Part III

"I guess we both have a problem with respecting each other's wishes."

Her tone was cold, but controlled. Very similar to his own actually. Batman had known that his invasion would not go unnoticed no matter how careful they had been. J'onn had probably knew what he was going to do before he even did it. He wasn't prepared for this reaction though. Anger was what he had expected, but when he turned to look at her an expression he had never seen on her greeted him.

It was a mixture of sadness and disappointment, which was quickly replaced by a less hospitable look.

She landed softly on the rooftop, only a few feet from him. He silently the breeze that carried her sent towards him.

"How dare you? Those were my private thoughts and dreams, you had no right to them."

" I had every right." He was baiting her he knew, but it was his way.

The anger had expected was quickly surfacing if the red if her face was any indication.

"Every right? Every right? What makes you think I should share my hopes
and dreams with you? We are not together Batman! My life is my own!"

Whether she knew it or not her words sliced through him. While now he was standing there as a man in love, that was changing rapidly as her verbal barrage continued. In a split second that man was gone and the bat surfaced to take his place. Batman could tell by the subtle shift in Diana's posture that she knew the bat had emerged. He glared at her in a way that was usually reserved for his worst enemies.

"Knowledge of the things that people keep private is my thing. Or don't you
remember?"

Her eyes flashed with fury as she realized he was referring to his protocols. The ones that had nearly killed her and the rest of the league. He stood there on the edge of the rooftop, his face showing no more emotion than the gargoyle next to him. They locked eyes, and for the first time since she had known him, Batman turned away and lowered his head. Her face softened and she floated closer to him. Diana felt his jaw clench as her hand touched her face. She took her had and lifted his unshaven chin so he would have to look at her. Batman could tell she was searching his face for what he was truly thinking, while he was just glad that the white lenses in his cowl did not allow his eyes to betray him.

"Batman, we decided not to pursue a relationship to protect our friendship. but friendship is based on trust, and right now I can't trust you. You invaded
my privacy and completely disregarded my feelings."

She lowered her hand and Batman felt the chill air hit him for the first time, already missing her warm hand pressed against his face.

"Why Batman? Why would you do this to me now?" She was yelling now, her voice rising above the sounds of the city. Her eyes pleading for him to be honest with her.

"Simple, I wanted to know…" He ground his teeth together to keep from continuing. He was angry. Angry with her. Angry with himself.

"You wanted to know what? Anything you wanted to know I would have told
you without hesitation, all you had to do was ask." He was about to betray himself.

"I wanted to know if you had lied to me."

"Lied to you? What could I have possibly lied to you about?"

He spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.

"You told me after you awoke from the articulator that you loved me, but only
as a friend. Your dream seems to suggest otherwise."

It was Diana's turn to look away. She turned her back to Batman as she rose slightly off the ground. He heard her take a deep breath and start to speak softly.

"Still the mighty detective at work." She looked back over her shoulder and smiled, but turned back as she continued.

"I told you what you wanted to hear, Bruce. Whether you admit that to
yourself or not, it's what you wanted me to say. You have to know that those
images were My hopes and dreams for us. Not yours. You'd never allow
yourself to become the person in my dreams. Even though you are capable
of it."

Bruce stood motionless. What she was saying had stunned him.

"You even saw my dream and know what I feel, yet even now you can't do it can you? You can't tell me those three little words to me because you won't take the risk of losing yourself. You know I love you, Bruce. What
you do with that information is up to you."

At that she rose into the air and flew away over the city, leaving a very confused Batman in her wake. What brought him back to reality was the muffled laughter in his ear.

"Oracle, I take it you caught all of that?"

"Uh huh."

" Care to explain why I was not notified to Wonder Woman's arrival in
Gotham?"

"She asked me not to." He could practically see the grin on her face.

"Want to explain why you complied?"

"It was a woman to woman thing. See we have a connection considering we are both attracted to those dark and dangerous brooders."

"I messed up didn't I?"

"Well, as a woman, I'd say that was an understatement."
Batman growled slightly and killed the transmission. Deep in the bowels of the city two gunshots rang out in the night. Instinct took over then as he launched himself off the roof. He pushed the night's events from his mind as the wind whipped form. He reveled in the freefall and allowed his cape to slow his momentum as he fired off a grapple at a nearby building. Only one thought managed to sneak past his defenses as the line reached its apex. She was right.