A/N: You guys are reading this? I mean I know you are but I don't know if you are liking it. Please let me know, I don't want to keep posting if no one is liking it-or at least let me know what needs improvement! It would mean a lot if you reviewed your opinions or PM-ed me!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Enjoy!

Chapter: 6

The weeks went by. Stephanie had her surprise baby shower and was pissed everyone went behind her back to create it, though everyone could tell she was secretly pleased. Tori on the other hand was particularly moody that day. She didn't mean to be a buzz kill. She was happy and excited for Stephanie and Tim, but it was bittersweet for her. The baby games were hilarious though. Dick, Tim and Jason all trying to put a diaper on a baby blindfolded ended with Tim suffocating the baby doll by putting the diaper on the head, Dick being the only one to get remotely close to getting it on right and Jason's baby doll's head falling off. All the drinks were in baby bottles and there was a baby food tasting competition. Whoever guessed what kind it was won. Tori tried one taste and nearly vomited all over the floor. It wasn't that it was extremely bad, it was just that her taste buds were more enhanced than everyone else's. She's glad everyone had a good laugh at her reaction though,

"When or if we have a kid, you're feeding it that stuff," Tori muttered to Jason who rolled his eyes, "I'm not going near it." It was a great turn out, and not a moment too soon. Stephanie had the babies a week later. They were a boy and a girl. The boy being older by seven minutes. Their names are Bennet and Leah and they were adorable. It was too soon to tell whether they'd look similar or not, they were fraternal since they were a boy and girl, but sometimes even fraternal twins looked rather similar.

Tori buckled down and prepared her classes for APs and finals as they rolled from February to March. It was surprising how fast the days went. Work, eat, patrol, sleep…it all worked in a cycle. On weekends there was always some form of gala or party that they were dragged to by Bruce or that she and Jason ditched, they of all the members for Bruce's brood preferred to remain in the shadows even while in their civilian identities. Though Tori did need to attend some, she was in the process of trying to find the members of the Owls. The Talons and Owls operated differently. The Owls told the Talons who to kill. Getting rid of the Owls would be easier than getting rid of the Talons. Even so she did search for their new base of operations throughout Gotham. They were in hiding and Tori intended to find them. She'd been scouting out potential areas for the Talons HQ for the past six months, to no avail.

Presently Tori was staring at a dead body though. It was like the others Dick had shown her on the map. It was random, it was messy enough to be discovered by someone and curious enough to bring not only the police, but the Bats as well. Bruce, Tori and Dick all stood around the body or looked for clues,

"It's exactly like the others as in it's a completely random murder," Dick pointed out,

"That doesn't exactly help us with figuring out who's doing this," Tori said, moving to rub her neck nonchalantly, ever since the mysterious dart was shot at her in the sewers and rooftop she'd been paranoid about small darts like that. Not many people can sneak up on her and get away faster than she could find them,

"This is so weird. It's like a serial killer but it's also not. There's no pattern whatsoever," Dick said to Bruce,

"There has to be something that connects these victims to each other. Some reason they 'needed' to be killed," Bruce said,

"Maybe they didn't kill them because they 'needed' to be killed. Maybe this is just for attention," Tori said,

"The press hasn't gotten a hold of these killings yet," Commissioner Gordon said coming over to them from where he'd been talking to Harvey Bullock,

"Maybe that's why they keep happening," Tori said,

"Would you want me to get the press here? Would that stop these innocent people being murdered?" Gordon asked,

"If we brought the media into it it might make them want to kill more people," Bruce argued, "We'd be playing into their hands,"

"Is there anything at all that's similar in the locations?" Dick asked,

"Well…this area is a few blocks away from where I've been searching for the Court of Owls," Tori said,

"You've been searching for them, have you now Talon?" Gordon asked suspiciously,

"I'm only looking so I'd know where they are and have somewhat of an advantage for when we officially end their organization," Tori said stiffly,

"I'm only cautious because I have to be. You're tied to them," he replied,

"Thanks for reminding me," Tori muttered as he left to talk to some other cops,

"He doesn't mean to offend you. The Court struck Gotham hard," Dick said, defending his father-in-law,

"I know," Tori replied shortly,

"So…do we think the Court has something to do with this?"

"It doesn't seem like them," Tori replied, "Of course it is similar to what they would do. Leave the body, no evidence, no weapons. It's just in too obvious a place,"

"We have someone we could ask," Bruce stated,

"He's 'undercover'," Tori said, "he left to infiltrate a…well…a new branch of the Court of Owls. Lincoln March deserted with a few others and…well…actually left Gotham. They went somewhere and Danbury went to see if they were really a threat,"

"Where did he go?"

"He wouldn't tell me," Tori replied, "Said it would be better if not many people knew he was going there,"

"Did he say when he'd return?"

"Sometime in April I'd have to assume, if he finds what he needs maybe sooner," Bruce sighed,

"Then I guess we'll have to keep searching on our own. The only consistent thing with these murders is when they happen,"

"We'll keep our eyes open. I'm sure we'll find something." Dick said as they all dispersed to different locations over Gotham. Each returning to their usual patrol.

A/N: Stick with this guys! It'll get going! I promise! Also, if you guys have any name ideas for potential future kids, send them my way! I came up with those two on my own, but they're open to changes and I'll need new ideas for later.

Here is a snippet of the new story I was thinking about posting! Please give me your honest opinions, and A LOT of them because I want to post the story but I'm unsure on how it will be received! Let me know!

Chapter: 1

The blow came before he could stop it, it slammed right into his jaw causing him to follow that momentum to the right. His right shoulder hit the the stone wall and he heard rather than felt the pop as his shoulder dislocated. He didn't grunt in pain, only fell to the ground, panting and looking up at his opponent. They'd been going at it for hours, training for hours, he was only human. He was tired…but that didn't stop his trainer, his trainer of almost ten years. His trainer clucked his tongue at him,

"You were sloppy Darren. You could have stopped that hit," a hand grabbed him by the front of his shirt and yanked him to his feet. Darren stumbled slightly but stood straight, one hand on his shoulder, "I know you are only human, but that will not be a problem for much longer. The better you are at fighting now, the more powerful you'll be once you are a Talon," A Talon. An undead assassin that kills for the Court of Owls. An organized crime group and secret society that has controlled Gotham City for centuries. The Owls consist of some of Gotham City's oldest and wealthiest families who use murder and money to wield political influence throughout history. The Talons take orders from them and kill whoever gets in the Owls' way. Darren was just a boy when he was taken in by them, only five years old. His ancestor, William Cobb trained him himself and declared Darren his heir, they worked that way through legitimacy. A Talon would find his closest living relative and bring him into the fold or if there were no living heirs—that was seen as disgraceful and shameful by Talons and Owls alike—they would take a street rat or someone no one would ever think twice about. No one asked if he wanted that position, no one asked if he wanted to kill people…yet here he was. Always training, always fighting and still human…thankfully still human. He didn't know why they were waiting. He didn't know what schemes were being created but he knew that he didn't want the strength or speed, he didn't want the enhanced sight and hearing or the extended life. He didn't want any of that…yet here he still was, being groomed to be just that: a Talon.

He desperately wanted things to go back to how it all was. It had just been him and his mother and a huge mansion in Gotham…but it was home. It was his life. Sure he didn't know a lot of things about his mother or her family's history…but he'd been happy. They had both been happy. They didn't need his father or want him in their lives and apparently the man thought the same for he never came, never. Not even when Darren's mother was killed in a car crash. Not even when he was taken by the Court. He didn't come for him or to claim him. In fact the will of his mother sent him to 'a close family friend,' the Powers. A family that had never been mentioned in his home by his mother or anyone of the staff. Darren wanted to know the truth. He wanted to know what William had hidden in a chest in his room. He'd tried to sneak in and take a look when he was eleven, but William caught him. He'd been beaten so bad that he could barely move for a week…and they still made him train, claiming they were making him better. Preparing him to play a little harder…whatever that meant.

A booted foot flew into his chest and Darren fell back against the stone wall again, his head bouncing off of it bringing a grunt of pain from his mouth as he slid down to his butt. Darren glared at William, William smirked back. His arm hurt and he knew some of his ribs were bruised,

"Come on boy!" William growled, "Get up and fight,"

"You already won. What's the point?" Darren muttered, he knew William would hear, he always heard. William's hand grabbed his shirt again and pulled him off the ground, his feet barely touching the floor. His face mere inches from Darren's,

"What is the point you ask? The point is you are always the winner. You make yourself the winner, by any means necessary. When it comes to kill or be killed…you win. You kill!" Darren said nothing, just glared into William's charcoal colored eyes. The whoosh of a blade being drawn sounded to Darren's right but he still didn't break his stare. William loved his little knives and Darren refused to be scared by them,

"Would kill or be killed be what it takes to get you moving? What do you say boy, you want to become a Talon today?" Darren gritted his teeth and threw his forehead into William's, making the man drop him to the floor. Darren landed on his feet, barely…they almost buckled underneath him as William stumbled back, laughing,

"That's the spirit!" he hissed as Darren sprinted forward. He threw a punch and William dodged but moved right into his roundhouse kick. It hit him in the side, causing a muffled 'oof' from the man. Even so, the kick cost Darren. He couldn't keep his balance with his bad arm unable to move with him as he completed the kick. He fell over, his good arm catching him before his head hit the ground. With a grunt he rolled over onto his hands and knees, about to get up to his feet when a heavy boot connected with his side. A hollow thunk sounded as he was kicked across the floor. Rolling over and over until he came to a stop on his hands and knees again. His side burned and his shoulder ached. All he wanted was to lie on the ground and sleep but William wouldn't like that. He'd shake him into consciousness and beat him afterward for it,

"You are to go to your parents house tonight. There is a party…apparently Gotham is wondering where it's third Powers brat is," William was walking over to him. He stopped by where he stood crouched, a hand went to his shoulder and before Darren could protest it was wrenched back into position. Darren let out a startled cry of pain causing William to scoff and kick him in the side again,

"Pathetic,"

"They're not my parents," Darren gasped as he carefully and slowly got to his feet,

"I don't care what they are. Had you have been in that car crash we wouldn't have to put up the pretense that you are still alive and you could remain here at all times. But seeing as you were not there and Gotham still loves the Crownes…even the last living heir…we had to work around it," Darren bit his tongue, he desperately wanted to shout 'and where was my say in this!?' but he couldn't anger William, it wouldn't be worth it. He couldn't run, he couldn't hide, he couldn't do anything…but obey, "Go get cleaned up. You leave in an hour," Darren turned and left only to stop with a cry of pain as something sharp pierced his left shoulder. He stumbled a step and turned to face William, anger sharp and furious building up but he didn't say anything. Just pulled the dagger out and tossed it on the floor,

"Pay better attention next time. And try harder too," William snapped, "Enjoy the party," Darren continued on his way, both his shoulders aching madly as he turned the corner.

Let me know what you think! Next chapter on Monday! And if I get good reviews for this snippet, a new story on Thursdays!

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