7. What a Night!
"What are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here?" the caped crusader narrowed his eyes at the vision standing in front of him. "You were the one who invited me here."
"Come in," she spoke tightly as she stepped aside to let him through. "I didn't invite you. I didn't invite Batman. I invited Bruce Wayne."
Batman simply stared at her, wondering what kind of a game was she trying to play. She knew that Batman and Bruce Wayne were the same people. She was one of the few people who had figured it out on her own, that night in Paris.
So why this? Why now?
Still staring at her, he lifted his hand to his cowl.
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"NO," Diana's loud command silenced him. "I don't want this. You are the Bat tonight and even if you take this mask off, that's what you will be for the rest of the night."
"I am always the Bat," Batman let his hand fall to his side.
"That you are," she smiled her mysterious smile, one that set a fire burning through him. "Except when you are at one of those parties of yours, 'enjoying' yourself with 'your' people and 'your' LIFE."
"What do you want me to do?" his body tensed for another attack.
"LEAVE," she raised her hand, giving a nice glimpse of the side of her breast through her flowing Grecian dress, clasped at one shoulder with a brooch, the other shoulder bare and exposed to him…..but not for him. Not tonight.
"Diana," Batman started.
"Leave Batman," her voice seemed tight. "I will let you know when I can meet you again."
"What does that mean?" his voice grew cold.
"That means, what you think it means," she turned away, not able to look at him while forming her next words. "I told you….there are a lot more fish in the sea."
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"DIANA," Batman practically yelled out, his voice booming in the smaller room. "Don't do this."
"Why?" she turned to him, her eyes blazing with anger and hurt. He had come to her, but not as the man, but as the hero. She loved the hero, but tonight…tonight she had hoped that he would come as the man and that too not just in time, but earlier. She had hoped that he could spare time from his schedule, which she knew had been completely clear today. "Why Batman?" she spat his name out. "You are the one, who has always been about business, whether in your Wayne Enterprises, the league or your personal life. You are the one who treats people like tools. Tools in your mission to be Batman, they are to be used by you and when they have served their purpose, they are discarded or left alone to fall alone by the way side. Guess what BATMAN? I will not stand for being used as just another tool by you or any other man…or woman for that matter. I am my own person and I will do as I please."
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"Diana…." Batman started.
"Leave…" she walked to the door and opened it. "….Please."
Batman momentarily closed his eyes, his heart aching at Diana's words, but even more at the tears filling her eyes. Once again he had made one of those he cared for sad….once again he had hurt them. Hurt her.
Taking a deep breath, he turned to the window and fired his grapple, leaving her standing at the door.
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Minutes later,
"So, what happened?" Diana's second 'contact' inquired through the door as she changed her clothes.
"He came as the Batman," her sad voice was muffled through the partition. "I did as we had planned."
"So, what the problem?" contact flopped down on the bed.
"I can't do this," Diana sighed as she opened the door. "Its hurts….to see him like this. I know my words are causing him pain. I never wanted to do that. I wanted to take away his hurt, his pain. Not add to it more."
"Diana," the mystery woman laid a hand on hers as she came and sat on the bed. "Its only for a little longer. He's Batman. You have to deal with him in his own way."
"But…" Diana started.
"No buts…." The woman patted her hand. "Trust me."
"Oh, no," Diana gave a rueful smile. "Not you too."
"Call its women's intuition," her friend wiggled her perfectly formed eyebrows. "I know that…."
"….Everything will work out."