Team
Disclaimer: DC owns the characters within, not I.
"Diana." Bruce Wayne's voice broke through Diana's thoughts as she stood perched on the ledge of a building with her eyes trained on the city of Gotham beneath her. She turned to see him in his full Batman gear. She acknowledged him with a head nod and then turned back to the city this time looking across the harbor to Metropolis.
"Bruce.." Diana spoke in return.
"I thought you were heading back to London?" Bruce asked as he walked to stand next to her.
"I was.." Diana responded.
"But here you are.." Bruce stated. Diana watched the skyline over Metropolis on the off chance she might catch a glimpse of Superman. Batman followed her eye line. "He's not there.. at least not at the moment."
"Huh?" Diana asked turning back to Bruce.
"Clark.. he and Lois are on an assignment.. took them out of the city.." Bruce clarified.
"Oh.. I wasn't.." Diana responded with a gesture towards Metropolis.
"My mistake then," Bruce replied as he turned his attention from the skyline to her.
"So.. not to pry but," Bruce said with a wave of his hands to indicate he was curious as to why she was standing on the roof instead of flying back to London.
"I don't know," Diana replied. "I started to leave but I..."
"What is it, Diana?" Bruce asked sensing her troubled nature.
"Sometimes it feels wrong... leaving.." Diana replied.
"Why?" Bruce questioned.
"I'm not sure, I don't like knowing I'm so far away when the rest of the team is nearby.." Diana explained.
"Well... Arthur could be almost anywhere." Bruce corrected her attempting a smile. Diana nodded.
"True.. but you know what I mean," Diana responded.
"I think I do." Bruce agreed. "Has something happened that has made you concerned?"
"No..." Diana replied. She turned to face Bruce. "It's not like that.."
"Okay," Bruce responded without prying. "Well have you considered moving here... somewhere closer I mean?"
"I have... but..." Diana hesitated. "London is my home for now... I don't usually uproot myself until I have to."
"I get that... Gotham has always been my home, even if the rest of the world's opinion of it is not so flattering." Bruce said with a small shrug.
"But it'd be nice to be nearer you guys," Diana replied offering him the first smile of the evening.
"Well.. if we had to have you here, Barry or Clark could come for you pretty quickly," Bruce suggested.
"I know," Diana replied her smile widening at the thought of the two men. "Bruce..."
"Yeah?" Bruce reacted.
"How are you?" Diana asked. Bruce eyed her curiously for a moment before straightening his posture. "I'm fine... why?"
"Are you really?" Diana asked.
"Is there a reason you are asking this?" Bruce asked in return.
"Clark..." Diana began.
"He told you about my injuries..." Bruce replied with a slight shake of his head.
"He did.. and I mean I noticed them too," Diana said. "I think even Arthur could tell you were not your usual self earlier."
"I'm fine... I'm healing... maybe not as fast as I used to... but still." Bruce responded. He turned his attention to the street below them.
"Bruce.." Diana urged him with her voice. Bruce avoided eye contact with her, knowing the look she would be giving him. He'd seen her do that with the others and they usually gave in. Diana had a warmth about her, that made it nearly impossible to not open up to her. Bruce, however, was not accustomed to opening up to anyone.
"I'm fine Diana," Bruce replied.
"I'll take your word for it then," Diana said. "After all you've done this long enough.. you should know."
"Thanks," Bruce responded finally turning to her. He appreciated that she was willing to respect his judgment. Diana shifted her attention back across the water to the various skyscrapers making up Metropolis. She furrowed her brow before refocusing on Bruce.
"Can I ask you something?" Diana inquired.
"Sure," Bruce answered.
"Why did you want to kill Kal-El?" Diana asked. She noticed the look of discomfort that came over Bruce's face, unable to be hidden even by his cowl.
"I um..." Bruce struggled to understand his actions, let alone word them properly. "It was just a feeling."
"A feeling?" Diana pressed.
"That he could be dangerous.." Bruce clarified. "With the damage he and Zod did."
"But that was Zod's fault," Diana stated. Bruce crossed his arms allowing his cape to blow more freely in the sharp breeze.
"Yeah... I see that now.." Bruce agreed. "But then... I was..."
"Afraid?" Diana asked, sensing Bruce's hesitation.
"Yes," Bruce replied.
"Were you afraid of me too?" Diana asked.
"What do you want me to say... I feel like there is no right answer to that." Bruce replied, his body turning slightly to face away from Diana.
"It's okay... I'm sorry, I don't mean to attack you.." Diana said as she walked closer to him and placed a hand on his arm. He glanced down at her hand and then up at her eyes.
"No... I get it..." Bruce said turning to face Diana fully.
"Do you?" Diana asked.
"I do now.." Bruce replied. "I was afraid.. because I couldn't understand Clark, or you."
"Do you now?" Diana questioned.
"I'd like to think I'm learning," Bruce responded. Diana nodded.
"I think you are too Bruce... I think you've come a long way actually." Diana stated.
"I appreciate that.." Bruce began. "But if we are being candid Diana, I still don't fully understand the world anymore.. and maybe there is a part of me that that still scares."
"It's the same world, Bruce.." Diana countered. "It's just some of us aren't hiding anymore."
"Yeah.. it makes me wonder who else will come out of hiding," Bruce stated as turned his attention to the sky above them.
"You think someone else is coming?" Diana questioned.
"I think it's just a matter of time.." Bruce answered. "Power like what's in those boxes... someone will always want it."
"We'll be ready if someone does come," Diana stated. Bruce almost smiled at the confidence in her voice. She showed no fear and he admired that greatly. Suddenly he noticed that Diana's attention was diverted back across the water and he turned as well. It didn't take long for his eyes to fall on an object in the sky hovering over the tallest building in the city. Batman tensed up and started to make a move off the building.
"Wait..." Diana said as she placed her hand on his chest holding him in place. Bruce turned to her. She smiled at the figure and then turned back to Batman. "Look closer."
Bruce squinted his eyes but his vision wasn't what it was twenty years ago and so he activated telescopic lenses on his suit and saw why Diana was not concerned.
"I thought you said he was out of town..." Diana said.
"I guess he's back," Bruce replied as he watched Superman floating above the city seemingly lost in thought.
"He can hear everything can't he?" Diana asked.
"Yes," Bruce replied as he deactivated the lenses and turned to Diana.
"Yet.. he can single in on one sound... it's incredible.' Diana continued. Bruce nodded.
"It's what he's doing now.." Bruce explained. "I see him sometimes, above the city... listening for anything, even the faintest cry."
"It's an amazing gift," Diana commented.
"Yeah... but it must be an amazing curse as well... I've not figured out how he functions normally." Bruce countered. Diana turned to him, having not really considered that. She then remembered the windmill he had shown her back in Smallville. She could clearly envision now why he'd want to go there and clear his head. She heard the sound similar to thunder and turned to see Clark had disappeared to the far end of the city.
"Have you talked to Victor?" Diana questioned Bruce. Bruce tilted his head slightly, not following the line of conversation.
"About?" Bruce asked.
"The boxes." Diana clarified. It then dawned on Bruce that Diana was transitioning back into their earlier conversation.
"I have," Bruce answered.
"Does he feel like you do?" Diana questioned further.
"That someone else will come for the power?" Bruce asked. Diana nodded. "He does... but he said that as of now everything is quiet."
"His connection will be invaluable," Diana stated.
"It will." Bruce agreed. "We have to be on the lookout for Luthor as well... I have no doubt he is gonna make some kind of play on the power."
"Still no leads on locating him?" Diana asked.
"No.. but it's only a matter of time... he can't hide from all of us," Bruce stated. Diana nodded in agreement. Diana noted an airplane taking off from an airport behind them and she sighed. Bruce turned to her.
"I guess I really should be going now," Diana stated with a nod in the direction of them.
"You can use my jet if you'd like," Bruce said.
"I appreciate that but I'm okay," Diana replied.
"Maybe we could get you your own jet," Bruce suggested with a smile. "I mean with the traveling back and forth and all... or you could just you know move here."
"Maybe," Diana said with a smile to match his.
"Something to consider," Bruce said with a nod before he stepped out on the end of the ledge.
"I'll consider it," Diana said. Bruce nodded and then leaped off the edge. Diana watched as he disappeared from sight and then turned her attention back to Metropolis. She smiled as she once again saw the silhouette in the sky. She considered him for a moment before whispering "Hi Kal-El."
Diana watched as he disappeared once again into the city. She took a deep breath and then she followed Batman off the edge of the building.
(****)
"Ladies and gentlemen if you would please turn off all your electronic devices now as we will soon be taking off." The announcement came over the speaker above Diana as she gazed out the window overlooking the tarmac. Diana quickly retrieved her phone from her jacket pocket and moved to turn it off. She saw she had some messages and decided to check them quickly.
With a few swipes and presses, she was in her message app. There was one from Barry that consisted of him taking a selfie in front of a shop. She saw him beaming and pointing at a Wonder Woman shirt hanging in the window. Diana let out a small laugh and shook her head.
She scrolled down to see there was one from Bruce wishing her a safe trip. She smiled and scrolled down one more. She saw it was from Clark.
"Hi, Diana."
Her smile widened upon seeing the two words. It was a simple text but something about it being in response to her greeting from across the bay made Diana feel especially happy. She shook her head and began to type out a quick response.
"I wondered if you heard me."
Diana saw the message had sent and then started to turn the phone off in compliance with the request given moments ago. Before the phone had shut off she stopped and typed out another quick message.
"Turning phone off, about to fly."
Diana was just about to press the button to turn the phone off once more when a message came back through followed quickly by another.
"I heard my name. Didn't mean to eavesdrop."
"Safe travels. As it turns out I'm about to fly myself. ;)"
Diana grinned and turned her phone off for good this time and placed it back in her pocket. She leaned back in the seat and glanced once more out the window. This time she focused on the sky, hoping to catch another glimpse of her new friend.