It all happened far too quickly for your own liking.

What seemed like hundreds and thousands of news articles, channels, and all kinds of different media had your face plastered at the front and centre for the entire city to see. Somehow, someone had discovered your civilian identity, and cruelly leaked it to the press. Bruce had been upon the first to see them pouring in, saddled in the Cave by himself, diligently working a case. It had been quickly abandoned in favour of this - a situation far too dire to neglect. He'd contacted Barbara to find the source of the leak, try and gather information, but right now, you were his main priority.

When he almost blew your phone up with calls, you'd made it to the Manor and down into the Cave within two hours - thankfully, unharmed. You hadn't run into any trouble along the way. But you looked devastated. Frightened; in a small way, Bruce was too. He had intended to keep calm about this, but the moment he saw you, he pulled you firmly into his arms and squeezed you tightly before the words escaped his tongue.

"It's going to be okay," he muttered under his breath, the words thick and heavy on his own tongue. It was almost as if he was trying to convince himself as much as you. His cape swirled around you, like an extension of his arms where he couldn't reach, keeping you tucked securely close. "We'll clean this up, I promise. Everything's going to be okay."

Bruce could already imagine himself hunting down whoever had done this. Whoever had seamlessly discovered who you were under the mask - he didn't think for a second you had done anything stupid, or somehow compromised yourself. A lecture or an interrogation wasn't what you needed right now, but Bruce still had to bite his tongue to keep himself in check.