Warning: Some Language . . .

"You awake?" Jason asked as he stuck his head around the door.

Bruce was standing at the large bay window and staring out at the moon glistening off of the water of Lake Michigan. This was truly a magnificent view. He could only imagine what the morning would bring.

He turned at Jason's voice. "I'm awake. Come in."

If he was surprised when Jason was followed in by Tim and Damian, he said nothing. There were two chair next to the fireplace. The fire that had been there was slowly burning down. Embers glowed red and occasionally there was a glimpse of a yellow flame. It wouldn't take much to bank it before Bruce finally turned in.

He walked over and turned one of the chairs to face the bed and Jason did the same with the other as Tim and Damian sprawled over the hunter green coverlet that dressed the mahogany, four-poster bedframe. The other furnishings matched the dark wood and the two chairs were a tan leather. It was definitely a man's room, masculine and comfortably appointed with rich furnishings. Together, he and Jason sat.

"Is that coffee?" Jason asked, gesturing to the cup on the small table between them. "No wonder you can't sleep."

"It's decaffeinated," Bruce told him. "I do believe that Franklin must be related to Alfred in some way. He didn't bother to inquire to my preference but took the liberty."

"Well, it is two o'clock in the morning," Tim reminded them.

"Who cares about the coffee," Damian blurted. "Is it true? If Grayson dies, Elle will die, too? If she dies, will Grayson really kill himself?"

Bruce sighed heavily. "You know the answer to that already, Damian. You were there in the Batcopter when we took her and Dick to the emergency room in Bludhaven."

Tim gaped. "They were bonded then, too? I thought Elle had injuries we didn't know of!"

Bruce shook his head. "The trapped air and blood around Dick's collapsed lung put too much pressure on his heart. When it stopped, Elle collapsed. Luckily we were arriving at the hospital when it happened but it was why I lied to the hospital staff and told them they were already married so I could insist that they continue life-saving measures until Dick could be stabilized."

"It was that serious?" Jason asked softly. He hadn't realized.

"It was that serious," Bruce assured him. "He had already told me that if Elle died that night, that I allow him to follow her. If I didn't want him attempting to take his own life later, I knew I had to make sure that Elle revived as well."

Tim frowned. "Would he really do that? Take his own life, I mean?"

"He had been serious enough with his request to convince me," Bruce admitted. "And you remember those three weeks in November when he stayed at the manor? He wasn't sick or depressed in the normal sense of the word. He and Elle had a misunderstanding and hadn't been speaking to each other during that time. Apparently, the bond had already begun by this time."

"Oh yeah, Dick looked really bad then, I remember," Tim nodded.

Jason leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "It's unbelievable. I want to accuse you all of trying to trick me."

Bruce looked at him. "For what purpose, Jason?"

"I don't know," he threw his hands up and straightened in his chair, "but that seemed . . ." He paused as he tried to put his thoughts into some sort of order. "This is worse than anything he had going on with Babs. Hell, even Kori! How do we know that this bond thing is really permanent? Maybe there's some way to break it?"

"You don't like Elle?" Bruce asked curiously.

Jason waved a hand. "It's not that. I like her fine but this kind of crap is messed up! Their lives are irrevocably entwined? It sounds like a really bad, pulp-fiction, romance novel."

"As far as I know, as it was explained to me, there is no breaking it without killing Elle outright and risking Dick's life. Even if he survived her death, he would pine for her to such an extent that he crave nothing more than to follow her to the grave."

"Who explained it to you?" Tim asked. "Maybe they were lying or . . . or they didn't know for sure?"

"Aquaman explained it to Dick and me at the same time," Bruce told them.

"Aquaman knows Elle?" Jason frowned.

"He didn't at the time. He met her later that night, however," Bruce said. "Elle is descended from an ancient and powerful race of Atlantian. What Aquaman told us was from books he had once read about these particular people."

"What race is this?" Damian asked. "I thought all Atlantians were the same."

"No," Tim answered him. "There are races within the Atlantian people. Aquaman has gills as did Aqualad, I've heard, although he had quit the Teen Titans before I came along. I never met him personally. Elle breathes underwater though through her skin."

"Okay," Damian rolled his eyes. He had no interest in Aqualad. "So, what race, then, is Elle?"

Bruce hesitated.

"Oh no," Jason noticed the pause. "If you know, you have to tell us, Bruce. You heard her. No secrets from the family."

She had said that but Bruce had felt Elle's own hesitancy when making that statement. She hadn't wanted to spill everything to them. What he knew was limited. He knew that Elle had been in touch with Aquaman since he had learned most of this, so she was bound to know more about the people she came from. How much more, he didn't know, since most of what Arthur had known was likely just as much hearsay as fact.

"They are called Sirens," he finally told them. "They are the basis for all those mermaids' tales you grew up hearing about."

"Mermaids, huh? For real?" Jason snorted. "Beautiful, singing fish-women . . . I suppose that makes a weird kind of sense. She's a singer, after all."

"Mermaids that lured men and ships to their doom," Tim finished. "Mermaids weren't actually all that nice in those fairy tales."

"Apparently, neither are they in reality," Bruce admitted. "They are very powerful with a magic that was as old as the Atlantian race. They are considered to be manipulative and are greatly feared. The history books Arthur read said that they had been hunted to near extinction and the few that survived were banished to the out reaches of the kingdom. They are a dying breed now. Elle and her grandmother are likely the last female Sirens in existence."

"Uh oh," Jason eyes widened. "That can't be good. Dickhead and Elle might be in for a shitload of trouble if word of her existence gets out."

Damian scowled at Jason. "Why's that?"

Jason gaped at him. "Hello? Their race is dying? They might want to revive the population, you know?"

Tim shook his head. "Elle wouldn't do that and Dick wouldn't allow it, not even to save a race."

"Would they even be interested in a half breed like Elle is?" Damian asked.

Tim shoved Damian's face into the coverlet. "Hey! Don't be rude!"

"Get off," Damian rolled out of Tim's reach. "I wasn't saying it to be insulting!"

Bruce was frowning, however. This was why Dick was adamant that Arthur not tell those brothers about Elle's existence. They were the last of their kind and with no female Sirens, they have been docile, not making trouble. But if they could breed with other females, non-Siren, why did they not try that? Would they want a half-breed like Elle? What problems would her being bonded to a surface dweller create? Bruce would feel better about keeping Elle's existence quiet. Jason was right. They didn't need the trouble.

"They may not be interested in someone they consider a half-breed, but to be on the safe side, Dick has asked Arthur to keep Elle a secret," Bruce told them.

"Good," Damian declared. "They can't have her!"

"Especially considering the existence of the bond," Tim reasoned. "Would they be interested in a woman who is already attached to someone else? I mean, even if they were able to get rid of Dick, they would lose Elle in the process, right? She should be safe enough from them, shouldn't she?"

Bruce nodded. "Safe enough from the Sirens . . ." Something clicked suddenly inside his head. "But there is someone else out there that is interested in Elle. The one who wants her dead. Someone who understands that, even if they couldn't reach her personally, they could take out Dick and kill Elle in the bargain."

He glanced up as Tim sat up on the bed. Jason turned in his seat towards him as he, too, made the connection.

"The person behind the contract is an Atlantian?" Jason blurted.

"How can you know for sure," Damian asked. He didn't know as much about the Atlantians.

"Sirens are feared," Tim replied, remembering what they had all just learned. "You said that they are powerful and manipulative, and other Atlantians actively hunted them. The Sirens that are left are banned from the rest of the kingdom." He looked at the others. "Maybe an Atlantian knows of Elle's existence and wants to kill her in order to prevent the possibility of renewing the Siren population."

"Could someone fear her that much? I mean she's only a little bit Siren," Jason rubbed a hand over his jaw as he ran the idea through his mind. "Does Elle have those powers that other Sirens have?"

Bruce shook his head. "She can influence people only in that she can project her own emotions."

"How so?" Tim asked, intrigued.

"It is mostly through song but I've witnessed her calming you and Damian down with just her speaking voice," Bruce admitted reluctantly. "In the hospital, she was upset and everyone in hearing range ended up weeping with her. I think that is why her father wanted her to join the family business. She would make an excellent negotiator."

"She can manipulate us?" Damian sat up.

"She doesn't do it intentionally, Damian," Bruce told him. "It is an innate talent and she uses it instinctively. If she could truly influence people to do what she says, Nameless would never have stood a chance against her. She can promote certain feelings based upon her own emotions at the time but if a person has a strong will, he or she will not be affected or the effect will be negligible."

Jason snorted. "That explains a few things."

"But an Atlantian may not know that," Tim reminded them of his theory. "He might believe that destroying Elle would be saving Atlantis from a resurgence in the Siren population."

"But how would they have found out?" Damian asked. "You said only Aquaman knows about Elle."

"Would Aquaman order her death, do you think?" Jason asked suddenly.

Bruce frowned. He had known the Atlantian king for years. They weren't close, not like the friendship Bruce shared with Clark and Diana, but would he betray Bruce like this and order an innocent's death, knowing that to do so would also lead to the death of Bruce's own son in the process? But then the contract, they knew, included Dick in it. Whoever this was, he or she was taking no chances.

The attack on Elle and Dick in Bludhaven had been several weeks after Arthur had learned of her existence . . . He could have . . . Bruce shook his head. He didn't want to consider that possibility! Perhaps Arthur had mentioned Elle to another. He knew for a fact that Arthur's wife, Mera, knew that Elle was a Siren. Mera would do anything to protect her husband rule and Atlantis itself. Could she have put the contract out?

His teeth creaked as he ground his jaw in anger. This made sense. It made too much sense to be ignored. If Bruce tried to contact Arthur again, it was likely that the Atlantian king would answer his summons a lot faster than he had the last time Batman had contacted him. Unwilling to call Aquaman or Mera's friendship into question on a hunch, Batman waved Jason's question away for now.

"Aquaman saved Elle's life once by offering her his blood," Batman clung to this reasoning until he could check into this more thoroughly. "He had his chance to let her die but didn't take it. I have to believe that he is on our side in this."

"So, does that mean you don't think it was an Atlantian?" Jason asked suspiciously. He obviously thought this was their best lead. "Or that it wasn't Aquaman himself behind the contract out on them?"

"I'm not ruling it out but I would feel much better if we could bring in Deadshot for questioning," Bruce told them.

Jason scoffed. "Lawton won't give up his contact."

Bruce's jaw clenched tight. "We'll just have to see about changing his mind, then, won't we?"

"We'll find him," Damian declared.

And they would . . . but would they find him before he tried again? That was the million-dollar question, wasn't it?

The house was quiet when Elle slipped out of her and Dick's room and she padded silently down the hall. She had dozed on and off until she was certain Dick was asleep. Glancing at the guest rooms doors further down the hall, Elle could see no evidence that there were any lights on beneath them. Everyone was asleep finally.

She moved down the steps quickly. Dick didn't sleep well without her. He had proven this was a fact many times over and she wanted to return to their bed before he woke to an empty room. She moved through the foyer in the direction of her father's office. . . Her office, she corrected herself. She was nearly there when a shadow rounded the corner near the family room.

She gasped but then Hugh stepped into the square of moonlight.

"Oh my God," she breathed. "You scared the life out of me!"

Hugh frowned at her and checked his watch. "It's four o'clock in the morning. What are you doing up? Didn't your snack tide you over?"

"Heard us talking, did you?" she asked.

He laughed. "You showed no interest in all of those men your father foisted on you for all those special events and this is the family you choose to align yourself with?"

The darkness hid the face she made at him. "Yes, it is," she remarked. "Although the bond had a certain hand in it, I am happy."

Hugh stepped closer and looked down on her. The easy affection between them was obvious. "You love him."

Elle nodded. "With everything in me."

"Just making sure," he told her. "You didn't appear all that enamored with him last night."

"I was angry. He was engaged to two other women before me," she admitted. "He didn't bother to tell me about it. I found the engagement ring he had kept from one of them and the alien princess that followed us home was the other one. I found out about her today."

Hugh whistled, and Elle shushed him.

He grinned. "How'd you find that out?"

Elle made another disgusted face. "She told me."

He chuckled. "Ouch! That had to be awkward."

"Awkward?" Elle gaped at him. "Did you not see her?"

"Kind of hard not to," he admitted. "She's a looker alright. Have you seen the other one?"

Elle blew out her breath and shoved a hand through her hair in annoyance. "Yes. I met her at a party on New Year's Eve."

"So?"

"So . . . What?" Elle blinked at him as she moved around him and into her office.

Hugh followed her in and closed the door behind him. "So, is she as hot as the warrior princess?"

Elle flicked her desk light on. "Quite lovely," she wrinkled her nose. Jealousy did not sit well with her. "She was a redhead as well."

Hugh snorted. "I think I'm seeing a theme here."

"Oh, shut up," Elle snapped. "There is no theme. I don't have red hair and I'm nowhere near as tall as either of them . . . Although Miss Gordon is now wheelchair bound."

Hugh lifted an eyebrow. This surprised him. "He left her after she was put in a wheelchair?"

"Oh, don't look like that," Elle mumbled. "That wasn't the reason they broke up. She apparently dumped him."

"Ooh," Hugh made a hissing noise. "Unrequited love? Double ouch! No wonder you've been so out of sorts lately."

Elle looked up in exasperation. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

Hugh check his watch again. "Not at the moment. I just finished walking the perimeter and double checking the entry points. I'm not scheduled to wake Edward until five so I'm all yours. Why are you in here at this ungodly hour by yourself, if I might inquire?"

"I found out the name of the guy who shot my helicopter pilot," she told him. "Don't let me forget in the morning to call his family and send my condolences. I need to check and see who he might have left behind. I can set up scholarships for any minor children and help with the funeral expenses. I don't want his widow to have to worry about anything."

Hugh moved to the desk. "Who is he?" he demanded. "What's the bastard's name?"

Elle had just moved the phone in front of her when she paused, glancing up at Hugh's angry face. "For what purpose? Do you or Edward plan to track him down? Do you think to kill him for me?"

"It wouldn't be more than he deserves," Hugh growled, "so yeah, I'd like to do my part to introduce him to God."

"He's a professional assassin," she told him. "I'd just as soon as keep you alive."

Hugh scowled and leaned over the desk on his fists. "You don't think I could take him?"

"You are very good at what you do, Hugh, you and Edward both. You are two of the best in the field, in fact. That is why you both were hired and why I keep you on," Elle said, honestly.

Hugh's face softened. "Not because you love me?"

Elle smiled. "Maybe a little bit."

"More than Edward?" he asked hopefully.

Elle laughed. "Stop it! I take it back. I don't love either of you. I should fire you both and find young, attractive, retired Navy Seals to protect me."

Hugh slapped a hand over his heart and staggered back dramatically. "Navy? You wound me, Miss Bella, to the very quick! Army Rangers can kick those boys' asses around the world and back."

She grinned. "I watched movie that claimed they were the best of the best of the best."

He snorted derisively. "And what movie would that be?"

Elle shrugged a shoulder. "Men in Black, I think it was. I'm not sure now. I was too taken with one of the stars to really pay attention."

Hugh's eyebrow rose. "Really? Do tell? Was he tall, dark, and handsome?"

"He was short, round, and a pug. Talked with a New York City accent."

Hugh laughed. "The dog? You're hopeless, Bella. I'm surprised Grayson managed to catch your attention at all."

Elle smirked. "I couldn't help but notice him. After all, there's no dogs allowed in the club to distract me."

Hugh waved at her. "Hurry up whatever you're doing and go back to bed, Bella. I'm going to check the cameras and drag Edward's ass out of bed."

He was still grinning when he walked out and left her alone.

She waited until the door closed again before dialing the number. It didn't take more than two rings for him to answer.

"Hamilton," Aiden barked into the phone. He didn't even sound as though she woke him.

"Aiden," she said.

"Bella? Kind of early for you, isn't it?"

She could hear sounds of movement in the background like he was sitting up on the side of the bed. So, she did wake him.

"I'm doing you a favor," she told him. "The name of the assassin that shot my pilot in a bid to kill me yesterday is called Deadshot. He's also known as Floyd Lawton. That's L-a-w-t-o-n. He's not the same one who tried to kill me a couple of weeks ago. I still don't know his name, but perhaps Lawton can clue you in."

"How'd you find this out?" Aiden asked her.

"Magic," Elle answered sarcastically. "What does it matter? I just saved you a step. You're welcome."

She hung up the phone and flopped back in the leather chair. She felt exhausted, like she had just run a marathon. Aiden always did that to her. Like as not, he always would. But if she were lucky he would succeed at this and they could split their father's companies and go their separate ways. And then maybe she could get on with living her life.

Her eyes looked up at the dark wood panels and beams in the ceiling as if she could see Dick where he waited for her in her bed. Their lives . . . she corrected herself with a soft smile. It was time to start their life together. She shoved the phone back to its place and stood up.

And there was no better time than the present . . .

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