Author's Note: Hi, Loves! Happy Post Halloween feels! I loved writing the last chapter that I simply had to write a sequel to it. Also want y'all's opinion on something. How many of you would like a story about the kids interacting with their parents pre-faults in our lives? I have a basis, but want to know if someone will read it. Message me or leave a comment on this story. Also, I am debating on a third chapter for this story. If someone sends in a request for this story or another story idea (hint hint), I will write that. Love you.
Wally West enjoys the summer more than most guys his age. In their mid-twenties, most men would be waking up hungover, possibly in a stranger's bed. Wally is fortunate enough to wake up next to the love of his life and unfortunate enough to be unable to get drunk.
Wally props himself up on one arm. Warm July sun filters in through the bedroom window, falling on to Artemis's sleeping form. His shirt rides up on her side, showing her beautiful olive toned skin. She'd kicked the covers off in the middle of the night, her bare legs tucked neatly beneath her. He leans down and kisses her neck softly. Simply because he can. Because she's his. Artemis rolls over and smiles at him. Her gorgeous eyes looking at him with a sinful gleam," Well, it's about damn time you learned how to properly wake me up."
She lets her eyes roam shamelessly over his bare torso, the muscles that years of training have left him. Wally grins," Well, babe, I will make note of that for the future."
He leans down, gently brushing his lips against her own. This is right. Her soft mouth against his, sending warmth right down to his toes. Wally moves to position his body above hers. How was it possible a nearly a decade ago he'd hated her? How had he stopped himself from kissing her as deeply as he did now? How had he restrained himself from running his fingers along her jaw and down her lovely neck? Her skin against his, like velvet.
Artemis tangles her fingers in his hair, sighing happily into his mouth. She never tires of feeling him on her. His gentleness as his fingers trace her scars, knowing where each is purely from memory. She knows all too well where the few scars he had obtained were. She traces them from bottom to top before taking his hand. He pins her hand above her head, slowly moving from her mouth to her neck. Everything at this moment is completely perfect. Artemis trails her free hand up his back, smiling as she hears him moan.
"Artemis…" Wally practically attacks her mouth as she moves her nails up his skin. Artemis frees her hand and places both hands on his shoulders. She flips them so she straddles his hips. Wall kisses her fiercely, letting his hands roam under the stolen shirt.
"You know," Artemis teases, nipping his lower lip, " I could get use to you waking me up like this."
"I'll consider it," He teases. A loud, high pitched crying sound causes them to stop. Wally gives his wife a small smile," You think if we wait he'll fall back asleep."
"Does he ever fall back asleep before eating?" Artemis climbs off his lap, shaking her tangled hair as she leaves the room. Wally rubs his eyes and stretches as he rolls out of bed. He heats up some coffee as Artemis comes into the kitchen. Balanced on her cocked hip is a happy baby boy.
"Hey there, buddy," Wally takes his son and tosses him up in the air," You trying to keep mommy and daddy from having fun?"
"No mama," Matty's plump fists grab his father's dark red hair and pull. Wally chuckles as he balances Matty on his hip, the same way Artemis had been. He walks around the kitchen, pointing out the window at a bright red bird. Wally moves to their living room (which is in the same area as the kitchen) then sits on the floor. He pulls a small bucket of toys towards him and gently places Matty before it. Matty pulls an old stacking toy out, banging it against the ground. This rudely awakens the dog dozing on the couch. Kent yawns, now use to the cries and smells that come with a new baby.
"Damn, kid," Wally smiles softly, gently placing a hand on the toy," You have to play nice with your toys. Be nice. Got it."
"No mama," Matty coos, before gnawing on one of the plastic rings. Wally smiles a little wider and picks up his son, tickling his tiny belly. Pearls of laughter fill the room. Artemis smiles at her family as she pops some frozen waffles into the toaster. He's such a good daddy she thinks proudly. Wally would deny this whenever she brought it up, saying he was just spending time with Matty, making sure he knows how loved he is, blah blah blah. Her favorite bit of evidence, that she's refused to tell him, are the times she'll come home and find her family asleep in their bed. Kent laying at the foot of the bed, ears twitching for the faintest sign of trouble. Wally with one arm cradling their son, like he's the most precious thing in the world.
"When do you think he's going to learn the word dada?" Wally asks, breaking her train of thought.
"What?" She grins," Don't like being called 'no mama'?"
"I'm impressed he knows the difference between us at this age, but hearing him call me no mama isn't exactly the best feeling in the world."
"Mama," Matty crawls from his father to his mother. Artemis sweeps him up, kissing him on the cheek. Matty looks at his mother happily as she places him in his high chair. Wally casually tosses the toys into the bin before joining his family. MAtty gurgles and shoves dried cereal into his mouth. Wally and Artemis can't help but laugh as they watch him.
"Damn," Artemis giggles," He'll out eat you one day."
"That day is many a year from now, my love," he says with a wink," So you and M'gann have any major plans for today?"
"Well, she's meeting me after a doctor's appointment. We're probably going to grab lunch or something, but nothing is really set in stone," Artemis chews slowly on her breakfast.
"Nervous?" He asks, covering her hand with his.
"Of what?" Artemis gives him the same cocky smile he gave her when they were 16. He doesn't buy it for a second.
"Babe, you know what I mean," Wally strokes the back of her hand with his ring finger.
"I don't know," She sighs, letting worry cross her face," I thought maybe we'd be a few months along or something."
"It'll happen, babe. I promise." Artemis's smile warms him down to the bone. Matty coos and gnaws on his hands. His parents laugh. Artemis smooths a piece of strawberry blonde hair from the baby's forehead. Matty takes his mother's hand and examines it. His little hands barely able to encompass her fingers. He looks at her with his sharp gray eyes. Artemis feels a rush of affection towards him.
"Well," Artemis gives her husband another smile," we have this perfect boy. I've got what I need."
"Oh? And what else do you have that you need?" Wally leans forward, green eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Well, I have my beautiful son," Artemis stands, picking up a box of cereal and pouring more into Matty's tray," A roof over my head, a job I enjoy, food on the table…"
"What about me?" Wally asks with a raised eyebrow. Artemis places a bottle of juice in front of Matty.
"You? oh right," She gives him an incredibly sexy smirk over her shoulder as she walks her breakfast plate to the sink," Well, if I had to categorize you…," she trails off pursing her lips for a moment," I don't know where to begin."
"Want my help?" Wally is already moving towards her.
"Oh, you're going to tell me why I need you?" She raises her eyebrow, unconvinced. Wally takes her by the hips and pulls her into a long deep kiss. Just like the moment earlier, everything was perfect. He pulls away just a bit, looking at her under hooded eyelids.
"It's not why you need me. Chances are you'd be better without me. It's why I need you," He kisses her once more," You make me better."
Artemis, rather than making a smartass retort, wraps her arms around his waist. She buries her face in his neck. He holds her to him. Both relish each others warmth, each others mere existence. Together nothing on earth could destroy them. A loud crash immediately forces them apart. Matty's bottle lies on the floor, apple juice pooling around it. Matty screams and thrashes in his high chair, tilting it dangerously. Artemis screams as it falls," MATTY!"
Wally dives just in time. He grunts in pain as the plastic slams into his gut. Artemis snatches up her screaming son as Wally pushes the high chair off him. Matty fights his mother, struggling and beating his fists against his head. Artemis shushes his gently, rocking back and forth, in hopes of calming him down," It's okay, baby. Mommy's here. Mommy's here."
Wally wipes up the juice and straightens the high chair before sitting down next to Artemis on the floor. He holds Matty's fists, causing the little boy to scream even more. His grey eyes aren't even focused on them. They stare off in the distance, fixed on unknown point. His parents are silently counting in their head, worry growing more and more as it goes up. After a minute and a half, Matty calms. His eyes slide back into focus. He gurgles up at his parents, like the fit had never happened.
"How long was that one?" Wally asks.
"Minute fifty five." Artemis holds Matty aloft, slightly cooing to him," What on earth is going on in that head of yours?"
"Mama," Matty waves his hands around his reddened cheeks.
"We should get ready." Artemis passes Matty to Wally, who takes the boy happily. In the nursery, Matty squirms on the changing table as his father finds a blue t-shirt and shorts for him. Wally gently tosses him into the air," Boy, oh, boy, buddy. You are proving to be a butt load of trouble."
"Tubble," Matty parrots, one of the five words in his vocabulary.
"That's right," Wally chuckles," tubble."
Wally drops Matty in a playpen that's become a semi-permanent fixture in the master bedroom. Matty rolls around the plush toys, occasionally grunting or laughing. Wally hums to himself as pulls on clothes. Artemis come out of the bathroom in an old pair of faded jeans and a green tanktop, searching for her jacket.
"You going to be ok with him?" Artemis asks, pulling on her boots.
"Arty, I think I can handle my own kid for a few hours," Wally jokes," besides the guys will be here soon. I think between the four of us we can wrangle Matty without you."
Artemis laughs as she grabs her purse. She leans down into the playpen and kisses Matty's hair," Bye, baby. Mommy loves you."
"Mama," Matty waves his arms up.
"Bye," Artemis kisses Wally. Matty cries as he hears the front door close.
"Hey, little man," Wally picks him up," Mommy's coming home. Honest."
"Mama," the baby wails," Mama!"
"You want a cookie?" Wally asks, his normal go to. Taking Matty into the kitchen, Wally gives him a teething cookie. Matty gnaws on the snack as Wally flips through some mail. Bills mostly, but there's a card from his sister in law and her family. No return address as usual. Jade's work with the league has her all over the world, getting information in places that heroes can't (or won't) go. Wally skims the card. Usual updates. Not dead, Lian begging to see her cousin, been shot at (not fatal), Roy wants to visit, etc. Wally grins, recalling a joke Roy made a few weeks before Wally and Artemis's wedding. You know, I bet their dad has a vendetta against red heads. A knock on the door sends kent racing into the room.
"Doggy, doggy, doggy." Matty crawls after him. Wally carefully steps over his boys as he answers the door.
"Hey, guys. Come on in." Wally ushers his friends around the dog and baby. Matty stops shouting at his pet to look at the three men entering his home. Connor crouches down in front of his nephew.
"Hey, kid, you miss us?" Matty grabs hold of Connor's hand, yanking it sharpy to his face," Uh, Wally, what the hell is your kid doing?"
"Not sure. He's been doing that for the last few days," Matty drops Connor's hands, crawling over to Kaldur on the couch. He holds onto the young atlantean's jeans, pulling himself into a standing position. Kaldur offers his hands to the curious child. Matty studies his godfather's hands, carefully holding onto his fingers to keep his balance.
"He seems to be looking for something." Dick notes. Matty turns his head towards the third man. He drops to the ground, crawling quickly. He shoves the boy wonder's hands away instead holding his arms up. Dick picks him up, Matty immediately stealing his dark sunglasses," Hey!"
Matty ignore him, letting his body go slack, making him impossible to hold comfortably. Dick sets the little thief down and Matty crawls to his toy bin, sunglasses in a death grip. He pulls a bunch of toys out, tossing all of them to the side.
"Isn't he, like, seven months old?" Dick asks, slightly in awe," He shouldn't be able to do half of this…"
"Speedsters, dude," Wally smiles proudly towards his son," Matures faster."
"You didn't."
"Fuck off." Matty pulls out a stuffed bear from the bin, unceremoniously falling on his butt. Matty shoves the sunglasses on the bear and nods happily. He holds it up.
"GRRRRRRRRRRR!" He growls. The men laugh as they watch Matty crawl around and dragging the toy, growling. They talk about life, jobs, missions, significant others. Matty occasionally crawls close enough to one of them, grabbing hands and clothes. For the most part, however, he plays by himself. Wally sits on the floor occasionally handing a toy to Matty.
"So, you and Artemis dying of sleep deprivation yet?" Connor asks, with a slight smile.
"Not really." Matty takes a block from his father's hand," He's sleeping relatively through the night. I think it's the missions that are killing us."
"No Mama," Matty crawls over to his father with a broken truck in hand. Wally snaps the wheels back on the truck," Vroom!"
"That's right buddy," Wally says," vroom."
"So, Dick, you and Kor'i about to have any little ones of your on?" Kaldur asks. The 22 year old runs a hand through his thick black hair.
"Well, we all know the answer to that," he says with a half smile,"But right now, Kor'i and I are just happy to be together."
"Have you talked about kids?"
"Of course. Kor'i's always wanted kids, but living on Tameran is was dangerous to think about."
"Why?" Wally asks.
"Her sister is a fucking psycho," Dick says dryly," She sold Kor'i into slavery. Tried to frame her for a robbery. ALmost forced Kor'i to marry this gelatinous blob. I think Kor'i knew if she had kids, Blackfire would kill them."
"What about you?" Wally asks, noticing Dick avoided the question for himself.
Dick sighs," I don't know. There's so much danger and risk and-and my family is pretty damn notorious in the league for having young orphans."
"Bro, as a dad, I can tell you this." Wally looks his friend in the eye," yeah, there's more risk. Now you've got someone else to use. Someone that feels like being stabbed in the nads when they're missing, I can tell you that from experience. There's risk, yeah, but nothing, I mean nothing feel better than holding your kid for the first time and knowing without a doubt in the world, that they are going to love you. Not pizza, not success. Hell sex barely comes close. So I suggest thinking about a different excuse."
"Well, you seem to have the 'inspirational, no-bull-shit speeches' part of being a dad down." Wally sarcastically laughs, going to the kitchen for a sandwich. Matty observes his father's walk. Grabbing the side of the toy bin, he pulls himself into a standing position. He turns and takes a wobbly step.
"Wally!" Kaldur gasps. Wally turns around and, in an instant, has his phone, recording the little boy.
"Matty, come to Daddy. Come on, buddy, come to Daddy." Matty takes another step and another. He falls on his butt before standing again, walking more confidently this time. Wally sweeps him up as matty stumble into his father," Good job, buddy."
"You weren't kidding when you said he's maturing faster." The other men smile, partially for Matty, but mostly at Wally's reaction. He praises Matty, joking about how one day he would run circles around his dad and how chasing after girls would have a whole new meaning. They almost couldn't believe this was the same guy who had once exclaimed that he would never have kids.
Matty Practices his walking, falling down a lot and standing right back up unaffected. Kent barks as Matty toddles around, fiercely protective over the baby. Wally and his friends watch him for a few minutes, each grinning as the little boy's beaming face passes by. Then Matty stops walking. His eyes glaze over and his smile fades. Wally leaps for him as Matty falls to the ground, screaming. Wally struggles holding his son as tightly as he can.
"It's ok, buddy. I got you." Wally murmurs, holding Matty's pudgy fists to keep him from slamming into his skull.
"Wally, what's happening?" Kaldur asks, Kneeling in front of the young father.
"This happens sometimes," Wally grunts as he holds Matty to his chest," It's like he gets possessed or something. It never lasts longer than 2 minutes."
Matty screams for what seems like an eternity, Wally alternately between rocking him and holding him down. Finally, Matty calms down, curling up into a ball in Wally's arms, snoring softly. Wally excuses himself, carefully placing his son in his crib. Matty curls up on his side, sucking on his pointer finger. Absentmindedly stroking Matty's wispy hair, Wally pulls a blanket over him. Matty looks so at peace, but something is at war in his head.
"What the hell was that?" Conner asks when Wally reappears.
"I'm not 100% sure. He just loses it sometimes. Never know when it's going to happen, but we're pretty good about keeping him safe during it."
"Have you told anyone about it?" Kaldur asks.
Sliding beside Conner, Wally rubs his eyes," Yeah. His pediatrician and the league. There's nothing neurologically off with him. He had an MRI and a bunch of studies done. Matty's got no abnormalities, no tumors, he's a healthy baby boy."
"You ok?" Conner asks, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Not really," Wally leans back," I love my kid, don't get me wrong, but I can't help him. It's frustrating."
His smile has faded away and that's when his friends see the bags under his eyes. Wally stares blankly at the wall, his mind a million miles away. An uncomfortable silence follows until Dick decides to break it," So you and Artemis have a little archer on the way yet?"
Wally smiles softly," Not sure. Arty hates the drug store pregnancy tests, so she had to set up an appointment with her doctor. But who knows. She didn't start showing with Matty til week like 20."
"Yeah, then she blew up," Conner jokes, making Wally laugh. His friends breathe a little easier hearing it.
"Yeah, pretty much. It's possible she's pregnant now. God knows we've been trying-" Wally laughs again as his friends groan at that image," Though I swear to god Matty knows. Half the time he starts crying when we're just kissing."
"Think he doesn't want a little sister?" Kaldur asks, grateful that the pained expression had faded from his friend's face.
"Je ne sais pas, my friend." Wally chuckles," If I had a sister like that, doubt I could blame him."
They talk for a while, occasionally bringing up a story about when it had been the four of them as a team. There's a slight wistful longing to these stories, each yearning slightly for the days where "smash it" was 90% of the hastily thrown together back up plan (though rarely did they bother to have a detailed plan in the first place). Some stories occasionally end in silence, not uncomfortable , but not comfortable either. Jut needed.
Around 3:30, after Matty wakes up, crying for 'no mama', Artemis returns with M'gann in tow. As soon as the door opens, Matty takes off for her. His plump arms waving up at her," MAMA!"
"Hi, Baby. Oh my god, are you walking?" Artemis picks her son up, attacking his little face with kisses.
"I recorded it earlier," Wally tells her after a kiss hello," He's been terrorizing poor Kent for the last hour."
"Hmmm, causing trouble just like your daddy," Artemis tickles Matty's pudgy belly," Speaking of. Wall, I need to talk to you for a second."
The sentence tends to send him into full panic mode. As much as he loves her, something about those ten words terrifies him. M'gann takes Matty, who is instantly fascinated with her red hair and green skin. Artemis takes Wally to their bedroom and bursts into tears once the door shuts.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Wally gently takes her face in his hands, wiping a few tears away with the tip of his finger.
"I don't know. I should be happy," She sniffs.
"Happy…" Wally's eyes widen," Arty, are-are you-"
"Yes." She nods, managing a sad smile," Yes, I am. We're having a baby, Wally."
Wally's heart swells with joy. His family is going to have a new member! If he could, he would run through the city, shouting it from the rooftops and telling everyone he knows. His daughter, because he knows that it's going to be a girl, His beautiful little daughter is going to be here soon. He aches to hold her just as he did when Artemis told him they were expecting Matty. Only with Matty, Artemis had been beaming with giddiness. Now sadness fills his wife's eyes," What else happened?"
"The doctor looked at the baby and said I'm about two months along," That's when Wally's heart sinks. Years ago, their daughter had been sent back in time. In an effort to be believed by her mother, who had refused to believe that she would have children as Wally was believed to be dead, She'd proclaimed that she and her older brother shared a birthday, only a year's difference between them. Matty would be a year old in five months.
"Hey," Wally murmurs to her," We're going to figure thing out. I promise. Right now, a certain little boy should find out that he's going to be a big brother."
Artemis smiles, kissing his cheek softly," I love you, baywatch."
Wally lets one hand drift between them, coming to rest on her stomach," I love you two."
They go back to the living room and find Matty holding Connor's hand, forcing him over to the toy bin. Dick gives them an amused smile," Your son is giving Connor a time out. He's in big trouble, isn't he, kid?"
"Tubble," Matty grunts at his uncle, pointing at the corner. Connor leans against the wall, amused as his nephew smiles proudly at his parents.
"So," Kaldur asks," Is everything ok?"
"Better than ok," Artemis tells him. She takes Wally's hand," We have great news for Matty."
Hearing his name, Matty toddles over, tripping and falling twice. Wally scoops him up so Matty can be eye level with his parents. Wally grins," Guess what, buddy? You're getting a baby sister! Isn't that great?"
"No, Dada," Matty shakes his head. Everyone roars with laughter
"Well, He knows the word Dada now," Artemis kisses Matty's cheek," Don't worry, baby. You're still Mommy's baby boy."
"Congratulations," Kaldur hugs Artemis," I wish you the best."
Artemis accepts the hugs from her friends, smiling at Wally's lame jokes about how their kids would be the best looking badasses in the league. That everyone already knew. Matty's already proving to be adorable, not just with his bright gray eyes and light red curls. He combines the best aspects of his parents- Wally's inherent curiosity in his eyes, the way he cocks his head when someone speaks, Artemis's controlled motions, as if he has them planned out five minute ahead of time, the way he stubbornly refused to give up on any task. His smile is his own though. That's what makes him adorable, the goofy smile on his face, something that seems so pure, so innocent. So happy.
Later that night, long after their friends have left and Matty had fallen asleep, Artemis and Wally lay in their bed. Artemis idly traces her fingers along her lower stomach. Wally reaches over, covering her hands with his.
"Babe, you're going to drive yourself crazy before if you keep that up." He props himself up onto his side," You want to talk about it."
"If he finds out, he'll kill her." Artemis murmurs. Wally doesn't ask who 'he' is. He doesn't need to.
"Your father won't touch either of our kids," Artemis turns and faces him. Wally notes the wrinkles between her eyebrows," What aren't you telling me?"
Artemis looks down," When we thought you were dead, when she showed up, she had some mental block up. I told her to take them down. She, Jania, told us that when she was three, her grandfather tried to drown her in a dog crate. My father use to tell me that a premature baby was a maggot that needed to be squashed."
"I won't let him hurt you, or Matty, or Jani. Don't you get it, baby?" Wally pushes some of her hair from her shoulder," I got you. Nothing is gonna hurt us while I'm here."
"I hope you aren't planning on fighting this war all alone," Artemis smiles, slightly relaxed by the kindness and love in her husband's eyes.
"And risk insulting your badassery? Hell no." Wally covers her stomach with his hand," But you need me right now, so I'm going to be here for you."
She tells him only that she loves him. She can't find the words to say what she needs to say, so she leaves it at those three words. He kisses her forehead, murmuring a declaration of love against her skin. They fall asleep on the opposite sides of the bed that night, but it feels right. They don't need to be wrapped up together every night. They don't need to be touching each other to show how much they love each other. They don't even need to say it really. Their family, their children, the permanent marks on this world that they loved each other. It was more than words could really capture.
