"God, Kaldur." Roy said, pacing the room. "I feel like I'm taking advantage of you. First the prison and then with your need to be around me…I" He trailed off in defeat.
"Roy, please put these feelings to rest. You are not taking anything not being willingly offered." Kaldur insisted. He had one hand over the small bump, just beginning to show where their child grew.
"You need to not be so calm all the time."
"You need to tell me what is really bothering you."
"This is what's bothering me." Roy insisted.
"Please try to explain it to me then. I am afraid I do not understand." Kaldur told the older man. He was sitting on his bed, legs crossed, running his hands over his baby bump. At twenty weeks, the child was kicking now and making often uncomfortable movements.
"You're just going to argue everything I say aren't you?"
"Roy, I respect your feelings…even if I don't agree with them." Kaldur said with a sly grin.
"I give up." Roy relented. He wasn't sure if he was ever going to be able to lessen the guilt he felt. But Kaldur helped, he wanted Roy around. Not just because it lessened his symptoms, but because he actually enjoyed his company. He wanted him to be a real father to the baby, which both excited and terrified Roy in ways he couldn't fully express. He'd talked with Wally and Dick. Both had informed him they were more comfortable with him staying out of things. He was fine with that, glad for it really. But with Kaldur it was different. He would've been heartbroken to have the Atlantean tell him he would be nothing to the child.
Wally sighed and shifted uncomfortably on the kitchen stool. He pouted a little as he gently tried to push one of the twins head's out of his ribcage.
"How you doing over there, mom?" Artemis teased.
"I feel like a swallowed a basketball." He replied. "A very active basketball." He groaned as the baby finally changed positions.
"You look like you swallowed the whole team." Artemis quipped. She reached over to rub his stomach playfully.
"Kaldur has that cute little bump." He complained. "And I'm massive."
"I think you look adorable." M'gann mused, walking up behind him. "Are they kicking?"
"Are they ever not?" He replied. M'gann put a hand on his stomach and he gently moved it to the side so she could feel one of the babies pressing into her side. "I actually think the baby has hiccups."
"Aww." Artemis cooed. "Let me feel!" M'gann moved her hand to let the archer feel the baby.
"Do you know if they're boys or girls yet?" M'gann wanted to know.
"One girl, the other wouldn't move so we could see." Wally told them. "Aunt Iris made another appointment in a couple of weeks."
"How are your parents?" Artemis questioned.
"I haven't talked to them." Wally sighed. "They don't understand why I would want to keep them. They also kinda want to murder Roy in the most painful way imaginable." He said. Both girls winced.
"I'm sorry Wally." The blond said softly.
"It's okay."
"How..are you and Roy?" M'gann asked.
"We're okay. It's not his fault, he was forced into this like the rest of us. If he had refused they would've killed us. It's messed up, but it's okay. He never hurt me."
"He blames himself." Artemis told them.
"I wish he didn't." Wally said with a shake of his head.
"Robin, it's oaky to take it easy." Black Canary told the teen, who was working on one of the motorcycles the team kept.
"I'm fine." The boy promised.
"You're three months pregnant. It isn't safe to keep up the level of activity you normally have." She told him.
"I'm fine." Robin repeated.
"Robin, look at me." She ordered. The teen stood and met her gaze. "I understand that you are traumatized. We all understand that you are traumatized. But you decided to keep this child and I will not let either one of you come to harm."
"It's easier not to think about." He admitted to her.
"I know, but this isn't healthy. I talked to the others and no one can seem to remember seeing you eat and you look like you haven't slept in days." Dinah told him. "You're hurting yourself and the baby."
"I know." He said in a tiny voice. To Dinah's surprise, Dick's eyes began to water.
"It's alright." She told the boy, pulling him into a hug. "You just need to remember to take care of yourself."
"I am kind of hungry." He admitted. Dinah continued to hold him close, he seemed so small and much younger than fourteen.
"How about we get out of the cave for a while?" She offered. "We can get something to eat."
"Can we get pizza?" He asked.
"Of course, we'll eat then grab some to bring back for the team."
"Thanks Dinah."
"Don't mention it sweetie."