17. Past Revisited

"Diana is Thomas's mother."

"What?" although he had suspected it, Superman was shocked by its confirmation. "How? When?" was all he could say.

"You know the how. Diana and I had been seeing each other. We decided to keep it a secret till we were ready to tell the league. It was more due to me and my need for privacy. Only Alfred knew about it. One day, I finally decided to tell her that I was ready to tell everyone and…. I was going to ask her to marry me."

"Then why didn't you do it?" questioned Superman.

When Bruce didn't answer his question, J'onn spoke instead. "It was the day of her accident, wasn't it?"

Bruce merely nodded his head agreeing with J'onn's conclusion.

-----

The two superheroes sat in silence waiting for Batman to continue. Bruce got up and walked to the desk and took out an envelope. Coming back he sat down on the couch.

Taking a deep breath he started speaking again. "Diana had been gone for about eight months. Once morning I returned home to find Alfred waiting for me. He told me that someone had left a package for me. It seems someone rang the bell and left before Alfred opened the door. He asked me to immediately come upstairs and once there I found a newborn baby draped in white and resting in a golden weave basket. I immediately recognized the Greek design. Alfred then gave me this." He said holding up the letter.

"Who is it from? What does it say?" asked Superman.

"It's from Queen Hippolyta. It says that this infant is the child of Diana of Themiscyra and Batman of Gotham. It also says that as it is a male, it cannot stay on Themiscyra and is being sent back into man's world."

"But how did Hippolyta know your identity? Did Diana tell her?"

"No," snapped Bruce. He then calmed himself before continuing. "Hippolyta didn't know. She tried to find out once she came to know about the pregnancy. But when she couldn't find it she decided on another route. She had read about the Wayne Foundation and its work and decided to take a chance. She wrote that if Batman couldn't be found, or if he declined to accept the child, then the foundation should care for him. And for that, she would be in our eternal debt."

"But why didn't Diana tell Hippolyta who Batman was or come herself to give him to you?" inquired Superman.

"That's because she doesn't remember anything about me, either as Batman or as Bruce Wayne" spoke Bruce dejectedly. "And she doesn't know about him either?"

"But she is his mother" spoke J'onn. "How can a mother not know her own child?"

"I don't know maybe that was some kind of magic too."

"Too. What do you mean Bruce? Did it happen before? Is that why she doesn't remember you? What did you do?" Superman wanted to know everything that happened in Themiscyra.

"She doesn't remember me because I sacrificed her to save her life" answered Batman.

----

He then started narrating the events that had occurred on Themiscyra. Right from his landing to his meeting with Hippolyta to his sacrifice to Athena.

"So let me get this straight. Your sacrifice of Diana meant that you gave up everything Diana knew about you, including your love for each other" summarized Superman.

"Yes" sighed Bruce. "And I also gave my word that if in the future our paths cross again I wouldn't try to rekindle those feelings again."

"So that's why you have been avoiding her?"

"Yes"

Everyone was quiet until J'onn spoke. "Batman is there anything against her approaching you?"

"No"

"Then either Superman or I can tell her the truth" offered J'onn.

"NO"

"Why not?" asked Superman. "I agree with J'onn's idea."

"No. Because if you tell her now, it will be equivalent to coming from me. She needs to find it out for herself or from someone who hasn't got this information from me, either directly or indirectly."

----

The three of them were sitting in silence when there was a knock on the door. It was Flash.

"Hey guys, if you plan on spending the night here, I'll ask Alfred here to get us some beds for the night. Diana wants to stay. She liked Bat-Junior and would like to see him again before leaving."

Superman looked at Bruce. Just then Alfred appeared in the other door.

"Sir, should I prepare guest rooms for our guests."

"Yes Alfred," he answered.

----

Later that night

Alfred had got all the guests settled in. Three for the couples and a single room for Diana. J'onn had phased down into the cave and occupying a dark corner settled down for the night.

Diana had just finished changing her clothes. The clothes Alfred had provided fit her perfectly. She was standing out in the balcony when there was knock on the door. Shayera was standing there in her night clothes.

"What happened to your clothes?" asked Diana, noticing the torn fabric.

"It was long so I tore it from the bottom. Yours' seem to be a perfect fit. And look at your room. Fit for a princess, eh."

"Yes. Alfred insisted I take this room."

Stepping inside Shayera flopped on the bed. "Anyway, I didn't feel like sleeping. And John fell asleep as soon as he hit the bed. So I was looking for someone to spend sometime with. I guess you couldn't sleep too."

Diana nodded. "I was thinking about Thomas."

"Bruce's son. Nice kid. Makes you want to have one of your own, doesn't it."

Shayera noticed the sudden change in Diana. It was as if she had hit a raw nerve.

"What is it Diana?" she asked placing a hand on Diana's shoulder.

"Nothing" Diana croaked huskily, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Don't lie to me. I have noticed a change in you ever since you came back. You seemed kind of lost. At first I ignored it, but not anymore." "And don't give me any 'it's a long story' crap."

Shayera waited for Diana to speak. She could see that Diana was a difficulty starting. But when she spoke, Shayera was stunned at what she heard.

"I gave birth to a baby girl during my stay in Themiscyra."