DesertedMirage Says: I think writers can sometimes lose the fun in what they do. I have to remind myself to enjoy it sometimes. But I did enjoy this - I hope that you do as well. Thank you so much for reading. distpatcher652, RedSharkBait (yes, explosions are a must for me haha), you already know how much I really appreciate you. Thank you to everyone reading. All of your questions will be answered.

Almost done!

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just feeling a little dizzy."

But I was actually exhausted; my head was heavy and muscles drained of energy. Together, Terry and I entered the familiar corridors of the Batcave. Water droplets echoed in the distance, ricocheting from the rock walls, and there could be heard the gentle flapping of wings.

"Welcome home, Batgirl," Terry said.

It was like stepping inside of a dream; all was exactly as I pictured it to be. The bridge stretching over the twinkling underground lake, the shards of moonlight piercing the ceiling, the jagged stalagmites and flourishing bats.

I could only sigh.

"I remember when I first came here," I whispered to Terry while we walked with arms around each other. "When you brought me because Bruce wanted to speak with me." I voiced slowly, allowing the memories to resurface.

Terry laughed softly as he rubbed my arm. "And how much you hated getting up early for training."

I smiled. "I remember that."

We continued through the metal doors that led into the main quarters, where there stood the glass costume cases and the constant blue glow of the Batcomputer. The chair before it was empty, and I looked around expectantly.

"You should sit," Terry insisted when my weight shifted.

"I guess." I sighed as he directed me to the seat at his desk beside the Batcomputer.

I didn't realize just how weak I really was until my legs melted into the chair and my muscles slowly recalled how to relax. It felt as though it would be ages before I could move them again, at least not until I'd let them rest for a few days.

Terry began to prepare some coffee, and I dropped my head into my hands as a new wave of fatigue set in.

"Make it strong for me, please Ter," I groaned.

"Caffeine's the last thing you need."

"I know, but I want to be awake to see Bru--"

A door closed, snipping my sentence. I pulled up my head to see.

The white haired man was steadily making his way down the stairway cut into the wall, poking his cane along the floor. His movements were a little slower now, more careful. But he held the same austere expression on his hard face, and though years had passed since I'd seen him, to me, he didn't look any older.

"I got her home safely, old man," Terry chuckled.

I rose up, forgetting my tiredness as I ran to envelop my mentor in a hug.

I couldn't see through the tears that escaped me, but Terry later told me that he'd spotted a smile on the former Batman's face.

We discussed the escape from the island, explaining to Bruce the details. But no matter how many times I blinked to clear the heaviness on my eyelids, I was soon fast asleep.

When I awoke again, it was in a dark room, lit only by a window. It must have been dusk or raining outside, but it was very comforting. I was wrapped in heavy, cozy blankets with a distinctive warm scent. I pulled the bedding closer to my face as I closed my eyes again.

There was another period of sleep, dreams with no meaning, and the sweet numbness of rest. When the slumber began to wear away, I heard the click of a door softly closing. I opened my eyes and looked around me. The messy clothes-strewn floor, the disorganized desk. Yes, this was Terry's room.

I smiled. I turned to the bedside table, to read the time on the clock. But I was staring instead at something else.

My diary?

I hadn't seen the leather-bound book in so long…not since my father had taken it away from me.

Before I could read the first page, a piece of paper slipped out onto the blankets. It was hand-written, a note in my father's script.

I propped myself on my elbow and began to read:

To My Beloved Daughter,

Max, I can only hope that you'll read this note, although you have every right and plenty of reasons not to. When I took this diary away from you, I was thinking that I was protecting you. Everything I did was an attempt to protect you, as strange as that sounds. I never told you, but I knew what you were going through with the serum, as I had been receiving it since they made me president. I don't say that to excuse myself, but to tell you the truth you deserve to know about me, and to apologize to you. Nothing turned out the way I wanted it to after I left you, your beautiful mother and Alicia to look for work. I love each of you dearly, and that has never changed and never will. I only hope you are able to move on unaffected by your father's shortcomings.

Love,

Dad

My cheeks were wet when I reached the end of the letter, and I replaced it carefully inside of the book. I was blank for a moment, frozen. But then I began to remember my father sitting motionless behind his desk when I'd asked him to come with me, and I envisioned the empty waters behind Terry and I, the exploding building…

I didn't know yet if he had gotten out, none of us did.

The door opened cautiously, and Terry's head poked in."Oh, sorry, did I wake you?" he asked, looking as though he hadn't expected me to be awake.

I shook my head, trying to smile and laugh it off, but my voice was trapped in my throat.

Terry frowned and slowly walked inside. "Are you okay, Max?" he asked softly, then saw what was in my hands.

I nodded, but was unconvincing when the tears streamed afresh. Terry rushed to gather me into his arms as I cried into his collar.

I stayed at Terry's apartment, with his family, for the rest of that day. Bruce thought it would be safer that way, while he located my father and Axis.

I sat alone in Terry's room, sitting on the bed with my legs crossed and flipping through my diary. Terry had left to meet with Bruce at the Batcave. I had offered to come as well, but I was told I needed to lay low for a while.

I read a few entries about Alicia and my mom, Chelsea and Dana. I had forgotten many of the things I said in the diary after it was confiscated, and found myself smiling as I poured through the memories.

I hadn't seen anyone yet, except for Terry, Mrs. McGinnis (who enfolded me with a tearful hug), Matt and Bruce. It was difficult to wait to see everyone, especially my mom. She was the one I hadn't seen in the longest time, because she had been away working in New York when I was Batgirl and kidnapped.

I delicately touched one of the portraits I'd sketched of her in the pages, moving my fingers to trace the smile I'd fought to remember.

There was a quiet knock on the door at that moment. I closed the book and set it aside.

"Come in," I said, expecting to see Mrs. McGinnis, who had been wonderful in making sure I was well-fed and supplied with books and things to do to pass the time.

But a dark head of hair appeared when the door opened, and my immediate thought was Alicia, with the long, wavy hair and rich brown complexion. I was close, but not quite…

I jumped up to wrap my arms around her.

"Max, do you have any idea how much I missed you?" Mom said with a joyful laugh through her tears.

"Do you have any idea how much I missed you?"

Mom and I spent the remainder of the afternoon chatting and catching up (Mrs. McGinnis joining in at one point before leaving for her job). However, when conversation drifted to Alicia, I wasn't able to get much information out of my mother.

"So where is she? What's going on with her? You've got to tell me," I exclaimed excitedly, but Mom smiled sneakily from where she sat on the end of the bed.

"Well, she's doing fine," she answered slowly.

"'Fine' as in graduated, pursuing some fashion design career…married?" I wiggled my eyebrows with a broad grin.

Mom chuckled. "Well, I'll just say that she's married."

I gasped, clamping a hand over my mouth. "I shouldn't be so shocked, I guess - it's been three years. But I just…I don't know," I shrugged my shoulders while smiling sadly. "I wish I could've been there," I said softly.

Mom gave a knowing smile.

"Who is he?" I asked.

"That much I can't say," she replied with a laugh.

I lifted an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Mom nodded. "Terry's orders."

"C'mon Mom," I sighed, but she shook her head.

"He made me promise--all of us, as a matter of fact. He wants to surprise you…and Alicia."

"You mean she doesn't know about me yet?"

"She's on vacation right now, so Terry's decided to wait for her return."

I sighed once more. "Okay. I guess I can wait a little longer. Besides, I don't want to give her a heart-attack or anything…" My tone dropped. "I can't imagine what it was like for everyone, for you…"

Mom stared quietly down at her hands in her lap. "Probably the hardest part was the fact that I wasn't here when you needed me, Max," she admitted softly, her eyes moistening again. She wiped up at her tears with an apologetic chuckle.

I reached out to squeeze her hand. "I never forgot you when I was gone. Everyday I tried to think of how you would handle things, since you always knew what to do. I tried to grow up the way you would've liked me to…even checking the mirror to see if I was staring to look like you."

At this, she smiled.

"And," I added, reaching behind me to the diary on the pillow, sliding out a folded paper, "I picked up a new skill while I was at it."

Mom gazed down the paper I gave her, carefully unfolding it. "Oh Max…this is beautiful," she whispered upon sight of her portrait.

I beamed. "I drew it as soon as I could - I drew everyone, so that I wouldn't forget what you looked like... It was harder over time to remember things, so I kept a diary and taught myself how to draw."

"You made me so pretty."

"I think it's a perfect likeness." I smiled.

Mom laughed and pulled me into a hug.

"Hey, what's that you're watching?"

I turned to the front door of the McGinnis apartment, which had just opened. It was evening now, and my mom had left about an hour earlier.

"Shh, it's getting to the good part," I shushed Terry as I redirected my attention to the screen, where Hamilton Hill Principal Crawford was leaving the podium.

Terry moaned as he closed the door and walked over to where I was planted on the sofa.

"Why are you watching ancient embarrassing footage?" he asked quietly while standing behind the sofa and wrapping his arms around my shoulders.

I laughed as he kissed my cheek. "Because it's very important footage that I should've been there to see live - especially since it says on the program that you gave a big speech."

He laughed quietly. "Okay, but I'll be in the kitchen grabbing dinner."

"Did you hear from them yet?" I asked before he left, holding his arm.

Terry shook his head. "No yet, but we've picked up their signal."

My entire body sighed with relief.

"Okay." I smiled. "Your mom left to grab some groceries, but there's some lasagna on the stove. You know, I forgot how amazing your mom's cooking is."

"Wow, must be some powerful serum, then!" Terry called from the kitchen.

I laughed, and the graduation ceremony continued on the monitor. Soon (against his word) Terry returned, sitting with me as I cuddled into his arms.

"Only for you," he whispered into my ear as his name was called and his seventeen-year-old self marched up to the podium.

We watched his speech, and several times throughout I had tearful moments where he would hold me tighter and kiss my hair. By the time it was over, my cheeks were soaked.

"I'm so proud of you, Terry," I told him sincerely.

"I wasn't really nervous," he revealed as I accepted the tissue he handed me.

"Well it's a good thing I wasn't there, that's for sure," I laughed while drying my eyes. "If it ruined me this much watching the video, imagine what I would've been like in person."

Terry grinned.

We sat through the rest of the ceremony, fast-forwarding to the procession across the stage for the diplomas. I watched as Mom and Alicia accepted mine for me, to which they received a round of respectful applause. And it was explained to the audience that plans were in the making to place a plaque in my honor in the library.

"This is incredible, Ter," I whispered when it was over. "I don't deserve all of that."

"You do," he disagreed strongly, raising my hand to his lips.

"What about you?" I turned to face him. "I never asked you where you went and what you're doing."

"College-wise?" he asked, then sighed. "Just general stuff…at Gotham U."

"Shway! What are you going to major in?"

Terry smiled sheepishly, his blue eyes flickering from mine to the floor. "Oh, I dunno'…"

I waited patiently, and he chewed his lip.

"Well…after what happened to you, I kinda' always wanted to help people - not just as Batman, you know? Something more personal. And I pretty much want to be a…doctor…I guess."

A smile slowly filled my face. "Terry, that is absolutely awesome. I'm convinced you'll make the best doctor ever - Dr. McGinnis."

He chuckled as I squeezed him in a hug. "I hope so. Hey, where's the twip, by the way?"

"He left shortly after your mom. Something about going off to chill with Amelia."

Terry's eyes rolled. "His crush."

I laughed. "I'm still getting used to it - Matt, a teenager?"

Terry sighed again, stretching his legs out onto the coffee table as I leaned against his warm, strong chest. "Yeah, 'the big thirteen' has gotten to his head."

"He's not that different from you, though," I cautioned with a grin. "I remember you at that age."

"Oh yeah?" he quizzed, lifting his eyebrows.

I snickered. "Of course," I began, folding my arms over his around my waist and playing with his watchband. "Let's see, you had just made up your mind to ask Blade out, but you quickly realized that Nelson had dibs on her already."

Terry winced. "Eh, yeah, whatever. That was a long time ago."

I smiled as we sat without speaking.

"I miss them. Even the people I didn't always get along with," I mused thoughtfully.

Terry nodded.

"I guess I can't tell them, or, well, I just don't really know how to handle being back…" I creased my brow. "Wait, don't they think I was in a wreck, as you told me?" I questioned.

"Well, they do…most of them." He sounded hesitant.

I frowned again, confused.

"Chelse knows our secret," Terry finally unfolded.

"No way! That's absolutely incredible! You mean Chelsea was in on it all along?"

Terry laughed at my reaction. "No, not quite all along. I think she said she started to suspect something in senior year, because of the way we were behaving. But then she just confronted me on it once not long after graduation, and I just spilled. Oh, and she's the one who got me on Uptown."

I grinned. "Wow! Oh Ter, I'm really glad that you had someone in on it - and Chelsea, at that…" my sentence faded as I thought of my closest girlfriend, and how she was practically all to thank for why Terry and I had ever gotten together in the first place. "I want to see her. Does she know what's happened last night yet?"

"Not yet."

"Terry, you left her in the dark?"

"Not exactly!" he defended. "I mean, hey, I was only tranquilized and held prisoner in the past forty-eight hours," he feigned a pity party, but was laughing heartily.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll call her tomorrow and invite her over. Maybe by then we'll have heard from my dad."

"I think we will." Terry smiled at me, and I settled back into him with a contented sigh.

I woke up the next morning to sunshine streaming through the window in Terry's room. It felt like a subtle reassurance that it was going to be a good day.

I got up and showered, tossing on one of Terry's t-shirts and some shorts before heading to the kitchen. I paused while on the way, bending to kiss Terry's forehead (he was fast asleep on the sofa, with his cell phone gripped in one hand on his chest). I smiled and carefully removed it to set it onto the coffee table.

You are so Batman.

He stirred just a little in response. "What's happening?" he asked, barely coherent, his muscles tensing.

I smoothed the black hair from his forehead.

"Nothing's happening, now go back to sleep," I assured softly, and he was snoring quietly again within seconds.

In the kitchen, Mrs. McGinnis had left a note about having to leave to take Matt to a soccer game and run some errands. But there was a succulent plate of still-warm pancakes on the counter.

"Nothing like home," I murmured while spearing a stack with a fork and dropping them onto my plate.

I had managed only one bite after dozing them with an absurd amount of syrup, before the home phone rang. I quickly rose to answer it so that it wouldn't wake Terry.

"Max, come outside in the hallway, there's someone I'd like you to see. I'm sure McGinnis is still asleep, so we'll just let him rest."

"Oh okay. Be right out," I replied to Bruce's voice.

After hanging up, I left the kitchen walked out of the apartment.

Bruce stood at the end of the hallway, hands pressed onto his cane and smiling. But behind him, there was a tall man with short, brown hair and a light moustache. His eyes were obviously weary, but his smile was gleaming when he saw me.

I felt my voice becoming stuck in my throat, and my eyes overwhelmed with tears.

"Dad!" I raced into him. He spun me around, laughing happily.

All was finally well. The night was over, and the morning had come.