Disclaimer:  Talia, R'as Al Ghul, & Bane belong to DC Comics.

Guardian Angel

From her window, the little girl could see the entire village. Of course, none of the small houses there compared to the large mansion in which she and her father lived, but that never really mattered to her. All she cared about was seeing her father, who was often away on business. But life in the Indian village kept Talia happy, and she never got bored.

Talia's thoughts were interrupted by the large limo pulling into the driveway. Ra's Al Ghul stepped out, his long coat trailing in the wind. He stopped to talk with two of his bodyguards. "Daddy!" Talia cried from the window. She ran from her room, down the long flight of stairs, straight to the door. She had forgotten that the house was well-guarded, for Ra's Al Ghul was wanted dead in many places.

Talia flung open the front door, expecting to rush into her father's arms. Instead, she found herself face-to-face with two large Dobermen. The black dogs leaped to their feet, barking loudly. With a startled cry, Talia ran back into the house, the dogs right behind her. She had only made it to the steps when she stumbled. The dogs cornered her in seconds, baring their sharp teeth. As she whimpered and covered her eyes, she thought she could hear heavy footsteps.

Before the dogs could touch her, two arms the size of tree trunks reached down, and large hands grabbed the dogs by their throats. Without a moment's hesitation, the hands smashed the dogs' skulls together, silencing their strangled barks. The Dobermen were thrown out the front door, just beyond the rose bushes. Talia looked up to see a large man before her. His long, brown hair was tied back into a ponytail, and there was something of a smile on his face. Despite his brutal act, Talia was not afraid, even as he lifted her in his arms. "You should be more careful, eh, little one?" he asked, tapping her chin. The girl only stared at him in silence.

Ra's Al Ghul finally entered the house, followed by two large bodyguards. He froze as he spotted the man. "Young man, you have exactly three seconds to release my daughter, and only five to leave my house." The man, keeping a wary eye on the guards, slowly placed Talia on the floor, but the little girl clung to his leg. "Come to me, Talia," Ra's said, with a gleam in his eye.

Talia finally let go and ran to her father, finding comfort in his arms. He gently stroked her long, black hair, keeping his eyes on the man. "He saved me from the bad dogs, Daddy," she whispered, looking back at him.

"Most impressive," Ra's remarked, a smile on his face. "Tell me something, young man. You have killed two of my best guard dogs. Would you be willing to work for me?"

Much to Talia's delight, the man nodded.

"Very well," Ra's said. "You are now my precious daughter's bodyguard. Her life is in your hands, and yours is now in mine."

The man didn't like Al Ghul's words, but the little girl's bright smile made up for it. "Come, little one," he said, taking her by the hand. "I will tell you all about the place they call America." But the little girl refused to go another step. Not until she was once again in his arms, anyway. Ra's watched them go, already making plans for the new recruit.

All this Talia remembered as she stared out of the plane window. She began to feel guilty for leaving Bane back in Gotham City. He was more than just a bodyguard, she finally realized. In some ways, he was more of a father then Ra's would ever be. He had been the only constant in her life, always willing to fill whatever role she needed at the time. Whether it was merely brother, father, or guardian, Bane had played all the parts, and quite well. Not just for that first meeting, but many after, had she owed him her life. And this was how she repaid his watchful eye, after all these years of faithful service. Talia couldn't help but shed a tear for her lost one.

Al Ghul sensed his daughter's anguish, and placed a gloved hand on hers. "What troubles you, my daughter?"

Talia looked at him, and for the first time in her life, she realized who he truly was to her. "Nothing, father," she said, turning away from him. But as she glanced at her reflection in the window, Talia shed more tears. For she had left much more than a guardian angel in Gotham City. Amid the ruins of the once great metropolis, she had left her heart.

The End.