Part I Diana had always been the one to talk. That's why he had invited her to Gotham. He had assumed that she would want to talk about 'them'. Unfortunately it wasn't that simple. He didn't ask for her help because he needed it. It's been made clear over the years that the Batman does not like outside help, especially Meta help. Heasked her here not as Batman needing help from Wonder Woman, but as a man wanting to discuss something with a woman. As simple as that sounds, with them it's so hard to accomplish. So he tried to make it work related. It worked, but not with the desired results. "You could have just called me." "We tried that and it didn't work. The only time we talk is on the job." She nodded in agreement. "Perhaps that should tell you something." "Like we're both guilty of putting this off. Don't you want to have the talk?Just to be sure?" "You do." She looked surprised. He stepped closer to her. "You don't?" He hadn't expected this. "I didn't say that." That's when their eight legged friend that they'd just apprehended started to piss and moan. He knelt to take care of him and when he turned back she was gone. He smirked. Undoubtedly he was rubbing off on her.
The tall distinguished English man stood to the right as the sleek black car rolled to a stop on the now rotating platform. The platform stopped with a thunk and the canopy of the vehicle slid forward. A familiar form climbed out of the car and dropped lightly over the side.
" A productive night, Master Bruce?" The butler asked with a nearly identical smirk to the one carried by the man in front of him. "That's all according to your definition of productive, Alfred. Two dealers and three muggers are now locked away for a while. Not to mention the halt of one eight-legged thug's plans. Yes those things are productive. Unfortunately I still feel that I didn't accomplish what I had planned for tonight." He walked past the still smirking older man and headed for the shower.
Bruce stepped out of the shower in a cloud of steam. It always amazed with that with all his injuries, from gunshots to a broken back, that even after a tough night he felt so little pain. He grabbed one of the plush towels from the rack and wrapped it around his waist. He padded over to the sink leaving behind him a trail of water. As the cool air circulated in the bathroom the fog on the mirror in front of him dissipated. He'd only had two hours of sleep and it showed.
His and Diana's imminent talk had plagued him for weeks. They had to talk he couldn't keep going on like this. He's been left with too many questions. It was in his nature to seek answers to his questions, but it has been a long and tiring road for him trying to find those answers. He shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts and dried himself off. He had to solve this now. Last time she had came to him, this time he would go to her.
Now in the cave Batman looked down at his hand as he pulled the dark gauntlet on. A memory of the same hand nearly lifeless, clasped in the hands of a smaller hand with wrists covered in silver, flashed through his mind. He winced.
As awful as his own death was, he couldn't deny that imminent death had given him the strength to do what he has wanted to do for years. He kissed her and as they lay dying they clasped hands and passed away never thinking they would have to deal with the consequences. Batman pulled his cowl over his face and walked to his teleporter. He punched in the Watchtowers coordinates and stepped into the tube. Moments later he strode through the halls of the moon base. He wanted to find Diana quickly so he headed first to the monitor womb to check her location on the security cameras. He found her leaving a now demolished training room headed for the Transconcious Articulator. He walked with a purpose through the halls. He understood confusion about their situation as much as she, but why seek out answers there when you have a magical lasso of truth at your disposal? He walked in to the room just as Diana went under, J'onn looked at him as if he wasn't surprised to be seeing him. Something you get used to, being around a telepath. He could sense my confusion as to why she was doing this and not using her lasso. " She only wants to confirm something she already knows. Flesh it out so to speak" Batman's face took on a look of worry. The martian smiled. "Don't worry my friend, she loves you." "You may stay if you like" "Thank you. I just want to be here when she awakes, I don't think our talk can keep not happening." J'onn looked at him curiously and asked. "Why have you not talked sooner?" Batman just stared at him before replying. "It's complicated." "It must be if you considered using the articulator yourself." Batman stood, both shocked and angry at the martian's admitted brain peeking. "It was unintentional Batman, I assure you. It's just that as of late your's and Diana's thought's have been a little loud….so to speak." "What do you mean?" "It means that even a non-telepath could read what has been bothering the both of you."
The previous look of worry was quickly replaced by the Bat's usual blank expression as he turned to leave.
Batman took a seat as J'onn assisted Diana in her search. Bruce's mind began to wander back to what J'onn had said earlier. Could Diana really love him? He knew that if he was honest with himself he would admit that he loved her as well. He was hopelessly and fully in love with everything about her. It boggled his mind how she could even think of loving someone like him though. He was the dark while she was the light. Batman's thoughts were interrupted as he heard Diana muttering through the machine.
"One more day. Can I have one more day?" He looked over to J'onn who turned and walked towards the door. He smiled at Batman's confused expression. " I've started her on her path. Call if there are any problems." J'onn left with Batman still confused as to what Diana was saying. He was sitting in his chair patiently waiting for some sort of explanation when another line came pouring out of the machine. "Don't say it. Tell me after we win." What did that mean. Then moments later another came out. "That means you're bound to me, you know…forever. Children or not. I own you Bruce Wayne." Those phrases had shocked him. Still stunned he walked over to her side and waited patiently by her side as she finished. He noticed there was a small smile that played on her lips the entire time. During this time he realized that they could work. If she wanted it, he would try. Bruce removed his cape and cowl and set them to the side. From what he had heard she did want it. Diana actually wanted to be with him. That realization had him beaming as Diana opened her eyes. It soon left him though as confusion and hesitation reached her eyes. "Find what you were looking for?" he asked. "Where's J'onn? He was…" "I told him that I'd call if anything was wrong. I wanted to be here when you woke up." "Why?" "Weren't you in there…because of what's going on? With us?" She smiled as he helped her out. "The mighty detective at work." "Not really….I was considering the same…but I really don't want to see what's lurking around my brain." Still holding her hand Bruce could see in her eyes what she was about to say and it broke his heart. If this was what she wanted he would give it to her. "I don't think we should do this." They said in unison. Bruce's mind was detached as they went through the usual it's not you it's me stuff. The only thing that brought him out of it was when she pressed her finger to his lips. In that instant he was aware of the taste of her skin on his lips. It made what she said next almost unbearable. "I love you.." She said it. He couldn't believe it. His face lit up in a she continued and his smile went from one of happiness to one of embarrassment. "..as a lifelong friend. A confident. And ally. But I'm not willing to risk that to see if there is more are you?" His face kept smiling even though his heart was breaking. He embraced her in a hug. Taking in her scent and the way her hair tickled his nose. He didn't know if he'd ever experience these things like this again. They broke their embrace and walked towards the door to leave. "It ended badly in there didn't it? A Greek tragedy." His question though asked lightly meant a lot to him. "It was a dream Bruce. I didn't look in to the future." "I know that. Of course it was just a dream, but.." "You really want to know?" You have no idea. He thought. She looked back over her shoulder as she hit the light switch. "It was terrible." Diana was walking ahead so she didn't see the pained look that crossed his face before he allowed the bat to take over.