Mary asked.

"Yes, Sweetie."

After breakfast, Barbara put the leftovers away and washed the dishes and the two went up to Mary's room.

Today, Barbara dressed Mary in light green overalls over a white tee shirt with white tennis shoes and socks. Then, Barbara took Mary to her bathroom to put her wavy, shoulder length black hair in a high ponytail with a light green ribbon that matched her overalls.

When Mary was all dressed up, Barbara put her hands on her shoulders and held the girl at arms distance. "You look just like your father." Barbara said pulling Mary into a hug.

"Momma, we're going to be late!" Mary said breaking the hug with a panicked expression.

Barbara chuckled. "Okay then, let's get going." She took her daughter's little hand and led her out to the car.

Barbara and Mary arrived at downtown Bellside in Barbara's white Ford Fusion at fifteen minutes before nine.

Barbara unbuckled Mary and the two walked hand in hand to Bellside Flowers. When they got to the storefront, Barbara took the keys out of her purse as her inpatient daughter peeked through the glass., with her hands around her eyes.

Barbara smiled at her daughter. If only Dick were here. He would love Mary so much. Barbara sighed and opened the shop door.


Dick didn't want to stop at a hotel; he wanted to see Barbara ASAP. But his road trip would be pointless if he fell asleep on the road and got killed.

So there Dick was, checking into a random hotel somewhere in Illinois.

Dick sighed as he slumped on the bed in the little room. He slept for a good five hours before returning to the road. He only stopped for coffee and to go to the bathroom. He had to get to Barbara.


"Momma! Momma!" Mary squealed as lunch time rolled around, "Are we going to go or what?!" She practically demanded taking her mother's hand and dragging her out of the flower shop.

"Bye, Mr. Wyant!" Barbara called as she left the shop with Mary. Mr. Kirk Wyant was the one who hired Barbara to work at the flower shop. He was a kindly old man who gave Barbara Friday afternoons and weekends off.

"I'm coming, Mary!" Barbara assured as the two walked down a block then crossed the street and entered Mr. Galletta's restaurant, Giuseppe's. Mr. Giuseppe Galletta was an old cranky Italian man who had a soft stop for the Gordon girls.

"Ah!" Mr. Galletta said in his heavy Italian accent, "If it isn't my two favorite customers!"

"Giuseppe!" Barbara greeted him with a hug.

"Hello, Mr. Galleta!" Mary said rush over to him.

The old, yet strong Italian picked up the little girl and threw her in the air and caught her again in his calloused hands then put her down and gave a hearty laugh, "So what will it be for ya? The usual?"

"Yes," Barbara nodded.

"Coming right up! Table five for ya, how 'bout?" Mr. Galleta said winking at Mary, table five was Mary's favorite table because it was by the window.

Once they were seated and with their food, Mary got the kid's spaghetti and Barbara got the Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo, Mary asked Barbara what they were doing this weekend.

"I don't know, Hun." Barbara said after she swallowed. She took another bite then continued, "Maybe we could go to the beach."

"Yeah!" Mary said with excitement, "And get a puppy!"

Barbara eyed her daughter, "Maybe, but not right now."


Dick looked at the digital clock in his car. Twelve thirty-six it read. He quickly pulled into a Mc Donald's and got a Bug Mac and a large soft drink and hit the road again and continuing his "stop only for coffee and bathroom breaks" routine.

The whole time, Dick was thinking about Barbara. For years, it had haunted him as he wondered what she was trying to tell him as he left, what happened after he left, and if she was even okay.

Dick sighed and looked in the rearview mirror. He had bags under his eyes and his eyelids seemed to weigh tons. He decided he'd stop at a hotel tonight so when and if he saw Barbara, it wouldn't look like he hadn't slept since they last saw each other.

So when he finished off his last coffee around nine, he checked into a small motel. Dick checked a map on his laptop and figured he'd make it to Barbara's place by eight in the morning tomorrow if he got on the road by five.

When he finished his driving plan and set his alarm, he got back on his laptop and opened his picture library and opened the folder labeled "Babs" and clicked the slideshow option. He sighed as pictures of Barbara ranging from age eight to twenty flashed across his screen. He wondered if she'd look the same, did she cut her hair, or grow it out? Did she still have those adorable freckles? Dick paused on the slide show on a picture of him and Barbara the day after her twentieth birthday, a month before he left. They were in Dick's apartment on the couch. Babs was lying on top of him and they were both looking up at the camera he was holding and laughing. The camera caught Barbara with a big smile looking directly into the camera lens. But Dick, he was smiling too, but he was looking at Barbara.

Dick clicked the next arrow at the bottom of the screen and the next picture popped up. It was the same night, taken only a few moments after the previous photo, but this time, Dick and Barbara were looking into each other's eyes. The next picture was of them kissing. Dick could remember dropping the camera after that and moving to the bedroom with Barbara. It wasn't the first time they made love, but he sure did remember it well.

The twenty-four year old smiled and put his laptop away before turning off the lights and going to bed.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow he'd see Barbara.


After lunch, Barbara took Mary to the park like she did every Friday afternoon. She sat on the bench while watching her raven haired daughter running around the playground with what seemed like endless energy. Mary reminded Barbara of Dick in many ways, this being one of them. Her ex seemed to have run on endless energy. Then Barbara thought, was she his ex? They never really broke up, unless you count having your boyfriend storm out on you. Which when the single mother thought about it, did count.

"Momma! Momma!" Mary called as she ran to her mother with her hands cupped around something, "Momma look!" she said opening her hands revealing a caterpillar. "Can I keep it?"

"You could," Barbara said getting cut off by a squeal of delight, "Or, you could let it go and become a butterfly."

Mary looked puzzled as she thought, then she made up her mind, "I'm going to let it be a butterfly!" she decided before running off.

Barbara smiled as she watched her daughter put the caterpillar next to a big tree before running off again. She looked at her watch that read three o' six. "Mary! Fifteen minutes!" she called.

When they got home, it was about three thirty-five. "Run along," Barbara told Mary as they walked through the door.

Mary took off her shoes and hopped upstairs to her room to continue her game of dollhouse while Barbara read. The two finished the day with leftovers for dinner, princess pajamas, and a bedtime story about when Nightwing and Batgirl fought Two-Face.

Barbara fell back onto her bed and sighed after she got Mary to sleep. Her thoughts wandered to Dick again, as they had every day since he left. Everyone told her to move on. Everyone seemed to try and set her up on dates. But she never got past a first date. She didn't want anyone else. She wanted Dick. She wanted him to come back from where ever he was.

The young woman sighed as she got up and changed into purple pajama pants and a black tank top before curling up under the covers of her bed and fell asleep of a picture of her and Dick in his apartment laughing on the couch a day after her twentieth birthday that sat proudly on her nightstand.

A/N: I might be able to get the next chapter up today but I'm not sure. And be sure to review! Review=faster update!