It had been two weeks since the invasion, and Gotham was recovering slowly.
The ones who had been infected were healing bit by bit, but the scars remained. They served as a reminder of what had happened. Of what they had survived.
Jason sat in his bedroom, in his safe house on the outskirts of Gotham City. For once, it wasn't raining, and the sun shone beautifully in the sky. But Jason didn't feel like venturing outside to enjoy the warm weather.
He lifted his sleeve, revealing the Ivory skin underneath. He did this almost every hour of every day, checking for any signs of blackness in his veins. He never did find any, but he still looked.
Jason peered out of his window once more, watching as the GCPD cleaned up the wreckage throughout the city. It was getting better every day and soon enough everything would be back to the way it was, at least, that's what they said.
The blinds shut with a snap, encasing the room in darkness, which Jason was grateful for. His on-going migraine eased at the lack of light.
He let out a heavy sigh as he lay down on his bed; It wasn't as cozy as the bed he had back in Wayne manor, but for now, it was comfortable enough. He let his eyes close, willing to forget about past events and let sleep overcome him.
***
Tim didn't wake up for three days. Alfred had said it was most likely due to over-exhaustion and sleep deprivation. On the bright side, Tim recovered much faster, and he was finally getting some well-deserved rest.
It was around four-thirty in the afternoon when his eyes finally fluttered open on the fourth day. That was the day Jason left, and he hadn't been back since.
Bruce thought it would be a good idea if they all stopped patrolling for a while, and focused on recovering. However, Bruce would still don his cape and cowl every once in a while, only to check up on Gotham. Surprisingly, all was quiet.
With the help of the Justice League, Batman may have been able to defeat an Apokoliptic invasion and save his city, but Bruce, by no means, had time to relax.
He still had one problem currently residing in his city, a problem named Talia Al Ghul.
Bruce spent the majority of his time in the Batcave, surveying Gotham through the hidden cameras he'd set up. He watched her traipse around his city, dressed in rich green, pretending to be a generic citizen.
She was a very good actress, the best at pretending to be kind and chivalrous. But Bruce knew better.
He knew why she was here and it looked like she wouldn't be leaving any time soon. Bruce sat for hours at a time watching her, waiting for her to slip up her act so he would have a reason to throw her out. But Talia was good at playing pretend.
It was the sound of someone entering the Batcave that forced him to look away.
It was his eldest son, Dick Grayson, who had disturbed his recent isolation. But Bruce didn't mind the sudden interruption, and with Dick only recently returning from Blüdhaven, he was a sight for sore eyes.
Dick noticed the familiar streets of Gotham displaying clearly on the Batcomputer's screen and edged closer towards it, throwing a quizzical glance at Bruce.
"You know... You don't have to keep checking up on the city, Bruce," Dick said, turning to face his adoptive father.
Bruce sighed and stood from his chair, "it's not that, Dick." He paused, unsure whether or not he should tell his son. "There's something I've been keeping to myself."
Dick remained silent as he waited for Bruce to continue.
"Talia is here," Bruce said simply.
"You don't mean..."
"Yes, I'm afraid I do."
Dick had never met the woman, but he'd heard several stories about her, and none spoke of how good of a person she was. Dick had, however, met her father, Ra's. And if she was anything like her father, Gotham would be in deep trouble yet again.
***
It was approaching mid-afternoon on a Sunday when the doorbell rang.
Alfred checked the time on the grandfather clock; they hadn't been expecting anyone, nevertheless, he hurriedly made his way to the door.
Bruce was making his way down the grand staircase just as the door opened.
Silence.
Bruce furrowed his brows at the lack of the British accent he was so used to hearing. Alfred was always the type to greet whoever was at the door first, but now, as Bruce looked at him, Alfred was completely stunned.
Please don't be the Mayor.
"Where are your manners, Mister Pennyworth? And here I thought the British were polite."
That voice...
That unmistakable voice.
Bruce rounded the corner and stood beside his butler.
No...
"Ah, my beloved."
She tried to enter through the doorway but Bruce blocked her path, refusing her access.
"What are you doing here, Talia?"
"We've discussed this, or do you not remember?"
"What you're looking for is not here!"
Talia clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth as she glared at Bruce.
"Are you not going to invite me in?"
"No."
Neither were backing down. Bruce refused to let this woman worm her way back into his life, not after he'd spent so long trying to banish her out of his thoughts.
Talia suspected that her lost boy was hiding somewhere in America, perhaps not Gotham, but she had to be sure. And she certainly couldn't let his father anywhere near him or she would lose him forever.
"Look, Talia, if you haven't found what you're looking for by now, the likelihood is that it's not here." Bruce tried to remain calm and keep his temper at bay, but even just looking at her filled him with rage, hate, and hidden beneath it all was a pang of sadness.
He once loved this woman, and he thought she loved him, and maybe she did. But Talia would always love the idea of her ruling the world with her assassins by her side more. Talia would always love herself more.
And nothing would change that.
"Can you not see that Gotham is recovering from a recent attack? I don't have time for your problems."
Bruce turned to close the door in her face but a hand to his bicep stopped him. Her touch was gentle, and it reminded him of the woman he used to love.
Emerald eyes met Saphire as they shared a look that lasted far too long.
Talia slipped past Bruce's defenses, planting a light kiss to his lips before stepping inside the mansion.
"Talia, please..."
"Where are your little birdies?" Talia asked, looking around the room as though she was studying it.
"Out," Bruce replied sternly as he shut the heavy door.
Talia was just as stubborn as he was; she wasn't leaving, not without getting what she wanted.
"I need your help, Bruce. That's why I came here."
Her back was facing him and her voice was weak; She felt ashamed of herself, she shouldn't be asking for help, especially not from him. But she was desperate.
Talia was fighting a war within herself. She knew Bruce couldn't know of Damian's existence, no doubt if Bruce knew about this child, his child, he would take him from her and that couldn't happen. Damian was her son; she was the one who raised him, she had given him everything. Trained him since birth with the promise that one day, he would lead the League of Shadows.
And yet, he had run away. He failed to complete his task, but Talia was a forgiving mother, she would give him a second chance.
She just needed to find him and what better way than to have the aid of the world's greatest detective.
What choice did she have?
"What I lost... It's precious to me."
Bruce raised an eyebrow at her words, he'd never heard Talia sound so sincere.
She turned to face him, her eyes silently pleading for his help.
"He's precious to me."
"He?"
"You have your apprentice, I have mine."
Her face returned to the stoic expression she always wore. Talia decided to not reveal Damian as her son as that would arouse suspicion, and knowing Bruce, he would begin to ask neverending questions.
She was certain that Bruce had no knowledge of Damian's existence, but if he ever caught sight of the boy, whilst knowing she had a son, he would be quick to connect the dots. Bruce wasn't dumb nor did he forget easily, and Damian looked so much like his father.
"And why, exactly do you need my help?"
Talia let out a throaty chuckle as she folded her arms over her chest, hiding the revealing cut of her dress. "Well, are you not the world's greatest detective?"
Bruce couldn't help the smirk that ran to his lips. Talia was always good at getting what she wanted, but not this time. Bruce had other things to focus on, and he truly didn't want to bother with this woman anymore.
"You truly think that I'm going to help you find someone that clearly doesn't want to be found?"
Talia's sweet facade slipped slightly, and her lips turned into a frown; She hadn't expected him to reject her.
"You won't help me!" she snarled, her voice turning to venom.
"No, Talia. I'm sorry but it really isn't my problem that your apprentice is missing. I'm sure there are others you can train-"
"We can't all just replace people when we get bored with them, Bruce!" Talia spat, her fury growing. She couldn't believe he wouldn't help her, and after everything her family had done for him. They made him be the best he could be. Jason was alive because of her and her family's Lazarus pit.
She gave him a son. An heir to both the Al Ghul and Wayne line.
She planned on telling both Bruce and Damian one day, but she needed more time. She wanted to create perfection; a flawless being who would one day rule the world. She couldn't do that with Bruce's knowledge.
"I'm telling you, Talia. He's not here."
"How do you know?"
Bruce scoffed at her words, "I think I would know if there was an assassin running free in my city."
"No, Bruce. You wouldn't. You didn't even know there was Apokoliptian technology in your city before it was too late."
With that, Talia threw open the front door and stalked out of Wayne manor, letting the door slam shut behind her.
Bruce stood in silence, contemplating everything that had just happened. Could Talia be lying, a ploy to use him? Or was she actually telling the truth, that she was training someone, raising someone to be just like her?
Bruce felt the slightest bit of guilt by not helping her. It obviously took everything in her to push back her pride and ask for help, so she must have been desperate. Perhaps Talia had finally learned to care for someone, or maybe she wanted to find this so-called apprentice to put him down for running from her. He didn't know.
But Talia couldn't possibly expect him to help her, not after everything she and her father had done to him. And if the boy didn't want to be an assassin, then who was he to decide his fate for him? Either way, this was Talia's problem that she would have to solve herself, he wanted no part of it.
A/N:
Hello, my lovely readers!
I hope you are all staying safe during the Coronavirus pandemic, remember to self-isolate and try to stay inside as much as you can!
I present you with another chapter for you all to (hopefully) enjoy.
I have plenty of ideas for the next few chapters so if all goes well, those will follow soon.
As always, please vote and leave a comment, they are very much appreciated. And thank you so much to everyone who has voted and commented already, it just helps to know that people love the book. You are all gems <3
Stay safe and until next time,
-Sunset536