AN: I Like Ra's al Ghul a lot. He is by far the smartest of all the villains. I do not, however, like Talia. This chapter, and the rest of the story, reflects that. I softened Ra's somewhat, but I did try to stay true to his personality. I will wait till tomorrow to post more after this. I'm tired. So thank you for reading and goodnight.

Three days later they were gathered in the cave discussing the problem of Onyx when a voice from the shadows piped up:

"Aw, how sweet. You do think of me."

A flash grenade landed in their midst and only Jason and Damien managed to avoid being knocked out by the violent flare of blinding light. Seconds later, Damien was dropped by the same nerve pinch Ruby had used just before she left with Talia.

Jason was on his guard. "Come out, Ruby."

She stepped into the light; her all black uniform somewhat unsettling on the normally bright and cheerful girl. "Didn't you hear? It's Onyx now."

"Still a fragile gemstone," he quipped.

She gave him a shark-like grin. "I think you'll find that some gems aren't so easy to scratch. Go ahead, try to hit me."

Jason complied, striking out with a clenched fist. She caught his clumsy strike and tossed him down.

"Come now, you can do better than that. Shoot to kill, Jason. Isn't that what you've always wanted to do?"
He growled and charged her.

Damien watched the fight from the corners of his eyes as he looked around for some weapon he could use to take Onyx down. Permanently. His searching halted as his gaze fell upon a syringe of an unknown toxin that Scarecrow had attempted to inject Bruce with three nights ago. With the problem of Onyx and a breakout at Arkham they hadn't got around to doing anything with it yet. Moving with as much stealth as was humanly possible he snatched it up and closed in on Onyx from behind.

Jason watched as Damien snuck up behind Onyx and jabbed the needle into her neck. She stiffened, then calmly reached up and removed it. "Well done, Damien. I am now officially blind."

All three of them froze when the sound of clapping echoed through the cavern. "Well done," Ra's said loudly. "Both of you, well done."

Onyx bowed in the direction of his voice. "Master. I would ask why you are here, but I believe I already know."
Ra's raised an eyebrow. "Really? Tell me, then, why am I here?"

"To test my loyalty. To assess my skill outside the training room. You were watching the entire fight. It's the logical conclusion."

"You have correctly guessed only half of motives. I am also here to check on my grandson. I am more than pleased to see that he has not gone soft during his time here."

Damien bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you, grandfather."

Talia stepped out of the shadows and crossed her arms, standing at Ra's' shoulder. "Now it is time for you to return to the Shadows with us. Come, Onyx, Damien."

Ra's held up a hand. "They will not be accompanying us, Talia. Damien has made his choice. He wishes to stay with his father, and I will honor that. Onyx does not belong with us. She clearly does not want to remain in the League and I will not let you force her. But," and this he said to Damien and Onyx, not Talia, "I would have it known that should either of you ever change your minds you have a home with us in the League. You have earned the titles of prince and princess of the Shadows. The League will not harm you or your family. My soldiers are at your command, provided you do not attempt to use them to interfere with my plans."

Ruby bowed again. "Thank you, my lord. You are more than kind."

Damien looked utterly stunned by his grandfather's acceptance of him. "Thank you," he said.

Talia did not look pleased. She bent over and whispered something to the shadows as Ra's spoke. One shadow detached itself from the others and snuck around behind Jason, unnoticed by anyone else. There was a faint gleam of steel, then a sharp gasp as Jason crumpled to the floor. Onyx whipped around toward the noise, drawing a throwing star from her belt. Aiming by sound she threw it where she approximated the assassin's throat to be. It struck true and the ninja fell without a sound, save the thud of his dead body hitting the floor.
Ra's was furious. He ordered Talia back to her plane and called for a second ride for himself so that he would not have to go with her. He had told Damien and Onyx, who was kneeling over Jason's body, calmly checking for a pulse, that their family would not be harmed and his daughter had broken that promise almost as soon as he had made it. Damien seemed to be shaking with rage, and had his mother not already left Ra's suspected he would have attacked her. Ra's turned to his grandson and the young woman he was coming to view as a granddaughter with little of his usual emotionless calm.

"My daughter's actions were uncalled for. I assure you she will be punished."

"Jason is dead!" Damien snapped. "No punishment can change that."

"Damien," Onyx warned softly.

He relaxed slightly.

Ra's nodded in agreement with the boy. "That is true. But there is something that can."

Damien looked startled. "You would dip him in the Pit?"

"Jason obviously means very much to both of you, and I long ago promised the Detective that I would not kill his family. This is a disgrace and I will do all that is within my power to rectify the situation."

"You have my eternal gratitude, my lord."

Ra's had one of his servants lift Jason's body from her arms and she stood. "I am not your master any longer, Onyx. Come, we must get young Jason to the Pit as quickly as possible."

Onyx turned to Damien and put a hand on his shoulder, fumbling a bit without her sight, but getting it there all the same. "I need you to stay here. No, don't argue. Someone has to explain what happened, and they won't listen to me right now, especially not if you and Jason are missing. And Jason will need someone by his side when he comes out of the pit. You know he trusts me more than he trusts you. Besides, it would not be wise for you to be that close to your mother until she has cooled off. I will visit often once the toxin has worn off and my vision has returned."

"Do you promise?"

"I swear it."

"Very well. I shall stay."

"Thank you, Damien." She turned to Ra's. "Let us go."

Ra's nodded. Onyx followed him out to his helicopter with the ninja carrying Jason's body close behind. They got in and the copter took off.

Damien looked around him at the mess the Batcave was in and sighed. "First to wake father, Richard, and Drake," he though resignedly. "Then to explain what just happened. The mess can wait."