Author's note: Sorry for the long wait everyone! The end is here. Thanks to Inu-midoriko for always being there on this crazy wild ride. If you don't want the story to end here, then by all means, let us know! Enjoy the read and please tell us what you think.

Groggy from sleep, the Nephilim queen rubbed the grit out of her eyes. She knew that she was not alone. "Everything all right?" she called softly, in case they were sleeping.

With heavy breathing, KnightHawk stood there with blood and bruises all over his body. Some his, most the boss'.

SwanQueen screamed at the sight of her mate and awkwardly tried to scramble to her feet.

"I'm okay... really." He said in a soft tone. "Most of it isn't mine."

Her face was still white as she finally managed to heave herself to a standing position. "By Earth and Sky! What happened?"

"I went after the Boss. I killed him. For you. You no longer need to worry about him, my love."

Her hand shook as she reached out to touch his cheek, her fingers stopping a breath away. "Are you hurt? It looks like you lost."

He smiled fondly at her. "I won. I made sure of that."

"Nash?" She asked, slowly starting to regain color in her face.

"Got away. Batman's taking care of it."

"At least the older one is dead... Nash is all bark and no bite..." She sounded as though she was trying to convince herself as well as her pairbond of this. However, the restless protective hand over her unborn Nestlings said she didn't believe her own words.

"Harm will never come to you, my Pairbond." His voice became fierce. "Not the man's corpse bleeding to death and burning alive as we speak, or his little runt."

She smiled tiredly at KnightHawk. "I wasn't doubting you my love."

"I know." He said. "Are you angry? That it wasn't you to end his life?"

"I just wish... I could have asked him why..." She bowed her head. "But I'm glad you did it."

"He was insane, SwanQueen," he said and sighed. "His mind was far too gone to have gotten a proper answer out of him."

"I know you are right... It's just hard not to know why."

"Perhaps it's better not to know." He said. "Would it be too much to ask you to help me get cleaned up? I'm starting to really feel the injuries now. Something also happened to my wing." He tried to move it and winced.

"Of course, I can't stand for too long though sweetheart."

"You won't be. I'm going to collapse in about ten seconds." he replied and made his way to the makeshift bathroom area where there were buckets of fresh water for them to get cleaned up if they couldn't make it to the river.

Sitting on the shower bench, she slid a bucket of water next to her and waited for her mate. "At least you'll get some sleep tonight."

"Not likely." he said softly. "Not with my wing like this." he replied, not even bothering to mention that the Boss' face was burned into his mind like an image sear onto a stone wall.

SwanQueen gently washed his back, careful of his wings. "Do you regret it?" She asked softly.

"No. I would do it again."

She worked in silence for about fifteen minutes, making sure that his back was clean before lightly probing his wing. "I don't think it's broken." His mate said finally.

He exhaled in relief. "Thank the Skies." he said. "That puts my mind at so much ease."

"If it was broken, you wouldn't have been able to fly. You sprained it pretty good though, and it's probably bruised..."

"I didn't fly. It was too painful. I had to get Batman to drop me off."

"I'm no expert, but I think alternating hot and cold packs should do the trick."

"Okay." he washed his blood stained hands and torso before kissing his Pairbond on the cheek. "Thank you."

She smiled back, although her tired eyes danced in amusement. "You're welcome my love."

Barbara's cold eyes narrowed on Nash as his cell door locked closed. "May God have mercy on your soul, Nelson Nash."

The teen said nothing, allowing the aging woman to leave the prison and make her way back to the station. When she got there, she wasn't at all surprised to see Bruce Wayne waiting for her. "Good evening, Mr. Wayne." she greeted and sat down behind her desk, permitting Bruce to do the same on the other side of her desk.

"Hello Barbara." He smiled. "How's your new... guest settling in?"

"He's across Gotham city at the prison. He'll be doing a hell of a lot of time. Twenty-five years."

Bruce sighed. "That might not be good enough."

"It's all I can do. He hasn't killed anyone."

"Yet. He will though, although he might not get the chance to go after her again."

"What happened to his father? No one has yet offered me an explanation."

Bruce looked Barbara straight in the eyes. "The Boss is no longer a concern to anyone." It was impossible to tell what the original Batman was feeling as his hands tightened on the cane under his hands. "He's dead Barbara."

"What? How? When?" she asked, standing from her seat.

"They were attacked, SwanQueen did not take it well and nearly passed out, KnightHawk snapped. He took most of their soldiers and returned the favor."

"I told them not to murder anyone!" he made a sound of frustration and stepped out away from her desk. "How am I to trust them now?"

"At this point, I don't know if she miscarried, but this was not by her orders." Bruce frowned. "There will be a great many more of them when they start breeding in earnest."

"I don't trust KnightHawk. He's like a ticking time bomb."

"Males are more aggressive than the females. It's in their genetics." Bruce sighed and frowned. "Truth be told. I don't believe he has any loyalties except to SwanQueen."

"So what, you think I should just let him roam around and kill anyone he thinks might be a threat to his wife? There are reasons we have protocol and rules!"

"They were attacked first. I was there when it happened. If Ace hadn't have been there we all would have been dead."

"That's no excuse and you know it, Bruce." Her eyes alight with defiance as she spoke.

"No, it's not. However, they didn't kill anyone else. The bodyguards are still alive."

"KnightHawk killed someone. That's a concern for my city."

Bruce nodded calmly. "You'll have to visit them, SwanQueen can't fly anymore."

"Believe me, I will."

A few days later, the Queen had recovered enough that she could join the rest of the flock in the common area. Although they made sure that her seats were well padded and that there was always someone nearby in case of trouble. Currently she was bent over a laminated map of the city, murmuring to herself as she made notes on a pad nearby. Not all the Nephilim were there, a group of them had gone to the Narrows at dawn to take notes and start the housekeeping. KnightHawk was bathing while Joshua was visiting with the other human children.

"Knock, Knock." was sounded at the entrance to the cave. Barbara stood, alone, in all her aging glory. "Hope I'm not interrupting."

The Queen's head snapped up. "Barbara! Hello! I didn't hear you outside." Her tone was warm with greeting and she awkwardly turned in her chair.

The older woman smiled and went inside. "That's all right. You guys did pretty well for yourselves." she commented, looking around the cave. "How are you doing?"

"It's been touch and go. I can't fly, and I can barely walk. I was spotting until yesterday, and now nobody wants me on my feet, so I tend to get carried a lot."

"Must be nice to be carried places." she said, taking a seat beside the Queen.

"It would, except I'm heavy- no matter how much the males tell me otherwise." She frowned down at her map. "I'll also be happy when I can stop eating six times a day at two to three helpings a meal!"

"No one said pregnancy was easy." she laughed before she got serious. "I heard about the Boss. How's KnightHawk?"

"He won't be flying for a while. His wing is hurt pretty badly, even though he won't admit it to me. I've asked Moria to come see us for a second opinion."

"Right... Listen, about KnightHawk..." she paused, no longer knowing how she wanted to ask this particular question. "Without causing any offence, would you say he's stable?"

"I would trust him with my life and with the lives of the flock." SwanQueen frowned. "I wouldn't have made him a Nephilim if I thought something was wrong."

"I understand that," she said softly. "Forgive me but, he murdered someone, under my jurisdiction, knowing that I wanted the man dealt with in a specific way. I know he tried an ambush, but that doesn't not cause grounds for murderous intent."

She nodded. "It had already been done when I recovered, he nearly made me pass out again. Still, I will let him speak for himself. He will return soon, I finally pried him off me this morning to bathe properly in the river."

"Alright. While I'm waiting, do you mind if I explore a little bit? I haven't been in here since I was a little girl." she said, referring to the forest.

"Feel free. the forest isn't dangerous now." She frowned at the map again. "... Now where should this go...?"

Looking over her shoulder, Barbara asked what she was talking about.

"I'm trying to decide where exactly the wall around Sanctuary should go."

"Well, if this is Sanctuary," said Barbara, indicating the section on the map blue printed. "Then the wall should go all the way around and stop here to allow for a gate. It would allow you to know who comes and goes and could potentially offer us the same courtesy."

Focusing on the map through narrowed eyes, she slowly nodded and made a note of it. "I also need to speak to the mayor about making the place a no car zone. I don't want humans going over the wall..."

Make it higher than the cars. They can only go so far up. You guys are airborne creatures. Why stop your home low to the ground when you can expand it to the skies?"

SwanQueen smiled. "I didn't wish to seem rude."

"Not at all." she smiled. "It's your home now. By agreement and you earned it. Do what you want with it."

"Home..." She tasted the word with a smile. "I love that word."

"SwanQueen, I brought you something you might like." KnightHawk came through the cave entrance, barring baked fish. He froze in his tracks when he spotted Barbara. "Good day." he said.

"You also." she replied, her tone changing completely when she addressed him.

The Nephilim Queen's mismatched eyes sharpened as the smell filled the air and she cleared the table before extending her hand for the gift. "You eat too?" She managed to ask her pairbond.

"No honey, it's all yours."

Satisfied, his beloved dug into her meal, ignoring the feeling of his hand soothingly stroking her hair as a reminder to chew.

"You wanted to look at the forest?" he asked her, his fond smile for his mate fading when he looked back at Barbara.

"If you wouldn't mind." Barbara said stiffly. "Did you bring a second helping for her? I'd prefer not to be interrupted during the tour."

"There's more in the bag." he said not only to Barbara, but also to his feasting mate. "Shall we?" he asked, and led her out of the cave and into the forest.

When they got far enough for there to have at least the illusion of privacy, Barbara spun around to face KnightHawk. "You know why I'm here?"

"Yes." he replied and squared his shoulders. "I had no choice. His next move was to kill us all."

"I told you repeatedly I wanted him alive!"

"He gave me no choice." he replied calmly.

"You could have overpowered him, but you chose to kill him instead. I should arrest you."

"We both know you won't." he replied. "Whether you like it or not, the Boss is dead. He had a detonator and was going to blow up everyone here. Tell me you wouldn't do the same if your husband's life was on the line."

"We have rules for a reason!" Barbara snapped. "How are we humans supposed to trust you if the lot of you always keep shoving our society's laws aside!"

"You need to understand that we are our own society with our own laws. If anyone dares to cross them then that's their business but they better be prepared for the consequences. We have no problem being your ally. But you have to understand where we're coming from. I..." he took a deep breath and clenched his hands. "am sorry, I did not consult you on my actions before I did them. I don't regret it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Barbara blinked at this, and comprehension dawned. "Is that the real reason you are going to put a wall around Sanctuary?"

"Yes."

"How long have you known that you can't live among us, only next to us?"

"A while. Long enough to know that no matter what, we're too different a race to coexist. Which is why we're building out own city, just outside Gotham."

"Why do you think that is? Does it happen the moment you've given up your humanity?"

"No. It happens over time, through certain events that make it all too clear just how different we are. I'm not saying we're turning our backs our alliance. It just means, we need our space to live, and you need yours."

Barbara sighed. "So once Sanctuary is built, the Nephilim won't be seen in Gotham?"

"Of course we will. We've made you a promise and we intend to keep it. But we can't live there."

Barbara nodded. "How long until she gives birth?"

"A couple months now. Maybe less. You see how big she is. There's no way she'll be able to carry them for much longer."

"Them?"

"We believe there's two. Twins." he smiled, fatherly pride swelling in his chest.

"How can you be sure of that? it might be more." Barbara smiled at the father-to-be.

"There's really no way to tell. The more the merrier."

Barbra suddenly frowned as a thought occurred to her. "Do you think your people will always carry multiples?"

"I don't know. We're the first couple to ever reproduce. It's possible."

She sighed. "The mayor will want to know when she gives birth."

"We'll send someone to inform you when it happens."

The Commissioner's face grew serious as they walked. "KnightHawk, the Boss was a threat, but in the future..."

"I won't touch them without you knowing first."

She nodded. "And no more acting on your own when your Queen isn't conscious. Next time it might be her paying for the mistakes you and yours make."

"Yes, ma'am." he addressed her like he did out of respect because she hadn't come here to threaten him and his own, she came here because she was concerned for him and SwanQueen's wellbeing. "Thank you, Commissioner."

Two months later, with Sanctuary finally complete, KnightHawk, Bruce, Terry, Barbra and the Mayor sat outside the doctor's office. Each time the Queen screeched behind the doors, they flinched. It was a strain on KnightHawk to have to hear her and not be able to comfort her through her pain.

After the third scream faded away, SageSparrow emerged exhausted but smiling. "KnightHawk, our Queen is going to throttle you when she gets out of bed." Then she beamed. "Princesses, all three of them. I hope you didn't want any sleep for the rest of the year."

"Three?" they all said in union. All of them in shock, save for KnightHawk, he was overjoyed. "When can I see them?"

"You may see them now, she's a bit tired though, so don't be surprised if she drifts off."

"Okay." he said and could barely contain how excited he was as he went inside. He saw her and their three little girls in her arms. "Hey, SwanQueen." he said softly. Bending down, he kissed each one of them on the forehead. "They're beautiful."

She managed a tired smile. "The third played a trick on us all my love."

"Yes, but I'm so happy she's here."

"Did you hope for a son dear heart?"

"I was hoping for a healthy baby and we ended up with three. Honey, boy, girl, it didn't matter. Besides, we have Joshua."

She chuckled. "I just wanted to make sure." His Queen gazed down at her daughters fondly. "They are Nephilim, their wings will grow."

"Yeah..." he gently touched their backs. "Is daddy allowed to hold one?"

"Yes my pairbond, I would like that. We should let the guests in too before I fall asleep."

He took the one in the middle of her and cradled her carefully in his arms before going to the door and opening it for the guests to come in. "Come see her before she falls asleep."

The mayor tiptoed in to avoid waking the Nestlings. "Wow."

Terry grinned as his cousin. "Triplets? No wonder you ate everything in sight!"

Bruce went to her other side and kissed her forehead. "You did good." he said and rested a very gentle hand on the little girl's backs.

"Thank you... Father." She whispered, not caring who would hear. "Sorry we kept you waiting."

"Don't be sorry. You did what you had to do to bring these girls into this world."

Meanwhile, everyone else's mouths had dropped open as the Nephilim Queen fell asleep, and they all said a single word to the older man. "Father?"

"Adoptively, speaking." he replied. "But yes, she's my daughter."

Terry looked like a fish. "Why'd you keep that little fact to yourself old man?"

He shrugged. "It's like how I've told no one, you're my biological son."

The mayor looked like he was going to have a heart attack, with Barbara not far behind him. "If he's your son, and she's your daughter- who gets everything when you die?" He managed to wheeze out.

"It's split. Right down the middle." he replied.

Barbara was trying not to choke. "Bruce..." She started to say, thinking about his 'other' life.

KnightHawk turned from one man to the other. "Really? By the Skies, Mr. Wayne, you wasted no time in your prime days did you?" he asked with a teasing grin, causing Terry to swat him lightly over his head since he was holding one of the baby girls.

"He would have given you a challenge if he were our age won't you old man?" Terry grinned, tenderly picking up the eldest daughter, who yawned and tried to kick him.

Bruce chuckled. "Don't be a smart ass. Now hold that girl properly before she kicks herself out of your arms."

Terry complied with a grunt. "I don't think she likes me."

"You'll grow on her. You've wormed your way back here, haven't you." said KnightHawk. "Don't sweat it."

Barbara took the squirming baby from Terry. "Who's the heir?"

"We don't know yet. I'm thinking Joshua. He would make a great leader. We couldn't choose just one out of the three here. They could try ruling together but that would add so many complications that could and should be avoided by just having our eldest child rule when we're gone." Said KnightHawk and kissed the girl's cheek in his arms.

The Mayor chuckled. "I think the Queen has something in mind."

"We'll soon make a decision. It's still early yet." he replied and kissed the lips of his sleeping queen. "I love you." he didn't care everyone were there to witness it. He loved her and right now, he wanted to tell the world.

His queen shifted sleepily, but her lips curved into a smile as the daughter in her mate's arms started to fuss, alerting the others. Opening her green eye, she unbuttoned her top with one hand and gently guided the child still laying on her belly with the other.

KnightHawk put the daughter he was holding on her stomach, as indicated by his mate and took a small step back.

Two of the three were now getting fed as she opened her other eye. Looking for their third Nestling and motioning for Barbara to come closer so she could stroke her daughter's head. "Shh... Shh... your turn is coming."

"We should leave now. Give them some time together." said Bruce. "I'm proud of you, my daughter." he bid his farewell and only when every last one of them had said their goodbye to the new parents, did Bruce leave and close the door behind him.

The mayor looked deep in thought as he stepped onto the brick pathways that served as roads in Sanctuary. "They've really transformed this place. It truly is a different world here isn't it?"

"Yes," said Barbara, falling into step beside him. "It's hard to believe this place used to be infested with thugs."

"Looking around, it makes you see why they don't want people coming and going as they please." Terry added quietly, watching a family as they tended their personal gardens.

"Yeah... its a kind of paradise. Perhaps we can have Gotham look like this." Bruce suggested to the Mayor. "It wouldn't be too hard. I mean sure we still have assholes, but who doesn't. It could work."

"It would involved a major shift in lifestyle. I think that we are perhaps too attached to our comforts and technology."

"Don't say that," said Barbara. "You've already given up before we've even started."

"I think we would need to know more about how they came up with this before we start anything." The Mayor pointed out as they stopped to let a group of children pass by who were walking a small group of sheep.

"This will only work if you want this as well." the Commissioner replied. "But you're right. It takes planning."

"They have an advantage, right now there aren't many people. There have been complaints that we gave them too much space considering how crowded Gotham is."

Staying silent, Barbara and Bruce walked to the entrance of the gates and bid the Mayor goodbye.

Terry frowned at Bruce. "Any truth to that?"

"Not that I've heard. We have a lazy mayor, Terry."

Terry snickered in agreement. "Don't let my sister hear you say that."

"Yeah well he could use a fire under his ass."

"She might just decide to nip it in the bud and run herself."

"I know most won't object to it." said Barbara with an easy smile. "I have to go. I have a city to look after."

Terry closed the door after Bruce before rounding the car to get in the driver's seat. "Are you worried about Nelson Nash?"

"Not right now. When it comes closer to his bail time, I'll be dead. But I fear for you and SwanQueen."

"If KnightHawk has his way, the day Nash gets out will also be the day he dies." Terry confided.

"He won't though. The most he can do is keep a very close eye on him and keep his family heavily guarded."

Terry sighed. "What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall when Nash hears about the triplets."

Sure enough, a few days later it was in the news in big letters. "Nephilim Queen gives birth- Three beautiful girls!" There was no picture, and the article itself was mostly recounting about the rise of the Nephilim and the new city of Sanctuary. There was also speculation about whether or not the Nephilim royal family would be present at Gotham's police ball. 'The debts we owe the Nephilim for helping to make the streets of Gotham safe again will not be forgotten.' Barbara Gordon quoted. 'If they attend, we will welcome them.' The mayor added.

Nelson crumpled his paper and threw it at the other side of the cell. When he got out, there would be hell to pay on the Nephilim family. He grinned to himself. Oh yes. Those little girls were not safe from his wrath. Not when he had to pay back KnightHawk for the death of his father. Curling into a ball, he cradled himself like he did most nights. Just wait, he thought. You'll wish I was never born.

A pair of guards walking by were talking quietly. "Triplets! Can you believe it? Talk about fertility!" He snickered. "There's going to be a full household in that home. Think they'll show at the ball Marvin?"

"I don't know. Maybe. If they do, I don't think they'll bring the babies. Not when they're still so young."

"True, it seems like they'd be the kind that would only allow the adults out of the city." He sounded disappointed.

"Safety before publicity." he reminded his partner.

"Any word about the rumor that there are people who wish to live in their city under their rule?"

"Naw, Commish is keeping that one under lock and key until she gets a firm answer."

The main guard sighed. "That Queen of theirs is a careful one isn't she?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't expect any less from such a great leader." he replied. Nelson sat in his corner, listening to their conversation and snorted. They had no idea just how wrong they were.

Sitting on top the edge of the wall, KnightHawk, SwanQueen, Joshua and their three gorgeous girls watched the sun set peacefully. "So Josh, you going to take the Gift?" asked KnightHawk after a few moments of silence.

Taking her eyes off the skies, she smiled at the human boy the Queen considered her son. "No pressure sweetheart." She said softly.

"I want it." the little boy said. "I want to be like everyone else."

SwanQueen reached out to touch Joshua's shoulder. "There's no hurry love."

"When can I turn, mother?" he asked, not sure if there was a set age or not.

"When you are sixteen darling. I want to make sure your body can handle the change." She shifted the Nestling cradled to her chest, hiding a shiver from the twilight air. "Your time will come my son."

"What if they won't like me?" he asked with a slight frown. "What if they don't see my wings and think I'm just like all the other humans? What if they can never love me because I'm not really yours?"

"Because I will tell your sisters to treat you as though you were one of us. They will know that I've given you my word."

He fell silent and held his baby sister tighter. "I hope so."

"With as much love as you'll show them, I doubt they'll treat you any differently Joshua." His mother said gently.

He smiled at his mother. "Thank you... this is nice." he said relaxed between both his Nephilim parents.

"KnightHawk, do you think this wall is high enough?" She asked after several minutes of silence.

"No. I'd like it higher." he replied. "Maybe one day, if our race gets as big as we plan." he smiled at her. "For now, this is good."

The Queen sighed. "I was beginning to believe that a thicker gate would be needed considering the human reporters that were pounding on it."

"They'll go away eventually. We're the latest news and we're so different. It'll die, don't worry."

"Still... I wonder how we should deal with the- refugees?- that want to move here." Her mismatched eyes watched the moon as it rose. "Critics will say we are playing favorites since our city doesn't let our neighbors in freely."

"We'll get critics no matter what we do." he reached over Joshua to put a hand on her shoulder. "Stop worrying, you're making SoftDove squirm in my arms." he joked.

She looked over at the girl sleeping in his arms. "She looks like she's sleeping like a rock to me."

He looked down at his daughter in his arms and then back at his Pairbond. "She's only asleep now because you looked at her. She's trying to get me into trouble." the mischievous glint in his gaze said he was joking.

SwanQueen snickered then turned her head towards the sound of beating wings. SharpShrike hovered into view and smiled at the royal family. "It's cold out, you haven't recovered your stamina yet My Lady, please come back inside." For someone who had said they hated children, the elder Nephilim appeared very fond of the Queen's Nestlings.

With a smile, she transferred the Nestling in her arms to her assistant before carefully getting to her feet. "Yes it is." SwanQueen agreed quietly.

"Have a peaceful sleep, my love. The war is finally over." KnightHawk said to his mate with a look full of love.

She shook her head. "We have won the battle, but the war is yet to come my darling Pairbond." His queen replied before taking off to fly home, knowing that her family would follow when they were ready.