Hi, everyone! I am so sorry if I took forever to update this fic. College is such a killer, but I hope you understand. It's my summer vacation now so I have all the time to update (and hopefully finish) this story. Of course, suggestions, critiques, and some encouragement are always, always well-received. Hope you guys like this one.
Enjoy!
P.S. this chapter doesn't follow what I had earlier planned, so apologies once again, people!
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Six months later...
Bruce swore that Alfred's kitchen was going to suffer imminently from an explosion of his fatal cookery. Diana agreed that she would help him with egg-throwing. The couple, mute and severely shocked, stared at the documentary clip of a pregnant woman screaming her eyes off while giving birth; the doctor urged her to push harder, while the poor woman with a face the shade of a bursting tomato glared at him, dug her nails into her husband's shaking hands in painful rage; the nurses in the background imitated the pregnant woman's laborious breathing as if doing so would give them a mind-blowing epiphany of her predicament; then came the doctor's excited yelp of the baby's inching emergence. A dark, red fluid emerged from the woman's private area. Bruce's face turned a darker shade of green. Justice League's call was very much welcome at any moment now…
Suddenly, the call came. Mr. Terrific's low voice was that of an angel's. Bruce's hand swiftly pressed the comlink deeper into his ear, as to distract his already-corrupt ears from the wails of the howling woman on the TV. He gruffly agreed to work, said that he'd rather drive to the headquarters. Driving would occupy him from playing over the ghastly image in his head. When the connection was over, Diana turned to Bruce and tried to smile. Disgusted helplessness was etched all over her face. Since she had asked for leave of absence from Justice League months ago, it was obvious that she was going to be subjected to the film's crippling torture for the rest of the night… alone.
Bruce stiffly touched her hand as if to reassure her, though he could need some comfort himself after watching the burn-worthy footage. Diana smiled, returned the gesture. "Go on. I'll turn it off soon. I'm a bit tired anyways." Before making her way to the TV screen and hitting pause, Bruce pulled Diana into an embrace, kissed her. He was gentle, afraid to press Diana's growing bump hard against him. Caught by the fiery passion ignited within, Bruce momentarily forgot the pregnant woman's flushed face and saw only Diana's, her icy-blue eyes looking at him with reciprocal hunger for more. But then, the woman's harrowing shriek from the booming speakers broke their contact. And they watched the newborn baby come sliding into the doctor's hands, covered with bodily fluids and blood. Lots of blood.
It took Bruce less than five minutes to get changed and tell Mr. Terrific that traffic was bad and teleportation the best alternative. Diana finally turned off the theatre system and left the living room, all the while stroking her baby-bump to calm her nerves. She strolled into the kitchen, knowing that the source of tonight's nightmare was cooking up something special for tomorrow's supper.
"Alfred," Diana uttered his name sweetly.
The butler looked up with a smile. "Need anything?" Since Diana prohibited him from addressing her formally, Alfred admitted defeat and chose not to call her by her name, afraid that "Madam" or "Princess" might come slipping out of his noble tongue.
"Are you trying to scare Bruce out of his wits? You do know that he's afraid of being a father, and showing him how it actually happens… well, it's not helping at all," Diana nearly choked at her own words. It was also her first time seeing how humans give birth. After all, she was only made out of clay with her mother's breath giving her life.
Alfred tried his best not to laugh when remembering the reaction of Bruce and Diana gawking at the screen just moments after the baby's head appeared. The image was priceless. Or, it could just be the lighting from the telly giving off a weird lighting on their faces. He could have sworn that their faces were the exact color of healthy vegetation. But he could be wrong. Still, he was glad that he managed not to laugh out loud while walking out of the room unnoticed.
He put down the knife he was holding and walked to Diana, apologizing to the regal figure in front of him. "I apologize. It must have been one of the most horrendous images you have encountered, but it is one of the best preparations you need—for the both of you—to get ready for the first step of having a child."
"And that's to watch a clip of giving birth? Alfred," Diana shook her head, as if the old butler were ridiculing her. "I know how humans give birth. It's excruciating and long, to the point that those poor women wish their husbands dead. That much I know, Alfred. I don't need a live demo of what pregnant women go through. It's… it's frightening as is."
Alfred nodded his head, showing his understanding. He made a low bow in apology. "But it's only natural for you to feel frightened. Just the idea of raising a child scares a lot of people. Often, having a child brings a lot of struggle along the way, but you don't see parents fleeing from those challenges now, do you?" He paused to see how Diana was gauging his words. "I'm not saying that the two of you are running away from it. Rather, since the both of you have decided to face this together, it's better for you to understand what having a child is going to be like when it actually happens, especially with the both of you clueless of it in the first place."
"It's like I'm preparing for war then," Diana said, sounding more enthusiastic by the prospect of doing battle than having a child.
Alfred chuckled under his breath. "Or, an anatomical scrutiny of humans giving birth… which reminds me," The butler smoothened his balding head with his gloved hand. "The two of you missed the best part of the film."
She looked questioningly at him. "There's a good part?"
Alfred beamed at her knowingly. "You didn't see the mother's face when she saw her child for the first time."
Slightly taken aback, Diana stared at Alfred. She didn't know what to say to that. All she ever knew about giving birth was that it was painfully long. She heard about it, read about it, but never actually understood how a mother struggled to give her child a chance to live. Those women fought so hard during those long hours—amidst the pain, the screams, the morphine—just to give life to a child they have fallen in love with the minute sperm and egg united and became a miracle.
Diana now understood Alfred's point. His intention was not to frighten them, but to let them see both sides of the wonderful picture that they are to draw together. Not that she and Bruce didn't already know that what lay ahead of them would be ridden with hardships. Instead, Alfred also wanted them to see the brief but unforgettable joy of that moment. He wanted them, when the time came, to live that moment.
In other words, starting a family meant taking the first steps into reality. It was like walking into a different realm that still flabbergasted Diana and, another life that Bruce had always avoided. Alfred merely wanted them to realize (once again) that nothing in the world is black-and-white; whether it was about taking care of babies or fighting bad guys, both share the fundamental principle that despite the presence of evil, something good eventually comes out of it. Sure, Bruce and Diana may be aware that having a family would be difficult, but at the same time they should also expect moments when nothing in the superhero world could make them any happier.
The princess hugged Alfred, kissed his cheek. "You're a sly godsend. Bruce is very lucky to have you by his side."
"The same can be said of you, Princess Diana."
She didn't know whether it was intentional or not, but Diana let it go. She would have to make fun of him next time.
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"Breathe in and breathe out. That's right. Keep at it; you're doing great, Princess Diana." I lift my head to hear where the voice is coming from. Right between my legs is a masked man gazing at my sensitive area as if it were a fine specimen intended for a scientific experiment. I feel so embarrassed, allowing a man to look at the most vulnerable spot in my body. I was never prepared for this. The textbooks of ancient royalty have never prepared me for what is going to be a beginning of a future that still remains a blur.
Pain shoots through my body, a sharp pain that crawls through me. I've never felt pain like this before. It courses through me, like I'm about to be burst open by sweltering agony. Sweat films my entire body and I look from my right to left in search of the only one that could relieve the constant throbbing in my body.
Instead, I see my sisters with their armor and spears glaring at me. They look livid and ashamed of what I'm doing, of what I'm about to do, of bringing a child into this world through corrupt procreation. They badger me but I couldn't hear what they're saying. I'm just utterly shocked at the sight of them. I can't find Bruce or Alfred anywhere. I am even hoping that Shayera and Wally are amongst the angry mouths that scold me. I can't fight or say anything, as I'm confused of my helpless state.
Then, I hear her voice booming in my ears, a voice that reverberates within me, a voice threatening to crush my bones.
I look up, and replacing the masked doctor a moment ago is my mother. Her gleaming sword in her hand, she tells me, "Once again, you disappoint me. I can no longer look at you as my daughter, for you have wrought such pestilence into my life, into the world."
"Mother, what—?"Her life? The world? What in Hera's name is she talking about?
"You have no right to speak to me, you foul miscreant!"
I'm speechless. I'm being punished for having a baby? Is it because I had it with a man from the outside world? Is it because I'm about to start a family with him?
"That immoral seed of yours must die!"
"NO! Mother please, no!" I sit up but my sisters push me down. Despite my attempt to stop the baby from coming out (by holding in my breath), I hear a baby's wail in the distance… and then, a last, cut-short cry echoes through the room. I could feel blood trickling on my thigh, my legs. My sisters disappear and I can't sense my mother's presence anymore. I'm afraid to look, afraid to face my fear.
I close my eyes and will this to be just a nightmare. Maybe when I open my eyes, it'll be just a dream. Yes, that's right. Just a horrible nightmare playing with my head.
I open my eyes and there glaring right above me is my mother's crazed blue eyes. Her sword is poised right above my neck. Trails of blood line her face, her beautiful, flaxen hair, her hands. For the first time ever, my mother terrifies me.
"Mother…?" It sounded more like a squeak. My dignity is gone.
"Die!"
I watch the blade come down fast… swish!
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"Diana, Diana! Wake up!"
"Don't touch me!" Diana, with eyes closed shut, fought and scrambled out of bed, away from the unknown hands that startled her. She opened her eyes and saw Bruce massaging his bruised face, cupping his bleeding nose.
"Bruce! What happened to you?" She ran towards him, her hands gingerly touching the bluish shade already coloring his cheeks.
"If this is how it's going to be, then I'll be sleeping in the living room for the next few months. Ow, shit!" Bruce winced, as his nose felt like it shattered to pieces. He didn't move, afraid that the pain would spread across his face. But catching a glimpse of Diana's hands—not because of what she did to him during her sleep—shaking, he ignored the pain throbbing along his nose and asked, "Had a bad dream?"
He watched her eyes tearing but he chose to wait. She opened her mouth, then closed it right after. She sniffed her nose and sighed. "Bruce," she started, then stopped. "I… I'm scared of what…" A pause. "I'm scared of what my mother would think of this."
Bruce stood up and walked up to her, wrapped his arms around her. They stayed quiet for a few minutes. Diana could feel blood dripping down her shoulders but she didn't care. It felt so good feeling Bruce's warmth surrounding her, his aura encompassing her whole being. She couldn't complain if he stained her dress; his presence was all she needed. Sweet, superficial words would only aggravate the situation. And Bruce knew better than to calm her with words of shallow assurance. He understood where she came from and respected that. He didn't want to create an illusion for her, an illusion that only insinuated unrealistic possibilities. Bruce's embrace promised the thing that she needed the most: his support through her ordeal.
"Sorry," he moved away, hurried to the bathroom. Diana followed him, watched him as he washed off the bloody smear on his face. He grimaced when he saw blood on his white shirt. "Alfred's going to throw a fit once he sees this." But after saying that, his face lightened all of a sudden, as if changing his mind. "Alfred IS going to throw a fit once he sees this. Though, this is nothing compared to what he did…" Bruce's voice trailed off and he resumed patching up his nose with an antiseptic cream and bandage. He looked at Diana's reflection in the mirror and saw her smiling at him.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
Diana hugged him from behind. "Oh nothing." She didn't move, but listened to his heartbeat faintly throbbing against her ear, felt his hard muscles slowly relaxing against her. "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"
"Nothing much, but I'd still like to make sure that Gotham's not ransacked by stray miscreants." He gingerly patted his face dry with a towel. "Why do you ask?" he asked quite tentatively. Playing dumb grew to come in handy when conversing with a pregnant woman, especially with raging hormones that could actually kill with one blow. Women were unpredictably dangerous, that was what he'd concluded after being with different women throughout the most part of his life. And Diana was no different from unpredictability. Well, maybe not as erratic as Selina, but still… pregnant women were prone to violent paroxysms, and Bruce was the last person who'd want to face an angry, pregnant Amazon princess.
"I see," Diana loosened her grip, thought about her words carefully in her head. And then she asked, "What do you say about taking a stroll in the park?" She suddenly let go of him. "I mean… that is, if you have the time, of course. I understand if you're too busy for a walk."
"Diana…"
"I completely understand that the welfare of the people should always be first priority." She suddenly felt like a moody princess all over again, only now she has the rationality to know better than to kick and slam the door in someone's face. Years ago, as the young princess, when things didn't go as planned, she would flare up, sulk, and starve herself overnight, while her mother smartly ignored her ridiculous tantrum. At least she didn't drive a spear through any of the soldiers. But just when she thought that she had outgrown it, she couldn't help feeling disappointed and slightly irritated that her expectations might not be met. Although she wasn't throwing a childish outburst at the moment, she still felt like going through puberty. She could feel Bruce staring at her with those devilishly sharp eyes. She sighed. She hated the fact that her emotions were spiraling out of control, to the point that she became a bloated open book.
"A walk in the park sounds good to me," Bruce told her. He could see her face brightening. But he could also tell that guilt gnawed at her.
He held her hand, kissed it. "Don't worry, I'll make sure that John's got my back." He caressed her face, said, "You look surprised, Princess."
Princess.
Diana laughed, suddenly moved into him for a kiss but instead hit his nose with hers. Bruce cussed in agony while blood drenched his hand yet again. Though Diana was frantically helping him stop the blood from flowing, she was feeling giddy inside. It was the first time Bruce had taken time off from Justice League. He used to always remind her of the fragility of people's lives, and that keeping constant guard over people's lives hardly left superheroes the indulgence of free time. She agreed that what he believed in was quite true, but at the same time, it was just wrong. There was simply no harm in finding time to lead their own lives; and unlike her, Bruce's lifetime was half of hers. Maybe even a quarter. He needed to get out and live life to the fullest, for Hera's sake! And to her relief, looking at him now, she could tell that he was trying to readjust to her, to her needs and wants. He was becoming more human—an alarming yet wonderful evolution.
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"Hmmm… this is so good," Helena was munching down her steak, her knife mercilessly cutting through tender, juicy meat. Dinah stared down at her own plate of food. A salad. A boring bowl of greens with lemon vinaigrette, tomatoes, and walnuts. She could feel a pool of saliva swirling in her mouth just waiting to burst out. She imagined that her salad tasted like beef; the tomatoes like mashed potatoes, the vinaigrette like steak sauce.
"You want some?" Helena offered between chews.
No, thank you. I'd like to kill you instead. "No, thanks. I still have salmon coming."
"Pshaw! You're being boring. There's no harm in one bite out of a piece of cow. C'mon, Ollie's not going to kill you for having one, two bites of yummy meat. Have some," she cut a piece for Dinah.
When Dinah didn't budge, Helena rolled her eyes and took Dinah's salad bowl.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing—?"
"Here," Helena replaced Dinah's salad with her entrée. "Indulge yourself once in a while. There really is no harm in eating one piece of steak for the duration of your pregnancy." When she saw Dinah's hungry yet hesitant face, she blew out an irritated sigh. "Really, one piece of steak isn't going to kill the baby. Depriving yourself, on the contrary, might kill you. But my point is," Helena had a mouthful of salad. "Red meat is rich in iron and protein. It's not all that bad. So please, whatever garbage it is you're reading that prohibits you from eating actual food, give it to me and I'll gladly burn it for you."
Dinah laughed, took a bite of steak. It has been almost six months without eating any beef, pork, or chicken, and this single bite nearly gave her an orgasm. "Oh my gawd, this is so good."
Helena smiled. "My thoughts exactly."
"But I'm not finishing it. I still ordered a salmon."
"Don't worry about it. We'll switch. I need to start eating healthy anyways."
Dinah stopped chewing. "What else did you order besides the steak?"
"Oh, um… just dessert. Glazed chocolate cake. Did you get anything else?"
"Yeah, a bowl of fruits."
"Wow… Don't tell me you're following the path of enlightenment or something. Tell me when nirvana's just a mile away."
Dinah playfully kicked Helena's foot under the table. "Shut up. It's not like I'm enjoying this. Besides," Dinah paused to savor the butter-glazed potato. "I have a few months left till I chuck this stupid diet. But you just had to ruin it."
"If you die the next day, I promise to go on a vegan diet."
"I'm not going on a vegan diet. I'm just eating good, healthy food."
"Okay, right. Sorry for misunderstanding. It's just that your cheekbones are so striking, looks to me they can slice through butter." Helena dodged Dinah's kick under the table. A waiter arrived with the salmon. Helena pointed to her side of the table. "Thanks. Oh, and can you cancel the fruits and add another chocolate cake to the tab? That would be great, thanks."
When the waiter left, Dinah finally kicked Helena's shin.
"OW! Dammit, what did you do that for?!" Helena rubbed her shin, glared at her blonde friend.
"I didn't say anything about canceling my fruits," Dinah hissed when Helena's yell prompted heads to turn in their direction. She was about to wave the waiter to come back when Helena countered, "Just for today screw your diet and enjoy your food. You think I don't see you staring at me with saliva cascading down the side of your mouth when I'm eating my food? Dinah, just for today… stop making me look like a pig."
Dinah chuckled, admitted defeat with an amused sigh. "Oh you, the things you make me do." She watched in amusement as Helena took a bite out of the salmon. "Well?"
"Hmm… it's okay. But not as juicy as my steak."
"Wanna switch?"
"Nah… I'm satisfied with this one… for now."
"Yeah, well if you end up having kids, you'll have to make a lot of sacrifices… like maintaining a healthy diet, leaving the League for a few months, keep your cool when your lover is constantly not around, go shopping for big-sized clothes, learn how to knit until you realize that you sewed half your finger in the fabric, try not to breathe down Ollie's neck once he comes home…"
Helena gaped at her friend. "You sewed half your finger in the fabric?! Damn… You must be terrible."
Dinah scowled at her. "Like you can do better."
"For your information, I've been sewing Q's boxers during my free time. I also managed to knit a scarf for him last Christmas. He likes it a lot." Helena was beaming with pride. "It's not hard at all. All it takes is patience… and a lot of spare time. I'm sure you have loads of the latter."
Dinah scoffed at the comment. "And patience is one of your virtues?"
"Sure, when it comes to knitting. It soothes my nerves."
"Uh-huh, okay." Dinah was trying to imagine Helena sitting in a rocking chair and sewing a pair of boxers. "You're hardly the Mary Poppins type, gotta say."
Helena rolled her eyes for dramatic effect. "I am hardly the Mary Poppins type. Is it that hard to believe that I like knitting?"
"Yea—"
"That was a rhetorical question. Q couldn't even believe it at first. He thought I bought it from Macy's or some other store." Helena moved her plate aside. "Just because I used to dream of killing that bastard Mandragora doesn't mean that I don't have a softer side."
Dinah smiled. "Yeah, you're right. But still… it's just so weird…"
"Okay then. Why don't I teach you how to knit?"
"No, I've had enough of that, thank you." Dinah grimaced at the memory of screaming, blood, the rush to the emergency room, Ollie fainting…
"C'mon, don't tell me you're not the least bit interested. Somehow you wanted to know how to knit but you just gave up along the way after sewing your finger. The trauma's gonna wear out, don't worry. And I'm willing to help you out." When Helena didn't see any disapproval in Dinah's eyes, she continued, "So what do you say about getting together sometime this week so I can teach you how?"
Dinah leaned her chin on her hand, narrowed her eyes at Helena. "Okay then. But I already warned you." They thanked the waiter for clearing their plates. Helena reminded him of their desserts. After he left, Dinah added, "We'll just see how far your patience will go by then."
"You know I love a challenge."
"Then this Saturday noon? Does two sound good to you?"
Helena nodded. "I'll being my equipment."
Dinah stifled a laugh. "Okay, okay. Saturday it is."
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It was a beautiful day outside. They sky was clear, the wind occasionally propagated the scent of flowers around the area, looming trees created a canopy to block the sun's rays, and pigeons helped themselves with generous scraps of bread.
Bruce, with his shades on, watched Diana breathe in the air with a look of content drawn on her face. She strolled ahead of him, as if she wanted to explore her surroundings on her own for the first time, as if she were a caged bird set free. She suddenly stopped and gazed up at the trees' branches. Through the gaps between gnarled limbs she could faintly see the sun shining down on her and, she could imagine Helios watching her with majestic intensity.
Bruce tried not to stare at her. Diana's attire was simple. And yet, it couldn't stop Bruce from ogling at her. She wore a white summer dress that concealed her baby-bump pretty well; her wide-brimmed hat covered her face almost entirely from nosy passers-by; and her flip-flops gave her a look of both chic and comfort. Basically, Diana looked as if she were going for a stroll in the beach, not the park. But no matter what she looked like, she was beautiful.
Bruce, on the other hand, wore his usual dress shirt and pants. The only additions to his custom attire were his shades and baseball cap. He glanced up to find Diana waiting for him a few feet away. He quickened his pace and soon closed the gap between them. She didn't say anything but held out her hand. He gave his and they strolled together hand in hand.
It was just a normal day in the park. There was a family playing fetch with their dog in the open area; an old man tossing breadcrumbs on the ground; two lovers lip-locking in the middle of the walkway; and what caught Diana's eye were a grandmother and her granddaughter having a picnic on one of the benches. She stopped and watched them talking animatedly to one another; the granddaughter always with the questions, the grandmother always with the answers. Sensing that they were being watched, the grandmother looked up. She waved in Diana's direction, believing that no threat would come from a beautiful couple. Diana waved back and slowly resumed walking, pulling Bruce in her wake.
After a moment of silence, Bruce asked, "What was that about?"
"Nothing much. I just thought that… that they looked cute together." Diana remained quiet for a while. Watching people of all walks of life congregate in nature's solitude, away from their demanding workload and bustling city, gave Diana a feeling of nostalgia. She furtively eyed Bruce and saw his calm façade. Yet, there was a hint of ease in the way he moved. And his hands… she could feel his warm hands roaming to her back, slowly moving down, down, down…
"Pervert," Diana hissed when she felt his hand at the base of her spine.
Bruce smirked at her, slipped his hand into hers. "Just teasing. You were staring off into space again. Mind telling me about it?"
They stopped at the foot of a miniature bridge overlooking a rivulet. This is no ordinary park. Diana let go of Bruce's hand, walked to the middle of the structure and leaned on the railing. Bruce followed her and stood beside her.
"You're thinking of your mother, aren't you?" Bruce guessed.
"Yes, Mother… Themyscira. I honestly don't know what to tell Mother especially. Will she be devastated? Furious? Happy? I don't know, Bruce," Diana covered her face in defeat. "It's driving me crazy."
"In other words, it's time to introduce me to your mother."
"Bruce," Diana said in a weak voice. It was surprising to hear her sound so unsure of herself. "I…"
"Diana," Bruce took her hands and held onto them firmly. "It's okay. I know I've not been the most aspiring gentleman towards you. And this is the first time I've ever felt unsure about myself and the future. But, after realizing that I'm having a child with you makes me want to try even harder. You know that I have so much to learn as a father… but I'm willing to try." Bruce stopped to catch his breath. He then continued, "I have to be honest though. Facing your mother makes me more nervous than encountering the Joker."
Diana retorted, "Same here."
Bruce felt his jaw fall. "Some reassurance would have been nice."
Diana bit her lip, tried not to laugh. "Sorry, it's just the nightmare I had last night… it still scares me." She shuddered just thinking about it. "It's the first time I've felt terrified by the prospect of seeing her."
Bruce sighed. God kill me now for what I'm about to say. "Don't worry, we're in this together." When he saw her smile, he almost told her never to repeat his exact words to anybody, including herself. It was the cheesiest line he had ever told anybody. God, how he wished that he could hit a nerve in her bone and make her forget his words.
"Okay," Diana suddenly felt buoyant and excited. "We'll leave for Themyscira tomorrow."
"So soon?"
"Of course." Diana started walking off. "We have to… before I change my mind."
"I think I've already changed mine," Bruce murmured under his breath.
"Hmmm?"
"Ah… joy."
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"Women… you can never know what goes in their heads most of the time," Ollie said, his arms crossed over his chest.
"As long as she doesn't force you to marry her, you're good," Vic said, adjusting his fedora hat.
Ollie gave him a queer look. "What makes you say that?" By the time he asked that out loud, Ollie regretted it. Here it comes, another conspiracy theory.
Ollie wondered why he agreed to go shopping with Dinah even when she mentioned that Helena was coming along. So long as Helena was around, especially during Q's day off, Q was bound to be tagging along. Well, it looked like Q was duped as well, but Ollie believed that he was the main victim here. So, while the girls were out splurging on only God-knows-what, the men were left to sit at a café and chat as if they were best buds from the beginning.
As if they had anything in common, Ollie thought to himself.
But who knows? If Ollie did end up marrying Dinah, Q could be the first in line as best man. Ollie watched Vic mumble something to the magazine he was reading. Like hell.
Ollie left out a deep sigh. Marriage. Family. Commitment. Was he ready for it? He had to admit that he felt entirely at fault for making Dinah angry with him as of late. When given the chance, he'd make up an excuse and stay at Justice League headquarters for a longer stretch of time than necessary. Of course, that only led to Dinah becoming more anxious and suspicious of him. But facing Dinah constantly reminded him of the family issue. Maybe he was running away from it. Maybe he was scared of it. Either way, he still felt remorse gnawing at him after seeing her with sad, angry eyes. He never felt the same way with his past relationships though. Somehow, Dinah was just… she just made him feel uneasy and insecure of himself.
"Women… they're just as deceitful as men sleeping around with whores," Vic suddenly interrupted his thoughts. "Once a couple gets married, problems are likely to arise (sweet love never lasts), and then the both of them end up not talking to each other for weeks, months; soon enough one of them decides on a separation or divorce" Vic paused, and then continued, "Or, to avoid any hassle with papers and the court, the couple decides to live under the same roof regardless of the failed marriage. During the husband's business trips, the woman invites one of the delivery boys into her home and sleeps with him, all the while thinking that their child doesn't suspect a thing; but in actuality the child knows about it, hates his mother especially for it, and has thus vowed never to marry for as long as he lived," Vic said with heated venom in his voice.
Ollie stared at Vic, shocked and bemused. Could it be that Vic was referring to his own childhood? And Ollie had always thought that the reason Vic stayed away from women (before Helena) was because he was plain weird or gay.
"Sage…"
"Of course, Queen, I'm sure you're not that type of man? The type that gets sick waking up with the same woman every morning? The type that wants lascivious thrill in his life? The type that double-crosses?" Vic asked with feigned innocence. Ollie knew that Vic was well aware of his wild past with women. Even Dinah believed that she was just a trivial affair for him. But… for some reason, it was different for her. Ollie knew that Vic was testing him. It unnerved him and yet… none of his friends (or sons) was ever this direct.
"Dinah's different. I…" He stopped. What was he doing? Vic was hardly a friend, much less a confidant in his personal affairs. Dinah could be using Vic to ask this sort of question, to test his loyalty. This was stupid. Why did he have to answer to this whacko guy whose relationship with people was just as warped as his conspiracies? And yet, for the first time, Vic was the first person who had ever implied the notion of marriage or living together or family.
Screw conspiracy!
"I love Dinah," Ollie blurted out. He could feel his cheeks reddening. Somehow saying it out loud was just embarrassing. He couldn't even say it in Dinah's face. Why on earth did he just relay his feelings to a stranger? Crap! But still… it felt good letting it out, as if he'd been shouldering a burden all along.
"Ollie?"
He saw her, her eyes brimming with tears, her smile giving away the fact that she heard what he had said. Looking at her, he couldn't feel angry at Vic. Just her smile blew his doubts away, and for the first time he didn't regret saying it.
"Dinah," Ollie stood up, opened his arms to take her in as she sped towards him.
"Well, I guess we'll be off then," Helena approached Vic, wrapped her arm around his. He helped her with a few of her bags.
It didn't matter whether Dinah told Vic to grill him or not. It was the first time seeing Dinah smile in weeks, maybe months, and that made the effort worthwhile. Perhaps, a small thank-you wouldn't be ludicrous. He glanced back to look over his shoulder when he heard Helena ask, "… what did you tell him? Dinah and I were just stunned when…"
Ollie was dumbstruck. So, it was never Dinah's ploy to get him blurting out those sappy three-letter words? Oh… He looked back again and for a second their eyes met. He swore he saw a smirk cross Vic's poker face.
"Ollie? What's wrong?" Dinah asked, looked at him questioningly.
"Mmm… nothing. Just experiencing another mind-blowing revelation." Vic Sage, a.k.a. The Question, actually helped him… with his relationship?! I've really hit rock-bottom.
"What?"
Ollie kissed her. "Don't worry about it. Really, it's nothing."
00000000000000000000000000000000
"Are you serious?" John asked incredulously. "For how long?"
Bruce tried not to grimace at the sight of drool sliding down Rex's bubbly mouth. Like witnessing the outcome of a volcanic eruption, drool seemed to have dried over the front of Green Lantern's suit; the toxic fluid looked as if it had already sipped into the uniform.
"Babies aren't allowed here, John," Bruce said, forgetting John's earlier question.
"I know, but Shayera and I couldn't find a babysitter at the moment, so we snuck him in," John adjusted Rex in his arms. "By the way, could you hand me that bag?" John pointed at the sports bag wedged under the computer console. Bruce pulled the bag out of its hiding place and was about to hand it over when John interrupted him.
"Actually, my hands are full. Mind giving me the towel instead? It's in the bag," John said.
Bruce did as he was told and was about to hand over the towel when he saw John's sadistic grin. Bruce realized what John was implying; he felt like sprinting out of the room but he wouldn't get another chance to ask John to cover for him while he was in Themyscira. He sighed and tentatively nodded his head.
"Thanks, Bruce. Now," John suddenly turned serious. "Be gentle. Just relax. It wouldn't even take me more than a minute to change."
The Batman quietly nodded. When Rex was deposited in his arms, the two of them shared a long stare. Just when Bruce braced himself for an attack of the Banshee's twin, Rex was giggling, to his surprise. John laughed, amused. He could tell that Bruce was a bit more accepting than last time.
"See? He likes you," John said, stripping out of his suit. "He must've still remembered you from the time you sang to him."
Immobilized, Bruce didn't know what to do. Rex was patting his chest playfully, his spittle spraying all over the place. "John, his mouth's like a broken pipeline. You should have him checked." Bruce was serious.
John bellowed in laughter. "That's a good one," John said after catching his breath. When Bruce gave him a puzzled look, John bit his tongue from grinning. "Well, it's normal for babies to drool. It's kind of like how dogs need to drool to cool themselves. But it really depends on the baby. Rex is a natural fountain of youth. Other babies have their own specialization of annoying their parents. So… don't think too much about it. Who knows, yours might be a born bat."
"A bat?"
"Sure, it can fly and terrify. Kind of like a mix between you and Diana." John stuffed his soiled suit in the bag. He chuckled. "That's lame, I know. But my point is, just accept your child for who he/ she is. You've already done that…"
"Not since birth."
"So? You've loved all of them. You've brought them up as if they were your own." John took Rex from Bruce. "Look, don't agonize over the baby issue." John made a face at Rex. He then added, "Fatherhood comes naturally to us; you'll know what to do when the time comes." John paused, thought about what he was about to say. "Oh, and about you taking leave, I've got it covered. Just let me know when you're coming back."
"Thanks, John." The Batman walked out of the room without another word.
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To be continued…
You like? No? Humor me! Let me know what you think! :)
Note: I know that I mentioned in the previous chapter that this would be about Diana meeting her mother and sisters in Themyscira, but I'm sorry to say that that's for the next one as you might have already guessed. Sorry about that. I hope you understand. Once again, thanks for reading this; your support is ever welcome.
