The Heart of Batman | Bruce Wayne

Not his lover, not his sidekick

"Who hired you to kill her?" I asked in my calm voice.

"I don't know her name." He looked down.

A woman?

"How does she looks like?" I asked.

"Tall, dark, green eyes. Wears a katana." My eyes widened.

Talia.

*Flashback

I've made several mistakes in my career. My deepest regret was her.

I was on patrol with 12-year-old Robin when I met her. A woman appeared out of nowhere and helped us stop the robbery.

"Do you let all the criminals go? No wonder Gotham is full of crime." A black haired woman with piercing green eye holding a katana in her arm walked over to us.

I narrowed my eyes at her and demanded. "Who are you?"

I didn't like her tone but I couldn't deny the attraction. "Let me introduce myself... I'm Talia al Ghul."

Talia... al Ghul.

"You're Ra's al Ghul's Daughter?!" I knew he has two daughters but I never met them.

"What do you want?" I asked in a threatening voice. It couldn't be anything good.

"My father talks highly of you. I wanted to met you. Under different circumstances. You see, my father needs help. The Lazarus' Pit corrupted him", Talia started. I knew what Lazarus pit can do to people. It brings dead back to life with side effects. People who use it came back temporarily insane. But it kills everyone alive.

"Why would I help you?" It could be a trick. I know what Ra's is capable of. But most of all I know what he wants - me as his heir. It's never going to happen.

"You have no choice Detective. With father's current stated of mind I'm afraid what he'll do. You know what he thinks of Gotham." Ra's is an eco terrorist, he seeks the destruction of modern society. "You need to trust me. I share his vision but I don't approve his methods."

I'll do anything to keep Ra's out of town. So I made a pact with her, a deal with the devil. But I didn't know the price I'll have to pay.

I sold my heart.

I don't know when it happened. Was it the nights we shared in the desert? I fell in love with her. Green became new blue.

"You are nothing like him Talia." I asked Talia to stay with me in Gotham. I wanted for us to have a future. But Ra's was standing on our way.

"I can't leave him Beloved. He's all I have." She chose to forgive Ra's. She chose her father. I didn't understand her loyalty. He was willing to sacrifice her life just to end mine because I refused to participate in his plans.

"You have me. You have us."

She turned away from me. "There's no us. There was never an us and there never will be. I'm truly sorry Beloved."

How many times your heart can break before it stops beating?

*End of flashback

"Rings a bell? One of your jealous exes?" But it didn't make much sense. It couldn't be Talia. I would know if she's in town. I dismissed the thought. Deadshot accepted my proposal and left Gotham.

I jumped in front of Ro on the street and she looked up at me knowing. "He isn't coming?"

"No", I confirmed. All of a sudden, the heavy rain fell on us.