Chapter 19
Blackgate Penitentiary (MU)
"You know you really didn't have to come along," Shayera said with a frown as she glanced at her handsome teammate.
"I wanted to," John insisted. "It never hurts to have a wingman when you're doing an interrogation."
"I have my wingman," she told him, palming her mace.
"You know what I mean, Shay," he muttered in irritation.
"I still could have handled it myself…but I guess the company is appreciated," she said with a small smirk.
John smiled, keeping his eyes focused straight ahead. Things between them had been going rather well since his breakup with Vixen, giving him hope that he might be able to still work things out with the beautiful Thanagarian. She had claimed his heart long ago and not even Vixen had been able to change that fact.
They walked in silence the remainder of the way, both getting lost in thoughts about the other and what had been steadily growing between them again. While both were anxious to pickup where they left off, neither of them wanted to jump right in out of fear of ruining the deep friendship they'd been able to rediscover lately.
"If anyone is going to crack, it's definitely going to be Copperhead," John said as they approached his cell.
"He's not as difficult to deal with as Killer Frost and Clayface," she agreed.
"Don't get your hopes up about getting anything out of Copperhead," John warned her. "If Batman wasn't able to get much of anything, I highly doubt we will."
"Batman has his methods…I have mine," she replied with a gleam in her green eyes.
"Did Thanagar allow you more freedom in an interrogation then Earth does?"
"Let's just say that there weren't very many cases that I wasn't able to close with a little persuasion."
"Okay, that just gave me a chill," he muttered as they stopped before Copperhead's cell.
They gazed through the special plexiglass at the reptilian villain who was taking a nap on his bed. Shayera raised her fist and knocked, but the only response they received was a muttered "leave me alone" from Copperhead who didn't even open his eyes to see who had come to see him.
"Wake up, sleepy head," Shayera stated, a fierce glare fixed on her face. "It's time to talk."
Copperhead opened one eye, an annoyed expression forming as he registered who was interrupting his nap. "Go away," he told them. "I have nothing to say."
"That is not the answer that we want," John told him.
Nodding to the security guard, the special plexiglass slid open, allowing them entrance only to immediate close behind them. Copperhead leapt to his feet in indignation, ready for a fight. "I didn't give you permission to come in here!"
Shayera and John stalked towards him, neither caring that the villain felt his rights had been violated. "We have questions, and you have answers," the Thanagarian said. "What is the Secret Society up to?"
"Do you really think I'm going to tell you?" he scoffed as he leaned against the wall of his cell, standing his ground as they drew closer.
"Actually…yes," Shayera replied, tapping her mace in the palm of her opposite hand.
"You know that's illegal," he smugly told her. "You can't hurt me here. I'll sue you for violating my rights."
"She can hurt you if I put us in a soundproof bubble," John said, using his ring to create a dome around the three of them.
"Hey!" Copperhead yelled as he straightened up. "You can't do that!"
"If I stand just right, I can block the security camera as well," John continued. "Now, what do you have to say about that?"
Copperhead assumed a fighting stance. He wasn't about to go down without defending himself. "You can try, but you won't—"
Shayera flicked him in the forehead using her thumb and forefinger. "Owe!" he yelled, his hand flying to his forehead.
"What is Grodd up to?" Shayera asked, taking a threatening step closer.
"It's Luthor too now…he's in charge with Grodd," Copperhead revealed, holding up his hands before him as she waved her mace in his face.
"Should have known," John angrily said.
"That explains a lot," she agreed. "Now, you're going to tell us the rest of it."
Watchtower (MU)
"I should've known Lex Luthor would worm his way into the middle of this whole thing," Superman ground out, his hands curling into fists on top of the conference table. "He can never keep himself out of trouble for long."
"Well, if it's any consolation, it doesn't sound as if the Secret Society is all that united," John revealed. "Copperhead was willing to turn on them. I'm sure there are more."
"According to Copperhead, most of them want out, but they're too afraid of Luthor and Grodd to leave," Shay added. "They're afraid that Luthor and Grodd will use their new weapon on them and end up in another dimension like Diana."
"Did he tell you anything more?" Batman asked, angry with himself for not getting the information himself.
Of course, it had been a long night with little sleep. He'd planned on returning later to interrogate them again, but Shayera had beat him to it. He knew if anyone could do a good interrogation it was most definitely the Thanagarian detective.
"No," John said with a shake of his head. "Only that Luthor was partnering up with Grodd and that everyone wanted out. He refused to say anymore after that. Frankly, I'm surprised we were able to get that much."
"I think he was too scared to say more," Shayera added with a frown of irritation. "Grodd and Luthor have put the fear into all of them if they even think of leaving the Society or turning on them."
"Well, if they have a weapon to send you to Timbuktu, I'm sure they've made it clear they're willing to use it on whoever gets in their way including their own people," Flash said.
"Makes sense," Superman agreed. "Those two will do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals. I have no doubt that there plans go far beyond the Justice League."
"Were you able to find out anymore about the attack on Batman?" J'onn questioned them.
"Copperhead wouldn't crack anymore," John replied. "He just said they were just following orders."
"We need to keep our head on a swivel," Batman stated. "There is no predicting when they'll strike again."
"I know I'm new here, but wouldn't it make more sense for them to strike every chance they could?" Donna asked. "From what I've learned so far from the reports, it seems they attack and then you don't see them or hear from them for weeks. There's something very peculiar about that."
"I agree, but we have no idea what their reasoning is or their ultimate goal," Superman told her. "There doesn't appear to be any rhyme or reason…no pattern to their attacks."
"If Luthor is involved, you can be guaranteed they have a plan in mind," John said. "We just have to figure out what that is."
"It sounds like we need to lay a trap of our own," Donna suggested.
"That's not a bad idea," Flash agreed with a grin. "Donna and I can work out a plan and bring it to the next Founders' meeting."
"No offense, but I'm not holding my breath," Batman uttered with a frown as he stood to his feet. "Are we done here?"
"That's it for this week," Superman confirmed.
Batman waited for Donna until they were alone, needing to talk to her in private. "Have you heard from Diana at all?"
"I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to contact her," she admitted. "Being a Founder is a lot of work."
"Can you feel how she's doing?"
Donna focused in on her sister and the emotional bond that they shared. "She seems to be doing a little better," she revealed. "Before, her emotions were so overwhelming it nearly buckled my knees. Now, it's much more manageable. That's a good sign."
"Good," he simply stated with a curt nod, heading for the door without another word.
"Bruce, I know you're worried, but Diana will come back," she reassured him. "She won't stay on Themyscira forever. Diana has a very adventuresome spirit, one that won't be able to handle the tranquility of Themyscira for very long. She'll grow bored with it and need to come back here, but she also won't be able to stay away from you. She loves you too much."
"Which one of us does she love, though?" he said with an edge of bitterness in his tone.
"She loves you both, but in different ways," she attempted to explain. "There were things about the other Bruce that she loved, but there are things specifically about you that she loves. I'm not doing a particularly good job explaining it. You'll have to talk to her about it."
"I wish that I could," he coolly stated before turning on his heel and exiting the conference room.
Themyscira (MU)
Sitting cross-legged on the edge of a steep cliff overlooking the sea, Diana lifted her face to the warmth of the sun. The wind caused her hair to whip creating a feral air about her. Her eyes fell closed as she paused to savor the smell of the salty water as well as the comforting scents of just being home.
Returning to Themyscira over three weeks ago to spend time with her mother and her sisters had proven to be the right decision despite how difficult it had been to leave Gotham and Bruce behind. Being here had provided her the time and the space that she'd so desperately needed to think and to heal.
Being at the manor with Bruce, Alfred, and the boys had provided a measure of comfort, but she'd realized that she needed more. She had needed to get away from the outside world and from Bruce to find herself again. Her love for Bruce hadn't changed while she had been trapped in the other universe, but she had to be clear on her feelings between the two Bruce's before she was able to move forward in her life.
She owed it not only to herself but to him as well. She needed to focus on herself before she could possibly think about anyone else let alone Bruce. She needed to be secure in herself and in what she wanted. It wouldn't be fair to her or Bruce if she didn't know for certain who she was and what she wanted.
Could Bruce actually love her in return?
The thought warmed her heart just like the sun warmed her face, but she couldn't dwell on that right now despite how much she would have loved to. She had to give herself time to heal from the painful loss she'd endured. She needed to come to terms with all that had happened to her these last several months before she could finally begin again.
"There you are."
Diana's lips curled minutely at the sound of her voice, keeping her eyes closed as she responded. "Did you really not think to look here first?"
"Actually, I checked the palace first," Phillipus confessed as she sat down next to her in the tall grass. "You've been hiding in there up until the last week. This is only your second favorite place lately."
"I haven't been hiding," Diana insisted, her eyes still closed as she absorbed the heat of the sun against her skin.
"You've been hiding, and you can't convince me otherwise."
Diana opened one eye to glare at her, her lips curving into a disapproving frown. "Can I help you with something?"
"Yes," Phillipus evenly stated. "You can train with me."
Diana grew rigid as memories of her sparring session with Bruce rushed to the forefront of her mind. Her heart began to race with a sense of panic that took her by surprise. She had felt so terrible about losing control like that. She'd ended up hurting him in the end.
"Perhaps another time," she replied.
"No…today," Phillipus insisted. "You've been in Man's World for far too long. You've forgotten what it is to be an Amazon. It's time you remembered your heritage."
Diana cursed under her breath, finally opening both eyes to turn a heated glare on the General of the Amazons. "I know what it is to be an Amazon," she coolly stated. "I am one…a princess in fact. That hasn't changed one bit despite my time in Man's World."
"No, you are still an Amazon, but you have lost your way," Phillipus maintained. "It's time your retraining begins."
"Retraining?" Diana repeated, turning to fully face her with a skeptical eye. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"I have put myself in charge of retraining you," Phillipus informed her. "We need to sharpen your mind and your body. I'm sure your skills are severely lacking too."
"What do you think I do all day in Man's World?" she demanded to know.
"Oh, I'm sure you train, but not with an Amazon."
"Donna and I have trained together," she revealed. "I've also trained frequently with Batman. He may not be an Amazon, but he has taught me a great deal about various forms of fighting. He is a formidable opponent, one that you would be wise to be cautious around."
"We'll see about that," Phillipus responded with a smirk. "If he dares show his face on this island, I will cut him to pieces starting with his male organs."
"Phillipus!" Diana exclaimed. "You will do no such thing! I forbid it!"
Phillipus' lips curled into a devious grin. "So, you have feelings for the winged creature of the night?"
Diana dipped her head slightly as she looked away. "You already know that I do," she softly confessed. "It's never been a secret on the island no thanks to my mother."
"Yes, she is quite uncertain about your heart's choice," she admitted. "I just wanted to see if you still felt as strongly as you once did. Seems you do despite bedding another Wayne."
"I didn't bed him," Diana spat out. "You make it sound so crude. I…I loved him…a part of me still does."
The pain in her voice was piercing even to the Amazon general. "I know you did, but he is gone, Diana," she replied with a gentleness to her voice that took the princess by surprise. "It is time to move on and to look to the future. It's time to see what will happen with your Batman."
Diana's chin fell as she picked at a blade of grass. "I don't know if I can," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Why not?" Phillipus demanded to know. "Does he not share your feelings?"
"I'm…not actually certain what it is he feels," she confessed. "I believe he feels something, but I don't know what that is for sure."
"He obviously feels something with as hard as he worked to bring you home," she pointed out. "So, what is the problem in finding out what exactly he feels for you?"
"I feel as though I'm betraying the Bruce I lost," she admitted, wiping away an unexpected tear. "And I guess I'm a little afraid of what Batman feels for me. What if he tells me he only wants to be friends?"
"How will you know how he feels or what he wants unless you ask him?"
"I know…you're right," Diana murmured as she continued to stroke a long blade of grass between her thumb and forefinger. "I just need to know for myself what I actually feel first before I can face Bruce and whatever it is he feels for me."
"You love him," Phillipus stated matter-of-factly. "What more is there to figure out?"
"I don't know," she bemoaned, flopping back in the grass to stare up at the blue sky. "It's just feels so messed up."
"You're overthinking it, Diana," she told her. "And when you overthink it, you complicate it far more than it needs to be."
"When did you become so wise?"
Phillipus turned her attention to the sea stretching out before them as far as the eye could see, suddenly getting lost in memories of the past. "I have loved two at one time myself," she softly confessed. "I will speak no more of it because it is too painful but to say that I do understand how you feel. It is an exceedingly difficult situation…makes you feel as though you're being torn asunder, but the heart ultimately knows what it wants. Trust your heart, Diana. It won't lead you astray."
"I feel like it did when I was transported to that other world," Diana revealed with an air of bitterness. "It led me to fall in love with the other Bruce only to lose him and our baby. Why was I sent there only to endure such pain?"
"Your heart didn't betray you," Phillipus corrected her. "I know it feels like it, but your heart led you to a new love for a reason, one that you can fondly look back on and appreciate someday. It may have ended in pain, but it doesn't make the love you shared any less special or worthwhile. You just need to find the will to start again."
"You're right," Diana agreed as she sat up, determination alight in her eyes.
"I know I'm right," Phillipus said as she stood to her feet, offering the princess a hand. "Now, come train with me. I need to create a spark of temerity in you once more. You're about as pathetic as Prometheus."
Diana wrinkled her nose at the comparison as she stood to her feet. "I'm not that bad," she stated. "I don't have an eagle eating my liver."
"You're about as lively," she insisted, keeping a hold of her wrist. "Now, let's see if you can best me two out of three matches."
"I don't know if this is a good idea, Phillipus," Diana tried to tell her as the general led her to the training circle and the swords that were waiting for them.
"Why not?"
"Bruce tried to do the same thing just before I left for Themyscira," she divulged, her tone revealing her guilt. "It caused me to unleash my emotions that I'd tried so hard to lock away. They took over and I ended up hurting him."
"He is not me, princess," she stated with a smirk as she tossed her a sword. "I welcome you drawing blood. It'll be of great comfort to me to see some fight in you for once instead of this dejected affect you're projecting."
"You've been warned," Diana replied as she assumed a fighting stance. "It's not my fault if I hurt you."
Phillipus laughed in response to her warning. "You have yet to really hurt me in all the years that I have trained you, little one."
Diana glared at her opponent. "I hated it when you called me that when I was little, and I still hate it now."
"Ah! Finally, a spark of emotion," Phillipus goaded her with a pleased grin. "And here I thought I'd have to start from scratch. Seems there is still a flicker of life in you, little one."
"I'm not little anymore," Diana insisted, gritting her teeth as Phillipus suddenly charged at her with sword gripped tightly in both hands.
"Prove it!" Phillipus snapped, the sword of her blade coming straight for Diana's head.
Diana's sword came up in time to block the deadly strike that could've removed her head from her shoulders. She was coming at her hard and fast much like Bruce had, attempting to push her to her limits in order to force her to face her feelings.
She didn't like it then and she didn't like it now.
She grunted with the force of Phillipus's strike, a sneer forming on her lips as she brought her sword down to counter another attack directed at her hip. She grew frustrated with herself, noticing once again how she was a second too slow…her reaction time slightly off.
How had she let this happen? She was an Amazon princess, raised and trained as a warrior her entire life. She was better than this. How had she lost her edge? Why had the gods allowed her to be taken to another world only to lose so much?
She felt her anger with everything rising like a brood of vipers ready to strike out and unleash her pain on everyone in her path. She began to respond a little quicker…a little sharper. She lashed out with a vengeance that forced Phillipus to compensate for the fierce assault.
"That's the princess that I helped trained," Phillipus responded with a proud smirk. "Come on, little one. I know there is more fire inside of you. You just have to tap into it…tap down deep inside of you."
"Stop…calling…me…that!" Diana roared with a ferocity that the General of the Amazons appreciated.
Diana quickly put Phillipus on the defensive, showing her that she was truly an Amazon in every way…that she deserved to wear the Champion's armor. She deserved the title of Wonder Woman and to be the ambassador of the Amazons to spread their message of peace.
Watching down from above, Queen Hippolyta observed the training match happening below. "I'd feared that my daughter had lost the will to fight," she said. "It seems there still may be a spark of life inside of her."
"She just needed the right provocation," Artemis replied, arms folded against her chest as she studied the fight below. "Leave it to General Phillipus to provide that stimulus."
"Diana and Phillipus have always had an intense friendship," Hippolyta revealed, her heart silently cheering as Diana nearly took down the general. "Phillipus knows how to push her buttons and is not afraid to do it when she feels Diana needs the prodding."
"Calling her 'little one' was definitely the button to push," Artemis agreed. "I've not seen such intense emotion in the princess since she arrived here over three weeks ago."
"Yes, I've never seen her quite like this before," the queen confessed with a disheartened sigh. "I had feared she had lost the will to live."
"There is one person that has kept her from completely giving up," she pointed out.
"I fear that her heart will forever belong to Batman no matter what happens."
"What if he never returns those feelings?"
Hippolyta's eyes momentarily fell closed as worry rose in her chest. "I honestly do not know," she admitted. "The Diana I knew before she was taken to another universe would have moved on with dignity and grace and not looked back. This Diana now…she's broken and hurt. I do not know how she will respond."
"Diana is the strongest of us all," Artemis argued. "She will find her way through this and come out the other side even more powerful and resilient than before."
"I hope you are right, Artemis," she softly said. "I truly hope you are right."
Wayne Enterprises (MU)
Bruce flipped through the file that had been given to him, only half-listening as the French gave their presentation. They were proposing a deal with Wayne Enterprises that had the potential to be profitable for both sides if he and his board decided to move forward with it.
The problem was he was having a hard time caring at this point. Diana had been gone for almost two months now, taking his heart with her. There was barely an hour that went by that he wasn't thinking of her…wondering how she was or what she was doing at that moment.
His chest felt heavy and tight as he thought about her now. Time had helped ease a measure of his jealousy and anger over the situation, but it hadn't diminished his love for her in the least. It only seemed to have grown stronger since she had left for Themyscira.
He closed the file, his gaze focusing on the power point presentation. He reached for his cup of coffee as thoughts of going to Themyscira to see her began to take shape in his mind. Men were absolutely forbidden on the island, but the overwhelming desire to see her was beginning to take precedence.
Various ways of infiltrating the island without being detected drifted through his mind, readily being dismissed or set aside to dwell on later. He couldn't help smiling to himself as he considered Queen Hippolyta's reaction to discovering later that he had been on her island to see her daughter.
He knew going there meant his life, but at this point, he wasn't sure he cared anymore. He was miserable with her gone. He found himself just moping around the manor, hoping that she would walk in with that dazzling smile that always managed to spark a flame inside of him.
He hadn't seen that smile on her face since she before she'd been taken away from them by Grodd. He missed it greatly…hoped that she'd managed to find a reason to smile again while she'd been home. He wanted to be that reason, but he knew it was wishful thinking. It was too soon since she'd lost the baby and the man who had loved her the way that he hadn't allowed himself to.
Now, he was ready to give her that love. He knew that he shouldn't have waited so long to get to that point, but it had taken her being taken away from them for him to realize just how much he truly loved her and wanted to be with her in every way imaginable.
"What are your thoughts, Bruce?" Lucius asked. "Do you have any questions?"
"Not at this point," he replied with an easy smile that he had to dig deep to muster. "I'm going to need some time to review all of this in detail, but I will admit that I'm very interested."
"Looks like we'll need to schedule a follow up meeting once Mister Wayne has had a chance to thoroughly review the research," Lucius said as he stood to his feet, extending a hand to one of the men.
"Thank you," Bruce uttered with a nod as he too stood to his feet. "If you'll excuse me, gentlemen. I have a young lady that I don't want to keep waiting much longer."
They bid him farewell as Bruce made a quick exit from the conference room with the file in hand. After a stop by his office to grab his briefcase, he waved goodbye to his secretary. He needed to get home to finalize his plans for going to Themyscira to see Diana and hopefully bring her home.
The drive home was filled with making plans and excitement over finally seeing her again. It was hard enough having her gone for over a month the last time, but now she'd been gone for two months. He wasn't certain which was worse—having her in another universe where he couldn't reach her or knowing where she was and still not being able to see her.
He decided it didn't matter. He was going to see her soon, letting her know how he felt about her. Hopefully, she would accept his confession, willing to try to make a life with him. It was what he'd wanted all along but had been too afraid to admit it until now.
Doubts began to creep into the recesses of his mind, making him wonder if it was too soon. It had only been a little over three months since he'd found her and brought her back home. Would she be ready for him or would he only remind her of everything that she'd lost?
Pulling into the circle drive, he got out of his car, determined to at least try to see her. There was no way he was going to know until he actually talked to her and he couldn't do that with her on Themyscira. He would have to contact Dick to help Tim and Damian cover Gotham. He wasn't certain how long it would take so he had better warn him it could be a few days…especially if Hippolyta threw him in the dungeon.
"Alfred!" he yelled as he entered the manor, loosening his tie with one hand as he tossed his briefcase onto a nearby chair with the other.
"Yes, sir," Alfred responded as he appeared in the hallway.
"I'm going after Diana," he announced. "I'm going to Themyscira."
Alfred gave him a wary look, one that Bruce had not anticipated in the least. He had expected him to be thrilled with the idea, but he looked anything but. He appeared almost skeptical of his decision to see Diana and bring her home.
"Do you think that is a wise decision, Master Bruce?" Alfred as he took his surrogate son's suit coat and tie from him.
"Why not?" Bruce asked with a scowl. "It's been two months, Alfred. I can't keep going like this…not being able to see her or talk to her. I need to know how she is doing and if she's even all right."
"While I applaud your decision to act, I admit that I'm a little apprehensive about your timing," he attempted to explain.
"What do mean?" he demanded to know as he unbuttoned the sleeves of his dress shirt. "How long have you been hounding me to do something about my feelings for Diana? Now that I am, you want me to wait?"
"Master Bruce, Miss Diana experienced a traumatic event, one that caused her to lose her way," he told him. "I believe going to her island home was the wisest decision for her. I'm just not certain that she would be quite ready for your declaration."
"Yes, but I won't know unless I try," Bruce snapped, growing angry.
"I really think it might be more prudent to let her come to you this time," he advised him. "I assure you when Miss Diana is finally ready for love again, she'll most definitely come home to you."
Bruce sank into a chair, leaning forward to hold his head in his hands. "You don't know that for sure," he replied, his voice thick with emotion. "What if she never comes back?"
"You told me yourself that Miss Diana promised she would come back," Alfred reminded him. "And I have never known Miss Diana to lie."
"But what if she changes her mind?" Bruce questioned him, lifting his head to look at his British butler. "What if she decides she doesn't want to try again…doesn't want me? I mean I know I can be difficult at times. What if she decides I'm too much to handle?"
Alfred placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, gentle affection permeating his eyes. "Trust your heart, Master Bruce," he replied. "Trust Miss Diana."
Bruce drew a ragged breath, releasing it slowly through his nose. "Fine," he reluctantly relented. "I'll wait for now, but if she doesn't come home in the next month, I'm going after her."
"I'll even help you back your bags, sir," Alfred told him with a twinkle in his eye.
Bruce watched as Alfred walked away, the ache in his chest returning with a vengeance. It had lessened some with the thought of seeing Diana soon, but now it was back just as strong as ever. "Please, come back soon, princess," he softly murmured to himself.
A/N: It's so good to see our old Diana coming back! :)
UP NEXT: Bruce attends a charity event with a woman on his arm while Diana has an encounter with Aphrodite that turns her life around. Will it cause her to return to Gotham?
NOTE: Not sure what's going on with that the chapters aren't showing up after I post them. I've sent two emails without any response. Thanks to James.s2002 for the info. Here's how to get around it: "Anyone wanting to view chapter 19 go to the url and switch whatever chapter you are currently on to 19 and voila! Not sure why its not working"