Chapter 16:

As Batman and Robin patrolled the city, Phoenix was out on her own. She had been following Batwoman. Damian was having a hard time dealing with his feelings towards Daphne. He was sighing the whole time in the Batmobile. Dick chuckled, earning his attention.

"What's so funny?" Damian demanded.

"Can't a man laugh?" Dick shot back.

Damian scowled and looked away. "You think she'd be staying long?" he asked.

Before Dick could answer, an alert went up. The security of Wayne Tech had been breached. Dick and Damian turned to look at each other. He sent a quick message to Daphne even though Damian said it was not a good idea. It was lucky that Daphne was close to the Wayne Enterprises at the time. She took one last glance at where Batwoman was headed before rushing to the vault. She swiftly made her way through most of the surveillance cameras.

When she got to the vault, she saw the Heretic, as mentioned by Batwoman's 'dad' just now. She took out her stun gun, silently walking in the shadows. She listened to the conversation as they moved. They stopped at a wall. The one named Kuttler started to fidget with his glove, accessing what was beneath the wall. Daphne observed her surroundings to decide what was best to do.

"Dad!" she heard a shout.

She peeked and saw Lucius Fox in his son's arms. Heretic spotted her.

"Looks like we've got company," he muttered, glaring daggers at her.

Daphne backed away, but Tusk was fast. He jumped behind her, quickly grabbing her hand that was holding the butterfly-shaped gun. She cringed in pain. Daphne swung herself, kicking Tusk in the jaw. She jumped away. The light went off. She quickly hid as the Batmobile entered, restraining Tusk in the process. Robin and Batman made an appearance. Batman started to fight Heretic and Onyx. Kuttler got the components, ready to shoot Dick but Damian stopped him. Daphne jumped in before Tusk could attack Damian.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I can handle them myself, but thanks anyway," he replied, dodging another hit from Kuttler.

Daphne nodded. She jumped away when Tusk tried to hit her. Damian kicked Tusk to grab his attention. Daphne turned to Dick who seemed to have difficulty fighting both Heretic and Onyx. She saw that Onyx was using a katana, a weapon that had killed her parents. She pushed away her thoughts, rushing in and kicking Onyx in the stomach before she could stab Dick. She glared at Daphne, charging in towards her. Daphne, having a uniform with little protection, got cut by the katana most of the times. The least she could do was minimize Dick's trouble of having to fight both of them at the same time.

"She's too fast for me…" the girl mumbled to herself.

She took out another stun gun. She was aiming at Onyx's throat but got cut yet again. Onyx was about to finish her when she heard Heretic's order. She stared down at Daphne one last time before running towards where her associates were. Daphne turned to Damian. She widened her eyes at what Electrocutioner was doing.

"Master Damian!" she shouted, ignoring her surroundings.

She kicked the man, stopping him for mere seconds. He was about to continue but Heretic threw a knife right into his heart, killing him. He escaped after that. Daphne helped Damian up to his feet, only to make him go chasing after them. Dick was right behind him. Daphne was about to do the same when she saw Lucius and his son. She decided to help them first.

"I'll call an ambulance…" she said to the man who was with Lucius Fox.

"Please, my Dad needs help," the man said.

Daphne nodded, replying, "I know…"

Dick came back with Damian in his arms. Daphne quickly stood up, as worried as always.

"Don't worry, he's fine…" Dick reassured her.

Luke carried his father out of the building. It was lucky that the ambulance had already arrived. Dick, Damian, and Daphne went back in the Batmobile.

"Where have you been?" Dick asked the girl.

Touching Damian's cheek, she explained, "I tailed Batwoman. I found out about those guys and stuff. I had a little conversation with her as well…"

She wiped the blood on the boy's face. Biting her lower lip, she held in her tears. She was angry because she couldn't do anything to help him at all.

She was still weak.

It was the night after the fight. Daphne leaned against the wall, right beside the door to Damian's room. Her bruises were mostly healed. She was glad that she took the time to train with her sister. She stared at the folded hoodie in her hands as she listened to Alfred and Damian's conversation. She only heard a few words.

"He's not my father! And neither are you," she heard Damian complained.

"And for that, young man, you should be profoundly grateful," Alfred said as he walked to the door.

Daphne stood up. Alfred raised his a brow when he saw her. She gave a small smile. He saw that her wounds were mostly healed.

"You may want to keep him company, Miss," he said before walking away.

She peeked and saw Damian lying down on his bed. She stood at his door with her hands behind her, wondering whether she should enter the room or not.

"Hey…" she heard Damian called.

She turned to look at him. He was staring at her. She came up to him but kept her mouth shut.

"Aren't you going to cry or say things you shouldn't?" he asked.

She sat down on a chair that was beside the bed. He raised a brow at her again.

"Any reaction at all?" he muttered.

Daphne looked down at her hands on her lap. She said, "I couldn't protect you from getting hurt at all. I'm sorry…"

"An apology is not necessary…" Damian interrupted.

She nodded and replied, "You are my responsibility, Master Damian."

Silence filled the room for a few minutes. Damian didn't know what to say. Daphne placed the hoodie at the edge of his bed.

"I'm sorry for holding onto this too long. It is your favorite one so I'll return it now. It was a big help, gave me a little closure…" she muttered, gazing at the hoodie.

She stood up and walked straight to the door. She turned back and said to him, "I won't stop you from going out though I would still be following you."

"Then, just come with me already," Damian suddenly heard himself said.

"Huh?" Daphne stood at the door, surprised.

Damian stood up and stepped closer to her. He held her hand, looked into her eyes and repeated, "Come with me."

She looked away from his gaze, nodding. A few minutes later, Robin and Phoenix got down to the Batcave. There was only Dick's motorbike there. The two looked at each other. Daphne smiled.

"Lead the way…" she said, sighing.

Damian nodded. He got down the stairs as she followed. He took the helmet and was about to hand it over to her when someone shot him. Daphne turned and saw the Heretic. Damian groaned, spinning around. Daphne held his arms to keep him still and he pulled the needle out from the back of his neck. He pushed Daphne away to stand beside him.

"You made a big mistake coming here," Damian said, rushing to attack Heretic.

Daphne stood watch. She knew that Heretic was out of her league but she had to do something. Damian aimed his fist towards Heretic's face but he caught it.

"I was trained to never make mistakes. Just like you," he said, going to punch Damian.

Damian jumped away on time. Daphne wanted to say something but his expression showed that she should just stand back. She knew Damian's vision was getting even more blurry because the drug from the needle was kicking in and he soon collapsed.

"Master Damian!" Daphne called, rushing up to him.

Heretic stared down at her. Daphne growled. She took out her ordinary size stun gun and charged at Heretic. He swiftly pushed aside her hand, sending the gun away. She tried to kick him, but he swiftly dodged it. The girl took out a knife, trying to stab him next. Stepping aside and pulling at her arm, he hit her back. She gasped, but that didn't stop her. She held his foot to still his movements, trying to get up. He kicked her stomach. She tried to catch her breath. He held her head, threatening to crush her. Daphne kicked around as he lifted her up.

"I should probably leave you here…but you could be useful to tame the boy," he muttered.

"You'll pay for this!" Daphne growled, trying to kick him.

Heretic's sidekick, Onyx came to view. He threw Daphne to her and she held the girl still. Daphne watched as he picked up Damian.

"Don't touch him!" she shouted.

"Shut the girl up," Heretic ordered.

Onyx landed a chop to the back of Daphne's neck. She watched her own vision fade to black.

Damian opened his eyes, trying to make up where he was.

"Where am I?" he muttered.

He saw Kuttler plugging a hard drive. Tetch, a man with the mad hat, placed another electrode bud on his forehead. His vision cleared and he could see his father.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded, looking around.

He caught sight of Daphne, her hands tied up to the walls in the corner of the room. Her feet were tied too and she was conscious. She looked bruised and injured. Her uniforms were in tatters. She must've put up a good fight before getting restrained.

"Unfortunately, I have no more choice in this than you do," the man in the hat replied.

Heretic and Onyx made an appearance. When Damian asked who he was, he pulled off his mask. He turned to look at Damian.

"I'm you, Damian…all grown up," Heretic replied.

"You're not me. You can't be," Damian glared.

Daphne widened her eyes. She listened further.

"I'm the product of a program that your, our grandfather initiated. He wanted to create the perfect soldier. They used your DNA and put it through a process of accelerated growth. Most of the prototypes died quickly, but I survived. I was the strongest of them all…" he said, approaching Damian, "Still…I was an empty shell, till Mr. Tetch here brought me to full consciousness. As a good a job as he did, there's always been something missing. A void."

Daphne stared up at the restraints that were holding her off. It was just a simple rope. She watched Heretic kneeled down beside Damian.

"And I'm going to fill that void…with you," he pulled Damian closer to him, "Everything in there…" he tapped at Damian's forehead, "…is going in here…" he tapped at his own. "You, brother…will provide me with a soul."

Damian glared like always. Daphne kept quiet to listen.

"The hell, I am," Damian spat.

Heretic stood up and said, "It's not like you have a choice, but if you rebel, I may have to kill her."

"Like he cares…" Daphne mumbled when Heretic pointed at her.

"I don't understand why she just doesn't grow another one of you. She's got a freezer full of…" Tetch's words were interrupted when Talia barged in.

"Are you insane?" she said angrily.

"Mother," Damian said.

"Miss Talia…" Daphne muttered, disbelieved.

She stepped into the room. She slapped Heretic and glared at Tetch. "How dare you!" she uttered.

Tetch shrugged and replied, "It wasn't my idea. This lunatic said he'd kill me if I…"

Talia shouted, "Shut up!" and turned to Heretic, "You'll suffer for this."

Heretic glared. "My entire life I've been suffering! Tell me, what is a man without memories? I want to know you, and love you, as he does," he gestured at Damian. "I want to feel you in my heart, in my blood."

Daphne suddenly pitied Heretic. He kneeled down in front of Talia, begging her to let it happen. He hugged her. She caressed his hair. Daphne turned to Damian who was watching all the time.

"You poor tormented creature, how could I not have felt the depths of your pain? How could a mother have left her child so alone…in the dark," Talia muttered and shot Heretic, bringing him to his death.

Daphne widened her eyes, shocked. Damian turned to Talia.

"How could you just kill him like that?" he demanded.

"He's flawed…" his mother replied.

"What about me? Am I a flawed too?" the boy asked.

Talia put away her gun and instructed Tetch to alter Damian's memories and make some necessaries 'adjustments'. She said that she can't have Damian the way he is: recalcitrant and emotional. She turned to Daphne. The girl immediately looked away. Talia didn't do anything to her. She ordered Onyx to dispose of Heretic's body.

"We will kill the girl when it is necessary," was all she said regarding Daphne.

They kept working on Bruce after that. Damian was left that way for the time being. He didn't make any movements to try and free himself. He glanced up at Daphne at times. She was watching them too. She didn't know exactly what they were doing, but she knew it was not good. She stayed as quiet as possible. Tusk came in after half an hour.

"It's the bats. Three of them," he warned.

"Three?" Talia was surprised, thinking for a few seconds before deciding, "We retreat."

"Why?" Tusk asked.

"The compound is expandable. We have more urgent matters to attend to," she explained, turning to Tetch and Kuttler, "Come."

They exited the basement. Damian started to free himself and so did Daphne. She cut the ropes with her hairpin. It was made for cutting and for picking locks. She untied the ones around her feet. She stood up. She rushed to help Damian after putting on her mask.

"I'm fine…" he muttered to her, putting on his mask.

She nodded. They freed his father from the hold. They heard explosions from outside. Damian rushed to his father's side. Bruce's eyes were open for a few minutes.

"It's me! It's your son," Damian said, trying to help Bruce to stand up, "Come on, father."

He fell right after he stood up. Damian slapped him once, calling him Batman and saying that they need Batman. He slapped the man again. Daphne wanted to stop him but it was the only way to try and wake him up. Bruce held Damian's hand before he could slap again. He was conscious. He stood up with Damian's help.

"I'll help," Daphne insisted.

Damian turned to her. "No. I'll manage. Find the exit," he ordered.

Daphne nodded. She rushed out of the basement before Damian and Bruce. She took the first stairs she saw and it was the right way. She heaved a sigh of relief. She rushed back down to call for Damian. Then, she went back up. Damian followed her voice and guided Bruce as he did. She caught sight of Dick.

"Master Dick!" she called.

Dick turned around and saw her. Damian and Bruce were right behind. He rushed to help the two. He told Daphne to go ahead. She obliged. She rushed out of the building. Before the three could do the same, the building collapsed, sending them off of the cliff. Batwoman rushed to help but was too late.

"No!" she exclaimed.

"Master Damian!" Daphne called tears in her eyes.

Batwoman suddenly smiled. A man in another batsuit flew up with the three of them. He is Batwing. He placed them on the ground. Daphne abruptly went up to Damian, wrapping her arms around his torso. He wrapped one arm around her, hiding his surprise at her reaction. He was looking at his father, glad that he was safe.

"Thanks for saving our butts there, Luke," Dick said to the man that Daphne knew nothing of.

"Yeah. Too bad they got away," Luke replied and continued, "Well, Dad always wanted me to work with Bruce Wayne. I'm proud to be a part of your team."

Bruce spoke, "We can handle this on our own. Nightwing, Robin, back to Gotham."

"You're welcome," Dick muttered.

Damian stared at Daphne. She forced a smile to him. She knew that she wasn't important to Bruce anymore after she left him that one time. It was harsh but it is the truth. She pulled away from Robin.

"Can I ride with Batwing?" she suddenly asked.

"Girl, I can't even navigate this very well yet. How do you expect me to hold you while I fly?" Luke asked the girl.

"Any way you like…" she hummed.

Damian twitched at her words and clenched his fists. Batwoman smirked at his reaction. Daphne turned to her, smiling.

"Tell your sister I'm sorry for breaking her camera," she muttered, looking at Daphne.

"I will. Thanks for sharing the information about Heretic with me," the girl said, holding out her right hand.

She shook hands with Batwoman. Since she came with Dick, she had to hitch a ride in the Batmobile as well. Daphne insisted on flying with Batwing. Luke gave in. He wrapped his left arm around her waist and she held on to it. He suddenly felt a cold stab on his back. It was Damian's jealousy.

"I'm flying!" she cried happily as Batwing flew.

"Just don't let go," Luke reminded her.

"Okay…" she replied, widening her eyes at the view.

They soon arrived in Gotham City. Luke sent her to Wayne Manor as she had requested. She thanked him with a hug. She immediately went to her room after that. She assumed Alfred was checking up Bruce's condition. Damian and Dick would be beside him of course. As she walked to her room, she called her sister.

"Hey, Sis. Something wrong?" Delphinium answered on the other line.

"We found Master Bruce…" Daphne said and paused.

"And?" her sister demanded.

She rubbed her hair and replied, "He seems fine but I think something is off."

There was a pause before Delphinium asked, "Are you extending you stay?"

"Can I please? At least until the summit…" Daphne begged.

"Oh, yeah. I was actually invited to go there. Wanna meet up there?"

"I can't… Master Bruce doesn't seem to want me here, so I should keep my distance from him…"

"Oh, I see. Well, if you get the chance to, say hello to him for me. I'll gladly go. It's a chance to see more techs," Delphinium laughed.

Daphne chuckled and said, "That is so you…"

She hung up after that. She reached her room and opened the door. She was surprised to see Damian, still in his uniform. He was sitting on her bed, legs crossed and arms crossed as well. He was staring at her. Was he angry? She wondered.

"Where have you been?" he asked sternly.

"Sightseeing with Batwing," the girl replied calmly and happily.

She went to her closet to get a nightgown. Damian went up to her. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to face him. She was somewhat confused.

"I don't like you being around Grayson," he stated.

"I kind of know that…" she replied, dumbfounded.

"So I don't like you around other guys as well," he continued.

Daphne tilted her head to the side and asked, "Like who? Alfred?"

Damian slapped his forehead. "No… Fox! I don't like you being around Fox!" he groaned, turning his back to her.

"Why? He is just an acquaintance…" Daphne replied, taking off her mask and boots.

Damian slammed himself onto her bed, grunting and groaning. Daphne was confused. Luke and Dick were like brothers to her. Nothing more. Why was Damian so furious?

"Hey…" he suddenly called.

"Yes?" she replied, going up to him.

He sat up, suddenly pulling her into a hug. She stood still.

"Thanks…for calling my name…" he said.