I want to express my deepest apology to CrazyPhenom for bypassing the boundaries of your fluffy family times tolerance. I hope this update makes you laugh instead of cringing in horror.
To everyone else, you guys make my day with your reviews. You keep me motivated to write. Hope you enjoy the update. :)
Chapter 14
Batcave; June 8th, 13:43 EST
Bruce sat back in his chair with a grim frown adorning his face. He rested his left elbow on the arm rest, his fingers thoughtfully rubbing his chin as he studied the files that stared back at him on the computer screen. The information Barbara had been able to gather so far on Rojas was still minimal at best which only added to his growing suspicions about him.
Meeting him last night at the women's shelter had only seemed to confirm the suspicion that sat like a gnawing thing in his gut, eating away at his insides. There was something about him that he couldn't quite put his finger on, some ulterior motive that exceeded his obvious interest in Diana.
He'd been forced long ago to accept the overt attention that his stunning wife garnered everywhere they went, learning to swallow his jealousy and turn a blind eye on it. If he hit every guy who looked at Diana with desire, he'd be in a never-ending fight.
There was something far more going on here with Andres than just infatuation with Diana, a deeper agenda that had yet to be uncovered. He just had to figure out what it was before it was too late. He knew Diana was probably right about his paranoia taking over, but he feared the one time that he didn't follow what his gut was telling him would be the moment he'd lose everything that he cherished in his life.
He couldn't live with himself if something happened to those he loved most. It had been one of the things that had initially kept him from pursuing Diana in the first place; fearing that being with him would only put her in far more danger than she was already in as a member of the Justice League.
He was beginning to believe those fears were finally coming true.
"It's time, Bruce," Diana said as she came to stand behind his chair in the Batcave, her voice invading his turbulent thoughts.
"No," he evenly stated as he sat forward in his chair, closing his file on Rojas before Diana could see it.
"We've been putting this off long enough," she told him, her hands on her hips.
"We can wait a little longer then," he claimed as he pulled up files on the Penguin and Conti.
"No, it can't," she stubbornly insisted, growing frustrated with him. "You've faced off against Bane and Darkseid. You can most definitely handle this."
"I don't think so, Princess," he replied, finally turning in his chair to notice the irritation fixed on his wife's face. "Why can't you handle this?"
A cocked raven eyebrow told him that he'd just asked the wrong question. "You're kidding, right?" she asked, staring at him in stunned disbelief. "How in the world do I know how to do it?"
"I don't know any more about it then you do," he exclaimed. "You're the one blessed with wisdom by Athena."
"But you've had sons before!" she cried, throwing her hands up in exasperation.
"They were already potty-trained by the time they came to live with me," he countered with a scowl. "I've never dealt with toddlers before. This is all new for both of us."
She glared at him, her lips twitching with a snappy come back, but she bit it back, deciding that approaching his logical side would be most prudent at this point. "Bruce, you have the same…equipment…as Nicholas," she coyly pointed out. "You could show him…you know…how it works in the bathroom."
An amused smirk formed on his lips as he stood to his feet, his blue eyes dancing with mischief. It was such a turn-on to him when she acted so prim and proper. Despite being together for four years, there was still an innocent air to her that she'd never lost. It never ceased to inflame his lust for her.
"Say it, Princess," he huskily teased her. "I have a—"
Diana's cheeks tinged pink as he came to stand directly before her, a timid expression gracing her face as she refused to meet his intense gaze. "I can say it," she feebly interrupted him. "I just don't want to say it right now."
He leaned in, his mouth so close to hers. "You're suddenly so prudish," he softly told her. "It's quite seductive."
"I'm not a prude," she whispered just before he captured her lips in a heated kiss that quickly stole her breath.
Diana shivered as he moved to kiss the sensitive spot behind her ear, her arms instinctively wrapping around him as his hot breath sent shivers up her spine. "I can think of something else we can do instead," he murmured in her ear. "You…and me…and a repeat performance of the other night. You drove me crazy with the way you pleasured me. You nearly made me black out when you finally let me release deep inside of you."
She moaned softly as she recalled that moment, how erotic and passionate it had been. It had taken him twice as long to recover after that then was usual for him. She knew she needed to get things back on track or they'd never get the task accomplished.
"Don't change…the subject…Bruce," she breathily replied as he kissed and nipped along her throat as his hands stroked her spine. "We're supposed to be talking about potty training, not you and me."
"I'm not changing the subject," he innocently claimed, his lips curving wickedly against her throat. "Just remembering how absolutely amazing you were the other night. You have more than proven that you're exceedingly blessed by Aphrodite."
"You're trying to distract me," she insisted as she struggled to regain control, but he was making it nearly impossible.
"Is it working?" he throatily asked with a deep chuckle, pausing to nip at her bottom lip.
"No," Diana replied as she firmly gripped his upper arms, pushing him back much to his surprise. "Nice try, though. I was so close to giving in."
Bruce drew a frustrated breath, releasing it through his nose in the form of a frustrated snort. He frowned at her as he folded his arms against his chest, trying to ignore the desire for her still pumping through his system. He gave her a patented Batglare that typically incited terror and trembling in almost everyone…except for her.
"That's not going to work either," she said with a tilt of her head as she pursed her lips.
His lips twisted into a sneer as she abruptly grabbed him by the hand and began to physically drag him away from his platform. "Princess," he growled in annoyance.
"He's two and a half, Bruce," she reminded him. "He can't stay in diapers forever."
"He could," he stated as she dragged him up the stairs and into the manor.
"I will not have my little boy teased by the other children at school because he's still in diapers."
"He's not going to school for another two years," he grumbled. "He has both of our stubborn streaks in him. This is going to be a complete nightmare."
"If you can take on the Joker, you can handle helping me potty-train a toddler," she stated as they entered the entertainment room where Nicholas and Kaia were playing on the floor while Tim laid on the couch watching a movie.
Kaia immediately got up off the floor and toddled over to her mother, lifting her arms up into the air. "Mum-mum," she babbled.
Diana bent over and picked her little girl up as her attention fell on her son playing with his Justice League action figures. Tim noticed the sudden interest in Nicholas by his parents, confusion causing his brow to furrow with concern.
"What's up?" Tim asked.
"Potty-training," Diana replied at the same time Bruce stated, "nothing".
Diana shot him a threatening glare, causing him to avert his eyes as he stuffed his hands into his pockets like a sulking child. He couldn't help wondering when and how he'd lost his edge around here. "Let's go, Nicholas," he grudgingly told his son.
"I'll teach him," Tim readily volunteered as he sat up in his chair, his face lighting up at the prospect of teaching his little brother something. He had been anxiously awaiting the day that he could begin showing him how to do stuff.
"Fine by me," Bruce eagerly replied as he turned to leave the room. "I'll be downstairs if you need me."
Diana's hand instantly shot out to the side, grabbing hold of her husband's arm to keep him from leaving. "Hold it right there, mister," she snapped. "Are you sure, Tim?"
"Yah," he replied, standing up and picking up his little brother. "It can't be that hard. Just gotta show him how it's done. Come on, Nick. It's time you became a big boy."
Diana and Bruce stared in stunned disbelief as Tim took Nicholas out of the entertainment room and into the bathroom across the hallway, closing the door behind them. They turned to look at each other, each wondering what they should do. She felt guilty letting Tim try to teach Nicholas, but maybe he'd have better luck.
Bruce reached over, taking Kaia out of Diana's arms. "Come on, baby girl," he told her. "It's nap time."
"Dada," Kaia protested with a frown as she sullenly laid her head on his shoulder. "No-no, dada."
He tilted his head to kiss her cheek as he began to take her upstairs. "Sorry, princess, but its nap time and we all know how grouchy you get when you don't get your nap."
Kaia began to cry as Bruce carried her up to her room, tears beginning to trickle down her face. "No, dada," she whimpered.
He rubbed her back before gently laying her down in her crib, handing her the pink blanket that she loved. He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Daddy loves you," he told her.
Tears continued to fall as she stood up in her crib, her tiny hands wrapping around the edge as Bruce began to close the door behind him. It tore at his heart when she cried, but he knew she'd be out in no time once she'd settled down.
Her crying pleas for him grew fainter as he came back downstairs in time to see Tim racing past him and up the stairs. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nicholas missed the toilet," Tim grumbled as he ran into his room, slamming the door closed behind him.
Bruce couldn't help but chuckle as he found Diana in the bathroom trying to clean up the mess that Nicholas had made on the floor and wall, his son standing in the corner wondering what was going on. "Didn't go so well?" he asked her.
Diana looked up at him, giving him a deadly glare. "Obviously not," she spat out.
"I told you before I wasn't sure he was ready, but you wanted to try it," he reminded her.
Diana stood up, pushing her raven hair back behind her shoulder as she fought the urge to punch him in the face. "Just because it didn't go well this time doesn't mean I'm not going to try again."
"Come on, Nicholas," Bruce said, leaning over and picking his son up. "Let's go change your clothes and then its nap time for you too."
"Daddy, potty," Nicholas muttered, pointing at the toilet.
It was obvious he was confused about the whole process, his little face scrunched up as he stared at the toilet. "It was a good try for the first time, little man," Bruce told him. "We'll just have to try again later."
"Yes, hopefully your father will be more willing to help next time," Diana grumbled as she finished cleaning up the mess.
Bruce chuckled as he leaned in and kissed her on the temple. "Anything my princess commands," he obediently replied.
"You weren't this agreeable downstairs," she yelled at him as Bruce began to make his way upstairs.
"I was just trying to push your buttons," he revealed, leaning over the banister to flash a smirk at her.
Diana growled as she returned to the bathroom to wash her hands, wondering what in the world she had ever seen in this infuriating man that made her think she'd survive being married to him. As she exited the bathroom, Tim appeared in clean clothes.
"Okay, ready to try again," he told her.
"Thanks, Tim, but not now," she replied. "Bruce took Nicholas upstairs to change his clothes and put him down for his nap."
"Aw, man," he groaned. "I was so looking forward to teaching him how to do stuff."
"You can help with it tomorrow," she reassured him. "This is definitely going to be a work in progress."
"I can't wait to teach him how to tie his shoes and ride a bike and throw a football," Tim said as he returned to the entertainment room. "It's going to be so awesome."
Diana groaned to herself as she thought about all the things that her young son would need to be taught. While she was looking forward to many of the things they were going to get to teach him, she also realized that when it came to Kaia, it was going to be a relentless battle of wills.
Gotham; June 9th, 01:16 EST
Diana felt the shockwaves of Bruce's rage as they raced through the streets of Gotham. He was driving like a man possessed and, in a way, she guessed he was. This was his home…his city and it was currently under siege.
She tightened her grip on the door handle, trying not to crush it with her extraordinary strength while also trying not to be thrown out of the car as he took a sharp left. The tires of the Batmobile squealed in protest of the almost violent manner it was being driven, but it complied with the driver's commands nonetheless.
The police scanner continually chirped information that only seemed to add to Batman's swelling anger. Diana's fingers itched to turn it off to save him from the heartache and guilt that he would no doubt heap upon himself, but she knew better then to touch it when he was in this mood.
It was almost like he had entered some sort of phantom zone filled with nothing but pain and anger, his vision tinged red that nearly blinded him to reality and logic. She knew when this night was over she was going to have to do her best to put him back together again. The problem was that lately it was becoming harder and harder to do and it scared her.
The Batmobile screeched to a halt, her seatbelt keeping her from flying through the windshield. Batman swiftly exited without a word or a look back at her, his focus on the horrific scene that greeted them. Batwoman quickly followed him, determined to keep a close eye on him no matter what.
She was not going to leave his side for a single moment tonight. She just hoped that her presence would somehow help provide him a small measure of comfort and stability that she knew that he so desperately needed right now.
She wanted to wrap her arms around him, to hold him and be held. This was her home too and it cut deeply being forced to watch it being torn apart like this by such senseless violence. Now was not the time, though. He was too upset, too furious to even begin to accept comfort of any kind at that moment…even from her. Later, they'd be able to decompress, turn to one another for comfort and solace.
Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as police and EMTs began to converge all at once, sirens blaring loudly as fire trucks raced to the scene. People were huddled in small groups comforting one another while others were standing across the street watching in stunned disbelief.
She followed Batman as he stalked towards the Iceberg Lounge, emergency personnel as well as police giving him a very wide berth as they began to work the crime scene. They eyed her, however, with great disbelief. There was awe in their expressions, but no small amount of fear. She was certain word about her existence would definitely be traveling like wildfire now.
Shards of glass and pieces of debris crunched under her boots as they entered through what used to be the front door. Right now, it was barely hanging on its hinges, remnants of smoke lingering in the air as well as some other smell she couldn't quite put her finger on.
"Careful," Batman softly rasped so only she could hear him.
It took her slightly off guard. It was the first and only word that he'd spoken since they'd gotten the initial call about the Iceberg Lounge being under attack. He was obviously still worried about a possible ambush or trap the attacker may have left behind.
If Batman was shocked by what they'd found, he didn't show it, his jaw still set like granite ever since being pulled away from trying to track down this Ray that Sam Ramirez had told them about. She, however, was having a very hard time keeping her anger in check.
The entire nightclub had been shot to Tartarus, bullets holes riddling every wall and making it look like Swiss cheese. It was a wonder the plaster and mortar could still hold what was left of it together. Turned over tables and chairs littered the floor along with broken glass and plates.
She had no idea how no one was killed in this assault, but thanked her gods for it. So far, the only injuries had come from flying glass and debris. It was obvious the purpose had been to send a very loud message, not take out as many bystanders as they could.
She seethed with rage, wishing she could get her hands on Sienna Conti and personally send her a message of her own. It would definitely be one that Sienna wouldn't forget any time soon…once she regained consciousness of course.
Batman came to a stop in the middle of the room, silently assessing the situation and studying his surroundings. She feared the small pools of blood on the floor would cause him to have flashbacks, but he seemed able to hold it together as he began to stalk towards the back of the nightclub, his fists balled up with fury.
Batwoman silently followed him down a back hallway that led to some storage rooms. At the end of the hall, there was a door that had been left cracked open. Without hesitating, he slammed the door open, causing the room's occupants to jump in response.
"Batman," the Penguin greeted him, dabbing his forehead with his handkerchief.
"Are you happy now?" Batman growled with a dark, menacing venom that made even Diana shiver in response.
"She did this and I'm going to make sure that she pays for it," Penguin spat out.
Batman was on him in three quick strides, moving so quickly it was almost a blur. Before Diana could draw her next breath, Batman had Penguin slammed up against the wall with all the anger pounding through him, his forearm pressed against Cobblepot's throat.
"When does this end?" Batman roared. "When Gotham is in ashes?"
Penguin's bodyguards pulled their guns, pointing them straight at Batman. Batwoman immediately responded to the threat, batarangs flying through the air and knocking their guns out of their hands. They stared at her in utter shock as she moved to stand with her back to Batman in order to protect him.
She'd much rather have been able to watch Bruce, making sure that he didn't lose it. She knew that he was teetering on the edge and was worried that whatever Penguin was going to say next would push him right over that dangerous edge.
"What's left to fight over if you two end up destroying Gotham in the process?" Batman demanded to know, his lips twisted into a sneer as he further closed the distance between them until they were nose to nose. "Stop this now!"
Penguin's fury refused to be tempered despite the fact that Batman had him pinned up against the wall and was in his face. "Tell her to back off and I will," he managed to choke out despite Batman's forearms against his throat.
"You retaliate and Sienna Conti will be the least of your worries," Batman ground out through clenched teeth.
Batman glared darkly at his nemesis for a moment longer before releasing his hold on Penguin, allowing him to slide down the wall. Penguin slumped over, coughing and trying to catch his breath. He glared up at the Batman towering over him, his umbrella still clutched tightly in his hand.
"Get out of here and don't come back!" Penguin yelled at him.
"Behave and I won't have to," Batman rasped as he turned to leave.
Batwoman turned slightly, noticing the Penguin aiming his umbrella at Batman's back. Before the Penguin knew what had happened, he had an irate Batwoman stomping on his umbrella handle as well as his hand. She leaned in close to him, pausing a moment to let her presence have its desired effect.
"Don't ever think of doing something like that again or it won't just be your umbrella that I break," she quietly seethed with a deadly calm.
Penguin visibly blanched with her threat, frantically nodding his head in agreement. She removed her boot, turning to follow Batman out. Penguin sneered at them as they left, shaking his hand as he stood to his feet.
"Find out who she is," Penguin barked at his bodyguards. "She's not going to get away with this."
Diana followed Batman out of the nightclub to find Commissioner Gordon standing in the middle of the chaos and giving orders. "Batman," Jim grimly acknowledged him, his gaze shifting to the woman coming to stand beside the Dark Knight. "Uh…hello. I'm Commissioner Jim Gordon and you are?"
"Batwoman," Diana responded, careful to keep her voice even and detached lest she be recognized.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Jim replied. "Always happy for more help in the fight for Gotham."
"Anymore word on the injured?" Batman asked him.
"All injuries are minor, nothing fatal," he revealed. "We were lucky this time, but I can't say we'll be this lucky the next time."
"It's getting worse," Batman agreed. "This war between Penguin and the Falcone Empire is going to end up destroying Gotham."
"Who do you think is behind resurrecting the Falcone Crime Family?" Jim asked.
"I have my suspicions, but I just haven't been able to get hardcore proof yet," Batman stated.
"Let me know as soon as you have anything," Jim said.
"Penguin's in the back," Batman stated. "I believe he's already planning to retaliate."
"Great," Jim grumbled crossly under his breath. "Just what we need right now."
"Commissioner!"
Jim turned around to talk to a policeman, turning around to find Batman and Batwoman gone. "She vanishes just like he does," he muttered to himself in stunned disbelief.
Diana quickly and silently followed her husband, wondering why he would leave Jim in such a way without a goodbye or anything. She had to remind herself that this is Batman, not Bruce Wayne. No matter how much Jim truly meant to him, he couldn't let that show through when they were out in the field.
As soon as they were away from the Iceberg Lounge, Batman shot his grappling line, making an expedient exit from the crime scene. She wasn't sure why they hadn't just returned to the Batmobile, but she knew he must have a reason behind his actions.
Landing on the roof of a building across the street, she made her way to the ledge, coming to stand beside him. She patiently waited as he studied the scene below, allowing him time to work through everything in his head. She knew in instances like this that an explanation would likely be long in coming if one came at all.
They stood there watching as emergency personnel continued to work, people coming and going for well over an hour before Batman finally acknowledged that she was even there with him. He took her by the hand and led her away from the ledge to a secluded part of the roof that afforded them some privacy.
Without a word, he pulled her into a fierce embrace, one that would have nearly crushed her had she not been an Amazon blessed by her gods. He buried his face in the crook of her neck as they clung to one another for several long minutes.
She could feel a small measure of the tension that gripped him seep from his body. She tightened her hold on him, silently letting him know that he was not alone in this. She was right here with him and she wasn't going anywhere.
After nearly ten minutes, Batman finally pulled back, his lips finding hers in a slow, tender kiss. There was no passion behind it, only gratitude and comfort. He knew that she'd been affected as well by what had happened tonight and wanted her to know that he was there for her as well.
Breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers. "Are you all right?" he softly asked her.
"Just really worried about you," she admitted.
"I don't know how to stop this, Princess," he confessed, his voice filled with anguish, hinting at the heavy burden he willingly carried on his shoulders.
"You'll find a way," she reassured him. "You always do. When it's the darkest, we all look to you because that's when you always shine the brightest."
Batman chuckled softly with her words, his fingers leisurely running up and down her arms. "When I envisioned becoming Batman, bright and shiny wasn't exactly part of the vision."
She smiled softly as she breathed in the masculine scent that was so Bruce. It was one that calmed her soul like no one else ever could begin to. "That's because you hadn't met me yet," she lightly teased as she took his hand in hers. "We'll get through this together. We're a team. Don't ever forget that."
"I couldn't survive this life without you," he murmured, kissing her gently one more time before releasing his hold on her.
"Just remember the feeling is mutual the next time you decide to run headlong into a gun fight without backup," she reminded him.
He gave her a smirk as he turned to leave. "Don't worry," he told her. "You're never very far from my thoughts no matter where I am."
She smiled to herself, touched to know that. "Now where to?"
"We visit Sienna Conti," he darkly responded.
"I'm surprised she isn't here to witness her handiwork," Diana stated, her dislike of the woman more than transparent.
"She was," he cryptically replied as he shot his grappling gun again.
Diana's mind raced through everything that she had seen and heard since they'd first arrived, racking her brain for what he'd noticed but that she had missed. Slipping into the passenger seat of the Batmobile, she turned to him with a frown, annoyed with herself for missing something as important as that.
"You saw Sienna Conti?" she asked. "Where was she?"
"I didn't see her, but I know that she was there watching," he replied. "It's the only way that she'd feel vindicated after Penguin burned her company to the ground. She needs to see the devastation firsthand in order to get any sort of satisfaction from her revenge."
"But she's the one who started all this by turning on Penguin and shooting him," Diana exclaimed. "It's doesn't make any sense."
"To her, it makes perfect sense," he told her as they sped through Gotham. "She's trying to make her mark and rebuild the Falcone Empire. The only way to accomplish that is by going after the biggest obstacle in Gotham which is Penguin at the moment."
"And when she's done with him, who's next?" she asked, her voice hauntingly ominous.
Batman sighed heavily, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "That's what worries me. She won't stop until she's standing on top."
Diana cast a sidelong glance at Bruce. Even with his cowl on, she could see how heavily all of this was wearing on him. "We'll stop her, Bruce," she told him, her voice hard like steel. "We'll get the evidence we need to finally connect her to these crimes and put her away once and for all."
"So far, she's proving to be highly intelligent and elusive," he grumbled. "No matter what I try to do to get close to her, she seems to be three steps ahead of me."
Realization washed over her, her anger with herself rising. She should've seen it all along, but she'd allowed her jealous imagination to take hold of her, blinding her to what had been so very obvious. "That's why you've been spending so much time with her…why you went to dinner with her a couple of weeks ago," she softly said, feeling guilty for doubting him.
Bruce glanced at her, noticing the sorrow that had enveloped her. "Yes," he admitted, afraid of hurting her. "I was hoping if I could gain her trust and use her attraction to me against her, I could find out more about what she's really up to."
"I see," she murmured, lost in her thoughts.
"How did you know I went to her condo for a business dinner?" he asked.
"I accidently grabbed your phone that night in my hurry to get to my meeting at the women's shelter," she revealed. "I turned it on to find a partial message from her to you."
Bruce's heart clenched with guilt, realizing now that was the same night Alfred had said she'd been so upset. He felt terrible for making her think something was going on with Sienna when it was the furthest thing from the truth. Hurting Diana was the last thing in this world that he ever wanted to do.
"I'm sorry, Princess," he told her. "I didn't tell you about it because I didn't want to upset you or make you worry."
"How can you stand to be around that woman, especially after everything she's done?" she snapped, her anger flaming hotter for a different reason now.
"It's not easy," he groused as he pulled the car to a stop, turning the engine off before turning his attention to his wife. "Look, Diana. I need to do this. I need to keep up the pretense that I'm interested in being friends with her and possibly developing a business partnership. I'm hoping if I can get close to her, she'll tell me something that I can end up using against her."
Diana continued to stare straight ahead, feeling Bruce's eyes boring into her, but she refused to meet his gaze. "And just how far are you going to let this go?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly with barely controlled anger.
"I'm not going to betray you, Diana," he heatedly stated with absolute resolve, grabbing her hand and holding it firmly in his. "I would never let it go that far."
She finally turned to look at him, her eyes falling to their joined hands. She believed him, trusted that he would never willingly betray her. It was Sienna Conti that she didn't trust. After tonight, it was blatantly obvious that she'd go to whatever lengths necessary to get what she wanted.
She had a horrible feeling Bruce was going to be no exception to her.