~ The Manor ~

Upon arriving at the Batcave, the trio exited the car. Daire looked around, much like Damian had.

"So this is the fabled Batcave. Grandfather told us all about it." She took a few more seconds to take it all in. "It's smaller than I expected."

Batman sighed. This girl was so much like his son. He didn't want to go through this process again. He just finished with Damian.

"Another one, sir?" a formal voice called from the staircase.

"This is my sister, Pennyworth," Damian introduced.

The butler raised a curious eyebrow. "Sister?"

"Not mine," the Dark Knight added.

"So half-sister?"

"Technically, yes, but we don't use the 'half' part."

"For someone who's a stickler about being 'the blood son' I'm surprised you don't pin that detail down," another voice said.

"Shut it, Grayson."

Dick, in his Nightwing outfit, walked up to the duo. The girl cringed back, hiding behind Damian. Dick frowned but stopped.

"Hi, I'm Dick, also known as Nightwing."

"She doesn't talk to men she's unfamiliar with," Damian informed, standing proudly in front of the timid girl. Though his mother and grandfather hated the way she cringed, he felt a surge of pride protecting his sister. He was brave and strong enough to protect them both. Of course, Daire could protect herself. She just tried not to resort to violence.

"Just men?" Batman questioned, his cowl still covering his face.

"Adult men," the boy clarified.

"Why is that?" Dick inquired. Batman thought over his time with the girl, and he realized his son was right. She never once said a word to him before that night. She either ignored, fought, or cringed away from him. And when she had spoken, it was timid and soft.

"Dami!" the girl hushed, horrified as Damian started to answer. "Don't."

"Father is going to find out. He knows everything."

"He didn't know about you for ten years," the girl pointed out. "Besides, this is my past. I don't want people to know. If people know, they might make it happen again."

"Father isn't like that-" Damian tried.

"Mine was."

What happened to this girl? Batman was already forming theories, theories that didn't make him happy. How could Talia let that happen to her own daughter? I mean, she is a cold, heartless bitch, but still. Her own child? How could any mother let that happen to their child? And Damian? With how protective he was over the girl, he couldn't imagine Damian knowing about it and not stopping it. But, if his theory was correct, it would help explain Damian's protective nature with other children.

"Mine isn't. They won't," the boy insisted. Batman shook his head. There was a chance he was wrong. For once, he hoped he was wrong. "I'll kill anyone who tries."

"Damian!"

"I mean it."

Bruce wanted to protest further, but if his theory was correct, he'd have a hard time not killing the offender, too. He let the subject drop.

"Alfred, please settle Daire in the room next to Damian's."

"Alone?" the girl squeaked. "In a room? My own room?"

"I'll be in the next room," the youngest soothed. "And the doors have locks. You'll be safe. I won't let anyone hurt you again."

Both Dick and Alfred were surprised at Damian's unusual soft tone. He wasn't as gentle as a normal person, but there was emotion they hadn't thought the little devil was capable of. A type of bond they believed Talia forbid.

"Yes, Master Bruce. This way, please." He walked dutifully up the stairs. Daire didn't follow until Damian made the first step.

Bruce thought about having Damian stay, to talk to him about the situation, but decided against it. Daire didn't plan on going anywhere without the boy.

Hand-in-hand, the pair of siblings made their way up the steps. Batman and Nightwing watched silently until they left, closing the grandfather clock behind them.

"Damian has a sister?" Dick asked.

"Apparently." Batman turned back to his computer, ready to spend the next few hours learning everything he could about the girl.

"Would Talia really let something like that happen to her own child?" Dick wondered.

"I'm not sure, but I'm going to find out."

"That sucks. And by her own father? Man, I really hope we're wrong. Can't we be wrong for once?"

"I hope so, too, Dick. I hope so, too."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Alfred led the duo up the stairs. He strained his ears but couldn't hear the whispered conversation between the two. Master Damian's change in character had surprised him. He had come accustomed to the stoic boy.

Their conversation came to an end, and Damian's confident voice could be heard halfway down the hall. He wasn't as loud as he usually was, and his tone held a gentler note.

He listened as Damian rattled off the layout of the hall, telling the girl more than necessary. He heard the softness in the young lad's tone, the smile he was fighting. Alfred smiled to himself at the sound of the girl's giggle. As they walked past a few portraits, the topic changed again.

"He looked just like you," she noted, looking up at a picture of young Bruce and his parents.

"Actually, Miss Daire, Master Damian looks like Master Bruce."

The young duo faced him, startled as if they had forgotten his presence. Strangely, the thought made him happy. Damian needed to relax and get out more. Maybe this sister of his would help.

Wordlessly, the girl nodded, letting him know she was acknowledging her mistake. After the wave of cheer, the sorrow that flooded his heart nearly had him double over in pain. The fear and calculating look in the girl's eye was familiar. He had seen it once before, long before he came to work at the manner. And it was haunting.

His heart clenched as Damian whispered something to her. She nodded and somewhat relaxed. She trusted the boy but still kept up most of her guard. A comforting gesture, Damian took her hand in his, squeezing in reassurance.

They continued the walk to the bedrooms. Alfred offered to give a tour of the mansion, but Damian declined. He would show her around the place.

At the doors, Damian took the time to point out everyone's rooms. He then showed her his room, and the empty room beside his, now hers.

"I'll have Father buy you whatever you want," he promised. "For now, settle in. We can train this evening, if you'd like."

At the mention of something familiar to the both of them, she smiled and agreed. Yeah, it'd be nice. Alfred could see it would take some patience and time to get through her walls, but he was more than sure all the work would be worth it.

"Is there anything I can get you two?" he offered.

"Camille Tea for Daire and my usual for me, Pennyworth. That is all."

He bowed at the waist. "As you wish."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

They stood in the hall for a minute, Damian waiting patiently for Daire to muster up the courage to open her door. Finally, she twisted the knob and pushed.

She let the door swing open, slowly revealing the luxurious room. Damian remained silent, letting his sister look around her new room. The bed was large, and he knew it was soft. Very different from the stiff cots or mats they grew up using. A walk in closet and adjacent bathroom were the other two doors in the room. A medium sized desk propped itself against the wall with the door, a few feet away. The dresser had a huge flat screen hanging above it, attached high on the wall. The walls were a bare, cream color. Damian had a nagging suspicion Daire would want to change that but wouldn't say anything. Their mother and grandfather had been strictly against personalization and other sentimental nonsense. He made a mental note to join Daire when she went out shopping for her room. He'd be able to read her and get her what she really wanted, even if she denied wanting it. Gray curtains were tied open, not that there was much to see. The gardens and lawn around the manor weren't lit up. It was still dark out, and it reminded Damian of the late hour.

Daire walked over to the desk, trailing her fingers over the smooth top. The desk was clear of any mess, but Damian had peeped in this room before. He knew the drawers had paper, notebooks, pens, and a few other office supplies.

"Brazilian Ebony," she commented, and Damian knew what she meant. The dresser was made of the strong wood.

"Yes, Father spares no expense on anything. Whatever you wish, he will provide. Money is no obstacle."

"It wasn't with Grandfather."

"Father doesn't mind blowing money on the little things. Whatever you want, Dai, all you need is ask. I will make sure you get it."

"You've changed," she whispered, not facing her brother.

His voice was full, confident. "So have you, Dai."

Turning her head back to spare him a glance, she smiled. "I think I like the new Dami."

A wave of stress he didn't know he had washed away. He found himself gifting her a soft smile. "I think you will, too." There was another period of silence as Daire walked over to the dresser, gliding her fingers along the surface of that, too.

"Dalbergia melanoxylon," she named.

"What?" a voice behind them asked.

Damian, having been focused on his sister, hadn't noticed Drake walk up on them. He didn't show it, but he was surprised.

Without turning to even look at him, Damian answered, "It's an expensive wood. It's what the dresser is carved from."

"Oh, okay. So, who's she?"

"My sister."

"Sister? Since when did you have a sister?"

"I've always had a sister, Drake. She's two years older than me."

"Wait, Bruce slept with Talia twice?"

"No, we have different fathers."

"Oh. What's she doing here?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I live here."

"Tt. Last I checked, you were in Europe."

"I finished the case early. Now, what's she doing here?"

"This is her room, Drake. She'll be living here from now on."

"Thanks for the heads up. Anyways, nice to meet you," he stepped forward, holding out his hand. He stopped halfway, waiting for Daire to meet him. "So, Damian's sister, what's your name?"

"Her name is Daire."

He sent Damian a quick glare, but the lad ignored it. "So, Daire, how are you holding up?"

"She just got here, Drake."

"I wasn't talking to you."

"Well she won't talk to you."

"Why don't you let her decide?" he growled. He was tired and so not in the mood to deal with the devil's spawn.

Daire glanced at his hand but looked away, continuing her exploration of the room.

"So, how are you liking it here?" He waited, receiving no response.

"Like I said, she doesn't talk to males."

"That's not what you said," Tim shot back, his mind showing theories and possibilities to make the girl that way. People reacted to abuse in different ways. While Damian grew heartless, Daire could have become skittish.

Alfred returned with the requested tea, surprised to see the third body. "Welcome home, Master Timothy."

"Thanks, Alfred."

"I see you've met our newest member of the family, Daire."

"Yes."

Handing the tea to Damian and Daire, Alfred went to make his leave. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

Tim requested some tea be brought up to his room, for he was retiring for the night. Alfred was glad Tim was actually sleeping. He'd probably add a slight sedative to help, in case the insomniac teen changed his mind though. Damian and Daire shook their heads. Daire was ready to be alone. This had been a long night, and she was exhausted.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Daire. I guess we'll be seeing quite a bit of each other from now on."

Daire nodded, watching Tim make his exit.

"Can I see your room?" a soft voice asked Damian.

Sipping his tea, he lead the way. "Tt, of course."

His room was functional and the most personalized Daire had ever seen him to be. It wasn't much, but the room was tinted in his favorite color, and he had a stuffed cat on his dresser. His desk held a few text books and notebooks. A bland backpack slung on the back of the chair. Everything was neat and organized, the way they had been raised.

Damian walked over to the dresser, slipping two items from the top drawer. He set them neatly on top.

The same pictures Daire clung to were in picture frames. The beaming children looked into the camera, tiny teeth shining. There were marks from the many times they had been folded, but Daire was in awe that he actually kept them.

"Of course I kept them," he retorted when she voiced her amazement. "Mother destroyed everything else of you."

"She told you to give her everything of mine," Daire assumed. "She wanted to be rid of me entirely."

"But I kept these. I don't know why," he began to ramble, a slight blush on his cheeks.

Daire leaned forward, kissing his cheek. "I kept them, too." As proof, she pulled out the pictures.

"I knew you would."