Resurrection of Zodiac (Nightwing X OC) #4

Chapter 2

Maria pov
I got up in the morning and took a long shower, so long I took all the hot water. I got out and dried off. I put shorts and a tank top on and then took the remainder of my makeup off. Dick always said I looked prettier without any makeup on.

I went Into the nursery and got my children up and dressed.

I carried Wally and Sage down to breakfast. Most of the league members had stayed the night. Although they were coming and going as Missions came.

I got my children started on breakfast, then I went back upstairs to the library. I picked a copy of Dick and I's wedding photo album off of the shelf. I took it back downstairs to a parlor and I sat down on the couch.

I sat by myself looking at the album and crying.

"Come on girl, pull yourself together." A voice came.
I looked around and no one was in the room.
"You're week, a mugger could take you down right now." The voice came again.
"Shut up." I said.
"You couldn't even save your own husband."
"Shut up!" I yelled.
"You're not a hero!" The voice yelled.
I grabbed the album and threw it across the room. I stood up as it hit the wall.
"You can't even save yourself from insanity." I looked At the mirror and saw Nightingale.
"You're not real." I said backing away from the mirror.
"Oh but I am real. I'm real to you." She said.
"This isn't real, this is all inside my head." I said putting my hand to my forehead.
"No it's not." A hand was out on my shoulder.
I grabbed the wrist and threw the person over my shoulder. Nightingale laid on the ground.
"Let's see how you do without your magic." Nightingale said as she got up.
I Said a spell that should have sent Nightingale out the window. But nothing happened.
"Looks like you don't have your magic." Nightingale threw a lamp at me and I dodged it.
I jumped over the shards and ran out of the room.
"I need backup!" I yelled.
I threw a table down in the hallway to try to stop her. A blur of blue flew to me.
"What's wrong?" Clark asked.
"Nightingale is after me." I said.
He looked at me confused. I saw her reflection in the mirror smiling at me.
"She she's right there." I pointed. Clark looked at the mirror and looked back confused.
"Maria no one is there chasing you." Clark said.
I looked behind me and saw no one.
"I'm going crazy," I said putting a hand to my forehead.

He took me to the cave and Bruce did a psycho analysis. He determined my episode had come from loosing Dick.

•••

I was going through with the reconstruction surgery with the money I got from selling our apartment. I couldn't afford the complete surgery but at least I got breast again And through this, I was starting over as a single mom. I had even applied as an aerialist in the Haly Circus. Dick had taught me enough to do solo acts.

I sat down in Haly's office.
"So tell me why you want to be in my circus?" He asked. I looked down at my lap.
"Because of Dick." I Said.
"Excuse me?" He asked.
"Dick Grayson, My late husband. He'd go on and on about how amazing the circus life was and if anything went south. Running away with the circus was always our back up plan." I said.
"I'm sorry for your lost." He said as he looked down.
"I already know how to do aerial routines. Dick taught me." I said.
"You're in." He said without hesitation then stood up. "Really?" I asked shocked at his answer, without seeing what I could do.
"Anything for a Grayson." He said. I smiled and stood up. I had the contract signed by the end of our meeting. 

I followed him out of the trailer and Artemis stood there with my children.
"Momma are we joining the circus?" Justice Asked.
"We are," I Smiled. "Come meet Dick's children." I Said.

Haly walked down the steps with me and Artemis gave me Sage.
"This is my friend Artemis," I Said. Haly shook her hand.
"Nice to meet you," Artemis Said. "Dick taked very highly of you." 
"Well this is Sage Amara Grayson." I said.
"She's a cutie," Haly Smiled.
"She's almost 8 months." I Said. I put my hand on Justice's head.
"This is Justice Richard Grayson. He's almost 6 and a half." I Said as I rested my hand on his head.
"He looks just like Dick." Haly Smiled.
"And this is Wally Wayne Grayson. He's going to be 2 soon." I Smiled at Wally.
"They're beautiful children." Haly Said.
"Well let me show you around." He Said.
"I've got it from here. You can head home now." I said to Artemis.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"I'll be fine." I assured her. She left and I followed Haly with my boys following closely to me.

Haly took us into the big circus tent. Wally pulled on my shirt for the tenth time, complaining he was too tired to walk so I picked him up.

"Family meeting! Everyone in the big top!" Haly yelled.
"Go sit on that bench over there."
I told Justice as I gave him Sage.
He and Wally went over and sat down.
"Everyone this is Anastasia Grayson, the widowed wife of Dick Grayson. You may remember him from our famous act of the Flying Grayson. an act he and his parents did. Sadly after a run in with the mob they were killed and he left us." Haly gave this big long speech about Dick, before he let me have the floor to introduce myself.
"Hello, like Haly Said, I'm Anastasia. The three beautiful children over there are Dick's, the younger two are mine, the older one my step son, his name is Justice, and his siblings are Sage and Wally." I smiled looking at them.
"Tell is about yourself." Haly Said.
"I have been cancer free for almost four months now. I found out I had breast cancer when Sage was four months old and I've had chemo and both my breasts removed and reconstructed." I stopped.
"Dick loved the circus, he told Justice's nursery was circus themed. If anything really serious happened like we had to disappear or were in financial trouble. Our fall out plan was to run away with the circus. So I'm doing this to honor his memory and hopefully keep the memory of the Grayson's alive." I Said as I looked at my wedding ring.
"Now you're an arealist Correct?" Haly Asked.
"I am, Dick taught me." I Said.
"Well how about you give us a little treat." Haly Asked.
"Alright, But I have to warn you I'm still a bit out of shape and out of practice. But I'll do my best." I Said.
I grabbed my unitard from my backpack and went to change while the silks were prepared.

I returned and chalked my hands before grabbing the silks and climbing up And did a routine, Dick taught me.

I tumbled down and caught myself and held my hand out. This was the part where Dick was supposed to come in. I pulled myself up and looked in the opposite direction as if someone had just walked past me. I climbed up and spun myself in a thigh hitch combo. I felt like my heart was breaking over Dick, I loved him and he was actually gone. I stood up on the hitch and I lowered my head to let them know I was done.
"Maybe you could add some music." One of the trapeezest said.
"Maybe or some instrumental." I said.
"Well either way it was beautiful." Haly said.
I climbed down and Sage started to cry. I ran over and took her from Justice.
"Well what do you think?" Haly asked the other acts.
"She's in," one of the clowns said. The rest of the group agreed.
"Thank you, thank you so much. We've been living with my father in law since my surgery." I Smiled.
"we have a show tonight, get yourself a trailer and be here at four am tomorrow morning." Haly said.
"Alright, I Can do that." I said. Sage nestled into my chest and she went to sleep.
"I can definitely do that." I said.

I left the fair grounds and drove back to the manor. I told everyone the news and Bruce already had a trailer for my family to run away in the circus with. I thanked them all and then went to my room and started packing. Jason, Tim and Damien came in.
"Hey we want to help you pack. What can we do?" Tim asked.
"Can you go ahead and shove all of my kids cloths into a bag. Try to be neat, and make it obvious which clothing goes. Also let them pack some toys. I know they're going to want them." I Said as I forcefully folded up Zodiac's suit and forces it into my suit case. I grabbed my collection of assorted T-shirt's I had since college.

I threw them into the suit case as the guys left. I grabbed all the denim pants I owned and also thermals. I didn't know where we were going but I wanted to be prepared. I grabbed my budge parka and laid it on the bed.

The next morning at four am, I pulled into the fairground with the trailer attached to a truck Bruce had also bought for me. You gotta love it when your billionaire father-in-law buys you stuff.

I got out of the truck leaving it running and my children asleep In The back. I walked toward the trailers. A man who looked like he was in his forties walked towards me. He was strongly built, he had salt and pepper hair, along with brown eye so dark they almost looked black.
"Sinbad the Clown." He stuck his hand out to me.
"Anastasia Grayson." I said as I hesitantly shook it.
"Haly wants me to ride with you so I can tell you the way." He Said.
"Would you be alright with driving? I hate driving that huge trailer." I Said.
"I'd be happy to do that." Sinbad Said.

PI checked in with Haly and we shortly got on the road to head to Metropolis.

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A/n: hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry it took me forever to post today.
-Zodiac