After the events of 'All Happy Families are Alike,' Selina Kyle goes back to Wayne Manor to avoid any of Falcone's remaining goons.

After wandering the manor for a while, Selina Kyle had seen every inch of the gigantic mansion, except for one room she was determined to figure out the contents of. She was always curious like that, and spent many nights wondering what lay behind the wooden doors. One day she decided to ask Bruce.

"Hey, kid." She surprised him one day, crawling through his bedroom window and sneaking up on him looking at files from his parent's murder. He could hardly go a day without flipping through those gruesome reports.

Bruce perked up hearing Selina's voice and turned around to face her. "Hello, Selina."

"How come that door on the top floor is always locked?"

Bruce furrowed his eyebrows, confused. "What door are you talking about?"

Selina sighed, exasperated. "Oh, come on. There's a big scary door right in your house and you don't want to know what's behind it?"

"It's the same size as every other door and made of wood."

Crossing her arms, Selina smirked. "So you do know what I'm talking about."

Bruce gave up trying to lie. Selina could always see through him.

"My dad always kept it locked. I asked him what was inside once, and he called it business stuff."

Selina grinned. "So that means there are keys?"

Bruce shrugged. "Alfred is the only one who knows where the keys are."

"So do you think he'll say yes if we ask him, or am I going to have to steal them?"

Without stopping to hear Bruce's response, Selina headed downstairs to find Alfred the butler sleeping on the couch. His key ring was hooked on his suit pocket like it always was, almost glaring at Selina, challenging her to steal them.

Unfortunately, Alfred was not a heavy sleeper. The second Selina got within a foot of him, he shot up.

"What do you think you're doing?" he barked.

Selina decided not to lie. "What's behind the locked door on the top floor?"

"Poking your nose where it doesn't belong again, you cheeky little minx?"

Selina sighed. "I already went through this with Bruce; don't tell me you're not curious too."

Alfred looked around the room for some reason. No one was hearing their conversation. Turning back to Selina, he whispered, "I've been wondering what's been inside that bloody room for thirty years, ever since I've been a butler here."

"So why don't you just find out?"

"Thomas Wayne instructed Bruce and I to never open the door under any circumstances, and to disobey him would be to disgrace his grave."

Selina thought for a second, and then smirked. "Thomas Wayne never said I couldn't open it."

"You know, normally I would object to your behaviour. But if I have to go one more blasted day not knowing what's in that room, I'm going to blow up the bloody mansion."

With Bruce and Selina watching intently, Alfred made his way up to the old wooden door and put the key in. The three didn't even breathe when the butler turned the key and pushed the door open. They practically tripped over each other to see what was inside.

The room was small, and square. The walls and floor were white, and the room was only maybe four meters by four meters. The walls were chipping, but bare except for a small safe in the center of the far wall. The metal safe was rusting, and it was opened by means of combination.

Most chilling of all though was on the floor. The skeletons of an owl and its two chicks, lying on the ground near a still-intact nest made Bruce wince a bit. It must have been locked in here and died of starvation. The complete decomposition, leave some feathers on the floor, meant they must have been there for decades.

"What is this place?" asked Selina, gazing at the barren room and dead owls.

"What's inside that safe?" asked Bruce.

Alfred couldn't say anything. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know if Bruce's father knew what was in the room or what it was for or what was in the safe. He planned to call someone to open the damn thing the next day and find out what the room was really about.

For the time being though, Bruce decided to go back to his room to process what he just saw. He didn't want to call the police in case there was something useful in the room, or something in the safe that could help him solve his parent's murder. Selina, on the other hand, decided to wander the room a little bit. She prodded the walls for any secret doors or buttons and poked around the safe for a while, trying to figure out the combination. After a hundred random combinations all failing, she decided to go back to Bruce's room.

Just as usual, she found Bruce flipping through his murder files frantically, along with the ones from Wayne Enterprises. He was reading everything again.

"That was kind of messed up, kid." Selina said, walking up next to him and pretending to take interest in his murder files. Bruce ignored her and kept reading, frantically like he did every time a new clue came up. Selina just kept talking. "What do you think your dad was doing with that creepy room?"

"I don't understand." Bruce sighs, dropping his files and turning in his chair. "Why would my father devote an entire room to one safe? It doesn't make sense."

Selina thought for a bit. "It could be someone else's safe. It would make sense that they would buy a room in the manor to store something in."

"But who would buy out a room in the manor just to store something? They must have needed it inside the manor."

Selina chuckled a bit, trying to lighten the mood. "The way you say it, it might as well be a bomb."

Bruce stopped in his tracks like a deer in headlights and stared at Selina, the plausibility of her statement scaring him. "Or my dad is keeping a bomb in the manor. That way he could get rid of something fast if he needed to and get rid of all the evidence."

"That's crazy. Your dad wasn't a serial killer or anything, right?"

Bruce shook his head. "No, he wasn't. But even good men have secrets."

Selina thought again for a bit. "Barbara's really high up in society. I'll go ask her if she knows anything."

Nodding, and then going back to his files, Bruce mumbled, "I'd appreciate that. Thank you."

Going back out the window and slinking down to the ground, Selina ran off through the streets to Barbara Keane's apartment. It was almost as easy as sneaking into Wayne manor, and after a quick and easy climb up the brick wall and a jump onto the balcony, she found herself facing the open door of Barbara's deluxe apartment.

She saw Ivy lying on the couch, and someone, probably Barbara, cooking dinner in the kitchen. Selina stepped inside and looked around.

"Selina, is that you?" Barbara called from the kitchen.

Selina yelled back, "Yeah, it's me."

Coming out from behind the kitchen doors, Barbara smiled when she saw Selina. "I didn't know you were coming. I only made dinner for Ivy and I, but if you want, I can crack open a can of soup or something. I think I have some sandwiches in the fridge."

"Nah, it's cool. I just wanted to pop by and ask a question."

Barbara took off her oven mitts and sat down in a comfy chair, prodding Selina to sit down next to her. "Ask away."

"So I was staying at Wayne Manor for a bit, and there's this weird room that was always locked. Our butler finally opened it a little bit ago, and there's this dead family of owls and a safe in the wall."

"Wait, wait." Barbara interrupted. "Your butler?"

"See, this is the kind of thing you tell people about." Ivy shot up in disbelief.

Selina just shook her head. "Anyway, do you know anything about the room? You're high society and stuff, right?"

Barbara thought for a bit. "I only talked to Thomas Wayne at balls and stuff. He was always really guarded."

Then she thought a little bit harder, and finally said something helpful.

"When I bought this apartment off of the mayor's ex-wife, he told me there was a room in the back he had lost the key for. I could never open it. Was that helpful?"

"Can I see it?"

Barbara nodded and walked Selina and Ivy to the back of the apartment, where a wooden door glared at them. It was the exact same door as the one in Wayne manor, with the exact same lock.

"I have to go back to Wayne manor." said Selina, hurriedly.

Barbara looked at her, confused. "Is something wrong?"

Without answering, Selina leapt out the window and made her way back to Wayne manor.

While this was happening, Bruce went back to prodding around the secret room after he finished uneventfully reading through all of his detective files. He poked around every inch of the white walls and even got the nerve to look around the owl skeletons.

The safe in the wall was the most curious part of the room though. After about an hour of prodding and the sun going down, Bruce only came across one clue. Where the wall around the safe was chipping, there was an engraving on the walls of the safe, partially covered by the remaining wall. The chipping revealed enough that Bruce could make out writing on the top next to some symbols, 'The Court of Owls'

He was about to go to bed when Alfred came in to tuck him in. Bruce didn't see any point in hiding it from him.

"Hey, Alfred?" he asked, tucked in bed, ready to go to sleep.

Alfred turned back to him, surprised. "Yes, Master Bruce?"

"What do you know about the Court of Owls?"

Alfred sighed and sat down on Bruce's bed. "It's an old bedtime story parents in Gotham used to tell their kids to spook the mickey out of them. My old mum and dad told it to me a fair amount of times."

Bruce didn't say anything, meaning he wanted Alfred to tell the story.

Alfred didn't want to. It wouldn't lead to anything good, but once Bruce had his mind on something, he wouldn't stop until he got it. "The story goes that during a secret time, Gotham's most powerful men and women get an invitation to join the Court of Owls. From there, they'd patrol Gotham secretly and rule the city from the shadows. If anyone ever defied their rule, they'd punish them, by means of an assassin called the Talon."

"Gotham's most powerful?" Bruce asked. "Does that include the Waynes?"

Alfred continued. "There's a nursery rhyme that says: Beware the Court of Owls that watches all the time, gazing from a shadowed perch behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, and they watch you at your bed. Speak not a whispered word of them, lest the Talon come for your head."

Bruce thought it best not to tell Alfred about the safe. There was no need to worry him, and when a person opened it the next day, it'd all be over.

"Anyway, it's a nasty story, and I thought it had retired." Alfred got up, brushed himself off and started to leave. "Goodnight, Master Bruce."

Alfred left the room and closed the door, leaving Bruce to sleep. After maybe an hour, Bruce had drifted off to sleep. It was completely dark outside when he was awoken by a tapping at his window. It took him a while to get the energy to get up and look, and Selina was sitting on his windowsill, tapping on the glass. He wondered why she didn't just come inside, but got up and opened the window.

Selina collapsed inside, falling onto the floor. Bruce screamed in alarm and got down to help her. Her black leather jacket was torn, and throwing knives were buried in her arms and torso. There were bruises and cuts all along her face and body. Alfred had heard Bruce's scream and ran up to his room. He saw Selina on the ground, unconscious, and darted over to the window to help her onto Bruce's bed.

As soon as she was on the bed, a trail of blood marking her path, Alfred ran back downstairs to find the medical kit, and Bruce sat next to her trying to bring her back to consciousness. Her chest was rising and falling frantically, meaning she was still breathing.

"Selina," Bruce whispered frantically, "Selina, what happened?"

All Selina could manage was a half-whisper. "Assassins… He… Owl mask…"

Bruce's heart sunk in his chest, his body almost threatening to give out and throw up. That meant the Court of Owls was real, and they knew he had opened the room. That was just a warning not to open the safe or dig any further.

"Kid… I," was all Selina managed to whisper before going unconscious again, leaving Bruce screaming her name.

When she woke up in the morning, Selina was wearing her ripped jeans and a black tank top, with one of Bruce's blue plaid dress-shirts on to keep her warm. There were bandages around her wounds, including one on her cheek to cover the cut. She groaned, and looked to find herself on the bed in Bruce's room, Bruce sitting in a chair next to her.

"Selina, you're awake!" Bruce smiled warmly, helping Selina sit up.

"Why am I dressed like a nerd?" she asked, making Bruce laugh.

"Alfred's mending your clothes. They're pretty torn up."

Selina relaxed a bit, and slumped back in the bed.

"So what happened last night?" asked Bruce. "Who did this to you?"

"There was this ninja dude in an owl mask. I tried running, but he cornered me. He didn't say anything, just told me to stop."

Bruce stopped and took a minute to think. There was no point in hiding the truth from Selina. He took a deep breath and told the story Alfred told him the night before, and then told her about the engravings on the safe."

"So you think the guy that attacked me was the Talon?"

Bruce nodded. "The Court of Owls is real. They want us to stop looking into them."

"Barbara had a secret room in her apartment that was locked too. I think every high-society person in Gotham has one somewhere. Does that mean your dad was in the Court of Owls?"

Bruce didn't even think about it. "No, he couldn't have been. There has to be more to this."

Selina sighed, laughing a little bit. "So that means you're going to keep looking for them?"

"This is the biggest clue I have so far about my parent's murder. I can't just dismiss it."

Selina sighed, tired. "Well then, I have to help you."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"Then don't."

Jim Gordon came through the bedroom door with his partner, Harvey Bullock, both looking incredibly tired. Jim was relieved that Selina was alive, lying on the bed. He sat next to her with a smile, but Bullock sighed, exhausted. "How come it's always these two?"

Jim shook his head and turned to Selina. "What can you tell us about the man who attacked you?"

Selina thought the same way as Bruce. She didn't want to say anything. "He was wearing a mask."

Bullock laughed a little. "And let me guess." He pointed to Bruce. "You're going to tell us you saw him with his mask off, but then tell us you lied."

Bruce shook his head.

Slapping his forehead with his palm, Bullock chuckled. "Dammit, you had a great nostalgia moment practically gift-wrapped for you."

Jim ignored his partner, still questioning Selina. "Is there anything else you can tell us? Approximate age, height, anything?"

After pretending to think, Selina shook her head.

"Is there anyone with a motive to attack you?"

Bullock sat down next to his partner to help him interrogate Selina. "Don't pretend there isn't."

"I don't know. I stole a few things, but I didn't think any of the owners were threatening."

Jim gave up on interrogation. Selina wasn't one to talk to police, and neither was Bruce. According to Alfred's story, the butler had only come in when Selina fell through their window. It was no use. Jim thought it best to put the case in reserve until more clues surfaced. He knew that the kids knew more than they were letting on, but telling them not to pursue the case alone was a lost cause.

He said goodbye to the kids and Alfred, and left the mansion to report back to Captain Essen. When she was completely sure that everyone but Selina was gone, Bruce whispered to her, "Do you know how to open a combination lock?"

Selina grinned at his determination. "You're kind of cute when you're all brave like this."

Bruce didn't respond, but he blushed a little bit.

"I know how to do it, but I'll need a stethoscope or some kind of listening tool."

Bruce thought. "My father let me play with his stethoscope once. I think it might be in the attic."

Selina nodded. "Okay. You get me that, and I'll hack the safe for you."

It wasn't hard to find his father's stethoscope. Alfred was busy shopping in Gotham city, and the door was unlocked. It took maybe half an hour, but Bruce came up with the old metal stethoscope his father let him play with as a boy. It was put away in an old box with Thomas Wayne's other possessions. Bruce was sure to put everything back just the way he found it. Seeing a picture of his father in the box just made him want to open the safe more.

He came down to the secret room where Selina was already waiting, limping slightly and holding the wound on her left arm. He handed her the tool, and she put it up to the lock on the safe. Bruce was sure to be absolutely quiet so Selina could listen for clicks. After the longest three minutes of Bruce's life. Selina jerked her head away triumphantly as the lock gave way and jerked away from the safe just a crack. Bruce put his hand on the door.

"Hey, kid." said Selina. "If there's something in there, I'll let you kiss me."

Bruce pulled the door, and the inside of the safe made his heart rate go up ten times. It was deeper than it let on, and completely empty except for a sheet of wizened paper. Bruce held it in his hands. On the front, there was a map of Gotham, certain places with owl symbols stamped onto them. Wayne manor was one of them. On the other side, there was a list of names hand-written in black ink. All the names were of Gotham's wealthiest families, and most were crossed off. There were a few that were left uncrossed though; Dent, Falcone, Van Groot, Sionis, Keane, and Wayne.

"These must be the people that haven't joined the Court of Owls yet." said Selina.

"That means… my parents weren't part of the Court." Bruce whispered, his hands shaking, eyes wide with fascination and fear.

"There's a symbol on your house on the map. What does that mean?"

The symbols were everywhere on the map. Barbara's apartment, Falcone's mansion, Maroni's diner, and everywhere else someone rich and powerful was slated to be. "These must mark the locations of possible recruits for the Court of Owls."

Selina took a knee to scan the map for clues. "Maybe Wayne manor is just a drop-off point. Maybe there is no connection between your parent's murder and the Court of Owls."

Bruce shook his head. "If so, then why go through the trouble of planting the map inside the manor? What if my parents are dead because they refused to join?"

"Falcone refused to join. So did Barbara. They're both still alive."

"This just doesn't add up."

"Maybe we should visit some of these places on the map. At least one of them has to belong to a Court member."

Nodding, Bruce folded up the paper to take back to his room. "Maybe." he sighed, half-heartedly. He was left even more confused than he was coming in. His parents weren't a part of the Court, but then why would their mansion be used as a drop-off point? And who was the map and list meant for? Selina relocked the safe. When Alfred called the guy to unlock it, he'd find nothing inside. The two left the room the exact same way they came in.

It was only at night when they started to realize the impact of their actions. Selina was staying at the manor for the night, and was sleeping in Bruce's bed. He didn't object. The paper they found in the safe was folded up on the tabletop next to the bed. Bruce was in his satin rich-boy pyjamas, and Selina had taken off her leather jacket to sleep in her tank top and jeans. The two were tucked in under Bruce's silk blanket. Bruce had long since fallen asleep, but Selina didn't fall asleep so easy. She liked to think she was a nocturnal creature. She lay there with her eyes closed, sometimes opening them to smile at Bruce sleeping. He always looked so innocent, maybe a little bit cute, but god knows the nightmares he was having.

The tapping at the window made her shoot up in the bed. Bruce, noticing the sudden jerk, blinked his eyes open and groaned, "Selina, what happened?"

Selina turned back to him to explain what had happened, and by that time, the window was being pried open. The two froze in their tracks. Selina whispered to Bruce to remain still and quiet, but it was no use. A leg stepped through the window, and the man ducked through and made his way in.

It was dark, and Bruce couldn't make out any of his features, other than he was tall, armoured, and wearing a mask. Selina, though, was nicknamed Cat. She could see in the dark. The tall man was covered in dark Kevlar and metal armour, weapons strewn along his belt. He didn't have any guns, but throwing knives, shurikens, and even a sword on his back. His mask was covering his face like a cloak, a pair of goggles built into them and metal rods and spikes forming the distinctive shape of an owl's face. No mistake, this was the man who attacked her the last night, a Talon of the Court of Owls.

He was looking across the room, and glanced upon Bruce and Selina, both not making a sound. The moonlight glinted off his goggles, almost making them glow. Bruce's heart fell and shattered into pieces when the Talon started talking, his voice deep and strong.

"I've been watching you for some time now, Bruce Wayne." He said.

Bruce gasped as quietly as he could, and then whispered back, "How do you know my name?"

"The Court watches over all. Lately, we've been taking an interest in you. We looked over you like silent guardians, and recently, you discovered our secret room."

The Talon walked over to Bruce's side of the bed, and picked up the paper on the tabletop with his metal clawed gloves, scraping the wooden table. Bruce looked straight into the Talon's circular eyes, completely emotionless, like an owl. The Talon stared back, seeing straight through Bruce's soul.

"If you were anyone else, you would be dead right now." The Talon hissed, his voice scraping Bruce's bravery away with every word. "The Court doesn't tolerate children poking around their business. But, you're no ordinary child. You're Bruce Wayne."

"Why is that significant?"

"Well, as you know, the Court of Owls is made up of only the most prestigious men and women of Gotham. I'm sure you'll grow up to be a very proud and noble young man, and by that time, you'll get your invitation."

Bruce laughed just the tiniest bit out of nervousness. What he did next wasn't out of bravery. It was out of anger for the Talon in thinking he'd join them. "I will never join the Court of Owls. You think you can rule Gotham, just kill anyone who disobeys you? I'm going to tear you down myself."

The Talon let out a raspy laugh, obviously satisfied with Bruce's behaviour. "Until that time comes, we'll be waiting."

"And what about me?" Selina asked.

The Talon showed no emotion, instead just whispering, "I guess you just got lucky."

He stuffed the paper inside his pocket and leapt out the window, barely making any sound, and disappeared into the night.

It was only then that Alfred burst into the room frantically yelling, "What the bloody hell happened here?"

Neither Bruce nor Selina could say anything about the open window and missing map, but just stare at the window, not able to wonder just how long the Court of Owls had been watching their every move, waiting to strike, like an owl in the night preying on the bats swooping by.