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It wasn't the first time Bruce brought a kid back home unexpectedly. He had done it repeatedly in the past.
It was the first time he was nervous about it. He had never brought a kid home to Hal. They weren't even dating when Damian had come into the picture. They hadn't been in the kind of relationship that could be affected by Bruce getting Damian's custody.
Hal had become a much more important part of his life since then and Bruce didn't know how he would react to him bringing a kid to the Manor in the middle of the night. Or how he would react when Bruce would mention wanting to keep her.
The kid in his arms was very young and had fallen asleep as Bruce drove the Batmobile home, the toddler being strapped to his chest.
Bruce had wrapped her in his cape and put her down on his chair in the Batcave as he changed into sweats and a t-shirt. To his relief, she hadn't stirred.
He would have loved to take a shower but it would have to wait. He couldn't let the baby under no supervision.
Alfred would have been happy to help but Bruce had to tell someone else about the toddler first.
He took her in his arms and put the cape away before climbing up the stairs. The child stirred but didn't wake. It must have been an exhausting day for her.
Bruce was relieved to find no one in the unlit hallways leading to the bedroom he had been sharing with Hal for quite some time now. He didn't feel like explaining the situation to any of the kids at the moment.
Light was coming from under the door. Hal tended to wait for him when he wasn't too tired (read : when he didn't just come back from space and wouldn't wake for fifteen hours the second his body hit the mattress).
Good. Hal would need to be awake for this conversation.
Bruce had dreaded the moment he would have to look at Hal after he closed the door.
"Hey," Hal said.
Hal had been sitting cross-legged on their bed, shirtless, reading a report of some sort. Bruce noticed the logo of FerrisAir on the right hand corner as Hal put the document away.
The Lantern had looked up when he had heard the door closing behind Bruce.
His welcoming smile had frozen on his face for a second when he had caught sight of the bundle of limbs and colored fabric in Bruce's arms but Hal recovered quickly and patted Bruce's side of the bed for him to sit next to him as if it was just another night.
Bruce did as he was encouraged too, waiting for Hal to speak up.
"She looks sweet," Hal said softly, looking at the child.
"That's all you have to say ?" Bruce asked, almost forgetting to keep his voice low, so surprised he was by Hal's reaction.
He had just brought a child home, surely Hal realized what it meant ?
"I guess it was time," Hal said, shrugging. "What's this kid's name ?"
"Sorry ?" Bruce said, because Hal was taking all this in stride all too well.
They had argued for much less.
"When things have become serious between us, the kids have all warned me that you'd do that someday, go out on patrol as usual, come home late and bring back a new stray. Their words, not mine. It took me a long time to accept the idea but I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be now and it was only a matter of time. So, what's the new kid's name ?"
"Alina. Hal, we really need to talk," Bruce said.
Hal didn't know the whole story yet and Bruce couldn't be certain he would still not mind the arrival of Alina in their lives after hearing it.
"Sure. Where's she from ?" Hal asked.
Bruce had paled a bit - which was quite concerning.
"Bruce. What did you do ?" Hal sighed.
"Her mother's name is Mariah Shelley," Bruce said, before pausing and looking at the little child snuggled up against his chest.
"Why does her name seem familiar ?"
"I flirted with her for intel on a case once."
"Is - ?"
"No, Alina isn't mine biologically. I thought you were better at math than that," Bruce remarked acidly.
It was obvious the kid was at most a year old.
They were already together back when the child must have been conceived and Bruce would never have cheated on Hal. He thought Hal knew that.
"I didn't mean - okay, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I know you're not - I trust you, okay ? I've always trusted you, even in our worst moments" Hal said, putting his hand over Bruce's.
"Look, I wasn't expecting a baby. I ruled it out without even realizing it, since you got all your kids when they were older. I'm trying to process it without freaking out. Because a baby, it's different. That's like a whole new level of difficulty."
Bruce made a face. It was the easy part, there. If Hal was already reluctant to take Alina in…
"If-"
Hal squeezed his hand. Alina stirred in his arms and turned over in her sleep. Bruce caught Hal looking at her.
He looked just as fond as terrified.
"Let me talk. That's… a lot. I mean, I ended up assuming you'd just bring another kid home one day. I gave it quite some thought and I figured out I wouldn't mind in the end. That I would like that to happen someday, actually."
Bruce almost put the baby down to kiss his husband before remembering he hadn't told Hal the complete truth about Alina.
"What happened to her Mom ? When you talked about her, it didn't sound like she was dead."
Bruce stayed silent for a little while, reflecting on how to present the situation to Hal.
"She isn't. She was in an accident and she's in a coma. She was raising Alina alone. The doctors don't think she's ever going to wake up."
"What if she does ? Do we lose our daughter ?"
Bruce avoided his gaze.
"I think we'll have to make arrangements with her mother, then. Even if it seems very unlikely."
"Unlikely stuff happens in Gotham everyday. I don't know if I can raise a kid when their mother could someday wake up and choose to ttake away from me. Can I wish what's best for this kid if I can't bear the idea of her mother waking up and getting well enough to have her back ?"
"Hal, I can't predict the future but in the meantime, the child needs parenting figures."
"Okay. I can do this. So, now…"
"Wait. I've not told you about her father yet."
"It's bad, isn't it ?" Hal sighed, rubbing his eyes.
It was close to 3 in the morning.
So Bruce told him about Alina's parentage, holding his hand.
"For some reason, Mariah was persuaded the child was mine even if we've never slept together. Because of… the way Damian was conceived, I made a DNA analysis. I'm not Alina's biological father but I know who is."
"Bruce, at this point you'd better just tell me."
Bruce did. Hal froze entirely for two whole seconds before he shook his head.
"Are you kidding me ? Honey, you realize…" Hal said, stopping.
His partner stayed silent, looking at him with pleading eyes.
"Bruce. The Joker's daughter. You're really sure about taking her in ?"
The vigilante knew the implications of it, the risks for the family. He also knew the child needed protection. He was certain.
"Alina deserves people to take care of her. She didn't pick her father. She isn't him. She deserves as much of a happy childhood as she can get. We can keep her safe if he ever goes after her."
Bruce had raised his voice. The baby woke and looked at Hal briefly before closing her eyes again, her little fist clenching Bruce's shirt.
"I suppose… okay. That's crazy but yes, I really want to raise this kid I've not even known for an hour with you, no matter what her family tree looks like," Hal whispered.
"Come here," Bruce whispered back, and Hal cuddled up against him, mindful of the sleeping baby.
Bruce kissed him cautiously.
A sudden thought crossed Hal's mind and he pushed his companion back softly.
"Are we going to tell the kids ? Jason and Barbara -" he said, gripping Bruce's elbow in silent support.
"Babs knows. I was working with her tonight. I don't think she was mad at me. Jason… Well, he already hates me. I'm going to tell him so he learns it from me and not from anyone else but it won't make much difference."
"Bruce…" Hal murmured.
He somehow doubted that. He also doubted that Jason would take the news well. It sounded like a bit much to absorb.
"Hal ?"
Nothing, Hal almost said.
"I love you," he said instead.
"I love you too," Bruce answered back without the shadow of a hesitation.
"That being said, you really need a shower. I'll take care of my daughter in the meantime," Hal said.
The atmosphere felt less charged after he said that.
"Our daughter," Bruce corrected him.
"Right, ours," Hal said, smiling at Bruce and kissing him one more as his husband put his precious bundle down in Hal's arms.