It's official!
The cat and the bat are hitched. The wedding that was all over Gotham's papers, billionaire playboy marries alley cat from the streets- is finally winding down, and the stress has passed, leaving the family who put it on relaxed in its wake.
Harley and Dick are happy as can be, fantasizing about their own wedding, and Barbara and Sam are just beginning their own relationship. Tim and Steph have rekindled their romance, as have Jason and Ivy- and a friendship is on the horizon for Damian. The family is at peace.
Harley smiled as the the waiter in white and black took her final plate away. Whatever catering service Bruce and Selina had hired had done a wonderful job. Steph and Cass were people watching to the left of her, and Ivy was too busy trying to sneak discreet looks at Jason. Harley leaned past her, her gaze sliding past Barbara who was having a conversation by reading lips with Sam, Selina and Bruce who were whispering to each other, Clark- who was probably listening to a conversation across the room or something, Jason- who was glancing at Ivy, to Dick.
He'd pushed his plate aside, only half eaten, and he drummed his thin fingers on the table. He did look incredibly handsome in his black tuxedo, the purple tie contrasting sharply with the dark shirt and vest. He'd thrown the jacket over the back of his chair. His hair was combed better than she'd ever seen it, he'd at least tried that morning. His tie was loose around his collar that he'd clearly tugged out earlier. She knew him well enough to know that he'd lose the tie and roll up his sleeves soon enough, and she smiled. He bit his lip, twirling his butter knife in his fingers.
When she finally caught his eye, a grin broke across his calm face. He sat with his chin rested on his fist, flopped over the table. He raised his dark eyebrows, mouthed an 'I love you' to her before biting his lip again as he grinned.
'Don't bite your lip,' she mouthed back, smirking. Dick laughed and shook his head.
'You going to stop me?' His lips formed the words, and then he bit the bottom once again. Harley wrinkled her nose.
"Steph," she hissed. Steph glanced up from the doodle she was making with ketchup on her napkin. "Go bother Selina to find out when we're allowed to get up."
"Selina!" she shouted, and the guests at their tables turned to look, some of them laughing. Selina glanced away from Bruce. "Can we... You know, mingle?" She waved her fingers around the table. Dick still watched Harley, a smile one on his lips.
"What? Yeah sure." There was a nearly simultaneous scraping of chairs. Steph hurried over to Tim; she slapped Clark in the shoulder as she went.
"Nice toast, Boy Scout." She hopped onto Tim's lap, giggling as he blushed. Barbara whispered something to Selina before going to join Sam and her father, and Jason and Ivy fled the table, going opposite directions only to meet up at the back of the ballroom. Dick walked towards Harley, his hands in his pockets, and he leaned against the table.
"Buy you a drink, pretty lady?" He asked, smiling and biting his lip just to spite her.
"I'm pregnant," Harley laughed, "I think you need a better pick up line." She angled her chair to face him. Dick laughed, spinning Steph's chair around and sitting down beside her.
"A dance then, maybe?" He rested his chin on his hand. Snow fell lightly outside the windows.
"You're not sick of dancing with me then?" She rested her elbows on the table, leaning toward him.
"Never," he smiled lovingly, shaking his head vigorously and messing his hair up.
"And you looked so handsome," she sighed, reaching out and running a hand through his hair. Dick sighed.
"Did you really expect it to last very long?" He smiled.
"I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did," Harley admitted. She smiled, leaning in and kissing his nose. "But you're still handsome."
"You're not so bad yourself," he smiled, laughing. "I can't believe Bruce is married." He glanced at his father, a small smile on his face. "They look so happy."
"They deserve it." Harley watched them too for a moment before elbowing him. "And I told you he'd relax when she walked down the aisle."
"I guarantee that it will last maybe two hours."
"If anyone knows how to drag that time out, it's Selina." Harley stretched her arms out in front of her, sighing. Dick took her hands and helped her up, guiding her out to the dance floor. People had finished eating and Dick rolled his sleeves up, helping a waiter carry a tray heavily laden with dirty dishes, teetering off of his shoulder. When Dick returned, he loosened his tie.
"Honestly, I don't know who half these people are. Neither the groom or the bride has any extended family." Dick looked around, pushing his bangs back from his face.
"Well Bruce Wayne is a popular man," Harley reasoned. Dick laughed.
"Yeah you can say that again," he looked around, lacing his fingers with hers.
"Well Bruce Wayne is a popular man," Harley repeated, giggling. Dick elbowed her playfully and kissed her cheek.
"Yeah, just because they know him doesn't mean he knows any of them. But Selina seems to be enjoying the company of the wealthy. I'm happy for her, getting the life she always dreamed of." He wrapped his arms around her and sat down in a chair, pulling her onto his lap. "We have to wait for Bruce and Selina's dance... Tell me more about our wedding," he shot her a lopsided smile and nuzzled her cheek.
"Well," Harley laced her fingers behind his neck, "first we're going to have a baby in two weeks or so." She grinned. "After that, we're going to be incredibly stressed. I'm going to be crabby, and not want to plan anything. We're going to be up late, fight, be tired, and hopefully, happy. And between taking care of a third person, a needy person, a person we love, we're going to hate planning for our wedding, but," she leaned her forehead against his, "our wedding will roll around. It may not go perfect, but it will be our day, just me and you. Blissfully happy, surrounded by loved ones, saying 'I do', and where it is, how we looked, if I'm in white, won't matter. We'll be a family, forever."
Dick smiled, closing his eyes as her fingers sifted through his hair at his neck. "I love it when you talk dirty," he laughed, smiling relaxedly. He kissed her lovingly, ignoring the high pitched clinking of Jason's knife against his glass as he again started the room into goading Bruce and Selina to kiss.
"Two weeks," Harley repeated. "Or maybe less. Maybe you'll be getting an unforgettable Christmas present."
Dick smiled against her lips. "I'm so nervous," he laughed.
"That's okay." She pressed her forehead to his again, her blue eyes happy. "It's going to be hard, and it's going to suck. There are going to be some long nights, and lot's of crying and diapers. We're going to get frustrated, and just want her to sleep or be quiet or not need attention for a few seconds. It's going to be terrible, but it's going to be great. I can't wait to see her smile. Or to hear you sing lullabies or tell her stories. Imagine what it's going to be like to hold her in our arms. There's her first words, steps, and we get to watch her grow. She is going to be as naughty as her parents. I bet you cry on her first day of kindergarten, her first prom, when she graduates; her wedding. I'm excited."
"That all sounds incredible, but let's focus on the present. We've got to get her home first," Dick sighed happily.
"Or do you want to focus on the actual present of this wedding? Or is that a no no?" She kissed his nose. Dick smiled and kissed her top lip. He nodded.
"We probably should be a little bit present," he kissed her again, and then stole another. He laughed. "We'll watch the first dance, dance a while, have some cake, and go home."
"So you're just here for the cake and dancing? Why am I not surprised?" She smiled as she kissed him again.
"It's chocolate. Selina demanded it," Dick grinned, looking at the cake.
"Stop eyeing that cake. You're making me jealous." She elbowed him, grinning. Dick laughed and bit his lip.
"Sorry. I think Bruce and Selina are about to dance, we may have to clear the floor." He winked.
"I'm not giving you a chance to sneak off to that cake," Harley told him, not moving.
"I'm not going to touch it," he whined, tugging her off into the tables. "I'm going to have one glass of champagne because it's a special occasion," Dick chased down a waiter with a tray of glasses and took one, thanking him before taking Harley's hand again, "and I'm going to share it with you," he smiled and leaned against an empty table as he took a sip. He kissed her slowly, his tongue tasting of the sweet champagne, a smile still on his face.
"We've made it this far in the pregnancy," Harley laughed, "let's not fall off the wagon now." Dick laughed and put his hands on her hips after putting the glass down.
"You didn't have any. Just a taste," he smiled, kissing her again. Tim walked past and smacked him in the back of the head.
"Keep the PDA to a minimum," he yawned. Dick snorted.
"Don't you have someone else you'd rather spend time with?" he asked. Tim glanced at Steph, smiling a little. Dick elbowed him, and Tim promptly scowled and punched him in the arm.
"I haven't seen Jason around," Tim commented.
"He disappeared with Ivy," Harley scoffed, smiling a little. "Idiots."
"Will everyone please clear the floor for the bride and groom," the DJ requested over the speakers. Tim patted Dick on the shoulder one final time before rejoining Steph; she handed him some champagne she'd snuck off a tray. Dick watched his father proudly. Look at them. Mr. and Mrs. Wayne.
Bruce led Selina out onto the dance floor, taking her hand and her waist as Beethoven's Fur Elise began to be played by the pianist in the corner. The music echoed in the high ceiling of the ballroom as Bruce guided Selina along. They'd practiced it time and time again, and Selina had been humming the song since they chose it.
Her veil was pinned back from her face, her pale green eyes watching his face from under dark lashes as he concentrated on the steps. Selina's hand was delicate on his shoulder. Not missing a step, she moved closer to him and stroked his cheek for a moment, smoothing out the lines in his chiseled face before she replaced her hand on his shoulder.
"You look stunning," Bruce told her. He smiled gently down at her. Selina blushed and looked down, her smile lighting her face.
"And I want to compliment you too, but I can't think of one good enough," she laughed softly, her hand tracing along his broad shoulder as her thumb stroked along his collar.
"There is no word that could possibly do you justice," he kissed her cheek, his lips brushing along her jaw, "but stunning was the first word I could think of. There was also breathtaking, gorgeous, and perfect."
"You do know how to treat a girl right, Mr. Wayne," she purred, smiling as she closed her eyes. She couldn't help her heart fluttering as he swept her around the dance floor.
"It's not hard when that girl made me the luckiest man in the world." His hand tightened around her waist as he held her closer. Selina smiled, arching her back over his hand as he dipped her, nearly finished with the dance. When he pulled her up again, she kissed his cheek.
"I love you, Bruce," she whispered, closing her eyes and listening to the music.
"I love you, Selina. Mrs. Wayne." His face was next to hers, his voice a breath in her ear. She smiled and kissed his cheek with a soft laugh.
"Forget our honeymoon, you can take me here and now, Mr. Wayne," she said tauntingly, barely over a whisper as the song ended. The guests clapped and there were cheers from Dick and Tim. Selina smiled, tucking a strand of dark hair back before grabbing his hand and guiding him to the cake table. Bruce walked behind her, whispering in her ear.
"I may have to take you up on that offer." He glanced at an elderly couple they passed, lowering his voice even more. "While that dress looks absolutely amazing, and I do mean that, I'm looking forward to how it looks on the floor." He smiled pleasantly at the unfamiliar faces.
"Good," she smiled, whispering through her teeth as people gathered around to watch them cut the cake. "Because I can't wait until you see what I bought for the honeymoon," she kissed his cheek sweetly, and Dick snapped a photo on his cell phone. Bruce grabbed her hand. They two of them slowly cut the cake together.
"How long do we have to stay here for?" he mumbled.
"The question should be phrased 'how long will Alfred keep us here'?" She smiled, feeding him a small piece of cake gently, laughing a bit as she did. When Bruce gave her some she bit his fingers, and he cried out in surprise. She laughed evilly, reaching up to kiss him softly. He smiled, closing his eyes when she broke it off.
"I don't think anyone would notice if we left."
"Our wedding? They wouldn't notice?" She laughed merrily, stroking his cheek as the DJ began to play an upbeat latin pop song. She grabbed his hand. "Come on, I want to go dance," she grinned, pulling him along.
"Selina," he grumbled.
"Bruce," she growled, imitating him. She smiled and laughed. "It's your wedding day. Loosen up and dance with your wife. I promise I'll make sure you have a good time," she breathed, turning around to face him. She pressed herself against him, smiling as she danced, pulling him along and flaunting the motion of her hips.
Dick laughed, watching Bruce dance with Selina. "I take it back. Everything you said was right. Apparently, she can actually make him dance..." Dick burst into laughter again, pulling out his phone and taking a video. "I don't care if Jay is busy he needs to see this..." He cackled deviously, watching Bruce and Selina.
"Be nice." Harley smacked his arm, but it didn't deter his filming. "It's their wedding day. Let him have fun without harassing him."
"It's my job to harass him," he laughed. The music was loud, the bass pounding in the room, and more people had joined them on the dance floor. Dick got Tim's attention and pointed at Bruce, and his brother burst into laughter.
"Nope." Harley struggled with him for the phone. She held it behind her back as he tried to reach around her to get it. "I will not have you starting a wedding war out of this," she warned, staring up at him. "Ours is next."
"Fine Harles," he laughed. Dick grabbed her and spun her around, taking his phone back and dropping it on the table. He kissed her cheek and pushed her out onto the dance floor.
"You just set us up to be made fun of," Hatley whined, glancing back at Tim's smirking face.
"Not at all," Dick grinned. "You know how good a dancer I am," he took her hands, spinning her into his arms as a Pitbull song started playing. "And this is perfect for a tango," he laughed.
"Well I'm not a good dancer, so..." She glanced at the growing mass of people surrounding them.
"Just follow my lead," he whispered near her ear, and all the memories of the first time they danced together in this room came back with the familiar words. The terror of knowing she had to leave him; the pain that those familiar words had caused that night. His arms had felt the same around her, his smile had been just as bright- and then the night came and everything was destroyed. She balled his vest up in her hands, burying her face in his shoulder.
"I love you," she breathed. Dick smiled gently.
"I love you too," he stroked her hair, sensing her discomfort but not understanding it. "Are you okay? Maybe we should get some air," he said quietly, pulling her along with his arm draped over her shoulders. He grabbed his suit jacket as they walked to the french doors and then out onto the balcony. The night was cold, but it was still. Dick draped his jacket over her shoulders and pulled the collar around her cheeks. "You okay?" he asked, stroking her face gently. He smiled. Her eyes scanned the balcony.
"It's..." She glanced down. "Last time we were here I... I had every intention of breaking your heart and never seeing you again, and it-" her eyes started watering, "I love you."
"Oh. Oh, Harley," he frowned, just realizing what she was talking about. "I'm sorry. It's okay," he hugged her tight, stroking her hair. "You know what? You did break my heart that night. But it doesn't matter. Because only you could put me back together again, and you did. You put us back together again. And now… well now, everything is okay. I mean… just look at what we've accomplished. We made it, Harley," he whispered, looking out over the grounds. Dick looked down at her again. "You and I."
"I know," she sniffled. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. That night made us what we are. And unless you have some insane secret again, history won't repeat itself," he smiled reassuringly, holding her face in his hands. "I love you. It's okay."
"I know, I know." She blinked back the tears. "I just remembered how much it hurt is all. Who knew then we'd end up back here, no worries this time."
"No worries," Dick agreed.