The Beast Within

Chapter Nineteen: New Valeska

I'll spare you all the details on pregnancy steps, it sucks and it's taking way too long, Jerome's been with me every step of the way and I'm finally around my due date, unfortunately I'm actually overdue and the baby still isn't coming out, Jerome and I are trying everything to induce me but it hasn't been working, Bruce and Jeremiah tried different things too but to no avail, I threw the covers off me and looked to the time it was 2:30 in the morning, I felt hot and uncomfortable, I rolled over and felt a hand rub my back "having braxton hicks again baby?" I sat up and rubbed my stomach "I think so.. god why can't it just come out already" he sat up and pulled me into his lap carefully and I straddled his lap "hey, I know what makes you feel better" he leaned up and kissed my neck making me moan slightly "mm, okay don't stop doing that" I said as I felt him harden under me, I grinded on him and he let out a throaty groan.

I leaned down to kiss him but suddenly stopped when I felt a rush of liquid splash down my legs and cover Jerome's lap, Jerome's eyes widened and groaned "please tell me you just pissed on me" I looked up to him and shook my head, he threw his back frustrated and suddenly a wave of unbearable pain hit me making me lean forward and scream out, he sat up and rubbed my back "JEREMIAH!" he called out, in a few minutes Jeremiah and Bruce came running in half asleep, they noticed what was happening and they both fully woke up, Bruce and Jeremiah helped me off the bed, the pain relaxed a bit and I sat down and took deep breaths as Bruce held my hand and Jerome packed my hospital bag, he held two baby suits in his hands "which one?" I looked to them "both.. we don't know if it's a boy or girl" he nodded and put them in the bag and packed a few diapers and some more small baby necessities, Jerome helped me down the stairs and Jeremiah had called one of his men to bring a car around for us.

The whole hospital was quiet until there was a loud scream that echoed through the halls, Nyssa threw her head back as tears slid down her cheeks and Lee pushed on her stomach slightly "you're 7 centimeters dilated, not very long now" the door flew open and in ran Lucky and Barbara "Bab's, Tee!" they ran to her side smiling "hey Nyss, how are you feeling?" Bab's asked and Nyssa raised her eyebrow "I'm feeling just great" she said sarcastically and Barbara nodded realizing that was a stupid question to ask "we brought you a surprise" Lucky said and Nyssa tilted her head "surprise!" her face lit up when they entered the room "Eddy, Ozzy!" they both smiled brightly and Ed went and hugged her.

They both looked around confused "where's Jerome?" Ed asked and Nyssa laughed "he said he couldn't wait another hour or so to eat when I can so he went to eat out there" they nodded and the door swung open "hey doll, it says here that the Penguin and Riddler were spotted in Gotham" he said stepping into the room and his jaw dropped "hello.. old friend" Oswald said and Jerome grinned "Pengy! Rid!" he pulled them in for a hug and both men stood confused by Jerome's unexpected affection, he went and sat next to Nyssa and held her hand just as another contraction hit her, but this one was worse than before, she gripped his hand tightly and screamed out louder than before and that attracted Lee's attention.

She came running in and sat down and looked down to check on how far she was dilated but she suddenly stepped back and ran to call a nurse "what's wrong!?" she asked worried and Lee put on some scrubs and handed Jerome some "you're crowning, you need to start pushing" "WHAT!?" she asked totally unprepared "I can't! I'm not ready!" "yes you can baby, you're gonna be just fine" Jerome said holding her hand, everyone else left the room but her screams were heard from the waiting room, Lee smiled and placed a hand on Nyssa's knee "one more big push!" she placed her chin on her chest and pushed as hard as she could, she felt an instant release and she laid her head back upon hearing her baby's cries "you did it Nyssa, you did it" Jerome said rubbing beads of sweat from her forehead she breathed out an exhausted chuckle "would you like to cut the cord?" Lee asked Jerome and he nodded and stood up.

He snipped the cord and Lee placed their baby in his arms "meet your daughter" she said happily and Jerome looked at her with tears in his eyes "I.. I have a daughter" he poked her nose lightly and her eyes shot open, they were bright blueish green like his and she had bright red hair "she's perfect" he said and her little hand grasped his finger making him gasp, he kissed her forehead lightly and handed her to Nyssa who was eagerly waiting to meet her, she stared down at her new baby girl and she couldn't stop her tears that fell down her cheeks "hi baby girl, I'm your mommy" she said caressing her cheek lightly "you did a great job Nyss" Jerome said and kissed hers and then their daughter's forehead.

She smiled up at him with tears in her eyes "she looks just like you" he smiled and looked his baby girl that was looking around the room and moving her arms around fussily "I.. I think she wants you back" Nyssa said and handed her to Jerome and she instantly relaxed in his arms and Nyssa playfully scoffed "great, she's a daddy's girl" Jerome cackled and eskimo kissed his baby's little nose "nothing wrong with that.. you jealous?" "a little.. she hasn't even been in the world for an hour and you're already her favorite" she pouted and he smiled at her "she loves you just as much" suddenly little cries were heard and Lee smiled "I think it's time for baby's first feeding", the nurses showed Nyssa how to get her baby latch and soon her baby was drinking easily "you're a natural at this" Lee said rubbing Nyssa's knee comfortingly "I'm terrified" she admitted and Lee smiled "that means you're gonna do a great job" Nyssa smiled then looked down to her baby "have you got a name yet?" she looked to Jerome and he nodded and Nyssa spoke "Crimson Peyton Al Ghul-Valeska" Lee nodded and wrote it down and checked the spelling "that's a beautiful name" she said and left the room leaving Nyssa and Jerome to bond with their baby.

Nyssa playfully rolled her eyes at Jerome making silly faces at Crimson who would send him an adorable guppy baby smile that melted her heart "could you at least let me try and make her like me too?" she playfully pouted and laughed "sorry doll, she's made her choice" they both laughed and he leaned over and kissed her lips lovingly and caressed her cheek "I love you" she beamed brightly "I love you too" you couldn't wipe the smile off of Jerome's face even if you tried at that moment, he was completely happy.

After everyone met the baby and congratulated the new parents Jerome drove them all back to Jeremiah's and was going to come back in his car with the baby seat and stay in the hospital till tomorrow when Nyssa could leave, she kissed her sleeping newborn's head and laid her down in the cot provided by the hospital and headed to the bathroom, she brushed her teeth and changed into something more comfortable, she heard the door to her room open and assumed it was Jerome so she didn't pay any mind to it, a few minutes later she stepped out of the bathroom but there was no Jerome, she fixed her eyebrows in confusion and walked to the cot but there was no baby just a note she picked it up and read it 'awh I wasn't invited to the birth? that's okay.. I'll be there for the death' Nyssa felt her legs give out and she collapsed to the floor and let a blood curdling scream.

Jerome was walking through the halls and heard a scream and instantly knew who it belonged to, he knew something was wrong, he ran into Nyssa's room and saw her sobbing on the floor, he saw the cot was empty and he felt a sickening fear in his gut "Nyssa, where's Crimson?" he asked with worry laced in his voice, she shook her head and sobbed, he couldn't wait for her to calm down "where is she!?" he asked dropping to his knees and grabbing her shoulders, she handed him the note and he read it, he felt a rage and fear he'd never felt before and he jumped to his feet "where are you going!?" she asked weakly standing up and he turned his head slightly to her "I'm going to kill the bitch that took my daughter" with that he stormed out with a murderous look on his face, he was coming for them and all they could do was prey they didn't hurt his baby girl.