I reckon I put the trials of the gods of the sequel on hold until I'm done republishing this story :) Songs, characters and Starbucks are not mine. But with the way I've been consuming copious amounts of caramel macchiato lately, I believe I just might end up as an honorary stock holder... LoL!

Paradise

Gotham City was a bustling hub of industry. It was an interesting mix of the old and new from the flying buttresses adorned with gargoyles of the Gothic cathedrals, the art deco statuaries in Robinson Park to the more modern steel and glass buildings, notably that of S.T.A.R Labs and Wayne Enterprises. It was, however, known more for the squalidness of its slums and its highly corruptible local government. There would always be a chasm between the rich and the poor in any city across the United States, in any city in the world. But the rift in the social classes was more evident in Gotham – glaringly so.

She calls out to the man on the street
'Sir, can you help me?
It's cold and I've nowhere to sleep
Is there somewhere you can tell me?'
He walks on, doesn't look back
He pretends he can't hear her
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there

Diana had taken for granted that Bruce was rich but just how rich only sunk in during the first week of her self-imposed exile in Gotham. Wayne Enterprises was one of the largest conglomerates in the world. Wayne Foods, Wayne Shipping, Wayne Yards, Wayne Industries, Wayne Medical, Wayne Electronics, Wayne Entertainment, Wayne Foundation. Wayne, Wayne, Wayne. Wayne everywhere. Everywhere Bruce. It was a gentle yet painful reminder for Diana.

Bruce wasn't kidding when he said this was his city, she thought with an ironic shake of her head.

She had always admired Bruce's drive but during the few months spent as a 'common citizen' in Gotham, she had gained an even greater respect for him. His dedication to protect this city was mind-blowing. By day, the billionaire playboy provided much needed jobs through his multinational businesses and provided aid to the less fortunate not only through his charities but through actively volunteering in community outreach programs as well. She followed Bruce Wayne's philanthropic endeavors through newspapers and TV. By night, of course, there was Batman. It was, in essence, a 24/7 job. There was just so much to do. Diana now understood why Bruce was so reluctant to commit to a relationship with her or with anyone else for that matter. Because Bruce Wayne was married to his cause. Having a girlfriend would be akin to having a mistress and would really just get in the way. It was not a very comforting thought.

Oh, think twice
It's just another day for you and me in paradise
Oh, think twice
It's just another day for you, you and me, in paradise

But I will never ask him to give up his 'marriage,' Diana's brow furrowed in a small frown, her stubborn streak surfacing. I will not be a mistress selfishly demanding his attention; I will be a partner helping him make his 'marriage' work.

She pushed her black-rimmed glasses up her nose. She took a cue from Kal with this piece of disguise. With her hair barely grazing her shoulders, nerdy glasses and the fact that she actually wore less revealing clothes, nobody would peg her as a crime fighting superhero. She sometimes did not even recognize herself when she looked at the mirror.

It was nine o'clock in the evening and she had just come off from her shift at Starbucks. A gust of wind blew, bringing with it a hint of rain to come. No longer impervious to the weather, Diana Prince shivered against the cold and pulled her jacket closer around her as she walked towards her apartment building located just outside Robinson Park, one of the more impoverished neighborhoods in the city. Her heart broke every time she saw a homeless person, especially the children. Her heart broke even more when she realized that she could not help them. Not in her current state, when she herself had become one of the 'struggling' working class. And maybe not even as Wonder Woman, the Amazing Amazon, who regularly fought villains hell-bent on world domination.

All things considered, being a 'mere' mortal was not so bad. Sure, she had to work two jobs just to make ends meet, but she actually enjoyed it. Her day was divided into working at Gotham City General Hospital and at Starbucks. The transition from Diana, Princess of Themyscira/Wonder Woman to just being Diana Prince, Nursing Aide/Barista was difficult during the first month but she gradually got used to it. The pay was not much but it took care of the bills, it put food on the table. Besides, working at Starbucks meant she was allowed one free drink per shift. And she so loved iced mochas.

Mother would faint if she found out, though, Diana chuckled softly at the ridiculous image of her mother, Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, Guardian of the Gates of Tartarus, lying prostrate on the floor in a dead faint.

She can now relate with why Kal, Bruce and many other superheroes preferred to maintain a secret identity. Being Diana Prince gave her a certain amount of freedom that she never had as Wonder Woman. If she walked around as Wonder Woman, people would just gawk at her, either intimidated by her power and strength or rendered speechless by her beauty. She never could understand people's reactions to her face. It's just a face, she thought. What matters most is what's inside. Her anonymity allowed her to mingle and interact with people from different walks of life and certainly gave her another perspective about humanity. She found it a refreshing change.

Mankind is so frustrating though, she continued to muse. Although their race had the great potential for peace, love and harmony, it seemed like they never learned. It got on her nerves sometimes. She realized that the poverty with which she had immersed herself forced people into desperate acts. But surely, there are other honest means to survive, she thought.

She rounded the corner leading to her apartment block. Lost in her thoughts, Diana did not notice a shadow move behind her. An arm snaked around her neck, a hand clamping over her nose and mouth, muffling her startled scream.

"Don't move and you won't get hurt," a gritty voice warned menacingly. She felt the cold muzzle a gun press against her temple.

Diana gripped her captor's wrist as she was dragged into an empty alley. Her captor shoved her forward roughly, almost making her stumble. She whirled around to face her mugger, fists clenched. A ski masked obscured his features.

"Gimme your wallet, quick!" The mugger commanded her, holding out one hand while aiming the gun at her chest.

"I am giving you nothing," Diana glared. One of the things she learned during her little experiment was the value of her hard-earned cash. As an Amazon Princess magically isolated from the entire world, she never really worried about money. The gods and goddesses provided. And because Bruce shouldered majority of the expense in the League's upkeep, she did not have to worry about money even as Wonder Woman. Things were always just readily available for her.

"The wallet, lady!" The mugger's finger tightened around the trigger.

"No," Diana shook her head firmly, placing her hands on her hips. "But there is something I want from you… an apology… for contributing to my present frustration with men in general."

The mugger's eyes bulged behind his mask. "You're one crazy chick. I'm not gonna ask again. Give me your wallet."

"Give me the gun and I'll let you go unharmed," Diana took a step forward.

Everything seemed to happen too fast... but in slow motion. The mugger pulled the trigger and an accompanying 'bang' echoed through the dark alley. Diana could almost see the bullet leave the barrel of the gun, speeding towards her chest. Reflexes honed over time took over as she raised her right arm to deflect the projectile with the indestructible bracelets forged by Hephaestus from the aegis of Zeus himself.

The indestructible bracelets that she was not wearing.

A small gasp of pain and surprise escaped her lips as the bullet tore through her arm and embedded itself into the middle of her chest. Diana stared at her chest, watching in disbelief as the blood seeped through her coat. She covered the spot with a trembling hand, barely registering that the mugger snatched her purse and ran away. She could not remember falling down onto her knees.

"I love you, Bruce," she whispered as the pavement rushed before her eyes and everything went black.

It's just another day for you, you and me, in paradise…

Bruce strode purposefully into the Batcave. "Computer, run scans through all the recent employees hired in all of Gotham's establishments in the last four months," with quick and efficient movements, he took off his business clothes and started changing into his Batman suit. "Run face recognition scans for Wonder Woman and cross reference names for Princess Diana of Themyscira, Donna Troy, Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent."

The massive computer sprung to life. "Commencing requested scans."

"I can't believe I didn't think of looking in Gotham," Bruce muttered to himself, accentuating each word with unforgiving smacks to his forehead. It left him slightly dizzy. He blinked trying to focus. Diana was right here in his city. Hiding in plain sight as it were.

"Scanning complete."

Bruce's breath caught as he looked at the monitor. Diana's smiling face looked back at him. Her hair was a lot shorter than before and she wore black-rimmed glasses. Whatever possessed her to cut off her hair? Bruce frowned in disapproval. Visions of her ebony locks splayed across his face and naked chest while Diana was asleep ran through his head. And the glasses? Definitely Clark's influence, Bruce shook his head wryly. But there was no mistake about it; it was her, his princess.

He quickly read through the details listed beside the picture and committed them to his photographic memory. He noted that Diana apparently worked at Starbucks until nine o'clock in the evening. He looked at the clock. It was just quarter past nine. Without wasting another second, he jumped into the Batwing.

The Batwing hovered over Park Row. Gothamites called it Crime Alley. He hated this place. It brought back memories that refused to fade, memories that he desperately refused to forget.

They say nothing lasts forever
Well, I wish that that were true
Cause this aching in my heart won't go away
They say everything must change
They say that time will see it through
Well, I've listened and I've waited for that day

He had many chances at love before. But ultimately, because of what he was - what he created himself to be - women who meant something to him, women who he considered remotely in the vicinity of special, left him. They always did. It was nothing new. He had accepted it, embraced it and lived through it. He would not allow himself to lose the grief that drove him to do what he did. Nothing and no one was more important than his mission. Until Diana.

But I wake up with this anger
And the pain won't let me be
And the smile I share is only there for show
If I hang on to this heartache
Then my soul will not be free
So I keep trying, but I just cannot let go

When Diana entered his life, he held on to the memories even tighter. She pushed him forward. He pushed her back even harder. But inch by agonizing inch, Diana had carved her way into his heart. He had thought he could get over her when she left. But even in her absence, Diana was relentlessly fighting her way into his heart, into his very soul.

I have lived through bad beginnings
And I've seen unhappy ends
So I close the book before the story starts
I'm just a witness to my lifetime
And I'm a stranger to my friends
I'm a trafficker of broken, damaged hearts

Bruce had long ago realized that his parents would not want him to live a lonely, solitary life. He could begin to let go of his scarred past now. With Diana by his side, he knew could. He could reconcile Bruce Wayne with Batman, free to be the man behind both. With Diana by his side, he knew could. He could continue to fight the good fight with no hang-ups. With Diana by his side, he knew could.

I can't let go
I need it to remind me
I can't let go
Oh, I just repeat the past
And though your arms are saying, "Yes"
I feel my heart keeps saying, "No"
I want to love you, but I can't let go
Won't you help me?
Help me let go…

He would know it was her anytime, anywhere, at any angle, in any light. No disguise could ever hide the way she moved… confident yet compassionate… graceful yet powerful. Bruce had arrived in time to see the mugger shove Diana forward. He was confident that she could take on the thug. But he wasn't taking any chances. This was, after all, Crime Alley. He could not suppress the feeling of foreboding that settled in the pit of his stomach. Simultaneously, he released his seatbelt and pressed the button that opened the Batwing's hatchway. In one fluid move, he leapt out of the plane and drew a batarang from his utility belt. It barely left his hand when the shot rang out. The godforsaken batarang hit the gun a nanosecond too late.

Bruce felt like he was moving underwater. He watched as Diana lifted her arm to deflect the bullet and frowned when he saw Diana's stunned expression. As the thief ran away with Diana's purse, it belatedly registered to him that he did not see the bullet ricochet off her bracers. Horror gripped his heart and his blood ran cold as Diana fell to her knees. A dark red spot blossomed on her chest.

As if sensing his presence, he heard her whisper "I love you, Bruce" right before she fell forward and remained unmoving... as still as death.