6. The Night is Nigh
"This is something I have to do for myself"
"Nightwing," Batman spoke into the audio link with the guardian of Bludhaven, the small and in a way, more sinister sibling of Gotham. "Are you there?"
"Yes," Dick Grayson mumbled as he lifted his head and glanced at the time on the digital clock. "Its seven in the morning. What do you want?"
"I need you to take over the patrol for tonight," Batman spoke in his all business voice. "I have something I have to attend to."
"Hnn…what," Dick shook the sleep of his head. "You want me to patrol Gotham tonight."
"Yes."
"Sorry, no can do boss," his voice was still groggy from sleep, as he ruffled his pillow, getting ready to go to sleep again. "Gotta stay at home tonight. Something going on here, need to keep an eye on it."
"Ok," Batman's voice came loud and clear. "I will make other arrangements."
"Yeah, you do that," Dick flopped back onto his bed. "Good morning…." He trailed off.
Ending his call, Batman pressed the button for his second backup.
"Yes," the Oracle's digitized voice echoed in the cave.
"I need Batgirl tonight," Batman dispensed with the niceties. "I want her to patrol with Robin."
"Done," Barbara Gordon answered instantly. "Where? When?"
"The usual place," he referred to the roof of Gotham towers. "Eleven."
"OK."
"Batman out," that call ended too.
'Now for the rest of the day.'
------
"Yes," Diana half moaned, half grunted into the phone.
"Diana," a male voice answered from the other end.
"Yes," she instantly sat up, her sheet falling from her white nighty clad body.
"The information just came in," there was a chuckle from the other end.
"And…." She asked impatiently.
"Be prepared," was the only answer before the call was ended from the other end.
"Be prepared," Diana whispered to herself, the phone slipping from her hands. 'Be prepared.' That meant she would have to get everything ready and in place.
He was coming.
"But for what?"
------
The rest of the day,
Bruce lounged at home, his mind still in turmoil.
Diana rushed around hers, her heart beating at a hundred miles an her.
Bruce cancelled all appointments, both Batman and Bruce Wayne related.
Diana cancelled all appointments, both Wonder Woman and Diana related.
Bruce hoped that no one in the league would know about this….about them.
Diana knew that most of the league knew about them….but not about this.
Bruce felt sorry for all he had done to Diana.
Diana felt sorry for all she was going to do to Bruce.
Both of them knew one thing for sure…this night was going to change everything between them.
'Nothing is going to be the same again'
------
That night, One minute to 10 PM
Ding Dong
Diana jerked at the ring on her apartment door, her impatient eyes glancing at the special watchtower time clock in front of her. "Right on time," she murmured uneasily.
Standing up she straightened her dress and looked at herself in the mirror, checking herself one last time before walking to the door. "Grant me strength Aphrodite," she prayed to the Greek goddess of love.
"Here goes nothing," she whispered to herself as she unlocked and open the door, her eyes widening at the person standing before her.
"What are you doing here?