Chapter Text
With the final breakfast item placed on the table I looked out at my family, signaling with a wave of my hand their ability to begin. Naturally it was the active kwamis who launched themselves at the table first, quicker than any human hands they grabbed their items before settling down in the alcoves they’d claimed and made their own. The humans at the table were only slightly more civilized as they filled their plates, but it was something at least.
From my seat at the opposite end of the table to Bruce, I watched my family happily. A rare occasion as their various obligations often kept them from eating meals all together.
In truth however, over the last few weeks it had become more a common scene, as none wanted to stray too far from the manor even for their nightly patrols. One might think the city was suffering due to their lack of attention, but fortunately the criminals the family happened upon seemed to spread the rumor that the Bats were a little less forgiven as of late, meaning crime was down. At least those committed by the non-supervillain types.
Fortunately, Tim’s ‘friend’ Conner, had agreed to remain in the manor for the time being and kept the more obtuse rogues from wishing to exercise outside of their homes for the time being.
If only Gotham knew the reason they were sleeping better at night.
From the corner my view I noticed Marinette’s plate remain as it been when Bruce had laid several breakfast items upon it. The fork in her hand, did a decent job of moving the eggs around to make them appear eaten, but in truth they were only disturbed. It would not have been a red flag, as her appetite seemed to come and go as of late, if not for the fact she was shifting in discomfort within her chair, pulling her face slightly from pain.
The act was barely noticeable, as it lasted for under a minute before she had, by my count, six minutes before the pain returned. I’d only been privy to such pains once before, but it was unmistakable. Oddly, my suspicions were confirmed when a blue portal opened just above the dining room table and Bunnix jumped down, knocking my perfectly made breakfast spread to the floor.
“Oh yeah,” she mimicked as she punched down at the table while dropping her transformation.
The act only received praise from Master Jason, who’d high-fived the woman they’d adopted as their aunt, as if it were the coolest entrance ever made.
“The front door would have sufficed, Ms. Alix,” my words lectured, while my eyes scanned the mess upon the floor.
“Yes, this seems a little over the top even for you,” Damian added.
The more eccentric behavior was something we’d grown accustomed to as her appearance in the manor became more frequent. I suppose dabbling in the timestream had to have some kind of effect on a person, initially one would think it would be maturity, but I’m starting to believe she acts the opposite because of the things she’s seen.
“I’m competing for best entrance today, so I had to go over the top,” she spoke as if her meaning was clear.
It was, in fact, as all eyes went to Marinette, who struggled to hide her discomfort from not only the pain she was still in, but from becoming the center of attention.
The rabbit kwami flew from Alix’s shoulder, to come right in front of Marinette’s face. “It is time for new beginnings, or is it time for something new, or time for the end of what we knew?”
“Mari?” There was a strain present in Master Bruce’s voice, a panic settled upon his face. Clearly not mentally prepared like so many before him for what was to come.
“I’ve been feeling them since this morning, they’re getting closer together and are more intense.”
Bruce was undeniably turning a shade of white. Four children, yet the idea of a baby frightened him to no end. If the criminals and evil masterminds of the world were aware of this great weakness of Batman’s, we might be doomed.
“Should we head to the hospital?” I suggested taking charge when it appeared no one else might.
“Too late for that I’m afraid,” Alix proclaimed jumping down casually as if the news was expected, which considering the source was fair enough.
When all eyes seemed to settle upon her, knowing the drive was only twenty minutes with traffic, she explained. “Yeah, there is going to be an accident that blocks the tunnel for the next hour and considering the little one is ready to make their debut…it’s either here in the comfort of your own home or in the car.”
“No one here has delivered a baby before, Alix.” Marinette growled through another contraction.
“Not technically true. I didn’t come from the office.”
“You delivered the baby in another timeline?” Tim ever the astute one concluded quicker than the rest.
“Not exactly,” Alix looked only momentarily sheepish, “I watched a different timeline that had me deliver the baby.”
“Watching a child be born does not make you an expert,” Marinette cried through a contraction.
“True, but in the other timeline I’d never delivered a baby before either. I just happened to show up when Marinette decided to go to the hospital and of course Brucie was of no help, so I delivered the baby in the car.”
Taking it all in stride, pretending to not like being a part of the drama, Jason picked up a scone pulling it apart before plopping a piece in his mouth. “If you came from your burrow, why didn’t you come here sooner so she could make it to the hospital in time?”
“Because she wants to deliver the baby,” Damian deadpanned.
“It’s not that I want to, just don’t want to change the timeline.” Several eyes looked at her incredulously, my own included. Typical of the small Parisian, she didn’t allow it to affect her. “I don’t see how letting her deliver at home would change the future too much, other than allowing her some comfort the car didn’t afford her.”
“I would really like to not deliver in a car.” Marinette whined, looking at Bruce as if he was the one with the ability to make it so.
“I shall have a bed prepared; my understanding is it is quite messy,” I delivered flatly, not giving away the excitement I felt at having another Wayne born in the manor, Bruce being the last.
Alix clapped her hands, before stage whispering conspiratorially behind her hand to me, “another reason is to save the car, I didn’t watch to see if the blood came out of the seats.”
“B-bl-blood?” Dick turned a little green.
“Among other bodily fluids Dickiebird,” Jason added, a smile upon his face for adding to the discomfort of his older brother.
“Boys, please.” Bruce’s words were not stern as if trying to get them to maintain a proper decorum, but whining, as if trying to beg the boys to stop scaring him.
Never in his adult life have I ever seen Master Bruce look like such a lost doe. Usually his emotions, particularly those reflecting his hold on a situation were closed off to outside observers. But the idea of becoming a father was daunting for the Dark Knight. Both the actual childbirth and rearing of said infant.
It wouldn’t be glee, but there would be something to manifest upon witnessing each of my charges as they are confronted by their first blowout. While I had no intension of holding Marinette to her promise I would refrain from participating in changing diapers for the first month just to behold the impending humor.
“Well let’s get this show on the road, her water is going to break in…” looking down at her watch, Alix made a face at the time she saw, “now!”
Marinette stood up from her chair as if it were suddenly on fire. The predicted water began to drip down from her legs onto the wood floor beneath. As if it were the blood previously talked about, the boys raced around the table as if chickens with their heads cut off, no clear direction for their efforts.
Alix watched with a smile upon her face, clearly loving the chaos she was witnessing. Eventually she took pity on Marinette, who seemed too overwhelmed and unsure of what to do with herself. “Alfred, I am afraid we will need that room sooner rather than later. With the parameters being slightly different I can’t be sure if we will be working within the same time frame. Assuming it is, we only have about 15 minutes to get ready.”
“Mistress Alix, I am not sure I will be ready in fifteen minutes.”
“Is anyone ever really ready for a baby, Alfred. All we need is a bed, wet towels, a blanket, and the doctor to be on his way,” Alix stated, clearly feeling that watching the delivery of a baby once, had prepared her for this moment more than anyone else believed it did.
“Doctors on his way, should be her in twenty minutes.” Barbara spoke as she ended a call on her cellphone. “But if there is an accident like you said....”
“Could always just fly her to the hospital.” Conner offered.
“Because that wouldn’t raise some eyebrows. Seeing Superboy flying Bruce Wayne’s wife to the hospital.” Tim deadpanned.
“What? It’s not like with his kind of money people wouldn’t assume he’d have some way to make it happen. I bet they wouldn’t even bat an eyelid if she came riding in the Batmobile.” Jason snarked.
“I believe Master Bruce would like to be present for the birth and not as Batman,” I input before the idea was seriously entertained.
“If nothing else, I’ve helped deliver a calf on the farm.”
Kneading the bridge of his nose as if frustrated, Tim’ s smile beneath his hand betraying he found the statement funny. “Kon, I’m not sure it’s the same.”
“I’ve got this,” Alix said confidently, walking over to Marinette who was still frozen to her spot, eyes glued to the small puddle of water at her feet. “Babs as the only other woman in this house, I’m sure Marinette would prefer you to be in the room if that’s alright. I doubt Bruce will be of much help this time either.”
Turning to Bruce, who’d come to stand at the indignation, Alix added, “not laying fault on you. It’s a big deal to watch your child being born, your focus will be elsewhere.”
Alix walked away without another word, guiding Marinette by her arm towards the guest wing. The boys made to follow but I immediately pointed in the direction of the living room before quickly excusing myself to get the required items for the birth.
Knocking on the door of the room I figured they settled upon, it opened to find Marinette upon the bed, Bruce laying behind her rubbing her shoulders, as the small red kwami seemed to be in intense negotiations with her holder. From the look of dejection, Marinette was not successful in asking for some form of pain management.
The towels I’d grabbed were left with Barbara and instructions to call if anything else was required before I quickly vacated the room. I’d seen a lot of things during my life, particularly as a medic, but childbirth was not one of them. In truth, now was not the time I wished to change that fact; not to mention I’d no interest in viewing Marinette in such a compromising position.
In the living room I was met by raised voices and not only those belonging to the boys. No doubt Plagg had been able to manipulate one of them to release the rest of the kwami’s so they could welcome their guardian’s child into the world.
Admittedly it was an unprecedented moment, never before had a guardian had a child, really anyone in the order as they lived their lives similarly to monks.
Much to Bruce’s horror, Wayzz and Tikki suspected that there may be some residual magic given to the baby as Marinette herself had some, and the fact she was wearing several during conception. The amount—if any—and the kind were greatly debated, many of the kwami’s believing some of their own would be present due to the frequency in which Marinette used them.
“Obviously if he’s been gifted by our magic he should have a name with double letters, it’s tradition.”
“But he will be human you cretin.”
“Kah-wah-me, kwami, not cretin. You, homo sapiens,” Plagg hissed at Damian.
“I still vote for Lucas, a nod to where he was made.” Tim interjected quickly before Damian devised a way to injure the cat god.
For the future Wayne there was no question of where he was conceived, as the two-month honeymoon to Cabo San Lucas was cut short when Marinette was forced to come home due to her hyperemesis gravidarum.
“Grandpa Jagged already told you Lucas was too close to Luka and there could only be one in the family,” Tim delivered.
“Didn’t know they were letting you name the baby or that it was a boy.” Kon commented out into the room.
“They are not Master Conner, but it has not stopped the boys from trying.”
“Marinette didn’t want to find out the sex of the baby, but Bruce bribed Clark into telling him.” Dick quickly stated, not hesitating to bring the conversation back to the name debate. “Anyway, we all know he will be named Thomas after their fathers, it would make the most sense.”
“It’s too obvious and boring. Plus, we know he’d end up with a nickname and Tom is too close to Tim,” the bearer of said name lamented.
“Naming our brother after two great men is not boring, it is something dignified families do to honor those who did great things for their families, which both Thomases have done. Still, I believe any of the names I included on the list I submitted for Mom’s consideration would meet all of our requirements.” The smile upon Damian’s face was slightly smug, certain one of his names would be selected.
“Absa-fuckin-lutely not.” Jason growled, earning my protest against the language. “Ceasar is not a name our younger brother should be cursed with.”
“It was only one of the names I suggested. But Julius Ceasar was one of the finest military leaders, it would be an honor to be named after such a legendary man.”
“Legendary for being stabbed in the back.” Jason joked raising his hand for a high-five from Kon. “If we are going for famous figures, perhaps Fitzwilliam or Heathcliff should be contenders.”
Gagging could be heard from all corners of the room, even the kwamis participating.
“We’re looking for names from this century.” Plagg cackled, as if he was knowledgeable on the topic.
“Boy’s there is no need. While your input was likely considered, the choice is ultimately up to your parents.” I cut in. “Now go and wash your hands. When your father brings the baby, you will not be permitted to hold him without your hands being clean.”
The boys headed towards the door to comply with my orders when a young cry interrupted the silence. Dick reached out to the two bodies beside him as he stopped, grabbing hold to the closest body part, which just happened to be Damian’s shoulder and Jason’s bicep. There was no noise in the room as we all waited with bated breath for another cry to confirm what we’d suspected.
Not a couple seconds later we were rewarded with even more crying, constant now as the young master tested out his lungs.
“Kon, run up to my room and grab the hand sanitizer, there’s no time for hand washing,” Tim ordered the Kryptonian.
Before I had time to advise him otherwise the boy was gone and back with a large bottle in tow.
“That won’t be necessary, Master Conner. It will likely be a few minutes before the boys are called in, affording them the opportunity to properly wash their hands.” I looked pointedly at Tim; no more words necessary to express that there would be no arguments.
Begrudgingly they moved towards the closest bathroom. The moment they realized they were not moving alone, they made it a mad dash, filled with elbows and hip checks to ensure they were first to meet my requirement.
Of course, while I did believe in washing one’s hands, my intensions were not entirely pure. Moving quickly to the abandoned hand sanitizer, I greedily pumped the liquid until it was overflowing. Proceeding to lather it not only on my hands but up my arms as well, as I moved towards the room I’d left only minutes before.
The door suddenly swung open, and a disheveled Bruce stood in the door frame. His hair was standing as tall as his cut would allow, showing his hands had been run through it enough times for the grease to build into a gel. His shirt was covered in something I did not want to take the time to analyze, the result of likely being the first to hold the baby.
Despite his state, there was a large smile plastered across his face that could only belong to a father.
“Where are the boys?”
“Present.” Tim answered as he slid across the floor of the hallway, his brothers close at hand, while Kon apparently had chosen to remain elsewhere.
Bruce pulled back from the door, his smile brightening even more as he took in the sight of his boy as their heads moved to look past the frame towards the bed that held their mother and newest brother. I walked forward to unblock the passage choosing to stand beside Alix and Barbara as they stood off to the side to watch the moment. Only for Marinette to motion me to the other side of the bed.
In her arms was a small bundle wrapped in the baby blanket I’d saved from the attic that once belonged to Master Bruce. A soft coo could be heard, when Marinette’s finger pushed back the yellow fabric to expose the most divine face known to man. A whisp of black covered its tiny head, skin on the paler side like his mother, and when his eyes opened they were the deepest blues I’d ever seen, not quite those of Bruce or Marinette’s.
Not that one could properly look at them, as like the rest of the Wayne men, he only had eyes for his mother.
Smiling down at the babe in her arms, Marinette then looked up and beamed at her older children. “Meet your sister, boys.”
Looking at their faces upon realizing it was a girl, there was only one truth to be known.
They were her boys.