A/N: Finally finally finally! The new story has arrived! As I typically do when a new story has started, I will be posting two chapters today and then continue just posting one chapter a week. Part three of this series takes place two months after the end of the last one, so it would be early June when the story starts out. As for a writing update. I am almost on chapter nine. I'm in the middle of chapter eight right now, which gives me a decent amount of chapters between the first two I will post and the chapter I am currently writing. You may have picked up on the fact that I prefer to be ahead in my writing.

If you're a new reader(I forgot to put this in before) this is the third part of the Nobody's Weapon series. If you want to read this, you'll have to read the first two installments or you'll be lost. I would really appreciate it if you do! Also, I know this seems to be an OC heavy story, but don't be deterred by that. This is a really great series and I make sure not to create mary sue or gary sue OCs and to include canon characters as much as possible! So get a-reading my friends :)

Now enough of my rambling here's chapter one!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Enjoy!

Chapter: 1

Livia shot up with a yell, cold sweat dripping lightly down the back of her neck as she looked wildly around her bedroom. Nothing was there, no shadows leaping forward as if alive, no corrupted inky blackness spreading across the room or creatures leaping out at her. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She sat in the darkness, blinking and trying to shake away the memory of that dream. Without meaning to she glanced at the window by her bed, willing there to be a knock or a very special someone to slide it open. She wanted Darren—her kind of boyfriend—to be there. Looking at her clock she saw that it was pretty early in the morning and Darren did usually come for a visit around that time—he was after all the vigilante Renegade and fought crime alongside the rest of the Bats who protected Gotham City—but not tonight. He was in space right now, orbiting somewhere in the Justice League's Headquarters. So Livia was on her own.

It had been two months since the Court of Owls had sent their Talons to kill her. It had been two months since Darren—a Talon as well— had saved her. Two months since she discovered that her magic might be the only way to kill a Talon with a single blow permanently, and could be potentially why her parents' plane crashed all those years ago. All those discoveries two months ago and nothing to come from all their research now. It was June though, and school would be out soon. They'd have more time to figure out how Livia got her abilities and how she can use them to help stop the organization that is the Court of Owls. The Court is made up of the elite who control Gotham through various illegal means; they sent their Talons—assassins—to kill people, make them disappear, obtain information, or anything that would further their agenda. No one in Gotham knew about their hold over the operations of the city, or they didn't until the Court attacked the city in the hopes of eliminating certain official figures to gain complete and utter control of the city. Now they operated more discretely after their defeat that night. Darren's family had been involved with the Court of Owls for decades, which forced him into a life of killing, fighting and little to no freedom. It still blew Livia's mind that Darren managed to find his cousin Dick Grayson and obtain the freedom he was initially denied, but the Court still wanted their Talon back.

Additionally, Ra's Al Ghul was trying to recreate the Electrum Formula which gave Talons their enhanced abilities and extended life to use for himself, but thankfully Darren and his brothers thwarted his attempts. As of now, he hasn't done anything, which worried the Bats. Bruce, Barbara, Dick, Damian, Tim, Alfred, and Damian were all apart of this; they were all searching for answers to Livia's powers, the threat of the Court of Owls and Ra's Al Ghul's movements. Darren's father—Slade Wilson, also known as Deathstroke—who schemed with Ra's was also nowhere to be found which greatly disturbed Darren as the man was an orchestrator of his death, as that was how Talons were created. So much time had passed since all that and so little revealed. They could all be cornered and not even know it.

Livia wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her forehead against them. Almost massaging her head with the tops of her knees, trying to dissipate the nightmare she had just woken from. She was sure the dream wasn't the one of the Talons chasing her. The dreams she had of that evening back in April had seemed to have vanished, replaced by darkly shadowed and vague nightmares that left her gasping for air and in a panic. Perhaps the dreams had just changed, as it sometimes did for those who experienced something traumatic…or perhaps it was something else…a fear so deep in the back of her mind that hadn't emerged until now, triggered by the Talon's attack. It was unclear, but the content of that dream disturbed Livia. It was always the same. Something was chasing her, a giant shapeless shadow always over her shoulder no matter how many turns she took and no matter how fast she ran. She could feel it right behind her, lurking as it got closer and closer and as time bled away faster and faster into a nightmarish world.

The shadow would change shape and form as she went farther and farther into the madness that was this darkened decayed world, becoming more solid…becoming more real with arms and legs, features that did not mirror Livia's own as a natural shadow would. This dream always ended with her sprinting back to what could be described as her apartment but was a shadowed, sinister and disastrous copy of what it should be. The shadow would follow, not saying anything but always there, always menacing and always, always chasing. And when Livia reached her room and slammed the door closed, heart pounding she'd turn to face the inside of the bedroom and the shadow would be right there, looming over her in the darkness of the room.

All throughout the chase as it changed and shifted into something else…she never looked back, never saw its face until the end of the dream. There was no face, it was all black and shadowy where its face should be, but the shadows moved about, slithered like snakes across where the face would be, all along the body too. Its form was that of a young man, with horns protruding from the head like it were the devil, those horns were encased in shadows as well, and the only color Livia could see was its eyes. They showed blood red, almost glowed with sinister power and writhed with wrath and fury. They bore through Livia as if it could see her as if it was there watching her right there in her room in reality…as if the shadow was everywhere and everything, and could see everything it wanted to.

Livia would wake as it moved…more like leapt…to consume her shaking all over and shivering with fear, looking to the corner of her room where it had once stood expecting it to be there. She did that now, eyeing the foot of her bed with apprehension. Her black cat with emerald green eyes sat at the foot of her bed; his cackles raised high hissing at the corner of her room. Eyes locked on that spot as if…perhaps…that shadow was there all along as if Livia was right about it somehow being there, but only Plagg could see it. She didn't know what it meant, and she hadn't told anyone about that dream no matter how much it tormented her,

"There's nothing there Plagg," Livia said tiredly, the cat looked back at her for a moment before retaking his post as 'guard.' Livia glanced at the window longingly but knew she would have to wait until tomorrow to see Darren. She'll have to find comfort with something else. Instead, she just sighed and curled back up under her covers, wondering if she'll ever get back to sleep with the feeling of unwanted eyes on her. She tossed and turned for a bit before Plagg meandered carefully along the comforter and curled up by her head on the pillow, his nose touching her forehead. Livia smiled at him and petted his soft short black fur,

"What would I do without you," she murmured, "but you know you can't be here in the morning. My dad would freak," Plagg rolled his eyes and let out a snort, an almost human reaction to being told the obvious but didn't move. Instead, he settled down next to her, ready to protect her from the dark shadows.

Livia wanted to believe this dream was just that…a dream, but as she lay awake, waiting for sleep to take her she couldn't help but wonder what it meant if it was more than a dream. She was a witch with powers not even she knew of…and her Book of Shadows only held so much information. Anything could be something important, and Livia had limited knowledge on how to decipher whether something was significant and relative or not. With a sigh Livia rolled over to face the window once more, wishing she could tell someone what was bothering her about this dream. It felt so real…yet she knew it was a dream. It was a dream…though there was a chance, it could happen later. At some predetermined moment in the future. Would darkness consume her…or was there some other way to interpret this dream…or was an entirely different storm coming soon?

Darren looked out from one of the large floor-to-ceiling windows of the Watchtower hovering steadily over the earth. He couldn't help but be enthralled with the Earth…looking so large and so far away at the same time. He'd never been outside of Gotham before; he hardly left the Harbor House or the compound for anything except to visit the Powers and pretend to be their adoptive son. Now…he was in space watching the Earth spin ever so slowly, following its movements in the satellite. They weren't even over America anymore…they were somewhere over Europe and part of Russia, orbiting slowly. He felt an almost childlike wonder at all he could see. The entirety of the cosmos lay before him, twinkling with light and stars and planets, supernovas and black holes. He could see for miles up here, every little thing that caught his eye filled him with wonder and astonishment he couldn't help but get excited over everything.

He'd been a bit uncertain about whether to join the others in attending a birthday party for a Leaguer, he didn't know which one it was for, and frankly, he didn't care…he was there for the cake and only the cake. Dick had thought it would be a good idea. He wanted Darren to meet the members of the League; he believed Darren would work with them one day. He thought he'd eventually join them or the various teams that operated on their own under the Justice League. Dick tended to look on the bright side of things as if anyone in the Justice League would willingly work with someone like him.

Darren knew it wouldn't be a good idea at all. He was a Talon…an assassin who has killed…a lot…something these people though inherently wrong and who felt that he was dangerous because of what he was. Perhaps Dick had wanted for him to prove them wrong, but the looks he received when he stepped through the zeta tube showed they'd already made up their minds before he'd even arrived. He had no intention of proving them wrong…not when there was a chance they were actually right. There was no telling how Darren would turn out. He was trying to be good, but sometimes instinct took over reason, and as frustrating as it was to Darren and the others, he sometimes felt that it wasn't just his training taking over…he felt that perhaps, sometimes it really was him. Darren didn't know what to think or how to feel about that small kernel of him that didn't really care who lived or who died…but such apathy still frightened him a bit nonetheless.

The various League members were all mingling somewhere; Dick had tried to corral him to meet people and talk with others. And while he seemed adamant to get him to talk to others, Damian hadn't cared if Darren met people and seemed to be talking unwillingly to a short green guy in the corner, Tim didn't dare try to make Darren talk to people. Barbara had dinner with her dad and Stephanie had to study for her finals that were coming up. While Jason flat out refused to come despite the Justice League knowing he was alive and Bruce had vanished the moment they crossed through. Even with all this effort put into him socializing Darren had dodged Dick's every attempt. He didn't want to meet them. They were all the same to him, and they wouldn't see him as anything other than the Talon he never truly wanted to be.

Darren had slipped away the first chance he got, eager to explore. Despite his effort to avoid and ignore what people were whispering behind his back, his hearing was enhanced, and of course, he could hear every word. Darren did his best to tune it out, but every so often something would slip through. Most of it wasn't terrible but made him a bit uncomfortable that they knew as much as they did. Most of it was concern for him, some of it was wariness of him, and a bit of it was outright distrust at his motives and ability to control himself when dealing with criminals or any situation that warranted fighting.

Darren gritted his teeth and curled his hand into a fist, letting his nails bite into his palms as another bit of conversation filtered through…though, of course, he couldn't feel them piercing his skin. He was a Talon…they felt no pain; they only felt it if the Serum was used. It could kill Talons…but not as efficiently as tearing out their heart or cutting off their head or not as quickly as Livia's ability could kill a Talon.

Livia…he wished she was here; he looked out into the stars and down to Earth wondering what she was doing at the moment. Probably sleeping, he hoped she was asleep and wasn't out in Gotham for some reason. She tended to find trouble without even meaning to, after all…she did find him. He didn't like that they left her unprotected back in Gotham. Of course, they just finished patrol a little earlier than usual tonight, but it still didn't sit well with Darren. Livia's entire family was in danger, all because of him. If he hadn't involved her, the Court wouldn't have discovered she was a witch and could kill them. Yet here they were, in the situation Darren had hoped never would happen.

He remembered the promise he made to himself two months ago, that he would do whatever it took to keep Gotham safe, to keep Livia safe…to keep everyone safe. He'd be that monster everyone here believed him to be if he had to—whether Dick managed to change the Justice League's mind or not—for now, he would work on being the opposite of what he was trained to be. But it wasn't set in stone, and perhaps Darren shouldn't let it be, perhaps he needed to allow himself to be himself, to be what he was trained to stop the Court of Owls. But at the same time, it wasn't what he truly wanted…it was complicated…and it was so controversial.

To the majority of the Justice League, he was a monster. They assigned him the same label they gave the Talons that he was like. He knew they didn't mean to behave as such, he knew they were trying to be accepting, and maybe his elusiveness wasn't helping…but he could read their body language. He could see it in their eyes. And besides, he was used to it,

"What are you doing out here by yourself?" a voice asked, Darren, started surprised that he didn't hear whomever it was walking up behind him. He didn't turn, but he did look up so he could see the person's reflection in the window. It was Wonder Woman, with her stern yet kind face and dark blue eyes. Her lips crooked up into a smile as if she caught him doing something he shouldn't but didn't quite care either way,

"Looking at the view," Darren replied nonchalantly, he hadn't heard what she had to say about him yet,

"I brought you cake. I was told you like sweets," she held him a plate, Darren frowned and took that piece staring at the icing spelling out part of 'birthday' on it. He didn't move to eat it. Instead, he looked out the window once more as Diana joined him,

"Thank you," he said finally, realizing that he forgot to say that beforehand,

"You are welcome. You should not distance yourself from the others, they do want to get to know you," Darren let out a snort and rolled his eyes,

"Not from what I hear. They gossip about me. It's not like they don't know what a Talon is. They know I can hear them," Darren muttered, still not eating the cake,

"They mean well," Diana said, though she sounded like she didn't quite believe it herself, "I know their talk hurts you but—,"

"—They say they're concerned for me. They also say 'he's killed people before, why should I trust him?' 'The Bat doesn't even trust him, it's why he's on such a tight leash.' They know who my father is, they know what he's done, many of them have fought against him and many of them and their loved ones have gotten hurt because of him. They think I'm exactly like him; they think I'm a monster like him. They hardly know me as a person, but they knew my history before I even set foot on this space station. So yes it hurts me…but it was something I expected, yet also something I thought they'd be better about,"

"I feel the same way. Your past should not define you. Perhaps you have killed people…maybe you still will, but if done with the right intent, to protect instead of to hurt and not for vengeance, then there is some merit in that," Darren looked over at her surprised,

"Why do you say that?" he asked, "I thought you of all people would be against killing of any kind…I thought you would disapprove the most," Diana laughed, actually laughed,

"While the others are so quick to judge they forget that I am much older than I appear…and that I have fought in wars and battles where killing was necessary. Perhaps I have toned that side of myself down, but it's still there…still a part of me and something I understand. Perhaps I never killed with the same intent of assassins, but killing is killing, and death is death. I have done my fair share of the unspeakable," Darren stared at her, still stunned,

"And they…accept you?"

"They had probably forgotten, as it was before many of them were born…but yes they have—" Darren looked away at that, remembering a different reason why he was so sullen about being here, "—And they will accept you too. Though as plagued by their words as you appear to be, I know that this is not what is truly bothering you," Darren let out a breath, his uneaten cake sill there glaring at him with the word 'birthday.' It was an unspeakable act for him not to shove the thing into his mouth whole but he still didn't move to eat it,

"I don't know what you mean,"

"We don't know much about Talons, but we do know they are long-lived. You will remain as you are while everyone around you grows old," Diana looked down at him, understanding in her dark, yet bright eyes,

"You're as bad as Dick you know. Making me talk about my feelings and things that bother me," Darren muttered, scowling over at her…though his heart wasn't really into the scowl,

"Birthdays bring up memories and the realization that people are getting older and you are not. It hits me every time as well. Take it from someone who has loved and cared for many people as they grew older and older and I stayed as I am. It is not easy…but nothing ever ends with death. There are families that I know who are the descendants of those I once knew and held dear. I grow up with them over and over again, different names and faces and places, but the ghosts of the people I once knew are still there…in their smiles, in how they hold themselves, in what they say. Perhaps I am an optimist, but no one ever truly dies," Darren thought for a moment, taking a bite of cake—he wasn't going to let it go to waste—before replying,

"That doesn't mean I want to live forever…I never wanted this,"

"No one ever asks for power," Diana agreed, "But know this, you will not be alone. You will have me; you will have Cal-El and J'onn…other aliens who will live past the normal human life-span. We will be there for you," Darren shook his head,

"I won't have them if they'll never accept me,"

"Then try to find common ground with them. They do not want to hate you, Darren. I promise,"

"I don't take promises very lightly," Darren replied, "But I guess you're right…I'll try," with that he turned and started for the main room where everyone was. Perhaps he wouldn't truly fit in with the Justice League, but he did find one of them who understood him and his struggles…and perhaps even his own deep dark fears about living for as long as he would.

As he stepped into the main room where everyone was talking and celebrating the party, a hush seemed to settle over the room. Not an exact silence, but a great difference in the enthusiasm that was exhibited before. Darren restrained from letting out a sigh, his confidence dwindling as he continued his slow and cautious entry into the room.

Dick, across the room, gave him a grin and raised a hand as if to get his attention, waving him over to join the conversation he was having with a man around his age with bright red hair and emerald green eyes. With a semi-grim expression, Darren started over, secretly willing the lively conversations to start up as they had before he'd entered the room. Wonder Woman had entered after him but had disappeared into the sea of people, a usually difficult feat for someone of her height. He kept reminding himself that these people didn't truly dislike him, they just didn't know him, but it wasn't really helping him or his confidence. As he neared Dick and the other man something filtered through the music and conversation to him, making him pause and frown in confusion. It was a name, vague and distant but clear,

"—Baudelaire—," Darren turned, tilting his head slightly and searched for its source. He eyed the crowd, reading lips of people having conversations he couldn't distinctly hear but still couldn't pick out where it came from. The voice sounded familiar, but in a crowded room with a lot of voices, everything tended to sound the same. Who would be talking about Livia, why would that name be brought up? Were people talking about his personal life too? How did they know such things? The Bats wouldn't have revealed anything he didn't want to be known …though he never mentioned that he didn't want his relationship with Livia out in the open. Darren shook his head; I am paranoid he thought to himself before starting towards Dick once again when out of the corner of his eye he saw something green flying towards him. Instinctively he turned to face what was coming ready to duck but froze at what he saw…it was a barn owl, a green owl flying up above everyone. Internally Darren knew it was one of the capes, entertaining some of the younger members with their powers but Darren only felt panic as the owl let out a realistic screech, a reminder of what he was trying to escape and what was continually coming after him.

The panic encompassed him, making his breathing short and his thoughts wild…suddenly he wasn't quite all there. He was back at the Nest. White, expressionless Owl masks glaring down at him in the labyrinth, taunting him as he stumbled through it, blinking dizzily into the blinding lights. The Owl leaders egging on his fight with Asher, waiting eagerly for their Talons to kill each other for them. He could see them out of the corner of his eye in the Waking Room after he was brought back to life, Darren blinked again and shook himself, his fear not dying down and the memories of the past still swirling sinisterly through his head.

He saw in the corner of his eye Tim turning to face the owl and frown, eyes widening before turning to face Darren, who still stared shellshocked at the creature before him. The recognition that it was someone he knew of flew from his mind as he instinctively moved to grab something, anything..anything was a weapon…Darren needed to fight he needed to get out of there. He needed something…anything…he couldn't breathe in here. The walls were shrinking around him, a cage of steel and pressure—like Blackout. Panic crashed into him harder at the thought to the pitch black hole of stone that was used as punishment for the Courts' Talons and Talons-to-be. He felt his hands twitching at his sides for his dual blades…for anything for something. Dick was hurrying toward him, as was Tim…Damian was heading for the owl itself, and even though he knew it wouldn't harm the thirteen-year-old, his instincts screamed at him to protect, protect, protect.

His hands moved of their own accord, reaching for a nearby chair and snapping one of its legs off. It toppled on its side, clanging far too loudly for Darren's taste against the metal floor, some heads turned…people were starting to notice the scene he was making. Darren hefted the splintered piece and hurled it at the owl without a second thought…regretting it the moment the makeshift dagger left his hand,

"No!" Dick growled, reaching his side a moment too late and jerking his arm down in a strong grip. The piece sailed towards the green owl as it turned too slowly to duck or dodge the weapon…Damian deftly leaped up and grabbed it by its taloned feet and yanked it out of harm's way just in time, the owl turning back into the short green guy Darren had seen earlier as they both fell to the ground. The broken piece pierced through the wall, halting just before its end with a twang. Darren stood in the center of the room still panting with panic and his heart still racing,

"Hey! What's your problem?" the green guy shouted angrily, leaping to his feet angrily,

"You're the problem," Damian growled, getting back to his feet, "You're welcome by the way,"

"I shouldn't have to thank you, that Talon guy shouldn't have gone psycho on us!" Darren felt embarrassment and shame burn away the fear and panic. He turned carefully, seeing a circle of heroes around him all glaring at him and slipping casually into fighting stances. Darren lowered his head, anger quickly following. They knew he was a Talon…they knew who the Court of Owls were; they knew in detail—too much detail for Darren's taste—what they did to him and his family…and they rubbed it all in his face. They didn't consider what he would feel and how he would react when faced with the greatest fear of his life. They had the gall to blame him for his reaction, despite knowing the majority of the truth. Darren gritted his teeth, his hands curling into fists with the nails biting into his palms once more,

"Darren," Dick said carefully, reaching out to pull him to the side…to talk to him quietly in some corner about how he shouldn't blame them, how it will take time…how it will be difficult. No. Darren would not go with him; he won't be told to let it go. He wouldn't let them get away with how they behaved. They knew…and yet they let this happen. Darren knew this was a bad idea. The Justice League was no ally of his,

"Darren—," Tim started as well, moving closer, seeing his closed fists,

"—I'm leaving," Darren announced loudly, looking back up. Glaring at the room. Let his anger be known; they should see how they made him feel; they should know that he did not trust them, "I don't belong here. That's been made very clear. I knew this wasn't a good idea," he directed that last bit at Dick before walking over to the zeta tubes. They were the last to arrive so it would be preprogrammed to send him home. He wasn't going to ask for help or fiddle with the device. He practically sprinted the last few feet to the zeta tube before stepping slowly inside, leaving the Watchtower behind. He would never come back, and it seemed they preferred that sentiment.

A/N: Hope you liked that chapter! I, as usual, enjoyed writing it. I just want to clarify that I am not trying to vilify the Justice League, I tried to make it clear that not all the members were being jerks(next chapter will explain this a bit more). As for BeastBoy, he tends to be impulsive and a bit loud and obnoxious sometimes, it's just his character, which is why he was the one to act out a do something that would potentially trigger Darren to attack as a defense mechanism. It's not that I dislike Garfield or anything, he was just the perfect character to use for this. In my opinion of course.

As for the aging issue, that is still something Darren is struggling with and is unhappy about, so I felt that including it was important.

As usual REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! I will answer any of your questions or concerns if you have any!

Onto chapter two!