She woke up a week later at what felt like the crack of dawn. There was a ruffling sound in her room, a sound that was hushed as she opened her eyes. Carefully, Molly pulled herself into an upright

position.

"Wh-who is that?" she stammered. Her heart thudded in her chest. What if someone had broken into the mansion? What if it was Two Face or Joker or The Mad Hatter or any of the other insane people that Bruce had put away? What if it was one of the dozens of people who had every reason to want to seek revenge if they figured out who he was?

The silence prevailed. Molly pulled the blankets off her lap, ready to put her feet in her slippers and scream for Bruce. Before she had even pushed the blankets off all the way, a lighter flicked on. Three faces were illuminated.

Bruce, Dick, and Alfred all stood grinning at her. She felt the corners of her lips turn up in spite of herself. Of course she should be mad. She should hate that they had come into her room while she was sleeping. But Bruce was lighting the candles on the cake that Alfred was holding.

And Dick... Dick began to sing.

"Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday dear Molly, happy birthday to you." they all sang. She stared at them, smiling as Bruce put the tray in her lap and they set down the cake.

"Make a wish, before the wax drips everywhere." Dick prompted. She closed her eyes tightly and blew carefully, making sure each of the fifteen candles went out.

Bruce lifted the knife and began to cut slices of the cake. He watched Molly, already smiling and laughing as the other two men came to give her birthday kisses. He made sure the biggest sugar rose was on her slice of cake, made sure that it was an end piece with lots of frosting.

"Cake for breakfast?" she asked incredulously as she accepted the plate.

"Well, if you'd rather, I could make you some oatmeal." The butler teased. She shook her head and began to eat her birthday cake.

"This is an amazing birthday party." she smiled, looking straight at Bruce. She knew he'd left last night when the Batsignal went off. She knew he'd probably only gotten in a few hours before to drop into his bed. And still, here he was, standing beside her bed to celebrate her birthday.

"I had intended for you to have a huge one," Bruce sighed. "But I'm afraid you're not quite healthy enough for it, yet. We might wait and do a big Christmas birthday party."

Molly frowned. She didn't really like the idea of meeting all of Bruce's friends. The Batman's friends, or lack thereof, those she thought she could deal with. But the high society people? The people that were the parents of the children she went to school with? That thought terrified her.

"It's time for me to get ready for school." Dick checked how watch. "It's a half day, so I'll be home early and we can do something special." he leaned over and kissed the girl on her cheek. "Happy birthday,"

Alfred excused himself too. When they were alone, Bruce sat on the edge of her bed. Molly smiled and reached for his hand. She played with his fingers, marveling at how long and thick they were. She felt the roughness of his callouses, saw the faint bruising that started at his wrist and went much farther up his arm, she was sure.

"You always come home so abused." she shook her head. He smiled and caught her hands.

"I have another present for you." he reached into the pocket of his robe. He handed her a velvet box. She gave him a careful look and almost put them aside.

"I don't need presents from you, you know." she swallowed. "You—you found me. You brought me here. You keep me safe. You love me. I think that's all I have any right to ask of you."

"But you didn't ask. And what kind of father would I be if I didn't get my daughter a special something for her fifteenth birthday?"

She smiled then and opened the box, gasping. With trembling hands, she lifted the strand of pearls. Of course, these weren't plastic pearls, or glass ones. These weren't a piece of department store finery. These were real.

"These are gorgeous." she breathed. Bruce smiled as he reached into the box and lifted them out. He leaned across her, his face next to hers as he clasped them around her neck. He kissed her forehead and leaned back.

"My mother, your grandmother wore a strand just like these." he inhaled. "The night she died, she was wearing them. I always thought that a proper woman needed a strand of pearls. You're not a little girl, Molly. You're a young lady."

"Bruce!" she threw her arms around his neck. He held her to him for a minute. "I can be a little girl sometimes, just for you. If it makes you happy."

"You make me happy." he assured you. "You make me happy."

Molly sat on her couch, sitting up and wearing a long silk robe that Alfred had given her. He had given it with a matching pair of slippers, saying that he thought she might like a little bit of glamor while she had to sit around at home.

She had indeed spent the day pampered, like a real princess. To her surprised Alfred had arranged for someone to come and give her a proper manicure. He said that everyone deserves one day where they have the whole world cater to them.

She suspected he was tired of seeing her chipped black nail polish. But the feeling of someone giving her French tips and someone picking up her feet and rubbing at them... It had been Heaven. The girl had even cut her hair, putting layers in her black hair and making her big green eyes seem wider and larger.

"Is Dick coming home soon?" she asked hopefully as Alfred walked by. The butler nodded and handed her a muffin, fresh from the oven.

"Lunch is ready as soon as he comes in, so don't spoil your appetite." she nodded as she began to eat, feeling her eyes glaze over while watching Maury. How hard was it to remember who the father of your baby was, she wondered. Didn't anyone keep a list?

Suddenly, arms were around her, lifting her up and over the couch. She squealed and leaned back into Dick. He smelled like his cologne and the crisp autumn air. She squirmed until she was turned around, her legs around his waist.

"Happy birthday." he whispered in her ear.

"Thank you. What are we going to do that's special?" she asked eagerly. He shook his head and set her down.

"After lunch." he headed into the kitchen, being led by his nose to the table. Alfred had, of course, made her favorite tomato soup. But Molly was distracted by wondering what her present from Dick would be. The boy suddenly looked up from his lunch and started laughing.

"What?" she blushed.

"Seeing you in that robe and those pearls with your hair all done up... You make me think of some society woman named Kitty. All you need is a gin and tonic." he laughed. She shook her head.

"Bruce gave me the pearls." she tilted her head back.

"Did he?" he smiled. "They're beautiful. You're beautiful."

"I should only be gone a few hours, children." Alfred was putting on his coat. "Behave. Get your homework done. Don't spoil your dinner." he gave them a careful look. "A few hours." he repeated, leaving and climbing into the car.

As soon as they heard the car pull away, Dick turned to her. He snatched her and pulled her close, his mouth colliding with hers. Molly melted into him, whimpering as she wound her arms around him.

"Now... Now you get your special present." the acrobat lifted her up and carried her bridal style to his room. He had made his bed, to her surprise. The room was the perfect temperature. After he had laid her out, he lifted up a book of matches and lit the three candles on his bedside table.

"What are we doing?" she whispered.

"You'll see," he hushed her. He stood at the side of the bed, stripping off his school clothes and leaving them in a pile. He reached for her robe, undoing the silk tie at her waist and letting it fall open. He reached out and pressed his hand to the flat of her chest, to the valley of flesh between her breasts.

"Dick..." she breathed. He felt the flutter of her heartbeat against his palm. Dick slid into the bed next to her, watching her slither out of the rob. Their naked bodies fall together. His thigh slipped between hers, his arms around her waist.

"Are you scared?"

"How-how far did you want this to go?" she breathed against his neck. Dick kissed her cheek.

"No farther than this. No farther." he promised. Their lips met again, tongues clashing and tangling and twisting. Her body rolled on top of his. His erection poked her hip as she nuzzled into his neck.

"We're going to have to stop before we want to."

"I know, Molly." she sat back, the blankets fall around down around her hips. "You look like a goddess this way."

"I'm not a goddess. I'm just street trash who got really lucky." she smiled. Dick shook his head.

"No. You were always meant for this life. You were always meant for my life." Molly could feel the tears stinging her eyes as she bent over to kiss him again. They laid together, bodies entwined. Time ceased to have meaning for the two of them, being together. Feeling the wholeness of the togetherness.

"Do you love me?" she whispered in the mid afternoon silence as their heartbeats fell into sync.

"Yes," she turned to look at him. "Yes, Molly Annette. I do love you."

"I love you," she repeated, her voice thick.

"Happy birthday, baby."