Yaaay! Something that is not for Young Justice!
WARNINGS: ssssslight AU; childbirth (NON-explicit); sexual themes... (shame on you, Damian!); maaaaybe OOC at times... sowwy... I tried to stay in character, but I've only read one comic with Irey and two with Damian, never together.
I OWN NOTHING (besides the baby, technically, since it doesn't exist in DC-U)
Damian smiled gently at his wife as she hobbled around the nursery, inspecting every aspect of it as she rubbed her swollen stomach. "Dami," she began, her hyper and childish nature coming out once more, "do you think we were right not to find out the sex of the baby?"
He sighed, running a hand over his cropped, black hair. Standing, Damian went to stand behind his wife and rested his chin on her crown. Fiery locks flew into her face as she looked up at him, grinning ear to ear. He worked his arms around her waist and (just barely) interlocked his fingers over her gut. "Irey, I think it's all perfect. You, the baby, the nursery, you-"
"You already said that, Dami."
"Well, it's true."
She giggled and turned, pressing her large stomach against his torso as she reached up to tenderly kiss his lips. "You've loosened up a lot since we first met."
He shrugged. "I've had your help, haven't I?"
"My help? I orchestrated your attitude, Robin."
He feigned pain as she elbowed his arm slightly. "Hey, Impulse, I helped mature you up."
"If by 'mature' you mean 'scar for life', then yeah, I'll take that."
Damian smirked as Irey went back to the crib, arranging yellow and green stuffed animals in a seemingly random array, although he knew her fast-acting brain could spurt out a lecture on physics and the psychological advantages about the placement.
He allowed himself a slight grin as he sat back down on the rocking chair- carved by Roy and painted by Kendra, with a little 'help' from Lian- to watch the ginger before him busy herself. He wondered what their child would look like... maybe red hair and blue eyes? Or black hair and green eyes? Would the baby have dark tan skin, like his own, or light ivory skin, tinged pink, like Irey's? Would the baby have super-speed or a simple power like super-strength or intangibility, as Irey and Jai had as children?
One can only wonder, I guess.
As he was wondering, Damian's thoughts drifted back to reminisce on the first time he had met Irey.
"And you are whom, exactly?"
Nightwing groaned at his 'little brother'. "Can't you just ask it like a human?"
"Perhaps, Grayson, if I had been subjected to mind-numbing entertainment and culture in my childhood, like you."
Flash snorted. "Childhood? This kid's talking about 'childhood' when he's ten!"
"I can hear you, West," Robin snapped as he turned to glare at the girl- maybe a year or two younger than himself- next to the Flash. She seemed to be vibrating with excitement- which was a possibility, as she was a speedster- and was rocking from heel to toe, heel to toe. Her costume was red in the center and a pale ecru on the sides, the colors bordered by lightning bolts. Her fiery red hair was pulled up into pigtails by lightning-bolt clips, and her green eyes were tinged gold by her yellow goggles, held to her face by a red mask.
"Hi!" she squealed, zooming up and grabbing his hands. "Myname'sIrey! ButyoucancallmeImpulse! TheFlashismyDaddy! Mybrotherusedtohavepowers,butItookthemfromhim- Oh! ButIdidn'ttakethemawaymeanly, Ijust-"
Robin pulled away, scowling, just as Flash pulled Impulse a few feet away. "Alright, Sweetie. Remember what I told you? You have to slow down your voice, especially when you get excited, 'cause they can't understand you."
Impulse, not seemingly embarrassed at all, just smiled. "Sorry, Daddy."
He smiled and flicked one of her pigtails, causing the girl to giggle. "Daddy!"
Nightwing turned Robin around, resting his elbow on the boy's shoulder as he slightly crouched to be face-to-face. "Waddaya think of 'er, Dami?"
Damian snorted, then tutted his tongue against his lips. "She's... okay."
He would never admit it, but Nightwing's eyes widened in shock behind his mask. Oh, yeah. He's crushin'.
A grunt pulled Damian from his thoughts, and he saw Irey bent over. Her right hand was clutching the crib tightly, her left holding just beneath her stomach. Her eyes were squeezed together tightly, her bottom lip pulled under her front row of teeth. A whimper escaped her lips, and, in an instant, Damian was at his wife's side. He put on hand on her shoulder, pulling her chin up with the other.
"Irey? Irey, what-"
"I- I think I'm having contractions..." A whimper at the end of the sentence proved her hypothesis.
Damian's eyes bugged out, and he breathed in through his nose gently. "Alright. How long have you been in pain?"
"F-For about a half hour or so... I- I just didn't think it was- ugh!"
He nodded, pulling her to a standing position by her elbow. She groaned again, her knees almost giving out. "W-Why is this all going so f-fast, Dami?" she whimpered as her husband snatched up their 'ready-to-go' bags.
He turned, supporting her sides as he led her out the door. "You're speedster, and the baby is too- well, connected to the Speed Force at least. Your gestation was only five months, so it would make sense that your labor is quicker than the average woman's."
Irey nodded, then groaned again. Her knees did give out, this time, and she fell on the kitchen tile. Damian was the only thing keeping her from sprawling out. "Ooh! Damian! It hurts so bad!"
He nodded, wishing that he could help her more. "I understand, Irey, but we need to get to the car. I'll call Oracle on the way and see if she can patch us through to the JLA's meeting-"
He was cut off by another whimper from his wife. Tears were building in her eyes as the pain rippled through her lower body. "R-Right..." she hissed. "Let's go..."
Damian practically had to carry Irey out to the car, as she was leaning on him the whole time. Thank God they had gotten the one-story house... He didn't know if she would have been able to handle stairs. Or if he could have handled the stairs.
A moan, louder this time and sharper, almost a wail, came from Irey's lips as Damian deposited her in the front seat. "Damian!"
"One minute, sweetheart." He rarely used endearing terms, but he knew he had to calm Irey somehow, before she accidentally popped that kiddo out in the car.
As he slammed the trunk shut, their bags now inside the vehicle, Damian's mind once more flashed back to one of his earlier memories of Irey.
"Are you sure this is safe?"
No, Robin wasn't worried for his safety- he was worried about Impulse's safety.
The twelve-year-old girl rolled her eyes as she backed up on Barry's red-tiled roof. "No. But I heal fast, so I'll be fine."
Robin, silently chewing on the inside of his cheek, backed up a bit and prayed that Irey couldn't see the concern written on his features. His eyes traveled over the contraption that the speedster had built moments before in a swirl of color. Irey's spot on the roof led to a drop-off where a trampoline waited, then led to a five-foot slide that would- hopefully- carry Irey down and sling her onto yet another trampoline, this one smaller, and then into a kiddie pool.
"Impulse, I don't think that you should-"
"Geronimo!" she squealed before running forward, at normal speed, and throwing herself off the roof.
Robin's instincts kicked in, and he shot his grappling hook into a nearby tree before pulling himself in and grabbing the girl's waist, safely tossing them into a pile of bushes.
There was a long pause before two heads popped up from the shrubs, one giggling loudly and squealing "Let's do it again!" over and over, the other scowling and trying not to sucker-punch his fellow hero.
Then, ever so slowly, a smile crept onto Robin's features.
"Damian!"
Snapping into action, the man turned and sprinted to the driver's seat, sliding in and revving up the car. His eyes drifted over to his wife, who was breathing in and out through her nose, eyes still shut tightly. Her lips were pursed, and Damian realized how much he hated seeing his wife in pain like this.
As he was pulling out, Damian pressed his comm link and called Oracle.
"This is Oracle, how can I he-"
"Oracle, it's Damian. I need you to patch me in to Flash and Batman at the Founders' meeting."
"Dami, you know I can't-"
Irey's hand lunged over and grabbed Damian's wrist in a death-grip as another whimper came past her lips.
"Do it now, Oracle!"
Oracle, perhaps having heard Irey's pain through the comm unit, patched Damian through.
"Damian. It's Batman. Why are you interrupting-"
"Father! Irey is in labor- you and West need to get to the hospital, now."
There was murmuring over the link, and then Bruce's gruff voice came back on. "We'll meet you there. How is she?"
Just then, Irey let out another whine, loud enough for Bruce to hear. "Alright. See you there."
Damian nodded and cut the link as he dived through traffic. "Irey? Irey, think about something else."
"W-What?"
Damian mentally swore. "Uh... bunny rabbits! Girls like bunny rabbits, right?"
He couldn't help but smirk at his wife's half-cry, half-laugh. "Y-Yeah, I guess we d-do..." Irey leaned her head back against the seat, her eyes closed lighter, though her jaw was still tense.
"Just don't fall asleep on me."
She snorted. "Ri- Ooh!"
Damian floored it, weaving in and out of the cars and trucks next to him, completely oblivious to the honking and vulgarities being tossed his way. He could just barely remember the last time he had been this worried...
Robin shifted from one foot to the other, then began to pace outside the Medical Bay's doors. Flash was sitting on the ground, his cowl down to reveal blood-shot eyes and puffy, reddened cheekbones. Jai- the 'Turtle' as he had been so graciously dubbed by his twin- was sitting next to his father, fiddling with his cell phone for something to do.
Nightwing suddenly launched his arm forward, bringing the pacing fifteen-year-old into his side. "Damian, chill-"
"Chill?" Robin tore off his mask, eyes blazing with rage. "CHILL? Irey's been shot, bludgeoned, and who else knows what by that- by Zoom, and you're just telling me to frickin' chill?"
Everyone was frozen. Nobody moved, nobody breathed.
Then, a small smile worked it's way onto Jai's face as he breathed out, "You called her 'Irey'..."
In a flurry of red, Arsenal rushed into the room, his hands up and face blank. "Waddid I miss?"
The car screeched to a halt just outside the hospital, a five-story building with dozens and dozens of rooms. Glass doors and fancily-paned windows, with flowers of all ethnicities residing next to them, glistened in the sunlight.
But, Damian- quite frankly- didn't give a care as he ushered his wife out of the car and through the front doors.
In an instant, a nurse was next to the young couple and helping Irey into a wheelchair. The speedster let out a low grunt as she clutched her abdomen, and Damian bit his lip.
The nurse, a blonde woman of perhaps forty, turned to look at the man. "My name is Ethel. I'll grab some forms for you on our way to the delivery rooms, Mr.-"
"Wayne. Damian Wayne."
That sure did turn heads. A few idiot people even whipped out their cell phones to take pictures and videos of the great Bruce Wayne's son and daughter-in-law at their finest moments.
If it weren't for Irey's grip on her husband's sleeve, Damian would have already torn apart half of the people in the waiting rooms.
By magic, Ethel appeared with a stack of forms in hand. "I'll have you fill them out later. But, for now, I think we need to get your wife-"
A loud, pressured gasp carried out through the room. But, instead of being pained and scared, this one was full of surprise.
Damian's eyes flickered down to his wife, whose grip on his sleeve had lightened astronomically. "Irey," he spoke as he crouched down next to her, trying to draw her wide eyes and open mouth to him.
"My- my water just broke," she gasped, and, for the first time, her husband saw the small puddle that dampened Irey's jeans.
"GET HER THE HELL TO THE ROOM!"
The nurse didn't have to be told twice. She readily grabbed the handle bars behind Irey and began to push her towards two sets of glass double-doors. A nearby doctor quickly opened them for the couple and the nurse, the latter of which nodded thankfully.
Damian tried to anchor himself to Earth- Irey needs me. She needs me at full focus. She needs-
But his memories were flooding him now, like the Red Sea.
Wally West scowled as he inspected the junior's attire. Damian didn't phase under the man's gaze, but simply sent him a Glare worthy of the Bat-Hall of Fame. Wally, though, didn't back down. After all, if he was letting his daughter go out on a date with this- this- Bat, he had obviously steeled himself enough already.
Damian's grip on the plastic box he held tightened to where it cracked slightly, and he released his hold with shock. Wally smirked at the small victory, while the younger vigilante only glared harder.
"Daddy! I'm ready!" came a shout from upstairs.
The two males turned to watch the sight.
Irey had pulled her hair up into a loose bun and had done something to make it shimmer in the lights. Her pale face was flushed with embarrassment and glitter, her eyelashes thick in front of jade eyes. She wore a simple dress that ran just above her knees and had sleeves down to her elbows, a soft yellow color with lace on the hem. White Mary Janes adorned her feet, and a simple Kay necklace wrapped around her neck.
She smiled as she came to stand next to her father, who put a protective hand on his daughter's shoulder.
"Have her back by-"
"Nine, no later. Movies are alright, as long as they are not R or horror films. I will make sure we both wear our seat belts, and drugs, at no time, will be allowed. Neither will drinking alcohol... Sir."
Wally looked miffed, but Irey simply giggled. Damian held out his plastic box, and the girl took it readily. "A corsage? Thanks, Dami."
Damian found his ears turning red. "It's nothing, really..."
She stepped forward and kissed his cheek lightly, making Wally go red and Damian go pink. "Thank you, all the same."
Damian couldn't keep his voice from squeaking as he asked, "Should we go?"
Irey laughed out loud and slipped her elbow through his hand. "We shall!"
The door of the delivery room slamming shut behind them awoke Damian from his reminiscing. He saw Ethel trying to help Irey up and quickly, yet gently, shoved her away. Irey allowed him to grip her elbows tightly and transfer herself onto the bed. Ethel quickly helped the woman take off her jeans and shirt before putting a nightgown on the younger woman.
Other nurses began to flow in, along with a doctor or two, but Damian had yet to see any family members.
Another nurse- this one a skinny, Hispanic woman- handed Damian some over-clothes and ordered him to change. Just as he was about to slip away, the young man felt a tug on his elbow.
"D-Damian..." Irey whimpered, sweat already building on her wrinkled forehead.
"I'll be right back," he promised, swooping down to steal a kiss. The speedster nodded, having taken the excuse, and forced herself back into the hard hospital pillows.
Damian thrust the door to the bathroom shut as he began to strip down to his boxers and undershirt. Growing whimpers and grunts from the room drew most of his attention, but he was being pulled- once more- into his cerebrum.
She panted huskily as he shoved her up against a wall, his grip on her wrists tighter than he would have liked. But, he couldn't help himself. After all, any teenaged boy would die to be here.
They were both dressed in training uniforms, hers a tight black tank-top and shortie-shorts, his no shirt and long pants that hung low on his hips.
"Y-You've never kissed anyone?" she asked nervously, biting her lower lip.
He let go of her wrists, but supported himself on the wall, his hands on either side of her head. For once, Damian realized just how beautiful Irey was, despite the sweat that littered her features from their exercises.
"No," he rasped tiredly.
She smirked. "Neither have I." Suddenly, she had pulled him into her chest, both arms wrapped around his neck. Her lips met his, and he groaned in the back of his throat as warmth flooded through his gut.
Damian worked one arm around Irey's back, using the other to hike her knee up around his waist. She gasped, but deepened the kiss, slinging both legs to wrap around him. The ebony forced her back further onto the wall to get a grip as she worked magic with her tongue.
The two broke apart for air, and Damian rasped, "Are you positive?"
She grinned.
Damian darted back into the delivery room to see his wife pressed into the bed, her hair flying around her face in a sweaty halo of red. Ethel was checking her dilation, and Irey looked extensively discomforted.
So, her husband saddled up next to her, pulling a seat from the bedside desk to sit at her height. Ira's green eyes, filled with pain and hope, flashed over to him. "So- this is- is it, huh?"
He gulped unnoticably, taking one of her soft, smooth hands into both of his large, calloused ones. "Yeah... this is it, sweetheart."
She nodded, gritting her teeth again as another contraction hit her. She whimpered, then dug her face into Damian's neck, whispering, "Make it stop..."
His heart broke, and Damian kissed her earlobe. "I wish I could, Irey... I really, really wish I could."
Ethel cleared her throat, and the young couple turned to her. The older woman's face was flushed with adrenaline, though her eyes held happiness. "You're eight centimeters, Mrs. Wayne. Two more, and you can begin to push."
Irey nodded, groaning softly as Ethel pulled a thin sheet over the ginger's open legs. "I'll be back in five minutes, alright? Take some time to breath, and try not to stress yourself too much. Lots of women think childbirth is much more painful than it really is-"
"It really is," Irey growled, and Damian tried to hide his chuckle with a fake cough. Ethel nodded, unperturbed, and left, leaving Damian and Irey alone.
"We never really- really talked about any names..." Irey said softly, allowing Damian to massage the pressure points in her hands and wrist.
"Mm hmm," he muttered softly, kissing her temple.
"Got- got any names in mind?"
"Nh hn."
"S-Some help you are," Irey tried to laugh, but writ off as a pained croak. "When- when will they- will they get here?"
"Soon, Irey."
She nodded, closing her eyes once more. "Tell me a story."
Damian cocked an eyebrow. "I-"
"You're great at telling stories, Dami... P-Please, anything to get my mind off- ungh..."
He nodded gently. "Alright. How about I tell you of a memory?"
She shrugged. "Anything."
Damian nodded once more and began.
"So what does Damian mean?"
All around in a circle sat Lian Harper, Speedy, Damian Wayne, Robin, Irey West, Impulse, her twin brother Jai, the Turtle, Bart Allen, Kid Flash, Connor Kent, Superboy, Tim Drake-Wayne, Red Robin, and Cassie Sandsmark, Wonder girl.
"What?" Robin asked Speedy incredulously.
She rolled her eyes. "We were just talking about our names, weren't you listening?"
Impulse elbowed her boyfriend playfully. "Damian only thinks about training."
A few laughs echoed through the room before Speedy brought back the conversation. "But, seriously, Lian means 'graceful willow'. What does Damian mean?"
"To tame or to subdue."
There was a long pause, in which the old Teen Titans and the Newts (as Bart had dubbed them: New Titans) allowed themselves to glance at each other.
Then, Superboy and Red Robin broke out laughing, followed shortly by the others.
"We wish!" Kid Flash cried as he banged a fist on the ground, tears of mirth in his eyes.
Damian sat back and grumbled to himself.
Irey giggled softly, and Damian thanked God that he was able to relieve her of her pain for a short while.
Then, the doors to the hospital room opened, and several people shuffled inside. The first was Wally West and his wife, Linda, both of whom rushed forward to greet their daughter with open arms. Jai was behind, with Lian attached to his hip. The love-sick birds hadn't left each others sides since their engagement, and apparently that was holding true for that day as well.
Dick and Tim followed, the latter quite reluctantly. But, Dick simply swooped forward and crushed Damian in a hug. "Dang! The youngest Bat and the first to have a kid!" Damian, grumbling, pulled himself away from his older brother and made way to sit next to his wife, who was trying to hide her pain as her parents radiated with joy.
Somehow, Barry and Iris were able to shuffle through the miniature crowd that was developing and stand at the foot of the bed. Bruce and Bart hung in the door way, the prior looking stoic while Bart was having a hard time controlling his vibrating muscles. His wife, Rose, rolled her good eye and kissed his cheek gently. "Calm down, Bart. She's fine. The baby's fine. It's all fine."
"Mm hm..."
Rose groaned, face-palming. "Oi. Can't wait to see what happens when I get pregnant."
"WHAT?"
"Just planning ahead, darling, planning ahead."
Back inside the room, Damian was feeling his wife's pain as she crunched his hand tightly. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she tried to smile and nod at her family's antics. Finally, Linda must have picked up on her daughter's discomfort, because she ordered for everyone to back away.
By then, though, Ethel was back. The older woman turned to the 'crowd' and smiled sweetly before chauffeuring them out, all except for Linda and Wally, who hung next to their daughter. Damian stood abruptly and held a hand out as Ethel just about shut the door.
"Wait."
It was an odd silence as Damian left the room for a moment.
It was an even odder silence in the hallway as everyone turned to face the practically-new-dad. Looking almost embarrassed, Damian's eyes looked up to his father. Bruce stiffened and said, "Yes," as he waited for the next thing to be said.
"Irey and I had been talking, and we were wondering if you would care to wait in the room while she, well, you know..."
Everyone turned to watch the Dark Knight crumble- if he weren't truly the Dark Knight. Instead, Bruce smiled gently and clapped his son on the shoulder. "Of course."
Damian breathed out a silent sigh of relief, which only his brothers caught. They both snickered and held up two thumbs each, making Damian want to hold up two middle fingers to each. But, Bruce pulled him inside the room before he could retort.
There was a doctor in, now- Leslie. Dr. Tompkins had since retired, but had been begged by Irey (with a bit of pleading from Damian on the side) to come back and be Irey's midwife. After reluctantly giving in, Dr. Tompkins had lightened up a great deal. She was the perfect doctor in mind, since she knew all about the Flash-family's and the Bat-clan's other lives.
"Bruce. Nice of you to join us," Leslie spoke with a small smile before turning to gently pull the blanket off of Irey's lap. The young woman fidgeted for a moment, but relaxed as Damian re-took his spot. He massaged her shoulder slightly, which also seemed to help Irey's nerves.
"Alright, Irey," Leslie spoke as Bruce took a spot to stand behind Wally. "You're ten centimeters, which means it's time for you to push. You'll push for ten seconds, then breath for ten, alright girlie?"
Nodding, Irey grabbed her husband's hand and grit her teeth.
"And... push."
"Push harder!" Robin shouted at Superboy, who whirled around to growl at the younger hero. But, before the fight could get physical, Wonder Girl and Kid Flash stepped in.
The cave was dank and dirty, dust gathering all around. The underground tunnel had caved-in, leaving the Teen Titans and Newts separated. On one side was Superboy, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, and Robin. On the other side, back further in the cavern, was Red Robin, Speedy, and Impulse.
Wonder Girl slapped her boyfriend on the head. "Connor, don't retaliate. Damian, don't instigate."
"Congratulations, Cassie, you can speak on a sixth-grade-level."
Kid Flash grabbed Superboy's arms before the older hero could bite off Robin's head.
Swiftly, Wonder Girl pulled Robin aside. Her breathing was heavy, and she was completely covered in dirt. "Damian..." her voice was low, partially from the dust, "I understand you're worried about Irey, but we're doing everything we can. Lian and Tim are over there, too, remember? Tim has enough breath filters for them all, and, from what he's told us on the link, none of them are injured."
Robin's ears were a brilliant red, his face dark with soot and anger. Quickly, he turned away, and Wonder Girl could almost see his lip quiver. "Sorry," he snapped sarcastically before moving back to help Superboy and Kid Flash push all of the debris out of the way. Taking in a deep breath, Wonder Girl forced her way back into the fray.
As she moved in synch with Robin, the blonde whispered to him, "It's okay, Damian. It's all going to be okay."
A wail of pain drew Damian back to his wife. Her face was contorted in pain and bright red as her hair, sweat pouring down her cheeks. Wally and Bruce stood back a bit, wincing and looking anywhere but, while Linda was holding her daughter's hand tightly.
"D-D-Damian..." Irey moaned, leaning her head back. "Damian, I c-c-can't!"
The young man put one arm behind his wife's shoulders, helping her sit up a bit. "You can do it, sweetheart. You can do it. I'm right here, Irey, I'm here, I promise."
Irey let out a long, loud moan. Leslie nodded and used her wrist to wipe sweat from her own forehead. "Good, Irey. Just keep doing what you're doing. The baby should be crowning any minute."
"M-Minute?" Irey exclaimed, her eyes wide. "That's like- like hours!"
Her breathing was getting quicker and uneven, and Linda jumped in right away, her back facing Leslie as she cupped her daughter's face in her hands. "It's okay, lady. Just breath. Breath. In and out, slowly. Slowly..."
Irey did as her mother showed her, although her breath still hitched a bit.
Linda looked up at Damian, who was turning rather pale at the sight of blood between his wife's legs. The woman snapped her fingers, drawing her son-in-law's attention. Pleading brown eyes echoed Linda's voice as she spoke, "Damian. Irey needs you to focus."
He couldn't help that his memories were dragging him off, could he?
"Push, Irey," Leslie commanded. "Damian, support her back. Now!"
Damian let Irey lean back on his chest at an angle as she groaned with effort. "D-Dami..." she whimpered.
He gently kissed her forehead. "It's alright, Irey. Just focus on the baby, okay? Think about the baby. Think about holding the baby."
Irey grunted as Leslie grinned. "That's it, Irey! That's it! Keep going."
Wally flinched and took another step back, making Bruce roll his eyes. Linda took a few moments to glare at her husband before turning her attention back to her daughter.
Damian brushed hair from his wife's face as she let out a scream of pain. "It's okay, Irey." He was just a record now, broken and repeating words over and over. Really, he was miles away from the situation, remembering a time where he had been almost as scared as he was now...
"Excuse me?"
Damian faltered under Wally's glare, but didn't show it. The red-headed speedster's eyes were wide, his jaw slack. Behind him, at the kitchen table, sat a rather surprised Dick Grayson, a laughing Hal Jordan, and a borderline-drunk Roy Harper.
Damian hadn't really planned for this to go the way it went... He had gone out and bought a ring with the help of Rose and Cassie before the prior brought up Wally's reaction to Damian asking for Irey's hand in marriage.
Hesitantly, Damian had admitted that he hadn't asked. After being pestered and pestered by the two women, he fled on his motorcycle to the West residence. He knew that Linda would be asleep by then, and Jai was out with Lian. He knew this because Jai had been bragging about his date with the archer for at least a week and a half now. Irey was at Titans Tower, training with Starfire and Batgirl, so said a text he had just gotten.
So, now here he was. Damian had walked in on Wally, Dick, Hal, and Roy playing poker- well, less Roy since he was just trying to get drunk.
Damian tried not to glare at the speedster- that wouldn't help.
"I want to ask your daughter to marry me. We've been dating for three years, now, and I believe that is enough time to get to know her."
There was a long, terrible pause as Wally death-glared Damian. He had never approved of Irey dating the ex-assassin. Damian knew this was a lost cause. He might as well just leave and return the ring- or give it to Jai for future notices. Wally absolutely loved Lian and her drunk of a father-
"Alright."
Damian's eyes bugged, but he swiftly caught his composure. "Alright."
"But, Wayne," Wally pushed a finger in Damian's chest, "I'm doing this because I love my daughter, not you. I know she loves you, and she's been good for you. I hate to admit it, but you've been good for her, too. So, you'd best be good for her, or you're gonna have the whole Flash-family up on your hide, got it?"
Damian pretended to be intimidated, making Dick snicker in the background. "Yes, sir."
"Alright."
"Alright."
"Leave."
"Alright."
"Almost there, Irey," Leslie encouraged as she looked up at the young couple. "Almost there."
Irey nodded, gritting her teeth, and pushed again. Damian allowed her to crunch his hand, practically in half. Her arm was vibrating at a terrifying speed, burning his hand lightly. But, he bit back a hiss of pain, as that might make Irey uncharacteristically angry.
"Push, sweetheart," Linda encouraged her daughter.
Irey threw her head back and let out a scream. Just then, another scream echoed through the room, this one higher and fresher, the first cries of a new little life force.
Leslie held the baby in her arms as she rubbed it clean. Damian let out a half sigh, half laugh as he watched the baby being lifted up. Irey, still breathing heavily, leaned back on her husband as the infant cried, tiny lungs letting out sharp wails.
Wally winced, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling. "You sure the baby's a speedster and not Dinah's kid or nuthin'?"
Linda chuckled, but Irey glared at her father. "I'm positive that Black Canary didn't just give birth to my child."
Damian stood as Leslie beckoned to him. "Dads usually cut the cord."
At a loss for words, the young man took the odd-looking scissors and cut where Leslie told him to. Then, he grinned.
"It's a girl, Irey. A girl."
Tears of joy and relief flashed in the new mother's eyes as she bit back a sob. "A- A girl... A baby girl..."
Leslie cleaned up the baby while Ethel returned and cleaned up Irey.
Damian looked back at his wife, who nodded gently for him to follow Leslie over to the other side of the delivery room. Dr. Tompkins gently laid the baby, pink and still crying, down on a small, white blanket with elephants of all different colors going around it. While she weighed and checked out the little girl's vitals, Damian inspected his daughter.
Her skin tone couldn't be told, yet, she was just pink like all of the newborn babies Damian had ever seen- or seen pictures of. He head was kind of cone-shaped, but had a thick tuft of black hair on it. Her tiny fingers clawed at the air, her tiny mouth open in an 'o' as she suckled.
So softly, so that only Leslie could hear, Damian rasped, "I'm a father..."
The doctor chuckled as she grabbed up a newborn diaper. "Yup. That's the normal reaction. Now go wash your hands so you can hold her."
As he did so, Damian felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. He craned his neck to see Bruce, the lines in his forehead melting as he gave a small smile. "She's beautiful, Damian."
The younger hero let out a breath as he turned off the water, drying his hands. "I know..."
"Come on," Leslie lightly scolded the new father. Damian turned and saw the infant, already sucking on her thumb, in a pile of thick blankets in Leslie's arms. Her face was serene now as she had stopped crying, her long eyelashes thick and long and black.
Tenderly, Damian took his daughter- his daughter- into his arms.
"Support her neck with your elbow," Leslie instructed as she allowed Damian full control.
For once, the vigilante was at a loss. He had no clue what to say, no clue what to think, as he held the child that he had helped create.
Thank you, God, for this baby... For my baby...
"Eh hem."
Damian looked up and saw Irey, her arms out as she sat up on fresh sheets. "Can I see my baby now?"
Our baby. Right.
Damian walked over, purposely going as slow as possible as to have more time holding his little angel. Irey suspected this and shot her husband a glare which made his step a bit livelier.
Irey tenderly took the infant into her arms, letting out a shaky sigh as she brushed her thumb over the baby's cheek. The little girl crooned at this, squirming and rolling over to face Irey's chest before sucking on her hand again.
The ginger couldn't help it as tears rolled down her face. "She- she has your hair, Dami... She has your hair and your lips..."
He hadn't noticed before, but now Damian could see the similarity in the way his daughter's bottom lip stuck out a bit more than her upper one.
In the background, Wally was vibrating with eagerness to hold his granddaughter, but Linda was pulling him back a bit. Bruce, standing next to Leslie, was just enjoying the sight.
Damian stood behind and next to Irey, peering down at the infant in his wife's arms. Irey, herself, was crying silently, a smile over her lips as she gently trailed her thumb down the baby's face.
A shaky sigh emerged from Damian's lips as he whispered, "Our baby..."
"How did we end up here, Dami?"
He smirked softly...
Damian unzipped Irey's wedding dress, throwing her back onto the bed. She was grinning, her body vibrating as he pulled off his top and pants, leaving on only boxers. Slowly, tauntingly, the new husband pulled down her tights and tossed them across the room.
"Damian..." she moaned, pulling him towards her. The two kissed, their tongues intertwining fiercely. Irey groaned again, in the back of her throat, as he left a trail of kisses down her neck.
"Can I get this dress off, at least?"
"Please hurry..."
"You really want me to answer that?"
She turned and glared at him venomously, her hair tousled and eyes fierce, yet joyful all the same.
Suddenly, Wally jumped forward. "Okay. I've been patient- give me my granddaughter."
Irey laughed aloud, and Damian silently thanked Wally for the distraction. The new grandpa lifted the baby girl into his arms, absolutely beaming. Linda rested her chin on Wally's shoulder as she watched the baby croon and paw at the air.
Bruce steadily walked towards Irey and Damian, both of which were gazing at their daughter. "Congratulations, Irey... Son."
Damian felt his chest swell up with pride-
"Aw! Why'd you puke on grandpa?"
His chest swelled even further as Linda took the baby away from Wally, coming back over to the bed as her husband escaped to the bathroom. "Bruce. Do you want to-"
He shook his head, and Damian looked away. But, Irey wasn't taking that. She slapped Bruce's hand- hard, by the schmack that carried through the room- and ordered him to hold his granddaughter.
Bruce did so.
And he had to admit, he enjoyed it.
There came the sound of flushing, and Wally came back into the room, running a hand over his short hair. "Little cutie got a name, yet?"
Damian and Irey froze, then turned to face either spouse. Damian shrugged, while Irey just opened and shut her mouth.
"Seriously?"
Linda slapped her husband's cheek lightly, to which he made a faux wince. Then, she turned to the new aspiring family. "You need to come up with a name soon, though, really."
Irey looked down into her daughter's face-
To see that the baby's eyes were open.
"Damian!" she hissed, grabbing his sleeve. "Look... Her eyes are bright blue- like sapphires... Oh, God, Damian... She looks just like you."
He nodded, taking in more of his daughter.
"How about 'Hana'?"
Everyone looked at Linda, who was smiling. "When Wally and I found out you two were twins, we went over dozens of names. 'Hana' is Korean for 'flower'."
Irey crooned, "I love it..." while Damian nodded his agreement.
"Middle name?" Wally questioned, earning an elbow from his wife. "Ow! What?"
"Martha."
Everyone froze, then turned to stare at Damian, who was smiling gently at his father. "Hana Martha Wayne. Irey, what do you think?"
She beamed back up at her husband, then smiled at Bruce. "I like it. Bruce?"
The man nodded, trying to regain his composure as he straightened out his shirt. "I- I... Thank you."
Leslie cleared her throat from her position at the door. "I know you're tired, Irey, but I think there are a few people who might just want to see little miss Hana Martha... Don't you think?"
Taking in a deep breath, the speedster turned her head up to her husband.
Thoughts were zooming through Damian's mind.
Is she a speedster? Does she have powers? What about our enemies? What will they do when they find out about the Flash's and the Batman's granddaughter? Will she want to be a hero? Will she be able to understand why we do what we do-
"Damian."
Irey's voice pulled him back into real time. Her green eyes showing compassion, Irey kissed his lips gently and whispered, "We'll figure everything else out later... Just take time to enjoy her now."
"Yeah," Wally snorted. "Because she'll be keeping you up for the next several months- Ouch! Linda!"
The room shook with laughter, with even Bruce shedding a few chuckles.
After the noise died down, Leslie spoke up again. "So... Should we let in the aunts and uncles and cousins galore?"
Irey let out a shaky breath, but Damian put a supporting hand upon her shoulder. "I think we're ready."
Hana crooned, grabbing her father's forefinger. Irey smiled gently at the sight and echoed, "Yeah... Yeah, I think we're ready."
I hope you liked it! I know it was really, really long, and I'm sorry for that, but I worked hard on it!
Please review!
(If you want to see more of Hana, please request!)