I can’t believe my baby is five. Where has the time gone? It feels like just yesterday I was bringing her home from the hospital, sleeping with her on my chest because she had acid reflux. A lot has happened in both our lives since moving to San Diego, the biggest change being our new extended family.

Justin and the team came home from deployment a few months after Christmas. Homecoming was amazing, but it brought back some painful memories for me with having not been able to welcome Trent home properly. Being the amazing supportive man that he is, Justin took it all in stride. Took Olivia and took care of her like a champ, as he said Batman and Robin were finally together at last, and let me tell you those two are thick as thieves.

We have been taking it slowly just as I asked in all those letters years ago, there is no rush to prove something we already know. Justin, Livie, and I are a family. There is nothing a piece of paper can prove that we don’t already know. However, I can see the longing in Justin’s eyes when he sees Logan and Charlie playing with their kids, he wants to be able to officially call Olivia his own. I am not against the idea, but someone has to get off his ass and ask me already.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty! Get your head out of the clouds and help us get this show on the road. We have a birthday princess arriving in less than an hour.” The way Emma is barking out orders, you would think that it was her kids’ birthday. Not for lack of trying, but Jimmy is yet to convince her to marry him. I have faith that he will be able to wear her down sooner or later.

Taking a second to just sit and admire, I look at the transformation that has happened, not only in my life but in this room. Emma was able to convince Jimmy to let us have Livie’s birthday party at The Mission. He’s even helping with setup, he would do anything for Olivia. Pink, purple, and white streamers are covering the ceiling, the tables have been moved into groups to make long tables. The ‘head’ table, where her majesty will sit with her friends, is covered in glitter and sequins, her chair decorated too. The entire place has been taken over by pink, glitter, and unicorns, with the exception of a Gotham city backdrop on one wall. She can’t have a birthday party without superheroes, that’s just crazy talk.

Katie, Avery, and Amber have been making tutus for all the attendees, crowns, fairy wings, and wands are set out for anyone that wants those as well. I’m completely overwhelmed by how much the people in our lives have come to mean to us, and how much we mean to them.

With tears in my eyes, I head to the back to grab the teapot for the table. Her favorite juice, tropical punch, is inside and will be served in teacups on saucers. The table is big enough for everyone, she made sure that everyone will have a seat at ‘her’ table, all of her favorite people in one place. She may be a demanding little thing, but her heart is in the right place.

“Emma? Can you start bringing teacups out here, please?” I holler over my shoulder, making my way to the table. Setting it down, someone scares me as they press against my butt. A little shriek escapes me, the chuckle confirms that it’s Justin.

“Hands on the table, Catwoman.” His voice rumbles against my ear, making my stomach and thighs clench.

“Emma will be coming out here any second,” I say nervously, looking toward the doorway, but complying with the command anyway.

His lips smile against my skin before biting my neck. “I’m not going to fuck you, Becca. I just wanted you against me for a minute. To feel your curves under my hands…” Speaking of those hands, they slide up my sides to my breasts, cupping the weight.

“Dammit, Justin.” Emma’s voice makes me jump, and my cheeks flush. “Grope her on your own time, we’re busy.”

His hands grip my hips, holding me against him. “Just making sure my girl doesn’t need help with anything.”

“Yeah, sure you were.” She rolls her eyes, I can’t get enough of their sibling banter.

“I’m good, thank you. Now get out of here before you become a distraction.” Turning away from him, I head to grab more teacups, but his arm around my waist stops me mid-step.

“You are definitely missing something,” he says as he circles to stand face to face with me. Hands on my hips, I lift an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to continue.

The smirk on his lips gives me approximately half a second warning before his mouth is covering mine, his hand at the back of my neck. Will I ever get used to how I react to him?

Before I want him to, he pulls back and kisses my forehead. “I gotta go see about a girl.” He laughs at my frustrated growl. As Justin walks out, Danny, Charlie, Logan, and Jimmy enter in a cloud of balloons. I think they bought out the store! They’re everywhere!

“Oh my God! So many balloons!” Emma yells and laughs as she runs over to the guys.

Jimmy cracks a smile, her smile is infectious and kisses her cheek. “There’s more to come.” Emma and I each take a handful of ribbons and wrap them around chairs until we can get them all sorted.

Once all the balloons are inside, I give directions to the guys. We have to divide and conquer in order to get this all done. “Danny, can you get balloons tied to weights to go around the dance floor?”

“No problem.”

“Is Layla going to be able to make it?” Layla is not an easy person to like, but she’s part of the group. We would never exclude her.

He smiles, obviously grateful that I didn’t forget about her. “Yeah, she’ll be here soon.”

“Great, Livie will be happy to see her.” Turning to Charlie, I think about the next stage. “Alright Charlie, Logan, follow me.”

Charlie and Logan are finishing up the balloons when the girls come in with the tutus. “Oh goodness!”

“Krall, the Warrior King, get your fine ass over here!” Avery shouts, Charlie takes Bristol from her.

“How’s my little man? Did you take a nap?” He waves his arms around, telling his daddy all about something. Charlie is intently listening to the story, interjecting with ‘mmhmm’ and ‘oh no’ when Bristol pauses. Amber grabs a green tutu and walks toward Charlie. “Time to get dressed, the birthday girl will be here soon.”

He puts Bristol down, then crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m not putting on a tutu.”

“You will if you want to get a blowy for the next month.” With a sweet smile on her face, she cocks her head and holds out the tutu. Grumbling, he takes it and ties it around his hips.

“There. Happy?”

“Wings and crown too,” Avery holds them out to him.

“You two are going to pay for this,” he says, the girls smirking at him.

“We know,” they say in unison.

Without a word, Jimmy holds his hand out, waiting for his tutu. The shocked look on Charlie’s face is priceless. “Are you shitting me, Old Man? You’re not going to argue about this?”

With a knowing smile, Jimmy gives him a nod. “You gotta pick your battles, man. I know I’m not going to win this one. I’m not putting on those pussy ass wings and crown though.”

“I’ll take what I can get,” Emma says, kissing Jimmy’s cheek. Turning quickly, he lays a kiss on her lips, making her moan.

“You better get that over with before Justin gets here and shoots your ass. It’s one thing to know you’re fucking his baby sister, it's entirely different to see proof of it,” Logan interjects, putting on his tutu, wings, and crown.

With a huff, Charlie looks at Logan. “Am I really the only one that’s going to put up a fight over these damn things?”

“Yup,” all the guys in the room say. Logan laughs and slaps Charlie on the shoulder, “You know as well as we do that you were going to put it on anyway. You should have just accepted your fate.”

Tying my own tutu, I can’t help but laugh at these big tough men wearing tutus.

I’m on my way to pick up the birthday girl, I can’t help but think about all the differences they’ve made in my life. When I left for deployment three years ago, I was lonely, I knew I wanted someone to spend my life with, but it wasn’t until I started talking to Becca that I realized just how lonely I really was. And Olivia? That little girl is my world. I couldn’t love her more if she were born of my blood, she’s mine in every sense that matters.

Parking in front of Katie’s, I don’t knock when I get to the door. I’m beyond the point of knocking, the team along with the girls and the kids, are family. You don’t knock on family’s door, at least not where I come from.

“Where’s my birthday girl?” I holler as I close the door.

“Batman!” My second favorite girl squeals, appearing out of a cloud of tulle and glitter. Running at me full force, I brace myself to catch her and swing her around.

“Hey pretty girl, you ready to party?”

Throwing her head back, she rolls her eyes so hard I think she saw her brain. “Of course! I just need to get dressed.”

“Well, get to it, time is a wasting.” Setting her down, she runs up the stairs and a door slams.

“Hey there big man, ready to get your tutu on?” Turning to face Katie, one of the women responsible for this mess.

“Uh, no. But hey, thanks for asking. Everything is just about set up.” Katie and Emerson do that shake and high pitch scream thing that girls do to show they’re excited.

“Alright, time to get all this in the cars. Hop to it.” Katie claps her hands, and the kids start moving. It’s the most impressive thing I’ve ever seen.

Livie comes down the stairs, looking the part of the princess. In a puffy pink dress with a Robin symbol in purple on the chest, made of glitter. Sparkly shoes and a tiara in her pretty golden curls. She stands on the last stair, beaming when the girls coo and aww over her.

“You look beautiful, Livie.” Extending my elbow to her, she lays her small hand on my arm, and we make our way to the car. Opening the door for her, I lift her up, so she doesn’t have to crawl and risk getting her dress dirty. “Alright big girl, buckle up.”

Getting behind the wheel, I see her making funny faces at me in the rearview mirror. What else can I do, but reciprocate?

“Batman?”

“What’s up, Robin?”

“Can we go to Starbucks? I bet Mommy would really like a coffee.” A sly smile covers her face.

“Oh yeah? Mommy wants a coffee? That’s why you want to go there?” Pulling out into traffic, I make my way toward the closest Starbucks. I’m a sucker, and she knows it, there isn’t anything I won’t give her today.

“Well…since we’ll be there, I could get a birthday cake pop. Since it’s my birthday,” she tells me very matter-of-factly.

Shaking my head, I agree. We need to do something to take up some time anyway, so Katie has some time to get to the party before us. We really want her to be able to see it all done, with everyone there.

She’s such an amazing kid. When we asked who she wanted to invite, she insisted that her aunts and uncles had to come, but she also invited a few kids from day care. In her words, she wanted to invite the ‘kids that don’t have very many friends’ because everyone should have friends. I hope she never changes.

A text from Katie lets me know that they are headed toward the bar, and we are safe to head that way too. As we pull into the parking lot, there’s a few cars that I recognize and a huge banner hanging on the front of the building that reads, “Happy Birthday Olivia!” Seeing the banner, Livie’s face splits with a beaming smile and starts squirming in her seat, ready to get out.

Once we’re parked, she unbuckles, jumps from the car, and takes off toward the door. Sprinting to get to the door before her, I barely make it, that kid is fast!

“Hang on! A princess doesn’t open her own doors!” Giggling and out of breath, she smiles up at me. I get the door open, and she steps inside a wonderland, made just for her. It’s not until I hear her laugh that I notice everyone standing off to one side, wearing tutus. Everyone. Charlie, Jimmy, Logan, and Danny included. Logan and Charlie have fucking wings and crowns on! There’s a sign next to them that says, ‘Everyone must wear a tutu. Wings and crowns are optional.’ I can’t contain my laughter, I’m doubled over, holding my stomach, laughing at my team of Navy SEAL’s wearing fucking tutus.

“We make this look good,” Charlie says, arms crossed over his chest next to Logan.

“Of course, you do, Trixie Mattel.” Avery placates him, patting him on the cheek.

Lowering his voice, so the kids don’t hear him, leans into Avery. “Just watch, Sugar. I’m gonna rock your fucking world wearing only this getup. You’ll be calling me the Fairy King of your pussy.”

Thankfully, Olivia has run off to check everything out, completely in love with the decorations. Becca comes to me with a black and yellow tutu, and a gorgeous smile on her lips.

Drying my tears of laughter, I smile at my number one girl, my heart, and bring her lips to mine for a kiss.

The door opens behind me, turning to see who it is, Danny is holding the door open for Layla to come in. Dressed in a black tulle skirt and red corset, with huge wings behind her. She looks amazing, to be honest, scary but amazing. Her hair is up and wound around a black crown, she reminds me of something that would come from Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. Her normal black Louboutin’s with the red sole on her feet and a beautifully wrapped gift in her hand.

Stopping once she’s inside, Danny beside her, she looks around to see everyone staring at her. “Problem?”

“Layla, you look amazing!” Katie calls from behind the rest of the group. Danny whispers something in her ear that has her smirking, that smirk makes my balls want to shrivel up into my body.

“Thank you, Katie,” she says as the women embrace.

“Layla, thank you for coming. Olivia will be so glad that you made it.” Becca steps away from me to greet her. She’s right, Olivia will be glad she came. She seems to have a soft spot for the people that don’t quite fit in, so of course, Olivia invited Layla.

“Miss Layla!” Livie calls from across the room and comes running toward her, slowing down and calmly giving Layla a gentle, quick hug. Now that she is a bit older and not so sticky all the time, Layla has let her get an occasional, quick hug. Stepping back, Layla hands the package to Livie. “I hope you enjoy it.”

“Thank you so much! I’m really glad you made it. Would you like to take a picture with me?”

Surprised, she says, “Oh, um, sure.”

Livie grabs her hand and pulls her toward the Gotham City backdrop, pointing out all the props that she can choose from. Layla, of course, doesn’t use one, just stands with her hand on Livie’s shoulder, a tight-lipped smile at the camera while Becca snaps a picture. First picture of the party and Livie takes it with Layla, this is going to be an interesting day.

The party is going amazingly well, a few kids from day care showed up, and none of the kids had an issue putting tutus on since all the grownups had them on too. I have to admit that it surprised me, I expected the two boys that came to balk at it, but once they saw the guys all wearing them, they put them on without complaint. The Gotham City backdrop has been a huge hit, there are lots of props that everyone can use to take pictures with. We even got a picture of the team, plus Jimmy, in all of our tutus. Pizza has been demolished, tropical punch is only staining half of the tablecloths, but everyone is having an amazing time.

I have no idea how Jimmy is going to get all the glitter out of this place, I doubt anything short of fire will get rid of it all. But even the grumpy old man smiles and laughs and turns into a big pile of goo for Livie. He loves being her Grampa, and it looks good on him.

Small hands wrap around my chest and the familiar curves of Becca press against my back. “Hey, hero.”

“Hey, beautiful.” Pulling her around to face me, I kiss her forehead before laying mine against hers. “How about a dance?” She smiles up at me, quickening my pulse. I lead her to the dance floor, surrounded by balloons. It’s a temporary reprieve from the prying eyes of children.

Not paying any attention to the music, I pull her into my arms and sway with her. “I love you, Becca.”

“I love you too, Justin, so very much.” I’m getting nervous, it’s almost time for my act. I kiss her gently, a soft meeting of lips that has her melting against me.

Livie runs up to us. “It’s time for cake!!”

“Okay! Let’s go!” Becca says, stepping out of my embrace. I follow along behind them as everyone takes their seats. Olivia at the head of the table, with her day care friends on either side of her. She says that she wants to hand out the cupcakes to everyone, how is Becca going to argue with that? It takes a few minutes, and there is almost a few dropped cupcakes, but she finally gets back to her seat.

“Livie, can you stand for a minute? I want to ask you a question.” I take her hands in mine and drop down to one knee. Becca gasps behind her, but I make sure to keep my eyes on the girl directly in front of me. I can only imagine how ridiculous I look in a tutu, but this is the second most important question of my life.

“Olivia, I love you so much, baby girl. I know that I was put on this earth to be your daddy. To help you, to teach you, to love you. You’re my buddy, my sidekick, and I would be honored if you agreed to be my daughter, officially.”

Tears fill her eyes as she looks at me. I can hear the sniffling around us, my heart is on the line here, and I am terrified that she’s going to tell me no. I don’t just want to be Batman, I want to be her daddy, I want her to be my little girl.

“Like forever? I could tell people that you’re my daddy?” her voice is soft and shaky, and it breaks my heart.

“Yeah, forever. You can tell the entire world.” Pulling her hands from mine, she jumps into my arms and hugs my neck tight, crying into my T-shirt. I hold her to me, a tear running down my cheek too as I look up at Becca. Tears streaming down her face, a smile on her lips, and her hand over her heart.

“Yes,” Livie cries, the room erupts in cheers. I squeeze her tight as my heart just about bursts. “Thank you. Thank you so much,” I tell her, kissing her hair and rubbing her back. “I have something for you.” Having her step back, I pull a small velvet box from my pocket. Opening it up, there’s a small silver ring inside. Reaching for it, I slip it onto her hand and smile at her. “Do you mind if I ask your Mommy a question now?”

“Does she get a pretty ring too?” Everyone in the room laughs.

With a smile on my face, I tell her, “Only if she says yes.”

Turning around to face her mom, she tells her, “Say yes.” Everyone laughs again as I reach for Becca’s hand.

Still down on one knee, I look up into her green eyes, swimming with emotion and tears. “Becca, I love you more than I ever thought was possible. I need you, both of you, in my life. You came to me, a ready-made family that I desperately wanted, the more I got to know you both, the more I knew I needed you. I will do whatever I have to to keep you and Livie happy for the rest of our lives. So, Becca, will you marry me?”

Nodding her head rapidly, I stand and wrap her in my arms. She cries as I lift her up and spin her around as everyone in the room cheers. Setting her on her feet, I kiss her with everything I have, and she matches me breath for breath.

“I love you, Justin. I never thought I would find someone who loved me as much as Trent did, but I’m pretty sure he brought you to me. I know he’s looking down on us right now, and he’s happy that we found you.”

My heart is pounding, excitement, relief, adrenaline all coursing through me. Pulling a second box out of my pocket, I open it to reveal a large rectangular ruby surrounded by diamonds. “Ruby, for the month we found each other.” Sliding it onto her finger, I finally feel at peace. I’ve finally found a place to call home, with my Catwoman and Robin.