Don't hate me for this but this chapter needed to be written.
Diana felt the odd sensation of being teleported and saw herself in the batcave again. It was always so damp and cold. Even her body which could survive in conditions way more adverse than this, she still never liked the feeling of it. It seemed cold and uninviting. Why did Batman call her down here instead of the manor? Probably wanted her to come and look over some evidence. She wished he would hurry. The entire remaining roster of the League was scrambling right now trying to find Savage.
She could not find him at first.
"Batman?" she called trying to find him in the darkness. Even with her perfect eyesight he was always still somehow able to blend in the darkness.
Finally she noticed the flashing light by the computer. Of course he probably was on that stupid computer of his. She made her way to it expecting to find him looking over some files, eyes narrowed in concentration. Instead she found him, cowl off, with his head hanging low.
"Bruce?" she asked with trepidation. Normally he did not like to show any sign of weakness like this. He seemed so lost, so tired.
"Bruce is everything alright?" she asked gently placing a hand on his shoulder.
That seemed to get his attention. She felt his hand push hers off of him, not too gently. There was something odd about that.
"What is it Bruce?"
"We are not supposed to be together," he said very coldly and slowly.
"What?" Diana asked a little taken aback.
"This. Us. We were never supposed to be together. We do not belong with each other."
"Bruce calm down!" The world was about to end and he was getting cold feet about their relationship. What the gods was he thinking?
"Look at this!" he shouted pointing to a bunch of data on computer. Never had he raised her voice to her like that.
"This proves that someone interfered with the time stream. And look at the time and place they did it. Here, in Gotham! The night of the date auction!"
"Bruce what are you doing?" Diana trying to keep that notorious temper of hers buried down. She could feel her heart slowly sinking. This could not be happening. Not again.
"This proves someone interfered with our lives. We were not supposed to be together. The date auction was never supposed to happen! That is why this catastrophe is happening…"
"Don't you dare try to blame what has happened on us and use it as an excuse to push me away again!" Diana shouted back angrily, trying really hard to mask her tears. It was taking all her self-discipline to not snap his neck.
"What have we been doing this whole time? Nothing! We have been distracted! This whole thing, it's not real. What have I been doing instead of patrolling or investigating? Watching movies with you, planning weddings with Clark like we have no responsibilities…"
"I never asked you to give up your mission for me Bruce! Those choices you made on your own! I don't even know you anymore!"
"Do not delude yourself Diana; you damn well knew what you were getting yourself in to. You have been just as distracted as I was. It is no wonder you have failed your mission from your gods!"
Now that really stung. She was about to punch but her heart stopped her. It may have been on the verge of breaking down but she was not going to give up hope yet.
Instead she settled for a slap. She made sure to put in just enough strength to make it hurt, but not enough to knock him off his feet.
"Don't you dare try to say it is for the greater good for this mission because you are too big of a coward to admit you are scared of being happy!"
Bruce seemed unfazed from her slap and leaned in dangerously close to her. His icy blue eyes brimming with anger just like hers.
"In this job, happiness takes second. I don't think it's something you and the rest never understood. It is why we have lost our advantage against Savage-"
"You are pathetic! You try to deny everything that has happened? I know you better than you think! You were enjoying it just as much as I was! And lest you better not forget, you were the one who wanted to start this!" she said accusatorily.
Bruce took a step back and his eyes resumed a cold and indifferent look.
"It was nothing but pure desire. Nothing more. There was nothing between us but that. Both of us were trying to find something that was not there. Or at least that was for me. I am sorry but, I don't love you."
That hurt right there. Her heart had collapsed at that moment. The Amazon in her was gloating. Telling her she was a fool all this time and should had seen this coming. Bruce was not finished though.
"I am sorry that you still seem to be that naïve little princess that thinks there is always going to be a happy ending like a lame love story with a knight in shining-"
But Bruce never did get to finish his insult because the next thing he knew he was thrown into his computer. He heard it smashed. Luckily he still had his suit on or he could have suffered some potential nasty injuries. Diana stood there, face red, her breathing heavy. Her sapphire eyes were filled with nothing but raw anger.
Bruce always saw her lose her temper before, but this was nuclear. If it was not for his self-discipline, his heart probably would have beating off the charts with fear. Diana then grabbed him by the throat before he could react.
"You…evil…sick…twisted…foul...brooding...basturd!" she said slowly between breaths before throwing him on the other side of cave.
"I tried to give your kind a chance but you are all the same! Cruel. Sadistic. Selfish. You think you combat monsters? You are the real one Bruce! You torture those who try to help you, beat them down, destroy them, and for what? Because you are too selfish and arrogant to accept anyone into your life? You are nothing more than a self-centered bully! You will wake up one day and realize that you are completely alone and regret it before you die!" she shouted angrily.
Before Bruce could clear his head and come up with a retort. Diana had already used her commlink to signal Holt to teleport her back to the Watchtower.
Bruce just sat there for a while wallowing in his misery and self-pity. He was dead wrong. This hurt a lot more than he originally thought. And he was not talking about his physical pain. He had not felt this much pain in his heart except when his parents and Alfred died.
"It's for the best," he said to himself miserably as a few tears began to roll down his face while reflecting over his own self-afflicted misery.
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When Holt teleported Diana back to the Watchtower after getting her signal, he had no idea what he was bringing up. Diana had appeared with one look on her face, murder. Immediately she stomped out of the room tearing down the sliding door to the hallway instead of waiting for it to open.
Holt had to duck as the piece of metal flew overhead. Thank God it did not damage any equipment.
"What the hell?" he wondered to himself as he could hear Wonder Woman stomping away from him.
She did not care about Savage, her mission, or dragons anymore. She wanted to get out. Leave. Depart Man's World forever. Or at least for the time being. She needed to go to Thermyscara. She did not care if there was an impending crisis going on. She was so angry at the moment; she knew she would not be able to do the job effectively.
She was already about to get on her invisible jet when she heard her name being called.
"DIANA!"
She turned around to find Superman standing in the bay arms crossed. His posture gave off intimidation but his face showed sympathy.
"Where are you going?"
"I am going home. Kal," she did not mean to sound angry at him but she could not keep it contained.
"Diana, we need you. The world needs you, especially now."
"No. I am too emotionally damaged or whatever right now. I will only be a distraction!"
"But what about your mission-"
"I failed! Obviously I am too incompetent right now!" she screamed as a few tears began to fall.
"What is going on?" he asked softly in contrast to her raising voice. That calmed her down a little.
"It's Bruce," she sighed.
Superman gently put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Hera, why could she not have chosen him? Why did it have to be Bruce?
"You know he's just being his usual self, he will come around."
"No, not this time. Besides, I cannot take it anymore, I am done with him."
Superman sighed. They were so close to finally being together forever and now Bruce ruined it. What was wrong with that man?
"That being said, you should not just take off like that Diana. If you feel like you cannot function properly on this mission, you can stick around still. Maybe help Mister Terrific on the Watch-"
"I am sorry Kal but I need to go home for now. I really need to heal. I do not mean to sound selfish but I cannot help you anymore. I am too much of a mess right now. Please, just let me go."
"Diana-"
"Don't make me have to fight you Kal, because I will."
Superman sighed and released his hand on her shoulder.
"When will you be back?"
She sighed, "I do not know. Maybe a week, month, maybe even a year. Good luck Kal."
And with that she pulled her best friend in an embrace. She might never see him again.
"Please tell the others goodbye for me, especially Shayera and Zatanna."
"Will do," he said sadly as she broke the embrace to board her invisible jet.
With one final look, she turned to Superman before the doors swung shut. She went to the controls and immediately began to take off.
She departed the hangar, leaving the Watchtower behind her. She knew it seemed cowardly leaving just before a battle, but it was for the best. Bruce was right about one thing, she was too distracted right now to do her job.
Thermyscara was on the other side of the world when she entered the atmosphere, which meant it was going to be a long flight. Unnoticed, the gifts from Apollo and Hera had suddenly appeared on the seat behind her. Also unnoticed, a new occupant was in her jet, watching her try to fight back the tears and anger as she flew the aircraft.
Phantom Stranger watched as the two gifts had magically appeared behind their owner before looking back to the jet's pilot.
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," he stated silently before he disappeared from the jet.
