how it all went down {batfam}

fifty-three

It was silent when he walked through the door. That was rare but the air in the house felt cold. Felt like there was a presence missing.

Bruce just got back from burying his only daughter. He hasn't shed a single tear. His wife was sobbing while holding their daughter. There wasn't a dry eye except Bruce's. God, it made him feel awful.

"Bruce...?" Selina asks as he watched him. He was hunched over his drawer, clenching it that the wood was starting to creek. "Bruce?"

"I'm going out." She took a deep breath.

"Can we please talk?"

He stayed silent. He turns and walks out, not saying a word. Immediately going to the basement.

That's when he finally let loose. He throws everything off his desk, anger consuming him. The fact he couldn't be there earlier. The fact she suffered for so long and never got to be happy. How he took it all from her.

He sat on the ground, finally letting it out. He screams as the tears run down, hoping no one would hear him. He doesn't show emotion. He doesn't break. But this girl... it broke him.

Grayson was there, watching the whole thing. He didn't say anything, he didn't move. But when he shifted, there was a slight noise. Bruce turned to him and swallowed thickly.

"H-How long have you been there?" Bruce says before getting up and wiping his face.

"Well I was working on my suit but this was way more interesting..." he says as he would look back down to stitch it up. "She's gone, Bruce... And sadly she won't come back. The best thing to do is be with Selina. Raise that child. Don't forget her but don't dwell. She wouldn't want that. Taylor and Eve will need support so that's on you..." he says as he looks back up.

"Thanks, Dick. I love you..." he says softly. Dick wasn't expecting those words from him. But he wasn't going to deny them either.

"I love you too..." he says softly.

~

Taylor was sitting on the porch, holding Eve. Alfred came out with some tea. He set it on the table and sat down with her.

"We'll take care of you..." he says softly as he looked at her. She hadn't stopped crying. Eyes swollen, cheeks red. It was hard on her and she was scared.

"The first time she tried to die was a nightmare... I remember that phone call where I ran over here and-and you were here! God it was like my whole world stopped." She looks at the young girl who played with the toys. "Then that night... I saw what happened. It is traumatizing. God I can't stop thinking about it..." she says before her voice cracks.

"Ms. Taylor, it won't be easy. You'll need to take days, maybe even weeks to recover... But you're in this family. And we will help you through it all." She looks to him and nodded slowly.

"She always loved you the most, Alfred. Her dad wasn't her favorite but she could always count on you. Without you I don't think she'd be alive today."

That struck something in him. He looked down and felt himself started to cry some more. Her hand extends out. He looked at it and accepts it, squeezing it slightly.

They sat in silence as it rained gently against the glass. Eve played, not knowing what had happened to her mother. It was going to be hard but thankfully she had the richest family in Gotham, perhaps the world, to help her out.

~

Jason usually would drink his problems away but instead he found himself, standing over her grave, making a vow.

"I miss you... Your witty remarks and stupid comments. God I wish it wasn't you. I wish it could've been me. God..."

He swallowed thickly before wiping his eyes.

"I know you expect me to go to a bar and give it a run for it's money but I won't. Not anymore. I won't do it. I'll be better for you. I'll make sure to do better. I won't get drunk every day. I'll make an honest living. You... God I miss you, sister..."

He got out his bottle and poured it out to the side, watching it pool in the grass

~

Damien wouldn't come out of his room. Bruce was getting anxious since it's been hours. He was a very reserved child but not like this. Duke and Drake were outside his room.

"Cmon Damien! You can't do this!" Drake says as he leans against the frame.

"At least knock if you're alive?" Duke says. A sad knock was heard before they nodded. "God when she left it was a mess... Now she's permanently gone. He won't take it well..."

"Well that's what therapy is for," Drake said as he looked up.

"How are you doing? You're the father to her kid... You've been inside— Never mind. But you seem fine?" he says a bit confused, wondering how he hasn't broke down yet.

"Well I broke down when we got home that night... I feel like I got it all out then. I screamed, I cried, even Stephanie came in and comforted me which is rare. Plus I thought she would be with the girls but apparently they wanted space. She needed someone..." he says thinking of that night. He swallowed thickly, shuffling his feet.

"Did you two...?" he raised a brow, leaning forward. Drake glanced to him before taking a deep breath. "Holy shit..."

The door swung open and Damien immediately says, "You had sex with Steph?"

"What the hell?" Drake turns to face him. "That's what it takes for you to open the door?"

"Don't avoid the question," Drake says folding his arms.

"Yes! Okay? We were both lonely and needed to feel something that wasn't sadness— And ew! Why am I explaining this to you?" he says a bit disgusted before walking off from the two.

"He's just making his way around them all, huh?" Duke says. Damien sighs and closes the door. Duke would look down the empty hallway and sigh, leaning back before walking off to god knows where.