Author's Note:
I'm so sorry everyone that I haven't updated this one in a little while. So I think I made this chapter a little longer than usual. I hope that you guys enjoy for I worked hard on this!
What A Change
As we make our way over to the infirmary's doors one step at a time, I concentrate on every movement like it was the most intriguing thing I'd ever seen.
Bruce was patient and slowly moved with my pace. He stayed silent as he watched me struggle.
When we reached the doors, we stopped briefly so that he could open the titanium alloy passageway so that we could pass through.
I had just enough time to look up at his face. All I could see was the guilt and stinging vengeance of pain.
I know that I will have to push my body to its limits to be in the same physical condition that I was in two years ago. I also realize that I'll never fully be a good combat fighter form here on out. I'll have to accept what I have become.
I no longer deserve the title of Champion Of The Amazons. Artemis is worthy of it far more than I am.
"Diana, let's go." There is no lingering trace of impatience in his voice.
I grip his arm tighter as I start to pick up my pace.
We walk down the infirmary wing silently, slowly striding back to the main hall of the west wing.
The silence is getting to me, there's nothing to say, or nothing I want to say. My mind needs answers, but my soul needs peace. The inner turmoil finally came to an end when my head dominated my heart.
"Batman, how mu-"
"Bruce, call me Bruce."
Being interrupted by him wasn't what made me question my words, but it was what he said.
"Bruce, how much has changed since my… departure…" I had no better word for it.
"Princess, in the span of an entire year, the Justice League has grown from the main seven, to at least thirty different members, and its still expanding."
Oh, so this must be the 'guests' that Bruce despises so much. I should have known that his stubborn nature would have made a man like him headstrong from accepting any help from outside sources that he does not fully trust.
I can feel my forehead creasing in concern for my next thought.
Does the world think Wonder Woman's dead?
If not, how did they get pass that obstacle? The obstacle of there might never be a Wonder Woman anymore.
"Does the universe think I'm dead?"
I felt him stiffen under my grasp, his arm muscles tensed beneath my frail ones.
"We can discuss the circumstance later, right now, focus on your movements. You will feel drained of any energy after this short walk to the Core."
He's avoiding the topic, but why?
I am familiar with the fact that Batman always charges head on into a challenge, any challenge, physical or mental. Seeing him avoiding a simple, yet necessary for my knowledge, subject that involves my life and potentially my future, just doesn't seem like the Dark Knight that I have come to love.
But, I come to the realization that you can't make a steel wall move.
"Tell me about Hawkgirl. How is she doing?" I smile genuinely to the steel faced man whose skin is most likely thicker than the Man Of Steel.
"She's fine. Recovered after three months of rehabilitation in the infirmary and special cares wing."
He doesn't elaborate enough, I guess I'm just not asking specific questions.
"Well…? Elaborate, how is she doing?" I give him a nudge with my elbow into his side where the Kelvar uniform plates separate slightly.
He paused to steal a glance at me before continuing with irritation clouding his voice.
"She's doing just fine. Normal, loud and pushy as always."
I give my answer a quick briefing, I was about to tell him that he does exactly that and shouldn't be saying it with such disdain towards anyone else because it almost sounds like he's accusing himself. Of course unaware of it.
I decided against it knowing that our conversation would warp into an argument that I was going to loose, it'd be inevitable.
Moving on with the conversation, "Ok, fine. How's Flash doing?"
I saw his chest stop rising for a second as he walked, I'm assuming his breath hitched.
I couldn't tell if he was holding something back from me or what. But there was something going on in his head, and I imagine the moment he gets his thoughts together to answer, I won't like what I hear.
"Listen Diana, The Flash…"
He sounded like a doctor trying to tell the patient's family that their loved one died.
I tightened my grip on his arm as I looked towards the ground to avoid his gaze.
"Flash's not the same…" His voice trailed off into a distant universe, where it ended, only he knows.
His statement continues to confuse me, what could have gone atrociously wrong that something could have changed the Flash so radically, that even the mention of him brought the all mighty Batman to his knees.
Whatever the circumstance was, it made my head shatter to see The Batman so tenuous, so frail. I've never seen him 'exposed' like this before.
As we reach the end of the infirmary wing and make our way to the Core, the Watch Tower is filled with buzzing activity like the Daily Planet. There's at least four times as many heroes than two years ago in the Watch Tower's Core alone.
As we slowly and awkwardly walk into all the commotion, one fellow Leaguer I have never seen or met before stops, stares wide-eyed, and gapes. When he stops, so does everyone else. Everything becomes motionless with the exception of Bruce and I.
"Diana!" a feminine shout came from the top level of the core. A figure with wings flies down and lands directly four feet from me, the gust of wind caused by her landing made me stumble. I had to grip Batman's arm to avoid being blown over.
As the entire Core is still at a standstill, Hawkgirl stands in front of me, trying to swallow the mere sight of my condition.
"Diana…" her gaze becomes drowned in guilt. Her pained expression made my lower lip quiver. I took two small and careful steps, without the help of Batman, to my beloved sister. I embrace her as tightly as I possibly can.
"No, don't… Don't you dare blame yourself for this. This is no one's fault." I whisper into her ear.
She was so different now. She no longer wore her Thanagarian warrior battle suit. She covered herself with a white tanktop with black tights.
I released my tight embrace and she let go too.
"Diana, we were worried that you'd never come back to us!" Near tears, she rubbed the sides of my arms. "I still can't believe you're here…"
I gave her a wary smile, she was sincerely concerned and at the point of crying.
Hawkgirl opened her mouth to speak something, but it remained unspoken for the Core ringed with J'onn's voice, "Hawkgirl, report to East Wing immediately."
She gave me a forlorn look, "Go, duty calls." My expression remains as she gave me an apologetic smile and quickly flies away.
As the entire Core returns to its regular pace, Batman slowly moves me along.
The nagging feeling tugging at my curiosity won't go away. I need to know more about my lost time.
I lean in closer to the soundless Dark Knight, "Have you spoken your 'concern' with any Leaguers yet?"
He made something like a grunt and didn't return my gaze. "This is not the place and time, Princess."
He's not going to budge, resistance isn't going to help either.
"You still haven't told me about The Flash yet." This matter, I was concerned about. I had a right to know, it's not like I didn't want to understand Bruce's position with his newfound abilities, but that was something he felt I didn't need to know. I have slowly come accustom to his self absorbed world for he doesn't share his life with anyone. Becoming close to him, to understand his pain, his longing, is my life goal. I love the Dark Knight and I'd do anything to relieve his wounds that will forever scar him.
"Are you ok to travel in the Javelin?" monotone and unchanging with expression, he looked at me through the slits in his cowl.
"I'm fine." I need to sound confident for any hesitation, the World's Greatest Detective would pick up on it.
He moved a little faster, half carrying half walking me to the flight deck.
When our destination was reached, he set me down on a near by table. I watched his flawless movements as he made his way over to the computer system.
As he worked on the screen, I noticed something different about him. Something in him changed over the past two years I've been gone. He doesn't hold himself up as high as he did before. His posture isn't confident, his voice seems broken, even his dark black costume seems a dull gray now. The stubble on his chin and sides of his face sum up my entire theory.
He's not the same man.
"Diana, let's go." His looming shape held out an arm for me to grab. I place my hand on his forearm and pull my self down from the table. Batman braced me and slowly moved me up the ramp of the Javelin.
After five minutes of painful silence, my curiosity couldn't sit still.
"Batman, I need to know, what happened to you?" demanding with a slight edge of stubbornness will hopefully move him to speak the truth.
I look over to my left, I'm sitting in the copilot seat while his two hands are on the Javelins throttle and steering systems.
He remains unmoved by my commentary, continuing to stare a head at the bright blue sky.
"Nothing." He spat it out, growling at me.
No way am I going to take a lie for an answer. I have the right to know, I have brought this adversity upon every one and I need to fix it. It is only fair for me to understand.
"Don't you dare lie to my face! After two years, nothing has changed, if anything it has gotten worse!" I feel my hands curl into fists, my long nails are digging into the flesh of my palms.
I watch his metal expression harden even more, his jaw clenches and I would bet that under his gauntlets, his knuckles are turning white.
"No, I haven't told anyone about what happened in Olympus two years ago! I don't know how to control my abilities, I smash things easily if I'm not careful, I can break necks like toothpicks and my anger boils to higher temperatures! If you're not happy with the answer I'm giving you now, you're going to have to live with it for you have no right knowing my condition!" I was taken back by his confession, I swallowed my rising anger for the surprise masked it. He truly has changed, he was not as strong as he used to be. I don't see the man I love, I see the shell of him, though deep down, somewhere behind his thick and tall wall, he is hiding.
The silence prolongs again and this time I'm in no rush to break it, I need the peace to think. When my mind settles and I start to remember his recently spoken words, I realize that I'd do anything to get the man I love back. To ring him forth from the wall he has built, I'd break it with my bare hands if I have to. I only grasp now, of the time I spent in the dark, that I love him whole heartedly, that confessing my love towards the cold and heartless Knight would leave my breathless.
It took me two years in darkness to completely and utterly understand what love for a man is, and know that I understand, I'm never letting go.
I look over towards the notorious Batman, the Caped Crusader of Gotham, the aggression that I held for him departed, it left only the sweet taste of love and acceptance.
How could I only realize now that he's my Sun and Stars.