Demonfire: Welcome to the Family

Chapter 8

Mary POV

The photo was of my mom and four other people who I didn't recognize at all. They all looked like they were wearing some sort of Halloween costumes. My mom was wearing something that I never thought I would see her in.

The frame had 'family is forever' at the bottom. I had never met these people in my life, though. If they were close friends then why didn't mom tell me about them?

I took the picture and stuffed it into my messenger bag, making note to look at it later.

I walked down the hall, opening the first and second doors. I winced when they screeched open. But then again, who was gonna hear me? The rats? Maybe I'd get scolded by a wall, or maybe the door itself would jump off of the hinges and...I need to stop.

The first door was just a bathroom with rubber ducks on the curtains, but the second room was different. Based on the bedsheets and wall color, this was my mom's old room.

I looked around the room. My mom was known for being sentimental, but all of her stuff was here. The pictures, the clothes, even a weird stuffed animal that looked like a fat guy in a bear suit.

I took a glance at all of the pictures, but they were just baby pictures of me. I was starting to get afraid at what I was seeing. But I was still curious, so I kept going.

As I pushed open the next door, I heard odd sounds coming from inside. I was tempted to run, but my self-destructive side wanted to see what was happening. So I peeked through.

It took a while for me to tell someone what I saw and in that room. I would rather've just forgotten it.

_____________________________________

Dick POV

By the time Jason had told me that she was gone, I was already packing my bags. He stared for a second.

"What are you doing?!" He exclaimed, trying to stop my rapidly moving hands.

I looked at him for a split second before turning to my closet.

I needed to see. She couldn't be gone. What about the ba-Mary. This was just a prank from Jason. A very sick one -but why would he say this- . I had to go, just to make sure.

"DICK."

I turned to him. "What Jason, I need to go, I need to..." I said in a trailing off, not really wanting to stay for his answer.

He opened his mouth to, but took a deep breath instead of saying anything.

"You have to think, Dick, she doesn't know you."

I sat on my bed, looking at my lap. "You still haven't told her?"

"Its not my job."

I stood up. "That's what I thought," I said, standing up and going back to my suitcase. He grabbed my arm.

"She just lost her mom...you can't just...sneak up on her like that," he said, sounding awkward. Jason wasn't familiar with handling other people's emotions. I raised an eyebrow at him. "Okay, that wasn't the best way to put it, but think, she needs time."

"She needs a parent."

"She doesn't even know you, how are you her parent?"

I froze. I think we both knew that he had said the wrong thing at that time.

______________________________________

Damian POV

I awoke to the sound of two people fighting. Familiar, but not at this time of night, and certainly not when father and Alfred were at home. It was only 1:34am, after all.

I crept upstairs and listened at-suprisingly- Dick's room. It took me a few moments to detect him and Jason quietly yelling at one another and wrestling. I was going to go back to my room, figuring that they were just joking like they always were. Then,

"YOU HAD NO RIGHT, YOU FUCKING PRICK!"

I heard Jason grunt and I opened the door a crack to see Dick trying to choke him as Jason glared back at him. I stood for a moment before announcing my presence. I cleared my throat.

They both turned to me. Dick let go in of Jason's neck.

"Hey Damian, whattaya doing up this late?" Dick greeted awkwardly as Jason continued to glare at him.

"Are you going to explain Grayson?"

He sighed.

~A few moments later, I was standing in the kitchen listening to the story of people from Dick's past. Jason kept silent until Dick explained what he was planning to do. As soon as Dick mentioned going to Jump City, Jason jabbed a finger at him.

"She doesn't even know him!" Jason exclaimed.

"She's my daughter!"

"You've never even seen her!"

"That's not true!"

"One time doesn't count!"

"I tried!" Dick yelled with the slightest bit of sadness in his voice. "I really did..."

Jason opened his mouth to tell something, but I held up a hand to him. He gave me a dirty look, but shut up nonetheless.

"Who is the child with?" I asked.

"Roy," they said in unison, then glared at one another.

"The archer?"

They nod.

"He is the one that is to have her in case of such situations?"

"It was just a split-second decision, this wasn't supposed to happen," Jason said.

"So legally, she belongs to no one?"

"We haven't seen the will yet," Jason explained.

"Then you wait, this is no time to argue."

Jason glared at me for a moment before giving Dick a dirty look and walking out.

I glanced Grayson and walked back to my room. As I lay on my bed I couldn't help but think about what this would change. Would Grayson bring the child to live with him? Would he be too busy for any others? Would I be...replaced?

I felt a fire in my chest at the thought.

I got a shower and flipped to the next clean page in my sketchbook. I sat down and began drawing the previous night's scene. This time the girl was crying.

______________________________________
A/n

I am so sorry for the late update. I don't have internet often and I've been really busy with schoolwork. But don't worry because I'll try to update at least once a week. Again, please review. (This was some of my artwork.)