The Prodigal Daughter's Return

I do not own Batman, DC, or most of the characters or concepts in this story.

Chapter 1

Batman and Robin stood in the Batcave looking at Cassandra. She'd mentioned she wanted to speak to all of them having sent messages to Nightwing, Red Hood, Red Robin, Batgirl, Spoiler, and Blue Bird as well, all in uniform.

"What's going on?" Spoiler asked Batman.

"Cassandra called us here." he replied causing the others to look at her. She smiled. They all noticed there was something up with that smile.

"I asked because I will disappear soon." replied Cassandra. Everyone looked at her with looks ranging from surprise to shock.

"Y-You're joking, right?" asked Spoiler. Cass looked at her and then down. "You're not joking."

"What's happening?" asked Robin.

"I'm...only a part of Cassandra Cain." she replied.

"That doesn't make any sense. How can you be only part of a person?" asked Hood.

"When everything was changing someone wanted Cassandra to be trained in order to face a threat that would appear but they also knew she'd be needed here so they took me out of her. A fragment of her soul was taken and made into me so that I would ensure she wouldn't be forgotten.

"Why didn't you ever say this?" asked Red Robin.

"They wanted to make sure I'd keep a place for her so they made sure to keep me from knowing."

"In other words you were meant as a place keeper." said Robin.

"Correct." replied Cass. "But she will be returning very soon. Once she does I'll disappear and become a part of her again."

"So you're warning us?" asked Batman. Cass look up for a minute.

"I'm warning you that I'm gonna disappear but also allowing you to prepare for her arrival. Once she arrives and I rejoin with her she'll have all my memories from the time we were apart."

"So you can't tell us anything about how you've...she's changed?" asked Batgirl.

"No. I didn't even know I was a fragment until late last night." replied Cass. "I'm not even sure if she's still using the name Orphan."

"Can you tell us where she's been?" asked Blue Bird.

"In another universe."

"How did she end up there?" asked Batgirl.

"I don't know. I was only allowed to know the basics of my own existance and a few other things." she replied looking at her hand which was starting to fade. The others looked at her surprised. "My time's almost up." she said looking down at her body which had already begun fading as well. "I don't know if she'll appear to you directly once she gets here or if she'll do something else."

"So...you won't be gone?" asked Blue Bird.

"I'm only a fragment. When she comes back I'll be a part of her but it's not like we didn't know you before." replied Cass.

"How long have you been..." began Nightwing uncertain of how how to ask his question.

"If you're asking how long I've been standing in for her I'm not really sure myself. As far as I can tell it would've been some time around the big change in the past." replied Cass.

"Change in the past?" asked the others, minus Batman and Nightwing having known what she was talking about.

"Do you know anything about that change?" asked Batman.

"No." replied Cass before looking down. "My time's up which means she's here. Thank you for everything." she said with a smile as she faded away leaving the others stunned.

"So...what now?" asked Nightwing.

In the outskirts of Gotham

A dark red veil appeared and from it stepped out two figures.

"Home sweet home." said the first before sighing. "That was clichéd."

"Where do we start Cassandra?" asked the figure behind her. Cassandra looked up as a light came towards her and merged with her. Then she smiled.

"First we go home. I'll need to take a few to the place the company set up for us." replied Cass. "Renamon remember to stay in the shadows."

"It's what I do best." replied the biped fox.