Just some well-needed comfort for Ellie.

And a surprise at the end.

Only a few more chapters. Hang tight.

I'm tryin' not to let it show, that I don't wanna let this go.

Is there somewhere you can meet me?

'Cause I clutched your arms like stairway railings.

And you clutched my brain and eased my ailing.

-Is There Somewhere? by Halsey-

Bruce POV

"Still awake, Bruce? I would have thought you'd be taking a break by now," Dick said behind him. Bruce was currently leaning back in his chair, letting the computer do most of the work.

As much as he wanted to sleep next to Ellie in his room, her affirmations about Scarecrow and Strange weren't really that comforting. Not to mention that even Ellie was getting the feeling that they were merely getting started. Bruce would try his damned hardest to make sure she wouldn't have to worry and live in fear from now on. If anything, he wanted to soothe her fears and make sure such a horrendous event would never happen again.

Dick continued, "Or maybe that's just what I would do."

Bruce was too immersed to even reply with a witty comeback, making his oldest son suspicious, if his nervous air was anything to go by. "What's going on, Bruce?"

Bruce inhaled a few breaths, his fingers going over the keyboard. "Ellie confirmed it was indeed Scarecrow who attacked her," he reiterated with a bland voice.

Dick paused. "But … that's a good thing, right? I mean, we already had our assumptions that it was him, judging by her initial reaction."

"And also, Hugo Strange."

The ensuing silence was deafening. "Oh shit. That changes things." Dick stood next to him, gazing at the screen which he was also transfixed on. "Any word from Fox yet?"

Bruce sighed, remembering the conversation he had with his trusted R&D leader over the phone.

"I have to tell you, Bruce, the sample you sent me, was a light dose of fear toxin. It is yet still a wonder that she didn't lose her mind due to the stress and anxiety. Do let me know if the condition of your friend gets worse."

Bruce could feel Dick's stare at his head in surprise. "Well, that's good news, I guess. It could be so much worse."

He stared at the dark-haired man next to him without humor in his eyes. "I admire your enthusiasm."

"It's what I'm here for. So, you're trying to find them?" He continued, knowing Bruce would probably keep sitting there for another few hours. "How about this, you hit the sack for a while? Trust me, you could need it."

Bruce rolled his eyes at Dick's usual attempt of being a smartass. "Fine."

~The next morning~

"I'm telling you, I'm fine now, okay. Not the first time I've been attacked in Gotham," Ellie reminded her friend, who she called on the phone.

Alyssa instantly replied, "It's actually the first time where two super villains had you in their grasp. So yeah, this is definitely not normal."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "True, but … I'm better now. Just some bruises and a mind fuck, so ..."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Okay, if you say so. Still can't believe you just called me now. This had been, what, 5 days ago?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry for being tired and filled with anxiety. When did you again call me after being attacked by these guys and getting a minor concussion, right before you could sex up your hot Khal?"

Alyssa groaned at the reminder. "Oh, too soon. I could have had wild Thank-you-for-saving-me sex. And I called you right after. I mean, not the sex, but after Arthur made me breakfast. But all is forgiven."

She had to smile at their banter, feeling so much like herself now. "God, I needed that."

"Yep, same here. Arthur just had a fight with some locals in the bar for coming onto me. What a caveman," Alyssa sighed.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Oh please, you love his grunts when he's all raving with jealousy. By the way, how's the make-up sex?"

The moan reaching her ears was now downright obscene, making her pull her phone for a few seconds away, just to be on the safe side.

"Pure heaven. And so sinful, believe me."

Ellie could only chuckle in response.

As she went down the stairs, her ears could detect a commotion in the kitchen, invoking her curiosity. Her feet led her around the corner, just when she heard the voices of Bruce and Alfred arguing about something.

"Sir, please, I know what I'm doing," Alfred's slightly annoyed tone of voice said, making her chuckle.

"I just think we should pick more of the-"

Their heads turned right when it was getting interesting. She confronted them with her lips pressed together and her eyebrows raised with mirth. "What do we have here?" Ellie took notice of Alfred hiding something behind his back, and Bruce stepping in front of his butler. Like it was her, who was the danger to them both. Just the image evoked a giggle again.

Both looked at her in surprise. Bruce stepped forward, while scratching the back of his head in contemplation. "I was trying to surprise you."

With shining eyes, she tried to look around Bruce to catch a glimpse of Alfred, but no such luck with his tall and broad frame. Not to mention, he moved every time she did. "With what?" Ellie could no longer endure the suspense.

"Alfred thought," Bruce sent the older man a playful glare, "it'd be nice for us to have a picnic."

She was truly rendered speechless, not remembering the last time she had a picnic. Maybe in elementary school? She gazed at him in wonder, her eyes wide open.

"I mean, only if you want to of course."

Ellie had to gather her wits for a second, not having expected this proposal in the least. "Yeah, of course. Why not?"

Her words cast a real smile on his face, and not just the usual smirk he was featuring. Not that she didn't like this smirk, she did, it was just really distracting and arousing.

Before they knew it, Bruce had the basket stowed away in the trunk of his Aston, as they drove down the path, shadowed by large trees around them.

"I know a spot a bit farther down the manor, which I want to show you." Bruce gazed at her momentarily, before his eyes went back on the road.

Ellie smiled at the possibility of him revealing more of himself. It didn't take long and soon they reached a lake, isolated from the city and surrounded by green-leafed trees enveloping it. It was a beautiful sight. She felt calm, breathing in the fresh and cold air. At the slightest shiver of her, Bruce said, "Here, let me," and dropped his leather jacket onto her shoulders.

Ellie breathed in the crisp and woodsy scent of his clothing, smiling at him. "Thank you."

The dark-haired man merely nodded with a small smile ghosting his features.

Bruce carried the basket and a blanket, which she didn't think of at first, and laid it all out on the dewy ground. "Wow, you guys really surpassed yourself. I see pastrami sandwiches, fruit and fries?" She waved the Big Belly Burger paper bag around, enjoying the familiar smell of grease and salt immensely.

Bruce chuckled, shaking his head and letting his hair flutter in the soft breeze. "The last one was my idea actually."

She snorted. "I figured." She gave him the sandwich and they both bit heartily into the delicious bread filled with pastrami, cheese, and cucumber. "So, tell me, what's the special occasion?"

Bruce threw her a furtive glance. "Can't a guy just want to do something nice?"

"No," she instantly, knowing how rare it was for men to do something for someone else, instead of themselves. "But I guess you're not just any guy, hmm?"

His mouth twitched with humor. "Listen, I made this because I thought this was a good opportunity to talk."

Ellie instantly was ready to bolt or jump into the freezing water of the lake. And here she thought they had already talked about that. Well, not really.

"I know." Bruce raised his hands in surrender. "I don't want you to specifically talk about what was done to you. I just … want to know how you feel." He paused, gazing at her hands and arms with pained regret. "I can feel your distance, Ellie," Bruce said quietly, as to not let them be heard through the quiet nature. "Talk to me."

Ellie could feel his pain and how much he wanted her to share herself with him, so he could lift the burden with her. She took a deep breath, grateful to be inhaling fresh air for this. "I couldn't sleep for days. I'm trying, but … I can't forget their faces. Or more like the face of this one person. Sometimes they're memories and other times it makes me wonder if I'm losing my mind." She was grateful that Bruce was letting her speak and not swearing meaningless platitudes. Ellie exhaled. "It's not like I don't ask myself what is wrong with me, not being able to hug anyone back. I want to, it's just that I tense up from sudden moves."

She was hoping this was a satisfying answer because she had no idea how else to say it. Ellie knew she barely scratched the surface and how much the Psycho Doctors fucked with her mind, she just hoped that Bruce wouldn't give up on her now.

She didn't know what to make of the silence, feeling unsure of his reaction.

"There is nothing wrong with you," Bruce finally said, making her release the breath she had been holding. She still didn't agree with him though.

"I beg to differ." She smiled tensely, her features twisted with bitterness.

"Well, whatever they tried, they didn't break you," he reminded her, his unwavering support and optimism let her heart soar.

Ellie gazed at him disbelievingly. "God, you're like one of a kind. No one really sees you as this multifaceted person."

"Don't tell Alfred." They chuckled. "There is something we used to do with Tim, when he didn't like being touched." She glanced at him curiously, not having noticed this before. "I mean, we still do it because we want to make him feel comfortable." Bruce laid his hand down next to hers, his palm facing upwards. "We would let our hand get close to his, so he would know that it was his choice what he wanted to know and so he wouldn't jump back in fright." Bruce's pain-filled gaze wandered far away, making her heart ache for the small boy who didn't show his affections, or couldn't.

"He still doesn't like to be hugged, but … he does take our hand if he needs to."

The little story made her smile and her hope flourish. She noticed his hand remaining next to hers, letting her know that she could make the choice, and no one else. Ellie inhaled a cleansing breath, before she interlaced hers with his with a pounding heart.

When they got back to the Manor it was already about to get dark. Bruce and her managed to talk, eat and for the rest of the time just laid down for relaxed moments. Before they knew it, hours had gone by. Hard to believe that Bruce had managed to be with her without wanting to check up on his company. Sometimes it felt like, he expected something bad to happen if he wasn't working.

They just reached the inside of his home and were crossing the foyer, when they came across the dining room, right next to the living-room. Their hands were still interlaced and his jacket was draped over her shoulders. Their subdued chuckling immediately stopped when they saw every Wayne member, including Barbara, gather around the large table, steaming food wide spread on the wooden surface.

Ellie opened her mouth in shock, two surprises in one day. Who would have thought?

Dick's usual smiling face greeted them. "I thought, we thought, it'd be nice to have dinner together."

Please speak to me, my folks.