Hunter's Moon

A/N: Thanks SO much for all of the wonderful reviews!! I know you're all VERY anxious to have a certain handsome billionaire come in, so I'll just get this out now.

HE is going to be in the NEXT Chapter!!! :D YAYA!!!

Also, things are going to move quickly from this point on up until the next chapter or two. Then, it will slow down for a while. You'll see.

This chapter is inspired by the new "Wonder Woman" movie. I ADORE IT. Except for the fact that she's with Steve. Ugh. Instead of Bruce. But the animation, the music, and the plot was all spectacular. Undoubtedly the best DC animated movie so far. I'm so happy they made Diana look actually REALLY beautiful for a change. I think she's even more beautiful than in JLU series, I have to say. The only downside was no Bruce. But that's why there's BM/WW fanficcers like us. :D

Hope all of you enjoy this chapter.

- Serena

DIANA POV (It will be from from this point on unless I say otherwise)

When we arrived at our apartment, I pulled up to the driveway, parked my bike, and dashed up the steps with Helena right behind me. After hurrying up the set of stairs to our apartment, I flung open the door and called: "Mom, I'm home!" Shaking out my long black hair, I pulled off my boots and laughed at Helena. "You look like a drowned rat, El," I teased.

Helena glared at me and tugged off her coat, hurling at me. "You're the only girl I know who can be dripping wet and still look like a perfect goddess. Shut up. I hate you."

"Love you, too," I sang as I hung our coats up.

As we entered the kitchen, I found Mom doing paperwork with a mug of coffee beside her. She looked up and smiled faintly, although she didn't look too good. "Hey, girls," she greeted. "There's leftover cookie-cake on the counter, and some milk in the fridge."

"Thanks, Mom," I said, and wandered over to the cabinet, pulling out two plates. "Hey, are you all right? You don't look too well." I came up next to her and set the plates on the table.

Mom nodded. "I'm fine, hon. Just a little overworked today."

I frowned thoughtfully. Mom was a tough woman – she really didn't get as tired as most normal people. I'd seen her do double shifts all the way into the night, and she'd still be alert and ready to start her next job in the morning. "You sure?" I questioned. "You look a little pale. Maybe you're coming down with something."

"I don't get sick," Mom assured me. "Really, I'm fine." But she when she glanced down at her paperwork, she rested her head on one hand, not really looking fine at all.

She looked… worried. But I knew her well enough to know when to drop the subject, so I fell silent and dug into my cake.

"This is really good, Mrs. Prince," Helena said through a full mouth of cake.

Mom shot her a smile. "Thanks, hon. How're you doing?"

Helena's face darkened. "Eh, I'm fine."

"How's this foster family working for you?" Mom asked gently. "Are they treating you well?"

Helena looked down at her cake and shrugged. "They're better than the last family, I guess."

Mom wasn't fooled. "Mm-hmm. You know that our door is always open for you," she told Helena.

"I know," Helena said. "Thanks, Mrs. Prince."

Mom nodded and went back to work.

After finishing our homework, Helena and I watched a movie while Mom finished up her paperwork. Then Helena's foster parents came to pick her up, and I headed off to bed. But as I shut off the DVD player, I heard a rumble of a truck in the small parking lot right next to our building. Curious, since no one in our apartment owned a truck, I went to the window and peered out.

A giant black pickup truck rested in the parking lot, lit faintly by one of the poorly working streetlights. Although I couldn't see who was inside, I caught a flash of white hair. Then, I managed to pick out a pair of glittering, icy-blue eyes. They were staring right at me. Startled, I stepped away from the window. Those eyes… they were so… evil.

But I wasn't one to be afraid of anything. Moving slowly back up to the window, I glanced down to see if the mysterious person was still in the truck.

But I was astonished to see that the truck had completely disappeared.

That was really weird, I thought as I turned around. I let out a small gasp when I nearly bumped into Mom, who stood right behind me. "Mom! You startled me," I said.

But she didn't look at me. Her eyes were narrowed, and her jaw hardened. I followed her gaze to the street where the truck had been and looked back up at her.

"You see the truck, too?"

She nodded slowly, still not looking at me. "Go to bed, Diana." Her voice was sharp.

"What? But it's only ten - "

"Go to bed." Her tone brooked no argument.

Confused and a little hurt, I brushed past her and stormed off to my room. Why was she so harsh with me? I didn't do anything. After brushing my teeth, I resolved to ask her about it. Maybe I'd accidentally done something to annoy her. Determined to make things right, I headed into her room and moved towards the partially opened door.

What I saw shocked me beyond belief.

I'd trained with Mom ever since I could remember using all sorts of weapons – bo staffs, knives, guns, mace, our hands, – everything I could think of. But this… this was different.

Peering through the crack in the door, I saw Mom with her back to me, holding something. Then, I heard the sound of a sword being drawn. A sword. My eyes widened, and I gaped, seeing Mom holding a large gleaming sword in her hands. Her grip tightened on its beautiful hilt. It was shining and deadly.

Speechless, I pulled away and slipped back to my room, collapsing on my bed. Why did my mom have a sword? And what was she doing with it? Did it have something to do with the black truck outside?

Burning with questions, I didn't get much sleep that night.

Journal Entry 2

I still haven't asked Mom about the sword thing. I mean, I guess she's really just a protective fighter, determined to protect us both from the crime-ridden Gotham, but having a heavy-duty sword is a bit… overkill, I think. I don't know.

I've tossed and turned all night, and I know I'm not going to get any sleep. It's already five in the morning, but I'm wide awake. But after thinking about what I saw…

I don't know. When I saw the sword, I froze. I just stared at it. A part of me was shocked that Mom would carry something like that. Another part of me wasn't. And another part… Another part of me wanted to hold the sword. That part wanted to take the sword and start using it on criminals and thugs in this city. Don't ask me where that came from, because I have no idea – maybe it's my Mom drilling fighting skills into me – but a part of me, a deeper part, wanted to use that sword. I can't believe this, but I almost wanted to reach out and take the sword. It was beautiful. Shining, sharp…

I wanted to grip it. I wanted it to be mine.

Hera… what's happening to me?

I have to get up for school soon.

End Entry.


School that day was normal. I had to refuse another boy asking me out and put up with more of Kathy's abuse. Same old, same old.

But during lunch, as I was walking to the table with Helena and Etta, someone bumped into me, causing me to stumble forward. Managing to keep all of my food on my platter, I whirled around to face a smirking Tyler, his arm around Kathy.

"Hey, there, hot stuff," he leered. "Heard you made some mean remarks about my girl."

I straightened and replied in a cold voice, "I haven't talked to Sandy in weeks."

Tyler's eyes narrowed, and Kathy glared at me. "You just stay outta my way," he growled. "And don't let me hear about you talking to Kathy again."

"Don't worry," I replied, irritated. "I'm not wasting my time with you idiots." Stalking away, I set my food down on the table before heading off to the restroom. Seeing as how everyone was in the cafeteria, I was the only one in the bathroom. Washing my hands, I didn't look up when the door opened with a creak. But the next second, two hands grabbed my shoulders, whirled me around, and slammed me into the wall. Before I could breathe, a pair of hard lips crushed onto mine. I cringed and tried to pull away.

Tyler pulled back and grinned at me. "C'mon, Diana," he breathed, "I know you want this." He ran a hand up my thigh.

"Get off of me, you pervert," I growled.

He just laughed, only infuriating me more. "Still playing hard to get, babe? C'mon – you and me, it'll be great. You're the hottest girl in existence. We'll look good together. And I know you want a good time. Someone who can show you… around."

"Spare me your disgusting innuendos," I snarled ferociously. "If you don't release me now, you're going to pay."

He just laughed and pressed his lips to mine again.

That's it.

Feeling a rage I'd never felt before, I grabbed his shoulders, lifted up a knee, and slammed it into his groin. He groaned against my lips and pulled away with a curse. But I wasn't done yet. Pulling back a fist, I grabbed the front of his shirt and punched him in the face with a furious yell.

Tyler flew up into the air, soared backward all the way across the bathroom, and crashed through the door out into the hall.

My mouth fell open.

Oh. Hera.

Tyler lay unconscious on the floor. In horror, I stared down at my fist. It wasn't hurting. And I wasn't even breathing hard.

A female, high-pitched scream brought me out of my stupor, and I dashed out into the hall as Kathy and a bunch of students came running up to Tyler. She bent over him and gasped.

"His nose is bleeding!" she screamed. Glaring up at me, she shrieked, "What did you do, you freak?"

I couldn't answer her.

"She totally took him out!" another boy said in astonishment.

"Is he dead?"

"What happened?"

"Diana killed Tyler?"

"Someone call 911!"

"How'd she do that?"

"Diana!"

I looked up to see Helena and Etta hurrying up to me. Helena stared down at Tyler before looking at me, wide-eyed. "Diana," said Helena, dazed. "What happened?"

Finally finding my voice, I said, "Tyler tried to sexually assault me. I punched him. I didn't…"

I don't really feel bad about it. Is that horrible?

"Tyler assaulted you?" Helena demanded as an enraged light came into her eyes. "Then he totally deserved what he got."

"Tyler didn't do anything!" Kathy screamed.

Helena rounded on her. "Shut up, you stupid witch! Your boyfriend's a psycho!"

"She's the psycho!" wailed Kathy, pointing to me. "She probably killed him!"

One of the teachers, unfortunately my least favorite, Mr. Kane, came rushing up to the scene and put a finger to Tyler's neck. "He's fine," he said. "Just unconscious. What happened?"

"Diana did it!" Kathy screeched.

"I was protecting myself," I argued. "Tyler assaulted me first."

"Liar!" Kathy shouted.

Mr. Kane glared at both of us. "The ambulance is here. Kathy, go back to the cafeteria. Diana, until I find out more about this, you're suspended."

"What?" I exploded. "But Tyler was the one who - "

"We don't know that," Mr. Kane interrupted me harshly. "And even if he started it, punching him unconscious was not the answer."

I could only stare at him in disbelief. He was the most misogynistic teacher I'd ever met. I'd gone head to head with him many times before. Apparently he was out on a vendetta against me, and now he had the opportunity to carry it out.

"But that's ridiculous!" Helena interjected. "She was just protecting herself!"

"Detention for a month for you, Miss Bertinelli," Mr. Kane snapped.

Furious, I turned and fled down the hall and out of the building. This was insane. Suspended! How was I going to explain this to my mother? How would she handle it?

But how had I done that? I'd knocked Tyler all the way across the bathroom and through the wooden door.

Was that even… human? Did girls do that? I didn't think so.

Hunched over with my arms folded over my chest, I didn't even realize I was heading home until I looked up and saw that I was only a block or two away from my apartment. Then I heard the sound of a car or truck behind me, but I didn't look up.

But a moment later, the sound was still behind me. Frowning, I glanced back to see a big black truck following me on the road. My eyes widened.

It's the same truck as last night!

Those two glittering eyes smiled evilly at me. And this time, I could see the person inside. It was a man, a huge, bulked up man wearing a black T-shirt. He looked in his thirties, had white hair pulled back into a ponytail… and those eyes.

For a moment, I had the strangest urge to lunge forward and rip him and his car apart. But I didn't. I turned and fled down the street, hoping he wouldn't follow me.

No such luck. Once I started running, the truck revved up and charged towards me.

HERA!

TBC…