MoonKnight30: Not a plot hole. She has suspicions. Given the number of 'drunk driving accidents' Bruce has been in made her think they were responsible for some. She is also aware that Bruce was gone for years maybe he was mugged or attacked wherever he was. I will be addressing it in a later chapter. Diana's preoccupied with everything else.
Life Unexpected
Chapter 17
Diana's House
It was a week later after Arnold Wesker was taken to Arkham Asylum for observation, that Bruce, Dick, Elissa, and Diana were at the radio host's home for dinner.
Alfred was on his way to join them as he was finishing up on errands.
Bruce and Dick had volunteered to set the table for the women as the ladies were taking the lasagna out of the oven.
"Hot, hot, hot," Diana uttered as she pulled the food out. The oven mitts not as protective as one would think.
A loud clank echoed as she plopped the dish onto a hot plate.
Elissa was digging through the refrigerator for any of the left-over vegetables from the other night. Containers stacked on top of each other were in her hands close to her chest as she left them on the dinner table for Dick to take and scatter around the dinner table.
Bruce set the plates down, followed by cups. The dark-haired teen handed the man a few napkins for the side of the table he was on. Silverware followed and then Diana came holding the lasagna.
"Coming through," she hollered as she paced past her daughter, whom ducked out of the way before her mother ran her over.
Setting the dish down with a sigh, "Dinner is served," she announced.
A hungry Dick sat down followed by Elissa with the adults afterwards.
"So, how was your day?" Bruce inquired, surprisingly.
"Good," she nodded, pouring some water. "And yours?"
"Board meetings. Boring as always," he shrugged.
Elissa and Dick helped themselves to the lasagna as the adults made small talk.
"How was school?"
"Good," Dick replied, scarfing down the Italian dish.
"It was okay," Elissa replied with a lack of enthusiasm compared to the acrobats.
Before either parent could press the girl for details the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Diana stated, rising from her seat.
When she came back Alfred was in her company. "Good evening, everyone," the older man greeted warmly.
"Hey, Alfred," Elissa greeted pleasantly.
"Hello, Miss Elissa. How was your day?"
"Fine," even less enthusiasm than before was heard. The older man merely sat down, unfolding a napkin onto his lap.
Bruce and Diana shared a look when she sat back down at the table.
"Bruce, by the way, did you also get an email from the school?" the woman suddenly asked.
Bruce with a furrowed brow pondered the question. "Regarding?" he responded, pulling out his phone to check his email.
Elissa and Dick instantly dreaded the conversation unfolding.
Elissa especially.
"The principal wants to meet with the two of us. Something about Elissa." As soon as her daughter's name left her mouth, she turned her head in a brusque manner.
The dark-haired teen had her head down staring into her plate.
"You didn't get into another fight again, did you?" Bruce asked still checking his email.
"No," Elissa grumbled.
"Tomorrow at eight o'clock," the man noted as he found the email pertaining to the school.
"Can you make it?" Diana wondered.
"Sure. You?"
"Yes," she nodded.
"Okay then," the man replied, phone still in hand.
The man bristled as he heard Alfred cleared his throat almost disapprovingly. The older man's pointed look wordlessly took the billionaire to put the phone away.
With a heavy sigh, he put it away, much to the amusement of the others. The sight of the dark-haired man being chided like a child was a sight to behold.
"What's going on at school?" the billionaire directed the question toward his only daughter.
"Nothing," the girl denied.
Seeing as how tight-lipped their daughter was, both parents knew it was futile to press her for more information. Sharing a look with one another they decided to learn more at the meeting with the principal.
Dick seeing the tense aura around the three, he decided to try and apply some levity.
"Hey, did you guys hear?" he spoke with anticipation. "Someone has a date to the summer dance," he said knowingly.
Elissa had told him that in confidence.
"Dick!" Elissa whipped her head at him in surprise. Heat in her voice at him acting… like her older brother.
Bruce and Diana whipped their heads to their child sharply.
"Do you have a date to the dance, Elissa?" Diana inquired pleasantly. Inwardly, excited that her daughter was getting out more and meeting knew people.
"Yeah," she acted awkward and almost embarrassed.
"That's wonderful!" the raven-haired woman gushed. "What's his name?"
"Dean. He just asked me out of nowhere."
"Well, I would like to meet this boy before you two go to the dance," the woman asserted. She wanted to meet him to size him up and make sure he was a decent young man.
"Over his dead body!" Bruce asserted in an overprotective manner. There was no way in hell he was going to allow some no named boy to take his daughter to a dance. Teenaged boy's have only one thing on their mind. There was no fathomable way Bruce was going to allow this… Dean anywhere near her.
"Bruce…" the radio host uttered warningly.
Her warning went ignored. "Who is he? What grade is he in? And how long a prison sentence is premediated murder?"
"Bruce!" Elissa gawked at how overprotective he was being.
Diana chuckled at how ridiculous he was acting.
"She's not going to the dance with this stranger," he maintained.
"I'm not even sure I want to go. Nat talked me into accepting. I've never even been to a dance before anyway," she trailed off, feeling uncomfortable. "I will probably tell him no anyway."
Instantly, Diana turned her head, scowling at the man for making Elissa feel terrible about the fact she had a date to the dance.
Bruce crumbled under her impassioned glare. He quickly started to regret his reaction towards the subject of Elissa having a date.
With a composed sigh, "We meet this boy and if we like him then you can go. If not, no dance."
"Okay," the teen nodded accepting the offer. In irritation for being in the hot seat, she decided to take her frustration out on the one responsible: her brother.
Inching her foot closer to the boy next to her, she raised the limb as far as she could without her knee bumping into the table. With vindictive energy, she slammed her shoe clad foot into Dick's foot as hard as she could.
"OW!" the teenager howled in pain, alerting the adults that something happened.
"Everything okay?" Alfred asked, fork in hand.
"Fine," Elissa answered for the two of them with a warmhearted smile. She ignored the wincing boy next to her, still smiling as she had exacted her revenge and felt better.
"Dick?"
"Ye-yeah. Everything's fine," he answered.
Gotham City High School
"Mr. Wayne. Miss Prince." The principal greeted the couple with Elissa in tow. "Please take a seat," she gestured to the chairs in front of her desk.
They wasted no time in finding their seats as Elissa was still tight-lipped about the whole thing.
The white-haired woman sat properly. Clearing her throat, "I will get right to the point here. I'm sure you both have other places to be."
"What is this about?" Diana inquired, starting to worry.
"I will be blunt. Elissa is failing two of her subjects and is at risk for going to summer school," she informed them.
"What?!" both adults exclaimed in shock.
The principal remained unemotional as she allowed the parents to process. Elissa, on the other hand, sunk lower into her seat as she got more and more uncomfortable as things progressed.
Bruce and Diana settled down seconds later with Bruce asking, "What subjects?"
"English and Geometry."
"Why are we hearing about this now?" Diana wondered. "Elissa's has been in our care for months. Why are we now just hearing about her failing grades? And why did you not say anything?" the woman directed her last question to her daughter, whom had her head down.
As Elissa refused to say anything, the principal continued.
"We sent notices regarding Elissa's grades. They all came back signed by one of you," she disclosed.
The couple's brows furrowed perplexed. Neither recalled seeing any notices. "Do you have any of them on hand?"
Elissa nerves made her perspire.
Seeing a nod, the old woman opened a manila folder on her desk, pulling out a few of the notices.
Diana took them from her as both scanned the slip of paper.
"That's… my signature," Diana was stunned as her signature stared at her in the face.
"And mine," an equally shocked Bruce uttered. "But I… I didn't see Elissa the date this was signed," he noted peering at the date on the slip.
Both whipped their heads to their child sitting in between them. "You forged my signature?" both accused the child sharply.
The teen's scowl deepened.
"Yeah," she sighed in resignation.
"Why?" Diana demanded. "I'm more upset about you lying to us rather than failing a few classes."
"How did you even manage to copy our signatures?" Bruce could not help but wonder.
"I saw Diana signing something for work. I thought she had a lovely signature, so I tried to duplicate it. A big 'd' with a nice loop. It was hard at first. But I kept trying again and again until it was almost the same as the original," she shrugged. To the adults in the room, the teen almost sounded… proud.
"And me?"
"I saw some papers you signed on your desk at the office. I like to sit behind your desk because you have that big spiny chair. Your signature was almost illegible. I like a challenge," another shrug.
If Bruce weren't pissed about the lying, he would almost be proud of her.
"Remind me to check with the bank about any suspicious checks," he sounded facetiously.
Diana and the principal were not as amused as Bruce and Elissa seemed to be.
"This is serious," Diana snapped. "You have been lying to us," she said to her daughter.
"As well as forging signatures," the principal interjected. "That is grounds for detention possible suspension," she revealed.
Inwardly, Elissa groaned. She hated detention.
"Why didn't you tell us you were failing two subjects?" Diana pressed, desiring to get to the bottom of her daughter's stubborn refusal to speak about her problems.
"I suck at geometry," the teen supplied with a nonchalant shrug which only drove to anger her mother further.
"How do you fail English?" Bruce could not help but ask. His tone assured her he was not angry, more like in disbelief. "Did you not read the books?"
Diana was put off by the man's reluctance to get as angry as she was at their lying daughter. Her mood worsened when Elissa gave an innocent shrug as an answer.
"Here are her options," the old woman stated, once again becoming the center of the conversation. "Elissa needs to get an 'A' on both finals in the coming weeks. If she doesn't," the woman's eyes zeroed in on the teen, "she goes to summer school."
Elissa whined at the idea of having to go to summer school.
"However," dread filled the teen anew. "The fact that Elissa forged both your signatures on the notice slips suggests that she needs to be punished for violating school policy."
Elissa winced at the prospect of punishment.
"And that will be?" Diana pressed, feeling that punishment was indeed necessary to stem this unacceptable behavior.
"Detention. Every day for a week," the principal answered with an impassive tone.
"Understood," the raven-haired woman nodded in acceptance. She sent a pointed look Elissa's way urging her to speak and speak quickly for her freedom was on the line.
"Okay," the teen grumbled. Upon feeling her mother's glaring eyes burn a hole through her, she restated. "I will study. And I am sorry for the lying. I will accept my punishment and I will not do it again," she almost sounded rehearsed. The principal and her parents felt it was insincere, but it would have to do.
"Very well, then," the older woman accepted and rose form her seat. Bruce and Diana followed her as did Elissa following the woman as she escorted them out of her office.
The three walked out of the school in silence. As they traversed the school yard, Diana exploded. "How could you lie to us about something as trivial as this?"
Swallowing, "I… I'm bad at math," she admitted bluntly.
"That doesn't explain the lies," an infuriated Diana replied. Bruce placed a hand on her arm silently pleading her to calm herself. She stared at him with angry eyes, after a moment her gaze softened.
The billionaire turned his head to their daughter. "Why the lies? Why the forging our signatures? All you had to do was tell me you were struggling, and I would have gotten you a tutor. I am getting you a tutor."
"I…" the dark-haired girl trailed off pondering on why she lied. "I… I didn't want to bother you," she murmured earnestly.
Both adults were stunned by her revelation. They could not fathom why she was so considerate and refused any assistance from her parents. Sharing understanding looks, Diana replied, "Elissa," she spoke gently, "you're supposed to bother us. We are supposed to take care of you. Your idea of trying to not be a bother has made our trust in you falter," the woman expressed. Instantly, seeing her child become despondent.
"Sorry," was all that the girl could say.
Sighing, both Bruce and Diana shared sympathetic looks but then turned back to their daughter. "You will be cramming every day until your finals," the woman stated adamantly. "We will be going over it with you every night," she asserted, desiring her daughter to succeed.
"Yes, ma'am," a sullen daughter she was.
"Ma'am?" Diana rose a fine eyebrow in offense.
"Diana?" Elissa changed the utterance.
"Yes," the woman nodded in acceptance. The three started walking together once more.
"Now, I want you to hit the books as soon as you get home. How do you expect to get into a good college if you don't take your studies seriously?" the woman ranted at how Elissa kept quiet about her poor grades until now.
"Who said I wanted to go to college?" the teen scoffed. Instantly, the dark-haired pair came to an abrupt halt with Elissa pausing and turning to face them.
"You're going to college," both adults stated vehemently.
Their tone made the teen shrink in on herself.
Suddenly, the billionaire checked his watch. "Damn," he muttered. "I have to get going. I have another board meeting for a new project. Wish me luck," he said hastily walking away.
"Luck!" Elissa shouted towards him.
"I have to get going, too," Diana said to her. "Have a good day," she kissed the side of her head. "See you at home."
"You too!" Elissa replied.
Gotham Morning Madness
"Hey," the woman greeted Etta as she got off the elevator. "Sorry, I ducked out. I had a school thing that came up," she apologized.
"No problem," Etta dismissed. "Everything okay?" she wondered with intrigue.
"Yeah, just Elissa's grades aren't as good as I thought," she sighed. "She's been lying to me. Forging mine and Bruce's signature's so we wouldn't find out that she was failing two subjects," she supplied wearily.
"Wow," the blonde whistled in surprise. "She doesn't seem like someone that would do that," she suggested given the interactions Etta had with Elissa were minimal.
"I know," the raven-haired woman agreed.
The women came to an abrupt halt when Steve popped up in front of them from the intersecting hallway.
"Oh! Sorry," he apologized, moving aside for the ladies to get by him.
"No, it's okay," Diana quickly said, their eye contact was awkward.
"Yeah," the man nodded leaving them to go about his business.
"What was that about?" Etta inquired noticing how weird the scene she just witnessed was.
"I don't know," the raven-haired woman uttered wearily. "I guess things are still a little weird between us."
"Still?" the plump woman was in disbelief. She thought they were good now.
"He saw a hickey on my neck the other day," Diana revealed. Inwardly groaning as she wished Bruce were not as talented as he had demonstrated to her over and over. Or managing to convince her to lie back in bed for a repeat.
"Ohhh, scandalous!" Etta gushed.
"Stop that!" Diana chided. They continued at an even pace until they stopped at Diana's desk.
"So, he knows you're with Bruce now?"
"Well, the hickey didn't help," she sighed. "But I think it deserves an honest conversation with him," she expressed with fortitude.
"You go girl," Etta cheered on having more fun than the woman as she viewed Diana's life as a Lifetime movie.
"Thanks so much," the woman responded sarcastically, scowling. As Etta departed, Diana plopped down in her chair. She was dreading the upcoming conversation. Thinking about all the outcomes that could result from the conversation.
Swallowing, she stood up strong and marched right out of her office. She knocked on Steve's office door, the man looked up from what he was viewing, "Got a minute?" she asked.
When he gave her a nod, she went in and sat down in front of his desk.
Anxiety washed over her like a tidal wave, suffocating her. However, instead of drowning she chose to swim. "I need to tell you something," she said hurriedly.
"What is it?" Steve appeared cool to her.
The Greek woman inhaled deeply, struggling to get the words out. "I am…" she paused taking another needy breath, "I am seeing Bruce. Romantically," she expressed plainly so there were no misunderstandings.
The man's face was expressionless. Almost like he was frozen in time. It felt like an eternity before he managed to speak. "I see," he nodded numbly.
Instantly, the woman felt remorse. "Steve, I'm sorry if this hurts you. I just… I don't think I ever got over Bruce," she confessed. Swallowing, "I can't help how I feel," she didn't try to soothe him anymore. Now she chose to speak from the heart.
"… I know that," he said finally after a pregnant pause. Suddenly, the tense aura dissipated as Steve brightened up. "I'm happy for you, Diana. I am," he smiled to undercut his feelings. Inwardly, he was hurt that she was truly moving on from him, but he expected it.
"Really?" the woman voiced holding on to doubts.
"Yes," he nodded. "I'm happy that you are happy even if you aren't with me," he explained.
Diana felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. Elated and cathartic were the emotions that the dark-haired woman felt.
"You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that," she expressed profoundly.
All he did was smile and nod. Especially when the woman stood up and left with fulfillment in her step as she had one thing going well that day. Oblivious, to the frown on his lips as his facsimile of happiness faded and the reality that the woman he loved was lost to him.
Diana's House
True to her word, the radio host arrived home to the sight of her daughter sitting at the dining room table head in the books.
"Good," Diana walked in. "I'm glad to see you are studying," she observed.
The teen looked up from the books, "Yeah, I have to finish my homework and then study. I got some practice tests from online to help," she explained. A firm grimace on her face displaying her displeasure with the work.
As the tall woman walked past, she pressed a kiss to the top of her head. The affectionate gesture no longer foreign to either of them after being together so long. "I'll help you study after dinner," she told her.
She strode over to the refrigerator pulling out something to drink.
A thought suddenly struck her. "Oh, and before I forget, you're grounded," she stated calmly.
Elissa on the other hand was anything but calm. "What?! Why?!" she whipped her head to her mother quickly and a demand on her lips.
"You lied to me and Bruce. You forged our signatures. And because of that my trust in you has been shaken," she listed off on her fingers.
Her daughter could only gawk at the idea of being grounded.
"And if you think you can get Bruce to come to your defense, think again. He and I already spoke, and he agreed with your punishment."
"How long?" the girl pouted crossing her arms across her chest.
"After all your finals," the woman answered taking a seat next to her. Elissa turned back to her books, a scowl present on her face still. "No Nat. No detours. Straight home."
While Diana was bothered by her daughter being upset, she still needed to stand her ground and set limits with the teenager. So far Elissa had been perfect. It was only now that the woman had to discipline her. Reaching over, she lightly pinched the girl's cheek, prompting an unconscious smile to appear on her lips. Diana smiled too, "It won't be forever," she soothed her. "Just a few weeks," she witnessed Elissa scoff in annoyance.
"Do I still get to go to the dance?" Elissa inquired shyly. Nervous that her mother would forbid her from going to her first dance.
"I thought you didn't want to go?" Diana pointed out.
The question threw the girl off balance. Vaguely recalling something along those lines. "I-I changed my mind," she said hurriedly. Although, she attempted to not sound too eager regarding the dance.
"Yes," her mother smiled, "you can still go," she spoke much to her daughter's relief. "But we want to meet this boy," she maintained.
"Okay," Elissa nodded, taking her pencil back into her hand. "Could—Could we go dress shopping?" she requested sheepishly.
"Sure," the woman nodded, opening her bottle of water, and taking a sip.
Wayne Manor
Following Elissa's struggle with her studies. Bruce had gotten her a tutor to help with her geometry and another for English.
However, the billionaire would be a fool to allow a male tutor around a developing teenaged girl unsupervised, so he had Alfred make his presence known occasionally. Bruce even went as far as activating one of the hidden cameras in the dining room to observe them.
"Remember the Pythagorean theorem?" the male tutor uttered to the struggling teen.
"Barely," she grumbled.
"They will give you a few of the formulas on the test, but you will need to know how to use them," her tutor reminded her.
"I know this," she spoke to herself as she solved the other problem before this one and she solved it. Now she had to do it again.
Gotham City High School
Bruce was at the school to pick up Elissa from school as Dick was staying after school for prep for his finals. As Elissa was leaving, the billionaire noticed a man with long greasy hair and a camera wrapped around his neck. The cameraman was ignoring the odd looks from kids and parents.
Bruce's eyes narrowed in suspicion until they widened when he saw the man was taking photos of Elissa as she left the front doors to the school.
Paparazzo.
He knew it was a matter of time before some sad excuse of a newsman went after his child.
He scowled at the man and left his car and marched right up to his daughter. Intentionally getting in the man's way.
"Back away," he ordered him. Just in time for Elissa to look up from her phone.
"What's going on?" she asked curiously.
"Don't worry about it," Bruce assured her. "Go to the car," he hurried her over. He turned his eyes back to the cameraman. "Back away," he warned.
"Hey, free country, man," the guy argued.
"Not when it comes to my daughter," the billionaire argued. He was more disgruntled when the paparazzo kept taking photos as he heard the shutter click.
"You got something to hid, Wayne?" the paparazzo challenged.
"You will leave my daughter alone or I will call the police about a strange man taking pictures of minors," he threatened. He said the last part louder so everyone in the vicinity heard giving the cameraman disturbed looks.
Fearing a mob would be coming after him, he took off as Bruce followed him with his eyes, hoping he got hit by someone on a bicycle.
After a moment he turned back to his car as an obvious Elissa turned her head when he opened the car door.
What was that about?" she inquired curiously.
"Don't worry about," he smiled at her. "You hungry?" he offered to her.
"I could use a snack," she answered.
He smiled again and he drove off.
Diana's House
Weeks passed and finals came for the teenagers. Dick did fine with most of his courses. No summer school for him. Elissa, on the other hand…
She passed both English and geometry. Much to the girl's relief. There was no way in hell that she was going to spend the majority of her summer in a stuffy classroom with no air conditioning and another boring subject.
The fact that she passed was a surprise to many. It was always going to be a long shot to get an 'A' just to pass.
"So, I passed. Do I get anything as a reward?" she poised sweetly, batting her eyelashes towards her parents, hoping to sweeten her life right now. She was feeling pretty damn good right now.
Bruce gave her a blank look. Diana smiled amused by the girl's request.
He sighed, "What do you want?"
Elissa's smiled widened, "A new dress?" she asked hopefully.
Immediately, Bruce looked to Diana. "Your department," he deadpanned, walking away.
Diana's House
Days later Bruce and Diana had told Elissa they wanted to meet this Dean Chase character before they went to the dance together. Their daughter had told them Natalie was going to the dance stag.
Bruce, of course, put up the aura of having a rigid defensive attitude. Arms crossed and staring the sophomore down as if he were a bug that would be crushed if he said or did the wrong thing.
Diana, on the other hand, did her best to be happy for Elissa. For she was meeting people, expanding her circle of friends. However, she also needed to rein Bruce in for when he got in the boy's face.
She never expected him to be the overprotective father with a shotgun in his lap awaiting Elissa returning home before curfew. Truthfully, the idea made her laugh.
Dean sat on the couch in the woman's living room with Elissa a reasonable distance away from him. Twiddling his thumbs, swallowing nervously as Elissa's father never took his glaring eyes off him. The boy was confidant that the man could kick his ass.
"Uh, you a very nice home, Miss Prince," he politely started.
"Thank you," Diana nodded her head with a cordial smile.
"Diana… Bruce, do we have to do this?" an anxious Elissa asked, finding the tension stifling.
"Yes," the billionaire replied vehemently.
His response provoked a pout from his daughter. She was ignored, however. His eyes were glued to the boy before him.
"Why did you ask my daughter to the dance, Mr. Chase?"
The sudden question caught the guy off guard completely. "Oh! Uh, I…" he stammered, becoming tongue-tied by the intent glare the man sent his way.
Diana remained silent as she, too, wanted to know his answer.
"As far as Elissa has told us, you and she have never had a single conversation until he asked her. Why?" he demanded.
He continued to feel like he was put on the spot and Elissa was not eager to come to his defense as she shared the same question as Bruce. He had always shrugged the same question when she asked him and gave her a half-assed response.
"She's… cool," he paused searching for the correct description, eyeing her before returning to the adults before him. "She doesn't let people push her down. She doesn't care about other people who don't matter to her."
"That's cool," he uttered awkwardly. "And I don't want to not at least know someone as awesome as she is," he finished.
His declaration left Elissa stunned. For the first time she had an answer. And for the first time she had felt an attraction towards him—an emotional one.
Diana was delighted that someone knew how incredible her daughter was and was pursuing her because of that.
Bruce, on the other hand, still held on to doubt. He was a skeptic. Especially, when it came to boys that were attempting to court his only daughter.
He wanted to press further but the look on his daughter's face made him hold his tongue.
When Elissa was walking Dean out Bruce and Diana were observing from the doorway.
"I don't like him," the man said bluntly.
"Oh hush," Diana slapped his shoulder with the back of her hand, "let her have this," she spoke softly never tearing her eyes away from their daughter speaking with Dean before he went home.
The man was more than willing to allow their daughter to have such an experience. But the man was only going to allow Elissa to have so much. Teenagers and all that.
Downtown Gotham
At a nice boutique store downtown, Diana and Elissa went dress shopping for the teenager's upcoming dance.
Anxiously, Elissa perused the dresses, while Diana stood by silently observing until Elissa would ask for assistance or for her opinion.
Pretty quickly the raven-haired woman grew bored and inspected the selection that the store had. Before she got far, Elissa called to her.
"What do you think?" the teen anxiously inquired of her mother. Holding a velvet low-cut dress that ended above the knees.
The woman took one look at it and said, "No," she shook her head.
Grimacing, Elissa asked why.
"Far too revealing," the woman explained. "Modest yet pleasant. That is what you can get," she told her adamantly. While Diana was a grown independent woman that enjoyed wearing whatever she liked that made her feel beautiful, her daughter was young and still growing up. And as much as she wanted Elissa to feel as beautiful as she was and dress however, she liked, she wanted to set some limits, especially around teenaged boys.
Elissa whined, but put the dress back, starting her search once more.
Diana regretting what she had just said, tried to assist her. Walking over to the distraught teen, she inspected a few dresses and pulled out a navy blue one.
"What about this one?" Diana asked, holding up the offered dress.
Instantly, the teenager turned from what she was inspecting and glanced at the dress. Immediately, she took the dress in her hands. It was a low-cut dress that ended below the knees, having a lighter shade of blue bow on the left hip. Instantly, Elissa beamed, "I like it!"
Urgently, she implored. "Can I try it on?"
Diana wordlessly pointed to the changing rooms. A second later, Elissa raced to the dressing rooms shutting the door quickly. Chuckling, Diana slowly approached the dressing area, occupying herself by scanning the accessories.
After a few minutes, the doors opened, and Elissa came out in the dress and her socks. "What do you think?" she asked timidly.
Diana took a moment to inspect Elissa in her dress. "You look beautiful," she answered, rewarded with a bright smile from her daughter.
"Do you want it?"
"Yes," Elissa enthusiastically confirmed.
Her mother nodded, "Take it off and I'll get it for you. Is there anything else you want while we're here?"
"Mmh," Elissa thought for a quick minute before she shook her head no.
"Okay," Diana nodded, leaving to give Elissa some privacy.
They quickly paid and left for home. When Elissa showed her father the dress the man held his tongue. If he had it his way she would be wrapped up like a nun. But this was Elissa's first dance, and he did not want to be the reason that it was ruined. He would just have to reiterate to Dean that if his hand's drifted too far he would shatter them.
That put the man in a better mood.
On the night of the dance, Elissa was racing to finish getting ready as Dean was picking her up as his mother would drive them to the dance.
Natalie was being taken by Amanda and chaperoning the dance. Natalie was less than thrilled about that, but Amanda had already signed up before the teen told her she was going to the dance.
The dark-haired girl's nerves hampered her. Last minute jitters were causing her to second guess her decision. Maybe she should call and tell Dean not to come? Turn the night into a movie night?
However, Diana realized her daughter's predicament. And she refused to accept it.
"You will go to that dance, young lady, and you will like it."
Elissa blinked in surprise as she had never heard Diana speak in such a tone.
Sighing, the raven-haired woman calmed down. "Have fun," putting her hand on her Elissa's shoulder. "Get out of your comfort zone a little bit," she encouraged. "And if there are any problems, I will come and pick you up. Okay?"
"Okay," Elissa slowly nodded, her earrings darting back and forth from the motion. She hesitated for a moment but then, "Um, could you help me with makeup?" she asked. She never really used any makeup before. Lipstick and lip balm was as far as she went.
"Sure," the woman smiled. She walked her daughter over to the bathroom where makeup supplies littered the countertop.
"A little blush," she lightly powdered the teen's face. "You want mascara?"
"Yeah."
"Okay," Diana uttered, applying it. "Do you need help with lipstick or anything else?"
"No, I can do lipstick," Elissa declined.
"Good," Diana responded. "Bruce will be arriving to put the fear of God into Dean before you go," she said with levity.
"Seriously?" the teen groaned. Receiving a nod, the girl whined and begged Diana to stop her father.
"He just wants to make sure Dean behaves like a gentleman," she assured, shortly leaving her daughter to finish getting ready.
Elissa's stomach went into knots when the doorbell rang. Panic set in as she raced to finish getting ready.
"It's only Bruce!" Diana shouted from downstairs, putting her daughter at ease.
""Only Bruce?"" the billionaire quoted, finding offense to what Diana had said.
"Oh, Elissa's just nervous about the dance," the raven-haired woman dismissed, jovially.
The sour look on the man's face told the woman he had qualms with the whole notion of Elissa going to the dance with a boy.
"Stop that," Diana ordered him firmly. "Don't ruin her night for her."
Slightly chastised, the man's shoulder's sagged in mild defeat.
Suddenly, an anxious Elissa came walking down the stairs as carefully as she could as her legs would not stop shacking from her nerves.
"Hey, Bruce!" Elissa greeted as warmly as she could when she got to the bottom of the stairs.
"Hello," her father returned not as warm as she did. He was almost sullen to her. A swift elbow to his ribs by his girlfriend pushed him to say more. "You look very nice," he complimented.
"Thanks," Elissa replied, her face red with embarrassment. "You here to see me off?"
"Actually, I wanted to speak with Dean before you left," he confessed.
"About?"
"What is expected of him and how he will behave tonight," he continued only to see his daughter grimace.
"Please don't," she pleaded.
Exhaling, Bruce explained. "I just want to make sure he behaves himself,' he reminded her. "I will try and not embarrasses you," he promised.
Diana observed amused by how Bruce has changed since high school. Since they reconnected.
Before Elissa could offer a retort, the doorbell rang once more.
Diana answered the door as she was closer than the other two and the fact no one else moved. "Dean! Come right in!" the raven-haired woman greeted warmly as Dean stepped inside.
"Miss Prince," Dean, sporting a tuxedo, hair nicely combed and some flowers in his hands. "These are for you and Elissa," he stated quickly, handing the woman the flowers.
"Oh, that's sweet of you!" Diana gushed accepting them. The woman turned to show Elissa, only Elissa gave Dean an apologetic expression.
"I… don't really like flowers," she told him courteously.
"Oh," Dean appeared to deflate, feeling like he erred.
"Sorry," the teenager apologized, thinking she was spoiling the evening.
Thankfully, Bruce interceded.
"Okay," he stated drawing attention to himself. "You and I need to talk," he stated strongly.
"Yes, sir," Dean replied automatically. His posture stiffened as the older man loomed over him, burning holes into his body from the stern glare he was giving him.
"I want her home at eleven thirty. Sharp." He said in no uncertain terms. "If she is not home, by eleven thirty-one I am hunting you down like a dog. Clear?"
"Yes, sir," the boy nodded meekly.
"Your hands do not stray below her waist."
"Bruce!" Elissa and Diana were growing irritated by the man's surly demeanor.
He ignored them and stepped aside so that the teens could meet. He crossed his arms across his chest silently watching Dean as he approached Elissa.
"You look great," the boy complimented his date.
"Thank you," Elissa smiled back. "Ready to go?"
"Hold up!" Diana commanded, earning the attention of the others. "I need a few pictures," she explained getting out her phone.
"Diana," the dark-haired girl complained.
"Just a couple," the woman swore. Gesturing with her hands, "Get close together," she instructed. Smiling when the teens got close. Flashing smiles towards the woman as she took a few photos to mark the occasion.
"Thank you," Diana replied as she put her phone away.
"Can we go now?" Elissa deadpanned.
Nodding, "Yes, go ahead," Diana answered. As they made their way to the door, Diana stopped the girl, "If there are any problems or you feel uncomfortable, call and we'll pick you up. Okay?" she told her in softly, so Dean didn't hear her.
Seeing her daughter nod, "Okay," she responded, and the teenagers were off.
Bruce scowled every step of the way as they were driven away.
"I don't like him," he maintained unhappily.
"Stop," the woman chided. "Come on," she beckoned. "I have dinner," she shut the front door.
"Fine," he stubbornly followed.
Gotham City High School
"Your dad is terrifying," Dean disclosed to Elissa as the exited the van.
"He's a teddy bear," Elissa waved off. She was in awe at all the people all dressed up for the dance. Girls all dolled up in all kinds of extravagant dresses. Boys dressed in dapper tuxedos in several colors.
A huge banner hung over the entrance to the gymnasium with balloons decorating the door. People were herded towards the gym. Elissa could feel the vibrations from the music blasting from the gymnasium.
Instantly, her eyes lit up when she saw Nat get dropped off by Amanda. Both were almost similar lime-green dresses.
"Hey, girl!" Nat greeted walking up to them.
"Hey, Nat!" Elissa returned with gusto. "Mrs. Green," Elissa politely addressed the blonde.
"Hello, Elissa!" Amanda greeted in return with a pleasant smile. "You look very nice tonight."
"Thank you!" She responded. "I like your dress!" she returned.
"Oh, thank you!" the woman responded back, her tone as pleasant as ever. "Is your mother here?"
"No, she's home," Elissa shook her head.
"I see. Well, give her my best," Amanda asked, slowly starting to get to the gym with everyone else.
"I will," the dark-haired girl promised as she and Dean went inside. Once inside the music intensified as Elissa could barely hear anyone speak.
Dean had to practically yell in her ear to be heard. "I have some friends I want you to meet!"
"What?!" she shouted back.
"Friends!" he pointed to a table where a group congregated. Nodding slowly in understanding, the couple walked over to greet them.
"Elissa, this is Addison, Naomi, Kelly, Blake, Tyler and Matt," Dean introduced her to his friends and their respective dates.
"Hello," she greeted them with a polite smile. Inwardly, wondering where Nat had gone off to.
"Hey," Blake greeted back. "So, you're the girl Dean won't shut up about," he smirked. He saw Dean mouth a 'shut up' his way, making him smile more.
"Elissa, take a seat," Addison, a blonde-haired girl in a pink dress suggested. Matt, Addison's date grabbed a couple chairs from a forgotten table next to them.
Politely, Elissa acquiesced and sat down with Dean sitting next to her.
Naomi, a brunette in red, spoke up. "Tell us about yourself. What did Dean do to make you go with him?" she probed. Her arms resting on the table, her phone abandoned in front of her.
She began to tell them how Dean asked her out and why she accepted.
Elissa laughed, danced, and made friends.
She hung out with Natalie, after she was chatting it up with some guy sitting by the punch bowl.
When it was time to head home, Elissa felt regret. She wanted to stay longer but the dance was over. Nat and Amanda were heading home. And Dean and his mom drove Elissa home.
Honestly, Elissa was exhausted. Before she dreaded going but after the fact, she was glad she went.
Dean got her home by eleven-thirty not a second later.
Thankfully, Diana managed to distract Bruce long enough to take his mind off things. And she was the one to greet her child as Dean walked her to the door.
To everyone's surprise, Elissa awarded Dean with a peck on the cheek, leaving him stiff by the unexpected action. Diana was wide-eyed by what she witnessed. She was grateful Bruce was sleeping.
"Goodnight, Dean," Elissa bided goodbye and went inside.
Dumbstruck Dean stood there for quite a while as the woman shut the door. Soon the lights went out leaving Dean alone in the dark. Before his mind restarted and trekked back to the car.
"Did you have fun?" Diana inquired knowingly. A smile never leaving her face as Elissa collapsed onto the couch with a lovesick exhale.
"It was… great," the teen beamed. The excitement still coursing through her veins.
"I'm glad to hear it," her mother responded.
"Bruce's still here?" the girl asked but she had suspicions he wasn't leaving until she was home.
"Relax," Diana persuaded, sitting next to her child on the couch. "I made sure he won't bother you," she told her. Stroking the girl's hair, "Why don't you get washed up and get to bed," she advised.
"Okay," her daughter obediently complied.
The Greek woman's eyes followed the teen as she went up the stairs. Inwardly, she delighted that Elissa had such a great time. She wanted her daughter to have everything a teenager should. A normal childhood or what was left of it before she went off to college. She wanted Elissa to have happiness. She would do anything to give her that.
A Penthouse in Gotham
Bane sat in a recliner chair in front of the television. As the news was playing on the screen, the muscular man ignored it as the papers that littered the table in front of him had his undivided attention.
Newspaper clippings, wanted posters, all kinds of stationery were his focus. All the papers had one thing in common: Batman.
Wanted posters with an approximate description of The Batman all with varying accuracy. Ranging from fangs and claws to a man wearing literal bat skin.
Reports of his foes from online. Reports of Batman's first appearance and sightings. His first appearance was documented at the A.C.E. Chemical facility dealing with a gang lord called the Red Hood. Declared as deceased as Red Hood was no longer seen after that.
After which Batman waged a war against organized crime. Carmine Falcone. Salvatore Maroni. All dead. Harvey Dent was attacked in court, splashed with acid that caused him to become Two-Face.
These were the vigilante's early years as the sightings become lesser and lesser. Soon more foes appeared.
And with new foes, Batman had somehow formed an alliance with James Gordon. Back then a mere captain, after Loeb was ousted, he became Commissioner of Police.
As Bane was scanning the papers, he came across something that proved interesting.
"Bird!" he summoned the Gothamite.
"Sir," the blonde-haired man stood in front of his boss.
"What can you tell about Park Row? Specifically, this area," he pointed to an area in the middle of Park Row.
"Oh," he exclaimed in understanding. "That's Crime Alley," he explained.
"Crime Alley?"
"Think of it as the Ritz of crime. Muggings, rapes, murders, stabbings, drugs, the place has it all. Why?"
"Most of the Batman sightings show he sticks to that area the most during his patrols," the bigger man explained.
"Well, if I wanted to fight crime I would start there," Bird commented, shrugging his shoulders.
"Hmm," the masked man grunted. He ponders what Bird had said. Why does Batman do this? Battle crime? Fight the mob? Clowns? Crime Alley? A personal connection, perhaps?
The policeman, Gordon, why would he be needed? Informant? Validation? Batman was a criminal in simple lawful terms. Was he an asset to Gordon? Or the other way around?
Then the boy. Batman's assistant. Reports indicate the vigilante was at this for some time now. No doubt accumulated injuries would impede him in continuing down the line. Was the boy his legacy? A way to ensure another Batman would exist. Have there been more than one Batman already?
So many questions so much speculation. He needed more before he took him on.
Bird approached as Bane signaled for him. "Yes?"
"I have need of your connections. You have contacts in Arkham Asylum, yes?"
He received a nod. "Sure. What do you need?"
"An inmate of the most depraved. A need-a test to truly witness the extent of Batman's skills. To do so, I must witness him hunt down one of his most deadly enemies. An enemy that relishes his kills," he raved.
An open file sat in front of the large man. A file found online. A file that covered a man that tallied his kills and enjoyed every moment of it.
Victor Zsasz must roam the streets of Gotham.
NEXT: Summer Vacation!
News everyone! After the next two chapters we will be heading to the endgame folks! The fight you have all been waiting for!
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