oh, my baby | tim drake

003 | overwhelming

enchanted | taylor swift

The city felt too bright after the darkness of the Manor. The kind of sharp, buzzing brightness that made your heart beat a little too fast if you stayed in it too long.

Vanessa tightened her coat around her body and walked beside Tim in silence, her boots clicking gently against the sidewalk. His hand brushed against hers until she reached out and held it.

Neither of them spoke for a long time. Not since Bruce walked out of the dining room without another word. Not since the sound of plates scraping and voices buzzing died under the weight of that crushing silence.

Vanessa hated that she cried. She hated that she still felt like an outsider, even after all the hours she'd spent in the Manor, all the moments shared with the family. She was carrying his grandchild, and Bruce still looked at her like she was something Tim needed to be saved from.

But now, under the streetlights, Tim was just Tim. Her Tim. Not Red Robin. Not Bruce's son. Just the boy who wrapped his arm around her when she cried, and kissed the crown of her head like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Where are we even going?" she finally asked, her voice a little hoarse.

Tim shrugged. "Nowhere. Somewhere. I just... needed to not be there."

Vanessa nodded. "Same."

They turned a corner and passed a baby boutique. Its display window glowed with fairy lights and soft pastel colors. Vanessa stopped walking.

Tim followed her gaze.

Tiny shoes. Onesies. A plush elephant with floppy ears and a sign that read "Coming Soon."

Neither of them spoke for a minute. Vanessa's fingers drifted to her belly. There wasn't a real bump yet—nothing anyone would notice—but she could feel it. The change. The quiet, growing hum of life.

"I don't know what I'm doing," she whispered.

Tim looked at her, surprised.

"I mean, I want this baby," she continued. "I want us. But tonight just made everything feel... too big. Too hard."

Tim stepped in front of her and gently cupped her face. "Hey. I don't know what I'm doing either. But I know I love you. And I know I already love this baby."

Vanessa blinked back more tears.

"We're gonna mess up," he admitted. "A lot. But we'll figure it out. Together. We always do."

He leaned in, brushing his forehead against hers. Vanessa closed her eyes and breathed him in—safety, warmth, nerves, and all.

She pulled back with a watery laugh. "You're gonna be the most anxious dad ever."

Tim grinned. "And you're gonna be the strongest mom."

A quiet moment passed between them.

Then Vanessa stepped closer to the window and pointed. "If it's a girl, we're getting her that tiny bat-ear hoodie."

Tim groaned. "We're already dressing her in vigilante gear?"

"Absolutely."

He chuckled, then reached for her hand again. "Come on. Let's get some fries. That's one parenting skill I've already mastered."

Vanessa smiled.

They didn't need everything figured out right now.

They just needed each other.

And maybe a milkshake.