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He froze as he opened his eyes. It was purely pitch black. He was paralyzed and scared remembering his dream of his parents falling to their doom. He remembered reaching out crying out for them. He scrunched his eyes thinking to himself to think of something else. Think of something happier.
But he couldn’t. He was reliving his nightmare in a constant loop with his eyes open in the dark large room.
He struggled in his frozen state but he managed to roll himself out of bed landing on the floor. He took the covers with him and rose himself to stand.
The floor creaked as he walked to the door. He opened it looking to the sides, for what he wasn’t even sure. He quickly closed the door behind him and moved to the master bedroom.
He knocked, “Bruce?” He heard nothing. “Sel-Selina?”
The door opened and in the dark moonlit room he saw Selina in sweat pants and oversized shirt that had to be Bruce’s. “What up boy wonder?”
He looked down, “I- I can’t sleep.”
Selina yawned, “it’s okay kiddo. Come on.” She put her arm around him leading him the way. “Do you want the edge or the middle?”
He lookup at her even though his barely saw all of her face. He remembered his mom asking that. “Middle,” he spoke and them hopped onto the bed.
He heard Bruce grunt. “I didn’t want to wake you guys I’m-im sorry.”
Selina slipped in the covers after him. “Don’t you worry. He’s just a bit more knocked out than usual.” Selina knew Bruce didn’t want to tell Dick quite yet about the after work activities in a certain bat suit so she couldn’t quite say anything.
“Oh.” Dick turned his head looking at Bruce who was snoring.
“Yeah” Selina raked his head with her nails gently. “It’s okay. He’s okay.” She smiled down at him.
Bruce grunted patting the bed, ended up patting Dick’s head. “Hey Bruce.”
He groaned, “what’s wrong Dick?”
“I couldn’t sleep. I- I had the nightmare again.” Bruce hummed out a sound. “Can I stay with you guys. Just for tonight?”
“Dick if the big man didn’t allow you in our bed I’d fight him on it. He didn’t allow Isis and but look where she is now.” Selina gestured with her bottom lip to the small black blob perfectly in the moonlight that was sleeping right by Bruce’s feet. “And he doesn’t even try to kick her off.” She whispered while Dick let out a small laugh.
Bruce grumbled annoyed sounds, moving his body to to face the wall instead them but still being mindful of his movements with Isis at his feet.
Selina went low to Dicks ear, “see?” She huffed out a chuckle and Dick joined.
“Why were you up selina?”
Selina didn’t feel like speaking that she hadn’t really been able to sleep for the past few days. She would close her eyes but her brain wouldn’t shut off. She recently been taking pregnancy test when she realized she was late, wrapping each one in toilet paper so Bruce didn’t see them nor Alfred. Some were negative, some were positive. She went to the doctor yesterday who told her she wasn’t and she had a breath of relief escape her. Then finally her period arrived. Except she kept having the thought of what if now. But when she looked down at Dick she didn’t want a smaller one quite yet.
“Haven’t been able to sleep,” she shrugged.
“Bad dream?”
“Something like that.” The reoccurring thought of being a twenty five year old with a twelve year old and a baby struck her. No she wasn’t really for that at all. She had to get back on her birth control.
“Sel you mind telling me a about when you and Bruce where young?”
Selina smiled to herself as in the past couple months here and there Dick loved asking her about her stories she had with Bruce growing up. She especially loved the ones teasing about him following her.
“Hmmmm,” she hummed thinking of one she hasn’t told. She set the scene for Dick, imagining the world in her eyes seeing it once more. She could just see it now, the rainy days, the gloomy skies above as she watched Jim from above looking at a case. But instead of a story that involved death she decided to tell a story of Bruce leaving the school buildings during the lunch hour to meet with her and teach her the pristine private school teachings.
Compared to her small bits of homeschool at the precinct with Gordon and Bullock along with other cops that had gotten to know her well enough between her helpful information and arrests of thievery. She would willing agree to meet up with Bruce at times scaring of the girls that fawned over him. She recalled a time of Bruce inviting her to a dance, only for her to be bullied and harassed, so she had ran as she the environment alone made her uncomfortable and being the certain of attention for older kids who knew she didn’t belong there made her bolt.
Bruce had later found her by a pond with a gazebo asking her to dance with him under the moon light.
She figured the story of Bruce schooling her along side a dance story was boring enough to make them both fall asleep, unfortunately it only did the trick for Dick.
“Haven’t thought of that in a long time,” she heard Bruce speak with a groggy voice.
She shrugged, “First thing that came to my head,” she laughed a little, but the sound came out to be sad as she held her head down, fingers still raking through Dicks black hair.
“Still not tired?”
He was facing her now. She didn’t even hear him rustle turning around. “Yeah.”
“What’s going on Sel?”
“Had a bit of a scare.”
“A scare?” She could just see his face now. Eyes raised, lips straight no curve in any distraction and if he was actually up straight his arms would be crossed.
She looked away even though in the dark room she can’t really see his eyes but she knew he would be looking at her like he could see hers.
She listened to Dicks breathing knowing fully well he was completely and contently asleep. She sighed, “ a pregnancy scare.” She felt Bruce sit up knowing he got energy of a bit of excitement. “I… I got a test done and I’m not. But I’ll admit I’ve been too careless since I’ve come back,” she spoke sheepishly. “We’ve haven’t really done it all that much cause of our, mainly yours, nightly routine and I’ve just completely forgotten to be a bit more careful.”
He reached out to her grab her right hand that was on her lap, “is that why you’ve been up every night and more distant?”
Selina swayed her head, “yes. I’m just not ready. I’m not ready for that step. I love being free and being able to run with you late at night. And I not being tied down. And-“
“Selina.” She could hear the smile, “we’ll be more careful until we are ready. I already pushed something new onto you.” She knew he was talking about Dick. “I’ve actually done that many times. But I won’t put pressure or any rush into growing our family.”
“I still have the fear of being like my mother. I have the fear they’ll hate me or the danger of having them cause of what we do.”
“You’re not alone in any of those thoughts. I’m here and I always will be. We’ll figure it out when that times comes. Until then you can put that fear down. Please get some rest.”
She smiled at him, her head leaning against the head board. Of course little did she know how large their family would actually get. In due time their family would get larger than they were actually use to and would have ever thought of. The two only children grownups would never believe if someone had told them they would have a full house ringing with so many voices.
“Wish I was cuddled up next to you,” she spoke, not thinking this would be the conversation of tonight which is why she gave the option to Dick hoping he’d be the buffer as she stayed awake and Bruce slept. But that turned out to be working against her as all she wanted now was Bruce’s arms around her.
“It’s a good think you aren’t cause he has warmer feet,” he chuckled trying to make her laugh.
She twisted her mouth into a sour look, “that’s just cold Wayne.”
He grunted with a smile on his face as he shuffled and moved out of the bed. She watched him as he first pick Dick up gentle moving him more towards his side then walked around the large bed and came upon her side. He grunted and she looked at him, ever the man of words but she smiled. She shuffled to the side, allowing him space to climb on in. He wrapped his arms around her and she welcomed his embrace, kissing his bicep that was next to her head now. “I love you,” she whispered as she wrapped her feet around on of his legs, moving them up and down trying to warm up.
He froze up a bit not ready for the cold touch which woke him up more. But he then got accustomed to it and just held her closer his head practically laying on hers. She then heard words escape his mouth. “I’m sorry Selina.”
She narrowed her eyes starting at the dark wall in front questioning what he was sorry about but spoke, “You have nothing-“ only to be stopped.
Bruce was reluctant to speak about any of his feelings. He’s known Selina for so long yet he was still very tentative with his feelings. It was the recent nights of seeing family’s murdered and Gotham seemingly not getting better by the day that ate him up. But he didn’t want to burden Selina as he felt like she had and continues to pull through so much with him. He at times feels like he should’ve never tried to be happy with her, as if he should’ve pushed her away for her to find a happier life. “Im sorry for not putting you first. I should put you first. I should put you both first. I’ve been consumed by Gotham and Batman that I forget what I have and I don’t want to push you away. I want us to be happy.”
“You sap,” she let out a small laugh and turned her head so she was face oh the curling while his face was now facing her cheek. “I am happy. And you know I’m here for you. And your fight against this damn city. Love you too much to let it get the best of you. That’s why I stand by your side. I’ve done it for the past fifteen years or so,” she pecked his lips.
“I love you more,” he responded in a way to her response to him but also to her I love you she spoke before, pecking her cheek.
“We all have our demons Bruce. What a trio,” she huffed, “let’s not have them eat us up.”
Bruce pecked her lips back, “agreed.”
———-
Alfred had gone up the stairs as it was seven twenty in the morning on a Friday, and he has yet to see Dick slide down the stair railings to enter the kitchen. However when he reached the young masters room the door was open but he wasn’t there.
He checked the hallway but no sight of him planning a surprise attack from anywhere. He slightly paced fast towards the master bedroom. Knocking lightly first then opening the door opening his mouth to speak but the sight that he beheld he smiled. Bruce was under the cover with Selina curled up next to him as Dick laid perpendicular to them on top splayed out and his mouth open. With the last addition of Isis the cat on top of Bruce’s forehead.
Alfred held onto the sight reminiscing the one of few times he caught Thomas, Martha and Bruce in a similar morning position. He brought out his phone and took a picture, the sound blaring off.
“Alfred I swear if you sent that to Gordon we’re gonna have a problem,” Selina grumbled into Bruce’s chest but loud enough for the butler to hear.
Alfred laughed, “wouldn’t dream of doing so miss, however it has been sent to Leslie.”
“Oh Jeeves,” Selina groaned, she’ll never hear the end of this now, but she smiled wide regardless. In due time she’ll see it be the background to Bruce’s phone screen. Of course as the years go by there would just be added additions making it a tradition for Alfred to catch them.