Nightwing's Daughter (Fanfic)

Starting Over

Nightwing's Daughter - Chapter 4

Starting Over

"Charlotte?" I was shaken from my slumber. "Nooo..." I mumbled sleepily. There was a low velvety laugh; it reminded me of a warm blanket. The ones you'd wrap yourself in when there was a bad storm outside, and you wanted to be safe and cosy. "Charlotte, I have to go to work." I poked my head reluctantly out from under my duvet. Bleary eyed with tangled hair, I blinked several times before forming a somewhat coherent sentence. "Not ok, need you, sort out" My sentence was broken by a massive yawn that I barely managed to cover with my hand. "Flat and." I trailed off as I started to fall back to sleep, I shook myself slightly, opening my eyes as wide as I could.

Again that low laugh that I loved so much. "As much as I'd love to help you move your stuff back in, I have to go and earn money." I had a feeling that he meant it to. His superior a work hated him for whatever reason. I don't think he liked the fact that he had to work really hard to get where he is, and dad just comes in and gets himself a promotion in a matter of months. "Ah yes," I sat up, looking at him, a playful grin graced my face before I gave him a playful salute, "Because Büldhaven P.D need their Detective Inspector, Mr Richard Grayson."

He stood up straighter messing up my hair even further, "That's right kiddo." I looked around my bare room, there was no clock. "Hey dad, what time is it?" He smiled, "Relax, it's half term, no college for you." I smiled happily, stretching out. "Still," I followed him down the stairs to the front door "better make an attempt to join civilisation at some point." He laughed for a third time, something had him in a good mood. I straightened his badge, made an attempt to flatten his hair, then kissed him on the cheek, something I had seen mum do on countless occasions growing up. "Have a good day." I called as he walked down the drive way and got into his car. He smiled and waved as he backed out of the drive and made his way to the end of the road.

I stood on the doorstep, leaning against the doorframe for a moment. I spotted an old neighbour across the way picking up her paper. She spotted me and waved cheerily. "Nice to see you dear." I went to the letter box to retrieve the mail that dad had forgotten about. "And you Mrs. Jenkins, how's that husband of yours?" My hand enclosed around the gas bill, and 3 newspapers. 3 newspapers why would he want 3 papers? "Oh he's alright thank-you darling. You're looking well, it's been a while." Still pondering over the paper mystery I only vaguely heard myself laugh, give a response, say goodbye and then walk up the path, shutting the door behind me.

I placed the gas bill on the coffee table near the door. I sat on the armchair in the far corner of the room - curling myself up like a cat next to a fire. I shook out the first paper. 'Büldhaven Times'. I laid it aside, anything of interest I needed to know, I'd just ask dad. The second paper was 'Gotham News'. Understandable, I mean, what better way to keep an eye on Batman and Robin's latest activities? This way, he didn't have to check in on them all the time.

The third was 'Jump City Today' I rarely ever bothered with the paper when I was in Jump City. I mean, I was usually at the scene of the crime being reported, so it seemed illogical and a waste of my time to read the paper. Flicking through it briefly to my astonishment I found that there was a whole section dedicated to the teen vigilantes of the city - The Teen Titans- and myself. One section of this newspaper covered that day's news on us and the couple of days previous in great detail. I could see why 'Jump City Today' would be a draw in for dad, a direct, yet indirect way of making sure I was ok. Making sure I was safe, yet undisturbed. I was touched.

The phone rang, with a start I looked at the clock, waiting for my eyes to adjust after reading a long article on my sudden 'disappearance'. 10:30. I stretched out and walked over to the phone. "Grayson residence, Charlotte speaking." There was a moment of shocked silence "Charlotte?!" It was Tim. "Hey buddy, how's the shoulder?" There was a sort of strangled chocked sound at the end of the phone, it stopped after a while. "Yeah... It's... Good? Where the hell have you been? I tried ringing your flat, you never picked up!" I twirled on my heel making my way back to my seat.