[Author's Note] Okay, I am really sorry fro not posting this up earlier! Honest! I was planning on posting chapter 4 around when school starts, but I had no idea how busy it was going to be! With schoolwork and after-school stuff etc. and I guess since I haven't written anything in a long time, I forgot all about it. Until I was cleaning out my files that I saw this! And then I was like "Oh crap!" When I checked, so many people reviewed saying that I should post the next chapter soon. So then I basically told myself that I am dead because I kept so many people waiting and waiting for the next chapter. Again, with my deepest apologies! THANK YOU PEOPLE FOR HAVING PATIENCE AND REVIEWING THIS STORY!!! And one last thing….

Omni82 – Remember that Molly was brought into the future by her father's (Bruce's brother) Warp Machine to protect her and so she could find Bruce. That's why she is not eighty something years old. It is true that she should be a few decades older than him, but remember the key word(s) *FUTURE*

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High Maintenance by Dark Angel

Chapter 4: Night Wing    

            "McGinnis, get into the vortex NOW!" Bruce Wayne hollered at Terry.

"What? What's wrong? Hey, I didn't do anything wrong. I was careful." Terry said defensively.

            "I know, but someone else wasn't. Now get in the vortex so I can sent you back." Confused by what Bruce had meant when he said someone else wasn't, but Terry still obeyed Wayne's order anyway.

            Bright elastics of blue and silver flashed that clashed along with sparks of electricity. Terry, who took one last glimpse at the beautiful place he would be showing Molly, stepped in and then the vortex gradually became smaller and smaller, and pretty soon disappeared.

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            "So what did you mean by 'but someone else wasn't'? I thought we had the only copy of the time machine." Terry asked walking to Bruce in the old bat cave.

            "I did some more research while you were out exploring." Ignoring Terry's question.

            "And?"

            "I found out why Molly was so eager to find me." A long and silent pause…

            "Are you going to tell me or do I have to asked you every on every turn?"

            "I could have you replaced, you know." Bruce replied, seriously. Not removing his eyes from the huge computer screen.

            Terry threw his hands up in a surrendering mode. "You have my undivided attention."

            Bruce was silent for a moment before continuing. "As I was saying, Molly was eager for my help because she wanted revenge on an old enemy. Turns out that he was the cause for Molly's parents' death. Also, there was only two people accessed to this copy of the time machine…"

            "This guy and Molly's dad." Bruce nodded.

            "Kudo. I figured he's going to do the same thing to Molly."

            "So you're saying that he's going to the past to change that Molly was never born, the whole Owens family?" Bruce nodded.

            "It's a little vague about why? I mean, why does he want to that?"

            Bruce typed a few words. Then the screen later showed a picture of Kudo and Molly's dad and information about the two. "When Thomas moved to Riverbank, he was offered a job at B. & O. Corp."

            "…Where Kudo had worked recently …"

            "But when the President of the Corp. lost his Vice-President. Both Kudo and Thomas had done a good job, he couldn't decide on who he should promote. Kudo made sure that he'd get the position, but when the President found out that Kudo had scammed some profit from the company for his personal gain…"

            "…So Kudo was fired from his position and Thomas was promoted to Vice-President, but Kudo jealous so he swore payback on the Owens family."

            "Very good.  You're catching on."

            "I learned from the best, but that still doesn't answer question. Who wasn't careful in the past?"

            "Take a wild guess."

            Terry thought for about a minute, more confused than ever. 'Who did Bruce mean? The old man is losing it. He'd probably meant me…' Terry thought silently. Terry didn't notice that Bruce had noticed his awkward silence.

            "I'm not losing it if that's what you're thinking." Skeptical by Bruce's reply, the young teenager eyed Bruce suspiciously.

            "Hey…. how'd you KNOW what I was thinking? You're not some kind of robot who reads minds are you?"

            "I doubt that. If I was a robot, my rust would show. But that's not important. The important thing is you travel back and bring her back to safety."

            "Who?! Who are you talking about?" Terry asked furiously for the last time raising both hands up in the air. 'Maybe I must be going crazy!'

            "I would have thought someone clever as you would have caught on by now. Heed closely, tell me what is wrong."

Terry took a moment to realize that the mansion was quiet…too quiet. Normally it was, until Molly moved in with Bruce and he'd never had a moment's peace with either Molly's music or movies blaring from the amplifier. Terry's eyes grew wide in horror. 'It couldn't have been. Not her. Not Molly.' Terry shook his head. Unable to think. Terry sank to his feet, absorbing all the information that Bruce had fed into his brain.

            "So how long has she'd known?"

            "Not long, but that's the least of our problems..."

            "Least?!" Terry shot up. "She knows Bruce! How can you ignore that? How can you just ignore the fact that your only niece discovers your hidden secret? Aren't you afraid of what she'll say… or do?"

Bruce did nothing but glared at the monitor. "I don't. I deal with it. Now get back in the vortex and bring Molly back. She's changing the future right now as we speak. Interacting with the past."

'Just don't make things worst, Molly. You don't know what my past self will do to the future.' 

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(GOTHAM-THE PAST)

"So who is she?" Tim asked peering down on unconscious girl.

                "I don't know, but all I know is while I was out patrolling I saw her fall of a building." Dick replied.

            "You think "Terry's" her boyfriend?" Tim's eyes gleamed.

            "Maybe, or maybe not. Terry can be a girl too, you know."

            "Who knows? Why don't you ask her when she wakes up?" Tim asks jokingly.

            "Master Dick, are you sure that Bruce would approve of this? I mean, she might be curious when she wakes up to roam around the mansion, ending up to discover our little "secret"." Alfred asked.

            "Well, if he doesn't approved, then I'll just take her back to my place."

            "What are you gonna do there with her?"

            Dick gave Tim a disgusted look. "Going through indolence's must really be getting to you, huh?"

            "Shut up!"

            "Make me!"

            Dick gave Tim a playful shove.

            "Hey! What was that for?"

            "For being a brat!"

            "Why don't we let this young lady get some rest, hmm?" Alfred suggested. Reluctantly, both agreed to leave. Dick gave the unconscious girl one last glance before closing the door gently behind him. Hoping she would wake so he could talk to her.

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[Molly's dream]

            I have been walking around in circles in the place! "Where am I?" She yelled out loud.

            Then something caught her eyes. It was two dark shadows looming over a girl. The girl seems to be yelling for them to stop fighting, but they just ignored her. As Molly ran closer and closer to the scene, she became more afraid. She stopped and approached with caution. 'Those shadows….they look so familiar.' *Gasp* Molly's eyes widen. 'That girl! That girl…she's me! Huh? Batman?' Molly fixed her gaze to the futuristic looking Batman, who was glaring back at the other shadow.

            The other shadow had a blue eagle-like with wings imprint on his outfit where his torso was. 'Who is that?'

            "Terry!" I called to him, knowing it was him behind the Batman costume. "Hello?" I waved my hand back and forth across his face. He didn't even glance my way, just kept glaring. The other look-a-like me and the other shadow just kept on talking and carrying on conversation like I wasn't even there. I took a step back and did nothing but watch the weird scene in front of me.

            "Terry, stop it! You're acting childish."

            "Me, childish?! What about you Molly? You're the one who won't return to her home."

            "My home?"

            "Molly, you can't stay in the past."

            "Why? You don't know what it feels like to finally have the chance to prevent your parent's death."

            "Maybe I don't, but there is something else that I know---"

            "No Terry, you don't. You'll say anything just to keep me away from HIM. But you don't really understand. Only he understands…" The girl took a step towards the dark figure with the image of a bird and wings.  And they slowly dissolve into thin air.

            I stood, stunned. 'That couldn't have been me, I'm not that stubborn! And who was that figure the other me left with?' I thought. 

When I finally looked over at "Terry", I noticed he was staring straight at me. I was afraid that he would notice me, unlike the other two figures. But he didn't, he just looked away and gave a long sigh and took off his mask. He did nothing but stood in his same position over and over. I could hear the faint beating of his heart growing louder and louder by the second.  And for a spilt second, I thought I had actually saw true hurt reflect in his eyes. But it wasn't true, I kept telling myself. Could it be true that Terry might actually have feelings for me? He couldn't, I know he still loved Dana Tan . . .

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"Wah?" I bolted up from the warm and huge bed. Eyes still tired from the slumber. I rubbed my head as if searching for a huge bump from the fall, but then I remembered that someone had caught me just before I was about to hit the ground. My head somehow began aching and I saw two figures from my bizarre dream, but couldn't remember the rest.

The wake-up alarm from clock stilled blared from its speakers. I searched for an OFF button, but it was too loud for me to concentrate so I just hid under the warm covers of the bed. I didn't care if anybody saw how foolish I looked, I just wanted somebody to shut the damn alarm off! After what seems like an eternity, the alarm was finally shut off!

"Finally! I thought it would never stop!" I said as I climbed out of the covers, but stopped dead when I saw a handsome face staring back at me. Now I wished I hadn't gotten out of the covers! "Oh, um… thanks for turning that off." I stammered, quickly avoiding his gaze and getting out of bed.

"No problem. Did you sleep well?" I nodded. I took one glimpse and knew right away that I was back in Uncle Bruce's mansion, but pretended to be clueless about it.

"Where am I?"

"You're back at my mentor's house."

"Isn't it a little too big to be called a house?" 

"I guess you can say that."

"Do you know how I got here?"

"Don't you remember what happen?"

I shook my head. "Nope. All I remember is me falling off a building and then I guess I fell unconscious"

"Oh."

We were silent for a while until I remembered I came back to the past for a reason: to prevent what happen to my parents and take vengeance on Kudo. Even though my mind reminded me I had a mission to complete and I would never complete it if this mysterious guy is in my way, while my heart screamed to stay. Screaming that maybe this is my only one chance to see if I can have a life in the past and not in the future. Finally, I had the courage to speak.

"Um, thanks for letting me stay here but I really have to get going." Somehow my body didn't react the same way. I just stood there like a total idiot, until finally I got my legs to start functioning.

"Wait!"

"Yes?" I turned around, cautiously concealing my excitement. 

            "I, uh, didn't catch your name."

            "Molly, and yours?"

            "Dick. Dick Grayson.  Do you have to leave so soon?"

            "Um, yeah. I have a miss—an errand to run. Why?"

            "Well, I was wondering if maybe later when you're not busy, you might want to have dinner with me?"

            I felt my heart thumped a little faster. "Are you asking me out?"

            "Do you want me to?"

            "I don't know. Are you?"

            "Maybe." The conversation could have gone on and on and on, but it didn't when a redhead poked her head through the door.

            "There you are, Dick! I have been looking for you everywhere. C'mon it's time for our "walk"."

            "Barbara! Sorry, I guess I just lost track of time." He scratched the back of his head.

            "Well, c'mon! You know Bruce doesn't like it when you keep him waiting." She crossed her arms.

            "He can wait. " Then he turned his attention back to me. "Anyways, about dinner. How about it?"

He flashed me a dashing smile. I had to say yes, of course. I nodded. 

"Great. Do you know where Marcello is?" I nodded. "Meet me there at 8:00, okay?"

"Anyways, thanks for your hospitality. See you later tonight." I said as I left, but remember to feign that I didn't know my way around the "house".

"Here, I'll walk you out. I'll meet you guys in a few."

"Dick!"

"I said I'll meet you guys in a few minutes." 

I felt Barbara's icy glare on my back as Dick ushered me out the room. I also noticed when Dick didn't bother introducing me to Barbara, but I decided to keep my big mouth closed. Just to be safe.

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'She knows…interacting with the past…. get her back safely…who do you think Batman like?'   Different parts of conversations between Molly and Bruce echoed in Terry's head. The same stuff kept on repeating in his head and pretty soon was giving him a headache. But he still kept searching and flying the PAST-GOTHAM city even though he secretly yearned for rest on his warm bed. No matter how hard Terry fought to keep Molly from entering into his mind, it wasn't enough for her image would always find a way into his mind.

'She is going to kill me! What will she say when I find? What will I say? And all this time she thought Batman was someone wonderful, but actually turns out to be plain old me. I hope she won't blow at me. But that's the least of my problems, all I care about is her forgiving and her feelings won't change towards me.' Terry thought hopefully.

Soon he settled down and changed into some old clothes that Bruce had dug up to make him not look suspicious in the past. Which, Terry was thankful for, and began browsing through the city searching for Molly.

*            *            *            *            *           

Lets see, where was mom and dad at this time? Mom was kidnapped, and daddy and I were searching for the secret hideout. So I have the location, now I just need the time and date. Aha! An electronic store.  The clock read 7:00 P.M. Hmm…that doesn't give me much time to prepare before dinner with Dick and I need to change! Damn!

"Excuse me sir, do you know what day this is?" I asked a nearby man who walked past me.

"It's Monday."

"Thanks, and can you tell me the date and year also?" The man looked at me strangely like I just gotten out of a mental institution, but chose not to say anything.

"Certainly, it's April 5, 1932."

"Thank you." The man just simply nodded and proceeded on with his life.

April 5, only five more days before the accident. I've got to think fast. I'll need reinforcement.  I was conspiring up a perfect plan until a familiar shadow cast over me. I looked up only to discover Terry's affectionate eyes peering down at me.  Of course, I expected myself to feel angry at Terry that he didn't tell me that he had another life, being the Dark Knight of Gotham. But I didn't. My mind wanted to scream at him more than anything, but the words wouldn't come out. It was also weird at the same time, how one boy's soft eyes could make your anger slowly simmer down.

""Terry…"

"Hey," Terry looked down at the girl peering up at him. His heart was thumping like crazy making him more nervous than he really is and making it harder for him to think. Anything that would pop into his head was Molly's beautiful eyes.

It was weird. None of us said anything. All we did was stare into each other's eyes, but somehow I felt we connected just by looking into each other. Somehow we understood what happen and forgiven each other for it. It was creepy. Whenever I'm around Terry, I would always have this burning sensation inside me that makes me wanted to explode. It was odd being near him, I felt like I'm a totally different person. But it couldn't be possible; he's still in love with DANA TAN. But maybe, just maybe, he could have changed his feelings around me. It could be possible, couldn't it?

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Sure." We walked in silence and somehow found that we were wandering aimlessly towards Gotham Park. I knew he was avoiding my gaze afterwards. I could just tell by the look in his eyes. I didn't know if it was Terry or me that stopped first, but we stopped.

"Molly…"

"Don't."

"You have to go back."

""Why?"

"Because,"

"Because…because Uncle Bruce ordered you to go and fetch me! Well, has it ever occurred to you and Uncle Bruce, maybe, that I want to stay here?"

Apparently, my outburst had surprised him.

"Why? I mean, this isn't your home! You belong in the future."

"The future?! Terry, I WAS brought to the future, so technically, I BELONG in the past. This is my home. I need to be with my mom and dad."

"Yes, but things happens for a reason. You were brought to the future to find your long lost uncle and start a new life because maybe your father wanted that."

"Yeah, but if YOU had a chance to prevent your father's death, you wouldn't turn it down…would you?"

"Yeah, but if I DID, then I would have never met Bruce or you and have this other exciting life."

He looked away from me. "It's complicated,"

"Then you know how I feel…"

"Molly…."

"Terry, please don't make me go back." I pleaded.

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Meanwhile unnoticed by the two teenagers presence, two shadows stood on top of a building watching over them.

"Hey, isn't that your "girlfriend"?" Tim asked mockingly to Dick.

Dick, watching like a hawk through the bat-oculars, didn't bother to answer. The two of them had heard every little piece of the two teenagers conversation.  Shocked by what he had heard about Molly, he was still intrigued to find out more about the girl's mysterious "future".

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[author's note:]   Okay, finally! Chapter 4 is up! I'm so sorry I took so long. Anyways,  thank you again my readers for reviewing and having patience to wait for the next Chapter! I love ya guys a lot!J  Till we meet again in the next chapter, *Dark Angel*