Diana slowly sipped her iced mocha as she started packing sandwiches: turkey for Brendon, ham and cheese for Frank, tuna for Thomas, peanut butter and banana for Alessandra, and money in a paper bag for Helena. She took another sip of her mocha. Apollo's chariot was always her wake up call, but now with five children in the Manor, one away training, more responsibilities as an ambassador, and her time as Wonder Woman, five a.m. came way too early. At one time, she considered retiring the star-spangled costume; but to not help others with her gifts, it seemed selfish.

So, she continued on with her many jobs: princess, ambassador, hero, mother, wife, and friend. All her roles were a part of her, and she was not going to slow down living life to the fullest. She told Bruce often that she would rest when she was dead to which she would only get a classic glare and a don't joke. She would only roll her eyes at him, drinking her mocha.

"I think you are the sole reason that Starbucks is such a large chain, " Bruce smirked, kissing her cheek. He could see that she was tired, and that bothered him, not that he thought she couldn't handle it. No, he knew that she didn't need his help, and if she did then she would ask for it. It bothered him that she stayed so busy that he'd almost forgotten what it was like just to hold her, "I don't know how you survive when you go visit your mother."

"Well, aside from our occasional fights, I am usually better rested when I go back to the island. It's a much needed break," Diana grabbed her bagel from the toaster, spreading cream cheese over it as Bruce poured the kids cereal, "Plus, having a machine on the invisible jet helps."

Bruce raised an eyebrow, "You really shouldn't spend my money on such wasteful things."

Diana nudged him playfully, calling the kids to eat, "Caffeine is hardly wasteful. It helps me to keep moving. Besides, I am an ambassador, and I just sold my book about growing up on Paradise Island. I have my own money and I bought it for myself."

"I don't know that I like you not needing me," Bruce wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck, "I wish we had more time, but I have to go to the board meeting at work. Lucius says it's very important I be there to approve his knew product, plus some other secret things."

"Tonight maybe, you gave Barbara a night off patrol, and she would babysit. We could watch the streets of Gotham together," she whispered in his ear so as not the blow his secret to their younger children.

Bruce gave her a look, "I have to actually get work done. You're distracting to me. Meet me for lunch today. I'll take you out to eat and we can just be together."

"Sure," Diana turned noting that Thomas and Alessandra were poking at their cereal, "I better check on them."

"They might be sick…" Bruce put down his brief case, "I can cancel and meet…"

"No," Diana interrupted him with a soft kiss on the lips, "Your meeting is important. Lucius is never this insistent on meeting you at a certain time. I can rearrange things. I'll check on them."

Thomas groaned, scratching his neck, "Mommy, I'm itchy."

Please no, she thought. Diana had been through this with Deidara, Brendon, and Frank. She thanked the gods that she was immune and Bruce had been exposed before, "You both have the chicken pox."

"But, I haven't touched a chicken. I don't want something from a dirty chicken, and I had a cootie shot at school," Alessa groaned from her headache, scratching her stomach that was covered in red dots.

"There are no such things as cooties, my little starlight," she lifted her son and daughter, one in each arm, "You get chicken pox from a virus not a chicken."

"Well, it's a stupid name for it," Thomas shivered. He wanted to crawl out of his own skin; he itched so badly.

"It's called that because it looks like a chicken has been pecking at your skin. Come on now. Don't scratch. If you scratch it can leave scars and become infected. You both need to go to bed," she opened the door to the twin's bedroom, placing each in their own bed, "I'll call the school to let them know you're sick, and then I'll call the embassy and cancel my meeting."

"Mommy, you don't have to…" Alessa squirmed, trying to fight the urge to scratch, "Aunt Barbara isn't working today, and neither is Uncle Dick. They can watch us."

Diana knew the twins were her responsibility, but this was an important meeting with the Ambassador of France to negotiate a trade and to establish equality between humans and metas, "Okay, I'll give them a call."

It was rare that Barbara Gordon had a day off. She usually spent her time at the library or as Oracle. What time was left was devoted to physical therapy or babysitting. Today was a day for a nice long bubble bath and a novel. Well, that was the plan. As soon as she heard the twins were sick, that was thrown out the window. She got to the Manor as fast as she could, happy to see that Diana had moved them to the guest bedroom downstairs to make things easier for her. She wheeled herself in the living room, "What are you doing here?"

Dick smirked, Thomas sitting in his lap as they both played Halo together. He knew the boy was sick, so he was taking it easy on him, "Diana called me to help out with the twins. Right now, I'm playing Halo with Thomas to help keep him from scratching. I just ran an oatmeal bath for Ali-cat. She's playing with her rubber ducky in the other room."

"I'll go check on her, and then I'll be back with some juice for Thomas. He needs to stay hydrated," Barbara wheeled herself into the bathroom, finding Alessa laying in the tub, bubbles surrounding her as she rubbed her head, "Hey, baby, I heard you don't feel good."

"My head hurts, Aunt Barbara," Alessa groaned in pain, "The voices are back. I hear the voices."

"How long has this been happening," Barbara gently touched the girl, finding herself sitting in her own living room. She looked around, seeing herself on the floor, bleeding as the Joker started to undress her. Barbara didn't know why she was here. She noticed Alessa sitting in the corner of the room, rocking back and forth. Her eyes were glowing a soft purple, "Alessa, you have to stop. You're using your powers and you have to stop. We are in my mind."

Alessa stood up, running at the clown and trying to pull him away from her Aunt. She tried so hard, tears running down her face, "I want to protect you."

"You can't baby, look at me," Barbara wheeled herself over to the little girl, "This is my memory. It's happened and…you…we can't change it. "

Alessa looked to her Aunt, knowing she had to stop. She noted that she was back in her bathtub. She cried softly as her Aunt held her, "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing, baby, there is nothing wrong with you. You are sweet and innocent. There is nothing wrong with you," Barbara hated to see the girl so upset, "You have special gifts, and right now it's scary. But, it will get better. There's nothing wrong with you. You're my little angel."

"Ha, I beat you Dick," Thomas looked up to Dick happy that he had won, but still clutching his tummy, "I like this."

"You like being sick," Dick grabbed the little boy, carrying him to his bedroom upstairs to get his toy snake he slept with.

"No, I like you taking care of me," Thomas smiled weakly, scratching his stomach for a moment before realizing what he was doing, "Brendon is really busy with soccer and Frank doesn't like video games. Alessa will play with me, but she's a girl. She doesn't like Halo. I like having you here to play with me."

"I had to go and lead the Titans. They needed me, but if you really need someone to play with you just call me," Dick smiled, as Thomas yawned, starting to fall asleep, "Brothers come first."

Thomas nodded, "Uncle Dick, do you think I can be a doctor like my grandfather. I want to be a doctor and make my daddy proud."

"I think you can be anything you want," Dick smiled as he carried the boy into the guest room where his sister was already asleep, "I hate seeing them sick like this."

"I do too," Barbara pulled the covers up around the two, "Alessa's powers have come in. She's a telepath, a strong one to. She was able to get into the deep thoughts in my mind. She's terrified, and I don't know how to make it better. I've been trying to hide those memories from her."

Dick put a hand on her shoulder, "Babs, Alessa will be fine, but I think you've been trying to hide those memories from yourself. If I could change things I would. I would take your place, but I think it's time that we both accept that things are what they are."

"You can go back to Starfire. I have things covered her," her words were cold towards him, and he turned from her.

"I never left you for Starfire. I went to help the Titans. She ambushed me. I was upset about you, and vulnerable. But, I never left you. You might not have seen me, but I was there when you were healing. I was there when you got your chair. I was there when you first went to therapy. I cried the first time I saw you fall, and I smiled with pride when you lifted yourself back up. I watched you build the tower, but….I couldn't see you hurt. I just couldn't," Dick turned back to look at her, "I know it was selfish, but…"

Barbara wheeled herself closer to him, wishing she could stand. She grabbed his arms, pulling herself up until she could hold herself up using his shoulders. They stood eye to eye, "I just want you back, short pants. I felt alone, and I needed my best friend. I needed the man I was ready to marry."

"Enough. Just shut up, Red," Dick wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her with all his might. This was his amends. This was his apology for not being there. For being a coward. For being unable to see her hurt. He smiled as he left her breathless, "I've loved you a long time, Red. I've loved you since I first saw you when I was nine years old."

She smiled, kissing his neck, "I have loved you since we first met as Robin and Batgirl when I was fourteen."

"You're quite the cradle-robber," Dick smirked as he carried her out of the guest room and to the living room couch, "So, are we engaged again?"

"No, I want to take things slow this time," Barbara snuggled into his chest, "Last time we were both passionate and moving at the speed of light. I think I just want to spend time with you for a while."

"Take all the time you need, Red," He kissed her forehead, knowing that going back to the Titans would be rough. Kory had been after him since he arrived, but he didn't want Starfire, as beautiful as she was. She was an exotic beauty, but Barbara. She'd had his heart from day one.

Diana landed swiftly, sitting down next to Bruce on the patio of the small Italian restaurant they both loved to eat at. The owners were so kind to them, especially during the Thanagarian Invasion. This place had good memories. She smiled at Bruce, "Sorry, I'm late."

"Don't be," he smirked, kissing her softly, "I ordered your favorite already. Just relax a minute. You're always rushing. Maybe we should both take some time off."

"Actually, that's why I am late. I took some time off. It's almost summer and the kids are out of school," Diana took a sip of her water with lemon, "I realized how little time I've really had for them when the other day Alessandra asked where I came from. I told here we talked about how a baby is born, but then she said that's not what she met. She wanted to know if I had a mommy and a daddy. She wanted to know where I was born. She doesn't know anything about Themiscrya or the Amazons. I know we said we would keep that from her, but now that she knows about me. I think it's time the twins met their grandmother."

"No," Bruce said it simply as he took a bite of his breadstick.

"What do you mean, no," Diana now looked offended, "The twins have known about you since birth. They don't know about you being Batman, but they know about how you lost your parents. They have seen their graves and the hospital where your father worked. They know nothing about me or their culture. I know she can be aggravating at time, but my mother wants to meet her youngest grandson and her only granddaughter."

Bruce shook his head, "It has nothing to do with that. The last time you and Martha were on that island together…."

Diana shook her head, "I knew it. This has to do with when Martha was born. I told you I blame myself, but I am an Amazon, and I'm tired of it. I did all I could, and I won't have you looking at me like I'm a monster. You were there too. We both failed her that day. It was no one's fault. Cadmust tried to take her. I kept that from happening, and I love our little girl. Hearing or not. I am going to take her to Themiscrya to see where she was born and to learn her culture. I need to see here there happy. I need a new memory of my home other than my child dying on the ground."

"The Manor is your home," Bruce looked to Diana pleadingly, "I forbid you taking her."

"Forbid, Bruce, you don't own me. You will never own me. I'm not your property, and I will do what needs to be done. The Manor is my home, but my heart is on Paradise Island too. I miss my sisters and my mother. I am taking the twins there once they are over the chicken pox," Diana stood from the table, "I'll see you at home. I'm not that hungry. If you can't support me in this decision, maybe Themiscrya is my home."