Part VI

Diana allowed the cold wind to sting her face and dry the tears from her eyes. She looked out over the horizon. The sun would rise soon and take the night from him, only to force it upon him again when the day was done. She noticed Catwoman shiver out the corner of her eye, before her thoughts returned to Batman.

In the distance she heard a small pop. Almost like a firecracker or maybe a small pistol, she thought. For a moment she contemplated going to investigate, if just to get her mind on something different, but she knew he had limits as to what others were allowed to do in his city. Not to mention, that he would most likely show up if she interfered and she just wasn't ready to face him again just yet. Why was it so hard for her to..

She wasn't able to continue the thought as she heard Oracle's voice sound in her ear.

"Wonder Woman?" Diana thought she detected a hint of desperation in her voice. She turned to Catwoman, but she was gone.

"Yes Oracle, I'm here."

"Listen, Batman is down, he needs assistance at once."

Diana was already in the air when she replied.

"Where is he Oracle?"

"He's in the slums. Looks like on a building on the corner of Hudson and
Signant. Judging by the elevation is giving off, he's either on the roof, or
maybe a fire escape."

"Oracle, I'm sorry, but I don't spend as much time in Gotham as I'd like so
I'm going to need you to direct me." The frustration was apparent in Diana's
voice.

"It's alright, I can lead you by way of my monitoring screen."

As she led Diana, Barbara thought about something Diana had said.

'I don't spend as much time in Gotham as I'd like to.' She knew it was probably just her imagination, but she detected a lot more worry in Diana's voice than she would normally have for a teammate. Especially one that she supposedly didn't get along too well with. Maybe the Oracle wasn't as all knowing as she thought.

Diana flew as fast as possible, while being directed by the Oracle. Finally she saw the building that she was being led to, she flew quicker and shortened the distance. As she landed on the rooftop she could see the flashing lights of the Gotham Police in a nearby alleyway. She took in the layout of the building's roof, it consisted only of a flat surface with several air conditioning units spread haphazardly throughout it. They all sat silent this time of year, awaiting the unbearable summer months to come. She allowed Oracle to guide her to the exact location of Batman. She found him curled up behind one of the units on the east side of the building. His labored breathing cutting through the silence of the night. As she neared she noticed the dark blood that had spread from his body.
Batman had heard her touch down on the roof. Not having the energy to call her name he laid there, listening as her familiar footsteps came closer. He lay curled up as tightly as he could. He was weak. Weak from the cold. Weak from blood loss. He tried to stay focused and keep his breath even. He thought back to how he had gotten here. A stupid mistake. He had assumed that the third man was an innocent victim. He had been a victim. He just wasn't innocent.
He had been making sure that the meta was still secured when he heard the shot and felt the projectile rip through his cape and lodge itself in his unprotected shoulder. The impact of the pint blank shot spun him slightly to his right. The pain surged through him, as he struggled to stay standing. Never show a weakness. He ground his teeth together and rose to his full height seeing that the man had now stepped towards him holding his injured side. He must have realized the pain Batman was in, because he took advantage of it. He used the barrel of the small pistol to strike Batman in his injured shoulder. Batman tried once again to fight through the pain, but this time it drove him to the ground.

Taking this opportunity the injured man pocketed the pistol and ran past Batman to retrieve the forgotten briefcase from a pile of garbage. Then he was gone.

Batman could hear sirens in the distance. Getting closer too. He rose slightly and removed his grapple from his belt and fired at the ledge above him.

He felt it find purchased, then engaged the retract mechanism. He let it help him to his feet, before allowing it to pull him upwards. His shoulder was bleeding heavily now. Marking his dark costume with a crimson stain that covered most of his chest. Halfway up he began to weaken. He was racked with chills. The blood loss was making him more susceptible to the freezing temperatures. He needed help. Once at the top of the building he used his remaining strength to swung his legs up onto the ledge, then allowed the rest of his body to roll off onto the roof. He was barely conscious when he noticed Oracle calling his name. He let it draw him back to lucidity. He knew he needed help and knowing the Batclan's patrol routes, they would be no help to him. He began removing bandages from a compartment in his belt. His only hope lies in Diana. That is if she was still in the same area as when he last checked her position. He began to bandage his wound as best he could. He hadn't lost as much blood as it looked like. If he could stop the flow some of the flow, he should be okay. Normally he would have been irritated that she had hung around in his city, but now it might work to his advantage. As he tied off the bandage he began to feel light-headed, so he said her name in the hopes that Oracle would understand his meaning. Then fell into oblivion.

Diana gathered his limp form into her arms and took to the sky. She was terrified at the amount of blood he seemed to have lost.

"Oracle, I have him. He's injured, but alive. Looks like maybe a gunshot wound, could have nicked an artery from the looks of it. Where should I take him? The Watchtower?"

"I don't think he would care for that Diana. Try to get him back to the cave.
I'll notify Alfred to his condition and he should be prepared upon your arrival.
Hurry Diana."

As Barbara finished she noticed the JLA beacon on her screen already moving at superhuman speeds towards the outskirts of Gotham. She felt relieved for the first time, since she had heard the shot.
Diana raced barely above the treetops. She moved as fast as she could with the wounded Batman in her arms. He stirred in her arms about 8 miles from the cave.

"Diana?" he murmured into her shoulder.

"Shh Bruce, You must save your strength, your gonna need it later. "

"Was that a proposition, Princess?"

Diana allowed her self a small chuckle in spite of the situation. Only those who spent a great deal of time with him got to experience Bruce's sense of humor. Diana was grateful that she was one of the precious few that he allowed to see it.
She was one the few people to see past the image he built for himself and to know and love the man behind it.

"Only if you want it to be, Bruce." She replied.

She realized then that he had slipped back into unconsciousness and had never heard her reply.