Chapter Six

A Dent in the Wall

November 30th

It was a Monday and Morgan found herself asking questions she wouldn't be able to answer.

What was she supposed to do about college?

She hadn't really thought about it before, but she'd been missing school for about two weeks, and she couldn't go back to her old college. She wasn't even in Gotham anymore.

Though, she supposed the Zeta tubes could fix that problem.

There was one problem they couldn't fix, though. As she'd been stupid enough to reveal to Nightwing two days before, she couldn't go out in public as long as her wings were as big as they were now.

She mentally cringed when she remembered the fight and then his promise afterwards.

The day after, Nightwing had showed up as he normally did and trained with her, going through self-defense techniques before leaving again.

He hadn't mentioned anything about the argument or if he had any sort of solution for her and Morgan certainly wasn't going to bring it up either.

And it had been exactly the same thing today. He'd shown up and been extremely focused and no-nonsense, trained her and then left because he had some night class he needed to attend. He hadn't mentioned the fight that time either.

But the mention of classes and school had reminded her of her own school-less weeks

She wasn't sure what to do about it. She couldn't show up at her old college again, for several reasons.

Firstly, you can't just go disappear for two weeks and then show up without expecting some questions she wouldn't be able to answer.

Secondly, she was afraid the school would attempt to contact her mom, and she knew she'd never want to see Morgan again after what had happened.

The thought of her mother stung so she redirected her thoughts.

She knew she needed to do something about this. She wasn't going to be a crime fighter for the rest of her life. And it was an occupation that didn't come with a pay check. She would need a job and an education, and she needed to go back to school.

Morgan wasn't sure who to ask what she was supposed to do because she knew that no one would have an answer.

With a small sigh she left her room and went into the kitchen. Batman had told her to eat, and right now she was craving chocolate.

"Ooh." She said, her mouth forming a 'o' when she entered the kitchen and opened the fridge, finding a bowl of big, red, perfect strawberries.

She was about the climb onto the counter to reach into one of the top cupboards, the one M'gann kept their snacks in, to grab some chocolate, when Beast Boy entered the kitchen.

"Morgan," greeted the boy cheerfully. "What're you doing?" She had one leg on top of the counter and was about to pull herself up when he entered and he gave her a strange look.

"Oh, hey Garfield," Morgan answered, jumping down onto the floor again. "Can you hand me that chocolate bar?"

Garfield jumped over and climbed up, agile as a monkey, and hopped down, putting the bar of chocolate down onto the island in the middle of the kitchen.

He watched as Morgan pulled out a pot and a white ceramic bowl. She poured water into the pot and put it on the stove.

"Seriously, what are you doing?" He asked, scratching his head and she started cutting the chocolate into smaller pieces.

"I'm melting chocolate so I can dip the strawberries in it." Morgan finished cutting the chocolate and put it into the bowl, placing it in the slowly heating pot with water. "Wanna help?"

He smiled brightly and hopped off the counter. "Sure!"

Morgan liked Garfield, and that was why she offered. He was so young and innocent and energetic. He reminded her of her cousin. Her mother's sister had a young boy, Peter, that Morgan had spent many hours with when she was younger, before her aunt moved to Alaska.

Garfield reminded her of him, and she wanted to spend time with the younger hero.

Morgan pulled the strawberries out of the fridge and handed him a knife and together they cut the top of the strawberries off, throwing the green leaves out. Garfield joked around and Morgan found herself laughing genuinely for the first time in several days.

"Can you find a tray for me?" She asked as she pulled on a pair of oven mitts and took the bowl of melted chocolate out of the pot and put it on a coaster on the table.

Garfield put a tray next to the bowl, and they started dipping the strawberries in the chocolate.

"So, can I ask you a question?" Garfield asked.

Morgan looked up at him, her face blank, not sure what to expect. "Sure."

"What were you and Nightwing fighting about?"

Morgan sighed softly and ran a hand through her hair, grunting with annoyance when her hand got stuck in several tangles. Her hair really was impossible.

"Just.." She took a deep breath and decided to tell him. "Well, I been stressing out because my wings are too big to hide now and I can't go out in public because of it. And he was just pushing all the wrong buttons, the annoying shit."

Garfield ignored her last comment. "I can understand how you feel. When I first became Beast Boy, I was so embarrassed to be outside because of, well.. You know."

"Because you're green?" Morgan deadpanned, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, that." He smiled at her and stuffed a strawberry into his mouth.

"How did you stop being embarrassed?" Morgan asked him after a few seconds of silence.

"Once I went public as Beast Boy, I was accepted, I guess. People started to know me as a Superhero and they didn't think of me as some mutation gone wrong anymore."

"So you're saying I should just go public?"

"I'm saying that's what I did."

Garfield was in the middle dunking the last strawberry when Nightwing unexpectedly entered.

"Morgan." He said shortly.

Garfield made a grimace and looked between the two of them before turning into a bird and flying away.

Morgan wished she could do the same. Nightwing sounded far too serious for her to want to deal with him right now.

But since her wings couldn't fly right now, she couldn't flee. Instead, she took a deep breath and looked at him. "Yes, Nightwing?"

"I've got something for you." He said, holding up a necklace with an orange drop-shaped stone.

"Uh," Morgan said. "Not that it's not pretty and all but it's a bit weird that you're giving me jewelry."

She could tell that he was rolling his eyes behind his mask. "It's a glamour charm. When you wear it, your wings will be invisible."

Morgan's mouth fell open on its own accord. Hesitantly, she reached her hand out and Nightwing placed the necklace in her palm.

"How-" Morgan swallowed around an unexpected lump in her throat. If this really worked, she'd be able to walk around other people for the first time in five years without constantly worrying. "How is that possible?"

"I've got a friend who knows a few tricks." He had a very satisfied smirk on his face and Morgan's first instinct was to say something rude to remove it. At the same time, she was too grateful to do anything stupid right now.

She put on the necklace and looked over her shoulder.

Her stomach dropped and her heart started throbbing. Her wings were still there. It hadn't worked. She sighed and deflated visibly, scolding herself for having been stupid enough to dare hope.

"It doesn't work on yourself, obviously." Nightwing elaborated and Morgan felt her hope return. "Everyone on the team will be able to see them, but anyone else won't. Oh, and just because they aren't visible, doesn't mean they aren't still there. So don't bump into too many people."

"That is amazing!" Morgan exclaimed, a huge smile brightening her face. "Thank you!"

Before she could even contemplate what she was doing, she reach up and hugged Nightwing tightly. He tensed under her embrace and Morgan immediately realized her actions.

"Uh." She pulled back as if burned and stepped around the kitchen counter to create distance. "Strawberry?" she offered, holding up the tray.

He plucked one off the tray and bit into it, a small, crooked smile on his face. "You're welcome." He said, responding to the 'thank you' she'd said before. "Now let's go spar. I bet you'll only get knocked over thirty times this time around."

Morgan huffed and followed after him. "Ass." She said, even as a small smile formed on her mouth and she reached up to touch the orange stone that was resting against her chest.

December 1st

As reluctant as Nightwing was to admit it, Morgan was making progress. She was a fast learner, picking up on the different techniques he taught her after a few tries, and didn't seem to find it difficult to use them in combat.

He was still beating her ass, but she was definitely making progress.

Bump!

Thud!

"On your feet!" He barked, not even out of breath, after knocking her on her ass for the tenth time since they'd started training twenty minutes ago.

"What's the point, you're just going to knock me over again." She groaned from her position on the floor, wings, arms and hair spread around her.

"That's part of learning." He bit out through clenched teeth. She was being difficult, and he wanted this training session over so he could go home and celebrate his birthday.

She lifted her head up off the floor and studied him with furrowed eyebrows. "What's with you? You seem even more annoyed and angry than usual."

He rolled his eyes even though she couldn't see it underneath his mask. "I have somewhere to be but I'm not going until you can get at least get one good punch in."

"Dude, I won't be able to get a good punch in if we trained for the rest of the day!" she protested. "You've been doing this since forever, and I've been doing it for less than a week."

She sat up on the floor after he nudged her side with his foot. "Plus, you have all the advantages. The height and the muscles and the experience.."

It was true. Even though Morgan had been surprisingly good at keeping up her work outs and had definitely added some to her muscle mass, she was still short and scrawny.

She stood up and shook her sore body, her wings stretching out behind her.

Her wings, however, were improving. As Batman had told her, she had started eating more, and all of the energy that food produced seemed to go right towards growing her wings out. Nightwing could already tell a big size difference between now and when she first got here. When they moved, it wasn't with that sad, weak fluttering from before, but with strength. He wouldn't be surprised if she'd be able to use them to actually fly at some point soon.

Even now as she stood there, her wings flapping in agitation, Nightwing could feel them stir the air around them, his long bangs tickling his forehead.

"My height puts me at a disadvantage right now. You're harder to reach, but I'm easier to hit." He quickly relayed the same lesson Batman had told him back when he'd first started training with him and had made a complaint much like the one she'd just said. Nightwing sank into a fighting stance. "Just get close and my height will become a liability. Now come on."

Morgan sighed in frustration and pretended that she wasn't going to do it, but Nightwing could see from the tenseness of her muscles that she was going to attempt a surprise attack.

A few seconds passed, and then she suddenly lunged for him, aiming for his stomach.

Nightwing blocked her fist with his left forearm and kicked her legs out from under her with one of his own. Morgan let out an "Oof!" when she landed on her back, all the air knocked out of her lungs.

The computer flashed a red 'FAIL' over her head, and she groaned again.

"On your feet!" Nightwing demanded again.

She sat up and started pulling herself into a standing position. "Dick.." she muttered to herself. She didn't notice the way Nightwing tensed up at her insult.

"What did you say?" he asked sharply, earning a startled look from the girl.

"I just.." Morgan shrugged casually like it wasn't a big deal. "Called you a dick." She gave him a weird look, like she didn't understand his reaction. It wasn't like she hadn't insulted him before and he had never reacted like this to any of her other jabs.

Nightwing almost breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that she'd just insulted him, and not called him by his name.

Just then, the Zeta tube lit up and the computer announced the arrival of Batgirl and Robin.

"Hey," Batgirl greeted, jogging towards them. "Happy birthday!"

Robin walked up too, giving Nightwing a firm slap to the shoulder. "Nineteen years, huh?"

Nightwing allowed a small smile. "Thanks guys."

"We've actually got somewhere to be, we just came to congratulate you." Batgirl explained before reaching up and planting a kiss on his cheek. He already knew where they had to be; he'd been the one to assign them a mission.

"I'll see you guys tonight?" He asked.

"Count on it." Batgirl winked and Robin smile one of his easy smiles, and then the two of them headed for the Cave's garage.

Nightwing looked after them for a moment, happy that Barbara and Tim would be there tonight at the Manor. Even though he didn't live at Wayne Manor anymore, Bruce still insisted on celebrating his birthday there. Dick had asked for just a small gathering of family and the closest friends, and that's what Bruce would get him.

"So that's why you've been so pissy," Morgan realized behind him. She'd been impressively silent while the others were there. Part of him wondered if that was because of some sort of discomfort around her team mates. "It's your birthday and you're stuck with me in this stupid cave."

"I have not been pissy." He defended.

Morgan waved him away, scoffing. "Sure, whatever. Not at all pissy."

Nightwing sighed harshly and pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes closed. "Look, I just want to finish this sparring session so I can go home and enjoy my birthday. So can we not argue? Please?"

Morgan stood and looked at him for a moment and then she shrugged her shoulders and shifted into a fighting stance. "Let's agree that when you've knocked me on my ass for the twentieth time, or I manage to actually lay a blow on you, we're done for today. I'll just do some weightlifting instead or something."

Nightwing slipped into a fighting stance too and hesitantly said, "Thanks." He wasn't sure what had suddenly made her compliable. Maybe it was the 'please. Maybe it was the tired tone of voice he'd been using.

She quirked a small, half-smile with one corner of her mouth. "Consider it my birthday present to you."

December 12th

On the twelfth of December, Morgan lifted off the ground for the first time.

After a month of constant training, building on her wings size, muscle mass and endurance, Nightwing decided that now was the time she tried to fly for real.

"Absolutely not. I'm not making a fool of myself." Morgan protested, but still followed after him into the gym, mainly because he'd threatened to just drag her in there if she didn't come along.

"You won't make a fool of yourself," He shot back in frustration. "There is nothing wrong with trying."

"Yeah, but there most certainly is something wrong with failing."

Especially in front of Nightwing. She'd already embarrassed herself and failed and seemed weak in front of him enough times.

He ignored her and pushed her into the center of the room anyway.

"Come on," He said, "It is simple; just flap your wings as hard as you can."

"Please do not tell me how to use my own friggin' wings." Morgan grouched, crossing her arms over her chest, a pout on her face. Nightwing didn't move a muscle, but simply kept looking at her with what she assumed was an unimpressed looked from behind that stupid black mask with the white eye slits.

Morgan found herself wondering what color his eyes were. She assumed they'd be brown, due to his black hair and naturally tan skin. It just sort of fit together. Maybe he was part something, like Italian or Mexican or something.

When his expression didn't change, she groaned loudly but still did as he asked. She stepped up onto a chair he'd placed in the middle of the room and closed her eyes, deciding it'd be less embarrassing if she didn't have to watch him watch her fail.

Morgan stood on the chair for a long moment, somehow not able to start using her wings yet. She'd intentionally done what she could to restrain them and hide them for as long as she could remember. She had never imagined that she would ever use them. She hadn't wanted to. She'd spent five years hating her wings, and now, because of that, she found that attempting to use them was harder than she'd imagined. It went against all the plans she'd had, all the thinking she'd done. It went against a very old promise she'd made to herself.

Morgan took a deep breath and beat her wings up and down once, then twice, then three times. Mentally, she kept telling herself that she was a different person now than she was then. Her wings had a purpose now.

As she started beating her wings up and down, harder with each thrust, Morgan could definitely feel that they had the potential for true power. Even now, though they weren't big and impressive like the kind of wings Hawkgirl and Hawkman had, they still stirred the air in the room.

Suddenly, she could feel her feet leaving the wooden chair. The same feeling you get when you break the surface of water you've been under for some time swept over Morgan. She opened a single eye, peeking at the ground beneath her. She was only floating a few inches above the chair, and her wings were growing steadily tired and sore, but it was worth it.

It was a thrill like nothing she'd ever experienced before. Briefly, the feeling of total freedom she'd been craving since her wings first started growing out of her back finally washed over her and she wished she could fly high and far, all day.

Morgan found herself suddenly wondering why she hadn't done this much sooner.

Then she remembered how much she was supposed to hate her wings, how much heartache they'd caused her, and immediately stopped moving them. She landed back on the chair, but lost her balance and, with a small squeak, fell off, landing in a heap on the floor.

"The flying was great, but the landing could use some adjustments." Nightwing spoke up, probably thinking he was being supportive or funny.

Morgan scowled at him, suddenly hating him for forcing her to do this. She tried to think of some clever retort, but found herself unable to.

Needing to just get away she stood up and brushed herself off, flipped her hair over her shoulder, and marched out of the gym. As soon as she was out of Nightwing's view, she shook her wings, which were hurting from all the strain she'd just put them in, and felt tears built up in her eyes.

Morgan could sense more than hear Nightwing behind her.

"Please, for once," She growled out, "Leave me alone."

"I don't understand what it is I'm doing wrong here." He sounded confused. There was a hesitation but also desperation in his voice that Morgan hadn't expected to find.

Pausing, she realized that, as new as this whole thing was to her, it was new to him too. He'd been forced to train her, probably against his will, and she'd done nothing but make his job hard since the beginning. Morgan wasn't sure if he'd ever mentored anyone before, but she could understand that it wasn't an easy task. Especially when everything you do seems to be the wrong thing.

So, for once, Morgan decided to not throw everything he did back in his face.

"You didn't do anything wrong." Morgan tried to keep her voice soft, still turning her back on him. "I just.. I'm not sure I'm ready."

"Okay." Nightwing heaved a sigh, "We'll wait." He was about to walk away, Morgan could hear that, but she stopped him and finally turned around.

"No!" she blurted out. He paused and looked back at her over his shoulder. "If we wait, I'll never be ready. I think its best that I keep trying. Otherwise I'll never be able to try again. It's now or never."

He nodded and looked thoughtfully at the floor. "You will try again tomorrow, after your normal training."

He turned to her and gave her a stern look, his voice hard.

"If you want to have a future on this team, you need to get those wings up and running. And you need to accept them. You need to think of them as a gift instead of a curse."

Morgan wanted to retort with some scathing remark, but she had to admit to herself that Nightwing was absolutely right, so instead she silently watched him walk away.

To keep herself from perhaps screaming with frustration, Morgan growled out and punched the wall.

Her fist left a nicely sized dent in the otherwise sturdy steel-wall.

"Shit!" Her eyes widened, adopting the panicked look of a caged animal, I have to hide this, they can't see, they can't know!

Her hands came up and hid the hole behind them. Morgan looked around frantically for some solution to suddenly appear. Calm DOWN Morgan! She screamed at herself, realizing that there really was no way to hide the hole. If she placed something over it, someone would surely notice it, and that would draw even more attention to the dent.

I'll just say I threw something at the wall and created the dent. They don't have to know about.. that.

Needing to get away from the Cave and the trapped feeling that swept over her, she walked into her room and slipped on the charmed necklace. Briefly, she felt a buzzing throughout her whole body that ended in her wings, the tell-tale sign that the pendant was still working.

Her wings would now be invisible to humanity.

She slung a small bag over her shoulder and put the credit card and her new phone in it. She had some shopping to get done anyway, now that Nightwing had assured her that she was supposed to use the credit card.

Her room was still left un-decorated, and her closet wasn't even half full. She'd had a specific shop in mind for a week now, but had been holding it off, for reasons unknown.

Morgan decided that now was the time to finally settle down properly in the Cave. She'd been avoiding it for some time now. But changes were coming. First, she'd make herself more at home in her room, to fully accept her new life, and then she'd work on accepting her wings.

These past few chapters has just been a compilation of pretty short scenes, a story telling mode I'm really not a very big fan off, but it's because I want to not only adapt and develop Morgan's relationship with Nightwing and the others, I also don't want to skip several weeks at a time while she's still so new to the Team in my haste to reach the second season of the show, which begins at the end of december.

So I promise the chapters will get more coherent soon enough, I just need to properly place Morgan in her new life!

Fun fact: I actually have a tumblr dedicated to my fanfictions. It's mainly small updates on the writing process, sometimes a sneak peek, questions I want to ask my readers, and drawings of characters and layouts of rooms and stuff, as well as answering questions whenever somebody asks them. So if you have a question you really wanna ask me, be sure to stop by and ask it there as I'm much more likely to answer them there than here because I'm horrible at remembering to answer reviews. Or you could just PM me, I'll probably answer your question that way.

If you're interested in checking it out, the URL is feathers-in-the-night

(If the URl isn't active anymore, I've probably changed it and you can find the new URL on my fanfic profile)