18. Views and Reviews
Summary: People talk and people think…..and then…
Alfred and Diana,
"Madam."
"Yes Alfred." Dressed in a flowing, layered gown, one that hid her pregnant belly, Diana turned around to face the Wayne's butler. Dressed impeccably as always, Alfred Pennyworth stood at attention next to her.
"Can I offer you some refreshment Madam?" Alfred offered the glass of freshly squeezed pineapple juice.
Accepting the glass, Diana smiled at the old man's astuteness. "You can say it Alfred. I won't mind."
"I beg your parent Miss?" Alfred feigned surprise and ignorance, falling back on the 'detached' Miss rather the Madam as he had taken to addressing her as. As far as he was concerned, even if this Diana was not of this world and was to be married to the Bruce Wayne on hers, she was betrothed to him and that made her the lady of the house and in that relation 'Madam'.
"Alfred." Diana sighed, leaning her head towards the door, on the other side of which was the party, which even now was going in full flow. "You can say it. Not what I wanted. Isn't that what you were about to say?" She smiled and tapped a finger against the glass in her hand.
Had it been anybody else, Alfred would have outright denied it, but on the same line, had to be any other person, he would not have approached him or her in the first place. However, after two weeks together and over ten nights near or in front of the grandfather clock, talking about their respective worlds and more importantly the 'Bruces' in them, the trans-located Amazonian Princess and the ex-spy, ex-thespian, surrogate father-friend-confidant-emergency backup-butler-family member had become quite friendly. Even though Alfred never faltered from his strict code of duty, he had developed a fatherly feeling towards the woman who in his eyes would be the best choice for Bruce in any world.
"I would say, not what we expected," he corrected her with a barest twitch of a sad smirk. The reason why Diana had 'accepted' the invitation for this party was to try to get her dimensional twin and Bruce Wayne closer. For the same reason, she had taken an early leave for the night, giving the couple their privacy.
"Me neither," Diana agreed solemnly. After a few seconds of silence, she spoke again, saying out aloud what had been on her mind for the last few minutes. "Maybe…maybe this is the way it's supposed to be here."
This time Alfred was truly stumped. "Beg you pardon Madam?"
"Maybe this," she once again gestured towards the door. "Maybe this is the way for the Diana of Themiscyra and Bruce Wayne, Wonder Woman and Batman of this world. After all, it is not necessary that if we….if they are together on one world, they would be on another one too. They could just be friends or teammates…or not even know each other."
Finding no flaw in her argument, Alfred nodded. "I suppose so Miss." Although steady as always, his voice did carry a hint of dejection. 'Master Bruce….'
"And Alfred," Diana rested her hand on his forearm. "Although I would have liked for the two of them to be together, my main goal or wish or whatever you want to term it as, is for them to be happy. That is all that matters in the end. Isn't it?"
"Yes Madam," Alfred agreed, a small smile forming on his face. Diana's words echoed his feelings. He wanted Master Bruce to be happy. He wanted it when he saw him for the first time as a newborn baby, as he wanted it after Bruce lost his parents….and he wanted it now. He knew about Master Bruce's feelings towards the Princess (this world's Wonder Woman) and those towards Ms. Kyle. He knew that in his own way, Bruce cared for, even loved both Diana and Selina, just as they loved him. Whether and when that care progressed further, was something he had no control over.
"In the end, happiness is all that matters."
----
Selina, Bruce and Diana,
"Mind if I cut in?"
The sultry voice interrupted the slow dance that Amazonian Princess and the Dark Knight nee Billionaire Playboy had settled into.
"Selina," Diana felt Bruce's grip momentarily tighten around her, pulling her close, before relaxing as if to move away completely.
"Bruce," Selina Kyle a.k.a. the Catwoman, tore her gaze from the tall, handsome form of Bruce Wayne and coolly regarded his date for the night. Although, she gave no outwards intimation, she instantly caught something very familiar about her. She had seen this woman somewhere, and not in one of these fashion parades.
"Miss?" One perfectly formed eyebrow arched at the taller, slightly muscular woman. 'Where have I seen her?'
"Prince," Diana introduced herself, deftly freeing one hand from Bruce's grip while letting the other remain at his arm. "Diana Prince?"
"Diana, huh," CLICK! A light went on in that 'dark' corner of Selina's mind as the bulb of realization came on. Almost as if drawn by it, her eyes flitted to 'Ms. Prince's', wrists.
Both Bruce and Diana noticed the shift, neither making a move to hide it. Both knew how crafty and perceptive the feline thief was.
"Nice to meet you….Diana," Selina lifted her hand for a shake. "Haven't seen you around much. New here?"
"Yes, Ms. Kyle," Diana accepted the offered limb, almost having to force herself for not squeezing it, just a bit. "I am visiting Gotham."
"Flying in I presume," Selina mused cryptically.
"Of course," Wonder Woman played the part of the debutante. "Is there any other way?"
Neglected and seemingly forgotten, Bruce stood by silently, watching the two of them go at each other. Had he been some one else, he would sure have enjoyed two such beautiful woman go at each other in the proverbial catfight (punny stuff). However, he was Batman and even more so than that, he was a man torn between his affections for both these women.
Diana and Selina. Selina and Diana. Both very strong willed, stunningly beautiful, highly emotive and fiercely independent women. Both of whom, 'might' work well with both Bruce Wayne and Batman, but not with both. While Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne couple would not raise that many eyebrows, given their socialite status, a Catwoman and Batman partnership didn't seem to be in the near future…if ever. Similarly, on the other side, Wonder Woman and Batman were both well-known (Well, one of them) and famous (infamous for the latter) crime fighters and a partnership between worked well and if they went on to a more personal level, there would be eyebrows raised, but in the end it would all settle down. However, a Diana of Themiscyra and Bruce Wayne outing would give enough fodder for at least three such parties; let alone what would have if they became a couple. It was a case of mix and match. Now only if it would work in real life.
"So, Diana…" Engrossed in his thoughts (After all, I cannot write the Batman as 'lost'), Bruce caught the tail end of the conversation. "Mind if I steal your date for some time? I am sure you can find something to keep yourself busy."
Giving Selina and then Bruce a pointed look, Diana let a smile form on her face. "But of course Selina. Bruce….."
"Yes Diana?"
"I'll see you later tonight."
"Huh…"
Even before of Bruce or Selina could say anything, Diana smiled at the two of them and gracefully walked away, her smile faltering to finally vanish with each step she took, her mind going back to the conversation from the previous night.
-----
Diana and Bruce,
/Flashback/
The previous night, in the Batcave
"I know you are there." Diana wasn't surprised at hearing those words from the unmasked figure typing away at the Bat-computer. Years of first hand experience had taught her that with the Batman you never took things for granted….nor did you underestimate him as being just an normal 'average' human.
Gliding out of the shadows, she touched ground as he neared him, traversing the last few feet on foot. "How do you know its me?" She asked inspite of herself. The question was not how he knew someone was there. Her had dozens of ways of knowing that. It was not of how he knew it was her, Wonder Woman. It was of how he knew and or guessed that it was HER, the Diana from this world and not the visitor.
"What do you mean?" Bruce spun his chair around to face her, his eyes boring into her taking in every single nuance of hers.
Feeling his gaze first roam on her, Diana met his eyes as they finally reached to her face. "I mean, how did you know it was me? It could have been her."
"Yes, it could have."
Seeing him turn away with an unstated, leave, Diana stepped up the slightly raised platform of the Bat-computer and rested one hand against the cool, flat, metallic surface. "You guessed it."
She got no answer for her words, not that she expected any. Admitting to guessing would be like admitting to feeling pain or emotion for the Batman. It was just not done.
-----
Seeing her, well, her twin's picture on the screen, Diana turned to face it, reading through what data Bruce was feeding in. The mere fact that he was continuing to work on the file in her presence, told Diana that it was not 'secret' enough for her to not read it. Had it been that way, Bruce would have either clearly told her to leave or closed the file until later.
"Hmmm, I hope you didn't record our conversations," she offered as a conversation starter. "After all it is your house."
Hmph. Nothing.
"Yes," Bruce finally grunted out. "….And I asked her." Was an afterthought.
That certainly surprised Diana. "You asked her?" Now she was really interested. 'When?' The word all but escaped her lips. If he wanted he would tell her and he would want it if he felt that she needed to know it. That was Batman. Working on a need to know basis.
Noticing that she did not step away to leave and the peculiar way her finger seemed to twitching on the metal surface of the table, those of her other hand, holding and twisting her lasso of truth, Bruce finally gave in and asked her the question, one that she wanted him to ask…although, not in quite so many words.
"Anything else you need Diana?"
----
"Bruce…" Diana started, noticing how Batman's hands stilled mid-tap. Even though he did not turn to face her, his that action told Diana that his entire attention was on her now. Steeling herself, she carried forth. "There is something I need to ask you. There is something I need to know."
Again, there was silence. Only the barest tilt of his head told Diana that he was still open to whatever she was saying….and to the question she was going to ask. Mentally cursing Donna for putting the question in her mind in the first place, she parted her lips and finally spoke it aloud.
"Bruce…you ever wonder about what would have happened, had we not decided to end whatever was going on between us and just remain friends and teammates."
The ensuing silence after her question, although short, felt like ages to Diana. Just as thought that he would not answer started to raise it ugly head, Batman answered and threw her thought process completely off.
"Yes."
What was she supposed to say now? How was she supposed to respond to this admission?
----
"And…."
Bruce once again turned around to face her and in her deep blue eyes saw something that he did not expect. He saw fear in them….and he saw hope. Fear of what he might say, hope that it might be the same as her thoughts….and fear of the same. What if what he said was the same as what her thoughts were saying to her? What then? If he just denied it, it would hurt…a bit, but not as much, as if both of them felt the same and willfully denied their feelings.
Instead of directly answering, Bruce merely arched his eyebrow. He wanted to Diana to come out and say what she really wanted to know from him. No one words or half sentences. He did not want to be caught….and for that he needed to cover all his bases…..and for that he needed her to spell out correctly what she wanted to know from him.
"What do you think?"
"I could ask the same question of you?" Diana sighed and let her hand fall to her side. More than anyone, even Flash, Batman knew how to zip his way out of a sticky situation. Why couldn't he just come out and tell what he thought? Would that be so difficult?
"Yes you could," she responded, "but you haven't…and I have."
Still he remained silent as if waiting for her to complete the sentence she seemed to have left midway.
"What do you want me to say Bruce?" Diana frowned for a second, sure of her mistake of choosing to come here. Whatever 'possibilities' they might have had, all ended on that day on the watchtower. Walking out of the room with the Martian Dream Machine, she not only let the room's door close behind her but also closed the door of opportunity of a intimate….romantic relationship between her and Bruce.
"Diana…." Bruce started only to stop again as if trying to find the correct words. This was highly unusual for him. As Batman, he did not have to care what he said to anyone and as Bruce Wayne, it did not matter, because Bruce Wayne was supposed to be a couple of slices short of a banana split, and his thoughts just as valuable. However, at this moment of time, he was neither. Instead, he was that middle of the road persona that few people knew about and even fewer who were actually familiar with it. "This is because of her. Isn't it?" He implied towards the other Diana in the mansion upstairs.
"What do you mean?" Diana shot back in a tone that was eerily his own.
"Seeing her….makes you think about how things could have turned different for you…." The words hung in the air. Both knew about what he had left unsaid.
'…..had you made a choice….choices, from the ones you did.'
"It is…." Diana also weighed her words. "….a revelation. However, the same could be said about you."
"I know," Bruce nodded. Ever since he had seen that other Diana and heard her story, seen 'his' mother's ring on her finger…..confirmed her pregnancy….ever since that, one question that been prominent in his thoughts. Could he have the same as his counterpart?
That Batman seemed to have gone through the same hardships as he had, suffered the same losses, made the same vow and done everything else that he had done….except for one major thing. He had chosen to have a 'life', not just an existence, which both Bruce Wayne and Batman seemed to have. He had chosen to live, to allow himself to not only love someone but to do something of that love. Although he had not seen his own doppelganger from that earth, he had been seeing the woman he loved, the woman who not only accepted and shared his love, but had also made the same choice of allowing their love to progress to a familial fruition….that world's Wonder Woman, Diana of Themiscyra. From her words it seemed that she was happy with him…and that he was happy because of that, and inspite of that happiness poisoning the seemingly endless vengeance that defined the Batman, the mission was still going on.
Gotham still had its savior, its Dark Knight and maybe someday, it would have another…maybe two.
Could he have the same?
----
"Bruce, it is said that we should learn from our past…" even as those words left Diana's mouth, she realized that he was the 'most' wrong person to say these to. More than anyone, Bruce Wayne was stuck in his past, lost the day his parents died. Yet, she pushed forth. "….and from experience of others. Otherwise, we are destined to make and repeat the same mistakes…." She trailed off as she started to walk away.
However just before she stepped out of hearing distance, Bruce heard her stop and complete her sentence, her words clearly reflecting their condition, and given the path they were walking on, most probably their future.
"…..we are destined to be alone."
/End Flashback/
----
Bruce, Selina and Alfred,
"Excuse me Sir."
"Yes Alfred." Bruce looked over Selina's shoulder as they halted their slow movements.
"There is a call for you sir," Alfred spoke those oft repeated, cryptic yet entirely revealing words. "They say it is urgent."
Although silent, Selina also knew what those words meant. It was a call for the Batman. "Need help…" she purred in her sultry voice, running her hand down Bruce's shoulder and along the lapel of hi coat. "….with the call?"
"I think I can handle this one myself," Bruce spoke in his flippant 'playboy'voice. "Raincheck on the dance?" He added for the benefit of any eavesdroppers.
"Sure, why not."
Reaching up, Selina kissed him lightly on his cheek and whispered into his ear. "See you soon," and she was gone.
--
"What is it Alfred?" With each step towards the secret cave entrance, Bruce Wayne seemed to fall away, with the Bat emerging from the shadows. "The Commissioner?"
"No sir," Alfred shook his head. "It was Dr. Palmer."
'Atom?'
Ray Palmer a.k.a. The Atom had been working along with a few of the league's other scientists, to come up with a means to send the trans-located Diana, back to her world.
'Maybe that's what's he calling about?'
"Did he say anything?" He asked, as he set the dials on the grandfather's clock. "Yes sir, although I must say it was highly cryptic in nature."
"What was it?"
"He said, it's a call to the Batman….from the Batman."
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TBC…
