-For my queen Lorelei, who needed some good vibes. Everyone say hi to Lorelei.-
Dinah woke to a faint thunk, thunk, thunk, pulling her out of dream. What-- Who was that? She opened her eyes a crack and sat up, brushing hair from her face. The room was lit by the grey sky out the window. Conner sat cross-legged next to her wall, having left the door wide open, picking at the socket.
"Hey!" She shot out of bed, stumbling over her disorganized floor and grabbing the boy's shoulder. "No, no, no, Conner! We've talked about this." She pulled the complaining kid away from the wall. Ever since Conner discovered that putting things in the socket made a crackle and bright light, she'd had to watch him like a hawk. She'd hoped that outlet covers would be enough to stop him, but it appeared he'd found the only exposed outlets into house. "Come on, let's get you dressed."
Ignoring the complaints, she threw on a shirt and marched the boy to his room.
Evidently, Conner wasn't the only kid awake: There was audible bickering from inside the kids' bathroom. Dinah grabbed the boy some new clothes and headed to inspect the situation.
"It's clearly mine: it's a girl shirt!"
"I wear the girl shirts too! They fit me better."
Dinah pushed the door open, finding Artemis in her pyjama shirt and boxers, and Dick in his sleep romper; clutching a crumpled uniform shirt. "Hey, what's going on here?"
"Artemis is trying to take my shirt!"
"Nuh uh! It's mine!" She whined. "It was in the communal hamper, and it's clearly too big for you!"
"Mine is also too big!"
Artemis snatched the shirt back, thrusting it in Dinah's face. "W-- Well see that loose button? That's because I got it caught on the car door last week!"
"I remember." She nodded, gently pulling the girl's hair out of the braid she'd put it in last night. "Dickie, I'll find a shirt for you to use today until we find the other shirt."
Artemis gave her foster brother a smug grin and took the shirt. "Thank you!" She slid off her shirt.
"Artemis, no one wants to see your boobs!"
"Then get out, let me have the bathroom to myself!" She crawled into a bra and started buttoning the shirt.
Dick gaped, angrily. "Do something!" He whined.
Dinah pulled him out. "Go into my wardrobe and find yourself a good shirt, okay?" She sent him off on his way and stopped to ensure Conner was getting dressed. He wasn't, too focused of brushing out Wolf's hair. She reminded him, and hurried downstairs to the faint smell of burning. "What's going on down there?"
"We're fine. Please don't worry." Kaldur's voice called.
She slowed, assured that Kaldur was fixing whatever it was, yet she continued towards the kitchen. "What's going on here."
M'gann turned extatically, sticky and pasty. "HI DINAH!"
"Whatcha doing kiddo?"
"Waffles!"
"Wow. Look at you, little chef! I haven't even showered yet." She fluffed M'gann's hair, causing a cloud of flour. "Kaldur, have you gotten ready yet?"
"I did, thank you."
"flushed out your gills?" She asked. "Meds, hydrating, eyedrops..."
"Yes."
She smiled, ever proud of what an effort the oldest child made to take care of himself and be an example. Dinah took over, starting to clean up after M'gann and the carnage they left behind her. "Kaldur, can you check if Wally's awake?"
"Of course, right away."
She shook her head affectionately at the over-politeness and shoved some dishes in the sink. M'gann poked her shoulder. "Dinah! Try them!"
Bracing herself, The woman dried her hands and picked a piece of the crispy piece of dough, tasting it cautiously. It was crunchy on the outside, and a little undercooked on the center, but she swallowed and offered the kid a smile. "Good job! You're getting better!"
M'gann lit up like a lightbulb. "Really! You like it?"
"Yeah, You're getting so good!" She pat the girl's hair. "How many did you make, baby?"
"OH! I made them for everyone!" She grinned, hopeful for more congratulations.
"Wow, aren't you making my life easier?" Dinah kissed the kid's nose and headed upstairs for a shower.
Her hopes were dashed by Wally shooting in and out of his room, babbling to himself about a test. She checked her phone: 08:15. The kids had school at eight-forty exactly. "Wally." She grabbed the boy's shoulder. "Go downstairs and have breakfast before you pass out, I'll pack your bag."
"But--"
"You need to eat."
"O--Okay! the boy took off down the stairs. "Grab my science book!"
"I've got it!" She called, putting on deodorant, washing her face (kind of, Artemis used up all her cleanser), and heading into Wally's shared room. They were kind of cramped with six kids and one adult in a three-room house but with Kaldur sharing with M'gann; Artemis sharing with Wally and Dick; and Conner only leaving his closet to sleep on the foot of Dinah's bed once a month, they made it work.
She forced Wally's bag closed and headed downstairs again. The kids-- her kids, had assembled around the table, either gnawing at M'gann's waffles, or emptying out their cereal. She set Wally's bag by the door and did a double-take, she did a headcount: Blonde, Redhead, Raven, Blonde, Redhead, Raven, Redhead...
She smiled tiredly. "Good morning Barbara."
"Mhm!" She shoved a spoonful of Cheerios in her mouth. Dinah picked up the box and collapsed it for the recycling. As if it wasn't hard enough to feed six kids...
"Is your dad at work early again?"
"Hasn't been home yet." She said through a very full mouth. She wiped milk off her mouth with the back of her fist. "He's working on getting the Riddler back."
"And you aren't?" The male ginger asked.
"Neither are any of you!" She replied. "Besides, I like the Riddler. He's not that dangerous. and I like his weird riddles!"
"Hey! Babs!" Dick called, swallowing hard. "there are three men in a boat with four cigarettes and no matches, how do they smo--"
"They throw a cigarette overtime and make the boat a cigarette lighter!" They high-fived, cackling.
Dinah admired their chattering, admiring that Conner's shirt was on backwards, she helped him fix it, and offered to cut his waffles into smaller pieces, which he stubbornly refused.
"Artemis, M'gann, Wal-- GUYS? You want a ride to school?" Cheers and agreements erupted. "Uh, okay, I'll drop off Dick and the girls, then I'll let Wally off on the bridge to run to keystone, and, Kaldur? Should I drop you off at the docks for work?"
"Yes, please."
"Great." She said. Conner wasn't in school yet, but he could come with her while she ran errands, so there would be no electrical fires. "Since all.... seven of you are coming, Can someone go open the 8th back seat?"
Dick groaned, knowing that as the smallest, that was his spot; he put his dishes in the sink and jumped to it.