HOPE. (HarleyXIvy)

Chapter 3

(The cutie above is non other than Hope)

***

The knock at the door indicated that Bruce was here. I stood up from the couch and went to open the door. Helena ran past me to where Hope was in her room with Batsy. Helena was Selina's daughter, the child of some man Selina had a one night stand with. That didn't stop Bruce from treating her like his own though, he was a great dad. 

Next came Selina, I hugged her with difficulty, not because I didn't like her. You see Selina was in her 8th month of pregnancy with Bruce, for such a petite frame her bump was ginormous. "Hey Sel it's so nice to see you" I greeted, she pulled away and rested her hand on her huge stomach. "It's great to see you too, where's Ivy?" she asked looking around, on queue Ivy emerged from down the hall smiling. Selina stepped to the side to pull her in for a hug and I finally looked over at Bruce. 

He opened his arms for me and I gave him a hug, he rubbed my back before he stepped back. "How's it going papa to be?" I asked, he chuckled stepping into the house. "I'm already a father, now I'll be a father of two" he corrected, Selina looked up at him and a heartwarming smile crossed her face. She walked off with Ivy to the couch and I joined them with Bruce, "How's Gotham?" Ivy asked listening closely to what Bruce would say. 

"Hectic as always, the dark knights have their hands full when I'm busy" he said, Ivy shifted uncomfortably and Bruce frowned, "That's not what you wanted to know is it?" he asked leaning forward. Ivy shook her head and looked down at the floor, "Is there any possibility that he could be-", "You think he's alive?" Selina butt in. Ivy nodded and Bruce tensed up beside me, "Ivy, you watched him get shot in the head. You watched him on the floor, we burned the warehouse down with his body inside" he kept his voice low in case the girls heard anything. 

Ivy was silent for a moment, then she looked up. "You know him Bat, he always turns up alive", I had to agree with her there. I was with him long enough to know just how sneaky he was, just how he could catch you by surprise every time. I grew worried inside, what if? What if that monster was in fact alive?...

"Harls?" I heard someone call my name and I snapped back, I looked around and everyone was staring at me. Ivy and Sel had worried looks on their faces, Bruce was watching me closely. "Bruce, do you think you could have the Knights keep an eye out?" I asked looking over at him, he thought for a moment with his jaw ticking, then nodded. I relaxed slightly, but not completely. This wasn't just Ivy and I that he could hurt, he could harm Hope... 

I would never allow that to happen, for him to even get close to her. I needed to know for sure that he was gone for good, if there was even the slightest possibility that he was in fact still breathing. Then I would need to pack my family and take them as far away from him as possible, we weren't that far from Gotham. Just a 3 hour drive, not even two hours in the Bat mobile...

Batsy came running into the room followed by a screaming Hope and Helena, "Stop right there Batsy!" they both called. Batsy kept on jumping all over, not a care in the world while the girls chased him. "You got a bunny?" asked Bruce watching the thing bounce around, I nodded and Hope managed to tackle him to the ground. "I gotcha wittwe one" she whispered to it, Bruce laughed and shook his head. "Here we go" he said and looked over at Selina who's face was just as pained. 

"Daddy, can I get a bunny" Helena said coming over to jump on his lap, he wrapped his arm around her and looked over at Selina. She sighed and shrugged, "we just got you a kitten babygirl, we can't get a bunny now" he said. Helena arched her brow at him and pushed herself off his lap. She marched over to Hope and nodded at her, "Looks like I'm moving in with you Hopey" she grumbled. Hope grinned widely, "Wooks wike it yes" she agreed and together they vanished down the hall. 

Bruce laughed and rubbed his jaw, "now It's going to be a challenge getting her out of this house" he said. Selina groaned and leaned back in her fluffy chair, "You okay kitten" Bruce asked standing up. She waved him off and stoked her stomach, "Your son is a kicker" she said. My eyes wen't wide and I threw myself at the floor beside her chair, she laughed and lifted up her shirt exposing the baby oven. I placed my hands flat on it and circled her stomach, I felt a few kicks here and there. It felt amazing, "Hey little one, it's autie Harls here" I said to it. My eyes wandered over to Ivy and she was watching me with a strange look in her eyes. 

"What is it my love?" I asked, she bit her lip and shrugged. "I want another baby" she said suddenly, I got up and walked over to her sitting between her legs. "Wait seriously?", she nodded and I squealed grabbing her face in my hands and smashing my lips to her's. Selina awed us from her seat and Bruce said a good luck. I wanted another baby too, I just wasn't sure if Ivy felt the same. 

Bruce and Sel stayed for dinner and when it came time to leaving, Bruce had to assure Helena that on her birthday she can get a bunny. That was the only way he was getting her out of our home, they said they'll come round in two weeks. While Ivy spoke to Sel I took my time to speak to Bruce. "If you find anything, let me know as soon as you can, I mean anything Bruce, even the slightest sight of green hair let me know, don't tell Ivy" I whispered when I hugged him. He mumbled an okay and we parted. 

After Hope was asleep I joined Ivy in the shower, she seemed so tense after the talk with Bruce I had to take her mind off of it. A steamy shower was just the answer, after that we lay in bed tangled with each other. I ran my finger down the curve of her bare back, and back up again. I knew it always relaxed her. "Doll?" she began, "Yes my love?" I asked opening my eyes. "If he's out there, what are we going to do?" she asked her eyebrows knitting together, I sighed and pulled her closer to me. 

"Listen Ivy, no matter what happens we'll be together, he's not here anymore. Trust me I won't let anything happen to my family, we're safe" she smiled and kissed me before closing her eyes and letting herself relax. 

After saying those words I wasn't sure if I believed them myself...