Chapter Fifty Six

Two Months

July 14th

The Gotham airport was bustling with activity, and Morgan was glad that she was with such a tall guy, because people tended to swerve for him.

Dick was carrying her suitcase while Morgan kept a firm grip on the backpack on her shoulder. She'd only packed the bare necessities. She wouldn't be gone for that long, after all.

She checked her phone for the umpteenth time, anxiously awaiting a text from Rachel. There was a reason Morgan had chosen the fourteenth for her travel. She knew Rachel and her family were leaving then as well, and the blonde wanted the opportunity to properly say goodbye to her sister – it still felt weird to call her that.

She'd already told Nightwing about her and Rachel's shared blood, and her mentor – former mentor – had been just as surprised as Morgan. He knew she was waiting for that text, and he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Relax." He soothed. "When was her plane leaving again?"

"Six thirty." Morgan sighed.

"And it's currently three PM, so there's lots of time." He reminded her. "She's not gone yet."

Morgan wanted to grumble at him for being so damn logical and right all the time, but looking up at his features, recalling the ten days they'd just spent together.. Well, she couldn't even imagine being mad at him. They only had two hours before her plane left and she didn't want to waste that precious few moments on fighting. They'd done far too much of that during the eight months they'd known each other, and Morgan wanted that bad habit to stop as of right now.

Not that she was stupid enough to think she'd never lose her temper with him again. Just because they were kinda in a relationship didn't magically make him all agreeable and less stubborn and her less temperamental.

So instead of grumbling at him, she sighed and smiled up at him. "You're right. Sorry. I'm just nervous is all."

He reached down and placed a kiss on her forehead. "She'll be here. Don't worry."

They started walking again, heading for the gate her plane would departure from, just so they were sure they knew where it was. Morgan felt worry clench at her insides, wondering for the hundredth time why she hadn't just convinced M'gann to fly her over with the bio ship. Would've been faster too. And that way she'd be less likely to get stuck in some foreign country because she couldn't find her plane.

But she knew why. Morgan was trying for a bit of normalcy. Besides, she'd never actually tried traveling by herself before – least of all to another continent – and found that it was something she needed to try out. It was time for her to try – and you'll have to forgive her for the metaphor – to leave the nest and try out her wings, see if they could carry her weight.

The text she'd been anxiously awaiting finally arrived. Rachel was here. Her family was eating dinner at the airport's Burger King.

Once Morgan and Dick had left her luggage in the capable hand of the airport staff – Morgan dearly wishing it wouldn't end up in Egypt or something but would get on the right plane – they raced through the airport to find Rachel.

Dick took her backpack from her and slung it over his own shoulder as Morgan grabbed him by his hand and dragged him after her.

They found the small family twenty minutes later. Rachel was the first to spot the two teenagers, and she smiled happily before standing and approaching them.

"I was afraid we'd be too late and you'd have left already by the time we got here." She admitted with relief.

"Sounds roughly like Morgan's own worries." Dick spoke up good naturedly.

Morgan swatted him with her good hand, cringing when Rachel spotted her cast.

"What happened?" Rachel took a step forward and whispered her next words. "Was it Sparrow business?"

Morgan nodded, trying to keep a smile on her face. Thinking of Sparrow already sent a strange sensation through her body. Like she missed that part of her life already even though she was willingly leaving it behind.

"Apparently, saving the world is dangerous."

Rachel smiled brightly at Morgan's lighthearted words, looking like she was about to say something else when Fathiya stepped up to the small group, drawing their attention.

"Morgan.." She sounded like she wasn't sure if she should be angry with the girl or happy to see her. "It's.. good to see you again."

Despite the less than agreeable terms they'd left each other on the last time they'd met, Morgan smiled politely up at the woman. There was a strain on both faces, but for now, they were prepared to lay aside their disagreements to avoid souring the sisters last moments together.

"You too, Fathiya." She answered, only partly truthfully.

There was silence for a moment. Then Fathiya, probably aware that she'd created that silence, sighed and deflated slightly. "Well, I wish you good luck on your journey. I don't suspect we'll be seeing each other again, so.. Goodbye and good luck." She looked slightly pained suddenly, taking a quick step forward. At her sudden movement, Morgan felt Dick place a protective hand on Morgan's shoulder. "And I'm sorry.. for everything. I never wanted to.."

Morgan clasped her hand, trying to look comforting. "Don't worry. I've forgiven you a long time ago. And I hope you find only happiness and comfort in South Africa."

The older woman looked like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she nodded at Morgan.

One of her sons, the youngest, Morgan noticed, called for his 'momma' and Fathiya looked back at him.

"Well.. goodbye."

"Bye."

Once she'd left, Morgan turned to Rachel again. "So.. South Africa, huh?"

Rachel nodded. "It's where both of my parents are from. They met there. Given everything that's happened.. with the Light and stuff.. Well, they decided that maybe it was time to return to their roots. Start over."

Morgan was sad that Rachel was leaving, but she also knew that this move was probably exactly what her family needed.

"Well, good luck." She offered the other girl. "And I hope I'll see you again. Some day."

Rachel nodded and drew Morgan into a fierce hug. "Goodbye, sister." She whispered into Morgan's ear, sounding close to tears. Suddenly, Morgan felt like her own tears weren't that far off either.

She hugged Dick next and threatened him to take proper care of Morgan, or she'd fly to the US again simply to kick his ass. Dick smiled innocently at her and promised to do his best, though both of them knew Morgan would always manage to get in trouble, even if he tried to stop her.

Morgan and Dick departed once again, this time heading for her gate for good. In half an hour, she'd have to go through the gate.

Morgan felt worry clench at her chest. She'd looked forward to this trip. But she was loath to leave everything behind too. Especially Dick. After the ten days they'd just spent together, she knew that part of her was staying behind with him. And not just the Sparrow part.

They reached their destination and both paused, simply looking up at the gate with blank looks on their faces.

"So.. I guess this is goodbye." He eventually got out, his voice strange. He swallow and licked his lower lip.

Morgan nodded and let go of his hand, accepting her backpack when he offered it to her.

"Goodbye, then." She tried to avoid sounding emotional, but damn it was hard when he looked at her with his big, sad eyes and her heart was already throbbing with the need to stay.

He sighed and pulled her into a hug. Stupidly, Morgan blinked away tears, telling herself to stop being such a cry baby and pull herself together. Seriously, it was getting embarrassing. It wasn't like he was crying.

This shouldn't have been as difficult as it was. Despite knowing she was only leaving for two months, Morgan couldn't help the nagging feeling that this was the last time she'd see him for a very long time. And she got the feeling they'd both be different when she got back – very different.

She made to take a step backwards, but didn't get very far because suddenly she was in his embrace again and they were kissing desperately, both realizing this would be their last kiss for quite some time.

His hands were in her hair, fingers massaging her scalp just the way he knew she liked it. Morgan had a firm hold on the front of his t-shirt, pulling him as close as possible.

She was going to miss this ridiculous boy so much.

"Thank you." She eventually mumbled against his lips. "For everything. For stumbling across me in November and discovering my wings. For training me. For being a better friend that I could've ever asked for. For believing in me."

He smiled and kissed her again. "Thank you for being exactly what I needed. And for being unapologetically you." He simply responded.

Eventually, they pulled back and rested their foreheads together.

"So.. two months?" He sounded like he was tasting the words, testing what they meant.

Morgan nodded, a small smile finding its way onto her face. "Sixty one days."

"Hurry back." He told her. "I'll.. I'll be waiting."

She closed her eyes and nodded again.

It was insanely difficult, but eventually Morgan pulled away from him and shouldered her backpack, smiling wryly.

"Don't do anything stupid without me." She ordered.

He smiled crookedly. "Out of the two of us, you're more prone to attracting stupid situations, so I guess I should be saying that to you."

She grinned and laughed once, walking backwards so she could keep looking at him. She bumped into a short, Indian-looking man who started shouting loudly at her in a language she didn't understand and Morgan jumped away, apologizing profusely.

She heard her mentor's laugh ring across the distance and took one last look back.

That's how she wanted to remember him. His form shaking with laughter, his blue eye shining and almost crinkled shut in his amusement, a wide smile on his handsome face. She wanted to remember him happy.

Then she turned around and didn't look back again, stepping through the airport security and into the section of the airport that was solely for travelers.

Twenty minutes later, she boarded her plane.

Morgan found her seat and shuffled into it, not moving a muscle until the plane was in the air.

A single tear slid down her cheek.

Aaaaaaand CUT!

Oh my god, guys, this is really it. The end. Finished. Færdig. Finito.

What an adventure!

I just want to thank each and every one of my readers and reviewers. The story would never have been finished if you guys hadn't been so positive and encouraging. And without your loyalty and general niceness, I certainly wouldn't have chosen to write a sequel either.

Now all I can do is proceed to write the sequel so I can upload it as soon as possible, eh? I'm a little past 50.000 words because I've been doing a lot of thinking instead of writing. I want to be sure the story is headed in the direction I want it. Anyway, I'll probably post a small notice on this story once I upload the sequel, just as a heads up.

AND NOW; THE LAST FUN FACT: I've been doing a bit of math, and the first chapter of the story was uploaded roughly twenty three weeks ago. So, if I'd chosen to only upload a chapter each weekend (Like I did with Guidelines), we would've only been on chapter twenty three, which is the chapter where they eat pizza in a tree and have their first 'bonding' moment. Funny how different things could've been, huh?