DIANA POV

Beloved?

The word made Diana want to laugh in amusement and, simultaneously, punch something in unexplainable rage. Preferably that woman's face. But that would have to wait.

After she let Batman leave, she turned to the others. "Let's get you all back to your families," Diana said to the former captives, with the gentleness she was known for. They looked reassured.

She and B'wana Beast helped escort them out while Black Canary and Red Tornado cleaned up the mess of unconscious bodies downstairs.

Diana felt rather than saw B'wana shoot her furtive glances as they went back in to help Canary and Tornado. Finally she could stand it no longer, turned to her colleague and asked, as business-like as possible, "What?"

B'wana looked a little taken aback at being caught, but recovered quickly. "Who was that lady?" he asked, as he hefted a thug over his shoulder in a fireman lift.

Diana scooped up the last couple of them and started to walk out. "I wish I knew."

B'wana looked even more surprised at this. "Oh... I thought you would," he muttered. If Diana hadn't had excellent hearing she might not have heard this last comment.

With a little more force than necessary, she dumped the thugs she'd been holding at the feet of one of the policemen who had arrived at the scene and nodded to him respectfully, to which he immediately replied in kind.

"Why?" she asked B'wana a minute later, as they requested transportation from the Watchtower.

"Why what?"

"Why do you think I would know?"

B'wana looked a little awkward at this. "Well..." He scratched the back of his head, uncomfortably, in thought. "You and Batman are both founders, and I thought you were all tight." She could tell from the slow way he spoke that he chose his words carefully.

"Tight?" Diana repeated, unsure of the social context.

B'wana was saved from answering when Diana's com-link activated in her ear. "Wonder Woman?" asked Mr. Terrific's voice. "Transport to Watchtower?"

"To the Metro Tower, if you could," Diana corrected.

"Stand by."

The last she saw of B'wana was his long exhalation of breath.

And then she was in the Metro Tower, searching for Batman. After asking around, she found out what level he was on, and what room. A conference room. Not exactly a typical place for an interrogation, Diana mused, but then again, Batman's techniques had never had to be called into question before.

The door was locked. "Override. Wonder Woman." It slid open with a hiss, and she stepped inside.

This did not really look like an interrogation. The woman stood in front of him, had her hand on Batman's arm and was far too close. "It is strange," she was murmuring as Diana came in. "You reject the Lazarus Pits, yet you are just as handsome as the day I first met you," her hand trailed down his arm, "Maybe more."

Diana was surprised that Batman didn't immediately grab her hand and put her into an armlock or something like that. In fact, he wasn't doing much of anything. He just stood there, silent. Diana knew that he knew she was there, although he hadn't reacted in any physical way.

Diana decided to intervene at this point. "What's going on, Batman?"

"Leave us," the woman- Diana remembered Batman had called her Talia- replied dismissively, her eyes not leaving Batman's face for even a moment. "Why do you work with these tiresome people, beloved?" He just stared her down in response.

Diana put her hands on her hips and stepped into Batman's line of sight. "What, is she conducting the interrogation now?"

"This is not an interrogation," Talia said scornfully. "This is personal."

Batman finally spoke, his voice pointing to the contrary. "Why is the League of Assassins trying to kill you, Talia?"

Talia removed her hand from his arm at the cold tone he used. She actually looked offended. "Is that how you usually greet your past lovers?"

Diana had suspected- She knew Bruce wasn't a saint by any means- but she still felt her stomach drop for a moment.

"No, only the ones that point a gun in my face when I try to take in an international terrorist," Batman retorted. There was clearly a sordid history here, Diana thought.

"That was my father!" Talia said loudly. Then she seemed to gain control over her voice again. "No matter. No matter our differences in the past. I split ways with my father some time ago."

Batman crossed his arms. "I'm going to ask you again," he said flatly. "I recognized the men I was fighting. They were Ra's Al Ghul's men. Why were they after you?" Diana recognized the name Ra's Al Ghul, probably from a case file. She made a note to look him up.

Talia, Diana noted with some satisfaction, seemed to realize at this point she wasn't getting any favouritism from the Batman, and stepped away from him. "You are the detective," she said bitterly, turning to sit on the conference table. Diana finally got a better look at her. She had straight brown hair that cascaded over one side of her face, a feminine, petite pointed chin, and a long, graceful looking body that Diana could see even under the blood and dirt. She was quite beautiful.

Batman pointed one of his infamous Glares at Talia. She sighed. "Because I split ways with my father, he was angry and sent them to kill me. They cornered me there and I was beaten." She paused for effect before continuing. "It was cowardly of me, but I played dead. They thought I was dead. My father too. And then you came."

"I suspected as much," said Batman. "Why did you leave your father?"

Talia cleared her throat. "You were right about my father," she said quietly. "His cause was noble. Is noble. But his ways of achieving those ends are becoming more extreme by the day. I fear the Lazarus Pits are finally taking a serious toll on his mind."

There was a pause. Then Batman said, quietly, "How are your injuries?"

Talia seemed to bask in his attention, but waved her hand dismissively as a show. "It is nothing. A few shallow stab wounds is the worst of it." Diana was surprised she was still standing, then.

"Maybe we should take her to the infirmary," Diana suggested, not liking the softening look on Batman's face.

"Not necessary," he replied without looking at her. Diana found that he did that quite often lately- didn't look at her when he talked. "I hope the interrogation" he put emphasis on the word, "was satisfactory. I'm taking her with me now."

His tone left no room for argument; she wasn't getting anything from him right now. "Alright. But we are discussing this with the rest of the League later."

Batman didn't acknowledge the comment but swept towards the door. "Let's go, Talia."

Talia hopped off the desk with a surprising amount of energy for a person who had nearly been beaten to death a few hours ago.

She glanced at Diana again. "Coming, Beloved," she called, staring at Diana while she said this. The way that she said Beloved was almost reminiscent to Diana of an animal marking territory. He's mine.

Diana stared stoically back. She would not be reduced to the petty games this woman played. She held Talia's gaze until Talia finally slunk out of the room.

BATMAN POV

As soon as Batman's jet landed in the Batcave and they had gotten out, he turned to her. "Tell me what's really going on."

His pseudo-interogation had been a success, and the guise to bring Talia to the cave for tending to her injuries, a ruse to get the League off his back. Better they keep out of his business. Better he keep Diana out of his personal world. It was far too dark and twisted for a such a woman as her.

Unlike her, he and Talia thrived in the dark.

"That is what is going on," Talia replied calmly, as she gingerly lowered herself onto the examination table and winced. Now that she was away from everyone else, she allowed herself to show weakness.

Bruce finally pulled off his cowl and ran a hand through his hair. "And why should I believe you?"

Talia watched him with half-lidded eyes. "Beloved..." she sighed, more defeated than anything else. "Is it not within you to believe any longer?"

What if she's telling the truth? the tiny, naive vestige of a heart Bruce had left in his chest asked. He attempted to ignore it. The damn thing always landed him in trouble in the end. Besides, his logical side told him something else was afoot here. Not everything in her story added up.

"Master Bruce?" a voice called from the top of the stairs leading up from the Batcave. "Shall I bring down the medical supplies now, or did you not go on patrol yet this evening?"

Bruce internally rolled his eyes. "Hilarious, Alfred." He looked at Talia, clutching her side in obvious pain. "But you could bring down those medical supplies anyway. We've got a guest."

There was a pause in which Alfred peered down through the darkness. "Oh, my." His tone communicated more than his words; he knew all about his history with Talia. "Shall I ready a room as well, sir?"

Bruce nodded and Alfred disappeared back into the manor.

"I do not understand why you allow your servant to disrespect you so," Talia said scornfully.

Bruce felt a slight prick of irritation but didn't show it in his demeanour outwardly. "Afred is not my servant."

Talia scoffed and they sat in silence until Alfred came down with the supplies and a plate of finger foods.

"You can just set them down there, Alfred," said Bruce, making eye contact with his surrogate father. I can handle this.

"Will that be all, sir?" Alfred asked dryly in response. Are you sure?

Bruce nodded.

Bruce proceeded to help Talia dress her wounds with the brisk, impersonal efficiency of a doctor. He was keenly aware of her eyes boring into him, waiting for him to make eye contact with her so she could ensnare him.

But Bruce had learned his lesson. He was not meant for love. Only manipulation, at its hands. And all the women he'd ever cared for had twisted him to meet their own ends in some way or another.

Well, except the one... But he didn't want to think about her.

He abruptly stood after he was done and pulled his cowl back on. "I'm going on patrol. Alfred will see you to a room to stay in. We'll talk later."

He leaned in close to her face then. He heard her sharp intake of breath at his closeness. "And Talia?"

"Yes, Beloved?"

"Don't try anything."

A/N: Thanks for sticking with this story! Leave a review if you likey! :D