Chapter 52

Nicholas sat on the medical bed facing the Martian Manhunter, his contagious giggles reverberating throughout the empty infirmary. From her position behind her son, Diana was beginning to think that J'onn was spending more time playing with the little boy than actually testing his Meta powers, allowing his hand to phase in and out as Nicholas attempted to grab hold of him.

Bruce had been adamant about keeping careful track of Nicholas's development especially his Meta abilities. He didn't like surprises, always wanting to know what was going to happen before it actually did. She, on the other hand, was content to just take the changes as they came, but was more than willing to do what it took to put her husband's mind at ease.

Growing up on a magical island, things like this were just a normal part of life, second nature to her. Unlike her husband who chose to keep a tight rein over any extraneous factors that could possibly upset the very delicate, controlled balance that he preferred in life.

Of course, after everything that Bruce had been through in life as well as the mayhem that continually tried to rein down on Gotham, she could hardly blame him for being as obsessed as he was.

Diana smiled as Nicholas giggled again, a full belly laugh that bubbled up from deep inside of him as J'onn played peek-a-boo with him. She watched the usually fearsome Martian Manhunter as he covered and uncovered his face with his hands, his expression so gentle.

She didn't know who was having more fun or which amused her the most – witnessing the usually stoic Martian acting like this or Nicholas's reaction to it.

Hearing someone approaching, Diana looked up to find Nightwing coming towards her, a smile on his face. "Hey, what are you doing up here?" she asked, surprised.

"Superman nominated me to join the League," Nightwing replied as he came to stand beside her. "I had to come up here this afternoon to fill out a ton of paperwork that I have no doubt Bats created. I also have to take some tests and go through a physical assessment before Supes can actually bring it before the Founders."

"Ick!" Nicholas cried in excitement at the sight of his eldest brother, immediately reaching out towards him.

Dick smiled in response, picking him up and tossing him up high into the air. "Hey, what's going on, little bat?"

Nicholas held up the stuffed rabbit that Dick had gotten for him when he'd been born, babbling endlessly and telling his brother a tale that only he could truly understand. He giggled as he hugged his bunny before pointing at J'onn again.

"I ran into Bats," Dick told her. "He told me you guys were in here for Nick's check up and shots."

"Nicholas doesn't know about that part yet," Diana informed him, patting her young son's back in reassurance though he had no idea about what was coming. "He thinks he's just here to play with Uncle J'onn again."

"Do you want me to stick around in case he freaks out over the shots?" Nightwing offered.

"You can if you want to, but Bruce is supposed to come by soon," Diana replied. "What did he say about Kal nominating you to join the League?"

Dick sighed heavily as he lightly bounced his little brother in his arms while Nicholas tried to remove Dick's Nightwing mask from his face. He tilted his little head, completely absorbed in the task, wanting to see his brother's face.

"I don't think that Bats is against it, but he's also not thrilled about it," he confessed, disappointment coloring his voice as he kept his focus on his little brother.

Diana could feel his underlying frustration, her hand coming to rest against his back. "It's only because he loves you," she ventured, not knowing how much of this he wanted to hear right now, but pressed on anyways. "He worries about you far more than you realize, Dick. Even though you are on your own, he still checks on you frequently. You just don't know it."

Dick's head turned in stunned disbelief to face her. "Really?"

"Most definitely," she confirmed. "I know you both have had your differences over the years and that you and Bruce don't always see eye to eye, but he loves you, Dick…we both do. I'm afraid your parents will continue to worry about you no matter how old you are. Even though you're not around all the time like Tim, you're still a son to me as well."

Nightwing slowly nodded his head, suddenly choked up by her words. "Thanks, Diana," he softly said. "That really means a lot to me."

"May I take Nicholas?" J'onn asked. "I need to do a couple more tests and then you can have him back."

Dick handed Nicholas over to J'onn much to Nicholas's dismay before turning his attention back to Diana. "You've seriously been the best thing that has ever happened to Bruce," he told her. "I was always so worried that he'd continue to shut everyone out of his life until he'd finally pushed everyone away who had ever cared about him, but you changed all of that. You totally lit up his whole depressing world."

"Thanks, Dick," she said, rubbing her belly and stifling a gasp at an exceptionally sharp kick. "I love him very much…love our family that we have together."

"And everyone knows that he's completely and madly in love with you," he replied with a goofy grin. "I never thought I'd see the day that Bruce would be so whipped by a woman."

"I am not whipped."

Both turned to see Batman entering the infirmary with Wonder Girl, a scowl on his surrogate father's face. Dick lit up at the sight of his girlfriend, ignoring the death glare from the Dark Knight. "Donna, I thought you weren't coming up here until later?"

"I got done with my photo shoot early," Donna informed him. "Batman told me you were in here so I came to see you."

Dick quickly pulled her into his arms, his lips eagerly finding hers in a heated kiss. Batman's scowl deepened as he came to stand beside Diana, nonchalantly taking her hand in his as he watched Dick and his girlfriend make out in front of them.

"Alright you two," Batman finally growled. "No fraternizing on the Watchtower. If you want to be a part of the League, you're going to have to follow the rules, Nightwing."

Diana shot an incredulous look at Bruce, memories of cornering him in his lab on the Watchtower a few weeks ago still fresh in her mind. "You did not just say that," she whispered to him.

A small smirk played at the one corner of his mouth. "Someone has to have some self-control around here."

Bruce grunted as Diana's elbow connected with his side in a silent yet sharp reprimand. "You've never complained about my control," she seductively murmured with a satisfied smirk of her own.

Bruce immediately turned to look at her. She could practically feel his gaze burning through her, setting her blood on fire. "Nor have you complained about mine," he slyly shot back.

"Why don't you two come over for dinner tonight?" Diana suggested, quickly changing the subject. "I'm sure that Alfred won't mind."

"Actually, Donna is going to give me a private tour of the Watchtower," Dick replied. "How about tomorrow night?"

"Sounds good; I'll let Alfred know," Diana agreed with a nod of her head as she rubbed her belly again in an effort to soothe her very restless daughter. These last three weeks were going to be pure torture.

"We'll see you later," Donna said with a mischeivious grin as she took Dick's hand in hers and quickly began leading him away.

"If you do anything inappropriate while you're on the 'Tower, I will know," Batman rasped threateningly.

Dick just glanced at him over his shoulder with a grin. "Sorry, but I can't make any promises I don't intend to keep."

Batman growled under his breath, gritting his teeth in annoyance. "This is a very bad idea."

"Bruce," Diana gently chided him. "Don't you dare vote against him joining the League. He'll be a very valuable asset and you know it."

Batman turned towards her, a frown firmly in place. "We'll see how he passes his probationary membership."

"You are the one who trained him so I'm sure he'll be just fine," she reminded him.

Batman's frown deepened as he studied his wife, noticing for the first time the shadows that had formed beneath her eyes. "You look absolutely exhausted," he stated in obvious displeasure, his gauntleted hand coming to rest against the side of her face. "You're still having trouble sleeping aren't you? You told me the other day that you were sleeping better."

"I'm fine, Bruce," she attempted to reassure him. "Hopefully, I can get some sleep in three weeks after she's finally born."

"Princess," he sharply reprimanded with nothing more than his affectionate name for her alone, his frown turning into a displeased scowl. "You really think you'll be able to get more sleep after the baby is born?"

Diana leaned in and kissed him deeply, trying to get his attention off of her. She ended up breaking the kiss with a sharp gasp as the baby made its presence known again with a kick that took her breath away. Bruce gently backed her up into a chair before kneeling down in front of her.

"J'onn!" Bruce called, his voice that of the Bat as he ripped off his gauntlets before he placed his hands on Diana's belly. His daughter kicked hard just beneath the palm of his hand. It was strong and sharp, far more so than anything he'd ever felt when she'd been pregnant with Nicholas. "Why didn't you tell me she was this active?"

"It's not that bad," she tried to tell him with a wince, but he wasn't buying any of it.

J'onn returned with Nicholas in his arms, the boy suddenly squealing in excitement at the sight of his father. "Dada!"

Standing to his feet, Batman took Nicholas into his arms as he fought to keep his face expressionless, but it was next to impossible with Diana in pain. "Hey, little partner," he greeted him. "Are you behaving for Uncle J'onn?"

Nicholas patted his father's cowled face with his little hand, jabbering incessantly in response as J'onn knelt before Diana. The Martian closed his eyes, opening his mind to the little one growing inside of her as his hands came to rest on her belly. Batman stood behind him, looking on with the worry that was welling in his chest.

"I am amazed at how strong this child is not only physically, but in spirit as well," J'onn informed them. "I'm afraid you will have your hands more than full with this little one as she grows."

Bruce and Diana groaned in unison, both relieved that their baby was alright and in bewilderment for the strong-willed little girl that they were going to be raising. "Is there anything that you can do to help calm her some so Diana can get some rest?" Bruce asked.

"Let me see what I can do," J'onn replied, his eyes falling closed again as he concentrated.

Bruce intently watched her as Diana seemed to visibly relax a little, the grimace gone from her face now. She released a long slow breath, relieved to finally feel a measure of the tension leaving her body as her baby seemed to relax within her.

"Better?" J'onn asked as few moments.

"Yes, thanks," she replied. "What did you do?"

"I sang her a lullaby that I used to sing to my children," he informed her as he stood to his feet. "It seemed to soothe her for the time being."

"We'll have to remember that for after she's born," Bruce commented.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll get Nicholas's vaccinations ready," J'onn told them.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked her again as she stood to her feet.

"I'm much better now," she reassured him.

"I think we should cancel our RSVP for the museum gala next Saturday," he told her.

Diana immediately shook her head in disagreement. "No way," she stated. "Nothing is keeping us from going."

Bruce sighed heavily as he set Nicholas down on the medical table, wishing that his wife weren't so stubborn and yet it was one of the things that he loved about her. Between his obstinacy as well as hers, their daughter was most definitely going to be a mighty force to be reckoned with.

XXX

Tim smiled in his sleep as Stephanie danced through his dreams like an angel, further mesmerizing him with her smile and beauty. He murmured her name as sweet slumber cradled him, holding him firmly in Stephanie's embrace.

He suddenly felt something warm and soft and slightly wet against his face and his smile widened. He could never get enough of her kisses, always anxious to feel her soft sweet lips against his, feeling her in his arms.

He sighed in contentment and yet couldn't help wondering why she was kissing his forehead, cheeks, and nose when he was dying to taste her. He attempted to move his arms, wanting so desperately to touch her only to find that he couldn't move for some reason.

With a frown, he suddenly became aware of something moving across his face, a soft familiar giggle following. In his sleepy state, he couldn't begin to decipher what was going on or why he couldn't move. The feel of a small hand against his cheek was what finally broke sleep's firm hold on him.

Opening his eyes, Tim found himself face to face with Nicholas who was peppering his cheek with wet drooling kisses. Nicholas gave him a toothy grin, a thin line of drool escaping from the corner of his mouth. In his hand…a purple marker.

"Nicholas!" Tim cried in shock, trying to banish the cobwebs from his sleepy brain. "What are you doing?"

"Mmm…Mmm," Nicholas happily chattered Tim's name, more than happy that his brother was finally awake to play with him. His little face suddenly grew serious as he tightened his fist on the marker in his little hand, leaning over to continue doodling on Tim's face.

"Hey!" Tim yelled, suddenly panic-stricken. "Don't, Nick!"

Nicholas sat back on Tim's chest, surprised by his brother's outburst. He tilted his head in confusion as he thoughtfully stared at him, his forehead wrinkled. "Mmm…" he jabbered his name, patting his brother's chest to make sure he was alright.

To his horror, Tim discovered that he couldn't move…at all. He lifted his head off of his pillow enough to be able to look down only to find that he'd been tied to his bed with rope. His panic quickly skyrocketed when he noticed that his toenails had been painted a bright shade of pink. He whipped his head back and forth, desperate to figure out what had happened to him.

His horrified gaze suddenly fell on a large piece of paper taped to his wall. Written in big bold black letters was a message that said, "I told you I'd get revenge". Beside it was a picture of Tim's painted toenails, letting him know that there was photo evidence that could be used as blackmail later.

Downstairs, Diana stood with her hands on her hips and a fierce scowl on her lips. "Bruce!" she yelled in annoyance.

Bruce ran into the library, panic on his face. "What is it? Are you alright?" he asked.

"Care to explain this?" Diana demanded, pointing to the baby swing in the corner of the room.

Bruce looked at the swing that Diana had been working on putting together for several months now to find that the swing had been completely assembled. He schooled his features, stifling a persistent smirk knowing that it would only rile her up even more than she already was. He couldn't risk that with the baby's arrival just three weeks away now.

"I'm sure that someone was just wanted to help you out by getting it done for you before the baby comes," he replied, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "It was very thoughtful of them."

"I can do it myself," she ground out, her blue eyes flashing dangerously.

"Princess, you can't even get up and down from the floor now without help," he reminded her.

"That's not the point," she shot back, her chin held high in righteous indignation. "I would've figured out something. Besides, I already know who is behind this and he will pay dearly."

Bruce's eyebrows rose in surprise as he turned to stare at her. "Oh really?" he said with the smirk that he could no longer hold in. "Care to share, Miss Detective?"

Diana slowly yet purposefully closed the distance between, staring him down. She had a predatory gleam in her cobalt blue eyes like a sleek panther about to pounce on her vulnerable prey that didn't stand a chance in Tartarus against her.

"It's you, Bruce Wayne," she revealed with a victorious smile of her own that was anything but amused.

"Me?" he exclaimed, surprised. "Where is your evidence?"

"First," she began as she held up her forefinger before his face, "you are the only one arrogant and fearless enough to pull such a foolish stunt like this, knowing what the consequences could be. Second, you take great pleasure in getting me all worked up."

"You have to admit you're pretty damn sexy when you're all riled up," he said in his defense, amused by her suppositions so far. The ravenous glint in her eyes wasn't helping him stay focused in the least. It was only serving to heat his blood and fill his mind with lustful thoughts at that moment. "Is that all of your evidence, Princess? Because if it is, it's pretty flimsy so far."

"Third," she continued unruffled as she poked him hard in the chest. "I always find evidence of swing tampering in the morning. You are up all hours of the night."

"So is Tim and sometimes Alfred," he pointed out.

"They know better than to cross an Amazon…especially a pregnant Amazon," she told him. "Besides, I had Tim help me fingerprint the swing the other day and yours are all over it, mister."

"Hmmm…" Bruce thought for a long moment, trying to buy himself some time as Diana now stood toe to toe with him and ready to attack, her large belly pressing against him. "I can explain, Princess."

"You better start talking fast, Mr. Wayne, because immortal or not, you're a dead man," she threatened him.

"BRUCE!"

The sound of Tim's shouting interrupted the moment between them, saving Bruce from imminent torture and possibly death. Diana's brow furrowed as she made her way to the hallway before turning back to her husband who suddenly had a very mischeivious grin plastered on his face. It only served to make Diana even more suspicious.

"What did you do?" she demanded to know, her gaze narrowing.

"What makes you think that I did something?" he asked with an innocent expression on his face.

"Bruce! You are so dead!" Tim yelled as he ran down the stairs with Nicholas in his arms.

Diana gasped at the sight of Tim with purple marker all over his face. "What happened to you?" she asked.

"Bruce tied me to my bed, painted my toenails pink and let Nicholas write all over my face!" Tim yelled, still horrified by his morning greeting. "I'm covered in slobber and purple marker!"

Bruce took Nicholas into his arms, whispering "good boy" in his son's ear. "Why does everyone blame me for everything that happens around here?"

"You left a note stating that you always get revenge," Tim stated, holding up the note that had been left on his wall.

"That doesn't prove it was me," Bruce maintained, his face unreadable. "It could've been the Joker for all we know. Maybe he figured out your identity."

"Right," Tim ground out through clenched teeth. "I know it was you. This has Bruce written all over it."

Diana stared at him, both stunned and somewhat amused by what her husband had done. "Bruce?"

"Hey, I warned him that I'd get revenge, but it didn't stop him or Dick from torturing me on Father's Day," he told her.

Nicholas was too enthralled with the marker in his hands at that moment, trying to figure out how to get the cap off to even notice what was going on around him. He glared at the marker, shaking it in an effort to make it work again with no success.

"I have a date with Stephanie tonight!" Tim cried. "What am I going to do now? I can't go out looking like this!"

"Relax," Bruce calmly told him. "It's not permanent. I'm not totally heartless."

"Bruce, did you have to paint his toenails too?" Diana asked as she stared at Tim's pink toes, holding in the giggle that was trapped in her throat.

"It's not my fault. I warned them both, but neither of them would listen to me," he reminded her.

"He has a point, Tim," she admitted.

"You're taking his side?" Tim cried incredulously. "Look at me face!"

"I'm not taking anyone's side," Diana claimed with a shake of her head. "Go up to my bathroom and look in the cabinet. There should be some nail polish remover in there. Soap and water should take care of the marker on your face."

"Thanks," Tim grumbled, casting a heated glare at Bruce.

"I'm actually surprised it took you so long to get free from the ropes," Bruce admitted, amused by Nicholas's handiwork on Tim's face.

"I had Nicholas drawing all over my face," Tim confessed. "It took a while to get free without knocking him off the bed. I can't believe you corrupted a little kid in your plot for revenge."

Bruce grinned broadly as he took the marker from his young son's hands. "He was a more than willing participant, weren't you, Nicholas?"

"So what did you do to Dick?" Tim asked, his heated gaze beginning to lose a measure of the anger that he'd originally had when he'd first woken up this morning to wet slobbering kisses by his brother.

Bruce began to chuckle softly, his piercing blue eyes dancing with self-satisfaction. "Let's just say that some Vaseline might have found its way inside of his Nightwing costume."

"You're kidding?" Tim exclaimed, laughing at the thought of his brother putting on his uniform only to find it coated in Vaseline.

"Don't you dare warn him about it either," Bruce said. "If I catch wind that you told him, my revenge will be much worse."

"No way am I going to spill the beans on that one. If I have to suffer, then so does he," Tim told him, still laughing. "I just wish I could see his face when he finds it."

That night in Bludhaven…

"BRUCE!" Dick yelled as he slipped on his uniform pants, his surrogate father's name followed by a string of curses.

XXX

Amanda Waller sat at her desk in her office, files piled high before her, the only light coming from the lamp that sat on the corner of her desk. She lightly tapped the tip of her pencil against the file lying open before her, completely lost in her thoughts at that moment.

At this late hour, it was difficult to concentrate on work and yet she needed to get through these files before morning. She had to track down the research information that had been stolen from the secret government lab and who was behind these military grade weapons that had shown up in Gotham.

She'd had a top-secret team working night and day on the missing research and had come up empty so far…until a week ago when she'd learned of the huge crime ring bust in Gotham thanks to none other than Batman himself.

It still rankled her to no end that Batman had been the one to track down where the weapons were being assembled and gotten his hands on them. She wanted those weapons, but now they were in the hands of the Justice League. That was the last thing that they had wanted to happen.

Hearing a snap, Amanda looked down to find that she had broken her pencil with the fierce grip that she'd had on it. Now that those weapons were in the hands of the Justice League, they were without any advantage if the Metas ever decided to go rogue.

"Keeping late hours."

Amanda looked up sharply to find Batman standing in her office, his cape whipping from the breeze coming from the nearby open window. She sank back in her chair with a frown on her face as she stared down the Dark Knight of Gotham.

"You should talk," she stared at him, actually relieved to see him. She wanted answers and she wanted them now.

"I know you think that the Justice League has all of the weapons confiscated in the take down last week," he stated, not mincing words. He was never one to beat around the bush.

"And I'm supposed to just believe that you don't?" she asked.

"No, I had them destroyed," he informed her, pulling out a USB drive and tossing it on her desk. "There's your evidence that they've been destroyed."

Amanda looked down on the USB drive lying on her desk before glancing back at him. "Video can be manipulated."

"Have it tested and see for yourself," Batman evenly stated.

"How do I know that all the weapons have been destroyed?" she asked. "How do I know that you didn't decide to keep a few back for yourself just in case or that you didn't keep the research to make your own weapons?"

"I can assure you, Ms Waller," he angrily growled, "I have no interest whatsoever in seeing such horrifying weapons in existence."

A smirk appeared on her lips as she stared at him. She leaned forward in her chair, her forearms coming to rest on her desk as she laced her fingers. "You're appalled by what we're creating."

It was more of a statement than a question. She found it somewhat surprising as well as interesting that someone as dark as the vigilante standing before her would find such a weapon so revolting. Of course, if it was a threat to his precious League then she would imagine he would be disgusted seeing how he was married to a Meta.

"No weapon like that should ever exist for any reason," Batman reiterated, his sneer deepening.

"So what happens now?" she casually asked. "You reveal to the world that the United States government has been secretly creating weapons of mass destruction?"

"It's not my secret to tell," he coyly replied. "I think this is best kept between us for the moment, but if you are working on developing any other weapons to be used against the Justice League, I will find out and I will stop you."

Amanda chuckled softly in response. "Are you threatening me, Batman?"

The Dark Knight stalked towards her, his gauntleted hands coming to rest on the top of her desk as he leaned towards her. "No," he growled low. "I'm making you a promise."

Amanda did her best not to flinch or shrink back away from him, but she was certain that the ice-cold fear that had just slithered up her spine had been blatantly obvious in her eyes whether she wanted to admit it or not.

"Damn him," she thought to herself, a sneer of her own twisting her lips. "You can't stop us from trying to protect ourselves from you."

"Watch me," he hissed as he stared her down, allowing his glower to instill even more fear into her. "The Justice League is filled with good people…friends, husbands and wives who have children who hope that their parents will make it home to them at night. I'll be damned if I will just sit back and allow you and your little secret agency to threaten or harm them in anyway."

Amanda couldn't help easing back into her chair in a futile effort to escape the venom pouring from his every word like acid. "You act as if this is personal, Batman," she finally found the courage and her voice in order to respond. "Too personal? Might there be…someone special…within the League that you're trying to protect? A woman perhaps?"

Batman stiffened, but it remained imperceptible to Waller thanks to his Kevlar uniform. This was about protecting Diana, but it was also about his friends and their families. He wasn't about to just standby while the government plotted to take them out any given moment.

He knew that Waller had figured out his identity a long time ago, but so far she had kept his secret. She was trying to rattle him now, but it wasn't going to work. "Watch yourself, Amanda," he rasped as he moved towards the window. "I'd hate for you to get caught in the crossfire if the government ever decides to turn on the Justice League."

She watched as he leapt out of her window and into the night, her office suddenly very still and quiet. It was unnerving. She finally released the breath that she hadn't realized that she'd been holding, sinking even further back into her leather chair.

Something had happened with that weapon that had rattled him, something that had possibly affected his wife. She wondered what it was, but had a feeling she'd never found out what. Turning her attention back to the file on her desk, she slowly closed it, knowing that she'd never get any work done now.

Picking up the USB drive, Amanda turned it over in her fingers, wondering just how truthful the Dark Knight of Gotham had been about all the weapons being destroyed.