Disclaimer : I don't own these characters, I am not making any money out of this and copyright infringement is not intended.

Chapter Seven

The Exclusive Circle Of The Heartbroken

Everything was dark. And for several seconds, as she groped for the covers, she thought she was back at the manor. But shortly after, she was relieved to find out that she was safe in the confines of her temporary quarters. Though she had no recollection whatsoever of getting there by herself.

By morning she was adamant to find out who helped her but, unfortunately, it was a little awkward to ask everyone else. Then she bumped into John, who already reported for duty, and was informed that she had her cottage back since he will be moving his new family to his apartment that same day. With the good news, her priorities shifted to a new direction: Do a general cleaning.

But because there were several minor emergencies, again, that had to be dealt with, she had to put her household chores on hold for a while. And then when she thought that there was finally a time, another thing came up. She was just about to go home one night when after a busy day when she got a call.

"Diana?"

"Yes, J'onn?"

"I just picked up something from the National Museum," J'onn stated.

It was in Gotham. She would not dare violate his highness' precious airspace.

"Vague images from surveillance cameras caught a feminine figure in black," the Martian continued.

Circe, that witch! She thought and was suddenly interested. "I'll check up on it."

"I'll send back up."

"No need, J'onn. I can take care of this myself. I have to." This is personal.

She flew as fast as she could and within minutes she was there. Carefully, she surveyed the surroundings as she hovered near the building, and then flew upwards to the rooftop. A figure moved in the dark and she followed closely after landing soundlessly on the stone floor. Darkness enveloped her as she stepped into the shadows where the figure disappeared.

"Finally…" A familiar, purring voice said in the dark. "Just the one I…ordered. Took you long enough, though. I even thought I needed a sign to get someone up there's attention."

"You!"

Catwoman moved towards the light. "Expecting someone else, dear?"

"Honestly, I was," she answered. "I thought you were a…witch, not something else that…rhymes with the word."

"Sorry to be of a disappointment." The voice, the deep, sensual voice held a hint of laziness in it, as well as the lithe movements of the petite figure as Catwoman moved gracefully around her as if sizing her up and making mental notes to where she might be vulnerable.

She squared her shoulders, preparing to fight. "Let's cut to the chase. What are you up to?"

"What's the rush princess? Have a…date?"

"No." Why did I have to answer that?

"Tsk…tsk," Catwoman shook her head. "It's a Saturday night and Princess here is…by herself."

"Well…look who's talking…" she added a snide comment. "I don't see you dressed up for a date either. Unless…that's your…style. Anyway, if you're here to fight…let's get on with it."

The figure in black made a swift backward somersault, landing firmly and soundlessly when she made a threatening move. "I'm not that stupid to spar with you." Selina commented. "I am at a great disadvantage…you can knock my butt to the next building without much effort."

That much is true. But what is she really up to? "What is it, then?"

"Is it so hard to believe that I just want to have…girl talk?"

Diana made a step forward and the other retreated a foot. It was like a dance, as they slowly, methodically moved in a circle. And she noticed, with an amount of confusion, that there was no movement from the other woman to inform her that the other was here for hostilities. Her signature weapon, the whip, was still looped and securely placed on her belt.

"You're wasting---"

"Your time? Why? Monitor duty in a few minutes?" Catwoman hopped precariously on the ledge, exhibiting her agility. "How exciting!" Applause was added for effect.

Her patience was running really low. She even wondered why she had not left yet as she tapped a bored foot on the cold floor. "Okay…whatever you have stolen, give it back and I will let you go."

It was hard not to notice a sudden change in expression as the sneer somewhat disappeared from the other woman's face.

"I think you should be telling yourself that." There was also a sudden change in voice, as if someone else was speaking.

"What?"

"Giving back what you stole."

"What in Hera's name are you talki---"

"Still clueless, the precious Princess." Catwoman jumped from the ledge to land a few feet from her, the taunting mood back on her face. "I haven't stolen anything yet, I haven't even broken inside. I don't intend to anyway. Now that you are here."

It was…uncanny how Catwoman's sudden change of expression was similar to that of Bruce's. Maybe that was why he could relate to her, she thought. And she disliked the fact. It made her more irked and impatient. "Well what do you want…a rematch of our previous encounter? But I must remind you…there is no referee to run to for protection."

"Oh…so you think you have won that time, don't you?" Selina eyed her. "But…I should tell you, I was the one who took home the prize. And what a prize it was. Yummy," the other purred.

It this was a basketball match, that was a three-pointer for the villain. She did not know how to react, her tongue suddenly felt numb.

"My…did I…say something? You look…a bit tense. Missing out on some…super lovin'?"

The hurt she was feeling disabled all her abilities to make a quick and smart retort.

"And I thought this was going to be an interesting evening," Catwoman yawned. "Want me to…contact him, to get you all fired up…just like last time?" Selina let out a wicked laugh. "A threesome…I like that."

"Maybe you should call him." She finally found her voice. "Because I'm getting tired."

"Just one call…and he'll be here. That's how close we are…intimately close," the other mocked putting a lot of emphasis that signified she and Batman were really extra friendly with each other. "And I wonder how that fact stands with the league…or for that matter, with you."

She wondered, Intimately close? Isn't that redundant? "Batman's affairs outside of the league are of no matter to me." She tried to sound flat, detached. "You can take him wherever you want as long as you don't disrupt the peace."

"Well…we did disrupt the peace, somewhat." A leering smile played across Catwoman's lips at the recollection. The emerald eyes were far away, relishing the thought. "And I must say that I have to thank you for the…added boost you gave me when we traded words that night. It only made me…wilder."

A surge of pure jealousy enveloped her being when unwanted images of Bruce, and that…cat, kissing, making out flashed in her mind. The blatant admission was choking her but she had to suppress it, she had to force the unwanted feelings away. "I'm glad to be of assistance."

"Hmm…do I detect a note of…bitterness in there?"

"Think what you want," she snapped.

"I think…you have the hots for him."

"Batman?" Hera! Do I have the hots for him? If she only knew what I did nights ago, she'll probably be clawing at me already, she thought and laughed reproachfully. She tried to match the other's leering voice. "He's too…monochromatic for me. I think you two make the nicer pair with your color schemes and pointy ears."

"Really?"

Why am I wasting my time here anyway? She became irritated with the smug expression the other female gave her as she was put on the defensive for the hundredth time. "I don't have the time for this." She turned to leave.

"Give me back what you stole from me."

She thought she heard a note of hurt in the voice and it made her halt and turn. "What? I never stole from you."

"Wrong answer. Think again." Catwoman urged, the expression changing again, like before. "Don't look so innocent, Princess. Want another clue?"

In response, a perfectly arched eyebrow rose.

"I should have seen this coming…" Selina continued while pacing back and forth, disregarding her tired expression. "By the way he acts…I should've sensed there was something."

Whatever in Hera's name? She turned to leave again. "I've had just about enough."

"He wasn't with me that night." It was almost a whisper. And there was that change in expression again. This time, as the petite body stilled, as the eyes silently begged to be faced, there was an undeniable expression of regret.

"Do I have to care?"

"His body might've been there, but the rest of him was somewhere else, with someone else." The words were laced with an amount of pain. "He used me…and I let him."

Something inside her tensed though she did not let it show. She did not want to accept the implication. "Remind me again why this concerns me."

"You have no idea, don't you?" There was a bitter, wicked laugh. "He was thinking of you. His Princess. His precious Princess that he has placed in a pedestal. A pedestal so high that he cannot even reach, that he dare not touch."

Dare not touch, she remembered him fighting that night, fighting for control. She did not want to believe what was said, she would not allow herself to be distracted. "Do you always do this…to every woman you think will steal him from you?"

"Ah…come to think of it, you're the first one," Catwoman considered. "Maybe because the others are, as they say, on the other side of the fence, or…already in prison, or committed…elsewhere. As of the moment, you are the only threat."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Coming from me, it is." Emerald eyes stared at her intently. "I'm not lying…I have no reason to lie about this to you."

She suddenly thought that she was starting to be a bad judge of character because she was beginning to believe the villain. A part of her wanted very much to entertain the thought that he really cared for her.

"Don't think for a minute that I am doing this for you." It seemed that Selina noticed her expression. "On the contrary, I am doing this for him…and myself."

She's really something. "Of course…being a martyr would be totally out of character for you."

"Finally…something we agree on. Though for him…I'll try to be one." Selina laughed, again with a hint of bitterness. "I guess you know by now that he likes to be a little…tragic. The moment he finally realizes that he loves you, his perfect Princess, he will do his best to ignore you, even erase you from his life. And then, he'll come back to me…he always does."

"Don't be too sure, because I don't think the word 'love' is in his vocabulary."

Catwoman's expression sobered upon asking, "Do you love him?"

The straightforwardness of it all caught her off guard. She did not want to admit it, let alone, to this woman.

"You don't have to answer that." Selina spared her. "I remember him having the same expression. You can both deny it how many times you like."

"There's nothing to deny."

Another reproachful laugh. "Funny…he almost said the same words." She may be laughing but her eyes were no where near amused. The voice belied her. "Diana…remember this. This will probably be the last truce we will ever have because…I am going to fight for him."

"You call this a truce?"

Catwoman had this habit of sizing her up. "I know, I may be in a bit of a handicap against you…but I have one thing going for me…I am willing to risk so much for him…" Catwoman smiled ruefully. "Oh…don't be sorry for me. Be ready."

All this talk made her forget that this was an experienced villain she was talking to. She replaced her guard. "A little bit more acting and I'll believe you."

"Oh! I have been telling you the truth…why don't you believe me," Catwoman said in mock hurt.

"Do you really have to ask that?"

"Alright." There was a grin playing on her lips. "There was a lie in there somewhere."

She was right all along. But not about what she was thinking.

"I have stolen this precious piece of rock while I was bored out of my mind waiting for you," Catwoman admitted, producing a sparkling red gem.

She smiled. "I knew you were up to something."

"Well…Princess, as they say, let the games begin." Selina took aim. "Catch!"

"No!"

Catwoman watched as her figure disappeared from sight. "But how can I fight for someone…when I know I've already lost?" she whispered before leaving the scene.

She flew after the red stone and snatched it in the air, just in time. When she returned to the roof, the other woman was nowhere in sight. She carefully surveyed the scene just in case and was about to leave when she heard a familiar metallic cling of a grappling hook. And it was too late to make an exit.

"Diana."

Shucks! She suddenly tensed and slowly turned to him, her hands gripping the cold stone tight. The knowledge that he could make out with that…thief, and not even touch her, made her want to ask the question out loud, in his face. But she had no way of knowing, of proving, that whatever Catwoman said was true.

"Here." She handed the jewel before she broke it into a million pieces with her bare hands. "Your…friend, Catwoman, was here earlier and stole that."

Batman accepted the stone without looking at it. Instead, he was looking straight at her.

"Don't worry, I did not hurt her in the process." It came out more sarcastic than she intended. I even let her escape.

"You came here without back up." It was not a question.

"I don't need back up, I can han---"

"J'onn told me you thought it was Circe."

"It wasn't."

He regarded her closely. "Why did you not ask for back up? It's pro---""

"Protocol? So I disobeyed…write me a memo."

"They are in place for very good reasons."

It made her more annoyed that he was right. And he always seemed to be right lately. What if she was turned into a pig again, or another animal, if it was indeed Circe waiting for her? She had to stop herself from shivering at the thought of being turned into livestock again.

"Diana…what if you were in trouble?"

His voice…she heard something in it. It was laced with genuine concern. And she hated him for it, hated him for showing signs that he cared for her only to shove her away with such a force when she gave in again.

"Then it's my funeral."

He looked surprised at her choice of words. "Don't say that."

She wanted to take back her words, realizing that it was not called for. "I wasn't in trouble. So don't pretend too much that you care. Someone is bound to get…possessively jealous." She spun around but turned again when she remembered something.

"By the way…your…girlfriend." She saw him tense. "She's a little insecure. Better shower her more affection, pet her more than usual."

With that, she flew away before he could say another word.

She stared vacantly at the half empty, mist stained glass containing the orange juice she ordered when she reached the watchtower cafeteria. She needed something cold that would help ease her temper, her mood. She tried desperately to keep her mind from wandering to what transpired earlier.

"Stare hard enough and it will break."

"Oh…Zatanna, I was just…"

Zatanna took the seat opposite her. "Thinking deeply about someone?"

"Actually…I was. I had…an interesting evening." For a while there, she thought she saw a jealous expression pass over Zatanna's face. But it was gone immediately. Just like Catwoman's expression earlier.

"Oh…I see."

"I had an encounter with a bitter ex of our…friend." She took a sip. "Catwoman."

"Really?" Zatanna was suddenly interested. "What's she up to?"

"Apart from stealing from the National Museum? Well…she seems to be up to date with the latest gossip." She shook her head and frowned.

"Gossip?"

"She termed it as girl talk," she stated. "Shouldn't villains be concerned with…world domination…not spread rumors about us?" Zatanna laughed and she continued. "First, she insinuated that I was dating Superman. Now, she went to all this trouble just to tell me to stay away from her…ex!"

"Oh my…talk about insecurity!"

"As if there is any reason to be insecure," she complained. "I mean…we both know him. He doesn't care that much about anybody."

The magician's expression softened as the eyes stared back at her. "Actually, I think…he does."

"Don't tell me you believe it too?" She looked at the other incredulously.

"I just don't believe it Diana," Zatanna replied sincerely. "I was there…I have seen it."

She was too confused. "Seen what?"

"Enough to tell me that you two…share something."

She wanted to deny it again. But how can she deny something that she had no memory of?

"I haven't seen him…so concerned about someone," Zatanna sighed as she recalled. "Diana…didn't you ever wonder how the spell was lifted?"

"I thought you solved it."

"It wasn't me. It was…him," Zatanna corrected her.

"Oh!" He didn't tell me.

"But…there was a price, Diana."

She almost did not want to know what as Zatanna's expression grew serious.

"Circe asked something from…him. Something valuable."

Oh no! "His…identity?"

"No," Zatanna paused. "His pride. He…sang for you."

"What!" She shouted incredulously.

"Shh!" The other woman placed a finger against her lips in a silencing gesture. "If he finds out I told…"

It was impossible! Bruce or, for that matter, Batman…singing? She conjured up a mental image started to shake with mirth. "Okay, Zatanna…who put you up to this?" She covered her mouth as laughter took over at the picture of him singing something, her imagination adding in Wally and John as back up singers. "I must say…it's a good joke. I haven't laughed in a while."

"Laugh all you want." Zatanna looked at her. "But it's true. I can prove it."

She was still laughing. "If you say so."

Zatanna sought for proof. "After the incident…don't you remember anything?" Then the other's face lit up. "Don't you hear a strange melody in your head…that goes like this?"

Her eyes suddenly widened and her expression sobered up as she looked at Zatanna in shock while the other hummed a tune. It was the same as the music that kept repeating over and over her mind. Zatanna could not possibly have known.

The magician reached for her hand. "It was the tune of the song, Diana. The song he sang for you."

It was so very hard to believe. "No…why did he…" Her voiced trailed off. It was the same tune the voice hummed to her when she was being carried away to her room. He was the one.

"Because he cares for you." Zatanna had a rueful expression. "He cares for you…more than you know."

Still speechless, she sat unmoving as Zatanna stood up. But before the other left, a hand squeezed her shoulder.

"And Diana…" Zatanna whispered. "Not all exes are bitter.

She looked up at the smiling face and smiled in return before the other walked on.

"By the way…" Zatanna called at the door. "If I were you, I'd avoid Kara for the time being. Word got out that you are not going to be cousin-in-law. She's a little…disappointed."

She smiled at the advice, knowing that her tired and tortured mind was not capable of another girl talk. And as she sat by her lonesome again, she kept asking herself why Bruce would selflessly shame himself that way. To save her?

She sighed and her shoulders dropped in desperation. She was beyond saving now. She had fallen once more.