Re: What would happen if? Second Gen!!

Ariel was sitting in her dad's lap as they ate pizza and talked with her aunt and uncle. Then someone brought up about the baby, making the little girl look at her mommy.

"A gender reveal party? I don't know about another one after two kids. Maybe we'll have this one be a surprise for all of us," Nikki said with a smile.

"Well, if you had to guess? What do you think?" Cyborg asked. "Boy or girl? Maybe both? Maybe twins?" He didn't realize he keept on talking untill it was too late.

Everyone kinda stopped when he said that. Maddie glanced at Tim before she suddenly heard the push off a chair. It was John getting up to leave.

Rachel frowned, looking after him.

Jaine could feel the tension and cleared her throat. "A-anyone want more pizza?" She offered. She knew Cyborg didn't mean anything bad by it, he just didn't think.

Nikki frowned before she looked at her husband. She patted his shoulder and got up. "Come on. Let's go talk to him," she said, knowing that they should talk to him.

"Nice job, Tin Man," Tim muttered before he felt Kayla got his shoulder, nearly making him spill his drink. "Hey!"

"He didn't mean to say that, Tim. So be nice," Kayla whispered.

Dick had stood up to follow his wide. He tried to think of how to beat approach John. He knew Cyborg didn't mean to say that. It just slipped out.


"Here, Cyborg. Have some more Pizza." Jaine offered with a kind smile to make him feel better.

"I-I didn't mean to say that. I forgot, I'm sorry-" He started.

"They know that," Jaine assured him, holding the pizza box out


Maddie kinda swallowed the awkward tension but could see that everyone kinda dropped it, which was nice. She felt bad about John. She glanced at her youngest cousin, who didn't seem that offended. She was probably still too young. Her smile and freckles made her see Aiden in her. She frowned. She missed Aiden. It wasn't fair. And she could also understand John for reacting the way he did towards the new baby that was coming.

John was by the rocks, just watching the waves hit against them. The water made him think of Aiden. Not just because of his powers, but this one memory of when they went to the beach and Aiden had gotten his foot stuck between two giant rocks. It was just him, Aiden, and their dad for a guy's day, so his mother couldn't help with her water powers.

John had called for his dad to come help, but he had already jumped into the water and managed to pull his brother from the depth. Their dad had to perform CPR on Aiden and they spent the night at the hospital, but it was the one time he actually felt like his brother looked up to him. Every other time, John looked up to him.

Why couldn't he had been there for him like last time? Could he have stopped Aiden from dying? Why... Why did it have to be...

"John?"

He almost didn't react to his mother's warm touch on his shoulder. John looked up and saw his parents standing behind him. "Hey, uh... Sorry," he muttered, sticking his hands into his pockets. "Didn't mean to rush out like that..."

"No, its fine. Wanna talk about it?" Nikki asked him.

"Not really."


"Hey." Wally walked over to his daughter and got his arm around her shoulder. "You okay?" He could tell both she and Nathan missed their cousin a lot. Everyone who knew Aiden knew he had a heart of gold.

Dick frowned as she walked over but he tried a small smile. "You know Cyborg didn't mean for that to-" He started


Maddie snapped out of her thoughts when her father approacher her from behind. "Yeah,... I guess." She smiled a little, but knew he could see right through her. She wasn't good at hiding things. "I miss him."

"I know he didn't mean to, Dad, and I said I don't want to talk about it," John said before adding, "I already accepted the new baby and I'm not mad, okay? Just drop it."

Nikki sighed and blew some hair out of her face. "I wish I believed you, honey, but you're a bad liar like me." She went around to face him and cupped his cheeks. "John, this baby is not going to replace Aiden. No one ever, ever could. Aiden is going to be with us no matter what. He's in you. I can see him every time I look at you."

"How? W-We're fraternal twins, Mom. We looked nothing alike," John's voice hitched a bit.

"How do I know? Its the way your eyes twinkle when you're happy. The dimples on your cheeks when you smile. The way you love your family and friends and want to protect them." Nikki saw one tear go down his cheek and she wiped it away before he could try to rub it off. "That's why I need my little man to help love and protect this new baby, too. He, or she, is so lucky to have you as a big brother."


Wally sighed and he rubbed her shoulder. "I know. We all do, princess." He wasn't one to be religious, but he said anyway, "He's...looking down on us right now, and I don't think he'd want us to be sad, right?"

"You're mothers right. You've really stepped up regarding Ariel. She looks up to you, and your new sibling will too." Dick said, walking over and putting his hand on his shoulder. "You've growing older, John and having these feelings are natural. It's nothing to be ashamed of and it's not wrong. Just know that we're here if you ever need to talk about anything, okay?"


Maddie looked at her father, she knew he wasn't faithful, neihter was she, or anyone in their family really. "Dad, I know you're just saying that..." She muttered. She knew why he said it, but still.

John looked at his parents before he looked down, feeling embarrassed since he felt so vulnerable with them. Of course you could be with your parents, but he wasn't used to that. He had built up a wall around himself and it became like steel when his brother died. So, having it broken down...

"Y-Yeah. I got it, Dad. Thanks. You, too, Mom," he muttered.

Nikki smiled and she raised his head to kiss his forehead.

John immediately got more embarrassed and covered his forehead. "M-Mom! Come on! What if someone saw that!?" he whined.

"I can kiss my son anytime and anywhere I want, so, deal with it." Nikki sat up and held her back. "Agh. Its gonna get harder to do that with a big belly. I do not miss the side effects."


"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Have I ever told you about this magician named Kent Nelson?" Wally asked her. Okay, so, he didn't believe in magic, God, stuff like that, but he knew something was out there when he had that experience with Kent.

"And I am glad I'm not in your shoes," Dick chuckled lightly before rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh, that didn't come out right, did it?" Saying the wrong thing around a woman could be dangerous, he knew that.


Maddie shook her head. "I don't think so," She said, not remembering any Kent Nelson.