"Now that was what I call a wedding!"

Barbara fell backwards onto the king-sized bed, awash with a emotional mix of exhilaration and exhaustion. Her wedding dress billowed around her form, the lower half of her body lost in cubic yards of silk, beads, and frills.

Dick stood over her smiling, as he deftly undid the tie on his tux, "Gotta admit, Bruce really came through this time. Who would have thought they could have fit over 1000 people in that banquet hall?"

Barbara tilted her head down to look at her freshly minted husband, "I expected the Mayor Hill, but three Representatives and a Senator?"

"Don't forget the governor," Dick slipped off his jacket and stretched, glad to be rid of the confining garment, "Bruce has quite the Rolodex."

"To think our little cerebration became the Who's Who social event of the season. They'll be partying well into the morning. I almost wish we were still there."

"No you don't."

Barbara laughed as he began to take off her shoes. All too soon her mirth was replaced with a groan of pleasure as Dick's hands worked wonders on her tired and sore feet.

"It was so nice to see Tim again," she practically moaned, eyes closed in pleasure.

"Yeah. His girlfriend is a hottie, even if she is a foot taller than he is."

"You better watch it, Mr. Grayson," she teased, "You're a married man now. Besides, she's too young for you."

"And orange."

Barbara giggled, "And orange! Good luck trying to have a secret identity with that skin tone."

Dick was working his way up to her calves now.

"Ummmmm. . . I like where this is going. . ."

"I thought you might . . . although I admit this would be a lot easier if I didn't have to wade through the crinoline jungle."

"Well, then, why don't I take it off?"

Dick's eyes narrowed as he grinned slyly.

"That, Mrs. Grayson, is the best idea I've heard all night."

---

She found him out on the balcony, staring into the night.

She watched him for a few moments, taking in his handsome profile. His tailor made tuxedo fit his body perfectly, while his hair and face portrayed the same boyish handsomeness that was a staple of the Gotham gossip columns. A casual observation would conclude the host of the party was merely taking a breather from the festivities inside, but she knew better.

The eyes told her everything she needed to know.

It was past midnight, and Gotham's siren song was calling to him.

Too bad she had already decided the city could survive one night without its dark guardian.

"Bruce!" she called out, striding over to him, "What a wonderful wedding. This beat anything Audrey ever took me too. You really went all out."

He turned away from the darkness, "Hello, Diana."

"Hello yourself. What are you doing out here? Let's go back inside and dance."

"I think Bruce Wayne has done his part for the evening."

Diana pursed her lips and folded her arms.

"Bruce, you are not going out on patrol tonight."

"Diana—"

"Don't Diana me. You're going to have fun tonight with your friends. This is a night for celebration not fisticuffs in some dank alley."

"This is a high profile event, with lots of security," Bruce replied, "The perfect time for someone to make a move elsewhere, while Gordon and most of his best and brightest are occupied here."

"No."

"I'm just being proactive, Diana. You don't know Gotham like I do—"

"No."

He was becoming annoyed, and he began to morph into Bat mode.

"I don't need your permission, Princess."

"The Johns have it covered."

Bruce cocked an eyebrow quizzically.

She smiled, reaching out to smooth his lapel. "I took the liberty of asking J'onn to patrol about an hour ago. John overheard me and offered to accompany him. I think he couldn't wait to get out of his formal ware. Besides, he was tired of me asking him questions about his new girlfriend."

"Stewart's dating again?"

"He won't admit it, but Wally spilled the beans. Apparently she's in the Business. Calls herself Vixen. Ever hear of her?"

Bruce shook his head, but filed the name away for future research.

She grabbed his hand and began to lead him back into the banquet hall, "So, as you can see, no need to be out here hoping in vain for the Bat signal."

Amused despite himself, Bruce allowed her to pull him along.

Seconds later, she twirled herself into his arms on the dance floor as the band began another set. "Tonight's a job for Bruce Wayne."

---

The newlyweds snuggled together peacefully under the covers, weary from their latest bout of lovemaking. Dick's hand rested comfortably on her growing belly.

"Do you think it's a boy or a girl?" she asked.

"Boy, I hope."

"I think it's a girl."

"Well, there's one way to find out."

"That's cheating!"

"Well, you're the one who wants to know so badly."

"Oh, and like you don't? You've already been buying toys!"

"What can I say? I'm excited."

She was quiet for a while, contemplative.

"Do you think anyone noticed?"

"I doubt it," he replied, quick to reassure her, "You're barely showing, and there was so much lace on that dress that you could have been smuggling a watermelon undetected."

"Are you sure? I just hope I didn't embarrass Daddy."

Dick decided to change the subject so she would no longer dwell on it.

"Besides, Diana totally upstaged you in her little red dress."

She jabbed him in the ribs.

He grunted and began to nibble on her ear, sending shivers down her body.

"Stop that, it tickles!" she swatted him playfully.

Her retaliation quickly began a tickle war.

Which just as quickly descended into something much more pleasurable.

---

As he danced with Diana, Bruce Wayne was at war with himself.

While he knew Gotham was in good hands with J'onn and the Green Lantern keeping watch, the rational part of his mind kept wondering when disaster would strike.

It always did.

So many dignitaries in one place, and Jim Gordon had made plenty of enemies over the years. Not to mention dozens of Gotham's rich and famous.

And yet, there was Clark dancing awkwardly with Lois Lane, super-hearing no doubt eavesdropping on everything within 5 miles. And by the punch bowl, Wally West was attempting to hit on Veronica Vreeland with no success, having been warned off Supergirl by her cousin earlier in the evening. The blond Kryptonian was currently staring wistfully at the dance floor, no doubt irritated that even Tim had a dance partner. Eying the Tamaranean for a moment, Bruce decided that it was probably time to have Alfred give Tim "the talk." Observing how closely the two teenagers danced and just how much skin the dazzling young woman's dress bared, he figured that it might already be too late.

All in all, there were enough heroes here to tackle anything short of Darkseid.

Not to mention the Amazon princess he had in his arms at this very moment.

She always very attractive to him, but somehow, tonight, she had transcended mere beauty and become something akin to divine. Perhaps it was the simple normalcy of the occasion that made Diana even more alluring to him.

Here they were, dancing at the wedding of the closest thing he would ever have to a son, surrounded by the closest thing he would ever have to a family. No costumes. No crazies. No chaos. No crime.

So this is what it's like for normal people.

A slow dance began and Diana rested her head against his chest and held him close.

Perhaps, just for tonight, he could relax.

They danced, near and warm, for what seemed like hours.

And when the last set of songs ended and the music slowly died away, and she looked up at him, eyes glimmering in the subdued light of the elegant chamber, he felt his heart nearly break at the sight of her beauty.

She smiled, "Cat got your tongue, Bruce?"

A long, lingering kiss was his only reply.

---

"Whew," Barbara gasped, finally able to think coherently again, "They don't call you Boy Wonder for nothing!"

"Glad you approve."

He glanced over at the clock and whistled.

"As much as I'm enjoying this marathon consummation of our marriage, we better get some sleep. The plane leaves in less than six hours."

"I still don't see why we had to rush the honeymoon," she pouted, "We're barely going to enjoy this suite. And you know we're not going to be able to afford anything like it for a long time."

"Can't be helped, Babs. The new class at the Bludhaven police academy starts in three weeks. That barely leaves enough time to see Europe as it is."

They lay in silence, limbs intertwined.

Barbara hated to bring it up yet again, but she knew she had to.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this, Dick?"

"Barbara, we've already been through this. As much as I hate to admit it, Bruce was right. It's time for Nightwing to take a backseat to Richard Grayson, soon to be one of Bludhaven's finest. It's the best thing for you and the baby."

"And what about you? It is the best thing for you?"

Dick was silent.

She turned over to face him, lightly touching the side of his face.

"You've been doing this since you were 12 years old. It's who you are, Dick."

"No," He grasped her hand, holding it to his cheek, "It's who I was."

Then he kissed her on the forehead and rolled away.

"Let's get some rest. I hear the jetlag's a real bitch, especially when you don't take the Batwing to get there."

But it was a long time before Barbara managed to sleep.

Somehow, she didn't think it would be that easy for him to give up being Nightwing.

Especially when she was having such a hard time giving up being Batgirl.