So very sorry for the long delay. Real life got real busy and limited my writing time, but things should be settling down now so I can hopefully update more frequently again.
Special thanks to the amazing Dinasis for allowing me to drag him into my confused twisted brain as I tried to sort out what exactly I wanted to do with this update. His insights and thoughts were most helpful! :)
Chapter 21
The soothing rhythm of the waves gently lapping at the shore was the most welcomed greeting in the world at that moment. The feel of the tropical breeze combined with the sand beneath his boots told him where Hades had sent them to.
"It's alright," Bruce murmured as he held her against him. "You're home now, Princess."
Diana tightened her hold on him as she drew a shaky breath, refusing to release him despite the fact that they were no longer in the Underworld. She didn't care where she was at that moment as long as Bruce was with her.
Bruce continued to hold her, relieved that Hades had restored her life to her and therefore to him. His worst nightmares had been realized over the last several days, an impossible decision that he'd been coerced into making still weighing heavily on his shoulders as well as his mind. He knew it was something that would stay with him for the rest of his life.
Right now, though, his greatest concern was Diana and making sure that she was alright.
His heart stuttered as he released his hold on her, afraid that she'd just vanish if he let go of her. He knew he was being irrational, but after what they had just gone through he couldn't relax or trust anything just yet. It would take some time for life to get back to normal again…or at least as normal as life ever got for them.
His hands came to rest on her jaw as he studied her face, instinct and years of training taking over in the wake of the traumatic experience that he'd just survived. It was difficult to see her so bruised and battered, tears still trailing down her cheeks. Cobalt blue eyes that were once so bright and vibrant and full of life were dull and listless, revealing the broken spirit that existed inside of her now.
He couldn't help but wonder what horrifying trials she'd been forced to battle through, the unimaginable nightmares that she'd had to bear witness to. If they were anything like his had been…he shuddered to even think about it.
"I thought I'd lost you for good this time," he softly confessed.
It startled her to see him openly reflecting his fear to her however fleeting it was. She saw it flash through his piercing blue eyes only to be hidden from her once more, the tight set of his jaw telling her how he was struggling to hold himself together in that moment. It unnerved her to see him like this. She could tell that he had suffered greatly and it had all been because of her.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that just because of me."
"I'd do it again in a heartbeat, Diana."
She sighed as a well of fresh tears filled her eyes again. "Bruce—" she began as she slowly shook her head.
"In a heartbeat, Princess," he interrupted, silencing her. "All of it."
She swallowed hard as she stared intently at the insignia on his uniform, the palms of her hands resting against his chest as she struggled to rein in the emotions storming inside of her. Everything felt so out of control…she felt so out of control. She loathed that feeling.
"I'd go through it all again for you too," she whispered. "I love you, Bruce."
"I love you, too," he simply said. "This hasn't changed that."
The corners of her lips curled slightly into a rueful smile, her eyes full of sadness instead of the sparkle that usually filled them whenever he expressed his love for her. "I guess there's no question now about how much we truly love each other."
Bruce leaned in and gently kissed her on the forehead in the one spot that wasn't bruised or cut. He wasn't ready to talk about any of this, not even with her. He didn't know if he'd ever be ready to talk about what had happened to him, how he had chosen Diana over his parents.
"Let's get you inside so I can take a look at your injuries," he suggested. Seeing her injured like reminded him of what the Joker had done to her in his nightmare. "Besides, I'm sure your mother is frantic with worry and I need to contact Alfred."
"Not yet," she tentatively said, feeling awkward. "Just a few more minutes...please."
Bruce nodded in response, hesitantly pulling her into his arms once more. He knew his movements were stiff, his embrace anything but comforting, but he was having a difficult time accepting all of this. It felt like an eternity since he'd last seen her or touched her and now that he had her back, he found he wanted to run away.
It was what he had always done when confronted with pain and emotions that he didn't want to deal with. He wanted to hide in the darkness where he felt safe, where no one could hurt him ever again. It was what he had done his whole life since losing his parents.
That was until Diana entered his life and now he found those old instincts threatening to take over, telling him to run again. Run from her, run from the pain and guilt inside, run from the images that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
He forced himself to relax as he buried his face in her hair, drawing a deep breath and releasing it slowly. It only served to remind him of his badly broken ribs. He was going to have to have them examined as well, but right now she was what mattered most.
He knew that their relationship would never be the same again. Yes, they had discovered an even deeper love for one another than they had before, but he feared they would carry the scars of their trials for the rest of their lives. Time could only heal so much. He'd learned that as an eight year old boy.
"Diana!"
Wonder Woman lifted her head at the sound of Donna's voice, disappointment rising within her. While more than relieved to be back, she couldn't deny the lingering fear of losing Bruce. She was far from ready to let go of him just yet.
She reluctantly pulled away from his embrace, reaching for his hand and holding it protectively. She was going to have to settle for this connection with him for the time being. She just wanted to be skin against skin with him, holding each other and not knowing where he ended and she began. It wasn't a sexual connection that she needed or wanted with him right now. What she needed went even deeper than that, something that she didn't quite understand or could put a name to.
Bruce sensed her apprehension with the way she was holding his hand, her need to touch him to make sure this was real. He shared that same fear, afraid that if he blinked or turned away from her for even a second she'd be gone and he'd never find her again.
It caused his throat to tighten as he watched Dick and Donna running towards them with Hippolyta following close behind. He had feared never seeing not only Diana again but also his sons…Alfred. They meant more to him than they could possibly begin to understand.
"How did you manage to escape?" Donna asked as she approached, immediately pulling Diana into a hug.
Diana winced with the fierce embrace, refusing to release Bruce's hand as she returned her sister's hold on her. "We passed Hades' tests and he released us."
Donna frowned with her sister's explanation as she pulled back to study her. "You make it sound like it was a walk in the park, but you both look like hell."
"Bruce, you managed to go up against Hades and lived to talk about it," Dick stated with amazement as he clapped him firmly on the back. "I bet you made Hades think twice about ever interfering again."
"We'll see," Bruce's clipped response came with a frown, trying to ignore the pain that shot through his shoulder.
"Tell us all about it and don't leave anything out," Dick begged him, excitement shining in his eyes now that they were both back safe and sound.
"Maybe later," Bruce said. "Right now, I need to get Diana's injuries taken care of."
"You don't look so great yourself," Dick commented.
"My little sun and stars!" Hippolyta cried as she ran towards Diana, wrapping her up in a motherly embrace. "Praise be to Hera you both made it out of there alive."
Bruce was stunned when Hippolyta suddenly reached over to place a hand on his forearm, squeezing it affectionately. She had been reluctantly acceptant about their relationship, grudgingly approving of it only because she loved Diana. She knew her stubborn daughter wouldn't change her mind about marrying him. To have her show him such open affection touched him in an unexpected way.
It wasn't that he needed or even wanted her approval for himself, but he knew that it meant a lot to his princess. Knowing that he and Hippolyta could find common ground out of their love for Diana gave him a measure of peace.
"Come inside," Hippolyta said as she finally released her daughter. "You two look as though you are in desperate need of some food and rest."
"I need to contact Alfred," Bruce stiffly announced, wanting to get away for a few moments of solitude. "He's probably worn a track in my carpet with his worried pacing."
"You can use the Batwing," Dick suggested, tilting his head to the right. "It's over there up the beach a little ways."
Panic instantly lanced through Diana as Bruce released her hand and turned to walk away from her. "I'll go with you," she quickly offered, moving to follow him as she reached for his hand.
"It won't take long," he insisted, his voice composed and all business. "Besides, I need to grab the first aid kit. Go on inside and get something to eat. I'll be right there."
Diana felt fear welling up inside of her and crawling up her throat, threatening to strangle her as he quickly walked away. Her heart began to race as he left her standing there, her chest tightening. This had to be real; Bruce had to come back to her. Any other option was unacceptable.
"I'm going inside to alert the staff to make preparations for you," Hippolyta said as she turned and headed back to the palace.
Dick and Donna both noticed the fear in Diana's eyes as she stared at Bruce's retreating form as he made his way up the shore to the waiting Batwing. "Diana, he'll be right back," Donna gently reassured her, taking her hand. "Come with us. You'll feel better once you've had a chance to get cleaned up and eat something."
"Yah, Di," Dick agreed, keeping his tone light. "Bruce will back. He just wants to check in with Alfred. You know how he is about Gotham."
Diana slowly nodded her head, allowing Donna to lead her away from the beach. It was the very beach where she and her mother had been riding horseback that fateful day, the spot where she had made the decision that would change her life forever—to go help mankind as Wonder Woman.
Now, it was also the spot where she and Bruce would start life together anew, reborn from the fiery trials of the Underworld to finally be joined in marriage. Nothing could get in their way or keep them from being with each other ever again.
XXX
Bruce ran his hand over his face before raking his fingers back through his black hair. He could feel a small measure of the anxiety that had gripped him begin to lessen the further away from everyone that he got. It wasn't that he didn't want to be with Diana. He wanted to hold her and never let her go, but he wasn't ready to confront what had just happened to him…what had happened to her.
Diana had died. He had held her lifeless body in his arms. The thought of it, the images that accompanied it made him nauseous. That was not something that he was going to be able to get past very easily and especially not after the way that the Joker had tortured and raped her in the nightmare that Melinoë had so kindly subjected him to.
He pushed aside the thoughts and emotions that plagued him, forcing them back and locking them away deep inside. He didn't want to think or feel anymore right now. He needed to focus on Gotham and making sure Diana was taken care of.
Reaching the Batwing, he climbed inside, sinking into the seat with a weary sigh, his body groaning in protest to the movement. He leaned forward, holding his head in his hands for a few moments, trying to gather himself before contacting home.
He knew that Alfred and Tim would be full of endless questions, wanting answers that he was not ready to give them or even had. He hoped that just knowing that he and Diana were safe and on Themyscira now would help alleviate their worry for the time being.
There was also the wedding they were going to have to deal with. There was no way they could possibly go ahead with their wedding planned for tomorrow, especially with their injuries. Thankfully, Diana's bruises would be gone in a couple of days, but they were going to need more time to recover. Postponing it was the only option right now.
He hated to do that to Diana especially now, but he wanted their wedding day to be something special that they would never forget, not tainted by Hades' recent intrusion into their lives. If they went ahead with it now, their wedding would be a constant reminder of what had happened to them, the injuries and bruises received in the Underworld immortalized in their wedding pictures. He wouldn't allow it. Diana deserved better.
Leaning back, he opened up a connection to the Batcave. It was around six o'clock in the morning in Themyscira which meant that Tim should be heading out on patrol in Gotham any time now. He was anxious to find out how things had gone in his absence.
The screen flickered on to reveal Alfred sitting in his usual chair at the computer. "Master Bruce," Alfred cried in shock mingled with relief at seeing the younger man's face on the screen. It was somewhat unusual to hear such surprise from the usually unflappable British butler. "It is truly a relief to see you alive. I trust Miss Diana is safe as well?"
"Injured, but safe," he evenly stated. He hadn't realized how much he had truly missed Alfred until that very moment as he stared at the elder man on the screen. "We'll need a couple of days here on Themyscira to recover, but should be home soon. How are things in Gotham?"
"Is that Bruce?"
The sound of Tim's voice caused the corner of Bruce's mouth to twitch in amusement. It didn't take but seconds before the teenager's face pushed in beside Alfred's, a huge grin on his face. He was already in his uniform, but his mask was off.
"Bruce!" Tim exclaimed excitedly. "I was so worried you were never coming back. Are you coming home soon? Where's Diana? Is she coming home too? What happened to you down there?"
"Master Timothy, do allow Master Bruce to answer one question at a time without bombarding the poor man with endless chatter," Alfred gently scolded him.
Bruce chuckled softly despite himself, his amusement turning into a pained groan as a hand moved to press against his side. "We both sustained some injuries, but we'll survive and hope to be home in a couple of days. I want to make sure Diana gets the time she needs to recover."
"I understand, Master Bruce," Alfred replied with a nod, his eyes shining with obvious affection. "Take as much time as you both need, sir. Master Timothy has been doing an excellent job of keeping an eye on Gotham."
"Yah, Bruce," Tim eagerly chimed in. "Things have actually been super quiet since you've been gone. The breakout at Arkham seemed to scare everyone into hiding. Everyone's been too afraid to do anything for fear of being caught along with the escapees."
"Who is still on the loose?"
"Luthor, Two-Face, and Hush," Tim counted off. "Barbara has had some leads on Two Face's whereabouts. I've been checking them out, but nothing has turned up yet. I was about to follow up on another lead tonight."
"Don't tell me you've been patrolling alone." The authoritative voice of the Batman came through crystal clear with those words along with the patented Bat glare.
"No," Tim said with a disappointed sigh. "Barbara has been keeping close tabs on me and Black Canary has been helping me. Superman and Green Lantern are my backups if I run into trouble."
Bruce thought for a moment, detesting the thought of the League being in his city, but under the circumstances he couldn't be too upset about it. They had been there to help protect Tim and his city and that was good enough for him.
"Good job, Tim," Bruce finally replied. "I'm proud of you."
Tim was taken aback by Bruce's words, finding it more than difficult to form a response. His stunned expression slowly morphed into the biggest grin Bruce had ever seen on the teenager. "Thanks, Bruce," Tim responded. "I gotta run now to follow up on that lead—"
"With Black Canary," Bruce cut in.
"Yah, with Canary," Tim amended with a roll of his eyes. "I'll see you as soon as you get back and take your time. Oh, and tell Diana I said hi."
"Will do," Bruce said, "and be careful."
Alfred seemed to relax as Tim disappeared from the screen, his eyes softening. "Need I ask about the extent of you injuries, sir, or that of the princess's?"
Bruce rubbed his tired eyes with his thumb and forefinger as he sat forward a little in his seat. "Just some broken ribs, cuts and bruises…nothing that won't heal with time. I'm afraid Diana's injuries are more extensive, but I'm sure she'll heal quickly."
Alfred didn't appear the least bit convinced by what his surrogate son had just told him. "If I may say so, you don't sound very convinced, sir. It's far more extensive than that, isn't it?"
Bruce stared at the man who had been like his father since losing his parents nearly thirty years ago. Alfred knew him better than anyone, even more than Diana at times. There was absolutely nothing that he could get past Alfred and now was no exception.
All Bruce could do was slowly nod his head in response, finding it difficult to find his voice in that moment. He wanted to tell him everything—reveal every single sordid detail, every bit of the horrifying nightmare that he'd been forced to watch, confess how he had chosen to save Diana over saving the lives of his beloved parents.
But how could he when he himself couldn't bear to even think about it? He couldn't even forgive himself for what he had done. How could he expect anyone else to forgive him?
Sensing the depths of his despair even thousands of miles apart, Alfred did the only thing he could to ease his charge's pain though he had no knowledge of what had happened. "I'm sure you did your best, Master Bruce," he gently reassured him. "Whatever happened in that horrendous place, you and Miss Diana survived and are back with us now. That's what matters most."
"Thank you, Alfred," Bruce murmured, skeptical.
"Take care of yourself and Miss Diana," the British butler instructed him in that fatherly tone that was so Alfred. "She may be an Amazon warrior, but she will need you now more than ever…you both will need each other to recover from this. You can't do it alone and neither can she."
Bruce frowned at first with Alfred's advice, a small affectionate smile replacing it as he thought about it for a moment. "How did you get to be so astute, Alfred? I haven't told you anything about what happened down there and yet you seem to know."
"You're the World's Greatest Detective," Alfred teased with a wry smile of his own. "Haven't you figured it out by now?"
Shaking his head, Bruce couldn't stifle the chuckle that rose in his throat, immediately regretting it. "Could you please notify Clark that we're back? I'm sure he's been beside himself with worry."
"Actually, he hasn't been the only one, Sir," Alfred revealed, his voice uncharacteristically emotional.
"I know," Bruce softly said. "I'm sorry, Alfred. I promise we'll be home soon."
Alfred quickly cleared his throat, banishing the unwanted tears that he denied the chance to fully form. "No, you shall not. You will take your time and heal properly for once in your stubborn life. Do you hear me, young man?"
"Yes, sir," Bruce obediently replied though he had other thoughts on his mind like returning to Gotham and getting back to a normal life again. He just wanted to forget all about what had happened in the Underworld, losing himself in his mission. "Call if you need anything in the meantime. I'll see you in a couple of days."
"Or a week," Alfred modified for him before continuing, "and don't worry about the wedding. I'll take care of postponing everything and releasing a statement to the press. Let me know when you would like to reschedule it for."
"I'll have to talk to Diana, see when she feels up to it," he replied, his exhaustion more than evident. "As of now, it's on hold indefinitely."
"Give Miss Diana my best," Alfred told him.
"I will," Bruce said with a nod before disconnecting the link.
He watched as the screen went black, darkening like his heart at that moment. He felt as though all the beautiful light and warmth that Diana had brought to his life had been wiped away, the wounds that she had healed all ripped apart. It was as though he was back in the bottom of the Pits of Tartarus looking up and finding no light, no warmth…no hope.
He suddenly feared he'd never feel that light and warmth again.
XXX
Bruce entered the palace to find Dick waiting for him in the throne room, first aid kit firmly in hand. There was a grim expression on the younger man's face, one that told him that this was not going to be a good conversation. "Where's Diana?"
"She's in her room," Dick informed him. "Donna was seeing what she could do for Diana's injuries until you came back."
"Where is her room?"
"This way," Dick told him, falling in step beside him as he directed him out of the throne room. "What happened down there, Bruce?"
"I don't want to talk about it right now," he evenly stated, his gaze fixed straight ahead of him.
Dick could already tell that something dreadful had happened to them during their time in the Underworld, something that had dramatically affected both of them. He could see it in the way that Diana reacted when Bruce left them on the beach; in the way that Bruce carried himself as well as the hard, barely contained fury that had returned to his blue eyes.
Gone was the more relaxed façade that he had unknowingly assumed since Diana had become a part of his life. Whether his surrogate father knew it or not, she had changed him, helping him to open up a little more, not be quite so cold or rigid.
"Bruce, I know you don't want to talk about it now, but I'm here if you decide you want to," Dick offered. "I can't imagine what happened to you could have been easy to deal with, but I'm sure in time—"
"I'm fine," Bruce's brusque response cut him off. "Thank you for your concern, but right now all I'm concerned about is taking care of Diana."
They came to a stop before a door, Dick suddenly turning to block him entering. "Just don't let whatever happened down there come between you."
"I won't," Bruce insisted, growing exasperated. He was exhausted, hungry, and his body hurt like hell. All he wanted to do at that moment was to see to Diana and sleep for a couple of days. "Now, if you'll excuse me."
"Bruce, I know you," Dick pressed, folding his arms over his chest. "I know how you handle things you don't want to deal with. Just don't let this be one of those times where you run away. You will destroy Diana's heart and the best thing that has ever happened to you."
"Get out of my way, Dick," Bruce angrily growled.
"That's the father I know and love," Dick muttered with a frown as he finally stepped aside, letting him pass.
Bruce entered, closing the door behind him as he scanned Diana's bedroom. It was as he had imagined, simple with a large bed, desk, and a chair. It was sparsely decorated with a couple of cherished items, the rest of her things already at Wayne Manor. There were double doors that led to a balcony that overlooked the ocean, offering the most breathtaking view.
From a doorway on the far end of the spacious room, he could hear voices. It was Diana and Donna talking. He silently approached, hoping to learn something of what Diana had experienced during her trials and yet fearful of what he might learn.
He didn't know how much more he could handle at this point. He couldn't bear knowing what else Diana had been forced to endure, especially not after what he'd already been through. The battles with the flying demons, Echidna, Cerberus, and Death Ray—he could handle without a second thought. He'd fought as much if not worse in Gotham. It was an every night event for him.
It was the nightmare that would torment him for years to come, finding her dead and not being able to save her. It was that failure and guilt that would stay with him for the rest of his life, knowing that he truly could not protect her no matter how desperately he wanted to. He had picked saving her over his parents only to find that he couldn't in the end.
If it hadn't been for Hades, she would still be lost to him forever.
"Diana, it's alright," Donna told her. "I'm sure he'll be here soon."
Bruce stood outside of her bathing chamber, listening to them. He felt guilty for leaving Diana like he had especially after everything that had happened, not knowing if they were going to ever see each other again, but he'd had to. He'd needed to contact Alfred right away…or at least that's what he told himself to make himself feel better about it.
"He's been gone for so long, Donna," Diana replied, her voice choked with fear. "I need to go find him, make sure that he's alright. He's injured too."
"He promised he'll be right back as soon as he talked to Alfred," she attempted to reassure her. "Now, let me start cleaning these wounds on your back before they get infected."
"I love Bruce so much and I almost lost him. It was my fault, Donna."
Diana's words seemed to fuel his guilt, her anguish more than evident. Everything felt so surreal, moving in slow motion…finally here in the world of the living again and yet not really. He was functioning on nothing more than sheer adrenaline and pure instinct at that moment, his mind still reeling as it tried to make sense of something that never would.
He looked down at the first aid kit in his hands, steeling himself to go in there and take care of her. She needed him now more than ever despite the battle being waged inside of him. Instinct that had been ingrained into his subconscious told him to run away, but love made him go to her now.
Drawing a deep breath, he entered the bathing chamber to find Diana sitting on a small wooden bench, a white silk bathrobe draped around her waist leaving her back bare to him. Her raven hair was pulled over one shoulder, her back scored with five deadly gashes, red and inflamed unlike anything he'd ever seen before. Donna worked to erase the blood from her wounds, but they continually seeped despite her best efforts.
Bruce swallowed hard at the sight of his beautiful princess so hurt and broken because she had fallen in love with him. What was worse was that he knew this was just the beginning. There was so much more, wounds that went far deeper, unseen by the naked eye and he had no idea how to even begin to help her.
"I've got the first aid kit," he suddenly offered, startling Donna who had been so focused on her sister's injuries that she hadn't heard him approach.
"Bruce," Diana murmured with relief as she tried to turn around to see him.
"Stop moving," Donna ordered, forcing her to stay still. "I can't treat this with you wiggling about."
"I'll take care of her, Donna," Bruce said.
Donna straightened up to look at him. He didn't appear to be in much better shape than Diana did in that moment, but she could see that he needed to do this for her. They both needed some time alone to reconnect, to comfort one another after what they'd been through.
"I'll be in my room next door if you two need anything," she told him, handing him the bowl of blood tinged water and the cloth that she had been using.
Bruce nodded to her as she walked past him. She paused to place a comforting hand on his arm, silently telling him how sorry she was for what they both had been through. As she left, he pulled up another wooden bench to settle down on it behind Diana.
He opened up the first aid kit and laying out the supplies he would need before gently wiping at the wounds again. The tense silence that hung in the air between them was suffocating as he worked to repair the damage done to the woman he loved. He reached for the antibiotic ointment, carefully applying it to each slash that was gaping open. It was a miracle they hadn't become infected yet as deep and severe as they were.
Diana hissed in response to his touch, repeatedly flinching as muscles tensed in rebellion, gasping as the wounds burned like pure fire. She had longed for his touch for what felt like an eternity when they had been separated and now this was all she could receive from him at this moment. It was agonizing.
"Sorry," he murmured, his brow knitted in concentration as he worked, each of her painful gasps piercing his heart.
"Are you alright?" she softly asked, trying to look over her shoulder at him. Why was it so awkward to be near him all of the sudden? Something had changed in him. "I'm sure you need some attention too."
"I'm not as bad off as you are," he evenly replied with a frown.
Diana's shoulders slumped slightly with his words, his tone unemotional. It was the way he used to talk to her when he had been trying to keep her at arm's length, trying not to fall in love with her. She missed the teasing, the flirting, the affection that had become so natural for him to show her over the last several months. It felt as though there was a steel wall that had abruptly been erected between them, attempting to sever the bond that they had shared before being taken to the Underworld.
She prayed that with time they could get back to that place once more, share that same intimacy and connection again. "How are things in Gotham? Are Alfred and Tim alright?"
Her voice sounded so tentative and unsure, so unlike his strong warrior princess. What had they done to her down there? "Alfred and Tim are fine," he reassured her. "Alfred sends his best. I told him we'd return to Gotham in a couple of days."
"Bruce, if you want to return now, I'll understand," she quickly told him, grimacing as she tried to reach for her robe to pull it up over her shoulders.
He quickly pushed her hands away, allowing her robe to fall to the floor and fully revealing her perfect sensual form to him. He ached to kiss her the way he wanted to at that moment, to press his lips against her warm skin and to touch her the way that he had dreamed of when he had been fighting to get to her, but he couldn't. Too much had happened that he wasn't prepared to deal with yet.
"You're not going anywhere, Diana," he firmly stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"But you'll want to return to Gotham right away," she argued, trying to turn around to face him.
"Gotham has survived this long without me," he answered her, gently forcing her to face forward again so he could continue to tend to her back. "It can wait another couple of days until you've recovered more. Tim has it under control."
Diana's chin fell to her chest as she fought back the swell of tears that rose up in her chest. It was her fault that he had been taken to the Underworld and suffered unimaginable pain and it was her fault now that he couldn't be in his beloved Gotham where he belonged, where he was needed.
"I'm sorry, Bruce," she whispered.
Bruce hung his head in defeat, fighting the urge to pull her back into his arms and just lose himself in her perfection, in the feel of her pressed against him. The weight of his failures threatened to crush him. She was hurting so badly right now and he had no idea how to even begin to fix it for her let alone for himself, didn't know if he even could. He felt as though there was a gaping abyss that separated them now and he had no idea how to even reach her.
"None of this is your fault, Diana," he finally, softly told her. "We'll find a way to get through this…I promise."
Diana could only nod her head in response, his voice holding none of the conviction or resolve that she had become so accustom to hearing from him. His confidence had been shaken to its very foundation. What in Hera could have happened to him in the Underworld that would've broken the strongest spirit she had ever known?
End Note: Hey, BMWW fans! Check out some of these amazing fic writers in the fandom: Dinasis, Derecho Nox, NewbieWW, The Real JL Rules, and Batwheelsz350. They have some awesome fics going. Go read and support BMWW!