Chapter 3

Where are you going?/With the long face pulling down/Don't hide away like the ocean/That you can't see/But you can smell: Dave Matthews Band

Is there anything better than waking up and having an Amazon princess curled up next to you? Bruce wondered. In his typical fashion, his mind offered a few possibilities which he instantly ignored. He was just going to enjoy the moment.

Her breathing pattern told him that she was awake, so he nuzzled the back of her head.

"Good morning, princess," he said softly.

She chuckled and backed up even closer to him. "Sometimes you make 'princess' a term of endearment and sometimes you make it sound like an insult. I am amazed with what you can do with one title."

"It's a gift," he answered. "What's on your schedule for today?"

"Planning the bachelor/bachelorette party," she said with a moan of disgust. "The wedding is still a month away and I am already tired of it. I'm due to meet Andris to plan it early this afternoon."

"Don't go. Stay here today," he said in a voice full of promise.

Diana turned to look at him, the doubt clear in her eye. "You have a day with nothing to do?"

"I could."

"What would we do?"

"Well, we could stay here all day," he said kissing her gently. "And see what happens."

"That sounds perfect," she said with a smile. "But, I am having trouble believing you are capable of doing nothing for a day."

"Not nothing," Bruce said with another kiss. "I would give you my undivided attention all day."

She looked at him, a mix of doubt and desire on her face. "I should take you up on your offer just to see how long you could last. But I am sure in a few hours, that brain would make some connection that required your immediate attention."

Bruce pretended to look hurt and Diana gave him a playful smack on the chest which he returned. The play wrestling grew more intense and another hour passed.

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Diana would never say "I told you so" to Bruce usually because it would be pointless. But, she reflected as she started the invisible jet, it didn't mean she wasn't occasional tempted. They were sharing breakfast in bed and reading the paper together when Bruce got the "aha!" look. It actually was a full-body expression. His back tensed and straightened, his eyes narrowed and then widened and his head tilted just a tiny bit. And then, slowly, a grin spread across his face that always reminded Diana of the expression "the cat who ate the canary."

He looked at her and smiled, lightly smacking the paper. "That's what happens when the bastards think I am not watching," he said. He stood up and threw on his robe. "I'll be in the cave." He kissed her and rushed out of the bedroom.

She looked at the clock on the bedside table. Three hours since he had said she would have his undivided attention for an entire day. Better than she had thought he would do, actually.

It wasn't because he didn't love her, at least in the only way he knew how, she knew as she adjusted her heading towards Andris' estate. But he was Gotham's protector and that took priority in his mind and heart. She respected him for it and his consistency. It was important to have something to fight for.

She had taken her time getting out of bed and when she was ready to leave, she went down to the cave where she found him lost in thought. She kissed him goodbye. He grunted an acknowledgement but did not look up from his work.

It could be worse, she thought with a smile. He gave me a list of London clubs.

She had been completely honest with Bruce. The excitement she had felt at getting to help plan Audrey's wedding had long since dwindled. It was all about looking right and having the right people there and being at the right place and eating the right thing and it was just infuriating. And, for someone who had never thought in those terms before, quite boring.

Audrey's less-than-subtle attempt to set-up Diana with Andris also was serving as an area of contention for the Amazon, primarily because she thought it was part of the same line of thinking, that Diana and Andris were two "right" people who ought to be together simply because they were part of the wedding. He seemed harmless enough on the phone and probably would prove to be in person as well.

And as long as she was going to be completely honest, she needed to acknowledge that being set-up was bothering her because she was in a relationship that seemed to be going well except for the fact that she couldn't tell anyone about it. She respected and understood the reasons for the secrecy but it made situations like this awkward.

But really, how often is this going to happen, she thought as began the landing sequence.

Andris lived on what looked like a European country manor. It was, however, only a dozen miles outside a major city which, while it did not take away from the beauty of the home, did cause Diana to smile. Clearly someone was trying to get the best of both worlds and had enough money and influence to make it happen.

She landed in a field to the side of the home and was met by a tall man with blond hair and deep green eyes. He was dressed casually but at the height of fashion. He was strong but lean, with a swimmer's build. Diana found herself hoping this was Andris.

"Wonder Woman, I presume," he said and with those words confirmed that he was Andris.

Well, when she gets to pick her own, Audrey has excellent taste in men, she thought.

"Call me Diana. I am off duty today," she said warmly. "Shall I call you Andris or is there something else you'd prefer?"

"No, like you, I am off duty today. Andris would be fine."

Diana simply smiled and let Andris lead her into the house. Despite the look on the outside, the inside was modern and simply decorated. Although the marble on the floors and the dark wood paneling suggested that it had not always looked that way.

He led her to a study and motioned her to an overstuffed chair. On the coffee table to the side were several dog-eared travel guides to London and a few maps. Diana added the list of clubs Bruce had given her to the pile. Andris sat down in another chair on the other side of the coffee table.

"I think you are right about London," he said. "I also think that the happy couple is going to wander off of any plan we put together. However, we would be fools to not have a suggestion for the evening in order to keep some sort of control."

Diana laughed. She agreed completely with the situation.

When she left six hours later, they had an itinerary put together for the party the following weekend. There were a few details they needed to finalize but for the most part, the task was done. Diana, pleased with the plan, returned to the Watchtower.

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Diana had just returned to her room when Audrey called.

"Darling! What did you do? Andris called Gergely about this stunning, intelligent woman he spent the day with. He even said he was stunned that I could have such a friend!" Audrey laughed.

"I didn't do anything. We planned your party," Diana answered. The warm feeling of pleasure suddenly turned to a rock in the pit of her stomach.

"You did something. He is smitten. Be gentle, my friend," Audrey said with another laugh.

Diana quickly changed the subject and got Audrey off the line a few moments later. For several minutes, Diana stood still, replaying the day in her mind for signs of anything. She could think of none. She didn't want to lead Andris on, that was wrong.

Oh Aphrodite, help me, Diana thought desperately.

Aphrodite responded with a perfect, wonderful idea.