I make it up to my room before anyone sees me. How? Let's just say I...slither. 

The thought of meeting my unfortunate future husband within the next hour has not seemed to dawn on me yet. Anyhow; I take a shower, wash my hair and brush my teeth. Wrapped in a towel, I walk into my wardrobe, trying to find something appropriate.

I don't really live here. I mean, I spend a lot of time here at the request of my family, but I do have an apartment across the city and a summer home in Hawaii.

Eventually I find a suitable black and white dress. I pull it on roughly, pairing it with some jewellery and shoes. They probably don't match and I'll hear it from Fantasia later.

I pull my wet air into a bun, trying to towel dry it at the same time. I shove some random hair-piece in and step back.

Meh?

"Looks good," a voice says from behind me. I glance over my shoulder to my door, where my sister Hallow stands. Her arms are folded over her leather vest. She is wearing shorts with knee-high boots, her clothes not leaving much to the imagination. She contrasts against elegant Fantasia, plain Ignatier and tom-boy Klover.

"Can't say the same thing for you. That how you plan to lure Tim Drake?"

"It's never failed me," she grins. 

I roll my eyes, "Did you want something?"

If I expected a lecture from anyone, it was not her. Maybe Demitri, or Ethan. Not Hallow though. Usually she's too caught up in her tech to pay much attention.

"Just wanted to make sure you know what you're doing," she explains, folding her arms. I give her a questioning look. "In hurting us."

"You think I'm doing this to hurt you?"

"You have no idea what it was like when you weren't here before. What if that happens again, Cleo?"

"Things change Hal. It's a part of life. Kids move away from home, families fight, friends leave. Welcome to the real world," I say calmly, walking towards her. I suppose she's at that age when she realises how awful this planet truly is.

"Then why are you marrying him? Why is dad making you do this?"

There was a time when I would question his decisions too. If there is one thing I learnt through my privileged childhood, it was 'business is never clean'.

Sometimes people have to sacrifice things. Sometimes people get hurt. Sometimes risks have to be taken. And sometimes, companies need to be connected in a certain way.

"You'll understand one day," I tell her. For a moment, the purple eyes that match mine stare at me aggressively, before she is suddenly backing off.

"Fine." Then she is gone.

I look back in the mirror, taking a deep breath and smoothing my dress out. I put on some makeup, trying to block out the chatter and laughter down stairs.

I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.

Slowly, carefully, I step out into the hallway. My room is on the third floor, at the end of the hallway. I have some time to die of natural causes between here and there.

My heels are annoyingly loud in my ears as I begin descending the first set of steps.

What if he's ugly up close? What if I'm ugly up close?

What if he has a girlfriend? A boyfriend?

What if he hates me?

I freeze for a split second. Why had that never occurred to me?... Maybe he wants to be in this even less than I do?

I can't do this.

I can do this.

I can't do this.

Please, I rescued my team from rebels with three bullets and a grenade. 

Yes, but I got captured and they got set free.

Whatever, we can do this. 

I reach the second floor landing. Looking down the hallway I can see Jeremy, Klover and Logan watching me; judging, almost.

I continue down the steps, a little louder than before to catch my mother's attention.

"Cleo? Is that you?" I hear her say in her fake tone. She has a certain way of speaking when talking to business investments.

I come into view and find a surprising scene. My mother, my father, Bruce Wayne, the three other Wayne boys, Demitri, Ethan, Fantasia and lastly Richard Grayson are standing in a circle in the living room, drinking champagne (if legal).

"Cleopatra," my father begins. Why does he have to say it? "This if Bruce Wayne." I step onto the floor, putting on my best fake smile.

"Hello Mr Wayne, lovely to meet you," I say, borderline sarcastic, shaking his hand. He says some reply I don't even here, because I'm looking at my mothers angry face from my tone.

"These are my adoptive sons. Tim," the second youngest, a pretty boy with pale blue eyes, shakes my hand with a real smile. Okay, he's alright. Definitely too good for my sister.

"Jason."

This one is intimidating. He reminds me of some of the dogs I had to deal with in the army. He gives me an expressionless nod, refusing to hold his hand out. I don't either.

"And Richard."

Here we go.

I turn to him and try to take it all in.

Shiny, black hair that just dusts his ears, sparkling blue eyes, darker than Tim's, almost azure. A jawline that can cut steel, broad shoulders, biceps tearing at his jacket, second tallest out of the others, pearly teeth, sweet smile.

He is even more breathtakingly beautiful than he is in magazines. Damn.

Suddenly he is holding his hand out to me. I try and succeed in looking the same as I did when being introduced to the others.

"And this is my son, Damian." The youngest. He looks bored and angry at the same time, but shakes my hand anyway. What a gene pool this is. Is Wayne sure they're adopted?

"We were just saying how you've been surfing, dear," my mother begins. I look at her, then Wayne. There is a different expression in his eyes. Is this a test? I smile at him and look around at the four boys again.

"I was. There was a beautiful sunset. I'm afraid when you got here I already had plans with Mai to go into the city," I say honestly, turning and gesturing to the red head in the corner.

I try to hold in a laugh as my mother looks mortified.

"We're glad you did. It was never our intention to disturb plans with friends," Richard says. Bruce nods.

Take that mom.

"Ma'am. Dinner is served," the head maid Matilda comes in to tell us. Mom thanks her, before turning to the Waynes and yapping on some more.

My father leads them through the archway to the dining room. I go to follow, my mother only just managing to smack me upside the head before we get in there.

As I knew I would be, I am placed beside Richard. Across me is my mother, with Wayne beside her and my father at the head of the table.

Jason sits across from Tim, watching me as if I may stab his brother. Beside Tim sits Damian. The table continues with my siblings. Bruce and my father, Alan, talk business. At the other end of the table, the kids are talking about movies. Wish I was there. Pretty silent here.

Until...

"Kind of awkward, huh?" He says softly. He has such a nice voice. Too bad I don't want to hear it.

"It was never going to be anything but," I say. I hear him laugh quietly. "I'm sorry about this, you know. Looks like you drew the short straw." I glance up from my plate at him. He looks surprised.

"You don't seem too bad, so far," he says. I let out a laugh.

"You don't know me yet."

Just as he turns back to face his father, I notice this clip on his jacket collar. It can't be...

It's the robin clip. The robin clip. The one that Nightwing told me to look for, when he came from the future to help me during the war. When he and Rip Hunter shoved a crapload of information down my throat and disappeared like it was nothing.

I was pinned down in the sand, guns at every check and little hope in sight. Nightwing appeared out of nowhere, like a knight in black and blue armour.

He said there was a reason he was there and that we know each other in the future. He said we'd meet one day, but I was not allowed to tell him. I asked how I was to know who he was and he gave me the robin pin.

It's still in my jewellery box. Yet it's also here.

Richard is Nightwing. He is the man who saved my life.

He is going to be my husband for a reason.