Starshine

Prologue: The Beginning

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in the world.

Soft wisps of hair rested on her head as her hands flailed about, one wrapping tightly around his finger. A small button nose and rounded lips that parted and let out a wail. Dark lashes scrunched up as she gave out another cry, louder than the last.

Kory cradled the baby in her arms, pressing a small kiss to their daughter's temple. Her exhaustion couldn't be hidden, even under the disguise of one of Victor's holograph rings, but there was a rosy flush to her cheeks. She leant backwards and Dick added another pillow for support.

Silently, Kory adjusted the blanket around their new born baby. Her finger brushed against their daughter's soft cheek as she moved the cloth, and two eyes opened. They were both pure green, lacking visible pupils, and his breath caught in his throat. She had Kory's eyes.

"Would you like to hold her?"

His lover's voice, gentle and sweet guided him as he held their precious baby girl. Her head fit snugly against the palm of his hand, and she gurgled. All previous cries melted into curiosity as her mouth opened and closed, peering at the unknown stranger.

"Our baby is beautiful," he whispered. Her pregnancy had been real of course, but it was only at this moment, cradling their child, where he truly marvelled. They had done the impossible and created a Tamaranean-human hybrid, one whose lips were currently curving upwards. She was innocent, untouched by the death and sadness that had plagued both of her parents, and he was greeted with the fierce need to protect his child from the evil of the world.

Kory replied, "I know," smiling, and he could see the tears pooling at the bottom of her eyes. After everything they had endured - the countless deaths of their loved ones - the gift of life had helped to ease the pain. Nothing mattered anymore, except making sure that their daughter would always be happy.

He sat on one side of the bed, and red curls caressed against his cheek as Kory leant her head on his shoulder. For a moment, he listened to her steady breathing, soaking up every inch of their newborn daughter. The way how her little fingers curled against his own, how her eyes fluttered, how her soft skin was a blend of the pinkness of his own and the gold of Kory's. The bruising that had resulted from her birth was beginning to fade, although there was a small blue area on the side of her forehead.

Her fingernails were so tiny, so delicate. He brought her closer, before kissing the cheek of the woman beside him.

Mar'i. The name of his mother but with a Tamaranean twist on it - the perfect combination to represent her heritage. She was a Grayson, and the ring currently sitting in his jacket pocket on the chair beckoned for Koriand'r to become one too. This was the start of his new family, one that a year ago he would have never imagined would exist.

A couple of months ago, Roy had tried explaining what it had felt like when he had met Lian for the first time. Dick now fully understood the difficulty his best friend had experienced. The feelings coursing through his veins were indescribable. He'd known Mar'i for twenty minutes, and yet he loved her with everything he could muster.

Their daughter's eyes fluttered, and Kory rested beside him. Both of them seemed to glow with happiness, under the streams of light that filtered in through the window. The room was the largest in the hospital, with a bed in the middle and a couple of tables and chairs on the side. There were two large windows into the hallway, and he could see the different figures of the rest of his family between the blinds.

"Should we introduce her to the rest of the family?" Kory asked tenderly. She held a big smile, one that radiated happiness, and he felt the familiar tug of his lips as he nodded.

Passing Mar'i back to her, he told her, "I'll go get them."

As soon as he turned the corner, Dick was greeted with the sight of everybody's impatient faces. Bruce was wearing a dark suit, having arrived after a meeting in Wayne Enterprises, and Tim was holding a pile of college textbooks. Cass and Steph were dressed more casually, whilst Alfred kept his typical attire.

He couldn't stop the smile from forming on his face. He wanted to show everybody his beautiful daughter.

"Come and meet her," Dick requested, his voice still soft. Mar'i would be the most loved child on the planet, with plenty of aunts and uncles. She had the Titans, as well as the members of Batfamily. The thought made his heart swell.

There were quiet coos at the sleeping baby. She truly was the most precious baby in the world. Kory continued to cradle Mar'i, kissing her softly and adjusting the blanket so that the baby's fingers would stay warm. The two parents hadn't eaten anything all day, and Alfred had brought them some sandwiches.

Wally, Roy, Lian, Vic, Raven and Gar all visited an hour later, along with a holograph ring disguised as a silver bangle. He hated that his daughter was forced to hide, but he slid the bangle onto her tiny wrist.

"It'll hide her eyes," Vic explained quietly, "don't worry, Shortpants."

Whilst one-year-old Lian looked at Mar'i and decided that they would be best friends, Wally took a couple of photos of the scene. He hadn't brought the twins, aware of how much trouble they would cause, but reminded Kory that everybody would get together at the party next week.

Teddies and balloons were brought, as well as cards and chocolate. Mar'i continued to sleep, nestled in the arms of her parents, whilst various checks were done by the doctors. When she finally awoke, it was eight in the evening and Dick was snacking on food from the hospital canteen.

Mar'i wailed again, and Kory gently rocked her, making soothing sounds. The crying persisted, her features crumpling as her little fists balled up. Her face reddened, and he untangled one of her hands that had caught itself in Kory's hair. Tiny fingers instinctively clutched at his own, except this time she squeezed and it was obvious that she'd inherited his lover's Tamaranean strength.

"It's okay," Kory soothed, loosening the blankets.

Her wails became louder, tears streaming down her delicate cheeks. They knew that she was hungry, and he shut the blinds to ensure privacy. He offered to leave, but he already knew that Kory didn't mind his presence. The midwife came to offer help, but she insisted that everything would be fine. She loosened her top and brought the baby to her breast.

"Dr Harrison said you'll be dismissed within the next hour," Dick commented. The car seat had already been put into the car, hours ago, and he'd already moved some of the presents as well.

Kory nodded. "We can all go home," she said, readjusting the baby. It took a couple of tries before Mar'i began feeding, but he knew that would be the case. When she was done, he looked after their daughter whilst she went to change from her hospital wear. He held onto their daughter, swaying her gently as her eyes began to flicker shut. Dick could already tell that she would be a happy baby from the constant sounds that she made.

Strapping her into the car seat, the sunset encouraged him to get everyone in the car as quickly as possible. Kory rested in the car, exhaustion finally setting in. The drive was slow, and he was suddenly aware of how dangerous the world was. He'd always been a careful driver, but this time it was different. Every corner could possess a threat to his sleeping newborn.

The landlady was downstairs, filing papers when they arrived. "Is that your little baby?" she cooed, "oh, she's simply precious! Congratulations!"

Accepting her words as graciously as possible, they rode the elevator to his floor. He held onto the car seat, feeling the need to continuously glance down at their child to make sure she was safe. She slept soundly, with a small purple hat on her head to protect her ears from the icy January chill. The holograph bracelet did its job perfectly, and Dick made a mental note to properly thank Vic for his wonderful job.

They turned the corridor, greeted with the door of their apartment. He fished the keys out of his pocket, and unlocked the door. The lights flickered on.

"Welcome home Mar'i," he whispered.