Bruce continued to stare at Diana, his eyes narrowing as he tried to comprehend what she had just said. Surely she hadn't told him what he thought she had…...had she? No, he must've been mistaken. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head, trying to understand why Diana would say such a thing.
Diana let out a small sigh, using her hands to push off his chest and away from him. "I said, I'm pregnant." She watched as Bruce stood from his desk, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"Are you sure?" he asked. He took a step away from Diana and began to pace, trying to wrap his head around what she had just said.
Diana tilted her head, unsure whether she should be surprised he was acting like this or should have expected it. After all, she had been just as shocked to see those two faint pink lines herself. "You pee on a stick, it's kind of hard to mess that up," she said, trying to keep her voice as low as possible. Alex was still on the other side of the door, and she would rather no one else know about this. At least not until she and Bruce had talked about it further. "But I have an appointment tomorrow, just to be sure."
Bruce nodded. He didn't know what else to do. Was he supposed to offer to go with her? Hug her? Kiss her? Tell her it would be okay? He had never been in this situation, and he was just as confused, if not more, than Diana. "I guess we'll wait and see," he said, realizing it was the wrong thing to say, as Diana walked out of his office, slamming the door behind her.
May 4. Prince/Hol Residence. 19:37
Diana laid on the couch, absentmindedly listening to the television, as she stared up at the ceiling. This morning she had found out she was pregnant. This morning she had told Bruce she was pregnant. This morning he acted as if she was an idiot, not wanting to believe her. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. Things between them had been complicated since Metropolis, and with the way he had reacted in his office, she wasn't sure if either of them were ready for something like this. After all, it wasn't as if they had been in a committed relationship. Sure, he was her friend, a good friend…..someone she was in love with, but that did not mean the two of them having a baby was a good idea.
Bruce was complicated. She didn't think he was ready for a commitment like this. For all she knew, he felt absolutely nothing but friendship for her; that thought alone made her let out a frustrated sigh.
The front door of the apartment opened and in walked Shayera, a bag of groceries in her hands, a pile of mail in between her lips. Her backpack had fallen and was balanced in between the crook of one of her elbows and as she shut the door with her foot, she tried to balance the paper bag in one arm as she dropped her keys onto the small table near the door.
Shayera glanced over her shoulder and saw Diana staring at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts, and let out a sigh. She knew this couldn't be easy for her roommate, especially since she was so confused on what she and Bruce were doing exactly. She only hoped her conversation with the father of her future child had gone decent. It was the least Diana deserved.
Shayera quickly walked into the kitchen and placed the bag of groceries on the table, before she took the mail out of her mouth and cleared her throat. "Thanks for the help," she said sarcastically. She waited for a response, but when Diana gave none, she quickly turned to find the brunette had curled up into the couch. Her arms were wrapped around her body and her face was buried into the couch cushions, and although the volume of the television was making it hard to hear, Shayera was certain Diana was crying.
"Diana," she said softly, dropping the backpack to the floor, before she made her way to the couch. "Hey, you're going to be okay." She gently placed her hand on Diana's back and rubbed gently, her heart breaking when she heard her roommate take a deep breath.
Diana glanced over her shoulder at Shayera and let out a sigh. "I'm just tired," Diana said quietly, before she turned over and faced her roommate. She watched as Shayera pulled her red hair up and into a ponytail, letting it rest in between her shoulder blades, before her green eyes met Diana's blue.
"Did you talk to Bruce?" Shayera asked. She glanced over at Diana's phone on the coffee table when she heard it vibrate against the piece of furniture, her eyebrows furrowing when she saw Bruce's name illuminate across the screen. "I'll take that as a yes," she said, watching as Diana reached over and ignored the call.
Diana nodded, opening the last three messages Bruce had sent her, before she sat up on the couch. After she had stormed out of Bruce's office, none too thrilled about his response, she had spent the rest of the day trying to ignore him. She hadn't known what she had expected, but his reaction was not favorable. So she would ignore him until she knew what she wanted to do herself. She didn't need him. Maybe this was the push she needed to finally get over the feelings she had for him.
"Am I to assume he said something stupid?" Shayera asked, taking a seat on the couch besides Diana.
Diana gave her roommate a small chuckle, before nodding. "He asked me if I was sure, and then said we'll wait and see what happens." She heard Shayera snort next to her, before she shifted in her seat. "I mean, I don't know what I was expecting him to say, but he let his shock get the better of him."
Diana's phone began to ring once more. Without glancing at the screen she silenced the device and shoved it into her pocket. Bruce was persistent if nothing else, and as much as she wanted an apology for his reaction, she also wanted time to herself to think about what this would all mean. "Is that Bruce again?"
Diana nodded once more. "He wants to talk, but I don't want to right now."
"Understandable," Shayera said, "But the two of you need to sit and talk about things." Shayera stood from the couch and walked towards the kitchen, leaving Diana to sit and think about what she had just said. She knew Shayera was right, that she needed to talk to Bruce about everything, but tonight she just wanted to sleep. Tomorrow would be another story.
May 5. Wayne Enterprises. 10:13.
Diana sat at her office, staring intently at the computer in front of her. Last night she had fully intended on catching up on the sleep she had lost during the last few days. Her body, however, had other plans, as she continued to toss and turn, running to the bathroom every few hours. If this was what she had to look forward to for the next few months, she was not going to be excited for this whatsoever.
She continued to scroll through the email currently on her screen, reading over the notes Lucius had taken from the meeting with Damian. He had left Gotham yesterday with the promise of sending Bruce more information on the RF2300 and dates to come back to Gotham to discuss their deal in further detail.
Diana let out a sigh. The more she thought about that night, the more she questioned things. Damian, as expected, was a pompous jerk, flaunting his money and power any chance he had gotten. It only made things worse that he creeped her out. She knew he would stare at her, and although she had caught Bruce doing the same thing, it felt more enduring when it was him. Then there was Vicki, who had interrupted dinner to ask Bruce if he was dating anyone. Of course, the two of them weren't dating, so when he had rightfully answered no, she knew she shouldn't have been upset, but she couldn't help but feel jealous. She wanted some sort of relationship with him. She wanted to be the one he enjoyed spending all his time with, but she did not want their relationship to be out in the open. She was selfish for that.
"You keep staring at that screen like that, you're going to burn a hole into it."
Diana turned to the door, flashing a small smile to the man standing in the doorway, grateful it wasn't Bruce. She knew she would eventually have to see him, as he was her boss and they were supposed to have a meeting in a few minutes, but she wasn't ready. All her tossing and turning last night had given her the opportunity to think about what she was going to do, and although she knew it was useless, she wanted to wait until her appointment today to discuss her options.
She waved the man into the office, watching as his blonde hair bounced when he gave her a small nod, before he walked into the office and took a seat in front of Diana. "How's the shoulder healing?" she asked.
She watched as Paul placed his hand over his shoulder, over the still healing wound, and shrugged. "It's getting better," he replied, "Therapist said I should be at one hundred percent within the next few weeks."
Diana nodded. "That's good." She stared at Paul, her eyes unconsciously wandering over his covered shoulder. He had come back to work a few weeks ago, after getting the okay from the doctor, and Diana had made sure to let him know just how appreciated he was here. He had thanked her for saving his life, and as much as Diana didn't realize it, she felt like she could finally trust him.
"So, you speak Greek, right?" Paul asked, pulling out his phone. He watched as Diana nodded, turning to raise an eyebrow at him, before she leaned back into her seat. "I heard this word the other day, and I was hoping you could help me?"
He handed the phone to Diana and let her read the phrase, her eyebrows furrowing as she concentrated on the words. "The closest word to this would be 'destroy'." She handed the phone back to him. "Where'd that come from?"
Paul shrugged, as he shoved the phone back into his pocket. "It was on some TV show and I thought I'd come to you before using Google. Those things are never right."
Diana chuckled, letting herself genuinely smile for the first time in twenty-four hours. "Glad I could be of service," she said, before she turned her attention back to the computer. She fiddled with the mouse, printing a few pages off the screen, before she turned back to Paul.
"No offense," Paul began. He tilted his head to get a better look at Diana, his eyes narrowing as he examined her body. "You look like crap. You need to get out of here and rest. We all know how much work you put into all this."
Diana ran a hand down her face, letting out a sigh. She knew he was right, that she needed to rest, but her job demanded her here. "I have a meeting in ten minutes," she said, gathering all the papers from the printer into a folder.
Paul quickly snatched the folder out of her hand. "A meeting I can go to and take notes for you. You won't let me go out and do anything else, the least I can do is sit in a meeting." He heard Diana chuckle softly. "Go home, Diana. I got this."
Diana stared at the man in front of her, before she nodded and gave a sigh of defeat. She would have enough time to go home and take a small nap before her appointment, and with the way she was barely able to focus on the files in front of her, she knew it was well needed. "Thanks, Paul," she said, standing from her seat. "Text me if you need anything, and don't let Sterling and Joe go home until they turn in their reports."
Paul nodded as he opened the folder in his hands. "You got it," was all Diana heard, as she left the office, ready to go home and finally get some rest.
Bruce gently rubbed one of his temples with a hand as he walked down the hall, the beginnings of a headache starting to form. He had been up all night, trying to think about what Diana had told him, and what this would mean for the two of them. He knew he had acted like a jerk in his office, but he was shocked. He had tried to call and message Diana multiple times last night, but after she had ignored his third call, he knew she needed time to think. So he had let her be, no matter how much he had wanted to run to her apartment and apologize. Maybe he'd be able to get her alone after this meeting and give her a formal apology, before the two of them could sit and talk about what this would mean for them.
He quickly turned the corner and walked into the conference room, the small smile on his face disappearing when he saw someone, that was not Diana, occupying the seat she usually sat, in next to his. He tried not to frown, tried to keep his eyebrows from furrowing at the guilt that was now eating at him, but when Paul raised an eyebrow, catching his expression when he turned to the door, Bruce knew he had failed.
Without another thought, Bruce walked over to his seat, flashing Paul a small forced smile, hoping it would distract him for a moment, before he took a seat in the chair at the head of the table. He watched as Paul continued to stare at him, pressing his lips closed to keep from saying what was really on his mind. He knew something was going on between Diana and Bruce. He had suspected it early on, but when he had seen the two of them sneaking out from the back of the plane on their trip to Metropolis, it had confirmed his suspicions. He also knew Diana would be criticized if this news ever came out, so he kept it to himself. Besides, he owed his life to her - he could stay quiet until she was ready to announce things.
Paul turned his attention to the folder laying on the table in front of him. Without a word, he opened the folder and read over the information laid out in front of him, trying his best to memorize the words that were printed on the pages. He felt Bruce's eyes on him, and although he wanted to comment, he found it best to keep quiet and continue to read the pages.
"Where's Ms. Prince?" Bruce finally asked, letting his curiosity get the best of him. He watched as Paul stopped reading, letting his eyes hover the same words for a few moments, before he turned to glance his way.
"She wasn't feeling well," Paul replied, pulling the pen from his shirt pocket and clicking it open. "I told her I'd take notes for her, and told her to go home."
Bruce continued to stare at Paul, trying to ignore Lucius as he walked up and took a seat in the empty seat to his right. He desperately wanted to get up and rush to Diana's apartment, but he knew he had to stay for this meeting. He only hoped it wouldn't be a long one.
May 5. Prince/Hol Residence. 12:53.
Shayera sat on the couch, nursing her third cup of coffee, as she stared at the case files spread across the coffee table. She had been working hard on a case, and was determined to solve it before the other guys in the department. After all, she was still fighting for a promotion she had been in the running for, and closing this case would set her aside from the other detectives.
She took a quick sip of the coffee, letting the warm liquid soothe her anxiety, as she flipped another page over, reading a few of the notes the responding officers had made. John Doe victim. Early to mid thirties. C.O.D.: strangulation- suffered from blunt force trauma to ribs and skull.
She flipped to another page, tilting her head as she focused on the photo of the victim, lying on the alley floor, blood covering half his body. "Who are you?" she asked to herself, taking another sip of her coffee as she picked up another photo, studying the bloody shoe print near the deceased. Living, and being a cop, in Gotham, Shayera had seen a lot of crime growing up. She knew the city was not perfect, but the rise in violent murders, gang violence, and drugs, was becoming overwhelming. She knew if she took whoever committed this murder off the streets, there would be another one ready to pounce within hours, but she was unwilling to give up. It was the determination her father had instilled in her before his death. It was what drove her to continue the endless battles in the war on Gotham. She would make her family proud, no matter how bad it got.
She grabbed another photo from the pile on the table and placed it in front of her, carefully staring at the bloodied baseball bat that had been used to beat their victim so hard, the wood near the side was cracked. Whoever had done this, had been angry; the way they had left their victim unrecognizable was still shocking to nearly everyone in the department.
She placed her head in her hands and narrowed her green eyes. All of their evidence ended with the victim and the weapon. It would be a long and hard road ahead of her. Not to mention, she was still worried about Diana. She knew her roommate was still struggling with her feelings for Bruce, and as much as she wanted her to stay away from the billionaire, she knew it was nearly impossible for her. Diana had a connection with Bruce, that much was evident. The way she talked about him, the way she came home with a smile after spending hours late in the evening with him, Shayera knew it was only a matter of time before Diana fell completely for the man. She only hoped Diana wouldn't get hurt in the process. Unlike John, Bruce Wayne was not a man you got into a serious romance with. He was a playboy. He was a womanizer. He used women, and she would be damned if she let him hurt her best friend.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a rather loud knock on the door, startling her. She turned her gaze to the wooden door, her face turning into a scowl, as the impatient person on the other end began to knock again. Without a word, she stood from the couch and walked to the front door, yanking it open, her scowl hardening when she saw who stood on the other end.
"Where is she?" was all the man asked, as he stared over Shayera's shoulder into the apartment.
Shayera stared at Bruce in silence. When Diana had come home earlier, she hadn't mentioned whether she and Bruce had spoken, but when she had left a few minutes earlier, her usual smile absent from her face, she knew they had yet to talk over things. "She's not here," Shayera said, crossing her arms over her chest as she continued to stare at the man in front of her.
Bruce continued to stare over Shayera's shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of Diana's bedroom door. "Is she at the doctors?" he asked, finally turning his attention to the red head. He watched as she visibly contemplated whether to answer the question, her jaw clenching as she thought about Diana going through all of this alone. "Please," Bruce said, the desperation in his voice evident.
He watched as Shayera raised an eyebrow, shocked with Bruce's sudden change. She knew Bruce Wayne to be a prideful man, but the way he was standing in front of her, begging to know where Diana was, was showing her a different side to him. Maybe he did care for Diana a lot more than he let on.
Shayera let out a sigh and dropped her arms to her side. She moved aside and let him into the apartment, letting him close the door behind himself, before she walked into the kitchen. Bruce watched her go, grateful she had decided to listen to him. As he waited for her to come back, he glanced around the room, letting his eyes settle on the case file and photos on the coffee table in front of the couch - another murder in Gotham. He let out a sigh and shook his head as he thought about the city his parents fought so hard to clean, crumble under the crime and filth that found the city everyday. He would try harder to make things better, and if Diana was truly pregnant, he would do his best to ensure his child would not be raised around such horrors.
Shayera's light footsteps against the hardwood floors caused Bruce to look away from the files. Her eyes were still narrowed at him, but her nose was no longer scrunched and she looked as if she had relaxed her shoulders. "Here," she said, handing him a card. She watched as he quickly read over the information printed on the small piece of paper, a small smile on his lips when he realized what it was. "Do not make me regret giving this to you," she threatened, crossing her arms over her chest once more.
Bruce nodded, offering her another smile, before he opened the apartment door. "Thank you," was all he said, as he rushed out of the apartment and down the hall, hoping to catch Diana, not wanting her to go through this alone.
May 5. St. Catherine's Regional Medical Center. 13:24.
Bruce continued to nervously bite his lip, as he watched the buildings of downtown Gotham wizz by, hoping he wasn't too late. He didn't want Diana to have to go through this alone. He only hoped she would let him in. "We're here, Mr. Wayne," the cab driver said over his shoulder, turning to glance at the man staring out the window, lost in thought. "Mr. Wayne?"
The cab driver turned around fully and continued to stare at Bruce, his eyebrow raised in confusion as he watched the younger man let out a sigh. Without another thought, Bruce pulled out some money from his wallet and handed it to the cab driver, before he opened the door and slid out of the backseat, letting the door close quietly behind him.
Bruce quickly made his way into the building and into the waiting room, ignoring the curious glances from the receptionist sitting behind the counter. Instead, his eyes quickly swept over the room, a small smile forming on his face when they settled on Diana, sitting in the corner of the room, nervously bouncing her leg as she waited.
Her long hair was up in a messy bun, and she was dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a sweatshirt, but Bruce couldn't help the goofy grin that plagued his face when he began to walk up to her. She could wear anything, and he would still find her to be the most beautiful thing in the room.
Bruce quickly took a seat in the empty chair next to her and placed his hand gently on her knee, forcing her to both stop bouncing it nervously and look up. Her eyes widened when she saw him sitting besides her, and although she tried to hide it, he couldn't help but notice the look of relief that seemed to wash over her face as she realized why he had come. "Who told you where I was?" she whispered, letting her eyes fall to the receptionist who continued to glance their way, sneaking looks of Bruce whenever she thought neither of them were paying any attention.
"Shayera," was all Bruce said, as he lifted his hand from her knee and placed it into his pocket. He began to nervously fiddle with his phone, desperately trying to find a way to apologize for how he had acted the previous day. He knew she deserved better.
Diana raised an eyebrow at Bruce's answer, wondering what had changed for Shayera to tell him where she was. She knew her roommate didn't care for the man. Why had she broken down and told him where she was? She would definitely ask the next time she saw her roommate. "You being here with me is going to start a lot of rumors," she whispered in response, making sure to keep her line of focus on the wall ahead of her. She knew if she turned to look at Bruce, if she caught his blue eyes staring at her, she wouldn't be able to hold back the desire to kiss him; it was all she had been thinking about since waking up earlier, after a particularly exciting dream.
Bruce shook his head slightly, narrowing his eyes at the receptionist when she stood and walked away from the counter. "You don't worry about that," he said, turning to her. He watched as she pulled a few stray hairs away from her face and behind her ear, before he let out a long sigh.
He opened his mouth to speak when the door besides Diana opened, revealing an older woman. She wore a white lab coat over her clothing, and her hair was swept up into a neat bun. "Diana," she called over the file in her hand, letting her brown eyes read over the information printed on the sheet, before she looked up at the pair, stopping momentarily when she saw who was seated next to her patient. She narrowed her eyes at Bruce, watching as he stared at Diana silently asking if she wanted him to come with her. When Diana took a step towards the doctor, turned, and waved him over, the doctor let out a small sigh. "Follow me," the doctor said, turning to walk down the hall and back to the private rooms, glancing over her shoulder to make sure both Diana and Bruce were following, before she stepped into an empty room.
She moved to the side, allowing the couple to walk into the room, before she shut the door behind her back. "So what brings you in today, Diana?" she asked, gently moving some dark hair that had escaped her bun, out of her face.
She watched as Diana took a seat on the examining table in the middle of the room, while Bruce stood in the corner, his eyes never leaving the aging doctor's face. "I think I'm pregnant," Diana said softly, still afraid to say it out loud. She knew if she said it, it would become all too real.
Diana watched as her doctor's eyes shifted to Bruce, narrowing once more when her brown eyes caught his blue. "Bruce," the doctor said, her voice condemning. She knew Bruce's reputation, and even though she had known him as a child, when she worked side by side with his father, she was also fond of Diana. Diana had been her patient for a few years, and she had a good head on her shoulder. She only hoped she could give them the answers they wanted.
Bruce continued to stare at the doctor. His eyes shifted from her dark hair to her face, taking in the crows feet that were etched besides her eyes. She had seen a lot working in Gotham throughout the years, and as much as she had wanted to believe Bruce wasn't the man he portrayed himself out to be, him being here was destroying any good reputation he had to spare. "Mallory," he replied, just as sternly. He knew how his father's old associate felt about him and his partying ways. She had let him know, very publicly, the last time the two of them had attended the same gala. His eyes continued to scan the doctor, moving from her face down to the lab coat she wore, settling on the stitched 'Dr. Khan' above her heart, before he turned to look back at Diana, who was thoroughly confused.
"Dr. Khan used to work with my father at Gotham General," Bruce said, answering Diana's unspoken question. He watched as Diana gave him a small nod, before she looked away from the two and their continued stare down.
Dr. Khan took a deep breath, before she turned her attention to Diana, remembering her patient came before her disdain for Bruce. "Alright," she began, placing her file down on the counter, before she turned to the sink and began to wash her hands. She quickly dried her hands and pulled on a pair of gloves, before she removed the stethoscope from around her neck. "Did you take a test at home?" she asked, placing the bell against Diana's chest. She watched as Diana nodded, before she gave the younger woman a small nod, and placed the ear tips inside her ears and listened to Diana breathe deeply.
Without a word, Dr. Khan pulled out the ear tips and let the stethoscope hang from her neck, as she reached over to the counter and pulled out an arm cuff, sliding it on to Diana's bicep. "And when was your last menstrual cycle?" she asked, as she began to pump the bulb of the cuff, watching as the cuff around Diana's arm began to inflate.
"Um," Diana began, glancing up at the calendar hanging from the back of the door. "March 10th?" she said, the tone of her voice conveying she was questioning the validity of that statement.
Dr. Khan nodded as she placed the ear tips back into her ears and began to pump the bulb once more, placing the bell of the stethoscope against Diana's inner elbow. She continued to work, her eyebrows knitting in concentration as she counted to herself, glancing up at the clock posted behind Diana. She could feel Bruce's gaze burning a hole into the back of her head, and when she raised an eyebrow, concerned with something, he only focused more intently on her face. "Okay," Dr. Khan said after a moment, pulling out the ear tips once more. She gently looped the stethoscope over her neck and pulled the velcro of the cuff, releasing Diana's arm. "We can take a blood test, just to be certain. I know early on some of those home tests don't work as well as they should. But my lab techs are a little backed up, so it may be a few hours until I get the results."
Diana nodded and watched as Dr. Khan pulled off her gloves, tossing them in the trash, before she opened the door. "I'll be right back," she said, glancing up at Bruce. She subtly nodded over her shoulder towards the hall, silently asking him to follow her, before she stepped out of the room.
"I know what I said to you last year was uncalled for," Dr. Khan said when she heard Bruce step out into the hallway. She turned to watch Bruce close the door behind him, hoping to give Diana a little sense of privacy, before he glanced up at the doctor. "But Diana is my patient, and it is my job to keep her privacy." She watched as he nodded and placed his hands into his pocket. "I won't say anything to anyone, but I think you need to respect Diana, whatever she decides to do. She's not one of your drunk bimbos."
With that she walked away, not bothering to wait for Bruce to respond.
May 5th. The Revue. 14:09
Bruce shifted in his seat, continuing to stare at the woman seated across from him, his eyes focused on her face. Diana was concentrating hard on the file laid out in front of her, trying to occupy her mind from thinking back to Dr. Khan, and when the results of the blood work would come back. She knew the doctor had said it could be a few hours, but Diana needed to know as soon as possible. The more time she had to figure out things, the better.
Bruce, who had sensed her urgency to know the results, had offered to take her to her favorite cafe, praying Riley worked today. He knew seeing a familiar face would put a smile on Diana's, and that was all he wanted. He wanted her to know things would be okay, that they would figure it out, but he was having a hard time conveying that to her.
When Diana had first told him the news in his office, he had reacted negatively. He was shocked, yes, but he should have been more understanding, more readily available to listen to what Diana wanted. It was her body that would change. Her career that would be affected. Her reputation that would be scrutinized. For once in his life, he needed to take responsibility. But until Diana was sure, he would remain quiet, knowing there was no need to bring up anything until things were set in stone.
"You're going to burn a hole through that paper."
Diana looked up from the file on the table; Bruce had graciously offered to walk over to her office and retrieve Paul's notes from the meeting earlier, knowing she would need a distraction. Diana's eyes settled on the young waitress standing next to the booth she was sharing with Bruce, the corners of her lips tugging into a small smile. "My job is never done," was all Diana said, before she flipped the page over for emphasis.
Riley let out a small chuckle and shook her head. She knew Diana was busy, but the woman needed to take a break. She was going to make herself sick going the way she had been the past few weeks. Riley took one more glance at Diana, watching as the woman looked towards Bruce, her eyes widening as she took a deep breath. She carefully took in the yoga pants and sweatshirt she wore, her head tilting as she realized it must have been her day off, and yet here she was, still reading notes from work meetings. "You know your boss really needs to give you a few days off," she said, giving Bruce a wink.
Bruce only responded with a polite smile, as he continued to watch Diana, her eyes still wide. He watched as she took another deep breath, and shook her head, before she scooted out of the booth. "Excuse me," she muttered to Riley, watching as the young girl quickly moved out of the way, before she rushed to the back of the cafe, towards the restrooms.
Bruce quickly stood from his seat, however a hand on his chest forced him to stop in his tracks. "I'll get her," was all Riley said, as she began to walk towards the back of the cafe. She quickly untied the apron from around her waist and placed it on a shelf behind the counter, before she walked into the women's restroom, stopping when she heard an all too familiar sound. When she had been pregnant with Emma, the first few months had been rough. There wasn't a day during that first trimester of her pregnancy when she hadn't thrown up, and if her suspicions about Diana were correct, she knew she was in for a long nine months.
"Diana," Riley called softly, letting the door close behind her gently. She heard Diana groan as she flushed the toilet, before the door to the first stall swung open and Diana came walking out slowly.
Her face was pale and the smile was absent from her face. She kept her eyes closed as she walked to the sink, a hand remaining over her now empty stomach, hoping it would remain calm for the next few hours. "Sorry," Diana mumbled when she had reached the sink. She quickly turned it on, letting the water flow for a few seconds, before she began to wash her hands. When she was done, she cupped her hands and let them fill with water, before she sipped it and rinsed her mouth the best she could.
Riley shrugged. "I feel like this is dejavu," she said with a smirk, "Only last time, it was a young pregnant girl crying in the stall, and you, telling me it was going to be okay." Riley watched as Diana let out a small laugh, before she offered the older woman her hand. "Have you told the father?" she asked with a smirk.
Diana stared at Riley, tilting her head, as she placed her hand in the blonde's. "I know you know it's Bruce," she said, watching as the young girl gave her a smug smile.
"Yeah, but I wanted to see if you would lie to me."
Diana placed her hand on her chest, feigning being hurt by Riley's comment. "I would never," she said with a grin.
Riley chuckled and pulled Diana into a hug, her smile widening when Diana wrapped her arms around her, squeezing her gently, thanking her for coming to talk to her. "You know," she began, watching in the mirror as Diana released her hold on her, before the brunette leaned against the sink, "You're going to have to find a new job."
Diana scrunched her nose at the comment. It was something she had thought about since the first time she and Bruce had slept together, but she had reminded herself they could keep things professional. A baby, however, would drastically change the dynamic they had, whether it was as coworkers or co-parents. "We'll get to that when we need to," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
Riley nodded and placed her hands in her pockets as she stared at the woman in front of her. "So, what are you going to do?"
Diana shrugged. "We're waiting on the doctor to let us know for sure, then we'll talk."
Riley snorted. "I'm not a doctor, but I'll diagnose you now. You're pregnant babe." She watched as Diana tried to hide the grimace from her face, not too keen with the idea, before she grabbed the door handle. "Come on, I have the perfect thing for your stomach."
Without another word, Riley opened the door and pulled Diana out of the restroom. "Go, he's worried about you." With that, Riley released Diana's hand and walked into the kitchen, leaving Diana to take a deep breath before she made her way back to the booth.
"You okay?" Bruce asked when she approached him. He watched as she gave him a small nod and slid into the booth, letting her head drop as she let out a small sigh. He wanted so desperately to reach out for her hand, pull her into a hug, into a kiss, let her know things would be okay, but he respected her boundaries. After all, she was the one who put the rules in place to begin with.
The two sat in awkward silence for a few minutes, each of them breathing a small sigh of relief when Riley came up to the two, a cup of coffee in one hand, a cup of tea in the other. She carefully handed Bruce the coffee, offering him an awkward smile, before she placed the tea in front of Diana, patted her shoulder, and left.
Bruce watched as Diana lifted her head and reached out for the tea, gently pulling it up to her lips before she carefully sipped it. He racked his brain for something to say, something that wouldn't be about the elephant in the room; he would wait until they were completely alone to discuss all this. "Did Gary have a toupee?" he finally asked, breaking the silence that had become nearly unbearable.
Diana's eyes crossed the table and met his, staring intently at him, before she cracked a smile and let out a chuckle. "Oh my- yes! I didn't want to say anything."
Bruce began to laugh, relaxing now that he was sure he would do a good job occupying Diana and her thoughts. "The comb over in the front, and the completely bald head in the back kind of gave it all away," Bruce said, shaking his head as he pictured Gary, their sixty-five year old head of payroll. Over the last few days, he had shown up to work sporting a new hairdo; it was all too obvious, but he was such a nice man, no one wanted to say anything and ruin his confidence. "It kind of looks like a rat died, but was too lazy to spread itself out over the whole head, and kind of shriveled up in one spot."
He watched as Diana stopped lifting the cup of tea to her lips, letting out a hearty laugh instead. "Bruce," she began, getting out the last of her chuckles, before she took a sip of the hot beverage, "Be nice. Gary is a wonderful man."
Bruce only flashed Diana a grin as he shrugged. "You're only saying that because he lets you in on his supply of candy."
Diana shrugged, giving him another grin, before she took another sip of her tea. "I plead the fifth," she whispered.
Bruce took another sip of his coffee, continuing to stare at Diana as she continued to sip the tea cautiously, wary of her stomach. He watched as she absentmindedly stared out the window, unconsciously running her finger along the lid of her cup, as she let her thoughts wander.
It was then, that he let himself smile, genuinely smile, for the first time today. In all his shock, he had forgotten why he loved spending time with Diana. She was so pure, so sweet. He only hoped she felt the same way about him, that he did her.
The two sat and talked for a few hours, both of them forgetting the pending results, and instead enjoying the conversation. Bruce, who had been convinced things would be okay, regardless of the results, had made up his mind on what he wanted to do. Talking with Diana, being here with her, had convinced him of what he wanted. Diana, on the other hand, was still skeptical. Things with Bruce were easy…..when it was just the two of them. He was so honest with her, so open, and she wondered if he had ever been this way with another woman; she had a hunch the answer to that was no. However, she knew if the two of them came out into the public, things would change for them drastically. She wasn't sure she was ready for that.
"Please tell me you gave Alfred a vacation after that," Diana said, finishing the last of the water in the cup placed in front of her.
Bruce scoffed and placed the remaining piece of his sandwich into his mouth. "You act like Alfred is a slave," he said, wiping his hands on a napkin as he finished chewing his late lunch.
Diana opened her mouth to give a snarky response when her phone began to ring. The two looked down at the device, each staring intently at the object, before they looked up at each other, their eyes locking. Diana quickly grabbed the phone from the table and lifted it to her ear. "Hello," she said, her eyes never leaving Bruce's.
She listened to the person on the other end speak, nodding her head at whatever was said, before she bit her lip nervously. "Of course," she said, "We'll be there soon. Thank you." She hung up the phone and placed it back onto the table. "That was Dr. Khan," she said. "She wants to see us at the office."
May 5. St. Catherine's Regional Medical Center. 18:35
Diana sat on the examining table and shifted, trying not to let the crinkling of the paper covering the table bother her, as she turned to look at Bruce. He was studying the pamphlets in the corner, his eyebrows knitted as he took in the information.
The door to the examining room opened and both Bruce and Diana focused their attention towards Dr. Khan as she walked in, a file in her hands. Dr. Khan offered the two a smile, trying to keep her face neutral as she closed the door. "Sorry to keep you waiting," she said, "But I have your results here."
Dr. Khan took a seat on the stool besides the table and rolled up to Diana, before she gently placed her hand on the younger woman's knee. "Well, congrats," she said. "You are most definitely pregnant." She watched as Diana let out a small sigh and nodded, before she looked up at Bruce, who was focused on Diana.
He pursed his lips and tilted his head, his eyes never leaving the woman who was now carrying his child. "But we used-" he began, stopping when the realization hit him. "The pier."
Diana nodded. "The pier," she confirmed, before she turned back to the doctor.
"But I thought you were on the pill," Bruce said, unable to help himself. He had decided he was going to take responsibility of the baby, but that didn't mean he wasn't curious.
Diana opened her mouth to answer, however she was interrupted by Dr. Khan. "The pill is ninety-nine point nine percent effective, when it is taken correctly. There are many things that can mess with the effectiveness of the pill, such as storing them in the wrong place and forgetting to take one." She looked at Bruce and narrowed her eyes, watching as the younger man raised his hands in surrender.
Dr. Khan took Bruce's silence as the end of his comments, and turned to face Diana. "I want to discuss some other things with you, but first I'm going to speak with Mr. Wayne out in the hallway." She watched as Diana nodded, still slightly in shock that this was happening, before she stood from her seat and walked over to Bruce. She gently placed a hand on his back and led him out into the hallway, making sure to close the door behind them, before she spun around and faced him, her eyebrows furrowing in anger.
"I know what you're thinking," Bruce began, "But I will take care of her and the baby."
Dr. Khan shook her head. "I'm not worried about that," she said. "I know Alfred wouldn't let you live if you abandoned either of them. What I'm more concerned about is Diana's health." She watched as Bruce raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest, before he stepped closer to her, silently telling her to continue. "Her blood pressure was extremely high, higher than it should be. With her job and the stress she goes through, we need to keep an extremely close eye on it, and her." She watched as Bruce nodded. "That means, I need you to try and keep things as calm as possible, and make sure she stays relaxed."
Bruce let out a sigh and dropped his arms, before he let his head drop down and his eyes close. This was not how he had envisioned things. He rarely thought about kids, and the idea hadn't crossed his mind since Selina had left years ago. He wasn't even entirely sure he wanted them anymore, but now none of that mattered. What mattered was he had one on the way, with Diana no less, and he was going to make sure her health and the baby came first.
"I understand," he replied.
He watched as the doctor nodded, before she placed her hand on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It'll be fine, Bruce," was all she said, before she opened the door and stepped back inside the room.
Bruce continued to stay out of the room, deciding Diana needed the time alone with her doctor to discuss things. As he waited, he leaned against the wall of the empty hall, contemplating what he was going to do. He was going to be there for his child, that much he was sure of. He only wish he knew if he would be able to be there for Diana…..would she even want him?
The feelings he had for her, feelings that had only grown stronger since she had saved his life in Metropolis weeks ago, weren't going to go away, and with a baby on the way, he knew it was going to be nearly impossible to hide those feelings any longer.
Bruce watched as the door opened and Diana walked out of the room, Dr. Khan right behind her. "I'll see you in a week and a half," Dr. Khan said, watching as Diana nodded, before she walked down the hall, leaving Bruce with Diana.
Without a word, Diana handed Bruce the paper in her hands, watching as he read its contents, unable to help it when his lips pulled into a small smile. He handed the paper back to her, before he held out his hand, silently asking for her keys; she had known he wanted to go to the manor to talk even before the appointment.
Diana placed her car keys in Bruce's hand, smiling at him when he placed his hand on the small of her back, before he led her down the hall and into the main lobby of the building. Without another word, the two walked out and into the parking lot, finding Diana's car, before getting inside. Bruce was quick to start the ignition, and when he was sure Diana had her seat belt buckled and ready to go, he drove off towards the manor, knowing they were in for a long discussion. They would need to decide what they were going to do...and they would need to do it by December twenty-sixth.