This story is much more different than my other stories because the Grayson daughter is called Mary Ella and not Maria. This story is not related to my other stories in anyways and I hope you enjoy this new fanfic that I've always wanted to show all the readers. :)

Italics in a story means flashback.

Disclaimer: Nope! I don't own Young Justice!

The Daughter's Diary

Chapter 1: A Spry In The Night

It was a warm night outside. The owls were nestling themselves in one of the tree branches, while the streets were lonesome. The alleyways would always have danger in the corners as the moon shines above them.

Most parents would've let their kids go to sleep already, but a certain family had to celebrate their little girl's 4th birthday. In the Grayson family, birthdays don't end until midnight. Their only daughter is always mounded with a plethora of gifts and sweet candies that would make any kid jealous.

Dick and Zatanna were sitting in bed with their little girl. The blue eyed ebony haired girl was smiling ear to ear, "Look at my new pajamas!"

Both of them were laughing because Mary Ella still has her cute little voice that she's always been blessed with. Zatanna gave her the last gift, "Here you go sweetie, it's the last one. Later on, you have to go to bed."

Mary E. hugged her last gift and then used her puppy dog eyes on her parents, "Awe come on mommy. Pwease, just a few more minutes?"

The cute 4 year old was a big a daddy's girl, so it was easy for him to go along with her. Soon, he was doing the puppy dog eyes on his wife, too. Zatanna sometimes feels like she's in a trap when her family does this to her because this isn't actually the first time they've puppy dogged their way into getting what they want. Although, it's very sufficient, "Okay, fine."

Mary Ella cheered, "Yes!" She hugged her mom, "Thanks mommy!"

Zatanna hugged her back while she kisses her daughter's forehead, "No problem, Mar."

Dick chuckled, "Well what about daddy? Do I get a bear hug too?"

She's already giggling as she goes to him and hugs him really tight. Which's a really happy feeling a father gets every time. He always, and will always, love them.

"Okay, now rip your gift open, Mary Ell."

Her smile was really big. Her nails were already tearing up the gift wrapper. She already knew that the gift was from her parents because they would always give their gift for last. The best gifts are always known as the last ones.

She's finally done unwrapping it. She skims her hands through the leather cover as the baby blue color of the book catches her attention. Dick's growing a smile, "Me and mommy saw what you wrote in school last week. It was a question about what would you do when you grow up question."

Mary Ella nodded. Zatanna continued, "And you said that you wanted to be a writer, right?"

Her smile is really big, "Yeah! But I also want to be a hero, too."

Dick's already kissing his daughter's head, "And I promise that you'll make a great hero, but we also got you this diary to maybe start out writing small. Maybe someday, you'll also make an astrous writer."

She's hugging her new diary close to her chest, "Thank you; thank you; thank you!"

The little ball of energetic was jumping up and down her bed. Zatanna's already tickling her down before she breaks her new bed (that she also got for her birthday).

The Grayson parents heard the ringing of their doorbell. Dick went to open the door, "Hey Mrs. Sally," Dick checks his watch, "I guess you're on time, again."

The blond babysitter chuckles, "Sorry, I'll try to give you enough time with your daughter next time."

Mr. Grayson gave her a smile, "Thank you. Come on in."

Mary Ella was drinking the last sip of her hot cocoa with lots of marshmallows floating on the hot liquid. Her big smile appeared when her lips parted with the rim of the cup. Dick was leaning on the door while he looks back to his family. This is something he will never (ever) regret.

Zatanna's phone buzzed which actually meant that they were needed somewhere else. Well, her and her husband. Dick knew the cue too, "Mar-Mar, Mrs. Sally's here."

She gives the middle aged woman a smile and a wave as the babysitter enters the room to give Mary Ella a hug. Both the Grayson parents gave their daughter a good night kiss as they parted away from her.

...

Glass flew from the side of the building. Some pieces of the debris were scattered all around. A piece of the sharp glass slitted Zatanna's left cheek. She didn't notice it until small drops of blood came from her flawless skin. That wasn't what she was worried about.

The couple heard more screaming through the ignited building. Bombers were collapsing every neighborhood apartment building they could detect. The mastermind behind this was still unknown, but they were mostly occupied by the fact that the city was going down in ruins.

Nightwing called the watch tower for back up because he knows that this was league material. Even the teamwork of a bird and a magician is too much to handle for this heavy duty.

They tried the best they could to save as much people out of the buildings. Ash covered them from head to toe. Zatanna used a spell to breathe normally through the burning buildings, although Nightwing used one of his gadgets.

The magician was incharge for getting most of the kids while Nightwing was in charge getting the older adults. Zatanna tried her best to extinguish the fire with her magical powers, but the flames were too much for her powers to handle.

An old woman was screaming right at Nightwing's ears, "My husband! He's still out there! He can barely walk!," her breathing got harder, "He's still in the building! Please help him!"

A little 4 year old boy came by his grandma's side, "Grandpa! Where's Grandpa?!"

The old woman hugged her grandson as she weeps at his shoulder. Dick knew what it meant to lose someone very dear in his heart, and he wouldn't want it happening to anyone else anymore. The hero quickly ran back to the building. Zatanna glanced from the side of her slashed cheek and saw her husband running back to the collapsable building. She started to feel distraught.

The Justice League finally came to the scene. Zatanna tried to explain as much as she can to them, while Dick was still finding the old ill grandfather. Everyone else in the league spreaded out to either get the civilians to safety, stop the fires, or stop the bombers.

Nightwing coughed through the smokes. He acted too fast and forgot to bring his gadget that lets him breath perfectly fine through the infested smoke. The truth is, he doesn't even know where to look. Being impulsive isn't normally him, but seeing the young 4 year old worrying about his family made him think about his daughter.

He tried to get through the rubbish while he covers his mouth with his hand. He hears something creaking through the walls and he just knows that the building is falling apart. He tried to move faster as he entered a room. He looked closely at a flipped over bed and saw a wrinkled old man's hand under it. He quickly went to his side as he pulled the bed off the ill man. Nightwing quickly checked his pulse. It was dainty, but he was fading fast.

The old man had a tear on his eyes. His fatigued lips were hard to move, but his last breaths were memorable, "Pl-please tell them I love them."

Dick wouldn't take any chances, "No, you're going to see your family. Alive."

His eyes were still filled with tears, "N-no," he squeezed Nightwing's hand one last time as he closed his eyes, "please."

...

Zatanna was getting worried because minutes have passed and Dick still hasn't come out of the building. Half of the rickety building had already fallen off. Finally, the top part got demolished into little tiny pieces. She clenched her fist tighter. If she did them even harder, her nails would've clawed right through her palm.

A faint figure appeared walking towards the paramedics. It looked like a man holding a bony old man in his arms. Zatanna gasped. She went straight to Nightwing. Dick already put him in a gurney as he looked back to the sad grandma and grandson. He looks straight into their eyes, "His last words were to tell you that he loves you. All of you."

The old lady kept muttering that he's not really dead, and that he has to still be alive. The little boy cried while he looks at his beloved grandfather being covered in white cloth.

Nightwing was more terrified because he hated this part of the job. The feeling of not saving an innocent man and breaking hearts to their loved ones are always the worst. He knows because he's been through it all.

Zatanna came by his side and squeezed his right hand. From the looks of the poor little family, it didn't end well to them. Paramedics came by the aching family's side to calm them down as Zatanna hauls his husband to the side.

They looked through each other's faces and both of them recognize a new scar in their memories.

...

A masked criminal tied the back of her small little arms and legs while duct tape covered her mouth. Mary Ella wiggles her legs in a brisk motion. She tries to scream her lungs out, but it was to no avail.

The miscreant guy had already knocked out the babysitter. They exited the door with ease. Tears were filling the 4 year old's eyes. Everything was just going too fast. The image and sound that she last heard was her home made wind chime that she gave for her parent's anniversary. It had a purple bird on it while a blue flower was set under the bird. The wind chimes bellowed in her ear as the masked person pushed her into the back of the car.

It's Dick and Zatanna's 5th anniversary. They mostly celebrate it with their families because family's always been important to them. Everyone else was either happy or clapping.

It was Mary Ella's time to give her gift. She's been hinting on her gift for a long time now. She didn't want to hint too much because her dad is a detective.
She's a ninja, so she knows how to be a sneaky little troll. It just really runs in the family, or it's genetics.

She's smiling when she's running to her mom with a little long gift box already decorated. Zatanna entangles her arms around her daughter. Dick is finally at his family's side after talking to Wally.

He's smiling down at his little girl's gift because it was actually the first gift that Mary E. made them, so it was really prized to him. She finally gives the present to them when her mom unclasp her arms around her.

Both of the happy parents open the gift at the same time. The little 3 year old girl was waiting for their reaction. Both of them smiled really big, as Dick held out the little wind chime. Its color features actually represent them a lot, but it was kind of different how the flower on the bottom is blue and the bird on the top was purple instead of it the other way around.

Their daughter knew what they were thinking, "The bird is purple because it's mommy's favorite color and he can't live without her. And the flower is blue because of the Nightwing symbol and daddy can't live without mommy."

Zatanna's heart was filled with complete affection; she hugged her darling daughter securely, ''I love you so much."

Dick pressed a kiss on Mary Ella's cheek and then Zatanna's forehead. He looked over at Damian because he knew that he had helped her make the gift because a 3 year old little girl couldn't have just done this all by herself. He gave a smile at the Robin and then mouthed, "Thanks."

Damian gave him a half smile. The evening was very enjoyable, but the little gift that their only daughter gave them was the most memorable. Not just for them, but also to everyone else.

When they got home, they placed the wind chime on their front porch. And it's always been there ever since.

...

Dick and Zatanna already got out of their uniforms. It's been a tiring night and they were mostly expecting to sleep with long dreams, but it became a longer night for them.

They finally arrived at their home, but they quickly went into action when they saw their front gate wide open and their front door jolted open. Their feet crunched through the dead leaves as they ran towards their house. The couple's hearts were racing as fast as their legs.

They both went through the broken white front door and immediately saw their nanny on the floor. Dick went to check her pulse. He felt her pulse, luckily. Zatanna already ran to check on Mary Ella, but she couldn't find her anywhere, "Dick! She's gone!"

*I hope you've enjoyed this chapter one! My chapters will be (or might be) this long since the storyline will possibly be long, but I hope you will like it :)

*I have an ask place, just go to my profile and you'll find the link to where you can ask me anything you want. It's for those anons that might not understand some of what's going on in the story, but if you have an FF account you can ask me, too :) (the story will make more sense in the end)

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