Merry Christmas to all of you! And a Happy New Year! I hope you all enjoy my Christmas give to you!
Making the Best of It
Chapter 46
Wayne Manor
Eighteen-year-old Elissa trekked through her home. The last couple of years were very kind to her. She had developed into a knockout just like her mother. Her raven-hair was a little longer than before. She was doing something before, and it didn't work. It did not work.
She was still lithe, yet not too muscular. Her slender frame betrayed the incredible power contained within her muscles.
She was as tall as her mother, and still possessed her caring heart.
She had school soon, so she had to finish her morning routine quickly before she was late for school.
She found her father in the kitchen having breakfast, or coffee in his case. Reading the paper as usual, he noticed his daughter coming.
"Morning," she greeted him warmly.
"Morning," he replied neutrally.
"Did you take your medicine?"
His silence was spoke volumes, annoying the young woman.
Sighing, she retrieved his pills for him. "You need to eat something with these," she told him firmly. She went and got him a banana and some water and plopped them onto his newspaper, crinkling under their combined weight.
Her father gave him a dry look, to which Elissa merely beamed at him positively.
As he ate and then downed his medication, he scowled at her. "I didn't realize I had hired a nursemaid."
Elissa grinned at him, "Isn't it great to a have loving daughter that is willing to take care of you?" She quickly took another banana for herself. "You don't even have to pay me," she intoned sweetly, batting her eyes at him.
"Pay you?!" Her father stated incredulously. "You get an allowance. And a trust fund!"
In response, she leaned in close. "And I thank you every day for being so nice," she kissed his cheek affectionately.
"Going to school! Love you!"
She yelled over her shoulder, leaving Bruce chuckling to himself.
Bruce returned to the newspaper reading about how Nakano had lost reelection following the disastrous Peacekeepers and his fanatical vendetta against vigilante crimefighters. It didn't help that the Peacekeepers opened a can of worms of civil rights issues that the ACLU was more than happy to put Gotham's then fascist mayor in his place. With Nakano out, Renee Montoya was still on as police commissioner although with a dark cloud hanging over her due to her close connection with Nakano.
The new mayor wasn't anyone special. Neither corrupt nor overly idealistic, just… ordinary. Anyone was better than Nakano apparently.
It was only a matter of time before someone with some drive was back in the mayor's office.
Gotham Academy
Elissa held a scowl. She had a free period, and she wasn't happy. Brittany had once again tried to get under her skin by being a mean bitch to her for no reason whatsoever.
She knew she should be the bigger person. Don't let anyone's words bother her.
But Brittany had this knack of pushing all the right buttons that Elissa kept under control. It was in the parking lot of the academy that she noticed Brittany's new red convertible.
It was then that the young Wayne had a sudden devious thought. She scanned around the area, searching for any onlookers or cameras. When she found none, she grew smug, evident by a big smirk on her face.
Making sure she had gloves on, she approached the red convertible. Once more she gave a cursory gaze all around her and then grabbed one of the tires, using her strength she snapped the left front tire right off. The convertible jerked at the loss of a wheel, causing the young woman to freeze, fearing the car alarm would start blaring.
She sighed in relief when there was no alarm, and plopped the tire inside the convertible, right in the driver's seat. She repeated this process until all the tires were unceremoniously sitting inside the car.
When finished, Elissa gave a smug sniff, holding her head high at wrecking her bully's new car. The red convertible 's undercarriage was resting on the blacktop of the parking lot.
While Elissa was relishing her victory, finding it incredibly cathartic, it was then that the convertible's alarm began to blast, startling her. Head whipping around, she made a run for it before she was caught.
Elissa made certain she and Cleo were nearby when Brittany screamed in horror at the sight of her wrecked new car. Becoming hysterical as the impossibility of how her car was wrecked.
"Did you…?" Cleo started and couldn't finish because Elissa couldn't hold it together and started laughing with her soon joining.
"Your dad is gonna be pissed," Cleo told her between laughs.
"Worth it," Elissa replied, in between her own fit of laughter.
Washington D.C.
"I still don't know why you don't want to get married?" Steve complained to Diana.
The raven-haired woman was clad in her red, blue, and gold armor, intending to set out with the League. However, she now held a weary expression. "I just…" she trailed off uncertain. "I'm not sure marriage is for me," she haphazardly admitted.
Her awkward refusal only hurt the man's feelings.
"Oh," he uttered in disappointment. "But what about…?" he trailed off to what came after marriage.
Diana tried her best to spare the blonde man's feelings, gifting him a weak reassuring smile. She cupped his cheek, smiling that bright smile that made his knees buckle. "Give me some time on that, please?"
The man could only smile back and embrace her warmly. "Yeah, take your time," he reassured her.
"Thank you," she replied gratefully and soon left him.
Left alone Steve pondered that he wasn't getting any younger. Now behind a desk, he had Diana, even if she did not wish for marriage. He found that his life was almost complete, except for one last thing.
He wanted to be a father.
Elissa made it clear she didn't like him nor think of him as any sort of stepfather. He couldn't blame her. She already had a father and he only hoped they could be friends. Admittedly, he tried plenty of times, but she wasn't having it.
And maybe he was being selfish, but he wanted a little bit of that family sense that he had respected. He was always on the outside looking in. He just wanted some of that dream.
While Diana flew to the Hall of Justice, her mind was a hurricane of doubt. Steve wanted children, she, however, was hesitant. No. That was a lie.
She did not want children anymore. Not after how disastrous she had handled her firstborn. She realized she wasn't cut out for motherhood. And trying again would no doubt lead to more heartache.
Yet, Steve wanted it so. How could she deny him something as wondrous as a child. He had been very patient and understanding with her, how could she deny him his only desire?
She shook her head, clearing her mind of melancholy. She had work to do.
Wayne Manor
Bruce sat in his study working on his ship in a bottle when Elissa came in all dolled up in a black dress and high heels, gold bracelets on her wrists, starry earrings hanging from her ears, a birthday gift from her Aunt Donna. Her raven-hair curly, with some red lipstick on her lips.
"Hey, I'm heading out," she said quickly.
"Who and where?" He responded, eyes and hands busy.
"Oh, um, with Cleo and some friends to a party," Elissa stammered, quickly. Nervous, her father would suddenly ground her for some reason.
Bruce finally looked up at her, his hand stopped working. Sighing, he put his tools down and leaned back in his chair.
He stared at her blankly for a hard minute, his gaze making the young woman apprehensive. His detective instincts analyze his daughter's appearance and body language. And found only one obvious answer.
Then, he took his glasses off his face, the lines on his face growing more evident with every day. "You know," he suddenly spoke. "I love our relationship. I pretend that you don't date, and you lie to me that you aren't dating," he said nonchalantly.
A grinning Elissa came over to him, "Keeps the world spinning," she kissed his cheek, leaving a light red mark. "Bye, Dad."
"Home by eleven!" He yelled toward her.
"Okay!" She chirped.
With Elissa gone from the room, a hurt Bruce gazed at the picture frame containing a photo of Elissa when she was little. His lip quivered at how much time had passed since then. He found himself sullen that he was all alone in his study.
At a restaurant in Gotham, Bruce navigated the tables and waiters and waitresses, eyes scanning for whom had summoned him there. When he found her, he approached.
Diana was deep in thought, wearing a long white skirt and magenta blouse, completely oblivious to the approaching man.
"Diana?" the man uttered, startling the woman.
"Oh!" The startled woman exclaimed, getting to her feet. "Bruce," she greeted him warmly.
"I'm surprised that you wanted to meet," he mentioned, taking a seat as she followed suit.
"Thank you for coming," she replied.
The man merely nodded. A silence came between them while the clamor of patrons' chat amongst themselves, as silver clatters against ceramic plates.
Crystal blue eyes examined the man, the wrinkles on his face and hands, his hair graying more and more, a mix of salt and pepper, the pepper fading every day. His hands wrinkled and scarred from years of battle. But the most profound thing about his age was the cane that hobbled him.
She couldn't believe how much time had taken a toll on this man that made her heart flutter.
The two stared at one another until the aging man spoke.
"Diana," he leaned close, "why am I here?"
His question startled her. Until she gave it some thought. "I don't know," she confessed, as if she was upset.
The man was surprised but didn't say a word. He simply opened the menu, "Have you ordered?" he asked innocently, trying to scan the menu, until he was forced to pull out his glasses.
"No," she replied, taking up her own menu.
Weeks later, Elissa came down all dressed up ready to go out with Cleo.
Before she left, she stopped to speak with her father. "Hey, I'm going," she told him quickly.
"Where to this time?" her father uttered dryly.
"Me and Cleo are going to another party," she said to him.
"Where?"
He saw his daughter swallow before answering his question. "A place in Newton," she answered. Her pulse quickening under her father's careful gaze.
"Okay," the man intoned. "Home by eleven," he stated briefly.
Elissa nodded her head and quickly got out of there fearing her father had sensed her lie to him.
Cleo was waiting in her car outside the manor. Dressed in a glittery black and gold short skirt dress. The passenger door quickly opened, and Elissa entered with a sigh. "Go," the dark-haired woman told her best friend.
"Your dad doesn't know?" Cleo asked, quickly driving away from stately Wayne Manor.
"Oh, please, like you told your parents the truth?" Elissa said sardonically.
"Yeah, but my parents aren't human lie detectors like yours is," Cleo stated, recalling the times when she and Elissa were little and tried to tell some fibs to Bruce. A younger Bruce stared at the two girls with a blank expression, which soon unnerved the two girls into confessing the truth.
"As soon as I'm back by curfew my dad won't care," Elissa dismissed.
As Cleo drove into the city, Elissa checked her wallet and found her driver's license. The two girls were on Grand Avenue, and they made a beeline for the Canary Club. A hit new nightclub with a line down the street. But Elissa, being a debutante, took Cleo with her to the front of the line, flashing the bouncers a smile and showing them their IDs.
The bouncer took the licenses, his eyes narrowed as his eyes darted from them to the cards. The bouncer shook his head, girls are looking younger and younger every day.
"You're good," he told them.
Giddy Elissa and Cleo entered the club, ears deafened by the roar of the music and crowd.
The girls started dancing to the beat of the music, finding some guys that were into them. The girls shared a smile before they got further into the club.
When the girls went to the bar and got a couple of drinks, both wincing at the taste. Elissa winced harder as she didn't find alcohol all that palatable. Between dancing and drinking the girls were out of breath from all the fun that they had. When some cute guys bought them some drinks that was when things started to change.
Elissa took the shot that one of the cute guys bought them, and after a few minutes she started to feel… weird. But that quickly passed, Cleo, on the other hand…
Wayne Manor
Bruce was still up as it was almost midnight. And he wasn't happy. He was fuming in his chair; he had already made several phone calls to his daughter's phone only for it to go to voicemail.
Grounded, didn't even cover how much trouble Elissa was in when she came home.
His grim musings were interrupted by his phone going off. He quickly answered when he saw Elissa calling.
He didn't wait for her to respond. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in?" He bit out.
"Dad? Dad!" Elissa frantic voice calmed the man's anger.
"Elissa? What's wrong? Where are you?" He could hear music in the background, and the clamor of a lot of people.
"Dad, I screwed up," she exclaimed.
"Calm down. Tell me what happened," he soothed her; however, his mind was imagining the worst.
"Cleo and I are at the Canary Club," she whimpered. Her father wanted to start yelling at her, but he put a lid on his anger and waited for her to explain the situation. "Cleo is barely conscious. Her words are slurring, and she can't stand up. I think she was slipped something," she exasperated. "I got her to the bathroom and then I called you."
Her father exhaled deeply, "Alright. Stay where you are, I'm on my way."
"Okay," She paused, before hanging up. "I'm sorry, daddy." She whimpered. She knew she had disappointed him.
"Stay where you are," he repeated. Now wasn't the time to discuss that.
Elissa hung up the phone and tried to soothe her best friend.
Wayne Manor
Bruce had managed to get the girls home without incident. Cleo was barely conscious, but her vitals seemed okay. Elissa had placed her on the couch, while Bruce started to check on the dark-skinned girl.
"Her pulse is fine," his daughter spoke. "I think we just need to let it run through her system," she suggested, putting some of her knowledge from the clinic to use.
"Hmm. It's best if doctors checked her out." He placed a warm cloth on Cleo's forehead, "Has she vomited?"
"No," she shook her head.
"Get her parents on the phone."
"But she'll get in so much trouble with them," Elissa protested fearfully.
"She would have gotten into a lot more had you left her there," he retorted. "Her parents need to know what's happened," he pointed out. He saw the clear look of reluctance on her face. Fighting between loyalty to her best friend and between doing the right thing.
Fortunately, her father aided her decision-making.
"Elissa, get them on the damn phone," he stated firmly. In response, Elissa quickly went to get the Andersons on the line.
She handed him the phone, as soon as he heard Anderson speak, Bruce began. "Mr. Anderson, it's Bruce. The girls are at my house," he could hear the other father sigh in relief. "Something's happened," he said pensively. "They're both okay," he quickly assured, ending the father's frantic inquires. "But you should come to the manor quickly."
It was an hour later when the Andersons arrived.
Marcus and Joy Anderson were very upset, making a beeline for their unconscious daughter. Joy was caressing her daughter's face, calling her name, trying to wake her.
Bruce and Elissa were standing behind them, giving the worried parents time with their child. "Cleo seems okay, but I would suggest you take her to a hospital," he recommended.
Marcus turned to Bruce with a grateful look. "Thank you." He shook the man's hand. "Joy and I had been out of our minds wondering where she was," he explained.
"My baby," Joy whimpered, kissing the unconscious girl's forehead.
Marcus put a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder, earning him a look from her. "Let's get her in the car," he announced.
Joy nodded and stepped back while Marcus picked up their girl. Bruce assisted him by getting the door for him. While Elissa approached Joy. "I'm sorry," she apologized, consumed with regret.
Joy gave the dark-haired girl a comforting smile. "I'm not going to blame you, Elissa. Make no mistake what you and Cleo did was very stupid, but I am very grateful towards you for taking care of her until your father picked you up," she explained.
Elissa could only nod as she couldn't trust her voice. She felt Joy hold her tightly before pulling away.
Once the Andersons were in their car, Bruce and Elissa waved goodbye to them as they drove away. Shutting the door, the two walked a bit, worry on the girl's face.
"She'll be okay," her father tried to assure her. To which she dumbly nodded her head. A moment later, her father spoke again. "You won't be," he declared.
"What?" Elissa whipped her head to him, and instantly regretted it. Her father wore a furious expression on his face.
"You told me you were going to a party. You did not say you were going to a nightclub where you aren't old enough to be in," he started.
Elissa nervously swallowed.
"Especially a place where there's drinking. And don't you dare try and lie to me, because I smelled the alcohol on your breath!" He snapped at her, startling her.
"I didn't really lie," she protested. "I said I was going with Cleo to a party," she maintained.
"You lied to me then and you're lying to me now!" He snapped at her. His tone made Elissa shut up and listen.
Bruce grew pensive. "But what really gets me is that you lied to my face," he sneered at her. He sighed, taking a moment to calm down, while Elissa started to tear up. "You know, I have cut you a lot of slack. Lately, I'm starting to realize I coddled you too much. Maybe I wasn't as strict with you as I was with your brothers, and that's on me," he claimed.
Elissa wanted to say something, but she couldn't speak over the lump in her throat. Regret and shame drowning her voice as her father scolded her for her behavior.
"Phone and the fake ID now," he demanded.
A listless Elissa gave up her phone and the fake ID she used to get into the club.
Her father took it and examined the ID. "Where'd you get it?"
He saw Elissa struggle to answer, provoking him to snap at her. "Where?" he demanded more firmly, making her flinch in response.
"George Nicholas," she answered meekly.
"Where do you know him from?"
"School. He's Cleo's friend from US History," she uttered, her head bowed.
Bruce glared at his daughter, in disbelief at her poor judgement. "It goes without saying that you are grounded," he stated. "Get upstairs. We will discuss your punishment in detail tomorrow."
The dark-haired girl wordlessly nodded deeply ashamed.
As she started for the stairs, she heard her father's parting words. "I never expected this from you."
Tired of being berated, she snapped. "I'm sorry I'm not as perfect as you thought I was!"
"It's not about perfection," he retorted. "It's about trust. And right now, I don't trust you."
His words hurt her more than anything that had happened tonight. Tears welled up in her eyes, as she stomped up the stairs.
Bruce gave her a hard stare until she was out of sight. When she was gone, he shook his head in disappointment.
He supposed he should let Diana know what happened. Best to hear it from him immediately rather than later.
But he considered doing that tomorrow, right now he needed to call Barbara and let her open an investigation into the Canary Club.
Later in the week the two girls met at school, both sullen as their grounding was underway. "So, how grounded are you?" Cleo suddenly spoke, her tone faintly humorous.
Elissa gave a wry chuckle, "Until I graduate."
The dark-skinned girl released a wry chuckle as well. "Yeah. Same here."
The sullen Elissa stared at the table in front of her. "My dad made me call Dr. Thompkins to let her know that I can't work at the clinic," she sadly explained. She shifted her face deeper into her arms, "She was very disappointed with me. And I tried to apologize but she just said she needed to find a replacement volunteer," she grumbled. "No clinic, no phone, computer, or television unless it's for school and that's only if I'm being watched," she expressed regretfully.
"Yeah," Cleo nodded in her head in agreement.
The melancholic atmosphere was stifling to them. Add to the fact that George was suspended for selling fake IDs, not to mention Cleo wasn't allowed to hang out with him anymore on orders from her parents.
All in all, both girls were thoroughly reflecting on their poor decisions.
"What really hurts is the fact that my dad doesn't trust me anymore," she explained sullenly. She rested her head in her arms atop the table they were sitting at.
"Thanks." Cleo suddenly said. Elissa looked at her curiously. Seeing it, Cleo elaborated, "For getting me out of there before things got worse," the dark-skinned girl intoned with a small smile.
"Always," the dark-haired vowed matter-of-factly.
A silence consumed the girls as they reflected on their actions and punishments.
They just… they were stupid. Trying to grow up too fast and too loose with being an adult.
Wayne Manor
Graduation was only a few months away and Bruce wanted to speak with his daughter about what school she planned on going to.
So, he sat her down, things hadn't been that great between them as Elissa couldn't meet her father's eye after the Canary Club.
She sat crossed legged on the couch, a couch cushion in her lap, as her father sat next to her. She believed she was in trouble again, recalling how suddenly he sat her down and how quiet he was about why.
"I wanted to talk with you about where you plan to go to school," he suddenly spoke to her. He turned to face her, "Is medical school still what you want?"
"It is," the girl nodded readily. Tightening her grip on the pillow.
"Yale? John Hopkins?"
"I was thinking just going to Gotham University," she responded, a tad nervously. "It has a med program," she explained. She bit her lip nervously while her father gave her a dubious stare.
"But Gotham University doesn't have a comprehensive med program," her father retorted. "I told you your schooling will be paid for," he assured. He saw her wince and had a theory as to why.
"Not ready to leave the nest?"
Elissa seemed a bit meek towards his response.
"Or is it something else?" He was suspicious.
It took her a moment to gather her courage, she uttered. "I was thinking that GU was closer than Harvard. I could live on campus and visit on the weekends," apprehension in her voice. Her blue eyes staring at her father with worry.
It was then he knew why she wanted to be closer to home.
His and Alfred's health.
The latter now sported a cane just like his employer.
And the older man's health wasn't as great as his anymore. It didn't take a genius to see that Elissa was worried about them.
He exhaled, tapping his cane on the floor. "Elissa you can't put your life on hold for us," he expressed.
"I'm not," she quickly protested.
"You mentioned Harvard. I understand going to Gotham University and then going to Harvard for medical school," he surmised.
"Are you going to be gone forever?"
"No."
"You will be here for holidays?"
"Of course."
"Then go to the school that you want but do it for yourself. Alfred and I will be here, okay?" He gave her a reassuring smile, patting her leg.
His gesture made her smile a bit, yet she still had much on her mind.
Go to Gotham U finish there and then go to Harvard. She had her plan, her father's words helped make it easier for her to make her decision regarding her future.
She just hoped the two people she loved the most would still be here when she got back.
Wayne Manor
Weeks later, Elissa and Cleo were chatting on the couch, giggling to each other about the future. Graduation was only a few weeks away and both girls were eager to graduate and go to college. But the two girls were also chatting about what happened recently. Time had ebbed their parents' anger regarding their irresponsible behavior at the Canary Club and released them from their punishment, allowing them to go to prom.
Bruce was a bit more reluctant as he wanted his daughter to continue to reflect on her actions. However, he thought it unfair to punish her further by preventing her from going to prom, especially after some poor guy mustered the courage to ask her.
The billionaire considered how difficult it was for her to make friends when she was younger and how surprised yet excited, she was when this boy… he forgets his name asked her.
So he released her from punishment and allowed her to go.
Donna took her dress shopping, pictures were taken, and he made it clear he wanted his daughter home by midnight. And that was the last he wanted to hear about it. Nonetheless, he was praying this wasn't a Carrie thing by the bullies at school. He would have to call in Superman to haul her out of there before things got ugly.
"Do you think we'll be roomies?" Cleo enthusiastically asked.
The dark-haired girl could only shrug, "Who knows. But we'll still study together. We both want to be doctors."
"Oh my God, I can't believe we're going to college!" the dark-skinned girl squealed, causing Elissa to join in excitement.
Suddenly, Cleo had an impish look on her face. "By the way," her tone made Elissa curious. "How was your prom date?"
The debutante could feel her cheeks grow hot. "Okay," she looked away from her best friend in embarrassment.
"Really okay, considering how you were walking," Cleo uttered coyly.
Elissa whipped her head to her best friend, who was having trouble keeping a straight face. Elissa was agitated at her friend's pestering.
"Shut up," she hissed. "My dad still thinks I'm a virgin."
A broad smile formed on the dark-skinned girl's face, worried she would speak louder, Elissa covered her friend's mouth with her hand.
She glared at her friend, warning her not to test her.
Seeing that her friend finally relented on her teasing, Elissa removed her hand.
Sighing, the Wayne heiress pondered her prom night. Her date being a nice guy named Doug. He was sweet, a little quiet but who was she to judge considering everyone at school thought she was weird. Doug was her lab partner and had summoned the courage to ask her to prom. He was so nervous that she laughed a little, but quickly accepted as her reaction made him deflate, thinking she was rejecting her.
Doug was the perfect gentleman, and well… he didn't have any expectations about after prom. But she… she wanted to know what the fuss was about, and things lead from one thing to another.
She found it painful, like very painful, she almost cried. But after a while, it was good. Very good. When it was over, she could tell that Doug wanted to treat her right and start dating but, she was going to college, and he was going overseas.
So she gave him a kiss and let him down as gently as she could.
His disappointment was palpable, but he understood just as much as she did. Long-distance relations never worked, especially seeing as how they hadn't even had a proper date.
Both girls clammed up as Bruce was limping by. "Ladies," he greeted.
"Hey Dad." Elissa was panicking that he might have overheard them speak.
"Hello, Mr. Wayne."
"How are your folks, Cleo?"
"They're good. Mom's been in tears since I started packing," the girl told him.
The man chuckled lightly, "You will understand that someday," he mused and left the girls alone.
Washington D.C.
Things between Steve and Diana were deteriorating. Both had different desires for the future. Steve wanted kids; Diana didn't want to fail as a mother a second time. Soon, Steve's understanding faded and there were full blown arguments.
It got to the point where a decision had to be made—for themselves and each other.
"I'm not getting any younger, Diana." Steve reminded her.
Diana sat on a couch, while stood nearby. She was sullen as she realized the end was imminent.
"I understand, Steve. And I want you to pursue what you want," she assured him. She was always sincere with people, especially with those closest to her. "I…" she sobbed, unable to finish.
The aging blonde, crouch in front of her, taking her hands in his own. "I'm sorry, we couldn't make this work. But I can't wait for you, Angel. No matter how much I want to," he told her sadly.
She could only nod her head, silently. She feared she wouldn't be able to find the words to express how regretful she was for not being able to give him what he wanted.
They held each other for a while, until it was time to say goodbye.
Following the breakup, Diana stayed at the Hall of Justice until she found a suitable home for herself. Meanwhile, she and Bruce were talking again. Meeting over dinner, just to catch up or to talk about their daughter. They were civil, one could say they were getting back to who they were before they broke up.
Diana had mentioned needing someplace to stay when Bruce suggested, "Why don't you move into the manor?"
His suggestion left the woman flabbergasted. The fact that he would offer such a thing made her worry he saw more into them meeting up than what she was prepared for.
"There's an entire wing that I haven't set foot in in years. It's yours if you want it," he offered, causally. "Elissa's going to college, house will be a bit empty," he mentioned softly.
It was a kind gesture. And it would help her out until she found a place, and staying at the manor would give her more time with Elissa before she went off to college.
And she would be remiss not to admit that she did like the rapport that she and Bruce had found themselves in once more.
"Let me think about it," she proposed, her hand placing itself on his idle hand atop the dinner table at the restaurant they met at.
Her kind gesture made him smile slightly. "Take your time," he intoned.
Diana flashed him that dazzling smile towards him that gave him flashbacks of their life together. Better days.
She, too, had flashbacks of better days. And she felt hope that things were… getting better.
Did she dare… to give Bruce and herself and second chance?
It was time. Elissa's graduation was heavily underway. Her family was in attendance, her parents, Alfred, Dick, Tim, Jason, Aunt Donna. It was something to see as they rarely met outside of holidays and birthdays.
In the back of the auditorium, Damian, clad in a green and gold trimmed suit, observed his sister's graduation, a proud smile on his face.
"Elissa Wayne," the announcer called for her to receive her diploma.
Her family instantly gave her a mighty applause as she met with the principal and graciously accepted her diploma.
Damian watched as his sister collected her diploma before departing from the auditorium.
The graduate grinned at her achievement.
Camera flashes flickered taking photos of her accomplishment.
At her graduation dinner, Elissa was chatting with Donna and Dick, discussing what was next for her. Meanwhile, Bruce and Diana were silently chatting amongst themselves. And unconsciously, she smiled at something he said and took his hand in hers.
He gave her an affectionate squeeze and made her feel at ease and warm.
Wayne Manor
After graduation, Elissa was just buying her time until she went to GU in the fall. She was tidying up her bedroom, deciding what she chose to take with her and what she wanted to leave behind. Clothes, maybe some art supplies if the urge to paint struck her. On second thought, she would leave it.
Or take it.
Oh, she couldn't make up her mind.
She bemoaned the situation she found herself in.
She collapsed on her bed, her body slightly shaking until she stilled, ignoring some of the boxes she had already started to pack.
Rousing her from her woes, her father knocked on her ajar door.
"Yeah?" The upcoming college student intoned, sitting up.
Her father entered, "Got a minute?"
"Sure," the dark-haired girl replied, curious. Sitting up she watched her father pull up a chair from her desk and sit in front of her.
Patiently, he stared at her a bit before he began. "I see you're eager to go," he said with a hint of amusement in his voice.
His daughter couldn't fight the giddiness in her voice, a smile breaking out. "Yeah, I can't wait to go," she admitted earnestly.
The aging man cleared his throat, shifted in his seat, he felt uncomfortable, but he felt it was time to have this discussion once more.
"I wanted to speak with you before you go," he confessed.
"Okay. What?" His daughter innocently inquired.
The man tightened his grip on his cane, "I wanted to talk about your mother," he stated.
"What about her?" Elissa's inquired through suspicious narrow eyes.
"I wanted to convince you to mend your relationship with her," he admitted.
"Why?" She responded petulantly.
"Because she's your mother and she loves you." He sighed, pensively. "Elissa, we've had this conversation before," he reminded her. "I won't be here forever," he confessed. Unfortunately, it caused his daughter to appear like a deer in headlights, fearful of the morbid topic of his mortality.
"I… Dad, you said you're okay?" She inquired fearfully.
"I am," he reassured. "But that doesn't change the fact that it's time to bury the hatchet," he advised.
"Would you forgive anyone?" She presented the question to the wrong guy. The man that made it his mission in life to terrorize those that wronged him and all those that were innocent.
"You're being stubborn," he countered.
"Where do you think I get it from?" She huffed.
Weary from this evolving debate, Bruce spoke, "Elissa, she's your mother. You have punished her enough," he retorted. "Don't be childish and wait until you are my age and find that you've driven away everyone you cared about," he succinctly expressed.
His daughter merely listened, pondering her father's words. Before she could respond, her father stood and started to leave her room, "But it's your life, do what you wish," he gave her some parting words until she found herself all alone, his words chilling.
Indecision and stubbornness made her cling to the familiar feeling of her anger with her mother for abandoning her family. It was the only way for her to cope.
Days later, the summer heat being oppressive, making Elissa wear and black tank top and white shorts. She was walking down the grand staircase when the doorbell rang.
"I got it!" She shouted to the rest of the occupants of the house.
She opened the door and was surprised to see her mother standing there, a few bags in her hands.
Her mother was surprised, too. But a kind smile graced her beautiful features.
"Hello, Elissa," her mother greeted her warmly.
"Mom? What are you doing here?" She demanded.
Diana was confused by her daughter's confrontational reaction.
"Your father didn't tell you?" She blinked, perplexed.
"Tell me what?" The younger woman crossed her arms and shifted her weight onto one leg.
"Your father was kind enough to let me stay here until I can find another place to live," the Amazon explained, causing her daughter to stiffen in shock.
Elissa couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Some time had passed, and Diana roused her daughter from her stony fate. "Uh, do you mind if I come in?" She inquired politely.
"Uh, yeah." Elissa numbly stepped out of the way allowing her mother to enter stately Wayne Manor.
The Amazon took in the sight of the manor, as if nothing had changed, nostalgia hitting her as she instantly recalled the years she lived in this house.
No longer consumed with her nostalgia, Diana turned to her daughter, hoping the two could spend some time together before Elissa went off to college.
Disappointment drowned her hopefulness, realizing her daughter had slipped away.
"Miss Diana," Alfred warmly greeted her. A welcome greeting compared to her daughter's icy one.
A smile graced her face, glad someone was excited to see her.
"Hello, Alfred," she greeted him warmly.
"Allow me to take your bags," the butler hobbled to her aided by his cane and reached for her bags. However, the Amazon inched the bags out of his reach.
"Alfred, I am perfectly capable of carrying a few bags," she reminded him gently.
"I am afraid my profession forbids it, Miss Diana." The butler countered, with a tone of amusement.
The raven-haired woman chuckled yet kept her bags close. The two trekked through the house, leading Diana to her bedroom, while Alfred had already taken the liberty of preparing her old bedroom for her.
Meanwhile, Elissa raced to her father. Irritated that he invited her back after all these years.
She reached his study and found him going through his papers. "Dad!" She yelled at him angrily, provoking the man to look up from his papers.
"Why the hell would you allow mom to move back in?" she angrily demanded.
Her father maintained a stoic expression. "Do you want to repeat that question?" he scowled at her; his tone cold. He didn't like her rude tone at all.
Elissa instantly cooled her anger and repeated her question calmly. "Why is mom moving back in?"
"Because she needed a place to stay until she found a new place to live," he explained calmly. It slipped his mind about when Diana was coming, therefore, Elissa's was understandable but unacceptable.
He watched her struggle to let out her next words. This wasn't what he wanted to see by Diana's presence.
Eventually, she found her voice. "You and she aren't together again, are you?" His daughter questioned, suspiciously.
He never expected her to ask such a thing, but she deserved an answer. "No. No, we're not. I'm just helping her out," he confessed. "What does it matter?"
"I don't want her here," she hissed.
Her reaction surprised him.
"She always ends up hurting us," she expressed heatedly.
It was clear that Elissa was heavily thrown off by her mother's arrival.
"It's not permanent," he explained.
She paced and then whipped to him, vindictiveness radiating in her blue eyes.
"I want her gone," she demanded, which left her father taken aback by her demand. It became clear that Elissa could act like a hurtful bitch when she wanted to. Expressing just how much of her father was in her besides her mother's compassionate heart.
He paused, until recovering. He grew stern. "I will remind you that this is my house. Who I let stay here is not up to you,"
Elissa instantly regretted her demand. She was about to reply when her father cut her off. "Enough. She's staying here for the time being. Get over it."
Her father's stern words thoroughly chastised her and she left without a word. Unaware Bruce shaking his head in disappointment or what he was looking at.
The Last Will and Testament of Bruce Wayne
If she had seen it, Elissa could have understood her father's lack of patience for her antics.
In the following weeks, Elissa expected her mother to pester her about hanging out before she left for college, but she was surprised to realize her mother was giving her space. Apparently, she had gotten the message to leave her alone.
The daughter of Wonder Woman felt shame and regret for her actions but too prideful to muster the words.
Her father on the other hand forced them all to sit down for movie night.
The Mark of Zorro
Elissa had heard the stories about this movie. About how it was the last movie her father watched with his parents before they died. She briefly worried that it would hurt him, but her fears were banished as he told her it was just a movie. A movie he wanted her to enjoy before she left the nest.
Diana was sitting next to her quietly watching the film, oblivious to how anxious her daughter was, just waiting for her mother to pester her with options of them hanging out before she left but she didn't do that, shockingly.
All Diana had done since she moved in was have small conversations with her.
And during the movie, all her mother said to her was if she wanted some popcorn.
It really threw her off. Wondering what was she doing with this change in tactics?
When the movie ended, the girl had realized that it might have been a bit old for her tastes by she could see the parallels between Zorro and her father.
He was Gotham's Zorro.
And how was his service rewarded?
With contempt.
He didn't deserve the hate. He dedicated his life to the city, and they had forgotten that he was always on their side. She knew it wasn't about adulation or gratitude, but did they have to hate him for his struggles?
It just didn't seem right to her.
It was time.
She had finished packing her car up with everything that she was bringing. She slammed the trunk of her car with a loud thunk.
She exhaled, fixing her shirt that had rode up, meeting the proud gazes of her parents and grandfather.
She approached them, a hint of nervous energy around her.
"I guess this is it."
She said anxiously, biting her lip.
"Looks like it," Her father replied.
Alfred quickly took a photo of her, bringing a smile to her lips. He skillfully managed to disperse her nerves effortlessly.
"Good luck, my dear." The old man encouraged. They shared a smile and Elissa quickly hugged her grandfather.
"Thanks, grandpa." she said warmly. Hugging him tightly, his warmth a pleasant safe cocoon for her. She pulled away and went to her father. "See you at Thanksgiving?" She proposed.
"Or sooner," her father assured her. A small proud smile on his aging face. He hugged her goodbye, "Love you, baby girl." He said lowly, so only the two of them could hear.
"Love you too, Dad." she said affectionately.
When she pulled back, she turned to her mother. A pregnant pause between the two as so much needed to be said between them.
Sensing Elissa's reluctance, her mother sped their farewell along.
"Good luck, my daughter," she wished pleasantly and filled with pride.
"Thanks, Mom." The dark-haired intoned softly. She struggled to smile and started to go to her car. However, she paused, almost like she was being pulled back. She fought with herself to not let things end like this.
She hastily reached her mother and hugged her tightly, surprising her mother, but soon relished her daughter's embrace and returned it wholeheartedly and filled with all the love in her heart for her child.
Soon the warm embrace ended, and it was time for Elissa to go.
She slowly left her mother's embrace, facing her family.
"I better go," she stated.
She saw them nod in understanding.
"I'll call when I get there," she promised, knowing her father would want to know that she got there safely.
When she got into her car, starting the engine, she started to drive away, she yelled out her window. "Love you!" and waved goodbye.
In response, her family waved back. And watched the last one to leave the nest leave their sight heading toward her future with pride.
Each one in their own way molded Elissa into the girl that she was, but now it was time for her to mold herself into the woman that she will be.
NEXT: Lifeline
So, it is official, this story will end on chapter 49. Things will be picking up; this chapter was step one of Bruce and Diana getting back together. They can't fight the inevitable. News, I plan on taking the rest of December off, maybe finish outlining the last three chapters. It is my hope to end this story mid-January. Not set in stone, but that's my goal. Also, as the last chapters are posting I will be updating the poll I put up years ago, to see what people are most excited for me to work on. More to follow in the last chapters.
Anyway, once again, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!