Disclaimer

DC Comics and Warner Bros. own the characters used in this story. But the story is entirely a product of my imagination

Chap 36

One week later…in the watch tower
"So, you guys not talking to each other anymore?" Superman asked, sipping his coffee.

"I don't have issues!" Batman shrugged, taking a sip, "It's she who's avoiding me."

"Oh, ok!" Superman nodded slightly, "I'm glad to hear that from you."

"Hear what?" Batman asked sharply.

"That you have no hard feelings about the whole issue, despite being shot." Superman said.

"You know I have survived worse things in my life," Batman said, "And anyways, the bullet and lost a lot of its kinetic energy when it hit her bracelet. So, my wound, was superficial."

"Of course," Superman nodded, "Lucky it didn't penetrate into your lung."

Both sat silent for a while. Diana arrived with Hawk Girl, both sipping ice moochas. Even before Hawk Girl could greet them and pull a chair for herself, Diana nudged her and walked out of the room. Hawk Girl stood staring for a while and then decided that she'd better follow her.

"You know," Superman said, "I think you could've saved her a lot of pain if you had had told her that Mark was alive. She had a rough time…"

"You were the one giving her rough time, Clarke!" Batman cut him off.

"I admit that I was at fault too. But I'm not to be blamed for that. You did not even care to tell me that Mark was only acting dead!" he protested.

Batman sat silent for a while, considering that. Then he started slowly.

"That was the only way I could've found out the truth, Superman! I'm only glad that mark understood and obliged. And imagine, if Mark hadn't already been dead, her sister would've killed him. I was trying to save two, as a matter of fact three people there. She has to understand that!" Batman said with an air of exasperation over the happenings of the week.

"But you cannot underrate her emotional trauma. You have hurt her feelings. She's been humiliated, sent to prison, and…"

"You cannot hold me responsible for that!" Batman said, cutting him off, "I couldn't imagine that she could act in such a naïve manner."

Superman sighed. "Bruce, not everyone is like you, rational all the time. People are sometimes overcome by their emotions. And she's been outside her own world for only a year now! You need to give her that lenience."

"I am not here to give any one anything, Superman!" Batman said solemnly, "I'm here to do my job, and that's where my relationship with you all ends."

"I don't understand why you keep trying, Superman!" came her voice, with a tinge of bitterness. She was standing at the door. Hawk girl wasn't with her.

Batman disregarded her presence and concentrated on his coffee. But she had her eyes fixed on him. Superman could only look from one to another.

"Um, I'm done with my coffee. I think I should go and check the monitor room." Superman said hastily and rose.

"Sit down, Superman!" Batman commanded, and he sat back involuntarily.

"Now who's having issues?" Diana frowned and walked to them. Superman tried to get up again, But Batman had his hand pressed down on his shoulder.

Diana sat beside Superman, diagonally across Batman. She was peering into him, and he seemed to be getting uncomfortable.

"So, has your sister reached Themyscira?" Superman started nervously.

"There is no way I can communicate with her now." she said, throwing a sharp glance at him, "So, I can only hope that she had reached safely."

"Why didn't you go with her then?" Batman mumbled. Her gaze shifted back to Batman, and he did not flinch.

"Guys, I think I'd better get going. At least one of us should be working right now," Superman said and rose simultaneously, and before Batman could resist, he was off.

Silence prevailed for a while.

"I think it's about time I thanked you for everything," she said in a voice which was far from being thankful.

"You don't have to thank me," he said, with equal bitterness in his voice.

"Very good! Now I am done with my part of it. Do you have anything to say?" she said.

Batman took a deep breath. He wanted to say - nothing, as usual. But somehow, he thought that he owed her an explanation.

"If mark wasn't pretending to be dead as per my instructions, your sister would've killed him!" he said, and paused, to see if he needed to explain any further.

"I know that," she replied coldly.

He sighed. "That is all I needed to say."

Diana's frown did not disappear as he had expected. Instead it deepened.
"That's all?"

Batman considered.
"I understand that our relationship has been damaged beyond repair. I would want you to understand that I was hurt equally bad, or may be more in this entire charade."

Her expression did not change.

"I'm glad that you decided to stay back. The league needs you." he paused. She seemed to soften a bit.

"And as I had said before, you don't have the obligation to work with me. So, you don't have to worry about this issue disturbing you again. I'm not interested in sticking around this place day in and day out either. And if I need any help, I'll call Superman. If he isn't available, just tell me so. Don't send me any substitutes. I'd prefer that you all to stay away from Gotham. So, for all practical purposes, I am not a part of the league. That should help you."

"With what?" she asked sharply.

"With everything," he replied bluntly.

He was about to rise when he felt a sharp sting on his cheek. It took time for him to realize that Diana had slapped him. He sank back into the chair.

"That was for slapping me!" she said, with trembling voice.

He hadn't seen that coming, but now that here was no taking it back, he tried not to look dumbfounded.

"Are we even now?" he asked, feeling his jaw, lest it should be dislocated.

She did not speak.

"Or maybe I should shoot you in the chest," he said sardonically.

"That covers for all the trouble you gave us," she said. Her eyes weren't moist, but something gave him a hint that she was going to cry.

"What about all the trouble you two gave me? Especially you!" he protested.

She sat silent for a while, her eyes facing down. She seemed to consider that.
"I'll try to make up for it," she said. All of a sudden, she seemed to be in good humor.

Batman didn't understand how to react. She seemed to be more capricious than the Joker.

"I don't say that we forget everything. I know it's not possible to." she said, "But I think we can give each other a second chance."

"I have done nothing wrong," Batman said coldly, "I don't need anyone to give me a second chance."

"The may be you can give me a second chance," she said. Batman couldn't believe his ears.

"I…I don't quite follow you." he said.

"All is well that ends well, Bruce! It ended well for me. Mark is undergoing a trial and will be duly punished. I was acquitted and my sister is off the cuff too. So, I have no complaints. My sister and I owe you a lot for getting us out of this, although your methods did annoy me. But I guess we've made up for that already! If you have any complaints about the whole issue, then I believe that it's my fault. And I don't want you to punish yourself by staying away from the league. I request you to give me a chance to make it up to you."

Batman stayed silent for a while. He did not know if he understood it the right way. He did not know if he understood it at all. But he knew one thing for certain; he definitely wanted to take his time to understand.

"I am fine as long as it does not disrupt the balance of our work life and doesn't interfere with our personal life." he said.

"I understand." she nodded. "I'll look forward to work with you someday."

Batman wasn't sure if he could take it anymore. He rose without warning and turned away to leave. Diana could swear that he smiled as he did so.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Superman's voice startled her.

"I thought you were the one who went to do some work!" she said, sardonically.

"It wasn't more important than this one," he smiled, "And I had taken the pain to get him to finally talk on this subject, so there was no way I could've missed this. But why didn't you tell him how you felt…"

"He's giving me a second chance, Superman! I don't have to be hasty about it at all!" she said.

"I don't understand," he frowned.

"He needs to get over the Lisa he knew. I need to get over the Bruce I thought he was. And then, we need to start afresh. It will take time!" she smiled.

"I still don't understand," Superman shook his head.

She did not explain. She did not have to explain…

x-THE END-x