Wedding: Interrupted
Rated: T
by Icha
Summary:
My take on the (possible) future storylines in JLA#0, notably Wonder Woman's marriage. BMWW, Diana and Mr. X, Bruce Talia, Dick Donna. Spoilers from JLA#0, WW vol 3, and some post-IC references. Set five years after the IC. Guest starring: Selina Kyle and Dinah Lance-Queen. Thanks so much to my readers for their review and encouragement and to DC Lady for the great beta. I learned a lot in the process. This story is not in continuity with my other story arcs where Bruce dates Diana, with 'Daughters of the Moon' as the loose connection.
Chapter 2. Condolence?
"So…um… you're sure you're okay?"
"I am. I already told you that three times."
"Yeah, I heard that." Dinah Lance-Queen stopped mid-sentence to sneeze hard three times. Diana winced, and automatically moved the phone a bit further from her. She then grinned to realize that the Black Canary was in Star City at the West Coast, so faraway from New York City that the virus would not affect her at all. Not to mention that she was also the Wonder Woman, almost immune to any virus that existed in this world.
"I think you really should worry about yourself, Dinah." Diana's slender fingertips fidgeted with the phone cable. "Or for Ollie at least. We can't risk having Green Arrow absent from the League because of influenza."
Bfffftttt! The impolite noise was clearly audible as the wife of Star City Mayor cleared her stopped up nose with Kleenex.
"Am…fine…." She sneezed again, then swore. "As long as I can get rid of the $#$& flu!"
Diana chuckled. "Well, I think I'd better let you rest. Okay?"
"Yeah… Hey! Don't divert the conversation, Lady! You haven't told me what's wrong with your head!"
What's wrong with my head? Playing with a lock of her hair, the Ambassador of Themyscira mused. "Perhaps, it used to be wrong, and I'm correcting it now."
"Aahhh…" The satisfied sound of the all-knowing Black Canary. She 'tsk'-ed and asked again, "So, you admit that it was the wrong decision?"
Though she couldn't see her, Dinah was sure that her Amazon friend shook her head.
"No. It was the right decision, Dinah. Trust me." Diana's hands moved down to her Lasso of Truth, peacefully coiled at her hip. Since last night, it had been very comfortable to wear; the lasso didn't emanate heat the way it used to.
"No, I see that," Dinah was quick to correct herself. "I can also feel that this decision – canceling the wedding – was the right one." She glanced at the Daily Planet next to Ollie's laptop, and added, "Though the press is having a field day."
"Indeed." Studying her ceilings, Diana responded absentmindedly. "It sells papers, I guess."
"Huh!" the famous martial artisan, now knocked out by influenza, snorted. Her snort had nothing to do with her cold, though. "Say… so you admitted that your decision to marry him was a mistake. How did he take it?"
"Him?" Diana replayed the fight they had and the anger Tom Tresser burst at her when she cancelled the wedding. "He… took it better than expected." Meaning, no physical fights or items scattered about. Though he might have ransacked a few bars afterwards. Gaea's mercy. "Perhaps, I should call him. Just to check."
"Nah… let him be," Dinah waved her free hand dismissively. "Tom's a big boy, he'll take care of himself."
Diana remained silent.
"So… you gonna tell me the real reason for the break-up?" Dinah continued probing. "Other than 'he might not be The One after all' excuse?"
The raven-haired Amazon pursed her lips while thinking. "Perhaps later, Dinah," she compromised. "When you're better."
"When you've told Donna and the rest about the real reason, you mean?" Black Canary arched her eyebrow in annoyance. "Might I remind you that you came to see me, asking me my dozen opinions about this man, before you started dating him? And now you break up with him, and I'm not told why?"
"Later, I promise. I just… need to solve some issues first."
"Yeah?"
"Yes. Afterwards, I will go to Star City and we can spend the whole night talking."
"Well… if that's a promise…" Black Canary said. She knew that if Wonder Woman said so, it really meant so.
Diana smiled. "Promise. Now hang up the phone and get some reasonable sleep, please? Before you turned into Canary Flu?"
Her friend chuckled and snorted again (because of her cold this time). "At least, I have time to get rid of this flu before your next wedding."
"Like, in another life time, you mean?"
Dinah chuckled. "Don't be pessimist, Di! You're not that bad looking, you know?"
Diana laughed. After saying goodbye, the women hung up. Diana sighed. Not a sad sigh. More of a relieved sigh. She looked up and saw Rachel Keast, the Embassy Legal Attaché, studying her with what looked like concern.
"Rachel, about the meeting with the Australian Ambassador…"
"I have already informed you, Madam Ambassador, that it has been postponed. The Ambassador himself made the initiative, in the honor of…"
"Well, yes…" Diana stood up, fixed her white blouse, and gazed out of the window. New York was in mid summer, and everything seemed cheerful. She looked down to the street, at the crowds buzzing in front of Themysciran House. Some of them were reporters eager to know the reason behind Wonder Woman's wedding cancellation. Others were fans of her or merely curious strangers. Ferdinand the Khitotaur, Dr. Leslie Anderson, Peter Garibaldi, and Alana Dominguez successfully prevented them coming in, but the crowds still lingered on. "But since the wedding is not in place anymore, I think we can continue the discussion, then."
At the planned meeting they would discus the appearance of several metahumans from Australia, something that the Justice League was very interested in. Because it was the metahuman issue they would be talking about, the Embassy would also need to contact Sarge Steel of the Department of Metahuman Affairs to join her meeting with Australia. And no doubt, Sarge would further relegate the case to…
"Would Nemesis be representing the DMA? Still?" Rachel added the last word politely. Her hands played with her Bob Marley pleats to hide her concerns.
Detecting the tension in her second in command, Diana smiled inwardly. This is very strange for them, isn't it? Canceling the wedding. Gaea knows how many weddings have been cancelled in this city, in this country, but still this one concerns them the most.
"I think Nemesis would come," she flicked over the 'Top Secret' labeled Australian metahuman document. "Provided that he is available, of course."
"I see." Rachel pursed her lips. "I shall confirm you the rescheduled date later."
"Thank you very much, Rachel," Diana cast her warm smile.
"Will you be alright?"
"I will, I will." Diana waved her hand over the pile of papers on the table. "After I finish my homework."
The Legal Attaché laughed. Madam Ambassador. God knows how she might be broken inside, but she still chooses to work anyway. Rachel Keast left the room after saying, "Good day, Diana."
"Good day, Rachel." Diana walked around her table and sat down again. She opened her iBook and read a report on the latest status of the Afghanistan woman's movement. She was on the third page when she heard a knock at the door.
"Come in," she said, and kept reading her documents.
"So, finally I've finished all the hard work. Canceling invitations, caterings, tents, everything. Including the dress. Now, will you tell me what's going on here?"
Wonder Woman raised her head and smiled.
"Who's going to have the dress?" She looked at the very concerned Donna Troy-Grayson, folding hands in front of her. "Cassie or Kara? I know that Cassie might need it for her wedding with Kon-El."
"To avert a sister fight, we decided to donate the gown to the earliest charitable event marked on the calendar." Donna walked around the table and bent toward her sister. "Diana, what happened? Why did you cancel the wedding?"
Diana pursed her lips. She realized there was no way she could hide things from her sister. She leaned back on her chair and interlaced her arms behind her head. "The Truth?"
Two pairs of azure eyes met. "And only the Truth."
xxx
Half an hour later, Diana sighed in relief as she stood up and arched her cramped body. Donna had been very helpful; not asking too many questions after Diana rang her earlier this morning. Though Diana had not yet told her the exact reason for her wedding cancellation, the sleepy-head fashion photographer was suddenly wide awake. She took a quick shower and left Dick Grayson with his morning cereals in their apartment for Themyscira House. Donna was Diana's wedding organizer, and hence she had to make sure that every invitation, catering service, and logistics were cancelled appropriately. But, on top of that, Donna deserved a full explanation, and apparently, Diana's story for the last half an hour satisfied her. At least, until further information was revealed.
Diana massaged the bridge of her nose. She returned to her hibernated notebook, attempting to explore possible funds to allow young Afghan women to study outside their country of origin, when the phone rang. She sighed and picked up the phone. She knew that it would not be some reporters or those strangers interested in her wedding story (or what was left of it) – Alana would have screened out those calls.
"Madam Ambassador." The cheerful greeting from Alana Dominguez, her personal secretary, told her that it was no one to worry about. "A phone call from the East End, Gotham."
East End? By Gaea! "I'll take it, Alana. Thank you very much."
Two seconds later, "So, are you going to tell me about it?"
Diana smiled before giving a reply. "Hello to you too, Selina. How are you?"
"Surprised at what the Gotham Gazette and Daily Planet told me this morning." At the other end of the line, Selina Kyle tapped at the newspaper on her desk. She took a break to sip her coffee, then continued. "Did he break anything when you told him the bad news? Or, should I say 'good news' instead?"
Diana grinned. Five years ago, no one would have thought that Wonder Woman would befriend the Catwoman. True, both women were not enemies, but they were not on regular contact either. Mostly because of the difference in their circles, connected only by Batman, and later, Nemesis. Diana used to have a brief talk with Selina in downtown Gotham, but the OMAC disaster and the infamous Infinite Crisis had hindered their communication further.
Yet, four years ago, as the world settled down in peace once more, came a very important case for Diana, both as a social activist and as Wonder Woman: child trafficking, connecting several major cities in the East Coast (New York City and Gotham City included) and some South East Asian countries. Wonder Woman had asked for Batman to help her, who later on brought Catwoman in. After a few days of working together, Diana of Themyscira and Selina Kyle found many similar things among them ('persistence' and 'independence' as Batman later had admitted), and henceforth had befriended each other. Occasionally, both women would be seen strolling along the Madison Ave, SoHo or downtown Gotham for window shopping (or season's sale) and drinking latte in an adjacent café afterwards.
"Define 'good news', Ms. Kyle."
"Stop skirting the issue, Madam, and tell me the truth. Did Tom hit you?"
"Can you even imagine any man hitting me without me punching him back?"
"Nope." Selina smirked. "What then? What made you cancel the wedding?"
"Shall we call it 'consciousness'?"
Diana could imagine the perfect arch formed by Selina's eyebrows.
"Nope. No can do. You've told me three weeks ago that he was The One. So… because you cancelled, does that mean that he's not The One anymore?"
"Something like that."
"Are you ever gonna tell me about it?"
Diana sighed. The good thing about having close female friends is that you can share a lot of things with them. Except for this one… "Later, I promise." As I promised Dinah. After I sort these things out. After I talk to him.
"Really?" Selina sounded doubtful. Diana was preparing herself for another probing question when suddenly her friend at the end of the line barked. "Helena! For God sake! Get out of the kitchen!"
Diana heard a faint childish voice. 'But I want the cookies, Mommy…'
"I will get it for you later on. Mommy's talking to Aunt Diana."
'Really? Hi Aunt Diana! When are we playing again? Mommy, I want the cookies now!'
"Helena Kyle!" Selina sighed desperately.
"She's not in kindergarten today?"
"Sick, bad cold. Leslie ordered bed rest." Dr. Leslie Thompkins was Selina's family doctor, whom Diana befriended as well now.
"Many people seem to catch cold nowadays. Dinah also has it," Diana commented absentmindedly. "The little munchkin doesn't sound too sick, though,"
"Can't you imagine what two days of bed rest can do to a child like Helena? She's so freakin' active now, she wanted to go to school! But Leslie still said no, so I followed her advice." The Catwoman, now a single mother, sighed again. "Don't tell me you're planning to have a child when you marry someone, Di!"
Diana giggled. She had met little Helena Kyle four years ago, and instantly fell in love with the blonde baby. In fact, Baby Helena had been the major driving force behind Catwoman's willingness to help Batman and Wonder Woman in the child trafficking case. Diana could literally see the loving bond between Selina and Helena, and could not help but envy her friend for her gift.
"Oh, I don't know Sel…Perhaps in another life time."
"Yeah, right…" Selina made further non-committal sounds. "Listen, the munchkin's calling, mommy's gotta go. But I swear I will hunt you down for answers, Diana. Just be ready."
"Am I supposed to be frightened?"
"You heard me." Suddenly, Selina added. "By the way, has he called you?"
"Huh?" Diana frowned. "I don't think Tom –"
"No, I don't mean Tom." Selina cut her off. "I mean, Bruce."
'Uncle Bruce!'
"Helena…Mommy's talking on the phone, sweetie…" Selina sighed again. "Has Bruce called you? He must have read the papers by now."
"Not sure if he will…" Diana muttered.
"Don't fool yourself, babe. We both know he's not supposed to be with that ."
Now, it was Diana's turn to sigh. Selina's hatred towards Talia was always palpable. In fact, Selina would not even come to Bruce's wedding two years ago, had it not been for Diana. On various occasions, she even hinted that Bruce had actually regretted his decision to marry Talia Al-Ghul.
"It doesn't make any difference, Sel…"
"It does now, as you've cancelled this stupid wedding. Thank God for that. Though I won't be able to wear my new emerald dress. Gosh, Diana! It was gorgeous! I bought it last week down town –"
'Mommmmyyyyy! Coookiiiieeeesss!'
"Oh, for Christ's sake!" Selina inhaled, then said sweetly to her five year old daughter. "Helena honey, be right there. Mommy just have to say goodbye to Aunt Di, okay?"
'Bye Auntie Di! Be quick, Mommy!'
"Yeah, be quick, Mommy!" Diana giggled again. "Now I know what silences the Catwoman. A daughter to dominate her."
"Yeah. Sam surely knew what he did that day…" Selina muttered, her voice softened. Sam Bradley was Helena's biological father. Despite Selina's strong feelings towards the East End policeman, she had retained her decision of being a single mother. She did not object to Sam's helps though, and occasionally, Diana would find Sam in Selina's luxurious apartment, feeding Helena when Mommy was about to go out with Aunt Diana.
"Look, about the wedding – " Selina still felt obliged to express her concerns. "Why don't you talk to Bruce, eh? I'm sure he's willing to listen. He's done a great deal with Helena, and surely he would with you."
"No doubt on that." In fact, I am planning to call him. In a few days, after I figure out what I'm going to say.
"So, will you?"
'Mommyyyyyy!'
"I will. After you give my Helena her cookies."
Selina snorted. "I just can't win, huh?"
"You shouldn't have let me bath her the other day," Diana chuckled. "Now I'm in love with her."
"Oh, fine! Fine! Cookies comin' up! Don't you dare turn off your communicator, Lady! We haven't finished here!"
"Oh, I wouldn't dare, Ms. Kyle."
Selina hung up and left Diana with a goofy grin. Somehow, receiving a call from the ex of your secret… well. Let's just say that all was good…
Diana walked to the instant coffee maker in her room. After making herself a double espresso, she walked to the window and studied the crowds on the street. The number didn't decrease. In fact, it doubled up with more strangers. She sipped her coffee and swept a lock of her hair. Perhaps she should take a day off instead of working at the Embassy today. She looked down again absentmindedly and caught a glimpse of a man walking towards the Embassy. A man unlikely to be here at this stage. She squinted and blinked.
Gorgon's spit!
xxx
"Dick! Yo, Dick!"
"What, Capt!" Richard John Grayson looked up from the newspaper he had been reading since this morning, annoyed.
"Get rid of the newspapers!" His captain barked at him. "In fact, give them to me! You're not the only one interested in the news today! Oh, and your wife. Line two."
Dick looked at the Gotham Gazette and the Gotham Morning Herald in front of him and grinned. He took the phone, pressed two, and gave his captain a wink as his senior took the newspapers away from him.
"Donna babe, how are you?"
"As good as any insane woman having to deal with questions from two hundred invitees and cancellation fees from the caterings and logistics. Not to mention the dress."
"Get rid of the dress, give it to Cassie instead!" Dick leaned on his chair, put his legs on his desk, and started to fidget with a pen. By the look of his leisure style, no one in the N.Y.P.D. would be able to guess that the long-haired Dick Grayson was also called Nightwing, the fierce commander of the Outsiders.
"She and Kara fought about it – again." Donna gave a dramatic sigh. "When Diana's in mourning, it's up to me to act as the only sane sister to separate them."
"Are you sure she's in mourning?" Dick muttered absentmindedly. "Hey, what happened to the wedding cake?"
"As in?"
"As in, it's already made anyway. So, can we have it?
On the other end of the line, Donna leaned at her working desk at the Embassy and smirked. "Who are 'we'?"
"You and me, babe!"
"No way, Jose! Gave it to Babs, Tim, Cass, and Helena already." Donna meant Helena Bertinelli Szasz, the Huntress, not the four year old Helena Kyle.
Dick couldn't believe his wife. "What!"
"And Victor Szasz, and Victor Stone, and Kory. They love eating wedding cake." She continued rattling while observing her nails.
"Are you going to invite Wally and Linda, Roy, Raven and Gar, too?" Dick was annoyed. "And leave me behind?"
"Hey! Bad luck for the family of the bride to eat the cake of a cancelled wedding!"
"Says who?"
"Says Donna Troy."
"Grayson." Dick smiled. "Donna Troy-Grayson."
"Ahm, yes. I might need to remember that."
Dick chuckled. He and Donna got married last year. They bought an apartment in New York City and settled in. Dick had taken a job as a detective at the N.Y.P.D., while Donna had rebuilt her fashion photography business from her small office in the Themyscira House. In short, happiness had returned to the life of Richard John Grayson. He could accept the destruction of Bludhaven, his previous hometown, and the fact that its reconstruction might not take place in another few years. He even made jokes about his previous relationships and woes, while at the same time maintained his friendships with Barbara Gordon and Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran. Nowadays, both women were involved with two non-vigilantes (a novelist and a radio astronomer respectively), and seemed happy with their lives. For his part, Dick was happy for them too.
"So… Mrs. Troy-Grayson…" He said the name wistfully. "Have you got any news at all about your sister's behavior?"
"Must I tell you that, Mr. Grayson?"
"If you must…" Dick knew too well of Donna's gossip habit. There was no way she would call him today if not to talk about Diana's cancelled wedding.
Donna played with her long hair. "Well… she didn't really say it out loud… but other than the 'He's not The One' speech…"
Richard Grayson leaned forward. "Yeeesss….?"
"I think she actually had someone else on her mind."
Dick pursed his lips. "A recurrence from the past? Did she say who, or only hinted?"
Donna studied her spacious office Diana had given her three years ago. "You might say so." Actually, Diana had said that she needed to settle some issues first. Then she would tell her. In another life time perhaps.
"Good that finally she realized that, no?"
"I can't put it better myself," Donna admitted. She and Dick had been particularly worried about Diana's choice to marry Tom Tresser. As vigilantes, Nightwing and Donna Troy (Donna had opted for her maiden name for superhero businesses) often came across Nemesis during their missions. By observing him, the newlyweds had actually suspected that this man's appearance, thinking methods, habits, gaits, his mastery in disguise, etc lead to one conclusion: by dating this man, Diana actually wanted to preserve her memory and hope for certain…
"Has my dad called her? She's his friend, anyway…"
"Not that I know of. Diana would certainly have shown the signs, and I wouldn't have missed them for the world."
"Stupid old man!" Dick muttered beneath his breath.
"Again, Mr. Grayson, you're correct. How bright of you…" Donna walked to the big window in her office and glanced outside.
Dick smirked. He loved the word play between him and Donna. "Ah… I did marry you. Of course I am bright…"
"Shush! Wait!" She leaned so close to the window, not believing what she was witnessing.
"What?" Dick gritted his teeth. Donna liked to tease him, and so often she delayed giving out information just for the sake of annoying him.
"Dick…" His wife returned to the phone. "You won't believe who's coming to the Embassy now."
Dick Grayson blinked. There was only one answer to that. "No way! You're not saying that…"
"Your father had just arrived here. He's coming upstairs to see her."
xxx
They had just talked yesterday, but to her it seemed like ages ago. Diana studied the white streaks of his hair, the wrinkles on the corner of his eyes. She smiled to see the way he brought himself in front of her, hands tucked in his pockets, the air of a nonchalant attitude. She looked into his deep blue eyes that used to melt her heart. That still melted her heart.
"Should I be surprised to see you here?"
He made a subtle tilt of his head. "Shouldn't I be here?"
She bit her lip, not knowing that his heart rate tripled at the delightful sight. "I was…just not expecting you to come so soon…in civvies."
He shrugged and smirked. "I like surprises. Part of my charm."
She smiled again. "Don't I know it…"
"So, Madam Ambassador, I think we need to talk. But not here." Bruce Wayne took Diana's hand. "Shall we go outside?"
-TBC-
Author's note:
This story might stretch farther than I originally expected, so please bear with me. As you see, I mostly follow the events of Infinite Crisis and the subsequent story arcs, including the destruction of Bludhaven, Selina's pregnancy, and baby Helena. You won't find any reference about Diana and Selina in Gotham in any DC comics, coz it was in my first fanfic (Daughters of the Moon). About Donna and Dick, well… in 'Return of My Sister' and 'Echoes of the Past', I paired up Donna and Roy Harper. But since I also love Donna and Dick, I switch to this pairing for this alternate story
Aaaannddd… Yes! Rather than disturbing the peaceful marriage of Steve Trevor and Etta Candy, I opted for another blonde to put in the corner: Tom Tresser, the Nemesis. Heheheh… evil grin
