Chapter 4

Adopt? No.

"No!" Talon screeched. It felt like something was trying to claw out of his chest. The feelings of his young self surged forward; the one locked away, hurt and left behind. Adoption had never been on the table for someone like him.

Why? Why Jason? He wanted to tear his little bird apart so that Bruce couldn't have him.

Jason shivered in fear. He had never seen such a blazing expression on Talon's face. He instinctively stepped away.

Bruce didn't move, except to raise his weaponless hands. He kept his voice low and without the gravelly tone of Batman as he spoke.

"The offer is for both of you," he said. "Stay by Jason's side. Let me help you both."

Talon snarled. "Jason. Choose."

Jason's hands clenched into fists by his side as Talon spoke. He didn't want to choose. However, he knew that life was full of hard choices. He had watched his parents make them and had even made some himself.

"You. Talon." He should have known that he couldn't have this. He turned to Bruce, purposely showing Talon his back. He had to trust that Talon wouldn't hurt him. "I'm sorry but I'll have to turn you down. But hey," he chuckled. "I'll check out those food places, maybe I'll be able to spot Alfred's cooking."

Jason kept his eyes on Bruce's chest and off his expression. Then he turned back to Talon.

"Do you want to leave together? Or will you catch up to me later?"

Talon froze, feeling like ice water had been dropped over him. He looked from Bruce's stricken but accepting expression to Jason's determined one. He felt the weight of his choices on his shoulders.

Did he even know how to choose anymore? He couldn't even process the options Jason had just given him.

His mind defaulted to the last decision made for him. He looked to Bruce. Bruce had offered adoption without a choice, even though one was implied.

"Both of us? How?" he asked.

"I can create an identity or look into your old one," Bruce said. "Using that, I can adopt you the same way I hope to adopt Jason."

"My... old identity?" Talon mused. He saw the sparkle in Jason's eyes. The hope that they could stay here. It was safe, Talon had searched the property the day before. He knew that Bruce and Alfred had paid attention to his every move. "Perhaps."

Jason lit up and Talon felt his chest constrict in a warm and not painful way.

During their second day at the manor, Bruce took them back down into the Batcave.

"So cool," Jason said, looking around at the souvenirs Batman had taken from some of his more interesting cases. "Why do you have a giant dinosaur?"

"It's a long story," Bruce said. He ended up telling the story as he took blood from Talon and started running it through the computer. Jason listened to every word, even as he and Talon started doing handstands and cartwheels in the background.

Bruce was not surprised that the Talon hadn't listened to his request to take it easy for a couple of minutes after he drew the blood.

On the third day, Jason looked around the cave. This time he focused on the weapons, costumes and information stored with a thoughtful expression. Talon watched him from high places, even perching atop the dinosaur at one point.

Close to midday, Bruce had all the information he needed. Talon was convinced to leave Jason to his own devices for a couple of minutes while Bruce went through the information with him.

Richard John Grayson was his name. He preferred to be called 'Dick'. Talon knew this, he just didn't answer to that name anymore.

What he hadn't known was that Dick Grayson was marked as 'missing - presumed dead' in police files. Bruce explained what had happened to him clearly. It involved Talon informing him that he hadn't been part of the Night of the Owls since he had been untested at the time. The Court hadn't expected to lose to Batman. They hadn't expected Batwoman to appear or other forms of help from those who fought crime.

"Do you want to live again?" Bruce asked him, blue eyes piercing as he waited patiently for Talon's response.

Talon felt stuck. He had thought there was no living for him. He was a creature of the grey, not quite dark but not the light either.

"I am Talon," he said in response. He might not be a full Talon but he had enough for accelerated healing and remaining in peak physical condition.

Bruce seemed saddened by his response but he respected it and did not ask again.

"Why don't you want to be adopted?" Jason asked Talon while sitting on the bed next to him. Talon was cross-legged at the end of the bed while Jason was resting against the headboard with an open book in his lap. Bruce had found Talon's identity but Talon didn't want to use it. He also didn't want Bruce to make him a new one. It meant that Bruce couldn't officially adopt him as there was no legal name they could put on the forms. "Bruce is willing to take us both in and... I would be more comfortable if you were here too."

"You being adopted doesn't mean I have to leave," Talon said. They would have to freeze him to keep him away from Jason. His Little Wing might not need him but Talon was going to watch over him. "Bruce made that clear. And if he lied," Talon touched a couple of his hidden knives. Bruce and Alfred had given up trying to get him to leave all the knives behind. They had accepted that he was going to always have a least one knife on him at all times.

It had even come in handy one time in the kitchen. Alfred had requested that he hand over one of his knives when the man needed a knife to cut up some fish. He had thought that Alfred was going to take the knife away but instead, it gave Talon a warm feeling to watch the man use his knife to prepare food. Alfred cleaned it and gave it back when he was done.

Maybe Jason wasn't the only reason Talon didn't just up and leave.

"I might need you to watch my back," Jason said.

"Why? Do you think someone is after you?"

"No. I want to help Batman."

"What?" The dark shadow of the bat flew through Talon's mind and he shivered. "Why?"

Jason smiled, unknowing of Talon's recoiling. He spread his arms out and excitedly explained, "I've been on those streets which Batman tries to keep safe. I've fought on those streets. You've made me a better fighter. Now, I'm here while everyone I knew is down there. I need to do something."

"But help Batman? How?" Talon questioned.

Jason gave him a look like he should have figured it out by now. "I'm going to help him out on the streets." He bounced off the bed and grinned at Talon. "What do you think? Think I'll make a good Batboy?"

Talon's mouth opened and closed as he tried to process this. This little bird wanted to hang around in the bat's shadow? He knew the Batman was targeted by those who wished harm upon anyone in their way, like the Court. Anyone with the Batman was targeted as well.

His little bird was offering himself up as a meal.

"Gotham will chew you up and spit you out," Talon said. "This is foolish." He ignored the hurt look on Jason's face. It was the truth and the kid needed the hear it.

Pain to his face was the next thing Talon registered. Jason had thrown his book at him! Talon's mouth hung open as Jason stormed from the room. Not only was he close to tears, he had thrown a book! His Little Wing loved and respected books. He would never in his right mind throw one.

Talon needed to fix this.