Hey, guys. Long time, no see. I've been brainstorming this for a few weeks now and I think I've finally got it. Please enjoy!

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She wasn't proud of herself.

Seventeen-year-old Celeste Shade had never wanted to become a thief. That had never been her goal. The one thing she had longed for her entire life was to be adopted by a loving couple, or even just a caring person. To have her own family and maybe do something useful with her life. Unfortunately, that never happened. So, this was her only alternative.

She had left the foster system a little under two years ago. Her latest home had been the last straw. She was sick of foster families, sick of people who only cared about the check that came with her than her herself. She had thought Morgan, her last foster mother, was different, but she had been wrong. So wrong.

After that, it was apparent to Celeste that she wasn't safe in the foster system. She would be much better on her own, doing her own thing. She had known it wouldn't be easy, but figured it had to be better than the worst she had endured as a child. In some ways, it was, in other ways, it wasn't, but even she had to admit that being her own boss was something she relished in.

For the first time ever, she felt free.

Of course, she wouldn't feel free for long if she got caught.

Looking around to make sure no one was watching her, Celeste stuffed some of the food from the grocery shelf into her pockets. It wasn't much, just enough to feed her for a day or two, but it was better than nothing.

"You know, your technique isn't very good."

She jumped, whirling around to face whoever had just spoken. He was tall, she noticed, much taller than her. He looked to be around her age too, maybe a bit older. His skin was slightly darker than hers and he had buzzed hair. However, what really caught her attention were his eyes. They were like two emerald green orbs, boring into her very soul. She found that she couldn't look away even if she wanted to.

He smirked down at her. "Miss, I know I'm quite handsome, but a reply would be nice?" His voice was rugged and a bit raspy, but it worked for him.

Celeste blinked, snapping herself out of her gaze. "Do I know you?" she asked, her tone short and clipped. She wasn't in the mood to make friends, not after what happened with her first and only friend. It was too much work, too much uncertainty.

He shook his head. "Nah, but if you're gonna steal, you should go a lot slower. Less suspicious that way."

She flinched. "I wasn't-"

He laughed at her. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna bust you or anything," he assured her. He thought for a second before adding, "Well, for a price."

Celeste bristled at that. "What do you want?" she questioned carefully. "I don't have any money, obviously, and-"

The man held out a hand to silence her. "Nothing like that." He gave a wolfish grin that she somehow didn't find creepy. "Let me take you out for a drink."

She was taken back by his bold statement. Was she just asked out on a date? Why would anyone want to go out with her? She was just a scrawny little foster kid that no one-

Celeste banished these thoughts to the recesses of her mind. She was doing it again. She was letting her past control her. Every insult, all the harm done to her by the foster parents she had still lingered in her head, still whispered in her war. It was like no matter where she went, she'd always be an orphan no one wanted or cared about.

Well, you know what? Screw that.

She looked the mystery man in his - very nice - eyes and nodded her head. "Deal," she agreed.


The Amazon baffled him.

That was saying something, since not many things in life stumped Bruce Wayne, AKA The Batman. Things that did always caught his interest. In his mind, they always required... "special" attention. And this Diana woman definitely caught his interest. Not only was she from an island closed off from the rest of the world, she was a princess.

What was the point in coming all the way to this land and fighting for a world that you weren't even from? Sure, Clark did that, but he was different. He had grown up on Earth, had called it home all his life. This woman was different. Why help total strangers?

Total strangers she seemed to look down upon.

While the Amazon was a friendly person, she had an air about her. She looked down on men and women alike; men because, well, she was an Amazon and they despised men - though, she didn't seem to dislike them as expect the least from them - and she seemed severely disappointed in the women.

Though, Bruce supposed that was to be expected from someone who grew up with warrior women for role models.

Nevertheless, he didn't trust this Amazon. He most certainly didn't buy the whole "helping from the goodness of her heart." No one was that good of a person, not even him. She must have had an ulterior motive.

He'd have to keep a close eye on Diana of Themyscira.


Celeste was sure this man was playing her.

After spending some time with him, he had displayed no problem with sharing his entire life story, which, in hindsight, was quite similar to her own. Abandoned by his parents as a toddler, going through the foster system until he decided to run away, now getting buy as a thief. If she didn't know any better, she might have thought he was an undercover cop gaining her trust to drag her back into the system until she was eighteen.

...

Okay, maybe she wasn't quite important enough for that, but he point still stood. There was something strange about Rex Stewart.

Of course, she wasn't about to pass up a free drink because of these suspicions. She had first tasted alcohol when she she was eight due to one of her foster fathers leaving a half-empty bottle lying around. She had taken a sip and somehow decided, "Hey this isn't half bad." She hadn't been drinking it excessively over the years, but she still managed to get a drink every now and again.

Alright, maybe her old social worker was right. Maybe she did need therapy.

"So, why don't you tell me something about yourself?" suggested Rex, taking a sip of his beer.

Celeste took a sip of her own drink - a margarita - and raised an eyebrow. "And what would you like to know about me?" she asked coyly.

He shrugged. "Anything, everything. Whatever you want to share."

She traced the the rim of her glass in thought. "My story isn't all that different from yours, to be honest," she answered. "I was abandoned on the side of a road in Jersey by my parents when I was a newborn, bounced from foster home to foster home until I left about two years ago." Why was she telling him this? She didn't quite know. It just felt like he would understand, maybe because their stories were so much alike.

Rex regarded her carefully. "And how old are you?"

She checked to see if the bartender was listening before responding,"Seventeen."

His eyebrows rose slightly. "And you have an ID that clearly states that you're twenty-one?"

It was Celeste's turn to shrug. "Well, it's not like you haven't done the same," she pointed out. "You're older than me, but not by much. You're, what, nineteen? Twenty?"

Rex sighed before nodding in defeat. "I won't tell if you don't."

She nodded. "Deal." They stared each other down, before both of them erupted in amused, slightly drunk laughter. God, she hadn't laughed like that since, well, since she'd had her first friend.

Maybe it wasn't too late for her, after all.


As one of Gotham City's most elite, Bruce was invited to many events all over the world. This time, his presence had been requested at a charity ball in Paris. He usually didn't like to stray far from Gotham, but that earlier that day he had heard that Diana would be making an appearance as a special guest.

It would be the perfect time to investigate.

The more he was around her, the more suspicious Bruce had become of the Amazon Princess. No one was that nice or honest - except for Kent, but he was a boy scout - without some kind of motive.

He just couldn't figure out what she wanted.

As much as an Amazon Princess wouldn't have a a reason for helping the rest of human civilization, she wouldn't have a motive for betraying it either. Her people lived in isolation for a reason.

Unless... the Princess was a little more deceptive than she let on.

Unfortunately, he couldn't find out much about her as Batman without looking too invested in her. Eventually, it would start to look suspicious and raise questions. And honestly, he didn't feel like answering to any of the other members of the Justice League they had formed.

Besides, this charity event was the perfect opportunity. If Batman couldn't get close to Wonder Woman, maybe Bruce Wayne could.


Honestly, this was so cliche.

Celeste had formed a sort of "partnership" with Rex. She was fast and he was careful, so they had come to the conclusion that if they worked together, they would be able to get more of, well, everything. She was ashamed to admit that she had developed a thrill when she stole. Her heart thumping in her ears, her blood rushing to her face in a flush... It was all so exhilarating and she loved that feeling.

But she loved the talks between them even more.

Growing up, something had always set her apart from the other foster children. Maybe it was the boundless hope and desire for a family, maybe it was her need for companionship, but she had never felt like she truly belonged anywhere. Even with, well, her, she didn't feel like she was totally understood.

With Rex, it was different. She had found herself able to open up to him about almost everything. If was as if her understood her; completely and totally got her. And honestly, that was the best feeling.

As much as she hated it, she felt like she was forming a crush on her partner in crime. She didn't think anything would come of it though. Soon enough, they would part and go their separate ways.

He wouldn't have that much impact on her life in the long run.


He was falling for her, and he hated himself for it.

Bruce ran a hand through his unusually unkempt hair. He had been aware of his burning desire for her for months now, but it was that mission. That one mission that he realized that his feelings regarding Diana went beyond attraction, went beyond even friendship. He shook his head; and it only took nearly losing her to a missile for him to realize it.

In his endeavor to find out more about her, Bruce had been unintentionally growing closer to the Amazon. He hadn't realized it at first because he had been so convinced that she had some sort of plan that he hadn't been paying attention to himself. All he had been focusing on outside of Gotham was her.

How? How could he have let this happen? He couldn't really fault himself for being attracted to her because, well, look at her. Not even he could deny that the word "gorgeous" didn't even being to do her justice. He certainly had no doubts when she said she had been blessed by the Goddess of Beauty herself.

But Bruce had been with many pretty girls. No, what he felt for Diana was closer to what he felt for both Selina and Talia. And that in and of itself was a problem. Both women had been close to him, much too close. Which was why he wasn't with them now. Well, one of the reasons, anyway.

This couldn't be allowed to continue. He couldn't let it.

OoOoOo

So, this was to establish the backgrounds, origins, and parallels of both of the main couples in this fic. It was something I've been meaning to do for quite some time and I'm glad I finally got around to it. Next chapter, we get to see the same stories from Rex and Diana's POVs. I hope you enjoyed it and please review!