Chapter Twelve
The Truth Revealed
Still recovering from the agony of what happened he had to endure another torturing experience as he sat once more at the meeting room with his teammates, something he was not able to do for a long time. And as he looked at their faces, he was even more reminded of what he had lost.
Wally was indifferent while John seemed sympathetic, though he knew the Marine would never display the affection while his other half was beside him, ready to strike at any given notice. He knew very well Shayera despised him since she was never shy about conveying her feelings. Superman was not known to harbor the feeling of hatred, but he knew his teammate was fighting off a very similar emotion at the sight of him at the table.
The could blame him all they want. Hell, he was already too full of guilt to care.
It was only J'onn that welcomed his presence and totally understood what he was going through at the moment. And, surprisingly, it appeared that Queen Hippolyta offered almost the exact sentiment when the blue eyes looked at him devoid of any amount of bitterness.
"When I heard of what happened to Diana then, I must admit that it was not easy for me to accept. All mothers feel the same…" the Queen broke the very tense atmosphere when she talked softly. "…When a daughter suffers a terrible fate. Because a mother is just not supposed to watch her children…"
A few seconds passed in silence, as the proud Amazon stared away ruefully.
"So I prayed to the gods…if not to restore her, to grant her a peaceful journey to Elysium, where one day I will only be too happy to be with her once more." The wistful expression faded. "But I learned of something grave that I have to tell all of you." she emphasized the seriousness of the situation by sweeping her gaze across the room, looking all of them straight in the eyes.
"Hera told me that Diana's wandering soul had travelled a different path. The goddess told me that Diana gave up the chance for an eternity of peace for an infinity of torment and made a deal with…Hades…" The name came out with a feeling of pure disgust.
"Deal with Hades?" Superman asked, worried. "She couldn't have…"
"But she did. She was buying time." The Queen's eyes were shadowed with melancholy. "In her own way, she wanted to say goodbye to all of you. And try to right what had been wrong due to her untimely…passing."
The words and their significance echoed like a loud scream in his mind as a cold shiver ran through all of him at the remembrance of seeing her face countless times after that night, her beautiful eyes smiling at him, comforting him, her arms offering protection him, swinging him to safety…
She was not an imagination after all. She was real.
She did not leave him.
And she traded her soul for time…
"It was her…" Shayera almost sobbed, covering her lips with her hand in surprise, her eyes filled with tears at the realization. "When I delivered my child, someone held my hand like she always did. It had to be Diana…"
"On my wedding, I could have sworn she was whispering to me when I couldn't remember my vows…" Wally whispered, fighting off the same reaction as Shayera's.
"It was probably her…you were her friends, she would have wanted to be with you for as long as she could…before her borrowed time is over," Hippolyta concluded.
Through sorrow that lingered in the room he looked at Superman, the other man in Diana's life. Something in the way a nerve was twitching at the side of the other man's face gave away the truth that he was trying not to show too much emotion. But he knew that she visited him as well since they were the very best of friends.
"But if her spirit is still here, where is she now?" Superman asked. "J'onn…can you locate her?"
The Martian's eyes glowed a brighter orange. "I can't feel her presence anywhere."
"That is what I fear. Her soul may be trapped in this world. For such a time floating through space…she must've been lost." Hippolyta paused for a while. " Or…she may have slowly forgotten who she is. And I don't want Hades to take advantage of it and corrupt my daughter's memory in any way."
"Don't worry your majesty, I'm going to contact Doctor Fate, Zatanna…Etrigan…" J'onn stood up. "And anyone else who may be able to help in finding her. And we have to find her before…it's too late."
Before her body gives up, before she dies…those were the unspoken words.
"I'll implore the gods' assistance."
"I want to go with you," Shayera offered. And since the Thanagarian was no stranger to the island, she had offered her assistance a number of times, the queen agreed.
"We…all love Diana and we promise to do our best," Superman assured. "We will inform you immediately of any developments."
He barely heard the queen's reply because his mind was busy processing all that was just revealed. After every one else had departed, he was thankful for the silence to confront his thoughts. Then he stood up, finally sure about what he had to do.
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From a dark corner, with the thick fiber glass keeping him outside, he caught a glimpse of Superman standing a few feet away from where Diana lay. And for a moment, his breath caught at the sight of her unmoving form, the white sheet covering most of her body. Fighting off the very strong urge to be by her side, wanting to touch his hand to her face just to feel her skin, just to make sure she was still alive, he sighed deeply in regret.
At the thought of all the times he had been distancing himself from her, for all the moments he had been indifferent, for that last time when he pushed her away…his heart bled. Because, through it all, she would sell her soul to be with him. And when he noticed vaguely the tear that escaped from Superman's eyes he was suddenly aware of his own tear falling at a remembrance that even in death, he was pushing her away by burying all memories of her in the past.
He wanted to scream and release all the agony, the guilt that he no longer could contain. Then he recalled with dread what took place a few hours ago. He knew he was attacked by the Stalker. It made him feel the remorse once again…to see her face only to have her slowly die once more in his arms.
There was a moment when he silently wished that he had jumped over the ledge earlier…
But he did not.
He was supposed to die, but he was still alive. Why?
How could he have survived the Stalker?
Then he remembered.
He whispered Diana's name.
Diana…
He suddenly considered the queen's words… For such a time floating through space…she must've been lost. Or she may have slowly forgotten who she is.
Or for feeling such pain, she wanted to forget…
Dread was starting to envelop him in a cruel grip.
After the night he decided to lay to rest his feelings for Diana to sleep with Selina, he did not see the apparition again. And the morning after that, all the flowers in the garden died.
The stalker…Diana…
He shook his head in disbelief. But a part of him was already deducing the facts.
Corrupt my daughter's memory…
The stalker began to attack days after that night.
No!
But he could not ignore the terrible possibility that he might be right.
J'onn…I know where she may be.
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…you were her friends, she would have wanted to be with you for as long as she could and say goodbye before her borrowed time is over…
He closed his eyes at the memory of the words that were spoken earlier and let the remorse seep in.
How could he have forgotten what he stood for? He was Superman, for heaven's sake.
And even in near death, she reminded him of that truth.
Diana…
She was not to blame if her heart chose to love…even if this love could very well be her undoing. And it was not Bruce's fault either if the one time he ever really loved would come to this…full of agony, so much sorrow.
It was not Bruce's hand that pushed the dagger into her heart. He could never do that to her.
The fear of losing someone as important as Diana was in his life, somehow, impaired his judgment. Because he knew that is ever he did lose her, the skies would be too wide, saving the world would seem twice as difficult without her.
And no one could ever understand him, no one else could see him like she did…strong yet very vulnerable…admired yet feeling all alone in the world…just like what he was feeling now.
But Bruce did not take her away from him.
And he owed it to his best friend to make things right.
"Batman…" he called out when the other was just about to leave, knowing that Bruce was nearby all along. A push of a button made an opening to the adjacent room.
He was relieved that, somehow, Bruce decided to forego his usual demeanor for Diana's sake as he took careful steps toward the bed where Diana lay sleeping.
"I am…sorry." At last, he was able to say three small but powerful words. "If I blamed---"
"It is all my fault."
He could hear how Bruce's heart was hammering inside him at the admission.
"No…you love her…"
"And I still do…" Bruce shook his head. "But twice…"
He was certain he heard the proud voice break.
"Twice…I have managed to ruin her life…"
Twice? "What are you saying?"
Batman turned on his heel. "J'onn will tell you everything. I have to go."
After a few seconds as his blue eyes stared at the closed door, he heard J'onn speak.
Superman, I'm heading for Wayne Manor…
Wayne Manor? J'onn, what's going on?
We may be able to locate…Diana's spirit there.
What?
Just stay with her. I'll update you as soon as I arrive. And Superman…
He heard the Martian hesitate.
There may be the possibility that…Diana is the Stalker.
