A/N:Tanner comes to live with the Wayne Family, but who is Tanner? Note that Chapter Two is long.
Who Is Tanner?
By
Part 2: A Guardian's Anger and a Birth of a Grayson
"What?" Tim was surprised. He leaned in to try to keep anyone else from hearing what he had to say. "Someone may need my help."
"It can wait," Dick replied. "There are others who can handle whatever it is. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"That you were going down to Atlantis."
"I didn't think it was necessary," Tim replied. "Besides, we're back in one piece. We're going to take the twins to meet their grandfather, later."
"Oh, no, you're staying here," Dick stated with conviction.
"Here . . .," Tim felt outraged. "First you stop me from leaving due to an emergency and now you won't let me take my twins to see their other grandfather?"
"You worried me have to death," Dick countered. "I'm your guardian now, and you've got to tell me where you're going."
"Come on, I've never had to do that before."
The rest of the family was looking on as Dick and Tim continued to argue.
"Well, I've never been your guardian before so, you and I are going to have to get used to it. And for not telling me where you went, I'm grounding you for the next month."
"Grounding me!?"
"You heard me," Dick stated. "Samantha can take the twins to Atlantis, you are staying here."
"Dick, that's not fair!" Tim yelled.
"I need you here where it's safe," Dick continued. "And I don't have to give you an explanation. Now, I'm going to see Pop Haly, I'll be gone for a couple of months."
"You promised to take me with you the next time you were going to the circus."
"This isn't about that," Dick argued. "And I will, just not right now."
"You used to treat me like an equal. Now you're treating me like . . . Like . . . "
"Like what, little brother?" Dick teased.
"Never mind," Tim said. "Are you taking Barbara?"
"Babs can't go. You're going to be gone for two months. The baby's almost due."
"Relax, little brother. I'm not going until after the baby is born, which is any day, now."
Tim was somewhat relieved by that, but at the same time, he felt a bit credulous. How could Dick ground him for not telling him that he was taking Samantha to Atlantis. Tim made that promise to her, and he wanted to keep it. If Dick knew what had happened, maybe he wouldn't have grounded him. Even so, Dick was acting rather strangely. Tim didn't have time to think about it when Barbara gave out a groan.
It's time!" Dick started panicking right then and there.
"Take it easy, Dick." This time Tim was there to calm him. "Breathe, breathe."
"We've got to get, Babs."
"She's sitting right across from you."
"Oh right."
Samantha got up and moved to the other side of the table and placed her hand on Barbara's belly. "We need to get her upstairs." Samantha helped Barbara from the chair. "Take it slow."
"I'll make sure there's clean linen."
"Fill the bathtub with water," Samantha instructed.
"Why?" Dick questioned. "Babs isn't going to take a bath, she's giving birth!"
"Do people always panic like this when a baby is going to be born?" Damian asked, as he observed how calm Barbara looked. "Shouldn't she be going to the hospital?"
"My water just broke," Barbara announced.
"Okay, now she's in full blown labor." Jason said. "And depending on how far the contractions are, there might not be time."
Babs gave out another groan.
"Better take her up the elevator," Sasha said.
"Good idea," Dick replied.
"I will inform Alfred that we're going to need towels and hot water," Bruce said.
"Can someone inform my father?" Babs said.
"I'll do that after I inform, Alfred."
"I can inform Alfred," Tanner said. "Where do I go?"
"Through that door," Bruce pointed, and he left the dining room.
Tanner went to inform Alfred while Bruce headed to his study. Once there, Bruce pulled out his phone and pressed Jim Gordon's number. Once he answered, Bruce informed Jim what was going on.
"Why didn't you go to the hospital?" Jim asked.
"There wasn't time," Bruce answered. Her water broke and her contractions were coming faster than expected."
"I'll be there in fifteen minutes," Jim Gordon stated.
"We can wait in my study when you arrive," Bruce said.
"Who's attending to her?"
"Jason, and everyone who's had experience birthing a baby," Bruce replied, which included Alfred, Samantha, and Tim. "I'll call Doctor Leslie Thompkins as well."
Bruce said goodbye to Jim Gordon and quickly called Leslie. He told her the situation, she told him what Alfred would need if she didn't arrive in time. Bruce went down to the cave to grab a suture kit and carried it upstairs. He could hear Barbara's moans coming from Dick's bedroom. He saw Dick sitting behind her while Samantha was easing the worst of the contractions.
"She's not dilated far enough," Jason commented.
"You can tell that?" Bruce asked.
"There's a section on midwifing in my nursing class," Jason replied. "Babies can take a long time to birth."
Alfred arrived with towels and boiling water in a kettle, as well as a metal bowl.
'It's not quite time for the water, but keep it hot," Jason said.
"Very good, Master Jason. I shall check in every now and then."
Damian peeked in behind Alfred to see what all the fuss was.
"Can you keep an eye on the children?" Tim asked.
"Um, sure," Damian answered. "Why isn't she down in the cave? The medical bay would be a lot better."
"It's also cold down there, and Jim Gordon is on his way."
'Did you call Doctor Leslie?" Dick asked.
"Yes, now don't worry. You're all doing fine."
Fifteen minutes had gone by and there was one knock and two people waiting at the door. Alfred showed both inside. He instructed where Doctor Thompkins could find Barbara upstairs and then he led Commissioner Gordon to Master Bruce's study. Bruce met Jim Gordon in his study. Alfred came back later with a bottle of brandy. Both tried to relax, but the tension was such that it could be cut with a knife. Both men were soon dozing in two old winged-back chairs and were startled out of that doze when Tim burst into the study.
"The baby's here!"
Both jumped up.
"What is it?" Jim Gordon asked. "Is Barbara all right?"
"It's a girl, and mother and baby are doing fine. Come on, I'll take you upstairs."
Tim led Bruce and Jim Gordon up to the second floor. Jim looked around. He hadn't been up on this level before. He knew the house was big, but he didn't expect to see so many bedrooms. And that didn't count the other wing of the house. Tim led them to Dick's room and Bruce allowed Jim Gordon to enter first. Jim couldn't believe what he was seeing. Barbara was leaning against Dick, and in his arms Dick held a small bundle wrapped in a blanket. Doctor Leslie Thompkins was putting things away in her Doctor's bag.
Jim approached the bed and looked down on his grandchild. He was hard to believe just how much time had passed. It seemed only yesterday that he was holding his own daughter in his arms. Now he was a grandfather.
"I guess you're no longer the last of the Flying Grayson," Jim Gordon stated.
"Haven't you read the papers?" Dick asked. "I've got a brother, too," Dick answered proudly.
Jim's eyes went wide. "Who . . ."
"That's me," Tim said.
"Of course, that custody battle. I guess I forgot about that." Jim turned back toward his daughter and son-in-law. "May I hold her?"
"Of course," Dick said, and he carefully handed his daughter to her grandfather.
Jim looked down at the tiny form, tears forming in his eyes. "You've made an old man very happy."
"Guess this really makes us family now," Dick said.
'Yes, it does." Jim held onto his granddaughter. She gave out a big yawn. He then looked over at Bruce. "Here, Grandpa Bruce, it's your turn." Jim handed Bruce his fifth grandchild.
Alfred came into the room and started cleaning up everything. "All right, everyone, let's let the new parents rest."
"We're getting old, Alfred," Bruce mentioned as he placed the baby back in Dick's arms.
"Speak for yourself, Master Bruce," Alfred replied. "I am planning on living forever."
With that comment, everyone left the new parents alone to sleep for the rest of the night.
Continues with Part 3