The Night Star (ABANDONED)

Chapter 6

Mar'i gathered what little belongings she had; a few outfits that used to belong to Stephanie Brown provided to her by Alfred. She put them in a small duffel bag and headed downstairs.

  Downstairs, she was greeted by Bruce, Damian, Tim, Alfred, and Dick Grayson's faces.

"Good morning, Miss Mar'i," Alfred told her, trying to lighten the mood.

Mar'i gave him a small smile. One that held sadness behind it. "Good morning, Alfred."

Bruce cleared his throat, catching Mar'i's attention. "Mar'i, you remember Dick, don't you?"

    She nodded.

"Well, it turns out... he's your father," Tim told her, feeling awkward.

Though she already knew this, she pretended not to and nodded silently.

Dick, feeling quite awkward, said to her, "Uh... hi, again. I'm sorry I didn't know about you. Until we can find Kori, you're gonna come stay with me, okay?"

Mar'i nodded once again. She turned to Bruce Wayne and embraced him. "Thank you for everything."

Bruce patted her pack slightly. "It was my pleasure."

  "Goodbye, my dear," Alfred said to Mar'i and she embraced him as well. "Feel free to drop by any time."

"Yes, of course," Mar'i said.

Tim, not much of a hugger either, waved goodbye and Mar'i, smiling a little, waved back and said, "Goodbye, Tim."

The last of her farewells was Damian. He looked down at the floor for a moment then stuck out his hand, for her to shake. She shook it, and noticed there was a small slip of paper in his hand that he had transferred to her.

"It was nice to meet your acquaintance. If you need anything at all..."

  "I know. I'll call you," she said, assuming that that what must have been what  the slip of paper was. His number, for emergencies.

With a silent sigh, she turned to Dick Grayson. Her father. Though she said nothing, he understood and opened the door and lead her out to his car.

  "You can sit in the front, if you want," He told her.

Mar'i shook her head. "I'll just sit in the back."

Dick just nodded. He opened the car door and sat down in the drivers seat, starting the car.

The first few minutes of the ride were filled with a strained, awkward silence.

  "So," Dick said, trying to break the silence. "Uh... how— how old are you, Mar'i? Sixteen, right?"

"Yes," she answered simply.

  "Right, right... Um, so your Mom... she never talked about me being your Dad?"

"No." Mar'i looked out the window sadly. "She wouldn't give many details. I was so close to learning your name, but that was when the Gordanians attacked."

Dick immediately regretted asking her that. He had no idea. "Oh. I'm so—"

"It's fine," Mar'i cut him off.

    More silence.

"Well, we'll find her," he assured her.