I read the comments of the last chapter and my god did I smiled afterwards. You guys are so damn sweet! Low-key happy I was able to make people cry, that means I'm doing something right lol.
The sound of sirens could be heard and people yelling. There was a smell of smoke and burning materials. "Bats get up",Bruce heard a voice. "Come on man wake up",someone nudged him. Bruce slowly opened his eyes.
Tim and Jason were looking down at him. They seemed to in a bit of a frenzy.
Bruce groaned. "You okay?",Tim asked. Bruce got up and looked in front of him. He rubbed his head and then realised what was going on. "No...",he said looking at a raging fire that was once concert hall. The firefighters were trying to put out the blaze.
"It was like this when we got here",Jason sighed sadly. "No survivors",Tim added quietly.
Bruce looked at him. "None at all?",Bruce didn't want to believe it.
Tim shook his head. "Poor kid",red hood scratched the back of his head. Tim looked away and his face crunched up as if was about to cry and he walked away from Jason and Bruce.
Bruce and Jason looked at Tim and then at each other. "Lets go home",bruce announced. They helped Bruce to get up on his feet.
The ride home was awful. The quietness was the worst part. Jason rode with Bruce and Tim since he had sacrificed his bike earlier that evening.
Finally Bruce broke the silence, "how am I meant to break this to them?",Bruce asked. "You'd just better hope Damian is still alive to break it to him",Jason added. Tim said nothing.
They drove into the cave. Nightwing was walking in circles nervously. Alfred was still in surgery with Damian and dick was waiting for Alfred to come out.
Cassandra was sitting quietly. The boys got out of the bat mobile. "Bruce! You're back!",dick came over to him. The three looked at each other. He didn't know. "Where's Elena? Is she okay?",dick asked.
Bruce just shook his head and Tim and Jason just looked at each other. Dick picked up on what they were saying. "Christ..",dick said as his eyes widened and he walked away from them. He rubbed his hand through his hair.
Cassandra had seen this, she jumped down from where she was sitting. "Elena?!",she begged. "She's gone Cass",Bruce said sadly. He watched Cassandra's face change. "I..no..I meant to watch..",she couldn't get out any proper words. "Cassandra..",Bruce tried to get close to her. "She dead...I watch her...I failed you..failed Elena",she started crying. "You didn't fail anyone",Bruce felt horrible.
Cassandra backed away. "I failed Damian..he loved her..he told me himself..he don't love a lot...I bring dishonour to you",she said crying. "You did no such thing",Bruce exclaimed.
Before he could get to her she ran off. "I leave now",she said and she disappeared.
Bruce tried to go after her but Jason stopped him. "She needs time Bruce.",he said.
Soon Alfred came out of the med bay. Bruce quickly walked up to him. "How's Damian?",Bruce said worriedly. "Stable, he's very lucky.",Alfred answered quietly. Bruce was relieved to hear that. "Where's ms. Elena? I'm sure she needs medical attention?",Alfred said looking around.
"Alfred..",Bruce sighed. Alfred looked at him. "She didn't make it..",Bruce hated saying it. Alfred's face dropped and Alfred just stared at Bruce.
"What am I meant to tell young Sam?",he said weakly. Bruce had forgotten all about Sam. Alfred held his head up high he was trying not to cry. "The poor girl",he said and he covered his eyes with his hand.
Dick put his arm around Alfred.
"What about a Lazarus pit? That brought me and Damian back!",Jason asked. Bruce looked at Jason. "There's none left. The one we used to save Damian was destroyed.",Bruce announced.
There were no Lazarus pits.
Jason and dick stayed in the cave with Damian. The others headed upstairs
The two stayed by his bedside. Dick held Damian's hand. "I'm so sorry buddy",dick said sadly. Damian lay there unconscious with his side bandaged up. Jason and dick did not want to see Stephanie's face when they told her.
Stephanie was staring into the huge blazing fire in the main living room. Sam had fallen asleep on the couch and Stephanie had put a blanket over him. Alfred, Tim and Bruce came in slowly.
"Shhh",she put her index finger to her lips and pointed at Sam. They all looked at Sam. Sam was asleep on the couch holding his batman plushie tightly. "I'll take him to bed",Bruce decided. He gently picked up the 4 year old. This wasn't his style.
Bruce and Sam left the room leaving only Alfred and Tim. There was no way in hell Alfred was going to be able to break it to Stephanie. "Steph I need to tell you something",Tim said, his voice shook.
"How's Elena?",Stephanie said eagerly. "About that..",Tim sighed. "Oh god..is she okay? How bad is she? ",Stephanie asked worriedly. "Stephanie..She died",Tim said and he took Stephanie's hand.
Stephanie shook her head and snapped her hand from Tim. "You're lying", she stated. "Steph I'm-",Tim knew this was not going to end well. "You're lying! No you're lying!",she yelled. "I'm afraid he's not ms. Stephanie.",Alfred hated this. She looked at Tim and she completely broke down. "No no no!",she cried.
"I'm so sorry Stephanie",Tim said sadly. Stephanie came off her wheelchair and to Tim's arms. She cried loudly. "This wasn't meant to happen",she said crying into Tim's shoulder. Alfred sat down on the couch and closed his eyes he was to old for this.
Stephanie's cry could be heard throughout the manor. Bruce could hear it as he lay Sam down in his bed. He tucked Sam in. Sam slightly shivered from the cold of the bed but then calmed himself. Bruce didn't know what was going to happen tomorrow morning after the full story broke. But he knew one thing.
Sam would be taken away be social services by the afternoon. Bruce wasn't going to let that happen. Bruce didn't even hesitate on what he was thanking. He slowly closed the door of the room and left the light on for Sam.
"Alfred..",Bruce came into the living room. Alfred cleared his throat and and got off the couch and stood up straight. "Yes master Bruce?",he asked. "Get me those foster papers and if the adoption papers are available get them too.",Bruce announced.
"Master Bruce are you-",Alfred was taken back by this. "Yes.",Bruce finished the sentence for him.
Tim had left with Stephanie. Bruce didn't know where he had taken her but he could still hear her.
The only person who slept that night was Sam.
The next morning Bruce watched Vicky vale inform the world of last nights disasters and how the joker was responsible.
"It is known that two people have died in the incident, many are badly injured. The two dead have been named as Lola franklin and Elena smith. Ms. Franklin is said to have been behind this and had held Elena smith hostage as seen in the footage that was broadcasted to every corner of Gotham. New information has now confirmed that there was two bombs in last night attack. Elena smith was able to disarm the one remotely while hostage that was planted under the west side of Gotham. But was unable to disarm the one that is believed to be located beside her therefore leaving no evidence of her. But anonymous witnesses have confirmed she was there.
Elena's parents have also disappeared and her younger brother Samuel smith junior. People are beginning to worry if the jokers plan is still active. Bruce Wayne CEO of Wayne enterprise is said to make his remark today on last nights events and give condolences to the smiths as it has been rumoured that Elena smith was in a relationship with Bruce's youngest son ,Damian Wayne"
"Once again Gothams dark side seems to take the good people away once again
Our thoughts go out to Elena's relations at this time from me and everyone in the studio"
A picture of Elena and Damian together appeared on the to screen and footage from the charity event of the two walking the red carpet together.
Poison ivy was sitting in her hammock made of vines watching the TV and sat up when she saw the picture of Elena. She remembered her. "Joker..",ivy growled. She was furious, not many people respected plants like she did and Elena had showed potential and kindness towards ivy.
Bruce turned the tv off. He sighed sadly and turned around. Dick, Jason, Tim and Stephanie sat at the table. Dick staring at his cup of untouched coffee. Jason swirling the spoon around in his untouched sugary cereal. Tim sat with nothing in front of him. Stephanie sat with a glass of water in front of her and her eyes were swollen from all the crying she had done. They were all in complete silence.
Alfred appeared with two suits for Bruce.
One had a black tie and was completely black and the other was a very very very very dark grey with no tie. Other than that they were the same. "Which one?",Alfred asked. "Black on black",Bruce answered.
"Of course", Alfred sighed.
Bruce was going live in five minutes. The cameras from every news station on this side of America were setup at his front door like always when he was going to announce something but Bruce was in the cave sitting beside unconscious Damian.
"I should have been faster"
"I should have put her on a plane months ago"
"You would been mad but at least she would be alive"
"I just loved how happy you were and that's all I want is for you to find happiness Damian"
Bruce just looked at Damian for some reason he wanted a reaction even though he knew Damian couldn't hear him.
"What have I done?",Bruce grabbed Damian's hand tightly.
"Master Bruce they're waiting for you", Alfred appeared. "I'm coming",Bruce said quietly and pulled him self together.
Luckily Sam wasn't awake yet.
Bruce walked to the front doors. Alfred stood in the hallway. The manor was completely silent. Bruce looked back at Alfred and Alfred looked away sadly.
Bruce took a deep breath and opened the doors. The flashing began. Bruce stood in front of the microphones. Everyone went quiet.
"Morning everyone, I would say good morning but it really isn't one. Last night we once again witnessed yet another attack from the joker. This time taking a young ,intelligent ,beautiful girl. Elena smith. I knew her well. She was a close family friend. I'm also aware that Ms. Lola franklin the daughter of my former colleague was also killed but she had been threatening Elena for many months now and seems to be the cause of this. I speak on behalf of Elena's family. I'm happy to inform you that Elena's parents are safe, but you will not be hearing from them again. That's all I'm allowed say for the moment.",Bruce said and the reporters were completely attentive.
"Next, I need to clean up these pointless rumours. I'm afraid Sam, Elena's younger brother was unable to join his parents. The situation has been poorly handled. I'm quite aware of that and I've done everything in my power to try and fix it but I've come to the best conclusion possible for the moment and if these arrangements need to become permanent for any reason I have no issue with it. I promised mr. Samuel smith I would take care of his kids as the man was dying as many knew. I failed him once. I won't fail him again. I understand what it's like to be alone and have no one. I had Alfred and now Sam has me. I'm going to foster Samuel smith jr and adopt the child if needed. The child is four, he needs a family more than ever right now. This is what Elena would want. I'll take questions now"
They started shouting. "Mr.wayne! Mr.wayne!",they yelled. Bruce picked a young man to speak. "Mr. Wayne I'm from the Gotham gazette, how close was Damian and Elena? Were they in some kind of relationship?"
"Yes. They were together and they were happy.",Bruce answered. "How's Damian taking all this?",the reporter asked. "Taking it in his stride, he's a tough boy, but he loved her so it's hard for him.",Bruce answered even though Damian was unconscious.
"Do you feel the police were poor at handling this situation?",a reporter asked. "The joker is unpredictable and always will be, even these so called heroes struggle to deal with him, the police did the best they can",Bruce defended them.
The next reporter. "I'm from the Gotham gossip, the song Elena recorded with Damian that you've been teasing, is that still going ahead?",she asked.
"No. I've cut it, I'm not releasing it anytime soon.",he said quickly and short. The reporters blew up. "Mr. Wayne! What do you mean by that?!?",they shouted. This was a complete surprise to everyone.
Everyone watched this live. Including Lois lane and Clark Kent in the daily planet. Lois was furious when she heard Bruce was withdrawing the song. "How dare he!",she shouted. "That song is all that is left of the girl! It's her legacy dammit",she yelled. "Lois calm down, things are rough for Bruce at the moment",Clark said nervously. She glared at him. Clark backed away slowly.
"Get that producer on the phone now jimmy",Lois commanded jimmy Olsen. "Lois what are you doing?",Clark asked. "What needs to be done",she said crossing her arms.
The reporters still shouted at him and practically begging him to answer a few more questions but Bruce was done.
And just in time too.
"Sam! Sam slow down please! Let me explain!",Alfred exclaimed. "I want my mom!",Sam cried and Bruce saw Sam running across the upstairs landing. "Sam I understand just stop running so fast you might fall please!",Alfred quickly followed. "A little help master Bruce!",Alfred pleaded tiredly. Bruce quickly ran up the stairs and followed Alfred. Sam was having none of this. "I want to go home! I want Elena!",Sam said crying as he searched for Elena.
"Elenaaaa! Elennna where are you?!?",he cried opening and closing doors as he cried. He was distraught. The 4 year old kicked and screamed for his mom, his dad and Elena.
He knew something was wrong. "I want Elena! I want my dad!",he cried. Alfred tried to pick Sam up put Sam kept pushing Alfred away. "Sam, stop for a second please",Bruce asked.
Sam ran into the room Elena had stayed in and got under the bed. Alfred and Bruce soon followed. "The child is completely distraught",Alfred said stressed out. "Where did he go?",Bruce said looking around. Suddenly Bruce heard Sam crying under the bed. Bruce sighed and kneeled down and looked under the bed. Sam lay on the dust carpet and looked at Bruce sadly. He had given up. "Sam..you wanna come out?",Bruce asked.
Sam's frown deepened as he pouted trying not to cry anymore then he already had and he shrugged his shoulders. "Why don't you come out and we can talk about this?",bruce asked. Sam sniffed and shook his head as if to say yes.
He got out from under the bed and Bruce picked him up and sat him on the bed. Alfred dusted Sam off. Bruce explained everything to the best of his ability. He said how Elena wasn't coming back she was too badly hurt and his parents had to leave but they still loved him. Sam tried his tears. "So you going to stay with us for awhile",Bruce looked at him.
"Elena said she wouldn't leave me",Sam said sadly. "She didn't have a choice",Bruce comforted him. "You don't have school today",Alfred added trying to cheer him up. Sam didn't seem to care.
Sam hopped off the bed. "Where's Damian?",Sam asked and he looked up at Bruce with big watery eyes. "He's sick",Bruce stated. "Can I see him?",he asked. "Yes, in a little while",Bruce promised.
"I'll have master Damian moved to his room",Alfred stated. Bruce nodded in agreement.
Alfred had the boys help him move Damian upstairs that day. Bruce took a league of absence from chairman until this all died down.
Sam stayed near Bruce for the day. Bruce started making funeral arrangements. Sam sat on his lap. Bruce didn't mind at all, the child was confused and traumatised, this was how he was dealing with it. Sam didn't say much, he just sat quietly and stared at what Bruce was doing, he couldn't read fully yet so sometimes he would try and sound out words. He could see Elena's name and a few other words.
Bruce sometimes asked Sam questions like "what was Elena's favourite colour?",Bruce asked things to help with the arrangements. Sam knew the answer to all of them. Sometimes Sam would come out with a random fact, mostly about Elena and his parents.
The justice league and the titans had found out and payed their respects to Bruce and his family, and hoped Damian would be okay.
The school, Gotham academy closed for the rest of the week. Chloe and Alex couldn't believe it.
The day for the song to be realised came and went by. It wasn't Bruce's priority. Damian was right now and he still hadn't woken up. Sam spent the first week talking to Damian. He was all he had left.
Sam would get up, get dressed and head to Damian's room and would hang around there for the day. He would draw and colour pictures of Elena and his parents and sometimes Damian and leave them beside Damian's bedside. "Yours are still better",he kept saying. He would practice the violin and always ask for Damian's opinion. Damian just lay unconscious. But Sam always acted like Damian had just answered and would say "yeah I still need to practice"
Alfred was worried Sam was spending to much time with Damian. But Bruce reassured Alfred that it was how Sam was coping with all this. Bruce refused to have the funeral until Damian was woken up.
Christmas was coming up and Alfred began decorating the manor. Bruce called of his annual Christmas ball which was going to raise money for the homeless people of Gotham and instead he just gave 5 million dollars to the cause.
Alfred got Sam to help put baubles on the gigantic tree. Sam asked for a few bits of decorations and he put them around Damian's bed. That night Bruce came in to check on Damian and found the place covered in fairy lights and tinsel.
Dick and the others spent there night searching for Cassandra who had disappeared ever since that horrible night. Stephanie was finally out of her wheelchair and wasn't well after the whole situation. Bruce had asked Sam what he wanted for Christmas. Sam said he wanted to see Elena and his parents again. But he also wanted a new violin.
It had been a week since the death of Elena. Sam was doing his daily sitting with Damian and had brought some toys to play with this time.
Bruce was downstairs with Alfred and the others were still in bed.
Damian could hear someone talking and plastic toys hitting off each other. He could feel an awful pain on the side of his stomach. He slowly opened his eyes. Everything was blurry. He could faintly see a figure at the side of his bed. It was small and the blonde head of hair stuck out. Damian coughed and it pained him to do so. The figure stopped what he was doing and looked at Damian.
"Damian? Are you awake?",he whispered. Damian's vision became clearer and the figure was Sam staring at him. "Sam?",Damian moaned tiredly. Sam gasped. "You are! I have to tell Bruce! I'll be back in a minute!",he said excited and he climbed off the bed and ran as fast as his little legs could carry him.
Damian was slightly confused why Sam was here. He looked around him and saw Christmas decorations all around him and lots of 4 year old drawings. He picked one up and looked at it. Damian looked at it and squinted. It was a picture of Sam holding Elena and Damian's hands. Suddenly memories came rushing into Damian's mind. Elena.
Last thing he remembered was she crying for him to wake up. 'Oh god she's gonna kill me',he thought to himself.
"Bruce ! Bruce ! Bruce ! Bruce!",Sam shouted and ran down the stairs. He ran past the Christmas tree and continued to the kitchen. Bruce had never heard Sam shouting so loud before, he thought something was wrong.
Sam ran around looking for Bruce and Bruce quickly came out from the gym. "Sam! What's wrong ?!?are you alright?!",Bruce spotted Sam in the middle of the hall. Sam ran over to Bruce. He was huffing. "You have to come quickly",he said grabbed Bruce's arm and started pulling and tugging at it. Obviously Bruce didn't move no matter how much Sam tugged at him. "Slow down Sam! What's the matter?",Bruce asked. "It's Damian!",Sam tried to explain. Bruce's face went serious. "What about him?",he asked. "He's awake!!!",Sam said jumping up and down.
Bruce's eyes widened and he picked Sam up and ran upstairs. He quickly came into Damian's room. Sam was right he was awake.
Damian was staring at the ceiling, he then turned to see Bruce and Sam then looked back at the ceiling. " morning",he said staring at ceiling and sighed painfully.
Bruce could see he was already in low spirits, he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to tell him."Sam why don't you go down and help Alfred and tell him not to come up, I need to talk with Damian alone",Bruce explained. Sam understood. "Bye Damian I hope you feel better!",Sam said and he left.
Bruce smiled at the innocents of Sam. His attention quickly turned to Damian who was trying to get up. "You are not going anywhere",Bruce went over to him and laid him back down. "No, I need to see her",Damian begged. Damian held his side where he had been impaled. "Last time this happened I wasn't around to feel how painful this is",Damian referenced the last time he had been impaled with a sword and killed.
"Stop you need rest",Bruce sat down beside the bed. "Not until I see if Elena's okay",he said trying to get again. "Damian stop.",Bruce looked at him. "Where is she? Please tell me she's okay? How bad were her injuries? If Sam's here does that mean she's here?",Damian bombarded Bruce with questions. "Damian..",Bruce didn't know how to start. "Oh god..how bad is she? Is she unconscious? Head injury?",Damian could see Bruce was struggling to tell himself something.
"I don't know how to tell you",Bruce really didn't. Damian looked at him confused. "Lola..she",Bruce tried to start. "Lola? What about her? Did you catch her?",Damian wondered why Lola was now the topic. "She's dead Damian", Bruce started there.
Damian looked at Bruce. "I didn't hit her that hard, I don't think so anyways, but I didn't mean to-",Damian thought he had killed her. "No you didn't kill her",Bruce reassured him. Damian sighed in relief. "She blew up",Bruce knew he was getting close. Damian looked even more confused. "How did that play out?",Damian was deeply confused. "There was two bombs, Elena was able to disarm one",Bruce explained. Damian smiled. "Course she was",he smirked.
Bruce looked at him sadly.
Damian picked up on it. "Father?",Damian had never seen him this sad. "She's gone, son.",he just said it. "Lola? Well if she blew up I'm pretty sure she's gone",Damian raised on eyebrow. Bruce just stared at him. He couldn't say it again, not while Damian was staring at him with Martha's big sad eyes.
Bruce's frown deepened when he saw the pictures Sam had drawn. He picked it up. Damian watched Bruce's movements.
Bruce studied the drawing. It was of Elena with angel wings and a halo on her head. Bruce's heart crushed. Damian saw the drawing too.
Bruce slowly looked up at Damian.
Damian finally coped on to what Bruce was trying to say. "I'm so sorry",Bruce said quietly.
Silence.
That's all that was in Damian's head utter empty silence. Not even a thought dared to past through his mind except that little whisper in the back of his head telling him that Elena was dead.
Bruce had never seen such a face on Damian. The realisation in his face was the worst part. Damian's slowly shook his head in shock and denial. "No...",Damian's breathing sped up. Bruce just stared sadly. "Please no",Damian said again shaking. "We did everything we could but Lola was gone too far she was prepared to do anything including kill ",Bruce looked away.
Damian felt his sensitive heart that Elena had healed shatter into millions of pieces. He did what he thought was impossible.
He felt his eyes water up. Bruce looked at Damian and saw for the first time ever, Damian was crying.
Bruce couldn't believe it. Damian completely broke down crying. Bruce had never heard or seen his cry before and it was even more sorrowful then Bruce had ever imagined.
"She can't be gone",he cried. Damian looked up at him begging for this to be a nightmare. Bruce pulled out his phone and pressed a play button.
It was a recording of Elena's voice over the coms that night. Damian listened carefully.
The recording kept breaking up.
" Damian better be okay"
"Tell him I love him and I always will"
"He's the best thing that's ever happened to me"
"Tell him I said happy birthday"
"Tell him I had a present for him it's on a memory stick, it's not finished though "
Damian could hear the fear in her voice, it ate him alive and tears poured from his eyes. He wanted to protect her but instead he failed her miserably. Bruce put his arms around him. "It's gonna be okay",Bruce stated quietly. Damian held tightly into Bruce. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't believe it.
Elena smith was dead.
Damian was in shock. He'd never been in shock before. He didn't speak to anyone. He didn't eat either. Alfred tried everything to try and communicate with Damian but Damian just lay there staring into nothing. The more anyone tried to speak to him the closer he got to crying. He'd even stopped taking to Bruce and dick.
Sam still hung around though. He still spoke to Damian even though Damian never responded.
Sam would sit swinging his legs on the chair beside Damian's bed, just talking about everything, Damian was the closest thing Sam had left to Elena. "I miss her too",Sam said. "But it's okay, we'll be okay",Sam smiled sadly. Damian's face crunched up and a tear fell from his eye. "Don't cry Damian,"Sam pouted and folded his arms and laid his head on his arms.
Damian turned and looked at Sam. Sam was smiling but he was also beginning to cry. "We'll be fine",Sam said and his eyes watered up. Damian took Sam's small hand and held it tightly and smiled.
That evening Bruce and Alfred went looking for Sam. He hadn't showed up all day and Alfred was now worried. But it didn't take them long to find Sam beside Damian. Both had fallen asleep and Damian still held Sam's hand tightly.
Alfred had to turn away. Bruce felt he had failed both of them. The men decided to leave the boys alone.
Damian was up and walking soon but he was slow on his feet.
Damian was quickly up and walking but still not talking.
(Pfft unintentional rhyme)
It was a miracle he was able to make it downstairs within 10 minutes.
They day before Damian's birthday was the funeral. They decided to hold the ceremony in the Wayne cemetery. Bruce told everyone it was just a good spot to hold it. But his main reason was so Damian would be able to actually go since it was so near.
It snowed heavily the night before but the morning was frosty but calm. That morning the boys got ready in black suits. Alfred had gotten one for Sam. He was cute. Stephanie who was also up and walking had gotten Sam ready as Alfred was under a lot of pressure with everything going on.
People started arriving. People from the school came representing the the academy including a few students, the headmaster, some teachers. Chloe and Alex arrived together. Jonathan, Clark and Lois showed up. Barry Allen, Iris west and Bart came. Dinah and Oliver queen came with Sandra. The press were surprised to hear that Oliver Queen there. The press were strictly forbidden so they watched as people drove into the manor from the gateway.
Diana prince showed up a little late. That wasn't her style. Selina Kyle and Kate Kane showed up. Barbara Gordon and Jim Gordon came. Starfire and beast boy came representing the titans but raven cloaked them so no one could see them as orange and green. There was quite a crowd. More then Bruce had expected.
Even though most of these people had never even met Elena, they were allies of Damian and they wanted to be there for him. Some like Jim Gordon came because she had saved Gotham.
Everyone was now waiting. Everyone was there but one.
Damian.
Sam was eagerly waiting for Damian. He was trying to behave, his mother had told him to be good when around grown ups. Some people hugged Sam and definitely shedded a tear or two when they saw how young and innocent Sam was. They acted as if Elena wasn't dead to try and comfort Sam, yet that only confused him. Sam wasn't stupid he knew well Elena was dead. But he was trying to be like batman. Brave. Although it wasn't working. He really wanted Damian to come.
Damian couldn't do it. He really couldn't. He stared at the suit laid out for him to put on then at Elena's phone which he had managed to hold on to. Bruce knocked on the door and came in. He seemed not surprised to see Damian still in his pyjamas.
"I think they're starting now",Bruce said quietly. Damian stayed quiet for a second. "What's the point? It's an empty coffin the whole thing is pointless",Damian's frown deepened. "It's to give some closure to this whole thing", Bruce sat down beside him.
Damian crossed his arms. Bruce sighed. "I've done this funeral thing too many times",he admitted. "I've done this for dick, Jason, Tim, Stephanie and even you",he added. "But yours was the worst",Bruce hated even thinking about it.
Damian looked at him surprised. "The others chose this life, they knew it could end them, but you, you weren't given that choice you were born and raised that way.",Bruce explained. "I remember we kept it quiet, we told no one, I was in denial. ",he sighed. "The less people who knew, the less people could remind me my son was dead",Bruce looked at him. "Don't make the same mistakes I did", Bruce told him. "Learn from them, get dressed and come down",Bruce nudged him.
Damian sucked it up. He'd never done that before because he never needed to do it. He slowly made his way done the stairs, not to his liking. Tim went to help him but Damian assured him he could do it. People watched as the crippled physically and mentally Damian struggled down a simple staircase. They thought it was pitiful. Sam was so happy to see Damian. He ran over to him and hugged him.
Damian was so sensitive it was as if bane had just squeezed him. Lois refused to speak to Bruce and Clark apologised in advanced for her behaviour, her reporter side had gotten the better of her. Bruce understood completely she was upset that a young girl had died.
Jonathan went over to Damian who was now sitting on the bottom of stairs with Sam. "Damian..",Jonathan said nervously. Damian looked up at him. "I'm so sorry about what happened.",Jonathan consoled him. Sam raised an eyebrow at this guy. He'd never met him before. Damian stood up staring at Jon coldly. Out of the blue Damian hugged Jonathan tightly. Jonathan was completely dumbfounded by this behaviour.
Damian let go and Jon could see the tears in Damian's eyes. "Thank you Kent",he tried to sound normal. Jon felt his stomach turn.
Jason, dick, Tim, Bruce and Alfred carried the empty coffin. It was only a symbol. There was no remains. That upset Damian even more. Damian and Sam walked behind it holding hands. Stephanie followed behind. She walked alone. Cassandra was still missing, she would have walked with Cassandra. Sam heard Stephanie crying softly behind them. He turned and saw her head down crying. Sam stopped and held out his small hand. Stephanie saw it and looked up at Sam surprised. Sam just stared at her. Damian turned back as well. He was to dazed out to have heard her crying. If he had heard her he would have done something.
Stephanie took Sam's hand and the three walked together. Everyone sat down. Words were shared. Alfred said something, Bruce said something, Tim said something, Stephanie tried to say something. Damian did not.
Sam had been good so far but was becoming slightly bored and cold and just plan tired. He started fidgeting as he was losing his attention span like every other 4 year old would at this point. He climbed his chair. He sat on the ground. He laid on the ground at one point.
Bruce obviously picked up on Sam's odd behaviour. Suddenly Sam couldn't take it. The people, the cold, the coffin, Sam had had enough. He started to get upset.
Dick picked him up off the ground and sat him on the chair again. But Sam started to cry. His cry broke the silence. Tim made funny faces to try and cheer him up and only ended up making Jason snigger. Alfred decided it was time for Sam to leave, this was too much for the boy to handle. He was about to get up when Bruce stood up instead.
He picked Sam up and told them he'd take of this. "Elena! I want Elena", Sam cried. "Shh Sam I know it's okay",Bruce tried to comfort. Everyone watched sadly as Bruce left as he tried to calm down Sam. They were surprised by Bruce's behaviour.
The justice league members hadn't seen this side of Bruce and felt deeply sorry for Sam. "Poor kid",Barry sighed.
Everyone gave their condolences as they left and said if they needed any help they would be there. The boys thanked them.
Stephanie heard a rustle in the trees and saw Cassandra sitting there. Someone said something to Stephanie and she looked away from Cassandra and when she looked back she was gone. Stephanie sighed sadly.
The snow was coming down heavy now. They came inside to the manor to find Sam curled up watching Steven universe and Bruce sat beside and had placed his coat over Sam.
((SPOILERS))
Sam was deeply engrossed in it. Meanwhile Bruce was slightly concerned for how deep this show was and was slightly worried about how relatable he was to the character of 'Steven' about the whole shattering/killing thing. "Huh",Bruce stated.
"I'm more of a adventure time kinda of a person",Jason stated. They all looked at Jason oddly. "What? It's good!",he defended.
Damian had disappeared again. "Well we won't be seeing Damian for about a century, he's gone back into hibernation.",dick said looking around noticing Damian had disappeared. "His birthday is hard enough as it is, now this just made it twice as worse",Tim stated.
Bruce realised this was his first time with Damian for his birthday. Usually he was away or busy. He realised that was bad. Definitely wasn't going to be getting father of the year anytime soon.
Damian closed the door of his room and slid down the door and sighed sadly. He stared at the unfinished painting of Elena which he had covered over with a white sheet.
He didn't think he was going to finish it.
His eye level was low. He wasn't use to this. Probably because he's never sat on the floor before. He could see under his desk, his wardrobe and his bed. He saw something white and small under his bed. He raised an eyebrow.
He walked over to his bed, crouched down and picked it up. It was a white memory stick.
Damian didn't remember having one of these in white. He studied it and turned it around.
'For Damian' was written on it.
He was surprised by this. He studied the hand writing, it was familiar. It was written in joint hand writing and Damian didn't know many people who wrote like that anymore. He was one of those people who did write like that. Tim had wrote in joint but his was practically scribbles. Alfred wrote like this but his slanted to the left this was slanted to the right. It could have Bruce's but Bruce always wrote his Fs weirdly and this wasn't his.
Only one way to find out. Damian decided he'd use that bat computer for this. He eventually made it down to the cave. The cave was empty for once. Titus had followed him down.
Damian sat in his father's chair and plugged the memory stick into the bat computer.
'Analysing foreign object', the AI said. "Computer scan object for information",Damian requested. 'Scanning.',the AI said. 'Scanning complete 3 files found',the AI told Damian. "What kind of files? ",Damian asked. "Video file, an audio file and a document about 2GBs altogether and both titled 'Damian's birthday'",the AI told Damian.
"What does my birthday have to do with any of this?",Damian asked frustrated. "Computer play video",Damian demanded. "Playing video",the AI said and the bat computers screens went black.
"Oookay this thing on?",Elena asked. Damian thought he was losing it. He didn't just hear what he thought he did. Elena fixed the camera. "Can you see me?",she asked and she appeared on the bat computer, she was in her school shirt and skirt and was in what he believed to be her bedroom, it's like she's just came in from school.
Damian couldn't believe it. She waved her hand in front of the camera to see if the camera was working. "Definitely going to have to crop this part out",she laughed nervously.
She smiled. "Happy birthday Damian!",she said happily. "You have no idea how hard it is to get something for the boy who has it all.",she sighed. Damian laughed sadly. "But you can't say I didn't try",she shrugged her shoulders. She sighed embarrassedly. "You're gonna think this is the most stupidest thing ever",she making pouting face nervously. "Just before I tell you what it is, I just wanna say that.. I love you Damian.",she smiled kindly. Damian's eyes teared up but he kept smiling. "And I know the whole Lola thing has us both on thin ice but hey I recorded this in November so maybe it's all over by now.? I don't know..I hope it is anyways",she looked away awkwardly.
She was right it was over but she was gone with it.
"I'm so sorry",she laughed. "I'm a sucker for thinking about the bad things all the time..that I almost forget about the good things, but you're the one thing I'm never gonna forget Damian, you're a good person Damian, don't let your past define you, you said it does, but it really doesn't, be the best Damian you can be! and hell if you ain't I'll be beside you to tell nag you about it",she smiled sweetly.
Damian didn't want the video to end.
"Okay enough chit chat I'm practically stalling at this point because I'm too awkward to tell you",she sighed. "There's going to be a document attached to this file. It's a music sheet. Yes, I composed a piece, I know I'm just as surprised as you are", she joked.
"And don't worry I transcribed the piece into violin notes for you, I'm still tweaking it but I have a piano recording of me playing to help you practice, but hey maybe we can play it together in real life",she laughed. Sam called Elena in the background of the video. "Elena come on! Dad made dinner!",he shouted from behind her door.
Elena sighed. "That's my cue",she smiled. "I'll see you soon Damian okay?",Elena gave her final smile and she turned off the camera.
Damian paused the video just before Elena turned the camera off. He put his hand on the screen. "Okay.",Damian said quietly.
Damian felt that was helpful, but he blamed himself for this, he should have saved her! He wasn't going to be able to let go.
That night it was snowing lightly. Sam was asleep. Dick and Jason were still looking for Cassandra. Tim and Stephanie were attempting to watch a Christmas movie. Damian was rewatching Elena's video for the 10th time in his room. Alfred was cleaning the kitchen. Bruce was in the bat cave working on his utility belt. It was around 10 at night. A coated figure stood in front of Elena's grave. The figure stared at it. They took their coat off.
It was poison ivy. "A gift for you",she said blowing seeds around her grave.
The flowers began to sprout, all around the grave. They were geraniums , the same type of flower, Elena had saved that day. These flowers only grew in mid summer on Hawaiian soil. Yet poison ivy made them grow in mid winter. They glowed. Poison ivy left leaving the flowers blooming.
The next morning Bruce decided to go out to the grave yard. He put on his coat and went outside. He went to his parents graves as he did normally and told them it was Damian's birthday and about Sam. He next went to Elena's grave. He was very confused to see tropical flowers growing around Elena's headstone in mid winter, but decided to leave them there.
Bruce came back inside and sat down at the breakfast table. Sam was sat opposite to him eating some cheerios. "Should I make a cake for Damian?",Alfred asked. Bruce thought for a second. "Maybe not",Bruce thought it might be pointless. "I'll think about it",Bruce said. Suddenly Bruce's phone began buzzing. Bruce raised an eyebrow, he picked up his phone and saw the person calling him was his secretary.
He answered. "What's wrong?",Bruce knew something had to be wrong. She said something. "What?",Bruce stood up furiously. "I said we weren't releasing it!",he said annoyed. "What you mean we didn't release it?!",he shouted
"Who?!?",Bruce asked. "Please tell me your kidding",he couldn't believe it. "No I'll deal with this"he sighed angrily.
He put his phone down. "Everything alright master Bruce?",Alfred asked. "The songs been leaked.",he said furious. "Oh dear",Alfred said surprised. "I have to run to the office before there's mutiny",Bruce wasn't sure if he had just joked or was that true.
Alfred decided he'd bring Sam along for the drive since he hadn't been out of the house since that night, he'd take him Christmas shopping while Bruce was busy in the Wayne tower. Bruce passed the rubble of the music concert it was glazed over with snow and police tape had cut it off, flowers, candles and other trinkets had been left there in honour of Elena. Bruce sighed sadly.
He could see the media waiting outside the tower for him. The security guards made a pathway for Bruce to get out. The media shouted at him and he saw protesters. Which was new. "Mr.wayne! Mr.wayne! You said you weren't realising the song?! What kind of mind tricks are you playing at?",a reporter asked.
Damian sat on his bed examining the music sheet Elena had given him. Tim ran in with a tablet in his hand. "Damian turn on the TV you wouldn't believe this!",he said slightly distressed. "Ever heard of knocking Drake?",he said blankly. "Just turn it on!!",Tim moaned.
Damian sighed. He really wasn't in the mood for Tim's foolishness. He turned on the TV.
"As a memorial to the late Elena smith who saved many Gotham civilians, the song she collaborated with Wayne enterprise and Kord records is rumoured to be leaked today on radio, the song was meant to debut last Friday but Mr. Wayne CEO of Wayne enterprise withdrew the song, as he said his family was 'grieving'. Many criticised mr. Wayne, calling him self centred for these actions, others like Oliver queen CEO of Queen industries stand with Bruce Wayne and said his son Damian Wayne needs 'breathing space', after everything that's happened.",Vicky Vale announced.
"Please tell me I'm in some kind of nightmare",Damian said sitting completely shocked. "We gotta find out who's gotten there hands on the song.",Tim said.
Bruce stood in his office trying to get through on the phone to the record label. But they kept declining the calls. Bruce was furious. He knew who was behind this.
Lois lane.
He rang Clark. It went straight to voicemail, Bruce knew it would Clark said he was in space today. He rang Lois, she didn't pick up. He rang again and again. He was left with no choice. He rang Jonathan. "Hello?",Jon answered the phone nervously. "Jon put your mother on the phone",Bruce said. "Oh-well she's",he knew it was Bruce. "Now Jon, I know she's with you.",bruce was trying to keep his cool.
"Mr.wayne?",Lois asked. "Lois what have you done? If this song is released there's going to be millions of dollars at stake here",Bruce said. "Don't start this with me Bruce,all you care about is money?!?, you were going to tuck that away too! Because that's what you do when you loose something!",she said annoyed. "This is none of your damn concern Lois",he said frustrated.
"The kid died because you couldn't save her! This is all that's left of her talent, her passion! And I won't allow you to do this",Lois explained. "That's for me and my family to decide!",Bruce yelled. "You? You have no control over her life! You're not her damn father",she yelled. "No but hell I'm the closest thing her brother Sam has to a father! If he hears that song, he's going to loose it, if Damian hears that song, I'll never see him happy again, Lois it's his birthday today please!",he tried to explain.
She paused for a moment. "Clark doesn't know I've done this",she said. "Please I'm begging you Lois don't do this",he said. "I'm sorry Bruce, but she didn't deserve to die, but it's too late to stop it, I didn't mean for this",she said and hung up.
"Dammit",he said and he threw his phone. "Mr.Wayne they're live",his secretary ran in. "Oh no they're not",Bruce said and he ran out to the IT room. "Stop that broadcast now!",he yelled. They all got on to their computers. "Tim stop that broadcast",Bruce said over a comm. "on it",Tim answered as he went through the bat computer.
Bruce was angry at Lois , she didn't understand the situation correctly. That was on him for not explaining everything fully.
But it was to late, the song went live.
The song played on every radio in Gotham and metropolis. The whole Wayne tower went silent as the song played. Bruce froze and listened. The streets of Gotham, everyone stopped and listened. It played in every car. Including the one Alfred and Sam were in. It played in the manor and it echoed. Damian and Tim froze. Stephanie was in the gym and she had stopped and listened. The media outside the tower listened
The song ended and everyone applauded and continued back to life. Sam began crying loudly in his car seat. Alfred wiped his own eyes as he tried to calm Sam down. The entire floor Bruce was on waited nervously for his reaction and he just went into his office and sat and looked out at Gotham. Tim turned to Damian. He waited for his reaction.
Damian had had enough. "I'm done",Damian said. "What?",Tim said nervous and confused. "I said I'm done",Damian said becoming angered and he clenched his fists. Tim stood in silence. "That's it! I done with this stupid, pathetic city! I'm sick of it!",he yelled.
Tim saw Damian had permanently snapped. "All it's done is take everything I love away from me! And ruins my life in every way possible! All I do is keep saving it, will I have given up with Gotham I'm done, I'm leaving",Damian said and he began to stormed off. "Leaving?!?", Tim didn't see that coming.
"I'll be gone be the time fathers home, tell him thank you for everything, he's done a wonderful job and I hope he enjoys Christmas, Sam is good child, one of not many, he shall keep him busy",Damian said gathering his gear trying to hold in his tears.
"Damian let's just talk about this",Tim was slightly worried about Damian. "Goodbye drake",Damian said and he stood back into the elevator bringing him up to the manor.
Tim freaked. "Jason, dick, Stephanie! Stop Damian he's trying to leave!",Tim didn't know what Elena's to say.
Damian took a red com from his utility belt that he'd picked up and put it in his ear. He looked at it once he turned it in there was no going back. He turned it on. "Mother? It's me. Send a plane. I'm leaving Gotham. I'm coming home",he said coldly.
Damian grabbed a bag in his room and started grabbing clothes and other items he felt he really wanted to take with him. "I thought you liked that song", a voice came from behind him. "Go away",he said and didn't turn.
"Ouch",she laughed. Damian stopped and turned Elena stood in her uniform. "Elena?",Damian couldn't believe it. "Hi Damian",she smiled. "You're alive?",he said as he walked up to her. He couldn't believe it. She was standing in front of him. He went to touch her.
But his hand went through her. Damian looked confused. "You're a ghost?",Damian didn't see that one coming.
Elena laughed"nah I'm all in you head, I'm part of your grief!",she smiled.
Damian felt what was left of his heart shatter. But he found this very strange. He wasn't use to going crazy. "I really need to leave Gotham",Damian said, he knew that seeing Elena like that was definitely not a good sign. He picked up Elena's phone and left his.
He took his violin and Elena's memory stick.
"Going on a trip?",Elena asked. "Yep, I'm leaving Gotham",Damian decided it may help if he just spoke to her. "What? Why? Gotham's your home!",she said. "Mother was right this city is pass the line of saving",Damian said and he opened his large balcony window. "What about your dad? Alfred? Sam? Dick?",Elena asked. "They're better off without me",he said sadly. He looked back and Elena was gone.
Damian heard a plane. That was his ride. He stood up on the railing of the balcony. Suddenly dick, Tim and Jason barged through his door. "DAMIAN! STOP!",they yelled.
Damian smiled. "Goodbye brothers.",he said sadly and fell backwards. "NO!",dick yelled.
A plane hovered to the height of the balcony. "No way..",Tim said.
Damian was on the top of the plane. Talia al ghul helped him up to his feet. "Good to see you my dearest son"she smiled glad to see Damian. She hugged him. Damian stared sadly at the life he had left behind as the plane left. Dick, Jason and Tim were speechless.
"Bruce is going to kill us.",Jason announced.
Clark returned that evening to Lois. He found her sitting in the kitchen with a cup of coffee. "Everything okay?",he asked. She looked at him. "I've done something terrible",she said sadly. Clark sat down beside her. "Lois..what happened?",Clark asked calmly. She was upset. "I had Bruce's song leaked to a radio station",she stated. "Lois...I told you to not get involved", Clark sighed. "That's not the worse part.",she said sadly.
"It pushed Damian over the edge.",she held her cup tightly. "What do you mean?",Clark asked. "Damian hasn't been well since Elena's death, the song finished him off completely, he's gone Clark",she said and a tear fell from her eye. "Gone?",Clark asked. "He relapsed Clark! He left Gotham this afternoon with his mother Talia, Bruce can't find him, he's freaking out and it's all my fault ",she said sadly. "When Jon heard what I had done, he was furious he's stormed out, he's gone to help Bruce",she explained. "Lois..",Clark didn't know what to say. "And it was his birthday today",she looked up at Clark.
"Lois what have you done?",Clark knew this was going send Bruce into chaos. "Lois I'm not meant to tell you but..",Clark looked away.
"Elena is..alive",Clark looked at her.
Okay some of you may be confused.
That's completely okay.
A lot just happened.