Don't own any of the characters, just love playing in a world that's not mine. :)

(x)

Atop an old, granite building in the business district of Gotham City, a dark silhouette stepped forward from the shadows. Standing at the top of the building, he could easily have been mistaken for any number of the stone Victorian sculptures perched along the roof's edge. The Dark Knight stood as motionless as the statues, looking down at his city through white lenses, ever present, ever watchful.

The cold, winter wind whistled and rushed past him, causing his black cape to billow behind him. It was the only sound that could be heard. But he wasn't alone.

Batman spoke from where he stood, overlooking the edge. "You can come out any time. Unless you plan on tracking me all night."

For the first moment, not a sound answered him. Then, out of the corner of his eye, a graceful shadow floated up into the air. The owner of the shadow appeared a few feet above him, before she lowered herself down on the floor of the roof beside him.

Wonder Woman smiled at him, her dark hair pushed back from her face by the force of the wind. She stood in full costume, despite the bite of the winter weather outside. "You know, I would have joined you sooner, if it hadn't taken you so long to notice."

"I saw you on Gate Boulevard."

"I'd say I'm losing my touch," she said, a smile in her words. "Except I started following you on Pratt Street."

"The question is why are you following me at all?" Batman demanded a husky, irritated voice. "I thought I made myself clear. We may work as a team in the League, Diana, but Gotham is off limits."

"I thought in this instance you'd make an exception-"

"I don't make exceptions."

Effective as his voice might have been when used on criminals, underlings, and yes, even some superheroes, it wielded no power over Diana. "I saw what you did for that family."

Batman's muscles tensed. He drew his lips into a thin line.

She didn't wait for a response. "You gave that little boy an envelope to give to his parents. From the looks on their faces when they opened it, I'd say they won't have to worry about putting food on the table until at least this time next year."

He kept his eyes trained forward away from her. It would be much longer than that.

She thought for a moment and then said, "You aren't worried that they'll figure out the true identity behind who wrote that check, are you?"

To this, he couldn't help but smile, knowing that the same check he wrote to that family had been written to the Justice League itself. "If it were that easy, you wouldn't have to follow me around Gotham to find me. You and the rest of the League would just be able to look in the phonebook."

Diana smirked. She too cast her gaze over the city. At that moment, snow flurries began to drift past them in the winter wind. "It was a noble thing you did. You changed their lives."

"They'll be able to pay their heating bill. It won't do them much good if the streets aren't kept safe for them to walk down at night."

"Did you give it to them as a holiday gift? The people of your world say it's the season."

Batman said, "It's one I don't celebrate." He thought to himself, not any more.

"That's a shame."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because I got you a present."

At this, Batman turned to look at her. Diana was quite a sight to see, her blue eyes sparkling as a light snow fell upon her hair and shoulders. He found himself grateful that she couldn't see behind his cowl or white lenses, though he felt fairly certain that his surprise showed in what she could see in his face.

She grinned. "Is it that shocking? This is the time of year you mortals give presents, isn't it?"

"It's been a long time since I've exchanged gifts with anyone, if that's what you're asking."

Diana handed him a red envelope. It matched the colors in her bodysuit and the blush of her cheeks. "Don't worry. I knew better than to give you anything that could be spent in a store."

Batman accepted the envelope and opened it. Inside, he found a series of glossy photographs. The first was a picture of a photo album propped up against the controls in the Watchtower. The title read, "Letters". He flipped through the rest of the photos. They showed letters inside of the album, each addressed to ... Batman. A fire fighter he saved from a building attacked by the Joker. A small child he'd rescued after an attack during a parade on Veteran's Day. A young mother who would not have returned home to her family if he hadn't intervened in a mugging by one of Gotham's criminal underbelly.

Diana took a step towards him to peek over his shoulder at the photos. "I have it safely secured at the Watchtower away from prying eyes, before you ask. I didn't think bringing it with me through the streets of Gotham was the best idea."

Batman turned to her, his voice soft. "How did you get these?"

"Are you kidding? It was easy. These people were dying to thank you. All I provided them with was the pen and paper."

"No, I meant. How did you find them?"

"This might not be the first time I ever followed you."

Batman sighed. "I gave strict orders. That's breaking the rules, princess."

Diana lowered her eyes, hurt. "I… I just …"

Then he said, "Thank you."

Diana's smile glowed. "Merry Holidays, Batman."

He smiled back. "It's Merry Christmas, Diana. Or Happy Holidays."

She rolled her eyes. "Hera, I'll never get it right."

"While we're out here talking about it ... I got you something, too." Batman reached down into the right side of his belt and opened up a compartment. He took out a coiled, thin golden cord with a few small attachments.

Wonder Woman smiled and said jokingly, "If it's a lasso of truth, Batman, I hate to tell you, but I already have one."

Batman presented the cord to her, saying. "It's a utility belt, but not just any belt. It has the ability to transmit your location to the Watchtower, if you so choose. While it may not be indestructible, as no one thing that comes from Earth can be, it is made of a rare strand of titanium and is nearly impossible to destruct. Also by clicking this button here." Batman showed it to her along the edge of the belt. "You can send out a signal, if you need back-up."

"Are you implying that there could be a situation where I would need my own personal Bat Signal, Batman?"

For a moment, Batman paused. He looked into the princess' eyes and had thoughts he didn't, couldn't, share with her. He couldn't relate to most people. He didn't feel fear as they did. What he didn't tell Diana was that the only time he imagined he felt fear, real raw fear, was when he imagined harm coming to her. He didn't tell her that this gift for her, in a way, was a gift for himself as well. The gift of her continuing to fight by his side. He only said, "You can never be too careful." He added. "It also can hold weapons of your choosing and the ends of the belt can be used to pick locks."

"Does it make coffee?"

"Not in the prototype. The next model we'll see if a coffee maker can be included." Batman stopped himself. He sounded more like Bruce Wayne in that moment than Batman. Around Diana, he needed to be doubly careful. It wasn't the first slip he'd made in her presence. He reminded himself that in that way being around her was dangerous. But … wasn't that part of what drew him to her in the first place?

Batman cleared his throat and held the belt out for her.

Diana smiled and said, "Won't you do the honors?"

It took strength and resolve to keep a straight, no-nonsense face as he gently placed his hands around Diana's waist and attached the belt around her. The ends snapped into place, locking the belt nicely and smoothly around her figure.

"It fits perfectly," Diana said. For a moment, he thought he heard a tremor in her voice. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

As they stood there together, Diana said, "You know, I still haven't given you a gift from me yet."

"What do you mean? The letters-"

"They were from the good people of Gotham." Diana leaned forward and whispered, "This is from me."

She closed the distance between them and planted a soft kiss on his lips. It happened so quickly that he didn't have a moment to question if he should. For the first time since he could remember, he lost himself in the moment. Batman relaxed against her and kissed her back deeply. He moved one hand to the curve of her waist and held the other gently at the nape of her neck, pulling her closer.

Diana breathed in and ended the kiss. She pulled away gently, still resting her hands on his chest plate.

Holding her, Batman asked, "Diana, are you … cold?"

"Batman, you know very well that I'm unaffected by the weather extremes of your planet."

"Then, why are you shaking?"

"I'm not." She glanced down at her waist. "But you are."

Beneath his cowl, Batman furrowed his brow and saw the sensor on his wrist was indeed vibrating. Batman flipped up the edge of the sensor. The red light from within glowed upon his face. "It's the police scanner. Pursuit in process."

A harsh winter breeze blew snow flurries past them. Both Batman and Wonder Woman looked up into the clouded night sky. The Bat Signal shone against the fog above the city of Gotham.

Batman cast her a roguish smile. "Want to take your belt out for a spin?"

Wonder Woman's eyebrows went up in shock. "You're inviting me on one of your nightly rounds in Gotham? Isn't that breaking in the rules?"

"Seeing as how it's the holidays, this once I'll make an exception." Batman fired off his grappling gun. "Don't get used to it." With that, he lept off the ledge of the building and gracefully fell downward, his arms held taut as he swung himself into the streets.

Wonder Woman grinned and took flight, joining Gotham's Dark Knight as he protected his city once more.