++++++ So River get's a little selfish and cranky in this chapter.

Please enjoy.

I do not own ++++++

Thirty-Four

"Clarke found a cure," he replied. "I've run the tests and it works on any and all samples of your blood. I can administer it now if you wish."

I shook my head. "Nope. Can't take it."

He frowned. "I don't understand why not? Unless you don't desire a cure? We do not know the effects of the serum on you in the long run. The short term affects alone are cause for incredible concern, River."

"It's not that," I answered. I ran my hands through my hair with a groan. "I'm pregnant. I don't know what to do."

"That is alarming, Miss Quinn," J'onn confessed. "We don't know exactly what affect the Hades serum and the Mirakuru would have on the unborn foetus or what the foetus would do to you."

I sat down in an empty chair. "So what? I get rid of it?" I asked him.

"The suggestion would be wise," J'onn answered. "I myself am not versed in this sort of procedure for a human female. Perhaps you should speak with your friends. Bruce might be able to organise something private for you."

"Hang on!" I frowned.

"You said it yourself," J'onn spoke. "You're afraid. You don't know what it will be or if it will kill you."

"So what if it does?" I asked him. I've never really given the idea of abortion a thought really. I know that before I was born my mother had to have an abortion because the baby she and dad had conceived had some serious medical problems. Angie, Molly and I were all IVF babies. Mum was pretty clear with me when I hit puberty that I might have trouble getting pregnant. I never really asked about Frankie.

"I cannot help you with the emotional side of things," J'onn informed me. "This is your decision alone to make. I know your friends and family will try to make you decide on what they agree to. Whatever you agree to-your friends will have to support you no matter what your decision is or they are not good friends."

"You're not bad for the Hulk," I told him.

"Do not call me that," he replied. "May I take some samples?"

I groaned. "Again? I'm gonna start calling you Dracula." I stood up and followed J'onn to the medical bay where he took some blood and set about testing it whilst I played around with stuffing a pillow under my shirt.

J'onn's communicator went off and he answered it, talking low enough that I couldn't hear him. He turned to look at me. "River-Richard just called-Bruce informs me that you have, and I quote, run away."

"Hey!" I objected. "I did not run away! Honestly what does one expect me to do? Immediately go in for a good old fashion lying in? Shut myself up and come out only after I give birth? You can tell them all to go fuck themselves. End quote." I stood up and walked off in the direction of the training room to have one-on-one with a punching bag.

"Well this is most certainly interesting," a woman with ebony hair smiled, "River Quinn, yeah? I'm Diana Prince."

"J'onn never said that there was anyone else here." I frowned. "Nice to meet you Diana."

"Do you want to train with me?" she questioned, all six foot of her standing there waiting for an answer.

I paused. "Um-can I ask you a question? I mean besides that one?"

She nodded. "Sure."

"Bruce told me you're an Amazon," I spoke, "like an actual Amazon born on an island and that you're immortal?"

She nodded. "Yes. I trusted Bruce with that information however I suppose he told it to you for a reason."

"So you guys give birth how?" I questioned. "Do you like keep fighting whilst you're having a baby or what?"

Diana shrugged. "We do. Our women still train and go out on patrols and in battle until the baby is born. From what I understand of your history texts, Amazons of history did the same thing. Are you pregnant?"

I nodded. "Four weeks along. J'onn is worried cause with what's in my blood and the blood of my fiancé that the baby could kill me"

Diana shrugged. "Pregnancy is what it is-pregnancy. You're not sick. You're not dying. You're not crippled. You may get tired from what I understand about human women-the first trimester is particularly tiring. I would take pride in the fact that I was growing another human being inside even if it is only for a short time."

"So what do I do if I freeze up or something?" I asked. "Do I hang the suit up forever and settle down with a life of dull and boring meaningless days? I love doing what I do."

Diana shrugged. "Keep doing it. We Amazons do not sacrifice our life or stature to raise children." She approached me with a smile. "The life of a hero is all over you." She took my hands, "it's written all over your hands. The gods couldn't have built a better hero if they could. Did you still wish to spar? I get so little time to spar with formidable women."

I grinned. "A chance to spar with Wonder Woman? Are you nuts? Of course!"

The penthouse was in complete darkness when I returned home around midnight covered in a mass of scrapes and bruises. My sparing match with Diana Prince had certainly been a memorable one-she was even careful to hit me not around my torso.

My eyes twitched when I realised that I wasn't really alone. "Oh my god so this is the part where you guys sit me down and we chat about how I'm suddenly a fragile flower?" I laughed, turning the light on. "Oh man the whole cast is here. Oliver. Felicity. Sara. Suki. Diggle. Charlie. And Roy."

"What the hell happened to you?" Roy demanded to know. "You're covered in bruises!"

"Shade versus Wonder Woman, who will win?" I laughed. "So suppose everyone knows the current situation and feels that they should put their two cents worth in like they have the right to? Is that it?" I asked, getting insanely furious. "You have no right!"

"I have a right!" Roy shouted. "I'm going to be a father! Are you seriously going to take that away from me?"

"AT THE EXPENSE OF MY LIFE?" I yelled back. "No! I make the decision. Not you! Not Oliver! Not Bruce fucking Wayne! Not anyone!"

"I think you should do both," Charlie spoke up. "Hell-why can't she?" the girl asked when everyone looked at her. "Why can't she save the day and have a family? All you did was stick your dick in it Roy," she told him, "another reason why men have it so easy. This isn't ye olden days where men work and women breed. Fuck all of you who think otherwise." I raised an eyebrow, I could see she was angry but no exploding pipes. "Fight crime till your suit no longer fits then take the back seat as tech support," she suggested.

"I gotta agree," Sara answered. She jumped up and came over to me. "I don't know if anyone other than me has said this but congratulations 'ukht." She hugged me. "You're gonna be such a kick ass mum."

"I still don't like this," Oliver spoke up. "Sara and I will take over Roy's training in case he loses his temper. Is that acceptable?"

I shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

"So I get no say in this?" Roy spat.

Charlie bit her lip and rolled her eyes before she stood up. "Everyone out," she told them. "Let's go see how many vodka shots Sara and I can do before we pass out."

"You're eighteen!" Oliver told her.

"Oh like you never drank under age!" Charlie argued back. "I've even got a fake ID."

Roy and I sat down on the couch where we sat in silence for about half an hour before he spoke. "I don't like this River, I really don't. Talk, dark and rich won't like it either."

"Pregnancy is what it is," I shrugged, quoting Diana. "I'm not sick. I'm not dying. I'm not crippled. I can still fight-what hurts right now is everyone's lack of faith in me. I can see it in your eyes. Like you won't be able to trust me out in the field any more. I'm a diseased, fragile flower."

Roy ran his hands over his head. "Will you at least take it easy? I mean the usual morons you deal with aren't patrolling the streets. People like me are and possibly people like Charlie. Promise?"

I nodded. "Yes. I promise. All I ask is you stick by me whatever happens. Okay? I still haven't even decided yet if I can do this. Okay?"

Roy nodded and pulled me over to him so I was curled up into his side. "I got a call from Moira today-you haven't picked a colour for your wedding party yet. She was pretty insistent. You're also going dress shopping tomorrow. Hopefully those bruises will fade."

"She's got a hard right and left hook," I muttered. "Took a while when Superman hit me as well." I looked up at him and smiled, this was kinda nice.