Author's note:

Firstly, happy Halloween to everyone.

Secondly, boy was that Injustice movie shit. I mean, its not like I held the highest of expectations or anything, much like many others I would assume, but that was not good.

Who knew trying to cram five years' worth of material into an hour and eighteen minutes wouldn't work.

I feel the voice actors did a great job though, particularly Justin Hartley and Anson Mount as Superman and Batman respectively. It should have been a TV series, or at the very least, a series of five movies.

They miss so much nuance and context. It just doesn't work.

Oh well.

*Monitor Centre, Justice League Watchtower*

*07:34 GMT, 4th of September*

Batman stood at the large monitor. He was deep in contemplation but made sure that he listened to the thoughts and opinions of the others.

Huntress, Captain Atom and Hawkman were decidedly more cautious than the rest. Insisting that this could be some sort of trap meant to lure him out in the open, and that they should await more information before going in, or at the very least, for others to go in his stead.

Zatanna, Lantern, Canary and Damian and the other Bat Clan members were on the opposite side fence. Saying that even if it's a small chance, any potential survivor should be saved.

"We're wasting time." Canary had complained. Having been restless since the distress call was made-known. "Let's go in before we lose the signal."

He turned back to the monitor. Barbara's face on the other side, broadcasted from the Batcave.

"Oracle, what do you think?"

"As much as I'd love to agree with you, Dinah, this is just the perfect trap. Gotham is uninhabited, empty. It's a perfect location for an ambush. And we've been pissing off quite a few powerful people as of late. I'm gonna have to go with the others on this one."

The subject in question was of an emergency broadcast signal from the centre of the remains of Gotham, almost thirty minutes earlier, it had called out to all channels; civilian and emergency; it contained a highly scrambled voice, repeating only that they needed assistance and were alive. Oracle had quickly managed to use the frequency and triangulated its position at a destroyed building in the centre of Gotham. There was no name or clear voice to know who it was. But right now, the debate was only on whether to go in or not.

He already knew what his next move was. This debate was simply a courtesy.

"If there is even one Gotham citizen is still alive. I won't abandon them." He firmly announced. "Captain Atom, I'd appreciate the help. Your presence will help us keep the radiation away."

He nodded. "You got it."

"I'll come too, Bats." Guy Gardner announced. "My ring can protect me"

Batman nodded. A small posse of himself, Captain, Atom, Guy Gardner, Damian and Black Canary went."

He walked to the teleporter. The rest following.

* Ruins of Gotham, New Jersey, USA. *

*07:51 GMT*

"Anything out there, Bruce?" Canary asked as they all flew over the rements of the city.

Batman looked to the combat module computer, eyeing it for any threat analysis; nothing, no heat signatures nor particles of any readying weapons. Its only death here.

"No but keep an eye out." He responded in kind.

It still wasn't easy to see Gotham this way.

He and Damian rode in the Batwing, himself near the back while Damian took the front cockpit seat, Lantern and Atom flew outside. Canary flew with the help of Guy's ring energy.

A month later, and it still pained him. He had some flashbacks, he noted what remained of many buildings he had known like his own home, the rooftops he had often taken refuge in, as he surveyed his city, protected it and its people. Every night of every week, through fire, blood and the worst pain any man could endure. He had become complicit, allowed himself hope that he could be at ease, that he could relent on his mission, settling for less than complete victory. To have finally made a difference, to have built something from the ashes of his parent's murder; a family, no, he already had one, but to make it bigger, to truly add Talia to it, as he had wanted to for so many years… and another child too… it was gone now. Like the GCPD building, only the giant G sign being its only identifiable feature. There, his formally icy relationship with Commissioner Gordan had blossomed into a friendship. It was odd, and it was often pushed to the brink, but they always made it work. They were two men who wanted the best for this city, and they had somehow made their opposite methods, not only work well, but thrive together for the benefit of all Gothamites.

Jim had died quickly. He had spent some time going over the last recorded footage of Gotham's existence. Jim, Bullock and Montya had spent those last few minutes trying to get to Wayne Manor, where Lex Luthor's daytime murder of Alfred had been reported.

They had all been vaporised as they drove in their car.

He remembered Dr Leslie Tomkins. The dear old woman who had always acted as family. It was only by chance she had visited her granddaughter in New York that she had been saved from the destruction.

Never would he allow another person close to him to be hurt. After his identity had been revealed, people opposed to him had tried to break into her son's home, where she was staying, attempting to kill her as a message to cease and desist. Since then, he had ensured she was as safe and secure as possible within one of his secret Batcaves only he and a trusted few knew.

Damian was silent. He tried to be sullen and strong – to show nothing – but he could see the struggle to maintain his composure. Whatever pain Bruce had, it could never match what his son was going through; he lost both his mother and his unborn brother or sister. That, along with his kidnapping had made Damian's resolve and drive even harder, perhaps even to the same degree as his own.

Through the familiar stoic nature and resolve to fight crime and evil… at the end of it all, he was still just a boy. A boy who needed a father and a family more than ever.

Batman rested a calming hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay to miss them."

Damian turned his head slightly but said nothing for some moments.

"I know, father, but… she's still gone. She raised me for most of my life. She always told me I was destined to join you on your crusade… I always thought she'd be here with us though."

Batman grimaced. He remembered when Talia told him she was pregnant with Damian. It had been the night they had finally given into their feelings after so many years of restraint and him insisting that his mission meant he could never be a real father that their child would deserve.

She had insisted having the child who went on to be their first child. She understood that his life would make raising the boy almost impossible, as a result, it had been agreed that the boy would be fostered and raised by herself and her father.

"I loved your mother. She was my world…" he looked directly into the eyes of the boy. "But now, you and our family are my world, and its our duty to not hold back, for me to never hold back again. Never again will the ones we love. I promise you that, son."

Damian gave a reassured smile, which lifted Bruce's own spirit "I'll stand with you, always."

Their moment was interrupted, however. Both father and son looked back to their respective monitors. The computer indicated that this was the location.

"Hmm, looks like we're here." He eyed his son, "Be careful."

"Yes, father." Damian responded.


The building was as they saw it on the monitor; a massive 9 story building that now law in ruins with the rest of them. A huge gaping hole lay below, which Batman already summarised as the best way in.

"An isolated confined place, away from any semblance of civilisation. Oh yeah, not a potential trap at all." Guy Gardener snarked.

The four-person team waited on Batman's instructions.

"Me, Damian, Atom and Canary will go. Lantern, you hold here, if we're not out in ten minutes. Send for back-up."

"You got it, Bats." The Green Lantern assured.

They leaped down from their positions, with Atom simply floating down. Being close to him kept the levels of radiation from getting to them.

Eventually, they came to a large door; steel-reinforced concrete.

"Some kind of bunker?" Canary thought out loud.

"Maybe." Was Batman's only reply. The signal was right through here. They had to get in.

"I don't think we ought to be here long, guys. We're too open to attack." Guy spoke via the radio. "

"You've all seen the horror movies of the victims who splitting up, then the monster or killer hacks them up, one by one… I think we may be the victims if we hold out any longer."

"Bruce, he's right, we should come back later. Whoever… or whatever is behind there, it may be beyond our capabilities, perhaps- "he cut Canary off.

"No, we won't leave an innocent person to stay there any longer than they have to. Captain, we need to get through this door."

Atom nodded, for which they all stood at a safe distance as he used his strength to pull to vault door open.

As they walked to get a look of what was inside, it turned out that Canary was right; a huge bunker, enough food and water to hold over someone for a year, along with entertainment and emergency equipment.

But it was who stood at the center that caught Batman's attention, and who in turn, looked on with a similar expression.

A man he knew all to well.

"Ra's…" he could only say.

The Head of the Demon known as Ra's Al Ghul, a man deeply feared, but also deeply respected and admired, he was not the man he had often seen before though; he was haggard, his usual mix of dark and grey hair as a controlled and clean trimmed beard had had turned into wild bush.

His green cloak was missing, along with his other usual wealthy fabrics of his mass wealth and fortune.

His clothing now was only of a simple white shirt and dark pants.

"My son…" Ra's replied.

"Grandfather!" Damian exclaimed, running and hugging tight the man who was his mother's own father, which he returned in kind.

"Damian… I'm so glad you're okay. I've been having nightmares of what could have happened."

Ra's looked to Bruce. Neither man could believe it. But oh, was Batman grateful.

"My son, are you okay?" Ra's asked. Concerned and thinking only of others as he always did. Never mind the fact it was him who was now one of the only survivors of the nuclear attack.

"I'm fine. Ra's…" he was unsure if he had the strength to tell him what had happened. "How did you get here, and what were you doing here?"

"I have been on League business, my son. We had been on the tail of a war criminal from Kasnia, and we had been closing in for some months. When warning went out in those precious minutes, I came here to one of our many secret bunkers in any event of a catastrophe... I hoped we would never have a need for it."

Damian and Ra's stopped hugging, the older man looked on at both men who were his family.

"Is Talia okay, and the child?" in a deeply worried voice.

Neither could answer in that moment. By now, Canary and Captain Atom had retreated, knowing this was a personal family reunion that should not be interrupted.

Damian showed his sorrowful features, Ra's looked at him then, and then back to Batman, who could not look the man in the eyes.

"Ra's… I… I'm sorry. I failed her."

Ra's features turned to sorrow, the same as his own grandson's.

"Talia… my beloved daughter… I'm not sure what happened, Bruce, but I know it was not your fault. I know you did what you could, as you always have."

The radio com turned on, "Batman, I'm sorry to interrupt, but there is still too much radiation here. Even for me to keep back from you all. We should get going." Atom warned.

"Understood." He responded back, before turning back to Ra's.

"We need to go, I'll explain what happened on the way back."


Superman looked on at the shadows. Thanks to the work of Tim, they now had a huge advantage over Batman and his team.

"You were right." The voice spoke. "Ra's was alive."

"Clark nodded, "I knew Bruce would be the one to spot that beacon. If any man had the resources to survive, it would have been Ra's Al Ghul."

"It seemed that way. It turned out he had a speedster, a follower of his, and a secret safe house in Gotham in the event of some catastrophe like this. Unfortunately, the speedster didn't make it, she died trying to save others."

"Superman… I tried to get more information, but somehow they sensed me." The voice sounded worried, frightened. "I… I feel they all suspect me, Batman himself included, and Starfire…"

He nodded, "Keep calm and don't push too hard. Starfire has been off for a while now, and the Bat Clan trust few but themselves these days."

Superman continued, "Where is Ra's now?"

"He wanted to meet the Justice League."


*Justice League Watchtower*

Ra's looked out towards the planet below, his wardrobe improved by a wide margin, having been lent some fresh clothing for his time here until he could again acess his own resources when he would soon recall the League from its hermit state.

Things had changed.

It looked peaceful, so distant and beautiful from here. It brought a small smile to his face. His first time aboard the famed Watchtower.

It was the only one he had managed to express since he had learned of the tragedy that befell Gotham and his family.

His child… the product of himself and the love of his life, and a grandchild he would never know, they had all died in the twisted revenge plan of a madman.

Bruce had told him the whole story within a private room… how he was deceived into killing Talia. The sorrow, the grief… but the rage, most of all, it flashed across the expression on Batman's face like thunder in a storm.

"I killed him Ra's… he paid for what he did and will never do it again."

Things had changed. He knew not what to make of his sons-in-law seemingly relishing in his first kill, until now, it was something he had opposed at all costs. As a man who himself had once loved deeply, it was something he understood though; vengeance was above no man; in his six thousand years on this earth, this he knew very well.

The League of Shadows had gone dark, Bruce informed him. As its head, his disappearance for these past months, the protocol to preserve the group had gone into effect; all members had gone underground, deep into hiding, awaiting fifty years for his return, or if not, and he was truly dead by then, they would select a new Head of the Demon.

Bruce had apologised and apologised no matter what Ra's said or did, he still blamed himself for what happened.

How could he hold the man who was like a son to him responsible for such events? The man who protected and cherished Talia, who would die a thousand times for her, and give her his heart. Ra's would never doubt he had been in the right to finally give his blessing for the two to pursue their relationship.

He and Batman had known each other for a long time, longer than he and Talia had known each other. He remembered in the pitch deep snow outside his temple, the angry and headstrong young man who had arrived to seek his training.

To have the courage to seek out the Demon's Head alone was to prove a braver man than most, to endure his training was more.

Bruce Wayne, the young heir to the famed Wayne Family who had seen his parents murdered in front of his eyes as a child – few men possessed such will.

Two years later, the two departed on good terms.

It was during a mission from him to prevent HIVE from murdering a presidential candidate visiting Gotham that the two met again. Back then, he walked a solo path, but it was them working together that stopped the terrorist threat from harming the innocent.

Since that day, the League of Shadows had been one of the strongest allies of the Batman and his clan.

Ra's would never say so, but in Bruce Wayne, he saw more than an ally, he saw the man he could finally anoint his heir to inherit leadership of the league; a man of strength, vision and power… but integrity, and a dedication to ensure the protection of the world's people against all threats, no matter the cost.

It all drew him back to the present when he went back to answer the Detective's question:

"Ra's, you must surely support us. You've seen human suffering beyond what anyone could ever dare to imagine in your lifetime. Under us, we can prevent that, for generations to come."

"It is indeed a grand mission, my son…"

It was Damian, who spoke up next. A confident and eager expression to gain his grandfather's approval for what they were doing.

"He speaks the truth, grandfather. You always told me since I was young that the League of Shadows has always stood for the preservation and protection of humanity from tyranny and oppression. Now, with what we have, we can truly make it happen. The strength of the Justice League, the resources of Wayne Industries and the influence and power of the League of Shadows… we will accomplish the mission you've always sought. Please stand with us." He begged.

At that, Ra's finally turned to the assembled crowd of Batman and his followers. All waiting for the judgement of the man who controlled the most powerful secret society of ninja on earth.

Ra's chose his words, "I can see what you aim to accomplish. I see your reasons, just and rightful as they may be. But you act too heavy-handed. You and the ones with your abilities can only be in so many places at once. You already seem to have the part where you must gain a force capable of keeping the peace, but you need more men, more resources. I can help."

It was Black Canary who until then had kept her arms folded, leaning against a railing who spoke up.

"Yeah, how can we trust you? Look, I get you and Batman are close, and we all express our condolences for Talia. But other than Damian and Bruce, none of us know you."

"Your feelings are understandable… Dinah Lance." He responded.

Her face dropped to one of shock.

Without missing a beat, he continued.

"John Jones, Helena Bertinelli, Wally West, Carter Hall, Cassandra Cain"

As he went, the faces (including Cassandra's behind her mask) all dropped as Ra's casually revealed he knew all their identities, and no doubt, many others.

"I have known your identities for longer than you can fathom. But I have always aimed to protect them at all costs. That includes your loved ones."

That sold nearly all of them of his intent and character.

"My son's allies are my allies. I wish to join you."

He walked up towards Batman who nodded.

Ra's placed a hand on his shoulder.

"The League stands with you."