Sandstorm {Discontinued}{Rewritten}

42. Gotham

Casually having an unnecessary crossover with Gotham for no reason at all other than the fact that I want to and I have the power of God in this universe. Sorry not sorry (but I do hope you enjoy it and don't think it's too random or weird? 😬)

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After her conversation with her younger self, Deserey found her way into the nursery with Rip's mother -- Mary Xavier, she had introduced herself. (She could not leave without holding at least one of the infants!)

"They seem to take to you," Mary said, smiling softly as she watched Deserey interact with the babies.

"I didn't always know what I wanted from life, but I've always known I wanted to be a mother," Deserey told her, rocking a baby as he slumbered in her arms. "I used to practice with my sisters dolls. It was kinda weird but..." She shrugged.

"Not at all. There is something very special about being a mother. It's an intuition, a super power all on its own, perhaps. There's nothing wrong with wanting that."

Deserey smiled lightly, gently placing the baby back in his crib, only to pick up another baby girl as she grew fussy. Mary passed her a bottle to feed her. "So, all these babies are orphans like Rip?"

Mary nodded. "If one was to assume he was, in fact, an orphan..."

"I guess technically he isn't... He's got you."

"Indeed, but I wasn't referring to myself."

Deserey looked up at her. What was that supposed to mean? "Who were you referring to, then?"

"His birth parents," she said matter-of-factly.

Dez gaped at her. "You know who they are?" Why had Rip not started with asking his mother about his biological parents? Didn't he know she had the information? He had to of. She didn't seem like the type to hide such an important thing from her son.

Mary nodded again. "I know who all the children's parents are." Deserey would have jumped for joy had she not been holding a baby in that moment. "Why do you ask?"

"We've been trying to find information on them, Rip and I..." Deserey hoped the implications were clear.

Apparently, they were because Mary let out a short, "Ah." She paused in her task of laying down a few of the other babies for a nap. "Well, I should warn you, that knowledge comes with a terrible burden... Though I suppose, seeing as the Time Masters mean to assassinate you and your team it won't matter much anyway." Dez had no idea what she was going on about, but she didn't want to interrupt, just in case she changed her mind. "Perhaps, he should hear this too, then."

So, the two of them found Rip, gathering in the parlour while the rest of the Legends helped Kendra and Carter train Luna with her new meta dog powers and prepared to fight the Pilgrim and Chronos. Mary was sat across from Rip and Deserey, looking directly at Rip as she spoke. "You were named after your father. Michael Jon Carter."

Deserey slapped Rip's arm in her excitement, and he froze. "Dude, we met him!" At Mary's raised eyebrow, the two launched into a recount of how they'd met Booster Gold and Blue Beetle in 1986 Siberia. Deserey couldn't help but to think his story was odd. He had said that Druce had killed his wife and child, just as Savage had killed Rip's, yet here Mary was claiming that it was Rip who was Michael's son. Booster didn't seem to recognize Rip either, so either someone was lying or...

"The Time Masters are much more sinister than they'd have you believe," Mary confessed. "The Time Master children, all the children here." She looked at Rip, who looked a little passive considering he'd just received world shattering news. "Even you... They've all been taken from their original families."