Chapter 14
Bruce's eyes narrowed to thin white slits as he watched a group of men lurking suspiciously in the inky shadows near a back entrance outside of Arkam Asylum. He'd had a feeling after the Joker's botched attempt at stealing the brain wave equipment that he would eventually be trying again in time.
The Joker had not proven him wrong.
They had obviously thought that with time the Batman would move on and forget about the equipment he wanted, believing the Joker had moved on to bigger and better things. Batman, on the other hand, had been keeping close surveillance over Arkam, knowing that the Joker wouldn't give up so easily especially with Luthor involved. This wasn't his first dance with the Clown Prince of Gotham.
Batman subconsciously clenched his fists at the thought of Luthor invading his city now, his gloved hands balled up tightly in rage. He would not allow another villain to try to take over his city or wreak any more havoc.
He was going to get to the bottom of this one way or another and when he did, the Joker and Luthor would wish they had never decided to team up against him or the League if this truly reached farther than just Gotham.
If it was only Gotham, he would deal with it himself. He wasn't about to allow the League to step one super-powered foot in his city no matter what they uncovered. Gotham was his, not theirs. He would take care of his city just like he always had – without the help of a Meta. He didn't want Gotham's scum thinking for one idiotic moment that he couldn't take care of business himself.
"Do you see anything on your side, Nightwing?"
"No, nothing here," his voice came over the commlink. "You?"
"Got five guys loitering around a back service entrance," Batman rasped. "Be ready to move."
"Got it," Nightwing said.
Batman folded his arms against his Kevlar chest, his gaze locked solely on the men below. As much as he hated the thought of a Meta in his city, he had to admit he loved having Diana here. She might no longer have her super powers, but hopefully it wouldn't be for very much longer.
He was still in hopes of getting them back for her. Unfortunately, he'd been side-tracked with the Joker and Luthor, but hopefully it wouldn't last for much longer. He needed to help Diana, do whatever he had to do to make her whole again.
He loved her too much not to give her all he had, whether she had her powers or not. She belonged to him now and he was going to do everything in his power to keep her. He wasn't about to screw this up or allow his fears and foolish hang-ups to get in the way of what he now wanted most.
These last few nights sleeping in the same bed with her had been close to perfection. He had unfortunately spent little time sleeping and more time watching her as she slept. She truly was a breathtaking goddess in every sense of the word and she was all his.
It still amazed him that someone as beautiful and elegant as Diana could possibly find anything worthy about him to love, would ever want to be a part of his dark lonely world. It was filled with nothing but pain and bitterness, despair and solitude. And yet she wanted to be with him.
He knew he needed to stop his analyzing mind from dissecting it and just accept it, but it was difficult because it made absolutely no sense to him. It defied all logic. And yet, she was in his home, in his bed waiting for him even now.
Batman felt the corners of his lips curl slightly in spite of himself. He could hardly wait to make love to her. It was growing harder and harder to not give in and lose control with her every night that he held her close in his arms, breathed in her intoxicating scent, or kissed her sweet lips.
He ached to feel her soft skin against his, their arms and legs tangled and bodies joined as one, not knowing where one ended and the other began, each penetrating thrust into her…
"I may have something over here," Robin suddenly broke in, interrupting Batman's arousing thoughts.
"What is it?" Batman frowned.
"Got a large truck making its way towards me," he informed his teammates.
"Can you tell if there are any markings on it?" Batman asked.
"Nothing I can see yet," Robin informed them. "So far it looks unmarked."
"Nightwing, go with Robin to investigate the truck," he growled into his commlink. "I'm going to check out these guys hanging around down here."
Batman didn't wait for a response before firing his grappling gun and swinging to the other side, landing noiselessly. He was instantly swallowed up by the shadows, becoming one with them as he inched closer to his prey.
The sound of voices could easily be heard even from where he was in the still night air. He made his way closer to them, keeping watch for any signs of an unexpected surprise to suddenly pop up out of nowhere. He didn't want another event like the other night with the truck in downtown Gotham.
Gruff laughter rolled through the air. "…and then she tried to squirm outta my hold on her," a thug smugly told his friends.
"So what'd ya do then?"
"So I backhanded her a good one and threw her down on the bed. What else do ya think I'd do?"
Appreciative laughter filled the Batman's ears, causing his chest to tighten and further fueling his already kindled ire as he continued to listen. He had no choice for now. As of yet, they hadn't done anything illegal.
"Then what happened?" one demanded to know.
"Yah, yah," another suddenly cut in. "Tell us all about it and don't leave any details out."
"You'll just have to wait until later for the rest," the thug told them. "The truck should be arriving any minute now."
"Oh come on, man!" one groused. "We want details. How was she? Was she good?"
"I'll tell you later," he hissed. "I ain't takin' the blame for screwin' this job up."
"Yah, did ya hear what happened to Smitty?"
"No, what?"
"Nobody's seen him since Batman showed up and spoiled the last job," he told him. "Boss was pissed that he didn't get the equipment he needed on that delivery truck. I hear boss took out his rage on Smitty."
"Why does he want it anyways?"
"Don't know, but whatever it is, it's gotta be big," another said. "Boss is keeping this job real quiet and close to the vest."
"Where's that truck? It should be here by now," one growled.
"I don't like this," another suddenly cut in. "I gotta bad feeling about this."
"Are you scared the Batman's gonna show up again?"
"Yah, actually I am," he shot back, unashamed. "If you've ever gone up against him, you'd be worried too."
"Yah, my buddy had a run-in with him a couple of months ago," he told them. "He's just now able to eat solid food without having to use a straw."
"You're makin' that up!"
"Am not!"
"Shhh…" one hissed. "Did you guys hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"I don't hear anything," someone groused. "Your imagination is gettin' away from ya."
"Come on," another said. "Let's get this job over with and get outta here before the Bat shows up."
"The truck ain't here yet!"
"I don't care," the leader of the group growled. "Let's go! We'll just carry it out ourselves."
From the shadows several feet away, Batman smirked at the stupidity the Joker always managed to hire. When would he ever learn to hire smarter henchmen?
He watched as the five thugs proceeded to disable the alarm before breaking the lock and opening the door. Before they could barely get two steps inside of Arkam Asylum, he was there taking the first two out with blinding speed. The third one spun around in time to receive a large boot to the face, knocking him out cold.
The last two immediately drew their guns only to suddenly find their hands bound tight. Batman pulled on the cable, taking them down to the ground. He quickly subdued both, rendering them unconscious. He quickly tied them up before adding them to the heap of other bodies that would be awaiting the police's eventual arrival.
Pausing to look at the five men he'd just single-handedly taken down, Batman couldn't help but feel a sudden sense of uneasiness. It had been far too easy to stop the Joker's attempt to steal the brain wave equipment. This had to have been trick of some kind, a ploy to distract him from something bigger.
He took off down the hall, racing towards the lab where he knew the brain wave equipment had been setup. Something wasn't right. His heart began to pound as sick dread washed through his veins. He careened down the corridors and up the steps that would lead him to the lab, hoping that he was just being overly paranoid, but knowing deep down that he wasn't.
The Joker's bone-chilling laughter suddenly echoed down the corridor as he neared the lab, his blood running cold. With a fierce growl, he raced into the lab to find the Joker standing where the brain wave equipment should have been.
"Hello, Bats," he greeted him with a wicked grin.
"What are you up to, Joker?" Batman growled, his hand already going for the batarang in his utility belt.
High-pitched laughter rang through the air again as the Joker stared down his nemesis. "Wouldn't you like to know!" he chuckled. "Unfortunately, you're going to have to wait to find out and by then, it'll be too late!"
"Not if I can help it," he hissed.
"How about I give you a clue, Bat Detective?" the Joker grinned.
"What are you the Riddler now?"
"No, my dear Bat, but I do feel as though you are floundering," he told him.
"I know more than you think I know," Batman shot back.
"I will tell you that what I've got up my sleeve this time will quite literally…blow…your…mind," he cackled hysterically as he suddenly threw down a smoke bomb at the same time as Batman threw his batarang.
Batman raced towards the spot where the Joker had been standing only to find him gone. He attempted to search through the gray smoke, the Joker's laughter vibrating through the smoky air before disappearing altogether. With a growl on his lips, he ran from the room, more than relieved that he'd snuck into Arkam and put a tracer on the equipment.
XXX
Entering the manor from the batcave, Bruce still hadn't been able to let go of the frustration that pulsated through his system. The Joker had gotten away with the brain wave equipment, but now he'd be able to track it and follow it to wherever the Joker and Luthor were hiding out.
He knew those henchmen lurking outside of Arkam had been a smoke-screen for the Joker's real plan. He just hadn't anticipated the Joker already being inside the Asylum, working from the inside out. He had to have had someone on the inside helping him.
Entering the kitchen, he grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator before heading up to bed. He'd been down in the batcave for the last couple of hours reviewing surveillance footage from Arkam, trying to figure out how the Joker had gotten inside and the equipment out without him knowing it.
He'd finally decided to start again in the morning with fresh eyes, the thought of curling up against Diana becoming much more desirable by the moment. He had to admit, it felt good coming home each night to someone after his patrol, knowing that the woman he loved was here waiting for him. It somehow made the frustrations and anger of the night a little easier to swallow.
Heading towards the staircase, he suddenly noticed a soft light coming from the library. He couldn't imagine who would be up at this late hour. Tim and Dick had returned and gone to bed well over an hour ago.
Peering around the corner, Bruce spotted Diana curled up on her side asleep on the couch, a blanket had been draped over her no doubt by Alfred. He quietly entered, the sight of her nearly stopping his heart as he drew near. His anger and frustration with the events of the night suddenly seemed to dim in the light of her presence.
He silently settled down on a nearby ottoman, content to just watch her sleep for the moment. Her raven curls had fallen over her cheek, partially obscuring her beautiful features. A peaceful expression veiled her face as she slept, making him long to wrap his entire body around her, creating a cocoon to always keep her safe.
Looking down, Bruce noticed a book her in hand, sparking his curiosity. He carefully took it from her, smiling softly as he read the title. She'd been reading a book about brain function, trying to gain as much information for him as she could.
Setting the book aside, he reached out and gently brushed her hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear as he stared at her. He had always loved and respected her tenacity, her iron will that never allowed her to give up or give in. They were very much alike in that way.
It had been just one of so many captivating things about her that had drawn him to her like a powerful magnet that no mortal man or god could possibly resist or ignore. He suddenly realized in that moment that Diana being a part of his life had been inevitable all along, something that he had been powerless to fight.
His heart had not been his, captured by her long ago, long before he'd even been willing to acknowledge it. He had to admit it had taken an Amazon Princess to do something no other woman in his entire life had ever been able to accomplish.
She was truly an incredibly amazing woman and she was all his.
He gently caressed her cheek, feeling more love for her than he ever thought possible. "Princess," softly called to her, his fingers raking back through her hair.
"Bruce," she sighed in her sleep.
Leaning down, he lightly brushed his lips against hers, lingering there as she slowly began to respond to his enticing kiss. "Bruce," she smiled sleepily as she opened her eyes.
"Why are you sleeping down here?" he asked. "You should be upstairs in bed."
"I was trying to wait up for you," she frowned as she looked up into his steely blue eyes that made her heart flutter. "I guess I didn't succeed."
"You don't have to wait up every night for me, you know," he told her.
"I know, but I wanted to," she softly smiled, excitement suddenly sparkling in her eyes. "I have something I wanted to show you."
"Oh really?" he huskily asked, his gaze darkening with longing as he leaned down to kiss her again.
"Yes," she grinned, moving to sit up. "Look."
Bruce watched with amusement as she proudly showed him her arm sans cast. While thrilled her casts had finally come off, it tore him up inside to see how much weight and muscle she had obviously lost over the last several weeks. She looked so frail to him, so breakable. It was going to take months to get her strength and endurance back, to get her fully trained and back into fighting condition.
"It's about time," he told her, running his fingers down her shoulder and along her thin arm. "Now you can't clock me with that cast in your sleep anymore."
"I did not," she insisted, horrified with the thought.
Bruce's attempt to suppress a smirk failed as he pulled the blanket away from her, his hands finding her bare leg. Their eyes locked as he slowly caressed her ankle, gradually working his way up behind her knee and to her thigh, relishing the feel of her soft smooth skin beneath his touch.
"Bruce…" she softly murmured, her breath growing a little more exerted.
The feel of his rough hands against her skin was making her tingle all over and igniting her desire for him. She was growing desperate to give herself to him, to make him her lover and experience every ounce of what they felt for one another.
Bruce leaned up and kissed her, both hands caressing up her thighs before pulling her closer to him. Her fingers found his hair, gripping the short strands as he deepened the kiss. Breaking for air, he pressed his forehead against hers, his body burning for her.
Diana slowly raked her teeth over her bottom lip, fighting back the urge to tackle him to the ground, his chivalrous concern for her be damned. She knew he feared hurting her or taking advantage of her so soon after the attack, but she wasn't going to break.
She was going to have to prove to him once and for all that she was going to be alright now, that the worst was finally over and that they could be together at last.
She took his face in her hands, her lips ghosting over his. "I want you, Bruce," she whispered.
"Diana…we can't…not yet," he frowned, closing his eyes against his rapidly crumbling resolve.
"You're not going to break me," she softly told him as her hands slid down to caress his chest through his t-shirt, her fingernails lightly raking over his muscles.
"I won't risk your health over my desire," he firmly said, gently grasping hold of her wrists to pause her sensual touch.
"And what about my desire?" she pointedly asked, her eyes searching his for answers.
"I have great plans for taking care of that for the both of us," he told her, bringing her hand up to brush his lips against her knuckles. "As soon as you're strong enough, I don't plan on letting you leave my bed any time soon."
"Bruce…" she sighed in disappointment.
"I love you, Princess," he said, his hand finding her cheek. "I'm not taking any chances with your health. All you have to do is prove you can make it through a whole training session with me."
Diana scowled at him, contemplating his offer. "And my reward if I can?"
Bruce smirked. "Me," he replied.
"Then be prepared to get your ass kicked in the training room, Mr. Wayne," she stated with a narrowed glare.
Bruce leaned up to kiss his fiery Amazon warrior, his mouth suddenly finding her ear. "Save some fun for the bedroom, Princess," he whispered, causing her to gasp sharply as he nibbled on her earlobe.
Before she could respond, Bruce swept her up into his arms and began to carry her out of the library. "Bruce, put me down. The casts are off," she reminded him. "I can walk on my own now."
"I think you still need my help," he insisted as he carried her up the stairs.
"I think you just like having the upper hand over me," she shot back.
"Or maybe I just like taking care of you, keeping you in my arms where you belong," he countered.
"You're the one who's going to need taking care of after I beat you in our training session," she whispered seductively in his ear.
"I can hardly wait," he smirked as he entered his bedroom, closing the door behind them.