"I think..." Adriana said to Jack after she showered and dressed. "We should keep this between us..for now."
He nodded once and watched her put her empty breakfast plate into the sink.
"I mean, my parents don't even know we are seeing each other yet so I still have to tell them," Adriana said. "And find a way to explain it to Arsenio...Bruce and I haven't told him anything. I wanted to wait but...maybe I should tell Bruce first. I shouldn't keep it from him."
He nodded once more.
"So...do you have any thoughts?" she asked. Not wanting to know just his thoughts but his feelings. He had not said much since the pregnancy test revealed a positive result.
"You will tell Lucius first," he said plainly.
"What?" she asked.
He tilted his head and looked into her eyes.
"Okay...maybe," she said. "I mean I already told him that I thought I was pregnant, and he might ask if I got everything checked. So...yeah, maybe. Am I really that predictable?"
"Yes," he said.
Adriana looked at her watch, wishing there was time for them to talk more.
"I have to go...it's already almost seven," she said.
He walked over to her to kiss her before she left.
.
.
.
"I thought I heard noises coming from in here," Bruce said to Arsenio who he found jumping on his bed.
Arsenio stopped jumping immediately.
"Hi, Daddy," he said to Bruce, while standing on the bed.
"Good morning son," Bruce said and walked over to the bed. "You know you are not allowed to jump on beds. At least not while you're alone. What if you fall?"
"Sorry," Arsenio said and sat on his knees.
"It's alright son," Bruce said and sat on the bed next to Arsenio. "I just don't want you to get hurt."
"Okay," Arsenio nodded and reached forward to give Bruce a hug.
Bruce held him and closed his eyes. Being back in his own home, holding his son, it felt like a dream come true. He still was not used to how wonderful it was to be back at home. He wanted nothing more than for his son to be safe. He thought of his unnamed enemies. The enemies that were working hard to destroy him. Their goal was long term. The Catwoman was his only inside man and even she was not trustworthy in Bruce's observation. He didn't know whose side she was really on. But he felt that he needed to speak to her in person again. He needed to know what was going on...if his son was safe.
"Daddy," Arsenio said.
"Hm?" Bruce said and pushed one of the long waves of Arsenio's hair back off of his forehead.
"Mommy said..when you come home I can ask you," he said.
"Ask me what son?" Bruce asked.
"Ask you..." Arsenio said. "Where I come from?"
"What do you mean?" Bruce asked.
"I was in Mommy's tummy and it was big," Arsenio said. "On the picture."
"Oh.." Bruce said, realizing Arsenio was asking about pictures he had seen of Adriana pregnant with him. It was not a discussion Bruce was ready to have. He did not want to lie to his son.
"She said..daddies put the baby," Arsenio said.
Bruce blinked and looked away from his son for a moment.
"Daddy you put me there?" Arsenio went on asking.
And in an instant Bruce's joy felt like dread. He didn't know how to do this without Adriana, and she was not home yet.
"Daddy..." Arsenio said, after Bruce didn't answer. His father seemed frozen. "I look like Jack. Jack put me there?"
The very slight change in Bruce's facial expression confused Arsenio. His father looked almost afraid.
"He did?" Arsenio asked. "Or you?"
Bruce could not force himself to lie. His son was so small in his arms. How could a child so young understand and see so much?
"Jack.." Bruce said under his breath. After he said it, he wondered if he had again, made another one of the biggest mistakes of his life.
"Jack put me," Arsenio said, the tone of his voice held nothing but understanding. "So, I look...like Jack."
"Yes, son," Bruce said, finding it hard to talk. Not only about the subject matter at hand, but about Jack. He had not seen Jack in months and did not want to see, hear, or talk about him.
It looked like Arsenio was thinking. Bruce watched his son's precious face and saw his expression go from understanding to concern. It looked like he would cry. Bruce felt his whole world shattering around him. His son was all he had.
"Daddy?" Arsenio said, his voice timid and worried.
"Yes?" Bruce asked, his tone not reassuring. He felt as uneasy and afraid as his son looked.
"Will you always be my daddy?" Arsenio asked.
And Bruce could see what was confusing and worrying his son.
"Arsenio," Bruce said. "Forever. Forever and eternity. I will always be your father."
The relief that washed over Arsenio's face and body language nearly brought Bruce to tears. It was Arsenio's only concern. He wanted Bruce to be his father.
"Jack is..bio...billocal...father," Arsenio said.
"Biological father, yes," Bruce said. "He and your mother...were together before she and I married."
"And..." Arsenio said. "Now too? Mommy...and..Jack?"
Bruce knew he would never adapt to how perceptive such a small child could be. Arsenio had seen what they did not want to admit.
"Daddy...can I know?" Arsenio asked. "Can you tell me? I wanna know.."
"Yes," Bruce confessed, keeping his tone neutral. He did not want to make this sound like a bad thing. "Your mother and Jack...they are together now."
Arsenio blinked and looked around, seeming to try to understand his new reality.
"Jack is...billogical father," Arsenio said.
Bruce nodded slowly.
"And you," Arsenio said, his voice becoming firm and clear. He wanted to understand completely. "You're my daddy forever?"
"Yes son," Bruce said, and Arsenio wrapped his arms around Bruce in a surprise hug.
"Forever Daddy?" Arsenio asked. "You promise? Daddy? You promise?"
Bruce released Arsenio a bit to look into his eyes. Bruce had felt like a failure recently. He had let his wife down repeatedly. His marriage had failed. Rehab had shown him just how low he could go. Wayne Enterprises was suffering, profits were as far down as they had ever been. It felt like Bruce had failed in every way imaginable. But this..his fatherhood. His son did not see him as a failure. Arsenio looked more proud to be a part of Bruce's life than anyone ever had. His one success... being a father.
"I swear that to you," Bruce said and held Arsenio's face. "Forever. As long as I live. I will be your father."
