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Amelia Wayne and Faye Allen had been running down the stairs with the elephantine lightness of every five year old kid when the oldest one noticed Faye’s mom and her father waiting for them.
“Father ?” she had asked as she and her best friend in the world had reached the last step.
He knelt to put his hands on her shoulders. Amelia threw an interrogative glance at her friend, but her Mom had wrapped the girl in a hug and she couldn’t see her face.
“Amelia, sweetheart. Something happened. Something good. I would have liked to prepare you better for it but - listen, I know you just want me to end this quickly so you can go back to playing with Faye but it’s important, Amelia.”
Amelia nodded solemnly. Maybe for once her father was going to tell her about big adult stuff. She couldn’t miss the opportunity, even if she’d rather just chase Faye across the corridors instead of staying there listening to her Dad.
“Can Faye stay or is she going to leave ?” she asked, already half-pouting.
“Maybe it would be best if we - if we left you en famille.” Faye’s Mom said.
Amelia usually liked her voice, but it was quivering a little bit. Before Amelia could open her mouth to protest, her father had.
“Jess, we don’t know how he’ll feel about seeing friends and I’d rather check with him but you should stay, just in case. And Aurora hasn’t even finished her afternoon nap.”
Faye’s Mom nodded and Amelia sighed in relief. If she had been older, Amelia may have understood that she only had agreed to stay when she had seen the distress in her father’s eyes. Bruce didn’t want to be alone to deal with this. But Amelia was only a five year old child, and she just wanted to run down stairs with her best friend.
Her father had sat her down on her favorite armchair in the living-room to explain what was happening to her as Faye’s mother did the same thing in another corner of the room with her own child.
Bruce had looked through the family albums and had snatched the one with all the photos of Amelia’s other Dad. He went through it with Amelia from time to time. Amelia had often seen it on the coffee table and she thought that maybe he looked at the pictures without her sometimes too.
“We’ve talked about your Dad before. I’ve told you he was far away and couldn’t come back but that he loved you very much, you remember that ?” he asked her.
He doubted she had forgotten. He had told her a lot of stories about Hal and how much he loved her.
“Yes. Dad is in the stars.” Amelia said, nodding.
She didn’t seem too sad at the thought, probably because she couldn’t remember Hal, but having his own words thrown back to his face made Bruce flinch slightly. Not enough for Amelia to notice, hopefully.
“Well, your Dad is back. Are you ready to meet him ?” he asked her.
He wasn’t sure it was the words he should say. He wasn’t sure how to go about it. People didn’t come back from the dead all that often. Well, in most families anyway.
“I am going to have another Dad for real ?” Bruce’s little girl asked.
“Yes. He’s going to be there very soon.” Bruce said.
Little kids were funny. His daughter didn’t seem to feel the roller coaster of emotions that was raging through Bruce at the moment.
“Okay, father.” she said. “Can I go and play with Faye some more ?”
Well, if he wanted someone to share his nervousness and excitement, he should have turned to the other adult in the room. He could tell that Jessica was barely holding it together. She had sat next to him to look at pictures of Hal as the girls resumed their games.
She commented sometimes as they turned the pages but Bruce stayed mostly silent at the procession of Hal’s faces. The wait was excruciating.
“God, that angle ! Pretty sure my husband took this one.” she laughed at a badly centered picture before pointing out at another where Hal was wearing a suit. “Oh, I remember that evening. I’ve just met Dinah and Oliver and -”
Just at that moment, they heard the clear sound of breaking glass and looked up.
“I’ve never liked that vase.” Bruce said quietly as he heard Jess swear quietly in Spanish under her breath before they went to check on their - unharmed - girls.
“Faye Jordan Allen !” she sternly said, her hands on her hips. “How many times have we told you not to throw balls inside the house ?” she tsked. “Go ask Alfred for a dustpan and brush.”
Bruce pushed his daughter in the same direction, signaling her to go with her friend.
Neither the girls or the woman had noticed the figure in the doorframe but Bruce had. He couldn’t speak, so he grabbed Jess’ wrist tightly. Her eyes widened when she understood why.
“Well, it answers a few of my questions. Nice middle name, by the way.” Hal said.
He had changed a bit but it was still very much Hal and now Jess was holding Bruce’s arm just as tightly as he had held her wrist, petrified.
“Barry ?” Jessica asked.
He was the one who had told them about Hal’s return at the Watchtower.
“Still on Watchtower duty but Victor told him he could replace him in a bit.”
Jessica nodded. Hal turned towards Bruce just as the laughs of two young children running down the corridor reached them. Jessica and Bruce stopped clinging on to each other.
“Father, why are you crying ?” Amelia said, hugging her father’s legs as she reached him.
“I am not -” Bruce said, stroking her hair, before realizing she was right. “It’s okay. I am not sad, sweetheart, I promise.”
“Mom, who is the strange man at the door ?” Faye asked.
“Hal is a friend, love.” Jessica said, hugging her.
“Maybe it’s my Dad.” Amelia told her, taking a few steps toward Hal.
“Are you my Dad ?” she asked, looking up at him.
Hal crouched.
“Yes, Miracle.” he told her.
“My name is Amelia.” she answered back, frowning.
“I know. I chose it with your Dad. You don’t remember because you were very little, but I used to call you Miracle when you were a tiny baby.”
"You look bizar." Miracle said, touching Hal’s beard.
"And you don't ?" he asked her.
The little girl frowned and Hal couldn't prevent a burst of laughter. Bruce's mannerisms on a five years old's face were priceless.
“She’s such a mini-you.” he said.
They hadn’t spoken for five years but Hal’s remark had not been forced. It had seemed so earnest that Bruce found himself able to answer.
“Funny. I’ve always thought she looked like you.” he said as he looked at the two of them.
Hal and their daughter, together. The image was just as heartbreaking as it was heartwarming.
“Can I hug you ?” he asked after they had spent almost five minutes of idle chat cataloging each other’s every feature.
Amelia considered it for a few seconds.
“Do you give good hugs ?” she asked, skeptical.
“The best.” Hal promised as Amelia put her little arms around Hal carefully.
“I’ve missed you, baby. So much.” he murmured against her hair.
Amelia hugged him tight against her too.
“Mom, I want a hug from Amelia’s Dad too.” Faye said when almost two minutes had passed and neither Hal nor his daughter seemed about to let go of the other.
“No ! He’s my Dad.” Amelia protested.
Hal finally released his grip on her a bit.
“You know what ? We’re going to give a super big hug to everyone. It’ll be the biggest hug ever. Deal ?” he asked.
“How can we do that ?” Amelia asked, eyes shining in anticipation.
“You have to ask Bruce, Jess and Faye to join us.” Hal told her in a conspirationist’s tone.
Faye was already in his arms before he could finish his sentence. Jess and Bruce exchanged looks. They had been able to keep their shit together for the kids so far, they weren’t sure they could do it after that.
“Father, Mrs Jess, come !” Amelia said authoritatively when she noticed their reluctance.
Bruce only had to read the plea in Hal’s eyes to comply, quickly followed by Jess.
“I’ve missed you too.” Hal mumbled as they grabbed him to complete the hug.
They stayed a long moment that way, until the kids got tired of it and squirmed out of the hug to play - but instead of releasing the adults from his embrace, Hal just hugged the two of them tighter.
That was how Barry found them - the girls playing hide and seek in the room, the broken vase and the dustpan and the brush in a corner, the three of them hugging on the carpet.
“Did I tell you Jess is a married woman ? And that our kids are still in the room.” Barry asked as he sat next to them.
“Shut up and come here.” Hal said, grabbing Barry’s arm just as a child started calling for their Mom in the babyphone on the table.
Jessica disentangled herself from their embrace before Barry could go check on their youngest daughter.
“I take care of Aurora, spend some time with Hal.” she told him, kissing him softly.
It took Bruce a conscient effort not to do the same with Hal for the few seconds they were left hugging alone.
Maybe Barry had sensed it.
“We should go when Aurora is ready. You need to spend time as a family.” he said, even if he let himself be pressured into a bone-crushing hug.
Hal and Bruce both protested but an hour later the Allen family was gone.
Hal looked exhausted. Bruce was about to mention it when Amelia called him.
She was tugging at his sleeve.
“Yes, sweetie ?”
“Father, my new Dad gives good hugs. I think I like him. Can I keep him ?” she asked.
Hal’s face softened and Bruce had once again to refrain from kissing him.
“Yes, I think we’re going to do that.” Bruce said, smiling at his little tornado.
“Thank you, Father ! Dad, come see my room !” Amelia said, tugging on Hal’s hand.
“Duty calls.” Hal said, smiling at Bruce before letting his daughter drag him through the Manor’s corridors.
A few hours later, they had had some time to themselves as Alfred had enrolled Amelia to do the grocery shopping. Bruce had been careful with his words but Hal had just thrown caution to the wind, saying he had already missed five years of their lives and he was done missing things if he could avoid it.
Hence why their little miracle could be heard screaming at the top of her lungs since she had opened the door of the living-room after coming back from grocery shopping.
“Damian ! Father and my new dad are kissing !”