254

Artemis thinks it's probably about time she told Wally he was actually going to be a father before, well, before it actually happened.

"No- I, I have to do this by myself." Artemis reluctantly accepted the hands being offered to her, knowing she wouldn't be able to stand without them.

It sucked, really.

Because all she wanted was to be alone and not surrounded by speedsters but they were her family and family was exactly what she needed right now.

Ugh.

"We'll be waiting here in the car for you, sis." That was Jade's enriched voice, who for reasons unknown had become quite pally with Bart and Barry and Artemis highly suspected it was Red Ar- Roy's doing.

Or her mother's.

Definitely not her father's.

There was a quick affirmative sound from Bart, who hugged her protruding stomach (Really, it was like she had swallowed a whole planet! Wally'd get a kick out of that, she was sure. "Does anyone know what happened to the plant Pluto?" Is what he'd ask, before cracking up and declaring "Artemis swallowed it! And I thought I had an eating problem." Yeah. That's what he'd say. It was exactly what Grayson had said, in an attempt to ease the tension between them during one of her madly frightening mood swings.) And, of course, he called them by their names which she had definitely not told the little brat or anyone else and could only glare while he smiled sheepishly at her declaring 'I'm from the future, so I know.'

Which made her angry the first time he said it, because he was from the future and knew.

But she couldn't stay angry at him, because, well, future's change.

His future may have involved her kids, and it may have involved Wally also.

She'll never know.

Rejecting a walking stick from Barry, (she was pregnant, not old. Her legs worked perfectly fine.) Artemis began the arduous trek up a path so familiar to her.

She hadn't been since she was three months gone, when she could easily hide the bump with baggy clothes.

Call her stupid, idealistic, or whatever, but she hadn't wanted him to know.

Couldn't let him know, and it broke her heart.

When she came to the end of the path, when she had to veer right and disappear from her family, Artemis's pace slowed down.

She was still going, though much much slower this time, and she could see his head stone rising now-

She didn't remember walking up to the grave, or putting the rotting flowers in the bin, or replacing them with her own, new, fresh ones, or just standing there dazed and crying and numb.

She only remembered that a droplet splashed on her cheek, and it was starting to drizzle, and if it got any heavier Barry would come running and her time with him would be cut short.

"Probably not-" She had to clear her throat there, for it was thick and gravelly and not what she wanted to sound like whilst talking to him. "Not what you were expecting, huh." She chuckled nervously, a low throaty sound.

"Uh. It's, um, twins. So, no, I didn't- didn't swallow Pluto. I know you were thinking it."

She could hear his laughter in her mind, echoing like the wind around her.

"I didn't come before because… because I didn't know how to tell you? Didn't know how to face you."

She paused here, resting one hand on her stomach and taking a deep breath. The children moved inside her.

"Your family has been a great help, well, I guess they're technically my family now. And Grayson, too… yeah, he told me his identity. How cool is that? Boy Wonder was actually the Prince of Gotham. No wonder you too got along so well."

She shifted on her leg, and felt her stomach twist in the oddest sensation.

"This is your daddy," She murmured softly down to them, giving her stomach a rub. "They're due in about a week, by the way," She added, looking up quickly.

"And I've already chosen the names; do you want to know them? Of course you do," She answered herself, because really, it was a stupid question.

What father didn't want to know the name of his children?

"It's er, well I should tell you I know the genders too – a boy and a girl. At least they won't be identical." Grayson, too, had made that joke. "I know how much you idolised your aunt and uncle, and the Garricks. So I kind of named them after them; Iris Paula West, and Jai Bartholomew West."

She smiled softly, eyes closing for a moment.

The weird feeling was still there, as was the rain, but she assumed it was just the feeling of being free from the burden of not telling Wally he was to be a father.

She bent as much as she could, stroked the headstone affectionately, and declared: "I've been here a while now. I'd love to stay longer, but… they're probably worried about me."

Artemis turned away, wiping the tears from her eyes.

She sniffed a bit, and began heading back to the car.

She'd just made it to the turning, the vehicle in sight, when pain caused her to almost double over. She let out a surprised yelp, her body trying to fold in on itself, and finally- finally, she felt the water dribble down her leg.

"Oh, Nyahh!" She yelled, screamed, cried- whatever. But it was loud and pained and enough.

Barry and Bart are beside her instantly, freaking out and trying to get her back to the car whilst avoiding causing her (or her children) any harm.

So the average pregnancy I found in a little bit of research was 266 days (excluding period and blahblah), so I figured 254 days since '180' would have been acceptable as she'd have had to have time between him being gone and thinking something was wrong…

Hey look a sequel with a thirdquel in production. Whaaaaaaaat.