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Isa clung tightly to Dick and Jason, her heart overflowing with joy. The rush of adrenaline still coursed through her veins, fueling her rambling about all the incredible things she had witnessed.
Her father, now out of the batsuit, watched the scene unfold with a gentle smile playing on his lips. He approached the pair, his presence a comforting anchor amidst their exuberance. Placing a hand on each of their heads, he gave them an affectionate pat.
"Good job today," he commended them, his voice brimming with pride.
Jason grinning at Bruce, shared a glance with Dick, their elation mirrored in their eyes. The young heroes then launched themselves at her father, their excitement barely contained. He caught them with a grunt, a testament to his enduring strength.
Dick's laughter bubbled up as he teasingly remarked, "You're growing old, B."
B playfully retorted, "Both of you are growing heavy."
Their playful banter continued, a testament to the deep bond they shared as a makeshift family. Isa giggled, her heart swelling with affection for the men.
"It's the muscles!" Isa chimed in, eager to defend their weight with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.
"And cookies!!" she added, her voice filled with infectious enthusiasm.
However, their joyful reunion was momentarily interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Alfred, the ever-watchful butler of Wayne Manor. His disapproving gaze fell upon Isa, his voice laced with gentle reproach.
"Miss Bella, what have I told you about having too many cookies?" Alfred inquired, his tone tinged with a mix of concern and exasperation.
Isa's eyes widened in surprise, a sheepish smile crossing her face. She swiftly disengaged from her father's embrace.
"Um... nothing?" she called back, her voice tinged with innocence as she darted out of earshot.
19-9-XXX4
In their free time, the brothers would playfully engage in a game of dress-up, allowing Isabella to don their iconic cowls and capes. She would imitate their deep, gravelly voices, exclaiming, "I am Batman!" The sight of their little sister taking on their personas brought laughter and warmth to their hearts.
Marinette and Jason used to spend every free afternoon they had in the kitchen. With Alfred's supervision, of course. They took up their own corner of the large kitchen and experimented with their cooking. Sure, they were occasionally banned but unlike Bruce, who was banned for the rest of his life, it was only for a month at most.
A fact which they teased him mercilessly about. Babs joined too when Marinette told her, and once Babs knew so did Dick. Their accomplishments in the kitchen were thus immortalised, along with Bruce's failure, but that's less important.
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Isa listened as her father drifted to his memories of when he ventured the world. Of how he met her mother. (That was the first time he actually talked about her to Isa.) Of how he met Isa...as an infant.
How Bruce kept making mistake after mistake, wanting to give up various times as he found himself lost. How he thought he wasn't enough to help raise Isa, that he wasn't fit for the job.
How he found his efforts finally being rewarded in the shape of Isa growing into the girl she was now. For Dick finally being able to flourish despite his parents' death. How Jason was able to have a better life once Bruce took him in.
"Where did I go wrong?" Bruce asked, looking out the window. "What did I do that caused-"
"You did nothing wrong." Isa reassured. "You did nothing wrong Dad. If anything, you always did your best to make sure we were fed, clothed...safe. We couldn't have asked for a better father."
Isa sat there in silence for what seemed like minutes before Bruce looked at her.
"But clearly, that wasn't enough." Bruce said, getting up from his seat. "I'm sending you to Paris."
"Wha-what?" Isa sputtered out, rising from her seat, cushions tumbled to the floor.
"I'll have all the necessary arrangements done by the end of this month, no, week." Bruce said, searching his desk for some papers.
"Dad, what are-"
"You'll be living with Tom and Sabine Dupain-Cheng-"
"What do you-"
"I'll also have to do the necessary paperwork for you to attend a school in Paris-"
"But I don't need to move to be safe. I'm perfectly-" Isa argued, standing in front of his desk, the Batman plushie in her hand.
"If I thought you were safe here, I wouldn't have you-"
"I don't want to-" Isa cut off again, trying to get her feelings across to her father.
"You're going to go to Paris where it's safe. Where no villain nor enemy will find you." Bruce stated, almost glaring at Isa.
"I. Don't. Want. To." Isa gritted, feeling her hand tightly squeeze the plushie in her hand. She just started to do well again. She finally had someone to talk to at school, even if Babs was years older than her.
"This isn't up for discussion, Isa." Bruce glared, his eyes narrowed. "You're going to Paris where it's safe, whether you like it or not. Am I clear?"
Isa felt herself shake, hating that she held no power to go against her own father. Isa looked at the Batman in her hand, scowling as she looked at it. Without a second thought, Isa ripped it in half and threw it to the floor. "Why the hell did I ever idolise you?" Isa growled, marching out of the study, ignoring her father's yells for her to come back.
She almost slammed the doors into Dick's face, but even when he asked her what happened, she simply glared at him with unshed tears before picking up her pace.
She shut her room door closed as she walked to her bed, or at least attempted to. Just two steps away from it, she collapsed to the floor, grasping the rug underneath her as she let her tears escape.
She let herself scream into the void that was her room.
Isa looked at the boxes surrounding her and then at the empty room before her, feeling her panic rising as she started at the brightly lit attic.
She couldn't say goodbye to Dick...nor Wally...or Barbara.
Even as she kept locked within her room that week, her mode of communicating with Dick was also cut off.
She was made to leave the manor without a word that Friday morning, to board the jet without a word and be sent off without anything more than a hug from Alfred.
Her father had told her that she would keep doing her class work remotely, seeing as it was the last semester of the school year and there was no point in making her completely withdraw.
But come the next school year, she would be a student at College Francoise Dupont, the school across the street from where she and the Dupain-Chengs would reside.
She knew her father was hurting, but this? This was too much.
She headed up the skylight, thinking fresh air would help to calm her down, but was proved wrong when she saw the blue sky.
How the hell was this supposed to feel like home when it felt nothing like Gotham?
Where were the gray skies? The arcs and cobblestone that hid malicious secrets? Where were the gargoyles that followed her every move? Her home?
Isa went back down, looking at the place she had to call her room. The tall ceiling loomed over her, as if laughing at her.
"How are you doing, Isabella?" Tom asked her in French, Isa turning ever so slightly to look at the baker. Right, how did she forget?
"Doing alright?" Sabine asked, holding their daughter in her arms. She really forgot about her too, didn't she?
Isa looked at the couple, letting a smile form on her lips.
"I'm doing alright, Papa, Maman. If anything, just taking in the view." Isa lied through her teeth.
That's right. She couldn't make any trouble for her host parents.
"Well, if you need anything," Tom started.
"We will be right downstairs." Sabine finished.
With that, the two went down the stairs, leaving Isa to unpack her things.
So this was her new life.
As she unpacked her things, she found Jason's old journal with a worn out bookmark in her hands. She watched as her tears hit the surface of the journal.
"Jason...just what am I supposed to do?"
Dick couldn't take it anymore, hell, he wanted to do this when he first heard about Isa leaving the country against her will. Of course, he couldn't do anything when Alfred practically threatened him if Dick ever did what he was currently doing.
Barging into Bruce's study, Dick didn't care if Bruce was in the middle of a phone call. Ending the call, Dick made Bruce look at him.
"What the hell made you think sending Isa by herself to Paris was a good idea?" Dick growled, hating that Bruce remained indifferent.
With a sigh, Bruce set down the phone.
"She's not alone. She's with Tom and Sabine Dupain-Cheng. They'll take good care of her."
"That isn't the point here Bruce! You've literally sent Isa across the Atlantic, away from all the people she knew as family, just because it would give you a peace of mind?"
"It was necessary."
"It was extreme, even for you!" Dick gritted. "Isa needs us to be by her side, not across an ocean, all by herself!"
"If that's what you came here to talk about, I suggest you leave. I have an important call to-"
"Fine! Be that way! Dick yelled, slamming the door behind as he left the study.
He couldn't believe it. He really couldn't.
Sending Isa to a place she didn't know, a place where she would have trouble with adjusting to all on her own?
How could Bruce do this to her?