Author's Note: I OWN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING other than my OC and the creativity I place in here to bring this story into one finished product.

And please, no bashing me or anyone else or any of the creativity of the writing. If you absolutely love Talia then try not to take anything much personally, I will admit that I don't much like her, but I'm not making her an absolute psychopathic female maniac so you should be good. I hope. Enjoy!

UPDATED: 6/2021

Chapter 1

She watched from the shadows as Bruce and Damian entered Wayne Manor. It had been rebuilt after it had been destroyed by the Court of Owls attack led by Talon three years before. She had done well to stay hidden, never had the need to intervene in anything. Bruce had done just fine in keeping the boy alive and safe. Though, she'd admit there were plenty of times she worried she may have had to step in to put a foot up both of their asses.

'Like father, like son,'

But she had her own reasons for being there that night. Talia was back in her games of world domination.

After her last failed attempt, Talia had been attacked in her escape by Onyx. Unfortunately for everyone, neither perished from the crash.

She still remembered the night she overheard Talia plotting her own father's death. Deathstroke, also known as Slade, had taken the deal, and the bait. Damian had gone for his throat, but Slade had been taken down by Tara after the years, an internal spy for Deathstroke after he'd come to the realization Talia had set him up and allowed everyone to believe Slade had done the attack on the Compound himself. Talia was a piece of work that was for sure. When they'd realized they'd been seen, Slade had been ready to kill her, but Talia had given her an ultimatum, "Because Damian loves you as a sister, you're practically my own daughter, Athena. So, I shall let you live, but only if you leave. We will perceive your sudden absence as your motion of turning your back on us. Damian will be angry and hate you of course, but if you wish to see him well and alive I would suggest you take his wellbeing into priority, girl."

Her heart had stopped in her chest for a few seconds as she'd stared wide-eyed at the woman she'd come to regard as a possible mother figure. Man had she been more wrong than anything in her youth. "You'd kill your own son!"

Talia had grinned and struck her pose, her hands on her hips as she gazed down at the pinned woman, "No…. I'd slaughter him. Simply to make a point. He was not born from my body,"

"Of course not, he was-"

Talia had glared at her words, backhanding Athena. She really didn't want to kill the girl. It was hard for anyone to think that Talia really did care for the young woman, that she even loved her son born from the Artificial womb. But after the Lazarus pit had revived her, Talia was slowly losing her mind to darkness and madness with her father's ideals and goals to World Domination.

"Damian is meant to grow to be the best soldier of the League of Shadows, and currently the Heir of the League. Now, my dear daughter, make your choice wisely. For my son still sleeps peacefully tonight." Talia had said with a shit-eating grin. Her green eyes stared down into Athena's own dark green, emerald-like eyes that had quickly filled with tears, her curling blond tresses spilled out across the floor like a fan around her small frame.

"I'll leave. No one will know, no one will see. Ju-just doesn't hurt him, please, he's just a child." It had taken everything in Athena to not cry in front of the woman.

"He is science in a vial,"

Athena had left without a sound, nor a second thought. However, she had gone to see a sleeping Damian. She had taken the charmed necklace he'd always left on his nightstand. It was a silent message to Damian that she'd always be there, that she would return one day.

And she'd kept that silent vow. But did Damian ever understand why his necklace was stolen? Did he ever figure out she was the one who'd taken it? Did he ever find out why she'd left? Did he even care?

Bruce had begun to scold the boy as they'd closed their doors to the home. Bringing her mind back from her memories, she noticed that they seemed to not be alone. Her eyes watched as more vehicles pulled into the large tear-drop driveway. It appeared to be his son's team members from the tower. And the grown Robin's of Batman's past.

Her files told her plenty of them.

Richard Grayson, the first Robin, adopted by Bruce Wayne and had taken the new Alias Nightwing, in love with Starfire, real name; Koriand'r, Kori for short. The gorgeous redhead was currently the leader of the Titans. She was also a fled Princess of an Alien culture, and the two were currently engaged.

Jason Todd, the second Robin, killed by the Joker and returned to Life via the Lazarus Pit by the doing of Ra's al Ghul and now under the alias Red Hood and practically running Gotham's streets. He was comfortable with bloodshed, however, and thankfully, he was ill-favored in involving children in criminal acts. His file was a bloody one.

But they all had something equally in commen...

Pain.

Loss.

And a drive to save their city. By any means necessary in Todd's mind.

Kathy Kane, A.K.A. Batwoman, had also made an appearance to the Manor and that of Tim Drake, the third person to have taken the mantle 'Robin' and under the newest alias Red Robin. However, he'd been going by Red Robin from the beginning since he was uncomfortable taking the title Jason had been under during his brutal murder. It was a story he knew was very touchy for Bruce, painful. So, for respect of Jason's memory the young boy, now a grown young man, had taken 'Red Robin'. While it was the same mantle it was still technically different. It was his own.

Though she did not know them personally and she had no intentions of judging them. Sighing, Athena sat back to get comfortable as everyone gathered into the Manor. They seemed to be hosting a party for the time being.

Inside the Manor

"You know we're being watched, right Bruce," Richard told the big man.

Smirking, Bruce sighed softly with a nod, "Yes, I know. Just keep acting natural. It is your little brother's birthday after all. I just had to make a show of things, it's been a while since he's been in trouble." Bruce told Richard with a grin.

Huffing with a cockiness that seemed to come natural to the Wayne family, Damian strutted up between the two adults talking, "Being scolded was my idea in the first place. It's unnatural that he and I are not arguing, or training, so I figured why make anything look out of sorts." Damian said with an air of his usual arrogance.

Todd laughed at the kid, "Dude, you are one high-end bat-brat."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, criminal!" Damian shouted, snarling 'criminal' and ready to attack.

Jason's expression was equally as cold and lethal as Damian's as the once upon a time boy wonder glared him down, his large arms crossed firmly across his buffing chest. The guy was freaking ripped. Damian assumed he must be overcompensating for something. It was either between a small penis or the few brain cells from all the knocks he'd likely taken with his head.

"Damian, calm down. Starting a fight with Jason would actually be a bad idea. You two would shockingly be an even match. And that is scary to think about witnessing." Tim told the kid trying not to laugh as Damian huffed and grumbled as he stomped off to speak with his friends. He took a sigh of calm relief when Garfield patted his back.

"Ignore the red masked jerk, he's just jealous he wasn't a rock on Robin," Garfield told Damian with a wide grin, trying to make his friend feel better. Though, he shivered at feeling a glare at the back of his head by a pissed-off Jason Todd. "Right, let's go over here," Garfield said, leading Damian over to the theater room where they were hosting Damian's thirteenth birthday party and their sleepover at the Wayne Manor.

*** Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this short -very short- chapter, chapter 2 is on its way! Have a great day/night!