Title: Take a Chance on Me

Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or any of their characters.

Un-betaed version. If you notice any mistakes, please email or pm me. Thanks.

5 more chapters to go! Thanks for all the reviews and the support!

"Take a chance on me; Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie; If you put me to the test, if you let me try" - ABBA

He had once tried reasoning through love, tried to escape the ties that now bound them so tightly together. But with a little perseverance on her part, she had overcome his fear steadily but surely, showing him what life could entail with her at his side, with her in his heart without trepidation, without fear. And they'd found this, together, and he knew now that he could never regret it, never regret what had been set in motion with Donna's death, their newfound closeness and the relationship that they had forged together.

He only regretted that it had taken the death of her beloved sister in order to bring them to this point, that it had been the loss of someone Diana loved so dearly that had served as the catalyst for them coming together. He knew that she still missed her, that sometimes she woke to a tearstained pillow, her dreams filled with memories of her sister and the bond that they'd shared, one not only rare but unlike any other he'd ever known. A part of him realized that she still did not believe that her sister was gone, but who was he to douse that wish of hers – he had felt that way in the past and somehow he knew that if anyone could make that sort of thing true, it was Diana. She had a faith steeped in the gods and her own beliefs – she continued to fight even when others deemed it hopeless.

Tightening his hand on her shoulder, he realized that it had been that perseverance of Diana's that had brought them together, that through all the stops and starts that their relationship had endured in order to come together as they were now, she had continued to believe in their rightness of loving him and had pressed towards that goal undaunted. It was one of her most endearing and most irritating traits, depending on what side of the goal she was working for that he was standing on.

Fortunately for him, in this, they finally seemed to be working together, the mutual cause being their relationship and all it brought into their lives – the fulfillment, the comfort, and the love. He had been surprised to find a love this deep in his own life, had always assumed he'd end up a bitter, lonely old man. He hadn't counted on the Amazon Princess and her determination to give him light in the shadows.

No matter how hard he had fought her…

Flashback

"Just try, Bruce. I'm asking for one date, one night where we can be together – no pretenses, no costumes, no fears, just a chance for love."

She saw him close his eyes and wondered if he would reject her words or embrace them. And then he gazed into the oceanic blue of her eyes and whispered, "One, Princess. That's all I can promise."

With a ragged sigh of happiness that echoed the satisfaction racing through her blood, she leaned her forehead against his, and, keeping her eyes on his, murmured, "I don't need promises. I just need a chance."

Her words echoed in her head as she arrived at Wayne Manor, the sun falling, the sky filled with a symphony of pinks and reds, and the beauty of the site buoyed her mood even further. She knew that she had accomplished a minor miracle by getting Bruce to agree to even just a date with her, but she also knew that she wasn't out of the woods just yet, that he could at any time tonight change his mind and send her off without even a goodbye.

He was that kind of man and she had no illusions about his faults and his feelings. While she knew that he cared for her, maybe even cared deeply, Bruce had never been one to openly show those feelings, any feelings for that matter. He was intrinsically an isolated being, one who relied first and foremost on himself and had a difficult time letting others not only into his heart but his life.

She could understand his hesitation; his was not a normal life. But then, by most standards, her life would not be considered either easy or normal either. She was many things to many people – an ambassador, a bringer of faith and truth, a fighter, and now she hoped, a lover. Caring so deeply for Bruce, she couldn't help but want to introduce him to the beauty in love, the goodness and comfort that it would bring to his life.

But, she knew, it would be slow going and a test of her patience and persistence. In the end though, she planned to make sure that she got what she wanted: him.

She had taken some care with her appearance tonight – a few extra combings of the brush, an extra moment to add some scented oils to her skin, even picking an outfit that she believed set off her eyes and skin, anything to use as an advantage. But she had also made sure that she still looked essentially like herself, just Diana, because she didn't want him making any comparisons to vapid socialites or pampered princesses. She was Wonder Woman and she had worked hard to maintain that title and her role here in Man's World.

Tonight, she seemed to glow from within, the effect of knowing that she was about to embark upon a date with a man for whom her feelings ran deep and true. Her black slacks were neat and pressed, her hair flowed down the length of her back in a mass of ebony curls, and her eyes sparkled, the shade matching the royal blue sweater that adorned her body, hugging her curves but still leaving much to the imagination.

Emerging from the car, she walked the few steps to the front door and found it immediately opened to Alfred's smiling face. His pleasure at her arrival seemed to tell she was not the only one who was happy that Bruce had invited her here tonight, had decided to give their relationship a chance, even if she had had to push him into issuing said invitation.

"Good evening, Princess," Alfred stated in his usual nonplussed and regal demeanor. "May I take your coat?"

She shrugged off her black, knee length jacket and Alfred was right there on hand to take it from off her back. He headed towards a coat rack and hung the jacket neatly before turning back to her, adding, "Please follow me, my dear."

With a smile, she gave him her arm and allowed him to wrap his fingers gingerly around her elbow, leading her towards one of the rooms just off the main corridor. Entering the room, she looked around at the exquisite tapestries decorating the wall, the fireplace was warm and crackling, and she could see Bruce seated across in a plush armchair that seemed to dominate even his superior form. He stood upon her entrance and came over to take her hand, raising it to his lips and brushing a soft, swift kiss across her knuckles in a manner that somehow came across as knightly and courtly without being irritating.

His eyes met hers as he looked up from his bowed position over her hand and he murmured, "Good evening, Princess." It was a statement that she wasn't exactly sure how to take, simply because it was murmured in Bruce's playboy voice and he had used the nickname that he knew irritated her.

Glancing back at Alfred, she saw the disapproval in the old man's voice at Bruce's use of his playboy persona and, rather than embarrass herself in front of Alfred, simply said, "Thank you, Alfred, I believe I can handle him from here." She added a smile and the older man gave her a hint of a smile in return, obviously believing that he was leaving his master in the proper hands to take care of his ingratiating attitude as he retreated out of the room.

Once she was satisfied that Alfred was far enough away, she turned back to Bruce. He still had a gentle grip on her hand and she left it there, gently stating, "Don't do this, Bruce."

"Do what, Princess?" he asked with a grin that bordered on the sardonic.

"I thought were you were going to give us a chance, Bruce. Instead, you're acting like this foppish character rather than the man I love." She tore her hand out of his grasp and ran her fingers through his hair, tousling the perfect locks and when his eyes met her own again, she leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, trying to remind him that she was different, that what was between them was different.

"I deserve better, Bruce, and so do you," she whispered firmly as she pulled back. She walked over to the fireplace, standing by the flames that hissed and spit, the warmth seeping into her bones, having no idea what the play of light and shadow from the hearth did to her beauty, making her seem more ethereal, a heavenly being come to tease Bruce's senses and his mind.

She glanced back at him, his expression having faded into something resembling guilt, or at the very least, remorse.

"Would you prefer I go?" she asked quietly, her face still bathed in the firelight and his heart still wondering how he would find the strength to decide whether to let her into his life or push her as far away as possible. The idea of her love, knowing that this creature of goodness and hope could love him, weakened him at the knees as no villain had ever done. She wouldn't be content with his foolish attempts to put her off, to pretend that her intelligence wouldn't let her realize that he was hiding behind his public persona.

And before he knew what he was doing, he strode over to her, joining her by the fireside and murmuring, "Stay." Up close, the lights and shadows still danced over her skin, but he could see that she was still the same loving and patience Diana that he had always known and not the heavenly creature he had from a distance thought of her as. She was beautiful, bold, and intelligent, characteristics that made him want to care for her, made him long to have her by his side.

And with nerves eating at his confidence, nerves that only she could instill in him, he took her arm and led her over to the couch in front of the fireplace. She walked by his side, and he could feel the warmth and heat that she generated, the softness of her skin underneath his hand. She made him feel so many things, so many confusing and arbitrary emotions, each different from the last – jealousy at the thought of her with anyone else, fear at the thought of how his life would change with her in it, anger at the nervousness she brought forth in him, and a quiet contentedness that he wasn't sure that he was ready to handle.

Taking a seat on the couch, she tucked one leg up onto the couch, bent at the knee, and turned to face Bruce, letting the other leg dangle to the floor. "Thank you for having me, Bruce, for giving us this chance."

He wasn't sure what to say to this, so in the end, he just said, staring at the hearth and the dancing flames within, "I can't make any promises, Diana."

She reached over and placed a hand on his, lacing her fingers in his and giving them a small squeeze. "I didn't ask for promises, Bruce, just a chance." And because the moment seemed right, she scooted a little closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder as they stared at the fire burning brightly together. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Hmm?" he murmured, too busy adjusting to the feel and the weight of Diana against his shoulder. She had nestled into the hollow between neck and shoulder as if she fit there, as if the spot had truly been made for her. He longed to run a hand down her hair, to see the curls tangle in his fingers, but he restrained himself, not wanting to ruin the moment. But second later, as if his hand had a mind of its own, he smoothed his hand down the length of her curls, letting his fingers twist in the curls, watching them stretch and bounce back as he pulled them just slightly.

Content with his administrations and with their togetherness in this moment, Diana continued softly, "The fire, it's so beautiful: the play of light and dark as they come together to create a thing of beauty. I wouldn't mind just sitting here and watching it for awhile."

And seconds later, when Alfred walked into the room to announce dinner, Bruce quietly and subtly shook his head at the butler, wanting a few more minutes alone with Diana in this setting, in this moment. The butler slowly backed out of the room and Bruce continued to play with Diana's hair as together, they watched the intense light of the flames and myriad of swiftly dancing shadows it created in silence, wrapped in each other and their togetherness.

Next chapter: Break My Stride – A Kiss and A Goodbye…

To Reviewer SSJO4 Mewtwo – Yeah, Bruce's luck with dates isn't so good, so it could be that someone will interrupt the date. I know what's going to happen overall, but I haven't exactly decided how the date will end just yet. We'll see! Thanks for the review!

To Reviewer T – Thanks for the review! I hope you're enjoying your holiday time. I have the day off today and I will admit that it was very nice to sleep in a little and just hang out all day. Glad that you thought the last chapter was fantastic – I have the best time writing this story – something about Diana taking charge and literally pulling Bruce from the shadows that I really enjoy. I hope you like the date so far!