In the Middle of a Broken Constellation

Pairing: WonderBat (Wonder Woman x Batman)

Rating: T / 14A

Universe: N/A - Reader's Choice

Whenever Diana was behind the wheel of her car, she somehow felt just as powerful as when she wore her Amazonian girdle. There was something exciting to her about handling her Mercedes that nothing else in her centuries of life could compare to, not even her training mare on Themyscira. She had witnessed the rapid progression of the Industrial Age firsthand and that explosion of technological growth had led her to owning a 2018 Mercedes, cruising through the streets of Gotham City in the early morning, imagining what it would be like to race Clark or Barry with her sleek, modern, manufactured horsepower.

Despite her own godlike strength, Diana knew just how much she enjoyed being imbued with confidence by the lavish things she owned in life. She had worked for decades to afford her car and the wardrobe she owned, after all. Even though her closet hadn't arrived with the rest of her furniture yesterday, she had stepped into Gotham's Fashion District late last night and bought for herself a lovely Louis Vuitton ruffle and snap dress in black so that she could get away with wearing her favourite black heels again. It was a secret passion of hers - budgeting her money to spoil herself silly - but she definitely put her all into selecting her fashion the same way she would prepare for any battle.

The proper armour was vital when taking on the any challenge, after all.

That was the mindset she intended to carry into her first day of work at Wayne Tower as she drove into the underground parking lot. There were mostly cars with black and silver bodies filling every floor, but as luck would have it, she managed to find herself situated between a orange Toyota Corolla and a black Mustang with vertical red stripes on the seventh level. Her cherry red machine sat perfectly between them, she noted to herself as she parked, exited and locked her vehicle with a push of a button. The amount of cars already stationed in the lot made her feel as though she was late for her first day, encouraging her to walk as fast as she could without breaking into a sprint while making her way to the elevator.

Though she could have already assumed as much, it was important for her to take note that Wayne Enterprises was never empty and therefore, was likely never officially closed.

Her first day was set to begin at seven a.m., yet she was inside the parking lot's elevator at six-thirty. It was a swift ride - impatient as the man who owned the building - and she was dropped off at the lobby in three blinks. As soon as the door opened, she was met with the same hustle and bustle she witnessed the day before, except she was expected to blend in with it now.

Diana was careful to follow the unintentional train that was headed towards the above ground elevators she rode in yesterday. There were people on their phones all around her, huddles of employees having what appeared to be incredibly serious conversations, and all she managed to do was keep pace with the heard that was trying to squeeze their way into a single elevator car. The only thing she could do was smile politely to the young girl that was pressed against her as they became incredibly acquainted while she made her way to the thirty fourth floor once again.

It felt never ending, which is why she was all too eager to jump out into the hallway once the elevator reached her stop. She straightened her dress and scurried to the board room she had been in yesterday morning, a bubble of hope rising in her heart that she'd see Bruce again, despite how unlikely that would be.

No, he wasn't present this time, but it looked as if her entire new team was.

Diana skidded to a halt in the doorway of Board Room C and was genuinely shocked that nearly every seat around the table was taken. The smaller space somehow matched the energy of the busy lobby downstairs and she felt as if she had intruded on a moment of great debate. It was only when she dared to take one step beyond the door frame that she managed to catch Lucius' attention from the head of the table across the room.

"Ah, Diana!" Now that she was hired, it seemed that she was being promoted to a first name basis. As he rose from his seat to come meet her with an outstretched hand, the twenty or so people that had been talking over one another grew silent and all turned to appraise her at once. She greeted them with the same smile she gave the woman on the elevator before reaching out to take Lucius' hand. Careful to show respect, she answered him safely with, "Good morning, Mr. Fox."

She was so happy that she made the call to use his last name, as he did not correct her and ask that she call him Lucius. Instead, he faced the board room and chose to introduce her to the staff himself. "This is our new Community Outreach Specialist, Miss Diana Prince."

An older gentleman decided to ask a question instead of offering her a quick hello. He raised his hand but spoke before being called on. "Didn't you fire our old one when he came in an hour ago?" Apparently the speed with which the position was filled was shocking.

Lucius chuckled and abandoned her side, returning to the head of the table at the other end of the room. "Yes, I did, and now we have someone else to fill the position. I know you're a veteran employee but that's how the hiring process works, Don." The obvious tease garnered a few soft giggles from around the table, all while her new boss waved her over to his side. Diana sauntered over to her designated spot across the room, aware of how everyone's eyes followed her, finding it to be rather invigorating rather than intimidating.

However, the wind was stolen from her chest when a massive stack of papers was instantly tossed towards her and she was forced to catch them so suddenly. Apparently, whatever the team was discussing meant that they were in a rush as Lucius was quick with his words. "Once you fill out the contract, I'm going to be sending you out to Gotham General for your first day, so do you have anything you want to say to the group before we resume?"

"Sure," was her automatic response as she tried to digest how quickly her day was already moving. When Bruce warned her that she'd be thrown into the frey immediately, he wasn't kidding. Despite the slight whiplash, she found herself rather excited to begin. The awaiting gazes that she faced showcased the entire team's anticipation, and if she were honest with herself, she was filled with just as much suspense as they were to see how this new career of hers would pan out.

Unable to wait another second, she grinned and said, "Hello everyone. As Mr. Fox said, my name is Diana Prince and I am very excited to be working with you all. I'm sure I'll get the hang of this new role eventually, so if you bare with me, I promise to do my best as your new Community Outreach Specialist."

The room politely clapped for her, and she appreciated it greatly.

Once the moment had passed though, the team returned to the same noise level she had encountered when she walked into the room. The only one who didn't partake right away was Lucius, who stopped to offer her a few more instructions. "Once you fill that out, you'll head to the second floor and get your ID badge printed. You can ask the front desk for directions to Gotham General after that. Got it?" It wasn't a derogatory mark in the slightest - Mr. Lucius Fox was issuing her a challenge as he arched a curious brow her way.

Sequestered in the corner, she didn't feel at all intimidated or anxious by the tasks laid out for her. It wasn't at all unlike Wonder Woman to face her ventures with the utmost vitality, and Diana felt that there wasn't much difference between her superhero persona and who she was without the girdle. Ready and restless, Diana replied, "Got it."

Gotham General was only the fifth or so hospital she had been to in her life, considering that her wounds healed on their own. She had only ever visited friends who were ill or in labour, and she stayed in specific cities for as long as she could before moving on, so her experience with doctors and nurses was quite limited. Still, it carried the same air as any other one she had been to: uncontrollably busy while feigning a sense of calm. The lighting was the same, the smell that wafted throughout despite the wings she walked between, and the way her heart ached when she saw people laying on gurneys in the hallways without loved ones to sit with them. They were factories of mixed emotions in her eyes, and she could somewhat understand why this role would be a definite challenge.

After flashing her Wayne Foundation badge to the nurses, Diana's access had allowed her the instructions to reach the rooms used for isolation, as that was where the quarantine of the sludge-infested people were being kept. Despite the time that had passed between the initial infestation and the disappearance of the sludge in the waterways of the city, there had been absolutely no production of a solidified cure and the constant consumption of the isolation rooms was creating trouble for the hospital.

It was her job to meet with the head of the department and assess the situation.

Approaching the nurses' station in the Isolation Ward, Diana was greeted by a rather serious looking senior woman as soon as she came within five feet of the desk. "Hello," she spoke as soon as she was spotted, hoping to get the information she needed quickly so as not to bother her any further. "My name is Diana Prince and I am here representing the Wayne Foundation. I was hoping I could speak with Dr. Thompson?"

"She doesn't work here anymore." Was the blunt and disinterested reply of the older woman, sounding irritated that Diana dared to ask such an obvious question. It seemed she wasn't the only one who switched up her position recently.

Unwilling to accept such an answer, Diana was firm but gentle as she pushed for more information. "Then who should I speak to? I'm here to see if we can help you with the quarantine issues you've been having."

"Let me see what I can do." Groaned the nurse before slowly reaching for the phone, her teeth grinding to further illustrate her irritation.

All Diana could do was sigh softly to herself before she turned around to look at the waiting room and find herself a seat.

Only to spot the only other person she knew who was traipsing around Gotham City with the same bravado as she was. "Clark?"

The glasses he wore to mask his identity nearly leapt off of his face when he looked up to see her. "Diana!" He exclaimed with a range of emotions as he dropped his pen and notepad onto the vacant chair beside him and raced over to her. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here representing the Wayne Foundation." She replied with a little too much glee, showing off her ID badge as if it was a badge of honour, as if she could prove to him how successful her infiltration mission had turned out so far.

He smiled at her, clearly impressed by her immediate rise to such a high status, and he prepared to open his mouth to tell her how proud he was of her. Or so she assumed, before a woman who looked to be a foot or so shorter than him squeezed in between the two of them without much subtlety and introduced herself. "Hi. Lois Lane, reporter for the Daily Planet."

Despite the young woman making sure that she had interrupted their conversation, it somehow became Diana's responsibility to offer her a handshake instead. Clark used his open mouth to play the part of the middle man between them. "Lois, this is Diana Prince, Diana, Lois."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Diana said kindly while putting all of her focus on the death grip that was exchanged between her and the fiery female before her. Despite her stature making her seem leagues smaller than the two of them, the rambunctious, determined energy that rolled off of Lois in waves was so impressive, she genuinely couldn't look away from her even if she wanted to.

What Diana had mistaken for possible jealousy transformed into calculated willpower as she pulled out her phone and held it out between them. Clearly enunciating her words, Lois began to speak loud enough for her phone's recording app to catch every word. "Miss Prince, you work for the Wayne Foundation. Is there anything you can tell us about what's happening here with the victims of the sludge attacks? Is your company planning to invest more into a possible cure? Or provide Gotham General with a way to handle the upkeep of housing them?"

From the look in her eyes, there was clearly an invested fire ignited inside of her. Diana couldn't tell if she knew someone in Metropolis who was affected by the sludge as well, or if she was simply that empathetic as a reporter, but it was obvious that she couldn't avoid making some kind of statement and that put her in a dangerous situation given her short time in her new position.

Calmly so as to be mindful of words, Diana explained, "Given that I am quite new to my position, I cannot give you a proper answer at this point in time. I am here to assess the situation with the chief physician, and once we know more, I am sure Wayne Enterprises will be more than happy to provide you with a proper quote."

Clark looked as if he had been hit with a cool breeze after sweating incessantly. On the other hand, Lois looked rather exasperated. "Sorry," she showed that she was aware of her demanding behaviour as she removed the phone from her face and returned it to her pocket. "We've been sitting here waiting for answers ourselves. Since Gotham was hit first by all of this, we were hoping they might have some answers."
As Lois crossed her arms, Clark took the opportunity to add on, "We were in contact with a Gotham Gazette reporter but we haven't heard from her since yesterday afternoon. We were hoping to run into her here today." The pointed gaze he gave Diana showcased the nervousness he felt for whom she could only assume to be Vicki Vale.

"Why here?" Diana asked, wondering why the pair of them hadn't just headed straight to the Gotham Gazette office if they wished to speak to her.

Lois refused to answer her at first, not until she made sure the coast was clear. Given that they were still standing next to the information desk and the older nurse had turned away from them so she could make her phone call, it was clear that no one was listening. Once she felt secure with their surroundings, she leaned in and informed Diana of their ulterior motive, "Because we might run into Commissioner Gordon here too. His daughter is supposedly one of the people who were infected."

Gordon… The name sounded familiar to Diana and it took it her a moment too long to realize way, her face remaining blank as she tried to remember why.

Then, she remembered exactly who his daughter was, and what her alias was: Oracle.

The shock was written all over her face the moment it dawned on her. It suddenly made sense why no one had heard from her. It also explained why there was no headway made on a cure: the computer analysis they had relied on Oracle for was left incomplete if she was transformed into a sludge monster like everyone else who came in contact with it-

Diana gasped, her eyes going wide as a terrifying thought struck her like a bolt of the fiercest lightning.

"Hopefully, he will clarify if the rumour is true or not." Clark offered some reassuring words, implying that this particular lead might be false.

However, it didn't reach Diana. "Hopefully. If you'll excuse me? I need make a call to my team." Without waiting to see if Lois believed her, she turned and left the ward as fast as her feet could carry her. She ripped her phone out of her pocket and pretended to use it before placing it next to her ear, using her thumb to activate her ear piece. "Victor? Is the sludge contained at headquarters?"

"Cyborg here. I was just about to take it out again and-"

Knowing Clark could hear her with his developed sense of hearing from inside the hospital, she demanded both of their attention as she expressed her fears to them. "Don't. This thing is taking over whoever touches it. Clark thinks that Oracle has been consumed by it. We need a new approach to it because we can't make contact. I think that's why we haven't heard back from Arthur and Barry either. I think they're… gone."

Author's Notes:

This is getting dramatic really fast! So now we have lost Barbara, Arthur and Barry too!? How can you find a cure for something you can't study and experiment on? What is the remaining JL going to do? I hope you stick around to see what happens next! ~ Maiden