25th October 2003

Talia Al Ghul stared down at the baby in her arms, not understanding how new mothers could look down at such ugly, wrinkled creatures and describe them as beautiful. Sure, she could see how the scrunched up little button nose would one day lengthen into a handsome curve and how the dark brows would frame the mysterious Al Ghul eyes that he had inherited. Or at least she hoped he had, as the baby in her arms eyes were still squeezed tight shut. Her sons skin was still pink from the exposure to air after his release from the artificial womb she had been growing him in for some months, however if she looked closely she could see the olive undertones to his skin that portrayed his Arabic heritage. Maybe she didn't feel the same amount of connection to this baby as a normal mother would because she had not grown this child inside of her.

The baby shifted in its sleep, making a tiny sighing sound as it did so, and Talia felt a strange warmth in her belly. She pushed down the obscure feeling as she heard the muffled steps of a servant approaching, likely preceded by her father who's steps she could not make out due to his millennia of extensive training. The door to the womb chamber opened and Ra's Al Ghul, the Demon's head, entered on silent feet. He wore robes of a deep forest green which perfectly matched his glowing eyes. "What do we have here, my darling daughter," queried the Demon.

"It was time," answered Talia swiftly, not wanting to keep her father waiting.

"Oh?," was his only reply and as always when he spoke in that tone Talia felt as though she had somehow done him wrong. "Did you not think to ask me my opinion on the matter before taking it into your own hands?."

"I felt it necessary to bring the child out of the womb because he is around the age a natural child would have been birthed at." Talia stated.

"Oh, and I couldn't have been made aware of this development before the 'birth'," said her father in what would have been considered a sarcastic tone if this had been anyone but the Demon's head.

"I am his mother!" Talia exclaimed, losing control of herself momentarily. She felt a wave of maternal love wash over her as she tried to protect her baby boy from the evil her father could cause. Seconds later she again quashed her feelings towards the child, hoping her father had not seen the love in her eyes as she had glanced down at the baby in her arms.

"And I am your father," whispered Ra's Al Ghul in a tone that implied danger. "Give me the baby," he demanded staring straight into Talia's eyes. She had no choice but to obey.

"Hello my little Demon," said he to the babe, in an almost caring manner, except everyone present new that Ra's Al Ghul had ever felt or let himself feel love to any creature but himself. And then with a quick, silky movement Talia's father's hand snapped out and slapped her round the face. She wobbled a few steps backwards, clutching at her cheek where a bright red hand print could already be seen. Ra's Al Ghul turned swiftly, his robes swishing around his long legs, and stalked out the door without a backwards glance. Talia dropped to her knees on the floor before curling into a tight ball like she had when she was a small child and her father had hit her before letting out a sob for the first time since the Batman had left her.

Meanwhile Ra's Al Ghul marched down the halls of his secret base, completely forgetting about the child in his arms until he felt a sharp pain in his hand and looked down to see the baby with its sharp teeth, that shouldn't have grown yet, clamped onto his hand.

He glared down at the boy," Don't worry, I'll tame you my little Demon, my little … Damian."