WonderBat Holiday 2018 Event Day 11: Baby's First Christmas. Hope you all enjoy.
December 25. Wayne Manor. 07:21.
The pitter patter of tiny feet among the hardwood floor is what originally caught Bruce Wayne's attention, forcing his eyes to flutter open in an attempt to prepare himself for the assault that was sure to come. He quickly stretched his arm out, over the place in the bed his wife usually occupied, wanting to warn her in advance; his smile faded slowly when he felt nothing but the empty bed. The baby must've woken her up early once more, as he had had a fever the previous evening and all throughout the night. The poor thing. It hurt Bruce to see his son so sick, especially so close to Christmas. It was his first, and granted, he probably would never remember it, but he still hated seeing his children in pain.
The footsteps on the floor grew louder, and Bruce sat up in the bed, gently rubbing away the last remnants of sleep with the heel of his hands, before his cracked bedroom door flew open, revealing the person who had been running towards his room. "Merry Chrissssmass, Daddy!" Alexandra Wayne, more commonly called Allie, exclaimed, rushing up to her parents' bed.
The four year old quickly jumped up on the bed, jumping into her father's waiting arms, a wide smile on her face when his arms wrapped around her and held her close to his bare chest. "Merry Christmas, Sweetheart," Bruce said, placing a kiss on the crown of his daughter's head. He continued to hold her close to him, reveling in the feeling of her in his arms. Soon there would come a day when she wouldn't allow him to hold her this long, and the more he thought about it, the more he never wanted that day to come. She was his little girl, his pride and joy; she had already grown too fast for his liking, and he was going to make sure he savored every moment with her, and her brother, while they were young.
"Where's your mother?" he asked, letting out a sigh when he felt Allie begin to move against his chest, signalling she had had enough of his hugs.
"Downstairs with Alfie and Timmy," she replied, pulling away from his arms. She moved a stray strand of her black hair behind her ear and looked up at her father, giving him a wide, over-exaggerated smile. The blue eyes that mirrored Diana's looked straight at him and he couldn't help but give her a small grin of his own. She looked so much like her mother, so beautiful, and she was smart and compassionate just like Diana. "Timmy said it's time to open presents."
Bruce closed his eyes and laid back down, letting his hand gently rest over his face, trying to hide the grin still plastered on his face. "I think I'm going to go back to bed. We can open presents later."
He tried his best not to chuckle when he felt Allie pull his arm from his face, before she placed her hand on his cheek, forcing him to open his eyes. "I don't think so, Daddy," she said, her voice full of sass. "Mommy and I got you presents, and you need to open them first!"
Bruce only stared at his daughter, unsure of how to respond. She may have been compassionate like her mother, but she was stubborn like her father. "Okay, I guess since I get the first present, I can come downstairs. Go tell your mother I'll be right downstairs," he said. He watched as she nodded and hopped off the bed, before she ran down the hall towards the staircase.
He waited until he could no longer hear Allie's footsteps, before he peeled the blankets from his legs, swinging them off the edge of the bed, letting his feet hit the floor of the bedroom he shared with Diana, before he stood slowly. His hand gently touched his lower back, and as he straightened his spine, he glanced over his shoulder at the large bruise that colored his lower back - a quick reminder that even a few punches could do damage to his aging body.
He took a step towards the closet at the end of the room, grabbing a shirt from the first hanger he saw, pulling it on, before he pulled on his robe. He stepped into his slippers, tied his robe closed across his waist, and stepped out of the room.
Instantly, he was hit with the smell of freshly brewed coffee, and he let out a relieved sigh. He was going to need a lot of that this morning. Patrol last night had been rough. Not only had Batman been forced to chase after a group of escaped convicts, Penguin had decided to grace Gotham with his appearance, deciding he was going to steal a prized artifact from one of the museums. All of that, on top of dealing with a sick infant, had meant he had gotten hardly any sleep.
He continued his descent down the stairs, quickly making his way to the kitchen once his feet hit the floor of the main foyer, where he knew everyone would be. He knew in that room was where he would find Tim and Allie eating a breakfast consisting of chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, and for Tim, lots and lots of bacon. He knew he would find Alfred, scolding the two to slow down, not wanting either of them to choke on their breakfast. He knew in that room he would find his wife, silently watching the whole ordeal with a smile on her face, as she held their youngest child close to her heart. When he had lost his parents, and subsequently had become The Batman, his life never had an ounce of predictability. Since marrying Diana, and having children, he had grown to love the little predictable moments - he looked forward to the stability to his otherwise chaotic life.
Bruce walked into the kitchen, a smile on his face when he saw Allie and Tim having a staring contest over who would claim the last pancake. Alfred stood besides them nursing a cup of tea, shaking his head when he saw Tim sigh and cave, giving the pancake to Allie, who was more than happy. "Ah, nice of you to join us, Master Wayne," Alfred said with a smirk when he finally noticed the older man in the doorway. He watched as Bruce walked over to Diana, who sat on the other side of the table, silently watching Tim and Allie, her own cup of tea sitting on the table in front of her. In her arms sat their youngest son, carefully being balanced on Diana's knee.
"How is he?" Bruce asked, placing a kiss on the side of his wife's head, before he took a seat besides her. He watched as Alfred placed a cup of coffee in front of him, gave the butler a small nod of appreciation, and turned back to watch Diana shift the baby in her arms.
Diana turned to face her husband, giving him a small smile. Bruce only returned her smile with a kiss to her lips, greeting her as he had done every morning since they had married. "His fever is gone, and he's gotten some sleep, finally," she replied, placing a kiss on top of the baby's head.
Bruce took a sip of the coffee Alfred had given him and nodded, before he placed the cup back on the table and opened his arms, silently asking for the baby. "Yes, but have you?" he asked Diana, as she placed Milo in her husband's awaiting arms.
Diana merely shrugged. The truth was, between League missions, helping out at Wayne Enterprises, and being with the kids, she hadn't slept more than a few hours within the last few days. She had hoped she would be able to sleep soundly last night in her own bed, after having spent a few days in the Mojave desert with Zatanna, Shayera, and Dinah, but when Milo had gotten sick, she had given up the idea of sleep to make sure her son was taken care of and comfortable until he got better; the things she did for her children.
"I'll be fine, Bruce," she said softly, smiling at her son when he turned to face her. He quickly reached out his hand, trying to grab for Diana's face, which she avoided, gently kissing the palm of his tiny hand instead, smiling wider when his little giggles were heard throughout the room.
That was what made everything worth it. Their children were what made all the late nights, all the lost sleep, all the bruises from fighting crime, worth it.
Bruce opened his mouth to respond, but was quickly interrupted when Tim began to speak. "So, do we have to wait for Dick and Jason, or can we get this thing started?" he asked excitedly. He looked up at Bruce, and crossed his fingers, gently nudging Allie with his shoulder, trying to get her to join in. His grin only widened when she dropped her fork and crossed her fingers as well.
Bruce shook his head and rolled his eyes, gently lifting his cup of coffee to his lips. "We're waiting for them," he said, chuckling when Allie and Tim both sighed and slumped into their seats.
December 25. Wayne Manor. 10:24.
It didn't take long for Dick to arrive at the manor - Jason had taken much longer to arrive. The full time residents of the manor had all showered and dressed for the day, ready to open presents and spend time with the family, as they had done every year since that first one Diana had spent with Bruce.
"This one is for Milo," Jason said, tossing the horribly wrapped gift he had brought to Dick, who sat besides the tree with his youngest brother in his lap, smiling at the ornaments on the tree.
Dick began to unwrap the gift, chuckling along with Diana and Alfred when Milo reached for the wrapping paper, giggling as he pulled it apart. Dick finished unwrapping the gift, his smile falling when he saw the gift in his hand. "Really?" he asked, holding up the stuffed doll that resembled a certain red hooded family member.
Jason only shrugged. "There are plenty of Batman and Robin plush figures. Thought the little guy could use one of his favorite brother." Jason wagged his eyebrows and smirked, ignoring the glares from Tim and Dick. "Besides, it's the little guy's first Christmas. He's got plenty of time to get disappointing gifts from me."
Diana only chuckled once more, before she stood from her spot on the couch near Bruce. She walked over to Dick and Milo, bent down, letting her long hair hang over her shoulder, and plucked the baby out of Dick's arms, noticing he was starting to fuss. "I think it's a wonderful gift, Jason," she said, resting the baby on her hip, before she reached down to grab another gift from under the tree. "Here's one for you, Dick," she said, gently handing the gift to her eldest child. She walked back to the couch, taking a seat next to her husband, placing her son on her chest, smiling as he nuzzled his face against her neck, and closed his eyes.
"I'm glad to see he's feeling better," Bruce said quietly, gently stroking the thin hair atop of his son's head. "It would have sucked to have his first Christmas ruined."
Diana nodded, laying her head against Bruce's chest, before she let out a content sigh. "Overall, I think it's going well," she said, rubbing the baby's back as she heard his little breaths deepen, signalling he had fallen fast asleep. She heard Bruce murmur in agreement
"I do have one more gift for you," he whispered to her, watching as Allie and Tim sipped hot chocolate across the room, before he kissed the top of his wife's head. "But it's in the other room."
Diana nodded, took a deep breath, and sat up, wrapping her arms around Milo as she held him close to her chest. She stood from the couch, watched as Bruce stood after her, and turned to face him. Bruce gently plucked the baby from Diana's arms and let him sleep against his own chest, before he placed his hand on her back and led her out of the room. "Bruce Wayne, what do you have up your sleeve?" she asked, curiosity getting the best of her.
Bruce only shrugged. "Do you remember the first Christmas we were together?" He watched as she nodded. "You brought Dick back to me, and with Dick back, Jason came back. I have my boys back….our boys back," he said, realizing how much she regarded Dick, Jason, and Tim as her own children. "I've been trying to find a gift that could express how much I love you, and how much I appreciate you."
"Bruce," Diana began, knowing where this was headed. They had been married for over five years, friends for much longer. He should have known by now she never expected anything from him, and she hated how he spent so much money trying to make her happy. The truth was, just being with him made her happy. Their family made her happy. She enjoyed days like today, where they were all together, enjoying each other's company.
Bruce shook his head, asking her to let him finish. "You brought someone back to me, so I wanted to do the same." The two heard a knock on the door and Bruce's grin grew. He went to open the door, leaving his wife confused behind him. Grabbing the handle, he opened the door, flashing a smile to the person standing on his stoop. "You always have impeccable timing," he said, moving aside to let the person inside the manor.
The person nodded, her blonde hair bouncing with each movement, as she stepped inside. She heard Bruce shut the door behind her back, before her blue eyes moved up to meet Diana's shocked face. Her own smile was apparent as she rushed up to the Amazon, her strong arms holding her daughter close as she fought the tears trying to force themselves out. "Mother," Diana said, holding her mother close. She hadn't seen Hippolyta since before she had conceived Milo, and after everything that had happened on the island, she hadn't thought she would ever get the chance to see her again.
"Oh, my little sun and stars," Hippolyta said, pulling away from her daughter to look her in the eye. "It's been far too long." She ran her hand through Diana's dark hair, a smile on her face when Diana unconsciously wiped the stray tears from her face.
Diana nodded in agreement. It had been far too long since she had seen her mother, felt the familiar embrace of her mother's arms. She looked up at Bruce and mouthed a quick thank you, before she glanced down at the baby in her husband's arms. "You know your granddaughter will be positively thrilled to see you," Diana said.
Hippolyta nodded, unzipping the black jacket that had been wrapped around her body. "I've missed my little Alexandra," she said. "Is she still a little fierce warrior?"
Diana nodded and smirked. "And stubborn, just like her father."
Both women chuckled. "Hera help whoever catches her heart."
Bruce walked up to his wife and cleared his throat, forcing Diana to look away. "I don't even want to think of her dating," he stated, watching as Diana rolled her eyes, before she reached out for the baby that had begun to stir in Bruce's arms.
Bruce placed the baby in Diana's arms, watching as Milo opened his tired eyes to look at his mother, before he looked over at the strange woman standing besides her. "Mother," Diana began. She placed a kiss on the baby's head, closing her eyes as she memorized everything about her son: his scent, the feeling of him in her arms, the way her heart smiled when he placed his small hand on her face; she never wanted him to grow. "This is Milo, your grandson."
Hippolyta looked up at the baby in awe. He looked so much like Bruce it was uncanny, however those eyes, those beautiful blue eyes that both Diana and her granddaughter shared, were undeniable. "Oh my," Hippolyta began, grabbing the baby from Diana's arms. "The gods blessed you with another baby, and he is absolutely beautiful. Didn't I tell you?" she asked, "Didn't I say all your children would be beautiful."
"I think you're biased," Diana said with a chuckle, watching as Milo gently patted her mother's face, before the Amazon queen placed a kiss to the baby's cheek. "I'm going to go get Allie."
Bruce placed his hand on her shoulder. "I'll get her," he said, walking out of the room.
When Bruce was gone, Hippolyta turned to Diana, a sad smile on her face. "I'm glad I was able to see him, at least once."
Diana shook her head, letting her mother know that her inability to know about her son had nothing to do with her. It had all been Diana's doing, Diana's fault. If she had known the consequences the gods would give her, she wasn't sure she would have gone about things the way she did - but that would mean she would no longer have her son to dote on. "I'm sorry things couldn't be different," she said quietly, "But Bruce doesn't know, and I would much rather not tell him on Christmas."
Hippolyta raised the baby above her head, laughing when Milo squealed in excitement. "He doesn't know the gods banned you from Themyscira? Or the other thing?"
Diana turned to face her mother, her eyebrows furrowed. "Both," she answered. She turned to say something, freezing when she saw Tim standing behind her and her mother, listening to their conversation. "Timothy," she scolded, "What are you doing?"
Tim, ignoring her question, asked what was really on his mind. "They banned you from the island? Why? How?" He took a step closer to Diana, stopping when both she and Hippolyta glared at him.
"We'll talk about this later," she said quietly, "But Bruce is not to find out."
Tim nodded. He knew Diana would tell him, after all, he was the one who had found out she was pregnant with Allie before Bruce had. He only worried Bruce would be devastated when he found out she was no longer able to visit home. "Dick challenged you and Bruce to a snowball fight, and I for one, would love to see him get his ass handed to him."
Diana furrowed her brows once more. "Language," she said, reminding the teen to speak carefully, especially in front of her mother. She watched as Tim's cheeks reddened, embarrassed to have spoken so crudely in front of a queen. "But I think that is a marvelous idea." She turned to her mother and smiled. This was going to be a Christmas she definitely cherished.
December 25. Wayne Manor. 18:15.
Hippolyta sat in one of the large chairs in the family room, staring down at the sleeping baby in her arms, a smile on her face as she tried to memorize every line of his face. When her granddaughter had been born, she had done the same thing, wanting to be able to remember every feature the young child possessed. She knew she would not be able to visit often, with Bruce and Diana's busy life in Gotham, and her duties as Queen on Themyscira, so she had wanted to make sure whenever she closed her eyes she would be able to see her face. With Milo, things were different. With Diana having been banned from the island, and her unable to visit Gotham as often as she would have liked, this was possibly the last time she would see her grandson for years. For that reason alone she hadn't let anyone take him out of her arms since she had gotten to the manor.
The day spent with the family had been pleasant for Hippolyta, more so than she had expected. Dick and Jason had showed her how to make a perfect snowball, Allie had shown her what was needed to build a snowman, and Alfred had helped her find one of the many places to sneak away and enjoy a nice cup of tea.
After a long and laughter filled snowball fight, where Diana and Allie took down Bruce and the boys, Hippolyta and Diana had taken a stroll along the garden, where she had explained everything that had happened in Gotham since the last time the queen had visited. Diana explained Milo's birth, she explained the events of Halloween, and had even shared a few other mishaps within the family, unable to keep the laughter from escaping as she recalled the funny memories. Hippolyta watched Diana with a smile, happy to know her daughter had settled into her life on Man's World as splendidly as she had hoped. For years Hippolyta had been angry Diana had chosen to leave, chose to spend an exile on Man's World than come home and admit to any wrongdoing; how wrong she had been to want that for her child. If Diana had come home as she had wanted, she never would have met Bruce. She never would have fallen in love, gotten married, had a family; it was the only time Hippolyta had ever been grateful that the gods had not answered her prayers.
"Grandmother?"
Hippolyta looked up, a smile on her face when she saw Allie walk into the room. Her long hair had been pulled back and out of her eyes, resting atop her head in a delicate bun, allowing the queen to see just how much she resembled Diana; she had pulled Diana's hair into a similar bun many times during her childhood training. Without a word, Hippolyta opened her arms, letting the four year old climb into her lap. "You know, little one," Hippolyta began, wrapping her unoccupied arm around the child's waist, "I've missed you greatly."
Allie curled closer into her grandmother's lap and wrapped her arms around her neck. "I missed you too," she confessed. "I'm happy you spent Christmas with us. Mommy was very happy you were here."
Hippolyta nodded. "As am I," she said, placing a kiss on the crown of Allie's head. "You know, this was my first Christmas," she confessed.
Allie's eyes widened in shock. "Your first Christmas?" she asked in awe. "It's Milo's first Christmas, and yours? Was it special?"
Hippolyta nodded once more. "Very much so," she said, watching as Diana and Bruce made their way into the room. "Do you know why?" She watched as Allie shook her head, before she answered the girl. "Because I got to spend it with you, and your brothers."
Allie responded with another hug, happy to know her grandmother's first Christmas on Man's World had gone well. Diana, who had witnessed the whole thing, only glanced over her shoulder at Bruce. It was all because of him her mother had been able to join them. It was all because of him she had been able to see her mother after everything that had happened on the island. It was all because of him that their son had been able to finally meet his grandmother.
Bruce smiled and gave his wife a small nod, acknowledging the unspoken thanks, before he kissed her lips, grateful that his son's first Christmas had gone better than expected. He didn't know how he was going to top it next year.
Granted, this was supposed to be Baby's First Christmas…..but I kind of got carried away. Oh well.
Please review and let me know what you thought :)