𝐃𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐌 | ᵇ ʷᵃʸⁿᵉ [𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 (𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐎𝐕)

I glanced at the cloak. It passed 3 am and I was still lying down in my bed and staring at the ceiling. I couldn't sleep. Ra's words echoed in my mind from our last encounter.

"The world's greatest detective, I see you still haven't solved the greatest mystery of them all. And you dare call yourself a detective?"

I looked down at Rose. She slept carelessly on my bare chest. Whatever Ra's meant by that, it was about her. There was a reason why Ra's wanted her and it wasn't about father-daughter bonding thing or the Lazarus Pit's effect on her. My thoughts shifted and I started thinking about Damian's words and our today's conversation about enrolling him in a school.

"I'm not ten."

"How old are you, Damian?"

"I'm eight, father."

He can't be eight. I thought it was some kind of mistake. Because that would mean I was with Talia at the same time I was with Rose 8 years ago and I wasn't. There was no logical explanation for how Damian could be my son and DNA test doesn't lie. Unless... NO! How come it didn't occur to me before? I carefully got out of the bed, cautious not to wake her up. I putted on my shirt and went downstairs.

"What are you doing, sir?", Alfred asked, yawning. He must have heard me coming down the stairs and followed me down to the Batcave in his pajamas.

"Confirming my suspicions", I replied. "Why does it take so long?", I spoke in nervousness looking up at the screen. The test results should appear on the screen soon.

"Master Damian is outside again, sir", Alfred informed me. Like every night. I got used to him sneaking out by now. At least he didn't take one of my suits. I still haven't decided about his request joining me as part of Batman's team.

"Oh dear!", Alfred looked up holding his hands at his face. "Miss Rose is--", Alfred was shocked. The results of DNA test appeared on the screen and they were positive.

"Damian's biological mother", I confirmed.

There's no way I'm going to let Talia to take Damian away. Especially now when Ra's has returned from the death, again.

Ra's always chooses the wrong moment to return among the living. Why can't he just stay dead for once?

"You know what this means sir. Damian didn't just grow without a father but without a mother too", Alfred stated with regret.

Everything made perfect sense. Ra's always talked about how he needs an heir to continue his legacy and rules The League of Assassins instead of him one day. Since Ra's chose me as his first choice and I refused, I wasn't interested in his sick plan of participating of the world domination after purification, that must be the reason Talia drugged me - to conceive a child with me.

"You're right, Alfred", I said.

Rose must have given birth to Damian the day Clark and I found her. That was Ra's plan from the start - to wipe her memories away and stole and raise Damian as his heir. I should have known.

"They are going to pay for what they've done. I'm going to make sure of it", I said feisty determined.

I heard the sound something crashing to the floor. I turned and found Damian staring at the screen, shocked. He ran away when he noticed Alfred and I saw him.

"Damian!", I called out for him.

"He shouldn't have found out like this", I stated to Alfred as I sat down in the chair and buried my face in my hands with regret. I never forgave myself for that night when I let Ra's take her away without her consent.

"Don't torture yourself, Master Bruce. There were no easier way. Perhaps it's better this way", Alfred touched my shoulder, consoling me.

"I don't know how I'm going to tell this to Rose", I confessed.

"The way will revealed itself when the right time comes", Alfred said.