Rouge The Bat: Mature Goddess

Rouge and Tom have been married for twenty two years and one month
as of this chapter.

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Paint cans popped open. The edges were taped over. Dressed in old clothes,
the three began work. June poured pink paint into roller pans as Tiff
screwed the wooden handles into the rollers. Each grabbed a paint roller,
dipping them, and working on their assigned walls. "You two CAN go off
and do something else," Tom said.

"I'm not gonna freeload," June responded, working eagerly. "It's no big
deal. Tiff, we gonna do my room later?"

"OOH! Yeah, but, uh... I was thinking if we had some of the pink left
over... and do some bits in black to match my hair... you mind if I go
wild, Mr. Adriani? Uh... it is your house, so.."

Tom paused. "My grandfather would be pissed if someone painted a wall
in this place like a nightclub." He turned. "So do whatever you want.
They're not here anymore. But for now... a pink room for a baby girl."


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Rouge put groceries away. Tom would be busy with the baby's room,
she should at least stay as active as possible until the baby grew
too big to do such things. Teal grabbed bags, lending a hand. "Mom..."

"Yes, dear?"

Teal stated, "you're only one month but your stomach looks a LITTLE
big... you haven't been putting away a few extra snacks, have you?"

Angry, she shouted, "Teal, I would never pig out like that! I'm not-"
Her voice went silent as she caught her reflection in the shiny black
surface of the fridge door. "Well... I KNOW I haven't let myself go...
maybe it's the muscle I've put on over the years?"

Teal began to panic. "That's not muscle..." Running, she halted at the
baby's room. "DAD! It's mom..."

"WHAT?" he shouted.

Tiff and June dropped their paint rollers.

Rouge stepped into the doorway. "Teal's panicking. I'm sure it's nothing
to worry about!"

"MOM... look at your belly, it's too big!"

Tom looked down. He agreed, it was too large. "We're going to the
hospital!"

"Tom, an appointment would take forever!"

Grabbing her hand, he led her gently to the front door. "Then we make
them see us now!"


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The three teenagers sat in the living room, all worried. "I-" Teal
seemed the worst affected. "If mom loses this baby it'll ruin her..."

"She's not going to lose that kid! One thing about me, her and mom,
we're all tough girls and handled a LOT of crap." June hid her concern
well, but deep down she was just as worried.

Tiff looked ready to cry. "Rouge the Bat was a good GUN agent and she's
still a good person. She took me in when I needed a place to live..."

They heard the front door open. Bolting upright, the three girls
watched Tom march into the living room, taking a seat. He seemed to be
a zombie. "DAD!" Teal shouted.

"No... please tell me her baby's okay..."


"It is, Tiff!" Rouge walked in, smiling. A collective sigh was heard.

June said, "that's good to hear, sis... so, why's Tom in another
dimension?"

Standing behind his chair, she reached down to rub his chest. "It's
twins!"

"You mean..." Teal took her father's hand, trying to snap
him back to reality.

"Let him be, Teal, he needs some time to let it soak in."

"You mean he'll be okay?" Tiff asked, a bit concerned.

"Well, I'm not sure I'd say THAT..." Rouge commented, her arms
embracing him. "He went through a LOT of stress when Teal was on
the way."

Tom squeezed her hand. "I'm okay now... Teal, thanks for spotting that.
Probably better we found out early."

"Tell you what," June said. "We'll finish painting, you get some
rest, okay?"

"I'll help," Teal offered.

"No, Teal, that's okay. You help them, okay?" June's eyes spelled it
out. She wanted to be alone with Tiff.

"Right... dad, I'll get you a glass of orange juice."


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The paint rollers worked the walls. "I am SO glad nothing was wrong
with that baby- well, guess it's babies now!" Tiff shouted.

June was relieved. "Yeah, I don't know if I coulda stood to see
sis let down if it was. I mean... then there's Teal and Tom, I don't
know what it woulda done to them."

Tiff's eyes caught June's. "Guess babies aren't something we'll ever
have to worry about..." She was a bit let down.

"Tiff, just 'cause were lesbians doesn't mean we don't have the parts."
June took her hand. "I- what I mean is they can fertilize eggs in labs.
I read about it."

Blinking, Tiff said, "yeah... maybe someday. June..." Without a word,
she gave June a light kiss on the lips. "Eh... maybe we should get back
to work?" Giggling, June grabbed the paint roller. "Not like we don't
do that enough already..."

"Or sleep in the same bed..."

Tiff was smiling. "I- I didn't mean that we-"

"I know," June said. "Just because we're not having sex yet doesn't
mean we can't be affectionate! Not like sis waited before hitting the
bed with Tom."

"JUNE! That was different..." Tiff became defensive of her idol. "He
almost DIED!"

"Yeah, I forget that sometimes... I just don't wanna rush this. If I do
one thing right in my life, I wanna make this work!"

"OH! June, they have an opening at work in the records room! You could
help me in the dungeon! Wouldn't be so boring!" Tiff seemed eager at
the possibility.

"Me? But..." she hesitated. "You know I'm not reading
too good yet. Anyway, sis needs me around here."

"Yeah... good point. June, about your reading..." Tiff said, "you're
getting a LOT better at it. I'll help you, okay? Some day you can work
with me in the records room."

"That sounds good," June commented. "Listen, after we get done, wanna
go out?" Tiff smiled. "Sounds great!"


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Rouge stretched, leaned back on the sofa. "You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," Tom responded. "Just..."

"Worried to death? I know. Don't be, okay?" She held his hands, rubbing
his wedding ring to hers. "I made it through one kid, I'll make it
through two more, Tom."

They watched Teal lead Slate into the house. "Teal? I thought you
were going out tonight?"

"Yeah, going out usually means going OUT," Tom commented. "You haven't
left yet? We're fine here, you go out and have fun!"

"Change of plans," Teal explained.

"Yeah, I offered to help her sort through her old baby stuff." Slate
stood proud. "Anyway, dad's ribs healed fine so I'm free again, but
Teal told me you're having twins so I thought I'd offer to help, too."

"Thank you, Slate," Rouge said, impressed by the boy's genuine attitude.
They watched the two walk off.

"I think Teal did good hooking up with him," Tom said. "He's got a good
sense of honor."

Rouge responded, "he gets it from his father." Thinking, she added,
"thought he does seem to make better use of it at times."