Chapter 30
Superman anxiously punched in the security code for the private wing of the infirmary that was reserved for Justice League founders only, Hawkgirl following close behind. He could feel her worry though she wasn't one to always voice it.
Entering the dimly lit room where J'onn sat working at the computer, Clark's gaze was immediately drawn to the large picture window that overlooked the room that held his two best friends, friends that he had nearly lost…again.
The only sound was that of the monitors softly beeping in the background and the gentle tapping of J'onn's fingers on the computer keyboard. Not ready to talk just yet, Clark walked towards the large viewing window, folding is arms against his chest as he studied them.
Bruce was still lying unconscious in the hospital bed, the same as he had been yesterday. Diana sat in a chair that had been scooted as close to Bruce's bed as humanly possible, her upper half lying beside him on the bed. She had finally fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder and her arms wrapped securely around Bruce's left arm.
It was obvious even from where he stood how fearful she was of losing him. Clark knew that if the positions had been reversed, Bruce would be in no better shape right now than she currently was. She hadn't slept or left his side since returning to the Watchtower two days ago, forcing J'onn to treat her injuries from her chair beside Bruce's bed.
Shayera came to stand beside Superman, her hands coming to rest on her hips as she watched her friends. She couldn't help but think back on the last day she had been able to spend with Diana, trying on their bridesmaids dresses for a wedding that still hadn't taken place.
To say life had been unfair to her two friends would have been a gross understatement considering everything that they had been through. It had taken Diana nearly losing her life for Bruce to admit that he was in love with her and even then things hadn't gotten any easier for them. It was as if fate was against their union.
Now with Lex Luthor dead and Hades' wrath satisfied, they could hopefully find a little peace and happiness in their lives. Of course, things never stayed that way for long for those who were a member of the Justice League and a founding member at that.
She knew that Superman was more than anxious to get some answers from Diana about what had actually happened that had led to Lex Luthor's untimely demise, but she had refused to talk about any of it. He had reluctantly let it go for the time being, giving her some time to recover from her injuries, but Shayera knew that Superman wasn't going to wait too much longer for some answers. His sense of justice wouldn't allow it.
"How long has she been asleep?" Clark finally asked, breaking the silence.
"Only about thirty minutes or so," J'onn informed them.
"I'm surprised that she allowed herself to fall asleep," Shayera commented grimly. "She hasn't slept in days, not since the night before the charity gala according to Nightwing."
"I slipped something into her drink in order to force her to sleep," J'onn revealed without pausing in his work.
Shayera and Clark both turned to their left to stare in wide-eyed shock at him. "She's so going to kill you when she wakes up," Hawkgirl warned him, turning her attention back to her friends. "I'm impressed."
"I had to," J'onn stoically replied. "She isn't going to recover properly unless she gets some sleep."
"Why isn't Bruce waking up?" Clark questioned him with a frown.
J'onn drew a deep, meditative breath before turning in his chair to face his teammates. "The information that Robin sent me from Hush's research has helped significantly in coming up with an antidote to the drugs. Unfortunately, because Bruce doesn't possess any Meta healing capabilities, it is taking longer for him to recover."
"What about Diana's injuries?" Shayera asked.
"She has recovered to some extent," he said, his gaze falling on his friends in the next room. "Even with her Meta healing, she's going to need at least a week or so before she's back to full strength."
"What on earth did they do to them?" Superman angrily mumbled under his breath, more to himself than his teammates.
He was furious with what Lex and Hush had attempted to do to Bruce and Diana, a small part of him almost relieved that Luthor was gone, leaving him feeling so conflicted. It made him shudder to think what could have happened had they arrived any later. They hadn't been able to track down Hush yet, but Nightwing and Robin were still scouring Gotham for any sign of him.
Clark still couldn't help wondering what exactly had happened before they had arrived, the part that Diana may have played in Luthor's death. He knew in his heart that even if she did kill Luthor, it had to have been because of the experimental drugs Hush had used on her.
By the time Green Lantern had gotten her and Bruce to the Watchtower, she had been near delirious, her body beginning to shut down. Bruce hadn't been in much better condition either, but J'onn had thankfully been able to stabilize them both and purge the drugs from their systems.
Shayera placed a comforting hand on Superman's arm, causing him to turn his tormented gaze on her. "First of all, Diana and Bruce are safe now and will eventually recover," she reassured him. "Second, you can't keep beating yourself up about what may have happened or how you could have kept Luthor from dying. I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation for all of it; one that doesn't include Diana killing Lex."
Clark slowly nodded his head in appreciation and understanding, knowing that she was right. "J'onn, have you tried reading Diana's mind to find out what happened?"
"No," J'onn said with a firm shake of his head. "I do not feel it would be appropriate after everything that she's been through, Superman. Besides, the drugs have created so much confusion and chaos in her mind. She will need time to recover from that."
"You're right," Clark relented with a nod of his head. Diana needed friends right now, not accusers.
Superman went to the door that led to the large room where Bruce and Diana were, making Shayera wonder what he was going to do. He silently made his way to a cupboard, pulling out a blanket before making his way over to them. He gently draped the blanket around Diana, carefully adjusting it around her shoulders.
Her face was ghostly pale, exhaustion a heavy cloak weighing her down even in the depths of a drug-induced sleep. He fought against the sudden urge to reach out and stroke her hair, needing to know that his friend was going to be okay.
He stood there for a long moment, staring at them and vowing to himself to do everything in his power to make sure they had the wedding…the life…that they deserved. No one had suffered more than they had in recent months.
Turning, he looked up to see Shayera's face conveying some of the same fears and worries that he shared. He was reminded once again that they were a family. It might not be in the conventional way, but they were a family nonetheless and would fight for each other no matter the cost, standing by each other to the end.
XXX
Bruce woke a couple of hours later to the feel of something resting on his shoulder, his left arm held down, but he was having a difficult time trying to figure out what that something was. His mind felt so fuzzy, his body sore for some reason.
Opening his eyes, he realized that he was in the infirmary of the Watchtower, letting him know that he had at least been rescued, but what about Diana? He tilted his head to see a familiar mass of raven hair resting against his left arm. He immediately relaxed against his pillow, knowing that she was here with him. His memories of the last couple of days were nothing more than a disjointed mess. He wasn't sure he wanted to know, though.
He forced himself to go through a couple of the meditative exercises that he'd learned in an effort to regain some semblance of control over his mind again. He still felt the lingering effects of the drugs and the sheer panic that they had induced.
His thoughts and memories slowly began to come into sharper focus as images of Hush and Lex holding him hostage gradually resurfaced. Panic that had faded came roaring back to life with a vengeance as he remembered fractured pieces of what had happened not only to him but to Diana as well.
He drew a steadying breath as he looked down at her sleeping face as she clutched his arm as if he was her only lifeline in this world. It was difficult to miss the dried tracks of tears that she wore on her cheeks or the exhaustion that held her in a deep slumber. As much as he wanted to let her sleep, he needed to know what had happened.
He gently raked his fingers through her hair, needing to know that she was truly alright. He wanted to lose himself in those striking blue eyes shining with such love for him that it overwhelmed him sometimes.
"Princess," he softly called to her, wishing she was lying in this bed with him now. He wanted to feel her in his arms and pressed against his body again.
"I'm afraid that she might not be able to answer you."
Bruce looked up to see J'onn had entered his room, causing his worry to abruptly spike. "What happened to her, J'onn?"
"I may have slipped something into her drink to force her to sleep," J'onn confessed with a slight curve of his lips. "She hadn't slept in days and refused to leave your side since Green Lantern brought both of you back here two days ago so I had to take matters into my own hands."
Bruce looked back down at his sleeping princess, his heart melting with the love he felt for her. He gently continued to stroke her hair, still wishing she would wake despite how much she needed sleep right now. He missed her fiercely.
"Will she be alright?" he asked.
"She sustained severe internal injuries and electrical burns," he informed him, his gaze turning towards the sleeping Amazon. "Hush's drugs nearly overwhelmed her mind, but she somehow managed to hold herself together long enough to escape her restraints to save you."
Bruce felt his chest grow tight with the emotions storming within him with J'onn's revelation as he studied his princess. He longed to hold her, to kiss her and tell her how much he loved her. She had somehow managed to break free from those electrical restraints in order to save him. Even though he knew he'd do no less for her, it still staggered his mind.
Sensing the intensity of Bruce's emotions at that moment, J'onn thought it best to give him some time alone with Diana. "Call me if you need anything."
Bruce could only nod his head in acknowledgment, finding it more than difficult to speak as he watched Diana sleep. He suppressed the desire to pull her into the bed with him, contenting himself with her close proximity for the moment.
He carefully turned onto his left side so he could watch over her better, his hand moving to the curve of her face. Diana sleepily lifted her head with a frown, her eyelids almost too heavy to keep open. "Bruce?" she whispered.
"I'm right here, Princess," he softly reassured her, swallowing back the lump of relief that had unexpectedly risen in his throat.
Tears instantly blurred her vision, her bottom lip trembling and causing her to suck in a sharp breath. "I thought I had lost you," murmured as she threw herself into him.
He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "You can't get rid of me that easy," he lightly teased as she sleepily crawled into the bed with him. "Are you alright?"
Diana pulled back to look into his eyes as she settled into the bed with him, the blanket falling forgotten to the floor. "I'm fine…now that you're awake."
Bruce pressed his lips together in a thin line of disbelief as he studied her face. "You don't look like it. What did they do to you, Princess?"
Diana frowned, her forehead creasing as her eyes fell closed. "I don't want to talk about it," she softly resisted, burying her face in the crook of his neck as sleep began to take her again. "Please…just hold me, Bruce."
Worried, Bruce tightened his hold on her, drawing her firmly against his body. "Diana, I'm fine now," he attempted to assure her, tilting to kiss her on the head. "You don't have to worry about me anymore."
"I…love you," she whispered as she J'onn's medicine dragged her back into a deep slumber.
"I love you too, Princess," he murmured, his brow furrowing.
Something had happened that had rattled her to her core, but he had no idea what it was. Things were still somewhat muddled in his brain. He remembered Hush bringing Diana in and strapping her down, her trying to escape only to be shocked with bolts of electricity. After that, he wasn't quite sure.
He gently rubbed her back as she slept, wondering what had happened, what Hush and Lex had done to her. He wouldn't rest until he'd gotten his hands on them and made them pay for hurting her. There was no place they could possibly hide that he wouldn't track them down.
Bruce looked up as the door opened, Superman entering. A grim expression veiled his friend's face which only added to Bruce's worry. He had a sinking feeling that something horrible had happened that no one wanted to tell him.
"How are you feeling?" Clark asked, forcing a smile.
"Better," Bruce's clipped response came with a definite edge. "What happened?"
Superman settled into a chair on the other side of the bed, his gaze falling on the sleeping Amazon in Bruce's arms. This whole ordeal broke his heart, knowing how much they both must have suffered and yet dreading to learn the rest once Diana was finally ready to talk.
"I wish I knew," he cryptically replied, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees as he eventually met his friend's troubled gaze.
"What do you mean?" Bruce questioned him. Clark was being evasive and he didn't like it one bit. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.
"Luthor is dead," Clark confessed, studying Bruce's face for his reaction.
If he was waiting for Bruce to show some sort of remorse for Lex's death, he wasn't going to get it. "Good," Bruce evenly stated, his blue eyes revealing the dark storm brewing inside of him.
"Bruce, you don't mean that," Clark said, slowly shaking his head in shock. "Lex Luthor was murdered by someone, but we don't know who did it."
"If you're looking for some sort of regret that he's dead, you're not going to get it from me," Bruce angrily bit out, glancing down at Diana still sleeping in his arms. "You have no idea what they did to her…what they were about to do to her again."
"I understand you're upset, Bruce, but—"
"Upset?" Bruce growled, barely keeping his fury in check. "I'm not upset, Clark, I'm beyond livid. They strapped her down to a table and pumped her full of horrific drugs in order to destroy her mind so they could recondition her to what Luthor wanted her to be. When she tried to escape, they electrocuted her so don't tell me that I should be sorry that Lex Luthor is dead."
Clark swallowed hard, nearly flinching from the intensity of Bruce's fury that was rolling off him in violent waves. He knew he was talking not only to the cold, calculating Bat, but also a man whose love had been threatened and nearly lost most times than he even cared to think about.
"I'm sorry, Bruce," he softly said. "I know you and Diana have been through so much lately. Neither of you deserve any of this. I'm sure it's a relief to know that it's finally over once and for all."
"Where's Hush?" Bruce demanded to know, the muscles in his jaw tensing. "What happened to him?"
"He was gone by the time we found you," he informed him. "When I got there, I found you unconscious on a medical table hooked up to wires and IV's and Luthor was lying dead in a corner. Diana had taken out over a dozen of Luthor's men. It looked like a war zone. Diana…she was on her hands and knees, could barely stand or talk, but all she cared about was you and getting you back here to J'onn."
Bruce found himself tightening his hold on her, never wanting to let her go ever again. She had risked everything again just to get to him. He couldn't help wondering how she had managed to get free. "Is she going to be alright?"
"J'onn said she sustained some serious internal injuries and electrical burns, but she's already beginning to recover. Thanks to Robin hacking into Hush's research, J'onn was able to purge the drugs from both of your systems."
Bruce only nodded his head in understanding, his mind already racing with all of the possibilities of who killed Lex and where Hush had slithered off to. He needed to get out of here, return to the cave so he could begin his own investigation into what Hush and Lex had been doing.
Clark studied him intently, could tell what he was thinking. "No, you are not allowed to leave the infirmary just yet. Both of you are to stay here until J'onn clears you to leave."
Bruce gave him a fierce glower that would have made lesser men cower in fear. "I have work to do. I need to find Hush."
"Bruce, you've been unconscious for two days," Clark pointed out. "You were nearly dead by the time John got you and Diana back here. You can work later."
"I need to find out what happened," Bruce stated.
"We all want to know what happened, but Diana isn't talking," Clark revealed. "She refuses to talk about any of it. I haven't pushed her because she's been through enough, but we're going to have to identify Lex's killer. Someone has to answer for it."
Bruce gave him a hard, long glare as realization swept over him. "You can't possibly think that Diana had anything to do with Lex's death."
Clark shook his head as he drew a deep breath, releasing it slowly through his nose. "I don't want to believe it, Bruce, but she was the only one there who was still somewhat conscious. She had been drugged out of her mind; she was barely able to function. If she did have something to do with it, it wouldn't have been her fault. Whatever Hush had given Diana had seriously messed with her mind."
"I can't believe for one second that you would truly consider Diana as a murder suspect," Bruce spat out with obvious disgust. "I thought you were supposed to be her best friend."
"I am a best friend to both of you and you know it," Clark snapped in frustration as he stood to his feet. "I'm not saying that she did it, Bruce, but she knows who did. The problem is she's not talking to anyone about it."
"Let me do my own investigation and I'll find out who did it," Bruce replied with a scowl. "She'll talk to me."
"Dick and Tim have already begun an investigation. Right now, you just need to rest."
"I need to get out of here and get Diana home."
"You need to recover, Bruce," Clark adamantly stated. "It's going to take some time before either of you is fit for duty."
"I'm fine now," Bruce said as he looked away with a frown, focusing on the one-way window in front of him. "I have to get back to Gotham right away."
He didn't have time to just lie around while Hush was still running around, an investigation that needed his attention. He needed to know what sort of drugs Hush had created to recondition Diana's mind. He wanted to get his hands on that research as soon as possible so he could go over it himself and make sure it didn't fall into the wrong hands.
"And what about Diana?" Clark's voice drew Bruce back out of his reverie.
"What about her?"
"Are you really going to be that selfish especially after the hell Diana's been through?" Clark pressed, refusing to back down. "She has been worried sick about you. She hasn't left your side since bringing you here, hasn't eaten or slept until now and that was only because J'onn had to drug her. The least you can do is allow yourself some time with her to make sure you're both going to be alright."
Bruce glared at the Man of Steal, knowing he was right whether he liked it or not. "Fine," he bit out. "I'll stay until tomorrow, but no longer."
Clark shook his head in frustration as he turned to leave. This had actually gone better than he had originally thought it would.
XXX
Batman stood up from his crouched position, placing his evidence bag in a compartment of his utility belt. He didn't think it was going to yield anymore information that he already had, but he didn't want to take any chances. If he could prevent anything like this ever happening again, then he would do what it took to learn everything he could this time around.
He slowly walked over to the two medical tables where he and Diana had been held, running his gauntleted fingers over the twisted metal that had once held his lover captive. All of the thick steel straps were bent at odd angles, scorch marks marring them from the powerful electricity that had surged through them in an attempt to keep her subdued.
He couldn't stop the sick shudder that rolled through him, the sound of her screams still echoing in his mind and following him into his dreams. How she had managed to break free despite the excruciating pain was a testament to her strength and sheer will. He knew in his heart that she had risked her life in order to free him. It was just the way that she was, thinking of others instead of herself. It was also the nature of their love for one another.
He turned his attention towards the blood staining the floor to his left, the spot where Luthor had lost his life. It was still so surreal that Lex Luthor was actually dead. While he wouldn't go so far as to dance on the man's grave, he definitely wouldn't be shedding any tears over him.
Bruce knew that Clark had been shocked the other day that Bruce hadn't been more remorseful about Luthor's death, but how could he after everything that man had done to try to destroy what he shared with Diana?
If anything, it was Bruce who had been taken aback that Clark had been so deeply affected by the news. He really shouldn't have been, though. The Man of Steel was all heart no matter the situation or evil unless of course it had to do with Darkseide.
Kneeling down, Batman studied the large blood stain, wondering what exactly had happened here in the time it had taken Diana to break free and for Superman to arrive with the others. There was no way Diana could've had anything to do with Luthor's death, Clark's suspicions completely absurd.
While trained for battle by the Amazons, Diana still possessed a heart of true compassion and warmth. She would never kill for him especially knowing how strongly he felt about it. They wouldn't know much more now, though, until she finally decided to talk.
He hadn't been very inclined to push her into talking about it just yet, feeling it was best to give her some time. He had only just woken a couple of days ago, returning home to Gotham with her yesterday. He had gone out tonight, promising her that he'd only be gone for a couple of hours. As much as he wanted to return to patrolling Gotham, there was a part of him that was relieved that Dick and Tim were covering for him again tonight.
Being here now only served to remind him how close he'd come to losing her to Lex. It caused a fresh wave of despair to rise up within him. He wanted to go home and be with her, to feel her skin against him, to feel her heartbeat pounding in unison with his.
"Shouldn't you be home resting?"
Batman didn't bother looking behind him as he slowly stood to his feet. "And shouldn't you be out patrolling with Robin?"
"Just came to check on you and see how you were doing," Nightwing said as he watched his father search the crime scene that he had been a part of just days ago.
"I'm fine," Batman curtly stated as he spotted something that had been missed. Crouching down, he took out his tweezers and picked up a shell casing that had rolled between some large boxes.
Nightwing frowned when he saw the Dark Knight put something into a clear evidence bag. "What did you find?"
"Shell casing," Batman informed him as he straightened once more to his full height.
"A shell casing? I found both shell casings already," Nightwing said, coming over and yanking the evidence bag out of his hand and holding it up to the light. "Luthor was only shot twice."
Batman didn't appear to be paying any attention as he began to shift boxes out of the way, discovering a hole through one of them. He pulled out a small knife and started digging the bullet out of the wall. He turned towards his son, flipping him the bullet to him to add to the evidence bag.
"You missed one."
Nightwing caught it with one hand, a scowl darkening his features. "That's partly why I came back here. I needed to finish my investigation. Looks like you beat me to it," he dryly remarked.
"Any leads on Hush yet?" Batman questioned him as he continued to make his way around the crime scene. He was still stunned by what the princess had been able to do despite her injuries and nearly being drugged out of her mind.
"You should have seen it," Nightwing suddenly said, either not hearing the question asked of him or ignoring it altogether. "She was incredible. I still don't know how she fought off all of Luthor's men. There were bodies everywhere. I don't think anything in heaven or on earth could've kept her from getting to you."
Bruce's throat tightened, the thick knot of emotions suddenly catching there and stealing his breath. Things could have gone so horribly wrong here, various outcomes flooding his mind and none of them good. It made him nauseated. He should've tried harder to get free, should've fought the electrified restraints, should have done something…anything…to keep her from getting hurt.
"Go home to her," Nightwing softly told him. "I'll finish up here."
Batman nodded his head in silent agreement before turning to leave. "Thank you," he simply said as he left, leaving Nightwing all alone.
XXX
Batman exited the Batmobile, his mind filled with various thoughts and emotions that were all vying for his full attention. All of them held some measure of importance to him, but none more than the ones that involved his Amazon princess.
He reached up and pushed his cowl back off his head, silently battling in his mind the best way to help Diana. He needed her to talk about what had happened after she had gotten free. Clark was growing more anxious and persistent by the day. He also had questions of his own, ones that only she could answer that his investigation hadn't been able to uncover.
Making his way towards his desk, he was somewhat surprised to find the object of his thoughts sitting in his chair. She was leaning her elbow on the desk, cupping her chin with her hand as she played solitaire. She was wearing a tank top and workout shorts, her dark hair pulled up into a messy ponytail.
She looked stunning. Of course, Diana in anything was stunning, but even more so when wearing nothing at all.
"What are you doing up?"
Diana sat up quickly, turning to find him standing several feet behind her with his arms folded against his chest and his cowl off. Though his voice was gruff and reprimanding, his piercing blue eyes were dancing with mischief as well as something more, something dark and possessive. It caused her to internally shiver in response.
She gave him a warm smile, but he could still see the weary uneasiness that lingered. It was to be expected after everything that had occurred. He felt it as well, making him long even more for the happiness and peace that they had been deprived of lately.
"I couldn't sleep," she told him as she stood to her feet to allow him to have his chair. "I thought I'd wait up for you instead."
His arms fell to his sides as he closed the distance between them, his hand coming up to rest against her neck. "I'm glad you did," he murmured as his lips descended on hers.
He kissed her with a longing that needed to be sated. He backed up into his chair, pulling her with him without breaking the kiss. She settled on his lap, her fingers threading through his hair as their kiss deepened.
Retreating, Bruce drew in a deep breath. "I love this kind of welcome home."
Diana snuggled deeper into his hold on her as she repositioned herself on his lap, her face finding the crook of his neck. She lightly kissed him there, inhaling deeply and absorbing his masculine scent. She had almost lost him the other day, but instead of being helpless to stop it like she had been in the Underworld; she had been able to save him this time.
She tightened her hold on him as he rubbed her back, savoring the serene closeness they shared. Her hand came to rest against his chest, her fingers lightly tracing the bat emblem as she gently swung her legs back and forth over the arm of the chair.
"What happened, Princess?" he finally asked after several minutes, his voice soft and prodding.
She pressed herself even firmer against his Kevlar covered torso, wanting to just crawl inside of his love for her and hide, but her Amazonian upbringing wouldn't allow her that luxury. She needed to face this like the warrior she was no matter how difficult it was to relive it.
She started to pull away from him only to be pulled back against him once more. He wasn't going to let her go, though she could easily break him in two if she truly wanted to. She drew a frustrated breath, releasing it slowly before finally answering him.
A rueful smile touched her lips as she looked down at her hands resting in her lap now. "I know Clark thinks that I killed Luthor."
Bruce watched her every move, every flicker of emotion that passed over her face. It was easy to see this was going to be very difficult for her. "I tried to tell him you didn't," he muttered with a frown of pure annoyance.
"He was just worried the drugs had taken over my mind," she replied. "I guess I can't blame him for wondering, though. After what they had done to you, I wanted to tear both of them to shreds with my bare hands."
"What happened, Diana?" he asked again, feeling her grow tense in his arms.
"I don't want to remember, Bruce, but it's right there every time I close my eyes," she uttered with a sharp, ragged gasp as she fought to keep the tears at bay. "Talking about it only makes it that much more real."
"It was real, Diana," he gently told her as he continued to rub her back. "I know it was horrible, but we need to know everything that happened."
"Fine," she relented, her eyes falling closed as her mind took her back to that time that she wanted to forget. "I woke up strapped to a table and the sounds of your screaming."
"I was screaming?"
Diana slowly nodded her head as she lifted her head to meet his penetrating gaze. "You had wires all over your head and chest that were connected to a computer. Hush was drugging you and forcing you to relive every horrible thing you'd ever experienced so he could study you like you were nothing but a lab rat."
Bruce didn't stop her this time when Diana suddenly leapt from his lap, her fury palpable as she began to pace back and forth before him. "He was torturing you, causing you so much pain. I yelled your name…started to call you Batman," she confessed, her chin falling to her chest in shame. "Luthor heard me. He figured out you were Batman. He started taunting me, told me he was going to tell everyone your secret, Bruce.
"I couldn't just sit by and let you suffer like that, let Hush and Luthor hurt you so I forced myself to break free despite the pain. I don't remember everything, but I remember your body was giving out. Hush was trying to stabilize you while Luthor attempted to stop me. I wasn't about to let anyone keep me from getting to you again."
"What happened to Luthor?"
"Hush tried to stop me by shooting me with more drugs," she continued. "I could hardly move or think. Luthor started arguing with Hush and then Hush pulled a gun on him. He…he shot him. Hush said that no one could know your secret except for him and that Luthor would take it to his grave."
Diana paused to look over at Bruce, guilt shining in her eyes. "It's my fault that Luthor is dead, Bruce. The drugs…I couldn't think straight…I accidently called you Batman. Lex learned your secret and, because of that, he was killed."
Bruce stood to his feet, making his way to her and pulling her into his arms. "Don't you dare take the blame for any of this, Diana. It was Hush who killed Luthor, not you."
"But if I hadn't called you Batman, he wouldn't have known," she angrily stated.
"You were only thinking of me," he pointed out. "Besides, you yourself said that you were drugged. I saw what those drugs did to you. It's not your fault, Diana."
"I was just so scared that I was going to lose you," she whispered.
"You saved me, Princess. I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for you."
Diana pressed herself against his body, her head coming to rest against his chest as the guilt began to recede somewhat. "I'm just so glad that it's all over. All I want to do now is marry you."
"What would you say if I told you that I've already taken care of rescheduling our wedding?"
"What do you mean? When is it?" she demanded to know, stunned as she pulled back to stare into his face.
"In two days," he revealed as he leaned in and kissed her.
"Two days?" she cried in shock. "Bruce Wayne! How am I supposed to get everything around again in two days?"
"You aren't going to," he said, brushing his lips against hers before blazing a trail to her neck. "It's already being taken care of. All you need to do is show up. That is unless, of course, you've changed your mind about marrying me."
"Yes, I want to marry you. I swear by Hera that I will break every bone in your body if you try to get out of it now."
"I wouldn't dream of ever letting you go, Princess."
She gasped as his teeth raked over her pulse point, pausing to suck hard. He was making it near impossible to think straight as his mouth continued to torture her, his hands moving to grip her thighs and wrap her legs around his waist before carrying her back towards the showers with him.