Demons (Damirae)

Chapter Ninety-Seven

So, my darlings, we are nearing the end. Sniff sniff. The chapters will likely be a bit shorter. That's all.

***

Raven and Damian were woken at the sound of a shout. The demoness searched for the cause of the commotion, scanning the Manor in a matter of seconds. With wide eyes, she turned to her boyfriend and ushered him, "Its Kori, her water broke!"

They scrambled out of the room, rushing to where the shouts were coming from. Kori sat on the bed in the medical bay, breathing heavily, closing her eyes and trying to calm herself. In front of her, Dick was in a state of utmost panic, waving his hands and shouting, sweating an awful mess, "TOWELS-towels- do we need towels- gave you got towels- WHERE IN THE JesusMaryLordhelpme ARE THE TOWELS?!"

Koriand'r was handed a mask to breathe in to by Alfred. She pulled it away from her face and groaned, "Shut UP Dick!"

"Right-yes-sorry of course. I'll be quiet now- quiet quiet quiet, that's me- Mr Quiet Man-"

"SHUT UP!", chorused half of the room.

The entire household stood in the medical bay, offering reassurance, fussing, and generally not being that helpful. Bruce was a pale wreck, squeezing Selina's hand so tightly she was sure he'd broken something. It was just their luck that Dick and Kori had decided to have a home birth. Alfred had accepted the duty of delivering the baby- his expertise in childbirth was just one of the many mysterious features of the butler. Now, with the whole family looking in, it seemed like he would have to play marshal as well.

"That's it- out!", he commanded. "Now."They began shuffling out of the medical bay. Alfred had to glare particularly harshly at Dick to get him to leave. He did, however, call back Raven.

They had spoken in length with Kori priorly about the ineffectiveness of human pain relievers and numbing agents on her Tamarinian physiology. Raven had the powers to sufficiently elevate the pain of childbirth, and so would be present at her side, holding her hand from which the soothing empathic waves would transfer from the demoness to Kori.

What felt like years later, after waiting in silence in the hallway, pacing a hole through the floor (and needing a supporting shoulder to hug -the unfortunate victim was Jason-), the sound of a baby crying sounded through the door and Dick laughed a strangled sort of laugh.

There and then, Bruce hugged his son, "Welcome to fatherhood.", he said, crushing the air out of Dick's lungs.

Selina pinched her boyfriend's cheek, "Oh yeah, grandpa?"

Bruce staggered, eyes wide. Grandfather. He was a grandfather. It was all fine to say a few months ago 'Bruce, you're going to be a granddad' but now....this was real. There was a crying, new born baby in the other room. Every bit his grandchild as Dick was his son -his crying, sheet-white son.

There was a round of hugs from everyone in the corridor, all rejoicing at the new addition to their increasingly growing family. Even Damian didn't protest when squashed by Jason of all people- and he barely protested when Timothy somehow ended up near him.

The door creaked open slowly, Alfred's weary face came through, followed by a disheveled frame with ruffled clothing. A smile on his face, Alfred announced to them, "You can come in- quietly. Not all at once."

There was a silent understanding- Dick first. That was his baby.

Unsure, heart hammering, Dick stepped past Alfred and in to the medical bay. Kori looked up at him with her vibrant eyes glowing brighter than ever. She sat on the bed with a bundle of fabric in her arms. Raven was at her side, her hand in a purple shower of magic as she held it above her pelvis: healing magic seeped in to Koriand'r body, instilling strength in it as well as repairing her. The demoness lost the glow in her hand and sat on the chair besides the bed, a little fatigued.