Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
I've earned nothing but the love of writing wonder-bat.
A/n: This story is not beta read. Author commits all mistakes and errors. Lines in Italics are direct thoughts of respective characters.
0o0o0o
Chapter – 1 (Lies and Doubts)
Rain thumped against the granite footpath stones as the harsh winds rivaled the rainstorm with equal passion. In raw weather of Gotham city, the cemetery was covered in frigidity. After the weather department had warned for heavy rainfall, most visitors had already canceled their plans for evening. Still, a lonesome figure stood nearby two graves.
The graves of wealthiest couple of city: Thomas and Martha Wayne.
Most of Gothamiets knew them as the bestowers of the finest charitable hospitals. Among the elite families of Gotham, they were philanthropists. But for their own son, Bruce Wayne, they were ideals—the pillars on which he had formed his foundation.
Bruce rarely came to the cemetery unless the anniversary of that unfortunate event. It was a black-day in Gotham history when he lost his cherished ones, his parents.
Sapphire eyes hardened in stone as they fell upon stony graves.
Bruce hated the place. Whenever he visited it, those memories of his parents assaulted him back. Those memories, which had once—
Bruce shook his head in efforts to clear his mind. He was not a past-dweller. Yet, his heart couldn't accept those words of Alfred. Those words that had scarred his heart many times. Those words that unlocked the chests of buried emotions in his heart, and those words that resurfaced the memories of an Amazon princess.
0o0o0o
Flashback
The vigilant-protector of Gotham city, the Batman, was hunched over the bat-computer. He was trying to evaluate report on missing girl by GCPD; moreover like re-evaluating, because Diana's talks were still grueling his mind.
Occupied by daydreams of Themysciran heiress, Bruce strayed his attention when Alfred came in cave.
"Master Bruce." Alfred greeted him with a tray.
"Yes, Alfred." Bruce snapped back to attention. Usually, the people who knew him as Batman or Bruce Wayne wouldn't notice little delay in his reply. But with Alfred—it was different. Everything was different.
"I thought Miss Diana will be staying for dinner, sir." Alfred pried.
"She has some work in embassy." Bruce lied through his teeth, tapping randomly on keyboard, and desperately attempted to distract himself. "I'll eat it later, Alfred."
For few minutes, silence remained hanging in the filtered air of damp cave. The occasional flutters by hanging-bats were only sounds, which resonated in the cave.
"Anything else, Alfred?" Bruce asked after few minutes when he felt Alfred had not left the cave, yet.
"I thought Miss Diana expressed the wish of having a dinner at manor, sir."
"Alfred, I'm busy right now. We can discuss that later," Bruce answered, his eyes still glued to monitor screen.
"Yes sir, really busy," Alfred said with a raised brow. "It's fifth reevaluation of same report which is closed for a week now."
Bruce groaned in his seat as his attempt to dissuade his spying-butler had miserably failed.
"I'm trying to find a missing link here," he said, flipping through the different information.
"I'm positive of your work abilities, sir," Alfred paused for few seconds, "but I wanted to ask?"
"Alfred … Gotham needs Batman. I cannot afford a distraction," he said in his monotone.
"Love is not a distraction, Master Bruce."
"I don't love her." Bruce retorted as his hands fisted on the keyboard of supercomputer.
"I never said you do, sir," Alfred replied with equal sarcasm.
"Alfred?"
"Master Bruce," Alfred continued ignoring his silent plea. "What Batman has done for Gotham is not comparable, sir. But with all due respect, you shouldn't forget your limits."
"Batman has no limits, Alfred." Bruce parroted his old answer.
"But Bruce Wayne does, sir."
Bruce jaw clenched with acquainted issue of being a Wayne. "Alfred?" he called his faithful friend who halted on upstairs of hidden doors.
"Do you also think I tainted my family's name?"
"Master Bruce, I'm not the judge of your works. It's your own decisions, sir, not mine."
Bruce stared in blankness, as he knew what Alfred's words meant. How could he not know that?
"I've prepared your breakfast, Master Bruce. If you wish to indulge the fiddling food before going to patrol, it might keep your health good." With those words, Alfred left him in the cave.
Flashback End
0o0o0o
After the drizzling rain, an earthly smell lingered in stale air of cemetery. The stormy winds had turned to cold soothing breezes, but Bruce mind still battled the old doubts. His thoughts were stuck to an Amazon.
Bruce knew the truth.
The truth that in making of the Batman, he had ruined the Wayne in himself. The truth that in rescue of his city, he had spoiled his family name. The truth that in the road of seeking justice, he had transformed the Wayne into a womanizing-playboy-prince of Gotham.
"My efforts against those criminal wounds of Gotham are still fruitless." Bruce head bowed as his knees sank in the soft grass.
"I don't know what I've achieved in all these years of fighting." His calloused hand traced those engraved names of his parents. Blue eyes closed themselves without shedding those stagnant tears.
"I never meant to push her away." His voice cracked with confined emotions. "But, my love will only taint her with the darkness."
"I wish you were here with me, Mom. You would've understood my reasons," he whispered that wish again—the wish of that eight years old son who always longed for his parents. And might always would.
Meanwhile, unaware of him, a pair of aquamarine eyes glistened with tears.
"Bruce."
Bruce mortified in his place as her words pierced through his trance, shattering his guilt walls as if it was nothing but fragile glassware.
She cannot be here, you're hallucinating.
He chanted those words like a mantra, but there was no burlap-mask wearer around him to prove his theory. Instead, a divine raven goddess stood in front of him.
Goddess.
Yes, Bruce had never been a firm god-believer. His agnostic beliefs solidified more after watching those rampant crimes in his city. But those were old talks now, until he'd met her.
The Wonder Woman.
The woman whose physical powers matched by only her beauty. The woman whose faith repeatedly showed him that humankind would never perish in the sea hopelessness. And ultimately the same woman who won his heart despite his best efforts to keep distance from her.
"Bruce!" Her exotic scent awoke his senses as she sauntered to him. His heartbeat raced against his will, doubts fogged back his mind.
"Diana…mmphf—" His explanation cut short as her lips sealed over his.
The yearning desires, which had buried up for years, flamed with the kiss. Moans elicited loudly enough to wake up the dead. But they didn't care. Although weather storm had subsided in Gotham, the love-storm between kissing duets continued to escalate.
"Unh," a gasp broke from Diana's lips as chilled breezes of graveyard pulled them back to reality.
"I—" Bruce tore away his body from her embrace, unwillingly.
Standing in the midst of cemetery, drenched in rain, both lovers looked toward each other. Their eyes met fully for the first time. The pair of aquamarines with his sapphires. The faint gleam of tears gave their eyes a different shade of blue. Yet, the cause of tears remained same—their own forbidden love.
The love they both denied to each other.
Many untold words floated between them, but no one dared to say first. Bruce's inner bat screamed not to do anything foolish, while his inner Wayne chastised him to accept the love.
"Princess?"
Diana knew Bruce would recite his long list of rich kids issues, but she had decided. "Bruce, if you're going to intone those issues with—"
"I'm sorry, Princess."
"—me, then listen to me first. I'll only say that." Diana continued her talk, ignoring his words totally.
"I Am Sorry, Diana!" Bruce almost shouted this time.
"WH…What?" she stared at him for few passing seconds before he continued.
"I'm sorry, Diana," he murmured again, his words in that raspy timbre voice almost lost in wilderness. "I never meant to say those hurtful words to you."
His words made Diana's heart clench. She paused him as her hand trailed along his chiseled face. "I know, you never mean them." Her eyes held an understanding.
"But, Bruce, I'm sorry. I never mean to force you into this."
"No, Princess, it's my fault," he admitted. "But Diana, I'm not the perfect person—"
"Bruce, before you start and try to give me suggestion, or yours pity excuses. Listen Me Out!" She forced each word with her poking finger on his chest.
"It's my decision. And only I'll decide who I love."
"Fine," Bruce grunted, knowing there was no outlet for this situation. Instead, he asked, "How did you come here, you was supposed to be in the UN summit, in Geneva?"
"What?" Diana face scowled at him. His skill in changing topics always astounded her. "Bruce, are you trying to change the topic?"
But before Bruce could answer that, a splash of footsteps paused both of them.
"Who could be here?"
Bruce's body went stiff as he came to conclusion, and he growled. He knew who could be here. "Who else, except the matchmaker."
Diana wanted to ask more when the figure of loyal butler appeared around the corner. Dressed in his formal robe, holding an umbrella, and a small smile on his face, Alfred greeted them.
"Ah! Master Bruce, Miss Diana."
"Evening Alfred," Diana said with a smile while Bruce grumbled in background.
"Any longer plans to stay here, sir?" Alfred asked.
Bruce looked toward her. "You go ahead; I need some more time here. If you need anything, Alfred will've all troubles sorted out."
"Of course, Master Bruce."
"It won't take long." He assured her with the gentle squeeze on her hand.
Diana huffed with little annoyance, but agreed as Alfred led her way back to limo. Lastly, she saw him; he was laying roses at the last memorial of his parents.
She knew those issues existed between them—they always did. But she had ensured herself that she'd fight for her love. She'd fight for theirs love.
0o0o0o
In lull silence that kept the cemetery wrapped in its music, Diana and Alfred trotted back to parking area when Diana finally asked her question. "Alfred, why did you say on the phone that—"
"I apologies, your highness, but I lied on phone call."
She blinked few times before responding, "Why, Alfred?"
"Because, Miss Diana, sometimes even best of us can commit mistakes," he paused. "Even Master Bruce can."
"And you always try to make up for him?" she prodded with curiosity.
"Certainly not, Miss. Sometimes, I merely try to repair them as his butler," Alfred replied with his custom-butler smile.
"Bruce is lucky to have you, Alfred." Diana returned his smile evenly as her answer brought a satisfactory smile on Alfred's face.
"We're lucky to have you highness."
"Alfred!" Diana blushed with those compliments. "And please, Alfred, how many times I've said not to call me highness or majesty."
"Miss Diana, royalty is never called by their names," Alfred ordered.
"Alfred!" Diana whined to convince him, yet her efforts remained fruitless in front of the bat-butler. Then, she realized one certain fact—Bruce obstinate nature was never fully inherited. The butler of Wayne Manor affected a part of Bruce's stubbornness.
0o0o0o
(Somewhere else)
The beautiful feminine figure smiled as she saw the events in her magical pool. "Finally, I have a perfect couple."
Smoothing her wrinkled robe, she stood as white swans swarmed around her in blissful manner.
"Don't be so over excited girls," she chastised them with her infectious smile. "It's just beginning after all."
0o0o0o
A/n: First, I ask for apology. I know I left the thing around, but I'm trying to improve the errors.
Secondly, this fiction is dedicated to my favorite wonder-bat writers. Y'all are inspiration to me. Especially to Lotslover—your writing is like regular pill of BMWW.
And I forgot to mention, suggestions and positive criticism are always welcomed.