The Result of Love

Bruce sat back in a giant leather chair. One of his associates droned on and on about some business proposal. His mind was everywhere else, but here. Chelsea was nearly a week overdue and it made him feel like he was on pins and needles every second of every day. His nerves were so shot, Dick refused to let him play caped crusader for the last four nights. In reality the man only went to the office just to experience something that would distract him. Lot of good that was doing.

Chelsea wasn't sleeping. Her belly was uncomfortably plump by this point and he could see the exhaustion making a mess out of her. Bruce's eyes fixated on a billboard across the street that had a baby on it with some slogan for baby food. It was clear he had been addressed, because the room feel silent. It took him a moment to bounce back into the current situation, "I'm sorry Margie. What were you saying?"

The woman leaned against the table and placed her palm flat on her paperwork, "Isn't she due any day?" most people that worked for Wayne Enterprises knew his wife was expecting any day now.

Bruce ran his tongue against the inside rim of his teeth, "She's three days late."

"Perhaps you should be with your wife right now?" the woman asked with concern, "Don't worry, Mr. Wayne. We can put this meeting on pause. We understand how stressful welcoming a child into the world can be and I'm sure Mrs. Wayne would appreciate you being home."

They didn't understand that this was Bruce's last escape from worrying himself sick over her. Truthfully it was painful for him to watch her so uncomfortable at all times. She was such a tiny thing normally. It looked like someone stuffed a bowling ball in her stomach. Perhaps he was to blame for that in retrospect.

There was a swift knock at the door, followed by the door being nearly kicked in as Tim Drake came bounding into the conference room, "Hey! Alfred told me to run up here and tell you it's time! He has the car parked out front! The Fl-" he momentarily back peddled, "Wally decided to take her to the hospital."

Bruce abruptly stood up. This was it. This was happening.

He was terrified.

That's the feeling Bruce had been fighting off for nine months. He couldn't recall a moment in his life he had been more scared then right now.

"Are your legs working? Come on!" jabbed Tim, ducking out of the conference room.

Bruce grabbed his suitcase and quickly started toward the door. Everyone wished him luck before he disappeared out the door and managed to catch up with Tim. When they were in the elevator, Tim's eyes shifted over to Bruce's. That look in his eyes. It startled the boy wonder. Was he… scared?

"You okay there?" he couldn't help, but ask.

Bruce didn't hear him. His mind was racing faster and faster by the minute. He could feel his heart creeping up into his ears, pounding against the drums and his brain. The man swallowed. From this moment on he wouldn't feel more protective of anything else. What if someone tried to harm her? What if one of his enemies captured her? Of course his mind went to the worse case scenario, but this was his daughter.

His daughter.

He was having a child with the love of his life.

He never thought this day would come.

The next thing he knew he was riding beside Tim in the limousine, unsure of how he got here. He must have blocked out the walk to the car. He noticed Alfred's watchful gaze in the rearview mirror. It didn't take long for them to arrive at the hospital. When he pulled up to the front doors, Tim quickly got out and turned to Bruce, but the man did not move, "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'll be in, in a moment." Bruce assured in a low tone.

Tim raised a confused eyebrow and gently closed the door behind him before quickly scurrying through the automatic doors.

Bruce stared off into space, fixated on a spot in front of him.

"Master Bruce?" Alfred questioned.

Hearing Alfred's voice brought him back to the moment. When his eyes turned to his lifelong caretaker, tears began to pool from his eyes. He cupped his large hand over his mouth and squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

"She's waiting for you, Master Bruce. They both are. All you've ever wanted. Your life awaits. Rest easy knowing, your parents have never been more proud of you. Neither have I." The wise old butler felt tears urging to fall from his eyes, but kept them at bay.

Bruce quickly got out of the car and raced inside. The moment the secretary saw him coming she got up from her seat and guided him to the waiting room where many familiar faces waited. Diana, Shayera, J'onn, John, Clark Kent, and Wally West. They were all in some form of disguise or another, in their secret identities, unable to bring themselves to miss this day. They all read the look of urgency on Bruce's face. Clark cocked an eyebrow, "Can I get a quote Mr. Wayne?"

Bruce flashed him a look of irritation, before turning to Wally.

Wally was ready to report, "Don't worry. She's fine. Just waiting for you. They wouldn't let me in there, beyond this point."

"Thank you, Wally." Bruce told him in earnest. He walked into her delivery room, removing his business jacket as he moved.

When their eyes meet, she gave him a weary smile, "Hello you." she said sweetly.

He tossed his jacket on the nearby chair and cupped her hand with both of his, "I'm here now. I promise." his placed a kiss on the top of her hand and then her forehead, "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better." she joked, squeezing his hand with worry. She could see the fear coating his face with sweat drops, "Are you okay?"

He nodded, "I don't think I've ever been this stressed." he said admittedly.

Chelsea couldn't help, but hear Leslie's warning in the back of her head. Her past medical history could endanger her life or that of the baby's. She didn't feel short of breath, but bearing the burden of this possibility alone for four and half months made her uneasy. She tried her best to keep her smile, "Wally ran me here as fast as his feet could carry him." she chuckled gently.

"He's a nervous wreck out there. He's burning holes in the carpet doing laps around the room." Bruce told her, remembering how the young man was pacing about the waiting room when he first entered.

"Everyone out there?" she asked.

"Of course. They're you're family. I'm sure Dick and Barbara will be here soon as well." he told her, smoothing back her hair.

That made Chelsea happy. Everyone made it. They would all be apart of this. She took a deep breath, feeling a contraction come over her and stiffening at the pain. Letting out another breath she looked to Bruce miserably, so desperately wishing this was over.

Bruce put his lips to her temple, "You're going to be fine." he told her, "I'll be here. Through all of it."

Leslie walked in, flashing the couple a smile, "You're already running late, so we're going to induce you. Sound like a good deal?"

Chelsea nodded, "Yes please."

The birthing process took nearly seven hours to complete. While everyone lie in wait together, seemingly exhausted, no one was more tired than Chelsea. This was one of the most painful and excruciating things she could recall going through. How could a mother go through this more than once let alone at all?

Bruce entered the waiting room where everyone sat on pins and needles. Seeing him come out made everyone straighten up. He even looked tired. The circles under his eyes had grown more pronounced. A small weary smile came to his lips, "Thank you all for your patience. Both Chelsea and Lucille are doing well. I got the okay to let other family members in to see them so…" he gave a slight nod and moved aside to let everyone in.

Everyone stared in awe and the infant cradled in Chelsea's arms. Chelsea looked like a train wreck in comparison to Bruce. The poor young woman had quite the time of it, but seemed to be rejuvenated at the sight of her friends, "Hello everyone."

Wally seemed the most shaken up by the sight of the baby. He tried his best not to let his emotions appear, just quietly smiling.

Chelsea noticed the dancing in his eyes and tilted her head, "Come here Uncle Wally. You have a niece who is very eager to meet you."

"C-" he started to asked, quickly breathing in the congestion that was starting to form in his nose, "Can I hold her?"

"Of course you can." Chelsea smiled, handing the baby over to her best friend.

"My God…" Wally breathed, amazed by such a miracle.

Everyone gathered around Wally to get a good look and squeeze her tiny hands between their fingertips.

"Some day your father will be beating the boys off of you, sweetheart." Clark remarked, raising his eyebrow at Bruce. Bruce gave his long time friend a grimace, never being one to appreciate humor.

"What a doll. She looks just like you, Bruce." Diana commented, running her finger under the infant's chin.

"That's what I said too." Chelsea nodded, her head falling back on the pillow as her eyes fought to close, but she kept prying them open.

"I disagree. She's looks just like her mother." Bruce said, taking a seat beside Chelsea.

"He's just saying that so he doesn't have to come to terms with the fact that one day, she'll be a knock out just like her father." Chelsea mused, grasping Bruce's hand gently.

"If by knock out you mean punching out criminals, I'd have to agree." Wally joked, his index finger being gripped by the girl's tiny fist, "Like a vice grip. Definitely your daughter, Bats."

Bruce's expression turned slightly serious at the thought of that image. Would she indeed follow in his footsteps? Something about that startled something in him.

He didn't like it.

His jaw straightened as he stared at the white bed sheet that covered Chelsea.

Chelsea noticed his body language and could see it all over his face: he wanted Lucy to have a normal life.

"Well momma looks beat. We should let them all get some rest." Diana told the group.

"Thank you all for staying. I'm sorry you had to wait so long." Chelsea told them. Wally leaned down and kissed Chelsea on the forehead before handing the baby back over to her.

Everyone said their farewells and started neatly filling out of the room. Soon after a nurse came in to take Lucy from her parents for the time being so Chelsea could start to try to get some rest. Chelsea looked to Bruce, who had stayed silent since Wally's comment. She could tell he was overanalyzing it as he often did. She gave his hand a squeeze and brought him back to the present, though the only reason she knew she had his attention was because his eyes turned to hers.

The strawberry blonde took a deep breath and exhaled, "Bruce, don't worry about what Wally said. He didn't mean anything by it."

Bruce nodded once, the idea still buzzing around in his skull. Trying to push the idea out of his mind for now, he let a sigh escape his lips and stood up. Running his fingers gently through her hair a smile had returned to his face. The best he could muster anyway, "I'm just glad you're alright."

She gave him a funny look, followed by an expectant one, "Leslie told you?"

"No," he told her, "Back when I was analyzing the blood thinner tablet I took from you I started seeing all the effects a pulmonary embolism can leave on the body under the circumstances of your specific incident. I remembered one major effect was on child birth. That it could be fatal to the baby or its mother." He paused, then continued, "Judging by your reaction, I'm assuming Leslie told you of this possibility months ago… Truth be told, I think that's why I tried to stay so busy. It's not that I didn't want to be around you. I would never avoid you. The idea of losing you though… of being an indirect reason for your death… It did something to me. It was a pain that I had not thought possible." Chelsea's eyes shimmered. Bruce wasn't one to express his heart to her, but here he was.

He knew the whole time.

Her tired eyes started to water, "I'm sorry." she told him, "I was so scared. I knew you were worried so I didn't want to tell you and make it worse… and this whole time you had been carrying that knowledge around anyway, probably worrying yourself sick."

He put his lips to hers and pulled away only slightly, "I love you." he told her, "And I love our baby girl." he stroked her cheek with his thumb, "Nothing has ever made me as happy as I am now…"

She placed her hand on his, "It's okay." she assured him, "You don't have to explain yourself to me Bruce."

He took a deep breath, "I know." he said simply, pushing his forehead against hers, "That's what made me fall in love with you from the very start."

Author's Notes: It's been a long time since I've updated… Forgive me! I thought instead of something going wrong I'd give these two a break and make everything happen perfectly. What I'm actually looking forward to is writing their wedding. I think that'll be super cute. Anyway, sorry again for such a long pause. I started college up again and work and it's all just been so taxing. Thanks for reading. :)