stranger things | dick grayson

fifty five

word count: 1.3k

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Eleanor laughed and put her hands on her hips as she shook her head from side to side. She couldn't believe the question she had just been asked.

'Not happening,' she said firmly. Bruce rolled his eyes. Stubborn.

'But, Eleanor!' Zoe whined and crossed her arms. 'You let me stay with him when you come back here! I didn't die. I'm still very much alive!'

'I'm not leaving you here in Gotham without me. I made your dad a promise I would get you away from here,' she said. 'I'm your Godmother, I'm the adult and I say you're coming with us.'

The Titans were finally heading back to San Fransisco and whilst the others packed their things away into their bags, Eleanor stood in the living room with a narrowed stare and folded arms, refusing to leave Zoe behind.

Bruce rolled his eyes and muttered, 'Liven up a little, Eleanora.'

'Stop influencing her,' Eleanor said and looked out the window of Wayne Manor. 'You're still only fourteen...'

'I'm fifteen in a few months.'

'My case rested.'

Zoe walked over to Eleanor and grabbed her hands firmly, pulling them away from her chest as she begged, 'Please can I stay? I really want to. I like my school here, I like my room, I like Bruce...'

'Thanks, Kid,' Bruce said and stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walked over to the two young girls. 'She'll be safe here. I haven't let anything bad happen to her yet have I?'

'Yet,' Eleanor grumbled and rolled her eyes. 'I- I don't know, Zoe. I'd feel a lot better if you were with me.'

'When do I ask for anything, ever?'

'Uh, like all the time.'

'Eleanor!'

She crossed her arms and stared at Zoe and Bruce, who stood side by side, Bruce's hand resting on her shoulders. Zoe was almost like her daughter, and to part with her would cause a great deal of pain and worry for Eleanor. But she couldn't deny the bond she shared with Bruce, and Zoe had already gone through so much with losing her father, who was she to deny her from forming another relationship to help ease the pain of the last one?

Eleanor groaned and ran her hands over her face. Zoe and Bruce winked at one another, knowing they had worn her down quickly.

'Is this what you really want?' She asked quietly, her arms dropping to her side. Zoe nodded quickly. Hesitantly, Eleanor muttered, 'You can stay with Bruce.'

Zoe jumped at Eleanor and wrapped her arms around her tightly.

'Thank you so much! I knew you were cool!'

'Gee, thanks. Now go help the others pack, I need to talk to Bruce, alone...' Eleanor said. Zoe nodded her head and spun around to give Bruce two thumbs up. Eleanor rolled her eyes with a small grin, watching Zoe run up the hall, calling for Gar to tell him the good news. 'Are you sure you can handle her?'

'She's much better behaved than Dick and Jason ever were, I think I'll be okay,' Bruce said, slowly walking closer to Eleanor as she folded her arms once again. 'You made the right call.'

'I hope so,' she admitted. 'I just want her to have a bit of normality. That means, if I find out you let her within even five feet of that Robin suit, or any suit for that matter, I'll rip your balls off, Bruce.'

He winced.

'You have my promise,' he said through a small laugh. 'No superhero stuff.'

'None. At all,' Eleanor said firmly. They fell into silence quickly, both avoiding each other's gaze. 'Thank you for agreeing to let her stay.'

'She's good company. Very witty. Very smart. Reminds me of you when you were younger. When you weren't plagued by so much grief,' Bruce said to her.

Eleanor smiled and said, 'I hope she stays that way.'

'It's what every parent wishes for their child.'

Surprising them both, Eleanor crossed the lounge room and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Without hesitation, Bruce returned the gesture. Her ran his hand over the back of her head, squeezed his eyes shut, and sighed.

'Is this okay?' She asked, closing her eyes.

'Yes. Thank you, Eleanor.'

'Thank you, Bruce.'

+

'He said ten o'clock.... He did say ten, right?' Kory asked impatiently as she looked to Eleanor for an answer.

'He said ten,' she confirmed with a nod of her hand. She tightened her grip on Zoe's legs and bounced a little to move her further up her back.

'He'll get here. Eventually,' Rachel muttered and crossed her arms. 'He always does.'

They stood in silence, all hanging around one of Bruce's jets waiting for Dick and Donna to arrive after Dick harassed them all the night before to remember what time to be at the airport.

'Hey, did someone order a bus?' Gar asked as they turned and watched the vehicle approach from across the tarmac. It honked loudly as it pulled up in front of the hanger and parked itself in front of the plane. As Dick exited through the doors with Donna, Gar asked, 'Hey, Dick, uh, what is that?'

'That's an RV.' He threw his thumb over his shoulder. 'I figured it'd be way more fun than taking Bruce's Jet.'

'Why would that be more fun?' Rachel and Eleanor asked at the same time. They looked at one another with small smiles.

'It's because Dicks scared of flying...' Eleanor whispered to her, causing her to laugh is disbelief.

'Road trip!' Gar laughed loudly and picked up his bag from the ground and raced on to the RV in excitement.

Rachel rolled her eyes and picked her backpack up, asking, 'Right, 'cause who would want to fly in the Bat jet?'

'Exactly!' Dick beamed, knowing he was getting under their skin. 'I got a great idea,' he said to Eleanor as she walked over to him and put Zoe down on the ground. 'Let's get the hell out of Gotham.'

Donna laughed from a short distance away and said, 'Love you guys, too.' She turned to TIm. 'For what it's worth, I think you would have made a pretty decent Robin.'

Eleanor nudged Dick and gestured to Tim. Dick nodded at her.

'You coming?' Dick asked him.

His jaw dropped open. 'Are you serious?' He asked.

'The question is, are you? You got some nice moves but you need proper training, if you're up for it?'

Tim laughed loudly and quickly hugged Donna before rushing to get inside the RV where his new friends were already tearing the place apart, looking at everything.

Eleanor looked down at Zoe and blinked away her misty vision.

'You sure you want to stay?' She asked quietly, putting her hands on either side of the girl's cheeks.

'It's what I want,' she said confidently with a nod.

Eleanor groaned and pulled the young girl into a tight hug.

'Okay. But you ring me if you need anything okay? I'll be there right away,' she promised Zoe. Zoe nodded and pulled away from her. 'I love you, alright?'

'I love you too,' she said before moving to hug Dick, who gladly accepted the gesture with a large smile. Zoe stepped back and looked at him with a squinted stare. 'You take care of her or I'll hurt you.'

Dick threw his hands up and said, 'You have my word.' As Zoe moved to stand next to Donna and Blackfire, he looked at Kory and Eleanor. 'Right. Destination San Francisco. Forty-four hours.'

'Forty-four hours?' Kory exclaimed in disgust.

'Yeah, I know,' Eleanor muttered, feeling the exact same way.

'Okay, fine. But I get to DJ,' Kory said with a wide smile.

'But first, one more stop...'

~