Bats in the Attic (Young Justice/Batman Beyond)

Mary Quite Contrary

"What's Grayson doing here?"

The familiar-sounding voice sounded irritated, drawing Dick's eyes up at the corner of his mouth twitched into an awkward smile, wondering what he'd done now to warrant such a tone. The voice indicated a female, and his mind wandered to the letter again, yet brushed it aside, noting the chances of finding the writer so easily were next to none.

Locks of short red hair framed the woman's face, yet for some reason, he found her familiar. A pretty face, he found himself falling for again. Warren also looked up at the same time, a frown spreading across his face. "Mary, what are you doing here so early?"

The woman opened her mouth, yet Dick found his tongue slipping yet again. "Mary?" For some reason, this didn't seem right. "Isn't your name Helena Kyle?"

Her eyes bored scathingly, it seemed, into his soul. Glancing away, Dick caught sight of a small figure hunkered at Mary's side, watching him carefully as he clutched a stuffed bat toy in his free hand. The vivid blue eyes of the child seemed familiar. Dick quickly brushed the feeling away as the toddler simply giving him a scowl which matched the woman who held tightly onto his hand. His mind also noted the boy appeared around two to three years.

Lifting his hand up, Dick waved at the boy. "Hi."

The boy buried his face into the woman's pants before Warren reached out. "Terry. Come here." With little effort, the boy swiftly climbed up in the long seat next to Warren, again diving into the man's side, looking at Dick cautiously. The man looked Mary in the eye. "Again, what are you doing here so early?"

"We have a problem, Warren."

Dick's eyes blinked, his eyes drifting between the three people. "Um..."

"She's my ex-wife."

"Warren."

"Right. We have a problem."

Dick started to stand up, finding himself rather nervous regarding the family situation. "I think I should be going."

"No. Stay." Warren lifted a hand up, beckoning Dick to stop moving. "Mary's early, so the least she can do is explain."

"It's called your obligated duty to provide childcare in order to keep custody of Terry fell through." Mary leaned against the table. "As such, I had to pick up Terry from her place before my visitation with him was supposed to occur."

"I'll talk to my mother."

"She's not going to budge." The woman took a deep breath. "Look, Warren. I'm not wanting to take Terry from you. You know that. But the conditions of the divorce state you'd make the arrangements for child care while we both work, otherwise..."

"I know. I know." Warren pulled Terry a little closer, rubbing the boy's shoulder. The boy's eyes were wide, and Dick pushed his uneaten pie towards the child, hoping to alleviate some of the anxiety the child likely felt.

"Grayson!"

Dick flinched, but Warren got a glint in his eye. "I know! Grayson!"

"What?" Where things were going, Dick wasn't sure he liked.

"I was asking you just before Mary showed up whether you have a place to stay, let alone a job."

Dick wasn't sure he liked where his friend was going with his train of thought, only for Mary's next comment to confirm his suspicions. "Wait. Are you actually suggesting that Grayson be our child's nanny, let alone his live-in nanny?"

"Hold on..." Taking a deep breath did not do anything to subside the anxiety he currently felt, so he found himself glancing back at the window, worrying his lip as he did so.