Warnings: language

PART 1A THREE: Life's Lemons

Elle

Life gave me lemons and I made lemonade. Well, I was given the sugar and the glass. I just chose to stir it all together. Although I wonder if it's too sweet. After all, too much sugar will ruin the lemonade just as too many lemons will.

I still can't believe that Bruce Wayne, someone who was a fictional character until recently, wants to adopt me. I wanted to say no and yes at the same time. I'm excited and overjoyed, though. My heroes are going to become my family. Well, on paper, at least. That's something, right? And living with Bruce is a lot better than with my foster family.

A part of me is worried that I'm getting ahead of myself, that it's all too good to be true. What if I'm actually in a coma and this is all a dream? Meeting the Batfamily, being adopted by Bruce … And why oh why did I say yes? I should have waited. I should have thought about it. I can always back out, I know this, but I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Not to mention, a really do want to be adopted. It's a dream come true.

I'm not looking to replace my real family. I hope that Bruce understands this. My parents will always be my parents and my brother will always be my brother. I suppose that's one reason I'm getting cold feet about my adoption. It's a huge step away from my real family. I don't want to give them up. I don't want them to be disappointed in me because I'm getting a new adopted family. And I don't want my new adopted family to be replacements because they are more than that.

And then there's the fact that I really don't know Bruce, Dick, and Tim. Not really. I know how they're portrayed in cartoons and movies. But in real life, I'm clueless. What if we end up hating each other? What if they're already mad at me for agreeing to the adoption? I never thought about what they would think about it. What if they think that Bruce is moving on from them? I don't want to cause any strain between them and Bruce. And I don't want them to hate me, either.

Maybe I really did make that lemonade too sweet.

Tuesday, June 19

It'd been a little over a week since I'd agreed to be adopted. I hadn't seen Dick or Tim, which only furthered my paranoia that they were angry. Bruce had stopped by a few days ago to tell me that he was working on some papers that would legally allow me to live with him. It was probably to make him my legal guardian, or something. I didn't know. All I knew was that I was stuck living with my foster family, who had discovered that I was going to be adopted.

My foster parents were furious, to say the least. Honestly, they were just upset that as soon as I was living with Bruce, they wouldn't be given money from the state. That money would go towards Bruce, seeing as he would become my legal guardian. I think. I wasn't sure how it worked. Either way, my foster parents wouldn't receive any more money.

I was yelled at a lot, but that was nothing out of the ordinary. I stayed in my room most of the time, partly to avoid them, and partly because I was still recovering from pneumonia. I was still a bit shaky-legged and occasionally became short of breath. And, of course, exhaustion. I'd improved a lot in the past week, but due to the lack of food and medication, it was slow going.

Chiara was overjoyed that I was leaving. She was also jealous that Bruce was adopting me. I think a part of her wished that she could get out of this foster family as well, but knew that it could also be worse. Or, well, she could just be a whiny brat. I wasn't sure which one.

Derek was Derek. I rarely saw him, and when I did, he just stared. I was glad that he was also big on staying in his room.

Today, though, was a good day. Once again, I was left alone in the house. I made my way downstairs to the living room, just as I had before. I was about to watch The Dark Knight Returns when the doorbell rang. Hoping it was Bruce, I answered the door. I was surprised to see Dick and Tim.

"Hi," I said quietly. They entered the house, greeting me in return. I sat down on the couch. Dick sat beside me and Tim sat in the chair across from me.

"Sorry we haven't come by," Tim said. "Things have been a bit … hectic."

I wasn't sure what he meant by that. Did he mean Batman hectic? Or adoption process hectic? Was it my fault? I just shrugged. "It's fine."

"Now, the question of the day," Dick grinned. "How does it feel like to be getting adopted?"

I blinked. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?" At Dick and Tim's confused faces, I added, "I mean, I never thought about what you guys might think. Aren't you mad at me?"

"Mad? Why would we be mad?" Dick furrowed his brow. "I think it's great."

Tim nodded in agreement. "Did you think that we would be jealous or something?" Dick's eyes widened in realization.

I blushed. "I dunno. I guess." I looked down at my lap. "And you don't know me. I'm just going to mess everything up."

"Hey, look at me." I raised my eyes to meet Dick's, surprised at how gentle his voice was. "You're not going to mess anything up. I promise."

"We don't know you," Tim agreed with my statement. I looked over at him. "But we can get to know each other." I grinned.

"I'll ask again," Dick grinned. "How're you feeling?"

"Nervous," I admitted. "Excited."

"That's normal," Tim assured me. "I felt the same way."

"But I'm also really scared, like this is all going to be ripped away from me," I blurted. And once the words started, I couldn't stop them. I rubbed my arms and stared at the floor. "For so long, you guys have been my heroes. I practically worshipped you. And now that I know you're real and that Bruce is going to adopt me? It's too good to be true, and I'm scared."

Dick reached over promptly and gave me a hug. Again, I stiffened, but was able to relax much quicker this time. I held back my tears. The last thing I wanted to do was cry like a child.

"You don't have to be scared," Tim said. "We're not going anywhere."

Dick rubbed my back. I breathed shakily, trying to prevent myself from crying. I pulled away, suddenly uncomfortable and claustrophobic. I didn't want to be touched. I didn't want anyone to look at me. I did my best to compose myself.

"Yeah," I said, keeping my voice steady. "You're right. I was just being stupid."

"Elle –"

"My foster parents will be home soon," I interrupted Tim. "Trust me, you don't want to meet them."

Dick sighed and reached over to give me a hug. At the last minute, he decided against it and stood up. He ran a hand through his hair. He shot me a grin before leaving. Tim waved goodbye.

And suddenly I was alone.

Wednesday, June 20

I was woken up to the sound of my foster father yelling at me.

"Get up, you useless bitch!" he shouted. "That pretty-boy is here for you!"

Before my sleep-induced brain could figure out who he was talking about, Bruce entered the room. He stared steadily at my foster father.

"Thank you, I think that's enough," he said calmly, although I noticed the anger in his eyes. My foster father shot me one last glare.

From the other bed, Chiara peered out from beneath her sheets. "Are you leaving?"

Unsure of the answer, I sat up and looked over at Bruce, who nodded. "I received notification this morning," he told me. "You are now allowed to live with me until the adoption process is complete."

I smiled and sat up. I looked down at my – or rather, Chiara's – pajamas. "Can I get dressed first?"

Bruce nodded and left the room. I found the only set of clothes that were truly mine and started changing into them, ignoring Chiara.

"Will you come back?" she asked me as I pulled my shirt over my head.

"Probably not," I admitted. I slipped into my jeans and flip-flops. I grabbed my laptop and case.

"Hey, Elle?" I turned warily to Chiara. "Sorry."

I shrugged. "S'okay." It wasn't. It really wasn't, but I didn't want to start a fight on the day that I moved out.

I exited the room. Bruce stood there patiently.

"Is that all you have?" he asked, concern on his face. I shrugged.

"I lost everything in a fire," I said simply.

Bruce didn't ask, but he seemed to know what I was implying. He led me outside, where a car was waiting. And standing outside the car was who I assumed was Alfred. I smiled shyly.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Miss Elle," Alfred greeted as he opened the backseat door for me. I climbed in. Bruce sat beside me. I never understood why no one ever sat in the passenger seat with the driver of a celebrity or whatever, but I kept my mouth shut.

Alfred and Bruce sensed my shyness, I guess, because neither spoke to me. I looked out the window, trying to figure out where we were going.

Finally, I couldn't ignore my curiosity any longer. "Where are we going? Gotham doesn't actually exist, does it?"

"I assure you that Gotham does exist," Alfred told me, a hint of a smile on his face. I blushed.

"But wouldn't everyone go looking for you?" I asked. "And I've never seen Gotham on any maps."

"That's because Gotham isn't on any maps," Bruce explained. "The same with Bludhaven."

"So because they're not on any maps, no one goes looking?" I guessed, looking at Bruce. He nodded, surprised.

"That's right," he said. "Anyone who goes through Gotham by chance never makes the connection. And if they do, well, it's not as if anyone will believe them."

I let the conversation drop. We drove for a few hours until we finally made it to what I assumed was Gotham. I certainly recognized some of the buildings from the cartoons. That reminded me –

"Why cartoons? And movies?" I asked. "Were you told they were made? Did you ask? Does this mean that someone knows you're real?"

"We're hidden in plain sight," Bruce told me what I already knew. "That way, if someone claims to have seen Batman, then no one will believe him."

"But how did it start?"

"Master Bruce, Miss Elle, we have arrived," Alfred cut off anything Bruce was going to say. I ignored the fact that Bruce didn't answer and that Alfred conveniently spoke up. Instead, I looked up at Wayne Manor.

Alfred pulled up in front of the doors. Bruce and I entered the building. That was when it really and truly hit me: Batman was real. The building was huge. I suddenly felt very, very small and out of place. My excitement faded into uncertainty. I grasped my laptop bag with two hands, the only thing I was willing to grab onto.

Bruce led me on a tour of the building. I was lost within a few minutes, but I didn't tell him that. It would take some getting used to, but I'd figure it out. Bruce brought me to the kitchen, where Tim was eating at the table. Alfred placed two more plates of food at the table. Bruce sat at one seat. I stood, not sure if I was allowed to sit. Tim smiled at me and gestured at a seat.

Tim and Alfred talked. I just sat there, eating and soaking in the fact that I was in Wayne Manor. Bruce finished eating and left, saying he had a press conference or something.

"Miss Elle, are you alright?" Alfred asked. I looked up at him and smiled.

"Sorry," I said. "I'm still getting used to all this."

"You've barely eaten," Tim noticed. I shrugged.

"It's more than what I got before." Immediately afterwards, I wanted to take back those words. It would only cause them to worry.

And, of course, worry they did. "They starved you?" Tim asked incredulously, eyes wide.

"It's no big deal," I protested.

"I have to disagree," Alfred spoke up. "You are not allowed to leave the table until you've finished your food."

I nodded in agreement. I understood where they were coming from. I mean, I barely ate enough as it was, and then I rarely ate when I was with my foster family. I ate the rest of lunch without a fuss. Alfred took the plates and went over to the sink.

"I can help," I said, standing up.

"I've got it," Alfred told me. "Why don't you and Master Timothy go talk?"

I knew when I was being dismissed and followed Tim out of the room.

"Did Bruce show you your room yet?" Tim asked.

I shrugged. "Sort of. He put my laptop in one of the rooms and said it was mine, but I don't know how to get there."

"I can show you," Tim said, leading me upstairs. We went down two corridors before stopping in front of a room. "This is yours. Mine is that one," he pointed to the room across the hall. "And Bruce's is down that way." He pointed to a room that was three doors down. "And when Dick stays here, that's his room." He pointed to the room beside his.

I smiled. "Thanks." I fiddled with my hands nervously, not really sure what to say.

Tim grinned widely. "Want to see the Batcave?"

"Am I allowed to?" I asked.

"Who cares?" Tim led me to where I knew the entrance was. But seeing it in a cartoon and seeing it in real life are two very different things. He began walking down the stairs to the Batcave. I hesitated, a little nervous. What if Bruce didn't want me to see? What if he got mad at me?

"Well? Are you coming?" Tim called up to me.

I took a quick glance behind me before following Tim into the Batcave. It was a lot more impressive in person than it was in cartoons. I stood in the center and turned slowly, taking it all in.

"This is amazing," I breathed.

After looking around the Batcave some more, Tim and I returned upstairs. Tim taught me how to play some video game, which we played for a couple of hours. Afterwards, he took me to the Gotham library and showed me some of the places that were popular – a couple of shops, ice cream parlors, diners, stuff like that. We passed the school, which also looked daunting. I was relieved when we returned to the manor; I was in no way a city girl.

Alfred made an amazing dinner, and then I headed up to my room, getting lost only once and even then I was able to find my way. Tim gave me some of his and Dick's clothes to wear – "until we get you your own" – so I used one of Dick's shirts as pajamas and slipped into my bed.

It was dark and lonely. It was only Alfred and me in the manor. Tim and Bruce were out patrolling, I assumed. No one ever said anything, but I guessed that they figured it was a given where they were. Alfred was probably in the Batcave somewhere. I was alone in a huge bedroom. I brought out my laptop and streamed Batman: Under the Red Hood.

And that was when I remembered Jason. Was he in Gotham somewhere? Were he and the rest of the Batfamily still on bad terms? After all, no one had mentioned him. I wanted to ask Alfred, but what if talking about Jason was taboo here? I was curious, but I decided to keep quiet about it. No need to stir up trouble.