At the beginning of Bruce's senior year, he got to experience what it's like to be a teenage parent. Though not in the traditional way on becoming a parent.
There was an assembly held only for the seniors in the advanced classes. Apparently that year in Gotham more than twice the number of babies were abandoned in the hospital. The orphanage was too full to take care of the orphaned babies. (Reminder to build more orphanages or donate more money to them).
The principal has volunteered his students to take care of the ones that the orphanage couldn't take. Is that even legal? How is leaving teenagers to take care of living breathing humans a good idea?
It wasn't up for discussion this project was 30% of their grades. Bruce would like to have his straight A's in the future but taking care of someone is hard work. There was no right answer to go about doing this. All he could do was hope for the best. After all have no help from anyone other than your partner? Yeah, he is hoping for the best.
His assigned partner was Danny Fenton. He really doesn't interact with his classmates so not much is known about him. But he needs to get his idea about living arrangements across.
Buying an apartment near the school so both of them can take care of the baby evenly. The hard part is convincing Danny and his parents to let Danny stay at the apartment for however long this project would last.
Bruce didn't think this through. Two teenagers and a baby have to take care of cleaning, cooking, shopping, and the baby. How are they going to survive? He looked at the questions they had to answer about the baby. It was basically a profile in hopes the baby would get adopted.
"I can be the primary caretaker of the baby I have some experience." Danny started. They were currently talking about what role they would have. Bruce was really at a disadvantage. Alfred took care of all the things one needs to be independent. He couldnât clean well he is banned from stepping in the kitchen and he has no experience with babies.
He explained this to Danny.
"I'm sure we'll figure it out for now let's just shop for the baby and buy some basic groceries. The only problem is money." Danny said with a sigh.
"That won't be a problem buy whatever you think we need," Bruce said with a proud smile.
Danny looked at him with a deadpan look, " you know you really shouldn't be proud that the only thing you can offer is money."
Bruce had to admit that hurt.
Bruce wanted to admit that they did figure it out but it was only a matter of time before Danny cracks.
Danny cleans the apartment ( Bruce picks up after himself but still leaves a little mess), cooks for them and takes care of the baby when they are in the apartment. Bruce takes the baby during school and feeds her through the night.
So when he gets sit down by Danny he really thought this is about the lack of effort he is showing.
"Ok, we need to talk about giving the baby a name." Huh. He didn't expect that?
"Do you have any ideas already?" Bruce asked in an unsure tone.
"I'm afraid if I name her it's going to be a star name. But to be specific I like the name Aurora." Danny admit. Bruce like the name.
"I like it. We should name her that. But can I decide her middle name?"
Danny shrugged, "sure be my guest."
Bruce wants the middle name to be his mother's name. But it's not his child should he be giving it to a child that's not his own?
"What about the last name?" Bruce asked.
"I think her last name should be both ours."
"So Aurora Martha Fenton-Wayne?"
Danny thought about it before agreeing.
Danny smiles at his daughter. He knows this was just temporary but he couldnât help but get attached.
He would adopt her if he could but this project made him realize that it wasn't possible right now. Though he felt like a single parent in this he couldnât fault Bruce.
Bruce was one of the people who protested this. Danny didn't mind. So he tries to do the majority of the work because Bruce didn't sign up for this. He signed up for it. Sigh. At least money wasn't a problem.
He couldnât help but buy outfits for Aurora. She just looked so cute in them! She was his special little girl after all!
"What makes her special?"
Danny was caught off guard with this question. Was he really asking that?
"Why do you need a reason?"
Bruce looked caught off guard before explaining that it was an answer they had to respond to. It was not something they could avoid.
"Why does she need a reason to be special? Look how cute she is! It doesn't matter what she grows up to be. She doesn't need to prove to anyone why she deserves to be adopted! After she is already special for being born into this kind of world," said Danny while cuddling with Aurora.
Danny looked up to see Bruce looking conflicted with something.
"No, it's just that I never thought about it that way."
Danny wanted to smile. He knew this day would come but it still hurts. His daughter would go and be someone else's daughter. While he would just go back to being a regular high school student.
He was packing all of the baby's toys, clothes, and diapers. He covered his mouth to try and keep his sobs quiet. He couldnât help but cry. He sat there in a room he personally decorated just for his little girl. Memory that he holds so dear in his core. He doesn't think he could see her off.
He curled himself up beside the crib that is empty.
He looked around the empty apartment that was once filled with laughter. She was gone. Bruce now had free time that he didn't know what to do with.
He has a relationship with Danny Fenton that revolves around the baby. Now that Aurora was gone was there even a relationship? Danny didn't come to say goodbye to her.
He was angry. He didn't know why but he felt unexpected anger.
The door opened. He turned around to see Danny who looked like shit.
"Why didn't you come and see her off?" He said calmly.
"I don't think I could have held it together. It feels like she was ripped away from me. I can't let her see me like that," Danny mumbles while looking at the floor.
"You're going to regret this you know that? You're going to regret not saying goodbye!" He didn't understand why he was angry. He didn't want to blame Danny but here he was putting him down.
"I don't get you! You never once relax while living here! You're always tense like you're expecting something to come and ruin everything! I see the way you look at me!" Danny was yelling and Bruce let him.
"It's like you're expecting me to fight you on everything! It's like you were just being useless just to see if I disagree with you!" Danny was right he was expecting them to fight. He read that it could help strengthen bonds. If you can overcome it.
Danny looked down before yelling, "Dammit Bruce, why was that the only way you except for us to get along?" Danny was sobbing now.
What does he do? He was never good at comforting people.
"I hope we never see each other again."
Bruce quickly looked up and met Danny's swollen eyes.
"I don't want to remember this. This was just an elaborate dream." Danny looked up while saying this like he was praying for it to be true.
"I'm sorry I pushed you to this." Bruce felt ashamed.
"Goodbye Bruce," said Danny as he walked pass him.
To forget this? He doesn't forget things. This will follow him whether he likes it or not.
A family of his own sounds like a dream. He can go to college and lead a party life like all the other students are doing. But he stays in his dorm looking out the windows imagining his daughter. Jazz said that it wasn't healthy the way he was processing his loss. Closure she said was better than believing he abandoned her.
But didn't he? They were strangers. Strangers who went through multiple screenings. Bruce was the one who approved of them.
How could he let her go? It doesn't matter really.
After all none of it was real. It was an illusion.
I really just wanted to get rid of this draft so it's not well looked after.
