"Okay, are you ready?"

Mary nodded, hands raised curling them into fist; falling into her stance. "Ready." she breathed out.

Dick took a deep breath, seeming to be undergoing so form of mental preparation. She had realised he always did with her. Bruce said it was his way of telling himself to attack her, even when he didn't want to. She didn't really understand that.

Dick nodding, also as in indicate of his lunge in her direction.

They were training. More specifically, Dick training her, with Bruce working on some cases an Alfred watching the two (mostly Dick to see if he wouldn't chicken out or give her the upper hand on purpose.)

It had taken him while for to agree to training her, but after almost a week of pleading doubling with the soul crushing fear of Bruce training her without him. Dick had finally agreed succumbed to the younger's will, despite the dread that flooded his bloodstream at the thought of hurting her.

In stark contrast to Mary, who saw this as a wonderful occurrence. She desperately needed a new sparring partner. She was tired of throwing Damian and Jason onto their asses. (And of Bruce occasionally throwing her on hers.)

Mary handsprung backwards, sliding under his arm, turning around in landing in a crouch. Dick lightly hitting the ropes behind her.

One of her lessons from Bruce: "Sometimes attacking doesn't equal to winning the fight. Study your opponent before you make your move, when you throw your first punch, you have to know what your last is. Like chess."

"Good, remember sometimes its best not the strike back. Use your environment." Dick explained, shifting on his feet. "You have to remember to study your opponent. Know your enemy." Dick instructed.

Mary nodded curtly, taking in this information. Some of it new and old, but all important. Besides refreshers were always good.

"I'm gonna come at your again, want you to attack this time. Remember-"

"Hold back, don't kill." Mary said, swaying from side to side. "Ready?" Dick said, falling into his stance, waiting just in case she need a minute.

She never did.

"Ready."

'And once again, the Titans save the day! Anything to report from down there Cat?'

Mary sighed, glaring at the TV in the living room. It was just midday and the Titians had once again made a 'spectacular save'.

Mary took a sip of her water. It was good news, considering how close the attacks were and how they were slowly becoming more extreme. But for some strange reason, an odd feeling of something coiling in the middle of the stomach was bothering her.

The more she watched the tighter it seemed to get.

'And I'm here with Robin, Raven and Starfire,' Cat said turning around to the three.

Tighter and tighter.

Robin (who she knew, duh) a girl in dark purple and black with a hood that practically covered her entire head, was 'Raven' (which she learned from the curtsy of the Bat computer) AKA Rachel Roth a Cambion with empathic powers and Starfire (Earth name: Kory Anders. Official 'alien' name: Koriand'r) an alien princess from the planet Tamaran in the star system Vega.

She also dated her dad.

Not that it bother her or anything. But she had made a mental note that the second she was allowed out, she would need to give this strange woman a thorough evaluation. Maybe a DNA sample, home check in, deep comb into her internet history. Nothing intense.

'You were incredible! Robin, I must say, you and Raven-'

"Ugh." Mary scoffed, taking another sip of her water scrunching her face at the TV.

"Oh my god!" Dick shrieked for behind. Mary falling off coffee table. Jumping up, whipping around, her cheeks flushing. She touched them in surprise. They never usually did that. Why did they do that?

"Wh-what?" she spluttered out, attempting to smoothen out her face. Desperately trying to turn her face to its normal colour. Dick doubling over in laughter, holding onto the counter for support.

"What's so funny?" Mary asked, pressing her hands hard against her cheeks.

"You." Dick choked out, grinning from ear to ear. Breathing heavily, trying to recover enough so he could talk. "Wh-?" Mary mumbled.

Dick swiped a towel over his shoulder, grabbing a water bottle off the counter. "I'm sorry, Mar. It's just…" he said, sitting down on the couch. "It's just…you're so jealous." he chuckled out, watching her with a gleefully look on his face.

"Nah ah!" Mary cried out. "I'm no-why woul-Hfff." she spluttered, beginning to pace in front of the TV, turning the water bottle in her hands.

"It's okay," Dick said smiling at her, propping his feet up on the coffee table. "It's normal to feel a bit jealous, you guys are close-"

"I'm not jealous!" Mary said ignorantly, setting the water bottle down on the table. "What do I even have to be jealous off? Hmm?" she asked, going faster with each word. "I'm- I mean-I'm fine." she said, picking up the bottle, taking a sip of water turning away from him.

"I have no reason to be jealous." Mary mumbled.
"Damian." Dick said simply.

"Ugh, no!" Mary shouted, tossing the empty bottle onto the table. "Ugg! Uck! No!" she burst out pacing furiously in front of the TV.

Dick chuckled, watching her gleefully. "Your jealous, because he's over there and your not-"

"No!" Mary snapped pouting. "I'm not jealous of Damian. That's just-I'm better than Damian, he should be jealous of me." she mumbled unconvincingly, rubbing her arms.

Dick sighed, smirking. "Alright, alright." he conceded, the smile still playing on his face, as he watched her pace.

Mary always tried to be so careful and guarded with her emotions. In her mind, the way Talia and Slade and everyone else who had her, had warped her mind. Teaching her that emotions, feelings, were nothing, but a human flaw. That to be powerful, to be strong, you must be empty. Cold. Lessons that Damian had broken, causing her to be sent away.

Teaching someone to feel, to acknowledge their feelings were hard. Mary's conditioning, was still there, the instant need to cover up, when a laugh bubbled up, to close off when she felt scared of attacked.

Mary, just being around Damian had helped her heal. Jason and Tim had surprisingly gotten her to open up, far more than he had. Something he tried to focus on too much.

Mary was always a little more tightly wound when it came to him, sure they made progress, but with him, things still felt…hard sometimes. But two giant explosions of emotion in less than two weeks, all around him. Her relaxed shoulders, her open expression. It was wonderful. It was progress. It was trust.

"I just want you to know, it's okay to miss him." Dick started. "Or to feel angry or jealous-"

Mary whipped around, glaring at him.

"Which you are definitely not feeling." Dick added lightly. "It's alright."

Mary paused, licking her lips, turning around sitting down next to him on the couch.

Making Dick stiffened, suddenly trying not to make any sudden moves, just in case she decided to flee. Mary didn't usually let anyone cuddle of come near her besides Damian and oddly enough Tim (which Damian hated) and he had been no exception.

"It's alright?" she quietly, laying down next to him. Her arm next to his, her dark hair tickling the end of his shoulder. Looking up at him, with her big doe eyes, glancing between him and the TV.

Which was now doing a recap of Raven and Starfire holding up a building while Robin and some firefighters and police grabbed people from the collapsing building.

Dick smiled, looking down at her. "It's alright Mary." he said quietly. Mary's lip quirked. "Thanks, Dick."

"Anytime, Baby Blue."

"Okay, okay, got it. Yeah, yeah. I know. Will do. Thanks Babs." Dick said, ending the call on his phone. "Barbara Gordon?" Mary guessed, jumping onto the Batcomputer chair.

"Yeah, she's wondering-"

"Why you and Bruce won't let her come here." Mary continued.

"Two for two." Bruce called out, from underneath the Batmobile. He was adding in some extra features. Mary half expected it to be able to shoot nuclear bombs while making coffee and cookies simultaneously.

"I don't get it. I though you trusted her." Mary said, swivelling around in the Batcomputer chair. Dick raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, I get it," Mary elaborated. "Why you won't let the outside world know about me, but why not the League? Or the Team? Or the Titians Or anyone?"

Bruce and Dick shared a look.

"What?" Mary asked, glancing between the two; her eyes widened. "Oh, my god! You think there's a spy in the League or something?" she whispered.

"What? No! We just-There a-Ho-We-We didn't say anything!" Dick said in surprise.

"Oh, Bruce has been teaching me ques and tells for lying and keeping secrets." Mary replied causally.

"Oh, that's great." Dick said sarcastically, his gaze falling on Bruce. "Thank you, for teaching that to my nine year old." he said, pulling on his utility belt. "You didn't teach me all that until I was like thirteen." he grumbled to himself.

"That's coz, I'm the favourite." Mary said proudly. Dick chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Yeah, you are. Be our over-watch?"

"Always." Mary said, turning to the Batcomputer, tapping lightly on the keys. Looking up at the screen, catching her reflection.

She looked the same, blue eyes, dark long hair. She frowned, touching the hair suddenly feeling as if Talia were right above her, grabbing it and tugging it up.

Holding her there for someone to punch her. The fist edging closer and closer-

"Mary? Okay?" Dick said suddenly, snapping her out of her daze.

Mary shut her eyes. "Yeah," she mumbled out, glancing at him a small smile curling on her lips. "What?" Dick asked, though by his face he knew why.

"I like this." she said, leaning forwards gently touching the emblem on Dick's chest. "All of this." she said gesturing around the room. "It's hope."

"Think you have us mixed up with Superman." Bruce said, making Dick snort.

Mary shook her head. "No, this; all of this. Its hope and justice and redemption and pain and anger and…it's real and raw and…human." Mary said, looking up at the Cave, a few stray bats flapping away in the distance.

"It's beautiful."

Mary talked animatedly though her earpiece at both Batman and Nightwing. Alfred was upstairs tidying the kitchen, the news flickering in the background.

Mary's bedroom window, just two floor above him was open. A warm breeze, flowed into the room, making her little dreamcatcher that Bruce had given her jingle.

As a small white owl feather landed on the floor.

Hiya!

Thoughts?

How we feeling about some fluff, father-daughter bonding? Dick and Mary, make my heart swell and put me in a great mood, so I'm super curious about what you guys think of them?

Happy (late) Batman Day! :)

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

Till next time...