She shut her eyes.

She hoped they flew. She hoped she too, would be a Flying Grayson.

Wings enveloped her pulling her into his chest.

Ice in her veins, from the storm flooded with warmth, like a beacon of light. They slammed hard against the building, the rough bricks, sending a shock-waves though her body. The bricks scraped against skin, even when she felt it though him.

The grapple line went taught, yanking them backup harshly, throwing them back onto the ledge. He rolled off it, still holding her tightly, hitting the rooftop, dropping the grapple out of his hand.

For a few seconds, she could just hear his breath, holding her tightly in his arms, as if afraid to let go. Like if he did, she'd plummet to the bottom. She didn't mind. She couldn't let go either. She didn't think she ever would.

He let out a shaky breathe. "I got you. I got you." he whispered. "I got you. I got you." he mumbled to himself over and over again. She took a deep breath. The air hitting her square in the chest, making her cough. She was pretty sure, she broke a few ribs. She felt him help her up, her chest staring to sting. Nevermind, she was sure broke all her ribs.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Did he-" Whatever else Dick said, she didn't know, sliding her hand out of his own, she ripped off his mask. She sighed, shutting her eyes as if hoping to imprint his face in her memory. Dark hair, wet and mattered, warm skin, and crinkle in his eyebrows, as he looked at her with his loving blue eyes. It was him, it was.

No trick, no clone or alternate Earth or-it was him. It was him. It was Dad. He was here.

"Mary? Mary? Blue?" he mumbled, gently touching her cheek with his hand. She slowly looked up into his eyes. He took her hand, placing it over his heart. "It's me."

She couldn't control it. She threw herself into his arms, wrapping her hands tightly around his him. He hugged her back tightly, rubbing her back as she hiccuped and cried. Her head over his heart feeling the rhythmic beating. He was here. It was safe. He was here. It was safe.

"It's okay, it's okay. It's over," Nightwing said, gently holding her tightly, rubbing her back gently. "I'm here, its okay…its safe. You're safe."

She cried even harder, everything that she'd held back the past few hours, the past few months seeming to spill out her her though her tears.

"I tried to stop him I tried, Dad, I did-I did-He-He-" she choked out, burying her face deeper into his neck. "He-just-"

"I know, I know," Dick said, stroking her hair, kissing the top her head. "I know. You tried. You did really well, Baby Blue. Everything's going to be okay, I'm here. I'm here."

She shook her head. "I didn't save him." she whispered."I didn't save him…I didn't save you…"

If she was completely honest, she didn't really know what happened after that; she'd passed out in her father's arms. She'd woke up two days later, still puffy-eyed and exhausted. Alfred said it was due to 'sheer emotional, mental and physical stress'. For once, she agreed.

From what Steph told her, while they were on the roof; Red Robin had triggered the temperature drop, causing all the Talon's to lose their abilities, and were soon rounded up, thanks to Batman, Red Hood, Red Robin and Spoiler and brought into custody. Furthermore, Talon's flash-drive had proven to be filled with credible and incriminating evidence against the Court of Owls. Enough to put them out of business and in prison for a long time.

Oracle had been able to send of the information to the GCPD and the next morning Commissioner Gordon, had issued the largest round-up against the 'socialite's of Gotham City. According to Gordon, the Court of Owls had suffered a heavy blow, one that may take them years to regain the influence they had on Gotham.

The Judge, a blonde-haired woman, named Valarie which she knifed had been taken to the hospital due to massive blood-loss and arrested. However a few days after a successful surgery, before she was about to be released into GCPD custody she died due to a heart attack.

None of them really believed that.

Cobb had also been taken into custody, though had remained in the hospital for most of the time. According to Jason and Tim, a healing factor was the only thing that kept him alive. At first she'd laughed, but later on, she'd realized Jason and Tim weren't joking. If he were normal, he'd have been dead already.

Healing factor seemed to be popular topic these days, especially when Doctor Tompkins came around for her check up, and the results of her blood test. Apparently she was-

"What she's a walking Lazarus pit?" Jason said, staring at the green liquid in the test tube. Mary scoffed. "I think I would know if I was-"

"No," Dr Tompkins said, gently taking the vial from Jason's hands. "I don't think there's enough in her blood for that, at least not yet." she said to Dick. They were all crowded around her bed in the Batcave, Jason plonking himself next to her on the left. Dick sitting on her right, and Doctor Tompkins on the foot of the bed, with her box of samples on the bed tray on the side.

"While Mary does share the electrum and dionesium found in Lazarus pits in her bloodstream, she doesn't have enough to heal as fast from severe injuries, as yet." she explained. "There are just trace amounts, enough that Mary will probably heal faster than we would. Injuries that may take three days to heal will probably heal two or even one-its unclear on how fast her healing rate is without more testing."

"What's interesting," Dr Tompkins said, pulling out a few files. "Is the samples I took from you, Dick." she said showing him a few documents with some pictures. "You also have the gene that codes for dionesium and the electrum in your DNA sequence, but it's not active and a protein was not coded for-see-" she said, pulling out two pieces of paper. "This is Mary's and this is yours."

"You always said Mary was small for her age, and would get cold often. When I examined her previously, I chalked it up to malnutrition and even worry. But I now I know about this…" Doctor Tompkins mused. "Its pure speculation, but theoretically, the electrum and dionesium in her blood could potentially cause her to-age slower than normal, and makes her more sensitive to temperatures like the Talons, who gained electrum implants."

"It could also explain why Cobb's injuries didn't regenerate as rapidly as they normal would-" she said. "Not because he couldn't, but because Mary's body may have been triggered either by survival instincts or something externally like the implant-"

"Like a knife? Or a dagger?" Mary asked slowly.

"What is it?" Mary asked, gently taking the small object from him. It was small, it could fit in the palm of her hand, almost dagger shaped, some sort of knife.

The sheath was black, but at the end was sprinkles of gold, that Talon was accustomed with. "I call her chi shugra mavro" Talon said, lifting his arms to his head, pulling off the thick mask. "Pretty right?" he said, setting it down in his lap.

"Talon gave me one." she mumbled, the purge of guilt flooded into her stomach, making her feel nauseous. Dick squeezed her shoulder gently, but the guilt seemed to spread though her body, suddenly feeling as if he should be distant and cold instead of comforting.

Doctor Tompkins nodded. "It's possible, if the dagger contained electrum. It could have caused her body to briefly match with his own. Allowing them to fight on the same level."

'Talon vs Talon.' Mary thought to herself, her gaze once again returning to the stone floors, Cobb's words drifting though her ears. "Just like me. It's fate. Destiny."

Jason snorted loudly."And here, we all thought you'd turned into some vampire." Mary glared at him. Jason pinched her cheek. "What is demoness, better?" he teased.

"Don't patronize me." she grumbled, biting down a grin. She knew what he was trying to do, trying to keep her distracted in some attempt to lessen the blow of Doctor Tompkins news. Still, she felt grateful he was here, sitting next to her and trying to make her smile.

"It's amazing that Mary's body is able to naturally produce this," Doctor Tompkins said to Dick, who was listening intently as she began putting the files back into her bag. "However I will say, this is something new to me. I'd have to more tests, but from what I can see, its not harmful."

Jason leaned over, his head over hers, using her head as a resting place to plonk his chin, peering down at the files. "Does this mean, she's the 'Gray Son' like officially, or-?"

Mary lightly pinching him on the arm. "Why are you even here? Don't you have someone else to bother?"

"Yeah, but I'd much rather be bothering you." he sang. Mary scowled, a naughty glint playing in her eye. "But, Uncle Jason-" she whined, drawing out the the syllables in his name.

"Ugh, don't call me that, it makes me sound old!"

"You are old!"

"Am not!"

"You're like 41 years old, you're a 41 year old man!"

"Well, you're-!"

Dick cleared his throat, Jason and Mary going quiet.

"I don't know about that," Doctor Tompkins said, closing her case. "But from the samples I took from Cobb, he and Mary share many similarities-"

The worry must have shown on her face, because Doctor Tompkins looked very panicked for a second. "In terms of their blood." Doctor Tompkins said firmly. "Blood only."

That didn't make her feel much better; great-grandfather to add to her growing list of enemies. Awkward. Doctor Tompkins licked her lips. "Anyway, I'm sure the faster healing triggered by her exposure to electrum, is what Cobb was really after-"

"He wanted test you." Dick said heavily. "Find out if you had what it takes."

"Takes to do what?" Mary asked softly, trying to sound calm about it, but even she could hear her voice shake. "Be the new Talon?"

Dick shook his head. "Be the new him."

"You're daughter is beyond impressive," Cobb mused, his dark eyes locked onto his, as he paced around the cell. "Especially for someone of her age. She outclasses many. You're wasting her potential-"

"To be like you." Dick said, his sharp eyes tracing every move. To the police, Nightwing was simply interrogating William Cobb about the death of Valeria, the Judge, but he knew that was a dead end before he entered the room. This was personal.

"To fulfill her purpose." Cobb said, stepping closer to the glass. "Tell me, Richard, if a sword is dulled, does it make it incapable of cutting?" he asked, clasping his hands behind him back. "No. It's nature is still to cut down its enemies, the Court's simply aims the wielder. Like it or not, you're daughter is a weapon."

Cobb sighed. "You may have attempted to dull her, but she still cut's with precision. Ultimately, her aim will become misguided, and do more harm than good. All I'm trying to do, is guide her for her own good and the good of everyone around her-"

Dick scoffed. "For her own good?"

Cobb shook his head. "She has passion for the fight. She lives it. It's rare, to find a soldier like that. She many not have her failsafe any longer, but she is still engineered to complete her mission. Everything that was taught has not be erased. All in all," Cobb mumbled to himself, a smile curling onto his lips. "I'm satisfied my sacrifices had not been wasted. She makes a worthy heir."

"Mary is not your soldier-"

"No, she is yours." Cobb said calmly. "Why else would I have needed another you?"

Another him…he remembered.

"You're pathetic." Talon spat, pushing the sword down harder. "You think you're helping her? Saving her? You can't protect her! You're not strong enough!"

"What about the other me? Huh? I already know you've been traveling to other Earth's after you joined Waller's Suicide Squad. Why bring him here?" he asked. What happened to him? What could have happened to Talon…to him, to turn him into…someone like Cobb.

"He begged." Cobb said, a twisted smile curling onto his lips. "He begged me on his knees."

A cold shiver ran down his back.

"I was intrigued." Cobb said, seeming to sense this discomfort. "That Dick Grayson was remarkably similar to you. Nightwing, leader of the Titans, mentor, League member, the Boy Wonder, found out about little Mary Grayson. She became a hero, just like you. And they were happy. Very happy." Cobb said, leaning back against the wall. "Well, until he watched Deathstroke plunge a sword though her chest, and throw her off a building."

He stiffened, panic tightening around his heart. Didn't he imagine this? Didn't this thought find its way into his nightmares?

She gasped, her breathing going out of pattern, her body stiffening. "Mary? Mary? Mary?" Dick mumbled, drawing back, cupping her face. Wide eyes, blood pooling from her mouth.

"Mary! Mary?!"

Sword now, thin and sleek though her chest, though her heart.

Cobb sighed. "Even Ra's al Ghul couldn't save her-loss of a child, an indescribable pain, is it not?" he mused. "Even killing the ones who'd taken her, did nothing to ease it. It was then, when he came home to his rightful place. He rose though the ranks, and cut down anyone in his path, but he was unstable. Maddened by his own guilt. His own failure."

"You made her weak! If I'm not here, she won't be ready!" Talon yelled, swings and voice alike going madder with each strike. "If she killed him-If I killed him, none of this would have happened!"

"You're a parasite, you're killing her. You killed her."

"I simple gave him what he wanted-a second chance. A chance to save her…"

He shut his eyes. He understood now. That Dick Grayson driven mad by grief…being rejected by Mary…might have been his breaking point. He must have realised Cobb was never going to let him 'save Mary'. He must have known, to gather all the information on the flashdrive. Some part of him, must have know…but it didn't matter. Nothing else did. He gave up everything for just a little more time with her, even if she wasn't 'his' Mary…She was Mary, alive…

Cobb took advantage of that guilt he carried with him, with empty promises that a desperate man couldn't ignore.

He heard enough. He turned around, waving a hand to the camera, to signal his leave.

"Tell me," Cobb called. Dick paused, his hand tight on the doorknob. "What?"

"Would you have killed for her?"

Yes. The answer was so simple. His mind didn't even debate it. Cobb smiled. "Maybe you are not as much as a disappointment, as I believed, Richard."

"I can't believe this!-I leave the goddam city for five minutes and it all falls apart, honestly Grayson, you can't stay out of trouble-!"

"Relax, Damian. I'm fine, Cass is fine, everyone's alright." Mary said, sitting down in the stables. Batcow chewing her food loudly in the corner.

"I'm coming back-!" Damian said over the phone, the sound of something toppling over ringing over the phone.

"Don't you still have Titan business?" Mary asked, picking up Batcow's brush, slowly combing her hair, patting her while she mooed in content.

"To hell with that! I'm-"

"Damian," Mary said calmly. "I'm okay, really." she said. She was okay…right? Honestly, she wasn't completely sure. Despite the hundreds of reassurances. The guilt hung over her head. Guilt of being foolish enough to believe the lies. Guilt of possibly breaking her family's trust in her. Guilt of not saving Talon. The image of his body on the ground and the sound it made…she'd never forget it.

Damian paused, silence cracking though the phone. "You're a terrible liar, Mary." he said softly. Mary paused in her brushing. "How do know I'm lying?"

"I know." he said heavily. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Mary chuckled. "You didn't do anything."

"Exactly. I've been-so…preoccupied, I've neglected you," Damian said. Mary's light smile fell. "You're doing good Damian, there's not need to apologise for that." she said firmly.

"There is, if I've made you feel as if you can't talk to me." he said desperately. "You can always talk to me. About anything. I-" he took a breath. "I don't want you to ever stop talking to me."

Mary smiled warmly. "Neither do I." she said softly. Damian sighed, somehow she felt like she could feel him smiling too. "I'll come see you as soon as I can, alright."

"Alright." Mary said, holding the phone in her hands, suddenly wishing he was here, sitting next to her instead of a miles away.

"I…I miss you." Damian said quietly. "You have no idea, how exhausting these people are, Grayson."

Mary giggled. "I miss you too. Stay safe. Do good things, kay?"

Strangely enough, it felt like he was here…somehow while miles away, at the moment Damian felt like the closest person in the world to her. Like an unspoken connection. She wondered if he felt it too?

"Yes…bye, Grayson."

She smiled. "Bye, Wayne."

"Mary! There you are!" Duke called from the house, jogging up towards her. Mary glanced up, walking up to him. "What's up?" she asked. She couldn't help, but feel guilty about talking with everyone else.

Manipulated or not, she still felt responsible for Talon and the Court, for Cass's injury, for all the trouble she'd caused.

"Everyone's looking for you," Duke said cheerfully, taking her hand, leading her up the stairs to Cass's room. "Cass's wants to see you, she told me to get you as soon as you were allowed to out. She's been so worried, especially since we couldn't come to the Court's hideout."

"She was?" Mary mumbled to herself. Poor Cass…she didn't mean to do anyything-

Duke opened the door. "Found her!" he announced to the room. Cass, who was lying under her pink bedcovers looked up, her face splitting into a big smile. Steph and Tim, who were sitting on either side of Cass, turned to them. Tim giving her a a small wave. Steph turning around, grinning widely. "Hi Mary!"

"Hi." Mary said quietly. They, they were happy? Happy to see her…

Cass patted the place next to her, moving her laptop to her side table. "Mary, come sit," she said excited. Mary crawled up on the bed, Duke sitting near the foot of the bed chatting with Tim and Steph.

"How are you feeling?" Mary asked instantly, glancing down at the white cast on Cass's leg, which was adorned with colourful squiggles and writing. Cass waved it off. "This. Nothing. I'd walk if Alfred let me."

Mary understood, when one had their bones broken so often, eventually the pain just didn't phase you. She remembered Lady Shiva and Slade often making her walk around and train with broken bones. For Cass, this probably was nothing. Mary was sure if not for Alfred and Bruce she probably would have crashed into the Court of Owls base, broken bones and all. And beaten them all.

"How are you?" Cass asked. Mary instantly knew she wasn't asking about her health. Talon…it had been a few days, it didn't matter though. When she closed her eyes she was back on that rooftop, gripping onto his hand, begging him to hold on.

"I'm…okay." she mumbled, glancing between her and everyone else, unable to hide the question that was now bursting in her gut. "Aren't you…angry with me?"

Silence. For a split second, she wished she kept her mouth shut. She couldn't bring herself to look at them in the eye. She felt it difficult to face them. She knew she must have disappointed them. Broken their trust in her. It felt particularity hard to look at Tim, she knew how much he valued trust. The silence seemed

"For what?" Steph said, looking at her like she'd grown another head. Mary glanced between them, all of them looking back at her with equally confused faces. "Talon. I lied and…I put everyone in danger…I broke your trust. I would be angry at me…I am angry at me."

Steph chuckled, lightly hitting her arm. "Idiot. Is that why you've been so upset?"

Mary glanced around the room, Tim and Duke giving each other knowing looks. Mary awkwardly nodding, not understanding what they were smiling at. Cass gently squeezing her from behind.

"Mary," Steph said, gently lifting her chin. "You made a mistake. It happens. We've all make bad calls sometimes, we've all trusted someone we probably shouldn't have. We've all seen the good in someone," Steph said, her eyes softening slightly, when she mention 'him'. "And their was good in him…don't for a second think their wasn't."

"If anyone's to blame, it's Cobb. He manipulated everyone." Tim said firmly. "And, if there's anyone to blame here. It's probably me."

"What?" Steph blurted out. Tim sighed. "I-I suspected Talon was contacting you in secret."

"What?" Duke and Steph yelped. Cass grabbing a pillow, whacking Tim hard with it. "You better explain. Fast."

"You knew?" Mary said quietly. Tim scratched the back of his neck. "I suspected…I didn't think-" Tim said scratching the back of his neck. "I didn't trust you enough to tell you, I thought-there was a possibility that, you'd chose the Court instead of us."

"What?" Cass hissed.

"Before when Slade took Mary, Talon was there. He's the one who killed David Cain and manged to scare of Slade. That's when you met him, isn't it?" Tim asked.

Mary nodded. "Yes, he gave me a lock pick, so I could get out."

Tim nodded. "I suspected Mary may chose to help Talon, since he helped her, I thought they may have history-when I realized what was really going on it was too late." he said, bending down to her eye-level. "So if there's anyone to blame its me. For not helping you sooner-for not trusting you when I should have-"

"But…that's crazy!" Mary said instantly. "It was all Cobb's fault and how were you supposed to know if I were on your side, I messed up and it's not fair to feel guilty for what he did and -"

"Exactly." Tim said adamantly. "Don't you dare feel guilty for what he did. You made a mistake, like Steph said, it happens. Mistakes teach us, you just get better from now on. So don't be too harsh yourself. Okay?"

Where she came from, mistakes meant punishment. Where she came from, if you didn't feel bad…you were bad…where she came from-they would have hated her…but…here…they…cared.

"Okay." Mary whispered. Tim smiled. "Even if you did put us in danger, even if you did betray us…We'll still love you. We always will."

Here they loved her. She loved them too.

They won't stop coming after her, won't they." Dick said softly, sitting across from Bruce. Bruce glanced up at him. "No."

Dick sighed, crumpling into the chair. "Slade, Talia, Talon-"

"Not counting your enemies in Blüdhaven, Gotham, from the Teen Titans, the Titans, the Justice League, the Team-"

"Oh god." Dick mumbled, shaking his head. "I can't protect her at all, can't I?" he said, feeling the sense of deja vu at the question. How to protect Mary? It played in the back of his mind more often than he cared to admit. How to keep her safe? How to make sure he'd doing the best he can for her?

"Not in the way you want to, no." Bruce said gently. "You need to trust that she can handle the tough stuff. I had to learn it the hard way, pushing her to be safe, pushing her to stop. It will only push her away."

He didn't need much to know that Bruce was talking about him. He remembered after he'd been brutally shot by the Joker as Robin. Bruce had become so worried about his safety, he told him to quit being Robin. Quitting being Robin had been one of the hardest things he'd had to do. Even though he'd come to understand the decision, he knew they both regretted how that situation had played out.

"Mary deserves…she deserves so much more than that. She deserves a normal childhood. A good life." he mumbled. Bruce nodded. "She does. But do you really think she'll be happy with one?"

Dick didn't even need to think about that.

He'd never seen her look happier. The freedom and awe in her face, the smile, the widest and brightest he'd seen making the night sky, the whole of Gotham just a little bit brighter. She was exactly where she was meant to be.

Ah!" Bluejay screamed. Firefly flying off, dragging her with him.

"What's happening!?" Nightwing called, Bluejay spotting him on the roof. "This is oh!" Bluejay shouted, as she flew past Nightwing.

"How was kitten duty?" Oracles voice said though their comms. "More fun than I thought it would be." Bluejay said, giggling when she hear Tim's: "Yeah for you, I got the snake."

"There was a snake?" Oracle said lightly. "Her name was Chi-chi, and she got very friendly with RR." Bluejay said, grinning.

Mary loved being Bluejay with all her heart. She treasured it, as he'd treasured being Robin. Dick smiled. "No. She'll probably be going out the window, the second I turn around in Haven." he chuckled. Bruce smirked. "She's a fighter, its who she is, and she knows it."

Dick sighed. "I know. I just…wish she didn't sometimes." he mumbled. Bruce nodded understandingly. "I know you don't believe in destiny, but something tells me, Mary was born to be a hero." Bruce mused, smiling at him. "Like you."

It never mattered how much he said it…knowing Bruce was proud of him, warmed his heart and eased his nerves more than anything in the world. He could trust him to help him figure out the right thing to do.

"You sure, you're ready for the move?" Bruce said worriedly. "It's a big change. And you're more than welcome to stay."

Dick smiled. "I know, but I think after everything, I need to figure things out with her on my own for a bit. Besides, Blüdhaven's crime rate tripled since I've been here. Soon enough they'll be competing with Gotham, if we're not careful." he joked.

"I'm not too worried." Bruce said patting his shoulder, picking up his coffee cup. "After all, Blüdhaven is Nightwing and Bluejay's city now."

She'd been back in her own room for about an hour, and she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable in it. Maybe it was because the beautiful balcony doors and her soft pillows reminded her that Talon had been here. Not too long ago, he'd walked in and out freely. Not long ago, he'd been alive. He'd never walk in here again.

She felt both relieved and saddened at the thought. It was a strange feeling, but she found herself replaying the rooftop over and over again, hoping…maybe she'd find a way to save him. Every time, even in her dreams he slipping out of her fingers, bones snapping back against the storm.

She slowly closed her room door, padding down the hall to Dick's room, opening the unlocked room, poking her head though the door. "Dick?" she said softly.

He was lying on his bed, scrolling on his phone in his pajamas, looking up when she called. "Hey, bug, what's up?" he said, sitting up. Mary bit her lip, looking down at her bunny slippers. "Can I stay here tonight?" she mumbled

"Of course," Dick said, moving his laptop and books of the other side of the bed, dusting it off, pulling the duvet back letting her crawl under the cover with Zitka. "Do you want me to sle-"

She grabbed his hand, and for a second she was back on the rooftop 23 meters from the ground. Rain pounded against her ears, the droplets like ice against her skin, arms burning, head spinning.

She never wanted to let go.

"Please don't leave me." she whispered, feeling warm roll down her cheek. Dick cupped her face, wiping the tear away. "Never." he promised. Mary moved up, letting him sit next to her, before she lay her head over his chest. Dick smiled, slowly stroking her hair. "Comfortable?"

"Hm." Mary said, nuzzling in the nook of his arm and the side of his chest over his heart, Zitka sitting next to her on pillow.

Dick smiled. "Okay, get some sleep, don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." he said, giving her hand which was still half-death gripping his own a squeeze. Leaning back, resting against the pillow, lazily shutting his eyes.

"Dick?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Is it okay that I-I-I," she took a deep breath, she didn't want to say it. Saying it made it real and if it was real.

"Miss him?" Dick said softly. She nodded, another purge of guilty entering her, how could she say that, when he was right here? How could she-

"It's okay to miss him and to mourn him…I do too." Dick said, slowly stroking her hair. Mary glanced up at him. "You do?"

"Dick nodded. "He may not have made the best choices, but, he was hurt not evil. I just…wish I could have gotten their sooner…helped him."

"Why did he do that? I don't get it. I, I-how could he do that?" she whispered furiously, blinking back the tears that were trying to force there way out. "It makes me so…if he just held on, everything would have been fine-"

"He was angry, grieving…I suppose it must have hard to find a way out of the darkness. He must have been in the dark so long, that seeing a light when all you have is dark. It must have been scary."

She sniffed, doing her best not the start crying again. "Every time I close my eyes, I see his face, I hear that sound…"

Dick shut his eyes. "I know…" he knew that sound well. Mary sighed, holding onto him tightly. "Dick?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't go anywhere."

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Mary sighed, relaxing into his arms, suddenly feeling very tired. Dick smiled. "Get some sleep kay?"

"Okay," Mary murmured, shutting her eyes. She hadnt closed them very long, when she remembered her real reason for coming to find him. "Dick?"

"Hm." Dick said, opening his eyes. Mary bit her lower lip, awkwardly playing with the hem of her sleeve. "Is it…" she said slowly. "…ok if…I call you, Dad?"

He blinked, feeling quite dazed for a second.

"Sometimes?" she said, peering up at him. Dick nodded, smiling softly trying not to keep calm, even though he felt quite light-headed with happiness. "Yes…it's okay."

Mary nodded slowly, gathering up her courage. "Dad…" she said, the word sounding comfortable, rather than unfamiliar on her tongue.

"Yes?" Dick said softly, his heart feeling ready to explode with happiness.

"I like that you're my Dad." Mary said sweetly. Dick smiled, hugging her tightly. "Me too." Mary shut her eyes, before suddenly shifted, looking up at him. "Dad?" she said quickly.

"Yeah?"

"You know I love you, right?" she said, as if worried he might not have known. Dick smiled, tucking some of her loose hair hair behind her ear. "I know." he said, kissing her gently on her forehead. "I love you too."

"I know." Mary said instantly, snugging into his side, shutting her eyes. Dick chuckled, reaching over turning off the lamp light. For the first time in months, having a good nights sleep.

It hadn't occurred to her, how much she didn't know about her father until Talon. It was strange, she'd read his file back to front, knew his life story, favourite colour, facts and information.

She could list it all, but it wasn't the same as truly, knowing him. There was a lot she didn't know about him. Then again, there was a lot he didn't know about her.

Assassin, had been her identity for a long time. It was part of her, no doubt about that. Mary Grayson. Bluejay. They were part of her too now. She wondered what other identities her father had, what other pieces made up his life.

They still had a lot to learn. "Home sweet home." Dick said with a grin, the car coming up to the large sign board which read:

WELCOME TO BLÜDHAVEN

Fresh start. New City. Tall buildings. Colour-filled shops and skyscrapers. Bright colors on almost every building, ranging from strong reds to happy yellows. Smell of ocean, crisp sea breeze. In the corners the hint of mystery, darkness that crept in, encroaching on the light.

She smiled. She liked it already. "Home sweet home."