'I'm pregnant.' Was all Artemis could think. After returning home from the doctors an hour ago, Artemis lay sprawled out on her bed. This phrase echoed through her head.
'I just can't believe it.' She turned her head to the side and stared a picture of her and Wally. 'Oh god, how will I tell Wally? We've only been married a year and a few months. We just moved to this place. We don't have the money for this.'
She shook her head and held a motivated fist to her chest. 'We can handle anything.' Artemis thought confidently.
She looked at her phone and observed the time, 5:15 it said. 'I still have about 2 hours before Wally gets home, judging from his note.' She read the note again for the 5th time.
'Went to Central. Barry asked for help with Captain Cold. Back in a few hours.' ~ Wally.
"Maybe I'll make him dinner to give him a hint." She smirked at the thought of the size his dinner would be. He'll devour it whole, no matter what I make."
She made her way the kitchen and noticed their pit bull on the floor near his food. Artemis smiled and pet his head, serving Brucely his dinner. The pit bull began to stuff his face, it reminded her so much of Wally.
Opening the fridge, Artemis cringed at all the options. "No one said I has to tell him today." She shrugged and took the first thing she saw.
An hour and a half later Wally came home.
"Hmm." He sniffed. "It smells great in here. How'd you know I was hungry?" He grinned and took off his jacket.
"Because you're always hungry."
"That is true. So what are we having?" He eyed the concealed food on the table. Artemis walked over to the table and revealed the meal.
"Here it is." She presented the plates. "Baby back ribs, turkey, ham with baby carrots and there's a giant cinnamon bun in the oven."
"Oohh..." Wally was practically drooling. He quickly washed up and gave Artemis a quick kiss before sitting at the table. "Ham and ribs and a turkey!" He licked his lips and rubbed his hands together. "Either I've done something right or.. you did something wrong." Wally narrowed his eyes at her.
"I didn't do anything." 'You're the one who did something, kid horny.' She thought. "Just enjoy the feast."
"No seriously, what did you do?"
"Nothing!" She exclaimed. Wally continued to look at her through narrowed eyes. Her protests clearly not phasing him. Artemis walked behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate you." She topped it off with a kiss on his cheek.
"It's fine, you'll tell me when you're ready." Wally said, settling a knife and fork in hand. "Aren't you having any?"
"Only some of the turkey, I'm not feeling the ribs and ham." Wally shrugged. He began to devour most of what was put in front of him.
"This is delicious!" He said with his mouth full. Artemis had gotten used to it by now, she actually found it kind of cute the way he overly enjoyed his food. It also made her feel better about her cooking skills.
"It better, I worked hard on it." 'Mostly trying not to throw up at the smell of those ribs.' He continued to eat to his stomach's content. 'Sure, he suspects when I'm doing wrong. But I give several hints about a baby and he's oblivious.'
Artemis sighed and went back to her plate.
That night, Artemis waited and thought about whether she should tell him now or not.
She smiled nervously. "Wait, I haven't even decided if I was keeping it." She shook her head. "Who am I kidding, Wally would never forgive me if I got an abortion." She laid a hand on her stomach. "And to be honest I don't think I could bring myself to do it."
She lied back in bed contemplating on what to do. She felt pressure behind her, Wally's arm snaked around her middle. Fingers intertwining with hers resting against her abdomen.
"Love you, Arty." He kissed her temple.
"I love you too." She waited a moment "Wally I.." It was then that she heard light snoring in her ear. Artemis squeezed Wally's hand.
'Guess that battle was more tiring than he let on.'
"Can't say I didn't try." She whispered. Then relaxed in the warmth of her husband and fell asleep.
At the cave, Artemis slumped in her seat. It had been 3 days and she still hasn't told Wally. Though it's not for lack of trying, she hinted heavily at every opportunity. Either Wally was a moron or.. no he's a moron.
'For the fastest young man alive, he's the slowest guy I know.' She thought.
M'gann seemed to notice the archer was quite off her game today. "What's wrong? Did everything go alright?" M'gann asked.
Artemis looked at the Martian. Quickly debating to tell her or not. She had to tell somebody that wasn't an idoit.
"M'gann, remember that possibility Raquel kept pushing?" The Martian nodded. Artemis sighed. "I'm pregnant." M'gann's face lit up with happiness.
"Really? Artemis, this is amazing!" She hugged her.
"No, it's not." Artemis muttered.
"What's amazing?" Zatanna walked up to them.
"Artemis is pregnant." M'gann whispered excitedly. While Zatanna went to hug her, Artemis shushed them.
"Guys, please be quiet! I haven't exactly told Wally yet." Artemis whispered, looking around as she said this.
"What? Why? This is great news." Zatanna cheered. "There's gonna be a mini version of you or Wally crawling around here soon." Artemis face-palmed.
"Yeah, be excited. We're having a baby!" M'gann squealed. Sitting in the living room, Conner did a spit take while Kaldur looked completely confused. "Artemis is pregnant." Artemis glared at her.
"Ohh!" They said in unison. Then smiles spread across both their faces as realization set in. "We're having a baby."
"Couldn't help overhearing." Raquel smugly appeared in the kitchen. "Never doubt me, congrads though. Wally will be excited."
"Ugh! Shut up!" Artemis complained. "Just shut it! Shut your mouths!"
"What will I be excited about?" Wally asked as he and Dick walked into the room. Everyone stopped and looked from him to Artemis, who found the floor very interesting.
"Artemis has to tell you something. " Raquel pushed her forward. Artemis stopped a foot away from him.
"Wally," Wally blinked and remained silent, urging her to continue. "I wanted to say it in private but you never got the hint. The reason I've gotten so sick and eating everything in sight was because.." Artemis paused, this was harder than she thought. " I'm um. Wally, I'm..." Zatanna slapped on her back. "I'm pregnant." She forced out. Wally held a blank expression.
"Seriously?" His voice was low, he might as well whispered it. Artemis suddenly felt as aggravated as she did before and stood her ground.
"Yes. And if you're not happy about it, fine! I know we've only been married a year, but things happen and if you can't accept that then I can raise it on my own! Jade went through pregnancy and had Lian on her own and so can I! "
"Are you done?" Wally stepped closer to her.
"Yes." She avoided his gaze. She didn't notice his blank expression slowly change to pure happiness.
His hands slowly wrapped around her as he got over the shock and his excitement was made clear. "That's the greatest news I've ever heard." He stated. "I can't believe it."
Now Artemis was the one with the shocked expression, she slowly put her arms around his neck. Wally leaned back to see her face. "Seriously?"
"Of course, I didn't think it would happen this early but I couldn't be happier." In response, Artemis kissed him.
M'gann grinned and clapped, she ran to hug them. Dick clutched his fists to his chest before joining as well. Soon it became a big group hug with Artemis in the center.
"I love this, but this can't be good for the baby." She got a chorus of "Right. right" and "Sorry, my bad." in return. They let her go then they cheered and quickly rejoined. Artemis laughed, joyfully watching them.
"Wait," Wally said when the group dispersed. "I'm gonna be a dad." Wally looked shocked. Everyone watched as his eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted.
Dick made fists with his hands. He handed Zatanna some money. "This is what I get for thinking Wally was a man."
"Are you sure you what to be here?" Artemis asked Wally a week later.
There were in Artemis' OBGYN office. She was dressed in a hospital gown and rested on the reclined chair suited for her. A blanket laid on her lap and covered her legs completely. Wally paced back and forth.
"Why wouldn't I? This is a whole step in becoming a father." Wally explained. "Seeing it for the first time. It's a very important step and I'm not missing it."
"Okay, calm down drama king." Artemis stretched out and put her arms behind her head. "You've been reading way too many pregnancy books."
"Says the girl that has 5 five subscriptions to 'What to expect when you're expecting'."
"Hey! That's a book, and step one was to relax." She stretched again. "It's hard not too when you're resting one of these." She chuckled and Wally let out a small smile.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Yuki." A young looking women in a white coat walked in. She smiled warmly at them. "You must be the Wests. So how are you feeling...?"
"Artemis, and is it wrong to be extremely comfortable." The doctor laughed.
"I know how you feel. When I was having my twins, This seat was my best friend." She sat down beside Artemis. "So what are you here for?"
"Just a check up, well our first check up. This is our first kid so we don't really know what to do." Wally answered.
"You must really excited then, Mr. West." Dr. Yuki said as she checked Artemis' vitals.
"Wally, and more like scared and nervous."
"Don't worry Wally. Those feelings will be gone in about 5 minutes." She answered. "Now this will be kind of cold." She said as she applied a cool jell to Artemis' abdomen, sending chills up Artemis's spine.
"Ugh, you weren't kidding." Dr. Yuki placed the wand atop the jell and searched on the screen in front of them.
"There, there it is, your baby." She pointed toward the screen. Wally and Artemis leaned in. "It's very healthy but it's still too early to tell the gender."
Artemis just smiled and Wally grinned.
"I'll give you two a moment." The doctor walked out.
"I'm so glad, it's healthy and-" Artemis was interrupted by Wally grabbing making a face. "What's wrong?"
"W-Where is it?" Wally leaned in. "I don't see it."
"What?" Artemis was dumbfounded.
"I have no idea where the hell it is." He squinted eyes and left his mouth agap slightly as he searched the screen. After coming up with nothing, he leaned back and pouted. "Pretty sure that doctor was lying."
Artemis stared at before coming to her senses. "No, see." She pointed toward the screen. "It's right over there," She circled the area around it. "See it now?"
"Oh yeah, you made it so much clearer." He sracasticly answered.
Artemis grabbed him by the hair and forced his head infront of the montier, lightly hitting his forehead against it. "There! Right there! The big cashew looking thing, that probably made you think of food instead of listening to the doctor!"
"Oh yeah. Well, I saw that." Wally adjusted himself so he was staring at the screen from a comfortable distance. A smile grew into a grin. "We have a cashew. We made a cashew, Artemis!" Artemis laughed at his excitement, Wally grabbed her hand in his. "Aren't you excited?"
"Ha ha, I am." She tightened her grip slightly. "I really am."