A/N: I cannot BELIEVE that so many people have reviewed! Can't believe and am thrilled hee hee. And I'm sorry if any of you study classics, 'cause I'm about to mess with Greek mythology mwhahahahahaha!

Chapter Eight – One Million, Two Hundred And Fifty Thousand

It was one of those flawless days, Hippolyta thought. Contrary to popular belief, her kingdom was not a paradise all the time. Granted, by the grace of the goddesses it was idyllic most of the year, but on occasion there were days where every minute, from sunrise to sunset, was truly perfect. The sky cloudless, the sea warm, the grasses and trees lush with greenery. The laughter and singing of her sisters resounded from every stone. All the Amazons, happy and laughing and-

The queen frowned, sighing. No. Not all the Amazons. All but one. And the day, no matter how perfect, was suddenly spoiled in her eyes. Each morning, she questioned her decision to exile Diana. It had been the right thing to do following Themysciran law – but that law had been in place for thousands of years, laid down in times that bore no resemblance to the way things were now. When men were harsh, cruel and brutish creatures – not that Hippolyta was convinced the majority of them still weren't – but she'd also been shown that there were some men who knew honour, nobility, selflessness. Some men who could possibly be considered heroes. But the person who had shown her that…

Hippolyta looked toward the horizon, to where the golden curve of the sun was breaking away from the ocean. Where are you, my little sun and stars? Was her daughter even now risking her life in some hopeless mission? Was she tired and cold, and all alone? How many years, how many lives of men would have to pass before she could lift Diana's banishment? It was time like these when as a mother she would do anything to see her-

Straightening suddenly on her horse, the queen put a hand to her face to shield her eyes as they fixed on a dot moving swiftly in the sky. Surely that couldn't be- As the shape moved closer, it cleared and focused into the form of a machine, a jet not unlike Diana's own, a jet she recognised as belonging to the Justice League. Hippolyta smiled, her heart lighter than it had been in months. Diana, her own little girl, come home to… Halfway into kicking her horse into a gallop, the queen of the Amazons stopped, closing her eyes briefly.

No. She was more than a mother. And as Queen it was her duty to deny the exile entry into Themyscira. Rather than racing at full speed toward the sleek silver ship just landing on the white sand at the end of the beach, Hippolyta turned her horse, and galloped back to the palace.

It was with surprise – and not a little disappointment – when, fifteen minutes later, six of her warriors came into the throne room, along with someone who was not her daughter.

---

Shayera didn't like feeling nervous. It wasn't something she was used to. In fact it had been months since she'd felt really apprehensive about anything. And now, here she was, shaking in her boots because of the look in Queen Hippolyta's blue eyes. Absolute confidence, utter imperiousness and a dissecting curiosity. She wanted to know why Shayera was here, and she wanted to know right now, or there'd be consequences. Thankfully, the Thanagarian was no longer treated as an intruder as such – but the Amazons were wary of any visitor to their island, friendly or not. It was the same commanding look Diana could pull off when she had to.

Still, she knew that she held the trump card – even if it was one she'd rather not be playing. Diana was in trouble, and exiled or not, was still Hippolyta's daughter. Hawkgirl was starting to understand something about maternal affection herself.

"You are the one known as Hawkgirl," the queen said, her voice harsh with centuries that did not show on her face. "What do you want on Themyscira?"

"Something has happened to Diana, Your Highness," she said quickly.

All the blood drained from Hippolyta's face, and Shayera cursed herself for her choice of words. She'd never been subtle, but that had been tactless even for her. The queen pushed up from her throne, grasping Shayera's arms hard. Right where the purple bruises were still showing from a similar grip Diana had used less than a day ago. "Does she live?" Hippolyta whispered.

Hawkgirl nodded frantically. "She's alive."

The other woman's eyes closed in relief, and her grip on Shayera's arms loosened slightly. "Then what? She is injured? Ill?"

"Actually…it looks like she may have been cursed."

Uttering two words in Themysciran, Hippolyta dismissed her guards and turned her full attention to the redhead. "Tell me everything."

---

Bruce really did not want to leave Diana. He wanted to wake her up from whatever nightmare she was trapped in, tell her it was alright and that there was nothing that could harm her as long as he was around. He wanted to keep her in his arms and protect her from everything.

Which was a problem.

He could accept the idea that he kept a tighter rein on his emotions than most people. He could accept that for some reason – as yet unknown – he was also an emotional buffer that blocked at least in part other people's emotions. The problem was that his emotions were on a tight leash…except when it came to Diana. When it came to Diana, everything about him went normal. But rather than the usual reaction of instant lust, Bruce had actually spent enough time around her to develop affection for her. To become friends with her. To become, if he was honest with himself, more than friends. Much more.

Manoeuvring the fitfully sleeping princess out of his arms – regretfully – Bruce moved silently to the door. J'onn?

Yes, Batman?

He took a deep breath, not seeing another way but not liking this one. I need your help.

There was a stunned silence in his mind. Of course. Why don't you come to the medical wing? That way my emotions will not affect Diana.

On my way.

By the time he got there, J'onn was standing in the centre of the room, arms by his sides. Batman got right to the point. "During the invasion before we set up the League, you put a mental block on my mind, to prevent the invaders from sensing my location. Could you modify it to block my emotions?"

The Martian blinked. "If it became necessary, yes. May I ask why?"

Bruce took another deep breath. "Diana. I know that for some reason I'm immune to her empathetic ability. I'm not sure I'm going to stay that way. I would like you to place the barrier. Just to be on the safe side."

J'onn opened his mouth to ask why, then decided he didn't want to know. Or didn't want to enquire, at any rate. "Then I will attempt to put a similar block on your mind." He hesitatingly put his hands either side of Batman's head. Nothing outwardly happened, but after a few moments J'onn's eyes stopped glowing, and he lowered his arms. "It is done."

"That's it?"

"Yes. It should hold, unless…"

"Unless?" he asked swiftly.

"Exceptionally strong emotions will possibly break it – but from what I have learned about you, Batman, that is unlikely," he finished with half a smile.

He nodded. "I hope you're right. Could you set up the same thing on everyone else?"

"Almost certainly not," J'onn replied. "It takes much energy, and is difficult to maintain – the only reason you will be able to do so is because of the emotional restraint you practice naturally anyway. No one else would be able to do so."

"Alright. At least she's protected from me," he murmured, exiting the room.

---

"Who was this woman?" Hippolyta demanded.

"All we have for a name is 'Skatha'. Apparently a Welsh goddess, but she was banished to the cave she was found in after cursing a Greek hero."

That caught Hippolyta's attention. "A Greek hero? Which one?"

"No idea," Shayera answered.

The two women were sitting on the steps leading to the queen's throne, knee to knee and talking earnestly. "If I do not know which-"

"We were hoping that either you would recognise the name Skatha-"

"I do not. Though…"

"Though?"

"From what you have told me, this goddess does bear a certain resemblance to Eris, the goddess of discord."

"And who would know for sure?"

Hippolyta looked at her as though the Thanagarian was utterly stupid. "The goddesses, of course."

Hawkgirl raised an eyebrow. "The goddesses. Of course."

"Wait here," the queen commanded. "Phoebe, Elektra!"

Two Amazons dressed in simple white toga-style dresses came in and bowed. "My Queen?"

"Give our guest anything she may require," Hippolyta told them. "I must consult Hera."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Shayera interjected. "No offense, Your Majesty, but I came here for answers, and I'm not leaving until I get them. Whether they come from you or the gods."

Hippolyta looked at her, a hint of amusement creeping through despite the graveness of the situation. "You have a warrior's spirit, daughter of Thanagar."

Shayera glanced downward quickly, not sure what to say to that. "Um…thanks?"

"The goddess will approve," the queen told her. "Come then." Without another word, she swept away, Shayera following her out of the palace and into the sunlight outside. As they passed, most of the Amazons around them cast curious glances at Shayera before bowing to their queen, but no one said anything. Hippolyta didn't bother to acknowledge any of them, still too tense and anxious about her daughter. Were it not for the regal bearing with which she carried herself preventing it, Hawkgirl was fairly confident the queen would have sprinted across to the Temple of Hera.

The two women ascended the steps and entered the cool darkness, Hippolyta dismissing the guards at the entrance. It would do moral no good for the Amazons to know their sister and champion was in such danger. When they got to the back of the temple, where the huge statue of the goddess loomed over the whole structure, Hippolyta didn't stop and kneel, and Shayera was expecting her to. Instead she moved toward the seemingly solid stone wall between Hera's huge feet, and then pressed her palm to the cool marble. With a rumbling noise, a previously invisible door opened inward, revealing a darkened passageway with a spiral staircase descending into the ground. Hippolyta grabbed a torch from the wall and held it aloft. "Come."

It seemed as though they were expected, since the unlit torches lining the staircase flickered into life the further down they went. The steps seemed endless, a never ending treadmill of stone. Shayera lost count at seven hundred and twenty four steps, and still they went on. She made a mental note to fly back up. Finally, after at least half an hour walking down, they came to another blank wall. Hippolyta did the same thing she had in the temple above, and the two women went forward into a round chamber, more brightly lit than the staircase had been, but without any visible means of illumination. All the hairs on the back of Shayera's neck stood up, and her hand inched unconsciously toward the handle of her mace.

The indefinable light flared, and immediately Hippolyta dropped to her knees before the three figures that suddenly appeared in the chamber. Shayera didn't, instead gripping the handle of her mace. Which was then snatched from her hand by an…owl?!

The bird let out a screech and wheeled, dropping the weapon into the outstretched hand of a goddess. From the deity's warrior garb and weaponry, Shayera guessed this was Athena. Of the other two, the one next to her had to be the most beautiful woman Shayera had ever seen – if it was even possible for a woman to be more physically perfect than Diana. She regarded the Thanagarian with slightly amused eyes which brightened when they came to rest on her abdomen. Aphrodite then.

"We mean you no harm, Hawkgirl," she said. "But had you attacked we would have been forced to retaliate, and then you would be no help to Princess Diana."

Shayera wasn't convinced, and crossed her arms defensively. "You mean me no harm after you've taken my weapon?"

"It will be returned to you." That seemed to be all the answer she was going to get, since the goddess standing slightly in front of the others spoke.

"Rise, Hippolyta, Queen of Themyscira."

Hippolyta did so. "I have come on behalf of my daughter, Great Hera."

"Yes, we know. Though we are unable to perceive what has happened to her, or who did it. We know only that she is in great pain."

Shayera nodded, interrupting. Hippolyta sent her a glare, but the redhead couldn't have cared less. These weren't her goddesses, after all. "She's become an empath. And as for who did it, the intel the League was able to gather points to a Welsh goddess called Skatha."

"Skatha!" Hera gasped. Behind her, Athena and Aphrodite hissed in anger. "How is this possible?" Hera demanded. "We banished and imprisoned her thousands of years ago!"

"Well…there was an accident and…she got to Diana," the redhead explained somewhat sheepishly.

Shayera didn't understand ancient Greek, but she knew swearing when she heard it – and Hera cursed at least three times. Loudly. "She must have recognised Diana carried our gifts, and revenged herself upon her."

"But I have never heard of a goddess called Skatha, Great Hera."

"She is sister to Eris," the queen of the gods answered. "And the more trouble of the two, if that is possible. Do not fear, Hippolyta."

Athena spoke, tapping Shayera's mace against her palm. "We will find her, and force her to reverse the curse she has laid upon your daughter."

---

"You figured out what's wrong with 'em yet?"

The mechanic – a perfectly ordinary human – sighed and rolled her eyes, thankful that the red-clad hero couldn't see her. "No, sir."

"You can call me Flash, y'know."

"Ok. Flash. I have no idea what's wrong with the transporters yet. For some reason one of the circuits keep shorting out, but every time I fix it, another one goes. I don't know how long it's going to be before I can fix it, but I'm working as fast as I can."

"Which doesn't appear to be very fast at all," the speedster said.

The mechanic snapped, threw down her screwdriver, and stood up. "Admittedly, that's not as fast as you, but then you don't know the first thing about electronics, do you?"

"Well…no, but I-"

She planted her hands on her hips. "Then please, Flash, would you mind leaving? I'm sure I can get this done with a lot more speed if I wasn't being distracted."

He blinked for a second, then grinned. "See, I like a girl with spirit. You wanna-"

She interrupted him again. "Can you flirt with me after I've fixed the transporters?"

---

Diana shot awake, her fists in the air and every muscle in her body tense with fear. She'd had nightmares all night, fuelled by the pain she was in when she went to sleep. Her dreams had been full of splintered images, some she recognised and some she didn't, but all threatening and all terrifying. And her mother wasn't here to kiss her brow and whisper that the goddesses would protect her from everything. The goddesses had, apparently, abandoned her. She knew it was heresy, but had no other explanation. With tears already in her eyes and the corners of her mouth pulling down, Diana blindly sought comfort. She turned her head, expecting to inhale the scent of leather and Kevlar – only to find that her pillow was softer than she expected, and was in fact…just a pillow.

She sat up, swallowing against the pain that threatened. She felt like she had a- what was it Flash called them? Hangovers? Only this one wasn't affecting her head; her chest felt as though she had a large weight pressing down on it. The room was dark, still, since the window was tinted to prevent the people on the Watchtower being blinded by the sun. "Bruce?" she whispered. One tear tracked down her face. He'd said he'd stay with her…

She heard the barest whisper of movement, then a weight settled on the edge of the bed. "Here. How are you feeling?"

"Worse," she replied hoarsely. "I don't- I can't-" Suddenly she drew in a gasp, quickly followed by a burst of fresh pain. New anger, sorrow, heartbreak and guilt all stabbed at her from a million different minds. Unable to bear it, Diana's voice was lost in a harsh scream of pain, sobs consuming her.

"Diana!" Bruce shoved his cowl back, then grabbed her, hands on either side of her face. "Diana, focus on me!"

Her blue eyes, wild and terrified, fixed on his, but had to close again in agony, one of her hands clawing the top of her uniform. "H-how d-do they- Oh H-Hera help me…" Knowing that if she was strong enough to literally tear her own heart out if driven to do so, Bruce took her hands in one of his, hoping that the contact would help to soothe her.

"Diana, stay with me," he whispered harshly, putting his mouth to her ear. While his body tried to comfort her, he was frantically trying to think of what might have caused this. Last night – and just after she'd woken, she'd been in pain, yes, but not this much pain – she'd been lucid at least, able to form sentences and speak. This was sudden and had taken control of her completely, totally incapacitating.

The thought, when it came, struck him like a lightning bolt; fast, hard, and just as painful.

He let go of Diana's hands, instead using one arm to cradle her against his torso, and used his now-free hand to reach up to his ear. Flash's voice answered him. "What do you need, Batman?" the Speedster asked quickly.

"Where are we?" Bruce barked. "Which country are we above?"

Less than three seconds later, Wally answered. "Hawaii, just coming over it now. Halfway across the Pacific."

Bruce closed his eyes and cursed. "Population."

Another minuscule pause. "One million two hundred fifty thousand, just over."

"Shit!"

"What is it?"

"Diana," he answered immediately. "She can feel all of them."

This pause was longer than the rest. "Shit."

"Gather the others," he ordered. "Conference room. We can't wait for Hawkgirl now."

---

A/N: I told ya – I LOVE cliffhangers! So, the question is: what are they going to do to help Diana now? Answers on a postcard please! Just to be clear – she's still not feeling Bruce's emotions, but he's no longer an effective buffer for her, at least not until they find somewhere more…secluded, shall we say? Review!