Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Expectations.

You’re supposed to expect certain things and most of the time they meet them, right? Especially, if you plan things out. Watch for certain variables and make all the right miniscule decisions that make it smoother for things to meet right where you want them to be. Most of the time it’s easy, like preparing for your morning in the evening… You expect it to lead to a smooth morning and an unruined mood. 

Then, sometimes it’s hard. The choices and decisions are more important. Bigger and drastic. The variables surrounding each one so much more deeper than laying out clothes for the next day.

Evie expected certain things from a Wayne Enterprises hiring fair. Like the crowds? Easy enough to handle, even in Gotham. Hell, she had just intended on walking out of the fair with a stupid job in the mailroom. The job itself wasn’t important, Evie was a jack of all trades and was willing to learn others if it meant she and her nephew wouldn’t starve, no, it was just the benefits of working for one of the largest companies born and raised in Gotham. She just needed a job with a good payrate and benefits so that the transition from Metropolis to Gotham for Ash, her nephew, was smoother than what both of their lives have been these past few years. Biting back a sigh, Evie followed the directions she was given when she had arrived at the fair.

A nametag with her name on it and a barcode for the scanners at security, whereupon she was directed to go past the wall of elevators and scan her card at the door at the end of the hall. Which turned out to be ANOTHER small wall of elevators. Though, to be fair by ‘wall’ is more like ‘two’ single door elevators. Ones with no floor buttons. 

Just a single one to signal that someone was in need of this very special and super secret spy elevator.

This is not what she had expected to be doing when she put in that ‘Requested. Not Required’ application on the WE’s site for the fair. It should have made her nervous. Hell, probably should be testing that new brand of deodrant she’s been using by how off the mark this all was. There was only two options on what was going on.

On one hand  she could be going to some really weird interview for a position that required a lot more security than she had ever anticipated. Evie almost cringed because this is what happens when you click way too many of the ‘What Positions Are You Interested In’ boxes. 

Or the other, in which her overly Gotham honed for the worst instincts are making her believe, she is going to be murdered. Which, in of itself, isn’t all that weird… It is Gotham, after all.

There wasn’t time for her to be concrete about which one it was before the heavy metal doors slid open and she was ushered out by a bossy, very professional, and old enough to be her mother woman. Who practically bullied Evie out of her her very expensive designer jacket.

It was an investment piece and it was waterproof, okay? Two things a reluctant young professional would want out of a jacket here in Gotham. Bullet and knife proof would be the ideal but, beggars can’t be choosers, now can they? She couldn’t, not now or for awhile actually.

Evie had opened her mouth to introduce herself to the other woman who was cradling her jacket in one arm and was cut off by her pointing in the direction in what seemed everything on this floor seemed to flow. 

“Miss Evelyn Henries. You’re on time. They’re waiting for you in the office at the other end of the floor. Just follow the light grey carpet there to your right.” Her voice was pleasant but, the tone said no arguing or commenting. 

Evie nodded. “Alright, but, uh, it’s just Evie.” She said with a small smile and a wave of a hand. 

The other woman looked at her for a moment and than shook her head. “I’m Grace and you should get moving.”

“Nice to meet you, Grace. Yeah, I guess I should. See you on the flip side!” She said trying her darnest not to let her voice carry in this large space.

She begun the long trek that the grey carpet led, assumingly, to the other end of the building. The space here wasn’t like anything she expected. Beautifully designed, definitely expected that. Everything so modern and contemporary with dashes of natural textures? Yeah, also kinda expected it all to be honest. Then, the view came into everything…

Wall windows? Window walls? Just glass just about everywhere after the elevators were out of sight. With Gotham stretched out beyond like in all those stupid postcards that no one ever buys because, honestly, Gotham doesn’t have a tourist problem to cater to. It was obsurdly beautiful the rare sunshine day in this blasted city bleaching the greys white and making the rare pop of green even more vibrant and eye catching. 

This city… This city was a shithole but, it was home and Evie, unashamedly, loved her shithole of a city. Even if it attempted to kill it’s citizens on the regular.

“Miss Henries?” Her name was called out by an undeniably English accent.

Evie started and head snapped to the end of the grey carpet where the source of her summons was standing amused. She had stopped walking to admire the view! 

She smiled sheepishly and did that weird fast walk and jog thing people do when crossing the street to hurry to offer her hand to the older man who had brought her back to the business at hand. 

The interview.

“Sorry about that! I, uh, don’t see views like that all that often. Uh, the ferris wheel during the summer fair at the waterfront doesn’t count. Evie… Evelyn Henries, yeah.” There was not a word for how easily her usually calm stomach now churned with nerves as this impossibly professional English man, that gave Evie airs of familiarity that she couldn’t quite pinpoint, watched her closely… Though, not unkindly. 

Something told her he was extremely kind but, this was an extremely professional situation that she was exceedingly failing at being professional in. Not like Evie exactly knew what that really truly meant in any capacity beyond not slouching and smiling politely.

“Alfred Pennyworth. Shall we?” He said smoothly and a lot more calmly than Evie was feeling by the moment. Mister Pennyworth shook her hand firmly and motioned for her to sit at what looked like a very formal tea set up. 

So, she did. In this incredibly, actually surprisingly, comfortable chair opposite of Mister Pennyworth. In the few moments that it took her host to pour her tea and situate himself, she got a good look around the large expansive, and expensive, office… For which she got a good start.

They weren’t alone.

The extremely stark handsome features of Bruce Wayne himself met her adventuring eyes. He stared her down and Evie didn’t blink. Yeah, she was nervous but, not scared of him. No, no one could make Evie scared of any man. Let alone Bruce Wayne. His power and money did little to impress her. 

Her mind quickly surmised that position Mister Pennyworth was interviewing her for was something directly to do with the Wayne of Wayne Enterprises himself. Only reason why she could figure they were holding it here and with him keeping an ever watchful eye on them, though she suspected moreso on her.

Attention was brought back to Mister Pennyworth when said older gentleman coughed gently with a knowing smile. Evie merely cracked a slight amused grin at her own distraction. She was going to pay attention to this interview even if it felt like the head boss-man was burning holes into the side of her skull. 

The interview proceeded like any other interview she’s ever done, albeit not many but, c’mon the question and answer portion of this day is the only ordinary thing to go on. They discussed her work experience, which was everywhere and all over the place because Evie liked to change jobs. Learn new skills but, mostly because a lot of work bored her or the more Gotham-esque reason: It was sketchy as all hell and it was better to beat it before a certain caped vigilantes stole your bones. Even landed on her unfinished degree at the least illustrious liberal arts school in Gotham, which circumstances made her leave. Not that she’d complain here and now. 

All the questions were pretty routine and Evie was honest, there was no reason not to be. There was nothing she truly needed to hide. Just circumstances that were best kept to herself until they were settled. Ones that usually illicted pity and those damnable ‘Aww, you poor thing’ cooing noises that almost had her retching around the last of her tea just thinking about it. She has had enough of that to last a lifetime. Little thought was given again to the fact that Bruce Wayne himself was sitting in on the interview.

Soon enough the interview was winding down and Mister Pennyworth was helping her to the door and giving the routine post-interview spiel when the deep voice of Wayne himself bounced off the walls, making them both still and turn their full attention to the man who seemed to not have moved a single muscle since she came in.

“Where exactly are your letters of recommendation, Miss Henries? Our records show that there’s at least four other employees of Wayne Enterprises that could and should have put one forward for you.” His voice cut through the silence and almost strangled her to remain silent.

Evie’s brow furrowed heavily over her brown eyes as she leveled, who could very well be her new boss if things go alright, her gaze on him. A sigh left her. 

“Then, the company’s records aren’t exactly as updated as they should be.” Evie did not like where this conversation was going but, she kept it as professional as she could.

She watched Mister Wayne lean towards her, elbows resting on the smooth surface of the expensive laquered wood, all she could manage was a raised brow. 

“How so?” Was his simple retort.

“Wha…” Evie was confused. How could they not know? She looked from Mister Pennyworth to Mister Wayne and just sighed. “Because, Mister Wayne, the dead can’t write recommendation letters.”

She shrugged with her palms out like it was obvious. Her barely contained grief sagged her shoulders and Evie was already exhausted like she hadn’t slept in seventy-two hours. Now, all that was on the menu was a bodega panini, a too hot shower, and a call to her nephew. But, she wasn’t done here and she was so very tired now… Didn’t exactly care anymore if she got the job or not, there was plenty of work to be had Gotham. Probably.

“Look, I can try and go to the cemetery and force one out but, I’m pretty sure the caretaker would attack me with a shovel. At least the Gotham Cemetery caretaker would… Don’t really know the Metropolis caretaker all that well…”

Evie drifted off in false thought and pointedly ignoring the dull burn of grief in the corner of her eyes. Crying only happened in the shower before bed, not out here in the open just because she was put on the spot. A heavy sigh left her and she shrugged her shoulders turning back towards Mister Pennyworth who was watching her with a concerned eye. 

She merely gave a soft smile and offered her hand again to shake and when he took it she spoke. “Well, it was nice meeting you both. A honor, truly.” They shook and once released Evie begun marching towards the door and exit. Only half turning around to look Mister Wayne right in the face. “It was a honor meeting you but, I’d use the internet a bit. Or at least get your employee records updated because, heaven knows, who’ve got working here now!”

A blink and she was moving on and out again. A wide smile for Grace who was waiting for her and helped her back into her jacket with ease. The entire trip home was a blur. One of those chunks of time that was just fuzzy because there’s just so much going on. Evie was all over the place. Being reminded of her own loss and just how alone she was out of nowhere tended to do that. At least it didn’t end with her half naked on her kitchen floor crying into a pint of ice cream. 

This time she got to talk to her sweet nephew and listen to him shyly recount his day. Oh, that made everything a lot better. He healed the wee hurts by merely telling her he missed her and that he looked forward to living with her once the school year was over. A few weeks at most.

What she merely expected from a Monday evening, even if the day had been disappointing. She held no water in the hopes of getting that job at Wayne Enterprises, whatever that job was.

What she didn’t expect was a text sent at the wee evening hours telling her that she was hired. That her new position was Personal Assistant to Bruce Wayne and that she was starting that next Monday. To report to Grace at eight on the dot, that she’ll show her the metaphorical ropes. 

That was the least of what she expected.

Chapter Text

Even though the events of the day explained it very clearly and left little room for confusion but, here she was confused. Evie wasn’t completely understanding the scene before her. It wasn’t bad or dangerous. Well, perhaps the way Ash sat on top of the oversized and the pricetag could probably kill her where she stood kind of expensive desk was a wee bit dangerous…

She watched her sweet and chronically shy nephew who buries himself in books far beyond his years instead of talking to other kids his age… Or even his teachers… Smiling as THE Bruce Wayne chatted gently with him as they played chess at the older man’s desk with the most expensive looking set she had ever seen. Probably the most expensive set Ash had ever played with in his short time on this earth and they seemed to be having a grand time.

A smile was visible even as he chewed on his lip in his concentration contemplating his next move, all the while keeping up the easy conversation Mister Wayne had going. It was a vision to watch for Evie. To see Ash interacting with somebody other than her with general ease and openness. That his grief wasn’t keeping the boy she knew and loved hidden from the world. 

So, caught up in the scene Evie hadn’t seen Mister Pennyworth come up to her side to offer her a cup of tea with nay a word spoken. She did not make a small noise like a muffled cat drowning in Gotham Harbor. She didn’t.

“Gah! Mister Pennyworth I didn’t see you there… Scared the bejeesus outta me.” She said only taking a moment to catch her startled breathe before taking the offered cup with a nod of thanks.

“My apologies for frightening you, Miss Henries. Perhaps you should take a seat and a wee break.” He proposed in more of a subtle order that Evie had slowly learned that you don’t disobey. Or, well, if you liked the man you didn’t and shouldn’t refuse.

She did so slowly, careful of her full teacup and once a small sip had been taken once in her seat, she found it just like she always took it. Barely sweet with a plop of milk. 

That man retained information better than anybody else. Something else she had learned in the couple months on the job. Mister Pennyworth… Once you mentioned something or he learned something, he never forgot for the forseeable future. Her tea was an excellent example of such a thing. Evie didn’t drink tea often, too much effort in her opinion, but yet Mister Pennyworth had cornered her only twice before this very moment.

“You are becoming lost in your thoughts again, Evelyn.” He chided around his own teacup and snapping her attention back to him and eventually to drag her gaze away from milky amber liquid to the grinning face of an seven year old sliding game pieces here and there.

“How much to get you to call me ‘Evie’?” She responded with a half smile, knowing what was coming.

“When you cease in calling me ‘Mister Pennyworth’ and call me ‘Alfred’ like I’ve requested of you more than once.” Ah. There was the chiding tone again.

Evie somehow felt chided too. Like she was child under her father’s stern scowl and lecture prone voice. Yet, still she hummed a small laugh.

“Alright, alright. You offer a hard bargin, Alfred.” Her own smile widened when she caught the little smile on the usually serious or stoic faced British man.

They fell into a comfortable amiable silence enjoying their tea and probably the fourth game of chess between grown man and child since Mister Wayne had learned of Ash’s special interest and enjoyment of board games. Then, came the telltale almost inaudible chink of china that brought Evie’s attention away from her nephew to the older man across from her. Who was watching her like he knew her as well as he knew his own charge.

“May I ask you a question, Evie?” Alfred’s tone was gentle as he spoke clearly setting a line in imaginary sand for her. 

If she said ‘No’ he’d respect that of her. She knew he would even without the precaution. Alfred had been nothing but the epitome kind and respectful since she showed up for work on Monday not that long ago.

“I don’t see why not… Shoot.” She answered and leaned forward to put her own empty teacup on the tea tray.

“Why not stay in Metropolis with Ashley? Would it not have been easier?” Alfred asked.

That… That was not any kind of question Evie had been expecting. She didn’t know what she had been but, this wasn’t any of ‘em. Age old pain and new ones stretched inside her chest and grief made her mouth dry… But, she closed her eyes slowly, swallowed it all, and kept her composure. The devil would not make her cry in public, especially at work.

“It would have, wouldn’t it?” The redundant question burned slightly like hours old acid reflux but, she just leaned back into the stiff cushion of her seat and sighed deeply and quietly to herself before continuing.

“Superman.” Was the simple answer that raised one of Alfred’s prim brows in either confusion or surprise… Or both. 

“I don’t quite understand…” He spoke softly like the other two souls in the room might hear their conversation. 

Evie doubted that. If they could Ash would have froze at the mere mention of the dead hero and would have only relaxed when the conversation shifted or changed completely.

“Ash is young… His sense of good and bad can be black and white. The grief counselor we saw said it was just something to pin his grief on instead of spreading it around. He blames Superman for the death of his father and uncle. My brothers.” She paused to pick at imaginary lint on the knees of her trousers. “It’s easy to blame Superman in it, honestly… Travis, his father, and Isaac worked for Wayne Enterprises Metropolis Headquarters. You know what happened… Everyone in this room remembers what happened, Alfred.”

Alfred nodded.

Evie sighed again and let the grief riddled hammering of her heart beat itself to a pulp against the walls of her chest. It hurt. It always hurt and ached to speak of any of this… She just wished she wasn’t alone in it all.  

“… Our family has been grief stricken for years… The devil himself chews on us like old chewing gum, he’s too far in to just spit out and leave it.” Another pause to sigh and press the heels of her palms to her eyes. Not crying. No. Just tired now, grief exhausts her. “Metropolis just held too much grief for him… For either of us, honestly.”

She breathed a silent sigh and tilted her head back so that when she dropped her hands and opened her eyes was at the very pretty but, understated decorative ceiling tiles. 

“So, you made the choice for him?” The next question was almost a tad accusatory coming from Alfred, far from it probably but, her grief stricken beast that resided and clawed at the inside of her chest took it as much.

“Yes. Well, yes and no. I still asked him what he wanted.” Evie dropped her head back to level on Alfred, her frown settling on her brow. 

She remembered that day just as clearly as she remembered the day she watched the dust plumes rise from Metropolis from Gotham Harbor. Memory of both days made pits in her gut heavy and sucking. 

Sitting on cold tile. A little forehead pressed into her arm with tears soaking the sleeve of her black dress. The too many baking dishes with casseroles they’d never eat. Watching from said kitchen floor as the sun rose and fell. They were blurs of memory, empty of sound and meaning. Just that it had happened. That that conversation happened when Evie remembered her voice, remembered they still survived. 

She had remembered asking that specific question ‘What do you want, Ash?’. Barely above a whisper but she knew he had heard because a sob was all she got for a moment.

“What was his answer?” Alfred gently prodded.

Evie just pulled her gazed back to Ash and Mister Wayne, still in the thoroughs of their current game. Mister Wayne was getting shy and withdrawn Ash to be softly chatty and smile-y over chess, of all things. She kinda didn’t want to answer but, it was too late to back away from this conversation.

“That he just didn’t want to be alone.”

“Hm.” Was Alfred’s only response before they fell back into companionable silence once more, watching from a distance as the other two concluded their final game. Ash won and had jumped from the polished wood surface to come tell her with all the muted enthusiasm of a quickly tiring eight year old in the late afternoon could muster. It was time to head home before the sun set completely.

“I won! Didja see, Aunt E?” Ash wore a wide smile and Evie couldn’t help responding with a mirror of the smile. She loved him too damn much.

“I did! You were fantastic. Go thank Mister Wayne for playing with you while I get us ready to head home, alright?” Evie said nudging her nephew with a gentle hand back the way he came as she stood with a stretch, only wincing once at the loud popping of her joints.

“Okay.” He said already practically skipping back the way he came.

Evie smiled after Ash’s back and begun her own trek back to her desk, giving Alfred her goodbyes and only raising a hand to Mister Wayne to signal her and Ash’s leaving for the day. Hopefully to get home before the skyline darkened completely. Going outside after dark in the middle of Gotham could be consider child endangerment and she wasn’t interested in committing a felony.

She was just slipping her bag over her shoulders and pushing her chair in when Ash collided with her legs with a soft giggle. So, he planned this affectionate assault… Cradling his head with her fingers gently carding through messy brown curls, Evie smiled down at her nephew.

For whom just looked up at her with an innocent smile. Something was coming. “Aunt E, we’re still having sketti for dinner, right?”

“As far as I remember… Yes, we are. Why?” A single brow was only lifted in mild curiosity. Ash may not be the most extroverted but, he was friendly and kind once you could ease around his walls. Evie could almost predict what was going to be said and it only amused her further, widening her smile.

“I invited Mister Wayne and Mister Pennyworth over for some sketti… If that’s alright? We have enough, right?” He asked and pleaded with her like she would ever say no to him. 

Like she could.

“You are very considerate and kind to people you just met but, yes, if they show up there’ll be plenty. Don’t worry, I’m sure they know where we live.” She paused to gently pry him from her legs and just as gently to urge him to put on his backpack. “As we walk to the elevators you can tell me what you and Mister Wayne talked about, if you want.”

Ash nodded as he swung his backpack onto his back, Evie just sighed when the swing knocked into her legs. Their short walk to the elevators was almost silent, hand in hand. The little boy didn’t speak until the super secret spy doors closed in front of them and started their descent to street level.

“School. We talked about school and games. Mostly my favorites and what I liked best.” He whispered like their conversation was a secret and the elevator was listening.

“Oh? Did you enjoy talking to Mister Wayne about those things? Were you as honest with him as you always are?” Evie said smoothing her thumb over child petal soft knuckles, a soothing thing for Ash.

The little boy made an affirmative humming noise. “Yeah, he was real nice and his chess set was real cool!” Even though she didn’t meet his happy gaze, Evie knew Ash was smiling up at her. 

“He is real nice, isn’t he? Did you know he has a son about your age too? Probably just as smart.”

“Really?! Do you think he’ll like me? Are we going to the same school? Maybe we’ll be in the same class… Do you know if he likes chess too?” 

This time Evie laughed at her nephew’s enthusiasm as the elevator doors opened into the side room before the lobby. She quieted and leveled Ash with a soft loving smile, rubbing his cheek affectionately with the knuckles of their joined hands.

“I haven’t met him yet. I think it might just be a matter of time before I do… And, as far as school goes… I don’t even know what school you’re going to yet! Let alone the one Mister Wayne sends his youngest. So, instead of worrying about all this, we go home, yeah? We’ve got garlic bread with our names on it.” Evie said gently while gesturing to the exit that would lead to the lobby and then the exit which would lead the way home.

Ash cocked his head at her for a moment like a curious puppy and she watched with delight as his smile hit a crescendo with the mention of garlic bread.

“Yeah! I’m hungry! Sketti and garlic bread!”

“Yup-yup, rockstar. Let’s go home.”

And, with that they exited the building hand in hand. Fortunately, luck was on the pair’s side and they made it home to their small apartment without incident or maiming. Spaghetti and garlic bread was dished out and wolfed down in record times and clean up went just as easily. Which led into a pre-bedtime movie and then bedtime when little eyes couldn’t make through the second animated music number.

Evie was exhausted herself. Ash was in bed. The door to their apartment was locked and she was in her baggiest and comfiest pajamas. She was getting good at this. Taking care of Ash but, she still worried. Still fretted. Even when every muscle in her body was telling her it was bedtime. How could she not? School was starting for every schoolage Gothamite in a manner of a couple weeks. Tops.

There wasn’t many options on the table for her and Ash. She couldn’t afford to send him to the private schools that would jump on his inherent intelligence. To jump at the bit to nuture a brillant child. No, Evie had to choose between eating at all or just sending Ash to the most decent Gotham public school she can find… Which she didn’t have much time to do so and she really really didn’t want to either.

How did her mom do this for three kids?

She had just flopped face down in a fit of concealed despair into the cushions of the couch when three very polite knocks sounded through the small space of her apartment. Like a startled and on edge meerkat, Evie was upright soundlessly. Just as quietly approached the door, grabbing her in-house security ( a metal bat that had seen better days ), and peeped out the peephole.

What, no, who was on the other side made her want to start swinging her neolithic security measures and never stop.

Alfred and Mister Wayne stood outside her door, both of them as patient as ever. Evie sighed, undid the locks, and only put down her security bat once she opened the door for both older men.

“Alfred. Mister Wayne. I’ll have you both know this hour is far too late to be visiting for spaghetti and garlic bread. Plus, we already ate all the garlic bread.” Evie greeted but still stepped aside and motioned for the two of them to come inside. 

“We won’t be long, Evelyn. Ash asleep?” This time the one taking the lead was Mister Wayne who began speaking the moment Evie closed the door and placing a heavy manila envelope on her small round dining room table. 

“Yeah… I maybe laid back but bedtime is bedtime… Which I think some people forgot.” Evie snarked. She didn’t care she was sassing both of her bosses because, hey, they were in her home at an odd hour flinging around envelopes.

Her joke didn’t land but she caught the slight huff from the billionaire and the barely hidden smirk from Alfred.

“Shall we get to the point, Master Bruce? You do not have the luxury of dillydallying currently.” Alfred reprimanded the other man. Which delighted Evie for who did not hide that delight from her face at watching one of the most powerful men in Gotham get chastised.

“Alright. To the point… This afternoon, Ash mentioned you hadn’t picked out a school yet and, I took the liberty of looking into things… He was accepted into Gotham Academy. Why was he not registered?” Mister Wayne said leveling her with a look that was similiar to the one he had when questioning her during her interview.

Evie just stared him down like he was stupid. She knew he wasn’t. She has seen him at work or at least go to battle of chess with an exceptionally intelligent seven year old and still won a fair amount of them… At least that’s what the exceptionally intelligent seven year old told her with a mouth full garlic bread and a face covered in spaghetti sauce. 

Before she could respond to him like he was an idiot, Mister Wayne held up a hand and shook his head silencing her before she could even open her mouth.

“No. No, I am aware of your financial situation, Evelyn. I am also aware that his summer camp he recently returned from does the occasional general admittance and placement testing, at the camper’s discretion. Which he admitted he did ‘for fun’. I’m a parent of a child at Gotham Academy, I know where to look for this information that isn’t from the mouth of babes.” He finished for the moment. 

Evie just shook her head and shrugged. This was all information she knew and wasn’t surprised that he knew either… Though, she doubted being a member of the PTA allowed for such, uh, privileges but, she wasn’t going to argue. Too tired. 

“And? Did you come at this hour, Mister Wayne, to reprimand me for not enrolling my nephew in a prepatory school I can’t afford without starving to death three times over and then some? Because I want to go to bed and I’ll do it right now.” It was an empty threat. She wouldn’t go to bed until she was sure the door and all the windows were locked securely. Having guests made sure that didn’t happen right away.

“Wayne Enterprises has tuition aide programs that applies to both employees and their families should they qualify.” He raised a perfectly sculpted brow at her and she sighed.

“I looked into it. I did but, again, you’re not actually reading the fine print on your company’s things or whatever you want to call them… Because I haven’t been with Wayne Enterprises long enough to even request an application.” Evie clicked her tongue. The longer this conversation went on the thinner her patience got with this man.

“I know that—“

“Then why the heck bringin’ it up for, Mister Wayne?” She interrupted with a huff. 

“— I thought I was going somewhere with it but, apparently I wasn’t.” He paused and pushed the heavy manila envelope he placed on the table just a few moments ago closer to her. 

“We’ll leave after you read the cover letter.” He said motioning for her to go ahead.

Evie eyed him and then the envelope for a moment each before picking it up and persuing the contents. In particular the cover letter that she had been instructed to do so. With every sentence that she absorbed and every paragraph she understood, she felt her heart beat and claw at her chest in something other than grief for once. 

“This… This isn’t a cover letter, you filthy rich liar.” She looked up from the paper in obvious disbelief and leveled both men in her apartment with the look. “This is a declaration of sponsorship for Ash. You’re… You’re paying for him to go to one of the best schools in Gotham. Gotham Academy. Wha…  … How?” Evie was a loss for words to say exactly the turmoil rolling through her at the moment.

“Ashley is smart. He deserves to be challenged fittingly and I believe the Academy will provide what he needs without delay or hardship on your part, Evelyn.” It was Alfred that spoke to her gently and that made her huff a breath at him.

Those were all the thoughts and worries trying to find a fitting school for Ash. Somewhere that wouldn’t coddle him but, challenge him. Let him be Ash to his fullest potential. After all he had been through… He deserves the world. 

Evie could feel the waterworks coming. Out of anger? Or appreciation? It was too early to tell currently. All she did know was it was late, they gave her an amazing gift, and neither of them were going to see her cry. 

“We’ll, uh, talk about this tomorrow… You guys haveta go. Only the devil gets to see me cry. Go, go. I’ll see you both tomorrow and thank you if anything.” Evie said ushering and practically dragging them out of her apartment.

She didn’t break down crying into the poorly swept hardwood until the last deadbolt was thrown. Though, no talking happened the next day in the work office, seeing as that Mister Wayne was out of town and as long as he was Alfred was not going to be in either. 

A week went by with a word from Mister Wayne. Just word from Alfred that everyone was fine and swell, that there was no reason to fret. Then, in a blink the school year started. Ash was in Gotham Academy’s uniform and loving every minute of it and…

Superman was back.

Chapter Text

— Evie and Ash things. Other unrelated things that might make things make more sense. Or just things that need clarification —

0.5) — Timeline wise, just don’t think about the passing of time in regards to any of this fic and bitsbobs. I’m not particularly putting much thinky-thought power into it all. Be rest assured that chunks of passed time will be mentioned or stated outright.

0.5) a) — After the next real chapter and one more after that… Things will be sporadic and more like a collection of drabbles. These chapters are building up a basis for everything later on. —

1) Evie’s parents died in a car accident in her senior year of high school. She stayed with a friend to finish school and was living with her off and on after graduation and her short stint in her shitty liberal arts school. 

2) Both of her brothers were both Business majors but with different specialities or focuses. One was Advertising and the other Marketing & Production. They occasionally ended up working together on things. Both Travis and Isaac purposely chose to go to college in Metropolis (it was partying reasons, yes they were THAT kind of fratboys).

2) a) Directly after the death of their parents, Travis and Isaac had made a specific promise to Evie… Choosing to relocate to Metropolis (even for the good reasons they had) permanently uh broke that promise. Evie is kinda bitter about it in dark moments. 

3) Evie is incredibly average in just about everything. Has enough Gotham-centric streetcred and accumlated skills to survive. This is precisely why she has not been maimed by a rogue or whatnot on the streets of Gotham. Also, precisely why Ash isn’t either. 

4) She’s still incredibly young herself! A lot has happened in a span of a couple of years for her. It’s about two years since the death of her parents and the death of her brothers.

5) Yes, I know Superman’s death doesn’t coincide with the fight with Zod which leveled the Metropolis Wayne Enterprises HQ where Travis & Isaac die. 

5) a) Time for both Evie and Ash is construed due to compiled grief. For Ash it feels like yesterday that he was told his dad and uncle were dead. For Evie it feels like decades of the same grievous injury being poked at by a kid playing doctor. Which means she loses track of how long ago things were or how fresh it is.

5) b) Evie is NOT fine and if she says she is… It’s the devil’s doing.

6) Reva, Ash’s mom, died a year before the fight with Zod and the subsequent death of her husband and brother-in-law. She succumbed to a two year long fight with cancer. Ash’s current memories of his mother are very fuzzy. Her and Evie were on very good terms and adored each other. To the point it was Reva who left Ash’s care to Evie should the worst come to pass ( this choice was before her illness got to the point of no return ).

7) Though, it will come up later in other chapters I will mention it here: The Henries have a long history of working for Wayne Enterprises. Evie’s grandfather and father retired handsomely from the company. Her father thought exceptionally highly of Thomas Wayne. 

7) a) Travis and Isaac came back to Gotham after graduation with Reva but, only stayed up until Reva got too sick to ignore. There was specialists in Metropolis and Travis made the decision to move himself and Reva for said specialists. Isaac followed.

8) There was than a year difference in age between Travis and Isaac. They’ve been inseparable since childhood. They were lifelong BFFs who are also brothers. Wherever Travis went, Isaac followed. 

9) Ash looks like Travis. Which means he looks like he could be Evie’s kid because Evie looked like Travis too. Which is brown hair with brown eyes. Ash’s eyes lead to a more lighter almost goldish color. Evie’s eyes are so dark brown they’re almost black.

10) Reva was an artist and created to the day she died. A lot of her paintings reside on the walls of Evie’s apartment. They’re some Evie’s most prized possesions, alongside her photo albums.

11) Evie owns her condo/apartment. It was paid with the money from selling Travis and Reva’s Metropolis bungalow. She also acquired a hefty savings account which the brothers’ made after the selling of the family Gotham home.

They did not need the money for school, both boys got full ride scholarships. They put it aside for their baby sister as kind of a way to apologize for that broken promise.

All her extra fancy things in the apartment and her still healthy savings account is due to the Wayne Enterprises Reparations paid after the fall of the Metropolis HQ. 

12) The age gap between the brothers and Evie is about eight or so years. I’m not doing the math right now. Don’t even bother doing the math for me, I don’t care.

13) This is it for now. If you have questions feel free to ask them in the comments or dm me! I don’t mind at all.    8)

Chapter Text

Evie was tired of things in Gotham either meeting her expectations or throwing them through a ten story window. Once upon a time these expectations were either met minimially or just completely ignored. Which both, as a Gothamite, is greatly appreciated when all you want to do is survive with minimal loss of limb. Nowadays, things just seemed to keep going uphill and past the minimal threshold enough to make her dissociate at her desk from anxiety.

It all pointed back behind her to her suspiciously bruised boss who thinks she can’t tell he forgot to blend his edges of his concealer into his neck. Doesn’t help she just ignore the bruises and the prolonged stays away from the office… Evie wasn’t worried about not enough work or job security, no… It was just one thing in a pile of things that made her completely average brain way too noisy and cramped if she dwelled on it too much.

Mister Wayne’s bruises and icing of joints when him and Alfred think she can’t see. Superman is back and majestic as ever. Ash thriving at Gotham Academy. Mister Wayne’s prolonged sick days and consequentially an almost achingly quiet office, nay for the visits from Mister Fox. What the fuck is the Justice League and why does it’s mere existence give her pause? More Bats patrolling in the absence of Batman. She got scolded last week by Nightwing for being out after dark… It was just down to the bodega down the street for paper towels! Nightwing who usually sticks to Bludhaven. Robin at Nightwing’s heel also giving her that deepset disapproved frown that almost looked familiar. Ash thriving in school and immediately making friends. One of them her boss’ youngest son, Damian. Damian Wayne eating her spaghetti in her tiny condo when an afterschool study session lasted too long. 

Now. Right now as Evie refocuses, or more like comes back to herself, it’s a homework session in the conference room. Everything quieted. All her worries squashed. All those nagging thoughts trying to tell her there’s a pattern to be seen when there wasn’t, silenced… Just by looking at Ash’s toothy smile as him and Damian discuss whatever they were working on. Evie may not have been expecting this but, Ash is happy and that just means her own expectations have been exceeded. 

With a sigh and a roll of her shoulders, she got up and retrieved their coffees from Grace, enjoying the semblance of peace that had settled over the entire floor. Though, Evie should know better by now.

Don’t trust any ‘peace’ that the City of Gotham offers, there’s always a loophole or footnote.

This time it was the heavy loud thrum of… helicopter blades? Almost loud enough to drown out any coherent thought if it weren’t, what she hoped was, for the bulletproof windows up at this height. 

At the angle where she stood Evie barely grasped the things that were happening as they did. All she saw, scarely so, was the two little boys being at level with what seemed like one of those heliocopters out of a war movie. The kind with a big gun at their side door… A big gun pointed directly at the conference room and two little boys who wouldn’t and couldn’t stand a chance against such a weapon.

Evie was horrified and frozen.

The first burst of bullets made her whole body tense as she startled, making the tray of coffee, tea, and treats go everywhere. Grace had dragged her down to her desk for cover. Heart in her throat was strangling her as the damned aircraft seemed to be moving in slow motion. She had blinked somewhere and sometime, both boys… Evie couldn’t see them. 

She had to know if they were alright.

Had to protect Ash. He was her responsibility. Her family and all that she had left. Evie ignored Grace’s protests as she pulled away from her and the relative safety of that desk, that would also let them both get out of this floor with ease. She didn’t want ease.

Evie wanted Ash’s hand in her’s. Wanted to hear him call out to her like he does every time she enters a room with that big happy smile that made her feel like the most important person in the world. She even wanted to hear Damian’s scoffing at offered treats, that he’ll still eat happily and without further complaint. Hell, she wanted to be overheating on her couch sandwiched by two eight year old furnaces enthralled with a nature documentary on humpback whales. 

No, instead she was scrambling to her feet and striding down the grey carpet, her worried frantic gaze flickering all over the place until she saw movement beyond the fancy double doors. Doors that led to the dark and warm office of Mister Wayne. The office that had their own elevators. Their own exit to safety.

That realization didn’t stop her stride, what did was the soft thud of something else hitting the barely spiderwebbed from gunshots glass. 

A weird calm washed over her when Evie figured out what that little thing thrown from the heliocopter was. Milliseconds that felt like hours but, moving too fast to think properly. Her head was a mess. A glance into the office and she thought she saw the heel of a boy’s shoe scrambling into a run, which gave some semi-coherent part of her brain some reassurance… 

It helped keep her sane as the wall of windows were blown to bits, or pulled from their panes, Evie wasn’t sure. All she did know was that the force of that little device sent her onto the thin professional carpet and the noise was unbearably loud combined with the pain of whipping air made her stomach churn in the way that was beyond nausea. 

Evie wanted to get to the boys. Make sure they were alright. She also wanted all this overwhelming noise, fear, and mild aching pain from her falls to just stop. But, it wouldn’t and didn’t. The same bile that tasted of the fear and anxiety when riding the train after dark in this godforsaken city came to a head and made her curl knees up to her chest. Everything else? That made her slowly and achingly get to her hands and knees. The air from the now opened windows still buffeted against the walls and her made it hard to keep her eyes open more than a squint. 

If Evie wasn’t already aware it was the start of the storm season for Gotham, the near chill in the wind would have given it away.

She saw the shadow of the hulking figure before she heard him. Not that she would be able to over the chop of the helicopter and the false torrent of winds it created, nonetheless looking up into that helmet Evie was struck still. Fear or pain, or both, Evie couldn’t tell you.

All she could say is that orange is forever and always a bad color when attached to somebody with way too many weapons strapped to their person. Evie didn’t recognize this one as any of the more recognizable rogues of Gotham, or even the less popular ones either. Hell, she didn’t care because all that she registered in that slow-mo fifteen seconds as this well-armed bastard sauntered past her near kneeling prone form without a single glance was that, that walk was a man on a mission.

On a mission with way too weapons that could kill.

Sauntering in his two tall and built like a shit-brickhouse person towards the boss’ office.

The office where Evie knew her sole responsiblity in this entire world was, as far as she knew.

Ash.

There wasn’t coherent thought in her head, too much Gotham smog buffeted into her face combined with everything else, as she scrambled to feet. Bits of safety glass digging into her palms went ignored. All that was on repeat in her head was that she had to protect her nephew. He was all the family she had left and she had made a promise, and she was going to keep it. 

Evie couldn’t tell what she doing through the torrent of fear induced tears and adrenalined adled thoughtlessness even while her stinging palms encased around expensive leather and the hardened mobile plastic of a wheel. 

It wouldn’t register what she had done until later.

A chair went flying and staggered the dangerous stranger just enough to let her own person go flying at him, and attempting with all her might to strangle someone with body armor on and armed to the teeth with her wingspan of a hummingbird compared to this stranger’s giant… Everything. 

It wouldn’t register as a bad idea until later and not even when she’s thrown against the wall unceremoniously like a ragdoll that weighed less than a wet papertowel.

Pain radiated throughout her system as the world started to get dark. Evie just hoped she had bought enough time for Alfred to get the boys to safety. Her last thought was an apology to those who had loved her and were remembered by marble tombstones.

Chapter Text

Sleep should be restful. Shouldn’t make you feel trapped and desperate for something you can’t put a finger on because there was a thick fog around everything. Evie was also pretty sure her mouth was never this bone dry in the morning. Evie was pretty sure waking up shouldn’t be this hard. Nor hurt this much. It never did even after her few and far between bar-hopping tours that she had been once too reckless to indulge in.

Trying to focus before she even considered on opening her eyes, it would be too much too soon. Evie knew where she was and what it meant. What the silence around her meant. The world and her head were coming back through the fog. Evie could take stock of herself and take too long doing it too, if it meant keeping the bile of anxiety ridden fear bubble through her chest and throat.

Hospital gown. Bandages on her hands, not thick so not that serious. The uncomfortable tug of an I.V. . The itchiness of hospital sheets and blankets, the beeping of machines, and the dull ache of her entire being. The memory from how she ended up here bubbled to the surface and Evie swallowed it down. Hospitals usually meant safety in Gotham, only the most unhinged of the rogues bothered… She was safe, didn’t want to think about that happening, and Evie didn’t want to deal with any of it before she forced her eyes open in the next few seconds. Which she did and instantly regretted it. 

Immediately felt like a foolish child. 

Alone.

In the sterile off beige walls and itchy fabric with pains she couldn’t dwell on without fear and anxiety bubbling up. Bandaged hands unheld tugged at the bottomless well of grief that sat somewhere between the ache of too still hips and the pain of bruised ribs. 

Evie wanted her mom. She wanted someone who loved her to hold her hand warm against the sterile beige-ness of the hospital room. Wanted to see her dad’s kind eyes watching the door from her mom’s side waiting for the doctor to come in, like she knew he would be. Hell, Evie would kill to hear her brothers playfully bickering in the halls over whatever nonsense that has got them incensed enough to have Reva trying to play referee… but she couldn’t have any of those creature comforts anymore.

Evie was heartbreakingly alone, except for one. 

The tears that had already begun the moment she realized she was alone came in earnest at the memory of how she got here fought through to the surface. Ash. Her sweet shy rockstar of a nephew. The sole remaining bit of her family and a promise made. Heaving sobs racketed her chest vibrating pain through bruised… everything…

It didn’t help the hurt and now everything was worse.

Where was Ash? Is he okay? Did that bastard get to him and the others? Does she have a job? No, that doesn’t matter. Not in the grand scheme of things. Only Ash mattered right now and the currently tiny rational part of her brain that wasn’t sob heaving alone in this room, knew she wouldn’t feel better until she knew. 

More importantly… If he was okay… Who was looking after him? Was it CPS? Would she be able to get him back?

So, deep in her panicked grieving state Evie hadn’t noticed she wasn’t alone in her room anymore. At least until a kind face a little older than hers diverted her attention away from that one spot on the pristine walls with an unheard question. All Evie could feel or hear was her labored sobbed breathing but, confusion was etching her face as she watched the nurse speak and move.

Slowly and as deliberate as each move the nurse made, there was a syringe into her IV… Pain meds. Evie may not be that smart or attentive but, she can read simple words from lips. Even if everything started to slow by the second and hurt less as her breathing eased with her sobs, Evie garnered nothing from her nurse’s one sided conversation… At least until she was leaving the way she came.

“… your visitors in to see you before the meds take full effect. Don’t worry, it’s okay. You’re alright.” She said with the dulcet tones of a practiced nurse with impeccable bedside manner and dealt with weepy bruised messes of human beings regularly.

All this heap of bruises, snot, and blubbering nonsense could garner was ‘visitors’ and ‘meds’ around everything. Only because right now she didn’t want to listen. Evie wanted to go back into the fog, the idea of multiple visitors that weren’t the people she wanted to see didn’t settle well.

That is until the telltale click of the door opened and barely hushed whispers from obvious children flitted to her ears and Evie was immediately hyperfocused on the door. Watching every inch the door swung open and the familiar mop of curly brown hair and bright brown eyes peeked at her.

“Ash!” Evie cried out as much as her sob tired throat would let her.

In a blink, the meds made it feel like, as the little boy in question was clambering into that bed with  her and encased tightly to her. Relief flooding her system from tension and anxiety that had stayed coiled for far too long made fresh tears fall. She couldn’t muster much strength for anything beyond clinging to the only part of her family still here, still warm, and with her right now.

Evie barely caught Ash’s hushed word’s as she pressed kiss after kiss into those beloved curls. There were familiar names uttered against her shoulder. Damian and Alfred had gotten him out. Mister Wayne got her to the ambulance and had taken Ash in while she was under the watchful eyes of the hospital. 

Gratitude filled her hazy chest and tired senses as her vision finally took notice of the other two who loitered in the room. Her pain med exhausted eyes tried to convey her gratitude once she could muster the strength to look to Alfred and Damian. Both of whom were keeping a close eye on her and Ash’s interaction, while also looking just a tad of an inch away from interceding.

Alfred did just that when Evie really begun feeling those pain meds and knew she only had only a few moments left awake, nodded imperceptively at the older man.

“Ash, my boy, Evelyn needs some more rest. She’ll be alright.” With gentle hands the Wayne Family butler pulled Ash from her. “Come, we’ll visit again tomorrow.”

Ash complied only enough that Alfred could pull him from Evie, for both in that bed whined softly at being seperated. Just because Evie knew it was needed, didn’t mean she wanted it to happen. 
Through the ever increasing medicine fog Evie could tell the ever-serious Damian was the one that comforted Ash with words she couldn’t hear and probably never know once his feet were back on the pristine off-white floors. Evie watched them with exhausted gratitude, words that were lost to the fog.

She would have to thank Damian after all this.

—

The next few days were a blur of never-ending nonsense. Evie wanted to hit somebody after the parade of visitors kept coming and who weren’t Ash. She’d tolerate Alfred and his increasing tendencies to hover and mother hen her, even though her nurses did a fine job of that. Tolerated it because she knew his intentions were good.

Commissioner Gordon, on the other hand? Can be punted into the non-existent Gotham sun. First of all he was King of Cops and second… Everytime he came to see her with his stupid mustache, he brought bad news. Okay, so it was one visit, but it was enough to give Evie a lasting negative opinion of the Commissioner.

Apparently, the bastard that attacked her workplace and bruised her entire being was a mercenary named ‘Deathstroke’ and he was a bad guy. The instinct to back talk the Commissioner was strong as he info dumped on her and the only thing that had kept her from doing so was actually the stern hand of Mister Wayne pressing gently into her wrist. The guttural response nearly won when she was given the unfortunate news that since her hospitialization, Deathstroke had been spotted in her neighborhood.

For fuck’s sake.

It was worse too. Evie couldn’t return home until this overly armed bastard decided to move on with his life or the Bat ran him out of town. It wasn’t safe, Gordon had reirated at her several times like a broken record. She had supposed he was trying to get an idea of her own solution but, that was useless. All that she could think of was Ash. She had clocked out of the conversation then.

Checked out completely, if her memory serves correctly. Days later at the entrance to the most expansive lake house she’s ever seen, she had fully come back to herself. Staring into the face of an young man not that much older than her giving off the vibe of chronic older brother syndrome, much like Travis had, who Evie recognized all at once as her boss’ eldest son.

Richard ‘Dick’ Grayson.

“… You can call me Dick! I don’t live in Gotham most of the time. Just came to visit to check up on everyone after hearing what went down.” His friendliness spoke in volumes as he jutted out a hand to shake.

Evie just blinked at it. Confused. Everything felt like piecees to a puzzle that should go together but all the pieces were just to the left of wrong. Why was she meeting more of her boss’ children? Where in the hell was Mister Wayne? Why can’t she recall seeing him since she spoke with the Commissioner? Was it the bruising and the mild concussion that made time around her just feel wonky? Most of all, how in god’s good graces was the idea of her boss housing her and her nephew a good idea? 

She just huffed a sigh and gave Dick, she’s not calling him that, a frown. “I’m not calling you that… Never. It’s like your father trying to get me to call him by his first name… Not happening. It already pains me to call Alfred ‘Alfred’… Also, why?”

Dick. Richard. Whatever. Did not seem deterred by her shortness, still offering her that winning smile she had seen in rarely in magazines or newspaper clippings. “Then, I’ll just call you ‘Evelyn’ instead of ‘Evie’.”

“Oh, that’s gross and Alfred told you, didn’t he?” 

“Yup!” He popped the ‘p’ with a mischief ladened grin that just made Evie’s healing bruises groan.

“I sure did, madam. Now, if you two will get inside, please. Look like fools, the both of you.” Alfred said appearing out of nowhere effectively startling Evie, as per usual when he did that… Though, her companion seem nonplussed over the older man’s sudden appearance. Must be used to it.

She definitely wasn’t. The flinch from the startle jostled her bruises for which had her flinching more in pain. A visicous horrible cycle that her slightly panting in pain with her hands on her knees.

“Are you okay, Evie?” Came the ever calm accented voice from Alfred at her side, she was acutely aware of very gentle fingers at her back that were more comforting than she had anticipated with how much even the slightest movement ached. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Tempted to get you a cat-bell though.” She sighed and straightened blinking away her pain face scrunch.

“It wouldn’t work with Alfred. He’d find a way to get around it.” Ah, yes, Dick-Richard-Whatever was still there and also giving her an expression that was slightly concerned.

“I figured. Let’s go inside… It’s storm season and it’s getting chilly too. I don’t want to be shivering with all this bruising.” 

Alfred nodded gently in agreement. “I quite concur. Your pain meds are in your room. Master Dick will give you a tour and show you to said room. I must attend to dinner at once, almost a full house to feed.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

“Bye, Alfie! C’mon, Evelyn. Let’s go!”

“Oh, that’s gross! Stop that!”

“Evelyn. Evelyn. Evelyn!”

“I’ve just got out of the hospital, full of bruises, and I’ve just met you… You’re horrible and that’s disgusting. Stop! Fine! I’ll call you ‘Dick’. Happy?”

“Estatic, Evie.” 

They bickered back and forth as the they entered the expansive house. Comfortable silence surrounded them as Dick led her through the short foyer and into some kind of sitting room. But what made Evie stop and utter a hushed ‘wow’ was just the view beyond the unnecessary glass walls of the rear of the house…

The lake house seemed to be on the water with how the deck sprawled out into the glittering water. The tree line just beyond the expansive natural water-feature made for a picturesque, well, picture. She finally understood the desire to live on the water that all rich folk in television shows spoke about. Almost entirely taken with the desire to sit in those lounge chairs and just stare at the trees and glittering water for hours on end but, a gentle guiding hand at her elbow brought her back to the now.

Tour now, watching water endlessly later.

Dick gave her a curious head tilt and Evie just shook her head and motioned for him to continue.

So, they did. The house was huge. It was on the Wayne Estate and built by Mister Wayne after the fire that took the Manor so many years ago. Though, construction on the Manor’s repairs and renovations were up to snuff and on time to the point they expect to be moving back into the family Manor by Hanukkah next year. All information Evie thought was inconsequential and tedious. All she wanted was her nephew and her stupidly tiny but cozy condo.

Speaking of which…

“Dick, where’s the boys? More importantly where’s Ash?” Evie asked worry just slightly tinting her voice with urgency. 

“Don’t worry. They’re in the dining room doing homework under Alfred’s ever watchful eye. He’ll most likely have them set the table for dinner too.” He said like it was obvious information.

Well, it was obvious she realizes they’d exhausted her person with an entire tour of the house, that library had a wet bar, and the only two rooms they hadn’t walked through was the corner that held the kitchen and dining room… And, hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Ash or Damian.

Evie sighed again. “If you say so… Can you help me to my room? I’m tired and I need pain meds before I attempt to sit still and eat anytime soon.”

“Of course!” He responded like it was an absolute joy to do so.

Evie followed after him with a slight frown. She hadn’t decided on how she felt about him quite yet. Dick, overall, seemed a decent sort… Even if it’s confusing on where someone his age can find the energy to be that enthusastic. Well, okay, she liked him. It was hard not to.

Plus, how could she dislike someone that Damian spoke highly of with a rare and almost imperceptible smile on the rare occasions she or Ash got him talking about his family. Too serious eight year olds are excellent judges of character, in her opinion. 

There wasn’t much conversation on the way to the bedrooms and nothing more was said beyond a nod and a promise from Dick that he’d yell for her for dinner. The room she was staying in was impeccable and something out of a modern lake house magazine. Views for miles from the wall of glass across the hall if she left the bedroom door open. The bed? Exquisitely soft and plushy like straight out of a Downtown Metropolis hotel. 

It was exactly what Evie expected out of the richest man and family in Gotham.

She huffed and dry swallowed her pain meds, and flopped on the too soft bed and tried to untangle her thoughts. Tried to let herself come down from the constant consistent feeling of overwhelming dread since she woke up in the hospital. The only thing that resonated before Dick’s voice echoed throughout the house with the call for dinner was…

That Evie hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Mister Wayne since her meeting with Commissioner Gordon.

It was a small chewing thought in the back of her head during the entire meal and forgotten momentarily as the excitement of a nearly full table of people for dinner took over. Dinner was… Something else. Evie got to meet Mister Wayne’s remaining children, Cassandra and Timothy or just Cass and Tim. Both seeming to be decent folk and at least enjoyable comfortable presences over bowls of seasonal vegetable soup and too many pieces of homemade crusty bread. 

Or that’s as much as her pain meds made her feel. They really hit her hard half way through her second bowl and had to excuse herself to bed.

She barely remembers kissing Ash’s forehead goodnight and barely making it through her nighttime routine before face planting into the softer than silk cotton sheets of her temporary bed. It all was a sluggish blur like Superman-fast but, her brain only worked in extremely slow-motion. Didn’t matter, not really.

It did matter that Evie woke up several hours later wide awake because of drug induced nightmares about monsters with helmets and swords attached to them. She huffed amongst the dreamy cotton linens and restrained herself from flopping around and irritating her bruises to stare out the glass wall of the house from the safety of a too soft pillow. 

Everything was a mess and too comfortable. She was too awake, even with the heaviness from pain-med drowsiness pulling at her muscles and muddling her thoughts at the edges. Even through it all her brain kicked into overdrive. It was pushing towards that time of the year. 

The time where her and Ash would visit too many tombstones. But, now, with Superman being back meant something. Probably that she really needed to talk to Ash about things. Set things straight. No, not yet. Not when their lives are once again upended for god knows how long. Let him hate an indestructible alien for a little bit longer

Evie’s head churned over and over.

She had to call Milly soon. Let her know she and Ash were okay before the greatest friend in her entire existence created search party after search party just to make sure her and Ash were in one piece. She missed Mills, who had moved to Bludhaven for a rather decent job for Bludhaven.

Loneliness crept into the drowsiness but, went ignored as her gaze caught movement across the water from her limited angle of a view. Despite the sluggishness that ate at her muscles and screamed at her to stay still, Evie didn’t. For once in her lengthy Gotham-blooded existence, she let herself be actively curious. 

She was safe here. Even if it confused her.

Evie slipped out of the bed and tried to follow what she was seeing down the hall, watching it in the dark through the crystal clear glass. There wasn’t much light but the full moon on this clear night illuminated enough.

That was the Batmobile.

And that? That was a pit settling heavy in her gut as everything just kind of clicked into place, while also making her wish she could slap the shit out of herself for not seeing all the clues sooner. Well…

Evie wasn’t Batman… but her boss sure was.

Chapter Text

The next morning Evie couldn’t fully recall much of that evening and it wouldn’t get easier several more days down the line as she recovered and what she thought she had seen made her suspicious not only of her own pain and antibiotic addled memories but, every move a Wayne made around her. Not distrustful, no. Like she desparately wanted them to drop a hint that these foggy flashes of memory were right, to make her feel sane through the fog and homesickness that had begun to seep in.

For things to make sense again.

But, they didn’t. 

None of it did. 

Why her and Ash were still in this too expensive lake house, even after the elder Wayne children went back to their own homes several days later… Or why she wasn’t permitted to go back to her job yet. Evie didn’t know and refused that stupid answer that Mister Wayne gave her or the logical explanation that Gordon would pass along to her. It all made her feel like an caged child and she hated it.

Evie wanted the false sense of security that her condo offered. To wake up early and shovel scrambled eggs and toast at Ash before he ran off to school. She wanted those cozy evenings after homework and dishes were done and they unwind from the day underneath an quilt too old to still be whole. Evie missed her home and if she wasn’t going to get clarity for a stupid blip of a memory, they should at least let her have a taste of home.

That’s why she was now pouting with her face scrunched as she helped Alfred with dinner by peeling all sorts of root vegetables. Don’t ask her to name any of them other than the carrots and why she was purposefully giving Alfred her very cold shoulder and aggressively de-skinning too many carrots.

“Evie, may I inquire as to exactly why I am recieving your silent treatment?” Alfred asked breaking the silence of the room nay the click of her peeler, as he shifted through the spice rack.

She paused and almost lost all the hot air that kept her pouting. The carrots didn’t deserve this aggression. Nor did Alfred, honestly.

A huff of a breath before she begun, still not quite ready to behave like an adult. “Don’t worry… Mister Wayne is getting it too on the rare occasion that we’re in the same room…” Evie paused to breathe. To calm her bristling frustration. She put down her current orange victim and her weapon to stare at Alfred’s back just for a moment before continuing.

“I want to go home… Or at least just to grab stuff for both myself and Ash…” The unsaid truth went, well, unsaid but was clear as day. Well, Evie knew it’d be clear to the Englishman across the kitchen from her. He was kinda astute about just about everything.

“Homesick already? Ah, well, it can’t be helped, I suppose.” 

Astute.

“From what I understand my charge has already made plans to take both you and young Ash to your home to do just that soon. He just needs to clear it with Gordon first.”

Evie almost got hopeful until that last part and she wasn’t gonna hide the fact she thought that was stupid. “Oh, come on! Why do I need the Commissioner’s permission to go home? This is horseshit…”

“Language…”

“No!” She didn’t care if she was behaving like a child more than half her age. Evie was tired of tired excuses and this stupid waiting game. “This is Gotham. I’ve— hell, Ash has been exposed to worse by just existing in this city and I’m sure Damian has too…” She sighed trailing off in thought bringing the naked carrots to Alfred.

This time her shoulders drooped. She wasn’t angry, not sad, just somewhere between it all with a sprinkle of exhaustion. Alfred didn’t deserve her attitude. He has been nothing but a kindly English Mother Hen to Evie since she been underneath this too expensive roof. 

“Alfred… Please, I’m not asking to go home… I almost understand why we can’t.” Evie huffed trying to will away the always encroaching frustration from being pent up. “Look… He can just take me. So, it’s only the two of us out there…”

This time it was Alfred’s turn to sigh albeit through his nose and turn his ever stern gaze onto her person, making her eyes glue to the beautiful flooring at her toes. 

“So be it. I’ll speak with Master Bruce and if he agrees, I’ll notify you immediately.” He acquisced and making Evie smile softly up at him as he went back to the boiling.

Evie really did like Alfred. Parts big and small of her was really going to miss his constant steady presence. Moments like this with his stern posture and stiff upper lip giving way to barely spoken hurts and pains, well, you can’t blame her easy affection. She sighed a soft relieved breath of air and gently knocked her forehead against Alfred’s side. It was a soft acknowledgement of everything he was and had been doing for her.

“Thank you, Pennyworth.” Evie said in an almost perfect rendition of Damian and his one of a kind mannerisms. 

The stern lift of an English eyebrow had her laughing as she started to make her exit from the kitchen. Evie’s giggles only escalated further when she was hurried outfurther with the gentle thwap of a kitchen towel.

—

Several hours later and several bowls of a creamy winter root soup with crusty bread tucked in found Evie stuck in a nondescript but pricey car driven by none other than Bruce Wayne himself. Just like Alfred had said. Her skin itched in the way when you anticipate doing something important with somebody important. Though, he thought just adding a baseball cap made him seem less… important. Somehow diluted the fact he was one of the handful of men built like a freight train.

Parts of Evie wanted to laugh at the sight as she stared at him. Trying to decipher this tall oversized middle-aged man with just her eyes. Nothing came to her. She was no Bat. Hell, she was no Commissioner Gordon either. She was a barely functioning adult and she knew it. All Evie did know was this moment and everything that had led to it. All of that pain before…

She swallowed thickly as the reflection of the red stop light washed over wet windows, soaked asphalt, and pale skin alike. Mister Wayne caught her trying to decipher his profile and Evie didn’t care. The sharp jaw held no answers to the questions her head couldn’t fully form. Nor did his silent questioning piercing gaze. A soft sigh fell and resigned herself to questions unanswered but not to the silence of the car.

“Thank you… You know for everything and doing this. Risking the ire of the Commissioner so that I can have a few things from home. Brave, very brave.” Evie said breaking the almost comfortable silence of the car.

“Hnn.” Was the responding grunt that she knew was a noise both of recognition and amusement, this time. 

Evie suspected she might become almost as fluent in Bruce Wayne Grunt Speak as Alfred soon enough.

“I have a question for you.” Silence almost took over again before the deep timbre of Mister Wayne’s voice kept her eyes from dragging to stare out the window.

“Shoot.”

“Did your parents know you had dropped out of school?” He asked like it wasn’t the weirdest question to ask without being prompted.

“I—“ Evie stumbled on words, tongue heavy from grief still scraping every surface of her and barely kept from gauging out new wounds. 

The shock of the question made her shortcircuit almost and just as closely barely far from causing her to remember to breath. Evie’s widened brown eyes dropped from Mister Wayne to the knit of her sweater and the fraying of her jeans in her lap. She pick at the strings as she talked softly and carefully, always wary of breaking the dam that held so much back.

“They died before they could be disappointed… and before you ask about them… My brothers, well, they were focused on other things. Mostly Ash.” A heavy sigh was let out to self soothe. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…” Mister Wayne apologizing for no wrong that Evie could fathom. 

Yeah, this wasn’t information she had spoken about but, her time spent at that shitty little college, that no longer existed because this is Gotham and things change here overnight if you don’t pay attention, had been put on her resume. 

Evie shook her head. “I’ll always be sore about them like I assume you are about yours.” She clicked her tongue and then finally looked back to Mister Wayne, pointedly ignoring the way his knuckles were white on the steering wheel.

“If it’s any consolation, I know they’d be over the moon about my current job. Not to mention everything with Ash… Though, Reva would be so…” The burn of unshed tears staggered her speech and she paused to take a steadying breath or two. Weeping in this pretty shiny expensive nondescript car would be just plain embarrassing… Though ruining the upholstery would be tempting if Evie didn’t greatly respect Alfred. “… Let’s just say the Henries family has been big fans of the Waynes for a few generations and I would have the won the Best Child Award come the holidays.”

No the mere thought of another holiday season without the entirety of her family even in her tiny cozy condo didn’t cross her mind momentarily, making her rub her hands against the cotton grain of her jeans to soothe the hurt it caused.

“Hrnn.” Wayne did his usual grunt groan noise that Evie deciphered as ‘amused’.

Good. At least someone was getting something other than an anxiety induced ulcer from this car ride in Evie’s honest opinion.

“Are they all buried here in Gotham?” Mister Wayne asked quieter in it’s solemnity and silence of the cab of the car that followed.

Evie took a moment to answer, her gaze still on her lap since this conversation took this turn. She swallowed loosely around the monster that her grief was to answer such a simple question. “My brothers had my parents buried here in Gotham Cemetery… Reva chose her own plot, a spot underneath a tall and old oak tree just outside of Metropolis. I— I had Travis and Isaac buried alongside her.”

She wasn’t gonna cry on this stupid ride to her stupid condo with her stupid boss who was stupid nosey. Another steadying breath or three while pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes kept that from happening.

“Around Halloween every year since the last funeral we, Ash and I, take the ferry across the bay… We make a whole day just to wallow, yeah? We usually end up catching the last ferry back to Gotham and ending at—“ 

Her voice was cut off by her own rampant curiosity and the deep dread of being a Gothamite meant with what she was seeing as the car was only one left turn away from her building. Smoke was billowing heavy and grey into the night sky, from a distance (coming into the city proper from Bristol) would just seem like steam from Industrial pumping into the ever present storm clouds over the city. Evie’s instincts were sharp on the money.

She knew this left turn. Knew all of these streets that led to her building. That led to her and Ash’s home. Heart that was already in her throat expanded into something painful. Could feel every thump of a heartbeat in her ears and the burning behind her eyes escalated to a tipping point at the red light. Breathing caught as her vision blurs with tears smearing the traffic lights, not eased by the passing of emergency vehicles sirens off because their destination was right there.

There was no before thinking thoughts that passed between her ears after the final GCFD truck streamed through the intersection in front of them. None as she unclicked her seatbelt and swiftly hopped out of the car to run after the firetruck with her gut in the heels of her boots. 

Calls of her name echoing off the surronding glass, brick, and Gotham winter rain went ignored and unheard. Evie’s attention was fixed solely and completely of her building.

Engulfed in flames.

Well, one entire floor at this point and by the looks of it probably chewing through the walls for more fuel.

Chaos and noise bloomed around her and Evie probably should have heard it all. Be irritated by all the yelling, screaming, and the cries of her neighbors. But, she couldn’t. All her senses were focused on the fire screaming out a broken window on that one particular floor and licking the brick unperturbed by the rain. 

The windows she knew would let too much light in without curtains. Windows Ash talked about decorating for the next Halloween with paper skeletons and those jelly vinyl pumpkins he saw at the grocery store. The windows she would stare out of to lose her head in the near perpetual grey of Gotham skies.

It was gone.

All of it.

The entire life she had built for herself and Ash fuel for a hungry fire that was unbothered by winter rain. A fire Evie could tell was going to eat the entire building. Nothing was silent and everything was loud but all she heard was the rush of blood in her ears as her heartbeat quickened with every hastening breath.

What was to come of her life now? All of it was for Ash. Every step she had taken and every decision made was for him. That room of roaring flame and billowing dark smoke was once a condo she bought to provide a stable home for him. To keep her promise to Reva.

Every single decent brick she had put down for a good solid foundation felt like it was falling away and with it whatever kept the noise at bay. All at once it felt like it came back at her. A wall of sensation and feeling, all of it overwhelming, painful, and unsettling. All of it making her feel unsteady on her feet. It was too much and nothing all at the same time.

Until there was a hand on her shoulder grounding her with a firm squeeze and an overly large umbrella shielding her from the rain. Evie looked back and up into the concerned scowl of Mister Wayne’s face and knew he was going to steer her away from this. This, the still emblazoned condo that was once her home. 

And, Evie let him steer her away from the wall of chaos and noise that threatened to swallow her whole alongside her neverending grief waiting for the chance to chew her hide the moment she wasn’t completely and utterly vigilant. Not to mention the pit of fire that was home. 

Was once Ash’s home.

The sad heavy silence that she had been accustomed to for years fell onto her. Ears and joints, everything in between and somehow falling out of herself staring into the shadows of her feet. 

Time passed like it didn’t matter. A part of her believed it didn’t, not when what had mattered was falling through her fingers. Evie came back to herself with a sigh and wasn’t even mildly surprised that they were back in the car and the harsh artificial lights of Gotham proper was slowly dispersing for the dense trees and hedges of Bristol. Evie decided to worry about the hour or less she missed since witnessing her place being barbequed like a hotdog on the fourth of July… She had bigger worries.

Like the sweetest eight year old who was so smart but, looked at her with the biggest stars in his eyes. 

Evie couldn’t look up at Mister Wayne until the seemingly normal but absolutely rich person car stopped inside the garage of the expansive lakehouse. Not a word was said, even though she could see the older man chewing on his words on the tip of his tongue. There was use in pushing for conversation with placid platitudes that couldn’t comfort wounds too deep to soothe. 

Unclicking her seatbelt with one foot out of the now open door, she could smell Alfred’s cookies, was when Mister Wayne found his voice. “Evelyn, are you okay?”

She looked away from the soles of her boots to the concerned scowl of the one Bruce Wayne and sighed underneath her breath. “Stupid question, you know I’m not. Haven’t been for years.”

A deep breath steadying breath and her eyes dropped to her fingers that was twisting into the knit of her favorite sweater, an ugly beige baggy thing that’s sole purpose was ultimate comfort. She needed it right now, she thinks.  “… But, it doesn’t matter if I am or not. Not right now. Ash is my sole responsiblity and…” 

Her voice trailed off as her thoughts went to images of people in smart business pantsuits and slacks with fancy badges taking Ash away.

“And ‘what’, Evelyn?” Was the stern quiet voice that pulled her from that stupid painful rabbit hole.

A frown settled on her face to meet Mister Wayne’s scowl. “That everything I’ve done, every choice and decision was for Ash. So, that he’d be with family that he knows and loves. Reva made me promise when she told me! I was just a teenager when she did, I didn’t think…” she hadn’t not really. “… Now, they’re going to take him away and put him into the Gotham foster system. Put with people who don’t know him. Away from me.”

Her hands stopped twisting and sighed once more, mostly for dramatics as she finally decided to get out of this stupid rich person’s car and away from the stupid rich person in question. Before she trauma dumps on him completely and then decides to flee the country out of sheer embarrassment. “Don’t worry about it, Mister Wayne. I’ll figure it out. This wouldn’t be the first time our lives have been turned inside out and, at this rate, probably won’t be the last.” 

She stepped out of the car and closed the door gently… Some rich people things were very very fragile… and jogged, trying to pretend that everything was fine and okay, up towards the door that led into the manor proper not even looking back at her boss.

Looking back she would have only seen the foreboding Wayne Scowl that always comes before something dramatic is done or said. 

Then, she would have known that something big was coming and to be on guard.

Chapter Text

I am not and I am abandoning this story. Just this verison of Evie. Mainly because I want the main fic to have an overall plot. As for the silence for well over a year? A lot has happened in my personal life and I just wanted to marinate in emotion juice for awhile. So, marination is done and I reread what I’ve got and I just… Yeah.

But thank you to all of you that enjoyed this verison of Evie’s story and I hope you’ll enjoy a different take on her menacing the Waynes (and in this new verison may even be able to menace the Kents >:3 ) that’s to come soon. <3