DISCLAIMERS/NOTES
1. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun.
2. Wayback Wednesdays continues! Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first instalment of WW, Together. This picks up immediately afterwards - it's pretty much as close as a direct sequel as you can get! Unfortunately, in hindsight, this is where my writing starts to go off a cliff. Looking back, I was groaning at a lot of this (particularly my rendition of Diana), including the shameless pinching of a story from the 1990's JLA book, where Pr... oh, that would be telling. Anyway, please read it in the context it was written - I wasn't quite the world-class wordsmith I am now!
3. IMPORTANT: Once again, I must reiterate when this was written - 2003. Here in the UK, Season 2 of the JL cartoon had yet to air, so Hawkgirl - who plays a significant role in this story - had not been revealed as a spy. And needless to say, the massive, every-hero-in-the-DCU roster of Unlimited wasn't a factor. My timeline picks up after the Season 1 finale, The Savage Time. It began with Together, and continues with Mistakes. I hope you find something to like in it.
PART 1
They sat there, in the moonlight, holding eachother. Each feeling the other's warmth, each filled with utter contentment.
They had stayed with eachother for an eternity. Neither of them knew how long exactly they had been alone together. It could very well have been five minutes; it could very well have been a whole day. It did not matter to them. Time had become as meaningless as the fear they once had for revealing their feelings to eachother.
He looked down at the picture of perfection in his arms. She was truly a Goddess. Long, flowing dark hair. Eyes he lost himself in everytime he looked in them. Cheekbones as delicate as fine China. A nose so cute he wanted to snuggle upto it. Skin so soft he could keep his hands on her form forever. A mouth so sweet it tasted nicer than the richest fruit.
He was the luckiest man in the world, and beyond.
He lowered his head and gently kissed her cheek. She smiled at his touch and looked up at him.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too," she replied, and they brought their heads together. They kissed passionately, as she put her hand to his cheek, drawing him closer. After several moments, their lips separated and she buried her head in his chest and let out a contented sigh. "I never want this to end," she whispered.
"It never will," he said. "I love you Diana, and I always will."
Diana kept her head resting on his chest. "I love you too, Batma…" She stopped herself and giggled. She looked up at him. "I mean, 'Bruce'."
Bruce Wayne, the Batman, smirked. "Are you always going to say it like that?"
Diana's smile turned into a wide grin. "Well, it's going to take some getting used to. I've called you 'Batman' for a year. I'm going to have to get used to calling you 'Bruce'."
"Well, I hope you still call me 'Batman' on occasion," Bruce said. "I don't want you to be calling me 'Bruce' when we're going up against a supervillain, or anything."
"I think I'll be able to control myself," Diana said. "Some of the time…"
They kissed again, for longer and more deeply than before, never wanting to let eachother go. She rose from his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, the connection never breaking. Eventually, he tore his lips from hers, and looked into her eyes. "You know…" he said quietly, "we really should go back to the others."
Diana's face fell slightly and she sighed. "Yes, I guess so…" However, she made no attempt to remove herself from the embrace.
"I mean… now," said Bruce, his smile widening. He did not want to go either, but he knew they had to make an appearance to their teammates, before they got suspicious.
Diana pouted and Bruce felt his heart melt. Every minute, every second, he fell more and more in love with her.
"Come on," he said, trying to lift himself from the chair. Diana automatically stood up and let him get to his feet, but she kept her arms locked around his neck. Bruce tried to break free, but felt his resolve slipping as he looked into her eyes, and their lips melted together once more.
Diana leaned into him more and Bruce firmly locked his hands around her waist. He then heaved her up as high as he could, lifting her up a clear two feet off the ground. Diana removed her lips from his and let out a joyous laugh, before Bruce slipped his head from her arms and set her down on the ground, one foot away.
"Hey," she mock moaned, as he walked away and looked at the clock. It was 12:05pm. Bruce was stunned. They had been alone, just holding eachother, for nearly an hour. In silence. In utter contentment. He knew he loved her, but he found it difficult sitting still for two minutes without doing anything.
He turned back to her. She looked at him, hands crossed infront of her, an expectant look on her face.
He smiled and pulled his cowl back over his face. "Come on," he said, "let's get back."
"OK, Bruce," she said, grinning widely. "Let's go, Bruce. We better get back to our friends, Bruce. Yes, Bruce. Absolutely, Bruce. We better go see them, Bruce. Come on, Bruce, let's get going, Bruce…"
"Are you going to stop that?" Batman tried to ask the question sternly, but he could not help a smile reforming on his face.
"No, Bruce," Diana replied, shaking her head and smirking. "You're just going to have to stop me, Bruce. I'm not going to stop, Bruce. You're going to have to stop me, Bru…"
He strode to her and forced his lips onto hers, and they sunk into eachother. She quickly wrapped her arms back around his neck. He took the back of her head in his hand and pushed her lips harder onto his.
He had intended the embrace to be quick, but he found himself losing himself in the woman he loved, and they stayed locked in their embrace for longer than he had planned.
Not that he particularly minded…
He eventually removed his lips from hers and looked at her. "Now we REALLY have to go," he said.
She looked disappointed for a moment, before sighing. "OK…" she whispered. She removed her arms from his neck and they separated. He fidgeted with his cape while she rearranged her tiara. Once they had both composed themselves, Batman walked over to the door.
He opened the door and they both stepped out of the room. As they walked down the corridor, Batman tried to regain his cold, emotionless voice. "If anyone asks, we were discussing… strategy."
Diana smiled. "What kind of strategy, Bruce?"
Batman shook his head, smirking.
/
Hawkgirl walked into the main room, and saw that the floor was still littered with torn wrapping paper. She sighed, and walked over to a large piece of the paper, and gently kicked it towards another. She continued, nudging several parts of the wrapping paper into the centre of the room, half-heartedly, for a couple of minutes.
Eventually she stopped, and saw that over half of the paper was still strewn around the room. But she did not care. She had other things to worry about.
She had made a mistake. A BIG mistake.
Her thoughts returned to the night before, shortly after the Justice League had returned to the Watchtower following the defeat and re-incarceration of the Injustice Gang. The League had been mentally and physically exhausted. J'onn was treating Superman from kryptonite radiation in the medbay. Flash and Diana had gone to their rooms. Batman had left abruptly.
She had forgotten where Green Lantern had gone, but she remembered seeing him later in the kitchen. They had talked. They had spoken about how close they all came to death.
Hawkgirl remembered even further back, to when Lantern had all but admitted that he had no one to spend the Christmas holiday with. She had felt sorry for him. It hurt her more than she thought it would, to see him lonely.
She wondered why that had been so? Why HAD she felt such sorrow for him? It was not as if she felt any differently towards him than anyone else…
Well, that was not strictly true. She liked him more than any other League member. They shared an interest in strategic combat, although he was far more level-headed than she was.
But… that was it. Surely.
Her memories returned to the previous night, when she and Lantern had been in the kitchen. They had talked for a very long time. About all kinds of things. Battle. Strategy. Security improvements for the Watchtower. Even costume design.
But it was when the topic of family came up, that she now shuddered. She remembered listening as Lantern slowly, quietly, told her of the emptiness of his life. How the only people he knew besides the Leaguers were his fellow Green Lantern Corps members. And after what happened during his travesty of a trial, the relationship between him and his colleagues had become icy, to say the least.
At one point, she could have sworn she saw a tear trickle down his face. It was then that she realised just how deep he was. How empty. How lonely…
And of course, she led a lonely existence too. Ever since she arrived on Earth from Thanagar, she had immediately thrown herself into the superhero business. She had hardly bothered to establish a life outside of her mask. In fact, apart from getting an apartment and a mail service, she had NO life, other than her superheroic duties.
It was then that the two of them had realised how much they had in common. How lonely they both were. How they were both missing loved ones in their lives…
How that loneliness had made them – had made HER – do something wrong. Something BIG.
Hawkgirl shuddered as the rest of the night played out in her mind. She wished she could say it was a blur, but it was not. She remembered every detail. Every moment. And God help her, she enjoyed it. The night was one of the most enjoyable she had had for a long time.
Too long.
But how could she not? She always enjoyed releasing her stress, like when she attacked enemies without abandon. She enjoyed releasing her…
Passion.
Hawkgirl groaned, and a headache formed in her skull. She held her head, and turned around and headed back to her room…
Only half wanting to be alone.
/
Wally West sipped on his drink, as the Christmas festivities carried on around him. He was in his family home, "celebrating" the holiday with his loved ones, with his mother, his aunt and other, old family friends.
But he was not in the mood to celebrate. He was solemn, as he looked down on his nearly empty glass. That thought made him chuckle. He was usually a "glass if half full" kind of guy…
He let out a hearty sigh, and looked up to see a kind, slightly wrinkled face looking back. The face belonged to the person he respected more than any other… well, apart from his late uncle.
"Hey, kid, you OK?" the man asked.
Wally nodded his head. "Yeah, I'm fine Jay. How's the turkey coming?"
Jay Garrick looked back towards the kitchen, then returned his head to Wally. "I think you're mother's burnt it again. Hey, could you call up your buddy Superman and see if he can cool it down with that breath of his?"
Wally let out a slight laugh. "Nah, he took off from the Watchtower before me. Said he had some business to take care off." He took another gulp of his drink. "That guy never stops."
"Neither do you, usually," Jay said. "You've been sitting there for ages, and you've been quiet since you got here. Something wrong?"
"No, it's nothing."
Jay stared at him. "You can't fool me, Wally. From one fastest man alive to another, what's on your mind?"
Wally groaned, and buried his head in his hand. Jay took a seat next to him. "What's wrong?"
Wally took a moment before he plucked up the courage to speak. "It's nothing really. It's just… well… there's this girl…"
"Another one?" Jay joked, but his face fell when he saw the serious look on Wally's face. "Who is she?"
"She's… er…" Wally was lost for words. He did not want to admit out loud that he had feelings for Hawkgirl. But he had dug himself into a hole. He could not thing of anything to say. "She's… a work colleague."
"You don't have a job," said Jay. "Unless it's your press agent. Who I admit is a fine looking woman… just don't tell Joan." He gave a reassuring smile, but Wally's did not change.
"It's not my press agent," Wally blurted out. He had not really meant to say that, because by doing so, he left his old friend with only one other option.
"OK, so it's not her… but that only leaves…" Jay stopped as realisation dawned on him. "Oh, Wally…" he said slowly. "How many times have I told you, don't mix business with pleasure? Especially OUR line of business."
Wally sighed, and as he spoke, kept his gaze away from Jay. "You've seen us on the news, right?"
"Yes," Jay replied. "Which one is it?"
"The one with the wings. Hawkgirl."
Jay slowly shook his head. "Wally… you silly lad. This isn't a smart move."
"I know," Wally said, his head turning to Jay. "But… there's something about her. I… I can't explain it…"
"How deeply do you care about her?"
Wally was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "A lot. More than any girl I've ever met…" His voice was barely a whisper.
"Does she know?"
Wally shook his head.
Jay gave a groan of his own, and rubbed his eyes. "How does she feel about you?"
Wally let out a faint laugh. "She hates my guts."
"Really?" Jay enquired. "Are you sure about that?"
Wally looked at him, blank.
"You don't let many people know the REAL you, Wally. Perhaps if she got to know you as a PERSON…"
Wally was uncommitted. "I don't know…"
Jay patted him on the shoulder. "Just think about it, kid. Take it from an old guy – if you don't at least consider it, you'll regret it. Trust me."
Wally looked at him. "I'll think about it. Thanks, Jay."
"No problem." Jay then stood up, and looked back at the kitchen. "OK, I'm going to see how the well-cooked Christmas meal is doing." He gave one last look at Wally, who gave him a reassuring smile. With that, Jay walked off.
Wally looked at his glass, and finished the last of his drink.
He stood up and looked out of the window. As he watched the stars in the sky, he could have sworn he saw the Watchtower glinting.
A Watchtower that housed the girl he cared deeply abou…
The girl he loved.
/
The microwave oven's beeper sounded, and the heating within ceased. The old woman walked over to it and opened its door, then removed the casserole. She placed the food on a plate and put the tray into the sink.
She paused as she looked at the casserole. This was her favourite. This was her entire family's favourite. Her husband's. Her… son's…
A tear trickled down her cheek. She sighed as she cursed herself. She had thought about him again. Her son. The person she loved more than anyone else in the world – and beyond. Even more so than her husband. What mother would not?
But he had gone. Flown the nest. Left the family home. Well, he had done that years before… but… now… he had ceased all contact. He had removed himself from his family. And even now, after all this time, she had no idea why.
She would see him occasionally, on the news, or in the papers. His activities were always at the centre of public attention. And they were still the centre of HER, and her husband's, attention.
But HIS attention was no longer on them. Not at all. At least, that's what it seemed. It had been an eternity since she last heard his voice on anything other than the television, or the radio. An eternity since she had heard his voice up close, live. And she missed it. She missed HIM.
She lifted the casserole from the kitchen tabletop and left the kitchen. She walked into the lounge and saw her husband, reading the paper. She shook her head. She hated it when he read the news. Because it always brought HIM back to his attention… as if he was not all they could think about every moment.
She went over to her husband's side and silently, set the casserole on the coffee table. She looked at him expectantly, but he did not remove his gaze from the paper. She closed her eyes, and turned to walk out, but was stopped by the sound of his voice.
"He was in the news again today."
She looked down, solemn. "I know," she said. "I read it earlier on."
"He did good."
"Yes. Yes he did."
She heard a slight crinkle. She turned around to see her husband gripping the paper tightly, and the material crushing in his grasp. Yes, she hated it when he read the paper. Because it always brought him – brought them all – immeasurable pain.
She left the lounge and returned to the kitchen. She walked over to the kettle and silently filled it from the tap. She then clicked it on, and waited for it to boil.
Her minds again returned to her son. Well, that was not strictly true. He had not returned to her mind. Because he never left. He was all she thought about. Every. Single. Moment.
She had tried to forget about him, oh, how she had tried. But it was impossible. For a mother to just forget a son… it was impossible. She never could forget every detail of him. The way he smiled, the way he laughed as a child… and the fine man he grew up to become.
She cherished those memories, even more so now that he had left them. And he truly had left them. In every sense of the word. It had been over a year. No contact. No phonecalls. No visits. Nothing.
She used to think that she would miss her son incredibly if he just disappeared. If he was never heard from again, from ANYONE. She had thought that would be the worst pain.
She now knew that was untrue. Her son was a public figure, a man constantly in the public eye. Almost a celebrity. And that only made the situation WORSE. To have him disappear without a trace… that would be devastating. But to have him cut all contact, but for them to know that he was still AROUND, and in such a high profile… and yet still no word from him… that was unbearable.
Her husband had had a stroke. She had quit her tupperwear party hosting. They themselves had not talked to their other loved ones for some time…
They no longer had the will to live. Without their son in their lives, what was the point?
The high-pitched shriek signalled that the kettle had boiled. She blankly removed two cups from hangers on the wall and went to pick up the kettle. As she did so, her gaze turned to the window.
She saw someone in the fields, a couple of hundred yards away. The figure was tall, well-built, almost like her son…
Her son…
It…
It WAS her son!
"JONATHAN!"
She stared out the window, her eyes widening and her mouth wide open. She heard footsteps hurriedly coming towards her. Jonathan, her husband, rushed into the kitchen as fast as he could. "Martha, you scared the wits out of me! What is it?"
Martha silently pointed out the window, and Jonathan's gaze followed it to the man walking closer towards the house. His eyes widened as realisation hit him.
Without saying a word, they both ran to the front door. Jonathan threw the door opened, and they both hurried out of the house. Their weak joints were insignificant as they strode across the field, towards their son.
The man in the distance, seeing them, began running also. Being in far better shape than his parents, he reached them quickly… faster than a speeding bullet.
They all embraced, and the senior citizens clutched onto their son as much as they could, and they swore they would never let him go…
"Ma… Pa…" their son weaped, tears streaming down his face. "I… I…"
"Shhhhhhh", Martha whispered. "It's OK, son. You're home… you're home…"
/
"OK, everyone, meeting adjourned."
Diana darted her head up at J'onn's comment. She had very nearly dozed off during the ten minute meeting. And she did not think anyone would blame her.
Superman had gone. Flash had gone to his family. Green Lantern had been called away – even though it was Christmas! Hawkgirl was silent the entire meeting.
And Diana herself? Well… she had found something FAR more interesting to do during the meeting. Like holding the hand – under the table, of course – of the man she loved with all her heart. The man that had opened himself to her… and she had opened herself to.
She never believed that she could be this happy. But that was before Christmas. Before just FOUR small hours ago. Before she had admitted – finally – her feelings towards Batma…
No. NOT Batman.
Bruce Wayne.
She had told him that she loved him… and her greatest dream had come true. He had returned the feelings.
He was in love with her.
They were in love with eachother.
The last few hours were like a dream. She had feared that, IF they HAD ever have got together, that their first moments would be a blur. Thankfully, that was not the case. She remembered every moment. And every moment filled her with unbelievable joy.
She was with the man she loved. FINALLY. Nothing could be better than that. As hard as it was to believe… not even being welcomed back to her island would be better.
She was in love. Hopelessly, forever, in love.
She knew that, no matter what happened in the future, she would always love him. ALWAYS. She was his, heart, mind and soul. For all eternity.
Diana's focus returned to the current goings on as she saw Hawkgirl stand from her chair. She then noticed J'onn walking away from the head of the table. Finally – almost as if her mind had refused to acknowledge it – she realised her hand was no longer in contact with Batman's.
She looked up, to see Batman standing above her, body wrapped in his cape. "That was a waste of time," he said flatly. "I could have been at home, tending to things."
Diana smiled. "I'd like to see your 'home', sometime."
She could have sworn she saw Batman blush beneath his mask. He remained silent, then walked away from the table towards the room's exit. Diana quickly stood up and followed him.
Once they had both left the room, Diana could not resist a little fun. "Was that a blush I saw, Batman?"
Batman appeared unfazed. He remained silent for a moment, then eventually said, "Not in public."
They reached a store cupboard, and, before Diana knew it, Batman opened the door and pulled her into the small enclosure, like lightning. He just as quickly closed the door behind them.
Without a single word, Batman forced his lips on Diana's, and she gladly accepted them. The kiss lasted for over a minute, until they both reluctantly broke the contact. Batman then stared into her eyes. "I love you…" he whispered.
"I could get bored of that," Diana slowly answered with a smile.
"I don't care," he replied. "I'm going to keep saying it… until you agree to marr…" he quickly stopped.
Diana frowned. "What?"
Batman looked blank, then eventually said, "Nothing."
There was an awkward silence, before Diana wrapped her arms around Batman's neck. "I'm only kidding," she said. "I love you, Bat…" she shook her head. "BRUCE. Hera, it's going to take decades to get used to calling you that."
"I don't mind," he whispered. "If it takes you that long to say it, that just means that's how long you'll be with me…" Their heads leaned closer again, and they kissed, for longer than they ever had before. Time stood still for an eternity.
Eventually, their lips parted. But it was still too soon for either of them. They stared into eachother's eyes, and Diana felt what was left of her self-restraint ebbing away.
"You wouldn't believe how long I've dreamed of this…" she breathed.
"You're right."
Diana blinked at the quickness of his response.
Batman smiled. "Because no matter how long it was… it was nothing compared with the time I'VE waited for this…"
Diana smiled, and looked into his eyes. "I don't know about that. I'm pretty sure I've lived longer than you…"
"But have you ever missed companionship?"
Diana frowned as she thought. Eventually, she replied, "No, not really."
"I have," replied Batman, a dead seriousness expression on his face. "Ever since I was eight years old…" Diana's heart ached as Batman's eyes closed, in obvious pain.
"Darling…" Diana whispered, "what's wrong?"
Batman's head darted up, as if he had never been called "darling" before. He glared at her, before eventually talking. "Have you ever looked into Bruce Wayne's history?"
"No…" Diana felt awkward. "To be honest… I always thought of him… YOU… I mean… I… I… always thought of him as… a bit unintelligent…"
Batman almost smiled.
"I'm sorry, my darling," said Diana. "I just… never thought I'd fall in love with him… I mean… never thought I HAD fallen in love with him… I…" Diana was lost for words. "Hera, this secret identity business is beyond me."
Batman's head lowered, and Diana felt unbelievable pain. What had she said? Obviously, something had happened in Bruce Wayne's life… but, in her short time in Man's World, she had not had much time to acquiant herself with every celebrity's life. She had only read that Bruce Wayne was a nice but boring socialite who spent little time concentrating on his role as head of Wayne Enterprises.
HAD something else happened in his life?
"What have I said, darling?" Diana asked, her tone bordering on pleading.
Batman was silent for an unbearable amount of time. Eventually, he looked up and glared into her eyes. "Do you really want to know?"
Diana was flabbergasted. How could he ask such a question? "Of course I want to know," she said, "I love you, my darling." She felt her eyes water up, as she looked into the eyes of the man she loved more than anything.
Batman was silent for an eternity… an eternity that was unbearable for Diana. Eventually, the man she loved spoke. "I have to go."
Diana blinked. "W-what?"
"I have to get back to the cav…" he paused. "My home."
Diana's head, and spirits, sunk. "Oh."
However, she soon heard Batman's voice.
"Would you like to come with me?"
Diana shot her head up. "What?"
Batman appeared unfazed. "Would you like to… come home with me?"
Diana smiled, and a tear poured down her face uncontrollably. "Of course…"
Batman appeared shocked. "Why are you crying?"
Diana let out a faint sob. She did not want to let him think that she feared that he had lost interest in her. However, her vocal cords refused to agree with her mind. "I was afraid… you didn't want to be with me…"
Batman glared at her, and Diana cursed herself. She had made a fool of herself
"Diana…" Batman softly said, "that would – COULD – never happen. I want to be with you… for…" the following words seemed to come difficultly. "For… the rest of my life."
The tears flowed down Diana's face more fluently,
Batman again appeared shocked. "Diana… what have I said?"
The tears flowed down Diana's face quicker, and she quickly hugged Batman as close as she could. "Oh darling…" she wept – WEPT – "I love you so much. Promise me you'll never let me go."
She felt Batman's grip on her shoulders tightening. "I don't need to promise…" he breathed. "I WILL ALWAYS love you Diana…you're my soulmate…"
Batman smiled.
Diana looked at him. With tears still pouring down her face, she asked, "What is it?"
Batman looked at her. "Until today… I never believed in soulmates…"
Diana hugged him as hard as she dared. "Sorry for crushing your believes…"
"It's OK," she heard him say, "You're worth more than my beliefs…"
Their heads leaned closer together, and they kissed incredibly passionately. They lips all but literally melted together, until it seemed that no force on Earth could separate them.
Eventually, their lips separated. It was too soon for either of them. However, they knew time was running out.
"I have to get home," Batman said.
"Is that invitation still open?" Diana asked. Despite her smile, tears were still running down her face.
Batman seemed embarrassed for a moment, but he eventually spoke. "Diana… I would rather die than to not have you come home with me,…"
Diana tightened her grip on Batman's neck as hard as she dared. "I love you, my darling…"
Batman returned the embrace with equal tightness. "I love you too… and I always will…"
They kissed yet again, their love for eachother building with every nanosecond, After several, several moments, their lips separated once again.
After another eternity, Batman spoke. "Let's go home."
"Yes," Diana said, tears STILL running down her face, "Let's."
TO BE CONTINUED