Batman strode purposefully into the conference room. Most of the League was there having their own conversations while waiting for everyone else to show up. Batman scoured the room. The person he was looking for was already sitting at the table. Aquaman looked agitated. Batman moved to speak to him.
"Aquaman" Batman growled. The aquatic hero looked up.
"Last night, I found an Atlantean toddler." Relief overtook the stricken face of the Atlantean monarch.
"You found him?" Batman grunted an affirmative. Aquaman sighed, burying his face in his hands.
"Kaldur'ahm is his name. His father is Black Manta, my worst enemy. I don't hold that against him. Some others do." Batman accepted the answer silently.
"What of Wallace West?" Batman asked gruffly.
"Wally? I… He needs me, Bruce." Batman looked unimpressed.
"I need him, too…" Arthur admitted softly. A beat of silence passed between the two heroes.
"Kaldur'ahm will be staying with me" Batman said finally.
"As much as it pains me to admit, he's safer on the surface. I'm a terrible king." Arthur muttered the last part to himself. Bruce put his hand on Arthur's shoulder.
"You'll do right by them." Bruce said matter-of-factly. Bruce squeezed Arthur's shoulder and Batman moved to begin the meeting.
Bruce picked up the toddler coughing in his sleep. Kaldur'ahm curled closer to Bruce's chest. A tiny smile appeared on Bruce's face. The sleeping child cooed softly.
"He's certainly cute." Leslie Thompkins said. Bruce turned around slowly and shifted the boy slightly to allow the doctor to get a better look at him.
"He keeps coughing in his sleep. "Dr. Thompkins felt for the boy's tonsils.
"Alfred said you found him in the bay?" Bruce nodded. Dr. Thompkins checked the Atlantean's gills.
"I'd say it's the pollution getting to him. He's still young and probably hasn't been exposed to this much in his life. Give him a long bath in clean water every day and call me if anything changes." Dr. Thompkins said, turning to leave.
"Oh, and, Bruce…", Leslie said," I think you'll make a great father." She left, leaving a shell-shocked Bruce behind her