No Warnings . . .
Elle pulled back the plastic and entered the construction area. She sneezed, getting a nose full of lingering sawdust still in the air. It would take a lot of cleaning before they would be able to move into the new apartment that would take up nearly the entire second wing of the manor. The only parts that would stay the same would be the first two bedroom-ensuites that lined the right and left sides of the hall.
She and Dick currently inhabited the right side that made up their bedroom and attached bath and the connecting sitting room that they used as an office. The rest of the wing, however, would soon be a self-contained apartment, complete with formal living/dining rooms, a full kitchen with a connected breakfast nook and family room as well as four large bedrooms, four and a half baths, two office spaces, a music/recording area for Elle, and a game room that could become a playroom in the future – so, hinted Alfred to them with a wink and a nod. That last bit, or so said the all-knowing butler, had been suggested by Bruce himself before the latter coughed uncomfortably and excused himself.
It made Elle smile to think how easily Bruce was slipping into the role of familial patriarch. Not that he appeared in any hurry to settle down with a wife himself. No, he seemed content to live vicariously through Dick and Elle. There was no mistaking the air of excitement he exuded when visiting the construction. Always quick with a suggestion to make the wing more family friendly with an eye towards the future. She and Dick talked about it sometimes, that perhaps this was what Bruce imagined he would have done as a young man had his parents not died long ago in that alley.
Of course, the couple did not plan to remain here at the manor permanently. They both had hopes of returning to Bludhaven before the year was out, but the suggestion to take the wing and make it into something truly their own was an offer they couldn't resist. They knew that Bruce had offered with the intention of luring the couple back for extended visits if not for a permanent stay. The invitation had been given more than once, albeit gruffly, that they were welcome to make the wing into whatever suited their tastes and to consider the manor their home.
While Dick, however, stated his intension of reclaiming Bludhaven as their home and his city full-time, he was admittedly enjoying himself with the renovation project. Family meant just as much to him as it did to Bruce, even if neither admitted it openly to the other, but Elle knew the truth of it, that Bruce's offer had touched Dick's heart deeply.
The wedding and the renovations were turning everyone on their heads, imagining a future full of holiday get-togethers and family reunions. Apparently, the addition of Elle was turning the Bat Family into a true family according to Alfred. The older man was beyond pleased with this turn of events, despite Elle's continued insistence of taking care of things for Dick and herself as well as contributing to meal preparations and assisting Alfred with cleaning. It was what family did for one another and, in her mind, what a wife's role was when imagining Noemi's role in her grandparents' marriage. This was what she wanted in her own marriage.
Dick would laugh and shake his head at her old-fashioned ideas about marriage, but Elle didn't care. He would see for himself how wonderful real married life would be for them. She promised herself that her husband would never come to regret the bond that had tied their lives together.
She moved through the work area in the direction of the kitchen/family room combo, following the sound of Dick's voice. It was the weekend and Elle didn't think the workmen were scheduled today, but Dick was talking to someone. Elle paused in the doorway.
"It's really great talking to you again. It's been like forever," Dick said as he looked out on the gardens and rolling expanse of green lawn beyond.
As he talked on the phone, he playfully flipped a hammer in the air, catching it like a professional circus juggler. He wore dirty denim jeans, a t-shirt that had seen better days, and was obviously taking a break from installing the kitchen cabinets. She had noted that morning that only the worst of the bruises Dick had received the night before remained and had taken on the yellowish-green color that indicated healing. Here, at least, was evidence of the bond's advantages.
A flutter of excitement rose up that one of her favorite rooms was beginning to take shape. Although Bruce had offered to shoulder the entire cost, Elle refused to budge. This was going to be her home while in Gotham, and eventually their home away from home. Her checkbook meant that this wing would reflect Dick's and her tastes, a place, albeit within Wayne Manor, that belonged to only to them.
"Are you finally back to stay or will you be leaving again for Themyscira soon?"
Themyscira? Where is that? It sounded Greek, but Elle had been all over the Mediterranean Sea and its surrounding countries. She couldn't remember hearing this name before. I wonder who is he talking to?
"I really want you to be there. Please, say that you'll come," Dick told the person on the other end of the call.
Another invitation to Bruce's party? No, wait, he's talking to someone about the wedding, Elle decided with a smile. Not wanting to interrupt, she started to leave, to give Dick his privacy.
"I would love to have you stand up with me," Dick continued, once again pulling Elle's attention out of her own thoughts.
Elle glanced behind her. Another groomsman?
Dick already had Bruce, Jason, Tim as well as Wally and Roy as part of the wedding party. Damian would have been standing up with him as well if the boy hadn't refused outright to be part of the monkey show as he called it. Elle only had Randi, Shannon, and Jasmine on her side. They were already lopsided as things stood and now, a month away from the event, he wanted to add another person to the wedding party?
"Of course, Elle wouldn't mind having another bridesmaid," Dick said then. "She's been grumbling about the uneven numbers in the wedding party."
Wait, what?
"She will love you as much as I do, Donna," Dick insisted. "Once I tell her about you, that is." He laughed. "Yeah, I know, I know. I meant to say something to her sooner, but I didn't know if you would be able to make it and . . . Well, to be honest, Elle didn't have the best reaction when finding out about Babs and Kori."
Her eyes widened in shock. Wait, wha-a-at?
"Yeah, I know what we have isn't the same thing," he said quickly, "but I just felt bad about springing yet another woman on her when you might not have even shown up. Now that you can . . . Look, I'm sure she'll be fine with it once she understands our relationship."
"What exactly is there for me to understand?" Elle blurted out.
Startled, Dick spun around, his face flushing over being caught in what had to sound like a compromising conversation. The hammer he had been juggling crashed forgotten to the floor, barely missing his foot, as he struggled to save the phone from the same fate.
"Elle, honey! I didn't hear you come in," he stammered. "Donna? Donna, hold on. Don't hang up yet."
Elle walked into the room, frowning. "Who is Donna and what kind of relationship are we talking about here?" All thoughts of the renovation, Bruce's party, and the even the wedding were forgotten as jealousy flared.
"Let me explain," Dick said, holding out his hands as if to calm her. It had the opposite effect.
"Go ahead. I'm all ears," she challenged, her tone becoming downright icy. "I can't wait to hear this."
"What? No, Donna, it's okay," he spoke into the phone. "You don't have to hang up . . ." His face fell and he set the phone aside, indicating that this Donna-person had hung up on him anyway.
"Who is Donna, Dick?" Elle continued. "And, why did you feel bad about 'springing' her on me? Is this another old girlfriend? Are you seriously expecting me to add an old flame to my bridesmaids list? Are you going to ask me to add Barbara Gordan and Kori Starfire: Amazon princess to the list as well?" Elle's voice rose with each new question. "I don't need to even out the numbers that badly."
"Kori's not an Amazon princess," Dick corrected unnecessarily. "She's from the . . . planet . . . Um." His words faded at the flash of fury in Elle's eyes.
"I don't care where she's from!" Elle snapped angrily. "Who the hell is Donna and why did you feel it necessary to hide her from me?"
Dick met Elle halfway, walking around the pile of wood and drywall to reach her. He took her by the shoulders as he attempted to explain. "Her name is Donna Troy and no, she is not an old girlfriend. She's not!" he insisted at the look of disbelief in Elle's hazel eyes. "I swear it, sweetheart."
"Then why were you worried about telling me about her?" Elle asked. "Why did you lump her in with Barbara and Kori?"
"I'm sorry," he sighed. "You were just so upset after learning about Babs and Kori . . . I didn't think that telling you about a close friend who happened to also be a woman would improve the situation. Donna wasn't even on earth at the time anyway . . ."
"A friend who happened to be a woman . . .?" she repeated, narrowing her eyes. "How close of a friend are we talking about here?"
"Donna's one of my best friends," Dick began.
"Friends with benefits, maybe? Did you sleep with her, Dick?" Elle blurted out. Tears tingled behind her eyes "Did you ask her to marry you, too?"
Dick blinked, gaping. "What? No! Our relationship wasn't like that. Donna and I were only ever just friends."
"'Just'? Don't you mean 'best'?" she retorted sarcastically.
"Yes! Best friend," Dick agreed quickly. "Like Wally and Roy."
"Not like Wally or Roy," she snapped. "You introduced both of them to me months ago."
"Sweetie . . ."
"If you were such great friends, then why not tell me about her?" Her chin wobbled and Elle bit down on her bottom lip. She would not cry, damn it. Sure, she was upset, but they were just talking. Stop it, she snarled to herself silently.
"Baby," Dick crooned, noticing. He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. "I love you. You know this. But having Babs, then Kori, sprung on you so close together . . . I thought you might react – well, like this, and I didn't want to give you another reason to feel jealous. Donna and I are more like brother and sister. We've never been involved romantically."
Elle snuffled against his shoulder. "Never?" A tear of relief squeezed between her lashes only to be absorbed by his t-shirt.
"Never. I swear," he murmured against her hair. "I'm not an idiot, you know. I wouldn't have asked an old girlfriend to be in our wedding. I didn't even invite Barbara or Kori to come as guests."
Great. Now, she felt petty and foolish, too.
She sighed. "You could have invited Barbara and Kori. I wouldn't have minded."
Dick pulled back, looking down at her skeptically. "Really." He didn't sound like he believed her.
Elle broke away, stepping back. "Yes, really," she admitted reluctantly. "I sort of like the idea of them watching us get married. Then, at least, they'd both know that you are off the market."
He chuckled. "Permanently," he agreed. "Not that either of them would want me back."
Elle smiled mistily. "Beautiful but stupid. I suppose that should make me feel a little better at least."
Dick laughed outright, tugging her back into a tight hug and rocking her. "I love you so much. The fact that you think I'm such a great catch is gratifying, but you have no reason to be jealous. I am yours, now and forever."
She kissed him and he hummed in appreciation. When she pulled back, Elle asked, "Okay, so, who is Donna Troy – really?"
Dick let out a breath. "She's Diana's little sister."
Elle frowned. "Diana?"
"Wonder Woman," Dick told her.
"Wonder Woman?!" Elle repeated lamely, gaping. "You're telling me that Donna is a -what? – An Amazon?"
"Donna Troy is – was- Wonder Girl. She's gone by another name or two since then, but for most of our friendship Donna was known as Wonder Girl. She was one of the founding members of the Teen Titans."
"The Teen Titans . . ." Elle looked thoughtful. "I think I remember hearing about them once or twice in the news." She frowned again. "But I thought Tim was the leader of the Teen Titans."
Dick smiled. "Tim is, but I was one of the founders and the first leader of the group. The original team was made up of Wally, Donna, Garth, and me, then a short time later, Roy joined us."
"Garth?" Elle pursed her lips in consternation at another name from Dick's past that she didn't know. "Who's Garth? You never told me about him either."
"Garth was Aqualad," Dick explained. "And, yes, we're still friends, but Garth's been busy in Atlantis. We see each other even less often than Donna and I."
"Atlantis?" Elle perked up at this. "Is he coming to the wedding?" She was fascinated about anything Atlantis nowadays. She was desperate to learn about her heritage and what other gifts that part of her DNA were yet to be discovered.
"I'll have to check with Aquaman and see if he can get in touch with him for me," Dick said. "It would be kind of nice to have the original team together again."
"The church is going to be filled with superheroes, isn't it? And, my side will be filled up with just your common, average-day Joes," Elle mused. "Businessmen in suits with trophy wives and businesswomen and their trophy husbands," she added with a snort.
"Your grandmother is a descendent of an ancient Atlantian race," Dick reminded her.
"Maybe so, but she doesn't wear tights or kick criminals' asses either."
"Good point," he laughed. "But, she could. It wouldn't take much for her to have criminals shaking in their boots. She can be a little intimidating."
Elle tilted her head, skeptical. "You never seemed to be intimidated by her at all."
"Oh, trust me, sweetheart, I was," Dick tapped the tip of her nose, smiling. "I'd rather face down most of Batman's rogues' gallery than to piss that woman off."
This made Elle laugh. "Now you're exaggerating."
"Not in the least," Dick insisted. "Now, back to the subject at hand. Would you mind terribly adding Donna to your bridesmaids list?"
"She's like Wonder Woman, you said?" Elle asked as she walked over to inspect the newly-installed cabinets.
"She's an Amazon," Dick clarified.
She glanced back at him an unspoken question in her gaze. "Is she going to stand out, do you think?"
Dick chuckled. "Stand out? What do you mean?"
"I mean, is she going like Zena, Warrior Princess?" Elle asked, curiously. "Will she look like a cross-dressing pro-wrestler standing beside my normal, average, every-day, civilian friends?"
Now he was laughing outright, bent over with his hands on his knees. Elle frowned at him offended.
"Why are you laughing?"
He wiped his eyes. "Donna won't stand out. She's probably about Randi's height, maybe a little taller, but she looks just like any regular person."
"Figures," Elle grumbled to herself. "She'd be taller than me."
"Almost everyone is taller than you are," Dick teased, laughing again when Elle stuck her tongue out at him.
"Why do you have to have so many tall friends?"
"Sorry, but on the bright side, your friend Shannon is still shorter than you," he reminded her.
Elle smiled at that. "That's true! Thank God for Shannon. I was beginning to think I'd need to wear stilts under my dress."
"Did I screw everything up by inviting Donna?"
Elle shook her head. "No. No, it'll be alright - for a friend who's a girl," she added under her breath. "So, when can I meet her? She'll need a dress."
Dick smiled, relieved. "You are amazing, you know that?"
Elle snorted. "Just as long as you don't forget that, mister."
"I'll arrange everything," he promised. "You won't have to worry about anything."
"Like you did with the cabinets?" she teased, reminding Dick that these were the second set of cabinets to arrive after he had ordered the wrong ones the first time around.
"Smartass," Dick murmured, nuzzling her neck. "Your personality is bigger than you are. I sometimes forget you're short when you aren't standing right next to me."
"Hey! I'm not short," she complained. "I'm average. Something you'd know if you ever hung out with regular people once in a while."
"Baby, nothing about you is average," Dick laughed.
"I'm going to choose to take that as a compliment," she told him with a slight huff.
He kissed her lips. "As you should," he agreed upon coming up for air.
Elle smiled up at him. God, how she loved this man . . . "And I'm not short."
"Of course not. Whatever you say, sweetheart," he assured her with a smirk that made her roll her eyes.
She sighed, smiling. "Fine, whatever. Call your friend, who also just happens to be a woman, and tell her she can be in the wedding." Elle winced, slapping a hand to her head. "Oh, dang! I almost forgot the whole reason I came looking for you. I need you to take the invitations to the Justice League tonight. Can you do that without Bruce realizing what you're up to? Remember, this is supposed to be a surprise."
It was the fifteenth of February already. Bruce's birthday was on the nineteenth. If they were going to do this, the invitations had to go out now.
He groaned at being reminded. "You know, we can still call this whole thing off."
"No, we can't. It's all been arranged," Elle told him firmly.
It had taken some doing but, money no object, she had managed to locate and turn an abandoned warehouse into party central on the inside. She might have backed out in the beginning had she had any idea how hard it would be to find an unused building not already claimed by criminals. It was too late to stop now.
Bruce would show up there as Batman believing he was following a trail of clues to a hive of criminal activity that the boys had been planting around the city for the last couple of weeks. He would sneak into the warehouse to investigate and SURPRISE!
With any luck, no one would get a batarang to the face before he realized what was going on.
"Bruce will be out tonight searching for more clues that Tim and Damian have been planting around Gotham. He'll not find out," Dick promised.
"Good. Oh, and tell Jason to come to the manor tomorrow after Bruce has gone to work. We want to get in some last-minute practicing," she said.
It was Dick's turn to groan. "Jason reacts better when you ask him."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll call him," Elle agreed as she headed back to the office.
"If you're going to call him, you'd better do it now," Dick called after her. "He's going out on a date with that lady cop we met last night."
She paused in the doorway, looking back at him. "Leah's a cop?" Elle's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Oh, the irony."
Dick laughed. "We think she might be. I didn't bother looking her up, but you can bet Jason will."
"Will he? But where is the fun in that? He'd lose all the mystery," Elle remarked. "I'll call him right now. You just don't forget to pass out those invites tonight, alright?"
"Okay, okay," he promised.
When she disappeared from the room, Dick returned to installing the cabinets. He'd call Donna back when he broke for lunch. "I don't know why I'm bothering doing this now," he muttered to himself. "After this birthday party, everyone will be moving out of Gotham."
"Dick? Are you down here?" Elle called out as she made her way down the stone steps that led from the manor to the cave beneath.
Bruce stood at the bottom of the stairs. He was dressed as Batman, missing only the cowl. "He's in the changing room, Elle," he said, holding out a hand to assist her down the last few steps. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
Elle blinked up at him, startled. "Oh, I didn't realize you were still here, Bruce." She tucked her left hand behind her back. With any luck, he wouldn't notice.
"I'll be going on patrol with the boys in a few minutes," he told her with a small smile. "It's been a while since Dick's visited the Watchtower. He's only been there once since he began dating you."
Was that an accusation? How was she supposed to react to that statement? "I'm sorry."
Bruce smirked. "Don't be. He has an open invitation to become a full League member whenever he wants. He only has to say the word, but Bludhaven has taken most of his attention. He hasn't had the time to spare thus far."
Elle frowned. "Neither of us has been back to Bludhaven for weeks."
"Dick will probably start going back to patrolling there soon but we've all agreed that it isn't safe for the two of you to return as civilians yet," Bruce explained. "As it is, Red Robin and Red Hood has been taking turns running patrols there for Nightwing two or three times a week since you both came to the manor. Robin will even accompany them on occasion."
"That's very nice of them. I hope it isn't interfering with their school work," Elle worried, speaking of Tim and Damian. She was surprised that Jason volunteered some of his own time since he was busy working on his own case. Not tonight, though, she thought bemused. Tonight, Jason has a date!
"School work always takes precedence, Elle." Bruce said, pulling her back to the present. He still held her hand. Lifting it up, Bruce inspected her knuckles. "Smooth as silk. Any lingering soreness?"
It was Elle's turn to smirk. "Nope," she said, popping her 'p'. "You'd never know I'd punched a wall."
"You should try to avoid that in the future. The wall invariably wins," he told her. "I wanted to tell you that I'm proud the way you handled yourself in a very dangerous situation."
She perked up at the compliment, the smirk growing into a full-blown smile. "Thank you!"
"Hmph," he grunted, his face becoming serious. "That said, I have half a mind to take the other two out behind the woodshed for dragging you into that foolishness. What were they thinking? I might expect something irresponsible like this from Jason, but Dick should have known better."
His voice dropped an octave and taken on that dangerous gravelly sound that comes only when he is wearing the cowl. Elle felt compelled to defend the boys for what had ultimately been her own fault.
"No, Bruce. Don't blame them," Elle told him. "It was my choice to help Jason. Dick hated the idea but respected my decision. He came along to make sure nothing untoward happened."
"You wouldn't have made that decision had Jason not come to you, and something untoward did happen," Bruce told her.
"I did okay, Bruce," she reminded him. "I handled it and learned something new about myself in the process."
He frowned down at her. "You were lucky. If you hadn't been standing in two inches of water . . ." He left the sentence hanging. He knew she could finish it herself.
Elle frowned back at him, no longer intimidated by the man after living with him for several weeks. "You sure know how to give a compliment."
"Was that sarcasm, Elle?" Bruce asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Why yes, it was. I was certain that you were too obtuse to recognize it when you heard it," Elle snarked. She almost instantly regretted it as soon as the remark left her mouth. Her sassiness caused more trouble, but the smirk in her future father-in-law's face had returned.
"Not too obtuse, no," he admitted. "My apologies, then, Elle. I am happy that you came out of it without any serious injuries." His eyes dropped to her hidden hand and his head tilted in idle curiosity. "What's that in your hand?"
Elle brought the envelopes from behind her back, blushing. "Oh, these? These are just a few invitations to the . . . um, wedding. I was going to have Dick hand them out while he was up at the Watchtower."
"You should have said something sooner," Bruce told her. "I would have been happy to have passed them out for you."
The flush deepened. "You're too kind. Thank you, but . . . er, I thought it would be more meaningful if the groom gave them out personally – If you know what I mean."
"There's something I'm not accused of often." He raised an eyebrow, his gaze dropping to the simple white envelopes she clutched to her stomach protectively. "But, yes, I can see what you mean," he murmured. "Having Dick pass them out is a nice touch."
"Thank you." She smiled with obvious relief. "I thought so. Um . . . Well, if you'll excuse me, I don't want him to forget them."
Elle skipped off as Bruce returned to his business at the computer. She peered over her shoulder before darting into the changing room, certain he was watching her full of suspicion. She couldn't believe her good fortune when he wasn't.
How did Bruce fall for that? Dick usually spots one of my lies from a mile away, she wondered.
Oh well, she wasn't going look a gift horse in the mouth. She felt both exhilarated, she had lied to the Batman and gotten away with it!, and a bit dirty, she had lied to her future father-in-law and gotten away with it! Shrugging it off, she reminded herself that this was supposed to be a surprise party. That makes any lies to the man a forgivable offense.
Elle turned around and paused as she watched Dick pulling on the skin-tight shirt that would complete his transformation into Nightwing. She admired the way the muscles in his back flexed beneath the shirt as he moved, her mouth drying in response. She'd seen him naked countless times already, but she had to admit there was just something extra sexy about a man in uniform . . .
"Wow," she gasped. "I'll never get over that."
Dick picked up his mask as he turned to face her. "Never get over what? That I'm Nightwing?"
"That I'm going to marry Nightwing," she corrected, grinning.
He crossed the distance to slide his hands around her waist. "You come down to kiss me goodbye?"
"Mm," she murmured as his lips brushed over hers. "Actually, I came down to give you these."
Dick pulled back as Elle waved a bundle of envelopes in front of his face. "What are these? Oh, wait! These aren't . . ."
"The invitations to Batman's surprise party," she whispered. Her eyes sparkled with delight, assured of her knowledge that everyone loved a good surprise party. "You promised."
His eyes widened and he glanced over her head toward the cave beyond. "Are you serious? You can't expect me to carry the invitations out there right under the man's nose. He's Batman! He'll figure it out." And blame me for it, he couldn't help adding silently.
"Nonsense! I told him these were invitations to our wedding," she snickered quietly. "That we thought it would be a more meaningful gesture for the groom to hand them out personally."
Dick winced. "And he bought that?"
Elle grinned at him. "Silly, do you really think he'd believe that you'd be carrying out the invitations to a surprise party for him right under his nose?"
"Uh . . ." Dick frowned. "Well, now that you mention it, no. I don't think he would believe I would do something like that to him."
She rolled her eyes as she scoffed. "You aren't doing it to him, sweetie. You're doing it for him. There is a difference."
He laughed without real humor. "I don't think Bruce would differentiate between the two."
"He'll enjoy himself," she tried to reassure him. "He never enjoyed birthdays before because he couldn't share it with his friends and family, the people he actually likes and respects. I get that the Bruce out at social events is a mask he presents to the world. It's sad that he has to do that, but I understand why he does." She ran a hand over Dick's cheek and smiled. "This will be different."
He closed his eyes as he leaned into her touch, sighing. "Fine. We've all agreed to do this your way this year. Just know that if this doesn't go over like you want it to, life in the manor will be . . . Let's just say, a little uncomfortable."
"Bruce holds grudges?"
Dick laughed as he fit his mask on his face. "Bruce began his training for Batman when he was eleven, a week after his parents died. Do you know how old he will be on this birthday?"
Elle bit her lip. "Um . . ."
She believed this was his forty-first birthday. That would make thirty years Bruce Wayne had either been The Batman or had been training to be The Batman.
"Yeah," Dick smirked as he bent down to kiss her stunned lips. "Exactly. Baby, Bruce takes holding grudges to a who-o-ole nother level."
Nightwing waved her envelopes at her as he left. "I'll be going on patrol after the Watchtower. Don't wait up for me."
Elle watched him go, unsure for the first time that she was doing the right thing. She shook off her doubts a second later. It was too late to back out of this now. Bruce would either love it or hate it, but the one thing he would take away from this experience was the knowledge of how much his friends and family loved him – and that could never be a bad thing.
She hoped . . .
REACTIONS?
We'll know soon enough . . . ;D
Okay, after getting a few reviews in which people are somehow getting the idea that Elle isn't allowed to feel insecure or jealous that Dick has close intimate relationships with women both more beautiful than her and with whom Dick's respect and admiration are readily flaunted. She is not yelling at him - Why do people seem to think she is yelling at him? She is surprised to overhear a conversation that makes it appear that Dick is speaking with another ex-girlfriend after assuring her there were no more. This was a misunderstanding and she is giving him time to explain it, but is struggling with an ongoing self-esteem issue that she's battled with her entire life (they've only been dating 6 months, not 6 years). You guys forgot already what her father and brother were like? She is dealing with the worry that she has somehow forced Dick into the bond inadvertently, and despite feeling his love, is afraid that the bond is making him feel this way and he might not have loved her without it.
Now, let's be real here. How many of you have never felt jealousy or petty over another person from your significant other's past? After overhearing something like this, without understanding who Donna Troy is, wouldn't you feel hurt that Dick might have lied to you again. She is insistent that he explain himself, but nowhere is she violent or screaming at him. She is demanding in a firm, determined tone that he explain himself. She doesn't want to feel this way, but is hoping he can assure her that everything is alright, that he isn't feeling remorse or regret over being with her. She is feeling inadequate and is battling back hurt, but instead of flying off the handle, she's letting him soothe her insecurities. Would you rather she sneak away and left wondering over what she overheard, bottling her feelings up in an unhealthy way only to blow up at him later? It is better to get her questions answered right away rather than letting her imagination run wild with inaccurate theories based upon only one half of a conversation.
Okay, because you are following this slowly, having to wait long periods for new chapters to come out, I will assure you now instead of making you wait to learn that Elle does overcome these issues before the end of this story. It is traumatic and messy, but in the end, everything works out. I refuse, however, to give away the plot.