Talia had been surprised when her niece slipped into her office. She had smirked pleased with herself before opening the door and mocking the guards on the other side.

"You're totally fired, you know? What if I had been an enemy? You would've been none the wiser and the Mistress would've been in danger."

Not really, Talia did not get to where she was in life by being incompetent. Though that did not mean she did not see the wisdom in her nieces words.

"Jamila," was all she had to say before her niece pulled back. She could feel the demon within laugh at the guard's fear. She turned her attention to the two at the door, "Switch out with guard team Z23 and report back to the training grounds."

After all, she wasn't going to lose two perfectly capable assassins and extra training never hurt anyone. Jamila watched them walk away and her head tilted to the side as she listened to them repeat their given orders. Talia watched as Jamila calmly closed the door before moving towards the tea set.

She hummed silently to herself before signing off on the last report in front of her. She turned her full attention to her niece, because the gods of the old knew that Jamila only drunk tea when she had big news to share.

Talia accepted the tea quietly and watched as Jamila made herself comfortable. Her niece stared absently at one of the old drawings her father had hung up. For all that he was a monster, there had been a small part (as small as proton in an atom) that loved his grandchildren.

Jamila seemed to shake herself off before relaxing in the chair, "Mm, I see that you are renovating the compound."

Talia quirked a brow before taking a sip of her tea, "Yes, I've gotten recommendations from our newest guests. They've agreed to help tighten up our security while we set them up in a nearby village."

"Oh," she perked up. "Have they chosen a name?"

Talia absently tapped her finger across the ceramic mug in her hands as she thought about the large group of people that had just suddenly appeared in the middle of the compound a few months ago. They had been good. Wonderful, and her people had been overwhelmed quickly. But Talia, Sandra, Anastasia, and Jamila wouldn't be taking down so easily. They had learned quickly to not look in any of their eyes and she remembered the loud, creative threats that escaped Jamila's mouth when one of their fireballs edged to close to her hair.

Talia and Anastasia quickly took on the leaders of the strange group whereas Sandra seemed to glow as she went against the one who could read her moves as good as she could read his. But it was Jamila who seemed to dance with delight with the boy who smiled every time one of their hits connected.

Talia had known from that one meeting that the two of them would cause problems. It had become even more apparent when she saw the jealously raising in the boy's eyes when Jamila had been sneaking some of the girls from their group off to her bedchambers.

"Konohagkure," she informed her niece. She watched the information pass quickly through her mind before she titled her head.

"Guess we'll be seeing a lot of trees then," she smirked. "It's the only way that name is going to work."

Talia inclined her head and watched her niece impassively as she fidgeted. "Tete Lia," the girl whispered as she brought her knees up to her chest. Her eyes trailed over to the portrait that Talia had commissioned. A vision of what she had once hoped her family could look like. Her mother and father standing behind her proudly as Nyssa and Dusan stood at her sides. Jamila and Jason stood in front of them with their arms wrapped around Damian and Anastasia.

"Tete Lia," she started again. "Why am I to be the Demon's Head heiress?"

Talia inwardly startled. She had not had this conversation with her since Damian lost his right to it. "In terms of power and skill, you are the next liable choice. You have been raised within the compound and know the rules and laws of the Demon better than anyone else."

Jamila only shook her head, "We both know that in terms of power and skill Jason is stronger and better than me. And besides, I committed treason when I killed grandfather."

Talia took another sip of her tea, "While that may be true, only you and I know that you killed him. And do not put yourself down child, I have had a hand in training you myself. Your skilled is unrivaled and do not think I haven't noticed you training with our newest guests."

Or maybe one person in specific.

Jamila didn't blush. She was too refined for that, but Talia knew her niece well and she saw the after effects in her eyes.

"I can't be the heiress," she mumbled as she ran her finger across the rim of her mug. Talia hummed.

"And why not?"

"I can't be the heiress because I-… Because- "

She watched as Jamila took a deep breath before looking her in the eyes. She set her shoulders and placed her feet back on the ground. She looked ever much like an Heiress despite her current efforts to throw away the title.

"I cannot and will not be the Heiress to the title because…"

It wasn't often that Talia thought about that night. She had listened with rapt attention to her niece's argument. She listened quietly as she was given all the details that she needed before she gave in and removed her status as the heir.

Talia was in her office again going through her company's papers. She decided that her newest guests had knowledge that would benefit her company greatly. Even now, with only a few of them joining in for the medical research, the company's profit had skyrocketed.

She signed off on a few more papers before there was a knock on her door. She looked up as one of the guards opened the door with a bow, "Mistress, the Lady Shiva requests a visit."

Talia waved her hand at her, "Let her in. In thirty minutes, I want you to switch with guard team I55 and continue helping the renovations."

The guard bowed again before stepping to the side and letting in one of her dearest friends. Once the door closed, Sandra rose a brow at her before moving over to her alcohol cabinet.

"Sandra, it is eleven o'clock on a Wednesday morning. Why are you drinking?"

The One That is All only laughed lightly at her as she poured herself a drink, "Someone, somewhere, has just got married, and I am celebrating." `

It took many years of practice to keep the amusement out of her face. She laughed lightly but accepted the drink that was handed to her. "Have you received any news about Jamila's condition?"

Sandra sip at her drink, "Your little pet project found a way to combine their knowledge with our machines. They've managed to slow it down to the point that nothing looks out of order. And she's threatened to rip their hearts out and eat it alongside her shokoladnaya-kartoshkas if they speak about it with anyone that doesn't have her approval."

Talia sighed heavily, "She won't be able to keep it a secret long. She will eventually grow to weak to even move out her bed."

Sandra huffed, "She is too stubborn for her own good, but I have heard rumors that she has been in an underground competition making a name for herself. She is close to winning the competition and has billions of dollars betted on her every night. I doubt she wants to give up when she's so close to her goal. Not to mention, her determination to bring back things of interest for your guests."

Talia hummed, "It will not be long before she manages to slip some of them off into the night with her and show them the world. I will not fault her when she does. I just wish she took more precautions as she deteriorates even further."

Sandra agreed absently before turning her attention back to her fellow assassin. "Have you decided on who to make the newest heir?"

Talia paused before downing the alcohol and letting it burn through her throat. "Yes, the only question is how am I going to get them to accept it?"

Sandra nodded, "Its better to ask for forgiveness than permission in some cases. Spring it on them when they least expect it and watch them flail as they try to ignore their fate."

Talia smirked, "Speaking from experience, I presume." Sandra laughed lightly before nodding her head, "Though at the rate Cassandra is going, I might have to convince Weasel to be the one to give me peace."

"Mm. I would have thought that you preferred Jamila's, well friend is too nice of a word, but her friend to take you out."

Sandra snorted, "I asked him would he. Questioned if he had the skill. He looked me in the eyes without that damn red glint and told me that killing me would only make Jamila kill him. He's determined to have her fall in love with him though."

"If only he knew that she already was… though I can understand his confusion. Jamila has been taken to be with more females lately."

Sandra nodded her head, "I guess I can understand the appeal. A woman's touch is better than a man's any day. And her conditions continue on, she'd want all the comfort she can get."

"That does sound like her. I wonder how she plans to tell Jason. The two of them are rather close."

"Probably the same way she told him that she was the heir."

The two women laughed lightly, "By not telling him at all."

Sandra tapped her finger against the glass in her hand, "Jason would do good as the Heir. He might bring some joy back to the League and I may rejoin again under the new direction he would surely take it."

"He is my main choice, but I didn't want to make any decisions until I received word about my nephew's progress. Just because Nyssa has been exiled from the League doesn't make him not a worthy contender."

"So, it is out the two of them?"

Talia nodded her head surely, "Yes, we will see who proves the better choice."

Talia stood before the various clans that made up the League. They all watch her with attentive eyes, and she sees the council sit in front of her with pride. It was time for her to announce her heir and they knew she wouldn't make this choice without careful consideration. They had all been distraught when they learned that Jamila hadn't wanted the title but with a small overview of her condition and all that would happen surrounding it… they made peace.

She stepped into the ring of truth and watched impassively as one of her guards lit the flames.

"I stand before you all today as the Demon Head… as Talia Al Ghul, daughter of Ra Al Ghul."

The flames burned green at the truth of her words.

"A year ago, I stood before you all and announced that the Beautiful One… our Hope was to be the Demon Head's Heiress. I stand before you now to tell you that it was no longer true."

The green in the flames held steady.

"Today, I name a new heir. One that has proven themselves to our organization time and time again. They are a strong warrior whose loyalty is a jewel to be cherished."

The flames tint blue with the pride in her voice.

"Hear the call of the ancestors. Of all the points of contact. Calling on all the strength from the Al Ghul Line. I hereby claim my son, Jason Peter Todd-Al Ghul as my heir."

Green for truth. Blue for pride. Red for the blood connection.

Cheers erupt from the warriors surrounding her. Talia is smiling as she looked upon them.

An arrow whistles through the air and impales itself in front of her. The fire is immediately put out and everyone is at edge. Some of her guards immediately break away heading in the direction that the arrow came from while the others direct the children and those with child to the safe rooms.

Talia is following them, and she absently notes when Sandra and Ubu fall in line beside her. Swords appear in their hands. Sandra passes her a spare Tantō and Ubu passes her a gun.

They follow the sound of fighting and immediately join in once it becomes clear just who their enemies were. Her sister's guards and mercenaries that were exiled alongside her. Ubu and Sandra cut a clean escape for her towards the center where her sister's stands enjoying the chaos.

"Nyssa," she nearly growls. "What is the meaning of this?"

She sees the rage that overtakes her sister and the two of them clash right in the middle. She is thankful for the lessons she has taken with the people of Konohagkure. It makes her fighting style unpredictable and she's quickly pushing her sister back.

"You spit on the name of our father. How dare you throw his beliefs for such false love? That boy is not an Al Ghul. He is a False Heir no matter what you proclaim."

Talia snarls in anger and she can feel Lazarus breaking free from her control. The world tinges green and now she fights with the intent to kill. "You will not speak of my son in such a manner. Throw away Father's belief? Impossible. You're still exiled, aren't you?"'

She watches with a sharp smile as her sister lets go of her own inner demon and tries to kill her. She knows that she will not succeed. She will not catch Talia off guard. Not this time. She was not weak.

The two of them continue their fight when Nyssa steps back suddenly as one of her underlings enters Talia's peripheral. She shoots him dead before focusing back on Nyssa.

It had to be the thought of the vengeance being the only reason she didn't notice the kunai being thrown at her. It plunges itself in her shoulder and she viscously yank it out before continuing towards her sister.

But strangely, Nyssa isn't trying to fight her anymore.

Something was wrong.

"Fall back," she says, and her voice sounds wrong. Nyssa is coming towards her. A smoke bomb is thrown between the two of them and suddenly Ubu and Sandra are carrying her away.

She blinks and the world seems larger.

She blinks and she doesn't know what's going on.

She blinks and she slips into sleep.

And when her eyes open, she stares at a man with jewel like eyes and a patch in his head like Father's.

She is told that he is the Demon Head's Heir.

He is her brother.

He is Jason.

Talia is a child and she's watching as the girl with the white strip in her hair seems to command the room. She had watched as the girl relied heavily on Jason and rarely left his side. She wondered if she was his lover.

But that wouldn't make sense. Why would the girl claim to be her niece if she was her brother's lover?

The girl was strange, and she was hiding something. Talia could tell just from the way the girl twitch with every move. She watches how the girl looked down on Damian, but there had been a twinkle in her eye.

The Grandfather had taken her from the room earlier but that didn't stop her from coming back and peeking. Her interest had reached a all time high when more people entered the room.

Talia saw how the girl seemed to stiffen before casually moving away and out of reach. A part of her seemed to scream for Jason but a larger part of her seemed to wear a mask even her father couldn't pierce.

Talia watches how the new people seemed to move and create a shield around Jason. She wonders if they are Jason's guards. She wanted to know where they had been. Jason was the Heir! His guards were to be with him at all times in case of an attack.

It's the smell of baked goods that draws her attention away from them. She turns and leaves and makes her way back to the Grandfather.

He smiles gently at her and hands her a baked biscuit with chocolate inside of it. She had never tasted such treats before being brought into Jason's care. She wonders if Father would be mad with the way she is being treated when he comes back for her.

She didn't think she wanted to leave.

Her eyes blink open afterwards and she takes notice of the cloth covering her body. She had fallen asleep in front of the magical screen with all the different colors.

Talia sits up slowly and she notices that she had been brought back down in the big room. Jason called it the cave. It had been a week since the first night all the new people had showed up.

Jason had taken her to a new place to reside in. His guard squad was always there alongside Jason's lover? The two females who hair was as bright as the flames in the night took to sparring with her. They laughed and cheered her own and whenever she messed up a move, they talked her through it instead of slapping her down.

His other friend with eyes the same color as hers and with hair as fiery as the women gifts her with a bow and arrow. He is good but she is better. She can sense an inner turmoil in him. A grief that wraps around and seems to suffocate his whole being. She tends to cuddle into his side, and he tells her stories of his adventures with Jason.

The big one with the letter on his chest tends to watch the magical screen with her. He brings out needles and Talia wonders if this will be the day, he stabs her. Instead he begins to weave colorful cloths and clothing and teaches her when he catches her looking.

Jason's lover keeps her distance, but she doesn't let Talia out her sight. She had a darkness to her too that spilled out whenever Damian's guards got to close to her. Talia thinks she says the one named Grayson is a Blue Idiot? Her dagger is always out when he or the redhead in moving throne near her.

Talia moves from her spot and heads in the direction that she can hear Jason in. He brought another friend. His clothes were covered in colors and he had a glowing ring on his hand. She wonders if he somehow managed to trap the waters of her father's pit into it.

There was another there. He was short and his voice was rough but sounded as alluring as her father's. She wondered what he was there for.

She wrapped her arms around Jason's legs, and he paused. He looked at her before they all continued to talk. She tuned them out though as sleep still clung to her mind.

She's being moved from Jason to someone else and her eyes open to see that the Blue Idiot is holding her. Well he is holding her as if she was a poison sword that would kill her with one move. A breeze enters the room and she gasp as she feels a pain attack her.

Her eyes water as it gets stronger before the Blue Idiot is carrying her away. The further she goes the less pain she feels but it's still there and its hurts.

Makeitsstop. Makeitsstop. Makeitsstop. Makeitsstop. Makeitsstop.

He lays her down as the pain begins to recede and the breeze begins to go away. It doesn't take long for Jason's lover to appear. She has blood trailing from her eyes and mouth, but she sees snarling at the Blue Idiot. He scowls back at her, but he doesn't say anything as she moves closer. She wipes at her face before grabbing another piece of cloth and wiping at Talia's face. She startles as the cloth comes back red and her hand reaches for her own face.

Jason's lover smiles sadly at her before covering her and stepping away. A green tint takes over the area surrounding Talia and she's confused.

Something is thrown near her and there is something in the air that makes her head hurts again. She takes a deep breath to push through the pain.

Talia feels something happening. She doesn't know what.

And then—

She screams.

It had felt like coming from a dream. Then again, she had felt like she had been drugged and Talia was slightly pissed. It took a lot to drug her as the pit waters in her blood tended to wash it away.

She opened her eyes to green surrounding her and she paused to wonder if she had died. Talia hasn't been in the pit for years. Not since she lowered Jason into anyway. She pushes her body up slowly and that's when she notices the cover that covers her body.

Hm. Whoever had taken her robbed her of her clothing. She will kill them all. No one has the privilege to see her bare skin unless she allows them to. And she did not allow this.

Her eyes take stock of where she is, but she can only see green. She felt caged in a way not unlike her father had her. Her eyes narrow with rage and she feels the beast within in her scream for freedom.

She hears feet entering the room where she's been held captive. Her eyes narrow when she hears someone laugh awkwardly before the green fades from around her. Her eyes slowly adjust to the now darken area. She feels the slight chill on her skin before a blur ram into her.

"Kalh," she hears, and her hands freeze from where they had been ready to land a deadly blow. Talia pulls the body away from her slowly and she takes in the sight of her niece. She sees someone move closer and her heart stutters at the sight of her oldest son.

"T," and he says it like a prayer. There were tears in their eyes and Talia closes her own briefly. Her mind pulses as new memories slot themselves in place. Pieces of her childhood that had not been there before overlapping the horror that she could remember.

Her voice was rough from the lack of use, "My loves." She watches as they let their tears spill and her soul sings. Lazarus purrs with content. They clutch her as if she were their lifeline and that's when she hears a small voice coming from behind them.

"Mother."

And her heart stops. She can hear the heart monitor begin to beep erratically but her senses… her sense of being is only focused on her child. Her son. Her heart. "Damian," and his name sound like blessings of the gods of the old. He steps forward hesitantly, and she takes no notice of her bruised muscles or the way Jason and Jamila help her sit up more. She reaches her hand out and wonders if he would turn away from her now. Would he turn his back on her when she was at her lowest?

He doesn't. He places his hand in hers and she can her a past version of herself crying and screaming in rage. He was too young for his hands to be so callous. Her baby boy. She had done so wrong by him.

He climbs onto the bed and he pauses as he stares at her. It was too her shock that sob escapes him and he's throwing himself into her embrace.

She hugs him tightly and vows to not let go. The Precious One loved her children dearly and had taken to becoming the Mother of the young ones in the compound.

She unfurls on her arms from around Damian and she reaches for her older son. He falls into her embrace easily. She angles her body into something more welcoming and Jamila instantly presses against her. She places a kiss in the girl's hair.

"I love you all. I love you."

And nothing had ever tasted so purer.