AN: Here we are at the penultimate chapter. Hope you enjoy.

Notes and disclaimer in first chapter

Chapter 10

Diana was in trouble, and there was no one around to help.

Five minutes ago, a woman with blood on her clothing stumbled into the clinic clutching her baby against her chest. She was softly chanting, "Help me. Help me, please" over and over again. The receptionist quickly ran over to her just in time to catch the baby as the mother fainted to the floor.

After that there was a flurry of activity as the receptionist's yells for help were answered. The mother was whisked off to an operating room, while Diana was pulled by Leslie into a room with the sleeping baby. Protesting that she did not know how to care for a child, Leslie gave Diana a list of five things to do to help take care of the child, and left to help the mother.

Two minutes later, Diana heard a soft sound coming from the crib the baby was placed in. The baby was moving slightly while soft whimpers came out of her mouth. Then the movement turned into squirming and the whimpers became louder. The next thing Diana knew, the child was wide awake and crying.

Diana rubbed her hand up and down the baby's spine. "Shhh, little one. Everything will be fine. It's okay." Unfortunately, the actions which were supposed to be calming did nothing to settle the child.

She took a deep breath. "Alright, what did Leslie tell me…First, sometimes all a child wants is to be held. Okay." Diana reached into the crib and pulled the child into her arms. Although the child calmed slightly, she was still crying and squirming.

"Not helping. Food was next." Diana looked around the room and saw a bag full of stuff. Holding the baby against her with one arm, she used her other hand to rummage through the bag until she found a bottle of milk. She settled the child in the crook of her arm and put the bottle up to the baby's mouth, like she had observed countless people do on Earth. The baby kept crying and pushing the bottle away.

"Not hungry. Alright, burping." Once again going with what she had observed, she lay the baby against herself with the head facing over her shoulder, and began patting the baby on her back. All Diana's efforts did was cause the baby to wail louder.

Diana was beginning to become desperate when she noticed the vile odor that appeared to be coming from the baby. "Gaia, what could that be?"

Just as she began to think back on the last thing Leslie told her to try, she heard a voice behind her. "Diana. What are you doing here?"

She turned quickly around. "Praise Hera! Bruce, I need your help. I do not know what to do."

Bruce took a whiff of the room as he closed the door. "From the smell, I would say she needs her diaper changed."

Diana smiled. "Yes. I remember now. That was the last thing on the list Leslie gave me to try." She walked over to the diaper bag and pulled out a new diaper. Then she walked over to the counter and laid the baby down while she examined the diaper. After noticing the fastenings, she took the messy, odorous diaper off the baby, and was in the middle of figuring out how to put the new one on, when Bruce spoke again.

"Diana?"

She frowned at the strange tenor of his voice. "Yes?" she asked as she turned to face him, and saw a sight she had never seen before.

Bruce was smiling, a real smile, not one of those he gave in public. It transformed his entire face and even put a twinkle in his eyes.

As he continued speaking, she understood why his voice sounded strange. Bruce was trying to hold in his laughter, and it was causing his voice to waver slightly. "Have you ever changed a diaper on a child before?"

"No. Is it that obvious?"

"It's okay." Bruce took off his jacket and hung it up and then began rolling up his sleeves. "Allow me." He walked over to the diaper bag and began taking a couple of things out of the pockets.

Diana watched him, curious as to what he was pulling out of the bag. "Bruce, I couldn't…"

He walked over to the woman and the child and put the additional items on the counter. "I will change the baby, if you answer one question."

She moved away from the baby. "What is your question?"

"What are you doing here?"

The Amazon watched as he deftly began cleaning and changing the baby while she gave her answer. "Remember how you found Leslie and I talking at your ball?" At his nod, she continued. "Well, before she told me about your parents, we were actually discussing this Clinic she runs, and how they were always looking for more people to help. I decided that I wanted to help such a strong woman continue to do good for this community. I offered to come and help out once a week. I believe Leslie thought I was joking, but I have never missed a week." Bruce waded up the used wipes in the old diaper, threw it away, and picked up the cleaned and redressed child. Snuggling into his neck, the baby was soon asleep. "You are a man blessed with many talents."

Bruce cleared his throat softly. "Practice. And you didn't understand my question." Diana frowned in confusion. "What are you doing volunteering, coming to balls and galas, and continuing to venture into my city?"

"Helping. Just like I have…"

"You could help anywhere." He interrupted. "Why Are You Here." He emphasized each word strongly, but kept his voice gentle enough to keep the sleeping baby from waking.

Their eyes were locked, blue on blue. Diana was not sure what to do. She did not want him to completely understand her motives, but there was no way she would lie to him. Pursing her lips, she finally gave in. "Waiting."

She saw the surprise flash in his eyes before his face became impassive. "For?"

Diana closed her eyes and swallowed.

"Princess?" The gentle tone of his voice surprised her into meeting his eyes. He had moved closer to her without her hearing his shoes on the tile floor.

At his comforting look, she just said, "You." The surprise that took over his face was not fleeting this time, but instead of morphing into impassivity, his eyes narrowed and he clearly was suspicious. Sighing, she continued. "I have never hidden the fact that I am interested in an intimate relationship with you." She held a hand out to Bruce as if reaching for his understanding. "I wanted…"

A knock on the door stopped her explanation. The door opened slightly and Leslie peeked inside. "Diana. How is the baby?"

Diana attempted to compose herself before answering, but she could see the older woman quickly take in the situation, and the shock when she saw who shared the room with Diana.

"Bruce. What are you doing here?"

"Looking for answers." He said, keeping his eyes on Diana, but then turned to Leslie. "And helping someone who was a little out of her depth." He walked over and handed the baby to Leslie.

"Bruce…" There was a clear warning in the way she said his name. Bruce whispered something to Leslie while gently pushing her out the door. Once it was firmly shut, he turned back to Diana and crossed his arms in front of himself. "You were saying?"

Diana swallowed and continued. "I wanted to know if this attraction we both feel could last. To see if there is something more between us than just being good friends. I want you, Bruce, to give us a chance. Not Bruce Wayne, the billionaire playboy who could buy anything he wants. Not Batman, the crime fighter who will not accept nor ask for meta help. And before you remind me those are part of who you are," she said over the top of any objections he might have made, "I know and understand that, and I have been able to maintain a relationship with Bruce Wayne and Batman. However, friendship is not all I seek. What if there is more to you and I? What if Aphrodite has blessed our pairing or what if she does not think we match? I cannot know the will of the Gods, but I would like to find out. All I ask is that you try."

Their eyes locked. Hers pleading. His slightly softer, but still suspicious. They stayed that way for a full minute, before Bruce turned, lifted his jacket off the hook, and left the room, shutting the door lightly behind him.