Covington wasn't as dark as Gotham. She rather preferred the latter, it cleared her mind and allowed danger to free her. Even when she was young and innocent the life of danger intrigued her and made her feel safe.

Normally she sat on her bed, her laptop in front of her and watched Netflix or read books to try and distract her mind. There was never silence in her room, music played as loudly as she could without getting complaints.

The silence was life not worth living. Silence allowed her mind to wander to the fear and the trauma. Eleanor was not down to think about the pain and suffering. And with that came the fact that she always wore her best clothes, she loved to look good even if it was for her own company.

Today had been no different. The pink-haired girl wore a white turtle neck under her black velvet dress, one of which fell to her mid-thigh and was only think straps. The dress wasn't tight-fitting, it still showed her shape, but didn't was still easy to move, eat and breathe in. Her black heeled boots stood beside her bed for when she would go downstairs.

Like every day, a tap at her door made her stop her music. "El, I have someone I want you to meet."

Eleanor pushed herself off her bed, and opened her bedroom door, smiling at Garfield Logan, otherwise known as Gar.

Eleanor had taken it upon herself to be Gar's much cooler older sister. Whilst he was fifteen, she was eighteen, something she often held over his head.

Gar being her 'younger brother' really helped her. He played the part rather well and almost made her forget that if her parents hadn't died she would have had a baby sibling.

Of course, she did have an older brother once, but that wasn't someone she could look after, that was someone who looked after her. Of course, she did have to look after her younger cousins and her aunty when she lived with her uncle, but they were safe now and he was in prison.

"Had Gar met a girl?" She teased, taking her cheeks into her hand as some women do with newborn babies.

Gar batted her hand away, his face turns pink. "Shut up." He complained, pulling a face at her. "Will you come down for dinner? You didn't last night."

And so she hadn't. Instead, Eleanor had spent most of yesterday in her room crying and shaking as she could only witness the things she desired not to see. Pain and trauma echoed in her mind despite the loud music. Nothing could block out the mental scars that seemed to have itched to bleed again.

And bleed they had. Leaving Eleanor bed rested and unable to make herself eat or drink or move for anything.

Eleanor moved deeper into her room, grabbing her heeled boots and pulled them on. She zipped up the side of them before appearing in front of Gar.

"Come on then, introduce me to love girl," Eleanor said, stepping completely out of her bedroom and linking her arm with his. She pulled her door shut and walked down the stairs with her 'brother', forcing him to skip down empty hallways.

However, as they neared the dining room, Gar unlinked his arm and made the joyous girl walk normally and stop singing 'we're off to see lover girl' in the tune of 'we're off to see the wizard'.

Gar believed Eleanor was the annoying older sister who was out to embarrass him — and he was correct. She lived for those moments.

She laughed lightly before walking into the dining room, Gar scrambling after her.

His eyes widened as Eleanor made her way to Rachel with an inviting yet excited smile that made him question her motifs.

"Hi, I'm Eleanor." She told her.

"Rachel."

"I'm a hugger, are you totally down for a hug?"

Rachel smiled sweetly before nodding.

Eleanor's smile brightened as she wrapped her arms around the younger girl, glancing over at Gar with a discrete thumbs up — he rolled his eyes at her.

When Eleanor stepped out of the hug, she made her way to her not so usual seat between Larry and Gar. Normally she sat at Gar's side, between him and Rita, but she was happy to give up her chair for the newcomer.

Rachel reminded Eleanor every so slightly of herself. A lost soul in a maze so confusingly big, that it was too difficult to work out her own story. She was a sweet girl and could see why Gar had taken a quick interest (if not liking) towards her.

The table was filled with food as it usually was. Larry was an amazing cook, he had taught Eleanor a few of his tricks when she was younger, and on her better days, she would help him and 'dance and sing' to AC/DC.

She admired Larry as well as Cliff and Rita. They were strong as they pushed through the pain of life despite the tragedies that were the catalysts of them being the way they are, and entrapped in their own home.

As Larry took his seat, he seemed pleased with his efforts. "All right, then."

"Let's eat," Gar said giddily.

Eleanor patted his arm, matching his enthusiasm. She hadn't eaten since yesterday's breakfast (which for her had been at four in the morning) she was starving, to say the least.

They had brought food up for her the previous day and night but Eleanor couldn't get herself to eat. Not even when Gar came in and sat with her, taking her hand and held it in silent support.

The found family and Rachel began to eat in silence, at least until it quickly turned awkward as Cliff stared at the newcomer.

"For God's sake, Cliff, stop staring at the poor girl."

Larry went ignored.

"So, are the waffles crispy on the outside and gooey a little but on the inside with just the right amount of butter?"

Eleanor chuckled to herself. Cliff had asked her similar questions whenever they had new food. She often tried her best to describe it but often then not she ended up replying that it was 'nice' and tasted as good as someone can expect.

Rachel's lips pulled into a smile. "They're perfect."

"Yeah. Try the chicken."

Eleanor turned to Rachel. "Don't feel inclined to eat what he says." She told her.

Rachel nodded at her as she took a fried chicken leg and began to eat it.

"What's that taste like?"

"Crunchy and moist."

"Oh, God! I used to love fried chicken."

There were few things he couldn't get Eleanor to describe. Anything that had mushrooms in or coconut was of the table and any meat still on its bone. She wasn't too fussy, but when she was it was about specific things.

"I loved to eat, swim, loved dance." He reminisced, Joy running through his voice.

Eleanor loved her family. Because each of them understood that there were changes, struggles and restrictions with what they were.

Sometimes Eleanor couldn't hold an object without it slipping through her hand and shattering on the floor. She often felt guilt for her intangibility, because in the past two years she still struggled to control it.

"Why can't you dance?" Rachel asked, watching Cliff with interest.

"Ah, forget it." He sighed. "You're young. Nobody's dancing with this." He tapped his metal fist against his head.

Rachel placed down her chicken bone, her hand's soon connecting. "I would." She proceeded to act out some robot arm dancing from her seat, mimicking the sounds as she did so.

Larry, Eleanor and Gar laughed in amusement, watching Cliff as they waited for him to say he liked her.

"She can say."

And three simple words proved what they already knew.

The dining room doors were pushed open, revealing Rita as she leaned elegantly against the doorframe. "Sounds like everyone is having fun."

Eleanor couldn't help but let her mood peek.

"I'm so sorry I'm late." She told them as Larry got out of his chair. He took her hand, politely guiding her to her around the table as he grabbed her a plate, like a true gentleman. "I was putting myself together. You know, it takes some time. I hear we have a guest from the outside." She said, looking at Rachel as she placed food upon her plate. "How wonderful. I'm Rita."

"Rachel."

"Delighted."

The others were glad that Rita had joined them.

Rachel watched in curiosity as Rita continued to stack food upon her plate.

Rita looked at her. "I'm famished." She smiled brightly before taking her seat as head of the table, opposite Eleanor and the mountains of food. "My condition requires a particularly high caloric intake." She explained, meeting Rachel's curious gaze. "Can you pass the gravy, please?" And so the gravy was passed down.

Rita took a bite into her food, and much like every other time was met with the perfection of Larry's cooking. "Well, this is absolutely delicious, Larry." She complimented.

"Someone kiss the cook," Larry said, making Rita and the others laugh. "Seriously. I'll take it from anybody. Anybody?"

Eleanor let out a small amused laugh and moved her chair into a better place. She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on Larry's cheek, before returning her seat to its usual position.

"From the angel herself," Larry spoke, gently tapping the teen's hand. He often called her an angel, convincing her that there was a reason why she wasn't dead and not simply because she was failing.

"Did Eleanor help you today?"

"No, not today, I've not been up to anything for the past two days," Eleanor spoke gently, enjoying the potato waffles she had put on her plate.

"Are you okay?"

The happiness stopped as they looked at Rita. Watching her body (mostly her face) change. Rita dropped her fork and used her hand to hide from Rachel.

"Rita?"

"I-I should have stayed in bed."

Eleanor placed her hand on Gar's, noticing the guilt upon his face. He met her eyes and she shook her head, gently rubbing her thumb over his skin.

Rachel shuffled on her seat before placing her hand on top of Rita's. She seemed to be out in some sort of trance, a brief one at that. "It's okay." She promised. "I'm not afraid of you."

Rita slowly began to move her hand, but the doors were slammed open.

Eleanor's eyes opened, her hand had snapped away from Gar's as they all turned to see the man who had saved them at a pricy cost.

"Who is this?" Doctor Caulder questioned, looking straight at Rachel.

Eleanor didn't like Caulder. Whilst she respected her saved her (despite not wanting to be saved) and brought her to her new family, she couldn't help but find him a little creepy and unsettling.

"Chief. I can explain." Gar stuttered out.

"Later." He told the boy. "I have a new patient."

The found family had got themselves out of their chairs and followed the doctor to meet this new patient and eventually someone to reluctantly and unwillingly become a part of their family.

They each pulled on blue rubber gloves as they began to surround the new unconscious patient.

"Who is she?"

"Her name is Shyleen Lao." He told them. "Cliff, the O2 stat."

"Gloves."

"Rita, run the IV. Gar, my case. Eleanor remove the sheet."

"On it." Eleanor carefully placed her fingers around the sheet, gently pulling it away in case she caused a reaction from the pained woman. 

Gar came and stood by her side after opening and placing down the case.

Larry stood over the woman. "She's hot, even for me."

"What happened to her?"

"A protest she organised turned violent. A nearby tanker exploded. She was engulfed in liquid nitrogen. The doctors treating her said there was nothing they could do. But she's a good soul, one worth saving."

Eleanor took Gar's hand, pulling both of them out of the way before letting go.

"The serum should help stabilise her body temperature." He injected the blue stuff into the clear pouch. "There I think."

Beeping could be heard as the woman's shoulders began to shake.

"What the fuck?"

Eleanor was back on the scene at the stranger's side as she carefully placed her hands on Shyleen's shoulders, trying to help stabilise her. "Is she going to be okay?" She called over.

"Chief?"

"What's happening?"

"Her body is reacting to my serum." The doctor said, pulling up her eyelid as he shone a light into the woman's eye. "Keep your grip steady, Eleanor."

"I'm trying, she's freezing, it hurts." The eighteen-year-old complained, her teeth biting down on her lips as she tried to ignore the pain and her bodies need to not be there and pull itself to safety.

"She is altering the temperature around us. We need to keep her warm. Blankets!"

Gar ran off to get some as the woman awoke.

Eleanor moved hands to hold her wrist, a sorry look was given to the woman as she panicked and spoke in Vietnamese.

"Hey, uh, does anyone speak whatever that is?" Cliff asked.

The others fought to get the blanket on her, whilst Eleanor struggled to keep her grip. She could feel her hands slipping through the woman's arms. And soon her hands went straight through.

"Hey, hey, you're okay. Deep breaths."

The others managed to somewhat pin her down as Eleanor stood uselessly at the side. Her bodies natural reaction was to save itself unless she was complexly exhausted, and the ice-cold pain from the woman had led to her slipping through.

Rachel came over to help by taking the strangers hand.

"Rachel?"

"I can help ease her pain. I know you're tightened, it's okay. It's okay." With Rachel's demonic sounding voice, the woman calmed and soon went into slumber as her body temperature began to rise again.

"Get the sedation."

Rita went off to grab it.

"And she's stable."

"She needs to rest."

And so they let Shyleen rest as they returned to dinner, around the long table. Eleanor and Rita no longer sat head of the table, instead, the doctor sat head of one side, and the two women forced the others to sit closer.

"I didn't mean to be of any trouble, I'm sorry." 

"Don't be sorry," Caulder told the girl, watching only her. "You helped us save that young woman's life, and we are very grateful for it. You were a surprise to me, that's all."

"I tried to warn the kid," Cliff spoke up.

"No one likes a snitch, Cliff," Eleanor told the man, a joking undertone in her voice as she gave him a teasing smile from where she sat opposite him.

"Well, we keep what we're doing here very secret, you see?"

"What is it that you do here?"

He pulled his lips into a straight like sort of smile. "I help people that others have given up on. I go beyond what medical science is willing to do because I believe in hope. Don't you?" He let in a breath before changing his position to seem more open. "Our dear Rita had been in an institution for decades after a toxic gas left her cells unstable. I freed her."

"And I'm very thankful, Chief."

"Then Larry, a pilot in the Air Force he crashed his plane and was exposed to negative energy. He was given mere days to live. That was over fifty years ago. Cliff's story you already know." His attention turned to the other side of the table, looking at Eleanor who sat the furthest end. "Eleanor had jumped off a building in Gotham, crushed a lot of her bones, she was believed to die before she could awake from her coma, that was two years ago. But she was given some side effects."

"I'm like a living ghost."

"But why?"

"Chief thinks it's all psychological. I've always desired to be a ghost story, or at least go down in history, I desired death when my parents died. So in a reaction to being saved my body replicated things we associate with ghosts. You know intangibility, invisibility, levitation and teleportation."

"Wow."

"Yeah, I'm still learning to control my intangibility, though."

Gar smiled as the two girls got along, moving his head to glance between them.

"And finally, Garfield." The doctor spoke, interrupting any further conversation between the two girls.

"He cured me." Gar shrugged, eating a strawberry.

"From what?"

"A rare disease he contracted from an even rarer species of primate in Congo basin. Although the cure I administered also had unforeseen side effects."

"Chief thinks ghat I can unzip my DNA and rearrange it. It took me a while to figure it out, but—"

"So that's how you can . . . But why a tiger?"

"I don't know. He thinks it's psychological. Tigers have always been my favourite, ever since I was a kid."

"So, you all just live here?" Rachel asked, looking between the residents of the peculiar home.

"This isn't simply a sanctuary, Rachel, it's an incubation chamber, an experiment. The work I do on them will push medical science forward decades in a matter of years."

Eleanor hated that they were all his little lab rats. Lab rats that owed him their lives, it was a terrible feeling in her soul that made her want to act against the light she tried to emulate.

"What's happening here will one day save thousands even missions, of lives." He told the new girl, yet again changing his position ever so slightly. "I think I can help you too, Rachel."

Rachel stared at him for a small while, surprised by his words. She was still. "You can't help me." She managed to stutter out.

"That's what they said about Cliff, Larry, Rita, Eleanor and Garfield. That I couldn't. That they were doomed. And yet, here they all sit enjoying dessert."

Cliff turned his attention to his plate, tapping his fingers against the empty china.

"If you'd let me examine you, do some tests . . ." He egged on, watching the flicker of fear and worry in her face. "Rachel, you're not alone."

When desert had finished the found family went their separate ways. Eleanor had retired to her room, where she watched Netflix as she read one of her books. She was so determined to finally finish her book after procrastinating for the past few months.

Eleanor could read and read and read, yet other times she couldn't even get herself to read a single page.

The lights began to flicker. She froze at first before placing her book down, pushing it against the bedside table and cracking its spine to keep it there. She shut her laptop before slipping out of her room, going through her door so she didn't have to open or close it.

She leaned over the bannister to see two strangers. She didn't think they were affecting the lights, she had a small inkling that Dr Caulder wasn't listening to Rachel.

"Hello?"

"Hi!" She called down, waving brightly. She hoped it didn't look creepy. In a matter of seconds, she appeared in front of them. "Who are you?"

"Eleanor?"

"Dick!"

Eleanor's mouth had dropped in amazement. Her brother's ex-best friend was stood in front of her, it had been a little under four years since she had last seen him. The two had been hurt by Nathan Shelby's death, and soon it came almost impossible to look at each other.

"What you doing here?"

"Looking for a girl."

"Any specific girl or did you just wake up with a craving?" She questioned, her shoulders tensed as her mind convinced her they were a danger.

"A specific girl, Rachel Roth."

"Why?" She questioned, unsure if she can trust the woman — she liked the woman's hair, maybe pink hair was finally catching on like a trend.

"We just want to help her." The woman told her. "We think she's in danger."

"What's your name?"

"Kory Anders."

"If I take you to her, you aren't just going to stab me in the back and make me regret it. These people are family and I will die before you can take them away from me."

"We just want to help her," Dick promised.

She nodded, before walking down the corridors, them following behind her. She could feel the danger radiate her skin. Eleanor missed danger, it freed her from her trauma as her mind concentrated on other things.

Larry and Cliff found them before they could ascend closer to the area they used as a lab.

A scream interrupted before any conversation could start.

"Rachel!"

"Go," Kory said, making Dick run, Eleanor ran with him.

"Don't kill each other!" She shouted back, guiding Dick down to the lab.

When they found Rachel, Eleanor was surprised.

Rachel was stood in front of a glowing purple ring (it looked a lot like a portal) with black clouds swirling around.

The doctor and Gar were on the floor, unconscious.

Eleanor rushed over to the boy she called her brother, dropping to her knees as horrible thoughts flashed through her mind. She had to check his pulse to tell herself he wasn't dead.

Eleanor ignored Dick and Rachel as she pulled the needle out of Gars body, shuffling him and her away from what was going on as she checked his temperature, breathing and pulse.

She assumed Rachel must have acted in fear, not that she could blame her.

"Hey, Gar, please don't die or something." She whispered, her mouth next to his ear, in desperation for him to come back. She placed a kiss on his head.

The others came to see as Dick held Rachel.

Dick had offered to carry Gar upstairs, but Eleanor refused, wrapping her arms around his body and disappeared, placing him on a sofa.

She grabbed a glass of water for him and waited for him to wake up. It wasn't a long wait, by the time the others had come up, Gar was taking sips from the cold water whilst Eleanor sat at his side, allowing him to lean on her.

She teased up quietly as his face lit up seeing Rachel sage and sound with Dick beside her.

The found family followed Kory, Dick and Rachel out, stopping in front of the door.

Cliff placed his hands on the teenagers' shoulders. "Go. Go with them." He said as the other three had stopped by the car watching them. "Go have a life, both of you."

Gar and Eleanor turned to Cliff. "But the Chief?"

"His back is broken again. We'll take care of him." Larry promised.

"You shouldn't have to," Eleanor spoke, gently placing her hand onto Cliffs as he rested on her shoulder.

"He helped us, Eleanor." Rita reminded the girl. "No matter what, we owe it to Chief to help him now."

"Oh, maybe you guys can come." Gar tried. The idea of them leaving their found family was painful.

Eleanor and Gar had both been brought in around the same time, back in two thousand and sixteen, with only a month or so between their savings.

"I mean, you don't have to hide anymore."

"We can start a revolution." Eleanor joked as Cliff's hand left her shoulder.

"It is what it is, kids."

Rita stepped over to Gar and Eleanor, passing them rucksacks and the girl's cropped leather jacket. "But you two," Rita sniffled, "you can have more than us. Eleanor, I grabbed your laptop, phone and chargers. Be careful."

The three hugged before Gar and Eleanor gave the others their affection. 

"All right, now get going, will ya? Fools."

Eleanor laughed lightly, stepping onto her toes as she placed a kiss on his metallic cheek.

Gar took Eleanor's hand, squeezing it. She nodded before letting him pull her over to the car. "Do you have room for two more?"

"We have room." Dick nodded, as he opened his car door.

Eleanor and Dick's eyes met. The two gave each other a nod, an appreciation and an attempt at recognising the other. Whilst pain echoed in their minds, they couldn't help but be happy to be reunited.