10. Objective Thoughts
Summary: Faced with facts, even her own, Diana makes a decision.
/Flashback/
"NO."
The frustration in the usually impassive caused Diana to slow down in her approach to Bruce Wayne's private study at Wayne Manor. The way Flash was leaned against the door had piqued her interest, with Bruce tone only adding to it. Who was he talking to?
"Bruce…." Her ears perked at hearing the same frustration mirrored in the voice of the second person, Clark Kent a.k.a. Superman.
"They are not to be involved in this." Bruce was all Batman now.
"Why not?" Clark's retort was just as heated.
Walking up to alongside Wally so as not to startle him, Diana gently tapped him on the shoulder. "Who are they talking about?" She whispered, feeling rather stupid over her actions. With Kal's hearing and Bruce's…well, whatever he used, the two of them most probablyu already knew about their eavesdroppers being there.
"They are too young for the league." Bruce threw out the excuse getting a response the very next second.
"Too young!" His arms crossed at his massive chest, dressed in his civilian garb, the Man of Steel stared at his teammate. "Did you forget that we just voted on admitting Kara and Courtney into the League? I am sure that Batgirl is at least as old as Kara, if not older, and Robin is around the same age as Courtney. And as for Nightwing, I know for a fact that he is older than Flash. Now would you say that the three of them are too young to serve in the League too."
"Hey! Its only by four months." Wally exclaimed at the jab at his age. He knew that not only was he the youngest among the founding members, even many of the newcomers were older than him, and although it would be great to have old Dickie in the League, Supes didn't need to pull him into it.
"Sssh." A stern look from the Amazonian Princess and he shut his yapper.
"Batgirl doesn't have Kryptonian genes giving her meta-abilities, especially invulnerability," the smartly dressed Bruce started to counter off Clark's arguments. "Stargirl is being given membership only because of S.T.R.I.P.E. And…"
"You can do the same with Robin," Clark's comment had not affect on the Caped Crusader.
"And as for Nightwing, he already has his hands full with running the Titans and his responsibilities in Bludhaven. He does not have the time for the League."
"We could offer him...them temporary memberships," ever the resourceful investigative journalist, Clark did not let up either. "After all you are still continuing with your….."
"Kent." Bruce put his foot down. "Leave. Them. Alone."
"Bruce," Clark sighed, knowing that he was fighting a losing battle. "Why don't you want them in the League? Tell me the truth."
The ensuing silence that following Clark's question, clawed not only at him, but also the duo standing on the other side of the door, all three of them waiting with bated breath for any answer from the most secretive member of the League.
After what seemed an hour silence, Bruce finally answered, his answer just loud enough for Clark's sensitive ears….and those of one other person in the vicinity, an answer neither of them had since mentioned to anyone else or even each other.
"Gotham needs them. Now and even more if..."
Even though he hadn't spoken it out aloud, both Clark and Diana knew that Bruce was talking about the scale of his mission and his inevitable mortality, either due to aging or at the hands of any one of his enemies. The recent Thanegarian invasion and Batman's actions in it, his suicide mission aboard the Watchtower further driving in the nail into the coffin of Clark's counter argument.
"Bruce…"
"Leave it alone Kent." Bruce closed up, his tone growing hard and unemotional. The only reason he had even answered that question was because it was Clark who has asked, and as much as he respected both Clark and Superman, Bruce wasn't comfortable with opening himself up….not even to someone he regarded as a friend.
Hearing his voice draw nearer to the door, Wally whizzed away with a sudden burst of speed, leaving Diana standing there to face the tense looking Bruce as he opened the door. Not able to come up with something to explain her being there, she mutely stared at Bruce who after a few seconds of standing in front of her, spoke to Clark, his eyes never leaving Diana's. "We will not speak of this again," and he was gone.
/End Flashback/
----
"Nightwing?" Diana watched as Batgirl, the young woman she had only till a few minutes ago thought to be involved with Bruce, stepped towards the blue and black clad Nightwing, the oldest and most mature of the trio. Robin on the other hand reached into his utility belt.
"You want to come with us...or do you have more reconnaissance to do?"
At first she hadn't been sure how to react or whether Nightwing had actually seen her or was just firing into the night. From what she had heard from Flash, tracking him down Bruce and Clark's discussion, Nightwing, his name still a secret, was the first of Batman's recruits. In fact of all the sidekicks out there, Nightwing, then Robin was the first, the trailblazer, not to mention the youngest at starting in the superhero business. Although maybe not the first, he, over the years had grown up to become a sort of beacon, an ideal that many if not all of the young superheroes-in-training looked up to and tried to emulate. From what Flash told her, Nightwing had more years under his belt than many of the more senior superheroes out there, including Diana herself. During the decade plus time, he had not only matured and grown up becoming Nightwing from Robin, he was also one of the founding members of the Teen Titans, not to mention their longest running leader. Also, over the last three years, ever since Nightwing made an appearance, he had moved his base of operations to Gotham's younger sister, Bludhaven, the reasons for his move one of the secrets that only the Bat-family and a few others knew.
"Holy spit." Robin's exclamation drew Diana's attention towards him, only to find him gaping up at her, a pair of binoculars over his eyes.
Her secret out, the exiled Princess and current Ambassador of the Amazon nation of Themiscyra, gave up her secret airborne position and flew down to the roof.
"Oo." Barbara Gordon gasped as Diana landed before her.
"Hello." Diana graciously but redundantly introduced herself. "Umm…I am Diana."
"Nightwing." Dick stepped forth and introduced himself. Although he hadn't actually met Diana face to face, unbeknownst to her, the two them had talked over the Batcave-Watchtower communication link. Given that both Superman and Batman had also been there with her, not to mention Green Lantern and J'onn, he wasn't too sure if she would remember that conversation.
"I know." Diana accepted his proffered hand. "I've heard a lot about you…." At Dick's startled look, she quickly amended her comment. "….from Flash."
Nodding at her explanation, Nightwing did something that Diana did not expect, at least not from him…or either of his teammates. He smiled. He smiled a full, flash your pearly whites, smile. And if she had been one of a weaker heart, seeing a scion of the Batman smile, Diana would surely have been afraid.
Stepping back, Dick gestured towards the other two people on the roof. "Batgirl. Robin."
While Robin reacted pretty much the same way as when he had first met Superman but dumbly nodding his head, Barbara literally leapt up onto the Amazon, grabbing her hand. This was Wonder Woman, THE Wonder Woman. One of the most kick ass superheroes out there, not to mention the golden standard for any girl/woman starting or even currently working in the crime fighting business.
"Hi. I am Barb…I mean Batgirl." She gulped at almost letting her secret identity out, mentally cursing herself at repeating what Kara had told her had been her reaction when she first met Diana.
"It was nice meeting you Wonder Woman." Nightwing cut in before Diana had a chance to answer. "But we better get moving. We'll let him know you were here."
"I would like to hel…" starting to offer her assistance, Diana could not even get the words out before both Robin and Nightwing denied her request.
"No." While Tim stopped at that, Dick carried on. "This doesn't concern the you. Its not a League matter."
'Now, there's the Bat.' Diana arched an eyebrow at the younger man. "I have to talk to Batm…"
"He'll contact you." Raising his line-gun, Nightwing fired it into the night. "Now leave…." His warning tone was eerily Batman, all except for his parting word. "….please." Too bad for him, for a person who had grown accustomed to question even the Batman, not to mention her being an Amazon Princess i.e. not accustomed to taking orders, let alone from a man, his words had no affect, his courteous 'please' not helping matters one bit.
With Robin also gone the next instant, only Batgirl was left to apologize for the Batboys. "I-uh…."
"I am coming with you." Diana's tone brooked no argument as she took off in the same direction as which both Nightwing and Robin were headed, catching up to them a few seconds later.
Her repeat of the same to Nightwing elicited yet another Bat-response, both the verbal one and the furrowed temple.
"Fine. Just don't get in our way."
---
A few minutes later,
Reaching the warehouse, Nightwing was the first to enter with Robin canvassing the surroundings for clues and/or any miscreants, while Batgirl was assigned to Wonder-sitting duty.
As for Diana, her night was turning out to be a big run-around, from the Watchtower to the Batcave and then to the Gotham tracking Robin's signal and now finally here. Even though she wanted otherwise, and even though she was still going to give Bruce a dressing down for…well, for…
'For what Princess?' Her inner biker-Diana piped up. 'For keeping you away from King or for keeping you away from King and thus near himself.'
'Near himself.' Diana's mental chuckle oozed sarcasm. 'You seriously need to get your facts correct. The only reason he did what he was to show that he could do and say anything to put us in place.'
'And?' Her doppelganger questioned her reasoning. 'Anything else.'
'What do you mean anything else?'
'Well….' The inner Diana sighed at her physical self. 'One word Madam Ambassador. Objective.'
'Objective?' Diana's frown deepened.
'Yes. Objective. When it comes to Batman, you no longer count as an objective opinion. You have become so involved with him that anything he says or does, you automatically analyze it as if its just for you. You no longer see the big picture, the greater good and all that jazz.'
'That's not true.' Diana's protest was instant. 'I would never let my personal nee…my personal life overshadow my work in the league and my mission of peace. Not even for Batman.'
'I know that.' It seemed that even before Diana stated a point, her inner twin had a counter ready. 'But that doesn't mean you don't feel bad. That…'
'I don't feel bad.'
'That you don't feel hurt and even angry for the pull and push game Bruce seems to play with everyone around him. Even those close to him.' Diana glanced at Nightwing working a few feet below, and then at Robin and Batgirl, both of them talking into their comm links.
Watching them and the way they had interacted with each other earlier and the way she knew Alfred was, Diana couldn't even comprehend living with such a closely knit group, such a family, how could anyone remain so withdrawn, so secretive. 'How segregated must he keep himself. How lonely must he be…'
'Yeah, well, we already know that don't we.' The memory of the days after their kiddy mission flashed through her mind. In the days following the mission in which Superman, Green Lantern, Bruce and her had been changed into eight year versions of themselves, Bruce had withdrawn, closing onto himself. For someone whose entire life was defined by one fateful event, being turned back to the same age, had cut through years of healing, years of 'coming to terms' with it, making it seem as if it had just happened recently.
'What am I supposed to do?' Diana repeated the question that ever since she had come to man's world, she had asked herself so many times that she had lost count.
'Well, I already gave you my views,' for once her wild twin did not chuckle at her situation. 'Talk to someone.'
'I cannot talk to Lois. Especially not now.'
'Then find someone else, or…'
'Or?'
'Or, take you own advice. The one you gave J'onn.'
Startled at the words, Diana physically took a step back. 'I do not need to reconnect with humanity.'
'Yes, but you need to reconnect with yourself…' the gentle voice whispered in her ears. '…with ourselves. To get your objectivity back.'
----
"Wonder Woman." Nightwing walked up next to the statue silent Leaguer. He had just finished with the crime scene and with Alfred back in the cave.
"Yes," it took Diana a second to get her bearings, her momentary confusion causing her to miss the shadow pass over Nighwing's visage. "Yes Nightwing."
"Batman…he's asked me to tell you that he won't be able to meet you tonight." Dick was putting on his best show of impassiveness, his efforts to dupe successful….almost.
"Where is he Nightwing?" Diana's tone was hard. Not only was he giving her the run-around, now he was getting his deputies do his dirty work of him…of facing her and telling her to leave.
"He's no longer working in the city." Dick kept his lies as close to the truth as possible, feeling thankful that the lenses covering his eyes saved him Diana noticing him dart glances at the lasso at her side. Having heard and read about it, he wasn't in a hurry to experience it first hand. "He…uh, something came up."
"Something." Diana's arched eyebrow clearly conveyed her thoughts. At Nightwing's nods she continued. "And about this something, I am sure that he does not require any external assistance."
Not trusting himself to vocalize an answer, Dick elected to maintain his silence. He did not want to lie to Diana nor did he want to tell her that Batman was already getting the assistance he needed to help him with his current state.
A few seconds of silence, and the words 'get your objectivity back' echoing in her ears, Diana made her decision. If being alone was what he wanted, if that was the only way in which Bruce felt content…then let him have it. She would not stand in his way.
"Very well. It was nice meeting all of you. Hope my presence wasn't an obstruction."
Smiling an uneasy tight smile, to return those offered by the trio, and feeling rather self-conscious in front of these three…just because of their association with, Diana bid a quick farewell and pushed herself off the roof, the night quickly swallowing her retreating form.
Had she forced her hand to see the Dark Knight or even looked back once, Diana would have seen the almost panicking manner in which the three crime fighters went hurrying not ten blocks away…to the house and clinic of the family friend and mother figure to Bruce Wayne and others around him, Dr. Leslie Thompkins.
----
Elsewhere,
"Did you do it?" The baritone voice sounded from the shadows.
"Yes." Raising his helmet's shroud the silver haired Prometheus holstered his gun. "All of them are out, and the Bat is down if not out. All as per your requirements. I also threw in a bonus. Lock-Up."
"Good. And here is your payment…" the diminutive wheeled out the trolley with the rather large and heavy suitcases. "….five million. All in cash. As per your requirements."
Not bothering or even attempting to try and count the money, Prometheus yanked the trolley away from the weird smile-faced robot or whatever this Toyman was.
"Always a pleasure." He threw over his shoulder as he headed towards the door.
As soon as Prometheus left, Toyman chirped up. "What next Boss?"
"Next. Next in line are the twin cities of Keystone-Central, Home of the Flash." The deep sounded in the near empty underground secret lair, as the man in question stepped forward. "We keep the League's eyes an ears away from us."
"And then?"
"Then." Lex Luthor, ex-President of the United States of America and current member of the 'Legion of Doom', came into view.
"Then we put an end to all this monkey business."
-
-
Note: Finally caught up on the last few episodes of season 5…hence the change in direction for Diana.
Spoilers: Season 2 (Starcrossed), Season 3 (Kids Stuff), Season 5 (To Another Shore, Flash and Substance, Dead Reckoning)
Please Review!