stranger things | dick grayson

thirty seven

word count: 2.6k

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Silence was the celebration after Bruce stopped the trial before it even happened. Silence was the car ride back to Wayne Manor. Silence was watching the official formal public apology from the GCPD on the small screen in the back of the car. Eleanor refused to even look in Bruce's direction, for she was still in shock, still trying to wrap her head around the news.

When she stepped through the front door of the Manor, she was met with Jason wearing a confused look. She was battered and bruised, and not sporting her usual attire, and on top of it all, not in San Fransisco.

'Eleanor? Bruce called and said you were... What's wrong?' He asked as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders firmly. She was so relieved to see him.

'Just glad to be back home,' she muttered and let go of him after he returned the hug, however brief it was.

Bruce placed his hand on her shoulder but only sighed as she pulled away from him.

'What the fuck is going on?' Jason asked as Eleanor let herself in through the halls and dragged her bag along with her.

'Nothing, to worry yourself about' Bruce said with a flashy smile. 'I have to go back to San Francisco for a short while, then I'll stop by the tower and bring Zoe back with me.' He stared at Eleanor, who had stopped in her tracks, ignoring everything he was saying.

He sighed and gave Jason a tight smile before climbing back into the car. Jason shut the front door and walked over to Eleanor, firmly placing his feet in front of her and dipping his head to get her to look him in the eyes.

'What's going on?' He asked, watching as she advertised her gaze downwards again. 'Eleanor?'

'Everything is catching up to me, Jason... And, I'm scared,' she murmured sheepishly through watery eyes as Jason swore and wrapped his arm around her shoulders tightly.

'Shit, Eleanor... Do the others know you're here?'

'No. Please don't tell them, I just need some time away from everything, okay?'

'Okay... Yeah, okay.'

+

Seconds before Bruce could enter the elevator with Zoe, with one hand holding her suitcase and the other placed on her shoulder, someone shouted his name.

'Bruce! Where the hell is Eleanor?' Dick asked with Connor and Gar by his side, all three wearing looks of concern as they hastily approached the lift.

Bruce sighed as Zoe entered the elevator alone before he turned around. 

'She's back home in Gotham. She didn't want to come back for a while,' he said and caused Dick to scoff. 'She's recovering at the moment.'

'Bullshit. Where is she?' He asked again. 'She wouldn't leave Zoe, or Gar and Connor.'

'That's why Zoe's coming with me, back to Gotham. Eleanor is going through something right now.'

'Yeah, no fucking shit, which is why she needs to be here, with her family.'

'She is with family. There's a reason behind this, so don't question it because it's been a long three days and you're really pushing my buttons right now, son.' Bruce warned with a tilt of the head.

'What? What the fuck is that supposed to mean? What did you say to her?'

'I said nothing to her.'

'Bullshit, you always do! You know how to get inside people's heads and fuck with them, Bruce, you've always done it!'