Kagome stretched and groaned, hearing the door to the lounge swing shut and lock behind her as she moved through the darkened alley towards the lights at the entrance. She struggled to keep her mind from wandering, the same fight she had been having all night with herself about dropping everything and rushing back to her apartment. There's no way he was alive, he had to be dead and this was something Inuyasha devised to get her to talk to him…

"Higurashi."

She hummed and turned to the owner of the voice, smiling softly at the smaller boy as she adjusted her bag on her shoulder, "hello Damian."

"Hard at work I see," he drawled and flicked his eyes to the door she had exited from. He had been waiting far longer than he wanted to for her to make an appearance, "here."

Kagome caught the card he tossed her way and angled it closer to the streetlamp, "what's this?"

"If I had known your ability to read was hindered, I would have gotten you an invitation with larger letters."

A dry laugh left Kagome's mouth, stepping closer to the entrance for better access to the light. "You came all the way here just to deliver this?"

"Father is always hosting impromptu galas, this one no different; your name is already on the guest list as I figured Todd didn't ask you," he explained coolly, "you will be attending."

"No he didn't, I don't think we're there yet though," her brows furrowed as she flicked the invitation back. "I don't like galas… too stiff."

Damian caught the frisbeeing paper easily as he started forward and thrust it towards her, the light illuminating the frown on his face as he regarded her easily. "It wasn't a request, your name has been added to the guest list so I expect you to come."

Kagome snorted and shook her head, this kid was something else. First he didn't want to be anywhere around her and now here he was demanding her presence at this stuffy black-tie event. "You're not going to force me into this, I'm not coming."

"You…" Damian huffed and turned his head from her, he could barely make out the car waiting for him down the street between the darkness and the people still out and about enjoying Gotham's nightlife. "Very well, don't come."

She smirked and crossed her arms, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little disappointed at how easily he relented. "Have a good night, Damian."

"Higurashi."

Kagome sighed and rolled her head back as she turned to meet his steely gaze, didn't he have something better to be doing than bothering her? "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"Don't patronize me," his eyes glinted in the lamplight as they narrowed, delivering a dark glare at her as he moved closer, "I just wanted to check in before you slip up, make sure you're not doing anything that would get you hurt."

"You're not going to leave me alone are you?" her fingers delved into her hair, unwinding the elastic around her tresses and letting them fall down her back, "I'm not going around killing people, just living off my tips and hoping my brother stays alive another day."

"I would like to believe that and surprisingly your act has everyone else convinced, but you should know that as the blood son I will not hesitate to kill you should something befall my father."

"Blood son?" Kagome snorted and ducked her head, the words brought a smile on that she was sure came from more of exhaustion than amusement, "good to know; can I go home now?"

"Yes, I would appreciate not having to talk to you any longer."

Kagome's face scrunched as he moved past her, had he forgotten he was the one that started this conversation in the first place? "Good night, Damian."

He spun on his heel at the well wishes and stared at her retreating back, she couldn't have meant that…

"Master Damian, is all well?"

"Of course, Pennyworth," the youth turned for the car, sliding into the backseat and watching Alfred creep the car up to the slow walking woman he had just left, he wouldn't…

"Good evening Miss, may I offer you a ride home?"

Surprise flashed across Kagome's face as she snapped her head to look at the source of the voice before a smile drifted in its place. Her eyes briefly darted to the backseat where Damian sat and he straightened, rolling down his own window to deliver a look that told her to decline.

"That would be fantastic, Mr. Alfred, thank you so much!"

She darted around the car and opened the other passenger side, sliding in beside Damian and grinning at his visible anger and annoyance. She could be the annoying big sister for him if he was going to continue to bother her, her own personal form of payback, "hello again."

He scoffed and rolled his window up, glaring at the back of Alfred's head and leaning against the door, 'insufferable butler.'

"How have you been Miss?" Alfred glanced at the woman in the rearview, brows furrowing at Damian's deepened frown and back to the road. Kagome smiled warmly, settling into the back of the seat as she crossed her legs, "doing well, thank you. I'm sorry I missed you this morning when I stopped by."

"As am I, too many brooding males reside within those walls," the butler flicked his gaze at Damian for emphasis, "there's always next time however."

Kagome agreed happily, hands folded in her lap as they chatted easily; Damian ignored the tossed looks his way, glaring between Alfred's head and the side of Kagome's face. It had been so easy for her to charm everyone, a trait she must have picked up from that mentor of hers…

"Thank you for the ride!"

Damian blinked out of his thoughts quickly and turned to watch her slide from the car, waving before turning for the building. "Home Pennyworth… I've a sudden need for a shower after being in such close proximity to Higurashi."

"She's not that bad Master Damian—"

"I don't like her…" he cupped his chin and leaned against the door, "I don't like her at all…"

The car lapsed into silence as Alfred drove them back to the manor, Damian conjuring ever scenario he could in an effort to get the woman to tell the truth. He had to get her to the gala, out of her apartment long enough that he could search the rooms for the evidence he needed to prove what he already knew.

"Thank you Pennyworth," he slammed the door behind him as his brows furrowed, trailing through the mansion and through the clock opening to the Batcave.

"Back already, Damian?" Bruce glanced up from tugging his gloves on, he was sure his son would be out longer with the promise of ice cream.

"Coldstone was closed," he huffed and glanced around the small group assembled, beelining for Jason lounging in a chair. "What are you eating?"

"Batcow," Jason wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and held the burger out to him, "you got him all nice and juicy with all the care you gave him."

"He's joking!" Tim sighed in exasperation, digging in the bag at his feet and holding a wrapped burger his way, "we grabbed you a vegetarian one."

Damian felt his eye twitch at the empty threat to his pet and scoffed, bracing his hands on the armrests of Jason's chair as he leaned closer and narrowed his eyes, "invite your girlfriend to the gala."

"Get out of my face you little demon."

Damain snatched the half eaten burger from the man and stepped back, "invite her or are you too scared she'll decline?"

"Gimmie my burger before I use your blood to make a secret sauce for my next meal."

Bruce sighed and accepted the tea Alfred was offering, "Dick got back to Blüdhaven alright?"

"Yes Master Bruce, I almost had to strong arm him on the train as he was dragging his heels in leaving."

"Thank you, I knew if anyone get him to go, it would be you Alfred."

"So we're down a man now," Tim mumbled around his food and leaned down to grab his coffee, "I think we'll be alright though… the Assassin's been gone for weeks."

"It's only been a few days."

Tim blinked his eyes as they widened and grunted, "that's what I said."

Damian rolled his eyes and turned back to the glaring male in front of him, moving back further with his food, "so you are scared she'll say no."

Jason stood and retrieved his phone, holding it to his ear as he locked his eyes on his food. "Hey, you busy?"

A sly smile crossed his face and he ducked his head, "I should have stopped in to make it better for you." His eyes lifted to find Bruce and Tim staring, clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his head, "listen so uh… Bruce is having a thing—a… charity gala for the homeless youth in Gotham," he snatched the invitation from Damian's hands and tapped it against his knee, "it's on Saturday and I was wondering—yeah?"

He fought to keep the grin off his face, lounging back and flicking the invitation from his hand, "pick you up at 7:30." He stood and pocketed his phone, staring smugly down his nose at Damian as he reached for his burger, "I'm not scared of anything… remember that, short stack."


Kagome gazed at the dark screen of her phone with a soft smile, moving to put it away and lifting her eyes back to the door. She couldn't stand in the hallway any longer, even if the area was deserted she was sure attention would be drawn to her presence and she didn't need any more people in her business than she already had.

With a strangled sigh she shoved open her door, freezing in surprise to see Ezio at her table before slipping inside fully. She had hoped she had just been imagining things and her place would be empty when she came back, "hi…"

"Kagome," he acknowledged easily. "Sit, we have much to discuss."

Kagome complied reluctantly, she couldn't outrun him in life, there was no way she could outrun him in this almost zombie like state, "you know… I never imagined I'd see you in jeans and normal clothing… is this the part where you infect me with whatever's keeping you alive?"

"You've watched too many movies," he chuckled, "for a time after I was brought back, I stayed with Ra's; Sesshoumaru came to find me after you had returned. He fully intended to bring me to you in an effort to help ease your mind but you had no interest in him or Inuyasha, but I was not going to sit by when Inuyasha came to tell me what you've been up to."

Kagome sniffed and rubbed her eye, fingers drumming nervously on the table as she dragged her eyes up. His face betrayed nothing, but she could swear his eyes were conveying the anger he was keeping at bay, "I'm doing it for my brother… you of all people should understand that."

"Sì, I do; but when I took you on and we started understanding each other I told you to never go down the path of revenge I di—"

"He's sick and we have no money!" she snapped, shooting to her feet and leaning across the small table, "mom and gramps were killed… we had to bury them, Souta's got some… bullshit thing going on that the doctor's can't—how much do you think shrine's make? We're not you!"

The breath left Ezio's body in a dragged out, shallow sigh and giving an understanding nod, "you're a good sister, Little Bird… what can I do to help you?"

"I'm not a good sister," Kagome sunk back to her seat and buried her face in her hands as she braced her elbows on the table, "the guy I accepted the job from threatened Souta when I tried to back out… he knows who we are and honestly he scares me."

Ezio swore in his native tongue, standing and pacing the small kitchen, "then I'll help you."

"No."

"Kagome—"

"I don't need help…"

"You do, your brother's in danger—let me help you."

Kagome tipped her head back and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose; god he was using that voice of his… the one that could get her to do anything and he probably had that smile too… "fine."

She righted her head and nodded, "fine…"

Ezio nodded and stood, closing the distance and pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, "we'll talk more later Little Bird."

He slipped from her apartment before she could even realize he was leaving, folding over her table and allowing the heels of her palms to press into her eyes. Between deciding if she could actually go through with killing Bruce Wayne and her budding relationship with Jason she was ready to run… the only thing keeping her from doing that was her brother's life being dangled in front of her like a bad bargaining chip. 'I have to get him out of here…' the thought passed quickly, he couldn't be away from doctor's and the medicines that were keeping him alive by a thread.

Drumming her fingers on the table she gave a determined nod, she'd figure this out… 'but first a shower.'