08. Mother's Love

Summary: The Diana-Hippolyta story….uh, confrontation.
Spoilers: Justice League Animated (episode – Hereafter)


"So, you are from another world?" Leslie inquired in her easy laid-back manner. She had completed the major tests, the ones that required silence on the patient's part and was in the process of winding down. The only other person besides her and her patient was the second Diana, the one from this world.

"Yes," came the truthful answer.

"And on you world…." The doctor's eyes flitted to the engagement ring adorning the slender ring finger of the Amazonian princess. "You and Bruce….are engaged."

"Yes."

"How long?" Getting a confused look from both Dianas, she elaborated. "I mean how long have you two been together and or been engaged?

"We've been together for almost a year," Diana answered with a smile. "As for the engagement, that is a pretty recent development, just four of months. We got engaged once I decided to permanently move to here, I mean to Wayne Manor."

Surprised at the news, Leslie probed further, missing the smirk passed between the two Wonder Women. They knew that in her own way, she was conducting a verbal exam too…one to authenticate the newcomer's claims.

"Permanent?" She caught onto that specific point and decided to run with it. "What do you mean?"

"Before that it was off an on," Diana started to explain. "The first time I stayed there, was after an alien invasion, which the league was able to beat…barely and one in which Bruce nearly killed himself."

"Tell us something we don't know," her twin interrupted her. "With Batman it is a prerequisite for every mission he goes on. Any mission without at least three life threatening instances is not worth his time or efforts."

"Well, I don't think you will be able to top what my Batman did," both Leslie and Diana gave raised eyebrows, both at the comment and at the 'my' preceding Batman.

"What did he do?" Leslie asked softly. Even Diana was worried about what could that world's Batman have done to get such a claim from the unflappable Wonder Woman.

"He took our watchtower and single handed guided it towards the attacking forces' shield generator," the new Diana explained further. At the confused look from the other two women, she simplified it for them. "He was going to ram with the watchtower."

"With him inside it?" Leslie asked with a fearful voice.

"Yes. He didn't tell about his little secret plan to any of us. While Superman, Green Lantern and I were attacking the mother ship, J'onn, Flash and Batman went undercover to take back the watchtower. Incapacitating the soldiers, he helped the others to load them into the escape pod and then locked himself into the watchtower and launched he pod. It was only due to Superman reaching him in the nick of time that he was able to survive."

"Idiot," Leslie was quick to express her emotions. "Cares about everyone but himself."

"Was this before or after you two…." Diana trailed off hoping that her twin would get it and pick up from where she left off.

"Oh, this was much before," the other Diana answered with a wistful smile. "Until then, he kept the whole Batman secret persona, even from me."

"What do you mean, even from you?"

"Oh, that's another long story," another smile. "In short, I was in Paris for a ball, he was also there, we danced, I found the voice and physique quite familiar and later on as a mission developed from it, so did my level of surety that Batman was Bruce Wayne and vice versa. Do you know what he said when I confronted him with my discovery?"

"What?" Leslie inquired with rapt attention.

"What are you saying?" Diana offered.

"Close," her counterpart grinned at her. "He said, I don't know what you are talking about?"

"There," Leslie exclaimed as she finished her last test and flipped her notebook shut. "All done, and even though it has been great chatting to you two, I've got to run. I have patients to see."

"But aren't you staying here?" The visiting Diana inquired for confirmation.

"That I am dear," the kindly doctor smiled at her, patting her hand she leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "You girls need some time alone. Maybe you can do something about these two, the Batman and Wonder Woman here."

Diana smiled mischievously. She knew that with her enhanced hearing her sister must have heard what Leslie just said.

"I'll see what I can do to help."

------

Half an hour later, both Wonder Women were enjoying the late breakfast Alfred had prepared for them. The master had left for his day job and wouldn't return until the time for his night job.

"So, tell me," she turned to her twin. "How did mother find out about you and Bruce? You said it was a middle of the road thing. She had a hint and you filled in the blanks."

"Well," the pregnant Diana gulped down the last of her third mango shake and reached for the fresh fruit salad prepared specially for her….doctor's orders. "It happened like this….."

/Flashback/

Location: A small island off the coast of mainland Themiscyra (International Waters)

"Diana," the Themiscyrian Monarch, Queen Hippolyta stepped of her royal ship and onto the three square mile piece of land where she was to meet her still exiled daughter, Diana, erstwhile princess and newly appointed ambassador of Themiscyra.

"Mother," Diana stepped forward to greet her mother, who in turn stepped away from the guards flanking her and towards her daughter, meeting her midway. "Nice to see you."

"I missed you my sun and stars," Hippolyta had tears brimming in her eyes. How she missed the days when whenever she wanted she could blink an eye or turn her head and see her one and only child. "Its been long since your last visit."

"Forgive me mother, things have been busy back home," a slight pink colored Diana's cheeks, her perceptive mother noting it instantly, just as she noted the use of the word home. Something had changed during the last five months since Diana and she had met.

"Busy?" Hippolyta feigned innocence, knowing that whatever it was would come out in due time, yet the mother in her was worried about the wellbeing of her daughter.

"Yes," Diana answered softly, internally steeling herself to break the news of her decision…change…whatever. "Mother I have something to tell you."

"Yes dear one," Hippolyta responded in encouragement.

"Mother…" Diana took a deep breath. It was now or never. "There is someone in patriarch's world I like more than as a friend….a man."

Squelching her gasp, Hippolyta raised an eyebrow. "A man," at Diana's nod, she closed her eyes and sighed. "I had guessed as much." At the surprised look on her daughter's face, she elaborated. "When I offered to rescind your exile, provided you return to Themiscyra permanently, your refusal carried a longing that I initially mistook for your missing your home….missing Themiscyra."

"But mother," Diana exclaimed. "I do miss Themiscyra and all my Amazonian sisters….most of all, I miss you."

"I know that little one," Hippolyta caressed her daughter's cheek, smiling at the irony of her words….her daughter wasn't her little one anymore. She had grown up to become a woman, a woman who made her own choices…even if those choices didn't match that of her mother's. "However, I also know…now, that Themiscyra is no longer your home, at least not the one that comes first. You have a new home now, maybe with the man you talk about, but you do."

"Yes mother," Diana nodded in confirmation, her deep blue eyes expressing regret at the pain and hurt she was causing her beloved mother. A queen may have exiled a subject from the island nation, but a mother had hopes that her daughter would return to her….not anymore.

"Don't fret my child," Hippolyta cupped her daughter's cheeks and lifted her head up. "Its your choice and I am happy for you. Although, there is one thing I would like to know. Who is this man who has captured your heart?"

"Mother, he did not capture it, I gave it on my own volition," Diana corrected with a tender smile. "I am after all still, first and foremost an Amazon. No man can have any authority over us…over me."

That surprised the Queen. "Who is this man?" Now she really wanted to know. The men she knew wanted nothing more from a woman than to have her yoked to their sides like servants…or like cattle.

"You have met him mother," Diana's cryptic answer revealing that it was one of the original Justice Leaguers and since it was a man, that ruled out the winged alien, Hawkgirl.

"Met him, hmm," a smile formed on the Queen Mother's lips. "Is it the tall, handsome Kryptonian, the one with the flowing red cape? He truly is an appropriate choice for a mate for you."

Diana smiled at her mother's first choice. Just like the news and media sources of man's world, she too had made Superman-Wonder Woman as a couple.

"No mother, it is not Kal," Diana shook her head. "He is a friend, maybe even my best friend, but that's all there is to it."

"Hmm, the ring bearer then?" Green Lantern, John Stewart was the second name she put forth. The power of the Lantern ring, coupled with his military background made him an attractive proposition.

"No mother, Lantern is, uh, already involved," with two women in fact, Diana bit her lip from blurting out. That particular bit of information wouldn't sit well with Hippolyta and would incite her anger, which Diana didn't want to do right now….that would come once she came to know about this mystery man. 'Mystery,' Diana mused with a smile. 'That should be his middle name.'

The next in line was the Martian Manhunter. Hippolyta would have accepted even the green skinned J'onn as a possible son-on-law, which given the surprised expression on Diana's face, could be a possibility. However, even that name was shot down by the bout of laughter from her daughter.

"Mother, J'onn is like an elder brother, not only to me, but to almost the whole league."

Not even wanting to think about one of the two remaining men, Hippolyta hesitantly uttered the next name, "Flash."

That got an even louder and prolonged laugh.

With a frown on her face, Hippolyta bit out the only remaining name, "The Batman," internally wincing at the luminous smile that lit up her daughter's face.

"Yes," as all the princess had to say for her choice, her joy…and pride was written all over her face.

--

"Diana," Hippolyta didn't know what to say, finally settling on just one word. "Why?"

"Why?" That threw Diana off. "Because I love him."

That got a visible flinch from the Amazonian Queen. She had hoped that Diana's…thing with this man was merely a passing ruse, something to help her pass her pass her time. The vocal proclamation that she loved this Bat was stunning….unnerving for the now worried Hippolyta.

"Love him?" Hippolyta's tone carried doubt, which Diana caught instantly.

"Yes mother, I love him," she stated clearly. "It is not just a ruse, a dalliance on my part…and neither on his. The Batman, although one of the few non-powered league members, is by par the most driven, most courageous and as far as most of the world and even most of the league is concerned, the most dangerous."

"Those qualities, although some of them admirable, don't make him worthy of a princess, an Amazonian no less, and definitely do not make him compatible with Wonder Woman. You signify the light of the world, while he..." the Queen didn't hide her contempt. "….he always stays in the dark, away from everyone, just as he was when the League was on Themiscyra." Hoping to convince her daughter, Hippolyta wisely avoided using the words 'When you brought them…men to Themiscyra.'

"Mother he has more light in him than any other man I've ever come in contact with," Diana's voice held a smiling pride in it. "He just has difficulty showing it to anyone and everyone."

"And he shows it to you?" A disbelieving arched eyebrow questioned her.

"Yes mother," Diana answered confidently. "He does."

---

Heaving a sigh of defeat, Hippolyta did the only thing left for her to do. "It seems that this Batman…"

"Bruce," Diana corrected her. "His name is Bruce."

"Bruce," Hippolyta repeated hesitantly, rolling the name a couple of times mentally before continuing. "It seems that…Bruce," Diana smiled at that. "It seems that he truly loves you, as you love him. It is only because of that reason I am not sending out my guard to have him beheaded for his insolence."

"Mother!"

"Hear me out," the Queen was in form now. "That being said, I am happy for you…for both of you. I hope that he is everything you make him out to be and that he knows the precious gift he has received in your love for him...he knows and cherishes it, because if he hurts you in any way or form, there will no power on earth, hell or heaven that will save him from my wrath."

"Yes mother," Diana nodded her head, a chuckle threatening to burst from her lips. He mother was in full protective form and was firing on all maternal thrusters. "Anything else, mother?"

"Diana! I am serious…and also warn him that I may come to visit him."

"Mother you are not going to fight Batman," Diana's voice carried a friendly warning, although for whose benefit, she did not know. Being an Amazon her mother possessed superior physical strength. Although not as much as her own, it was sufficient enough to overpower a full grown human male….but the Batman, now that was an entirely different matter.

"I am happy for you my child," Hippolyta tactfully avoided her daughter's words.

"Thank you mother," Diana knew that if her mother had made up her mind to visit Gotham and the Batman, there was nothing she could do or say to change it…or stop her.

She only hoped that the first 'official' meeting between the Dark Knight and the Queen of the Amazons didn't end up with drawn swords and batarangs.

/End Flashback/

-----

A few hours later, on another world,

"Are you sure he will come?" A tired female voice questioned the red, white and blue-garbed man standing next to her.

"Yes your majesty, I am sure," Superman's own voice was hushed in grief over the loss of a teammate…and more importantly a dear friend. "He will be here, just as he was here during the day, at the time of the ceremony."

"He was here?" Hippolyta asked in surprise. She hadn't seen any one remotely similar to either the Batman or Bruce Wayne. She knew what Bruce Wayne looked like from the countless news articles and media exposes about the multi-billionaire tycoon and since his highly publicized engagement to a certain Ms. Diana Prince, an ex-playboy. "When?"

"The whole time," Superman had seen the familiar shadow-shrouded form of Batman on one of the buildings near the cathedral where Diana's last ceremonies were held. He had been keeping his distance from the crowd and at the same time being near the woman he loved more than his life...even it was for the last time. Tomorrow, Diana's remains or what was being regarded as what was left of her would be taken to Themiscyra for a proper Amazonian burial. If she has been married then the choice would have been Bruce's, but as for now, it was her mother's decision…and she just wanted to take her daughter home. "He was here…just as he is now."

"Where?" Hippolyta peered from her rooftop perch.

"There," Superman pointed to sky where the silent form of Batman's aerial steed, the batwing could be seen nearing the Princess Diana Memorial. In the center of the memorial stood a twenty-foot tall white marble statue of the regal Diana. It was the result of a joint effort of Superman and the Martian Manhunter. Using their combined powers, they had created a perfect likeliness of their departed teammate.

As both Superman and Hippolyta looked on, the batwing landed meters away from the memorial, its occupant emerging like a wraith. As if drawn by some unnatural power, the shadows converged around him. It was as if they were trying to save him from all the hurt and pain in his heart….just as they had done all those years ago when an eight year kid lost his parents.

Walking up to the stature, Batman drew out his hand from within his cape, a single red rose clenched in his gloved fingers. Opening his mouth he spoke few words, which given their powers, both Superman and Hippolyta were able to hear clearly.

"I don't believe you are dead. I will find you and a way for you to come back…to me. I-I….miss you."


Note: Hope you liked it. The while ceremony thing was from the 'Hereafter' episode, except in that it was Superman who was being laid to rest. I modified it for Diana.

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