Alright, I am so sorry for not updating "Growing Pains." My laptop crashed and I had to buy a new laptop. Also, school started and most of my time is spent studying for either my A&P, organic chemistry, or developmental psychology class. (Ha, who am I kidding, I don't study.)
Just so you guys know, this isn't complete. I don't know if I will keep writing it or whatever. It's just something I had saved in my phone that I wrote like last year. I just decided to post it just because. If y'all like it tell me and I WILL (hopefully) turn it into a complete story and not just one large chapter as it is right now. Well, enough of my rambling. Hope y'all enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story.
Joining the Family
Diana stretched her body as a content sigh escaped her lips. She buried her body deeper into the soft sheets. A moment later, she heard a groan from behind her and smiled when a pair of strong arms encircled her waist and pulled her against a strong chest. She lazily opened her azure eyes.
"Good morning," Diana greeted, sighing when she felt warm lips press against her exposed neck.
"Morning," He whispered into her ear before lightly nibbling on the soft lobe.
"How was patrol last night?" Bruce detached his lips from her skin before answering with a grunt. "That bad, huh?" She received no reply. She turned around in his arms to face him. She was greeted with drowsy blue eyes and a chaste kiss on her lips. She sighed and closed her eyes. Her arms encircled his neck and she buried her fingers in his dark, silky hair. Bruce took that as encouragement to deepen the kiss and began to massage her back with one hand while the other ventured beneath the hem of her silky dark blue night gown. Her legs parted willingly when his fingers stroked the lacy edge of her panties. Diana withdrew with a gasp.
"Your son will be marching through that door in about five minutes," She warned Bruce as he trailed his lips down her neck.
"So we have five minutes. That's plenty of time," Bruce smirked as he rolled on top of Diana, his fingers finding what they were searching for. Diana gasped again, allowing him to kiss her even deeper as his fingers worked their magic. Between the intimate caress beneath her gown and the exotic kiss, Bruce became breathless and thoroughly aroused.
That is, until the door busted open.
Bruce groaned and rolled off of Diana. "Or not," He grumbled. Diana smiled, patting Bruce sympathetically on his chest before turning to watch the boy trotting happily towards the bed.
"Good morning, Richard," She greeted the nine-year-old.
"Good morning, Diana. Good morning, Bruce," Richard chirped gleefully.
"Richard," Bruce snapped, "What did Alfred teach you about knocking first before entering?" Alfred had been trying to teach the boy to knock on the door now that Diana had started to spend nights at the manor. Richard used to be able to barge into Bruce's bedroom whenever he pleased, but it all changed after catching both Bruce and Diana in a very compromising position and later asking what they were doing, embarrassing the new couple.
"Oh yeah," the boy remembered. He ran out of the room and closed the door behind him. He waited a couple of seconds before knocking on the door. "May I come in?" He yelled.
"No," Bruce yelled back. Diana lightly smacked Bruce. Well, as lightly as an Amazonian Princess could. Bruce winced before adding, "just a second!"
"Okay!" They heard the boy say from the other side of the door. Bruce jumped out of bed and quickly made his way into his master bathroom and slammed the door behind him. "May I come in now?" Diana laughed at both boy's antics.
"You can come in now, Richard." She laughed, sitting up and resting her back against the headboard. The door swung open once again revealing the exuberant boy. He quickly made his way towards the bed and jumped up beside Diana.
"How did you sleep last night, sweetie?" Diana asked, running her fingers through the boy's baby soft locks.
"Good." He replied with a grin, leaning in to her soft touch.
"No nightmares?" He shook his head.
The bathroom door opened and Bruce stepped out, drying his face with a white towel. He threw it into the hamper beside the door before sitting on the edge of the bed.
"You're up earlier then usual." Bruce noted. The boy nodded his head before hopping up on Bruce's back, wrapping his arms around his adoptive father's neck. "Easy now boy. You aren't as light as you used to be." He chided. Diana smiled as she watched Bruce pluck the child off his back and start tickling him relentlessly. It was such an amazing sight watching Bruce act so carefree and fatherly. It's a sight that not many people get to witness. And those few only included Alfred and Richard. She's grateful she is one of the few people that can see how kind and loving this man is under his dark persona. Her thoughts were interrupted when Richard screeched her name, asking for help.
"You've got some pipes on you chum." Bruce winced, clearing out his ear with his pinkie finger. "I ought to give you to Black Canary."
"No!" Richard giggled, trying to break away from his mentor's squirming fingers. "Wonder Woman please save me!" The boy pleaded yet again.
"I'll save you citizen!" Diana hopped up on Bruce's back and began tickling him. Bruce stopped tickling the boy, trying to squirm free from his girlfriend's grasp.
"No!" Bruce gasped, laughter bubbling out of his throat. Diana couldn't help but laugh along.
"Who knew the all mighty Batman was ticklish?" She teased.
"Diana, please stop." Bruce pleaded trying to grasp her wrists, but was unable to detain them. Richard was giggling madly as he also assisted Diana on the attack against the man. With all his might, Bruce pushed back, trying desperately to escape this torture, only to fall off the bed and onto his back with a grunt. Diana was hovering in the air, clutching her stomach with her arms, laughing uncontrollably. Richard crawled to peer over the side of the bed, giggling at the sight of his father sprawled out on the floor.
Just then, a soft knock was heard on the door before it opened, revealing a very bemused Alfred. He didn't even want to ask why his charge was laying on the dirty floor.
"Breakfast is ready downstairs, sir." Alfred announced. "Good morning Miss Diana." He smiled at the Princess hovering in the air, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Good morning, Alfred." Diana replied, landing gracefully down on her feet beside Bruce. He turned his gaze over to the small child sitting on the bed.
"Come on now, Master Richard. Lets go down stairs for breakfast." The boy jumped out of bed and ran towards the old butler, asking if he made blueberry pancakes. Alfred took hold of the boy's small hand in his, closing the bedroom door behind them as he led the child down the hall towards the stairs, giving both adults still left behind some privacy.
"Come on, Bruce," Diana said, walking over to the walk-in closet to pick out one of the few items of clothing she had left at the manor, "time to get up."
"Can't." Bruce grunted.
"Why not?" Diana asked, stepping out of her nightgown and slipping into a yellow sundress. She sat down at her vanity and began to brush her long hair.
"You broke me." He replied, watching as Diana bent down to rub lotion on her legs.
"Sorry, baby." She smiled. "What can I do to make it up to you?"
"Give me a massage." Bruce commanded. Diana stood up, slipping her feet into cute silver designer flats before sashaying her way over to him.
"I'll give you more then a massage later if you get up." She smirked. Bruce shot up off the floor, wrapping his arm around Diana's waist.
"Let's get going then." He said, leading her to the door. Diana laughed. Men.
"Look Bruce! Alfred made dinosaur shaped pancakes!" Richard exclaimed when the couple entered the kitchen.
"Nice." Bruce replied, pulling out a chair for Diana to sit. She silently thanked him with a small peck on his cheek.
"Your coffee and newspaper, sir." Alfred announced as he handed the mug and paper to Bruce.
"Thanks, Alfred."
"Would you like some coffee, Miss Diana?"
"No thank you, Alfred. Orange juice will be fine." She replied, placing her napkin on her lap.
"Right away, Miss."
"Look! My dinosaur doesn't have a tail anymore!"
"That's nice." Bruce replied, not looking up from his reading. Diana rolled her eyes at Bruce before turning to smile at the boy that was trying to catch his father's attention.
"What kind of dinosaur is that, sweetie?" She asked the boy. He immediately perked up.
"A Tyrannosaurus Rex."
"What a coincidence, that's my favorite dinosaur."
"Mine too!" Richard continued to eat happily, opting to munch on the dinosaur's legs next.
"Here is your juice, Miss Diana. What would you like for breakfast?"
"Um-"
"You should make her a dinosaur pancake, Alfred. She likes dinosaurs, too!" Richard interrupted.
"Master Richard. It is impolite to interrupt a person when they are speaking. Apologize."
"Sorry Miss Diana."
"No, it's alright. That actually sounds pretty good. One dinosaur pancake please."
"Very well. How about you, Master Bruce."
"Huh?" Bruce asked, looking up from the paper.
"He'll have a dinosaur pancake also." Diana told Alfred.
"What?" Bruce argued. "Uh…no thanks. I'll have a stack of regular pancakes, please."
"Aw, come on Bruce." Richard pouted. "Don't be a party pooper."
"Yes, Bruce. Don't be a party pooper." Diana laughed.
"Fine." He grumbled.
"Yay!" Richard exclaimed, dancing a little happy dance in his seat.
"Very well, Sir."
Diana stared at Bruce in mock awe.
"What?" He asked. "Do I have something on my face?"
"No. Did we just win an argument against you without facing the wrath of the bat?"
"Don't get used to it," He smirked. Diana giggled and took a sip of her orange juice.
"Are you coming to my soccer game today, Bruce?" Richard asked, his sticky, syrup covered fingers reaching out to grab his cup of milk.
"That's today?" Bruce asked, glancing up.
"Uh-huh."
"I'm sorry, Dickey. I completely forgot. I have a very important meeting today that I cannot miss." Bruce explained. Diana watched as the nine-year-old's eyes filled with sadness.
"Maybe I can go." She asked. The boy perked up.
"Really?" He asked hopefully.
"Are you sure?" Bruce questioned at the same time.
"Yeah, why not? I have nothing to do except for monitor duty at the Watchtower, but that isn't until tonight." She said as Alfred set her breakfast on the table in front of her. She thanked him before returning to their conversation.
"My game isn't until ten. So you have plenty of time!"
"I thought you had to head over to the embassy today?"
"It isn't that important."
"You can meet all my friends!"
"So it's settled then." Diana concluded, picking up her fork and knife to start eating her dinosaur.
"I'm gonna go get ready!" Richard spoke around a mouthful of food, quickly gulping it down with milk before hopping down from his chair. He ran out of the kitchen and up the grand staircase, Alfred trailing slowly behind him.
Bruce grabbed Diana's hand and brought it up to his lips.
"Thanks," He mumbled gratefully.
"There's no need to thank me. I was thinking it was about time I started to spend more time with Richard and get to know him better." Diana smiled. Bruce liked the idea. Richard needed a mother figure to take care of him.
"I have to make it up to him somehow." Bruce concluded while he pulled out his phone to txt his secretary to buy the latest most wanted toy by nine-year-old boys in the market.
"Don't do that." Diana scolded once she realized what he was doing.
"What?" Bruce asked, stopping mid txt.
"As little that I know about Richard, the one thing I do know is that he isn't a very materialistic boy." She pointed out. Bruce frowned.
"True." He sighed, placing his phone on the table and absentmindedly taking a sip from his coffee "Then what should I give him?"
"What has he been asking for lately." Diana prompted.
"He's been wanting to go on patrol with me, but he's not ready."
"How has his training been going?"
"He's good. Really good. But still," Bruce paused to sigh, "That incident a couple years back with Zucco scared the shit out of me. He's too rash. Doesn't think things through. He's not ready."
"You'll never know when he'll be ready if you don't let him go out and gain experience." Diana pointed out. Bruce thought for a while.
"I know. We'll see."
'Is that Wonder Woman?'
'I think it is…'
'Love her shoes'
'Why is she here?'
'I saw her step out of a Wayne vehicle…'
'So the rumors are true?'
'I thought she was with Superman…'
Diana expertly ignored the murmurs and stares of soccer moms gossiping in the background and quietly sat in the second row on the bleachers facing the soccer field. She set her purse down beside her and pulled out her camera, snapping a picture of Richard huddled with his teammates around their coach. Richard turned around to face the bleachers, his eyes searching for his guest. His blue eyes finally zeroed in on Diana and a goofy grin appeared on his face before vividly waving hello. She waved back with a smile. She picked her camera up, signaling that she wanted to take a picture. Richard got the message and pulled one of his buddies with him, swinging an arm around his neck, both posing for the picture and simultaneously yelling out cheese. Diana giggled.
"Richard, Steven, get over here boys." The coach called out, waving the boys over. Diana smiled as she watched the boys jog back to their coach.
She was startled suddenly by a woman standing a couple feet away from her yelling "Daniel leave that rock and get your behind over here!" The frazzled woman was holding a toddler in her arms and the largest diaper bag she had ever seen. Diana watched as the boy she presumed was Daniel trot behind the woman, the rock that caused him to be scolded at left behind. The woman plopped down beside her with a sigh.
"You don't mind if I sit here do you?" The woman asked, plucking out a pacifier from her pocket and shoving it into the wailing child's mouth.
"No, go ahead." Diana smiled, scooting over for the lady to place her son Daniel beside her.
"Look momma! Stevie is about to play!" The child screeched enthusiastically, flailing his arms wildly, trying to get his big brother's attention.
"Use your inside voice."
"But we are outside."
"I don't care. don't talk back to me young man." The woman turned to Diana. "I'm so sorry. As you can probably tell, we are new in town. Just moved in last month." Diana noticed that the woman was around her age, in her mid twenties. She had light brown hair, as did all her children, except for the toddler in her arms that had a tuft of blond hair.
"It's alright. I'm new in town also."
"Glad to know I'm not the only one." The woman remarked, glancing back at the gossiping women that were staring at them.
"Are they always like this?" Diana asked, motioning to the women behind her.
"Yes. But don't worry. Before you know it, they will find someone else to gossip about. It's only a matter of time before some billionaire decides to get a new girlfriend."
"Seems to happen often around here, huh?"
"Too often. Now where are my manners." The woman stretched out her free hand to Diana, "My name is Catharine Gaston."
"I'm Diana. Diana Prince." Diana smiled as she shook the woman's hand.
"Why does your name sound so familiar?" Catharine tried to rack up her thoughts to where she had heard that name before. Daniel suddenly whipped his head around to stare at Diana.
"You are Wonder Woman!" He gasped. "Look mom it's Wonder Woman!"
"Oh, wow. Never in a million years did I think I'd run into Wonder Woman at my son's soccer game. Why are you here, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I'm here with a friend." Diana smiled, glancing out to watch Richard warming up before his game.
"You mean Richard Grayson?" Catharine asked. Diana nodded, "He is such a good boy. My son Steven and him became good friends at a soccer tournament last year. Steven received a Wayne Scholarship to attend Gotham Elementary last month. My husband and I decided that it was a good idea to move here so Steven could get the best education." Diana felt her heart swell by hearing this. Bruce is such a nice, generous man.
The game began, silencing the women so they could watch their boys play. Diana cheered along with Catherine, not embarrassed to stand up and clap whenever the boys made a goal. Diana snapped multiple pictures, not wanting Bruce to miss out.
"Go, Richard!" She cheered, watching as the boy kicked the ball into the opponent's net. His teammates cheered and tackled him, picking him up on their shoulders. Richard laughed as they bounced him up and down.
"We won!" Daniel yelled, hopping off his seat, tugging on Diana's skirt. "Did you see? Richard and Steven won!"
"I saw. Come on, lets go congratulate them." The small group walked out to the sideline, waving the boys over.
"We won!" Richard exclaimed, running up to Diana. She swooped down to his level to give him a hug.
"Congratulations." She smiled, pulling back and wiping a smudge of dirt off his cheek.
"Look Stevie! It's Wonder Woman!" Daniel screeched, pulling Steven by his sleeve towards Diana.
"Whoa." He gaped, staring wide eyed at her. "She's your new mom?" He asked Richard. Richard blushed and smiled timidly.
"No, she's just Bruce's friend." He answered back.
"Cool!" Steven replied.
"Good game, Steven." Catharine smiled as she pulled in her ten-year-old for a hug. "We should go celebrate. Would you and Richard like to join us, Diana?" She asked. Diana looked down at Richard and noticed that he was giving her a pleading look.
"Do you want to?" She asked the child. He nodded enthusiastically. "Alright. Lets go."
"Alfred! We're home!" Richard yelled as he swung open the front door of Wayne Manor.
"I can see, Master Richard," Alfred replied as he walked down the grand staircase, duster in hand. "How was your game? Did you win?"
"Yeah, coach said that if we kept it up, we could go to the championships!" He exclaimed, bounding up the stairs towards Alfred. The butler wrinkled his nose when he smelled the boy. Why do children smell like wet dogs when they play outside?
"Go on now, Master Richard. I believe you are in need of a bath."
"Aw but I don't feel like it!" He complained, stomping his foot on the ground and flopping down to sit on the step he was standing on. Alfred resisted rolling his eyes and turned to Diana, deciding it was prudent to explain the sudden mood swing the child just displayed.
"Do not worry, Miss Diana. The young Master tends to get a little irritable when he's tired."
"I am not tired." The boy yawned, rubbing his eyes.
"But he was very hyperactive only moments ago in the car." Diana said, confused. She hadn't been around many children in the past, so she didn't fully understand yet that little people needed naps to survive throughout the day, especially after exerting themselves by playing all day.
"Did he have any sweets today?" Alfred asked, looking back to see that the boy had fallen asleep against the banister.
"He had a chocolate milk shake."
"Ah, that explains it."
"What?"
"Master Richard is not allowed to have sweets, Miss Diana. He becomes a little menace and later crashes, as he just did. Master Bruce and I learned the hard way. Believe me." Alfred shook his head, remembering that terrible day two years ago when Richard found where he kept all the sweets in the pantry.
"He wasn't so bad."
"Thank goodness. Wouldn't want your highness to be scared off by this little menace," Alfred mumbled as he tried to haul Dick off the floor, only to have the boy slump back down and whine.
"Master Richard, I suggest you get up this instant before I pull out the paddle and phone Master Bruce." He warned. The boy didn't comply.
"Bruce isn't home yet?" Diana asked, walking up the stairs to help the elderly man.
"I'm afraid he won't be back until dinner." Alfred replied, once again pulling the child up to his feet.
"Here, let me help." Richard squealed in surprise as he was hauled up onto Diana's shoulder. "Where do you want him Alfred?" She asked, heading towards the bedroom wing of the manor.
"In his bedroom, please." Alfred replied, following after Diana, trying not to chuckle at the pitiful look on the young boy's face as he was carried like a sack of potatoes over Diana's shoulder.
Diana sat comfortably in a plush leather couch reading a book in the manor's colossal library. She had spent the day helping Alfred around the Manor and had spent some quality time with Richard. She learned a lot of things about him. He was such an affectionate, hyperactive little boy. It's so strange how different he is from Bruce, but he had certain traits that reminded her of him. Like certain facial expressions and the way he carries himself. He also ate like him. No doubt things that he had picked up after living with Bruce for almost three years.
Another thing she learned about the boy was that he was very unpredictable. Maybe it was because she had never spent time with a child under the age of fifteen. Children are confusing.
She absentmindedly turned the page in her book when she suddenly felt a presence behind her. She smiled, book marking her spot as she felt a kiss drop to her head.
"Hey." Bruce smiled as he sat down beside her, picking up her legs and placing them on his lap. She leaned in to lightly peck him on the lips.
"Hello, how was your meeting?" She asked, placing her book aside. He groaned and leaned his head back and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Horrible." He replied. Diana removed her legs from his lap and scooted in closer to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pecked him on the cheek. Bruce opened his eyes and smiled at her, nuzzling his face into the curve of her neck. He lightly kissed her there before pulling away.
"I bet it wasn't so bad."
"Oh, but it was."
"What happened?"
"Long story," He sighed. "How was your day?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"If you must know, I spent time with Richard."
"Is that why you are reading that book." Bruce motioned towards the book laying beside her. She looked down at the parenting book she had found in the library.
"Yes. Why do you.."
"Alfred."
"Oh. Was it much help?"
"Nope. Couldn't find a chapter on how to deal with a former acrobatic six year old that liked to swing from chandeliers and slide down banisters." Diana laughed, an image of Bruce and Alfred chasing after a six-year-old Richard popping into her head.
"So how did you do it then?" She asked.
"Do what?" He questioned as he ran his fingers through her hair.
"Learn how to become a parent. I mean, one day you are a bachelor and the next day you have a child to look after."
"It wasn't easy, that's for sure. It still isn't."
"I bet you are grateful you weren't around while he was going through his terrible two's, huh?" Bruce snorted.
"That would have been hell." Diana laughed. Just then, the door swung open. "Speak of the devil." Bruce mumbled.
"Hi Bruce!" Richard exclaimed running towards the couch and bounding up onto his lap.
"Hey, shouldn't you be in bed?" Bruce asked the boy.
"Nope. It's not a school night, remember?" He replied. Diana giggled at his quick reply, running her fingers through Richard's hair in an attempt to tame it down a bit. She listened as Richard continued to tell Bruce all about his day.
"…then we went with Steven and his mom and his brothers to get ice cream and I got a chocolate milk shake and then we walked to the park and played, and Steven fell and scraped his knee so we had to leave early. And then Alfred made me take a shower. But I didn't want to. And he also made me take a nap. But I didn't want to because naps are for babies…" He kept on rambling on. Bruce made eye contact with Diana, as if telling her that this is what he had to go through every day. Diana smiled sympathetically.
"I'm sorry to interrupt Master Bruce, but the signal is up." Alfred announced as he walked into the library.
"Aw, but I didn't get to finish telling him about my game."
"You can tell me some other time, chum." Bruce said as he stood up and placed the child on the floor. Diana stood up too.
"I have to leave also." Diana stated, smoothing out her skirt.
"Aw, man. Everyone's leaving." Richard pouted.
"Come Master Richard. It's time for bed."
"No." He complained. Bruce gave him a warning look. "Okay…kick butt, Bruce." he said, hugging his adoptive father's leg before trotting behind Alfred.
"Good night, Richard." Bruce turned to Diana. "Heading up to the watchtower?" Bruce asked, wrapping her arms around his Princess and pulling her in for a goodbye kiss.
"Yeah," She replied breathlessly once they separated. "Be careful."
"Always am. See you tomorrow?" He asked hopefully.
"Definitely."
Welp, crappy ending but whatever. I'll change it later. I kind of based Richard after my 9 year old brother. Oh my gosh, kids are annoying. And very bipolar. Seriously. But you gotta love them.
Read and Review. Reviews motivate me to write :D
