CLXVI
Happy Endings Part Six:
Thanksgiving at Wayne Manor
In truth… Bruce Wayne had always hated surprises.
He hated surprises so much that he had dedicated his life to preventing them, if only to avoid the kind of surprise that he had received at the age of twelve.
The kind of surprise when his parents had died.
He had developed software that could predict the most probable outcomes based on events and past history. Actions became algorithms, deeds became data. The past was the template for the future, and Bruce Wayne's mind was a constant whirl of scenarios dancing upon a template of probabilities.
As such, Bruce had suspected Raven's "surprise" Birthday party for him all along, but he had simply been unprepared for the scope. The fact that Raven was able to bring together all of their friends and allies in such a short time had been an impressive accomplishment, even for her.
That she had brought Richard back from the dead... That had truly surprised the master detective for the first time in twenty years.
What had happened to Dick the following night should not have been wholly unexpected. The soul of Bruce Wayne had become much too at ease with itself and his troubled past to host to a Demon of Vengeance. His volcano now laid dormant, quenched by boundless love…
Like Bruce, Richard also had a tragic past - losing both of his parents in a cruel and needless fashion at the age of twelve. Unlike Bruce, Dick had managed to bury that bitter tragedy with an upbeat attitude and a dedication to sports - turning his back on the grief that had continuously haunted him for the previous twelve years.
Batman had been the final catharsis of that unrequited pain.
And yet… Raven wanted to surprise Bruce.
Fully aware of his abhorrence to life's surprises, Bruce could only marvel at Raven's continual determination to change his attitude, to expect him to welcome the unexpected. She had only wanted her stubborn husband to know that not all things of the unknown were necessarily bad. He did not have to be afraid.
Raven lovingly explained it like this…
Bruce was one of a handful of mortals in existence that could actually alter Fate. His thread, even though it was now eternally tied to hers, was undetermined. He could weave his own destiny. By seeking to decrease the likelihood of the unexpected happening… he actually could do that.
Bruce Wayne had the power to make his Universe staid and hopeless…
When his wife put it like that, Bruce finally understood.
He had been afraid all his life. His obsession with control and his fear of risk was to prevent himself from getting hurt, to prevent a recurrence of the tragedy of the past.
He could not fear the unknown.
So Bruce had suddenly decided to embrace surprises.
And to turn the tables on Raven by planning his own little surprise…
A wedding.
Getting Raven recognized as an American citizen had not been difficult. Her mother Rachel Roth had been a natural-born citizen of the U.S.A and Raven had been conceived in Gotham. His wife had been the child of sexual assault by a foreign entity, and then born abroad while her mother was 'traveling'.
So Raven became 'Raven Roth' on her U.S. Birth Certificate and her Social Security Card and she was an American.
The fun part was now getting Raven legally recognized as Raven Roth-Wayne. While their previous wedding ceremony had been based upon the rituals of Azarath ad performed in their backyard, there was no mechanism for recognizing that spiritual union here in America.
So they would just get married again. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court had volunteered to perform the service when Bruce had sought her advice regarding Raven's citizenship. So the plan was set into motion…
With Alfred as his co-conspirator, Bruce had arranged a private December 24th wedding at Wayne Manor, complete with all the trimmings. Alfred had arranged the decorations and catering while Bruce had intercepted the invitations - which had just arrived.
Inviting their Wedding guests would be incredibly easy as they were all gathered for Thanksgiving Dinner with them tonight! Luckily, Barbara and Clark had just arrived back from Paris, and Bruce had a pretty good idea who Raven's Maid of Honor had to be.
Throughout the day, Bruce had struggled to contain his excitement. Living with an empath who could read thoughts made keeping his secret surprise very difficult. If he had the thought of Raven in a wedding dress pop into his head again, the jig was up.
But if his thoughts had betrayed his surprise, Raven hadn't let on. Fortunately, she seemed preoccupied with her own Thanksgiving duties in the kitchen. Perhaps one of the most unexpected talents Raven had displayed since his Birthday was that she was becoming an exceptional cook.
But perhaps it shouldn't have been such a surprise after all.
His wife had a wonderful instructor in Alfred, she had unbridled enthusiasm to please her family, access to the best ingredients money could buy, and - if all else failed - the divine power to remake the physiology of their taste buds…
Bruce was pretty sure she hadn't pulled that trick yet.
As their guests arrived, they were welcomed into the warmth of Wayne Manor from the cold November air of Gotham. There was no doubt now that winter was here, with talk of how long it would be before the first snow fell
Barbara and Clark made a grand entrance - recently returned from Paris and then the couple dropped their own bombshell. Barbara was positively glowing as she entered the room, showing everyone the large, new, blue solitaire sparkling on her finger.
They were engaged! Clark had (finally) popped the question in Paris. Barbara hadn't picked the big day yet, but she was hoping for a June Wedding. And she knew exactly who her Maid of Honour had to be (as her eyes fell on Raven).
Although Bruce had called it an Engagement present, Clark had stubbornly insisted on paying him back for the Paris trip, so Bruce had decided that the government would pay the Kryptonian the standard shipping fee for transporting a glacier from northern Alaska to California's Lake Mead next week. California needed the fresh water.
That would avert two crises.
As Bruce looked around at his happily chatting friends and family, he felt the pang of regret about Richard not being here once more. To the outside world, Richard was dead. He had wanted it that way to protect them. And the Batman never took a night off. Even now, while they all prepared for a feast, Dick was patrolling the cold streets of Gotham alone.
Bruce sighed… Alfred would make a plate up for Dick and leave it in the fridge. Bruce would leave his invite beside it.
While the others smiled, joked and congratulated the happy new couple, Bruce couldn't help but notice that Tim Drake looked a little dejected at the news of Barbara's engagement. Tim had carried a torch for Barbara for awhile now, but the young man had been unwilling to act upon his feelings. Like Bruce had been, Tim was afraid of getting hurt, content to live in the emotionless world of the machine.
That was about to change.
Bruce didn't know if Tim would be able to understand (or forgive him for) the contract that Bruce was about to execute. The CEO of Wayne Industries had been with his legal team for the past two days, drafting an air-tight contract that would be presented to Mr. Tim Drake on Monday.
It was purely concern for Tim that had prompted Bruce to do this. If brilliant and innocent Tim were to take over the CEO role as he was now, it would eventually destroy him… personally or professionally.
Besides, Bruce had told Tim weeks ago that when all this was over, that he needed to go on a date. This was his way of making sure that he did.
As the dinner service began, a veritable feast was wheeled out and laid before them! The largest table in Wayne Manor had been ceremoniously crammed with culinary delights! And no one seemed happier about this mouth-watering extravaganza than Dr. Barry Allen, whose appetite had increased ten-fold since he had become the Flash…
As the anxiously awaited the food, Bruce spoke thanks for all the gifts and miracles that had been given to them over this last, extraordinary year. He then prayed for continued peace and prosperity in the world, and gave a personal thanks that they had been allowed to witness the sunrise after both Trigon and Darkseid.
But there was one thing he was most thankful for.
"…the Fate which brought Raven into my troubled life on that destined night. It is now impossible for me to imagine my life without this beautiful, extraordinary woman. I can honestly say that I would not be here if it was not for her. I think we all can say that…
So in the spirit of the Holidays, I would like to propose a toast to my wife. She is the true founder of this feast. A woman to whom I can never express the deepest extent of my love… But… I would still like to try…. So, I would ask you all to retrieve the special envelope placed beneath your setting… and open it… because you're all invited… to our second Wedding!"
There was cheers and applause as they all opened their Wedding invites.
Raven seemed genuinely surprised to find a Wedding invite, a U.S. Birth Certificate and a Social Security Card in her own envelope. There was also an appointment with Gotham's preeminent Bridal Shop for a Wedding Dress fitting later in the week.
A tear fell from her surprised eye…
Victory was his!
Bruce Wayne had managed to pull off the greatest surprise coup of them all…
Surprising an omniscient wife!
With the grin of a conquering champion, he raised his glass once more.
"A toast! To Hope and Love! To my wife, Raven Roth-Wayne!"
They all happily drank of the champagne that Alfred had selected… except for Raven. He had selected this vintage specifically for her. Worry creased upon his brow. Had Bruce offended her somehow? Should he have asked Raven's permission first? He had meant the Wedding as a surprise only, not as a slight against the sacred Azarathian vows they had already undertaken. A new celebration of their love…
And then his wife looked up at him and smiled graciously… but she still did not partake of the Dom Perignon that Alfred had kept from the year of her birth and the turn of the millennium. And Bruce knew that she loved a glass of Champagne.
"Raven… Is everything alright? You're not drinking, sweetheart."
That sweet smile again.
"Everything is perfect, dearest. It is a wonderful surprise and one that I shall cherish forever, my love. I do not imbibe simply because my doctor has informed me that I should not drink alcohol."
She had a doctor?! Why would Raven have a Doctor?
"... Is everything alright? Why did they say that you shouldn't drink alcohol, Raven?"
A wave of happiness washed over him as her smile widened.
"Because I'm pregnant with our child, my love."
A speedy Barry Allen managed to catch Bruce before the suddenly-expecting father collapsed to the floor. The last thing Bruce remembered before fainting, was staring at the large portraits of Thomas and Martha Wayne hanging above the mantle place after Raven announcing that she was pregnant.
So… for all his carefully laid plans and secrecy, it seemed that Bruce Wayne had not won the prize for the greatest surprise announcement of the night. But all of that didn't matter anymore.
The woman he loved more than life itself was pregnant with their son.