Chapter 8

Wayne Manor (AU)

Bruce entered the kitchen from the back patio, rubbing his hands on his jeans. He'd just finished tending to the horses, something that he'd loved doing since he was a young boy. It was a task that he'd refused to relinquish to anyone despite Alfred's numerous offers to higher it out.

He was hoping to take Diana out to see the horses. She'd been spending so much time in the manor that it was worrisome to him. She'd been here for five months, sleeping in his bed for the last two months, and yet she was still having difficulty fully adjusting to being here at times.

He could hardly blame her, though. This wasn't truly her home no matter how hard he tried to make it that way for her. He knew she was feeling torn between the two worlds between the one that she had been brought into and had known her whole life in a tug-of-war with the one she found herself in now.

"Horses are all tended to?" Alfred asked.

"They are," he informed him. "Where's Diana? I was hoping to take her for a horse ride."

"She's down in the cave doing research," Dick informed him with a scowl as he filched another cookie from the tray Alfred had just taken out of the oven.

Bruce couldn't help but notice Dick's disapproving expression. "You don't think that she should try to find a way home?" he questioned his brother.

"Truthfully…no," he decided, pausing to take a bite of his cookie before continuing. "I think she should just accept the fact that this is her home now and let it go at that."

Bruce frowned in disagreement. "Dick, this isn't really her home," he reminded him. "Her friends and family are back in her universe."

"I know, but we're her family now," Dick pointed out, huffing in annoyance. "Look, Bruce, I know you're in love with her and you want what's best for her, but maybe we are what's best for her now. Maybe this is the place that she is supposed to be. Maybe she was brought into your life for a reason."

"I can't argue with that because I want her to stay here forever too," Bruce stated. "At the same time, I feel like she still needs to try. I won't be the reason that she doesn't find a way home. If I stand in her way, she'll only end up resenting me and that's the last thing that I want to happen."

Dick sighed as his shoulders sank in defeat. "I don't want that either," he agreed. "I'm just really worried about you, Bruce. I don't want to see you get hurt. You've already been through so much with Talia. I don't want to see you get your heart broken again."

Bruce placed a hand on Dick's shoulder, gripping it affectionately. "I appreciate that, Dick, but I know what I'm doing," he attempted to reassure him. "I'm going into this relationship with my eyes wide open. I know that she could be gone tomorrow, transported back home by her friends in the League. I also know that she could be here forever. I'm prepared to accept whatever time I have with her because I love her that much."

"That is very understanding and perceptive of you, Master Bruce," Alfred interjected. "I'm simply pleased to see you so content and happy once again. It's quite obvious that Miss Diana is the reason behind it. She seems to be as charmed with you as you are with her."

"What's not to love, right bro?" Dick teased, elbowing him with a sly grin. "We Wayne men know how to sweep women off their feet."

"Speaking of which, how's Barbara?" Bruce inquired.

"Good," Dick replied with a nod. "I keep meaning to invite her over for dinner, but we've been busy getting caught up."

"Yah…caught up," Bruce said with a roll of his eyes. "Is that what young people are calling it these days?"

"Hey, I was gone for a whole year, remember?"

"How could I forget?" Bruce retorted. "I had a sobbing Barbara on my doorstep the day after you left Gotham."

Dick rubbed the back of his neck, guilt rising inside of him. "Yah, I probably didn't handle that as well as I could have."

"You think?" Bruce stated with an annoyed frown.

Dick glanced at Alfred, the two men sharing a look. "I think there is something that I should tell you," he said.

Bruce's brow furrowed, wondering what was going on. He had a sinking feeling that he wasn't going to like it at all. "What is it?"

"Talia stopped by while you were out in the stables," Dick revealed.

Bruce immediately froze with the unexpected news. "What did she want?"

"She wanted to let you know she was back in Gotham," he told him. "Not sure if she's still with that guy or not, but I told her you didn't want to see her anymore."

"What did she say?"

"She took it better than I thought," he replied. "Of course, I didn't let her into the house so she couldn't get her hands on anything to use as a weapon."

"Talia is a lot of things, but violent isn't one of them."

"You didn't really want to see her, did you?"

"No, not at all," he confirmed with a scowl. "I'm happy now with Diana. I don't want anyone else but her."

"That's also what I told her," Dick informed him with a mischievous grin. "That part she didn't take too well, but I don't think she's going to cause you any trouble."

"I guess we'll see," he murmured, lost in thought.

"Dinner will be ready in two hours, Master Bruce," Alfred told him. "If you wish to take Miss Diana for a ride, I suggest you go soon."

"Thank you, Alfred," Bruce said as he exited the kitchen.

He made his way to the library and down into the cave, his thoughts running wild. He couldn't help wondering what exactly Talia had wanted by showing up here at the manor after all this time. It had been nearly a year and a half since she ran off with another man, leaving him with his heart and an engagement ring in his hand.

Whatever she wanted with him; it was far too late. He'd buried the past and had moved with Diana. He never wanted to go back to the way things had been when he'd been with Talia. Even the best times that he'd had Talia couldn't begin to compare to what he now shared with Diana.

Walking through the cave, he spotted Diana sitting before the bank of computer screens that he'd created. Her raven hair was pulled back into a ponytail, her brow creased in concentration. He wasn't even certain that she knew that he was there.

He had to admit to a certain level of guilt as he silently closed the distance between them. He knew deep down that he hadn't been working as hard as he probably could to help her try to find a way home. His gaze momentarily roamed over his countless inventions, making him wonder if he had what it took to make a device to send her back home. He hadn't really tried to find out, mostly because he was afraid of the answer.

While he wanted to help Diana find a way back home, knowing that would make her happy, there was still a part of him that selfishly wanted her to stay here with him. He had never been so happy in his life since she had dropped into it. Everything around him had come alive since she had entered his life. He feared what his life would become after she left.

"Any luck?" he asked, trying to ignore the way his heart was trying to inch its ways up into his throat.

"Not much," she replied with a sigh, turning her chair to face him.

Bruce took a chair near her before capturing her hand in his as he sat close to her. "I'm sorry," he said. "I wish there was something I could do to help you."

"I know," she murmured with a forced smile. "I'm glad you're here. I need to talk to you."

Bruce felt his heart trying to find his throat once more. "What is it? Is everything okay?"

"Well, I think so," she cryptically replied. "I've come to a decision and I want to know what you think about it."

"What is it, Diana?"

"You know I've been hesitant about contacting the Justice Association," she explained. "I was worried about bringing unwanted attention to you and your family, but I think I need to try to see what they can offer."

Bruce tucked away his sorrow, knowing that she needed to do this. She wasn't doing this to hurt him or to try to get away from him. He knew that she had to try this or her mind would never be settled. "Whatever you want to do, you have my complete support."

"I know," she said with a smile, squeezing his hand. "You are an amazing man, Bruce. I honestly don't know what I would've done without you."

"You would've found a way, Diana," he told her, gazing at her with love and amazement in his eyes. "You're so strong…you're a fighter. I'm just so glad that I found you."

She leaned in and kissed him, her hand caressing his cheek. "I love you," she softly said. "I know this hasn't been easy for you, but I just have to do this. I have to know that I've tried everything before I finally decide to stop searching for a way home."

"You're really going to give up?" he asked, stunned.

"Not give up…just accept facts," she corrected him. "I'm going to see what the Justice Association has to offer. If they are unable to help me, then I'm going to stop for now. Maybe something will come up in the future, but right now, there doesn't seem to be any options."

Bruce could hardly believe what he was hearing. He felt great sadness for her and yet he couldn't help the feeling of relief that flooded him. "I just want whatever makes you happy," he told her.

"I know and I love you for that," she replied. "I know you feel as torn about it all as I do. This hasn't been easy for either of us."

"Don't worry about me," he insisted. "You are all that is important."

She pursed her lips as she stood to her feet, inserting herself between his legs. She lightly ran her fingers through his hair as she gazed down at him, her lips beginning to curl into a smile of warmth and affection. "You are so very important to me," she assured him. "That is why I'm going to accept that this is my new home if the JA can't help me."

"I don't want you to give up your dream of returning home just for me, Diana," he said with a frown.

"I'm not," she maintained. "I'm doing it for us."

"I still can't believe that you're really mine," he softly said, his hands finding her thighs and slowly moving up to cup her backside. "Sometimes, I'm afraid this is nothing more than a fantastic dream…one that I'm going to wake up from some day. If it is, I don't ever want to wake up."

She grinned down at him, cradling his face in her hands. "It's no dream," she reassured him. "I'm really here and I'm going to stay here with you for as long as the gods see fit for me to be in this world."

"I'm sorry, Diana, but I'm praying it's forever," he admitted.

"I know and it's okay," she told him. "I'd be hurt if you wanted me to leave."

Bruce pulled her down into his lap, his arms wrapping possessively around her as he held her to him. "Never," he answered her with a kiss.

Diana tilted her head as he kissed her with a passion that always lit something deep inside of her. She found she wanted him all over again, never growing tired of the feel of his muscular body pressed against the length of hers or the feel of him driving so incessantly and deeply within her core.

This feeling was intoxicating…sweeping her up in a wild spiral of love and passion that she never wanted to escape from. Still, she couldn't keep the Bruce from her world from intruding on the outer fringes of her mind, constantly wanting to interfere in the happiness that she had found here…making her wonder if she had truly done the right thing by giving herself to the Bruce of this world.

Would her Bruce ever understand if she returned to her world? Would he hate her for giving herself to another man…a man that wasn't him?

Once again, she reminded herself that he had turned her away, ignoring her subtle advances. He'd taken great joy in their flirtatious moments, their banter that held undercurrents of a sensual nature and unspoken desire. Yet, he had refused to allow it to go any further than that. He had made the choice for himself…made the decision for the both of them whether she liked or not.

Now, as Bruce kissed her, she was making the choice for herself and she wasn't going to regret one second of it.

Gotham (MU)

Batman sat perched as still and as silent as the gargoyles around him on the ledge of a roof, his scrutinizing gaze not missing a single thing as he studied the streets below. He had forced himself to leave the project in his cave to patrol his city, knowing he needed to get out and clear his head a little.

He was having difficulty thinking of anything other than Diana. He hadn't been able to go into Wayne Enterprises since Diana vanished nearly two weeks ago. He knew that he needed to make an appearance at the office, but it had been more than difficult forcing himself to go in. Lucius had been covering for him, calling him with updates when necessary. That would have to be sufficient for now. He had more important things to worry about.

He watched as a couple walked along the sidewalk below holding hands and sharing kisses. His heart ached with longing for the woman that he had let slip through his fingers, knowing that he may have lost his chance with her forever. He refused to believe that he would never see her again. That hope was what helped to keep him going when he just wanted to shut completely down.

Batman glanced at the carving next to him, his lips quirking slightly at the sight of the gargoyle with the crushed head. He remembered it as if it had just happened yesterday. He had recited that ridiculous list of reasons why he and Diana couldn't be together as if it had been an agenda for a business meeting.

Looking back at it now, he didn't know why he thought Diana would ever buy his reasoning. It had sounded rehearsed even to him, revealing just how much he'd actually been thinking about her and the possibilities of trying to make a relationship work with her.

The only thing that had saved him that night from further discussion or argument had been the museum alarm being set off and Circe's appearance. The smirk she had given him as she had walked away humming "Am I Blue" had told him more than enough.

She knew that he felt something for her, but she hadn't pushed him. She was too proud to push him and yet too stubborn to give up on him. Instead, she had patiently waited for him, being his friend and giving him the space that he needed to make the choice for himself.

She'd flirted with him, their playful banter and her presence letting him know she was still there waiting on him. He had known deep down that her patience would eventually run out, but he'd never imagined that she would be taken away from him.

Now, he was left here alone, wondering where she was and what she was doing, kicking himself for not going after what he'd wanted most. Now wasn't the time to brood and sulk over past mistakes and poor decisions. All he could do now was keep searching for her until he got her back.

"You called."

Batman didn't turn around or even acknowledge his presence as he continued to stare at the streets below. He'd known he was coming for a while before he actually made his presence known. The smell of his Silk Cut cigarettes gave him away long before he'd finally come to a stop beside him.

"Glad you got my message," Batman stated without looking at him.

"Kind of hard to miss when you send Zatanna looking for me," Constantine revealed, puffing on his cigarette. "She said it was especially important…that I needed to drop everything and come immediately. So, what's up?"

"Wonder Woman is missing," he told him.

"No, she's dead," Constantine corrected him. "Don't tell me you want me to resurrect her because that's a little beyond my expertise. I mean I could try summoning her spirit, but even that—"

"Diana is not dead," Batman heatedly interrupted him, his voice broking no room for argument. He was not in the mood to explain himself. He'd been doing it for everyone else lately who had refused to believe him, and he wasn't about to explain himself again.

"Whoa…excuse me?" John questioned him. "Is this one of your paranoia-induced delusions where you want to believe that she's alive and not just a pile of ashes? Because we all know how well you deal with death of someone close to you."

Batman's jaw instantly set like steel, the muscle in his cheek ticking with the tension and frustration that teemed inside of him. "I have proof Diana is alive," he hissed, his fists clenching and unclenching. "Now, are you going to help me or not?"

John puffed on his cigarette for a long moment as he gazed out over the city skyline backlit by the moon. "Fine…I'll bite," he conceded. "If she's not dead, then, where is she? What happened to her?"

Batman finally straightened up to his full imposing height, crossing his arms against his Kevlar covered chest. "She was transported to another dimension…a different universe," he told him.

Constantine turned to face him; disbelief etched in his face as he dropped his cigarette butt. He used the heel of his shoe to crush it into the rooftop. "You're serious."

"Dead," Batman flatly stated.

"Which dimension did she get transported to?"

"I have no idea," he revealed with the first sign of weariness as he sighed heavily. "I have someone searching universes trying to locate her, but it's going to take an eternity to find her. I was hoping there was something you could do to speed things up."

"Well, I can open a portal to a dimension, but that is very time consuming as well," he grimly informed him. "You realize there could be an infinite number of realities, right?"

"I'm well aware," he snapped, not wanting to hear about how the odds were vastly against them. He needed someone to give him a little bit of hope right now.

"I'm think you're going to have to narrow it down a bit, my friend," Constantine told him.

"That's what I was afraid of," Batman growled under his breath.

"I'll do whatever I can to help but I'm going to need to know what universe I'm going to," he informed him. "I can't just be opening portals willy-nilly. It could open up a whole can of worms and cause more trouble than you've already got. It's not a one-way portal. Anything could come out of that universe and into our own. You could be borrowing more trouble."

Batman huffed in overt frustration as his chin dropped. "Damn it," he growled. "There has got to be a better way to find her and get her home."

"Hey, look…I'll see what I can do," Constantine told him. "I can't promise you anything but let me see if there's anything I can come up with to help you get her back."

Batman tilted his head slightly, glancing at him askance. "You think you might be able to?"

Constantine shrugged his shoulders as he pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his coat pocket. "Yah…sure," he replied. "Maybe Zatanna and I can put our heads together and come up with something."

"Is Zatanna actually talking to you?" he asked with a grunt of amusement.

"Well, not technically which is why I was so surprised that she contacted me in the first place," he admitted, pausing to blow the smoke from his cigarette into the air. "I'm hoping that for your sake she'll make an exception and actually speak to me."

"I thought she told you to—"

Constantine held up a hand to silence him, not needing to hear those painful words again. "She did," he interrupted him, visibly grimacing with the reminder. "But I'm not giving up hope of a reconciliation."

"So, you're going to use Diana's disappearance as a means to repair your defunct relationship with Zatanna?"

John turned his head to give him a devious smirk. "Hey, sometimes you have to use all the ace's up your sleeve, friend."

Bruce didn't like it, but at the same time, if it meant getting Diana back sooner than he wasn't going to argue the fact. "All I care about is getting Diana back. What happens between you and Zatanna is of no consequence to me, but if you hurt her, you'll have to answer to me."

"You know if she heard you say that you'd be in quite a lot of trouble," John reminded him.

"I know," he conceded. "That's why it stays between us."

John studied the Dark Knight for a long moment. "Diana means a lot to you, doesn't she?"

Batman didn't answer, instead staring straight ahead. "Just see what you can do about finding her."

Constantine's lips quirked ever so slightly at the corners, knowing he wasn't going to get any more out of him. He didn't have to say anymore. He could tell that Diana meant everything to him. He had to admit he couldn't say just how far he'd go in order to find Zatanna if something had happened to her.

While things were rocky between them right now to say the least, he still loved her. There wasn't anything that he wouldn't do for her which was why he'd responded the moment she had contacted him requesting his assistance for Batman.

"You know those things are going to kill you," Batman said as John puffed on the last of his cigarette.

"Could be," he muttered with a shrug, giving him a cocky smile. "I've always loved to live dangerously."

"There's dangerous and then there's just plain stupid," he stated.

"It's a fine line, my friend," John responded, clapping him on the back. "A very fine line. I'll be in touch."

Batman didn't utter a word as Constantine left him standing there all alone, his thoughts far from Gotham. Diana had always lingered there in the outer recesses of his mind, staying on the periphery and invading his thoughts when he least expected it.

Now, she was constantly consuming his thoughts, making him wonder where she was and what was happening to her at that moment. He hoped that she was at least happy and not hurt or in danger. He couldn't bear the idea of her being in trouble and not being able to get to her. That thought nearly took his legs out from under him.

"Do you think he'll be able to find her faster than Lord Batman?"

"That's what I'm hoping for," Batman stated without turning around, the ends of his cape lifting in the wind that had suddenly seemed to come out of nowhere.

Red Robin came to stand next to him, his arms folding against his chest in a mirror image of his father-figure and mentor. "I hope they can find her soon," he replied. "The world almost seems darker without her in it."

Batman snorted in agreement, deciding truer words had never been spoken. He had noticed it too…couldn't help but feel how much colder, how much darker the world felt without her presence in it. It felt as if the world had been drained of all color, leaving a black and white canvas behind.

"How's the transporter coming?" he asked.

"Slow, but sure," Batman said. "If I can't get it built by the time Justice Lord Batman finds her, I'm going to have Constantine open a portal to drag her out."

"Didn't he say that would be dangerous?" Tim questioned him.

"It could be, but we don't really have a choice," he ultimately decided. "We'll just have to be ready for anything if something tries to escape that universe along with Diana."

"I just hope she's okay," Tim said with a sigh.

"Me too," Batman murmured as he suddenly shot his grappling gun and took off into the night, leaving Tim standing there all alone without another word.

Red Robin just shook his head with a sigh, drawing his own grappling gun. "Never one for conversation," he muttered to himself as he too disappeared into the night.

Watchtower (MU)

Flash poked at his dinner with his fork, knowing he needed to eat something, but not really feeling like it. He missed his friend greatly, wishing she were here eating lunch with him like she sometimes did. It was something that he looked forward to but now she was gone, and she wasn't coming back.

"Hey, buddy," John said as he set his tray down across from him before taking a seat. "How are you holding up?"

"Okay I guess," he murmured without looking up.

"I know…I miss her too," John told him.

"It sucks," Wally groused, slamming his fork down on the table. "She should be here with us now, eating lunch and laughing at my corny jokes and listening to me tell her about my recent date."

"Yah, it's definitely not the same around here," he agreed. "No one seems to smile much or laugh up here anymore. It's like there's a black cloud hanging over all of us now."

"You never realize how much someone means to you until they're gone," Wally softly said, folding his arms against his chest as he stared at his uneaten lunch.

"I know what you mean," John replied, his thoughts centered on a certain Thanagarian who had just entered the commissary. "You don't know how short life can be. We go out on missions all the time assuming that that we'll come back home safe and sound, making plans for tomorrow but sometimes tomorrow never comes. We live extremely dangerous lives and there are bad guys out there who don't want us to make it home."

"I wish we could find Grodd and make him pay for what he did to Wondy," Flash grumbled. "It's not fair that she's dead and he's out there running around free."

"We'll get him," John reassured him. "He may think he's gotten away with it, but we'll find him, and we'll make him pay for taking Diana from us."

"I get the first swing at him," Shayera said as she set her tray down next to John before sliding into her chair. The scowl on her face was threatening and more than a little scary. "That gorilla thinks he can take out a member of the Justice League and not have to answer for it? He's going to find out just how wrong he is when he meets my mace."

"I have a feeling you'll have to get in line," John told her.

Flash nodded his head with a frown. "Like behind Supes and Bats," he agreed. "They're going to want to take a swing at him. You'll be lucky if there's anything left of him."

"We need to take down the whole Secret Society," John added. "As far as I'm concerned, it's all their fault that Diana was killed."

"Agreed," Shayera said. "We need to hunt each and every one of them down."

"Well, we had four of them make an appearance in Metropolis yesterday and we weren't able to capture any of them," John stated.

"You have to admit we've got to be extra careful when confronting them," Wally commented. "Who knows how many of those ray thingy's they have. Until we know, we've got to hang back a bit until we know more."

"Care if I join you?" Superman asked as he approached their table.

"Feel free," Shayera muttered. "Just don't expect any of us to be in a very good mood."

Superman sighed to himself, wishing he could tell them that Diana was alive. Bruce would have his head if he told them. Still, it might not hurt to give them a little hope. "You know Batman still believes Diana is alive," he mentioned as he sat down with his tray.

All three heroes turned to look at him with varying degrees of disbelief. "He's still not convinced that she's gone?" John asked.

"Not at all," Superman confessed. "You know he won't give up until he's found her no matter where she is."

"Wait," Shayera uttered suspiciously as she stared at the Man of Steel. "Do you know something you're not telling us?"

Superman attempted to school his features. He couldn't tell them no matter how badly he wanted to. "I'm just saying that Batman still believes that she is alive," he told them. "He's still doing research and testing his theory that she was transported to another universe."

"Wondy is alive?" Wally asked, perking up with the thought.

"I didn't say that," Clark maintained. "I'm only repeating what Batman told me."

"Has he found proof?" Shayera demanded to know.

"Yah, does he know something?" Wally questioned him.

"You know something," John astutely observed, his dark eyes narrowing. "Spill it."

Superman looked at each of his friend's faces, knowing he was sunk. There was no way he could lie to them now. "Batman thinks he found proof that Diana might be alive," he revealed, keeping his voice low. "I don't know how true it is which is why I haven't said anything yet."

Wally threw his arms around Superman, hugging him. "Thank you, Supes," he said. "You have no idea what this means to me to know there's a chance we'll get Wondy back."

"I don't want any of you saying anything to anyone else about this," Superman firmly stated. "This stays between the Founders only."

All three heroes turned a threatening glare on Flash who looked at them like a deer caught in headlights. "What?" he asked with utter innocence. "I can keep a secret."

John shook his head with a frown as he stared at his friend. "Wally, you keep a secret as long as you can keep food from entering your mouth."

"Yah, Wal," Shayera agreed. "You have the fastest mouth in the universe."

"For Wondy, I'd keep this secret," Flash solemnly swore.

"Batman is working with the Batman from the Justice Lords universe to see if they can locate her," Superman quietly informed them.

"What?" Flash yelled, causing several heroes in the comm to turn and look at him.

"He's working with Lord Batman?" Shayera whispered in stunned disbelief. "Can he really be trusted?"

"Batman thinks he can," Clark replied.

"Hey, he can work with Darkseid for all I care if it helps him find Wondy and bring her back," Wally said.

"I hope he knows what he's doing," John muttered.

"Me too," Clark agreed, looking down at his plate of food only to find he had no appetite. "I'd hate to see what this does to him if he's wrong."

A/N: I'm working on Chp 15 now! I can't wait for you to see where this is going. It's a rocky road, but well worth Bruce and Diana's growing pains to get them to where we want them! Love you all for sticking with me through this fic. It's been a great growing experience for me as a writer. :)

UP NEXT: Bruce and Diana get some unexpected news and Diana meets with the Justice Association.