The sunlight streamed through the tall windows of Wayne Manor, spilling golden hues across the grand halls and casting long, warm shadows on the polished wooden floors. It was quiet—a stark contrast to the chaos of the night before. Maggie stirred awake, her body aching with a dull throb, as though every muscle had been wrung out. Her room smelled faintly of lavender and antiseptic, the remnants of Alfred's careful ministrations.
She opened her eyes slowly, blinking against the sunlight filtering through her curtains. The weight of exhaustion still clung to her, but she felt… lighter somehow. Her shadows, which had once felt like a foreign, heavy presence, now stirred faintly in the corners of her vision, obedient but still palpable.
Maggie shifted in bed, wincing as the dull ache in her body flared with even the smallest movement. The fight with Umbra had left her drained, her muscles protesting as she adjusted the blanket around her. A soft knock came at her door, breaking her train of thought.
"Come in," she called, her voice raspy but steady.
The door creaked open, and Jason stepped in, balancing a tray laden with toast, a glass of orange juice, and a steaming mug of coffee. His usual confident swagger was tempered this morning, replaced by something quieter, softer. He didn't have the air of the brash Robin or the rebellious teenager. Instead, he looked like the boy who had sat beside her in the Mustang, their connection lingering between them like a quiet promise.
"Breakfast in bed," Jason announced with a smirk, setting the tray on her nightstand. "Alfred insisted, but I volunteered to deliver. Figured I owed you one after last night."
Maggie sat up slowly, biting back a grimace as she moved. A soft smile curved her lips as she met Jason's gaze. "Thanks, Jay. Didn't think I'd ever see you playing waiter."
Jason chuckled, pulling up the chair beside her bed and dropping into it with casual ease. "Don't get used to it. I've got a reputation to maintain, you know."
Maggie shook her head, her smile growing. "Of course."
His teasing expression softened as he studied her, his eyes scanning her face with a mixture of worry and relief. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice lower, more serious.
She hesitated, looking down at the tray of food. "Sore. Tired. Like I ran a marathon uphill while carrying weights."
Jason nodded, his smirk fading entirely. "You scared me last night, Mags. You know that, right?"
Maggie looked up at him, catching the sincerity in his voice and the way his hands fidgeted on his knees. It was rare for Jason to be this open, and the vulnerability in his expression made her chest ache.
"I scared myself," she admitted softly, her fingers toying with the edge of the blanket. "But… I feel like I'm starting to understand it now. The shadows, I mean. They're… different, but they're part of me."
Jason leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Yeah, well, I hope that understanding comes with a healthy dose of 'don't go off alone and nearly get yourself killed.'" His voice was firm, but the corners of his mouth twitched, trying to hide a smirk.
Maggie gave a faint laugh, the sound more a sigh than anything. "Noted."
Jason reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face, his touch lingering for a moment before he pulled back. "Good. Because if you ever do something like that again, I'm chaining you to the Batcave."
"Very dramatic," Maggie murmured, her smile returning.
Before Jason could retort, another knock came at the door. Both of them turned as it opened to reveal Bruce, his tall, imposing figure framed in the doorway. Even without the cowl, his presence filled the room. His expression was calm, his movements measured, but the flicker of worry in his eyes betrayed his emotions.
"May I come in?" Bruce asked, his tone even.
Jason glanced at Maggie, giving her a small, supportive nod before standing. "I'll give you guys some space."
Maggie reached out, catching Jason's hand as he moved past her. "Don't go far," she said softly.
Jason squeezed her hand gently, offering her a reassuring smile. "I'll be right outside."
As Jason left,Bruce stepped into the room, his towering figure casting long shadows in the warm light spilling through the curtains. His expression was calm, but the tension in his posture and the sharpness in his eyes told Maggie this was far from a casual visit. He pulled the chair from her desk and sat down beside her bed, his movements deliberate and controlled.
"How are you feeling?" he asked finally, his voice low but carrying an edge of concern that cut through the quiet.
Maggie shifted slightly, sitting up a little straighter despite the ache in her muscles. The soreness reminded her of the toll the fight had taken, but she refused to show weakness. "Better than last night," she said carefully. "Still tired, but… I'm okay."
Bruce nodded once, his gaze steady and piercing. "Good. You're going to need time to recover."
She held his gaze, bracing herself for what she knew was coming. "You didn't just come to check on me, did you?"
His lips quirked into the faintest shadow of a smile, but there was no warmth in it. "No. I wanted to talk about what happened—and about your powers."
Maggie's stomach tightened. She fought to keep her expression neutral, though her fingers twisted the edge of the blanket. "I figured."
Bruce leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his presence overwhelming even when he wasn't wearing the cowl. "What you did last night was extraordinary, Maggie. But it was reckless, dangerous, and unnecessary."
Her jaw tightened, and she forced herself to meet his intense gaze. "I didn't have a choice," she said quietly, her voice steady but strained.
"There's always a choice," Bruce countered, his tone calm but with an undercurrent of disappointment. "You chose to go out alone. You chose not to tell me—or anyone else—what you were doing. And you chose to hide your powers from me. That wasn't bravery, Maggie. It was reckless."
The words hit like a blow, but Maggie didn't flinch. Instead, her frustration boiled to the surface. "I didn't *hide* them. I didn't even understand what they were until recently. And what was I supposed to do? Let those people disappear? Let Umbra win?"
"You were supposed to tell me," Bruce said, his voice dropping to a sharper tone. "I could have helped you. We could have faced this together. But you decided to go out on your own, putting yourself—and others—in even greater danger."
Maggie's hands curled into fists in her lap, her shadows flickering faintly at the edges of her vision. "You already have so much on your plate. I didn't want to add more."
"That's not your decision to make," Bruce replied firmly. "You're part of this family, Maggie. That means you don't have to carry this alone. But it also means you don't get to make decisions that affect all of us without considering the consequences."
Her throat tightened, and for a moment, she couldn't find the words to respond. "I just…" She looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers as the faintest tendrils of shadow curled and danced at her fingertips. " I was scared."
Bruce's voice softened, but his expression remained serious. "Fear doesn't make you weak, Maggie. But hiding from it does. The shadows are part of you now. They're alive. If you don't learn to master them, they'll control you—and that makes you a danger to yourself and everyone around you."
She nodded slowly, her shoulders sagging under the weight of his words. "I know. But I'm not afraid of them anymore. Not after last night."
\Bruce studied her for a long moment, his sharp gaze searching her face. Finally, he sat back, crossing his arms. "Good. Because fear only gives them power. Starting tomorrow, we'll begin your training. If you're going to use this power, you're going to learn how to control it completely."
Maggie met his gaze, determination flickering in her tired eyes. "Okay."
Bruce stood, his imposing frame casting a shadow over the bed. "Rest today. You've earned it. But Maggie…" His voice softened slightly, though it still carried weight. "Don't ever keep something like this from me again."
She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I won't."
Without another word, Bruce turned and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Maggie leaned back against her pillows, exhaling a shaky breath. Her body was weak, and her mind was still reeling from the events of the past day, but Bruce's words lingered in her mind. The road ahead would be challenging, but for the first time, she felt a flicker of confidence.
Later That Afternoon
The crisp fall air carried the scent of leaves and earth, mingling with the faint aroma of cocoa. Maggie sat on the stone bench in the Wayne Manor Garden, wrapped in a soft blanket Alfred had insisted she take. The sun peeked through the vibrant canopy of red and gold leaves, its rare warmth soothing against her skin. For the first time in what felt like weeks, she felt like she could breathe.
The crunch of gravel under boots caught her attention, and she glanced up to see Jason approaching. He balanced two steaming mugs of cocoa, his ever-present grin softened into something gentler as he stopped in front of her.
"You looked like you needed this," he said, offering her one of the mugs.
Maggie accepted it with a smile, the warmth of the mug sinking into her cold fingers. "You know me too well."
Jason plopped down on the bench beside her, the quiet ease of his presence grounding her further. He stretched out, one arm casually draping along the back of the bench, just brushing her shoulder. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, sipping their cocoa as the world around them seemed to pause.
The sunlight danced through the leaves, casting dappled shadows across the garden path. Maggie tilted her face toward the sun, letting the warmth seep into her. Jason watched her out of the corner of his eye, a small smile playing on his lips.
"So," he began, his tone light but teasing, "about those shadow powers of yours…"
Maggie chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Let's just say I'm a work in progress."
Jason raised an eyebrow, leaning closer. "Aren't we all? But I gotta say, Mags, the way you handled yourself last night? It was badass."
Her cheeks warmed, whether from his words or the sun, she wasn't sure. "Thanks, but it didn't feel that way at the time. It felt like I was barely holding it together."
Jason nudged her gently with his shoulder. "Yeah, but you did hold it together. And you kicked shadow-monster ass in the process. That's a win in my book."
Maggie laughed, the sound soft and genuine. She turned to look at him, their eyes meeting. There was something in Jason's gaze—pride, admiration, and a hint of vulnerability he rarely showed. It made her chest ache in the best way.
"You're sweet when you want to be, you know that?" she teased, taking another sip of her cocoa.
"Don't spread it around," Jason said with a smirk. "I've got a reputation to maintain."
They fell into silence again, but it was a comfortable one, filled with unspoken understanding. Maggie leaned her head against Jason's shoulder, and he didn't hesitate to wrap his arm around her, pulling her closer. The steady beat of his heart beneath her cheek was a reassuring rhythm. Jason shifted slightly, resting his chin lightly on the top of Maggie's head. For a moment, he simply held her, letting the quiet of the garden and the warmth of her presence fill the space between them. Then, he cleared his throat, the sound breaking the tranquility.
"So… uh…" he started, his voice casual—too casual, the kind of casual that immediately raised Maggie's suspicion.
She tilted her head to look up at him, her eyebrow quirking in amusement. "What's on your mind, Jay?"
Jason hesitated, his fingers tapping a slow rhythm against her shoulder. He looked away, pretending to admire the vibrant autumn leaves. "It's nothing," he said quickly, taking a long sip of his cocoa like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.
Maggie smirked, sensing the nervous energy rolling off him. "Jason Todd, you're about as subtle as a brick through a window. Spill."
Jason groaned, tilting his head back to look at the sky. "Why do you have to call me out like that?" he muttered, though there was no real heat in his words.
"Because it's fun," Maggie teased, her smile widening. "Now tell me what's got you all flustered."
Jason rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks reddening slightly. "Okay, so… you know how homecoming is coming up? Like, in a couple of weeks?"
Maggie blinked, then nodded slowly, a playful grin spreading across her face. "The dance? Yeah, I'm aware. Why?"
Jason shifted again, his usual confidence replaced by something hesitant and almost shy. "Well, it's senior year, you know? Last homecoming and all that. And… I was thinking… maybe… we could go together."
Maggie leaned back slightly to get a better look at him, her teasing smirk giving way to something softer. "You're trying to ask me to homecoming?"
Jason groaned, his hand covering his face. "Don't say it like that. It makes me sound so… lame."
Maggie laughed softly, reaching out to pull his hand away from his face. "You're adorable when you're nervous, you know that?"
"Not exactly the vibe I was going for," Jason muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched in a reluctant smile.
"Well, it's working for you anyway," Maggie said, her tone affectionate. She shifted closer, her free hand resting lightly on his chest. "Of course, I'll go with you."
Jason's eyes lit up, a grin spreading across his face. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," Maggie said, her voice warm. "Senior year, last homecoming… there's no one I'd rather spend it with."
Jason's grin softened into something more genuine. "You sure? I mean, you're not worried this one's going to end with us chasing down some lunatic again?"
Maggie laughed, leaning her head back on his shoulder. "If it does, at least we'll have a great story for the yearbook."
Jason chuckled, wrapping his arm around her again. "Yeah, I guess that's true. But I'm calling dibs on not wearing a tie if things go sideways."
"Deal," Maggie said, closing her eyes as she settled against him. "But you're wearing one for the pictures. Non-negotiable."
Jason groaned playfully. "Fine. But only because it's you."
They sat in comfortable silence again, the sun warming them and the faint rustle of leaves filling the air. For a moment, the weight of their chaotic lives seemed to lift, replaced by the simple joy of planning a dance—a normal high school milestone in the midst of their extraordinary lives.
"I'll make it special, you know," Jason said softly, his voice breaking the quiet. "Our last homecoming. I'll make sure it's one to remember."
Maggie looked up at him, her smile tender. "I don't need anything fancy, Jay. Just you. That's enough."
Jason leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Yeah, well… you deserve the best, Mags."