a/n - hey guys, in this chapter we'll have a time jump and some action, as a heads up.

⚠️warning : there is more swearing in this chapter than usual⚠️

Plus a little Batfamily x Batsis feels:) Well, high feels since Mara's basically high on pain meds for half of this, which was fun to write 😆 Comment, vote, thank you for reading, and enjoy!

□Mara□

I feel light. And heavy. And in the middle. When Dad - I'm still getting used to the term - grabbed my hand, it made me feel heavier. When he left, I felt lighter. And now that it's been a little, I'm in the happy medium.

Am I high?

Maybe popped up on pain meds...or something...

"I got...your water. If you need anything else, I can get it, you just ask. Okay?" Dad's voice echoes to me.

I look over and see him holding out the cup of water. I'm confused as to why he's got the water?

Did I ask for it?

Did he just bring it?

I don't know, I don't remember. I can barely think, let alone straight.

"Uhhmn." I mumble, wracking my brain for answers. I don't come up with any, because suddenly the door bursts open.

It's a loud banging sound as the door hits the wall, and I don't like it. It hurts my head, but Tim's face occupies it. Well, more his trip to the bed, which consisted of him stumbling and literally falling flat on his face, before he stood and solemnly made his way to the chairs beside my bed. He swallows.

"Okay, before I say anything, let me have you know I will hear no such thing about this from either of you. Got it?" Dad chuckles a little at Tim's statement, cracking a smile. I try to crack a smile.

It's a little hard since I keep forgetting how to, I guess. Well, I just keep forgetting in general.

"So, Mara, how you doing? Hungry? Thirsty?" Tim asks. I feel Dad start to move, probably going to ask Tim to slow down, but I answer before he can, barely a whisper.

"No, I'm okay." I keep my smile up to show a thanks for Tim asking.

"Okay, sounds good. Oh and before you ask, don't worry about school. We got that covered. You don't need to do anything until your a little better."

He reminds me of a kid. But also an adult. He looks like and reminds me of a kid because he looks like one, sitting there with his leands playing with one another, and his legs criss crossed in his seat. On the other hand he reminds me of an adult because he looks at me and talks to me like I'm a child. I'm not. Well, I am a child since I'm not eighteen yet, but I'm not a child because I'm a teen.

"Hello Master Mara," a quiet, calm voice said. I see Alfred step over to the chairs, giving me a tight grin. I give my best smile back. "How are you feeling dear?"

I give him a weak thumbs up, and his grin grows. As everyone starts to settle, and Tim and Alfred get into a small conversation, I feel my mind start to wander.

I wonder where Damian and Dick are, but moreso Dick. We didn't end on the best conversation, so I want to talk to him.

But then, I feel completely exhausted. Like all gassed out, or there's nothing left in my tank. I feel my eyes start to shutter close, even though I want to fight the sleepiness. I want to fight it so bad, amd talk to my family, but I can't. The sleepiness is too much to conquer, I know that. And so I let it take me.

°four hours later°

"Hey Tim?" I ask, awake after my long nap. It was nice, to just sleep. Without worrying about school, sports, or anything else I mean. But that doesn't mean something else isn't on my mind.

"Yeah?" He asks, turning to me.

"Do you miss him?" I don't expect a response at all. I was partially right, as Tim just stares at me for a while.

"Yeah. You're thinking about him now?"

"Yeah. I just miss him. And I guess I understand why you all wanted to protect me more, without me knowing. Jason...well, um - I guess I feel like I understand him more. Like, I think I know what he felt like before he -" I stop, my breath catching in my throat. Tim's gaze is soft and slightly glazed, like he's about to cry.

Damnit.

If he cries I'm gonna cry. And it's gonna be an ugly sob kinda cry. Like pouring your heart out kinda cry, until I got nothing left.

"Could you continue Mara?" Tim asks, and I look to him. His bottom lip trembles. I nod, slowly. Taking a breath, steadying myself, I continue.

"Um, I guess I understand Jason more. In his final moments, like how scared he was. If he was at all I guess, since he wasn't scared of anything. Always roaming the halls like a super human or something..." I chuckle at my comment, looking to my fiddling fingers.

I hear Tim chuckle. It aches to chuckle, but at least I'm not laughing, which would hurt like hell, I'm not gonna lie.

Abruptly, Dad comes into the room, and sits down.

"Hey Dad," I greet him, and he smiles. He turns to Tim and eyes the side wall. Tim's grin fades slightly, and he stands.

"Well, I'm gonna go find our stupid brothers, and uh, get something from the vending machine. See you Mara," Tim walks out almost immediately, closing the door behind him. I swallow.

Am I in trouble? What the shit did I do - haha. That's funny cause I probably did some weird ass sh - !

"Mara, I need to tell you something," Dad says, his face emotion free.

Not good not good not good abort mission! Okay - okay, breathe and focus...breathe and focus...don't fuck this up, whatever this is...

And now I start to get nervous. He's got no emotion showing on his face, and he's wanting to tell me something. It's gonna give me a damned heart attack. I mean, what kid wouldn't have a heart attack when their parent tells them this.

Especially if their parent pats the couch or is waiting in their room and sits in their chair or some crap and is all nonchalant about it - now that's scary.

"Uh...okay," I mutter, my mind running through scenarios of what he could want to talk about. I'm running through what I've done wrong, what I've upset him with - oh sweet baby Jesus. If it's a scolding conversation, were gonna be here for a while, AND I'm screwed. Literally my stupid ass has ignored him for however long now, and I've been snippy and cold towards him.

Yeah, I'm screwed.

"Mara, this was an orchestrated attack."

Woah. Not what I was expecting. I can't tell if it's worse or better right now. I stay quiet, and find myself staring at Dad, wanting to know more.

"There is someone out there looking for you. They want you, but that's not going to happen. I need you to understand that first, okay?"

"Okay," I respond sternly, grasping the reality of this situation. This isn't just some one and done thing. This is someone purposefully trying to kill me.

What the fuck have I done that someone would want to kill me for?! And wh -

No.

NO.

Just because she sold me doesn't mean she wants to kill me. I mean, she sold me so she could get money, something to make her happy. I couldn't. Why would she - IF she could - want to kill me?!

"Good. Good, that's really good. Now, me and your brothers and Alfred are going to protect you from them," he takes a breath, as do I. "With our lives. Now, I know that might sound like the best idea to you, and it is, but there's places and times when we can't be around all the time. Even at school, even though you and Tim are in the same grade, we can't be there twenty four seven."

He takes another breath, looking away. My anxiety has ramped up, making my heartbeat speed up. It's pretty obvious because of the goddamned heart monitor right next to me that's giving it away, so thanks for that.

But my toes started to get clammy, and my arms folded around my chest, as a protective stance. Accept I'm sitting up, so I can't really call it a 'protective' stance.

The longer Dad stares the harder it is for me to keep myself from curling into a ball. My anxiety is off the charts, as I'm already racing through who wants to kill me, who could kill me, and the millions of reasons why they want to kill me.

But on the outside, I just have my arms folded and stare at Dad patiently, a blank look on my face.

He lets go of a long held breath, regret written all over his face.

"Mara," he swallows, "the rest of the time when were not around is up to you to protect yourself. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

I don't. Does he want me to take boxing classes or something? Get a taser? I mean, I get what he's saying in general, I just don't get what he's saying specifically. I'm guessing he took my silence as a 'no'.

"Mara, I'm asking you for permission," Dad looks me straight in the eyes now, his chocolate brown eyes straight into mine. "For permission to teach you how to fight like me. How to protect yourself like your brothers know how."

And then it's dead silent.

We stare at each other, searching for answers in non verbal ways. This is probably the biggest decision I'm going to make. Also probably one of Dad's bigger ones too.

This is incredulously important, and I need to know my answer is concrete before -

"And if you need time, I'll give you as much as you need. If you want to back out later, you can back out. I won't stop you. Okay?" Dad's voice is calm and his face is etched with understanding and no judgement for my answer.

His face gives me something that I haven't felt in a long time. Hope. It makes me realize something. It makes me realize that I can - I have to - trust him. With my life. And myself; I definitely need to trust myself with my life.

Like Dad said, if he and my family can't be there when they need to, then I have to know how to protect and save myself. And the only way I can do that is by saying yes to Dad's offer.

And I know the horrors Jason, Dick, Tim, Alfred, Damian, and Dad have been through. I hated them for that, judged them for that. But now, this is karma for that.

Karma really is a bitch. Damn. But then again, she's just that good. She's got me cornered. I have no way out of this box I'm in - no windows, doors, or vents. And so the only way out is if someone opens the box.

Dad has to open this box. Damian has to open this box. Dick has to open this box. Tim has to open this box. Alfred has to open this box. If Jason were here, he would have to open this box too.

And so, I do the first best thing in protecting myself from this killer of mine.

I let Dad open the box.

"Okay," I say, just getting it out of my system. "If that's what it takes to protect me, then let's do this."