Chapter 10

Wayne Manor (MU)

"Bruce, don't run ahead now!"

"Sorry, mom," he called back over his shoulder, using his poster as a sword. "You will fear me!"

Thomas shook his head with a chuckle as he looped his arm with his wife's. "That boy definitely has your spirit and energy."

"And he has your brains," she added with a proud grin. "You know he's going to be a brilliant surgeon someday."

"Or attorney," he suggested.

"Maybe even a famous scientist," she decided. "Maybe he'll discover the cure for cancer."

"Wouldn't that be amazing?"

"I'm going to be a great hero like Zorro!" an eight-year-old Bruce excitedly exclaimed, raising his fake sword high in the air. "I'm going to protect people from evil!"

"Or he's going to be an actor," Thomas said with a chuckle.

"We have a wonderful son," she replied with a contented sigh. "He's going to be amazing no matter what he decides to do."

Thomas smiled fondly at their son. "I couldn't agree more, Martha."

"Hold it right there!"

Martha and Thomas Wayne froze with the unexpected voice that had emerged from the shadows of the alley. Martha automatically reached out for Bruce, desperate to pull him safely behind her, but the thug with the gun wouldn't allow it.

"Give me your money!"

"You can have all of it," Thomas told him. "Just please don't hurt my family."

"Don't tell me what to do!" he yelled, pointing his gun at him.

Bruce shrunk back, trying to disappear into the shadows as fear clawed at his throat. His blue eyes were wide as he watched his father try to reason with the robber, but it only seemed to further agitate him. He needed to do something. He had to stop this, but his feet remained planted where he stood.

He couldn't watch and yet he couldn't look away. His eyes grew wider as the gun fired. Shots rang out as first his father and then his mother dropped to the ground before him, her string of pearls breaking and rolling across the concrete. He stared into his mother's face as blood trickled from her mouth, her eyes wide with horror.

"Bruce…" she whispered his name, a haunting sound that would live with him for as long as there was breath in his lungs.

"No!" he screamed, rushing to their sides only to fall to his knees between them.

He didn't even notice the shooter running away, didn't hear the sound of his boots hitting the pavement as Bruce sobbed uncontrollably. He should have done something…should have tried to save them. Why couldn't he be like his hero Zorro and save them?

If he'd done something, then they would still be here with him, not lying dead in an alley and leaving him an orphan.

Bruce lifted his head to find himself as an adult. He was still on his knees in that very same alley, but now he was dressed in his Batman uniform. He watched as the fight with the Secret Society played out before him. He observed with undisguised respect and admiration as Diana did battle with her typical grace and strength. She was such an amazing sight to behold as she took on Giganta.

He felt his heart suddenly leap into his throat as he spotted Gorilla Grodd pulling a weapon and pointing it directly at Diana. He screamed her name, but there was too much going on around them, making it more than difficult for her to hear him.

Diana finished off Giganta, taking a moment to wrap up her lasso. She abruptly dropped it just in time to turn her attention towards Grodd. He tried to run towards her, but his legs wouldn't obey. He tried to scream her name again, but his voice wouldn't work. His body felt like it was no longer his own, forced to witness what was about to come.

Once again, he was desperate to look away, but found that he couldn't. He stared in horror as Grodd fired his weapon directly at Diana, the Amazon princess immediately raising her bracers to block the blast that came straight at her. A bright blue flash of light completely enveloped her and the area surrounding her.

Panic sliced through him as sure as a knife's blade as the blue light dissipated to reveal that Diana was no longer there, her lasso lying there on the ground where she should have been. His entire body trembled as he struggled to catch his breath, his gauntleted hands fisting at his sides beneath his cape.

He hung his head as overwhelming anguish washed over him unlike anything he'd felt since the day he lost his parents. He once again lost the most important person in the world to him…the very woman that he loved but had refused to admit his feelings for because he thought they had time…because he thought it would be too dangerous for her to be with him.

Turns out it didn't matter if she was with him or not. He'd still lost her regardless of his fears.

She was gone and she had no idea how he truly felt about her, without knowing her touch or feeling the heat of her kisses. He missed out on so much that he could have had with her…could have shared with her. He'd never hear her say the words that he had longed to hear from her.

Everything shifted, the dream starting all over again—his parents, the poster and pearls, the thug with the gun. He began to yell, refusing to be put through this nightmare all over again. Hadn't he been through enough without having to relive it all once more?

"Bruce…Bruce…"

Bruce jerked awake, breathing hard as he looked around to find himself still in the cave at his work desk. He tried to shake off the dread that still clung to him like a death shroud as he looked up into the concerned face of Tim. He leaned over, rubbing his face with his hands as he tried to shake off the fatigue that refused to leave him.

"Are you all right?" Tim asked, sitting down next to him.

"I'm fine," he stated, burying the tumultuous storm of emotions that teemed inside of him.

"You didn't sound fine," he pressed. "You were yelling Diana's name."

"It's nothing," Bruce tried to brush it off, straightening up and turning his attention to the transportation machine he was building.

He huffed in frustration as he stared at it. He was making progress, but the process was slow and tedious and more than a little infuriating knowing that Diana needed him, and he couldn't get to her. He couldn't bring her home even if they did locate her unless he had Constantine open a portal and pull her out.

Wherever she was, he just hoped that she was safe and happy. That was what he wanted most for her…always had despite his feelings for her and desire for her to be with him.

"Bruce, you need to give yourself a break," Tim told him. "You've been pushing yourself almost nonstop since Diana disappeared. You need to get some real sleep, not sleep at your work desk."

"I got some sleep last night," Bruce responded, picking up a tool.

"Four hours doesn't count as real sleep," Tim retorted, refusing to back down on this. "Either let me help you or—"

"Or what?" Bruce growled as he shot his partner a glare. "There's nothing you could possibly do to make me feel any worse than I already do so just let me do this."

"You know I can help you," Tim pushed. "Let me work on the computer programming while you work on building the machine. We'll get this thing done in no time."

Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose as he squeezed his eyes closed against the migraine building in his head. He knew that if he had help, he might be able to cut the time in half. As much as he wanted to do this himself, he knew he was going to have to accept some assistance.

"Fine," he finally relented with a weary sigh. "You can help with the computer programming."

"Good," Tim said as he stood to his feet. "We can get started on it after we've had some sleep and some breakfast."

"I don't need—"

"Don't even go there," Tim interrupted him as he held up a hand. "You've been about as pleasant as a pissed off python since Diana disappeared. Get some sleep and we'll tackle it after that."

"You go ahead," Bruce told him with a frown as he began to work on the machine. "I'm going to work on this a little bit longer before heading to bed."

"You need to get some sleep, Bruce," Tim argued. "The chances of Lord Batman contacting you today saying he found are slim at best."

"I know, but I have to do this."

"Why? Why are you killing yourself over this?" Tim demanded to know. "I know you're in love with her, but there's something more, isn't there? What is it?"

Bruce shot to his feet, fury gleaming in his eyes. "You want to know?" he growled. "I'll tell you. It's because Diana and I had a fight on the Watchtower before we beamed down to take on the Secret Society. She asked me to go a charity event with her and I turned her down. We ended up arguing and I said some things…things that I can't take back…things that I'll never forgive myself for. I have to get her back so I can tell her how sorry I am…and how much I love her."

Tim stared at him, taken aback by the amount of anger and guilt that was simmering inside of him not to mention the fact that he'd just opened up about it. He'd had no idea how much emotion he'd been struggling to reconcile. It was no wonder he was killing himself to find her and get her back.

"I'm sure Diana knows that you didn't mean it," Tim attempted to comfort him. Unfortunately, it fell on deaf ears.

"I don't think she does," Bruce insisted. "She didn't know it, but she picked the worst possible time to ask me. I was ready to unleash on anyone who crossed my path. I know I hurt her."

"Diana is the most forgiving and compassionate person I've ever known," he reminded him. "I'm sure she's already forgiven you and forgotten about it."

"You don't know that for sure," he muttered.

"Fine," Tim said with a huff of annoyance. "Kill yourself to get her back. Then, you still won't be able to talk to her and tell her how you feel."

Bruce just sat there as Tim stalked away, leaving him all alone in the cave. He hung his head, hating himself knowing how much he had hurt her. He had to find her soon so he could tell her how sorry he was and how deeply he truly loved her.

He didn't know how he was going to be able to live with himself if he never got the chance or never saw her again.

Wayne Manor (AU)

"Are you sure that Dick will be excited about the baby?" Diana asked, clearly worried about the announcement they would be making soon.

"Diana, you worry too much," Bruce told her, kissing her cheek as he moved past her. "He'll be very happy for us."

"I hope so," she murmured, biting at her bottom lip.

"What makes you think he won't be excited about it?"

"He didn't seem to be all that thrilled when he found out we were sleeping together and I moved into your bedroom," she pointed out.

"And I told him that what happens between you and me is our business and no one else's concern," he revealed as he finished buttoning his shirt. "He was just worried about me getting hurt if you returned home, but I assured him I knew what I was getting in to."

"I just don't want to break your heart," she replied, her blue eyes softening with the love she felt for him. "You're an amazing man, Bruce. I don't want to end up hurting you."

He made his way towards her, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm not going to lie to you and tell you this is easy for me," he revealed. "I'd love for you to stay here with me until we're both old and gray, but I knew what I signed up for by falling in love with a beautiful dimension travelling superhero slash Amazon warrior from another world."

Diana chuckled with his description of her. "Believe me when I say I'd love nothing more than to stay here with you forever, but I have to try to get home," she softly said as she buried herself in his comforting embrace. "Once I know for sure that I've exhausted all avenues, I'll accept this life I've been given. I hope you can understand that."

"I do understand," he maintained. "I want you to be absolutely sure about this. I don't want to force you into something that you don't want."

"It's not that I don't want to be here with you, but I left so much behind in my world," she tried to tell him with a sigh. "It's just so hard to explain. It's like there's this constant war going on in my heart about where I want to be or need to be."

"Too bad we can't find a way to bridge your world and mine so you could travel back and forth," he thoughtfully said.

"That would be the best of both worlds," she agreed, her thoughts taking her to the Bruce she had left behind.

Despite how cruel Bruce had been during their last argument, her heart still ached with how much she missed him. He was never far from her thoughts despite how happy she felt being here with this Bruce. She never would've guessed that she would find herself in love with two men let alone the same man but from two different universes. How in Hera had she gotten herself into a such a mess?

"Let's go downstairs," Bruce suggested. "Dick will be here with Barbara soon."

"I'm anxious to see if this Barbara is anything like mine."

"Well, she's studying to become a lawyer last I heard," he informed her. "Not sure if that has changed at all over the last year that Dick has been gone."

Dick and Barbara entered through the front door as Bruce and Diana descended the stairs. "Hey, guys," Dick greeted them with a wide grin, holding hands with a red head who looked identical to the Barbara Diana knew except this Barbara's hair was shoulder length.

"Hi, you must be Diana," Barbara said, extending her hand. "I'm Barbara."

"It's nice to meet you," Diana replied as she shook her hand.

"Bruce, it's so good to see you again," Barbara said as she hugged him.

"It's been too long, Rara," he agreed.

"I haven't heard that nickname in so long," she responded with a giggle.

"You should have visited over the last year," Bruce told her, elbowing his brother in the ribs. "I don't know why you took this guy back, but I'm glad you did."

"Gee, thanks a lot, big brother," Dick muttered with a scowl. "I can't help it if Barbara finds me irresistible."

'Um, I don't think that's the way it went," Barbara corrected him, giving him an annoyed look. "I believe you begged me to give you a second chance. There might have been a couple of tears involved too along with some kneeling."

Dick gave her a sheepish glance, unable to argue the fact. "It still worked," he claimed. "You gave me a second chance."

Barbara rolled her eyes as they made their way to the library. "Only because you looked so pathetic on your knees like that."

"Ouch," Dick responded, his hand covering his heart. Deciding he needed a change of topic before things became even more humiliating, he turned to his older brother. "So, what's this big surprise you want to tell us about? Did you finally find a way home for Diana?"

"Well, we wanted to let you know that you're going to be an uncle," Bruce revealed with an excited grin. "Diana is pregnant."

"Congratulations!" Barbara cried, immediately pulling Bruce and then Diana into a hug. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, Barbara," Diana replied.

Bruce looked to his brother to find him standing there behind Barbara. The disapproving expression on his face and the anger in his eyes stunned him. "Dick?" he said. "Aren't you excited for us?"

"No…no, I'm not," Dick flatly stated as he pushed past Bruce before stalking out of the library.

Diana felt her heart sink as she glanced at Bruce. He appeared completely blindsided by his brother's reaction to the news, sucking all the happiness out of the room. She placed her hand on his forearm, squeezing it in an effort to comfort him.

"Bruce…" she began.

"I'm going to go talk to him," he told her, leaning in and kissing her softly. "Don't worry. It'll be all right. I'll be right back."

Diana nodded as Bruce quickly exited the room, feeling as though she had just caused a major rift in the brothers' relationship. For the first time since coming to this dimension, she felt as though she shouldn't be here at the manor. She didn't belong in this home. She had disrupted this family's life, turning it upside down.

What had she done?

Staying here had been a huge mistake. She should've left soon after waking up in the manor. She knew that it had been dangerous falling for Bruce, and she had been right. He had been so accepting and supportive of her decisions, agreeing to help her return to her world even though it meant leaving him behind. In the end, she was going to break his heart. How could she do that to him?

Barbara took Diana's hand in hers, noticing the tears that filled her eyes. "Come, sit with me," she suggested, gently pulling her towards the couch.

"I should never have stayed here," Diana murmured as she sat down next to Barbara. "As soon as I knew I was falling for Bruce, I should've left…and now…now I'm carrying his baby. What in the name of Hera was I thinking? This was never going to work out. We were doomed from the very beginning."

"You don't know that, Diana," Barbara attempted to comfort her. "From what Dick has told me, Bruce has never been happier. You have completely turned his world around for the better. That was all you and no one else."

"I can't help but feel as though I've made things worse in the end," she insisted as she shook her head. "I'm just so confused right now."

"I honestly believe that there is no such thing as an accident. There's a reason for everything that happens in life," Barbara told her. "You were brought to our world for a reason even if it is for a short time. It's more than obvious that Bruce is head over heels in love with you. It's almost like he's floating ten feet off the ground. I've never seen him like that before."

Diana wiped her eyes, her heart hurting for the pain that she had caused. Trying to find Bruce had been the biggest mistake she could've made. "And now I'm carrying his baby," she murmured. "How can I possibly return to my world and take his child away from him? I was selfish for sleeping with Bruce…not considering the consequences of my actions."

"Have you found a way home yet?"

"No," she replied. "The Justice Association is looking for some way to help me, but they're my last hope. If they can't help me, then there's nothing more that can be done. This is my new life."

"I'm sorry, Diana," she said. "That must be horribly difficult for you knowing all that you left behind."

"I just feel so lost," she confessed. "Half my heart is in the world I came from and half my heart is here with Bruce. I've never felt so torn between two worlds…between two lives."

"Don't worry," Barbara told her. "I'm sure everything will work out. Bruce and Dick are really close. I promise you Dick will come around."

"I can't bear the thought of coming between them," Diana admitted. "I never meant to hurt anyone. That was never my intention in coming here."

"I know that and I'm sure Dick does too," she responded. "Just let Bruce talk to him. He'll get it worked out."

"I hope so," she murmured as she glanced at the doorway of the library.

XXX

"Dick!" Bruce called as he jogged to catch up to him. "What is wrong with you?"

Dick stopped short, turning on his heel to glare at his brother. "What's wrong with me?" he asked, shocked. "What's wrong with you, Bruce?"

"What do you mean?"

"You get Diana pregnant and you're asking what's wrong with me?" Dick ground out with a scowl. "Bruce, she's from another universe. She doesn't belong here. She's going to leave someday with your child."

"How do you know that she doesn't belong here?" Bruce demanded to know. "Maybe she was brought here for a reason. Maybe this is her new home now."

"Maybe…a lot of maybe's," Dick heatedly pointed out. "Maybe she'll find a way home tomorrow and take your child with her. What are you going to do then? Are you going to let her go or are you going to go with her?"

Bruce crossed his arms defiantly against his chest as he averted his eyes. "I'll deal with it," he insisted.

"Really? Like you dealt with Talia running off with another man?" Dick questioned him. "Alfred told me you were a walking zombie. You hid in that damned cave of yours for months on end, barely coming leaving the manor except for work."

"I was distraught after what Talia did to me, but then I met Diana, and everything just seemed so right," he confessed. "The world around me came alive and was full of color again. Don't you want me to be happy?"

Dick closed the distance between them, his hands gripping his upper arms. "Of course, I want you to be happy…more than anything in this world, but I can't watch you get hurt again," he told him. "You have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known, Bruce. You just feel so deeply and love so freely. I just don't want to see your heart get broken again."

"I know what I'm getting into with Diana and I'm willing to take the risk," he tried to tell him. "I know it's going to be difficult if she leaves, but I'd rather have a few months than not have anything at all with her."

Dick slowly shook his head as he studied his brother. "You always did have mom's enormous heart," he replied, releasing a frustrated sigh. "I just hope you know what you're doing, bro."

"Actually, I don't," he admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I have no idea what I'll do if she leaves. I'm just following my heart and hoping for the best."

"You know I'll always be here for you and support you no matter what," he replied. "I just don't like seeing you get hurt and I'm really worried Diana is going to do that to you."

"You know Diana isn't the enemy," he reminded him. "We really do love each other."

"I know you do, and I know Diana is not the enemy," Dick said with a chuckle. "I've been forced to watch you two these last few months, remember? Between the kissing and the looks you two give each other, I'm about to turn on a hose on you."

"Come on," Bruce retorted with a roll of his blue eyes. "We're not that bad."

"Seriously?" Dick countered. "You and Diana are worse than mom and dad ever were."

"They were pretty starry-eyed with each other, weren't they?"

"You and Diana are in definite danger of surpassing them," he warned him. "You're bordering on saccharine overdose."

"We are not mushy like they were," Bruce stated. "Mom and dad were cute, though."

"Yah, it was nice knowing they were so in love and not embarrassed to show it."

"Are we okay now?"

Dick embraced his brother, clapping him on the back. "Of course, we're okay," he reassured him. "And I don't hate Diana. I love her like a sister. I just hope that things work out for you two. I worry about you."

"I'm older than you," Bruce reminded him. "I'm the one who should be worried about you."

"Me?" Dick scoffed with a cocky grin. "I'm not the one who wears my heart on my sleeve. I've got it all together."

"Yes, you just had to grovel on your knees to get your ex-girlfriend back," Bruce pointed out with a frown.

"Okay, we're not going to mention that ever again, right?"

"Whatever you say," Bruce muttered as he turned to head back to the library.

"I'm serious, Bruce," Dick said as he followed him. "I will bribe you to keep you quiet if I have to."

"I'll have to remember that."

"I'm so screwed," Dick murmured to himself as they walked towards the library to find Diana coming out, Barbara tagging along behind her.

"Bruce, I need to leave," Diana told him, trying to hold back the tears that were intent on falling.

"What?" he said, stunned by her words. "Diana, you can't leave."

"I won't come between you and your brother," she insisted.

"Diana, you're not going anywhere," Dick swore.

"This is all my fault," she replied. "I should have left a long time ago, but I kept telling myself that nothing was going to happen between me and Bruce. The truth is I was selfish. I fell in love with him and instead of leaving to make sure he didn't get hurt, I stayed despite knowing how complicated things could become for all of us."

Bruce took her hand in his hand, not about to let her go anytime soon. "Diana, I could have asked you to leave, but I didn't want you to because I was falling in love with you too. I knew how complicated and messy things could be, but I didn't care. All I wanted was you for however long I could have with you."

"They are so adorable!" Barbara cried, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Diana, I'm really sorry," Dick apologized. "I really am happy for you two. I'm just worried about Bruce. He's been hurt so badly in the past. I just can't stand to see him hurt like that again."

"I understand," she replied as she looked at him. "Hurting either of you is the last thing I ever wanted to do."

"I know," Dick assured her. "I was just a little shocked by the news. I really hope that everything works out for you two."

"We'll just have to see where life takes us," Bruce told him. "We'll take this one day at a time and enjoy every moment of it that we're given."

Diana swallowed hard, trying to stifle the tears, but unfortunately, her hormones were already toying with her. She couldn't believe how much alike both Bruce's were and yet so different. This Bruce wanted to seize every moment and opportunity that presented itself to him. Her other Bruce shied away from any risks involving the heart, choosing rather to avoid any complications in his life to avoid getting hurt again.

Bruce swiftly drew her into a fierce embrace, burying his face in her raven hair. "Everything will be okay, Diana," he attempted to reassure her.

She wanted to believe him more than anything in this world. For some reason, she just had a gut feeling that told her otherwise. "I hope you're right," she whispered.

"Aren't they the cutest?" Barbara asked Dick, wrapping her arms around his arm and laying her head on his shoulder.

"I guess they are pretty sweet together," Dick agreed with a grin. "Hey, does this mean I get to be the kid's godfather?"

"I can't think of anyone better suited," Bruce replied with a smile as he held the woman that he loved.

"I agree," Diana added as she pulled out of Bruce's arms. "I think you'd be perfect."

"Well, now that that business is settled, I believe it's time for a celebratory dinner," Alfred announced. "Dinner is served in the dining room."

"I'm starving," Dick said as he led Barbara to the dining room.

Bruce grabbed hold of Diana's arms, keeping her with him. "Are we okay now?" he asked, worry permeating his eyes as he studied her.

Diana nodded her head, a forced smile on her lips. "We're fine," she tried to assure him.

"I don't want to wake up one morning to find you ran away from me," he admitted. "It's one thing to know you found a way home. It's another thing altogether different to know you left me to live in another part of my world."

"I won't do that to you, Bruce," she swore to him, sealing her promise with a kiss.

"Good," he breathed, taking her hand as they headed towards the dining room to join the others.

"So, have you thought up any baby names yet?" Dick as they took their seats.

"We just found out," Diana reminded him.

"But if it's a girl, I asked Diana if we could name her Jacinda," Bruce revealed as Alfred served the dinner.

Dick nodded his head, his expression growing solemn. "Jacey would've loved that, Bruce."

"I think it's a beautiful name," Diana replied.

"I wish you could've known her," Dick told her. "She was so fun-loving and outgoing."

"She was a real firecracker," Bruce agreed. "She got us into more trouble over the years."

"We were the three amigos," Dick added with a laugh.

"I wish I could've met her," Barbara said.

"Me too," Dick murmured, a distant look in his eye as coveted memories flooded his mind.

"How did she pass?" Diana asked.

"She was killed by a drunk driver," Bruce softly said. "She'd just gotten her driver's license that day. She was so excited. She was on her way over here to pick me and Dick up to go to the movies in her brand-new car when she was hit head-on by a drunk. She died instantly."

"I'm so sorry," Diana said.

"It was just so unfair," Dick replied with a shake of his head.

"So, any ideas on a name for a boy?" Barbara asked, knowing they needed to change the subject for everyone's sake.

"No," Diana admitted. "We're just trying to adjust to the fact we're having a baby. We won't know if it's a boy or girl for several more weeks."

"We'll have to go shopping for maternity and baby clothes," Barbara excitedly said. "This is going to be so much fun."

Diana cast a glance at Bruce, the excitement on his face unmistakable. It was more than obvious how thrilled he was with the baby they were going to have. It warmed her heart and yet could feel it sinking, wondering just how long they would actually have together.

Would they raise their daughter together…watch her grow up and get married one day? Would they have more children, possibly growing old together?

She felt as though her very soul was being torn in two, half of her here with Bruce…the other half of her back in her own world with the first man that she had ever fallen in love with. What would he say if he knew that she was pregnant with another man's child? Would he hate her? Never want to see her again?

The words that he'd said to her in the midst of their heated argument still rang in her ears and tore at her heart. Still, she couldn't deny the love she felt for him or how much she longed to see him again. He would forever hold her heart despite another man possessing her body.

She smiled as Bruce, Dick and Barbara laughing as they retold a story from their childhood, trying to sweep away thoughts of her first love. He'd made his decision quite clear when it came to the two of them. It had been his choice to make.

Now, she'd made hers and she wasn't going to regret it no matter what the future held for her.

A/N: Well, things are trucking along for now, but don't get used to it. Big changes are coming.

UP NEXT: Bruce gets an unexpected message while Diana gets some good news and some not so good news. :)