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“Mum,” Mary called loud enough to be heard at the back of the house. “I need help!”
Even though she’d been on comms all night, a knot of panic bloomed in Babs’ chest. Had Mary been hurt somewhere between the last time Babs caught her on camera and now? Had Dick? Their suits’ biometrics hadn’t recorded any anomalies. While Babs had full faith in Dick to watch out for their daughter (and himself), she worried about their daughter. Mary had only been out as Batgirl for a month and didn’t know her limits yet. Babs swore she didn’t know how her dad—or Alfred—had done it for all these years, knowing their child (or, in the case of the Robins, grandchildren) had been out all night while they watched from the sidelines.
Counting to five, Babs let out a slow breath. She pulled up the house cameras, and followed as her daughter raced up the stairs—in costume. Mary didn’t appear to be bleeding, so Babs could breathe a little easier. But, Nightwing was still on duty and Bruce had called for backup. If Dick needed help, she needed to be there.
Before Babs could maneuver her wheelchair across her office, Mary burst through the office door. Her face was bright and bursting with the excitement from a successful night as Gotham’s newest vigilante.
“Mum, I need your help.” Somewhere between their basement lair and the office, Mary had lost her cowl and and gloves. Dark ginger curls escaped its braid and plastered along her neck and forehead. Mary hopped on one still booted foot. In her hand she held her other boot.
“Mary Elizabeth Grayson.”
At the tone in Babs’ voice Mary froze and glanced sheepishly up at her mom. It was the same tone which Alfred had long ago mastered and the former Robins still instantly obeyed. “Yes?”
“First, there is no need to yell. We don’t want to wake your brother. Second, we have rules about wearing costumes upstairs, don’t we?” Babs gave Batgirl’s cape a gentle tug. While Babs might wish to think her daughter chose blue and gold for her uniform in deference to Babs’ early costume, the colors were more in line with Dick’s first Nightwing costume. Thankfully, the style was similar to Steph’s Robin costume than several of the other designs she could have taken as inspiration.
“I took off my cowl, so I thought it’d be okay. But, I guess it’s still pretty obvious I’m Batgirl. Sorry Mum.” Mary unbuckled her utility belt and let it drop to the floor.
“I forgive you.” Babs tapped her daughter’s chin, lifting it until she met her eyes. Dick also had trouble remembering to not leave his uniform lying around where anyone might find it. “Just remember, we have rules for a reason. I need to know you’re able to obey them. Do you understand?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Babs pulled her daughter in for a hug. “Now, what did you need my help with?”
Breaking out from the embrace, Mary lifted her still booted foot. “I can’t undo the knot. And Daddy didn’t have time to help after he dropped me off.”
Almost laughing in relief, Babs took hold of Mary’s foot and studied the knot for a moment. Like Nightwing’s boots, they were specially designed for to allow her acrobatic husband and daughter to feel the ground beneath their feet while protecting them from the rubble strewn streets of Gotham. The easiest solution would be to cut the laces, but Babs cherished the idea of spending some time with her daughter while trying to save the yellow laces. “Lie down, darling, and give me your foot.”
Mary laid on her back and propped her foot on Babs’ knees. The knot was fiendishly tight and took Babs a moment to decide where to start.
“So, what did you do tonight?” Though Oracle had observed Batgirl’s patrol via cameras and comms, as her mother, Babs liked hearing her daughter’s perspective.
“Let’s see. First Daddy and I patrolled. It was quiet tonight, but we were able to stop by and see Grandpa Jim. He brought me a juice box and then talked to Daddy without me.” Mary ticked the events off on her fingers.
Babs smiled. For Mary, ‘patrol’ was mostly some basic parkour around the safer parts of town. As for Nightwing’s meeting with the Commissioner, Babs had also been part of that conversation via the vigilante’s comm. The Bats and Birds were following a human trafficking ring and Nightwing was keeping Dad in the loop about a new lead. Dick and Bruce were scheduled to meet up later this evening and and follow the lead.
“What happened next?” Babs prompted. With deft fingers, she tugged the end of the lace through a newly loosened loop.
“Then we reached the grocery store in time to help Mrs. Johnson carry her groceries.” Mary ran her hands through her thoroughly mussed cowl head. Her fingers caught in the tight curls. “I like helping Mrs. Johnson. Did you know she always goes grocery shopping on Thursdays? Isn’t it amazing how we’re always there to help her.”
“Yes, darling. I am so glad you are able to help Mrs. Johnson.” Babs frowned at the knot. Half the lace had twisted around itself. As for Mrs. Johnson, Mary had met the elderly woman her first week of patrol and being her father’s daughter, had struck up an instant friendship. When Mary suggested helping Mrs. Johnson, Thursday night patrols were scheduled around the shopping trip.
“After helping Mrs Johnson we met up with Gra—“
“Codenames when in uniform,” Babs chastised lightly. She should have reminded Mary to address Daddy and Grandpa Jim as Nightwing and Commissioner respectively.
Mary rolled her eyes and tugged at her cape’s quick release clasps. Despite the tradition of capes for Batgirl and Robin, it was unlikely Mary would have patience to continue wearing it for much longer. “We met with Catwoman and fed the stray cats by Robinson Park. There was a couple of new ones. We caught them so we could take them to the humane society tomorrow. Can I go with her? Please.”
“I’ve already made arrangements with her. She’ll pick you up from our research lesson at the library right before lunch. You’ll have lunch with Grandma, then you can head down to the shelter with her.” While Selina loved cats, even she couldn’t take in every stray in Gotham. The cats would be spayed or neutered and released back to the streets, where Selina would continue to care for them.
Though Mary bounced with leftover adrenaline, her wiggles were growing more lethargic. Babs loosened the next loop until she could work the end if the lace through. “Was there anything else?”
“We stopped a mugging on the way home. Well, Daddy—Nightwing—did most of the stopping. But, I had a very important job too. I made certain the man being robbed was not hurt and he stayed calmed. Then we called the police. Detective Gage was on duty so I got to say hi to him.” Mary propped herself up on her elbows. “Are you done yet?”
“Just about.” The laces fell free of the knot and dangled on either side of her daughter’s foot. She held the heel of the boot. “Try now.”
Mary slipped her foot out of the stubborn boot and hopped up to her feet. Now all she wore was her leggings and tunic. “Thanks Mum!” Mary threw her arms around her mom in an exuberant embrace.
“Good job tonight,” Babs grabbed one of her tablets with Oracle level security. “Let’s head to the kitchen. You can fill out your mission report while I get you a snack. I believe Grandpa Alfred dropped off some of his chocolate chip cookies earlier.”
“Yeah,” Mary dashed out to the kitchen, eager for the cookies even if they were accompanied by paperwork.
Following her daughter at a more sedate pace, Babs felt proud of her daughter’s accomplishment. Though still so young, Mary definitely had the heart of a hero like all her aunts, uncles, grandfathers, and parents. There was hope for the next generation of Gotham.
——
A half hour later, Mary was tucked into bed and Babs was back at her desk. An Oracle-green glow illuminated the room, as the massive amount of information she routinely collected scrolled across her screens. Automatically, she began sifting through the data, separating by case or who requested the information. Meanwhile, she kept half an eye on the Gotham vigilantes and ready to serve as their eyes and ears whenever they needed her.
Patrol for the full fledged vigilantes had settled into a routine pattern while they waited to make their move. Nightwing remained down at the rail yards to keep watch for any signs that the traffickers schedule had changed.
Seeing her husband alone for the time being, Babs decided to take advantage of the situation. She double checked the encryption on the comms and opened the private line without the Oaracle voice modulation.
“Hey lover boy,” Babs spoke softly. “Good job tonight.”
Dick made no reaction to signify he was talking on comms. Though he whispered, the edge of melodrama filtered over the line. “So, my dazzling daredoll hasn’t forgotten about me after all.”
She groaned. Only Dick was allowed to get away with calling her by the old epithets. And then, only when they were alone. When he said it, it made her feel dazzling. Besides, it wasn’t like she didn’t have plenty of ammunition to retaliate with. “Sorry hunkwonder, there was a shoe emergency.”
“Tell me about it.” Dick laughed lightly. “Our little Batgirl certainly keeps me on my toes.”
“I miss you.” Babs brought up a clear video of Nightwing perched on the top of an empty boxcar.
He glanced up at the camera and grinned. “I miss you too.”
“Do you want to tell me about your day as you wait?” Thursdays were tricky. Babs taught an early morning freshman computer-sci class at the college, Dick taught an evening advance aerial acrobatics class. Which meant, she left before he woke and he got home with only enough time for a kiss and a bite to eat before taking the newest Batgirl out on patrol.
“Of course…” Dick gave her a whispered account of his day and when he finished she shared a few anecdotes about her time on campus.
“Nightwing, on your six, you’ve got company.” Babs seamlessly slipped back into Oracle mode as van arrived at the rail yard as scheduled.
“Love you, babe,” he whispered into the comm as he leapt to a better vantage point.
“Love you too. Be safe.” Oracle flipped on the voice modulator as she switched back to the general comm. “Batman, the target is on the move…”
Life was sometimes hectic, always busy, but no matter what happened Babs found that life was good.