Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win. -Stephen King

Gotham Many Years Ago…

It was the coldest winter in Gotham on record the Boy was at least twelve to thirteen. He was homeless his parents well his mother and step father were the casualties of a mob hit. Now he was in jail for stealing from a hot dog vendor worse yet he promised to meet a friend at the movies and he was not able to keep his promise.

An older man came into the interrogation room looking at the report he was someone important. The old man smiled when he looked at the report "You are quite something you know that you've barely eaten all week according to the doctor and yet you out ran three GCPD officers who were nearby at the time if you weren't weakened by hunger you'd probably have gotten away."

"When can I leave? I need to meet my friend she's waiting for me." The Boy spoke clearly concerned worried.

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen. Her parents want to stay away from her they asked that you be locked up in Arkham and in this city for the right price anyone could be locked up in Arkham and that key thrown away."

"Please don't I'll do anything don't send me to Arkham!" He begged how could this happen to him? Did her family really detest him that much that they would want him tossed into the worst place in the world?

"Don't worry." The old man said I have no intention of wasting the potential of someone so promising but tell me do you know this poem? Beware The Court of Owls, that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadow perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whispered word of them or-"

"They send a Talon for your head." The Boy finished for him.

"You know it?" The Man was clearly delighted "Not many do sadly Gotham's history is lost on so many of its citizens who allow themselves and it to drown in their own sin and filth. There are some who believe it must redeemed in blood-" The Old Man said seeing if he'd get a reaction given who the boy's friend was. However clearly the boy was not aware of the significance of that phrase so he continued "However there are a select few who know better. Who know it must be cleansed in fire and death. To that end I offer you salvation or damnation depending on your point of view."

"What salvation?"

"If you come with me a new life will be awaiting you never will you be powerless never will you have weakness in your heart. However, there is a price you must devote yourself to something greater than yourself. You must become someone else you will become something else. That or of course you could choose to do nothing and rot in Arkham until you are old alone and broken. Maybe you can even get your revenge on her family for putting you on this path one day. So, what will it be?"

Gotham Present Day…

The Talon watched the city from a window it was the same window Tabitha and that blond little girl had parachuted out of. He'd been using Theo's old apartment as his base which was surprisingly easy given that his actions made the building undesirable the owner even tried selling the building but nobody wanted it leaving it in a kind of limbo.

It was a kind of religious thing or tradition for Talon. They always moved and built their lairs in the home of fallen enemies. Like how owls stole the nests of other birds by pushing them out. It was a long-standing tradition he didn't live there of course he just hid and stashed his stuff there. He had conflicting feelings as one might imagine he never could be free to be the real him. Sometimes he even wondered who the real him even was. Was he the Talon one of Twelve guardians of Gotham charged to live in secret never to show his true self.

He often thought back to that day wondering if he made the right choice. Some might say he was just a kid that he was manipulated that the old bastard played on his fears. He knew that was partly true that this lifestyle had been forced on him but he was also aware of a sadder truth that he in part chose to embrace this lifestyle. He could have begrudgingly allowed himself to exist as an assassin but deep down he knew it was because he enjoyed the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of that kill.

It was that knowledge that let him know he'd still be damaged even if he had grown up perfectly. Yes, it was more than his traumas more than his experiences it was something deep inside of him that he could not explain. That was why he was this way it simply was who he was.

He couldn't have ever imagined however that she would walk back into his life like she did. He wondered he'd be a fool not if she recognized him if that was why she and him were doing what they were doing or if revenge on him was at least her reason for helping that arrogant prick. Still he found it both heart breaking and comforting that she didn't recognize him he knew her motivation for her actions the one thing about her personality that defined her the trait he loved most about her especially back then "She was so different back then and I-" Talon stopped himself instead he straightened his posture and took a deep breath "It doesn't matter who I was that boy is dead and that girl he loved is gone!" He leaned out of the window closed his eyes while taking a deep breath beneath his mask and without a word jumped out the window gliding against the wind but looked as though he was flying.

Meanwhile across the city Barbara was enjoying a sip of wine. Everything was coming together the city was nearly hers and soon she'd finally have it all. Granted she'd have to step on some people to get there but oh well. The doorbell rang, happily she walked up to it expecting Tabitha or Butch they were so close to finally getting everything to finally having it all. It would make sense they'd want to celebrate.

"Jim?" Barbara honestly didn't expect him to show up on her door.

"Barbara, we need to talk." He clearly just got off from work he was dressed in a suit and wore his white shirt and black tie.

"Oh, so now you want to talk!" She cheerfully exclaimed.

Gordon's tired expression said it all that he was fed up and tired "Can you please just give it a rest Barbara? I'm not in the mood and honestly was hoping we could genuinely talk."

"About?" She asked sounding like an immature teenager.

"Do you remember the Balloon murder case? I remember I came home from work I was so broken by the lack of compassion and humanity in the GCPD and do you know what you said to me? Or rather what you asked me?"

"Uh-" She was about to make a sarcastic remark along with an insult. He cut her off now speaking in an unusal tone like he was angry and serious but there was something more to him like he had a point.

"You asked me if I never would kill if I would never cross that line. Do you remember what you said next? You said you loved me!" He stepped closer making her feel strangely afraid like all that darkness she claimed existed hidden inside him back at the church had finally surfaced. Barbara didn't understand what he was trying to do.

"I- I don't understand why your doing this?" She started to stutter it was unnerving. How he getting under her skin so easily.

"I'm trying to talk to you Barbara in terms you understand! I tried coming here hoping to have a regular honest conversation. I should have known you are only ever interested in playing games that's why we didn't work out!"

"Me?" She yelled finally dropping the silly persona she so shamefully flaunted "You abandoned me! You moved on with Lee!"

"You were involved with Montoya and kept it from me! You hid parts of yourself from me! You never told me about your parents you never told me about your child hood. You are as just as much to blame for why are engagement fell apart so don't put that all on me. You were more honest with the Ogre about who you were after knowing him only a few days then you ever were with me in all the years we were together! So where do you get off acting high and mighty when you hid more of yourself then I ever hid from you?"

"Get out Jim! You should really be nicer to me. My friends and I will soon be running this city. When that happens you'll come back crawling!"

Gordon paused for a moment then started laughing "I knew it! Wow you are really pathetic this is why I miss Penguin he and I as many times as we bumped heads we actually understood something you never have."

"Oh and what's that?"

"What it takes to run this city. Power, respect, vision, ambition, you have none of these you are so fixated on me you will crash and burn and drag those two poor souls Tabitha and Butch down with you well that's assuming they don't back stab you or abandon you after realizing how inept you are."

"Please Tabitha's probably going to kill you just for coming here."

"You sure about that? How do you know she's not tired of your sad little crush? I mean she gives and she gives but what does she get? I bet you are always talking about me when you get the chance she's already with Butch she chose him over you she proved that when she gave up her hand or so I heard through the great vine because unlike you she knows that a person sacrifices for those they love! I sacrificed everything for you! I gave you everything Barbara and you gave me nothing but contempt and high expectations! That's why I'm not worried about your rise to power even if you outwit Nygma you don't need some big bad conspiracy to ruin your happiness and success you do that very well on your own and Tabitha out of the three of you deserves to run this city hell she and Butch might actually, be the least corrupt people to ever run it. Hell, Penguin was better than that other guy whose name escapes me for some reason. Tabitha's always been the brains behind the brawn and the crazy if you ask me. Just imagine how far those two could go without you holding them back."

In a desperate act Barbara without thinking grabbed his gun "Leave! Get out Jim!"

"No. Now's your chance prove you have what it takes to lead kill me! You keep saying and acting like I'm not a priority so prove it! Prove you want to rule Gotham end me! End the only last threat to your climb to the top!" He screamed at top of his lungs daring her to pull the trigger.

As predicted though she just burst into tears and dropped the gun "You disappoint me Barbara." He said picking up the gun while looking down on her "Don't ever make power plays unless your all in." Then he just left leaving behind a teary-eyed Barbara.

Mean while at Butch's home he and Tabitha were celebrating the death of Penguin "To Oswald!" He smiled toasting with Tabitha

"To Oswald! May the fish be eating well off is smarmy corpse." Tabitha replied grinning.

"So…" Butch started to say while keeping his hand on the ring he had hidden in his pocket "I was thinking with Penguin dead and Nygma soon to be dead. Do you think maybe since-"

"What are you asking Butch?"

"Look it's Gotham you never what's going to happen whose going to make the next power play or whose going to die. I know we haven't been together very long but if we're going to stay in this city we should make the most of whatever time we have Tabitha. We might grow old or die young why waste a moment?" He asked starting to pull out the ring.

"I know what your trying to say Butch but-" she shook her head "I haven't really felt the way I have about you for a very long time. There was this boy I knew growing up and my parents were less than approving and Theo was-" She stopped like she was looking at a ghost or something "Theo had just come back from be taken from those monks. You see I was adopted and never really treated as part of the family Theo was the only one who was kind to me. Then when he came back I remember being so happy but- my body was going through changes and he took an interest in me I didn't like." Tabitha explained her voice surprisingly tense and she immediately downed an entire glass wine "I'm sorry Butch we're supposed to be celebrating and I'm ruining things." Tabitha started wipe a tear from her eye.

"Hey." Butch took her hand "Don't ever apologize not to me Tabs. I want to know you I want to know everything about you."

"You're a sweet guy. You remind of that boy I knew back then he was kind and sweet always protected me and no matter how many times Theo would beat him down he always got back up he never once landed a punch on my brother but Theo hated how he'd never stay down. Sometimes he'd sneak into the house and surprise it pissed off my parents and Theo I think that's why he did it."

"You sound like you loved him what happened? What was this guy's name? Did you ever try tracking him down?"

"I don't know we were supposed to have our first date at this theater but he never showed instead Theo showed up said I was an idiot for trusting someone other than him he really laid into me. From that day on I guess it became difficult for me to trust people. I never really looked for him but I'll never forget his name I think it was Phillip and his last name was… I don't really remember I know his father disowned him for being born as the result of an affair and his father's family is or was influential in Gotham the Cades, the Shanes I think, no it now I remember I know it started with a K."

Butch was about to take out the ring while she was distracted when a rapid knocking interrupted their dinner "Tabby! Butch I need to talk to you!" Barbara yelled desperate.

Tabitha started to get up and go to the door Butch grabbed her "Babe. Come on its Barbara can't we just pretend we're not home and deal with whatever crap she's got going on tomorrow? She always does this and you always enable her victimhood you can't hold her hand forever. What's it going to be Tabitha? Her or us? You can't put our life together on hold every time she comes knocking. I mean when will it end? Five years? Ten? Twenty? I would really like to know. What are you going to do?"