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When Anita heard the sound of her window opening, her body reacted before she was even fully conscious.
She reached under pillows to grab her empress sticks, kicking off her covers, and rising into a fighting stance with them unsheathed in the seconds it took for the intruder to step inside.
They were hunched over, holding something tightly in their arms. The hood covering their face made it hard to identify them but so far they didn’t make any moves to attack her. She didn’t let her guard down though and tightened her hold on her weapons.
“Who are you,” Anita questioned, masking any type of fear in her voice. She couldn’t think about how she had two kids (when did she stop thinking of them as her parents) sleeping only a room away. Who was this person, how could they find her when she was off the grid?
She cursed herself getting too comfortable in her civilian life, she was glad she kept up with her training. If she lived through this, she was going to rub in Cissie's face, Anita knew they should be ready to get back into the fight at moments notice.
Before she could spiral even more, a familiar sound filled the room. The fussing of a young child that would soon turn into cries of distress if you couldn’t figure out what they needed. But, her parents were older now, and she was used hearing them demand the things they wanted with actual words. She froze, realizing her strange visiter broke in her house with baby.
The hooded figure quickly moved the bundle in their arms closer to them, rocking the baby and whispering words of comfort to calm them down. That’s when they decided to finally reveal themselves. “Anita, it’s just me, I didn’t know where else to go. You were someone I can trust that could take care of a kid and keep them hidden.”
Anita had to admit, the last person she expected to see, let alone break into her house was Tim Drake. She had reached out to her former teammate after losing Kon but was met with silence from the boy. She was able to check in with Cassie at least. After losing Bart, Anita gave up on Tim completely.
She felt her anger flare up, he ignored her for all these months just to dump his kid on her?
“What the hell Tim? I hear nothing from you for months, and the first thing you do is break in and ask for a favor?” Anita hissed quietly, mindful of the bundle in his arms. She may be pissed at her former teammate but she wasn’t a monster, she knew how hard it was to handle a fussy baby.
Tim winced at her words but continued to rock the baby in his arms, patting its back as the baby continued to whine. “I know, I’m sorry and I can’t blame you if you turn me away. But can at least stay the night. I really need to get Luna a bottle and put her to sleep. I can leave in the morning, I promise,” he pleaded and Anita finally relaxed her stance.
She took note of his appearance, the unhealthy paleness of his skin and how his hair longer, and looked a bit greasy. He didn’t look like he was taking care of himself and she wouldn’t forgive herself if she denied him a bit of rest, especially with a baby.
“Fine, you're lucky I still have my parent's bassinet in my closet. I’ll set you up in the living room, but let’s take care of your little one first. Does she need any else? I think I still have some of my parents baby clothes too.” Anita led them to the kitchen and watched as Tim removed his hood, taking off a pouch that was hidden underneath it.
From there he gathered up supplies to make a bottle and Anita was impressed to see he already had a few bottles filled with formula. He filled the bottle with water and shook it until it was fully mixed.
She reached into her cupboard for a mug and warmed it full of water as he was mixing the bottle. He smiled at her gratefully when she handed him the mug, and placed the bottle in the mug so the bottle could warm up enough to feed Luna. She sat next to him at the kitchen table as they waited, and decided she had been tolerant enough for her uninvited guest.
“Okay, now spill what is going on and why do you have a baby.” She stared at him intensely, trying to decided if she need to use her powers to persuade him if didn’t share something soon. He must have noticed that she was close to snapping and finally confessed everything.
She didn’t even know where to start after finding out that he cloned their dead friend, and mixed with his own DNA. She knew they went through a lot as young justice but this was weird even for her and she was raising her parents. After dropping this bomb, he had the nerve to ask her to take care of Luna while he went on what sounded like a suicide mission for a few months.
She was angry because how could do this to Kon, and then hide his child from everyone.
She couldn’t hold on to that anger though, looking at the baby relaxed in her father’s arms and blinking sleepy as she drank from her bottle. She couldn’t be angry when the baby had the same curtly black hair that she would practice new braids on. Who had the same ears that use to shine like the sun when the light reflected against gold hoop earrings.
How could she judge knowing how hard it was to lose people close to you and choosing to cling on something that reminded you of them. Tim watched her warily as she stood up and walked towards him. He braced himself like she was going to hit him. But instead of smacking across the head like he deserved, she hugged him instead.
“Look I can be mad at you later, go lay on the couch and let me hold this baby. You know if I’m gonna watch her on top of two toddlers, I get dibs on being the Godmother right?”
Tim gives her a watery smile as he hands over Luna, who instantly falls asleep in her arms. “That will be least of what I owe you for doing this. Thank you for not turning me…us away.”
“Yeah well you better not ignore me next time, your baby can’t save you if I decided to beat you up. Besides, now I have someone my age to go on play dates." Tim gives her a slightly horrified look, she can't wait to show him all the Mommy bloggers next.
It was nice to know there was someone she could talk to about this stuff, so he'd better comeback alive.