I do not own any of the characters contained in this fic…DC does as far as I know.
My usual betas were busy with real life and hungry kittens, so I offer profound thanks to Kipling-Nori who stepped in and did the beta thing for me. Thanks a million, K-N.
Takes place shortly after the end of JLU and is based mostly on that series, I guess.
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Diana ran her hands down her toned stomach and thighs to straighten out the wrinkles in the knee length red dress she was wearing, and then opened the secret doorway that led into what Alfred amusingly referred to as 'the cellar'. She slipped quietly through the doorway and made her way silently downward into the Batcave, stopping at the bottom and taking in the sight before her. She watched intently as Batman meticulously examined the streaming information on his massive computer. She was sure he knew she was there; he always did somehow. No matter how hard she tried to covertly observe him or catch him unawares, he always knew of her presence, even if she levitated towards him and hadn't made a sound or stayed a hundred feet away. Batsonar Tim had called it once.
She had hoped to see him before he pulled the cowl up over his face so that she could look into his eyes, but she was too late. He was nearly ready to go out into the night and she had a charity function to attend in the city. She hadn't asked him to go with her, despite the intense desire she had to do just that, but she knew that he wouldn't, that he couldn't. Still, the thought of being alone in a room filled with over-bearing, self-absorbed, snobbish…
"Are you sure you can't come with me, Bruce?" she asked with what she knew was futile hope. He had things to do in Gotham, things that could only be done under the cover of the night. Besides dreading being alone at the function, it killed a little piece of her heart for a couple of reasons.
One, he would be out there risking his life while she was attending a party. Somehow it just didn't seem fair. She knew he risked his life on a daily basis, and it wasn't that she doubted his abilities, not at all. But for whatever reason, it just didn't seem right for her to be - what was the expression, rubbing elbows with corporate types and politicos?- while he was chasing down Hera knew who.
Two, she really wanted to spend time with him. Quality time together had been rare in recent days because of their respective responsibilities and she missed him. More than that, she was beginning to wonder if he still felt the same way about her that he used to.
His lips brushing lightly against hers vanquished the thought in a flash. He could always do that; could always seem to sense when she was worried about them or doubting them…or him, and he always did something to reiterate his feelings for her. It wasn't always a kiss. Sometimes it was an embrace, or an adoring look or a loving touch. Sometimes it was something as simple and subtle as that knee bending smile that he gave to her and her alone.
This softer side of his was one of the wonderful surprises that rewarded her for the tenacity she displayed in her pursuit of the Dark Knight's heart. She did have an inkling that below that dour and aloof shell of Bruce's lay a gentle and thoughtful heart, but even she had no idea just how passionate and loving he really could be. Many of her friends still didn't believe it, despite witnessing their relationship with their own eyes.
Diana just managed to mentally shake herself out of her surprise and brief introspection when he moved away from her at his best 'Gotta go before I change my mind' speed. It was as he walked away that she noticed that he had removed his cowl to kiss her. She didn't even notice it before.
She silently cursed herself for letting her unfounded doubts blind her to the very man she wanted so desperately to see.
"Bruce," she called as he stepped nearer to the platform that held the Batmobile. He turned and looked at her expectantly, and with a glimmer in his eyes that she had come to understand was adoration for her. "Be careful," she said, careful to use an inflection in her voice that told him that she wasn't deathly worried about his work habit but serious at the same time.
The corners of his mouth twitched upward and his eyebrows lifted ever so slightly in apparent amusement. "Aren't I always?"
She was about to issue a rather scathing retort about the last time he said those words but caught herself when she saw his lips form a small smile. She turned around and faced the stairs that went up into the Manor and counted to three, allowing the anger she felt at the way he trivialized the situation, and her worry, to dissipate. She usually liked it when he teased her like that, but for some reason that she couldn't identify it really irritated her tonight.
Diana took a deep breath and turned to face him again, but he was no longer there by the car. She was about to take a step down towards the platform to look for him and really give him a piece of her mind when he took her hand in a firm grip and held her in place.
She turned around quickly, only vaguely aware of asking herself how he could have possibly gotten so close to her so fast without her noticing.
"Diana," he said softly and without sounding patronizing, "I'll be careful, and I'll try my best not to be too late." He eased his hold on her hand and slowly brought it up to his lips. After kissing her hand tenderly, reverently even, he asked, "You are coming back here tonight?" She couldn't be absolutely certain, not even after knowing him for so long, but she thought she heard a hint of desperation in his voice, and it sent shockwaves down her body.
She smiled warmly and said quite honestly, "There is nowhere else I would rather be."
He returned her smile and gently pulled her hand until she walked with him to the bottom of the staircase. When they reached the stairs, he turned her so that he could look into her eyes. "I would like nothing better to go with you. I've been to enough of these things by myself or with someone I didn't really care about to know that it isn't very nice. But I have something I have to do."
He reached over and kissed her again, and this time she was ready and responded eagerly, slipping her arms around his neck. His arms wrapped themselves around her waist and the kiss deepened into something that filled her with what she could only describe as unquenchable flame.
A very diplomatic clearing of a throat brought them both back to the reality, the cruel reality if she were to be honest with herself. They stopped their kiss and she turned to regard Alfred standing at the top of the staircase with a sympathetic look on his distinguished face. He looked very sorry for them indeed.
"I am sorry to interrupt, Master Bruce," he said in a tone that more than verified it, "but you will miss your appointment if you do not leave immediately." He turned to Diana. "Miss Diana, your car will be here shortly."
"Thank you, Alfred," said Diana. He nodded once and disappeared out the opening to the manor, leaving the entrance open.
She turned back to Bruce and smiled. Her right hand traced his jaw line to his chin, and then moved up to lovingly touch his lips. She sighed to herself, reached back with both hands and gently pulled the cowl up over his head and she looked into the white eyes of Batman. He gave her a small nod and turned around quickly and headed for the car, his cape rustling with the quickness of his movements.
When he reached the car she turned and moved up two steps when he called to her.
"Diana."
She turned to see that both his hands were on the side of the Batmobile and his head was bowed as if in deep contemplation.
"I love you," he whispered.
It took every ounce of her considerable strength to keep from flying to him like a bullet and having her way with him right then and there on the polished hood of the Batmobile. For a moment she wondered if that had been his intention, to torment her knowing she could not shirk her duty to attend this party, if it could be called such. But the thought lived only a millisecond. His head turned towards her, and even through the white eyes of the cowl she could see the honesty and the sincerity shining through.
He stood up straight and turned his entire body to face her, standing perfectly erect and confident. "I love you," he stated louder and with a conviction that enveloped her body and soul.
Diana swallowed hard before trusting herself enough to respond, and even then her voice was filled with happy emotion. "I love you too, Bruce. Hurry home."
He nodded and jumped into the Batmobile as she continued up the stairs. He was gone by the time she reached the top.
She walked slowly out to the main hall and found Alfred waiting for her. He had her shawl in his hands and when she reached him she turned so that he could place it upon her shoulders. Before she could thank the kind man he disappeared into the massive closet in the main hall, reappearing a few moments later wearing a charcoal colored overcoat and black bowler hat.
"Are you ready, Miss Diana?" he asked.
"I thought you said there was a car coming for me?" she asked with a knowing smirk, already aware of what his response would be.
"Yes, Miss, and it is ready and waiting for you outside." Alfred gave Diana a small nod. "Master Bruce preferred that I drive you to the function so that you wouldn't be alone for any longer than was absolutely necessary." Alfred smiled as he added, "That is if it is satisfactory with you, Miss."
Diana couldn't help but smile widely at the affection in Alfred's voice. He had become, in the last while, as much a friend as anyone else had ever been to her. His advice and coaching in the ways of Bruce's sometimes aloofness had been invaluable. It wasn't that she had used the knowledge given to her by Alfred to manipulate Bruce, he was far too intelligent for that, but it gave her enough insight into Bruce to realize that he was so worth the effort she had to put into their relationship.
"Of course not, Alfred." She slipped her left arm underneath his arm, placed her right hand upon her forearm forming a loop and cuddled against his shoulder. "There is no one I would rather have to escort me through the streets of Gotham."
Alfred smiled back at her and as he led her through the door and to the car he responded, "I rather doubt that, Miss, but thank you all the same."
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One hour after arriving in the ballroom of the Gotham Plaza, Diana had personally had enough of the pomp and ceremony that went with the particular piece of Hades she had been delivered to by Alfred. Between long winded speeches filled with insincere promises, being seated at a table next to a table full of LuthorCorp bigwigs (just because Luthor was gone didn't mean that the company was now being run by saints) and having to repel at least four nauseating Casanova wannabes, she was more than ready to make an exit. It was approaching the point where the exit didn't even have to be graceful or covert. She just wanted out.
"Well, well, well," said a bemused voice slightly off to her left. Diana tore her gaze away from the nearest exit and looked upward into the grey eyes of the person apparently addressing her.
"Do you mind if I sit?" asked the man as he maneuvered to the chair beside her and pulled it out from the table, making the question unnecessary. Diana was tempted to object, but he was hardly the annoyance that the last man who tried to sit with her had been – the little weasel wouldn't take her polite attempts at telling him to go away, so she had to resort to physical pain when he tried to grasp her hand.
She was almost positive that she broke at least one of his fingers.
She studied the gentleman intently as he sat down: he looked to be in his mid to late seventies, with a slightly humped back and severely wrinkled skin. He had a full head of hair as white as the snow surrounding Clark's northern retreat and a thin beard of the same color. Rounded glasses with a gold colored thin frame covered gray eyes that looked wise and weathered. He wore a light gray suit with a black tie, and in his right hand he held a very fine walnut cane which was adorned with carvings of incredible craftsmanship and detail.
He looked to Diana after getting settled and huffed indignantly. "These old legs aren't what they used to be." He laboriously took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. "I do hope you don't mind, but I've had about as much of those rambling politicians as I can take. I saw you from across the room and forgive me for saying, but you looked lonely." The man sat up a little straighter and adopted a scandalized expression. "And I never could stand to see a beautiful woman such as you to be alone."
Diana felt a slight rush of pink erupt in her cheeks. She bowed her head graciously and said, "Thank you, kind sir, for your compliment and your company." She raised her gaze to his, smiled and held out her right hand to him. "My name is Diana."
The old man took her hand in what felt like a weak grip and Diana was surprised to find the leathery skin chilly to the touch.
"I am Simon Manchester the third, of the Philadelphia Manchesters," responded the man with a false air of superiority. He snorted derisively as he released Diana's hand. "That's the way my father taught me to introduce myself." He shook his head sadly. "He was a snob to be sure. My friends call me Simmy."
Diana could not help but smile at the elderly man's charm, and there was no doubt that he was laying it on thick. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Simmy. What brings you to this…wonderful…gathering tonight?"
Simmy nodded at Diana's diplomatic description of the event. "I contributed to the new pediatric burn ward at Gotham General, so the mayor sent me an invitation." He took another labored breath. "I had intended on refusing the invitation…the trip, you see, isn't really that long unless you're a man of my age…but the mayor insisted." A small smile appeared upon his aged lips. "I confess that I am delighted I came, to be able to share in your company. Like I always say, it just isn't acceptable for a beautiful woman to be alone."
Diana smiled, her earlier malaise nearly forgotten. "Thank you once again for your kind words, Simmy."
The elderly man nodded courteously, and then coughed into a bright red handkerchief that had appeared out of nowhere. After replacing the handkerchief into his jacket pocket, Simmy looked at Diana. "And how do you come to find yourself here in this…predicament, tonight, my dear?"
Diana sighed and leaned forward so that the old man could easily hear her. "I also received an invitation from the mayor. I often do some charitable work, so I decided to take the Mayor up on his offer and lend my support to the hospital. I was supposed to accompany another invitee, but he had other business to attend to."
"The silly bugger," snorted Simmy, who then raised his hand to his mouth in apparent shock. "Forgive my unfortunate language, Diana. It simply astounds me that any sane man could choose anything over accompanying you anywhere." Simmy leaned forward on his cane and added with a wink, "I hope the man isn't a fool."
Diana smiled kindly at the old man. "No, Simmy. He isn't a fool." She took a breath and let it out slowly. "He has obligations that go back a long way, to a time before we met. I understand that, and I can not help but love him for it." "Especially when that obligation is to be out there saving lives and serving justice," she added to herself. She didn't really know why she felt as though she could talk to this man, this stranger, about her and Bruce, but she nonetheless did feel very comfortable around him.
"I can see you are smitten, young lady," announced Simmy with a twinkle in his eyes. "I just hope this man of yours realizes how very fortunate he is to have someone as understanding as you in his life."
"I take every opportunity I can to remind him of it," said Diana with a smile, eliciting a hoarse laugh from her companion.
She smiled again at the older man and listened attentively for the next hour as Simmy bombarded her with questions, compliments and anecdotes about his long life. She answered his questions without hesitation, for he never asked anything that she considered to be personal or inappropriate, simply questions about her childhood and some nonspecific questions about the love of her life. He never once asked for Bruce's name or inquired about what Bruce did.
And she sincerely enjoyed the stories that he told her with great flair, though there was no doubt in her mind that some, if not all, of the tales were fabrications or severely embellished. Still, his wonderful stories kept her mind occupied with something other than boredom and for that she was more than willing to indulge him by listening.
Finally, Simmy reached down with his wrinkled hand and removed a priceless looking gold pocket watch from his vest pocket and flipped it open. His eyes bulged open for a second, and then he said as he placed the watch back in its place, "I really must be going." He smiled ruefully as he added, "I'm not as young as I used to be, you know."
With some difficulty and relying heavily on his cane, Simmy stood up from his seat. Though a little winded, he didn't look overly distressed by the effort to Diana. After he steadied himself, he reached down and took her right hand in his.
"Thank you for keeping me company, young lady," said Simmy with another wink.
Diana smiled and nodded her head. "It is I who should thank you, kind sir."
"Hogwash," scoffed Simmy as he released her hand. "It was an honor to be in your company." He turned to leave but stopped and turned back to see her, and with a bright sparkle in his eye he declared, "I was simply doing my gentlemanly duty. You know, I never could stand to see a beautiful woman alone."
Diana watched as the old man turned once again to leave, and continued to regard him as he made his way slowly to the door, taking great care to avoid the many obstacles in his way. She had to resist the urge to get up and help him. He was, if she read him correctly, an independent man who would refuse her help, and most likely in a very boisterous manner. Still…
Diana stood up and walked swiftly to the exit, making her way into the lobby of the Gotham Plaza and looked around. Simmy was not to be seen. Frowning, she made her way to the building's exit and walked out into the parking lot. She looked to the left, then to the right, but could see nothing but car after car. So intent on her search was she that she never noticed a man walk up to her until he spoke.
"Is there something the matter, Miss?" asked Alfred with concern.
Diana looked to Alfred's concerned face, and then resumed her search. "No, Alfred. I was just looking for someone who just left the party. I wanted to see if he needed some assistance."
Alfred's brow furrowed and he asked, "May I ask who, Miss?"
Diana looked back to Alfred. "An elderly man. His name is Simmy."
A look of realization came to Alfred's face. "An elderly man with white hair and a cane, Miss?"
Diana's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Yes. How did…?"
Alfred nodded towards a car pulling out of the parking lot. "He just left, Miss. His car was waiting right by the door." Alfred harrumphed. "The bloody car was nearly up on the walkway."
Diana watched the car disappear into the traffic, and then turned back to Alfred. "I believe I've had enough for one night, Alfred."
Alfred stood a little straighter and asked, "Home, Miss?"
Home?
Diana smiled at the butler. She always considered Themyscira to be her home, and after her banishment from the island, the Watchtower became her home. But more and more lately whenever she thought of home it wasn't the island paradise or orbiting space station that came to mind…it was Wayne Manor.
"Yes, Alfred." She took his arm in hers as she did when they left the Manor earlier. "Could you please take me home?"
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Thirty-five minutes later Diana descended into the coldness of the Batcave. She was halfway down the steps when she realized that the Batmobile was, to her pleasant surprise, in its usual resting place. She turned to Bruce's chair and smiled widely when she saw him standing in front of it looking at her with his head cocked slightly to his left.
"You're home early," she stated without letting her surprise show in her voice. "Slow night?"
A slight inclination of his head was the only response she got to that. A moment later he asked in his usually low voice, "How bad was it?"
Diana walked down the few remaining steps and walked towards him, her red dress flowing behind her. "It wasn't that bad, actually."
She could tell, despite the absence of any outward signs, that an eyebrow was raised beneath the cowl. "Oh?"
She nodded as she came to a halt in front of him. "A nice old man kept me company for a while."
She could see Bruce's jaw grind together. "I see."
With that he walked past her in the direction of the change room, his cape billowing behind him as he moved swiftly. She was smiling to herself at Bruce's apparent jealousy when his voice calling her name made her turn around to regard him.
The smirk on his face told her to hang on tight because he was about to surprise her.
"I'm sure he was a very nice man," said Bruce as he tugged off his right gauntlet. His smirk became more pronounced as he turned towards the change room and said over his shoulder, "And I bet he just couldn't stand to see a beautiful woman alone."
Diana's mouth fell open and her eyes widened in shock. Bruce had said those words not in his voice, that is to say not Batman's low voice or Bruce Wayne's irritating tone, but in the voice of none other than Simmy Manchester.
After recovering her senses she all but ran to the change room and pushed the door open so hard that it nearly came off the hinges. Bruce never turned around; in fact he never even so much a cringed at her noisy entrance, which only served to deepen her profound annoyance.
"It was you?" she said accusingly. She stamped towards him as he took off his cowl and the body armor that covered his upper torso. By the time he turned around she was next to him.
"Yes," he stated succinctly. She raised her eyebrows at him as a sign for further explanation, a sign which he had no choice but to notice and comply with. "I needed to listen in on the next table, and I didn't think that electronic surveillance would be efficient. I needed to be physically present, but there was no chance of them saying anything untoward if Bruce Wayne was sitting with or next to them. Enter Simmy Manchester."
She opened her mouth to say something particularly scathing when he stepped closer to her and placed his right hand upon her cheek. "Besides, I really can't stand the thought…"
"…Of a beautiful woman being alone," she finished, smiling radiantly at him. "You didn't think you could listen in from afar?" she asked knowingly.
His head tilted slightly to the left. "No. Too much background noise from other tables and the band. There would always be the possibility of missing a key piece of the conversation." Bruce raised his left eyebrow ever so slightly and added, "I couldn't risk that."
"I see," announced Diana after a moment of making an obviously false attempt at thinking about it. He nodded once and turned away when she said, "I think it was something else." When he turned around and regarded her expectantly she added, "I think you really could have used one or two of the millions of little gadgets you have collecting dust in the cave, but you chose to go to the party."
Bruce's eyes narrowed.
"And you couldn't trust me enough to tell me that you were going in disguise?" she added somewhat softly.
Bruce's gaze softened as he said, "I couldn't risk…"
"…The chance that I'd let it slip," she finished with a hint of anger in her voice. She was angry at the thought that he believed that she might not be able to keep up with the charade. Yet she had to admit there WAS a slight chance she would forget herself and act overly friendly to someone who was supposed to be a stranger to her. "Yes…I can see why you had to be there in person."
She took a step towards him, and with a sparkle in her deep blue eyes she said, "Gotham is lucky to have someone protecting it that would go to such lengths as to attend a benefit banquet in disguise."
Bruce closed the distance between them, moving close enough touch his forehead to hers, and as his breath mingled with hers he said softly and with a hint of hesitation, as though the admission he was about to make was difficult, "You may have been right, Princess…there is a slight chance that it wasn't all about Gotham tonight."
Then the impossible happened…she fell in love with him even more than she had been. She had hoped that his appearance, even if in disguise, had been at least partly for her. She had even almost expected that to be the case though she wouldn't expect him to admit it out loud. To have Bruce actually more or less admit that he went at least in part because of her was incredible and a sign that their relationship, their love, was growing more and more with each passing day.
She looked at him and couldn't keep the smile from her ruby red lips. When he just looked back at her stoically she laughed and asked in a rhetorical tone of voice, "What am I going to do with you?"
The right corner of his mouth twitched upward before he said deadpan, "I'm fairly certain we can come up with something that would satisfy both of us."
Before she could laugh at him his lips attacked hers in a bid to silence her, and silence her they did.