Epilogue

Themyscira was sunny as usual. It wasn't hot of course, just like it never was cold either. Then again, even if it was, extreme temperatures were unlikely to bother the island's divine inhabitants.

Yes, this was Paradise Island, and it was perfect. The weather was perfect, the people were perfect, and every day was perfect…and pretty much the same like every other day. Diana had of course missed her homeland, and she was happy to be back, but she was also beginning to remember why she had really left in the first place. The truth was that…Princess Diana was terribly bored.

It had taken a while, but she had once again seen everything there was to be seen, and pretty much done everything there was to be done. So, in the past few days she had taken to once again roaming the island in search of something to keep her busy, which brings us to her current occupation.

Diana, clad in a white tunic, was sitting on a flight of marble steps, overlooking the training grounds where some of the younger Amazons would spar in the mornings. Her job was to offer guidance, and indeed, she did manage to give a few tips, but these days her mind tended to wander off more often than she would have liked. Besides, distractions were everywhere…

In this case, one of the girls had taken off her helmet to reveal a rich mane of bright auburn hair, and the Princess could not deny her heartbeat had instantly quickened. The association was after all unmistakable.

Diana let herself stare for a minute and appraise the girl. Perhaps she would call her to her quarters later, and there was no girl that would say no to her on this island…not even for a while…

On second thought this was a bad idea. She was clearly just too bored and looking for a way to pass the time. More to the point, this would never work. This pious, modest, cool looking girl would never be anything like the woman who had walked into those changing rooms three years ago, frustrated and itching for a fight, her aching body glistening with sweat and her dump, messy hair sticking to her skin.

Even now the princess could not stop her lips from curving into a smile as she shut her eyes in recollection and her senses filled with memories from her days of exile. Memories of smooth thighs straddling her waist and plains of muscle tensing under her touch. Memories of sweet, feminine musk, and the taste of salty sweat… salty, like the seas of Themyscira.

Diana would have been content to spend the rest of her day lost in similar fantasies, but she could no longer ignore the person standing right over her head.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping your fellow sisters improve Diana?"

Diana didn't even have to open her eyes. "They are doing fine mother. I am just giving them some time to try things out on their own."

"That doesn't mean they don't need supervising. That redhead back there is definitely slacking Wonder."

The least Diana could do was open her eyes. Half sitting and half standing, the Amazon princess stayed frozen as she stared through unbelieving eyes at the woman next to the queen. In a way she had wanted to never lay eyes on the outlander ever again, but something inside her had burned a little too fervently, and before she knew it she was looking once again upon Shayera Hol of Thanagar.

She looked well. There was no denying it. Her smile was honest, although typically bordering on being cocky and her bright eyes gave away a sense of energy, mischief, and restored confidence. Diana shot her a wearied look – had she been mortal she wouldn't be looking half as well herself – but either than that she said nothing. All of a sudden she found that her mind had gone blank.

Thankfully, the queen of Themyscira knew how to handle her daughter. Without as much as a knowing glance or a hint of amusement in her voice, she soon had both women back on the nearest paved road.

"I can take over Diana. Why don't you take a walk with your friend?" she suggested calmly. "I am sure you have a lot to catch up on." And with one last encouraging, but gentle shove, Diana found herself following the road downhill, away from all buildings, and towards the sea, Shayera always at her side.

It was not a long way to the nearest shore, but it sure felt like it. The Princess would not even look at the other woman, let alone talk to her, but Shayera didn't seem to object. Before either of them knew it, they were setting foot on the golden sand of a long, crescent shaped beach. It was a quiet, peaceful place, and as Diana approached the clear water, and the soft breeze sprayed her skin with the foam of crashing waves she felt better. She crossed her arms and took a deep breath.

"What brings you here Shayera?" she asked softly as she finally turned to regard her former lover.

Shayera herself glanced at her briefly before fixing her gaze on the horizon. "I've come to ask you to return to man's world…at least for one day…"

Diana considered the girl's tone and decided she wasn't going to like what came next. "What's so special about that one day Shayera?" she inquired coldly.

"I am getting married Diana."

Diana had been right. She didn't like what came next. "I see…" She muttered. "Is it Carter, or John, or…someone new?"

"It's John."

Diana nodded without looking. There was probably quite a story behind this wedding but she honestly didn't care enough to hear it. "And you thought I should be there to do what? Hand you over to the groom?"

"It…it is a special day…" The girl fidgeted with the fabric of her tank top nervously. "I want you to be there…"

"No." Diana shook her head as Shayera searched for the right words. "No Shayera. You just can't have everything". All was quiet for a while, and nothing could be heard but the repetitive, soothing sound of breaking waves, interrupted now and then by the squeak of a seagull, or the distant clamour of clashing metal.

"I guess I never really explained myself, did I?" the Thanagarian sounded weary and apologetic, and yet, it took every little bit of willpower Diana had left to remain civilized.

"No you didn't," she replied calmly through gritted teeth.

"You know…until recently I couldn't even explain things to myself," Shayera laughed nervously. "At first, I thought I broke things off between us, because I wanted to have children…but then I figured this isn't a problem for your kind. You don't have a father…so…we could…" emerald eyes looked at the Amazon searchingly.

"Yes. We could have children," said Diana flatly, "Not sons mind you, but daughters…technically we could have as many daughters as you want…"

"I figured as much…" Shayera sighed. "Then, I thought the problem was my son…Rex. I just know too much about him. I can't wait to meet him. Sometimes it feels as if I've ruined lifetime after lifetime to have him…" she trailed off smiling bitterly.

"I never asked you not to have him Shayera."

"I know…"

"So…the question remains. Why do you feel we can't give it a try? I keep thinking that you just can't love me like you love John…because I am a woman."

"No." exclaimed the younger woman. "Diana, it is exactly because you are a woman that I can love you in so many different ways. I love John, but I will never love him like this."

Diana immediately turned and grabbed her by the shoulders. Diana had never heard Shayera express her feelings in that way, especially not when it came to her. She could do little more than stare at her through eyes hard with repressed pain. "Then what is it Shayera?" she cried, "What in Hera's name is the problem?"

Shayera lowered her eyes but reached up to tenderly caress her cheek. "The problem is what we have ignored for too long Diana. I don't know if you've noticed, but…I am mortal."

The Princess blinked a couple of times in confusion, almost looking relieved for a minute. "We could change that Shayera."

"No we couldn't Wonder, at least not successfully," she begun, "For starters we don't even know how your family feels about me. Having me over for a day is one thing, but I doubt your mother would be thrilled at the idea of having a sleazy, traitorous mortal exchanging body fluids with her daughter on a daily basis. Especially not in her own home, and definitely not forever."

Diana could no longer contain her smile. "I guess you are a bit sleazy at times…", she commented, "In any case, you are a warrior, and that is something the women of this island understand and respect…and besides, for some reason I can't even begin to imagine, my mother seems to be fond of you."

"Must be the charming smile or the killer six-pack," grinned Shayera.

"Don't flatter yourself. At this point she would probably let me date a jellyfish if it meant I would stay home for good," Diana returned the smirk.

"A jellyfish? I bet I am at least a little better than a jellyfish Diana," she teased.

"A little?" the Princess run her fingers from Shayera's lips down to the smooth skin right above her full breasts appraisingly, "I'd say more than a little Shayera…". As they locked gazes for several long moments Diana felt that familiar, reassuring warmth settle in her chest again. She had missed the other woman more than she'd cared to admit. Then, Shayera spoke the unspeakable.

"You would stop loving me Diana," the statement was outrageous but the Princess held her tongue. It was obvious that Shayera had to explain her words. "For the past year," she continued, "I've been driving myself insane, considering every possibility, looking at our situation from every possible angle, and eventually I reached one inevitable conclusion: you love me because I am mortal. Take that away, place me in the peaceful safety of this Paradise Island, and 50…100…200 years from now, with my pain and fear gone, and my troubles long forgotten, I will be no different from any Amazon on this island. "

"Is that so bad?" asked the Amazon Princess through dry lips. Somewhere in the back of her head she could read the meaning behind these lines even though she was clearly not ready to face it.

"No Diana, it isn't bad at all," replied Shayera, "but we both know it is not what you want. If another Amazon was enough for you, Themyscira would have kept her hold on you, and you would have never left for man's world in search of something different…regardless of whether that is a man…or my bed…"

"So you are saying…" Diana could already feel the sting of tears gathering behind her eyelids. There was nothing she could do about it.

"I am saying you would tire of me Diana," she finished, "I would bore you and you would once again leave to seek something different, sooner or later. By turning me immortal you would be killing everything you love about me. You would be killing everything that I am…it is all rather ironic really…"

And there it was. Shayera, her brave Shayera, had been able to utter what she herself had not even dared think. Before she knew it she was on her knees. Warm tears were shamefully trickling down her cheeks, and the scorching sand grains were digging against her bare knees, but none of it mattered, for within seconds Shayera was also down and holding her like she d' never been held before. She softly kissed her hair and gently brushed every fresh tear away, until the worst was over and the Princess, resigned to their fate, hid her face among soft, auburn locks.

"What do we do now?" she finally murmured against the other woman's neck when her breath had returned.

"The only thing we can. We go our separate ways…but that doesn't mean we can't see each other…now and then…" she added peacefully. "It just means that when the time comes, I'll put my mace aside and finally be reunited with my long dead kind in peace…wherever they may be…and as for you my love, before you get any ideas, the world will always need a Wonder Woman to save it."

Diana knew there was nothing more to be said on the subject, so she just pulled away slowly to look at her former lover once again. She took in every little detail of her face as if trying to memorise it, and when their eyes met neither could help leaning in for one last kiss.

"I might not make it to your wedding," said the Princess as they were getting up. "It is too soon for that, but…I should be there before your son is born." Shayera remained silent but squeezed her hand lightly in gratitude. "Will you be staying for the night?"

"If I stay for the night, I might not make it to my wedding either Wonder!" laughed the redhead playfully. "But I will hold you to your word…I'll be waiting for you."

They held hands a while longer and walked along the beach in silence until they reached the path that led back to civilization.

"You go ahead Shayera," sighed Diana, "I am not ready to answer my mother's questions yet."

Shayera nodded and finally let go of her hand. She begun ascending the path and Diana was thinking she wouldn't see her again for some time when she heard a cry.

"Hey Wonder!" she shouted, "Don't forget…I don't even like you!"

Diana smiled with pure joy. "Well, I don't like you either!" she replied. They shared one last smile and then the winged girl was gone.

It was still a bright day in Themyscira. Feeling the sun's rays on her skin she let her tunic slide off her body, and soon, she was standing completely naked by the cool water. Everything seemed a little brighter as she swam under the clear blue sky, and when a few drops of water passed through her lips, she closed her eyes and smiled. The seas of Themyscira were salty…salty, like her sweat.

The End

Author's Note: Well, here it is. Longer than I expected but I felt I had to explain my view. However, the requests for a happy ending made me think of something. A happier oneshot sequel coming up soon!