Martha sighed in relief, "Ah, that's better. She's less friendly, and more relaxed...I certainly had forgot how much better the bed is when I fed Poppy in turns with you, Kel, and then of course, Bruce.", gazing at their daughter now contentedly and calmly suckling.
Thomas chuckled, "I remember...Well, that officially settles it... Our daughter is clearly wanting to be like Poppy, sharing turns with you two...", with a smile, and Kel smiled, "I'd be happy with that as long as I get more rest.", kissing Martha on the cheek as she leaned into Thomas's side.
"I can agree with that.", Martha smiled, and so, in agreement and much relief, and less exhaustion, their life of raising a newborn just got easier with sharing feeds.
Months to a few years passed since then, with the older grandchildren dating with approved, open-minded, and kindly people the family knew of, like Jane is dating Lucius Fox's son, Lucas 'Luke' Fox, who was born late in life with sadly the passing of Lucius' wife in childbirth.
Sean was secretive, a bit worried at first because he discovered that he likes boys, coming out as gay, dating Duke Thomas, the best friend of Luke, but at his twin sister's support and encouragement, he told the family.
As for Daphne, she is dating Terrence 'Terry' McGinnis, a player in soccer yet a reputative flirt and also a friend of Dick on the same team, and she is hoping to help Terry realize that she's not playing around as Terry is really a softie, just insecure.
Dick and Damien, on the other hand, still weren't having the best of luck when it came to dating fronts. Of course, the family didn't insist they rush into anything they didn't feel like. Martha and Thomas knew that all too well for sure, considering their parents when they were young.
Their time would come for them sooner or later, but at the moment, their minds were still more focused on just surviving high school, and in Damien's case, trying to keep his feline gifts under control.
In the meantime, during the few years, Barbara and Nora and Victor got married, with James giving away both Barbara and Nora in the ceremony, much to Nora's joy, becoming the Fries-Gordon family and both Barbara and Nora graduated university, with Barbara gaining quite a strong reputation as lawyer, and for Nora, she became a teacher in elementary school, adored by the younger kids of the family; Stephanie, Cassie and Kate.
As for little Stormi, she is trying to give one shot with pre-K school for her parents in the first term, and if she has too much of being teased or bullied, she then can be homeschooled at online school.
Peace and tranquilly was mostly the word for the entire family; crime was fairly light in town, both in the efforts of its vigilante guardians but also in a computer age, crimes easily could be committed over the web.
Still, it certainly didn't mean tragedy and trauma didn't visit them as it did for the newlywed family in both Nora and Victor...
It was perhaps 3 months after they celebrated their first anniversary as wives and husband, and Barbara and Victor has been getting concerned about Nora who has been looking tired as of late, much more unusually tired than she would be like after her days of teaching, which she reassured them that she will be having more rest after the exam season for the elementary school is over.
"I'm starting to worry, Vic...I know it's exam season, but she is immediately tired even after just one round of lovemaking to get the stress out of her, and sure, she has herbal tea and some energy gummies to help during her teaching days...", Barbara sighed deeply as she is off for the day from her lawyer job, having a lunch date with Victor during a nice, sunny day outside a cafe.
"I think it's more than simple exhaustion.", Victor admitted. "Nora claims she's fine, just tired but I fear it might be something more...", he sighed as Barbara nodded, "Certainly should get her checked out then... maybe it's nothing, just we're perhaps overthinking this...".
Victor nodded, "I hear you...And I know the plan of having kids starts this summer or next summer, on how much we've settled into doing everything together as a married family.", as he knew Nora has been on birth control like Barbara, so it can't be pregnancy.
Barbara nodded as she sipped her ordered cup, "We need to talk with her before she starts forgetting something around this...", and Victor replied, "Tonight, then?", knowing that on Barbara's days off, she takes the nights to patrol as Batwoman, since she takes time for relaxing and lovemaking after her scheduled days as a lawyer.
"Tonight. The others will understand.", Barbara replied with a sharp nod, knowing that the city got more protectors beside her, and Victor smiled at her, holding her hand tenderly and warmly, and she smiled back at him, resuming their lunch date a bit longer before Barbara's phone rang.
She picked it up, smiling as she realized that it must be recess right now, seeing Nora's number, and she connected the call, "Hey, Nora, love, I and Vic were just-", before her father's voice was heard, "Barbara.", in a sharp, urgent tone.
Barbara's heart pounded as she knew that Nora's password to her phone is only known by Barbara, Victor, James, Poppy, and the principal of the school, with the exception of being used for emergency call. Being Barbara's best friend, and how the kids love Nora and Victor, the extended manor family were witnesses in the ceremony.
"Dad? W-where's Nora?", Barbara whispered in horror as Victor froze, looking at his second wife in shock and worry, and James exhaled, "Barbara, Nora...she collapsed in her classroom...The kids grounded from recess called for help, and someone got 911...I'm at the General hospital...It doesn't look good...They're looking her over...You better come quick...".
"Shit...", Barbara cursed as she closed her eyes. "What happened?", Victor asked her as she sighed. "Nora collapsed. She's in the hospital... it was worse than we thought.", Barbara started to tear up.
"Well, what are we doing here right now?!", Victor stood up. "I'll pay the bill.". Barbara replied, "We're coming, Dad, don't leave, please!", and James replied, "Wouldn't dare. She's as much family as you and Victor are. Be careful out there on the way.".
"Thank you, Dad! Love you too!", Barbara responded back before hanging up, as Victor paid the bill as quickly as he could, and they went to Victor's car, as Barbara tried to hold back from being a sobbing mess, "We're a horrible wife and husband, Victor...We should have brought her sooner...I thought...God, I can save people on the streets, but this...", as she tore napkins into pieces in her passenger seat to keep her hands busy.
"It's not our fault.", Victor tried to tell her. "We knew something was off, but no one could blame us for thinking that it wasn't something really serious. At least we finally were decided to get her a checkup at least...", he told her. Barbara knew he was right. Mostly anyone else, in the same position, would've thought maybe it was simply exhaustion or something beforehand.
Barbara exhaled, "Still, I'm still scared for Nora. What kind of collapse did she have?", with a worry of her lips, and Victor replied, "I'm wondering of that too, but we will be there for her anyhow. General Gotham Hospital, right?".
Barbara nodded, "Yeah.", and so, it was a nervous, tense, mostly silent atmosphere in the car as Victor drove, focused on making it to the hospital while obeying the traffic laws, even if he wanted to go faster desperately.
It didn't take too long but the fact they weren't already with Nora tore away at them before they got inside and were hurried to where Nora was being kept, obviously running into James Gordon first. "Is she alright?", Barbara immediately asked. "Is she stable, is she critical, what?". She was almost frantic for answers.
James immediately saw his daughter so distraught and hugged her as she clutched into James's coat, and he spoke, "She didn't hit any sharp corners on her collapse, thankfully. It just came out of nowhere, and she collapsed sideways after seeming to rub at her temples like she was having a really dizzy migraine from what the kids said...She was mildly dehydrated, and there had been no poison or bad food from the report of her bloodstream...She's both stable yet critical, as the doctors are taking tests to see what else is wrong, but she's alive and resting.".
Barbara sobbed in relief, "Oh, thank god...", as Victor sagged against the wall at the relieving news that their wife's alive and resting, and he exhaled, "C-can we see her?".
James glanced at the clock, "The doctor in charge said the radiogram and the x-ray tests will be in 45 minutes, and I was in there barely for 20 minutes before she fell back asleep, and you two will have to contend with 20 minutes or more to see her...I know you said that looking over and grading student exams is exhausting for her, but she looked like she majorly needed it...", with a sigh as he rubbed his daughter's back, glancing at his son-in-law.
"Clearly something more.", Victor sighed. "You have a doctorate, do you have any ideas?", James asked him as Victor shook his head.
"Well, I'm not fully the medical practice type with that doctorate though I know human anatomy and such; but I wouldn't fully know where to begin, at least until we get some results.", Victor said.
James nodded, "Fair enough...I better not keep you two away. Go ahead and I will keep watch for Mrs. Jones as she would have heard the news from her kids and all.", referring to Poppy, as he knew the younger grandchildren of the extended Wayne family adored Nora as their teacher, and of course, Barbara had been the lawyer for the elder Waynes which gave Barbara's career a boost, and still is, though she is also the lawyer for some other clients as well.
Barbara gave a small, grateful smile, "Thank you, Daddy.", letting go of her father, and kissing him on the cheek, and grasped into Victor's hand as they went to Nora's appointed room.
"Nora...", Victor whispered as they saw her lying in the bed; obviously looking calm at least but hooked up to IV tubes and heart monitors. "Damn it...", Barbara shook her head; hating the fact she was seeing her wife in this state.
Victor squeezed Barbara's hand gently, "Come on...Let's sit...Perhaps she could feel a bit better with our presence close by.", and Barbara nodded. They carefully scooted a couple of chairs closer to the bed, and saw that Nora had a couple of bandages in certain places where a blood draw and a skin scrape was.
"Nora...we're here...we ain't leaving you if we can help it...", Barbara whispered as she gently brushed Nora's hair, while Victor gently caressed Nora's hand, feeling a bit better to feel her life's warmth, even if the heart monitor is showing that she's fine.
15 minutes passed before Nora woke up from her increasingly repeating nap, and she opened her eyes tiredly, perking up in tearful joy, whispering, "Barb, Vic...", and Barbara gave a relieved smile, "Nora, thank goodness...You gave us so much fright...I thought I would never tell you that I love you again..", kissing her on the lips first as Victor gave a tearful smile, "I hoped those beautiful ice blue eyes would open for us, Nora... I love you so much too...Do you remember what happened?", kissing her next on the lips.
Nora blushed for a moment before she looked around, "Sorry, sorry...". Barbara quickly realized that Nora's mind was probably racing, wondering what had happened. "You're in the hospital; you passed out and your students called for an ambulance before you were brought here.", she explained.
"Oh...", Nora gave a small gasp before she was trying to think back to what had happened. "Well... I... um... I recall being with my students... I was teaching. Then I think I started to feel dizzy, lightheaded perhaps... then I wake up here.".
Victor replied, "Barb's dad, James called.", and Nora blinked, "I thought I imagined him earlier...Did Dad say anything?", as Nora was adamant on calling James her dad as he was as much as one to her since Mr. Mears rejected her.
"No poison or bad food from the checkup of your blood draw..", Barbara said, and Nora exhaled, "Lunch felt normal as it was your cooking, Barb...There was a test this morning to prepare the kids for the exam this Thursday...I think I was reaching for some of the tea in my carry-on drink...".
Victor nodded, "They said you were a bit dehydrated...Nora, you pushed yourself over the limit with exhausting about looking over and grading the exams...You scared us...This isn't simply a case of over exhaustion...Even James said the same.".
"I'm beginning to think that too...", Nora admitted. "I just thought maybe it wasn't anything serious... certainly nothing to worry you two with but...". She glanced around again, "Obviously not.".
"Look; whatever it is, Nora, we'll get through it together, you understand?", Barbara smiled as she took Nora's hands into her own. "As husband and wives.", she chuckled.
Nora smiled softly, "I love you two...As husband and wives...So, what's next for me?", and a voice cleared their throat, "A radiogram and an x-ray series of tests, and if we find something, the best thing to look deeper is a cat scan then.", as the trio looked over to see a doctor coming in.
"So, you must be Mr. Victor Fries-Gordon, and Mrs. Barbara Fries-Gordon. Beautiful to see such love in a unique way. I'm Dr. Samson Daniels.", the doctor replied with a patient, neutral smile.
"How long does those tests take?", Victor asked, and Dr. Daniels answered, "We must be through, so at least a couple of hours, and then I'm afraid to say that you would have to wait for the results for several hours, but luckily, Mrs. Nora Fries-Gordon can sleep and rest in the meantime. Visitor hours are over by 8:30 pm, but I will make sure to rush and double-check the results with my other comrades.".
Barbara exhaled in relief yet slightly concern, "Thank you, Dr. Daniels..", and Nora replied softly, "Does that mean I'd need to go in for the tests now?".
Dr. Daniels nodded, "Afraid so. I'll gather a couple of nurses to help move you, but you have a few minutes with your reassurances and all for your husband and wife.", as he checked the IV bag, and then left the room to page a couple of nurses.
Nora glanced at her loves of her life, "So far they have been taking care of me so well. I will be fine...I will be even more tired after those tests, but I'll be back in your arms while resting, okay?".
"Yeah... we know.", Victor smiled. "Won't stop us worrying, of course, with not being around you for even a second...", Barbara chuckled as Nora smiled, "Don't worry, I'll be back before you even can start missing me.".
Victor kissed her again on the lips, and then Barbara had her turn again, and Nora squeezed their hands together, and so, she was moved with the doctor and his selected pair of nurses, and like the doctor said, the tests were through, lasting just under a couple of hours, before Nora returned to a better, comfortable room, taking turns sleeping and resting with Barbara or Victor when the other are busy getting coffee and dinner from the cafeteria, with even James coming in and out with Nora's favorite blanket from the trio's residence, and even Poppy checking in twice between reassuring Barbara, and bringing into a sneaky dessert for Nora over the next several hours.
It's now 7:00 pm, an hour and half before visitor hour is over, and Nora is feeling much rested and stronger, able to take bathroom breaks. "I really hope it's nothing serious...", Nora sighed after she pressed the button to ask the nurse if the doctor got the results yet, and that if she can be discharged from the hospital.
The fact that she was at least feeling better, that had to be a good sign, right? Maybe it was just overworked exhaustion and such, nothing too serious. Victor kissed her on the cheek, squeezing her hand, "So do I, Nora. All the same, you better talk with the principal to give you at least a week off, I am sure there's a substitute for you, and you deserve some good massages and rest.".
Barbara nodded, "Vic's right. You really need it, Nora, and we'll be there with some good cooking...At least exam season's ending around the start of next month, and summer's then coming after the last two weeks of school...", with a smile and a kiss on Nora's other cheek.