SWAN SONG / damian wayne

THIRTY-ONE, FAMILY REUNION

"I'M NOT HERE to fight," Talia said coolly, flanked by her two assassins. "I just wanted to talk."

"There's easier ways to arrange a meeting than kidnapping Cygnet," Batman replied, voice emotionless. "Let her go, Talia. Leave Gotham and never return. You are not welcomed here."

"Ha! As if you could keep me out. My son is here, Bruce."

"In the past few months alone," Robin pointed out, "you've managed to stab me and kidnap my girlfriend. I do not wish to see you, Mother."

"Yet I am still your mother." Talia raised her chin. "You cannot escape me."

"Untie Cygnet." Phantasma sounded tired. "Stop playing your pointless games, Talia. You're wasting your time as well as ours. You're testing all our patience. We've already dealt with all your other assassins—you're completely outnumbered."

"Yet I have a hostage."

Odile, who'd been using the time to carefully try and cut the rope with a small knife she'd created, did her best to look indignant and helpless. Red Hood, the only one stood at an angle where he could see her escape attempt, tilted his head in acknowledgement. She glared at him and he chuckled.

Talia's eyes narrowed on him. "You. I saved your life, and this is how you repay me."

"You kidnapped my friend, Talia. Just rescuing her. Nothing personal, really." His shrug was casual. "I am grateful, really. But then you've also done a lot to hurt the people who I care about, so... Guess we're even now?"

"You talk too much now."

"Always have. You just met me at a really bad time," Red Hood let out a melodramatic sigh. "Can we just get this over with? Are you going to let her go or what?"

She was almost done with cutting through the rope. Just a little longer.

"We do not," Talia began, "always need to be standing opposite each other."

"As long as your goal aligns with that of your father's, that is what we will always have to do," Batman replied, not an inch of emotion in his voice. God, it was terrifying sometimes, watching them like this. And realising that once upon a time, Bruce and Talia might have been what she and Damian were now.

But she was never going to stand against him. And she hoped, dearly, that he'd always be by her side as well.

"I am trying to make the world a better place, just like you are," Talia argued.

"Even Seraphina doesn't buy that anymore," Phantasma replied softly. "That's why she left, didn't she?"

Odile glanced up in surprise. "She left?"

"She's a traitor to the cause," Talia snarled. "She's defiled Father's legacy."

"Mother, you weren't always such a fanatic. Before Grandfather's death, you recognised when he went too far. You tried to stop him sometimes. What happened to you?" Damian's voice almost cracked as he said that, his eyes furiously searching for something in his mother's. And dimming when he failed to locate it.

Of course he'd still hold out hope. Of course he'd still pray that something of the mother he knew was still in there. But in Odile's honest opinion, Talia al Ghul was too far gone. Her father may be dead, but he still very much existed in her mind. Driving her forward. Pushing her further and further away from the things she cared about once upon a time. Transforming her into him.

Duty had swallowed Talia al Ghul whole and refused to spit her back out.

Talia chose not to reply to Damian's question. And behind her, Odile had finally managed to slice through the rope holding her. Neither of the other two assassins in the room seemed to notice. It had been decided that the five standing at the door were far more dangerous.