"Elizabeth?" someone was calling my name. I groaned, my eyelids fluttering. When had I gotten warm?
"Come on, babe, wake up." That was Roy's voice. What was he doing there?
I blinked my eyes a little, trying to get them adjusted to the light, before blinking up at the two men beside my bed. A steady beeping sound made me turn my head, and I saw a heart monitor.
Why was I hooked up to that?
"Dad?" I asked, my throat a little sore.
"I'm here." He said, coming into view beside Roy.
"What happened?" I asked blearily, and he looked down at me with worry.
"The ice broke, remember?" he said. "Dick went in to save you."
I nodded slowly. I remembered. Sort of.
"Is he alright?" I asked, my throat rasping painfully.
Roy shook his head, exasperated, while Bruce just stared. "He's fine." He said finally. "We're all worried about you."
I nodded, but I wasn't really thinking straight. I was too tired. Sleep, that's what I needed. Dimly I felt Bruce grab hold of my hand, holding it tightly, before oblivion took me again.
BMBMBM
When I woke again Bruce was no where to be found, but Roy was standing in the corner of my room, talking into a little microphone, looking angry.
"Look, Grace, I can't leave." He was hissing. "Yeah, it's because of Elizabeth. So what?"
He started pacing, running a hand over his face tiredly. I felt bad for him.
"No, the reason Dick and I fight all the time instead of going after the bad guys is NOT because of Elizabeth!" he snapped into the mic. "It's because Nightwing's a fucking idiot."
I gasped. I didn't mean to. I didn't want to. This conversation he was having was much too interesting for me to want it to stop. Roy glanced over my way and froze, an unrecognisable look in his eyes.
"I've got to go, Grace. Elizabeth's awake."
I lay there, staying, barely breathing. Dick was Nightwing? Well, I supposed it made sense. He's a cop in Blüdhaven, Nightwing's in Blüdhaven. He knew Roy, enough to know his first name. He even looked like Nightwing for god's sake.
"Elizabeth." Roy said, stepping closer and grabbing my hand. I let him. I was too shocked for anything else.
"Dick's…Nightwing?" I asked slowly.
Roy sighed. "You shouldn't know that."
"So that's why you wouldn't tell me how you knew him." I stared up at the ceiling. So what did this mean for Bruce? This so had something to do with the weirdness that surrounded him.
I turned to Roy. "I'm not going to tell anyone." I said quietly. "But I need you to do me a favour."
BMBMBM
When Roy returned with the notepad from underneath my mattress he looked amused.
"You're turning into a regular detective, you know that?" he said when the nurse checking over the equipment in my room had left.
So he'd read through my notes.
I shrugged, letting him help me up into a sitting position.
"So…" I asked casually, leaning up against him as he sat down at the top of my bed. "Is there anything else you want to let slip to clarify some things?" I asked, smiling as brightly as I could.
He snorted, shaking his head, reaching around me to flip open my notebook.
"No." he said. "I'm not about to commit suicide like that. Dick's going to flip as it is."
I sighed. No one was any kind of help today.
"I'd protect you from him," I teased, not letting him see how disappointed I was.
He laughed again, a deep rumbling in his chest.
"Do you think I should tell Dick that I know?" I asked quietly.
He sighed. "I think you should do whatever you think is right."
"I don't want any secrets in the family any more." I said. "I have my suspicions about Bruce as well. He's involved with Nightwing and Robin somehow, and when I think about it, Tim's a pretty good match for Robin."
He stiffened, and I knew I'd hit a nerve. "I can't tell you anything about that babe."
"It's alright," I said absentmindedly, thinking things through in my head. "I've got my suspicions, I'm not asking you to confirm them."
I thought about it some more, putting things down in my notebook, becoming more and more suspicious of the three men I'd come to know as my family. How could they be vigilantes and not tell me?
I sighed, putting it all down in writing. Finally, I turned to Roy.
"Can you get Dad, Tim and Dick?"
They filed in, with cheerful grins plastered onto their faces. I wondered how much of it was an act.
"Bruce." I said, trying to keep the uncertainty from my voice. His face fell when I didn't call him 'dad', but I couldn't worry about that now. I had other, more pressing matters.
I held out my notebook. If he were Batman, he'd get it.
Roy stood to the side of me, his stance vaguely defensive, as if he suspected a brawl would break out in my hospital room any minute now. God I hope it didn't.
Bruce flipped open the first page, reading through it, then the next one, flipping through the pages slowly, his face expressionless.
Finally, when he passed the notebook on to Dick, he looked up at me, an unreadable expression on his face. His eyes flicked to Roy, and I knew why Arsenal had been expecting a fight. They thought he'd told me. Well…he sort of had, but I'd had my suspicions long ago.
"Bruce, he didn't tell me." I said. "I figured it out on my own."
Dick's sharp intake of breath drew my eyes to him, and he looked up, glaring at Roy, before stalking forward. Uh oh. This was getting out of hand.
"Dick, stop." I said, but he wasn't. Shit. I ripped out my IV, staggering from the bed and placed myself in front of Roy.
"Dick." I said firmly, as he stood in front of me, angrily glaring over my head at Roy. I didn't care. This kind of shit was not on.
"I'm outta here." Dick said finally, turning on his heel and stalking out of the room.
I sighed, sagging a little, and Roy's hands were around my shoulders, guiding me back to the bed. His expert hands put the IV back into my arm, and dizzily, I figured he must have had some experience in patching people up.
I looked over at Bruce and Tim, who were staring, measuring gazes.
"I haven't told anyone about Roy." I said finally, sleepily. Who knew standing up could take so much out of you? "I won't tell anyone about you."
My eyes drifted shut, and I fell asleep.
I hoped they would be there in the morning.
BMBMBM
Alfred came and got me the next day, signing me out of the hospital wordlessly. I didn't like it. Normally he was much more chatty, telling me stories about Bruce when he was younger, or other stories about Gotham socialites.
But now it was silence.
It was more then I could bear. Roy had had to leave the night before, the Outsiders couldn't hold out any longer without him. I understood. I wish I hadn't. I wish I'd made him stay.
"Does Bruce hate me?" the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.
Alfred was silent for a long time, thinking about his words.
"I think, Miss Elizabeth," he said, turning to look at me briefly while he pulled out of the hospital carpark. His eyes held a twinkle I'd been looking for all morning. Thank god. "That Master Bruce is angry that you seem to take after him when it comes to investigating. And that he wishes he'd been more careful." He said, before adding quietly, a heartfelt tone that made me sigh in relief. "But he most certainly does not hate you."
"He didn't look happy last night, did he?" I commented, looking out at the scenery as Alfred quickly exited the CBD and made his way towards the Manor.
"Oh, Miss Elizabeth," Alfred smiled. "You have no idea."
BMBMBM
When I walked the house was silent.
"Where-," I turned to ask Alfred, but he just gestured towards a small study I'd seen Bruce in sometimes.
"Master Bruce would like to see you." Alfred said smoothly, before moving to the piano. He pressed three keys as I looked on confused. What the hell was he doing?
"Alfred, what…" I trailed off as the book case swung open away from the wall, revealing a secret passage.
"What the hell?" I breathed, my eyes wide.
"As I said," Alfred commented lightly, his lips twitching. "Master Bruce would like to see you. In his office."
He led me down a dark staircase, winding around until we reached a huge cavern.
"Whoa." I couldn't help it. It was amazing. I looked around me. In the centre of the cave was a massive computer. On the screens I could see different things, maps, mug shots, different logos of different agencies in America, Britain, and even Australia.
A few metres away from the computer was the first lab. Some tables were clear, others looked like they were in use with some equipment set up. I wouldn't know the first thing about any of the science behind it.
I looked to my right. Sitting there, looking oh so scary, was the batmobile. Sure, I'd seen pictures of it, but it looked so much cooler in real life. I could see why criminals gave up half the time instead of facing Bruce. Behind that was a gym. Weights were set up, along with a treadmill, and other fitness machines that I could only assume would exercise some part of the body or other.
It was amazing. I'd barely gotten over the supersized coin when I saw Bruce. Standing there, in his Bat suit, with his cowl off. And looking as uncertain as I was.
"Br- Dad." I stepped forward a little further.
He looked troubled, before reaching out a hand, inviting me further into his 'office.' I took it, and he led me to the computer.
"This is the Batcave."
BMBMBM
"So…" I said as casually as I could over dinner. "When can I go for a ride in the batmobile?"
Tim spat the soup he was sipping out, and I laughed.
"You won't be." Bruce said, and I pouted.
"Damn." I said, before taking a sip of my own soup. It was a bit awkward. What did you say when you were sitting across the table from two superheroes? I mean, I never seemed to have any trouble talking to Roy, but that was entirely different. My feelings for him differed greatly to my feelings for Bruce and Tim.
"So I guess I know who the panic alarm button calls if I press it." I said, trying for some light hearted conversation.
It fell flat.
I sighed.
Well, this was a few steps back.
BMBMBM
I adjusted the picnic basket nervously. I hadn't actually asked Bruce whether he wanted to have lunch. I'd just shang-hai'd my way past Eric and Lilah, then up the elevators.
Now, all I had to do was try to figure out where Bruce's office actually was.
I was lost. Finally, I gave up, making my way back down to the ground floor. I waved Eric over as soon as I saw him.
"I'm…uh…lost." I said sheepishly when he came over, a questioning look in his eyes. "Last time I was here, Mr. Fox showed me up to Bruce's office, and now I have no idea how to get up there."
A ghost of a smile appeared on his face, and I resisted the urge to scowl. It wasn't his fault I'd forgotten.
"This way, Miss Morgan."
He showed me back up the elevator I'd just come from, and then through the corridors I hadn't explored yet, before I arrived at another door.
I sighed, thanking Eric profusely, before knocking on the door hesitantly, gripping the picnic basket tightly. No, I wasn't nervous at all… really.
I opened the door without waiting for the answer from Bruce's secretary.
"Miss Morgan!" the secretary exclaimed from behind her desk. "I didn't know you would be visiting him today."
I smiled as genuinely as I could. "I'm trying to surprise him."
"Well, go on right through." She said. "I'm sure he'd love to see you."
I nodded, trying to believe her. I'm not sure how happy Bruce was going to be to see me, but I was going to try.
Things didn't have to change just because I knew he was a masked vigilante who half the city hated…did it?
"Bruce?" I called softly into the office, before pushing the door open the whole way.
He looked up, surprised. "Elizabeth, what are you doing here?"
I shrugged, a little self conscious, before holding up the picnic basket.
"I brought lunch. I figured it might be nice to do the office floor picnic again." I said, hating the unsure tone in my voice.
"Of course." Bruce said, sweeping up some papers from the desk to clear some room.
I smiled, relieved, before I put the basket down on the desk.
"Turkey sandwiches again," I said, pulling them out. "But this time instead of mars bar cookies I have brownies."
He smiled, a genuine smile, before placing a hand over mine.
"You didn't have to do this." He said, and I shrugged.
"I thought it would be nice."
He looked at me, his face unreadable again. "It is." He sighed. "Look, Elizabeth. I'm sorry if I've been acting a little distant. I've…uh…had bad luck with people finding out certain things about me."
I snorted. "It's alright, Dad, you don't need to explain."
A ghost of a smile appeared on his face again, and a strange look came into his eyes.
Leaning forward he smiled. "Do you want to see our R & D department?"
BMBMBM
"Whoa." I said, staring around me. I didn't get what half the things were, but the huge majority of technological stuff, along with the more simple weapons, like bat shaped throwing stars, katana's, cop style night sticks…
"Whoa." I repeated, ignoring Bruce's chuckle.
"Whoa!" I said, finally turning around to see his sheepish expression. "Look at all this stuff! Ninja star thingies… swords…
I shook my head, amazed.
"You've really got this whole vigilante thing worked out haven't you?" I asked. I'm not sure if my tone was sarcastic or not.
"That he does, Miss Morgan." I spun, almost losing my balance, but Bruce's hand on my shoulder steadied me.
"Mr. Foxx?" I said, shocked, before turning back to Bruce.
"Lucius has been one of my most trusted men in Wayne Enterprises for quite some time." Bruce explained.
"It's good to see Bruce is finally trusting you with his secret." Lucius said, and I smiled. There was just something…friendly about this man.
"I didn't have a choice." Bruce said. "She figured it out."
Lucius raised his eyebrows. "Detective work must run in the family then." He said.
Bruce laughed, and it was good to hear it. "Unfortunately, yes." He said, ruefully. "We'll be more careful next time."
BMBMBM
Things were less strained after that. Making me happy. I agreed to go to Europe with Bruce. Which made him happy. And I was less inclined to run back to Australia. Which made Roy happy.
It was nearly my birthday. I tried not to think about it. Christmas had been bad enough. The Lamborghini I'd tried to give back was given back to me, as was all the crap I'd had to refuse since. The prototype iPhone had been taken away, because it had been released to the public, and the new prototype had been given to me instead. During our trip to Europe Bruce had tried to give me a little out of the way Italian villa that I'd refused. So instead he made it into an orphanage and named it after me.
And that was just the big presents. Bruce had given me lots of little ones as well. I pitied Alfred, who had carefully wrapped every single one. Tim had gotten a small mountain of gifts as well, but he just shrugged them off and went back to practising his bo staff techniques in the loungeroom. I envied his nonchalance.
I had started to drop hints about the only thing I'd wanted for my birthday was a book. Robert Graves to be exact. I'd picked up a second hand copy of an excerpt in a dusty old book store that had reminded me of one back in Australia, and I'd loved every word of it. So I was trying something to get Bruce off my back about expensive presents. Asking for something. And then detailing the reasons why it was absolutely the ONLY thing I wanted for my birthday.
I didn't hold much hope in it actually working.
Roy's gift for me had been the sweetest. A few days after the big event he'd taken me home, and I met his daughter, Lian. And if she wasn't the cutest little thing…
FLASHBACK
As soon as she'd seen Roy she'd latched onto him, hugging him around his waist. Roy's face lit up in a bright smile as he swung the girl up to sit on his hip, before turning back to me, my suitcase forgotten on the ground where he'd dropped it. I'd forgive him. He looked too happy for me to do anything else.
"Lian, I want you to meet someone very special." He said, smiling warmly at me over her head. "This is Elizabeth. She's going to be staying with us for a few days."
"Hi there, Lian." I said, and she held out her hand for me to shake. I stifled a laugh at the sheer cuteness of it all, and shook it as solemnly as I could manage.
"Pleased to meet you." She said, before letting go of my hand and twisting around in Roy's arms to look at him. "There I said it Daddy, can I go play now."
He chuckled, letting her down, and she ran off.
"Come on." He said, grabbing my hand and tugging me towards a door. "I've just got to pay for the babysitter, and then we'll get you settled in your room."
I raised an eyebrow. Since we'd started dating, it had been strictly no sex, but I didn't think we'd have to be in separate rooms. Although, with a small child in the house, I didn't know if it would be the best idea.
But seriously…it had been months, and we'd done barely more then kiss! I'd have to talk to Roy about it.
Maybe he was scared of Bruce? I sighed, but followed him anyway.
"Thanks for taking care of her, Mrs. Malloni." He said warmly, handing over a bundle of cash. "I hope you had a good Christmas."
"I did, thank you, Roy." She said, before catching sight of me. "And who's this lovely young lady? I don't think I've seen you around here before."
I smiled shyly. It was nice, being away from Gotham. No one seemed to know who I was, thank god.
"I'm Elizabeth." I said, taking the offered hand and giving it a quick shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"And you," she said, looking happy for some reason. "Roy hasn't brought home a lady in quite some time, and you're so pretty!"
I blushed, not being able to stop myself. "Thank you." I murmured, and she eyed me up and down before giving Roy an approving nod. Oh god, this was embarrassing.
"Well, I should be off." She said finally, bustling her way to the door. "And remember, Roy, if you want Lian to spend the night in my apartment so you two can have some alone time, just let me know."
I stood there, mortified, while Roy showed her out, a slight flush to his cheeks as well.
I sat down on one of the chairs in the dining room, waiting for him to return and for my face to return to its normal shade. Thank god Lian hadnt been in the room to hear that!
"Sorry about Mrs. Malloni." Roy said sheepishly as he walked back into the room.
I smiled. "It's okay." I bit my lip before continuing. "But I have to ask, separate rooms?"
He looked uncomfortable. "I, uh…I didn't want to assume anything."
I rolled my eyes. "We've been dating now for nearly two months." I said. "And in that time you've saved me from near certain death, running away back to Australia, and the over protective father figure countless times. I don't think that it's assuming anything to share a bed."
He stepped closer to me, grinning, a dark look in his eyes. "You have no idea how tempting that is."
I stood, stepping up to him, looking up into his eyes. "Oh, I think I do." I murmured, and he drew my face up towards his for a searing kiss, before resting his forehead on mine.
"But no sex." I said when we were breathing normally. He froze for a second, looking disappointed, before nodding. "Don't get me wrong." I continued. "I want to, I really do. But I don't want our first time to be with your daughter in the room next door."
He snorted, nodding, his hands on my hips as I wrapped my arms around his neck, breathing in his scent.
"Just like I don't want our first time being in the same house as your father. Knowing Bruce, he has cameras set up in each room."
I pulled a face. Yuck. "How's about we don't have any sex at the Manor?" I asked, and he nodded, agreeing.
"We should stop talking about sex." He said finally, and I nodded. Things were getting a little heated to remain innocent. Well, as innocent as just talking about sex could be.
"Daddy, when am I going to see Uncle Richard again?"
I froze as Roy turned around. Did she mean Dick?
"I don't know sweetheart." Roy said, sighing, as she walked up to him. He picked her up, settling her on his hip again. "He's still mad at Daddy."
I looked at him, but he refused to look me in the eyes.
This better not be about me, I swore in my head. If it is, both of them, crime fighters or not, are going to get an ass kicking.
Especially Dick.
I gave Roy a look that promised I'd be talking to him about this soon,
"Hows about I take my two favourite ladies to the zoo?" he said, and I glared. He knew there was no way I'd discuss this in public.
The look on his face told me that was exactly what he was doing it for.
He was so dead.
BMBMBM
I grinned at Roy as we swung Lian up, each of us holding onto one of her hands.
"Again! Again!" she squealed, and I laughed, but complied.
Then she jerked her hand out of ours, running forward.
"Lian!" Roy called, alarmed as we sped up to follow her.
"Daddy! The giraffe!" she yelled back happily, and Roy rolled his eyes, but slowed.
"I swear, every time we come here." He muttered under his breath. I grabbed his hand, and we walked up to where Lian stood, transfixed on the tall mammals.
"She's darling." I said softly, and he smiled down at me.
"She likes you." He said, and I blushed, but leant against him as he put his arm around me.
"So…" I said, deciding to brave the subject in public anyway. "Dick doesn't come around much any more, huh?"
"He's been a little…difficult." Roy said reluctantly.
"And you didn't think to tell me?" I asked.
He shrugged, and I rolled my eyes. Men! All the ones in my life liked to keep secrets. It sucked.
"I'm going to talk to him about this." I said determinedly. And I would. Next time I saw him he was going to get a mouthful.
"Look, Elizabeth, its not just about you." He said. "There's been some things happening in the Outsiders that have made it hard for Dick and I to work together."
I couldn't help but roll my eyes again.
"Right, its work related." I said sarcastically, and he grinned.
"You got it, babe."
I sighed, leaning against him. I guess I could forgive him for not telling me…just this once.
We were walking back from the zoo and had just reached Roy's floor when we saw the door to his apartment slightly open.
He became still, moving Lian and I against the wall silently, grabbing my hands and putting them on Lian's shoulders.
"If I say so, run." He said quietly, before edging his way along the wall towards his door, reaching down to his ankle and pulling out a gun. I stared for a second. Where the hell had he hidden that? And how had I not noticed?
I gripped Lian's shoulders tighter, my every muscle poised to run.
Roy reached the door, his gun poised at the ready, before he turned, quicker then I expected, kicking the door open, the gun aimed at chest level.
Aaaand… that's me for the next 4 years…. Kidding!