Silhouettes
Chapter 1

Without a moment to spare, she shoved the boy down to the green pit of water and watched as the Pit swallows the young boy. Talia al Ghul gazed down on the water, a small smile plastered on her lips. She has a lot of faith in this boy. She knew that Jason Todd meant something to world to even be brought back from dead. After all, there is nothing in the world that could cheat death except for the Lazarus Pit that she and her father used constantly.

It felt like it was only yesterday ever since one of her men had found the supposedly dead Robin crawling around the streets of Gotham. Talia had immediately taken the catatonic boy in before her beloved found out.

During the two years that Talia had spent with Jason, analyzing, studying him, watching over him, even when he may be catatonic, there were triggers that his body remembers. She knew that Jason's mind still work, whenever Talia had tried to attack the boy, he never attempts to attack her unlike the other men that trained with him.

From that moment, she knew had to do something from the boy, something that her father will never approve. And by restoring his mind was the first step.

By the time the said boy emerged from the pit, there was a loud gasp as he came out alive. It had took him a few seconds to focus on the situation and he wildly looked around with a fearful expression registered on his face.

"Jason, we must hurry!" Talia announced, reaching out to grab his hand and finally pulling him up from the pit. She realized the slight tug from the boy, but she managed to overpower him quickly. She needed to take advantage over this before her father would notice. The loud roar echoing in the room indicated that her father realized something was amiss. Talia quickly dashed out of the private room with Jason struggling against her grip.

As they finally reached the outskirts of the manor and heading down to the forest, she hastily gave him instructions, knowing that the boy would follow through. He deserves to know the truth.

"And do not go back to Gotham. There is something you need to know first." Talia sternly ordered. Feeling the boy's hand slipped from her grip, halted her escape and stared confusingly at the boy. "Jason, is something wrong?"

The young boy before her stared wide-eyed terrified at her. "Who the fuck are you? Where the hell am I?"

The daughter of the demon blinked, refusing to show any emotion. Her mind easily pieces the facts together as she noticed the lost look on the boy. The boy genuinely didn't know who she was. Talia wondered just how much memories did the boy lose? Her plans for Jason to find out that he remained un-avenged were trashed. And with the condition of how the boy is, she doesn't know how much her plan would have to reform.

"Do you know who you are?" Talia inquired, her hardened gaze still remained on the boy.

Jason fidgeted as he looked mildly confused. "I-I don't know. Am I Jason? You kept calling me Jason."

"Yes, your name is Jason Todd." Talia affirmed softly. Silenced hung over them in an instant as the boy had nothing else to that they stared at each other, one seemed like she was gazing into his soul while he stared at her confused and terrified.

Talia didn't think of the possibility of Jason losing all of his memories in the process when dipped into the pit. There was that moment of sweet childlike innocence that he held which she never saw before and maybe Fate had different plans for this boy.

She waited for her father's men to catch up and before long, the demon showed up with a couple of men behind him. The livid expression on Ra's face said it all. He was not happy.

"Talia! What you have done is utterly foolish! Now we may never know how Jason Todd was brought back to life!" Ra's shouted, as he angrily leered at them. "You have released a curse upon the world."

Jason was startled by the sudden angry voice yelling at them and he warily stare at the approaching men. Talia could see him shiver in fear and she stepped up, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and softly squeezes it. "Father, I don't believe I have released a curse. The Lazarus Pit may have restored his mind, but not his memories."

His livid expression slightly faltered after hearing the news. He scrunched his eyebrows together in disbelief and Ra's took a stepped forward to observe the boy closely to see if his daughter's words were true. "Do you know who you are?"

Jason gulped, fear shone clearly. "Jason?" He replied unsure. That was his name right? That lady kept repeating it throughout the whole time he found himself in water.

There was a slight quirk on Ra's lips at the turn of events. "Do you know who Batman is, boy?"

Jason took a step back, fearing what the man would do to him. "Should I know him?" He replied unsure.

What her father did next surprised her as he leaned his head back in laughter before his lips formed a smirk. "Interesting. Talia, you may have indeed brought back something even… better." He eerily replied and with that Ra's nodded at his daughter before signaling his men to go back.

The area was soon cleared out of her father and his men and Talia turned his attention to the boy. A frown was now registered on his face. "Come Jason, I will explain who you were in the past." She held out her hand.

Jason stared at the offering hand. He was quite hesitant about this and he didn't even know the lady. Running away was not an option. He had no idea where he was at and worse, he didn't know who he was. But this lady, she knows him. Jason could trust her, right? "Who was I to you?"

Talia smiled warmly, knowing the answer that would please him. "My son." She watched as his head shot up and stared at her in disbelief.

"Your son?"

"Yes. You could say that."

Hesitantly Jason took her hand and Talia smiled. She definitely doesn't want to lose sight of this boy now.

.

Once they arrived at the mansion, Talia had ordered some of her maids to prepare his room again. A few minutes later, she took him up to his room once informed that his room was done and Talia led him to his bed.

She had thought of many plans to do with the boy, now that her original plans for him was scrapped with his predicament. Talia cannot keep him forever here in the mansion since she felt uneasy of what her father might do to him.

"I will be right back, Jason. Why won't you take a shower before sleeping?" Talia suggested. She smiled when he nodded slowly and she turned around to order the maid to help him out.

She walked out of the room to find one of her father's men waiting outside and informed her that Ra's was waiting for her in his office. It took her a few minutes to finally arrive at her father's office and she greeted him dully as she entered.

"The detective shall not know about this, Talia." Ra's said, turning his gaze away from the night world outside.

"What plans do you have for him, Father?" She inquired and then continued, "We should at least give him a normal life, if you don't want his father knowing his existence."

Her gaze met her father's calm emeralds. His indifferent expression didn't throw her back as she was used to that kind of expression. Even so, she knew that her father had some kind of plans for Jason Todd.

"That boy will never have any normalcy in his life, Talia. He is too much integrated to our world. Even if he doesn't remember his past life, he still has his muscle memory." Ra's argued. He took a step forward to his daughter. "You will send the boy to Ducra. With her teachings…" He trailed off ominously as his passive face was shown.

Talia narrowed her eyes at the man. There was sudden tidal wave feeling overcoming her body and she couldn't explain why. "I will not have Jason Todd to be part of the Shadows."

"Why do you suddenly care for the boy, Talia? Shouldn't you care of your little bloodline?" Ra's sneered as he turned away from his daughter and walked to his desk. "Don't argue with me. Send him to Ducra within a week for training." This had indicated that the conversation was over.

Talia sighed irritably. Before the daughter of the demon left the office, she assured him, "I will give him normalcy in life."

"And if the boy starts to remember? Then the real curse will truly be unleashed."

She didn't reply, but she left the premises, her thoughts full of what if he did regained his memories back? Even if the boy did regain his memories back, she could always resume the plan from the start.

By the time she returned to Jason's room, she was not surprised to find her own son in the room. Amused by the sight of the two boys staring at each other, one wary and the other observing him closely.

Damian finally greets her presence formally before inquiring the unknown boy. "Mother, who is that boy?"

Talia pleased with the question. She pointed at Jason and softly muttered, "Jason is your older brother, Damian."

The young boy's face lit up at the information and glanced back at his older brother. Curiosity filled his features and stepped forward to the older boy. "My older brother." He whispered silently, staring intently at his brother intently.

"Unfortunately, your brother lost his memories." She informed his son sadly.

Damian's face darkened slightly. Who could've done this to his brother? "Did F-Father do this to him?"

Talia was surprised by his assumption and smirked slyly. Who knew that his son easily felt protective of his older brother? She placed a hand on his shoulder and assured him. "It was not your father who did this to him. Rather it was a very bad man." A flash of curiosity briefly appeared on Jason's face before looking away from her gaze.

She realized that she has to take his memories in reconsideration, whether it was permanently or temporarily lost. She doesn't know the verdict yet, but Talia had a feeling that it was permanently lost. After all, the Pit restores everything, body, mind, soul and yet, Jason's memories were not recovered and it was lost.

She snapped out of her thoughts when her son's loud voice as he introduce himself to older boy sitting on the bed. Talia amusingly watched as Jason introduced himself as well, albeit confused.

"Your full name is Jason Peter Todd." She clarifies and watches any indication that he recognizes his own name, but it never came.

Jason murmured his name softly, like a mantra, hoping it would bring anything back to him. None came.

.

At times like these, Talia hated to admit that her father was right. It was right to send Jason off to Ducra, for safety from her own father and since Ra's and Ducra barely get along. She knew that her old mentor would get Jason Todd to the right path.

Her old mentor heaved a sigh. "Seriously, Talia, what are you doing sending this innocent kid to me?" Ducra clasped her hands together, as her eyes stayed on the figure at the bottom below. "What interest does Ra's have in this boy?"

Talia folds her arm and followed her mentor's gaze. "Jason is not so innocent."

The three thousand year old woman raised a brow. "Oh? Care to elaborate?"

"He was recently raised from the dead, for reasons we may never know. His body was fine, but his soul was absent until—"

"You tossed him into the pit." Ducra completed the sentenced and her gaze still lingered over the boy in curiosity. "I can smell the Pit off of him. Did that go well over to your father?" She amusingly said. Her eyes gazed upon the young boy, barely getting up from her attack.

"He was not supportive of my choice. My father still wanted the boy to researched. After all, Jason came back to the world without the use of the Pit which my father use to cheat death." Talia clarified, frowning. "But after Jason emerged from the Pit, he had lost all of his memories."

Ducra clicked the pieces together in her ahead. "Ra's likes the idea the he lost his memories."

"Yes." She nodded and continued, "Before Jason was murdered, he had the potential to be a great man. I believe with the proper guidance—something I can't do for his case. I believe he deserves this second chance in life."

The three thousand year old lady finally tore his gaze from the boy and turned her attention to her former student. "Then why send the man-child here? You could have given him normalcy, Talia, not send him to me."

She nodded, knowing that was also the option. "Yes, I know I could have given him normalcy, but with my father's way, I'm afraid that he might trick Jason into joining the Shadows. After he completes his training here, I will try to give him the normal life he deserves."

"I see. Then I will train him the ways of the All Caste." Ducra said, accepting the answer from her former student. "But can you guarantee that he will have a normalcy in his life after training here in the Hundred Acres of All?"

Talia determinedly replied, "Yes." She watched her former mentor nodded and shooed her away before telling that Jason will start his training today. She made his way down to the stairs and walked towards the young boy. "Jason." She called out.

Jason whirled around, a frown clearly shown. "Are you going to leave me here?" A distinct of disappointed could be heard.

"It's for your own safety. It'll be for a year." She wasn't surprised at the grief stricken face he made. Talia placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. "I'll be visiting every week. Don't worry, Jason, my mentor, Ducra will lead you to the right path."

"If you say so." He murmured, warily looking around the breathtaking scenery of the Hundred Acres of All. It was a magnificent place, something that's out of place, out of this world. He knew that Talia meant well and all of this was for his safety, but he didn't like the idea spending his time here alone. He would rather be spending time with Damian or something. Jason swears that kid was way too uptight about everything, even in his age.

Talia decided it was time to go. Squeezing his shoulder one more time to get his attention, she smiled warmly at him. "I'll see you next week, Jason."

Next Chapter: Jason finally arrives in Gotham City. What will await him there?

Hey guys~ I hope you guys enjoy my new story. I've planned out this story ever since around July and never got to write it till now. If you guys are wondering if I will ever post a new chapter for Never Touch The Ground, I will! I'm going to write two chapters for that story and then I will post it. All of my focus is now onto this story. Credit to RHATO #2, (taken some dialogue~)

And leave reviews~ they make me happy c: