Title: A New Life
Category: Smallville/Batman Crossover
Rating: K+
Genre: Romance/Family
Pairing: Chloe/Bruce
Prompt: baby by svgurl
Word Count: 744
Summary: He'd never expected this for himself.

A New Life
-Drabble-

She fell asleep in the most unusual places. He returned from patrolling near dawn to find her passed out in a chair in his bat cave. She didn't even stir with all the noise he was making. After changing out of his suit, he walked over to find an empty bag of peanut butter cookies and a half-full glass of cranberry juice that had long ago gone warm. He easily picked her up into his arms and brought her upstairs to the manor, walking silently through the hallways until he found their bedroom. Lying her down on the bed, her pajamas already on, he stripped down to nothing and climbed in next to her.

She sighed in her sleep, naturally moving until she was pressed against him. Brushing her hair from her face, he tucked it behind her ear, his fingers lingering to stroke her cheek tenderly. Not so long ago, he never would've believed he'd have come this far. He wouldn't admit to having ideas about marriage or family or the kind of love that he would die fighting for. But here she was, lying fast asleep in his arms and he now he couldn't fathom a life that didn't have her in it.

When she arrived via Oliver Queen's request, he'd been sure that it was a huge misunderstanding. He'd been ready to turn her around and direct her right back to her League, assuring her that he didn't need her help and wasn't interested in being recruited to any Justice League. But then she stepped off Queen's private jet, dressed as if she was simply out for a walk to the corner store, half-smiled at him tiredly and greeted him with a, "Tell me you know a good coffee shop around her."

And from that moment, he was completely bowled over.

He never expected someone like Chloe Sullivan to walk into his life. She was feisty and curious, ready to take on the world with her laptop alone and fully capable of doing just that. She didn't take his arrogance at face value and instead learned the real him before he could figure out she'd gotten past his shields. She was strong, beautiful, and downright dangerous. So it was no surprise to anyone but Bruce when he fell for her. In fact, Alfred was happy for him, telling him it was about time he found someone for himself and Chloe fit the spot perfectly.

Still, years later, after somehow convincing her to date him, move in with him, and eventually even marry him, this is where his unusual life had brought him. He nuzzled his face against the back of her neck, smiling as she mumbled something about deadlines in her sleep. He kissed her shoulder, gaze falling to the six month bump on her stomach that hindered her from doing much of her usual activities. "I can almost balance my laptop on it," she told him the other day, as if finally finding something redeeming about her protruding belly.

He, on the other hand, loved it. He loved stroking it, pressing his ear against it, kissing the bare skin stretched wide. He loved knowing that inside there was their son, a child that was bound to be all kinds of trouble, given who his parents were. He was still in the stage where he even loved her mood swings because he knew what it meant; he knew that it was only because she was pregnant. He enjoyed seeing what odd concoction of food she'd come up with lately and Alfred's dismayed expression as he saw her feast on the unusual combinations.

"It's late... Or early," she mumbled, waking up to his gentle movements. She reached an arm back, ran a hand over his hair and down the side of his neck. "Go to sleep."

He nodded, eyes still intent on her stomach as he pushed her shirt up to run his fingertips along the curve.

"Tell your son to hurry up and get born," she murmured through a yawn. "I want my coffee back."

He grinned, laughing lowly before he hugged her up against his chest and sighed contently, letting his eyes fall closed. She covered his hand overtop her stomach and quickly fell back to sleep. Listening to her even breathing, he thanked whoever took pity on him and gave him this one chance at having all that he never thought he would. He wasn't going to waste it.