Begin Again (sequel to Isabella Marinette Martha Wayne)

Chapter 4

Days went by as normally as they could in the Wayne household. The sun cast a warm glow over the elegant dining room as Isabel, Damian and Alfred were gathered for lunch.

During a lull in the conversation, Isabel turned to Damian, her eyes filled with a glimmer of curiosity. "Would you like to accompany me for a walk outside after lunch?". Damian gave a stiff nod in response. "If you insist," he replied tersely.

Deep down, Damian tried to hide the seething resentment that churned within him.
It seemed that everyone in the family, even Titus and Alfred the Cat, were open to Isabel. The fact that she had effortlessly integrated herself into their lives grated on him.

As they strolled around the well-cared-for gardens, a true masterpiece of Alfred's meticulous care, Damian couldn't help but finally turn to Lusicina, his gaze intense. "Is there something specific you wanted to talk about, Lusicina?"

Isabel paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "How about we sit?" she suggested, gesturing to a clean patch of grass well, every patch was a clean patch but yeah... they sat down.
Isabel took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on Damian's. "Look, Damian," she began, her voice earnest. "I'll get straight to the point, just don't interrupt me. I have a reason to believe you are the potential successor to Wayne Enterprises. I want nothing to do with it. The only reason I'm even here is that Uncle J insisted that I had someone to look after me. Okay? I have my own business to look up to. I have my superhero persona to maintain and work on. I want absolutely nothing to do with Wayne Enterprises, the family's complicated history, or honestly anything else related to it. I would have been mad too if somebody tried to uproot my life."

Damian gave her a judgmental look, but Isabel continued, undeterred. "You know what?" she continued, "I'll even sign anything if that's what it takes. I would have disappeared off the face of the globe, but that would have Wayne, revealing everything. The only plus side to this... is that I get to meet you guys. After all, we share half the blood. So, truce?"

The demon's heir's eyes showed his emotions but for a few blinks they were back to stone. "Very well Lusicina." He conceded, acknowledging the tentative truce.

Isabel shrugged, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "Thank you. And don't you dare let Wayne get to your head. He is no shining example of maintaining relationships that have always been clear as crystal." She said with a humorless laugh. "Well, on a lighter note, do update me on the stuff that has been happening around here while I was away. I need to catch up on everything. I mean, the number of Twitter sorry X wars you have started, both in and out of the mask, is astounding."

As evening approached, bRuce, Dick and Tim got back from Wayne Enterprises and well Jason?... best not ask.They entered the grand Wayne Manor, a sprawling estate were greeted by Alfred then at the doorstep, his impeccable demeanor in stark contrast to the chaos that often surrounded the household.

As they shed their coats, Dick couldn't help but ask about Damian and Isabel. "Alfred, where's Damian and Isabel?" he asked.

Alfred's response was curt and to the point. "I believe they went for a stroll in the Manor Gardens."

The mention of Damian and Isabel together had everyone stopping in their tracks, a single thought racing through their heads: "Oh God, was Damian going to try and kill Isabel?"
As they bolted towards the garden, they finally came across the two figures. To their surprise, there was no immediate danger in sight. They approached cautiously, their curiosity piqued. Jason couldn't help but whisper. "Holy Shit, what is the demon spawn doing?"

Dick chimed in with a tentative suggestion, "He's smiling...?"

Tim shook his head. "Nah can't be." but squinted his eyes to get a closer look anyway. Bruce, their father, felt a faint grin tugging at his lips, his heart warmed by the sight of his children bonding together. He moved forward silently to listen to their conversation.