A/N: Thanks to everyone who has R&R so far! Feel free to continue letting me know what you enjoyed and what you think I improve.

RMB

December 25

Castle Wyvern

Mid Morning

David Xanatos sipped his coffee and smiled as he watched his son contentedly play with the wrapping paper and boxes that his Christmas gifts had been packed in. "See?" his wife chuckled as she curled up against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "You could have gotten him socks for Christmas so long as they came in a great big box with lots of wrapping."

Xanatos chuckled and shook his head. "All my research into the best present for his age has been undone by cardboard."

"Don't worry, when he gets tired of it he'll have to find something else to play with sweetie."

A dark eyebrow arched her way and she kissed him on the cheek with a smirk. "So is everything ready for tonight's little party?"

"Owen finished all the preparation last night."

"Do you really think it's wise to allow him to take our son down there?" Fox asked, her maternal concerns creasing her brow a bit as they watched their toddler play quietly with his newly acquired possessions.

Xanatos shrugged. "Owen says he'll be perfectly safe. Besides we've seen just how quickly Alex has progressed these past two years. By the way, did you know I found him in Owen's room again this morning?"

"Another nightmare?"

"Yes, and whatever it was, it had Owen unnerved as well," Xanatos answered quietly, disturbed.

"Owen? You're kidding right?" Fox asked in disbelief.

Xanatos shook his head, his eyes meeting his wife's to let her know he was very serious. "Alex's nightmares have been getting worse this past week, and I think they know something is going to happen tonight."

"Have you asked him?"

"I didn't have a chance, Alex woke up as soon as I came into the room. But I intend to."

Fox was silent for a little while and then she sighed. "I've been having dreams too," she admitted quietly. David's head snapped around as he stared at his wife.

"They're not clear...not like Alex's has been. I think maybe I'm picking up on what he might be projecting. But...I think something bad is going to happen tonight." She swallowed and looked away. "I keep hoping I'm wrong and that I'm just worried about not having the Clan here tonight."

"Do you think something bad is going to happen here?"

Fox shook her head confidently. "No. That much I'm sure of."

Alex came bounding towards his parents with his arms full of new toys, and the parents quickly ended their conversation. "I'll talk to Owen later," Xanatos murmured before smiling at his son and indulging his excitement.

Wayne Manor

New Gotham

Mid Morning.....

Elisa awoke to sunlight streaming through the curtains, and closed her eyes as she stretched luxuriously. For the first time in almost two years, she felt at peace with herself. Her mate was crouched just to the side of their bed, a tender look etched on his face for the remainder of the day. Her mate. The phrase rolled around in her head and she grinned.

God she had been so stupid to question their love for so long. Last night had been incredible- for both of them. Glancing at her watch, Elisa yawned and forced herself to climb from the plush bedding. The crispness of the massive room in the winter morning caused her to gasp as her bare feet padded across cold wooden flooring. She quickly made her way to the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she smiled again. Gone were the dark circles, the defeated look, and the weight of the world she had been carrying. The woman that smirked back at her, was the real Elisa Maza - someone she hadn't seen for a long time.

As she went about getting ready for the day, she mentally went over the last minute preparations she had to take care of that afternoon. She paused halfway through, and snorted in mild surprise. Here she was, planning for one of the biggest fights of her life, and despite the odds against her and her companions, she wasn't worried or afraid. It was amazing the spirit Goliath had helped breath back into her. She felt ready to face anything.

As she made her way downstairs, only Alfred was around to greet her. "Good Morning Detective. I trust you slept well last night?"

Elisa blushed slightly. "Um, yeah I did."

Alfred smiled knowingly, causing her to blush further. "Excellent. I have prepared breakfast for everyone, but Miss Dinah is the only other to have awaken."

"Well I'm starving, so I'll be more than happy to help put a dent in whatever you've made."

"I have a place set in the kitchen, unless you'd prefer a more formal setting-."

"The kitchen will do just fine for a simple girl like me Alfred," Elisa chuckled.

"I doubt you are hardly a 'simple' woman Detective."

Elisa laughed. "A few people I know might agree with you on that."

Alfred lead her into the kitchen where Dinah was enjoying a healthy stack of pancakes drowned in syrup. The young woman smiled up at Elisa and waved her over. "Hey there! I thought you'd still be sleeping for another few hours like the rest," she told Elisa with a teasing smirk.

"Yeah well, sunrise is an alarm clock I can't compete with," Elisa admitted with a wry grin.

"Miss Dinah I do not believe that is an appropriate topic for some one your age," Alfred scolded mildly as he poured Elisa a cup of coffee.

"Oh come on Alfred. It's not like everyone was QUIET last night. You'd have to be either dead or deaf to have not known that this place turned into the honeymoon suite last night."

Alfred cleared his throat as Elisa nearly choked on the coffee she was just beginning to sip. "None-the-less, it is not an appropriate topic for discussion at the breakfast table."

"Yeah I guess it is a little early for teasing huh? Ok I'll save it for lunch."

Elisa burst out laughing, Alfred sighed and walked away shaking his head and muttering something about corrupted young minds. Dinah grinned over at Elisa who merely shook her own head and dug into her own breakfast.

"Sorry if we kept you up last night," she apologized between mouthfuls.

Dinah shrugged. "Hudson actually kept me up most of the night anyway. I managed to wear him down and he took me out gliding again. Then we sat by the fire for the rest of the night while he told me all about the Clan. You guys have been through some crazy stuff."

"You got that right. You know when all of this is over with, we should all take a vacation someplace warm and tropical where we can sip from drinks with little umbrellas and swap adventures."

"Now that sounds like an excellent idea."

"You were amazing last night by the way."

Dinah blushed and poked at her food a bit shy about Elisa's open admiration. "Yeah well only because I used my meta abilities. I mean you've kicked just about everyone else's ass-." Alfred cleared his throat and Dinah grinned. "Butt," she amended. "In fact I think you threw that fight with Goliath night. Hudson agreed."

Elisa gave her an innocent look that Dinah didn't buy for one second. "That's what I thought."

"Hey don't put yourself down. We all rely on what makes us the strongest. You've only been at this for a couple of years. I've been doing this job for over a decade, and have been training in the arts since I was a kid. It's all about gaining experience, and only time will improve skill. What you did with you meta powers was incredible- especially considering you don't have some one to teach you how to harness and control that power. Trust me, I've seen what happens when the kind of power you possess goes unchecked. You've come a long way in such a short time. Be proud of that."

Dinah smiled, a bit sadly. "I just wish my mom could have seen what I've done."

Elisa reached over and squeezed her hand. "She may not be here to see it in person, but she knows."

"More insight from your travels?"

"I think there is very little left in this world or the next for me to see," Elisa answered simply.

They were quiet for awhile after that, enjoying their breakfast before Alfred came over to join them and they chatted idly for another hour before Elisa excused herself to make a call.

"Dracon."

"It's Elisa."

"Hey Sugar, I was just thinking about you."

"I'm touched," Elisa told him dryly.

A dramatic sigh. "I would absolutely love to take you up on that offer, but I prefer to keep my arm attached to its body. So what can I do for you?"

"I need....equipment."

"Ah I see. What kind of work is being done?" he asked, going along with the game of anonymity.

"Demolition."

"That's dangerous work Sugar. Are you sure you want to bring that kind of equipment to an already volatile area?"

"It has to be done. We only have so much manpower, and we need to keep everything centralized. The demolition equipment will take care of any loose ends that we can't cover."

"How much are we looking at?"

"As much as you can get your hands on."

There was a pause and then a surprised chuckle. "Sweetheart, ain't it a little late to be trying something like this? I mean how are you even going to get that much placed by the deadline?"

"Don't worry about my end Dracon. Can you deliver?"

"It's going to cost me, but yes," he sighed finally.

"How long?"

"Give me two hours."

Elisa blinked. "That's it?"

She could hear the smugness back in Tony's voice when he answered. "I'm a many of many talents Sugar. I'm sure you'll enjoy getting to know me better in the future. I'll contact you in a couple of hours and we can arrange a meeting time."

"I'll be waiting."

Castle Wyvern

Manhattan New York

Early Afternoon

"Everything is in place sir."

"Our mole?"

"He'll be ready to guard the front desk at the appropriate time."

Xanatos allowed a small cold smile to pass across his lips. "A little retribution of our own for the inconveniences I'll be caused. Damage estimate?"

"Less than half a million. We have cleared out all of floor one hundred, so any damage done will be cosmetic. I have already scheduled for clean-up and moving crews to be present early tomorrow to start repairs."

"Excellent. Efficient as always Owen," the executive commented as he swiveled his chair around to fix his assistant with a piercing look.

Silence filled the office, and Owen finally did something he had never done before. He flinched under Xanatos' look. It wasn't so much a physical flinch. But Xanatos caught the slight tensing in Owen's jaw before he cleared his throat and asked to be excused so he could finish other duties.

"In all the years I've know you, not once have you ever hidden something as reluctantly as you are doing right now."

Owen stiffened.

"Owen, I think we have been through far too much together for you to be holding out on me now. These nightmares my son has been having, were you aware that my wife is sensing something as well?"

Another throat clearing, and Xanatos swore Owen looked panicked for a moment. "I was unaware that Mrs. Xanatos had been experiencing the dreams as well. I take it you know what is going to happen tonight then."

"Actually I don't," Xanatos admitted as he sat back in his chair. "Fox's dreams aren't that clear. She just knows that something bad is going to happen tonight. As you can imagine, I'm more than a little concerned given the fact that we are allowing the Clan to leave while I allow a small army storm my castle. Not to mention I have given you permission to use this little incident as a training exercise for Alex."

"I would never endanger Alexander," Owen said in a tone that hovered on the edge of offense.

"I didn't think you would. Which leads me to believe that whatever is going to happen, will not occur here. Fox hasn't been able to pick up specifics, but she knows that it's more than someone getting injured. Who is it Owen?"

Owen's jaw clenched tightly this time, and Xanatos saw a sadness fill the blonde man's face that he had never seen before. "I'm sorry David, but I cannot answer that question."

"Cannot or will not."

"In this case I cannot. Believe me when I say that I wish I could change the course of tonight's events. But even Lord Oberon himself is forbidden from meddling in this area. There are certain things that cannot be changed or the very fabric of the universe would be undone."

Xanatos looked down at his desk, frowning deeply as Owen's words sank in. "Does Alex know what is going to happen tonight then?"

"I'm afraid so. But I must ask that not question the boy. He is already having a difficult time accepting the heavy responsibility of the knowledge he now possesses. It would be best if he thought that no one else knew."

Xanatos scowled. "You know this doesn't sit well with me."

"Trust me sir, it sits even worse with Alex and I. Be happy that you will never carry the burden of guilt that we will. Now if you will excuse me, I have some final chores to finish before Alex and I prepared for tonight's exercise."

Xanatos swung away from Owen, and waved the man away with a frustrated gesture. Owen sighed quietly to himself and then walked towards the door. He paused just as his hand touched the handle. "There is one thing you can do sir."

Xanatos spun quickly, an eyebrow arched in hope that the disguised trickster had figured out some loophole. "Yes?"

"Be at Pier 15 at exactly 3:23 am. No sooner, no later."

"Are you going to tell me what to expect?"

"The worst," was all Owen answered grimly before he left.

The multi-billionaire dropped his head into his hands and swore softly. A moment later his wife walked in from the next room, having heard every word of the conversation. "David?" she asked worriedly.

"I need to get my battle suit ready," he responded flatly, standing abruptly and brushing by his startled wife as he felt the sudden need to be alone.

Wayne Manor

New Gotham

1:00 p.m.

Elisa took a deep breath and knocked solidly on the heavy door. "Reese it's Elisa. I'm sorry to bother you, but I need to talk to you."

There was the sounds of some shuffling and then a half asleep Reese answered the door, a sheet wrapped around his waist as he tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes. "What's up?" he asked, smiling as Helena mumbled something unintelligible from within the dark room.

"I'm sorry to do this to you, but you need to get dressed. We have to leave early to meet Tony."

Reese frowned. "What time is it?"

"One in the afternoon. He got what we needed, and we need to get down there early if we're gonna blend in enough."

"Alright give me ten minutes," he sighed.

Elisa nodded and headed back downstairs where Barbara and Dick were enjoying a quiet cup of coffee. "Care to join us?" Barbara asked gesturing to an empty seat at the kitchen table.

"Thanks but I had breakfast awhile ago. Actually, Reese and I have to leave."

"What? Why?" Barbara asked sitting up straight. Tonight's mission was too important and dangerous to change plans so close to the deadline.

Elisa took a deep breath. "We're going in early, undercover."

"This close to delivery? That place will be crawling today!" Barbara exclaimed.

"Listen Reese and I made ourselves very visible around that place these last two weeks. A lot of those soldiers harassed us like they did with everyone else down there. We'll just be another familiar face in the crowd. If something changes, or something goes down, you're gonna need someone down there to let you know what's happening. Reese and I can do that, but we have to get there now before it gets too late."

Barbara frowned. "I don't like this."

"Don't worry. We know what we're doing. Everything will be fine."

"Do you have a backup plan in case something goes wrong?" Dick asked calmly as he sipped his coffee.

"Yeah, we've talked about it."

Oracle frowned. "You two have been planning this all along? Why wait until now to tell us?"

Elisa snorted. "You honestly think Helena and Goliath would stand by and let us go down their on our own this late into the game?"

"And we're any different?"

"Yeah, you will be logical about it and realize that what I just said makes perfect sense."

Dick chuckled dryly and shook his head. "She's been here two weeks and she already has you figured out Babs."

Reese walked in and Barbara scowled at him. "Helena is going to have my head when she finds out I let you two do this."

"Would it help if we pretend to sneak out?" he asked with a knowing grin.

"Somehow I doubt she'd believe that. Be careful you two," she sighed.

"We will do our best." Elisa looked over at Reese who nodded. "One last thing. No matter what happens tonight, proceed with the plan as discussed. Do not jeopardize the mission on account of us."

The kitchen filled with silence as both Reese and Elisa fixed the other couple with a determined look. Barbara finally nodded, her jaw set unhappily. "Let's just try not to let it come to that okay?" she asked quietly.

"Good luck tonight," Reese said clasping hands with Dick before leaning down to hug Barbara.

"You too. See you all on the flip side," Dick returned with a hopeful smile.

They would all need every bit of luck they could get tonight.