Mary bobbed up and down, waiting patiently by Batcomputer. It was half-past eleven. Long since bedtime, but she wouldn't miss this for anything.
"Miss Mary, are you sure you want to wait, they could still be hours." Alfred said, standing next to her. "I have too! I can't sleep!" Mary giggled out, jumping up and down in her fluffy blue pyjamas. "It's too exciting!"
They were light blue, with small white stars, scatted across the onesie. It was one of the few items that Dick had picked out for her; after he gushed over them for five minutes straight about 'how cute she would look in them.'
(He was right. Not that anyone would tell Mary that, they would receive quite the speech of her how she was deadly not cute. It had not occurred to her, that one could be both.)
The roar of engines rang out, making the whole cave vibrate. "They're here!" Mary squealed. Alfred lightly placing a hand in front of her, just in case she ran to it before the car stopped. Unlikely, but so was Mary.
The Batmobile screeched to a halt, the doors opening as Batman and Nightwing stepped out. "Mary? What you doing up-" Dick started, just as another roar rang out.
Making the few bats that were left screech giving the cave, the eerie but exciting feeling that gripped at her core. A dark red bike with a black streak, made a round around the Batmobile before skidding into its parking on the side. The bike switched over, the owner getting off, setting his helmet down.
"JASON!" Mary shrieked running past Alfred's arm, past Dick and Bruce (the former looking a little envious from the reaction she had) launching herself into Jason's arms.
"Oh shit Bl-!" Jason started, as Mary jumped onto him hugging him tightly. "You came back!" she said happily clinging on his chest like a baby monkey. The familiar smell of smoke, leather and cologne entering her senses.
"Course I did." Jason said patting her head, walking to the Batmoblie. "You think I was shitting you?"
"Jason." Dick said warningly, pulling of his mask, running his fingers though his hair. "Language." he said, hands on his hips. Jason rolled his eyes. "Shit isn't a swear word. Now fu-"
"Jason!" Dick and Bruce cried, making Mary giggle. "Okay! Okay, Now," Jason conceded, turning his attention to Mary. "Why didn't you think I'd come back?" he said, adjusting her so she was comfortable.
"Damian left me." Mary mumbled into his jacket. "And Tim didn't come back in ages."
"What?" Jason said, making a face. "Assholes."
"Jason! Come on!" Dick scolded, walking to him. Bruce giving them a small smile, before walking to the Batcomputer, beginning to scan contents that were in one of his vials.
"Come on Baby Blue, I know you're excited, but it's really late. You need to get some sleep, okay?" Dick said, holding his hands out to help Mary down.
Mary nodded, her eyelids already drooping as she slid into Dick's arms. Wrapping her arms around his neck, snuggling into his shoulder, she burrowed her head into his crook of his neck, shutting her eyes. Dick held onto her tightly, on hand resting gently on the back of her head, like one would a baby.
Jason raised an eyebrow at the uncharacteristic action, mouthing: "Touchy?"
Dick shrugged. "It's new," he mouthed back. "Started three weeks ago, after Damian left. Suddenly," he mouthed, inclining his head to Mary; who was slowly dosing off on his shoulder.
"It's nice." Dick continued, he and Jason walked up the stairs to put her down in her bed. Jason nodded. "She's cute, when she's sleeping." Jason mouthed back.
Dick nodded mouthing. "I know, like a baby koala."
Even if Mary were asleep, she probably would have jumped up in anger of calling her 'cute'. She was an incredibly light sleeper; they had to exercise caution.
"I think she misses Damian." Dick mouthed out slowly. Jason silently 'ahhed. "Makes sense." he replied, the two freezing when Mary shifted on Dick's back, her grip loosening.
She was out.
"Poor Mary," Jason whispered. "Stuck in a house with only you and Bruce with only Alfred to keep her sane. No wonder she's pissed." Jason mumbled opening the door to her room.
Dick walked in pulling Mary's covers back. Giving her a squeeze, cradling her close his chest for a few seconds, he expertly set her down. Slowly loosening her grip around him, Mary's hands winding themselves around her pillow.
Dick gently tucked her in, giving her a light kiss on her forehead, mumbling something. Jason (who was awkwardly hovering by the door) couldn't hear into her ear.
Jason couldn't help, but feel like he was intruding on a private moment, but at the same time couldn't bring himself to leave.
Dick straightened up, about to leave, when something caught his eye. Walking to Mary's window sill, he picked up a white feather turning it around between his fingers.
Dick licked his lips, the feather irking him. He didn't understand why, but feather made his stomach twist and curl in the worst way possible.
"Dick?" Jason whispered from the door. "What's that?"
Glancing at Mary from the corner of his eyes, Dick tucked the feather into his utility pocket.
"Nothing."
Mary bit her lower lip, running her fingers through her hair watching her refection copy her movement.
Like most of her life, she never really had a choice on her appearance. Even choosing her own clothes in the morning and being able to shower whenever she wanted was something she was still trying to get used to.
Talia had always been incredible strict about things like that, particularly her hair. Talia had a thing for hair. Talia always wanted it long. Long enough so she could curl her fingers in it, and yank her up. She in turn always tried to keep it up. Plaits, ponytails, hair buns. They never seemed to work.
Mary ruffled her hair, scowling at the refection.
She didn't like it.
She never really thought about it before, but she really didn't like it.
It made her angry.
It reminded her of Talia.
Mary clenched her fist, glaring at the refection. Turning around, Mary pulled out her drawer, tipping the contents onto her bed. She hated Talia.
She wanted to get rid Talia. And Slade. And Cain. Everyone.
After throwing some of some clothes in a pile on the floor, her League uniform on top. Marching into the bathroom, Mary grabbed a scissors yanking her door open making a beeline for Dick's room.
It wasn't far, which was good, because she might have broken the skin on her palms from clenching her fist so tightly.
Knocking on the door, Mary waited patiently. She didn't know why she wanted to go to Dick's room. Usually she avoided it at all time.
Space was space, you weren't allowed to go into her masters rooms. Mary shook her head violently at the thought. It disgusted her. 'Space was space, you weren't allowed to go into her masters rooms.' But she couldn't help it. She couldn't kill it. But she wanted to. She needed to.
After what seemed like centuries, the door opened. Dick's head poking out, rubbing his eyes. He looked terrible, like an extremely dazed a confused panda. To be fair, she was banging on his door at six in the morning. He only went to bed a couple of hours ago.
"Mary," Dick said groggily, leaning against the doorframe, his voice thick from sleep. "Wh-what's-s-What's wrong?" he said, noticing her shaking form. Whether from anger or fear, he didn't know.
Neither did she.
"I-…I want it gone."
10 minutes later….
"I want it gone. I want it gone." Mary repeated, pacing up and down in front of a more wide awake Dick, who was sitting on her bed watching her.
"I-I hate it." she said, touching her hair. "I hate this, I hate that." Mary hissed, glaring at her uniform. "I hate it and I want it gone. I want it gone." she whispered, the room was vibrating. Maybe she was shaking. That was stupid, she wasn't allowed to do that.
"Okay." Dick said calmly. Mary paused, staring at him wide-eyed; not expecting this answer. He was eerie relaxed, an air calm of in comparison to her chaotic mind. It freaked her out.
Quite honestly Dick Grayson really freaked her out.
"Let's do it." Dick said, getting up picking up the scissors. "Where you wanna start?"
"I-"
15 minutes later…
Dick held the scissors to her hair. "Okay, how short you want it?" he asked, he was in no way a hairdresser, but she needed this. She really needed this.
Mary's hair was a lot longer than he expected, landing right to her ribs when loose. It only then occurred to him, that he had never really seen it loose.
Mary paused, glancing at herself in the mirror, slowly slipping the scissor out of his hands. Holding it to her hair, just above her shoulders. Her hand was shaking.
Dick gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "You can do this, Baby Blue." he whispered, rubbing her shoulder. She needed this. She needed to do this. Mary took a deep breath.
And cut.
The long bit of hair fell to the floor.
Mary stared at the scissors, something warm falling across her cheek. Setting the scissors down, Mary gently touched her cheek, something wet and salty on her fingertips.
Mary stared at the tear. A small smile curling on her lips, as she looked up at him. Her eyes shining. Her smile was so different to all her others.
This one was so truly…happy. Like someone had given you a box of puppies, like the warmest hug. It was beautiful and magical and…amazing. Dick smiled back, shutting his eyes for a second, hoping to immortalise the image in his brain.
"I did it." Mary whispered, her eye sparking with unshed tears mingling with a few rays of bright sunlight that was peaking over some clouds.
Dawn was breaking.
"I knew you could." Dick whispered back, kissing her forehead gently. "I knew you could."
"Holy shit!" Jason laughed out, the second he spotted her. Mary giggled, leaning back on the couch as Jason bounded up, looking over her. Bruce pausing, mid-pour of his coffee, looking over at the two.
She looked completely different. And not just by appearance.
Mary's hair was shorter, just brushing against neck, a few inches above her shoulder. It was choppy and fun, making her actually look her age. (Alfred had helped with that, Dick was not good with hairstyles, considering past options.)
She was wearing brighter clothes, a pastel coloured t-shirt for one that the old Mary, Aibant wouldn't have been caught dead in. But it was something in her.
She seemed lighter. Like a weight had been lifted up off her shoulders. For some reason, he could see family, the Grayson's in her. She looked astoundingly like Dick's mother Mary, when she had been little. But, when she smiled. She had Dick's smile, bright, infectious, kind. It was strange to him, for some reason he couldn't help, but remember the first time he had seen Dick smile, all those years ago.
"Badass. I like it, I really like it. Totally badass." Jason said finally, breaking Bruce out of his train of thought. Mary grinned. "Thanks Jay-jay." she said shyly.
Bruce setting down his cup. "I agree, you look beautiful Mary," Bruce said gently, ruffling her hair when he walked past.
Mary giggled, making Bruce smile, for once her hair looking well and truly ruffled.
Jason shrugged, leaning against the TV. The tips of his white hair brushing against it. "Why you watching the news?" he said, the two watching Bruce leave, holding an empty can, instead of his coffee mug that was still sitting on the counter.
Mary bit her lower lip sheepishly. "It's silly." she said, glancing back at the screen. "Looking for Damian."
"Ah," Jason said, sauntering over sprawling himself on the couch. "Missin him?"
Mary shrugged, ruffling her hair in attempt to put it back (it falling all over the place). "Yep. It's silly."
Jason shook his head. "No, crazy how you put up with the Demon Brat, but not silly. I get it." he said, putting some strands back into place. "Someone can be an ass, but you can't help but miss em."
Mary nodded. "Why is that?"
Jason shrugged. "If we knew, we wouldn't hang out with them." he said, glancing around the room. "Where's Dick?"
"Getting gasoline."
"Why the hell's he need gasoline?"
"We're burning my League uniform." Mary answered calmly.
"Your burning shit and you didn't tell me?" Jason cried, placing a hand over his heart, making his voice high pitched. "How could you?"
"I didn't plan it. Dick did." Mary replied, leaning back on the couch. "It's apparently meant to be a whole thing. Something about, burning the bad fruitcake? I didn't really get it."
"Ready?" Dick asked, he, Alfred, Bruce and Jason were standing around a medium sized hole.
Inside it, Mary's League uniform (aside from the shoes, because those were amazing) and some clothes from when she was captured and a few other items inside.
The hole stunk of gasoline.
Mary stared down at it. Jason's cold metal lighter cool her boiling skin. "Ready." she whispered, flicking on the flame and tossing it into the hole.
The pile lit up, the flames eating away at the things. Mary shut her eyes, letting out a sigh.
She was free.
The flames rose high into the air, the early morning chill of Gotham, mingling with the smell of gasoline and flames.
The girl was there, in the middle with Grayson, Wayne and Todd. Mr Pennyworth too. If he was quite honest, Talon thought he would have died ages ago. Withdrawing from his post, in the tree. Talon leapt down and out of site.
She was almost ready.
Thoughts?
I'm bursting with DC content right now!
PLEASE (if you want to) review for this one, coz man I had feelings, so many feelings and worries...Anyway, just a check in, does anyone sound OC in particular? How we feeling about my girl Mary and Dick's building relationship?
Random, I dunno about u all, but the prologue? How we feeling about it?
Anyway, I'm gonna stop rant/chatting. Please give me ya thoughts? I love hearing from you all! You all are amazing, just a by the way. You all rock!
Anyways...Thank you all for reading, faving and following!
Please review, fav, follow, PM, ect. :)
Till next time...