Shadows & Surprises Part 9:
The Nightbird raced the Gotham-Bludhaven corridor at its top speed. Weaving in and out of traffic, Dick Grayson was desperate to get to Barbara's side. Her voice kept running through his mind: "My water just broke! ... Hurry, please!" And he was hurrying. This was one time he wished he had Wally's speed.
"Hang on Babs, I'm coming."
Reaching over to his computer, his hand tapped a few main keys. A link to the JLA Watchtower opened up. Wonder Woman answered the call, but before she could speak, Dick's frantic voice greeted her.
"Is Batman there?"
"Yes. Dick, is that ..." Diana tried to ask.
"I gotta talk to him! NOW!"
Princess Diana turned toward the Watchtower's interior and called out, "Batman! Nightwing is on line. I believe there is an emergency."
Batman's face soon appeared on the screen, "Nightw...Dick?"
"She's in labor! Her water broke!"
"What? It's not time."
"Babs said tell that to the baby."
"Where is she?"
"At home. I'm in the Haven driving as fast, and as illegally, as I can. But I'm not gonna make it Bruce, I don't think I'll make it."
"I'll call an ambulance," Batman started.
"Amy's done that. Can you use the JLA transporter and meet her at the hospital? If I can't make it, can you be her labor coach?"
"Can I?" Batman asked. Then at the sound of the strain in his son's voice pushed his own thoughts aside, "I can. I will. See you there."
"Thanks," Dick said as he cut the connection and continued his trek to Gotham.
***********************************************************************
Sirens blared as the ambulance carrying Barbara Gordon to the hospital. Barbara was in pain. It hurt. God, she wanted Dick with her. Why did he have to be in Bludhaven? This was NOT suppose to happen like this.
The ambulance came to an abrupt halt and Barbara was taken into the emergency room. She saw Leslie and Doctor Barnette waiting for her.
"Leslie!" Barbara said, her hand outstretched to grab hold of the elderly woman's hand. "I'm so glad you're here."
"She's not the only one," a deep voice said.
"Bruce!" Barbara said excitedly. He calmly walked over to her and laid his hand gently on her forehead. Pushing a lock of hair away from her brow, he leaned down and gently kissed her.
"How are you?"
"How do you expect? Where's Dick?"
"On the way. He'll be here soon. I'll just substitute until he gets here."
Barbara sat up on the gurney with an ear-curdling scream as she was hit by another labor pain. Her hand squeezed Bruce's like a vise. He didn't realize how strong she could be. Laying back on the gurney, she released her grip on his hand. Bruce saw the sweat start to form on her face.
"I want Dick," she whimpered.
"He'll be here," Bruce responded, hoping he was right.
Leslie and Dr. Barnette had Barbara wheeled into a room. They started examining her as Bruce stayed by Barbara's side, holding her hand and stroking her hair.
"I called your father. I'm having a Wayne jet in Chicago fly him back. He should be here soon. And I called Tim and Alfred and Dinah."
"Thanks Bruce," Babs said as she waited for the pains she knew were soon to come.
Bruce looked up from her towards the door to the room. He was looking for Dick, but he saw Leslie and Dr. Barnette. They had walked away from Barbara and were talking amongst themselves. He did not like their expressions. Looking down to Barbara, he asked, "Babs, will you be all right for a minute if I go to the hall. I...I want to look for Dick."
Babs shook her head yes as she lay back to rest.
Bruce strode over to the door, gently taking Leslie and Dr. Barnette by their elbows and directing them out of the room. Looking calmly at them, his face never betraying his true emotions, he asked, "What's wrong?"
Leslie looked at Bruce. She knew, regardless of the exterior he showed the world, that he was worried. Taking him by the arm, she responded to his question. "Bruce, there's a problem. Barbara's paralysis, it's preventing her pelvic bones from expanding as they should to allow for the birth. We've always known this was a possibility. However, with the speed that this labor is progressing, being premature ..."
"What are you saying Leslie?" he asked, worry in his tone.
"Dr. Barnette's going to have to perform an emergency caesarean section."
Bruce turned from Leslie toward Dr. Barnette, "This is routine now, isn't it?"
"Barbara's situation is not routine, Mr. Wayne. But we're going to do everything we can for her and the baby."
Bruce's jaw flexed. He shook his head and turned to walk back to Barbara. Dr. Barnette started to follow only to be stopped by Leslie.
"Let him tell her."
Bruce walked over to Barbara, taking her hand in his. "You're going to be fine. You and the baby."
"I know that," she said softly.
"I want you to stay calm," he started. Her green eyes darted to his face. "The doctors are going to have to perform a caesarean Barbara."
"What? No! Bruce no, I don't want ... I want Dick. Where's Dick?" she started to cry. Barbara understood the seriousness of her situation.
Bruce felt helpless. And Bruce Wayne was not a man use to feeling helpless. He didn't like it.
***********************************************************************
A still uniformed Dick Grayson rushed to the nurse's station, "Barbara Gordon? Where is she? We're having a baby! I need to get to her."
The young nurse smiled at the young man's enthusiasm. "Let me check the computer."
"Dick," Bruce called as he walked out of the waiting area to the hall.
Dick turned and ran toward his father, "Where's Babs? I thought you were going to coach her until I got here?"
Bruce took Dick by the shoulder and led him into the waiting area, out of the traffic of the busy hospital hall. Walking to a sofa he said too calmly, "Dick, sit down."
Dick's eyes widen with fear. He felt his breathing quicken. "What's wrong? What's happened? Where's Babs?"
"In surgery," Bruce replied as he forced Dick to sit down with him on the sofa.
"Surgery," Dick parroted the word in a barely audible whisper.
"Leslie's with her."
"She'll be okay? She will be okay," he told himself. "She will be okay, won't she Bruce. They both will be okay?"
Bruce sat beside his son. He placed his hand on Dick's. "I pray they both will."
"They have to be," Dick said as he looked imploringly into his father's eyes. "Please say they'll be all right."
"Dick, Leslie said ..."
Dick stopped his father with his plea, "I don't care what Leslie says. I don't care what anyone else says. If you say it, it'll be so. Please say it, please."
A half smile formed on his lips as he pulled his son to him, "Everything will be all right, Dick."
***********************************************************************
"Just arriving Commissioner," Alfred said as he and Tim met Jim Gordon in the hospital's parking deck.
"Yes, Alfred, you too?"
"Yes, I'm afraid. We were rather out of place."
A lopsided smile crossed Tim Drake's face at Alfred's words. Out of place, yeah that's a good word for it. "Any news yet?" he asked.
"I came straight from the airport, I haven't heard anything," Jim replied as the three of them walked through the hospital.
Stopping at the waiting room, they spied Bruce and Dick sitting on the sofa. Tim smiled at the sight of them together. Sauntering into the room, he queried, "Hey Dick, aren't you s'pose to be in with Babs?"
Bruce and Dick looked up at the gathering crowd of family. Bruce stood and walked toward the group as Dick just sat on the sofa. It was Bruce who spoke, "Barbara's in surgery."
"My word."
"Barbara? How? What?" Jim asked. Bruce started explaining. Tim, however, walked silently to the sofa and sat beside of Dick.
"How you doing, bro?" Tim asked
"I don't know."
Quietly, Tim sat with Dick, their gaze unfixed in the room. "We're here for you"
"I know. Thanks."
***********************************************************************
Leslie walked into the waiting room. She smiled slightly as she saw her family. Yes, they were her family. Despite all their problems in the past, they came together when it mattered. It amazed her how deep in thought they all were. She had entered the room and they hadn't seemed to notice. Bruce turned from the window to face Leslie. Why wasn't she surprised he was the first to notice her presence.
"Barbara?" Bruce asked tentatively.
Dick's head shot up. Seeing Leslie, he jumped to his feet yet he found he couldn't walk over to her. Tim calmly stood, his hand finding Dick's shoulder.
Leslie walked over to Dick, "Mother and daughter are doing fine."
Dick grabbed Leslie and swung her around the room as he and Tim shouted in jubilation. Alfred beamed.
Jim Gordon walked over to Bruce, "I guess we're grandfathers now."
"I guess we are," Bruce replied, a smile on his face.
"Now that's something you don't see everyday," Jim continued.
"What?"
"You smile."
"It's possible."
Leslie had finally convinced Dick to set her down. "Now you have to understand, this baby is premature. Right now she's in an incubator. She'll be there for a while. She's very tiny."
"How small?" Dick asked.
"Three pounds, eight ounces," Leslie replied.
"Three..." Dick started as he thought about the size. Most of his Nightwing equipment weighed more than that. "But she's all right?"
"She seems to be. We'll keep a close eye on her and she'll have to stay here until she's stronger and bigger. But I think she's going to be fine. Look at how strong her parents are."
Dick turned to Bruce, a smile on his face, "We've got a little girl."
"Yes, we do."
To be concluded in Chapter 10...
The Nightbird raced the Gotham-Bludhaven corridor at its top speed. Weaving in and out of traffic, Dick Grayson was desperate to get to Barbara's side. Her voice kept running through his mind: "My water just broke! ... Hurry, please!" And he was hurrying. This was one time he wished he had Wally's speed.
"Hang on Babs, I'm coming."
Reaching over to his computer, his hand tapped a few main keys. A link to the JLA Watchtower opened up. Wonder Woman answered the call, but before she could speak, Dick's frantic voice greeted her.
"Is Batman there?"
"Yes. Dick, is that ..." Diana tried to ask.
"I gotta talk to him! NOW!"
Princess Diana turned toward the Watchtower's interior and called out, "Batman! Nightwing is on line. I believe there is an emergency."
Batman's face soon appeared on the screen, "Nightw...Dick?"
"She's in labor! Her water broke!"
"What? It's not time."
"Babs said tell that to the baby."
"Where is she?"
"At home. I'm in the Haven driving as fast, and as illegally, as I can. But I'm not gonna make it Bruce, I don't think I'll make it."
"I'll call an ambulance," Batman started.
"Amy's done that. Can you use the JLA transporter and meet her at the hospital? If I can't make it, can you be her labor coach?"
"Can I?" Batman asked. Then at the sound of the strain in his son's voice pushed his own thoughts aside, "I can. I will. See you there."
"Thanks," Dick said as he cut the connection and continued his trek to Gotham.
***********************************************************************
Sirens blared as the ambulance carrying Barbara Gordon to the hospital. Barbara was in pain. It hurt. God, she wanted Dick with her. Why did he have to be in Bludhaven? This was NOT suppose to happen like this.
The ambulance came to an abrupt halt and Barbara was taken into the emergency room. She saw Leslie and Doctor Barnette waiting for her.
"Leslie!" Barbara said, her hand outstretched to grab hold of the elderly woman's hand. "I'm so glad you're here."
"She's not the only one," a deep voice said.
"Bruce!" Barbara said excitedly. He calmly walked over to her and laid his hand gently on her forehead. Pushing a lock of hair away from her brow, he leaned down and gently kissed her.
"How are you?"
"How do you expect? Where's Dick?"
"On the way. He'll be here soon. I'll just substitute until he gets here."
Barbara sat up on the gurney with an ear-curdling scream as she was hit by another labor pain. Her hand squeezed Bruce's like a vise. He didn't realize how strong she could be. Laying back on the gurney, she released her grip on his hand. Bruce saw the sweat start to form on her face.
"I want Dick," she whimpered.
"He'll be here," Bruce responded, hoping he was right.
Leslie and Dr. Barnette had Barbara wheeled into a room. They started examining her as Bruce stayed by Barbara's side, holding her hand and stroking her hair.
"I called your father. I'm having a Wayne jet in Chicago fly him back. He should be here soon. And I called Tim and Alfred and Dinah."
"Thanks Bruce," Babs said as she waited for the pains she knew were soon to come.
Bruce looked up from her towards the door to the room. He was looking for Dick, but he saw Leslie and Dr. Barnette. They had walked away from Barbara and were talking amongst themselves. He did not like their expressions. Looking down to Barbara, he asked, "Babs, will you be all right for a minute if I go to the hall. I...I want to look for Dick."
Babs shook her head yes as she lay back to rest.
Bruce strode over to the door, gently taking Leslie and Dr. Barnette by their elbows and directing them out of the room. Looking calmly at them, his face never betraying his true emotions, he asked, "What's wrong?"
Leslie looked at Bruce. She knew, regardless of the exterior he showed the world, that he was worried. Taking him by the arm, she responded to his question. "Bruce, there's a problem. Barbara's paralysis, it's preventing her pelvic bones from expanding as they should to allow for the birth. We've always known this was a possibility. However, with the speed that this labor is progressing, being premature ..."
"What are you saying Leslie?" he asked, worry in his tone.
"Dr. Barnette's going to have to perform an emergency caesarean section."
Bruce turned from Leslie toward Dr. Barnette, "This is routine now, isn't it?"
"Barbara's situation is not routine, Mr. Wayne. But we're going to do everything we can for her and the baby."
Bruce's jaw flexed. He shook his head and turned to walk back to Barbara. Dr. Barnette started to follow only to be stopped by Leslie.
"Let him tell her."
Bruce walked over to Barbara, taking her hand in his. "You're going to be fine. You and the baby."
"I know that," she said softly.
"I want you to stay calm," he started. Her green eyes darted to his face. "The doctors are going to have to perform a caesarean Barbara."
"What? No! Bruce no, I don't want ... I want Dick. Where's Dick?" she started to cry. Barbara understood the seriousness of her situation.
Bruce felt helpless. And Bruce Wayne was not a man use to feeling helpless. He didn't like it.
***********************************************************************
A still uniformed Dick Grayson rushed to the nurse's station, "Barbara Gordon? Where is she? We're having a baby! I need to get to her."
The young nurse smiled at the young man's enthusiasm. "Let me check the computer."
"Dick," Bruce called as he walked out of the waiting area to the hall.
Dick turned and ran toward his father, "Where's Babs? I thought you were going to coach her until I got here?"
Bruce took Dick by the shoulder and led him into the waiting area, out of the traffic of the busy hospital hall. Walking to a sofa he said too calmly, "Dick, sit down."
Dick's eyes widen with fear. He felt his breathing quicken. "What's wrong? What's happened? Where's Babs?"
"In surgery," Bruce replied as he forced Dick to sit down with him on the sofa.
"Surgery," Dick parroted the word in a barely audible whisper.
"Leslie's with her."
"She'll be okay? She will be okay," he told himself. "She will be okay, won't she Bruce. They both will be okay?"
Bruce sat beside his son. He placed his hand on Dick's. "I pray they both will."
"They have to be," Dick said as he looked imploringly into his father's eyes. "Please say they'll be all right."
"Dick, Leslie said ..."
Dick stopped his father with his plea, "I don't care what Leslie says. I don't care what anyone else says. If you say it, it'll be so. Please say it, please."
A half smile formed on his lips as he pulled his son to him, "Everything will be all right, Dick."
***********************************************************************
"Just arriving Commissioner," Alfred said as he and Tim met Jim Gordon in the hospital's parking deck.
"Yes, Alfred, you too?"
"Yes, I'm afraid. We were rather out of place."
A lopsided smile crossed Tim Drake's face at Alfred's words. Out of place, yeah that's a good word for it. "Any news yet?" he asked.
"I came straight from the airport, I haven't heard anything," Jim replied as the three of them walked through the hospital.
Stopping at the waiting room, they spied Bruce and Dick sitting on the sofa. Tim smiled at the sight of them together. Sauntering into the room, he queried, "Hey Dick, aren't you s'pose to be in with Babs?"
Bruce and Dick looked up at the gathering crowd of family. Bruce stood and walked toward the group as Dick just sat on the sofa. It was Bruce who spoke, "Barbara's in surgery."
"My word."
"Barbara? How? What?" Jim asked. Bruce started explaining. Tim, however, walked silently to the sofa and sat beside of Dick.
"How you doing, bro?" Tim asked
"I don't know."
Quietly, Tim sat with Dick, their gaze unfixed in the room. "We're here for you"
"I know. Thanks."
***********************************************************************
Leslie walked into the waiting room. She smiled slightly as she saw her family. Yes, they were her family. Despite all their problems in the past, they came together when it mattered. It amazed her how deep in thought they all were. She had entered the room and they hadn't seemed to notice. Bruce turned from the window to face Leslie. Why wasn't she surprised he was the first to notice her presence.
"Barbara?" Bruce asked tentatively.
Dick's head shot up. Seeing Leslie, he jumped to his feet yet he found he couldn't walk over to her. Tim calmly stood, his hand finding Dick's shoulder.
Leslie walked over to Dick, "Mother and daughter are doing fine."
Dick grabbed Leslie and swung her around the room as he and Tim shouted in jubilation. Alfred beamed.
Jim Gordon walked over to Bruce, "I guess we're grandfathers now."
"I guess we are," Bruce replied, a smile on his face.
"Now that's something you don't see everyday," Jim continued.
"What?"
"You smile."
"It's possible."
Leslie had finally convinced Dick to set her down. "Now you have to understand, this baby is premature. Right now she's in an incubator. She'll be there for a while. She's very tiny."
"How small?" Dick asked.
"Three pounds, eight ounces," Leslie replied.
"Three..." Dick started as he thought about the size. Most of his Nightwing equipment weighed more than that. "But she's all right?"
"She seems to be. We'll keep a close eye on her and she'll have to stay here until she's stronger and bigger. But I think she's going to be fine. Look at how strong her parents are."
Dick turned to Bruce, a smile on his face, "We've got a little girl."
"Yes, we do."
To be concluded in Chapter 10...