Hip! Hip!

Gotham

Bruce Wayne had been back in Gotham less than two years. His sole reason for returning was to become the Batman. In many ways his years away from the city had been all about training for the role. Bruce Wayne, son of Thomas and Martha Wayne, for all practically purposes had died in that alley along with them. Oh, he still looked like Bruce Wayne and legally that's who he was, but in every way that really mattered he was the Batman.

Bruce Wayne was the mask he put on. Now facing Diana, Bruce realized it was a mask he needed to work on. Intellectually he understood he needed to present a different persona to the public so any connection between Bruce Wayne and the Batman would be quickly dismissed. It was more to protect those that knew he than for himself really. The spoiled, rich playboy seemed like the natural part for him to play. He came from money and had grown up around the type so he already knew it well.

The problem with assuming any persona, for anyone really, is that each of us has a nature, a core personality and manner. In other words, we are who we are. We may be able to fool some of the people for a short time, but unless you're a truly gifted actor who you really are eventually comes through. Bruce was the Batman now, but he was going to have to pretend he wasn't. The few times he'd ventured out before it had been quick, splashy appearances designed to make all the gossip columns. One on one encounters were something he kept to a minimum and superficial if he could. A few dates with supermodels and spending money freely had really been most of it. This felt different.

It didn't help that in Diana's excitement to find out more about the Batman she moved within what is normally agreed upon as personal space. She was standing too close to Bruce.

"I understand you've actually met the Batman, Mr. Wayne,' Diana said with a big smile. "Do you think you could introduce me?"

Bruce found himself doing something he usually didn't do. He took a step back.

"Me? The Batman? I don't know who you've been talking to, Princess, but I have nothing to do with the Batman,' Bruce quickly replied. It sounded defensive to his ear. Have to work on that, he thought.

"Are you saying you haven't met him?" Diana asked, taking another step forward.

"Well, no, not exactly,' Bruce offered. It was common knowledge he had been at another social engagement where the Batman had shown up. It had been a first foray into throwing suspicion away from him.

"So you have met him.' Diana immediately continued her questioning him.

"Only briefly,' Bruce replied.

"Everyone here seems to think you know him, or at least that's what I've been hearing,' Diana informed him.

"They do?" Bruce said. Shit, Alfred was right, I do need to work harder at this.

"Yes." Diana nodded. "So could you call him and tell him I'm in town and would like to meet him?"

"I don't know his number,' Bruce lamely offered. "I don't even know if he has a phone really."

"Well, I've heard he wears a fanny pack with lots of gadgets," Diana explained. "Surely one of them must be a phone."

"It's a utility belt, not a fanny pack,' Bruce quickly corrected her.

"Doesn't it go around his waist like a fanny pack?' Diana asked.

"Yes, but it's not a fanny pack,' Bruce corrected her vehemently. "It's a utility belt. Batman most definitely doesn't wear a fanny pack."

"Well, whatever he calls it, do you think he has a phone in it?" Diana continued. "Can you call him?"

"As I said Princess, I don't have his number,' Bruce replied. "And just so we're clear it isn't a fanny pack, it's a utility belt. I don't know him, but on that point I'm very sure, a utility belt."

Bruce knew he wasn't exactly performing the playboy role very well at the moment, but something about his utility belt being called a fanny pack bothered him.

Diana seemed to think about it for a moment and then another idea came to her.

"Isn't there a spotlight of some sort?" Diana asked. "He appears like a performer on stage when they light it, doesn't he? Do you have access to it?"

"It's not a spotlight, it's a signal,' Bruce corrected her again. "No, I don't have access to it, only the police do."

"Oh,' Diana replied. "Do you think the police would turn it on so I could meet the Batman? Do you know anyone in the police force, Mr. Wayne?"

"No, Princess, I don't." Bruce was a little irritated at this point. "It's for emergencies, not meet and greets with visiting celebrities."

Bruce quickly tried to get back into character.

"Frankly, the man scares me a little, so I'd really rather had nothing to do with him." He said. "I would advise you to do the same. Not a man to be trifled with, Princess. Most sane people stay away from him if they know what's good for them."

"Oh, I could easily take him, Mr. Wayne,' Diana replied. "I just have some ideas I'd like to discuss with him. I'm sure he'd see my point if I could just talk to him."

"You seem pretty sure you could take him,' Bruce asked.

"I am,' Diana replied with a smile. "Though, I don't want to fight him, just talk to him."

"If you've never met him how do you know you could take him?' Bruce asked.

"He's just a man, isn't he?" Diana asked.

"Well, yes,' Bruce admitted. Once again he found himself having trouble letting go of another point with her. "Still, he may pose more of a challenge than you realize."

"I suppose anything's possible," Diana said. "I think the odds are unlikely, but I try never to underestimate an opponent, even if he is just a man."

Before Bruce could reply, Diana returned to her original focus.

"So if you can't call him and it has to be an 'emergency' to use his signal, can you think of any other way I can get in contact with him?"

"Not really,' Bruce replied, hoping to get her off the subject. "He seems to be a bit of a lone wolf or Dark Knight if you will. Your best bet is probably to go home and wait for him to contact you. Or maybe, if you know someone that knew him, not me that is, they could introduce you? Again waiting to be invited I think is the best bet, although as I said I don't really know him that well. I don't really know him at all, really. Um, go with the friend, I'd say."

"I've tried that,' Diana dismissively said. "Apparently the Batman is 'too busy' to meet me I'm told. I must say he seems rather rude to me. I really only want to meet him as a courtesy, but if he's going to keep snubbing me I guess I can get along without him. I understand there's an archer fellow that is really sort of the same thing as Batman, so I guess he could work in my plans just as well."

Bruce wasn't an overly vain man, but he did have his pride. Having the Batman compared to Green Arrow kind of irked him a bit, well, more than a bit.

"Perhaps if you're just patient, Princess, the Batman will want to meet you in time,' he offered. "I've heard of that arrow fellow too, and he seems a bit of a loose cannon to me."

"One shoots arrows and the other throws boomerangs," Diana replied. "That seems pretty similar to me."

"Batarangs,' Bruce said under his breath. "I think there is more to Batman that just that, Princess."

"Well, if he won't meet me I won't know, will I?' She replied. "This trip seems to have been a waste of the night. I'm sorry to take up your time, Mr. Wayne. I'll let you get back to the party. Thank you for speaking to me."

"My pleasure,' Bruce replied with a smile. In service of his playboy image, he took Diana's hand and kissed it. "It was charming to meet you, Diana."

Diana watched him kiss her hand and didn't like it. She'd had this happen too many time at functions like this already. She'd mentioned it to Clark once and he used a word that seemed to fit, douchebags. Up until this point Mr. Wayne hadn't seemed like one, but now Diana was reconsidering her opinion. She quickly pulled her hand away from him and tried to smile.

"Good night, Mr. Wayne."

"Good night, Princess."


Washington

Steve Trevor was going through all the files for his new position. The job of collecting magical and alien artifacts, manuscripts and weapons was larger than he imagined. He would need specialists in both the categorizing and storage of the material as well as in the field. He had some candidates in mind for these jobs. Diana was definitely someone he'd like to help with this project. Her gifts would certainly be an asset in the more dangerous situations.

There was just the problem of how he'd left things between them. Steve was a big enough man to admit he needed to apologize to her. He reacted badly in the moment but now that he'd had some time to think about things he thought he understood better. Diana wasn't like anyone else he'd ever met so to expect her to react like everyone else was a mistake. She was so young and new to this world, of course she wouldn't understand it all yet.

He'd pushed too hard, letting his feelings try and rush things. Of course she wasn't ready for that. She just needed time to get to know this world better. Maybe if he apologized and got her to work with him for ARGUS things would be different. It would benefit her and the Amazons to be seen helping the government. It would certainly ease concerns from the other side too.

Steve made up his mind he would see her as soon as possible and apologize. If friends were all they could be right now, he'd have to accept it. What he knew in his heart was that he didn't want to be nothing to her. That was the worse thing imaginable, for there to be nothing between them. He just hoped it wasn't too late.


Gotham – Later

Bruce repelled down his zip line to the rooftop of the police station. The Bat-Signal had gone on twenty minutes ago and he'd come as soon as he could. Staying in the shadows he faced Gordon.

"Gordon, what's the emergency?" He said in his gruff Batman voice.

"Well, there really isn't an emergency, Batman,' Gordon nervously replied.

"Why did you activate the signal then?"

Gordon turned and from behind the signal Diana stepped out in her Wonder Woman armor.

"I asked him, Batman,' she said with a smile. "Thank you, commissioner, I do appreciate all your help. Your department has been so nice to me, I really appreciate it."

Gordon couldn't help but smile at Diana.

"Really Gordon?' Batman sarcastically asked.

"She's really persuasive,' Gordon replied with a shrug. Batman turned his attention to Wonder Woman.

"It's not a toy, Princess,' Batman growled. "Since there is no emergency, I'll say good night!"

He fired his line and was off the roof in the next moment. When he reached the rooftop a block away, Diana standing on the ledge waiting for him.

"So can we talk now?" she asked with a smile.

Batman's eyes narrowed and he just grumbled as he shot another line and moved away from her. Three blocks away when again he reached a rooftop Diana was standing there. He didn't even stop, but fired another line. He was just about to take off, when she reached out and pulled him back.

"Now you're just being rude,' she said. "We can do this all night or you can talk to me, Batman. You talked to Superman, I'd think common courtesy would be to talk to me too."

"Your boyfriend can take a hint, Princess,' Batman snapped back, pulling from her grasp.

"I wasn't going to look through you mask, if that's what you're worried about,' Diana countered.

I took precautions to make sure that doesn't happen again,' Batman replied.

"Fine,' Diana said. "I just wanted to talk about my idea for a League of heroes."

"No interested."

Bruce realized there was no point in trying to out run her, so he stood his ground.

"The world's not ready for something like what you're talking about, Princess." He said. "You and your boyfriend scare people. They need time to get used to the idea. Pushing things will only make it worse."

"I disagree,' Diana fired back. "If we wait until everyone is comfortable with the idea we'll never be ready if something happens. Part of being a hero is being a leader, Batman. I would think you'd understand that. Did the people of Gotham all agree on you before you started? Or did you do what you felt you had to do and let them judge by your actions whether you were right or wrong?"

Bruce sighed in exasperation.

"You're not going to leave until I agree to what you want, are you?"

"No."

"All right,' Batman finally said. "If something happens, I'll join. Fair enough?"

"It's a start,' Diana replied. "We should really get together and start some planning, though."

Batman rubbed along the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"One step at a time, Princess,' he said. "Just take what you got tonight and be satisfied for now, all right?"

"I guess' Diana relented.

"Good, now if you'll leave my city, I'd appreciate it,' Batman replied. "Next time wait for an invitation, Princess."

With that he fired another line and moved to the edge of the building. Before he took off he glanced back to make sure she wasn't going to follow him.

"Good night, Batman." Diana said with a smile.

"Good night, Princess,' he replied and then was gone into the night.

Diana stood on the rooftop watching him disappear into darkness. Something about the way he said 'Princess' seemed to click in her mind. A smile came to Diana's face.

'Bruce Wayne." She whispered and then mused to herself, "So he's not a douchebag after all. Well, not completely."