A/N: Thank you to my lovely wonderful amazing genius of a beta, Angel Queen. She just made the story about a million times better. And thank you for the reviews!

Chapter Ten—The Demon's Daughter

Sarah stared broodingly at the screens in front of her. She was supposed to be on Monitor duty for another half-hour, but she couldn't claim she was paying any attention to what was going on on the Earth's surface. She was monitoring Gotham as well of course, but her mind was on something else: her family. They were hiding something, she just knew they were. Well, she was as well with respect to Terry, but this was something different. Some secret Terry knew about as well—the kid's constant smirk these days gave it away—and it was driving her insane. She had gotten to the point now where she was debating which of her family members would be most likely to crack under interrogation.

Daddy certainly not, and she wouldn't do herself the indignity of even trying. Mom likewise, though she could always steal the Lasso of Truth... No, if Mom didn't ground her for that then the gods would have something to say about the sacred weapon being used to satisfy Sarah's own curiosity and impatience. Which left Terry or Nicky. She doubted Terry would crack; he'd seen her interrogate criminals so often now that it would have little effect, and he had a core of steel in him that most of the people she put under pressure didn't, just like Daddy did. Nicky...would crack eventually. She'd have to get pretty heavy of course, but if it got answers out of someone...

The doors hissed open behind her, another masked, black-clad young woman coming in. Olivia smiled. "Hey."

"Huntress."

"How was Monitor duty?"

"Fine. There was a bomb found in Central London, but the local authorities took care of that without the need for League assistance. I have patrol—you'll be alright here?"

"Yeah. I'll see you later, Sar– Reaper, sorry, Reaper. Gotta remember that."

Sarah nodded stiffly, but didn't reprimand the teenager as she would have done anyone else—Iris and Isabelle came strongly to mind. Olivia very rarely made mistakes, after all. She got up and left the Monitor room, heading for the hanger in which the batwing was parked.

When the turbo-lift arrived, Warhawk was already inside. He smiled as she entered, but once the doors were shut they spoke at the same time.

"Long time no see–"

"So how are you–"

Chuckling a bit, Sarah grinned. "You go first."

"How are you?" he asked. "How's your stomach?"

"Like new."

There was a white flash from under his helmet as he grinned. "I'm happy to hear it. Kyra was, uh, worried. You know."

She nodded, keeping a straight face while her heart glowed inside her chest. "Yeah. Well you can tell her I'm fine."

"I will. Mom and Dad were concerned too of course."

"Of course. But not you."

"Nah, I knew you'd be fine."

"I know. On the phone you betrayed no worry whatsoever," she smirked.

He grinned again, then hugged her as the turbo-lift stopped at her floor. "I'm really glad you're okay, Sarah."

"Thanks. See you later."

"Take care."

She was careful not to look back as she left the turbo-lift, but she was well-aware of how hard and fast her heart was beating. For one second, she allowed her imagination to do what it was begging to do; in her minds' eye she was back in the confined space, pressed between him and the wall, his mouth on hers, his hands in her hair and–

That was two and a half seconds, a voice spoke up sternly. Sighing, she touched her com-link.

"Reaper to Prometheus and Batman—I'm on my way down now."

"Roger," came Terry's voice, "we're already patrolling. At the docks—something's going down, you might wanna get here fast."

"I'm about seven minutes away. Reaper out."

She ran to the plane and jumped in, gunning the engines whilst cursing the fact that the Watchtower didn't have a geostationary orbit. They were over Europe, which meant she had the whole Atlantic to cross. It took her just over seven minutes before she saw the lights of Gotham and hit autopilot. She opened the canopy and jumped out, flying the rest of the way to the docks with her suit powering it.

She pinpointed the other two watching from the roof of a warehouse, watching a small cargo ship being unloaded. She landed quietly next to them. "What's happening?"

"Not sure—we heard gunfire from Crime Alley, and when we got here it was the security guards who'd been shot. We can't tell from here how many of them are dead," Prometheus told her.

"Thermal imaging shows they're all warm," Terry continued, "but they were shot very recently. Some of them could still be alive."

"We need to find out," Sarah said, activating the vision-enhancement on her mask. Instantly, the shadowed activity happening on the ship jumped into clear focus. She was aware of Terry doing the same next to her.

There were about two dozen men running around on the ship moving large crates around, but only a few of them had guns; most were dressed as ninjas, short swords strapped to their backs but otherwise unarmed. She was willing to bet they all had more concealed somewhere. Absently, she touched her abdomen. The wound had almost healed by now, but she still didn't want to add to her collection of scars just yet. However, if she had to choose two people to be here and back her up, it would be the two young men next to her.

She noted how many people were there, their positions and was working out a plan of attack when someone else emerged from below decks. A woman, about thirty, she guessed, slim and very pretty with dark hair that covered one eye–

"Hera. Is that Talia al Ghul?"

Nick nodded, his own vision not needing any mechanical enhancements. "Batman, she's–"

"Daughter of Ra's al Ghul, one of old man's worst enemies from way back. She helped the original Batman fight Ra's one last time back in the Apocalypse of 09. For the last couple of decades she's been putting her father's money to work cleaning up the mess he made. Current residence is a two-hundred-acre estate on New Cuba."

There was a long silence as both twins stared at him.

"What?" he asked testily. "Did you think I was spending all those hours in the Cave playing vid-games?"

"Well," Reaper said, trying not to chuckle at his tone, "if her estate is in New Cuba, just what the hell is she doing in Gotham?"

"Let's go find out."

She nodded. "Batman, throw a batarang to hit as close to Talia as you can get it. She'll recognise it and hopefully we'll be able to find out what she wants without violence."

Terry nodded, pulling out the projectile. He took aim and threw it in a perfectly straight line; it hit the doorway, just about a foot above Talia's head and stuck there. They watched her reach up and pull it down; a soft, wistful smile that made Sarah's bile rise graced her mouth. Then she turned to the night and said something that both she and Terry read off her lips.

Hello, children. Come down, and we'll talk.

"Terry, you stay here in case this is a double-cross. Prometheus and I will go down and speak to her; warn us via com-link if you see anything suspicious."

"Gotcha."

"P, come on."

They flew down together, ignoring the singing hiss of swords being drawn as they landed in front of the demon's daughter. "So I finally get to meet Reaper and Prometheus," she said, in a smooth, slightly-accented voice, raising her hand to wave off her guards. They slid back into the shadows, acknowledging her silent order. "You both have quite a reputation already, considering your young age." She paused to look past them. "Is that the younger one? The one who has literally taken up your father's mantle?"

"Get out," Reaper said flatly, ignoring her question about Terry.

"What if I've come to Gotham to continue my charitable works?"

"You brought armed guards with you," Nick said. "Doesn't scream 'philanthropy'. Leave."

Talia's eyes grew a little cooler, but she still continued looking at the two of them as though she were impressed, her smile now sad.

Prometheus kept glancing between her and Reaper. He was very well aware that his sister had absolutely no use for their father's former lovers. She had made that abundantly clear years ago when Selina Kyle had appeared in Gotham for what would be the last time. Talia, though, looked conflicted as she stared at them.

"Don't blame us," Reaper said abruptly. "Blame your father, and blame yourself for following the asshole over the man you loved."

Talia started, and then glared at the younger woman. "You have an impudent tongue in your mouth, child," she said coldly. "I see your father did not cure you of it early on."

Reaper snorted. "Please, my father has a mouth that is ten times worse than mine." She took a step forward. "I suggest you vacate Gotham, Madam al Ghul. There is nothing for you here."

Talia shook her head. "I have business here, child." She gave Reaper a stern look. "You would do well not to hinder me. I have killed people for doing less."

Now Prometheus stepped in. "That is why our father turned away from you for good," he told her. "Killing is unacceptable."

"Besides," Reaper added, "kill us and he will never forgive you." She smirked. "Added to which, I'd like to see you try."

"Your last warning, Talia," Prometheus said, not wanting to see this deteriorate into a catfight. "Leave Gotham. Don't come back. There's nothing for you here."

For a moment, Talia didn't move—then she gestured towards Reaper. "Take off your mask, child."

"Why?"

"I wish to see your eyes," was the simple answer.

Prometheus frowned. "I don't think–"

"It's alright, P," his sister interrupted. Her hand came up, sliding the mask off. Her eyes narrowed at Talia. "You're different from the others," she said quietly.

The demon's daughter nodded. "And you are your father's daughter. I believe...if I had chosen differently...you would have been my daughter too."

It was the wrong thing to say. Sarah lifted her chin, every inch the Amazon. "My mother is Diana of Themyscira. The only woman worthy of my father. The only one to ever truly love him. I am the daughter of both of them, and nothing like you."

The gaze Talia directed her way was appraising. "Not yet," she corrected quietly. She turned to Prometheus. "I will leave. And I will not return, you have my bond."

Nick had no idea what had just passed between his sister and this woman, but he did not let the puzzlement show on his face. Instead he only nodded. "Alright. Then go."

Talia left, her violet eyes lingering on Sarah's face for a long while. For half a second, he thought his twin looked shaken. Then she slid the mask back down and became Reaper again.

The twins stayed long enough to see Talia and all her men back on the ship and sailing away from Gotham. Somehow Terry—without their noticing, which impressed Nick no end—had gotten the three security guards still living to the hospital in the Batmobile, and then returned while they were supervising Talia's departure.

"Let's hope that's the last we see of her," Nick said as the ship headed toward the horizon.

"It will be," Sarah said softly.

Terry landed next to them. "Did I miss anything?"

"No. She agreed to leave after we negotiated with her."

Terry's cowl showed no reaction, but Nick believed he had come to know his younger brother well enough to sense his curiosity. Still, Terry seemed to sense that Sarah wanted no questions at the moment, so he said nothing further about it and changed the subject.

A few hours later, the three of them returned to the Cave. Nick quickly spotted his parents standing at the computer, looking up at the screen. His father didn't turn, but asked, "How did it go?"

"Nothing huge," Nick reported. "A gang of Jokerz were attempting to cause their usual chaos."

"And?"

"They won't be doing so for a while," Nick said.

Terry spoke up. "There are rumors at school that they might be looking to recruit new people. Kids mostly."

The ensuing silence in the cave was not a comfortable one. Nick watched both of his parents' expressions close. "We'll keep an eye on them," he reassured them.

"Good," Bruce said shortly, "Also–"

"Talia al Ghul decided to pay Gotham a visit." Reaper's voice was cool and utterly professional. Nick suppressed a shiver.

"We spoke to her and warned her that remaining in Gotham would be detrimental to her continued good health," Reaper stated. "She eventually agreed and has promised to leave and not return." Without waiting for a response, she moved toward the changing room, pulling her mask off as she went.

Well, Nick thought, this is uncomfortable. But however uncomfortable it made him being around his mother when his dad's old flames were brought up, Nick knew his sister well enough to know when something else was bothering her. However, he also knew that to tell his parents that would only lead to Sarah beating the crap out of him.

Nick resolved to hold his tongue.

He needn't have worried; once Diana, and Nick were upstairs, Terry at home, Sarah came out of the changing rooms. She sat next to Bruce and updated her logs, then stopped for a moment, silent. Finally she spoke. "Daddy?"

He glanced at her. "Yes?"

"Will you tell me about Talia?" she asked quietly.

He stiffened, then looked at her. He knew she wouldn't have asked without a good reason, and waited for her to explain.

"She said...she said that...I was like her. Or– or that I would be like her." When she looked back up, her eyes were scared. He cursed Talia inwardly—no one had the right to frighten Sarah. No one. "What did she mean?" she finished in a whisper.

He shook his head. "Sarah, you are so far from Talia al Ghul it's untrue. You have nothing in common."

"Really?"

Bruce smiled, brushed a strand of hair from his daughter's face. "I promise."

She smiled, looking much happier. "Thanks, Daddy."

Her father's reassurances were no help, though, at six a.m., when she woke, gasping, after a nightmare. Like most dreams, now that she was awake, there was little she could grasp to analyse. Except for Talia's words.

Yet.

What the hell did that even mean? Had the Demon's Daughter somehow been implying she'd been like Sarah once? Focused on her duty, on doing what she saw as the right thing? She couldn't have started evil, surely?

Suddenly, Sarah saw what a slippery slope she was on. She abruptly sat up in her bed.

She had loyalties to both Gotham and the League. What if she had to choose?

She'd never been in a situation where it was her family or her friends. That could easily change in the life she led.

She wasn't in love with Rex – yet. And when she was? When the choice came down to her own 'beloved' and her duty? Her… Her father?

"That can't be allowed to happen," she whispered. She would not become Talia al Ghul.

So: what to do about it? She forced herself to be cold-blooded about this. Obviously, Rex had to be the first casualty. She'd have to purge herself of romantic feelings for him. He was a friend from now on, that was all. An ally to call on if she needed help. Two—she should start withdrawing from the League. Design it so that more of the Watchtower and Metro Tower systems could be automated. Move Reaper from full-time to part-time member. League duties were geared more toward metahumans like Nicky, anyway.

Gotham was home. It was where she belonged, her city. It deserved everything she had. Everything she was.

A/N: Review please!