Fates of Love
Author: BigHead / Everyone here belongs to someone else, except me. I belong to a boatload of taxes, hence no money being made
Summary: Fate has a wicked way of playing with the ones in their clutches.
Rating: Teen, might go up later.
Author's Notes: Well, I'm trying to follow the JL cartoon canon, more or less. However, I know people will complain about the lack of an invisible jet in it. My fic, people, deal with it. Thanks this time go to Tohonomike, Siege, Tenhawk, 3D Master and IceWing for a few ideas. And many thanks for all the reviews.
Author's Notes 2: # # means dialog in Ancient Greek.
Feedback: YESSSS! PLEEEEAAAASEEE!
He gave one last look around the apartment, the two duffle bags already near the front door. It seemed as he didn't forget anything. It was just a three days trip, but he didn't like to leave anything to chance.
And just in time, since his doorbell chose that exact moment to ring.
"Coming," he said out loud, and opened the door.
Wonder Woman was on the other side, looking the best side of a billion dollars and change. A long leather coat, reaching midway the height of her impossibly long legs, dark jeans pants hugging her unbelievable curves, black boots, a red buttoned up shirt going over a black turtleneck, her usual star-shaped earrings and a smile guaranteed to defeat any male without a fight. Xander, obviously, was struck speechless.
"I seem to have caused an impression, right?" she asked.
"You're so unbelievable beautiful, Di," he said, thanking every deity that he remembered for her. He spent many a nights in his bed wondering if it wasn't all just a dream, if he wasn't still in that hospital room in a coma, because Xander Harris, Sunnydale loser, couldn't possibly be dating Diana of Themyscira.
"Why, thank you, love. You ready?" she asked, embracing him and kissing him lightly.
"Yep, was giving the last once over the apartment," he said. "Where is your stuff?" Xander asked, noticing the lack of any bags.
"At the jet," Diana said. She noticed his smile when she mentioned the jet, and she grabbed one of his bags and his hand. "Come on, Xander, we have to go."
He willingly followed her, locking the door and checking the wards. Feeling them in place, they walked to the elevator. He had to remember to thank Willow again for that particular piece of work, it saved his life more than one time while in Africa, and it was good enough to detect nosy Bat-clad detectives.
They reached the elevator, and Diana pushed the button to the top floor.
"You landed on the roof?" Xander asked, wide-eyed. "It won't hold, there isn't enough structural integrity to…" he started saying, but her lips on his silenced the diatribe.
"I know, love, don't worry. Come on," she said as soon as the elevator opened its doors. They climbed the small stairs to the roof, and Diana opened the door, ushering him forward.
Xander stood on the slightly snow covered and chilly roof to see…absolutely nothing.
"Where is it?" the one-eyed man asked. "I might have only one eye, but it still works," he said with a smile.
Diana laughed. "Right in front of you, love. What part of 'invisible jet' didn't you get?" she said, smiling, and she grabbed his hand. She pushed him forward until his open hand hit…something.
His remaining eye grew as big as a saucer, and his mouth turned into the geekier smile he could manage. He started moving around the invisible jet, his hands feeling the completely transparent surface. It had the texture of glass, but it seemed as if he was touching nothing but air. After a few moments, he could figure out that he was touching the nose of the plane. Going over a small comparison in his mind, there wasn't enough space in the roof for it to be landed there, the plane had to be halfway floating outside the edge of the building.
"H-How?" Xander asked, pointing to the plane.
"You know it isn't exactly a jet plane, Xander. It is a magical construct, I just made it look and feel like one. It has no moving parts, no turbines, nothing. It moves by magic and force of will. Now, let's go, your friends are waiting for us."
Xander nodded dumbly, and he saw her walking confidently over the side of the plane, grabbing both his bags and storing them in what he figured was a storage compartment.
"I think you can actually 'see' the plane, right?" he asked, walking closer to her, and carefully as not to bump in the plane.
"Yes and no. I'm…attuned to it, you could say, so I see it more clearly than you. To me, it's like seeing a plane totally made of glass, instead of a completely invisible one. This way I have a reference of size, how to maneuver and handle it. Now come on, I have to help you up. You trust me?"
"Completely," he answered without missing a beat. She simply grabbed him by the waist in a strong one-armed hold, while hovering a few feet above the ground, her free hand working against the invisible frame of the jet. Suddenly Xander started seeing the interior of the plane, he figured the canopy was opening. It looked like the interior of a two-seater jet plane, like an F-14 or something similar, but as if made entirely of glass. It made sense, kind of difficult to use equipment if you had to search for it blindly.
She held him until he managed to align his body properly to sit in the back seater. He sat comfortably, or as comfortably as he could in a jet plane.
"Fasten your seatbelts, love. The plane is buffered against a lot of things a jet suffers, but I don't like leaving things to chance."
He grabbed the near invisible restraints and strapped himself in, under her attentive supervision. She checked to see if the harness was properly locked, kissed him quickly and flipped around, sitting in her own chair.
"Flying must be so cool," she heard Xander mutter behind her. Diana smiled, filing an idea for the future.
She strapped herself, and asked out loud. "Ready, love?"
"As ready as I can be," he replied, smiling.
The invisible jet climbed quickly, turning around and going in the direction of England.
The first fifteen minutes were…tense. Seeing the clouds passing right under your feet at an amazing speed, for someone lacking the power of self-powered flight was a complicated matter. Diana tried to reassure him that there was no chance of a mechanical failure since they weren't actually flying by mechanical means, and if something happened she would be there for him, all the way.
He eventually relaxed and started enjoying the flight. Xander asked a lot of questions about the plane, and Diana answered as best as she could, then they switched subjects and started talking about places they had been to, and people they had met during their journeys. It eventually reached the Amazon's past.
"Wasn't a little maddening living in an island surrounded by women? I'm a man, and even I know after some time I'd be either pretty bored or wanting to kill someone."
Diana chuckled. "Sometimes I felt the same, but I guess it is more or less like living in a small rural community. Everyone knows everyone, everyone has its obligations, and everyone lives their own lives."
Xander shook his head. "And this brought in a lot of problems in and on itself," he said.
"I agree," Wonder Woman said. "Isolationism, now that I have an outsider's perspective of it, doesn't work. It only causes a bigger problem in the end."
"Your society stagnated," he replied. "Biological problems aside, their only safety now is in hiding. If they are found, I'm sorry to say, defeating them won't be a problem."
"We won't go down easily," she replied, angrily.
Xander, noticing her state, tried to defuse the situation.
"I never said that, Di, and I know you won't. But if someone really nasty decides to end with your sisters, all it takes is an aerial strike and a few selected bombs. Besides, you isolationism caused another problem," he said, attacking the problem logically.
"And what is it?" she asked, still clearly annoyed.
"I might suck at the international politics game, love, but I learned a few things while in Africa. If the international governments don't recognize your sovereignty, all your mighty and bravado means squat. That means that you stand alone against any enemy you might make."
The ex-Watcher questioned his own sanity, getting in an argument with a woman who could possibly make him fit inside a milk carton while traveling on a plane that she had absolutely control over. Thanks to the transparency of the canopy, he could see the tenseness of her muscles for a while, and he kept his mouth shut, waiting for a reaction. After a few moments he noticed her shoulder sagging, and she spoke in the tone that Xander recognized as 'annoyed but rational'.
"I know, but what can we do? What canI do?"
Xander sighed, he hated getting into arguments with her. They did have them, once in a while, and they made their peace fairly easy. Diana was a very rational woman when she wasn't set in her 'warrior moods', as he liked to say, so thinking and talking things through for them was quite common, far more common than arguing.
"I don't know, love. Like I said, I suck at all this Ivory Tower, Halls of Government diplomatic gobbledygook stuff, the farther I went with it was saying how many Slayers went in to solve a demon clan dispute and how many members to remove to settle it. This requires people way better than me to figure it out."
Diana remained silent for a few more minutes. "I miss them, you know?" she said, opening up to him.
"I know, love. We'll figure out a way for you to set foot on the island again and stay there, I promise."
"Thanks, Xander," she replied, sadly.
They remained silent after that for a long time.
"Ladies and… well, lady, we're arriving at the Watcher's Council English Headquarters, fondly nicknamed 'Giles' Pad'," Xander said with a grin, speaking like a tourist guide. "To your left is the main house, where we have the living facilities, research area and main armory. Slightly behind and to the right is the training area and pool, and the backmost construction is the stables, garage and secondary armory. If you go a little bit that a-ways you'll find Hogwarts," he said with a smile, making a general motion to where Scotland would be.
"Hogwarts?" Diana asked, curious
"I'll explain later, heathen," he said. The place, Diana noticed, was a huge old castle near Wiltshire. It was amazingly well kept, and she could see people moving around the property, and a few horses as well.
"There are two helipads to the left of the property, you could temporarily land there till we find an appropriate place for the jet. And you remember Andrew, right?"
Diana laughed. "Are you sure he is that bad?"
"Trust me, you really don't want to know. You remember our plan, don't you?" Xander said, grinning evilly.
"You are absolutely sure I won't offend anyone by doing it, right?" she asked, while aligning the jet for landing.
"You'll probably be cheered by all of them doing it, trust me."
Inside the house, the magical sensitive people around lifted their collective heads, something magical had breached the outmost wards. Detecting no ill intent from the source, a few of them resumed their current activities, while others stopped what they were doing and converged to a previously chosen spot.
"They're here, they're here!" Willow said, sounding so much like the hyped teenager she once was.
"Oh, no. You sure, Red?" Faith asked smiling, Robin coming right behind her. The wicca threw her a mild glare, which was soon traded by a large smile.
"Let's go meet them, shall we? And where are Buffy and Dawn?" Giles asked, coming from upstairs.
"INCOMING!" Buffy yelled, sliding down the large railing like a damned kid, missing hitting Giles by a hair. Dawn ran down the same stairs, jumping the last five steps.
"No fair, you have Slayer speed and balance," Dawn complained. Buffy simply gave her the tongue treatment.
The head of the Council just shook his head, mildly annoyed with their antics, but in the end really glad to see them all so happy. Xander really had an amazing effect in all of his friends, himself included.
The big side door opened, and Willow was the first one to bolt, hitting the one-eyed foreman with a bone crunching hug and almost tripping them over, if not for the prompt intervention of Diana, who stabilized them both with a hand. Buffy followed a second behind, then Dawn, and soon he was swamped by the three girls, Diana slightly to the side, a smile plastered on her face.
After they nearly hugged him to death, Faith decided to add her two cents. "YO! Get a room, you four!"
That served to at least allow the Scoobies founding father to breathe. The girls detached one by one, but Willow remained perched under his arm. "I think you girls are glad to see me," he said with a smile, and then he noticed the absolutely flabbergasted look the trio was giving Diana. It was a look of… well, awe was the best description. "Ah, where are my manners. Diana, this redhead under my arm – please don't kill her," he mock-whispered the last part to the Amazon, "is my best friend since forever and uber-wicca extraordinaire, Willow Rosenberg."
"H-h…hi," Willow stammered, extending her shaking hand. Diana grabbed the hand and said a polite "Hello."
"Don't go hitting on my girlfriend, you hear?" Xander said, nudging the witch slightly. It had the desired effect, Willow turned fire-engine red and the group laughed, the princess included. "The short stuff that you can see from up there is the best Slayer ever, Buffy Summers," he said, only to receive a death glare from the blonde woman.
"Hi, is he truly your boyfriend?" Buffy asked, smiling.
The Themyscirian smiled slightly. "Yes, he is. Why?" she asked, curious.
"How do you handle him?" the Slayer asked, but she had no harm in her voice, matter of fact it was said in her 'happy cheerleader' tone.
"Superhuman patience?" the Amazon replied back, smiling. The people around laughed, the nervous mood dissipating with it.
Xander turned to her, surprise written all over his face. "You finally corrupted her, Xan," Dawn said, still laughing. #Don't mind my sister, I think the bleach finally hit the brain. I'm Dawn Summers#, she said, in nearly flawless ancient Greek, while extending her hand.
#I haven't spoke my home language in quite a while, and your accent is pretty good. I'm Diana#, she said, quite happy that they were acting normal around her.
#I know, a pleasure. If you need someone smart to talk to, I'm happy to oblige#, Dawn completed.
Willow looked to them. #Hey, who are you calling stupid?# she said, her accent not so good, but still passable.
#The ones with artificial hair color?# Dawn quipped. The trio giggled after that
"Hey, I'm feeling left out. Can someone clue me on the joke in the weird language?" Buffy asked to them.
#See what I mean?# Dawn completed to another round of giggles.
"Don't mind them, Buffy, they're just…yanking your chain, I believe is the expression," Giles said, approaching the duo. "I'm Rupert Giles, Your Highness," he said, bowing formally.
"None of that, Mr. Giles. I'm among friends, I believe, so I'm Diana."
"Then call me Giles, Diana. Hello, son, glad to see you're well and happy," he said, approaching Xander for a heartfelt non-British back-slapping hug.
"I am, dad, thanks for asking and inviting us," he said, glad to be in the presence of the only man he could call a father and mean it.
"Hey, you forgetting someone, Boytoy?" Faith called from the back.
"Hummm, I think not," he said, tapping his forehead mockingly. Faith started approaching, hands outstretched as if to grab his neck. Xander backtracked and hid behind Diana, smiling.
"Very manly, X, hiding behind Wonder Chick's skirt. Come out here and face me like a chicken you are!"
"Humm…no," he said, and bolted, hiding behind a couch. Faith tried to run behind him, but she stopped after a few steps, remembering her condition. "The oven baking the newest Scooby is Faith Wood and the eight ball giving me a glare is her husband Robin," he said from behind the couch.
"A pleasure. May Higeya bless this child with health and love," Diana said, looking to the prominent belly.
"Thank you, Diana," Robin said for his wife, who simply nodded.
Xander stood up from behind the couch and approached the Bostonian, giving her a careful but affectionate hug. "Hi Faith, how's little Scrappy-Loo?"
"Going good, X. Kicking like a mule, thou. I think she's already practicing backflips while in there."
"What's this comm…" a new voice asked, arriving from another door.
Xander's evil smirk appeared. "Diana, let me introduce you to Andrew Wells, Giles' assistant and the man responsible to keep the Pad in something resembling order."
Diana walked to Andrew, who was frozen on the spot, eyeing her with eyes the size of soccer balls. Xander noticed she had put an extra swing to her steps, he had to remind to thank her profusely afterwards. She entered the geek's personal space and kissed him in the cheek.
"A pleasure, Mr. Wells," she said, voice an octave lower than her normal.
Andrew turned even redder than Willow had, but remained frozen on the spot. Diana turned around and walked back to her boyfriend, the same swing present in her walking.
"That was evil, Xander. Funny, but evil," Buffy whispered in his ear.
Andrew then suddenly bolted out of the room, disappearing to parts unknown. Xander fell on the floor, laughing, while, as he had predicted earlier, the Scoobies started congratulating Diana or her able handling of the annoying man.
"You sure he won't feel bad about it?" the princess asked to the assembled group.
"No, he's probably feeling pretty good right now, but this way you managed to keep him in check during your stay, otherwise he would be nagging you about the rest of the Justice League 24/7," Dawn said, calming the demigoddess.
After the laughter had died down, Giles spoke.
"Well, I believe you both to be tired after the trip, so I'd suggest you both to drop your bags at your rooms and relax, we'll be serving dinner at nine PM. Xander, I took the liberty of putting Diana in the room next to yours. That entire hall has been empty since the last of your girls took to the field. That way, Lady Diana can have someone nearby in case she needs anything... And," Giles smiled. "I am relatively sure that the wards should still keep Andrew from making his presence known..."
Xander smiled. "Thanks, G-Man. I'll get us settled in, then we'll be back down to do some catch up with you and the girls."
