SHADOWS AND SURPRISES: PART 10:
He walked into the hospital room and saw her lying in the bed, her red hair damp with sweat. He smiled.
"Hi'ya gorgeous!"
"Dick!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Come join Dr. Barnette and I."
"So, it's safe to come in?" he asked with a chuckle.
"For the new father, absolutely," Dr. Barnette stated. "Barbara was just asking when she could see the baby."
Dick walked toward the bed. He clasped Barbara's hand as he bent over and gently kissed her on the forehead. "That's something I'd like to know too Doc."
"Well, she's little now. I've got her in a respirator -- just to help her breathe," the doctor added as she saw their worried expressions. "We have every reason to believe she's going to be fine. She's a fighter -- just like her parents. I'm going to go check on her now. I'll be back and see if we can't arrange for you two to visit the nursery."
"We'll have to go there?" Dick asked.
"For now," Dr. Barnette answered with a smile as she turned and walked from the room leaving the new parents alone.
Dick kissed Barbara. More passionately than the last. Then he sat on the edge of the bed, his arm around her. She nestled into him happily, feeling the warmth from his body.
"I can't wait to see Mary," Barbara said.
"Who?"
Barbara titled her head upwards to look into his eyes, "Who do you think Short Pants? Our baby!"
"Oh," he said as if deep in thought, "well why did you call her Mary?"
"I thought that's what we'd name her -- after your mother."
He looked at her, a far away look in his eyes, "You know I love the name Mary Grayson, but ... it's not what I had in mind for the baby. At least, not this baby. Maybe the next one."
She laughed at him, then drew her hand to her very sore abdomen, "Let me get over having this one before you start talking about the next one I'm going to have."
"Okay."
"So, if not Mary, what did you have in mind?"
***********************************************************************
Alfred walked out of the waiting room and into the hospital's hall. Instinctively, he turned left and started walking down the corridor. He hadn't traveled very far when he saw the subject of his quest. Alfred stopped as he watched Bruce standing under his father's portrait on the hospital wall. Slowly, Alfred walked over and placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder.
"And what are you doing, Young Sir?"
"Young Sir? I'm not sure that's appropriate anymore."
"And why is that?"
He turned to face Alfred, a half-smile on his lips, "Because I'm a grandfather now."
Alfred smiled at him, "That you are, but you'll always be my Young Sir."
Bruce turned back to his father's portrait. "Do you think he knows that I'm happy today?"
"Yes. They both do."
"Do you think they mind?"
"Mind, Bruce? Son, they want you to be happy. That's all they ever wanted."
"Well I am. Today."
***********************************************************************
The perky blonde nurse finished writing the baby's name in the birth certificate. Looking up with a smile, she said, "Ms. Gordon, once you sign the birth certificate, it's all legal." She handed the pen and paper to Barbara.
Barbara smiled and started to sign, then stopped as she read the paper. Her lip curling to the side.
Dick watched, his curiosity aroused. He looked over her shoulder and read the document. With lightning fast reflexes he snatched the paper from her hand. "What the -- this isn't right! It says 'Father unknown'! I'm not unknown, I'm right here!"
The nurse looked at him with a smile. "I know that Mr. Grayson, but because you and Ms. Gordon aren't married, you can't be listed on the birth certificate unless you sign an affidavit of paternity for child support purposes."
Barbara tried to suppress her giggle as she saw him start waving the birth certificate around.
"Go. Get. The. Papers. NOW!" he said as he walked behind the nurse almost pushing her out the door. Then he turned to Barbara, "How many times have I begged you to lets get married, but you kept waiting and now I'm Mr. UNKNOWN!" he said as he animatedly walked around the room waving the birth certificate in his hands.
She could no longer suppress her giggles which burst forth. Her hands holding onto her abdomen. "Stop it Dick. It hurts when I laugh."
"I'm glad you think it's funny."
The door opened and a blonde head poked in. "Hey girlfriend!" It wasn't the nurse.
"Dinah!" Babs cried as her best friend entered the room.
Dinah ran over to Babs, hugging her, "That's Auntie Dinah to you. Hey Grayson. Get out, Babs and me have got some girl talking to do."
"Get out?" Dick repeated, running a hand through his hair. "Dinah, we were kind of in the middle of --"
"We can finish later Dick, let me speak to Dinah."
"Uh -- okay," he mumbled as he headed out of the room. He was shaking his head as he walked toward the waiting room when he head a voice that sent a shiver down his spine.
"Freeze Grayson!" the voice shouted as Dick Grayson stopped in his tracks.
"We've found you now," a second voice chimed in.
"And you are in such trouble," the third voice added.
"Why didn't you call us? Diana had to call me." the fourth voice finished.
Dick turned to face Roy, Wally, Garth and Donna who all stood, arms crossed, looking at him. Dick shrugged as he smiled, "Guess I've been busy." They smiled back at him as they walked over pulling him into a group hug. "I'm glad you guys are here."
"How's Barbara and the baby?" Garth asked.
"Great. I haven't seen the baby yet though. She's on a respirator."
"That doesn't sound good," Roy stated.
"The doctor seems to think everything's fine. She's just little. Hey Wally, I'm really glad you're here. I need a favor."
"Name it," Wally West responded.
Dick threw his arm around Wally's shoulder leading him away from the group as he whispered in his ear.
"Really? That's what you want?"
"Yeah, can you handle that?"
"I'll be back in a --"
"Oh don't say --"
"Flash."
Dick shook his head, "You said it."
***********************************************************************
Bruce Wayne and Jim Gordon entered the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit wearing yellow surgical gowns. They both smiled as they saw Barbara holding the baby. Dick motioned for them to come closer.
"Leslie said you wanted to see us," Bruce stated as they approached, his eyes not leaving the tiny form in Barbara's arms.
"Yeah we did," Dick said as Barbara looked up, a smile on both of their faces. "We wanted to introduce you to your granddaughter," Dick began as Barbara passed the child to her father's waiting arms.
Jim gently took the baby and cradled her against his body. He noticed the soft reddish tinted fuzz on her head. "She looks like you Honey."
Barbara smiled as he started to hand the baby back to her. Dick walked over and took the child instead, turning to his father, he held out the baby.
Bruce's blue eyes met Dick's. A slight sign of panic in them. Dick smiled -- so there was something that the great Batman was unsure of.
"Just hold her head up Bruce," Babs added.
As Dick placed the baby in Bruce's arms, he continued what he had started, "We wanted to introduce you. We think you'll like her name. Babs and I discussed it earlier. We want her name to be special to you two -- because she's your first grandchild. So we'd like you to meet Sarah Martha Grayson."
Jim's hand gently squeezed Barbara's shoulders as Bruce looked up at Dick -- a true smile on his face.
***********************************************************************
Barbara and Dick sat alone in her room. He sat on the bed, her head resting on his shoulder.
"Are you happy?" she asked.
"Yes. Everything's almost perfect," he answered.
"Almost?" she asked.
"Yeah, almost. But I'm going to fix that," he responded as he saw Wally's face peeping in the door's glass window. Dick motioned for him to enter.
Opening the door, Wally said, "Okay everyone, Dick wants everyone in the room. Nownownownownow -- uh Hi Bruce -- everyone in now."
"What's going on?" Tim asked entering the room. "Should we all be in here at once?"
"Yes Dick," Barbara asked, "What is going on?"
He kissed her as he stood up. "It's a surprise. Bruce, Tim, Alfred, I need you over here near me. Dinah, you and Cassandra need to be on the other side of the bed near Babs. Commissioner, you too."
"Dick what are you doing?" Babs asked in mock indignation.
Dick continued orchestrating whatever it was he was orchestrating without answering her question. "Wally, if you could get ..."
"Gotcha boss," Wally said closing the door behind him. It was only a few moments later when Wally reentered the room with the hospital chaplain.
"I'm Father Bryant, I see we're all here and ready."
"Ready for what?" Barbara asked as she looked up at Dick. "What are you up too, Grayson?"
He looked down at her flashing her his best smile, "We are getting married Miss Gordon -- right now. No more procrastinating. Wally went and got the license from my apartment. No more putting me off. You're making an honest man out of me NOW."
The room erupted in laughter.
"Well, if you put it that way -- I guess I'll marry you."
Taking her hand in his, they turned toward Father Bryant who stood at the end of Barbara's hospital bed. He smiled at them and began the ceremony, "Dearly beloved ..."
THE BEGINNING ....
He walked into the hospital room and saw her lying in the bed, her red hair damp with sweat. He smiled.
"Hi'ya gorgeous!"
"Dick!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Come join Dr. Barnette and I."
"So, it's safe to come in?" he asked with a chuckle.
"For the new father, absolutely," Dr. Barnette stated. "Barbara was just asking when she could see the baby."
Dick walked toward the bed. He clasped Barbara's hand as he bent over and gently kissed her on the forehead. "That's something I'd like to know too Doc."
"Well, she's little now. I've got her in a respirator -- just to help her breathe," the doctor added as she saw their worried expressions. "We have every reason to believe she's going to be fine. She's a fighter -- just like her parents. I'm going to go check on her now. I'll be back and see if we can't arrange for you two to visit the nursery."
"We'll have to go there?" Dick asked.
"For now," Dr. Barnette answered with a smile as she turned and walked from the room leaving the new parents alone.
Dick kissed Barbara. More passionately than the last. Then he sat on the edge of the bed, his arm around her. She nestled into him happily, feeling the warmth from his body.
"I can't wait to see Mary," Barbara said.
"Who?"
Barbara titled her head upwards to look into his eyes, "Who do you think Short Pants? Our baby!"
"Oh," he said as if deep in thought, "well why did you call her Mary?"
"I thought that's what we'd name her -- after your mother."
He looked at her, a far away look in his eyes, "You know I love the name Mary Grayson, but ... it's not what I had in mind for the baby. At least, not this baby. Maybe the next one."
She laughed at him, then drew her hand to her very sore abdomen, "Let me get over having this one before you start talking about the next one I'm going to have."
"Okay."
"So, if not Mary, what did you have in mind?"
***********************************************************************
Alfred walked out of the waiting room and into the hospital's hall. Instinctively, he turned left and started walking down the corridor. He hadn't traveled very far when he saw the subject of his quest. Alfred stopped as he watched Bruce standing under his father's portrait on the hospital wall. Slowly, Alfred walked over and placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder.
"And what are you doing, Young Sir?"
"Young Sir? I'm not sure that's appropriate anymore."
"And why is that?"
He turned to face Alfred, a half-smile on his lips, "Because I'm a grandfather now."
Alfred smiled at him, "That you are, but you'll always be my Young Sir."
Bruce turned back to his father's portrait. "Do you think he knows that I'm happy today?"
"Yes. They both do."
"Do you think they mind?"
"Mind, Bruce? Son, they want you to be happy. That's all they ever wanted."
"Well I am. Today."
***********************************************************************
The perky blonde nurse finished writing the baby's name in the birth certificate. Looking up with a smile, she said, "Ms. Gordon, once you sign the birth certificate, it's all legal." She handed the pen and paper to Barbara.
Barbara smiled and started to sign, then stopped as she read the paper. Her lip curling to the side.
Dick watched, his curiosity aroused. He looked over her shoulder and read the document. With lightning fast reflexes he snatched the paper from her hand. "What the -- this isn't right! It says 'Father unknown'! I'm not unknown, I'm right here!"
The nurse looked at him with a smile. "I know that Mr. Grayson, but because you and Ms. Gordon aren't married, you can't be listed on the birth certificate unless you sign an affidavit of paternity for child support purposes."
Barbara tried to suppress her giggle as she saw him start waving the birth certificate around.
"Go. Get. The. Papers. NOW!" he said as he walked behind the nurse almost pushing her out the door. Then he turned to Barbara, "How many times have I begged you to lets get married, but you kept waiting and now I'm Mr. UNKNOWN!" he said as he animatedly walked around the room waving the birth certificate in his hands.
She could no longer suppress her giggles which burst forth. Her hands holding onto her abdomen. "Stop it Dick. It hurts when I laugh."
"I'm glad you think it's funny."
The door opened and a blonde head poked in. "Hey girlfriend!" It wasn't the nurse.
"Dinah!" Babs cried as her best friend entered the room.
Dinah ran over to Babs, hugging her, "That's Auntie Dinah to you. Hey Grayson. Get out, Babs and me have got some girl talking to do."
"Get out?" Dick repeated, running a hand through his hair. "Dinah, we were kind of in the middle of --"
"We can finish later Dick, let me speak to Dinah."
"Uh -- okay," he mumbled as he headed out of the room. He was shaking his head as he walked toward the waiting room when he head a voice that sent a shiver down his spine.
"Freeze Grayson!" the voice shouted as Dick Grayson stopped in his tracks.
"We've found you now," a second voice chimed in.
"And you are in such trouble," the third voice added.
"Why didn't you call us? Diana had to call me." the fourth voice finished.
Dick turned to face Roy, Wally, Garth and Donna who all stood, arms crossed, looking at him. Dick shrugged as he smiled, "Guess I've been busy." They smiled back at him as they walked over pulling him into a group hug. "I'm glad you guys are here."
"How's Barbara and the baby?" Garth asked.
"Great. I haven't seen the baby yet though. She's on a respirator."
"That doesn't sound good," Roy stated.
"The doctor seems to think everything's fine. She's just little. Hey Wally, I'm really glad you're here. I need a favor."
"Name it," Wally West responded.
Dick threw his arm around Wally's shoulder leading him away from the group as he whispered in his ear.
"Really? That's what you want?"
"Yeah, can you handle that?"
"I'll be back in a --"
"Oh don't say --"
"Flash."
Dick shook his head, "You said it."
***********************************************************************
Bruce Wayne and Jim Gordon entered the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit wearing yellow surgical gowns. They both smiled as they saw Barbara holding the baby. Dick motioned for them to come closer.
"Leslie said you wanted to see us," Bruce stated as they approached, his eyes not leaving the tiny form in Barbara's arms.
"Yeah we did," Dick said as Barbara looked up, a smile on both of their faces. "We wanted to introduce you to your granddaughter," Dick began as Barbara passed the child to her father's waiting arms.
Jim gently took the baby and cradled her against his body. He noticed the soft reddish tinted fuzz on her head. "She looks like you Honey."
Barbara smiled as he started to hand the baby back to her. Dick walked over and took the child instead, turning to his father, he held out the baby.
Bruce's blue eyes met Dick's. A slight sign of panic in them. Dick smiled -- so there was something that the great Batman was unsure of.
"Just hold her head up Bruce," Babs added.
As Dick placed the baby in Bruce's arms, he continued what he had started, "We wanted to introduce you. We think you'll like her name. Babs and I discussed it earlier. We want her name to be special to you two -- because she's your first grandchild. So we'd like you to meet Sarah Martha Grayson."
Jim's hand gently squeezed Barbara's shoulders as Bruce looked up at Dick -- a true smile on his face.
***********************************************************************
Barbara and Dick sat alone in her room. He sat on the bed, her head resting on his shoulder.
"Are you happy?" she asked.
"Yes. Everything's almost perfect," he answered.
"Almost?" she asked.
"Yeah, almost. But I'm going to fix that," he responded as he saw Wally's face peeping in the door's glass window. Dick motioned for him to enter.
Opening the door, Wally said, "Okay everyone, Dick wants everyone in the room. Nownownownownow -- uh Hi Bruce -- everyone in now."
"What's going on?" Tim asked entering the room. "Should we all be in here at once?"
"Yes Dick," Barbara asked, "What is going on?"
He kissed her as he stood up. "It's a surprise. Bruce, Tim, Alfred, I need you over here near me. Dinah, you and Cassandra need to be on the other side of the bed near Babs. Commissioner, you too."
"Dick what are you doing?" Babs asked in mock indignation.
Dick continued orchestrating whatever it was he was orchestrating without answering her question. "Wally, if you could get ..."
"Gotcha boss," Wally said closing the door behind him. It was only a few moments later when Wally reentered the room with the hospital chaplain.
"I'm Father Bryant, I see we're all here and ready."
"Ready for what?" Barbara asked as she looked up at Dick. "What are you up too, Grayson?"
He looked down at her flashing her his best smile, "We are getting married Miss Gordon -- right now. No more procrastinating. Wally went and got the license from my apartment. No more putting me off. You're making an honest man out of me NOW."
The room erupted in laughter.
"Well, if you put it that way -- I guess I'll marry you."
Taking her hand in his, they turned toward Father Bryant who stood at the end of Barbara's hospital bed. He smiled at them and began the ceremony, "Dearly beloved ..."
THE BEGINNING ....