A/N: I keep telling myself that I need to update this enough to get it caught up with the story on Lunaescence, but I keep forgetting. XD Again, if you would like to read ahead, this same story is on my account on Lunaescence [the link to my profile is on my profile page on this site]. I hope that you all like this chapter.
Reviews are very much appreciated and thank you to all that have and continue to update me!
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone from the DC Universe. I alone own Anastasia and any other characters from my own mind.
[1]: Mother
Resurrection
The Family
"…and in other news, due to speculation about the Haly's Circus returning to Gotham, a statement has been released by the circus stating that there are no current dates for a tour in the United States." Anastasia stood in front of the television, her finger lingering over the button to turn it off. "If you remember, the circus visited Gotham four years ago but was shadowed by the tragic deaths of the Flying Graysons, better known as the biological parents of Richard Grayson, the ward of Bruce Wayne. The anniversary of their deaths will be tomorrow–" the screen went black and she stood there, staring at the screen for a few more minutes.
"Karina, get to bed." Her mother hissed from the couch while turning over, bringing the blanket the wrongly mentioned daughter had placed over her. A few moments passed before she visibly stiffened, turning her head over her shoulder, staring at the teenager with sorrow. "Oh, I didn't mean to…I'm…"
Anastasia shook her head, gaze narrowed and lips pursed. "Force of habit. It's fine. Go to sleep." She left to the nearby bedroom without another word and ignored the quiet sobs of the broken woman on the couch.
Far into the middle of the night, Anastasia sat in the middle of her bedroom, a bowl full of mud placed in front of her. Considering her mother's comment had and mostly like would keep her up for the rest of the night, she decided to work on her abilities that had been untouched since the night she rescued Batman and Robin.
Anastasia had never tried to hone her elemental abilities outside the few times she went to Russia where her grandfather practically demanded to work with her in fear that she would loose touch with their heritage. Since those times had been few, she had practically lost everything he taught her and the only way she could activate her powers were in times of stress.
And even though she had lost most of the knowledge, one thing he had pounded into her head remained. To control an element, you must become the element, her grandfather explained. Air demands peace, water demands adaptability, fire demands will, earth demands stubbornness. Learn to become the element and you will become the strongest in our family, stronger even than me, my dearest Anastasia.
The teenager stared down at the bowl with her grandfather's speech running through her mind, determined to make the sludge move. After a few moments passed, it floated into the air, and she pictured it morphing into a ball and it obeyed her command. After she allowed it back in the bowl, she focused on it again, but instead willing out the water that made up half of it. After minutes instead of moments, the water leaked out into the air, leaving behind the dirt.
"Ana, sweetheart," her mother's thick accent said from the other side of the door.
Anastasia sighed and let the water fall back into the bowl, shoving it under her bed as she stood up from the floor. She opened the door, a sour look on her face, and her mother cringed at the look she received, twiddling her thumbs in nervousness.
"What do you want, mat'? I told you that what you said was okay." [1]
"It's not about that," she murmured, "but I am sorry about what I said. It's been…hard on us since she died."
Anastasia's gaze narrowed and her lips pursed. "I noticed. Once you were back on that needle, you two were shoving it in your arms even more than before." She snorted. "I can't tell if it's because you don't have to keep up the mommy and daddy image in front of her anymore or because you really do want to shove all that pain down."
"Things have been hard on us since you were born, Anastasia. When we moved here, we had bigger dreams than this, but…things changed." The older woman shook her head. "I didn't wake you up to talk about this. I just…I want to check on you, talk to you. We've been wrapped up in dealing with our own pain–" her daughter snorted but she ignored it, "and I just want to know if you're doing okay."
"I'm dealing with it the best I can. I'm doing fine in school despite some earlier slacking. I'm probably going to spend the entire day with my best friend. Is there anything else you want to know about?" She snapped.
Her mother smiled gently. "A best friend? What is his name?"
Anastasia paused before sighing. "His name is Dick Grayson–the ward of Bruce Wayne and all that."
"There have been stories about him all over the news today. Something about his–oh. Is that why you're going to spend the day with him?" Her response was a sigh and nod. "That is very sweet of you."
"Uh, thank you." The teenager glanced around. "Look, mat', I'm feeling tired now so I think I'm going to go to bed. You should, too." She started closing the door but paused. "The parent-teacher conferences are tomorrow. I'll wake you up in the morning and you better not be loaded." She warned before closing the door.
Anastasia leaned against the door, sighing as she listened to the footsteps of her mother fading away. She glanced toward her cell phone charging next to her bed that had suddenly lit up with a text message. When she walked over and picked it up, she blinked against the bright light and saw that it was Dick that had sent her the message.
Having trouble sleeping.
You and me both, she replied with a small smile before frowning again. Am I allowed to talk about seeing you on the news or is that a no-no?
If you want to talk about how gorgeous I was or how awesome my ass looked then go ahead.
She snorted and grinned while her fingers flew across the keys. Maybe in a few years or something, jailbait.
Not even going to go there with you, Ana. Since school is out for the parent-teacher conferences, want to hang out tomorrow?
It's like you read my mind. But I have to go to school with my mom first.
Bruce is coming. too. We can meet up there.
Great, Anastasia thought with dread while shoving her face into her pillow. Showing off my junkie mom to a billionaire. That'll be fun.
Anastasia was starting to regret her decision to invite her mother to the conference. Not only did she have to deal with her mother fidgeting in nervousness, tugging at her sleeves to hide the track marks, and glancing around in paranoia, but she also had to deal with the other students and their parents who murmured, sniggered, and gasped at the two of them as they walked down the halls.
"You don't think they know about…" Her mother trailed off. "Do you?"
"No. They're staring because we're poor and don't belong here."
"Oh." She frowned. "Is this what you deal with all the time, Anastasia?"
"…Dick helps."
After receiving the usual bragging from her teachers that she was such a well-mannered and excellent student who her mother should be proud of, Anastasia had practically dragged her mother toward the entrance of the academy where she could put her on a bus without Bruce and Dick meeting her.
Of course, as months ago proved, she just didn't have any luck on her side.
When she heard Dick calling her name from down the hallway, both mother and daughter turned around to face the father and son approaching them.
"They can understand Russian." Anastasia hissed when she heard her mother muttering in their native language. "And pull down your sleeves all the way. I can see your track marks." Her mother blushed and she sighed. "Sorry. I just want this to be over with."
"Hello ladies." Dick grinned and slithered up to her mother, taking her hand in his and kissing it briefly. "I can see where Ana gets her good looks from."
"It's nice to meet you too, Dick. Good morning to you as well, Mister Wayne. My name is Sonya Azarova and I'm Anastasia's mother." Her mother smiled at the two of them, shaking Bruce's hand when he extended it.
"A pleasure, Sonya." The whispering around them grew in loudness and behind Bruce, Dick was glowering at the closet group he could. "I apologize about this."
Sonya shook her head. "It's nothing we can't handle. Isn't that right, Ka–" she stopped.
Anastasia's entire body locked up and her gaze narrowed at the older woman who cringed but the two of them forced a smile. "Sorry but my mom has to catch her bus. I'll meet up with you in a few minutes if you don't mind waiting for me." Dick shook his head and she grabbed at her mother's wrist. "Okay then. I'll be right back. Thanks for being patient."
"Until Alfred is done shopping, we'll have to find something to do around Wayne Tower. Is that alright?"
Anastasia stared over the edge of the tower, emerald gaze wide. "If I get a view like this, I think I can handle it." She looked over her shoulder and smiled. He smiled back while shaking out his smoothed back hair and she frowned. "If you don't like it, why wear it like that?"
"It looks more professional." He rolled his eyes and instead of leaning to look over the edge of the building, he sat down on the railing. She opted to lean against it. "Alfred likes it so I indulge him."
"You sound so enthusiastic, D."
"New nickname, A?"
"A problem with that, D?"
"Not at all, A."
Her eyes rolled and she looked out toward the horizon. Silence passed between the two of them before Dick spoke up. "Your mom seemed nice…"
"Despite being a total junkie, right?" His mouth opened and she shook her head. "You can say it. I mean, it's not like it's new to me. I've been dealing with it since I was practically a baby."
"Are you okay? After she called you–"
"Today is about making sure you're okay. So, yeah. Talk about your feelings. I will be the shoulder for you to cry on." Dick stared at her hard and she raised an eyebrow. "What? I'm fine, Dick. What you dealt with–"
"Happened fouryears ago," he cut her off with a grimace. "Ana, what happened to you was only months ago and Bruce doesn't go around loaded and beating me and calling me by my dead dad's name." He saw the look on her face and glared at nothing in particular. "I notice the bruises and that you only wear makeup on certain days, A."
Anastasia leaned away from the railing, crossing her arms over her chest, a pained look painted on her face. Dick stood up on the railing, towering over her, and grabbed one of her hands, taking it in his while looking at her sadly. She looked up at him with tears pooling in her emerald eyes before carefully wrapping her arms around him.
"Thanks for being my best friend, Dick."
Awkwardly shuffling off the edge, he then returned her embrace. "I could say the same thing to you, Anastasia."
