Chapter 5

Wayne Manor (AU)

Bruce and Diana sat beside each other in the back of the limo, close enough to one another to touch and yet miles apart for each other. Each was wrestling with their own thoughts and the feelings that couldn't be denied no matter how hard they tried to pretend they weren't there. It was obvious there was something there between them, a growing spark, but should they allow themselves the luxury of exploring and indulging in it?

The evening had gone incredibly well, better than either had imagined that it could. Bruce had been apprehensive because of his feelings for her, Diana because she was so afraid of hurting him and bringing unwanted attention into his life.

The evening had only confirmed what Bruce had been feeling since he'd met her, creating more confusion for Diana who struggled with feelings for two men that were so alike and yet so different. Her desire to return home was still as strong as the day she had found herself in this new world, his desire for her to stay just as strong as the day he'd seen her walking down that road.

The limo pulled up into the circular drive of Wayne Manor, the engine turning off. It wasn't until Alfred opened the back door that either of them realized that they were actually home. Bruce exited first, turning to offer his hand to Diana which she readily accepted.

Her hand slid easily into his as she got out behind him, offering him a gentle smile that he returned. He forced himself to release her hand, reminding himself for the thousandth time that she was not his. Instead, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his tux pants, walking silently up the walk and up the steps to the front of the manor.

Opening the door, he stepped aside and allowed her to enter first, receiving a murmured word of gratitude…the first that she'd spoken since they had left the ballroom. He couldn't help wondering what it was she was thinking about. Was she thinking of her home…her Bruce…or could she actually be thinking about him?

The thought caused a knot of excitement to roil inside of him. He silently cursed himself for constantly thinking about her like this. He needed to regain some semblance of control over his emotions and his mind. He was acting a like a teenager hoping his crush returned his feelings.

This incredible woman was not going to be here with him forever. She had a home of her own, a world where she truly belonged. She had friends and a family, a Justice League that needed her and a Bruce Wayne who probably missed her. That was her home, not here with him. The thought was like a dagger to his gut.

They made their way up the winding staircase, neither speaking a word until coming to a stop before her bedroom. "Thank you for a wonderful evening," she told him. "It was nice to get out and just be a regular person."

"I'm glad you came with me," he replied. "I need to get you out of the house more often."

The corners of her lips curled in response. "I guess so," she agreed, reaching up to unclasp the diamond necklace that graced her neck. "Thank you for lending me the necklace."

Removing it, she tried to hand it back to Bruce. "No, I want you to keep it," he told her, reaching out to curl her fingers around the necklace.

"Bruce, this is far too much," she said, shaking her head. "Didn't this belong to your mother?"

"Yes, it did, but I want you to have it now," he insisted. "Please, Diana, it would mean a lot to me if you kept it."

"I…I don't know what to say," she softly replied, looking down at his hand still wrapped around hers and creating a sense of warmth inside of her that was steadily growing stronger. "It's very sweet of you. Thank you just doesn't seem like enough."

"You've come to mean a lot to me since the day I found you, Diana," he found himself confessing. "You gave me hope and happiness again when I needed it the most. I'll be eternally grateful to you for that."

"But I didn't do any—"

Bruce abruptly silenced her with his mouth, his hand moving up to cup her cheek. He felt her melt against him, pleasure searing like fire through his veins as she returned his desire with a heat all her own. He tilted his head, savoring the moment and the taste of her as her hand came to rest on the back of his neck. The reality of kissing her was far better than anything he could ever begin to create in the dark hours of his bedroom.

She abruptly pulled away after several long moments, gazing at him with confusion in her eyes. Without a word, she suddenly turned away from him, entering her bedroom and closing the door behind her. Bruce's heart sank as the palm of his hand came to rest against the door with a bittersweet mixture of excitement and frustration.

He wanted to go inside and explain everything to her, to make her see that he didn't mean to hurt her by kissing her. He just couldn't go another moment without finally kissing her and now he might have just ruined the best thing that he'd ever found in his whole life.

His chin dropped as he stood there a few moments longer. He'd pushed her too far too fast. He should have told her how he felt instead of just acting on it like that. At the same time, he couldn't help remembering how she had responded to his kiss, the feel of her lips so soft and warm against his as she returned his feelings.

Maybe she did feel something for him more than just friendship?

Drawing a deep breath, Bruce's hand fell from the door before turning to make his way to his bedroom. He knew he just needed to give her a little time, give her a chance to sort out her feelings. Hopefully, things would be all right in the morning.

Metropolis (MU)

Lois Lane rolled over expecting to snuggle up against Clark only to find cool sheets where he should have been laying. Frowning, she opened her eyes as she sat up to look about the bedroom, finding him nowhere in sight. His uniform was slung over the back of a chair, his clothes still on the floor where he'd left them.

Throwing the covers off, she climbed out of bed, exiting the bedroom to find Clark standing before the window of the apartment they shared. Dressed in nothing but his boxers, his muscular arms were crossed over his equally muscular chest as he just gazed out into the darkness staring at nothing.

A wave of sadness blanketed her as she watched him, knowing how deeply he was struggling to come to terms with Diana's death. The whole world struggled with it, but none mourned her loss more than Clark had… except for maybe Bruce.

She knew the other Founders were grappling with the Amazon's death, but Bruce seemed to be taking it exceptionally hard. Despite the evidence, he refused to accept that Diana was gone, never to return to them again. He was spending night and day trying to find her. She doubted he would ever truly accept it.

Death was not something that Bruce dealt well with, the death of someone especially close to him even less so. She'd considered going to see Bruce, to try to talk to him to see if she could help him, but she knew that he needed a little time right now to try to work through it all himself.

Lois silently made her way to Clark, her hand coming to rest against his back. "Are you all right?" she softly asked.

Clark appeared startled by her appearance, too absorbed in his thoughts to realize that she was there until she'd actually spoken to him. "What? Oh, yah…I'm all right," he muttered, turning back to look out the window.

"Clark, you're not okay," she pressed. "I know Diana's death has been hard on you. Do you need to talk about it?"

"No, I don't want to talk about it," he told her.

"You've been quiet all evening," Lois pointed out. "You've barely spoken at all since you came home from seeing Bruce. Did something happen?"

Clark exhaled a breath, his arms falling to his sides. "Yes, something did happen, but I don't know what to do about it."

Lois took him by the hand, leading him to the couch. "Come talk to me," she suggested. "Maybe I can help you."

Clark sat down on the couch, Lois curling up against his side. "I went to see Bruce to let him know that we needed to find someone to take Diana's place with the Founders. As expected, the meeting didn't go well at all. Everyone pretty much fell apart starting with Wally and then Shayera. No one would make any suggestions."

"Well, I guess it's not really unexpected," Lois replied. "It's only been a week since Diana was killed."

"I know, but we have to make sure we're at full strength," he explained. "Grodd is out there building another weapon in order to destroy the League. It could be bigger and better than the last one. I can't let another member die."

"I agree," she patiently said.

"Bruce didn't want to hear it, though," he continued. "He refused to even discuss it."

"He still believes Diana is alive."

"Yes, and now he thinks he has proof that she is alive."

Lois sat up in shock, staring at him in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

Clark nodded his head. "He's been working with the Justice Lords' Batman," he told her. "They've been reviewing all the information that Bruce has gathered so far. They both feel that Diana wasn't killed but transported to another dimension…another universe."

"I can't believe it," Lois murmured, relieved by the news and yet the news raised so many more questions in her mind.

"I know," he replied. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I want to believe it's true because I want Diana back. I miss her so much. At the same time, I don't want to get my hopes up. I can't go through this again, believing she's coming back only to find out she really is dead."

"I believe Bruce," she told him.

Clark looked up sharply, stunned by her response. "You do?"

"Clark, there is one thing that I have learned in the time that I have known him and that is to never bet against Bruce Wayne," she said. "If there is one person that could find proof Diana is alive and bring her back, it would definitely be him."

Clark stared at her for moment, realizing she was right. "You're right," he agreed with a reluctant nod. "I guess I'm just too afraid of losing her all over again. I don't want to go through that, Lo. She was…is…like my sister."

"I know," she softly said. "I miss her too, but we can't give up hope that Bruce can find her and bring her home."

"That's the bad news," he reluctantly explained. "Bruce and Lord Batman have no idea what universe she's been transported to. It could take years to find her. In the meantime, Bruce is building a transporter to get her back as soon as they do locate her."

"Wow," she softly murmured. "I didn't think it was possible, but this just goes from bad to worse."

"Oh, there's more," he continued with a snort. "Bruce doesn't want me to tell anyone but Donna that Diana is alive."

"What? Why not?"

"Because it could take years for him to find her," he revealed as he leaned forward, his elbows coming to rest on his knees. "He doesn't want to get everyone's hopes up if he can't find her."

"I can see that," she agreed much to Clark's surprise. "Wally would be bugging him day and night wanting to know if he'd found her yet. Bruce would become homicidal if everyone were constantly harassing him all the time, wanting to know what was going on and what was taking so long. You would never find Wally's body again."

"Yah, I never thought of that."

Lois leaned forward, her hand rubbing his back. "You're having trouble keeping this information from everyone, aren't you?"

Clark glanced at her with a frown. "How do you know me so well?"

"Well, I am an award-winning investigative reporter," she pointed out. "It's my job to know everything especially about the man that I love."

"It's like I'm lying to everyone," he explained. "The Watchtower is like a morgue, Lois. No one smiles…there's no laughter anymore. It's as if the light has gone out in the world. Wally's a mess. I don't know how he's going to recover from this. How am I going to be able to look him in the eye next time I see him knowing I can take away his sorrow and give him some hope?"

"You're such a good man," Lois said, leaning in and kissing his cheek. "That's why I love you so much. You're so honest and pure of heart."

"A lot of good it does me now," he muttered with a huff of disdain as he got to his feet and began pacing. "How am I going to handle the guilt of keeping such a secret from the people I care about and call my friends?"

"If Bruce thinks it's best not to reveal the news yet, then I think we should follow his wishes," Lois replied.

Clark's shoulders sank, knowing deep down that she was right. "I know, but it just…it doesn't feel right."

"With any luck, maybe Bruce will find Diana next week and bring her home," she tried to comfort him.

"That would be amazing," he agreed with a ragged sigh, rubbing his face with his hands.

Lois rose from the couch, walking to her lover and taking his hand in hers. "Come, let's go back to bed," she suggested, trying to stifle a yawn.

Clark gently pulled her back to him, enveloping her in his arms and burying his face in her hair. "Thank you, Lo," he murmured. "I love you. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I love you too, Smallville," she replied. "Please, promise me that you'll be extra careful. I can't lose you."

"You can't get rid of me that easily," he lightly teased, knowing all too well that the threat was very real.

Lois pulled back, taking his face in her hands. "I'm serious, Clark Kent," she stated. "You had better not be next. I don't want to wait twenty years for Bruce to find you too."

"I promise," he reassured her, kissing her soundly before scooping her up into his arms and carrying her back to their bed.

Gotham (MU)

Batman slipped through the skylight as silent and deadly as a phantom, dropping soundlessly to the floor below. His cape draped around him like a cloak as he stood to his full, imposing height. His night vision lenses created a green glow on the warehouse he'd tracked his prey to.

He immediately pulled out a Batarang as he stealthily made his way through the abandoned building. He knew he was in here. It was just a matter of where. He didn't care if he was walking into a trap. He didn't seem to care about much of anything since Diana disappeared. Getting her back was the only thing that seemed to matter to him.

He knew his sons were worried about him. Dick had already cornered him yesterday, telling him that he was taking unnecessary risks. He knew that Tim and Damian had been talking to Dick, conveying their worries, but he blew them off. Their worry was ill-placed and unwarranted. He could handle himself.

He froze as a bright flood light was suddenly flipped on, illuminating the room around him. The sound of an all too familiar cackle pierced the air, but Batman didn't make any moves. This was all just a game to him, one that he wasn't about to participate in.

"Batsy! So good of you to come looking for me," Joker said, his voice coming over the loudspeakers. "I must say that I'm happy to see you alive and in one piece. Too bad we can't say the same for poor Wonder Babe, huh?"

Batman's gut churned with the mention of Diana. He should've known that Joker would bring it up. "Come out, Joker," he growled. "Face me!"

"No so fast," Joker laughed with glee. "Always so impetuous. I haven't had my fun yet."

"I'm not playing your games."

"Boo-hoo," Joker mocked. "Still mourning the loss of your teammate, I see. Must be why you're so grumpy lately."

Batman began to stalk straight ahead, refusing to respond to his coercing. He was trying to get under his skin, and he wasn't about to let him do that. He needed to get Joker back in Arkham so he could return home to work on the transporter.

"That's far enough," Joker said, another spotlight coming on. "You're going to ruin my surprise."

"I don't have time for this," Batman angrily roared, throwing a Batarang at one of the spotlights and shrouding himself in darkness once more.

"Hey! You can't do that!" Joker screeched. "You're messing up my game!"

Batman took off in a dead run, racing to the end of the expansive room as several of Joker's men gave chase. The Caped Crusader spun around, throwing an array of Batbombs that immediately released a thick white cloud that concealed his location.

Leaping up onto a stack of crates, he quickly looked around, spotting the main control room on the second floor. He fired his grappling gun, allowing it to carry him up to the second-floor catwalk. He pulled another Batarang as he ran towards the main control room.

He could hear Joker yelling orders from inside the room just before Batman crashed through the frosted window. Joker pulled a gun as he began to back away from the Dark Knight. "Stay back, Batsy," he warned. "You don't want to end up like Wonder Babe."

Batman stalked straight towards him, Joker opening fire only for his gun to release a red "bang" flag. "Whoops! Wrong gun!" Joker said with a cackle.

Joker didn't have time to find the right one as Batman's fist connected with his jaw. He flew backwards against the wall behind him, blood beginning to pour from his nose. "Now why would you want to go and do a thing like that?" the psychotic clown demanded to know as he covered his nose with both hands. "Was it something I said? Was the mention of Wonder Babe?"

Batman's jaw snapped tight like a steel trap as he grabbed Joker by the front of his purple suit and slammed him back against the wall. "Don't talk about her," he ground out.

"Ah, hit a nerve, did I?" he pressed. "Poor Batsy lost his Wonder Babe. I'm just glad it wasn't you who bit the big one. It would've ended our little rivalry. Besides, I want to be the one who eventually ends you."

"Stop talking!" Batman hissed, baring his teeth at the clown as he seethed with unbridled rage.

"Wonder Babe, Wonder Babe, Wonder Babe," Joker prattled on unaware. "Too bad you're dead. I could've had you in my bed. Wonder Babe, Wonder Babe, Wonder Babe. Oh, the fun we could've had."

Batman fist slammed into Joker's face again, knocking a couple of teeth loose. "I said stop talking!" he roared, his fist cocked and ready to deliver another bone-shattering blow.

"Batman! Stop!"

The sound of Nightwing's voice managed to cut through a measure of the rage induced fog that had gripped his mind. He turned his head slightly, his arm remaining prepared to strike. "Leave!" he bellowed. "This doesn't concern you."

"Let go of him," Nightwing calmly ordered him. "I'll take him back to Arkham."

Batman stayed frozen in that position, one hand tightly around Joker's throat while the other was clenched and ready to do more damage. Joker just cackled as blood splattered on his face and Batman's cowl. The Dark Knight finally released his hold on him, allowing the clown to slide down the wall to the floor.

"Poor…Batsy," Joker continued on between coughing fits, his sadistic cackle filling their ears. "Lost his Wonder Lovin' and now he's all alone again. Maybe you should stick to cats. They have nine lives. I heard she was purrrrfect for you unlike Wonder Boobs who is nothing but ashes now."

Batman attempted to lunge at him only for Nightwing to wrap his arms around him from behind to hold him back and keep him from killing the clown. "Stop it," Nightwing said low in his ear so Joker couldn't hear. "He's not worth it. Saving Diana is more important."

Drawing a couple of deep breaths, Batman finally relaxed somewhat, jerking free from Nightwing's hold on him. He turned on his heel and stalked out of the room, leaving Nightwing to handle Joker. He needed to return to the cave…get some control over his emotions.

He'd lost control in front of Joker. That was something that he could not allow to happen again. He would have to work harder at not allowing his emotions get a hold of him like that. It had been reckless and foolish on his part; a rookie mistake he never should've made.

How many times had he drilled into the heads of his partners to never allow their emotions to cloud their judgement?

He wiped Joker's bloody spittle off his cowl as he leapt into his Batmobile, speeding off into the night. He was exhausted. He knew that was part of the reason why he'd lost control with Joker. The bigger reason was that he missed Diana so much it hurt to breathe sometimes.

Racing through the night, he let his mind wander to the day before Diana disappeared. They had been eating lunch in the Watchtower commissary, bantering back and forth like they always did about something completely insignificant.

Those were the times he loved most with her…the times when they bantered, arguing but not really arguing. Just trying to push each other's buttons a little without inciting anger. It was an extremely dangerous, almost deadly line to tiptoe when it came to her, but he found he was the only one who could do it and not get his face bashed in.

Bruce couldn't help but laugh, remembering how her sapphire eyes had flared with indignation when he had told her she could've done better during their sparring session that morning. He swore her nostrils had flared, her grip tightening on her fork to the point of mangling it.

He had to give her credit. She had managed to stay calm long enough to ask him what he had meant. He had jumped headlong into a lecture on the moves of Muay Thai and how using your limbs was a highly effective and efficient way to fend off an attack without exerting too much energy.

She had listened to him, allowing him to speak without interruption before delving into the ways of the Amazons and how effective they were when it came to a fight. It had been a long running argument of theirs that he liked to return to every now and then just to get her riled up.

He loved to see the way her blue eyes flamed with irritation, her fiery spirit rising to the forefront. She was an extremely passionate person…a fierce passion that he was certain carried over to the bedroom. He was aching to find out, experiencing it firsthand. Unfortunately, he thought he would have more time.

Now she was lost to him…alive, but not here where she should be, leaving him with a broken heart that only she could help heal.

Parking the Batmobile, Bruce leapt out of his car, yanking his cowl and gauntlets off and tossing them aside to clean later. He needed to get cleaned up and file his reports from patrol so he could get back to work on the transporter. He'd barely gotten it started when Joker had escaped from Arkham again, forcing him to drop everything to round up the Clown Prince of Gotham.

Stripping off his uniform, Bruce got into the shower, washing the grime from his beloved city off his body as thoughts of Diana continued to invade his mind and torture his heart. The confirmation that she was alive was the only thing keeping him going at this point, exhaustion beginning to make it difficult to move or think straight sometimes.

He knew he should get some sleep, but he was afraid to. What if Lord Batman contacted him tomorrow and told him that he'd found Diana and that she needed his help? There would be absolutely nothing he could do to help her or to get her out of that situation and back to this universe. It was that fear that drove him, keeping him going when all he wanted was to lay down to sleep.

Stepping out of the shower, he began to dry off, tossing his towel aside before slipping on a pair of sport shorts and a t-shirt. He had no doubt that Dick would be making an appearance tonight in order to lecture him on his lack of control with the Joker.

He didn't have time for it, though. He had too much work to do.

Bruce made his way to his work area, silently thanking Alfred for the large thermos of coffee that he found waiting for him. He immediately grabbed it, unscrewing the cap and guzzling the hot beverage. The coffee scorched his throat, but it made him feel more awake…more alive…more alive than he'd felt since the day he'd lost Diana.

He visibly shuddered as the image of Diana taking the full brunt of Grodd's weapon invaded his mind. Like the true warrior that she was, she had stood there with arms crossed and bracers ready to deflect the powerful blast from the gun only to vanish right before their eyes when the blinding flash of light had finally faded.

He swore his heart had stopped beating in that moment as he had raced towards the spot where she had just been, finding nothing but her lasso lying on the ground. He had been completely oblivious to all that had gone on around him after that, the battle still raging as he had knelt down to pick up her lasso.

He wished he would've been more aware…would've seen Superman using his heat vision to destroy Grodd's gun. He would've stopped him. He needed that weapon so he could study it and learn from it. It could end up being the key to finding Diana.

Now, they were going to have to wait until Grodd struck again.

"Bruce, we need to talk," Dick said as he approached still in his Nightwing costume.

"There's nothing to talk about," Bruce icily stated as he set the thermos down before turning his attention to his newest project.

"Tim, Damian, and I think that there is," Dick pressed, his voice charged with worry.

Bruce drew a deep breath, releasing it slowly through his nostrils as his eyes fell closed. Dick didn't deserve the brunt of his fury. At the same time, he was poking his nose in where it didn't belong. "I know what you're going to say, and I didn't cross the line with Joker."

"You would have if I hadn't stopped you," Dick pointed out, leaning against the edge of the workbench as he crossed his arms.

"You don't know that," Bruce bit out. "I wouldn't have killed him."

"No, but you would've put him in a coma," Dick countered.

"He would still be alive though."

"Not funny," Dick ground out. "You know what I mean. You have got to take a break…get some sleep. You look like hell, Bruce."

"Thanks," Bruce grunted as he picked up a tool. "If you're done, you can leave now."

"Donna told me Diana is alive," Dick revealed.

Bruce's eyes fell closed again as he pinched the bridge of his nose. His head was pounding like an anvil. "She wasn't supposed to tell anyone."

"She didn't tell just anyone…she told me," he reminded him. "I had to pry it out of her. She was a mess…couldn't quit crying. I thought it was because of Diana's death, but then she finally told me why. Diana is in another universe and it could take years to find her."

"That's about right," Bruce confirmed, reviewing the schematics Lord Batman had sent him.

"So, when are you planning to tell everyone else...the League…her mother?" Dick demanded to know.

"I wasn't," he bluntly stated. "There's no sense getting everyone's hope up until I know more. I don't have enough information right now."

"Bruce!" Dick exclaimed in exasperation. "I can't believe you're going to let everyone go on believing she's dead when you know she's not. Wally's beside himself with grief…Donna was an absolute mess before Superman told her. That's not to mention the rest of Diana's friends and her family back on Themyscira."

"Don't you think I don't know that?" Bruce growled, whirling on Dick with wrench in hand. "Don't think for one moment that it's not killing me that she's not here…that the whole world is building memorials in her honor and having services to mourn her death? Don't you think I want to relieve everyone's pain including my own?

"I'd love to more than anything, but what good is it tell everyone she's alive, but I can't find her? It could take thirty years before we find her and that's if we find her at all. This is huge gamble, Dick…one that I have no idea if it's even going to work. What if we find her, but trying to transport her back ends up killing her? The questions and risks are too numerous to count at this point."

Dick stared in shock at his father-figure, his blue eyes flashing and his chest heaving with emotion. "I'm sorry, Bruce," he softly said as shook his head. "I had no idea."

"Even if Lord Batman does find her, we have no idea what condition she'll be in or if the transporter I'm building will even work," he continued. "Everyone is better off believing she's dead until I know more…until I can actually give them something substantial to pin their hopes on."

"What can I do to help you?" Dick asked.

"Help Tim and Damian look after Gotham," he told him.

"I will on one condition," Dick stated.

"What is that?"

"You get at least six hours of sleep," he insisted. "You're not going to be any good to her or anyone else if you keep going like this. You're going to kill yourself off, Bruce. You are Diana's best bet to finding a way home. She needs you at your best."

Bruce rubbed his eyes with a sigh, laying his wrench aside. "You're right," he admitted.

"Wait…what? I am?" Dick said, stunned. "You never give in this easily. You really must be exhausted."

"I have to get her back, Dick," he found himself confessing. "I don't want to live in a world that she's not a part of."

Dick stared at him for a long moment. "You really are in love with her, aren't you?"

Bruce didn't say a word, unable to respond as Dick closed the distance between them. He knew the answer without receiving confirmation from him. "We'll get her back," Dick reassured him, his hand coming to rest on his shoulder. "And then, you can tell her how you really feel about her."

A/N: Poor Bruce...and...poor Bruce!

UP NEXT: AU Bruce and Diana talk...among other things while MU Bruce has an unexpected visitor. :)