TITLE: Marked for Death

AUTHOR: LOTSlover

CHARACTERS: Batman / Wonder Woman

RATING: T

WARNINGS: Author Chooses Not to Use Warnings

DISCLAIMER: I love Justice League, but especially Batman and Wonder Woman. Unfortunately, I do not own the characters and, if I did, things would be much different for them.

SUMMARY: Set immediately following the events of ZSJL, Bruce and Diana work together to prepare the manor for the official formation of the Justice League and the eventual arrival of Darkseid, completely unaware that another enemy is closer than they realize. BMWW / DCEU

Chapter 1

Undisclosed Location; April 28th, 22:09 EST

Lex Luthor sipped appreciatively on his glass of wine, humming softly to himself as he savored the full-bodied taste of it as he rolled it around with his tongue. He had definitely missed these finer things in life during his stint in Arkham Asylum. He'd been robbed of the affluent lifestyle that he'd been accustomed to during that stay, but now he was making up for lost time in more ways than just one.

He heard the distant sound of a motorboat steadily growing louder as it drew closer to his luxurious yacht, knowing exactly who was fast approaching. His lips curled slightly with excitement. It was only a matter of time now until he finally had his ultimate revenge. With this particular ally, he'd never know what hit him.

"Ah, there he is," Lex Luthor greeted his invited guest as Deathstroke walked up the steps of the yacht, his imposing stature looming large before him. He offered him a drink, but Deathstroke didn't respond to his offer. "I was just celebrating god's return out of the ground and back up into the sky."

"I heard you were a few clowns short of a circus," Deathstroke rasped, hyperaware of his surroundings. He wasn't about to be caught unawares by being plied with alcohol. This was business, not pleasure. Besides, he'd heard too much about Lex Luthor, his reputation of psychosis and rambling speeches that made no sense preceding him.

Lex chuckled with little amusement in his voice. "I was…thank you until the good doctors at Arkham helped me find some much-needed clarity," he said. "Now, you volunteered to destroy the Bat free of charge. Why the pro bono work?"

Deathstroke removed his helmet, releasing a ragged breath. "It's personal."

"Ah, let me guess," Luthor responded. "An eye for an eye."

Deathstroke looked up at Luthor with the one eye not covered by an eye patch, his amusing quip falling flat. His head was still lowered slightly as he tightly gripped his helmet, looking up at Luthor through his eyelashes. "You said you'd have something I want," he stated, anger beginning to simmer just beneath the surface. "You better not be wasting my time."

"Oh, and endure your wrath, Mister Wilson," Lex countered in a mocking tone before growing serious once more. "No, I wouldn't think of it. Uh, I have too much to live for and more important things to do."

Lex's nostrils flared slightly as he leveled Deathstroke with a steely look before continuing. "But if you want the Batman, here is something that can help you," he revealed, pausing slightly for dramatic effect. "His name is Bruce Wayne."

Deathstroke hummed softly to himself. "On second thought," he began, pausing to take a glass of wine. "We do have something to celebrate."

"Good boy," Lex replied, "but there's more."

"What?"

"He's been spending time with Diana Prince," he informed him. "You might know her better as Wonder Woman."

"I have no complaint with Wonder Woman," Deathstroke told him, setting the empty glass done on the table before turning to leave.

"I've heard rumors that they are…close," Luthor continued, causing Deathstroke to pause in his step.

Wilson looked back over his shoulder at Luthor in question. "You want me to kill two birds with one stone for free?"

"I'm just saying that I wouldn't be upset if Wonder Woman happened to get caught in the crossfire."

Wilson turned to look at him. "What did she ever do to you?"

"Nothing, but I might as well have her eliminated too before she can get in the way of my plans," he replied. "Wouldn't want her seeking revenge on me for Batman's death."

"It'll cost you," Wilson told him. "I don't just take out innocent bystanders for nothing."

Luthor's lips curled into a smirk. "I can assure you. Money is no object."

Wayne Manor; April 29th, 18:12 EST

Bruce's mind was a constant whirlwind of activity as he entered his ancestral home. There was so much to do, so many things that needed to be put into place if they were going to officially form the Justice League. Everyone had returned to their lives after defeating Steppenwolf, agreeing that forming a cohesive team was necessary and to let them know when they were needed.

Diana had returned to Gotham from Paris just yesterday, anxious to help him get the Justice League off the ground. She was going to be his biggest asset in forming this team. Her years of experience and knowledge would prove to be invaluable in the long run.

He hated to admit it, but he felt a calming sense of peace when she was near him. She somehow managed to give him clarity of thought, bringing things into a sharp focus. Maybe it was one of her gifts bestowed to her by her gods, like Poison Ivy's ability to seduce men to do her bidding. It was something that he wasn't certain he wanted to think about at that moment.

"Big, round table…six chairs…right there," Bruce announced as he entered the ballroom, lifting his arm and holding his hand out where he had pictured it all taking place.

"But room for more," Diana added as she followed him inside the room, looking at him with excitement brimming in her eyes and a smile on her lips.

They had come together as a team and had defeated the powerful Steppenwolf, sending a message to Darkseid in the process that told him they were here to stay. No one was going to attack Earth and get away with it. They would stand in the gap and fight to the end whatever the cost.

Bruce turned to give Diana a soft smile before looking out over the expansive room once more. A grim expression suddenly masked his face. "But room for more," he murmured in agreement. "God help us."

Alfred smiled appreciatively, proud of his surrogate son and all that he had accomplished with the help of the others. He knew Bruce's parents would be undeniably proud of him as well. He couldn't help noticing how the look between Bruce and Diana had lingered a heartbeat longer than necessary. He dared to hope that the formation of the Justice League would lead to far more on a personal level between these two.

"I'm going to go inspect the rest of the manor," Alfred declared, making a discreet exit.

Bruce decided that the hopeful look of excitement shining in Diana's brown eyes was undeniable…almost contagious, but he still couldn't help the gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach. Darkseid wasn't going to just sit back and not try to dominate their world. The alien was hungry for power, thirsted for domination and more conquests under his belt.

Earth was next on that list. He held no doubt.

He was also still fuming over the fact that Lex Luthor had managed to escape from prison. He needed to track the psychotic monster down and put him back in his jail cell where he belonged. He was far too dangerous to be allowed to run rampant, making plans and plotting more manipulative schemes.

"I know that look," Diana said, gently bumping his shoulder with her own. "What could you be brooding about this time?"

He looked over at her, wondering how she knew him so well already. Of course, they had spent countless hours together trying to hunt down others like them who could help stop Steppenwolf's invasion. He swore at times he could still feel the faint tingle in his hand when he had brushed against hers on that computer mouse.

He subconsciously shook himself free from the moment that seemed to sneak its way into the forefront of his thoughts when he least expected it. "What makes you think I'm brooding?" he questioned her with a frown.

"You get a certain look on your face," she revealed, walking past him to examine the ballroom.

She imagined what this magnificent room had looked like in its day, the countless guests who had been invited for a night of mingling and dancing. She would've loved to have been one of those guests, but she had not been here during that time, nor did she ever know Bruce's parents.

"What kind of look?" he curiously asked as he began to follow her about the ballroom, pausing as she stopped to run her fingers over the distressed, peeling wallpaper. He'd always loved that wallpaper when he had lived here.

She smiled at him as she turned to face him, folding her arms against her chest as if warding off a sudden chill. "Your eyebrows gather and your forehead wrinkles," she told him, reaching out to brush the tip of her finger against his left cheek. "And you get a little tick in your cheek from clenching your teeth."

Bruce snorted in amusement as he averted his eyes. "Being blessed by Athena doesn't mean you know everything," he countered in mock indignation.

She chuckled softly as she gently shook her head, turning to walk the length of the room. "It's just an observation," she commented. "Now, tell me. What has that little Bat brain of yours all tangled up in knots?"

He released a reluctant sigh, shoving his hands into his pants pockets. "Just a nagging feeling I can't seem to shake."

"About?"

"Several things, actually," he reluctantly admitted.

"Tell me," she urged. "Maybe I can help."

"Lex Luthor escaped from prison," he informed her.

"I heard," she replied. "No one has been able to find him, although, there's a recent rumor he was spotted in the South of France."

"I'm looking into it," he confessed. "Then, there's Darkseid. He's not going to give up trying to conquer Earth. He's going to want revenge for killing Steppenwolf."

Diana paused to glance at him over her shoulder. "Do you think I should've let him live?" she asked, her brow furrowing.

"I didn't say that."

"Still, there's a part of you that wonders if I shouldn't have killed him." She said it more as a statement than an actual question. She knew she had done the right thing, and nothing would dissuade her from that belief.

"I just can't help feeling as though we might have unlocked Pandora's Box."

"So, removing Steppenwolf's head and sending him back to his master made everything worse instead of better?" She was growing more irritated with this conversation the longer it continued.

"Look," he said with a resigned sigh. "I'm not saying that you were wrong by killing Steppenwolf. It had to be done. I just can't help wondering if we might have made things worse in the process."

She nodded her head curtly. "You mean if I made things worse in the process," she corrected him. "I might have, but I did what had to be done at the time in order to save the world. I did what I had to do…what I've been trained to do since I was a little girl on Themyscira. I don't regret it and I will not apologize to anyone for my actions."

Bruce slowly made his way to her, knowing she was taking this all wrong. Maybe he was just saying it all wrong. "Diana, you were amazing in that battle," he told her. "You made the Amazons and your mother proud. I just think that Darkseid has bigger plans up his sleeve…something far worse than we could ever begin to imagine. He's planning on proceeding with those designs on Earth with or without Steppenwolf. We need to start preparing for it as soon as possible."

She approached him with a concerned grimace on her face, stopping before him. "You think that Darkseid will make his move to invade Earth soon?"

"I have no idea, but I think we need to be prepared for when he does arrive…because he will," he said. "I could see it in his eyes. He doesn't handle losing very well. He's going to want revenge on us for stopping his plans for Earth, to prove that he is the supreme ruler of the universe."

Diana visibly shuddered, not out of fear but out of dread. Steppenwolf and his Parademons caused so much chaos and destruction, hurt so many people. She hated to think what Darkseid could do to this world if they didn't stop him.

"If you two are done discussing the end of the world, I'm going to return to the lake house to finish dinner," Alfred interjected from the doorway of the ballroom. "I hope you will be staying, Miss Diana."

"I would love to," Diana agreed with a smile. "I have to admit I've missed your cooking, Alfred."

"I'm glad there's at least one person in this world who appreciates my culinary skills," Alfred replied with a pointed look at Bruce.

Bruce rolled his eyes with a huff of annoyance. "I've told you countless times that your cooking is great."

"Between grunts and grumbles of gratitude with his nose buried in one case file or another."

"Don't you have a dinner to check on?" Bruce countered.

Alfred gave him a small smirk as he turned on his heel to leave. "Behave yourselves while I'm gone," he called over his shoulder.

A faint blush suffused Diana's cheeks as she turned to inspect the drapes adorning a nearby window. "I imagine this ballroom was magnificent in its day," she commented, changing the subject.

"It was pretty amazing," he agreed as he lightly ran his fingers over the dilapidated wall covering. "I always loved this wallpaper. My father picked it out."

"Did your parents host very many parties?" she ventured, knowing that talking about his parents was a sensitive topic that was to be treaded lightly.

The corner of his mouth curled up as memories flooded him. "It seemed like nearly every month there was some gala or charity event being held here," he revealed, a soft chuckle slipping free. "There was no better hostess than my mother. She was incredibly skilled at making certain that every guest felt welcome and at home in the manor, keeping glasses constantly full and guaranteeing that everyone was having a great time."

"Were you ever allowed to attend their parties?" she asked, pleased that he felt at ease talking to her about his childhood and his family. She counted it a privilege not to be taken for granted.

Bruce snorted in amusement. "It was usually past my bedtime…conveniently enough," he revealed. "I would sneak downstairs sometimes and sit on the staircase to listen to the music and the laughter. A couple of times I peeked inside the ballroom to watch everyone mingle and dance until Alfred caught me and sent me back upstairs to my bedroom."

Diana smiled gently, noticing the way his eyes gleamed brightly with the pleasant memories that had been resurrected. She could tell it was something he held dear. "I wish I could have seen it," she murmured.

He returned her smile as he turned to look at her. "Maybe someday we'll have a grand party of our own here again," he said, suddenly realizing how it must have sounded talking about them as a couple.

Diana chuckled in response. "You mean we can dance around the Justice League meeting table and chairs?" she asked with a teasing lilt to her voice as she twirled in place. "I'm sure that will be an elegant party with computer monitors and all of your Bat gadgets."

"I believe we can come up with something," he told her. "With eleven bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and a total square footage of over forty-two thousand square feet, I'm positive we can make some sort of gala work."

Diana released a subtle sigh as she began to make her way to the entrance of the ballroom. "I guess we shouldn't keep Alfred and dinner waiting."

Diana's cell phone rang at that moment, causing her to pause to answer it. "Hello," she greeted the caller. "Yes, I'm here in Gotham. I'll be here for a few days. What did you have in mind?"

Bruce did his best to try not to eavesdrop on Diana's personal business, but it was difficult with the way his curiosity was running rampant. He tried to justify it with his paranoia, wanting to protect her from anyone that might have ulterior motives, but deep down, he knew it was more than that.

"Alright, I'll meet you tomorrow for lunch," Diana agreed. "See you then."

Turning her phone off, she slipped her phone into her pocket, looking up to find Bruce trying to find interest in a dusty old drape. "That was Lois," she revealed, knowing that he was wondering.

"How is Lois?" he asked as he approached.

"She wants me to join her for lunch tomorrow," she informed him as they headed for the front door of the manor.

"Anything wrong?" he nonchalantly inquired.

"She wants my opinion on her wedding plans," she replied. "I don't know how she thinks I have any experience when it comes to weddings. I've never been married."

Diana's voice grew pained, an awkward tension filling the silent gap between them as they walked the manor grounds. They were both thinking of Steve Trevor, but neither wanted to give voice to his name. Bruce would rather not think of Steve Trevor or what he meant to Diana.

"Anyway, she wants my help picking out colors and bridesmaid dresses," she continued, pushing thoughts of Steve to the back of her mind. That was her former life. She needed to stop living in the past and embrace her present and future as well as those who lived in it.

"Have you ever been a bridesmaid?"

Diana shook her head. "Never," she said with a small chuckle. "You would think after all these years of living in Man's World I would have been in at least one wedding, but I always avoided close connections with people. I didn't want to get too attached especially since I needed to move every few years to keep my heritage a secret."

"That sounds about as sad as my life," he said with a visible grimace.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, curious about his comment. "Why do you say that?"

Bruce stared straight ahead, his eyes narrowing as he considered his life. "I don't have very many close friends," he found himself confessing. "I have hundreds of acquaintances and people who would call me a friend, but I keep everyone at arm's length. I don't allow very many to get too close to me."

"Why is that?" she questioned him.

He grew pensive, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. "That's too long of a story to tell right now," he evaded her question, giving her a sardonic smile. "Maybe someday when I'm drunk enough to know better, I'll tell you the sordid story of Bruce Wayne."

Diana shook her head ruefully. "I'm sure it's not as sordid as you think."

"I'm no altar boy, Diana," he stated with a hint of disdain. "Whatever kind of noble hero you think I am, I'm not. I'm afraid that I'm the opposite of your precious Steve Trevor."

The icy, cutting edge in his voice was unmistakable. It hurt her that he thought so little of himself. It was rather ironic that this somewhat cocky and extremely confident man was sometimes anything but. It was rare times like these when she was granted a brief glimpse at what lay hidden deep beneath the Bat uniform that stunned her. He was a complex puzzle that she was anxious to unravel and maybe help heal the broken bits that he tried so hard to hide from everyone.

She drew a deep breath, releasing it slowly through her nose as she drank in the landscape that was becoming lush and green. She was happy for spring's arrival and the new life that it always signaled. "Bruce…" she began, ready to talk to him about Steve…had finally been able to let him go.

"What do you think about having earpieces to better communicate with all the team members?" he asked, cutting her off. He didn't want to talk about his personal life anymore nor did he want to hear about the man she loved.

There was no competing with a man who had been dead for over a hundred years that still held her heart.

Caught off guard by his abrupt change of subject, Diana managed to recover quickly, somewhat annoyed by his sudden evasiveness. It was frustrating to no end when he did that. "Can you create something like that?"

"Already have," he revealed with an impish grin as they entered the lake house. "Victor and I have managed to make some."

"It's about time," Alfred greeted them as he placed the spanakopita on the table.

"Alfred," Diana said, her eyes locked on the Greek dish on the table. "Is that what I think it is? Because if it is, you are my favorite person in the whole world."

Alfred grinned at the Amazon, taking the dishtowel from his shoulder to wipe his hands. "Sorry, Master Bruce," Alfred apologized with a cheeky smirk. "You just fell further down the list."

Bruce went to the sink to wash his hands, giving Alfred a dark glare as he passed by him. "What smells so good?"

"That would be the lamb chops," Alfred revealed.

"You went all out," Diana commented as she took her seat at the table.

"I thought you might enjoy some Greek dishes," Alfred replied. "I'm sure you miss your home."

She grew wistful as memories of Themyscira, and her mother filled her thoughts with a suffocating longing that never seemed to diminish even after all of these years of being gone. "I appreciate that, Alfred," she softly replied, her focus on the spanakopita.

Bruce couldn't help but notice how lonely Diana seemed to be. It had been over a hundred years since she'd last seen her mother or her sisters. He knew that deep heartache all too well. It had been thirty-five years since he'd seen his parents and that felt like forever ago.

He placed a gentle hand on her back as he took the seat next to her, giving her a small, heartfelt smile. "Okay, you're going to have to tell me how to eat this," he told her.

"You eat spanakopita with tzatziki," Diana informed him, her eyes brightening as Alfred approached the table with a bowl in hand.

"I just happen to have some right here," he revealed, passing the bowl to her. "I also have a fabulous Greek salad that I made with extra olives."

"You know me too well, Alfred," she said with a grin. "You're also going to make me fat."

"That's hardly possible," Bruce murmured as he took a lamb chop. "It's been a long time since I had spanakopita. I don't remember putting any sauce on it."

"You don't have to eat it with tzatziki," she informed him. "Many people feel the richness of the spanakopita is enough, but I prefer it with the sauce."

"Be sure to save room for the honey orange-blossom baklava I made for dessert," Alfred suggested.

"You are too good to me," Diana replied. "I may never return to Paris."

"You should consider moving to Gotham," Alfred recommended, gently elbowing Bruce.

"Diana doesn't want to give up her life in Paris to live in Gotham," Bruce retorted.

"I don't know," Diana murmured, picking up the bowl of salad. "I've been in Paris for a while now. It might not be a bad idea to move."

Bruce looked up sharply from his plate. "Would you move to Gotham?" he asked, trying to hide the hopeful tone that must have infiltrated his voice. He cleared his throat, hoping to erase a measure of his excitement. "I mean is that something that you would want to do?"

"It would make things easier for us to establish the Justice League," she pointed out. "I wouldn't have to travel back and forth between Paris and Gotham every weekend."

Alfred sat down at the table with them, taking some spanakopita. "I'm sure Bruce could put in a good word for you at the Gotham Museum if you're interested," he decided.

Bruce glanced at Alfred with a subtle frown. He had just about to make that very suggestion. "I'd be happy to talk to the head of the Gotham Museum," Bruce agreed. "Mister Francis was a close friend of my parents and I frequently donate to the museum. I'm sure he'd be happy to help."

Diana looked from Bruce to Alfred and back again. "I would have to find an apartment."

"You can stay here at the lake house until we find you a place to stay," Bruce told her.

"Seriously?" she questioned him.

"There's plenty of room here," Alfred assured her. "Besides, it would be nice to have a female presence in the house for a change. At least, more than a passing fancy."

"Here we go again," Bruce muttered, dropping his fork onto his plate with a clank.

"I'm not going to mention the fact that a man your age should be settling down with a wife to raise a family by now."

Bruce sighed heavily. "And yet you just did."

Diana covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. Their witty repartee was something that greatly amused her. Bruce glanced at her, a single eyebrow rising in question. "Sorry," she murmured, clearing her throat as she dabbed at her mouth with her napkin. "It's just that you two remind me of my mother and myself."

"It must be quite difficult not being able to see your mother," Alfred gently sympathized.

Diana swallowed hard at the thought of her mother. "It is," she murmured.

Alfred could see the pain reflecting in Diana's eyes. It mirrored the deep-felt ache that momentarily flickered across Bruce's face as thoughts of his parents drifted through his mind. They shared far more in common than was noticed at first glance. That fact was beginning to sink in for both of them.

"Well, I think it's high time we discuss plans to move you here over some baklava," Alfred cheerfully announced as he stood to his feet. "Dessert makes everything better."

Diana glanced at Bruce, giving him a soft smile that he readily returned. "Maybe" and "what if" scenarios began to take shape in their respective minds, each of them wondering what it would be like to take a chance on something that seemed so implausible by all appearances.

Mediterranean Sea; April 29th, 21:23 EST

Aquaman cut through the water like a high-speed missile, his eye narrowed with the intensity of the search. He'd covered most of the Mediterranean, leaving the South of France as the last area for his search for the psychotic mastermind.

He surfaced a couple of miles from shore, spotting several yachts still out on the water. He cursed under his breath. He'd already checked out more yachts than he cared to think about but, at the same time, knowing that they needed to find Lex Luthor before he could stir up any more trouble.

Like Bruce, he had no illusions that Luthor was going to go into hiding after escaping from jail without plotting some sort of revenge against Superman and Batman. The lengths that Lex went to in order to pit Superman against Batman…to create Doomsday…showed that the man knew no bounds when it came to getting what he wanted.

"Where do we start?" Mera asked, looking out over the water next to him.

"I'll take the five boats over there on the left," he told her. "You take the four to the right."

"This is like trying to find a single guppy in the entire ocean," she groused.

Arthur's lips quirked in amusement as he glanced at the redhead. "Do you have something better you could be doing right now?"

She gave him a disgruntled scowl before turning her attention to a particular yacht off to her right. "No, but that's not the point," she countered. "I'm just saying there has to be a better way of doing this than going from yacht to yacht."

"Well, if you can think of a better way, I'm all ears," he replied. "The only information we have is that Lex Luthor escaped from prison and that he was last seen on a yacht in the South of France."

She harrumphed with a frustrated scowl as she turned to face him. "It just seems it would be better to set up some sort of trap to capture him…something to lure him to us instead of us eavesdropping on everything going on in these yachts."

Arthur chuckled as he grinned at her. "Hear something you wish you hadn't?"

She snorted in indignation, her chin lifting in annoyance as a faint blush suffused her cheeks. "Let's just say if I hear one more couple fornicating, I'm going to scream."

"Too many lonely nights spent by yourself?" he teased her.

She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, the corners of her red lips curling slightly. "Wouldn't you like to know who I spend my nights with," she shot back.

Arthur's dark eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What is that supposed to mean?" he demanded to know. "Are you seeing someone?"

"We should start our search before it gets any later," she told him. "You still owe me dinner."

He watched as she swam away, leaving him wondering what she had meant by her response. "Mera!" he yelled.

Mera ignored him, swimming towards the closest yacht with a smirk on her face. She could tell that she had gotten under his skin. He deserved it, though. Since sharing that kiss, things between them had cooled somewhat, Arthur not making any moves to further what had begun between them.

She wasn't going to wait around forever for him to make up his mind about what he wanted. If she had to resort to making him jealous, then so be it. She knew it was petty, but if it forced him to make a move then all the better for her.

She silently swam up beside the luxurious yacht, the lights from the vessel reflecting off the water. She still couldn't believe they were doing this, but she understood the need to find Lex Luthor. Arthur had told her the trouble that he had caused both Superman and Batman. She was determined to help find this monster before he could do anything further.

If he was brave enough…or crazy enough…to go after Batman and Superman, what would stop him from trying to take down the newly formed Justice League?

UP NEXT: Diana and Bruce grow closer, Clark warns Lois, and Bruce receives unsettling news.

A/N: I'M BACK! Hope you guys enjoy this. I'm going to update every 7-10 days as best as I can. :)