Book One - Part Two: Legacies

Chapter Two

Elena stays at her father's grave as everyone else leaves, the press first, businessmen and women second, Hal and Koriand'r after them having to get back to it. Clark, Kara and Diana next, Diana kissing Elena's cheek softly with a whisper of help if she needs it. Elena barely registers it, Diana understand how consuming grief can be. Arthur touches her arm and then walks away following the other members of the retired League. Victor slinks away without anyone noticing, as usual and Barry lingers a little before waving awkwardly and leaving too. Oliver and Dinah linger a little longer. They share a look with Alfred who nods, assuring them that he'll look after her; then they leave too. Those that remain are Dick, Barbara, Jim, Alfred, Pepper and Tony.....as well as Selina stood with her guards. Jim hugs Barbara and kisses her head before he then leaves with Pepper both promising to look in on Elena.

"Elena" Tony whispers touching her arm, she pulls away from him slightly, her emotions are clouding her mind and all she wants is to find a dark hole, preferably the bat cave, and just disappear from everything and everyone. "Why don't you come and stay with me?" he asks her. "Just for a few days" she glances to him, eyes lost and almost vacant; she's struggling with the death of her father, of course she is. It hurts him to see her like this. This is worse then seeing her in hospital, this is worse then listening to her get shot, this is so much worse, because he has no idea how to help her.

"No, thank you" she whispers back, voice think and heavy with her loss. She turns and walks away without another word, walking towards Dick who opens the car door for her. Alfred turns to Tony who blinks a little before looking down, his own emotions threatening to show.

"Forgive her rudeness" Alfred offers, Tony looks to him. "You have to understand how close they were...."

"I do" Tony argues. "Of course, I do" Tony adds whispering more to himself, he takes a steadying breath trying to steal himself slightly. Elena and Bruce shared a bond Tony is jealous of, because he and Howard never had a real father-son bond, not one he could be proud of, despite how similar Tony and Elena turned out, the path they took to get there is different, hers was filled with love and encouragement, and Tony's was not.

"She lost more then her father" Alfred reminds him. "She lost her home; her entire childhood was in that building, her teenage years....every part of her life has been touched by Wayne Manor....give her a few days to sleep" Tony nods and sighs watching the car drive away. "She knows you care" Alfred adds. "She knows you're here for her" Tony looks to him.

"Look after her" Tony asks of him. "I mean I know that you will...but..."

"I know" Alfred assures him. "And I will"

..................

Elena looks out of the window of the hotel room she's in, with the manor gone and the Glasshouse under construction she has no choice but to stay in a hotel. It's the penthouse, of course it is, the whole city behind her as she mourns, and the gifts behind her prove that. Organisations sending their condolences. Friends sending flowers and chocolates like it makes the hurt better. There is a black cat figurine on the side as well, Selina's gift. Elena can barely stand to look at it. The reminder that whilst her father, the best man she knew is dead, her mother, a criminal and stain gets to live. How is that fair? That that women gets to live but Bruce doesn't. The door to the suit opens and the bell boy David walks in carrying a potted plant. He glances around it to Elena who looks back over her shoulder at him.

"More flowers, Miss Wayne" the bell boy tells her setting the Corsage Orchid on the table by the door.

"Thank you, David" she offers warmly, he's been nothing but helpful and she will not burden him with her grief. She moves towards him and hands him his tip, he shakes his head.

"No need, Miss Wayne...I was hoping to talk to you actually, if you are free" he mumbles out, trying to come off as confident but Elena is an imposing and strong women and it intimidates him.

"What is it?" she asks him.

"I heard you were opening a staffed apartment unit" she nods.

"I am..." she agrees.

"I was wondering if there was an opportunity there for me" he whispers, suddenly unsure. She motions to the door behind him.

"Close the door and take a seat" she comments taking the note from the Corsage Orchid and moving to the couches, David closes the door and joins her, sitting across from her, he removes his hat and wrings it between his hands, nervous. "How long have you worked here?" she asks him.

"Since I was 15" he admits. "7 years now"

"And you've always been a bell boy?" she asks him, he nods. "No training? No promotion?" he shakes his head. She purses her lips, she knows some hotels work like this. She sighs a little and nods. "Construction on the apartment has been put on hold with my....father's death, I do plan on getting it started again soon" she crosses one leg over the other as she thinks. "How about I start you somewhere else?" she asks. "Build up your experience in time for the grand opening" he looks to her. "Call it paid work experience" she offers. "As you know my company has many branches....and this apartment complex will be housing young families, so you can start by taking some time at the Martha Wayne Foundation, working with the children at one of the orphanages...." she grabs her tablet from the table and opens it up to make notes. "Customer service is very important, as you will be one of the many faces of Wayne Enterprises, so I'll put you down for some time with Wayne Entertainment, you'll be placed with one of the public relations teams and they will teach you how to talk to clients and members of the public" he is kind of just staring at her now. "You already have 7 years under your belt" she looks to him. "And I'm sure you've learnt more then you believe you have....use it....." he nods. "When can you start?" she asks him leaning back.

"Whenever you want me to" he rushes out. She smiles at him, it's pained and strained with her grief, but she feels like she's doing something good.

"How about you stay here until construction on my home is finished? And I'll bring people to meet you, the people you'll be working with, we can plan out the rest of your training, and a.." she pauses thinking. "Five year plan...." she raises an eyebrow at him and he nods excited. "You are dismissed" she offers, he jumps up and flees the room, probably to call his mother. She shakes her head and looks to the card in her hand and then smiles a little reading the message. It's from Laurie Stark. She looks to the Corsage Orchid and snorts. A hint that she's still in Brazil, and the comment about love on the card is a nod to her being with Bruce Banner. Elena nods, at least she did something good, she reunited two lost lovers. She sighs a little and sets the card on the table, turning towards the window to watch it rain, New York crying with her grief. It's touching almost. The city she grew up in, the city her father protected is grieving too. She sniffles starting to get upset again. She glances to her phone as it rings on the table, purses her lips seeing Tony's name on it. She wants to have the strength to answer it. But if she does she'll break. She ignores it instead and closes her eyes letting a few tears roll down her cheek.