15. Party
"What?"
Bruce Wayne's knuckles turned white as he tightened his grip on the fork he had been holding. 'What is he doing?'
"Switch it off" he growled at Alfred.
Alfred calmly switched off the television. He could sense his employer's anger.
"Alfred, what is the meaning of this?" he asked his butler.
"It looks like the league accepted your invitation to welcome Miss Diana back." He answered evenly.
"I heard that. The only problem is that I didn't make any invitation. I know Clark is not alone in this. He doesn't have the guts for it." "What have you done?"
"Me sir" Alfred answered, giving a surprised look. "Nothing sir. I just got a call from Master Kent informing me that the league would be here Friday evening 7 PM."
"Sure Alfred." Bruce knew his butler wasn't telling him the truth. He knew better than to try and force it from him. He started walking towards the grandfather's clock.
"Cancel all of today's appointment. I have work to do" he called out, stepping through the secret cave entrance.
----
Superman was still at the news conference when his Justice League comlink beeped.
'Here goes nothing. It's all upto J'onn now.' With that thought he announced that he had a league emergency he had to attend to and left for the watchtower.
He was explaining some of the latest protocol changes to Wonder Woman when the doors swung open and Batman stormed in.
"Observation deck…NOW" he barked before exiting from the other door, leaving one confused and one nervous leaguer.
Superman sent a mental call to J'onn before following Batman.
Diana turned to Flash on the monitor deck. "What was that all about?"
"Don't know" shrugged Flash. "But Bats is here during the day and he is seriously P.O.ed. If I were you I would stay away from him."
"Why do you think I would want to go near him?"
Flash turned to look at Diana, "Well maybe because you guys were almost like a couple when you were here earlier."
Diana snorted, "I don't need a man, especially one like him." Just then she remembered what Shayera had said about her and Batman teaming together. And now Flash was saying the same thing. 'Maybe there is something. I'll catch up with him before he leaves."
Batman was waiting for Superman. Soon the door opened and he felt two people enter into the room. 'So he has a co-conspirator.' Turning around he came face to face with Superman and J'onn Jones.
"What was that?" he asked referring to morning's news conference.
Superman was silent for a moment before he spoke. "We wanted to help Diana get settled in with the new league."
"So you decided to invite yourselves to the manor."
"We thought it might be a good idea for her to be around familiar people in familiar surroundings. It might help bring her memory back."
"You thought….YOU THOUGHT" Batman spat out. "How many times do I have to remind you that you use your muscles and leave the thinking to others?"
Superman was silent as J'onn spoke for the first time. "Batman, Superman was not alone, I am equally responsible for this."
Batman glared at the Martian. "I didn't expect such a thing from you. You should realize the importance of privacy better than others."
"I'm sorry Batman. We did what we thought would help Diana."
"Help Diana. What's wrong with her? She looks perfectly healthy to me."
"Bruce…" began Superman.
"Batman-it's Batman, or have you forgotten it 'Clark'."
Superman gave Batman an angry look. "Very well...Batman. There is something wrong with Diana. She doesn't remember you."
"So" asked Batman.
"Doesn't it strike you it as odd?" asked Superman.
"No"
Superman decided to take a chance. "You know about it don't you. The reason behind her memory loss."
Batman didn't say anything, so Superman decided to push further. "J'onn told me about you two – You and Diana."
Batman strode upto the two Superheroes. "There is no 'Me and Diana' and J'onn keep out of my head."
With that he walked out of the door.
"So what do we do now?" asked J'onn. "We can't go through with the plan."
Superman looked at him and gave a small smile. "He didn't say no….that means…Friday evening we go to Wayne Manor."
J'onn nodded and gave a parting remark. "Superman I would suggest keeping his identity from Diana a secret."
"Yes" agreed Superman. "Anyways, she figured it out once, she'll do it again."
-----
Diana saw Batman enter the monitor room on his way to the hanger.
"Batman, I would like to talk to you. It seems we have worked together earlier. However, I can't seem to remember it. I was wondering if you could help me with it?" she asked, smiling at him.
"Check the records princess," Batman answered curtly before walking away, leaving her standing, fuming at him.
"Why that…ungrateful, rude, selfish…..MAN" she grated out before storming away to her room.
----
Friday evening, Watchtower
The league members were gathering in the monitor room. Superman had laid out the duty roster. Supergirl, Green Arrow, Black Canary and Plasticman were going to stay behind on the watchtower. Zatanna was away to Las Vegas for one of her magic shows and Nightwing had informed that he would be busy.
J'onn had informed Hawkgirl and Flash not to reveal Batman's identity to Diana. He reasoned that he didn't want to overload her and to give her time to get used to Batman.
At 6 PM the six league members were ready to leave for Gotham. They were going to take the larger Javelin which allowed for upto sixteen passengers. Superman was accompanied by his wife Lois Lane-Kent while Flash had invited his girlfriend Linda Park.
Forty five minutes later, the Javelin was approaching Wayne Manor.
"I never get used to this" said Linda.
"What?" asked Flash.
"This…all this…" she pointed to the manor. "It's all so…."
"Intimidating" interjected Lois.
"I was going to say, unnerving, but intimidating is better. How does he live like this?"
Superman turned to Linda, "Bruce was born into wealth. For him its second nature."
"Sucking up to the boss, eh Smallville" joked Lois.
"Boss?" questioned Diana.
Superman had told Diana about his secret identity as a reporter for the Daily Planet. "Bruce Wayne bought the Daily Planet. So in a way both Lois and I work for him."
"Yeah and just imagine, I almost married him and moved to Gotham" sighed Lois teasingly.
"Lois!"
"What do you mean?" asked Diana.
Lois smiled and recounted her and Bruce Wayne's story. "Well before Smallville here gathered courage to ask me out, Bruce Wayne and I had dated and he asked me to move to Gotham, which I almost did."
"Why didn't you?" queried Diana.
"Well let's just say that his nighttime activities didn't quite sit well with me."
Before Diana could continue J'onn announced that they were landing. Soon they were standing in front of the manor steps. Diana felt something familiar about the manor.
"Diana is something wrong?" asked Shayera.
"No. It's just that, I feel like I have come here before, but I don't know when."
Superman and J'onn looked at one another. This was working out quite well.
As they reached the door, Alfred opened it welcome them.
"Good evening Sirs and Madams."
"Good evening Alfred" started Superman. "Is Bruce in?"
"No sir, the master had expressed regret that he will be briefly detained."
By the look Alfred gave him, Superman realized that Bruce was in the cave.
As they entered, Alfred turned to Diana. "Its good to have you back Miss Diana. Everyone has missed you."
Diana looked at the elderly man in front of him. "I am sorry I don't think we have met."
Alfred gave a wry smile and led them to the ball room, which had been set up for the evening.
Once there they were met by the Wayne family. Superman introduced Diana to each one of them.
"Diana I would like you to meet the Wayne family."
Diana smiled as Superman continued. "This is Richard 'Dick' Grayson, Bruce's eldest son. And this beautiful young lady is Dick's dear friend Barbara Gordan."
Noticing Diana's hesitation at her wheel chair, Barbara smiled and offered "It was an accident."
Superman next introduced Tim Drake and Cassandra 'Cassie' Cain, Bruce Wayne's young wards. Diana felt as if the young girl was intensely observnat and was studying her every move.
----
Suddenly something bumped into her leg. Turning around she saw a young boy sitting on the ground. He had fallen back after bumping into Diana.
Diana sat down on her haunches to face the child.
"Sorry," apologized the child, smiling innocently as he stood up.
"Its alright" answered Diana, getting a toothy grin in return.
"Ah, there you are" commented Superman.
"Hi uncle Clark" chirped the kid.
Diana looked up at Superman. The child seemed to know him quite well.
Superman was about to speak when a female voice interrupted him.
"Thomas….Thomas Wayne. Where are you?"
The young boy grinned and hid behind Barbara's wheelchair, just in time for the owner of the voice to come through the door.
Standing up and turning around, Diana saw…….HER.