Author's Note: I think I might try a slightly different writer's voice a bit on this one, just to keep things fresh. Maybe a bit of fourth wall breakage.

Diana stared out the window of the parlor of Wayne Manor, but saw nothing of the beautiful sunset outside. Anyone looking at her would have thought that she was feeling depressed, when in fact, she felt more content than she had since she'd left Paradise Island. But as is often the case in this world, her happiness was tainted by feeling that something was wrong. She'd just gotten off the phone with the caterer for her wedding ('My wedding...' She thought to herself, noticing how strange the words sounded), who had informed her that everything was being handled, and that everything was going according to plan. Everyone who had been paid to help with the wedding said the same, as nobody was eager to upset one of the richest men on the planet (although, as it happens, they may have had more to fear from his bride). By all accounts, the wedding would be perfect... Everything except for one thing.

Diana was so deep in thought that she barely even noticed the voices coming from Bruce's study down the hall.

"Don't forget, I need that info planted by tonight." Bruce was saying to his sidekick-turned-information-broker, Barbara Gordon. "Things could get messy if I go to deliver the weapons and my criminal record isn't there."

"I know, Bruce. Don't worry, I'll handle it." The redhead was saying. She had a petite appearance that was amplified by the fact that she was speaking from a wheelchair.

"You sure you have all the information down right?"

Barbara sighed in exasperation. "I don't forget anything. Alias Daniel 'Danny' Ward, Ex-Marine, dishonorable discharge for methamphetamine possession and abuse of firearms. Did a short sentence at the Marine Corp Brig at Quantico. Happy?"

"Close enough." He turned around to head back to his study. "Get it done, Babs."

"A 'thank you' wouldn't go amiss..." She muttered as she wheeled her way to the front door, being sure to be quiet enough that he wouldn't hear her. As she passed the entrance to the parlor, she stopped. "Hey, Diana. Is everything alright?" She asked, noticing her preoccupied expression.

"Mm?" Diana murmured, shaking herself out of her reverie. "Oh... Hello, Barbara. I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You look a little bit troubled. Are you nervous?"

"No, it's not that." Diana said truthfully. She had no qualms about getting married.

"Are you sure? It's a big deal, you know."

"It's not that... Not exactly anyway. What does Bruce have you doing for him?"

Barbara rolled her eyes. "Hacking government mainframes to plant false records. He's found a group trying to buy black market weapons. Personally, I think they're just some third rate gang looking to get a bit of credibility through firepower, but Bruce thinks that there's a chance that they might be a radical militia group. He's setting up a sting; he wants me to set him up with a criminal record in case they check him out when he approaches them in a couple of days. It's no bid deal, really. I have time to talk, if you want."

Diana smiled appreciatively. "I've thought long and hard about this, and I'm sure that I'm ready for this, and I'm sure that Bruce feels the same."

"Then what's the problem?"

"It's just that... That I..." Diana fidgeted uncomfortably. "I never told my mother."

"Ohhh..." Barbara gasped quietly. "Why not? Don't you think that she'll be happy?"

"I don't know." Diana said sadly. "I'd hope so, but it's... Complicated."

Barbara furrowed her brow. "How is it complicated? She's your mother, and she should be happy for you."

"I wish that that was all that there was to it." Diana turned to look out the window again. "Marriage would be a contract with man's world; a contract that would effectively forfeit my status as one of the Amazons of Themyscira, and tie me to a mortal life man's world."

Barbara's eyes widened as she realized the implications of what Diana was saying. "Does that mean that you would lose your powers? That you couldn't be Wonder Woman anymore?"

Diana shook her head. "Thankfully, no; my abilities are a gift from the Gods, given when my mother breathed life into me. They'll be with me until the day that I die... A concept that I'm not sure that my mother will be willing to embrace."

"Ohhh..." Barbara said again, wondering if she was in over her head; this was getting much heavier than she'd bargained for. 'Figures... Super heroes, super problems...' She thought to herself. "Well, for what it's worth, I think that you should just tell her. I'm sure that she'll understand that you have to go your own way." In truth, she knew no such thing, but could tell that the Amazon Princess could use the support.

"You think so?" Diana said distractedly. "You know... I agree." She said with a final tone, making up her mind at last. "She'll find out soon enough anyway, and it had best come from me. So it's settled. I'll leave now. Thanks, Barbara."

"Don't mention it..." Barbara said, hoping that she wasn't steering her friend down the wrong path.

Diana could have used the autopilot feature on her jet to take her directly to Themyscira, but she preferred to pilot the plane herself. Flying came naturally to her, and she found that it could take her mind off her troubles. However, it didn't stop the nervous turning of her stomach as she approached the island that had been her home so many years ago. She nervously surveyed the shores of the island. She'd sent word ahead that she'd be arriving, and sure enough, she spotted the Amazon Queen waiting for her; a solitary white dot on the vast golden sands.

Diana touched the plane down neatly on the shore, but didn't move immediately. She took her time undoing her safety belt, putting off the inevitable as long as she could. Finally, she could stall no longer. She opened the hatch and walked down the ramp to greet her mother.

"Diana!" Hippolyta exclaimed, reaching out to embrace her daughter. "I was surprised to hear from you on such short notice. Are you alright?"

"Yes, Mother." Diana said, knowing that if she delayed any longer, she might not be able to work up the courage. "I'm better than alright. I'm getting married."

Whatever Hippolyta had been expecting to hear, that clearly wasn't it. She let go of Diana and stepped back in surprise. "What?"

"Next week." Diana reaffirmed.

"Are you aware of what this means, Diana?" Diana could tell that her mother was trying to hide it, but she could still sense a hint of betrayal in her voice. Sadness cut into Diana like a blade.

"I am. And I'm prepared to accept that." Diana hung her head, unable to look at her mother any longer. "I just... Thought that you should know."

Diana jumped in surprise when her mother wrapped her arms around her once again. "It's alright, Diana." Hippolyta said, patting Diana on the back gently. "I understand. But I'd like to meet him."

Diana blinked in surprise. "Now? Here?"

"At your earliest convenience."

"But Mother, men aren't allowed here!"

"A rule that's been broken plenty of times as of late; once more won't hurt. At least this time it will be broken with my permission." She smiled slightly at Diana, who excused herself to make the call.

"Bruce. Where are you?" She said into her comms link.

"I'm trying to gather intel. What is it?"

Diana decided to cut to the chase. "My Mother would like to speak to you."

She could practically hear him freeze up over the link. He paused for a moment before speaking. "You know I'm not allowed there."

"Mother's agreed to make an exception, so you'd best show up."

Thankfully, over the years Diana had known Bruce, she'd gotten much better at getting him to do what she wanted. He protested for a short while, but eventually relented. Diana returned to where her mother waited. "He'll be here soon."

"Good..." Hippolyta looked mournfully at the sea. "I should have foreseen this a long time ago..." She said sadly. "I should have foreseen that this island was too small for you, and that you'd leave in time." She wiped a tear from her eye. "And I suppose that the same is true for this world."

Diana felt her throat close up so tightly that she couldn't speak. It bothered her to hear her mother saying such things, but she knew that she needed to express herself, so she let her continue.

"You can do great things, Diana. You've been gifted with a powerful body and a loving heart. All that I can do now is trust you to use those gifts as best you know how. I've watched you grow so much over so many years. Now it's it's time for you to make your own way."

Diana simply nodded; her mother's acceptance of her choices meant more than she knew how to express with words. Suddenly, an enormous, black shadow appeared on the horizon. Diana could just make out the distinctive bat-wings of Bruce's jet. The Batwing hovered a great distance above them; Diana saw a small patch of light appear on the ship's underside. Batman jumped out of the hatch in midair, opening his cape to catch the wind. He glided down to Earth, landing in a neat crouch several yards away with his back to Diana and Hippolyta.

"He's very... Dramatic, isn't he?" Hippolyta said, sounding slightly startled by his alarming appearance.

"We're working on that." Diana said, hoping that Bruce would behave for once.

Batman stood and drew his cape around himself, completely hiding his body. He didn't speak, but silently approached Hippolyta, somehow managing to not leave a single footprint in the sand.

Realizing that it would be up to her to bridge the gap, Diana began to make introductions. "You remember my Mother, I'm sure... Mother, this is Ba-... This is Bruce."

For a moment, the Dark Knight and the Amazon Queen surveyed each other rather intensely, causing Diana to wonder if she'd miscalculated. Finally, Hippolyta extended a hand. Batman cautiously reached out to shake it, sinking into a slight bow.

"My daughter is fond of you."

"I know." Batman said. "She's not very subtle."

"No." Hippolyta agreed. "Subtlety has never been one of Diana's strengths. You, on the other hand, seem to have mastered the art."

"I just flew to this island in a jet shaped like a giant bat."

Hippolyta laughed slightly. "And yet, you possess something of an aura of mystery... Not unlike a man that I once fell in love with myself."

"Mother!" Diana exclaimed, noticing Hippolyta's allusion to her affair with Hades, the Lord of the Underworld. "Bruce is nothing like him!"

"Of course not." Hippolyta said, but her eyes still had a rather suspicious look in them which softened after a long, hard stare. "I apologize... I trust my daughter's judgement. She mentioned that you plan to marry?"

"Yes."

"And you're aware of what this means for her?"

"More or less."

"Then you understand why I would like to attend the ceremony."

Batman was taken aback, but wasn't about to let her see his surprise. "Yes."

"Mother?" Diana asked uncertainly. "You're leaving the island?"

"Diana, I'm sure you know that there are things in this world that are far more important than arbitrary rules and guidelines."

"But Mother, you know that to break those laws is to risk the wrath of the Gods!"

"And I'll do just that for my only daughter." Hippolyta said firmly, as Batman stepped away to give the two women some privacy. "I am a mother first, and a queen second. Unless you have some reason to not want me there?"

"Not at all."

"Then it's settled. From what I can see, he's a good man... And from what you've told me, he makes up for what he lacks in conversational skill with courage and valor in battle. I wish the best of luck to both of you. Now, go with my blessing."

Diana hugged her mother one more time before turning away. She grabbed Batman's wrist, pulling him behind her onto her jet. Hippolyta watched as her daughter's plane flew off, followed by the Batwing. She continued to stare until they were just a tiny dot on the horizon, at which point she turned and began the long trek back to her palace, her heart heavy with the grief of a mother who knows that she's destined to outlive her only child.

Author's Note: Damn, I bummed myself out with this... So how about some good news? I've got a bit of a small creative team going. So welcome aboard to YourAngelicVampyre, who's kindly offered to review my notes and has already offered some great ideas that should improve the overall quality of the story. She'll be credited more prominently if I can rework the summary to be short enough to accommodate, but until then, chapterly mentions in the author's notes are the best that I can do.

Anyway, things should be looking up from this point on- for a little bit anyway. This was a little bit of a dark chapter, but I think that it was necessary.

Only 3AM and already posting? Fells good, man.

Also, Fleetwood Mac references everywhere! Only one was intentional, but still.