Project PAJ/Talia Al Ghul's Home for the Superkids Bruce Wayne doesn't Adopt

Part 1: Wally

Wallace Rudolph West has a secret. Well actually, he has many secrets, both big and small. His biggest secret? He's the next leader of the League of Shadows(or League of Assassins if you prefer).

Yes, THAT League of Shadows. The one led by Ra's Al Ghul and his daughter Talia. The one that Damian Wayne was born into, but of course, this story happens long before he was brought into this world. 

How did he end up being the heir to an organization of murderers? Well, to find out we'll have to go back quite a bit. Back approximately 19 years, to when Wally was seven and had run away from home.

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A woman in black slinked through the shadows. It was midnight, and she had just finished a job. There was blood splattered on her clothing, the target had put up quite a fight, and even though she was wearing stilettos, she made no sound.

As she walked, turning down the maze of alleys and leaping over barricades, something broke the silence. The woman stopped to listen. A child? Crying? Who in their right mind would leave a child out at this hour?

Despite all her training, she went to check it out. The child turned out to be a ginger boy who couldn't be more than eight years old. The boy looked up, eyes bloodshot and puffy and stared at her as he sniffled. He had the most beautiful emerald eyes, rivalling her own. Something about the boy made her soft, and that was dangerous. She knelt and the boy let out a frightened squeak and tried to get away, but without warning, she trapped him in a hug.

"Why are you out here?" The woman asked, making sure to keep her voice calm and comforting.

"You tell me first" was the reply. Not the one that she wanted, but oh well. 

"It's for my job," she explained, gesturing to her clothes. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but I kill people for money." 

"Oh. Can you kill my parents?"

Of all the possible responses, the assassin definitely wasn't expecting that one. The child seemed malnourished, maybe it was an abusive situation? She watched the boy's face fall.

"I don't have any money though."

"You still haven't answered my question." She stated, eyes narrowing, but somehow still welcoming and warm. The boy looked down at his hands, fiddling with something in his lap. In the few minutes she had known him, he never sat still. ADHD maybe?

"I ran away. My parents hurt me, so I escaped. The only ones nice to me were uncle Barry and auntie Iris, but they don't come home anymore because auntie fought with mom." He was blubbering now, and it broke her heart. 

"Tell you what? I can take you with me. I'll train you to be an assassin, and when you're old enough, you can kill your parents yourself." Shit. She definitely shouldn't have said that. The League Of Shadows was no place for a child, not to mention her father would be absolutely furious. But there was no taking it back now. Ra's would just have to suck it up and deal with it, cause there was no way she was letting the kid stay out here.

Speaking of the kid, he seemed to be considering it, and after a few moments he looked up at her and stuck out his hand. 

"Deal." He said matter-of-factly. She grasped his hand gently and shook it. That was the beginning of their story, and of a beautiful bond. 

"I'm Wally by the way. Wally West."

"Talia Al Ghul. Pleased to meet you Wally West."

Wally grinned, the first time he had smiled in around two years, although she didn't know it. 

"Likewise."