A/N: I'm very tired, it's very late, and this is very overdue and more than likely filled with glaring errors. But I'm just too tired and it's simply too late for me to bother editing it, so I'm posting it anyways and I'm just going to apologize in advance. I have completely strayed from trying to strictly portray Mary as she is in the movie, because she is simply taking on a personality of her own, and with out my permission. Sorry. Well, I hope you enjoy it and please review!

Chapter 3: The Snapping Thing

"Alright, time to get up," Mary Poppins stated and with a snap of her fingers as David's blinds flew open.

"Ok, you're going to have to explain how you..." David mumbled groggily and looked around to see that Mary Poppins was no longer in his room.

"Rise and shine," Mary practically sang as she flipped on the light and snapped her fingers so that Katherine's bed covers flung themselves on the floor.

"Not again..." she moaned, not bothering to open her eyes as she stumbled out of bed. David was already sitting by Mary, finishing up some eggs and toast when Katherine came into the kitchen dressed for the day. She smiled tentatively at Mary, who wore a broad smile herself as she motioned towards a plate of eggs and toast beside her at the table.

"Good morning," Mary said.

"Easy for you to say," Katherine said with a sneer, not wanting to let David see she had begun to approve of Mary Poppins. Besides, Katherine was a grumpy person before eleven.

"Well then, what should we do today? Have any ideas David?" Mary asked.

"Well, I do want to beat my game today, and you have to tell me how you-" David hinted, but was cut short.

"No, no video games until later. You should get out of the house more often. Have you ever been to a museum?"

"A what?"

"Just as I thought," Mary said in a stern voice. "Do you have any place you'd like to go Katherine?"

"Besides away from you?" Katherine said blankly. Mary raised one eyebrow and Katherine softened. "Well, I mean, everyone hangs out in the park across from the drug store. They all get a coke and chill together."

"You just want to chill with Nick," David said.

"Shut up!" Katherine whined.

"Now Katherine. Well it's certainly better than your plan David. I'd much rather get out of the house," Mary stated.

"Oh but you aren't coming along are you?" Katherine asked nervously. She couldn't be seen having a nanny, and nowhere near Nick.

"Why not? Someone has to keep an eye on you. It might boost your confidence to have me around," Mary winked as she began cleaning up the breakfast dishes. Katherine sighed, seeing as she would probably come regardless, and it couldn't hurt to have her around. She did give her a confidence boost after all. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Then again, who knew? She still had to be wary of this woman. And was with the snapping fetish...?

After applying a furious amount of lip gloss and mascara, Katherine was finally ready to join Mary and David to the drugstore. She was quiet all the way there, tuning out Mary and David's conversation to think about how she would talk to Nick. Should she tell him her feelings as Mary had suggested? She barely knew this woman though, and her love life seemed to be in shambles anyways. But what if she was right? Katherine suddenly felt eyes on her as followed Mary and David into the drugstore for drinks. She knew her peers were watching her from across the street, but she tried to ignore it. Mary bought both her and David a coke, and Mary nodded for her to go join her friends. She led David across the park and stayed mostly out of sight of Katherine and her friends.

"Hey Katie!" a friend by the name of Olivia called. She was sitting on one of the park tables, along with two other girls and two guys, one of which being Nick. Katherine was friends with all of them, but it still felt strange to be around Nick again.

"Hey Katherine," Nick said. "Who's the lady?"

"Hey," she blushed. "Oh, uh her? Well she's my brother's nanny."

"You have a nanny?" Olivia asked.

"Well no, not me. She's keeping an eye on my brother for the summer since my parents work. You know how much of a brat he is."

"But still, you have a nanny?" Nick laughed.

"Don't laugh! She's not that bad ok? I actually kind of like her," Katherine said, turning red.

"Hey no, that's cool. Sorry," Nick smiled. Katherine looked across the park at Mary, and could have sworn she winked at her. Katherine smiled. "Hey you guys want to go bowling sometime? We could do teams or something."

"I call Jared!" Olivia shouted.

"Fine I get Katherine though," Nick smiled as he looked at her. Katherine blushed and smiled. Maybe Mary was pretty cool after all.

--

"Mary Poppins, do you mind if I go over by the pond? I think some of the kids from my year are over there. See? That's my friend Joel," David said with a smile.

"That's fine David, I'm just going to take a break here on the park bench," Mary smiled. David took off running for the small pond that was just across the park, shouting and waving at his school mates. Mary smiled and sighed. She looked over at Katherine, seeing her laughing with Nick and her friends. David was being entertained down by the pond with his friends. Content and at peace, Mary sat back in the bench and closed her eyes. She kicked off the black pumps she was wearing, and felt the breeze rustle her blue blouse and linen pleated skirt. It blew through her hair and played at the earrings that dangled from each ear. Mary sighed again, content. Suddenly she had the overwhelming feeling that someone was watching her, and she opened her eyes.

He wore a pair of black pin-striped trousers, with a white collared shirt tucked in neatly and not quite buttoned up all the way. On his feet were a pair of plain black dress shoes. He looked rather casual despite his attire, with his hands in his pockets and a nonchalant stance. His hair had been styled to stand up a bit in the front, and on his face was a brilliant white smile. No matter what he wore, Mary would have recognized him out of thousands. However, it was just her and him in the middle of the park.

"It can't be..." Mary whispered as she stared in awe at the handsomely dressed man before her.

"In the flesh and at your service," he said. Mary hastily put her pumps back on hurried over to stand before him. She eyed him up and down, taking it all in.

"Oh Bert," she breathed, hugging him tightly.

"I missed you too Mary Poppins," Bert said quietly and smiled, taking her hands in his.

"But how? I thought you were-"

"Shh, not here. Now's not the time. When's your next day off?" Bert asked.

"Thursday. Tomorrow night," Mary replied, still breathless. She wasn't sure if she was dreaming. Had she fallen asleep on the park bench?

"I want to take you on a date," Bert said. "Tomorrow night, I'll pick you up."

"A date?" Mary asked, puzzled.

"Yes a date. You know, I take you out to dinner. We talk. Share our likes and dislikes..."

"Oh stop it. I know what a date is," Mary replied.

"Just checking, it's a new century you know," Bert chuckled.

"Yes but how are you-"

"Not now. Tomorrow night," Bert smiled and kissed Mary on the cheek before quickly leaving the park. Mary sat back down and stared at the pavement in amazement after he had gone. Was he real? He felt real. She touched her cheek where he had kissed her. That had felt real. But how was it possible?

"I'm back!" David shouted, plopping down beside the befuddled Mary on the park bench. Mary simply blinked in surprise, then quickly regained her composure.

"I see that, how are your school mates?" Mary asked kindly.

"Good. They had to go home though. So when are you going to tell me how you do your magic tricks?"

"Magic what?" Mary asked, as if offended by the statement, her eyes growing wide.

"You know, the blinds and the carpetbag? Dad never mentioned that you were a magician," David said, quite excited by this discovery.

"I am not a magician," Mary replied sternly.

"Oh really?" Katherine asked, appearing beside the park bench that Mary and David had been chatting at. She had a wide grin on her face, and a twinkle in her eyes that made her statement even more unnerving to Mary.

"What? Don't you believe me?" Mary asked.

"I'll believe anything you say at this point," Katherine smiled.

"Oh? And when did this happen?" Mary asked, eyeing Katherine up and down.

"When Nick asked me to go bowling with him and some friends. But mostly when he took me aside and asked if I'd go to the movies with him. Just me and him," Katherine said confidently.

"Ooo, Katherine's got a day-ate," David sang.

"You can laugh all you want David, but I think it's marvelous," Mary said, smiling at Katherine. Then she turned to David and gave him a stern look. "And one day young man, you'll find some lovely lady to be quite attractive and charming."

"Yuck, yeah right. Girls are so boring. All they do is go shopping and fix their hair," David complained. At this statement Mary sniffed unappreciatively and patted her bun, making sure it was still properly in place, as if to tell it not to be offended by young David's statement.

"Well I think I've had quite enough of your silliness and I think it's time we leave for home. Come along you two. Spit spot," Mary said, taking off in the direction of the Haffer home. Katherine and David followed along behind her, trying to keep up. Mary whistled to herself as she led the way.

"She never did explain that snapping trick she's been using," David said to Katherine when he thought Mary wasn't listening.

"I get the feeling that Mary Poppins is the sort of person that never explains anything," Katherine said with a smile. She felt like she was floating she was so happy, and she knew it had to have been Mary's doing. True, the snapping thing was odd, but it could easily be explained by some magic kit or some other device to simply impress David into doing what she said. No, Katherine knew there was something else about her, and she hoped to uncover more than she had the night before. Whatever the cause though, Katherine was more than grateful that due to her advice she had scored a date with her biggest crush yet!

"What is that supposed to mean? She doesn't have to explain anything? You're in on it aren't you? How does she do it?" David asked.

"I don't what you're talking about David. All I'm saying is that you shouldn't question it," Katherine said, thinking about what she would wear on her date. Mary heard Katherine defending her, and she smiled. All teenage girls were the same. Big attitude at first, but deep down they're all the same- hopeless romantics and in need of guidance. Mary was going to get along with Katherine just fine, of that she was sure of. It would be entertaining David that would take more effort.

"Can I play my video games now?" David whined as he walked into the house behind Mary.

"May I," Mary said.

"May I play my video games now?"

"May I play my video games now what?" Mary hinted.

"May I play my video games now please?" David said, exasperated.

"Yes you may," Mary replied with a smile. She went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea, and David bounded up the stairs so fast that she didn't hear Katherine follow her into the kitchen.

"So how do you do the snapping thing?" Katherine asked. Mary's head whipped around from the cupboard she had opened to get out her teacup and stared at Katherine with an incredulous face.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You know what I mean. You got Nick to go out with me didn't you? How'd you do it? I mean, I don't know what David's talking about snapping for, but I had admit there was something strange about you before. I mean, you come out of nowhere and bowl my mum and dad over and David absolutely worships you, even when you restrict him in his video game playing time and...well you acted like a mother to me last night. I've never had that. How do you manage it?" Katherine said sincerely.

"I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about," Mary said, setting her water to boil.

"Oh don't play stupid with me. I know more about you than you think I do," Katherine said.

"Is that so?"

"Oh yes. What's his name?"

"I don't understand," Mary said above the whistling teapot.

"Sure you do," Katherine continued as Mary began to pour herself a cup of tea. "The man I saw you with in the park, the two of you seemed rather affectionate to me."

Mary dropped her tea cup and it shattered all over the kitchen floor. Katherine's smile grew wider as Mary looked at her with pleading eyes. "I still don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh come on! Either you tell me what's going on between you and this man in the park or I let David continue to pester you about being a magician, which I don't entirely believe in the first- OH!" Katherine exclaimed as Mary snapped her fingers and the shattered pieces of her teacup rose into her outstretched palm and became whole again, with her spilled tea back in it.

"You were saying?"

"Nooo way," Katherine said, stunned. "He wasn't kidding."

"You should pay more attention to what your brother says you know."

"That looked so real. I don't even know how you pulled that off."

"I didn't pull anything young lady, and I suggest you don't question me further."

"It's him though isn't it? The man in the park, he was the one you told me about before," Katherine said quietly.

"I said no more questions. I'm retiring to my room now, you can watch television or whatever else you wish to do, but do not interrupt me unless it's an emergency. Also, I am not a magician."

"Well how else do you explain it? Magic isn't real," Katherine said, her attitude flaring up again. To her surprise, Mary turned around on the staircase and looked at her with a glint in her eyes. In that moment, with just that one look from the mysterious woman and her twinkling blue eyes, Katherine couldn't help but wonder if it really was real.

--

Mary sighed as she shut her door behind her and took a seat on the bed. It was getting harder and harder to feel qualified in her duties, especially with all of the new technology and whatnot that made Mary's magic seem like a thing of the past. Because it is a thing of the past, she thought bitterly. Magic is cliché and old. I'm old. And yet, why isn't he old?

All of these thoughts and more buzzed around Mary's head, and with a heavy sigh and a heavy heart, she finally decided that the best thing to do was uproot herself again and move on. It wasn't like her to just leave a situation, but in her puzzled and weary state, Mary could find no logical alternative. Besides, she had figured she'd just imagined Bert at the park earlier until Katherine confirmed it. She shouldn't see him, and he probably didn't really want to see her. Why now? And how? No, Mary had decided, and she began packing all of her items once again into her carpetbag. Mary snapped her fingers, causing several shirts of hers to fold themselves neatly for her to pack away. Unbeknownst to her, Katherine had opened her door a crack to watch. A small tear ran down Mary's cheek as she began to put her clothing into her bag.

"Maybe it is real," Katherine said, stepping into the room. Mary wiped the tear from her startled face. "Look, I know you said not to disturb you, and I'm sorry I came in here like this but...maybe I was wrong about you. Can we talk?"

"I...of course we can," Mary said taking a seat next to Katherine on the bed.

"That's rather handy you know, being able to snap to fold your laundry. If I could do that then mum wouldn't always be on my case," Katherine attempted a laugh. Mary sniffed and smiled.

"Anything can happen when you believe Katherine. I know you'd like to think I had a hand in your luck with Nick, but I didn't. That was all you. I'm not usually very flashy in my talents but you needed the confidence," Mary smiled.

"I...uh thanks. Look, I'm not so good with this mushy stuff but, you need to take a good look at yourself," Katherine said.

"What do you mean? I've looked the same for quite some time young lady," Mary sniffed.

"I mean you're a mess. I know it's not really any of my business, and I know we've only just met but, you've already begun to help me so much, you deserve to know. I know it's him, the man in the park was the one you knew before. Look, whatever happened, it's in the past and you can't look back. Just forget about all that and keep going."

"It's a little bit more complicated than that dear."

"It doesn't have to be. Sure, I'm almost 14, what do I know about love? I know enough to know that you're in it, you're in it deeply and madly," Katherine said. Mary blushed profusely. "And maybe I've just watched too many movies or read too many mushy romantic stories, but you can't let that go. You can't let him go. Don't walk away from him," Katherine said, taking out the clothes that Mary had just been packing away into her carpetbag. "And don't walk away from us. I'm just beginning to like you."

"Thank you," Mary whispered quietly.

"You can go back to being stern nanny now," Katherine laughed.

"Don't you have some of your own laundry to attend to young lady?" Mary said so fiercely it made Katherine's spine tingle and feel shameful of her disobedience.

"That's better," she said with a smile as she left Mary's room. Mary smiled, and despite showing more weakness than she had ever hoped to Katherine, she felt stronger than ever just then. Her mind was made up, she was going to confront Bert. But whatever would she wear?

Ah yes, so if you're interested in what outfits she and Bert were wearing in the park and my writing failed to spark the imagination, you can find links to view more shoddy graphics that I have put together for my readers to get a better idea visually of what I mean. They will be posted under "links" on my profile page in the near future. Hope you enjoyed it and do review!

Love, Elizabeth