Hooooly Canoli! It has been a hot second since I updated this story, and I want to apologize for that. I am trying to work double time to get things updated more, but remind me to never have 3 multi-chapter stories going at once. It's chaos! Also, that WonderBat Milestones event took a lot out of me...but in case you didn't know, this is in the same timeline as all of those one shots. Anyway, enough of me babbling, on to the story!

As always, I do not own the characters. Shame really..

October 31st 21:15 Wayne Manor

The journey back home was silent for Diana, who had opted to fly home instead of joining Batman in the Batmobile, worried he would scold her further once they were alone. She knew what she did was extreme, and she had nearly put that man in the hospital, but she wanted to protect her family. There were people who were trying to kidnap her children; people who had been stalking her family for days before tonight; people who wanted her husband dead. She needed to get to the bottom of this, and she needed to get it done fast. She couldn't allow another incident like tonight.

She quickly landed on the front steps of Wayne Manor, quietly unlocking the front door and rushing inside, carefully shutting the door behind her. Inside it was dark and quiet, which was unusual, considering Alfred was normally quick to greet anyone who walked through the front door. Even Ace hadn't rushed up to see her, which worried her immensely.

Letting out a quiet sigh, she walked through the foyer until she reached the massive staircase that would lead her to the second floor of the manor, where she knew her children would be, hopefully sleeping after such an eventful night. She quickly bounded up the stairs and made a right, rushing towards the nursery. When she reached the nursery, she quietly opened the door and stepped inside, smiling when she saw the infant sprawled out in his crib, dressed in a pair of footie pajamas, his hand clenching his favorite blanket. She had hoped the night's events hadn't startled her son too much, but seeing him sleeping peacefully made her breathe a sigh of relief.

Diana watched Milo sleep for a few moments, his small feet kicking subtly, reacting to his dreams, before he began to unconsciously smack his lips. His lips curled up into a small smile and he let out a tiny coo, happy with whatever he was dreaming of, which caused Diana's lips to curl up into a smile of her own. Milo was such a happy baby, and although she knew she and Bruce could face some dark things working in Gotham and the League, she was going to make sure to shield her children as best as she could.

Diana reached down and gently stroked her finger over Milo's cheek, watching as he flashed another toothless smile, before she smiled once more. He reminded her so much of Bruce; his dark hair, his dark, thick eyebrows, his smile, were all attributes received from his father.

She watched him for a few more moments, reveling in the feeling of his soft skin under her finger, gently moving her hand up to run her fingers through his dark wispy hair. When she was sure he was going to remain asleep, she quietly backed away from his crib, quickly checking to make sure the monitor near the crib was still on, before she left the room and closed the door gently.

Diana made her way across the hall to Allie's room. She hoped her daughter would be sound asleep like Milo had been, so she was careful to open the bedroom door and peak her head inside, a sad sigh escaping her lips when she saw the scene inside. Inside she found Alfred sitting in the chair in the corner of the room, Allie firmly placed in his lap, his arms wrapped tightly around her as she laid her head on his chest. Her eyes were closed but Diana could see she was not asleep, too wound up from the night's events to settle down completely. On the floor near Alfred's feet laid Ace, who raised his head and turned to the door when it had opened, his instinct to protect kicking in. However, once he saw it was Diana, he laid his head back onto his front paws, making sure Allie was still in his line of sight as he let out a yawn.

Diana walked into the room and carefully closed the door behind her, watching as Alfred looked up from the child in his arms, giving her a smile as she walked over to the three. "Good evening Ms. Diana," Alfred whispered, watching as Diana squatted down next to Ace, forcing the dog's head to raise once more.

Diana let Ace rest his head on her knee and smiled, as her hand began to unconsciously scratch the back of his ear, causing the canine to close his eyes and wag his tail. Out of Diana and Bruce, Ace prefered the company of the former, mostly because she allowed him to do things Bruce would have never allowed. She sometimes forgot Ace lived with them; since finding his way into the Wayne family he had gotten comfortable having the house to himself, and would sometimes go days where he would wonder around, trying to find trouble along the way. Although, he was never too far from Allie's side; he owed his life to the child.

"Evening Alfred," Diana responded, continuing to scratch Ace's head, chuckling when he moved close to her and licked her face, grateful for the attention. He dropped his head back onto the floor and closed his eyes, knowing that his guard duty was over now that Diana was here, before Diana glanced back up at the butler and her daughter. "She couldn't sleep?"

Alfred shook his head. "I had to read Ms. Allie quite a few bedtime stories, but she would not allow me to leave the room. Even after I assured her Ace would watch her for the night, she wouldn't fall asleep."

Diana stared at her daughter, her eyes filled with sadness and guilt. After the attack at Wayne Enterprises she should have stayed with her children. Instead, she had run off to help Bruce fight for answers. She felt like a terrible mother, choosing her duty over her children; it was one of the reasons she had been contemplating changing her status within the League.

Without a word Diana crouched in front of Alfred and opened her arms, allowing Alfred to hand over the small child. When Allie was in her mother's arms she snuggled up to Diana's chest, resting her head on the Amazon's shoulder, letting out a small sigh when she felt Diana's hand rest on her back. "I'll take it from here Alfred," Diana said, giving him a smile as she stood.

"Are you sure Ms. Diana? Does Master Bruce need some assistance?"

Diana watched as the butler stood from his seat, placing the book he had laying on his lap onto the shelf near him, before he grabbed the monitor for Milo off the nightstand. "I'm sure," she said with a nod, before she rubbed Allie's back once more.

"Very well," he replied, walking towards the door. "How about we fetch you some supper Ace?" Alfred asked, chuckling when the dog jumped to his feet and rushed out the door, before Alfred closed the door, leaving the two girls to themselves.

Diana carried Allie over to her bed, quickly taking a seat on the edge, before she placed a kiss on the crown of her daughter's head. "Mommy?" she heard Allie ask quietly, as she pulled away from her mother's chest to look her in the eye.

"I'm right here," Diana whispered, her eyes meeting Allie's, before she offered her a smile. "Alfred says you won't go to sleep. What troubles you?"

Allie bit her bottom lip, something she learned from Diana, who did it unconsciously when she was apprehensive about something, and let out a sigh, trying to hold back the tears in her eyes. "I'm scared Mommy," she whispered, before she buried her face into her mother's chest.

Diana felt Allie's tears fall onto her uniform, her heart hurting for her child, as she wrapped her arms around her, holding her tightly. She let Allie silently cry for a few moments, knowing she needed to let her child express her emotions. "I don't want them to hurt us," she said, "The bad guys will hurt us."

Diana pulled away from her daughter, placing her finger under Allie's chin, forcing her to look her in the eye. "Hey now," she began, kissing Allie's forehead before she continued, "Your father is working hard, and he will stop the bad guys. He loves you so much, and so does Mommy, my little sun and stars, and we are not going to let anything happen to you or your brother. Do you understand me?"

Allie nodded and Diana used the pad of her thumbs to wipe the tears from her face, listening as Allie whispered, "Yes Mommy," letting her know she believed her parents would stop anything bad from happening. "Is Daddy home?" she asked.

Diana nodded. "Yes, he is downstairs," she responded, watching as Allie's eyes opened wide with curiosity. When she had been born Bruce had been adamant about keeping his children away from the Batcave as much as possible, not wanting them to be enticed by his nighttime activities. He wanted to keep them away from that part of his life, and he would be damned if they chose to join him on patrol. He would surely have a heart attack.

"Can I go see him?" she asked, her blue eyes looking up at her mother's as she began to pout, causing Diana to chuckle. She knew this look all too well, and although Bruce fell for it nearly every time, she wasn't as quick to submit. She had, after all, used this look on her own mother countless times during her time on Themyscira.

"Perhaps he will come up to say goodnight," she said, placing a kiss on Allie's nose, chuckling when she saw the look of disappointment on her face. "But you know your father will be disappointed if he sees you are still awake."

Allie nodded. She didn't want to disappoint her father so she crawled out of Diana's arms and into her bed, carefully slipping under the covers before she plopped her head onto her pillow. Diana turned and crawled up the bed, laying on top of the covers, gently tucking her daughter into bed, before she kissed her forehead once more. "Will you tell me more stories of Grandmother?" she asked, always curious to hear stories of her mother's childhood on Themyscira. It was a rare occasion for Hippolyta to visit them in Gotham, so any chance Allie got to ask of her mother's family, she took.

"Of course," Diana said, leaning back to rest her head on the pillow besides Allie's.

Diana gently crawled off the bed, stopping only to glance over her shoulder to make sure Allie was still fast asleep, before she made her way over to the door. She had spent a good half an hour telling Allie stories of her childhood, reliving precious memories she had of her mother and Amazon sisters. When Allie had asked Diana about her favorite animal, Diana had gone into another story, this one featuring a fond memory of her and Bruce and a mission during her early time in the League.

She quietly opened the door, letting out a quiet chuckle when she saw Ace sitting in front of Allie's door, silently asking to be let in. "Go ahead," Diana said, moving aside to let the dog into the room, smiling when she saw Ace jump onto the bed and curl up around Allie's legs. She knew Bruce would be livid if he knew Diana had let the dog onto the bed, but she also knew Allie needed someone to comfort her throughout the night, and since she couldn't be there, she figured Ace would be a nice replacement.

She pulled the door, leaving it open a crack, before she walked down the hall. She was so lost in thought that she didn't see the man in front of her, crashing into him, forcing him to drop the object in his hands. "Forgive me, Ms. Diana," Alfred said, bending down to pick up the dropped baby monitor.

Diana looked up and blushed, embarrassed she had run into Alfred. "No, it was my fault," she said, giving the man a small smile as he stood up.

Alfred returned the smile, however his smile wavered when he noticed Diana's expression. "Is Ms. Allie alright? Did she finally retire for the night?"

Diana nodded, letting out a sigh, before she said, "Yes." She looked him in the eye and let out another sigh. "Thank you for staying with her."

"It was no trouble, Ms. Diana," Alfred responded, placing his hand on the shoulder of the woman he regarded as a daughter. "But please, what is troubling you?"

"Do you remember what we discussed a few weeks ago?" she asked, watching as he nodded. Alfred was her confidant, the person she could talk to when she was afraid to go to Bruce. She had told him her thoughts of changing her status with the League, and he had sat there, listening to her reasonings, letting her know whatever she decided the family would support. "Tonight brought up old feelings," she said, biting her bottom lip. "If I had been at the Watchtower…..if I hadn't stopped the attack…..Bruce, the kids…." She let out a sad sigh. She was so confused on what to do, but she knew she needed to make a decision soon.

Alfred moved his hand from her shoulder and placed it under her chin, forcing her head up so their eyes met. He gave her a small smile, waiting until she reciprocated the action, before he spoke. "I have no doubt you will make the right decision," he said, dropping his hand from her face. "But I do believe you should at least mention this to Master Bruce. He might offer some more insight than you think."

With that Alfred walked down the hall to his own quarters, quickly opening the nursery door to check on Milo, before he disappeared into his own room, leaving Diana alone with her thoughts. She knew Alfred was right, that she needed to talk to Bruce about this, but she was worried he would think she was a quitter; would he think leaving the League was a cowardly choice?

She began to walk down the stairs towards the entrance of the Batcave, knowing she needed to discuss this with her husband, and fast.

October 31. 21:48. Batcave

Diana descended into the Batcave, hoping her husband would be immersed fully into the case, too distracted to realize there were other things that plagued her mind than the current situation. She was afraid to tell Bruce how she had been feeling regarding the League, but she also knew Alfred was right. He needed to know, and the sooner she told him, the better she would feel.

She continued to make her way down the stairs, a smile gracing her lips when she saw her husband sitting in front of his large computer. His cowl was pulled off and was hanging near his neck, and she could see the dark circles forming under his eyes; he was tired, and she only hoped they would get to the bottom of this soon so her husband could get the rest he deserved. "How are the kids?" he asked, his eyes still focused on the screen in front of him as his hands held a few notes he had made, causing Diana to shake her head with a chuckle. It never ceased to amaze her how he had always known when she was around; it was if he could sense her presence.

"They're asleep," Diana said, walking up to her husband, stopping when she reached the chair he sat in. She quickly leaned against the back of the chair, letting her arms fall over the back of the chair, as she read the file on the computer's screen.

Bruce nodded at his wife's response, glancing at the note they had found from the kidnapers, trying to find a link between the handwriting on the paper and the writing on the photographs of his family. He turned his head when he felt a yawn reach his lips, trying to avoid letting Diana see just how tired he was. He knew she would try to get him to take a break, try to get him to sleep, but this was personal. Someone was after his family, and he wasn't going to rest until whoever was responsible was behind bars.

""What story did Allie want tonight?" he asked, his lips curling at the thought of his daughter. He loved that little girl more than life itself, just as he loved his son, and he would do anything to keep them safe.

"The elephants," Diana said softly, causing Bruce to stop what he had been doing.

He had been with his wife for years, he knew what she got excited over, and the elephants at the Smithsonian National Zoo was one of her favorite experiences. Her voice, however, did not convey that excitement, which worried him that something was wrong. He quickly turned in his chair, watching as Diana folded her arms over her chest with a sigh. "What's wrong?" he asked, watching her face for a reaction. He saw the tears begin to well up in her eyes before she turned away from him, trying to hide her emotions. They had a case to solve, and they needed to do it fast. Her emotions would only get in the way. Bruce, however, knew his wife, and if she had come down here, this distraught, he knew she was in desperate need to talk. "Diana," he began, scooting the chair closer to his wife. He placed his hand on her arm and pulled her down into his lap, gently wrapping his arms around her as she dropped her head onto his shoulder.

"Am I a terrible mother?" she whispered, gently breathing in the last remnants of his cologne.

Bruce squeezed Diana gently, kissing her bare shoulder as he shook his head, letting her know his thoughts on the matter. "You're an amazing mother," he said, "Why do you ask?"

Diana shrugged. "Bruce, someone almost hurt our children tonight, and instead of staying here to comfort them, I'm out chasing the criminals. I'm a terrible mother."

"Diana, listen to me," Bruce said, waiting for his wife to lift her head before he continued. "You are making the world a better, and safer place for our children, and for the rest of the world. They understand your job as Wonder Woman, and we know Allie adores you for that. She absolutely idolizes you, and she is so proud of you, and Milo is such a mommas boy, he's going to love you no matter what." He watched as Diana let out a small laugh and nodded, before she leaned in to kiss him gently. "Is that why you've been thinking of limiting your time with the League? To spend more time with the kids?"

Diana raised an eyebrow, before she let out a sigh and nodded her head. "How did you know?" she asked.

Bruce shrugged. "I could tell something was up when you were hesitant to go back after Milo, but I knew you would tell me when you felt comfortable enough. Everyone will support you, regardless of what you decide, but it is a decision you need to make yourself." He watched as Diana nodded before he kissed her once more, smiling against her lips when she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Green Arrow to Batman," Bruce heard, as he pulled away from his wife, letting out a small groan. He was never happy to be interrupted when it came to his wife.

"Batman here," he said, answering his comlink.

The screen in front of the two began to beep and Bruce pulled his cowl over his face, before he pressed a few keys, allowing Green Arrow's face to appear on the screen. His eyes widened when he saw how the married couple was positioned, and he suddenly felt uncomfortable realizing he had disturbed a private moment. "Oh, hi Diana," he said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Arrow," Diana greeted, sliding off of her husband's lap. She didn't need any of the other League members to see her sitting in Batman's lap, for fear they would connect the dots and find out his true identity.

"What do you have?" Batman asked, his eyes narrowing at the masked archer on his screen.

Green Arrow cleared his throat and pulled up a sheet of paper. "We were able to find out who accessed the schedules. They hacked the system from the inside, guy named Donald Nero." He looked up to see Batman's eyes widened, the name sounding familiar, before he shook his head clear of the thought. "He started a few weeks ago, and has been mainly focused on helping with monitor duty."

Green Arrow pressed a few buttons on his end of the call and a photo of Donald Nero showed up on the screen. Both Batman and Diana stared at the screen, taking in the man's appearance. He was young, maybe in his mid-twenties, and he was short. He had bright green eyes and red hair, and Diana thought she could see a tattoo peeking out from the collar of his shirt. "I've worked with him," she said, tilting her head to get a better look at the photo. "He seemed like a nice guy."

Green Arrow nodded. "Dinah said she never felt off about him. She was just as surprised as you." He glanced over at Batman, who was starting to look up everything he could about the man who hacked their system. "Superman has already gone to his home, ready to get answers."

Batman nodded, leaning back in his chair as he clasped his hands in front of his face. He wanted to speak to Nero himself, but he knew if Clark was on it, they would get information soon. However, Batman didn't expect it to be this soon, carefully watching as the screen began to beep with another incoming call. He quickly pressed another button, accepting the call, scrunching his nose when he saw Clark's solemn face. "Superman," he greeted, watching as Superman nodded, before he let out a sigh, letting his fingers pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Batman, Wonder Woman," he greeted, "I don't know how to tell you this, but Donald Nero is dead."

Batman stood up straight, shocked by the news. He heard his wife curse by his side, her hand clenched into a fist, before she turned and let out a frustrated shriek. "What?" Batman asked, ignoring the wide eyed look on Green Arrow's face, who was also shocked by the news of Nero's death. "What happened?"

Superman shrugged as he looked over his shoulder, no doubt watching the police and medical examiner do their job around him. "He was shot, and strangled. He was dead when I got here." He looked over his shoulder and nodded to something one of the officers said, before he turned back to address the duo. "I'll let you know more as soon as I can." With that, Superman ended the call, letting Batman's screen go back to only Green Arrow.

"Let me know when you have more information," was all Batman said, earning a nod from the man on the screen, before he ended the call, leaving him and Diana alone. "This is bigger than a simple kidnapping," he said to his wife, watching as she nodded, her hand gripping the back of his chair tightly. He was worried she would snap the piece of furniture in two, but he knew she needed to break something. Nero was their only lead to who was behind this. Without him, they worried they wouldn't know who was after Allie and Milo, or more importantly, why.

Diana let out a sigh, before she turned and punched the wall, her hand making a hole in the supporting beam. Batman got out of his seat and walked over to his wife, carefully wrapping an arm around her and pulling her to his chest. "We'll figure this out," he whispered, placing a kiss on her temple.

Diana nodded against his chest, taking a deep breath as she wrapped her arms around her husband. She trusted Bruce would be able to figure this all out, but she couldn't help but wish they could do more. The two stood there, embracing each other, hoping they would be able to put this all to an end, and soon.

The beeping coming from the computer brought both of them back to reality, forcing them to look at the screen, watching as a file was downloaded. "Robin to Batman."

"Go ahead," Batman said, pulling away from Diana to walk to the computer. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure Diana was following him, before he clicked on the downloaded file.

"I'm at this abandoned warehouse," Robin said. His voice was laced with worry and Batman knew this had to mean trouble. Tim rarely worried. "I just sent you guys some pictures, but you need to get here now. Sending coordinates."

Batman waited for the file to open, his eyes widening when the picture popped up on the screen. He heard Diana gasp behind him at the photo and his hand clenched into a fist. He looked at the image displayed on the screen, mentally counting the armed men surrounding the chemicals in the middle, but what really caught his eye were the seven children sitting in the corner, surrounded by more armed men, all of them looking absolutely terrified.

Dun dun dun...Bruce did say it was bigger than a simple kidnapping. And for those of you asking, I have plans to make this only about 8 chapters, so we are at the halfway mark! Woohoo.

Until next time!