The Last Talon

Chapter Twelve

By the time Bruce and the others made their way back to the manor, the kitchen was clear of blood and Babs was waiting patiently with a cup of tea in the living room. Dick had yet to come downstairs, he didn't want to freak his old friend out before Bruce had a chance to explain and prepare her. Instead, he sat at the top of the staircase, listening to the conversation coming from below.

So far, it wasn't going well.

While she was waiting for the rest of the Bats, Babs had received a call that they had found Darren and had taken him straight to the hospital in custody; his arm was a mess. Babs had started questioning them again, there was no way a teenager could have done that much damage.

When Bruce arrived with Terry and Ace, he looked up at the stairs and saw Dick's yellow eyes in the dim light. He gave him a sympathetic look and a nod to tell him it was going to be alright.

'Alright, what are you hiding from me?' Gordon demanded once Bruce entered the room.

'I think you should sit down Barbara.'

'I've been sat down, waiting for someone to tell me what's going on!' She turned to Jason who entered after Bruce. 'Why didn't you tell me you had a kid? I only left five years ago, you've been keeping him a secret a lot longer than that.'

'For God sake Gordon, sit down and just listen.' Jason snapped. Shocked, the redhead did as he asked, seating herself back down on the sofa. Jason came and sat the other side.

'There is no easy way to say this.' He began. 'Richard isn't my son.'

Babs narrowed her eyes but remained silent.

'It was just the easiest way to explain the situation to the outside world.'

'Then who is he?'

There was a pause before Bruce spoke up.

'It's Dick, Barbra.' He said softly. 'We found him.'

Babs froze, her back upright. 'What did you say?'

'We found, Dick Grayson.'

'He's alive?' Babs whispered, then she looked confused. 'But you told the press he was 17, Dick would be in his late thirties.'

'We always feared it would be a possibility.' Bruce continued. 'The Court of Owls made him into a Talon. He was with them for a year, then they placed him into hibernation.'

Babs didn't speak, she looked over to each of them in turn, gauging their reaction. Was this a joke?

'Terry found the hibernation chamber a few months ago. Dick was inside and he was alive.' Tim said. 'We've slowly been getting him used to the world again.'

'So...' Babs began but stopped to collect her thoughts again. 'So, he hasn't aged in all that time? He's still a teenager?'

They nodded.

'And he's a Talon?'

Nod.

'And it was Dick that broke that guy's arm? And the blood?'

'Darren stabbed Dick.' Said Jason. 'Dick has an accelerated healing factor. The wound has now healed, I checked, but his body pushed a lot of blood from the wound in an attempt to dislodge the knife.'

Babs nodded slowly. All seemed to be going very well until she stood up with her hands clutched in her hair.

'Do you have any idea how insane this sounds!?' She started walking towards the door. 'Richard Grayson has been missing for twenty years. He has probably been dead for most of that. Whoever this kid is, it's not Dick and I refuse to let you tarnish the memory of my best...' She opened the door and for the first time got a glimpse of the boy on the staircase.