Batman slowly crawled his way through the duct work that was taking him to his desired destination. He had to be extremely careful so that any noise made by his movement would be so minimal, that it would go unnoticed by his enemies. He was getting close now. He could just make out the sound of the Joker's laughter. That sound alone was all that it would take to bring his rage to a boiling point, almost ready to explode. Batman rounded another corner, and he could see the grate in front of him. He crawled ever so slowly to his intended destination. From there he hoped to be able to get a better view of Diana and her current condition. He was actually surprised that she hadn't woken up and escaped on her own. A Class A Meta in her own right, she should be strong enough to tear the building apart if she wanted. Shaking his head to focus on his task at hand, Batman continued crawling. The grate was so close, yet if he rushed over to it, then the element of surprise would be gone entirely. It was just fifteen feet away from him now. And from this distance, he could clearly understand what was being said below him. "Good evening Wonder Woman." Batman heard the Joker say. "I apologize for the rude introduction earlier. My name is Joker, and you've already met Electrocutioner." The Joker laughed for a moment, and then cleared his throat.

Batman used the Joker's talking and laughter to help speed up his process and finally he reached the grate. Looking through it, he could make out Electrocutioner's feet from one end, and Joker right next to Diana from another angle. She was awake and seemed to be responsive. Batman listened in as Diana spoke. "I already know who you are." Batman calculated that as soon as Wonder Woman broke free, he would enter and take care of Electrocutioner, but Diana never broke free. Batman fixated his view on the Amazon. He didn't understand. Even if she were groggy from the electrocution, she still should have been able to break away from her bonds and slap Joker into the next country. Something was amiss here that Batman didn't fully understand. The only thing he knew at the moment was that the onus seemed as though it fell entirely on his shoulders to get Wonder Woman free from her predicament. He watched for a moment as the Joker continued on. "So, my reputation precedes me. But I would have to wonder why you still came if you knew me already. That disrespect cuts me to the bone. Sort of like this!" Batman watched in horror as the Joker stabbed Diana with the knife he had been holding. Batman's hands clenched into tight fists as he heard Diana yelp before she fought to keep the pain away from her mind. He looked over at where Electrocutioner was, and then re-engaged his infrared. He needed to know where Harley was before he began his attack. That little bit of time was all that the Joker needed to inflict more damage however as he was again talking to his prisoner. "Don't worry dear; I can put a smile back on your face." Joker laughed again before continuing. "Soon in fact you'll think everything is funny!"

Batman reached into his utility belt as he knew what was coming next, but he was too late to stop it as the Joker threw a vial of Joker venom onto Diana's chest where it smashed open. Batman pulled out a marble, and tossed it down the duct towards where Electrocutioner was at. It made enough noise to get Electrocutioner's attention, and he stood from his seat and moved away from the door. By that time, Diana had gone from struggling to keep from giggling to beginning to laugh against her will. As soon as Batman spotted Harley, he pressed a button on a detonator that he was holding in one hand. An explosion occurred on the other side of the door where Electrocutioner had been next to. The blast had slammed the door into his back, knocking him to the ground.

The time was now, and Batman slammed his foot onto the grate causing it to drop to the ground. He wasted no time in following it, and landed on his feet. Two quick steps was all that it took to reach a groggy Electrocutioner. A swift kick to the face, and the assassin was down for the count. Batman turned in time to see Harley pointing a large handgun at him. He had to be quick as he dodged the first shot she fired. The gun had such a kick to it, that it nearly knocked her off of her feet. By the time she had regained her balance, Batman was directly in front of her. He unclenched a fist, and open hand smacked the psychotic female jester to the ground. His attention was turned next to the Joker, but he had vanished from sight. Batman walked over to Diana. "Everything's going to be alright Wonder Woman." He offered in encouragement as he looked over her carefully for any possible traps.

Diana tried to respond in between fits of laughter. "Just…Just…un…untie…..me."

Batman finished looking over how she was bound. Her hands were locked in iron shackles at the wrist, and they had tied her up with her own Lasso, using it to bind both her hands and feet behind her and to a pole as well as the chair she was sitting on. He worked the knots loose and thought of questioning her further about what happened, but her laughing fit was becoming more and more pronounced. Batman had an antidote, but he had to be sure that Joker didn't alter the blend of chemicals in this batch of Joker venom. It was a potent mixture, and Joker had discovered ways to slightly alter it through the years where the wrong antidote could do exactly the opposite and make death come that much quicker to the victim. Batman recalled seeing the vial break open while hitting Diana's chest. He pulled out an evidence kit, selecting a swab, and rubbed it against her chest for the venom residue. Batman then inserted the swab into his scanner while he pulled out a mild sedative. Diana attempted to stand from her seated position, but Batman laid his hand on her shoulder to keep her seated. "Physical activity will just make it worse. I'm going to give you a sedative while the scanner validates this strain of Joker venom." Batman explained to Diana. "I'm taking you with me so that I can have everything I need if it's necessary to alter the antidote. With Joker, we can't just give it to you. He's been known to alter the strain."

Diana nodded her head in understanding as Batman injected the sedative into her neck. It was enough to knock a normal human out for quite a few hours. It seemed to only relax Diana at first, but slowly she began to show the signs that the drug was taking effect. While she was falling under the effects of the sedative, Batman removed Electrocutioner's gloves, and tied him up along with Harley. He was going to take the gloves with him to diagnose later. He then used his radio to contact Gordon, and inform him of where to find the restrained villains. He then went over and picked up a nearly unconscious Wonder Woman. Once again signaling for the Batwing to come over for pickup, and he waited only long enough for when the police sirens could be heard before he made his way up to the waiting aircraft hovering above him. He settled Diana into the passenger seat, and headed off towards the Batcave. While en route, he made an encrypted call to Alfred, informing him that he was bringing a guest to the cave and that Alfred was not to come down for any reason tonight unless Batman signaled otherwise. When that was done, Batman continued on his path towards the cave.

Within fifteen minutes, Batman had set the Batwing down and exited, carrying Wonder Woman over his shoulder. She was still unconscious, and laughing softly in her slumber. Batman carried her up to a medical table and laid her down gently. He reached into his belt and removed the scanner. It was just completing the diagnostic, and sure enough, Joker had altered the strain of the venom once again. Fortunately, with all of the chemistry equipment at his disposal in the cave, it made it an easy alteration. While he was preparing the new version of the cure, he noticed Diana beginning to stir. Not even thirty minutes and her metabolism was already working through the sedative. Another piece to the puzzle, Batman dryly thought to himself. Diana began laughing loudly once again as she sat up to see Batman off to her side, focusing on something in front of him. She swung her legs over the edge of the table, and stood up before Batman turned to face her completely. In a gentle tone of voice, one she'd never heard from him before, he made a request to her. "Sit, please."

Batman grabbed the vial of the antidote and injected the chemical into Diana's neck. It took about twenty seconds before the laughter began to subside. Batman watched closely as another minute passed, and Diana was then down to a small giggle. Within five minutes the symptoms had subsided completely. Her cheeks were hurting from the constant smile that was stuck on her face. It aggravated her that Joker had gotten the better of her, and now she was finally able to show that aggravation with her facial features. Batman offered his hand to her, and held on as she stood from the table. Once she gained her bearings, she pulled her hand free gently. "Thank you." She said in a somber tone.

"What happened back there?" Batman asked. "I thought you would have broken the clown in half once you were conscious."

"Normally I would have, but it appears that Joker got lucky and stumbled onto one of my weaknesses. Hephaestus created the lasso with the ability to rob me of my powers if I am bounded by it. I'm no stronger than a normal human when that occurs." Diana explained. She hated having any weaknesses known to anyone, and especially by this man in front of her. "Where are we?" She asked as she looked around at all the equipment.

We're at my home, the Batcave." He answered. "I had to bring you here. It was the only way to synthesize the antidote that you needed."

"It seems to have taken care of the effects I was experiencing." Diana responded as she rubbed the back of her neck. She was still taking in her surroundings. "This cave is amazing. Where did you get all this equipment? It looks like there is more here than we have aboard the Watchtower."

"I designed most of it." Batman answered as he watched Diana looked around at all the items stored within the cave. As she started to walk away, he noticed the knife wound from the Joker still bleeding. "Let me take a look at your shoulder." Batman suggested.

Diana went back over to the medical table and hopped back onto it. Batman pulled out some medical supplies, and he began cleaning the knife wound. She couldn't help but notice how gentle he was being with this wound as he treated it. She was confused by this sudden change, and couldn't understand why this man, so cold and arrogant normally, was suddenly being so warm and caring. She thought about telling him that the knife wound would be fully healed by morning, not even leaving a scar, but she was almost mesmerized by what she was witnessing before her. No one in the League would believe her if she told them how Batman was acting at this moment. When he finished dressing her wound, she moved her arm around , testing for any limitations and finding none. She climbed back off the table and watched as he sealed the used medical supplies in a bag and placed the used items back into the kit before putting it away. "Thank you." She said again.

Diana then noticed the glass cases at the other side of the cave containing older versions of his suit as well as the Robin and Batgirl suits. Batman watched as she moved around the cave, and was preparing for more questions, but she seemed content to just look around. He decided after a few moments that she had seen enough, and wanted to get back on topic. "You shouldn't have taken off like you did tonight." Batman stated. "What were you thinking going in after the Joker like that?"

"I was attempting to apprehend him." Diana responded defiantly. This was the Batman she had expected earlier. He was back to being cold and calculating. She actually wished that he would go back to the demeanor he was in just a couple of minutes ago. She liked that version of him much better.

Based on her response, Batman figured that she was back to normal again. "Next time you are in my city, you need to follow my lead."

"An Amazon follow a mere mortal man?" Diana asked rhetorically. "That will be the day."

"I told you before that you don't understand how this city works." Batman fired back. "You think that just because you are a Meta that you can just waltz in and take control. Not in Gotham. It's too dark and corrupted for someone like you to comprehend." Diana glared and attempted to respond, but Batman didn't let her. He had things to say, and she was going to hear them. "Joker kills for no reason, and being a Meta has never stopped him before. You're lucky that I got there in time. Who knows what he could have done to you. Especially when he was able to exploit a weakness and remove your powers."

"You lower yourself to the depths of this city, and provide your own form of justice." She fired right back. "It's no wonder there are lunatics like the Joker in this city when its own hero applies such violent standards. Perhaps if you stood above that, and held true to the standards that other heroes do, then you would have already pulled this city from the dire status that you say it is currently in."

Batman clenched his fists in anger. This woman was driving him mad. She just didn't get his city. "If I did that, then I would end up like the last person that did!" After Batman yelled that, he lowered his head slightly as his response made him think of his fallen friend. One of the true bright spots that had come out of Gotham, only to be tossed back into the abyss and returning a scarred shell of the man with a schizophrenic new personality tied to him, making decisions now impossible without the use of a coin.

Diana saw that she had struck a raw nerve. "And just who would this person be?" She pressed on.

Batman took a deep breath. "He's now known as Two-Face, but before….he was Harvey, Harvey Dent." Batman had a somber tone. "He was the best of us, and we lost him to the evil that exists in this city."

Diana locked those names away in her mind to research further. This man had obviously had a large effect on Batman. "How can a city be so bad, that it takes a good man, and destroys him?" She asked, now in a calmer and more inquisitive voice.

"Because I failed him when he needed me most." Batman stated as he walked passed Diana, and headed towards the Batwing. "You should get back to the Watchtower. I still have to patrol and find the Joker."

Diana thought about arguing that he needed her help, but she knew that what had happened tonight would be the only argument that Batman needed to bring up. She wanted to do more research on Batman's rogues anyways, so she acquiesced and followed him. When they were both seated inside the Batwing, Batman held up a blindfold for Diana to wear. She gave a questioning glare in his direction, but she then decided that perhaps allowing this would cause Batman to gain a level of trust with her.

The flight back up to the Watchtower was filled with silence. Batman removed the blindfold after about fifteen minutes. Then he went back to thinking about some of the things he had discovered about Wonder Woman. She did have a weakness that could be utilized if the need ever arose, and he now had her DNA back at the cave. But he found that he wanted to find out more. When they arrived, both made their way to the commissary. Batman went straight for the coffee, and Diana went for hot tea and an apple. She turned and saw Batman exiting. She decided that she wanted to end their first day together on a positive note. It would make the remaining ones easier to tolerate. "Batman!" She called to him. He stopped and looked over at her. "I just wanted to say thank you again. For figuring out the antidote and caring for my wound."

"Anytime Princess." Batman responded. "Sleep well, and I'll see you tomorrow."

Diana returned to her quarters just as she had finished the apple. She tossed the core into the trash bin and sat down at the desk next to her bed. She powered on the computer while she sipped on her tea. When the PC was booted and connected to the intranet, Diana pulled up all the information she could find on Harvey Dent and then on Two-Face. Sure enough she found that Batman had tried to save Harvey, but an explosion left half of his body burned up, leaving him deformed and bringing about schizophrenic personalities. The more she dug the more good deeds she had seen this man had done in the name of justice as Gotham's top DA. There were even some reports, albeit unsubstantiated, that had linked Dent to having worked with Batman. These were few and far between. There was so little information about Batman to begin with other than his existence. But these reports had to have some truth to them, especially based off of Batman's words about Dent. She knew now that he had worked with the man, and assumed that he was there when the explosion occurred. This was just one instance though where someone bright and standing for justice in a way that the League does had taken place. One incident didn't explain fully enough for why Batman felt the need to go to such extremes to bring down the criminal element.

Diana had a needing desire to figure out more about what made Batman who he was. She delved into all of his villains, and was surprised at the number of those that would be considered the worst mankind had to offer. Others were amazingly powerful such as Mr. Freeze. In the end of her research though, there just wasn't anything truly substantial about the Batman to be found. The only real picture of him was when the heroes now in the Justice League had gathered together behind the President of the United States. She was extremely curious to find out more about this man that had become one of her teammates. Perhaps she could gain more information out of him by using a tried and true Amazon method. Training together would cause her sisters to find out more about each other than at any other time. They would bond together naturally and doors would ultimately open showing more information than one could ever learn by attempting to work through awkward conversations. Perhaps she could coax Batman into sparring with her. Diana decided that would be her next approach when Batman came back up to get her to go through the various tests that had to be put off because of the Joker. With her decision made on her next course of action, she shut down her PC and slid underneath the sheets of her ever inviting bed, ready to fall into a peaceful slumber before the next day began.

Back in Gotham City, Batman was perched on top of a church overlooking his city. Joker had hidden himself away for the moment, and while that did anger him, the night was not a total loss. Harley, Electrocutioner, and some various thugs were behind bars yet again. As the night slowly wound down and his patrol was nearing its end, Batman began reflecting on the moments with Wonder Woman from earlier that night. He definitely had found out some useful information, but there was still so much more that he needed to learn. He found that he was somewhat concerned as there was a desire inside him where he actually wanted to learn about her for himself rather than just for his contingency plans. He wasn't sure where this desire to learn about that woman had come from, but he most definitely found her to be an intriguing individual. He was also curious about how she might approach being in other settings than battle. If he were to find this out, that would also help him in discovering more about her culture. She was unique in that with the rest of the other League members, he was either intimate already with how they interacted in different settings, or their planets were simply not available to be reached. They were unattainable either simply by distance, or that his allies were actually the last of their kind.

The sound of thunder through the night skies brought Batman's thoughts back to the present. He looked up into the sky and could almost smell the increase in air moisture. It was going to be a stormy rest of the night. Looking at the clock tower, he saw that it was now 3:40AM, and decided that patrol could end as he again hit the button on his belt, calling the Batwing to his location for pickup. Soon he was flying off towards the safe haven of the Batcave again. He would add all the information to his logs, and formulate a plan on how to locate the Joker before turning in for the evening. He had to focus early tomorrow on the lawsuit against Wayne Enterprises. Then he could return his focus on the tests that Wonder Woman was supposed to go through earlier before Gotham called. With an exhausted sigh, he pulled the Batwing into the cave and landed. Sure enough, Alfred was there waiting on him as he exited. "Good morning sir." Alfred started. "I trust the remainder of the evening was somewhat, uneventful."

"No signs of the Joker when I went back into the city Alfred." Bruce responded as his unclasped his cowl and removed it before handing it to the older man while he walked over to his computer. "I've got some theories on how to find him, hopefully before he causes anymore damage."

"Very good, Master Bruce." Alfred responded. "But might I suggest you get some rest. You have the legal matters at Wayne Enterprises to attend to as well as the Charity Gala in downtown Gotham in the evening."

Bruce's shoulders dropped and he groaned as he really didn't want to go through with the gala. He sighed dejectedly. "Who will Bruce Wayne be escorting to the event?" He asked.

"Actually Miss Barbara requested to attend with you." Alfred answered. "She wishes to attend and not have to be tied down to what the Commissioner is being requested to adhere to as the host speaker. Also sir, there was an invitation sent out for the members of the Justice League to attend. It appears the fame from last year still seems to affect the masses. I naturally assume that the Batman will not be sending in an RSVP?"

Bruce sat in his computer chair and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees while pinching his nose by his eyes between his forefinger and thumb. This was going to give him a migraine. Then a sudden thought occurred to him. This would be a prime opportunity for him if things were planned precisely that would further strengthen any need for an alibi in the future. He could potentially further separate himself as Bruce Wayne vs. as the Batman. He would have to put this together in more details to be sure of its success. Barbara would be able to help with this. He would need her to help him in convincing Dick, but that shouldn't be too entirely difficult a task. If Dick helped with helping conceal Bruce's secret identity, it would in turn only help himself out as well with his own.

~~ Warehouse on the outskirts of Gotham ~~

A large figure entered the warehouse. He was being cautious as it was entirely possible that this could be an ambush. He'd had no information on the man that had paid to meet him, but the check had cleared, and he would at the very least seek out this scheduled meeting. After all, any perceived ambush would result in nothing occurring any differently from any other time he had been hunted before. With his enemies broken and beaten severely. Suddenly a spotlight was turned on, pointing directly at the man. He used his arm to try and help protect his eyes from the blinding light. "Who is there?" The large man asked.

"I paid to meet you, as I have a rather unique request that I've come to realize would require an assassin with your equally unique skills." A voice answered. "If you are interested, I will double the fee that I paid just to meet you in two payments. The first will serve as a down payment, and the second you shall receive after the task I've asked of you has been completed."

"I only work for those that I know have as much to lose as I." The large man returned. "I will not accept unless I have my employer's name."

"Very well." The voice answered just before the spotlight was shut off and the building's lights were turned on. The change in lighting revealed to the large man a virtual small army of men around him with a singular man walking through the masses before stopping just in front of him. "My name is Ra's al Ghul."