So don't you stop being a man / Just take a little look from outside when you can / Show a little tenderness / No matter if you cry

Give me a reason to love you / Give me a reason to be a woman / It's all I want to be is all woman / For this is the beginning of forever and ever - Glory Box - Portishead

"Being in love feels like that. You're going to be thrown all over the place, outside forces are going to try to tear you apart, even those who you think are your allies will unintentionally betray you. But in the end, there is still the mission and your teammate. You're in love and nothing will tear the two of you apart. Even if the one you're fighting is the one you love."
Two Days - Traveling, Friday Night

Constellation of the Swan
"Theseus loved Antiope so much, he was willing to risk his life to come and see her? I never knew..." Hippolyta bowed her head in shame. "I saw that Bruce and Diana were in love despite the restrictions we put on her. Is that what I'm supposed to see?"

"The different layers to this story can take a while to explain, so what you see now is what you should be seeing. Other portions will make themselves known as you meditate on them. But now, ask the question that you truly want answered." Aphrodite motioned towards Hippolyta in an open manner.

Hippolyta leaned in, giving weight to her question. "Why was Diana's powers taken from her? For real. This wasn't about her choosing to have a relationship with a man, that became more apparent as I completed each trial. If this was about reconciliation, what was she supposed to reconcile during her time as a mortal?"

Aphrodite clapped in glee as if Hippolyta had given her the best present of all. "Yes! That is exactly what this was about. So your success during the trials were truly to earn her powers back, and if you had failed you would have suffered the consequences like Diana, just as it was agreed. But Diana's powers were taken to help her, not to hinder her."

"How would leaving her powerless have helped her? What good did that do?"

"She wasn't as powerless as you think. Have faith in your daughter, Hippolyta. Diana is more than the sum of her powers. She had her spirit and skill as an Amazon, and the love that was my gift to her since she was born. She had to see that for herself. She had come to rely too much on those powers as her measurement of value.

"This was a test to see if she had the character of a champion without having the divine gifts of one. Hera wanted to do this sooner, almost immediately after you exiled her. She wanted to hit Diana while she was at her lowest. She even tried to take her powers after Bruce threw Diana out of his home. I told Hera that didn't count because he was doing it to protect her, not to hurt her. Bruce's brutal act of love staved off the trial then.

"I fought to have her power loss correspond to when she was at her happiest," Aphrodite revealed. "Diana is most fierce when she's fighting for peace and love. I wanted to give her a reason to fight for more than herself. Diana's heart soared when she and Bruce finally made love. Hera took that as the trigger and set these events to motion. Her powers were taken, and she was about to be transported here, but you intervened."

"But I took on the responsibility to show you that Diana was worthy. If she was going to be tested anyways, why was I put on this path?" Hippolyta asked.

"You had your own demons to face. We took the opportunity to show you that when you volunteered to take Diana's place among the stars. And you asked that she not be forced to fight against her sisters. Her heart chose the battleground on which her trials were set. If her heart still resided in Themyscira, that's where it would have happened. She had to be taken to the breaking point to push herself beyond her own limits. That meant possibly watching those she loved die in front of her eyes."

"But I still don't see how this relates to their relationship. What does this all mean? Her power loss, their love, the parallels with Antiope and Theseus that were obviously being invoked. It all seems so complicated. Persephone said you found something when you visited the Fates. Something about my sister. What does this have to do with Diana?"

"Let me try and untangle some of this for you. Diana is not Antiope, nor is Bruce Theseus. But the tragedy that was the King of Athens and the Queen of the Amazons was left unresolved, and many times throughout history it has tried to reconcile itself, only to find tragedy again. The cycle of that circle was interrupted when Diana was born.

"As she settled into who she was, the spirit that was her twin light sought a home, trying to find a way to her. That lonely light was born and died, and born again only to find a small quota of peace as it continued to search for a way back to its heart. Hippolyta, did you ever wonder why Diana seemed so agitated while she was growing up?"

"I figured it was just her being willful, like I was. She was always asking questions of the outside world, eager for any news from those we found on the beach. Why?"

"That was her spirit unconsciously looking for her twin light. Every time it called out for her, she felt it as a stirring in her heart. Her curiosity, her questioning, and those times when she stared out to sea was her looking for something more. And her twin light continued to search, but couldn't find it since it lived on a hidden island. Through time, so often did that light manifest, its form took on many different personalities: a monarch, a scoundrel, a freedom fighter, a law enforcer, a healer, and finally..."

"A hero," Hippolyta whispered. Aphrodite nodded.

"It was only when Diana was brave enough to leave your island that they were able to find each other. She appeared to him as a shining light of heroism. That called to his own heroic soul, albeit his being darker and harsher than hers."

"So when Diana left, she was meant to find him? No wonder she was so insistent on leaving."

"Not exactly. She left for her own reasons, that's one of the qualities that made her such a heroic figure. But there is a...force that keeps pushing them together. Destiny, karma, opposites attracting - one way or another, they were going meet. I saw this during my visit to The Fates. When Antiope died, her line fell away from Theseus'...but hung onto the skein from which the Fates pulled it. It stayed their, as if waiting. She refused to leave. Then when a new lifeline manifested, she latched onto it and has been following it ever since. The specifics that made them who they are fell away, but their essence remained.

"You should see those lifelines," Aphrodite gasped in awe. "They are so tangled together, it's amazing that they haven't woven their own tapestry by now. One continuous line for the immortal, numerous lines in the most beautiful shades of blue joining it at various points along the way, only to be cut abruptly.

"Currently, a line of sapphire and one of aquamarine twist so tightly, The Fates will have difficulty cutting only one when it's time. They may have to cut both. Touching these lines, I could feel that their sense of honor and duty was so synchronized, that they recognized it in the other almost immediately. That respect grew to admiration. Admiration turned to friendship, and then that blossomed into love."

Hippolyta's lips curled into a soft smile. "They were determined to find a way... no matter what. Twin lights, huh?"

"It's why she never chose among your Amazons for love. None were born after her for the light to manifest, and none found by sea were her match. And only now is he feeling as if he might find some peace."

"So all of this was to bring them together? You're going through a lot of trouble to help them. Why now, 'Dite?"

"Because they are fighting for something worth fighting for - their love for each other. And in this karmic quest, I saw a bright, golden line traveling beside their entwined threads. It stood close by, vigilant and protective. " Hippolyta wondered who that line was. Protective and bright? That had to be their alien friend, the strong one...

"It was you, Hippolyta. You were the one constant element through the story of Antiope and Theseus, Diana and Bruce. I didn't send you to Hades to punish you, but to set you free. You had to let go of your guilt to be able to do your part in this cycle. This was the second cycle of reconciliation. You held onto your shame for what you did to Antiope for so long, that you let it influence how you treated your daughter. Your refusal to help during the alien invasion put her on the path to find him. Her exile her caused her to build a new home among the stars. There, she and Bruce grew closer together. "

"So what is my role in all of this? What can I possibly do that won't mess things up again?"

"Your words put each heart on their journeys towards their fate. The first time, your actions caused heartache and pain. Now, you have an opportunity to bring joy and life. You will be the one to make sure this story has a happy ending."

Wayne Manor, Batcave
Alfred paced in front of the main computer array. He had so many times through the years, it was an automatic movement he wasn't aware that he was doing. He glanced up every now and then, watching to see if the monitor showed any indication that the radio waves were open again. He had tried contacting anyone on the team to find out what was going on. The silence itself was a telling clue that things weren't going well.

If he hadn't been so much older, he would go out and search for them himself. He had knowledge, experience, and skills, but he wasn't a spry, young man in Her Majesty's service anymore. He would have been more a hindrance than a help if he went to find them, or worse, got caught. So he waited. And prayed.

An engine's growl broke the cave's silence. Alfred laid his hand on his chest, the unconscious movement showing the relief he felt at hearing the Batmobile's powerful motor. A few seconds later, he heard a motorcycle's roar echo the loud call. The two vehicles arrived at the same time. The cycle swerved around the larger car, coming to a halt at its front bumper.

The rider of the motorcycle nearly kicked her vehicle as she dismounted. She strode away from the Batmobile with stiff, irritated steps. Alfred could see that she was in pain. Soon after, the dark vehicle's cockpit opened to let out its passenger. The driver emerged slower, the aggression in his posture evident in the tension of his shoulders. Each stared the other down in undisguised anger.

"Your Highness, Master Bruce - I'm relieved to see both of you safe and sound. Where are the boys? Why aren't they with you?" Alfred waited. No one answered. "Master Bruce, your sons. Where are they?"

This snapped Batman out of his staring contest with the Amazon. "They're okay, Alfred. Dick wanted to stay out. He kept Tim to help him get used to the field again. They'll be staying at Zatanna's until you can bring them home in the morning."

"I see. And you, Your Highness? Are you okay? How was your first night out?" The question brought Diana's eyes to the old man's. Even wearing the domino mask, he could see that she was on the edge of tears. This wasn't the reaction he expected to see from her. She brought home the man she loves. Why weren't there hugs of joy, smiles of happiness?

Of course. This was Bruce Wayne. There were so many more layers to a situation when he's involved. Alfred knew what these issues were. He also knew how his surrogate son had a habit of pushing away those that were most important to him. Throw in royalty with a prideful streak many centuries long, that was a recipe for heartache. Time to step in with some tough love.

Alfred walked in between the two highly trained warriors. He gently wound his arm around the Amazon, bringing her with him as he stepped towards the towering masked vigilante. In a surprisingly strong move, the older man snatched the gloved fist out of its guarded position at the younger man's side. Alfred reached down and brought up a smaller hand.

He placed Diana's hand over Bruce's closed fist. Only when he saw the larger hand open and take her fingers did Alfred put his hand over both of theirs. His gnarled, wrinkled skin contrasted the dark fabric of their gloves. He glanced back and forth between them, making sure he had their full, undivided attention.

"I don't know what happened out there, and it's apparent you two have something to talk about. But I want to make it clear, you have to remember something. Are you listening to me? Acknowledge that you are." His authoritative voice had both of them nodding. "I can't emphasize this enough, so I'm going to say this slowly."

"You love each other. Do you hear me?" The smaller hand began to tremble. The larger hand held on tighter. "No matter what you're going to discuss after I leave, you will remember that. There will be no storming out of this cave, no broken hearts. You will not leave here until you have this resolved.

"Bruce, you will not push her away. Open your ears to what she has to say, and try not to filter it with the pain you've felt all your life. You will not separate yourself and act coldly; we both know it's an act anyway. Stop trying to protect yourself and let her in. I know it's hard, but she wants to be there for you. Her charge out to help you should be proof enough of that. And let go of your need to control the situation. This is about both of you, together. Be patient, with her and yourself." He stared down the larger man until he received a nod of acknowledgment.

"Diana." She jumped at his use of her name. "You will forget all the times he pushed you away. He won't do it again. Correct?" He glanced over to the intimidating figure beside him. The cowled head nodded again. "You will also let go of your underlying suspicion that he's trying to control you because you're a woman." Both heroes flinched in surprise. Bruce recoiled as if insulted, Diana ducked her head in guilt.

"I know your Amazon upbringing has conditioned you to think that men only want to control their women. Bruce is not like that. If he wants to control things, it's because he likes order since he hasn't had much of it most of his life. Help him bring order to your relationship. And put away your royal pride. A little humility can go far with letting someone be heard. Be as patient with him as you've been all this time. And remember that he loves you." Alfred squeezed their hands.

"You are some of the most giving people I know. Give yourselves a chance to fix whatever it is that's between you. You are good for each other. This is just a hard time you need to get over.

"One more thing. Take off the masks. You will do this as yourselves." He pointed at the taller figure. "You are not Batman now. You are Bruce." He then turned to the woman.

"You are not...who are you?" Diana gave a tremulous smile.

"Nightgale." Alfred nodded his head in approval.

"Appropriate. But you are not her, you are Diana. Here, you haven't worn a mask before. Let me help you." He gently peeled the mask from her face, making sure not to hurt the delicate skin around her eyes. He then wiped away the residual adhesive from her skin, and the tear that fell down her cheek.

"Your turn, Bruce." Reluctantly, a gloved hand rose to the cowl and lifted it off his head. He angled his face away from the two in front of him. "Bruce. Look at her." Alfred laid his hand on his shoulder. "This is the woman you love. Be brave and look her in the eye."

Bruce turned his head towards Diana, revealing eyes red from holding in his emotions. When their eyes met, Diana couldn't resist any longer. She rushed forward, wiping away the wetness that traveled down his face. Never had she seen him so vulnerable. The hands that were joined separated as they held each other close.

Diana reached up, kissing him gently. He answered by pulling her against him, and kissed her harder. They continued, oblivious of the butler in their midst. Alfred watched them, a soft smile on his face, satisfied that they would work it out. He also knew he should beat a hasty retreat, or he might see more than he wanted to.

"Well, now that you've started the discussion, I'll go back upstairs." They continued to kiss. "There's food in the refrigerator if you're hungry. You didn't finish dinner in your mad dash to save Gotham." Their kiss intensified. "Okay, I'll just work on my plan for world domination." No answer. "See you in the morning." With that, the butler-spy-father-counselor left the cave.

Bruce continued to kiss Diana until he tasted a warm, coppery flavor. He abruptly separated from her and wiped the blood away from the reopened cut on her lip. Gently taking her face in his fingers, he tilted her head back and forth so he could examine her injuries. His furrowed brow indicated he didn't like what he saw.

Diana let him inspect her, using that as an opportunity to look at him. She noticed how his eyes avoided hers, but he seemed to be memorizing her features. She reached up and rested her cheek in his palm. He caressed her skin with his thumb before taking his hand away. He stepped back a few paces, rubbing his face before turning towards her.

"You came after me."

"Yes. I did."

"I wish you didn't. I had it handled."

"You did not. If I wasn't there, you would have been overwhelmed. You and Nightwing weren't enough."

"We would have found a way..."

"Yes, and that way was me. Admit it Bruce, you don't want me as your partner."

"That is not what I said."

"Then why are you denying my help? Tim and I got there right in time. I gave Gordon the hint to work with you, we helped the parents reunite with their children, and we worked as a team to repel the puppets trying to take you down. We did this together."

"You got hurt."

"I can take care of myself."

"Really? If I remember correctly, I covered you quite a few times out there. And look at you! You're not invulnerable anymore. Don't act like you are."

"And don't throw that at me as an excuse not to protect those that I love! You're not invulnerable either, but you go out every night, ready to put it all on the line for your city. Why can't I do that for you?"

"I'm not worth it, Diana! There could be any number of 'me' out there. I don't matter, the symbol does." Bruce stalked up to Diana and grabbed her by the shoulders. "You're too important. You're unique and people love you. They look up to you as their symbol of hope, that maybe their world isn't so bad with you there. You're what they aspire to be. They can't lose you."

Diana slowly disengaged his hands. She gently touched his cheek. "They can't lose me, or you can't lose me? Because as far as I can see, you just described yourself. You are Gotham's symbol of hope, too. This city would be lost without you."

"That's not the same, and you're trying to take the attention off you." Diana dropped her hand and walked away.

"Why are you so against the idea of me coming after you?

"You weren't ready for that! You fought as if you had all the superpowers in the world. As if they couldn't hurt you. You charged straight into the middle of it all without a thought to your own safety."

"I fought as an Amazon. I've been trained to fight that way since the moment I could hold a sword. We take our enemies head on. We don't show fear, it's what makes them afraid of us."

"Diana, you...were...shot! If you weren't wearing that vest, it would have ripped through your body, and there would have been nothing I could have done to save you."

"But I survived. I didn't go out there unprotected. Alfred was the one who put this on me. He said that you wear this when you fight for your city. Even your uniform has these protections. How is this any different?"

"I wear this knowing that it isn't totally bullet proof. I have the scars to prove that it isn't. When that bullet hit you..."

"I was catching it for you. That's the real problem, isn't it? I know the limitations of this vest. I didn't care. The gun was aimed at you and I blocked the bullet. I'm not fast enough to used my bracelets anymore, so I used what I had. I don't apologize for that."

"I don't want you sacrificing yourself to save me."

"Why do you think you're not good enough to save!" She waited for him to answer. He just looked away. "Bruce, I know you're accustomed to being the protector. Even when you work with your partners or with the League, you've been the one looking out for everyone else. It's very alpha male, and as an Amazon, even I can appreciate that. But you have to let someone look out for you, too. You are not alone. Please don't act like it."

"But it's better if I work alone. Don't you see, you're yet another person that I care about that's gotten hurt because of me. Jason died, Tim nearly did, and Barbara's paralyzed for the rest of her life. You almost died tonight. I can't go through that. Not again."

"Yes, I nearly did. But you were there for me. I've always been able to count on you to be there, watching my back or just being the strong presence that you are. For someone who wants to work alone, you seem to want to be with me pretty strongly."

"Not if it means you getting hurt or dying. I couldn't live with that. You're abilities as a warrior notwithstanding, I've seen too many I love die. And I'm the one left behind."

"And it's your life that makes all those sacrifices mean something. You continue to protect your city for people to live peaceful, fulfilling lives. Those of us who love you, that's all we want for you, too."

"And how am I supposed to do that without you?" Diana shook her head at the desperation in his voice. "Do you have any idea how much I love you? This is what I've feared the most...feeling this strongly again and watching it snatched away from me. What you told me of Harbinger's vision, you falling back after the bullet hit you, Chimera's flame engulfing you - those are the things that'll have me waking up in a cold sweat for years to come! I'm scared shitless of losing you!"

"Don't you think I already know what that feels like!" Diana fought for control over her voice. "Until recently, I've been impervious, immortal, and had powers beyond belief. And yet, I've watched you put yourself in danger over and over again. You are so willing to sacrifice your own life to bring justice, that it's like Alfred said; you're disturbingly self-destructive.

"You say you're not pushing me away, but I feel like you think that my absence is the best thing for you. How is living a life devoid of love any way to live?"

"Diana, that doesn't mean I don't love you. I just don't want to be the reason for losing you."

"You did lose me." She paused at his gasp of breath. "It was after you sent me and J'onn away from here. I was so hurt, I thought that it was better that we were apart. You clearly didn't want me," he shook his head vigorously, "and I felt my heart break every time I remembered those cruel words you said to me.

"I went home, Bruce. You know how hard that was? I was still exiled and shamed in front of my people, but I had nowhere else to go. I was homeless for days!" She watched as Bruce's posture crumbled at her confession. She caught him before he fell to his knees.

"I probably could have stayed with Kal, but I didn't want to see his pitying gaze day after day, nor did I want him mad at you. And I wasn't about to take the consolation prize of staying on the Watchtower just to feel like your convenient kept woman. I was ready to beg Mother to take me back. I nearly pledged myself to Athena and swear never to leave again. But she gave me some advice. It was then that I made a decision."

Themyscira, Modern Times
"Gods save me from another senate assembly. What's on the docket now?" Hippolyta glanced over to the scribe standing at the bottom of the throne. The serious, scholarly Amazon raised a scroll of paper.

"Your Majesty, the honored assembled would like to address the treaty from Man's World regarding your response to the global warming trends. They would also like to discuss the petition from the United States to open an embassy. They believe that having an Amazon presence in their land would help open communications between us. There are some in the senate who would oppose such a move."

"And yet we have a ready-made ambassador who is already speaking for us. Let me think about that for a while. I'll have to formulate an answer that satisfies them and gives us that." She glances down to the scribe. "How much wine was left from the last festival. I might have to get them drunk." The serious attendant raised an eyebrow. Hippolyta waved her hand.

"I'm joking. I wouldn't get them drunk. I'll just have to challenge each dissenting voter in the fighting pit." The exasperated queen sighed. "Is there anything else?" The scribe started closing the scroll when a subtle tap echoed through the throne room. A guard motioned for the woman to come over, then whispered in her ear. They looked at each other in surprise then at the queen. Hippolyta waited for them in impatient curiosity.

"Well, what is it? I don't want to wait forever."

"Your Majesty. The Princess of Themyscira humbly asks for an audience with you. She stands on the beach, awaiting your permission to approach."

"What?! My daughter is here and she didn't come to me?"

"Well, you did exile her."

"But...but...damn it all. Of course, tell her that I give my permission to approach. Just in case anyone in the senate objects, tell them I'm only giving her access to the palace. She won't go anywhere else on the island." The scribe bowed, then motioned to the guard to send the message. A distant horn blown signaled to all that an Amazon has come home.

Hippolyta stood in front of her throne, nearly bouncing on her toes. She couldn't help but feel excited over seeing Diana. She missed her dearly. There was so much to talk about, something that might possibly let her come home more often.

Diana landed at the door to the room, hesitant on entering. She kept her eyes cast toward the ground, her hands clasped in front of her. She let her hair cover her face, as if she were trying to hide something. Hippolyta recognized this posture from her daughter. This was more than just an official visit.

"Diana? Is everything alright? Why are you here?" She watched as her daughter glanced up, her eyes conveying all the answers she needed without a word. "Out! Everyone, get out! Guards, make sure we have privacy. I want no one coming in here. If anyone wants to speak to me, they can wait until tomorrow. Now go!"

The guards rushed to fulfill their queen's orders. Mother and daughter waited until the front door to the chambers banged shut. Hippolyta hesitantly stepped forward, and reached out towards Diana. With a sob, Diana ran to her mother's arms.

"Sshh...I got you. Your momma's got you. Oh my beautiful Diana, what's wrong? Why are you here, what happened?" Diana shook her head. "Is everyone alright? The League, please tell me no one got hurt."

"No, Mother, everyone's okay. We haven't had many missions since the 'Tower went down."

"Thank Hera. But, what has you so upset? Is it Donna? Is she safe?"

"She's fine, too. Oh, Mother, I'm so embarrassed by this. I never should have left for Man's World. I should have just stayed here and helped you rule."

"Diana! How can you say that? You've done much to help the world. Why are you so against it now? Is this about men? Have they hurt you?"

"No, not about men. Well, not completely. I can't talk about it right now."

"Alright. It is must have been bad enough for you to come here, but you can tell me when you're ready. How about you come back and rest. Let's go." As naturally as she had done when Diana ran in with skinned knees, Hippolyta led her daughter back to their personal chambers.

Hippolyta let Diana settle into the cushions, watching how she curled up in a fetal position for comfort. The queen could clearly see the signs of a broken heart, and felt she had an idea about who it was over. The Amazon in her wanted to come out and lecture her with swords blazing. The mother in her knew this had to be handled delicately.

Diana heard her mother shuffle out of the room. A few minutes later, she felt her settle into the cushions and cover her with a warm blanket. She sighed as familiar arms surround her in their maternal embrace. As if she were a little girl, she let her mother soothingly stroke her hair.

"Diana. I'm not going to pry on why you're so upset, but I'm going to make an observation. I've seen the way you're acting in someone else, fairly recently actually. You look like that woman at Kal-El's funeral that cried over his death. She even let his mortal enemy comfort her in her grief. That was the reaction of someone who thought she lost the love of her life."

Hippolyta almost added how she had seen the same reaction from Antiope when she thought she lost Theseus. She wasn't ready to tell that story. There was so much behind it that she was ashamed of. Right now, this was about comforting Diana.

"We both know that our people shun relationships with men, but you've clearly developed feelings for one. I can't judge you on that since you've done so much good with them, but I'm going to treat this as what it really is; a temporary setback." Diana glanced back at her mother's surprising statement.

"You're going to have to make some decisions on how you want to handle this. I know it hurts now, but give it some time and distance and you might be able to see it more clearly and with some objectivity. And whatever you decide, you'll have to make sure its something you can live with."

"What do you mean?"

"Diana, your choices affect more than yourself. If this is truly what I think this is, then you'll have to ask yourself if he's worth it, because I suspect you're going to have to fight for what you want. Anything worth having is worth fighting for. And remember, you're an Amazon. We face our problems head on. But listen with your heart, not with the hurt you're feeling now. Make sure whatever you decide, it's because you're at peace, not because you're angry."

Diana laid back, thinking on her mother's words. She tried looking past the image of Bruce's furious expression as he yelled at her after their encounter, and his blank face when he told her that she had to move out of Wayne Manor. She recalled how he offered for her to stay in the completed section of the Watchtower, and the almost unperceivable slump of his shoulders when she refused.

Her heart told her that his offer was a way of trying to reconcile the incident, but she had turned him down. Part of her felt that he deserved it; he needed to feel what it was like to be rejected. Still, she didn't want to give up, even if there was still the slightest chance that he would let her in. But she couldn't be around him if he was dead set against anything happening between them.

"Mother? What options do I have? I don't know if I'll be able to serve in the Justice League anymore, and I don't have any place to stay in Man's World. What do I do? Where do I go?"

"Actually, my sun and stars, you showed up at a very opportune time! Here, sit up, let me explain what just came through from the United States government." They both lifted from their reclining positions to sit at the table in front of them. There, Diana noticed two goblets and a pitcher. She sniffed the liquid and smiled.

"The best from the wine festival?"

"Of course! Artemis made an especially good batch this year. She said it was due to some warmer weather we've been having. Don't tell her it might be because of the global warming scenario. She'll want to throw the entire inventory out because it was tainted by 'Man's influence'." Hippolyta poured her daughter a full goblet before filling her own. Diana took a long pull from the cup, grateful for the taste and the slight numbing effect.

"Thank you for allowing me to come home. I know this puts you in a compromising position. The senate can be temperamental when the law isn't being followed to the letter."

"Yes, but it's good to know the rules well enough to bend them in the right direction. I exiled Diana, Princess of Themyscira, for bringing men to our land. Many heard that. But if I can get the senate to agree to this embassy, we will need an ambassador that already knows how to speak to Man's World. Your experience would be invaluable in this regard. In this sense, you would be able to return on official envoy visits." Hippolyta waved vaguely in the air. "I don't know, to deliver a message or something."

Diana laughed lightly, laying her head on her mother's shoulder. Hippolyta kissed her on the forehead. They had done this for each other numerous times when one needed a moment of comfort. They stayed quiet for some time, simply enjoying the wine and each other's company. Hippolyta's small cough indicated that she had something else to say.

"Diana, I want you to think about something. If this is about the shadowy one, you should acknowledge something about him. He's mortal, possibly the most mortal of all those leading the League. Even if things work out between you, he's...well...he's going to die eventually. Are you ready for that?"

"I've asked myself that many times, and I still don't have an answer."

"Then think on that answer. It could mean either a life of 'what if's or 'I know's. One could save you from heartache, but you will always be wondering 'what if'. The other could have you back here on my doorstep, forsaking all men and swearing yourself to Athena, but at least you would know that you tried. You'll have to find out which one you want to live."

"I understand, Mother. That is what I've been wrestling with for the past few months."

"Well, while you're figuring that out, you can help me prepare my argument for the senate to approve the embassy. And when they do, you can help build our presence there. It should give you enough time to figure out how you feel."

"Do you think the senate will take to the idea that easily?"

"No, but I do expect to challenge a few of them in the fighting pit. You can help me warm up."

"Oh, give me a day to rest and I'll do more than that." Diana took another long drink from her wine goblet. "I can show you a few moves I learned from a master himself. They're quite inventive. You'll be able to take a few down in just a few strikes. They'll probably back your idea after two or three challengers."

"See? I knew you'd be a good ambassador! Already bringing about cultural exchanges. I'm sure Man's World doesn't have anything as civilized as our senate."

"No, not really. You should hear the harping that goes on in the American congress. It lasts for months. Ours is much quicker."

Wayne Manor, Batcave
"That time I was away, I thought hard about what I felt for you. And let me tell you, you weren't my favorite person for quite a while."

"Diana, look I..."

"Shut it, Bruce. You've lectured me so many times on why we shouldn't be together, I'm going to get my peace out on why I thought the same thing." Bruce tried escaping her embrace. She held on tighter.

"All I could think about was how cruel you acted towards me. That kept me angry for a while, thinking vengeful thoughts and how you didn't deserve me. It was good that I was unavailable for League work; I would have seriously destroyed any enemy to the point of becoming the evil that I fought against."

"Diana, I don't know how many times I have to apologize for that until it becomes repetitive."

"Weren't you listening to me earlier? I said I forgave you. Yes, I was angry that you kept pushing me away - you made me feel as if I wasn't good enough, and that your mission was more important. But then, I realized there was more to it than that. Mother was right; I had to figure out if I was ready to face what was really bothering me. I had to ask myself why I thought you were worth fighting for. During a quiet moment while thinking of you, I discovered that it was like I was looking in a mirror.

"Bruce, for as long as I've known that I loved you, I have been afraid of losing you. It felt one-sided to me, but I didn't care. I was glad that we were paired together on so many missions; I felt it was my chance to watch after you and make sure you came home. That was when I realized that, for all the wonderful things that you can do and how strong you are, you are so fragile. It would take only one bullet, one stab of a blade to your heart and you would be gone.

"I thought I could save myself from the pain of watching you die, or worse, living in excruciating pain. I started thinking the excuses you gave me were valid ones. I even started wondering if perhaps other...heroes...would be better choices."

"I can't hear this." He turned his head away from her.

"Bruce, listen to me. Please." She shifted his head back, keeping her fingertips on his face. "Then I found that I wasn't being truthful. I was making up excuses to convince myself why I shouldn't be with you. I was trying to protect my heart from the pain of losing you." She gave a small self-deprecating laugh. "I was thinking like you. That was when I realized why you kept pushing me away. Not for your mission or sense of justice, but to protect yourself from getting hurt again.

"Then I started asking, did I want to live a life of 'what if's or 'I know's? I know I love you. And now, I know you love me, too. I live knowing that, unless the gods make both of us immortal, we will eventually lose each other. I've made peace with knowing that this is most likely temporary. But, dear gods above, at least we know we tried."

"What are you saying, Diana?" Bruce could barely keep the emotion out of his voice. She reached up to caress his cheek, wiping away the tear that escaped his eye.

"Please don't be afraid of losing me. That fear is going to tear us apart. We know it's dangerous for us to love each other. We know our time is limited. But we've chosen the lives that we have, we know the prices we have to pay. But the rewards! My love, the rewards would last us forever."

Bruce silenced her with a kiss that only a desperate man with everything to lose could give. He grabbed her, holding her as if she were about to disappear. She couldn't tell if the saltiness she tasted was from her tears or his. Then she realized, it didn't matter where they came from, the tears were theirs.

Wind in time / Rapes the flower trembling on the vine / Nothing yields to shelter it / From above / They say temptation will destroy our love / The never ending hunger...