Heyo! so this is my first DC fanfic and I hope this story turns out well. It has been a few years since last time I've published a fanfic and my grammar might not be that good but I'll do my best.

So this story takes off in 2011 #7 of Batman.

Disclaimer: I don't own DC comics or any of the characters presented in this story but I do own the story!


"So they used the compound to bring him back from the dead to kill for them," Nightwing says, summoning up all of what Batman has just told him of their recent captured Talon. "And his first target was his old trainer, the John Doe. After all, who needs the coach anymore when you can reanimate your star athlete? And his healing factor?" Nightwing takes a small step closer to the dead looking Talon in front of him and Batman.

Batman answers his question, "once the compound is bonded with the cells, they're capable of reactivating and healing over and over. Which is why he was able to walk away from the fall of Wayne Tower."

"And why he's technically still alive right now. So how do you take him down?" As Batman explains that Talon's aren't immune to the cold, Nightwing takes a step back, standing next to the Dark Knight as he was before. "Do you have a name for him yet"

"Yes. His name is William Cobb" Batman answers but then turns to face Dick to see his reaction as he tells him "and he's your great-grandfather."

Nightwing freezes up on the spot right there, shocked at what he just heard but Batman turns around to the monitors, giving Dick a few seconds to process what he just heard. Dick shakes his head slightly and turns to Bruce's direction looking baffled.

"My…my what?"

"I took a tissue sample, Dick," he says straightforwardly in his common emotionless tone.

With Dick still looking shocked, "and what, you weren't going to tell me?" He turns his back to Bruce realising "that's why you wanted privacy?"

"That's one part of it, yes." He reads the numbers on the device he is holding, pointing at William.

Dick turns his head over his shoulder to look at Bruce, "and you're not going to tell me the other part… but I think I already know it."

Bruce puts down the device and looks at Dick with a raised eyebrow. Dick pulls out a small book and slowly hands it to Bruce. "I found this in the centre ring at Haly's Circus. It contains William's name…" Dick says as he approaches the counter on the side that contains the Talons gear.

Batman opens the book and flips through the pages until he ends up on the page that contains the words, 'William Cobb'. "And on the last… is mine", in those words Bruce flips further in the book to see clear as day that 'Richard Grayson' was written there. Bruce stays still, staring at the words on the page while facing the Talon. "I… I was supposed to become a Talon… wasn't I?" The protector of Gotham didn't move, only sighed, "yes."

Dick turns around and walks over to stand behind Bruce. "You think your whole life you know everything about yourself, but then something comes along, showing you something that's unbelievably true." Dick takes another step closer to Bruce but he makes no sense of moving himself. "But the thing with these unbelievable truths us…"

That's when Bruce felt it. Red hot pain shooting at him from his right side, in between the blades of his armour… a spot of weakness not a lot of people know. His body freezes, not fully clear of what happened to it. He then feels a hand grab his left shoulder and a face lean closer to his right ear whispering, "you already know them."

Batman's instincts finally kicked in to turn around and attack the attacker but before he could even blink the weapon that's logged into his side was removed and then slashed his back, ripping nearly half the cape in half.

His back arches and he falls to the ground on his stomach. With his body already beaten from his time in the Labyrinth, he couldn't find the strength to get up so he lay there with his hand covering the freshly open wound.

The Dark Knight turns over to his uninjured side to try and get a sense of surroundings, a foot kicks him hard in the stomach making it difficult for him to get up for a few moments. He turns his head to get a good look at the assailant to see Dick standing over him, bloody Talon blade in his right hand and no emotion on his face. To see Nightwing, the most cheerful boy Bruce has ever met that has so much light in him, to see him looking at him with death in his eyes gave Bruce a deeper sense of dread that he has ever felt before.

Nightwing turns over to the frozen Talon and turns off the freezing system, followed by unlocking the restraints.

Bruce very stiffly moves his right hand, which was covering his stomach, towards his utility belt. Before he could reach enough to grab something Nightwing sees his movement and throws the blade into his right shoulder which results in a painful yelp from Batman.

William starts to move. He begins to move his arm up to take off the restraints. Nightwing doesn't take his eyes off Batman as he tells William, "get your gear back on and ready the motorcycle to get out of here once I'm done with Batman" in a cold tone.

William, finally removed from the restraints, takes a step forward. He looks at Dick for a few seconds before following what he was told and walked over to the counter and begins to put his gear back on.

Bruce takes in a slight breath which causes a slight coughing fit with the feeling of copper in his mouth. As he takes a second he finally speaks up. "W-why?" He looks up at Nightwing, waiting for an answer, but all he got was a sickening grin.

Nightwing moves towards Batman, "oh Bruce", he begins, "it was always one of your downfalls, underestimating people, especially people you think you know so well". He steps on Bruce's wounded side, causing him to fall on his back. Dick then pins him down by sitting on his stomach, he then moves his right leg to pin Batman's left arm between his leg.

Bruce breaths out in between grunts, "how long?"

"Oh, I've known about the courts' existence for quite some time, it was really all just the waiting game. I mean, how did they know you were going to be in the sewers that night investigating Alan Wayne's death?" he answered as he grabs Bruce's right arm to increase the pain by the blade logged in that shoulder.

"This…*grunt* isn't you". Batman tries to pull away from the former boy wonder but his body is too weak to push him off.

"And who said the Dick Grayson you knew was real?" He hisses. "Sorry Bruce, the years have been fun but it's time for me to for fill my purpose as the Gray Son of Gotham". Dick pulls out the Talon blade from Bruce's shoulder and lifts it above his head.

"Bruce Wayne…"

"…No"

"Batman…"

"No don't…"

"The Court of Owls…"

"No NO"

"Has sentenced you to die!"

"NO!"


Sorry if the first chapter seems a bit short but I'll do my best to post the next chapter as soon as possible.

Please review! The more positive reviews the more inspiration I might get to post the next chapter quicker!