"Agh!" Damian growling swiping his sword furiously at her. Mary blocked it boredly; her eyes locked onto her father (it was still a strange thing to think, let alone say) who was practicing his acrobatics in his mini trapeze and acrobatics area.

Watching him was like watching a painter paint. His movements were so graceful and precise. Each flip and turn looked effortless and bordered the line of simplistic and complex.

It was like he was flying.

Like he himself was a bird, and his arms and legs were his wings, powerful strong and-

"Ah," Mary hissed, drawing back. A light sting on her arm, surprising her. Glancing down a she spotted a thin line of blood, trailing down her wrist.

Damian had somehow manged to nick her.

"You're not paying attention." Damian said, lowering his sword, hanging it loosely by his side. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." Mary answered, wiping the blood off. "What are you-Huh, watching Grayson." Damian said, walking next to her, following her line of site.

"Stop staring, he's going to see us." Mary hissed, too transfixed to follow her own words.

"You stop."
"I can't."

"Why are we watching him?" Damian asked after a few seconds. Mary struggled. "I don't know. I've never seen anything like that. He's so graceful."

Damian nodded in agreement. "Grayson does possess a…certain elegance when he is…" Damian paused, unable to find the right word. "Doing acrobatics?" Mary suggested. "Being an acrobat?"

"Yes." Damian said, finally breaking his glance from Grayson. "He taught me a few tricks, but you may be a more exemplary student in that field."

"Hmm." Mary hummed, turning around facing Damian, who fell into his fighting stance.

"What's hmm?" Damian asked, taking (as usual the first swing) Mary ducked simply walking to his end as Damian wobbled unsurely on his feet, not expecting her duck.

"I don't know. Damian I know its three months, but it's a lot harder than it seems, okay? I mean, yeah we talk and stuff, but this…" Mary said, lightly trailing her fingers against the hilt of the sword.

"That," she said glancing up at her father, swinging, and landing on the landing the trapeze swing, before jumping off it, landing into another. "It's so…personal. To personal."

"They are your family too. Mary." Damian said swinging the sword again, this time being met in the middle with Mary's.

The sword's clashed.

"I know, but-" Mary started, Damian's sword, pressing hers closer to her. While she had the upper hand in agility and speed, he was much strong than her.

"How about this, I win you stop being a frantic scared mouse and go over there, you win I drop this?" Damian bargained.

The blade drew closer.

"Fine." Mary hissed back. Loosening her grip, Mary let sword falter, allowing it to swiping across the floor. Using the sword she flipped out of the way, as Damian fell to the floor.

The swords clattering to the ground. Mary hissed, massaging her wrist. 'Note to self; do not do that unless you have to.'

"Alright?" she asked, glancing at Damian, still rubbing her wrist. Damian nodded, pulling himself off the floor. "Fine. Now, go over there."

"Bu-I won!"
"You chickened, go."

'Hey Dick, father of mine, could you please please teach me something that has been part of your family legacy and probably would want to pass on to children you knew and weren't ticking time bombs, or a psychotic assassin. Please?' she thought bitterly.

She had been drawing this out as long as she could.

When Damian had urged her to do this, she walked up ready to prove she wasn't a coward.

She clearly was, as the second he was able to notice her. She had jumped out of the way, using the shadows to get to the kitchen without having Damian drag her back.

Which led her to now, trailing her fingers across the marbled kitchen counter feeling utterly stupid. Talking with Bruce, Jason or Tim hadn't been this difficult.

Well Bruce was, but there breakfast bonding wasn't planned.

This was different from there 'Big-bird and Baby Blue Talks'. This felt…more personal. She had done her research, she finally knew exactly 'what happened' to John and the original Mary Grayson.

Their fall.
Their murder.

The Grayson family fell back decades all the way to WW1. There unique skills of acrobatic and performing falling though time as well. This was something deeper. It was a legacy, something sacred and meaningful to be passed on. How could she ask, how dare she ask, how would he react?

She had meant many people who were 'kind' to her, but would turn into something else when she said the wrong thing, or did too much.

While she disliked herself instinctively comparing Slade Wilson, Natas and most of her trainers to Richard. J. Grayson. But after everything, she had trained herself to be cautious.

Especially when she was living with Batman, Nightwing and Robin.

"Hey BB," Dick greeted, throwing a towel over his shoulder, smiling at her. Mary smiled back giving him a small wave, though her head was screaming. 'Whhhhyyyyyy!'

"What you doing?" Dick asked, slowly taking the seat from across her. He had learnt very quickly it was the best way to talk to her.

Even they made progress, Mary was still much more quieter and reserved when she was with him. Something he was desperately trying to change.

Saying it was an uphill struggle was a major understatement.

"Just…thinking." Mary mumbled after a few seconds, her eyes looking everywhere, but his direction. "Bout what?" he asked, lowering himself, resting his head on his hands on the table, looking up at her.

Mary instantly became uncomfortable at his passive gesture, deciding to remedy the situation by doing the same.

"Things."
"What things?"

Mary said nothing. But Dick caught her squeezing her fingers tight into a fist, digging her nails into her skin. "You know, you can tell me anything, right Mary?"

Mary swallowed hard. "I-Its, it's hard." she said, almost breathless. Dick nodded. "Okay…That's fine…take your time."

Mary bit her lower lip, her breath coming in faster. "It's not, it's…I don't know what happens after…"

Dick froze. "W-what do you mean, Mar?"

Mary shrugged. "You know, after. Most times…when I was-" she paused, glancing unsurely at him.

She didn't want to finish her sentence. She really didn't want to finish her sentence, but despite her fear. Dick Grayson's presence was like a warm blanket. It was safe and it felt right, even if there was a small worry of the blanket falling off.

"It's okay." Dick whispered, watching her quietly.

Mary swallowed hard. "When, I was with my trainers…when I was younger. I used, to ask and say things, stupid…bad things…And I-I paid for it…" she whispered, her fist tightening.

"Eventually… I guessed what the reaction would be to some of them, but things are different now and, I don't know…what the reaction is going to be." Mary finished, glancing up at him, before deciding to look back down again.

"Oh, Mary," Dick said gently, slowly rubbing her hand, bending his head lower in attempt for to look at him. "I promise you. I swear to you. No matter what that's not what's happen here."

"You are family. And that-that's most important thing in the world to me. You can ask me anything, no matter what you-You're my daughter Mary. You're a Grayson. And I will love you and I will protect you forever. I promise you have nothing to fear with me."

Mary slowly looked up, her deep sapphire eyes shimmering. "Really?"

"Really."

Mary smiled. Dick loved her smile, it was the one thing that he for reason couldn't place. It was bright and infections like his mother and fathers and even a bit like his, but there was something else-something beautiful and different from his parents.

He couldn't place it, but-It was the best thing in the universe.

"Now," he said, smiling (because who couldn't with a smile like Mary's) "Whatcha wanna ask me?" he said lightly.

"Can…can you teach how to fly? Like you?" Mary asked, edging closer to him.

If possible his smile became wider.

"I would want nothing more."

"Okay, you okay?" Dick asked, giggling lightly at Mary's face. Mary nodded, her eyes practically popping out there sockets. ""Yeah, just—it's really high."

"Yeah, I know." Dick chuckled holding her arm tight. When he did it was different than the ones she experienced, it was secure and protective.

She liked it.

"Alright, first thing to remember: You are completely safe." Dick said slowly wrapping his other arm around her, giving her a light squeeze. "I'm here and I promise you I will never let you fall."

"Falling would be a bit difficult you did put like ten safety nets onto of each other." Mary mused, taking another glace down at the different coloured nets.

"Safety precaution. Anyway, hold like this-get a nice good grip in-"

"Hmm." Damian hummed to himself, leaning against the wall watching the two Grayson's. A knowing look plastered on his face.

Smirking to himself, as he watched Mary and Dick share a laugh, he turned on his heel and walked away.

Hiya!

Thoughts?

I kinda wanna get in some good old CD and really wanna show some snippets of Bat-Life, before we get into the good stuff. :)

Random: Do you like the prologue? For some reason it didn't feel right just jumping into Ch1, but I have been on the fence about that, so tell me what you think? I love to hear ya thoughts! :)

Thank you all for reading, faving and following!
As usual please review, fav, follow, PM, ect. :)

:)

Till next time...