Chapter 12

Metropolis; June 3rd, 04:56 EST

Diana stayed hidden in the thick patch of woods, her steely gaze locked on Dr. Nadia Karros's home. She was more than anxious to get her hands on this woman and find out exactly what her role in all of this was. It was obvious that she was working with someone other than Lex Luthor, but who that person was still remained a mystery to them.

Tracking down her phone records had ended-up being a futile endeavor. There were countless calls between her and one number, but that number was blocked. Deciphering anything more about who this mysterious person was at a standstill until they got more information.

"Any movement yet?"

Diana almost jumped out of her skin as she whirled on her heel with fists primed for a fight. "Hera, Bruce," she hissed in response to his sneak attack.

Batman merely smirked as he came to stand beside her, his cape draping around him and further concealing his presence in the darkness that encompassed them. "Anything yet?"

"No, there's been nothing," she crossly replied. "This is a complete waste of time. We should just go in there and force her to talk."

The corner of his lip twitched in amusement as he glanced at her. "That'll go over really well," he countered, his words dripping with sarcasm. "What do you think she'll do when she sees the two of us standing at the end of her bed?"

"Hopefully she'll tell us everything we want to know."

"Always the optimist, aren't you, princess?" he said with an underlying affection to his tone despite his best effort to conceal it.

Diana tilted her head as she appraised him with a frown. "What do you think, Batman?" she just as sarcastically questioned him, her hands finding the curve of her hips.

"I think that she's a secret Russian spy, but who am I to be making guesses?"

Diana shook her head in amazement as a chuckle escaped. "Really, World's Greatest Detective?"

"It's just a gut feeling I have."

"I'm very familiar with your guts and the feelings that you have there," she told him.

"Then, you know they're always right," he pointed out.

"Annoyingly…yes, they are," she conceded with a huff. "It's a good thing your arrogance is part of your charm or I'd have to take you down a notch or two."

"You can certainly try," he countered. "Maybe you'll get lucky someday."

"Hera help me," Diana muttered as she gave him an incredulous look. "I swear…I don't think your ego can possibly get any bigger, Bruce."

"Just stating the facts, princess," he evenly stated. "With your eternal optimism, though, I doubt you'll believe me."

She couldn't help laughing in response at his piety. "I'd take you down right here and teach you a lesson in humility if it wasn't so important we figure out what Nadia is really up to."

"Like you could."

"I took you down the last time we sparred," she snapped. "Or have you so quickly forgotten how I had you pinned face-down on the mat with your arms behind your back."

"I managed to flip out of it, so it doesn't count," he reminded her.

"Yes, it does count," she insisted. "Want me to show you the move again? I'd be more than happy to pin your arrogant face to the dirt right here."

"There's that sweet optimism showing itself again," he said with a smirk as he stared straight ahead of him.

"I'll show you my sweet optimism with my fist," she grumbled under her breath, her gaze narrowing.

A light turned on in a top floor room, capturing their attention. They watched as a shadow passed by the window. It looked as though Nadia was on the move. They continued to watch for several long minutes, nothing more happening that they could see.

"Any more surprises from your secret admirer?" Bruce asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. He definitely didn't like the direction things were headed.

"A pair of diamond earrings to go with the diamond necklace," she revealed with a sigh.

"Great," Batman groused. "What did the letter say this time?"

"Same thing as usual," she replied. "He can't wait to finally meet me at the President's Ball. He's also anxious to see me in the diamond necklace and earrings that he sent me."

"You need to wear them."

"If one more person tries to tell me what to do, I swear I will jettison the necklace and earrings out the nearest airlock on the Watchtower," she ground out, fists balled at her sides in frustration.

"Don't you dare," he bit out. "I still have to dust the earrings for prints."

"Why in Hera's name?" she exclaimed in exasperation, throwing up her hands. "You have dusted, microscoped, scanned, analyzed, and scrutinized every single thing I've been sent, and you've come up with absolutely nothing. I highly doubt that you're going to be able to find any evidence on the earrings."

Batman slowly turned his head to look at her, an eyebrow obviously cocked in question at her outburst despite the fact he was wearing his cowl. "Microscoped?"

"You know what I mean," she spat out.

"He is going to make a mistake one of these times, Diana, and when he does, I'm going to be there to find it and stop him," Batman adamantly stated, his voice broking no room for debate on the matter.

"Who knows how long this could go on, Bruce," she pointed out, a measure of her anger dissipating in the wake of his determination.

"I'll always be there, Diana," he resolutely confessed.

"You will…won't you?" she softly said as she stared into the white lenses of his cowl.

"Always," he promised.

She smiled softly back at him when the sound of an approaching car forced them to look away from each other. It was a taxi cab arriving to pick her up. They watched as Nadia exited the house with purse and briefcase in hand, quickly getting into the cab before speeding away.

"Show time," Batman told her.

"Let's go," she agreed as she wrapped an arm around his waist and took to the sky.

"What? Wait!" he growled.

"Too late, Dark Knight," she sweetly said.

"We could have just taken my Batwing," he grumbled, once again struggling to ignore the feel of her feminine curves pressed against his side.

"This is faster, and you know it," she reminded him. "Besides, by the time we get to the Batwing, we could lose her."

"That's not very optimistic, princess," he said with a barely suppressed smirk.

"I swear by all that is good and holy I will drop you right here and now, Bruce Wayne," she hissed with deadly intent. "You'll be nothing more than a smudge on the road."

Bruce turned his head to look at her, finding her lips were well within his reach if only he leaned in a little more. Her sapphire eyes were aflame with indignation that only made her that much more beautiful. He was the source of that ire, though. He found himself wanting to create a flame of a different kind in her eyes.

"Then, I wouldn't be around to antagonize you any longer," he calmly pointed out, his hand slipping from her waist to slowly caress her hip. "I think you'd miss me."

He watched as hurt invaded her eyes, replacing the anger that had just been there. "Far more than you can begin to imagine," she softly said, averting her gaze to make sure she didn't lose sight of Nadia's cab.

It was impossible to miss the anguish that filled her voice. He swallowed hard, feeling bad that he had upset her. "I promise I'm not going anywhere, Diana," he swore to her with such confidence and resolve it was difficult not to believe him.

"And I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you keep that promise," she resolutely stated, her attention fixed on the car below as she tried to ignore the feel of his hand on her hip.

"Diana," he sternly growled her name and effectively captured her attention. "Don't you dare put yourself in harm's way for me."

She stared at him in stunned disbelief. "You actually expect me to just sit back and let you get yourself killed?"

"Yes," he bluntly stated, looking away from the pained anger that filled her face.

"So, it's okay if you throw yourself into danger to protect me, but I can't do the same for you?"

Bruce knew that he was treading on very thin ice and he was doing it while flying over downtown Metropolis. The next words that he chose would determine his life span. He could already feel her tightening her grip on him to the point it was becoming a little more difficult to breathe.

"Never mind," she bit out. "I already know what your answer is. If I hear it spoken out loud, I just might make you a permanent fixture on top of the Daily Planet globe."

"You may know my answer, but you don't know my reasons behind it," he cryptically told her.

"Why don't you enlighten me for a change instead of always leaving me in the dark to fume and speculate?"

"There," he abruptly said, pointing at her cab. "She's getting out in front of that building beside the Daily Planet."

"Pretty ingenious to try to create Kryptonite right beside the Daily Planet," she commented. "Close to home and in plain sight where no one would think to look."

"Little does Luthor know that Superman is working right next door to him," Batman added. "Put us on the roof of the building."

Diana quickly flew them to the roof, releasing her hold on him as soon as she set them down. Batman turned away from her, feeling as though too many things had been exposed…to many thoughts and feelings that he didn't want to discuss.

The feel of a firm hand grasping his wrist forced him to stop. "This conversation isn't over yet," she told him, the tone of her voice resolute and yet held an underlying current of hurt in it.

He didn't respond at first, knowing that it was conversation that he wasn't going to escape any time soon no matter how he plotted and schemed to avoid it. Things had been steadily building towards it for some time now and she deserved to know where she stood with him.

"Fine," he reluctantly responded, knowing she deserved far better than this.

She nodded her head in response, allowing her hand to slip from his wrist and down to his hand. She squeezed his gauntleted hand, holding it briefly. He squeezed back before finally releasing her. It was an unspoken truce of sorts, a draw that would have to hold them over until they could finally talk…or talk as much as Bruce ever talked.

"What's the plan now?" she asked, snapping the thick tendrils of suppressed tension that had wrapped its way around them.

Batman cleared his throat as he walked towards the ledge of the roof to peer over the edge. "Sun will be rising soon," he replied, his voice all business again. "We aren't going to want to be seen around here or we'll draw unwanted attention."

"Agreed," Diana said as she came to stand beside him. "So, what do we do now?"

"Go home and get some sleep," he told her.

A single raven eyebrow cocked in disbelief as she turned an irritated glare at him. "Leave?" she repeated. "We can't leave now. This is the closest that we've been to shutting this down."

Batman calmly turned to look at her, his gauntleted hand stretching out from beneath his cape to point over the edge of the building. "We are standing on a forty-story office building filled with numerous companies occupying various floors. There is no way to figure out which one Nadia is working on until I do some research into this," he explained with patience that was atypical for him. "Besides, I have been up all-night chasing Croc with no success. I'm going home now and getting some sleep before my ten o'clock meeting at Wayne Enterprises."

Diana blew out a huff of frustration, her hands on her hips. She didn't know what made her madder—the fact that they were so close to Nadia and still couldn't get their hands on her or the fact that Bruce was right once again. Either one was infuriating as Hades to say the least.

"Fine," she relented. "What do you want me to do?"

"Get some sleep, princess," he told her with a gentleness that surprised them both. "There's nothing more we can do right now. Furthermore, the likelihood that they'll try something on Superman today is very low."

Diana turned her attention back to the streets below and the city that was beginning to rise for the day. "There has to be something I can do," she insisted.

"We will," he reassured her. "Let me see what I can find out about the companies housed here and then I'll come up with a new game plan."

"Is there anything I can do to help you with Croc?"

"You didn't want my answer before about you trying to protect me," he said. "Do you really want me to answer you this time?"

"No," she replied with a sigh, shaking her head. "The offer still stands nonetheless."

"I'll remember that," he responded with a frown, his hand moving to punch in coordinates on his gauntlet.

"Hey, I thought you came in the Batwing?"

"You assumed I did," he pointed out with a tiny smirk. "I transported from the Batcave to your location as soon as I returned from patrol."

Diana shook her head in amazement. "You never cease to amaze me."

"It's part of my charm," he quipped before disappearing from view.

"I swear that man is going to be the death of me," she muttered as she hit her commlink for transport to the Watchtower.

Gotham; June 4th, 01:26 EST

Bruce made his way down the dimly lit street, walking with a very pronounced limp. His intent gaze continually darted, sweeping from side to side in an attempt to catch sight of Killer Croc before he caught sight of him. He knew he was close to finding him. He could feel it in his bones, the fine hairs on the back of his neck prickling.

He adjusted his tattered coat a bit, wanting to make sure that his utility belt underneath remained discreetly hidden from view and yet ready for use. He pulled his Gotham baseball cape further down over his eyes, making certain that his identity remained a secret. While he wanted to capture Croc, he didn't want to sacrifice his identity to do it.

"I still can't believe you're doing this."

The sound of Robin's voice in his ear did little to distract him or dissuade him from his present course of action. His razor-sharp focus remained on his surroundings, knowing that Croc could pounce at any moment. He would only have seconds to defend himself before he sank his teeth into him.

"We've been chasing him for over three weeks without any success," Bruce softly muttered in response. "This is our best shot at finding him."

"Well, I don't like it," Robin grumbled.

"I never expected you to."

"You're like a sitting duck out there."

"I'm fine," Bruce insisted. "Just keep an eye out for any movement."

"I know…I know," Robin groused. "And don't get involved unless you call for backup."

"Croc is more dangerous now than ever," he reminded him. "There's no telling the extent of this mutation or how much further it will advance. I don't want to take any chances."

"So, it's okay for you to risk your neck, but I'm not allowed to."

Bruce growled in annoyance, remembering how he'd almost had this very same argument with Diana the day before. He'd had this conversation with Tim more than once over the last few weeks and he was not about to go down this path again. It was bad enough having to battle an obstinate Amazon princess without having to hear it in his own home.

"You know why," Bruce bit out.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Then return home," Bruce sharply stated, his anger seeping through. "I'm not having this argument again."

He caught a few more choice, grumbled words before Robin finally relented and confirmed he'd stay. The young teenager was growing a little more vocal about his role as Robin and the decisions that Bruce made while out on patrol. He swore that Dick and Jason hadn't started giving him trouble like this until they were a couple of years older than Tim.

Deep down, he knew it was only because Tim, Dick and Jason had cared so much about him. It still wasn't something that he was very good at accepting in his life. Didn't they understand that he needed to protect them, to do everything in his power to keep them safe? He'd already failed Jason and it had cost him his life. He refused to fail Tim too…or Diana for that matter.

"Are you even sure this is the right area?" Robin asked. "He could be clear across town for all we know."

"I triangulated his attacks to this area," Bruce quietly informed him. "He's here…I can feel it."

"Great," Robin muttered under his breath.

"Don't even think about engaging," Bruce reminded him. "Just be ready with that tranquilizer gun when he attacks."

"I know," Robin bit out.

"And don't hit me with it."

Bruce heard a snicker on the other end of the commlink. He was sure that the teenager would thoroughly enjoy it if he did, but he knew better than to screw this up. He'd be benched from being Robin for the rest of his life. Tim wouldn't risk that.

"You know I'm a good shot," Robin said.

"You're a good shot," Bruce confirmed, "but Batgirl's a little better."

"Whatever," Robin disagreed. "She's got her hands full on the other side of Gotham following Joker's lackies like you wanted so you're stuck with me."

"Just don't make me regret my decision."

Bruce slowed his pace as he neared the end of the street, wanting to make sure that he was in plain sight for Croc. Of course, with his enhanced abilities thanks to the mutations, he had a feeling that Croc could pick him out in the bottom of a black cavern on a stormy night.

Everything seemed to be enhanced in Killer Croc starting with his hunter's instincts that were even more primal than ever before and ending with his unknown amount of strength. He had no idea what he was dealing with now and that was what struck fear in him.

It wasn't fear of facing Croc or fear that he wouldn't be able to stop him. It was fear of the unknown that he had to face. He loathed not knowing all the variables that he had to go up against. Croc could've developed a whole new set of Metahuman abilities that had never been documented. That was why he had to be prepared for every eventuality. He literally had no idea what he was going up against.

"Are you sure you put enough drugs in this tranquilizer gun?" Robin asked, peering through the scope at Bruce.

"Enough to take down a six-ton elephant," Batman told him.

A low whistle was Robin's response as Bruce crossed the street, his hands stuffed inside his coat pockets. He was getting hot with the coat on over his uniform, but it couldn't be helped. He had a bad feeling that Croc would be able to smell it was him long before he saw him.

He hunched his shoulders a little as he limped down the other side of the street, hoping that Croc would show himself sooner rather than later. He knew he was being watched, but how long was he going to wait before he finally decided to attack?

He felt like a wounded animal just waiting for death to come, the injured prey being stalked by the deadly predator. He knew that was what he was going for, but it still felt strangely ominous. His every muscle was taut and primed for a fight that could very easily be to the death… at least for him.

And he would readily do it all over again even if it meant his death. He would always do whatever was necessary to protect his city and its people, willingly taking the hard, dangerous road that no one else would take or could take except for him because it was necessary to curtail the ever-growing tide of evil and injustice.

Bruce was aware of the attack a couple of seconds before it actually happened. He wasn't certain if it was the subtle shift in the air around him, the smell of the reptilian man or the sound of Robin's shriek in his ear, but he had just enough time to brace himself before he found himself on his back on the concrete sidewalk staring up into the enraged face of Killer Croc.

His eyes gleamed an eerie shade of red, his lips curled back into a snarl. Saliva mingled with blood dripped from his teeth that were like daggers threatening to tear him to shreds. His chest was heaving as he blew hot air in Bruce's face, the stench of death filing the air.

Bruce immediately raised his arms, his hands going for Croc's throat to keep his mouth from sinking into his throat like a steel trap eager to be sprung. Bruce gritted his teeth as he struggled with Croc, doing his best to keep his snapping jaw away from his face.

"Ro…bin…" Batman ground out, his muscles beginning to tremble under the fierce strain being placed upon them.

Croc shifted his weight, further pinning Batman on the concrete sidewalk beneath him. Bruce felt the chunks of broken concrete digging into his back as they struggled and wrestled for control. He couldn't help wondering where Robin was and what was taking him so long to shoot Croc.

"Robin!" he barked again.

"I shot him with the dart, but it's not doing anything!" Robin yelled.

Sweat broke out across Bruce's brow and trickled down the sides of face as he did his best to hold Croc's teeth at bay. His arms continued to tremble, his breathing ragged as fought for his life. Killer Croc roared his fury as bloody saliva dripped onto Bruce's partially obscured face, Croc's teeth getting dangerously closer.

Bruce turned his head to try to keep from vomiting from the stench of his breath. It was obvious he'd feasted on something or someone but was still hungry for more. He wasn't about to become Croc's dessert for the night.

He used his legs to try to gain better leverage to heave the beast off him, but to no avail. Seconds ticked by as he fought and struggled, hoping the tranquilizer would kick in before he became the second course. His arms were quivering, his muscles burning with the extreme amount of strain he was putting on them, but he wasn't about to give up.

Croc leaned in even closer, hot breath blasting against Bruce's face. "He…he…lp," Croc managed to growl.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a batarang connected with the back of Killer Croc's head, causing him to look away and distracting him long enough for Bruce to get a solid kick in. Unfortunately, it did little to move the beast of a man even a fraction of an inch off of him.

A series of batarangs rained down on Croc who growled in fury, batting them away like pesky flies. He finally leapt to his feet, determined to stop the attack on him so he could eat in peace. Bruce immediately scrambled to his feet as Croc began to charge towards Robin. He reached for an electrified bola with a shaky hand, praying that he could get Croc's attention off Robin and back on him.

Croc threw his head back and bellowed in response as the electrified bola wrapped around its intended target. His shriek was bone-chilling…animalistic in its rage as he clenched his fists. With a howl of contempt, he ripped the bola off and threw it aside before running off into the night.

Batman raced after him, but lost sight of him as he disappeared back down into the sewers. He stood over the manhole, his hands on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. His muscles felt like jelly, his head pounding in perfect unison with his heart as he sucked in the air that he'd been denied.

Robin ran towards him, a batarang tightly gripped in his hand in preparation for another attack. "Are you all right?" he asked, somewhat shaken by what he had witnessed.

"I told you not to engage," Batman ground out as he swiftly whipped his ball cape off and pulled his cowl over his head to better disguise his identity.

Robin scowled in response as he stared at the claw marks in Bruce's jacket. "Yah, you're welcome," he sarcastically snapped.

"You disobeyed my order," Batman angrily growled. "I don't want you involved."

"Then you shouldn't have brought me with you tonight," he just as angrily countered. "Besides, what was I supposed to do? Sit there and watch him devour you? Tear you to pieces and watch him pick your bones clean?"

"I had him," Batman maintained as he straightened to his full foreboding height.

"You did not," Robin shot back. "The tranquilizer wasn't working. He was about to eat you alive."

"I'm not having this argument here," Batman spat out. "Go back to the cave. You're done for the night."

"You can't do that!" he yelled.

"I just did," he growled.

Robin cursed as he threw his batarang down on the ground, reaching for his grappling line and shooting it. He was quickly swallowed up by the shadows, leaving Batman standing there all alone. Releasing a ragged breath, his chin fell to his chest as fear continued to course through his veins.

Croc could've attacked Robin had he not thrown that electrified bola when he had. He would've torn Robin to shreds in seconds. They had come too close…he had come to close to possibly losing another Robin, another person who meant so much to him.

He couldn't allow that to happen again.

Watchtower; June 5th, 16:44 EST

He walked down the corridor of the Watchtower with an easy smile gracing his face. He nodded at a fellow civilian staff member that passed by, uttering a "good afternoon" to Stargirl and Supergirl who were chatting excitedly about some handsome teammate one of them had a crush on.

His appearance was a complete contrast to what he was actually feeling on the inside. He did his best to suppress the nervous flutter that had erupted inside of him, but it was proving quite difficult. Each footfall grew a little heavier, every breath he drew becoming just a little more labored.

It felt as though his heart was trying to beat its way right out of his chest, his blood rushing in his ears. He knew he couldn't turn back now. He was almost to his destination. His hands felt clammy, forcing him to readjust his hold on the bag in his hand. He drew a deep breath to steady his nerves, rubbing the palm of his free hand on his pant leg as he reached his destination.

Entering transport room two, he smiled at the person he was replacing. "Hey, Allie," he greeted her. "How's it going?"

"Hey," she replied, glancing up from her computer terminal. "It's been pretty busy today. Lots of ongoing missions."

"Anything important?" he asked as he set his bag down in a chair.

"There are three teams out now," Allie informed him. "Flash is leading a team in Pakistan, Green Arrow has a team in Los Angles, and Wonder Woman's team is in Egypt."

"Sounds good," he said with a nod. "I'll keep a look out for their return."

"Have a good shift," she replied. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks, Allie," he said as she logged out and left the transport room.

He quickly logged himself in, setting himself up at his work station. He glanced at the bag resting in the chair next to him, the nervous tangle of knots that sat like a rock in the pit of his stomach tightening. He needed to get this over with before she returned.

He set to work diverting the security camera in the room, creating a time loop that would hide his activities before pulling the box from the bag that he had brought with him. He made his way to the transport pad, setting it down on it before returning to his station.

His fingers flew across the keyboard as he typed with expert skill, his eyes darting back and forth across the computer screen as he worked. He occasionally glanced at the box on the transport pad as well as the door, worried that someone would come in. He couldn't afford to get caught now.

He drew a deep breath as he hit the transport button, watching with bated breath as the box shimmered before disappearing from view. He released a ragged breath as he sank back in his chair, his lips curving into a grin.

He did it. Now, he just had to wait and see.

"Wonder Woman to Watchtower," she hailed a few minutes later. "Requesting a transport for my team."

"Locking on coordinates now, Wonder Woman," he replied, his heart racing with the sound of her voice.

He watched with rapt attention as Wonder Woman, Vigilante, and Atom-Smasher appeared on the transport platform. Diana smiled warmly at him as she stepped down off the pad followed by her teammates. "Thanks, Josh," she said as she headed for the exit.

All Josh could do was grin from ear to ear as she left the room as she chatted with her teammates. She readily decided that she needed an iced mocha before heading to her quarters. She was more than pleased that their mission has gone so well. She hoped to get some training in before supper.

With any luck, Bruce had been able to narrow down which floor Dr. Karros was working on. She was growing more than impatient with every passing day to stop this nightmare before it got any worse…before they lost their friend.

The commissary doors slid upon as she approached, Diana nearly colliding with Green Lantern. "Whoa!" John said with a laugh as he grabbed hold of Diana's arms to keep her from falling. "What's up, Rookie?"

"Just returned from a mission," she replied, John turning and falling into step with her as she headed for the iced mocha machine. "What are you up to?"

"Just about to head out to meet up with Vixen," he told her.

"So, I take it things are going well between the two of you."

"Very well," he told her with a grin as he leaned his back against the counter, his arms crossing as he watched her fill her glass with her favorite addiction. "I swear you're going to turn into an iced mocha one of these days."

Diana chuckled softly as she grabbed a straw. "It definitely wouldn't be the worse thing to happen," she agreed.

"So, Flash told me you have a secret admirer," John revealed. "Any ideas about who it could be?"

"No idea," she confessed with a frown as she shook her head. "It's getting a little… weird, but I'm sure it's harmless."

"Are you sure it isn't Bruce?" he quietly questioned her, keeping his voice low to avoid being overheard.

"Why does everyone ask me that?" she demanded to know. "We're just good friends—nothing more."

"Right…whatever you say," John said as he began to walk with her towards the door. "You can say whatever you want, recite all the rehearsed lines, but you can't fool me or yourself."

Diana drew a deep breath, releasing it slowly through her nose. "There's nothing to talk about, John," she softly replied. "Friendship is all that it can ever be."

"Nothing is ever written in stone, Rookie," he reminded her. "Minds and hearts can change…even if they do belong to a stubborn-ass Bat and an equally obstinate princess."

Diana laughed as they exited the commissary with her drink in hand. "See you later, John."

"See ya, Rookie," he said with a devious smirk.

Diana considered his words as she made her way to her quarters, thoughts running rampant as she sipped on her drink. Stopping before the door to her quarters, she punched in her code before entering only to stop short when she noticed the box resting on her bed.

She stepped inside, the door sliding closed behind her as she made her way to her bed. Setting her drink down, she turned her full attention to the unexpected white box sitting on her bed with pink ribbon wrapped around it. She hit her commlink, hoping she knew where it came from.

"Wonder Woman to Batman."

Several moments passed before her responded. "What's up, princess?"

"Please tell me you left a box on my bed."

"No, I didn't," he stated.

"I just returned from a mission and found a box lying on my bed in my quarters."

"Don't touch it," he growled, his tense voice filled with urgency. "I'm on my way."

A/N: WHOA! Did things just get clearer or murkier here? You guys are going to love the next five chapters I've gone done. Wish I could post them all at once, but then I'd be way behind instead of way ahead and that would be just too stressful for me. :)

UP NEXT: Bruce and Diana share a moment, Alfred gives advice and Bruce takes it.