Chapter 7
Metropolis (MU)
Superman flew onto the scene of terror that had erupted in the middle of his city, his jaw set with determination and his eyes filled with anger. The Secret Society had decided to show their faces again and in his city of all places. He knew the danger they presented with their new weapon, but he couldn't allow that to deter him from keeping his city and its residents safe.
"Superman to Batman," he hailed.
"What is it?" Batman bluntly demanded to know in his typical annoyed fashion.
"The Secret Society is here in Metropolis," he informed him.
"I'll be there in three minutes…contact J'onn," he stated before abruptly ending the transmission.
"Superman to Watchtower," he called. "J'onn, they're here in Metropolis."
"I'm sending backup now," he informed him.
Superman didn't hesitate or wait for backup. Copperhead, Killer Frost, and Parasite were outside of the Metropolis Bank wreaking havoc on the city. Citizens ran in every direction, trying to avoid getting caught up in the terror they had come to cause.
"Oh, look!" Copperhead said, feigning fear. "It's Superman. He's come to take us away."
"Yah, that's what he thinks," Killer Frost retorted with a roll of her eyes.
Killer Frost immediately threw thousands of ice spikes at Superman that easily melted with his heat vision, creating clouds of steam. "That did a whole lot of nothing!" Copperhead hissed in disdain.
"Shut your mouth or I'll shut it for you—permanently," she angrily spouted off.
The Man of Steel landed before them, prepared to stop them no matter the cost to himself. Despite Lois's words still ringing in his mind about being careful, he knew that he couldn't allow them to hurt anyone else. They're already taken Diana from them. No more would suffer because of these villains.
Parasite lunged at Superman only to receive a Batarang to the forehead. He stumbled backwards as Copperhead drew a weapon that looked all too familiar. Superman and Batman immediately dove out of the way as Parasite fired his weapon at them.
A blue beam just like what had consumed every inch of Diana shot past the two superheroes, evaporating into nothing and doing no harm. Gorilla Grodd came out of the bank at that moment, carrying an identical weapon to Parasite's.
"Great," Batman growled. "They have more than one."
Gorilla Grodd and Parasite began firing their weapons at them, forcing the League to duck for cover. Appearing on the scene, the Black Canary's deafening ultrasonic cry suddenly filled the air, everyone covering their ears in an effort to keep from being completely incapacitated by it.
Green Arrow popped up behind a Cadillac with bow and arrow primed and ready for attack. He launched one of his arrows while the villains were still distracted by his girlfriend, a net shooting out the tip of the arrow and capturing Killer Frost.
"Hey!" Frost yelled in annoyance, trying to fight her way free from the net that had her pinned to the ground.
"You're not getting out of that, lady," Green Arrow smugly taunted her.
"Oh, really?" she shouted. "Watch me!"
Killer Frost used her ice generating abilities to freeze the net, kicking it and shattering it into a thousand pieces. "Okay, so you can," Green Arrow mumbled in irritation. "You can't get away from this, though."
Arrow swiftly pulled another arrow in one, quick fluid motion, releasing a knockout gas arrow that did the trick. He watched in satisfaction as she dropped to the ground, out cold without uttering another cocky comment. "Told you," he muttered in satisfaction.
Zatanna used her magic to cause a nearby lamp pole to move like a live snake, slithering around Parasite and wrapping him up like a mummy. "Hey! Get me out of this thing!" he shouted, finding himself wrapped up in metal to his neck.
"Zatanna!" Batman yelled from behind a Ford pickup truck. "Get me that weapon!"
"Em ot emoc," she chanted as she stretched out her hands at the gorilla, the weapon in Grodd's hands coming straight to Zatanna. "Didn't see that coming, did you big guy?"
"You can't take that!" Grodd growled, enraged.
"Too bad, big boy," Zatanna taunted him as she waved the weapon at him.
Copperhead grabbed a couple of bags of money they'd robbed from the bank, waving it at Grodd. "This stupid plan has gone south fast," he told him. "I'm getting outta here."
"You're going nowhere," Batman stated, throwing an electrified bola at the serpent.
Copperhead cried out in pain as the shock tore through him like a bolt of lightning, causing him to jerk and shake with the last remnants of the charge. Grodd roared in fury, grabbing Copperhead and Killer Frost and throwing them over each of his shoulders. "Go! Run!"
"I'd love to but I'm a little trapped here!" Parasite ground out, struggling to escape.
Gritting his teeth, Parasite managed to break free, throwing a nearby truck that caused the League to dive for cover once more and buying him and his teammates time to get away. Green Arrow and Black Canary chased after them as Zatanna made her way over to Batman.
"Here you go," she said, handing him the weapon. "Hopefully, it'll help you figure out what happened to Diana."
"I hope so too," he murmured, tapping a few buttons on the minicomputer on his gauntlet.
Superman and Zatanna watched as Batman disappeared from the scene, leaving them both standing there to clean up the mess. "Not even a goodbye or a thank you," Zatanna grumbled, her fists finding her hips.
"Did you really expect to get one?" Superman asked her, glancing at her with a cocked eyebrow.
"No, not really," she admitted with a tilt of her head. "Still, it would've been nice for a change."
Superman chuckled in response. "I wouldn't hold your breath for that to happen."
"That's one thing I've learned about Batman in the many years that I've known him."
"I'm going to clean up here," Superman told her. "I need to return what money they didn't steal."
"Superman, do you think he'll be able to find Diana?"
Superman studied her for a long moment, wondering just how much she actually knew. "Do you think she's still alive?"
"Batman does and that's good enough for me."
"If she's alive, he'll definitely find her," he stated with absolute conviction.
"Yah, you're right about that."
"I just hope he can find her sooner rather than later," Superman thoughtfully revealed, a distant look in his eyes.
Zatanna couldn't help but notice there was something that he was holding back. "Do you know something?"
"Not nearly enough," he cryptically told her. "I just know Bruce. If he doesn't find her soon…I don't know what will become of him."
"I have to agree with you there," she replied. "I'll see you back at the Watchtower."
"Thanks for your help, Zee," he said, watching as she too disappeared from sight with a smile and a wave.
Superman stood there for a long moment before going around and gathering up the bags of money the Secret Society had left behind. Each day that passed by made him that much more worried about Bruce and Diana. Bruce was hanging by a threat. He could only imagine how Diana was doing. He just hoped that she was safe.
"Hang on, Diana," he murmured to himself. "We're coming for you."
Wayne Manor (AU)
Diana laid curled up on her side in bed, shaken from the dreams that she had been having the last few days. She rubbed her face before running her fingers through her hair, trying to regain some sense of composure once more, but it was beyond difficult.
One moment, she was talking to Batman in the Batcave, laughing about something that he'd said with that very dry sense of humor of his. His lips would try so hard not to allow his lips to quirk in joined amusement, typically failing when he was around her. They would banter and tiptoe so close to the line that Batman refused to cross, drawing her in only to gently shove her away by the time she left.
Before she knew it, the dream would shift to the Bruce of this world. They would make passionate love, both of them collapsing breathlessly onto the bed. They'd hold each other close, chests heaving, and bodies covered in a thin sheen of sweat. They would kiss tenderly, sharing their dreams and hopes for the future.
Then the dream would shift again, and she'd find herself kissing Bruce in that Indian restaurant and on the run from Thanagarians trying to take over the world. He would say "don't be" to her murmured apology with that sexy smirk that she was so desperate to kiss right off his face.
Gazing at the Bruce asleep at her side, Diana couldn't help wondering what in the name of Hera she was doing. She was in love with both of them and yet one of them didn't want her…had made it perfectly clear there was nothing between them. This Bruce here by her side wanted her more than anything and was determined to have her for however long that may be.
She felt her heart clench with overt sorrow, knowing she couldn't stay here…or could she?
She felt so torn, her heart and her mind in a fierce battle. She knew that she had to find some sort of resolution to this soon. She couldn't keep going on like this…sleeping with Bruce and yet trying to return to Bruce. While these last couple of months spent in his arms had been beyond amazing, she couldn't help the guilt that continued to haunt her.
It was making her head spin just trying to think about it, sorting out her feelings becoming next to impossible. She knew she loved them both, but in different ways and for vastly different reasons. Then, why did she feel so guilty every time she made love with Bruce?
She felt as though she was betraying the Bruce that she had left behind for reasons that she didn't understand. She knew that Bruce had feelings for her just as he knew about her feelings for him. Still, he had refused to pursue her, refused to even discuss trying to have a relationship with her.
It caused tears to prick her eyes as she thought about him. She missed him deeply, missed their friendly repartee and how he would go out of his way to show he cared about her without actually saying it. She missed his broody mood and the cocky smirk he would give her, the way he fought so bravely during a mission.
Studying the man beside her, Diana couldn't help but smile. He was so like her Bruce, but there was a warmth and compassion that her Bruce worked so hard not to let show through. This Bruce was so open and honest, not hiding how he felt about her. He was taking a great risk to his heart by delving headlong into a relationship with a woman who wasn't meant to be a part of his world, someone who was trying to leave him.
She felt her heart swell with love for this man who felt she was worth the heartache…choosing love and happiness even for a short time rather not having it at all. That's all she had ever wanted with Batman. She didn't want to change him or turn his world upside down. She just wanted to be allowed to love him…to give and receive and build a life…a future with him.
Why was he so scared of happiness and love…so scared of her?
"What are you thinking about?"
The sound of his sleepy baritone voice cut through her turmoiled thoughts. She looked up to find those soulful blue eyes that she loved gazing at her with such love it stole her breath away. He reached out, gently rubbing the spot between her eyebrows.
Diana chuckled softly. "What are you doing?"
"I can always tell when you're worried or trying to work something out in your head," he replied. "You get furrow lines…right there."
"I do?"
He nodded his head in confirmation, his expression growing solemn. "What are you thinking about?"
Diana looked down at his bare chest that was devoid of any scars and yet still just as muscular as the hero who had endured so much more than anyone deserved. "I don't feel like I'm being very fair to you," she softly confessed, biting at her bottom lip. Hurting him was the last thing that she wanted to do.
Bruce's fingers found the chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Why do you feel you're not being fair to me?" he asked. "Because you love your Bruce?"
Diana slowly nodded her head, her vision blurring. "I'm sorry, Bruce," she whispered, her voice choked with tears.
"Diana, I knew that going into this," he pointed out. "Do you love me?"
"Yes, I love you," she confirmed. "If I didn't love you, I wouldn't be here sharing your bed."
His lips slowly curved into a smile. "That's all I need," he replied.
"But—"
"Shhh…no buts," he insisted. "You love me, and you love him, but he's not here. I am here. He was too scared to act on his feelings, but I'm not afraid. I only want whatever you're willing to give and nothing more, Diana."
Her eyes fell closed as a tear escaped, his warm lips erasing it. "I don't know why you would want to start something with me that I might not be able to finish."
"You really don't know why?" he asked her as he stroked her hair. "You are a remarkable woman, Diana. Any heartache that might come in the future will be painful, but I'll have these amazing memories with you that will make it all worth it."
"I don't know what I ever did to deserve you," she murmured, her fingers lightly tracing the curve of his jaw.
"I like to think that God sent you to me for a reason," he admitted. "My personal angel from another heaven, saving me from a life spent solely with Dick and Alfred as my only company…a fate worse than death."
She couldn't help but laugh, Bruce laughing along with her. "Bruce…" she whispered in a chiding tone.
"There's the smile that lights up my heart," he softly said, the tip of his finger caressing the corner of her lips.
Diana claimed his lips with a sweet kiss, her heart unexpectedly feeling lighter already. She couldn't help but wonder how he was always able to do that as she moved to straddle him, the sheet falling away from her nude body. He groaned as she began to grind her pelvis against his, his eyes fluttering closed with the desire that began to swell like a thunderhead inside of him.
She smiled against his lips as she laced her fingers with his, pinning his hands to the mattress on either side of his head. "You are the most wonderful man in the world," she told him, kissing the length of his throat, pausing to rake her teeth over his pulse point.
Bruce pressed the back of his head deeply into the pillow as she kissed and nipped along the curve of his muscular chest, his fingers breaking free to slide up into her hair and holding her there. He wasn't about to ask her in which world he was the most wonderful man, knowing he had competition in another.
He was content to have her here in his world with him for however long that may be. He would love nothing more than for her to stay here forever, but he also knew that he couldn't force her to stay nor could he try to stop her attempts to return home. She would only end up resenting him for it and that wasn't something that he could handle.
He moaned her name as she nipped along the valleys of his abdomen, squeezing his eyes closed against the intense pleasure that shot straight through him and settled in his groin as she stroked him. She was driving him crazy with her mouth and hands, making him desperate to be completely surrounded by her once more.
Diana squealed as Bruce suddenly sat up and pushed her onto her back, his body pressing her into the mattress beneath them. "You are such a tease," he huskily growled, his lips roughly latching onto hers.
"You know…I think I'm going to get a shower now," she told him, trying to get out from under him.
"You are going nowhere until I've had my way with you…at least twice and then again in the shower," he insisted, an intense combination of lust and resolve flashing in his eyes.
Diana felt a shiver race straight through to her core as she lifted her head, her mouth crashing into his again. Her fingers found purchase in his hair as he gripped her hips and thrust hard, Diana breaking the kiss with a sharp gasp of pleasure with the feel of him sheathed deep within her once more.
He pressed his forehead against hers, breathing exerted and perspiration breaking out across his brow as he gazed down at her. "Don't ever question this," he told her, savoring the feel of her so tight around him. "Just let me love you for as long as we have together."
All she could do was nod her head as he began moving over her, her chest heaving she lifted her hips to meet every one of his punishing thrusts. He buried his face in her neck, Diana turning to nip his earlobe. "Bruce…I love you," she panted the words as her fingers raked up his back and into his hair, gripping it roughly.
Batcave (MU)
Bruce slammed both fists on top of his worktable, the various tools and bottles all rattling with the force of the unexpected blow. A couple of bottles tipped over, rolling across the table and coming to a stop against one of the microscopes.
He leaned over, pressing his forehead against his fists. He should've known…should've guessed it when they were in the middle of that fight with Grodd and his cohorts. He'd been too consumed with getting his hands on one of them, getting answers that he still so desperately needed.
The weapon was a fake.
He felt the overwhelming urge to break something, his anger and worry consuming him to the point of distraction. He glanced over the machine that he'd been spending every single spare moment working on. It was slowly coming to together…far too slow for his taste, but he was more than impatient to get her back.
He had so much that he was aching to tell her, all the things that he'd kept hidden deep inside of his soul for the last four and half years. He was certain she had to know some of it. She was very perceptive especially when it came to him. She knew him almost as well as Alfred and Dick.
Still, there was so much more that she had no idea about. He shared her feelings and he couldn't wait to tell her. He felt a surge of anxiety with the thought of telling her. Despite all his gifts…despite his genius intellect, sharing his heart was not something that he did well if at all.
For Diana, though, he was more than ready to try.
He found himself worrying about what she would say. How would she respond to his declaration of love after all this time of keeping it a secret from her? Would she be furious with him? Would she return his feelings or tell him she never wanted to see him again?
The latter nearly made him physically ill just thinking about it. He couldn't handle not having Diane be a part of his life. If she truly hated him after opening his heart to her, he would never open his heart to anyone ever again. She would take his heart when she left, leaving him an empty shell of a man.
Bruce turned from his work desk as he began removing pieces of his uniform. He needed to find a way to clear his mind and find his focus once more. He had too many emotions teeming inside of him, all of them battling for control of him. He needed to be at his best if he was going to bring Diana back.
He made his way to his training room dressed in nothing but his uniform pants and boots. He stalked straight to his reinforced punching bag, slamming his fist into the leather with a grunt. He began a vicious assault on it, pouring all of his frustration and rage and fear into it.
He had no idea if Diana was even alive in whatever universe she'd be transported to. What if she was in a universe where survival was a constant battle, one fraught with unrelenting danger? What if she was in an endless fight for her life that never seemed to end? Had she been able to find anyone to help her?
He hoped that she looked for him, sought him out to help her. With any luck, the Bruce in that universe would help her try to find a way to get back home. He wondered if she'd been able to contact their Justice League. Maybe they would be able to build a transporter to take her back to her world.
He prayed to her gods that she was fighting to return to the universe she belonged in.
Sweat trickled down his neck and chest as Bruce continued to kick and punch the poor bag that was taking the brunt of his tormented emotions. He was desperate to find where Grodd and the Secret Society were hiding. He needed to get his hands on the schematics for that weapon and fast.
It would definitely give him the information that he so desperately wanted and the edge they needed to stop the Secret Society before they transported anymore League members to other dimensions. He was having a difficult enough time trying to track down Diana without having to attempt to find half the League as well.
He had a horrible feeling that this was all going to go from bad to worse.
Blüdhaven (MU)
Dick entered his apartment, tossing his keys on the counter as he released a weary breath. It had been a long day at work, a sting operation that had led to multiple arrests being the highlight of the afternoon. He was anxious to get a shower and some dinner so he could finally relax.
He kicked off his shoes before removing his clothes on his way to the bathroom, leaving a trail behind him. He turned on the shower, stepping in and allowing the water to wash away the stress of the day. He dipped his head under the spray of the shower, rubbing his face with his hands.
His mind began to wander to Bruce and the search for Diana. He hoped that Bruce was able to find her soon for his father-figure's sake as well as Donna's. The world needed Diana, but so did those who loved her the most…those that she had left behind.
He couldn't help pondering what kind of universe she had ended up in, wondering if it was like this one or completely different. Wherever she ended up, he hoped that she was safe and doing well. He'd hate for her to be suffering or fighting to stay alive, waiting for someone to find a way to bring her back home.
He knew Diana, though. She was a warrior born and bred, a fighter at heart that would never give up no matter what was happening. She was probably trying to find a way to get back home right now. It wasn't like Diana to just give up and admit defeat especially knowing she left so much behind when she was taken from them.
Turning the water off, Dick quickly dried off, wrapping the towel around his waist before exiting the bathroom with a cloud of steam surrounding him. He held the towel together with one hand as he made his way to the kitchen to grab a drink from the fridge only to be stopped short.
"Looking good there, short pants."
Dick grinned as he turned to find Donna relaxing on his couch with a bottle of beer in her hand. "I see you've already helped yourself to my beer and made yourself comfortable," he teased as he continued on to the fridge to get a beer as well.
He took a long drink before walking around the couch to sit on the one end of it. Donna lifted her feet to give him room, lowering them into his lap. "I did bring fajitas from Santino's with me," she revealed.
"Have I told you lately how much I love you?" he asked.
"Yes, but I love hearing it again," she replied with a grin.
Dick picked up her foot, gently massaging it. "How did it go with your mother?"
"She cried when I got there," she revealed. "She cried when I told her Diana was alive and then she cried more when I told her it could take years to bring her back home. She cried again when I left."
"Maybe Bruce will find her in the next week," Dick suggested.
Donna released a weary breath as her head fell back against the couch cushions. "That would be awesome if he could do that," she agreed. "I'm worried mother is going to have a nervous breakdown if it takes years."
"Your mother is strong, Troia," he reminded her. "She'll hold it together for you and her Amazons."
"I know," she confessed. "I just don't know how I'm going to be able to wait. I miss her so much."
"I know you do," he gently replied. "I miss her too and I know Bruce is teetering on the edge right now."
"I'm a little irritated with him for not telling her that he loved her a long time ago instead of letting her believe he didn't share her feelings," she groused. "He had to know that she was interested in him beyond teammates and friends."
"I'm sure he did, but I also know Bruce," Dick told her. "He probably didn't want to admit to himself that he had feelings for Diana let alone that she had feelings for him. He finds it easier to ignore matters of the heart than actually facing them and dealing with it. If he doesn't allow himself to acknowledge it, then it doesn't exist."
"They could've been so happy together," she said. "Now, he'll be fortunate if he even gets a chance to tell her how he feels."
"They still might get a chance," he reassured her. "If they'd been together before Diana disappeared, Bruce would be outside of his mind right now instead of just going crazy."
"There's a difference?"
"For Bruce…yah."
"But wouldn't it be better to experience that love even for a short time than to just ignore it and pretend it didn't exist?" she questioned him.
"I guess, but I think in Bruce's case, knowing Diana's love before she was taken away would've been ten times worse for him," he thoughtfully decided, shaking his head. "I don't know, though. He's a mess either way so it's kind of hard to tell."
"I just hope she's okay and that she's happy."
"I wonder if she was able to find the Justice League in her universe," he told her. "I'm sure the Batman or Bruce there would do everything he could to help her."
"I don't want her to be sad or lonely," she wistfully replied as she played with a raven curl, repeatedly wrapping it around her finger and then releasing it. "I hope she's having a good time wherever she is."
Dick laughed in response. "Diana doesn't strike me as a partier."
"No, not like that," she said with a frown. "I just hope she's enjoying herself and not worrying about all of us. She's always so concerned with everyone else's wellbeing that she doesn't focus on herself. Now, none of us are there are for her to worry about. She is forced to concentrate on her own happiness and welfare for once, making a new life."
"I hope she makes it back soon before Bruce loses his mind," he responded. "He's going to work himself to death trying to be Batman, Bruce Wayne, and build that transportation device."
"We will do everything we can to help him," she told him, her voice broking no room for argument. "He's working to bring her home. I'll never be able to repay him for that."
"You'll never have to," he reminded her. "He wants her back as much as you do."
Donna smiled at him, sitting up and pulling her feet from his lap. "I'm so glad that you're not like your surrogate father," she commented, running the tip of her finger over his muscular chest. "If you hadn't confessed that you were in love with me, we might never have gotten together."
He took her finger from his chest, kissing the tip of it. "Well, I had to jump at the chance," he replied. "You were finally free to date."
"So were you," she pointed out. "Every time I was free you were with someone and vice versa."
"Well, now you're mine and I'm not about to give you up," he swore to her.
Donna took his hand in hers, lacing their fingers. "When Superman came to see me, he didn't just come to tell me Bruce had proof that Diana was alive," she tentatively revealed. "He also asked me if I'd be willing to take Diana's place with the Founders…just until she came back."
"Wow…really?" he muttered in shock.
"Yah, but I don't know what to do," she acknowledged. "I can't bear the thought of taking Diana's spot, but then again, it is only temporary. I'd give her the position back to her as soon as she was able to retake it."
"That's huge," he agreed. "You're the perfect choice to fill her shoes, Troia."
"Yah, but to sit with the Founders and make decisions that could affect the League…the whole world," she said, her voice trailing off as she thought about the ramifications. "That's a lot of responsibility. I'm not sure I'm up for all of that."
"If anyone can do it, it would be you, Donna," he assured her. "I can't think of anyone in the League more qualified than you."
"You're biased, though," she pointed out with an impish grin. "You're only saying that to ensure I'll still sleep with you."
Dick laughed. "No, I'm not," he tried to tell her. I'm saying it because it's true."
"If you say so," she teased.
Dick stood to his feet, his towel loosening around his waist. "Come on…let's eat. I'm starving."
With a sly grin on her face, Donna reached out and ripped the towel off from around his waist. Dick whipped around to see her standing there with a lustful gleam in her eye and his towel hooked on her forefinger. "Much better," she murmured more to herself than him as she fully admired the view.
Dick smirked as he put his hands on his hips, fully displaying his nudity. "We should eat before the food gets cold."
"I'm hungry for you instead," she decided as she stalked straight towards him. "The food can wait. I can't."
Dick slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her in for a heated kiss. "I guess we could reheat the fajitas when we're done."
"I like that idea," she agreed as she tilted her head to kiss him once more, her hands finding his backside and squeezing.
He groaned deeply as she nibbled on his bottom lip, squeezing his backside again and making him forget there was food on his counter waiting for them. His hunger for food quickly shifted to the woman that he was quickly undressing in his living room.
Picking her up and carrying her to his bed, he wondered if fajitas would be any good for breakfast.
A/N: UGH! I love both my Bruce's! I really feel for Diana.
UP NEXT: AU Bruce has an unexpected visitor, Diana comes to a decision, and MU Bruce enlists some additional outside help in his search for Diana.
Loving your reviews! You guys are awesome! So appreciate your support for my fic even though it's not my typical Wonderbat story. This one isn't going to be as long as my others fics. I'll be starting Family Crisis as soon as I'm done with this one. :)