I'm gonna cut this into two parts because I don't want this chapter to be too long.

Guest - Damian and Mar'i are 6 years apart in this story. Mar'i is currently 6 and Damian is 12. He appeared to the Batfam at 9 while Mar'i is 3 so there's some sort of bond there already.


"Mar'i, sweetie, time for bed," Kory called from her daughter's bedroom door, seeing that she had just gotten into her pajamas. "Oh, someone seems to be excited to sleep."

Mar'i crawled to her bed and under the covers only to crawl back out with a plushie she usually slept with. "Story," she announced.

"Oh, I see," Kory laughed lightly and moved across the room to the bookshelves. "So, what would you like to hear tonight? Pinocchio? The Little Prince? Jack and the Beanstalk? Anything, sweetie?"

"A Titan story!" Mar'i requested with glee.

"I thought so," Kory merely smiled at her infectious excitement. She walked to Mar'i's bed and sat next to her. "Which story do you wish to hear?"

Mar'i took a good couple of seconds to decide. "The first time you and daddy kissed! Real kiss, not the language transfer. Like Eugene and Rapunzel after he cut her hair and she saved him."

"I have never told you that story?" Kory asked. Her daughter has requested so many stories about the Titans, her father, and the two of them as a couple that she couldn't keep track of which one she's told and hasn't yet.

"Uh-uh," Mar'i shook her head.

"Well then," Kory started, adjusting herself on the bed to a more comfortable position, half lying down with her head propped up on her palm. She made sure the Mar'i was nice and snug under the blankets before continuing. "Believe it or not, daddy did not vanquish a dragon or a monster to get a kiss from the princess…"

XXXXXXX

"He's already surpassed his previous record," Tim announced, looking over Dick's statistics displayed on the monitor before him. "Accuracy up by 97 out of a hundred, stamina's longer, reaction speed is faster too."

"Since when?" Damian stepped to his side, taking a peak at the records.

"From yesterday's record, which surpassed the record from the day before and the day before that," Tim trailed off. His ears perked at the grunts and pounding of his brother.

Fist connected loudly at the body bag, sending it swaying wildly at the opposite direction, swinging back only to meet Dick's iron knuckles. Sweat gleamed on his biceps and forehead and the wife beater he worn stuck to his wet skin, hinting the muscles he's worked for years.

The scars on his body, ones that Kory did not recognize (because of course she knew his body well) were still a mystery to them. He did biweekly checkups and tests and did not feel pain when they probed and poked at his healing wounds and scars. Tests came back with the same results, there was still that alien component in his system Dick claimed he doesn't feel any pain or sensation from.

Bruce and Tim didn't think he was lying. But they wouldn't say they weren't suspicious of the oddities on Dick's current physical capabilities.

At the moment, they just have to wait for a change. Something new they could work on.

"He's been here for over three hours now," Damian huffed. He was sort of annoyed Dick has taken up the training room more and more. He wasn't annoying but Damian did minded the unneeded amount of attention and care he has gotten since they first recovered him. So what if the guy was missing for six years and came back with no memory. He has been through relatively rougher situations and training considering his extremely young age.

"Damian, you can use the batcave or the woods if you want to punch something. Physical exercise is Dick's time killer."

"Right, until Mar'i comes home from school then they're gonna go out on a walk or play or whatever. Kory too," Damian muttered with crossed arms.

A sly grin slowly grew on Tim's lips. His hand found his hips as he bent down a little to Damian's height. "Damian Wayne," he teased. "Are you perhaps, oh, I don't know, jealous?"

"What," Damian spat, his entire being frozen momentarily before forcing to compose himself before Tim could humiliate him even further. And if there's anything Damian hated more than defeat is exposure.

"You tell me. Ever since Dick started to live with us again, you've been huddled up somewhere, trying to avoid him. He's never actually done anything to annoy you. Oh, and now that Mar'i knows her dad is alive, you've been avoiding her too."

His lips were flat shut.

Tim snorted dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Mar'i still likes you, even if you have been rejecting her invitations lately. She could like you more if you have and same goes with Dick. He's a nice guy, before and after the incident. Quit being a mopping edge lord and actually go out and know the guy."

The scowling 12 year old only rolled his eyes decided to change the subject. "Don't you think it's time to stop coddling him and get him back on the scene? He seems to be doing fine now, better even."

"Bruce says no. Not yet. Dick Grayson just sent the media in a hurricane. We don't want a regular Nightwing appearance the same week Dick just apparently came back from the dead."

"I thought Todd was taking care of that," Damian pointed out.

"He is. In his own way."

Panting, Dick jogged over to Tim. He caught the water bottle thrown at him and refreshed his throat with the cool water. "How'd I do?" He asked between breaths.

"Better than yesterday," Tim replied, shrugging.

"What time is it?"

"Ten minutes past four. If you don't hurry to take a shower, Mar'i and Kory might reconsider hugging you when they get home."

XXXXXXX

It took an hour for Robin to finish his first report. He needed to complete all seven before his trip.

He was called to stay in Gotham for two weeks per Bruce's request. He initially protested, not only wanting to leave his team behind but also because his relationship with the big bad bat wasn't the best at the time, but eventually he agreed.

"When's your flight again?" Cyborg called, slightly startling Robin. All his focus on the laptop and files, he didn't hear the metallic boots of Cyborg come in.

"Day after tomorrow," Robin mumbled enough for Cyborg to hear. He wasn't all happy. None of the other Titans were. Especially not the Tamaranean princess.

"Talked to Starfire yet?"

"…No," Robin replied, feeling a sweat form on his forehead. He knew where this was going.

"Dick," Cyborg spoke in a more serious tone. "You need to at least make it right with her."

"I know, I know-"

"I mean, Jesus, man. You've just admitted to her you like her more than just a friend and I've never seen Starfire look that happy and hopeful before. You haven't talked to her since and now you're off to Gotham for two weeks. You better not make her wait that long."

"If Slade didn't interrupt us then maybe… I don't know," Robin grumbled and sighed. His fingers left the keyboard as he sat up and moved to the window, looking out into Jump City's blinking lights in the dark night. "It was just a spur of the moment, y'know? I didn't mean to blurt it out like that."

"Are you doubting-"

"No. No, I don't," Robin answered. He knew what Cyborg was going to ask; the protective older brother tone gave it away. "I like her. I do. More than a friend. I think I always have."

"Starfire always knew," Cyborg added. "We all did, man," he snorted and chuckled.

To his surprise, Robin let out a small laugh of his own. "Yeah, I guess."

"Look, Rob, I'm not here for just Starfire, okay? I'm here for the both of you."

It took a moment for Robin to move as he slightly turned to Cyborg. "Thanks. Just give me a minute, alright?"

XXXXXXX

Mar'i excited cry of "daddy" made Dick's head look up from his seat. His smile immediately widen as he sat up with open arms to embrace his daughter. It didn't take long for Kory to appear from the teleporter and sink into Dick and Mar'i's hug too.

"How was your day?" Kory asked.

"It was okay. Did the usual training 'cause I'm bored and I miss you," Dick answered with a mock pout before he nuzzled his nose against his daughter's fluffy hair.

As Kory had hoped and observed, Dick has grown to love Mar'i very much in a very small amount of time. He smiled more, expressed more, did more. Mar'i was such a good influence on him and she's been the happiest since that day they met. He's been the father she's ever wanted, supportive, caring, and always took an interest in every she said.

He was such a natural with kids, it was no surprise, and Kory couldn't be happier.

"Do you have anything to do tonight, daddy?"

"Hmm? Not that I know of. Got any homework?"

"Drawing," she announced and took hold of her father's hand, dragging him from the batcave to upstairs with Kory floating close behind them.

Dick had easily become Mar'i's favorite playmate and sitter. Not that anyone had a problem with it, even though they missed their time with Mar'i honestly. Dick missed so much of Mar'i's life that he deserved to spend all hours with his daughter.

After dinner, Kory found the two at Mar'i's room, her daughter telling Dick where and what to color with her drawing. She slipped in next to them. "Cyborg called. I have to go out tonight. Do not wait up."

"Titan business?" Dick paused his coloring.

"Investigation. One or two metahumans spotted in San Francisco."

"Be careful out there then."

"I will," she reassured him before turning to her daughter's side and give her a kiss on her forehead. "Bed time at 8:30."

"Aww but mom," Mar'i whined. "We were gonna watch Tangled."

"You have seen that a hundred times," Kory reminded.

"But daddy hasn't seen it."

"Saturday," she said. "You can watch it on Saturday."

"But-"

"You have school tomorrow," Kory sternly finished.

"It's okay, Mar'i," Dick intervened. "We can wait till Saturday."

"Okay," the young girl pouted.

Kory waved goodbye and the two went back to their coloring.

Bed time rolled around and Mar'i found herself in her pajamas, hopping on her father's bed, singing in Tamaranean to herself. Dick was just finishing switching onto his sleep wear in his personal bathroom. Ever since the day they met, she's been stubborn on sleeping next to her father and pulling Kory along with her. It happened most of the time and Kory didn't mind. In fact, she liked the butterflies in her belly everytime they all snuggled under the same covers.

Mar'i could count less than five the number of times she's been allowed to enter her father's room before. She was always curious about the room Bruce closed off, always locked aside from the times Alfred or her mother went in to dust the place and keep things in order.

Thumping on her back, eagle spread on the middle of Dick's bed, Mar'i looked up to see the same painting of her paternal grandparents and her father when he was young. It was the thing that Kory wanted to show her the first time she entered the room.

The Flying Graysons.

She always wondered why she was Grayson while her mother was Anders and had a full Tamaranean name.

The clicking door made Mar'i attention turn to Dick as he stepped out of the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed in his usual white wife beater and a pair of black track pants. He scrubbed his wet hair with a towel before walking over to his side of the bed.

"Time for bed," he yawned loudly.

Mar'i pouted at him. "Aww but I wanna watch Tangled."

"Tangled? Your mother told you 8:30 is bed time. We don't wanna get in trouble. What's so special about this movie anyway?"

"It's one of my favorites. And you and mom used to watch it once a week. It's about a princess with really long hair and a thief who took her to see some lanterns and they fall in love-" she cut off as her hands flew to cover her mouth. "Spoilers."

"So I've seen it."

"But you don't remember."

"Hmm," he shrugged in agreement.

"You and mommy also watched a lot of Disney princess movies and documentaries. She liked to ask a lot of questions about Earth 'cause she was new. She collects movie tickets you went to," she added.

"You seem to know a lot more about me," Dick noted.

"Mommy tells me stories. About you and other heroes. I like the ones when you were Titans best."

That peaked his interest. Sure, Kory and their other friends had told him little snippets about them as Titans, but it only left him wanting more.

"Like?" He asked.

"The day you and mommy met. Oh!" She perked up before scrambling to climb off the bed.

"Where are you going?" Dick asked with a raised eyebrow when Mar'i ran towards the door.

"Wait here!" Was her only reply, lifting up from the ground and flew away. She came back just as quickly as she left. Her hands were clutching at a rather thick book.

"What's that?" He cocked his head at the item.

"My scrapbook," she answered and landed right next to Dick, placing the book on his lap.

It was a yellow stringed, hardcover book with the Titans logo on the very front. The pages were uneven, meaning someone glued stuff onto the pages, probably beads, strings, and thick layers of glitter.

Dick brushed his fingers over the cover before opening the scrapbook. A colorful page immediately welcomed him and he couldn't help but smile at what he could guess was Mar'i's stick figure drawing of a very Christmas colored Robin and a huge, shining, green shooting star above his head. Mar'i didn't hold back on the green glitters.

Flipping onto the page, the entire two pages were completely drawn, corner to corner, of Robin, Starfire in black armor and a tiara, Raven, Beast Boy with a head mask, and a blue hooded man, which Dick immediately guessed was Cyborg because of the single red eye and the huge text of "BOOYAH" scribbled right next to him, engaged in a battle against huge, green lizards.

"You sure are a huge Teen Titans fan. I like your drawings, too. Very good," Dick complemented.

"Thank you," Mar'i said with a proud grin.

The next page made Dick's heart warm at the sight of Mar'i drawing of Starfire kissing a shocked Robin. There was "Lip Contact" written below the drawing. The other page contained a glued photo of the first five Titans taking a group shot on a rocky island with the bay and city seen way behind them. It must've been the same small island where the Titans Tower was built.

"You know, when your mom told me this story, she never mentioned the kiss."

"Mommy said it was lip contact to learn English," she corrected. "She said you didn't kiss until years later."

"Oh."

Mar'i leaned over and took the book from his lap, setting it up so Dick couldn't see the pages while she flipped the pages. He guessed she didn't wanna spoil him too much.

"Here," she announced and placed the book back onto Dick's lap.

A pressed yellow rose and three pictures of Dick and Kory, in civilian attire, seemingly on a date, was all in the page.

Dick was speechless. Kory has never told him this story. Not that she'd ever told him of their time as a couple. He guessed she was still careful about it, to him. He wished she opened up more, told him more, especially now that they were together. He'd surely like that.

"Do you like my mommy?" Mar'i pulled him out of his thoughts. She asked out of pure curiosity.

"Of course I do," he answered in confidence, though a little flustered at his daughter's bluntness. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you don't remember being with her and mommy had many suitors before."

"Suitors? Really?" He asked, a bit startled. "Well I- I guess it makes sense, I mean, big time super model and she is very beautiful, inside and out. Where are you going with this?"

"I haven't seen you kiss her. Not on the lips or the cheeks or her hand like a gentleman. Or like mommy's suitors. Or Eugene."

"Well I- wait- who's Eugene?" He asked, with narrowed eyes, a bitter feeing tight in his throat. It was odd, he doesn't remember feeling this protective and jealous before.

"The guy from Tangled," Mar'i answered before letting out a tiny gasp at her father's look. She'd seen that look before, countless times. "You have a crush on mommy!"

"I- uhh I guess you could say that," Dick admitted, a little flustered but there was no point in hiding from his teasing daughter.

"When are you going to kiss her?" She hovered a bit closer to him with an expression of anticipation and giddiness.

"I don't know."

"Will you?" She leaned ever closer.

"I don't know that either," Dick shrugged. Damn, was he getting picked apart by a six-year-old. He heard a giggle. "What's so funny?"

"You're like Robin. Mommy said you were a dork when it comes to feelings," Mar'i pointed out, giggling.

"Okay, okay. Dork, I get it. I don't know about me as Robin so I can't argue," Dick laughed with her.

"I can help you."

"Help me with what?"

"Courting mommy," she said in a matter-of-fact tone, her giggles stopped but her smile was still fixed on her lips. "Auntie Donna says I'm a love expert. I know what mommy likes in a suitor."

"Okay," Dick said, amused that he's about to agree on dating tips from his six-year-old daughter. But he couldn't ignore the fact that she knew more about Kory than he did. "Like?"

"Well, mommy do likes flowers but she likes them in a pot more than on bouquets. And she likes it even more if it's a real pretty, exotic plant."

"Oh? Well she does love her garden a lot. How many of her… suitors have given her these real pretty, exotic plants?"

"Grampa Bruce isn't a suitor but he gave mommy this… parrot's beak flower. It's not the bird but it's a red flower with pointed tips like a beak!" Mar'i explained.

"Anyone else?"

"There's you. You got mommy the Jurwa Klu flowers."

"The what?"

"Jurwa Klu flowers from Tamaran. It's this purple tree with orange flowers. Mommy said you had to fight Knakto Galfore for it."

"The big bearded alien viking? Your mom's knorfka? I fought him?" Dick gaped at her story. He's seen pictures and huge was an understatement when describing Galfore. She must be joking. "Okay, okay, let's forget the part where I allegedly fought a huge, hulking, nanny for a plant for now. I wanna know how this date went," Dick pointed at the photos.

Mar'i gasped excitedly to Dick's surprise. "Are we skipping bedtime?"

"Uhhhh I guess so?" Dick shrugged. He actually forgot about the time and looking over the clock by the table beside the bed, it was five minutes past nine. He didn't wanna get in trouble with Kory or drag Mar'i into it but he was also curious about the first kiss. "Just tell me this story before mom gets home."

XXXXXXX

Kory sighed and yawned tiredly as she hovered across the hallway towards, wanting to call it a day. It was a drawn out search; they found no trace of metas and the timezone shift from eastcoast to westcoast messed with her system.

She lazily waved at Tim and Bruce at the cave and quickly ate dinner back at the kitchen. All she wanted to do left was to get a quick shower and see Mar'i and Dick before she gets her shut eye.

She found them in Dick's room, where they always where when she came home late, asleep but the lights were on and something was on the bed, above the covers. Getting closer, she picked up Mar'i's scrapbook, eyeing the many photos and drawings Mar'i had done. So many adventures and tales told and remembered. She longed for the day Dick would remember - if he will - or learn about them again.

She looked over Dick and Mar'i's tangled forms, though comfortable and both lightly snoring, and guessed they must have fallen asleep without knowing it.

Gazing over them and back to the book in her hands, Kory's lips curved into a tired, sweet smile, knowing that it was surely Mar'i who gave Dick a bedtime story tonight.

XXXXXXX

Entry M-T 45

"…"

"….."


Thanks for reading, leave a review! Let me know what you think and what you wanna ask.

Forgive me for the slow updates. I'm not a writer at heart (this is my first take on a plot driven story) so it's not easy for me to get motivated to sit down and write.

Next time: A date, two actually.