Worst and Best Day
Today Artemis and Dick had another doctor's appointment, everything was fine, and the baby was growing strong and healthy. They got an ultrasound picture to take to her mom and one for Bruce and Ollie. Dick had to go back to work so Artemis took her mom the ultrasound picture on her own along with some Vietnamese food for lunch.
"Hey mom" Artemis called out walking into her mom's apartment.
"Hey sweetie" her mom said.
"I brought Vietnamese food for lunch along with a present" Artemis said sitting the bags on the kitchen table.
Her mom followed her into the kitchen "Oh what kind of present?"
Artemis smiled digging in her purse and pulling out the ultrasound picture "It's the ultrasound picture of the two month checkup" she said handing it to her mom.
Her mom brought a hand to her mouth tears coming to her eyes "Oh sweetie, this is one of the best gifts I've ever received".
Artemis smiled bending down to hug her mom "I'm glad you like it mom".
Her mom hung the picture on the fridge and the two women sat at the table eating their food and talking about anything and everything. Artemis hugged her mom and said she would call her tomorrow but she had to go because Damian was spending the night with her.
When she got back to the apartment Damian was doing his homework at the kitchen table.
"Hey little man where's Dick at?" Artemis said kissing Damian on the head.
"Hey Arty he's upstairs getting dressed" Damian said not taking his eyes off of his math homework.
"Alright, I'm going to go change and then I'll pop some popcorn and we can watch some movies, sound good little man?" Artemis asked.
Damian's head snapped and he smiled "That sounds awesome".
Artemis laughed ruffling his hair "Okay but you need to finish your homework, I am not going through another bat glare from Bruce and a two hour lecture from Alfred".
Damian laughed "Okay Arty". Artemis smiled as she went upstairs to their bedroom, Dick was already in his Nightwing costume, he was just lacing his boots when she walked in "Hey babe" she said.
Dick smiled "Hey 'Mis, how was lunch with your mom?"
Artemis sat down on the bed next to him and kissed his cheek "It was good, we had a lot of fun. How long are you patrolling tonight?"
"It's only supposed to be a couple of hours but who knows with all the criminals in Gotham" Dick said wrapping his arm around her waist and kissing her hair.
Artemis sighed "Okay, but try to get back before sunlight, I don't like sleeping without you".
Dick smiled "I promise I'll be back by sunlight so we can snuggle".
Artemis laughed "Good" she stood up heading towards the closet so she could change into sweats and one of Dick's old t-shirts. Dick followed her wrapping his arms around her waist pulling her into him.
"Do I get a proper kiss from my fiancé?" Dick whispered in her ear.
Artemis smiled turning around to face him "I guess I could do that" Artemis said.
Dick smiled leaning down to gently kiss her on the lips. When they pulled away Artemis changed into her sweat pants and pulled on one of Dick's shirt. They went downstairs were Damian was picking up his homework, "You done little man?" Artemis asked.
Damian nodded his head "Yup so we can watch movies without you getting in trouble".
Dick laughed "That was funny".
Artemis scowled "It was not funny that was two hours of pure torture".
Dick and Damian laughed "I have to get going" Dick said ruffling Damian's hair "You're the man of the house until I get back alright".
Damian smiled broadly sticking his chest out "Got it".
Artemis shook her head even though she was smiling Dick pulled her into his chest kissing her forehead "I promise I'll be back by sunlight 'Mis".
"You better, and be safe babe, I love you" Artemis said.
Dick kissed her quickly on the lips "I will, I love you to" he kissed her again before pulling away and putting his mask on and opening the door going to protect Gotham.
Artemis took a deep breath turning around to see Damian already going through the movies. Artemis smiled and went into the kitchen popping three bags of popcorn as Damian picked out How to Train Your Dragon, Thor, and Battle: Los Angeles. They watched Battle: Los Angeles first, Damian loved all the fighting and shooting, Damian had a huge smile on his face the entire time, which was a little creepy to Artemis. She only had to leave to throw up in the bathroom once during the movie. They decided to watch Thor next, Artemis enjoyed the movie as did Damian but he said there wasn't enough fighting and that their needed to be more, Artemis smiled and ruffled the little boys hair before she stood up to make more popcorn and Damian put How To Train Your Dragon in. Even though Damian was a kid who was into blood goor and violence he enjoyed some movies that were actually for his age. Damian really liked the movie he thought it was amazing that the people became friends with the dragons. Artemis was glad that even though he was a unique kid he could still enjoy things that were meant for his own age. After they watched all the movies Damian didn't want to go to bed even though Artemis could tell he was tired so they watched some crappy late night TV, but like Artemis thought Damian fell asleep twenty minutes later with his head in her lap. Artemis was to tired and flat out lazy to carry him upstairs so Artemis covered him with a blanket and turned the TV off, she rested her head on the back of the couch closing her eyes. She had just fallen asleep when she was woken up by someone knocking on the door. Groaning she gently moved Damian and stood up going to the door.
She didn't expect Tim to be standing there in his Robin costume, with his hands on his knees he was breathing hard and his face was pale. "Tim what are you doing here?" Artemis asked.
Tim held a hand up leaning against the door frame catching his breath "Nigtwing told me to come" Tim said.
"What? Is something wrong? Is he hurt?" Artemis asked instantly filled with worry.
Tim shook his head "No Nightwing is fine, I was on patrol with Batman when he called in, he didn't say what happened but that I needed to get to your apartment as soon as possible. So I sprinted ten blocks to the closest zeta tube and came here, did you know the zeta tube is like eight blocks from here? I'm pretty sure I can't feel my legs".
Artemis shook her head gently taking Tim's arm leading him into the apartment, she shut the door and took him into the kitchen "Damian is asleep on the couch so be quiet" Tim nodded his head as he let Artemis lead him to the kitchen, Tim sat on the stool pulling his mask off and resting his head on his arms. Artemis got him a bottle of water sitting it next to him; she sat on the stool next to him setting her hand on his back "Did Dick say anything about why you needed to come here?" Artemis asked.
Tim moved so that his head was still lying on his arms but so that he could see Artemis "No he just said that he needed Bruce's help, and that he needed me get to his apartment as soon as possible".
Artemis sighed "Alright, come on let's get you upstairs and changed, you look exhausted".
Tim smiled tiredly "I did a lot of running".
Artemis smiled and helped Tim stand up, she wrapped his arm around his waist as she leaned heavily against her, the poor kid just ran eighteen blocks after being on patrol with Batman all night. Once upstairs Artemis got some old clothes of Dick's and put them in the guest room for him to use "These are Dick's there going to be a little big but it'll work, you need to bring some clothes over to just stay here" Artemis said setting them on the bed.
Tim smiled "Thanks Arty".
Artemis smiled and ruffled the teenagers hair "It's no problem; now go to sleep, if you need anything I'll be downstairs just try not to wake up Damian".
Tim nodded his head and said "Good night Arty".
"Night Tim" Artemis said closing the door. Sighing heavily she walked downstairs; Damian would have to sleep on the couch for the rest of the night since Tim was now using the guest bedroom. Quietly she sat back down on the couch and put her feet on the coffee table as she softly ran her hand through Damian's hair. As she sat there waiting for Dick to show up she thought about the child that was currently growing in her stomach. Whenever she thought about it she felt nervous, and excited at the same time, she never spent much time around babies, she had no idea what to do with one. She had a constant worry that she wouldn't be a good mother, she didn't doubt Dick for a minute she knew he would be an amazing father. At some point she had fallen asleep again, she was woken up by someone softly moving the hair from her face.
Blinking she opened her eyes to see Dick sitting their smiling sadly at her, he wasn't in his costume anymore he was in a pair of sweat pants and a black t-shirt "Hey" he said softly.
Stretching Artemis sat up looking down to see Damian gone "Where's Damian?"
"I put him in our bed. There's something I need to tell you 'Mis" Dick said.
"Okay what is it?" Artemis asked.
Dick looked at her hair as he rested his arm on the back of the couch he played with her hair with one hand a sign that something was wrong "I was patrolling in Gotham around your mom's apartment when I noticed lights on so I went to the window to peek in. I saw that a lamp was on the floor broken so I went to the front door and it was wide open it looked like someone kicked it in. When I went inside your mom was on the living room floor with a gunshot wound".
Artemis gasped and her eyes filled with tears "What happened?" she asked barely above a whisper.
Dick closed his eyes "She was alive when I got there but just barely I tried stopping the bleeding I called an ambulance and Batman. I took my mask off to show her it was me; she just smiled and said that she knew all along. She took my hands off the wound and held them in her own, she said 'Tell Artemis I love her, and that I am so proud of her and that she will make an amazing mother and not to worry. Take care of my daughter Dick'. That… that was the last thing she said before she died, I tried doing CPR, Batman showed up and took over but it didn't work, when the EMT's showed up they tried the shock pads but…. But it was too late. I am so sorry Artemis" Dick said with tears in his eyes.
Artemis blinked letting the tears fall "She… she's gone?" Dick nodded his head, Artemis sucked in a breath pulling her knees to her chest letting the sob she had been holding in break through her throat. Dick moved quickly, he pulled her into his lap rubbing her back and whispering it would be okay and that he was so sorry. Artemis wasn't sure how long they stayed there but when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder she moved her head from Dick's chest to see Damian standing there with Tim behind him. Artemis moved from Dick's lap so that she was sitting next to him, Damian stepped forward and wrapped his little arms around her neck hugging her. Dick wrapped his arm around her shoulder pulling her and Damian who was now in her lap into his chest, Tim sat on her other side setting his hand on her shoulder and resting his head on her arm. Together the three Wayne brothers sat there comforting her, they stayed like that until the sun came up.