TITLE: A Change of Mind

AUTHOR: LOTSlover

CHARACTERS: Batman / Wonder Woman

RATING: T

WARNINGS: Author Chooses Not to Use Warnings

DISCLAIMER: I love Justice League, but especially Batman and Wonder Woman. Unfortunately, I do not own the characters and, if I did, things would be much different for them.

SUMMARY: Diana has a change of mind about men after her encounter with Aresia.

A Change of Mind

"Don't knock it till you've tried it, Princess."

Shayera's words continued to roll through in her mind, piquing her inquisitiveness and raising questions she had no answers for. She had to admit that a certain dark-clad hero had managed to capture her attention, but, in what way…she still wasn't quite certain.

Exiting the Javelin bay, Diana found herself more confused than ever about what she truly felt for Batman. She was definitely fascinated by him, intrigued to the point that she had actually started investigating him in an effort to learn everything that she possibly could about him. But it didn't go beyond mere curiosity…did it?

An unquestionable sense of panic and fear had gripped her when he had suddenly fallen ill in her arms, causing her heart to nearly stop beating. It had undeniably affected her far deeper than when Superman or the others had fallen ill.

She made a beeline towards the infirmary, deciding to check on her friends and dwell on her feelings later. She felt guilty for what they'd been put through; despite the fact she'd had absolutely nothing to do with Aresia's plans to destroy all the men in the world.

Diana ignored how sore she was as she made her way through the Watchtower, her body aching from head to toe. Aresia had put up an admirable fight, but it had been all for naught. She ended up losing her life over her deluded belief about men.

She had to admit that she had held a similar belief, one that had been instilled in her from birth by her mother and sisters. Men were basically useless with nothing but wicked intentions and ulterior motives, inferior in every way to a woman.

Since coming to Man's World, though, it was an absolute belief that she had come to learn was untrue. Day in and day out, her teammates had more than proven her mother wrong. She'd witnessed firsthand the selflessness that had been displayed by her male colleagues, the nobility of character that had earned her utmost respect.

"Don't knock it till you've tried it, Princess."

Didn't Shayera realize that what she was suggesting went against everything that she'd ever known or been taught?

Entering the medical bay, she found Superman and John talking to J'onn who was already recovering as well. "Diana," Kal greeted her. "Are you all right?"

"Sore, but nothing an iced mocha and a hot shower won't cure," she reassured him.

"You certainly saved the day, rookie," Green Lantern complimented her with a grin.

The term "rookie" still bit at the edges of her pride, but she'd learned months ago that was just John's way…or at least according to Kal. In the beginning, it had been almost derogatory in nature, but now it seemed to be meant as a term of endearment and respect on his part…if the smile that accompanied it was any indication.

She glanced over at Flash who was munching on a burger as he lounged in bed, still looking a little worse for wear. "How are you, Flash?"

"Still feeling a little puny, but I'll be back on my feet in no time," he assured her. "In fact, I think I'm going back to the kitchen to see what else I can find to eat."

In a blur of red, the scarlet speedster was gone in a literal flash, causing her to chuckle in amusement. "We need to get that antidote out there as soon as possible," Superman told John.

"Yah, we better hit it," John said. "Are you okay, J'onn?"

"I feel my strength is improving," the Martian Manhunter replied. "I will be fine."

"We'll see you guys later then," John said.

Diana's worried gaze fell on Batman still lying in the last bed on the right, his uniform top missing, but his cowl still firmly in place. "Will Batman be all right?"

"Yes, it is just taking him a little longer to recover due to his human physiology, but he should be up and around soon," he revealed.

"Why don't you go get some rest, J'onn?" she suggested. "I'll stay with Batman."

J'onn studied her for a long moment, a slight upturn of his lips preceding his response. "I should only need an hour or so. I will be in my quarters if you should need me."

"I will," she told him as she took a seat next to Batman's bed.

Diana winced as she adjusted her position in the hard chair, her body reminding her of the beating she'd been subjected to. Forcing her aching muscles from her mind, she turned her focus to the man lying in the bed to her right, her eyes falling on his cowled face.

She smiled to herself as she studied him, amazed by just how much strength and authority he held in that chiseled jaw alone. In addition to his deep baritone voice and muscular physique, he certainly made for a very imposing figure.

Without even seeing the rest of his face, she imagined that he was a very handsome man, if his jaw and profile were any indication. She tilted her head slightly as she considered his lips. They looked so soft and perfect, a striking contrast to the sharp angle of his defined jaw and chin.

"Who are you beneath that mask?" she softly asked to no one in particular as she lightly ran her fingers along the side of his cowled face.

Her brow furrowed as she continued her intense scrutiny, her eyes following the deep contours of his muscular chest and abdomen. She was stunned by the countless scars that riddled his torso—the criss-crossing lines, the puncture wounds, jagged lacerations expertly sewn back together by someone who obviously cared for him.

Instead of being repulsed by it, she found herself even more captivated than ever before.

She leaned forward as she studied the myriad of scars, some faint and others far more pronounced. Her profound respect for this man was growing with every blemish she drank in, her desire to touch him becoming too intense to ignore.

"Hera," she whispered with a gasp.

Not only did this mortal man appear to be sculpted by the gods themselves, he possessed a true warrior spirit that she found was kindred to her own. This was something that she truly understood above all else, what she knew and held such high esteem for.

"Don't knock it till you've tried it, Princess."

Diana bit at her bottom lip as she glanced at the door, finding it still closed. They were all alone. Holding her breath, she leaned in even closer, her curiosity getting the better of her. She cast a sidelong glance at his cowled face, making sure he was still sleeping. Of course, it was next to impossible to tell with those lenses of his.

Deciding to take the chance, she tentatively extended her forefinger, not realizing that her long raven hair was brushing along his abdomen as she moved closer to him. She focused on a particularly fresh scar on the far side of his chest, one that appeared to be only a week or so old. She lightly traced the ragged edges of it, noticing how it was slightly raised compared to some of the others.

She couldn't help wondering how he had gotten all of these injuries, but this one in particular raised questions in her mind. It had an odd shape to it, one that she couldn't quite make out. She tried to think of a weapon that would have created such a savage wound like this, but came up empty.

She couldn't help but wonder who took care of him when he returned to his…home? Who made sure that he was safe at the end of the night, tended to his injuries and healed his hurts?

Someone clearly cared for him, helped him in his mission to protect Gotham. She felt a pang of regret for not knowing more about him, but more so with the thought that the person closest to him could possibly be a woman. Was it a wife he came home to every night after patrol? A girlfriend? The thought created a knot of dread in the pit of her stomach.

Pushing the thought away to dwell on later, her eyes flickered back to his masked face to see that he was still sleeping, his breathing steady and even. She bit at her bottom lip again as her gaze settled on his nipples. She knew she shouldn't, told herself to just forget the thought that so unexpectedly popped into her head, but she couldn't…not after what Shayera had told her.

This was as close as she'd come to a man like this, uncovered and basically at her mercy to explore. She would never take advantage of him when he was in a vulnerable position such as this, but it couldn't hurt to touch…could it?

She ran her finger around his nipple with a feather-light touch, releasing an audible breath that caressed his skin as sure as her finger. She circled his nipple, pausing to rub her finger across it before quickly retracting her hand as if she'd been burned.

"Hera, what am I doing?" she softly scolded herself. "Pull yourself together, Diana."

She sat back in her chair, tucking her hair behind her ear before folding her arms firmly against her chest in an effort to keep herself from doing any more exploring. She could still look, though. She gazed down the length of Batman's body, taking in his narrowed waist and long legs that were no doubt as muscular as the rest of him.

She couldn't help but notice the defined cut at either side of his hips that drew her attention down to the edge of his uniform pants, the muscle disappearing beneath the black fabric. She slowly licked her bottom lip, wishing she could see more of him, wished that she could…

"Hey, Wondy," Flash softly called to her from the doorway.

Diana looked up sharply, startled by the unexpected intrusion. She felt her face instantly grow warm with where her thoughts had gone, wondering if anyone had seen her exploring him like she had. Sweet Aphrodite, what on earth had come over her?

"Are you all right?" he softly asked.

"I'm fine," she told him a little too quickly and a little too firmly.

"Shay needs to see you in the monitor womb."

"Okay," she relented as she stood to her feet, "but I can't be gone for too long. I promised to sit with Batman so J'onn could rest."

"I'll sit with Bats for you," he promised her. "I just have to get my cell phone from my quarters and I'll be right back."

"Fine," she replied, taking one last look back at the sleeping man, Shayera words still lingering in her mind.

She quietly exited the infirmary, softly closing the door behind her. After a long moment, Batman suddenly released the gasp that had stuck in his throat the second she'd touched him. His eyes flew open as he sucked in a sharp breath. It had taken every single ounce of self-restraint that he'd had to keep from reacting to Diana's caress.

The feel of her silken hair lightly dancing across his abdomen, her finger so tentatively exploring him, the brush of her warm breath against his skin had excited him unlike anything he'd ever known before. She was so innocent in her touch, her curiosity nearly driving him crazy. He couldn't help but wonder at that moment what being with her in every way would be like.

He angrily growled to himself as he quickly sat up, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. His fingers curled around the edge of the mattress as he struggled to catch his breath, his chin falling to his chest as he tried to calm the wild hammering of his heart.

He had been stunned when she'd agreed to sit by his bedside, causing him to play opossum. He told himself it was only because he'd needed a little more time to recover, but, truth be told, he'd just wanted to spend a little time alone with her.

He could still feel the way her gaze had practically scorched his skin, slowly and methodically travelling over his face and body. It had been highly erotic to say the least, the naïve princess examining him. He'd held his breath, waiting anxiously to see what she'd do next, secretly hoping for something more and yet knowing this was so very wrong.

But that was why it had been so damn sexy. She had been so innocent and curious in her exploration that it had been one of the biggest turn-ons of his life. She had no idea how unbelievably seductive she was, how her virtuousness only added to her intense allure.

Batman cursed to himself at how aroused he felt, knowing he could never let anything like this happen again. He needed to keep her at a respectable distance. They were teammates…even friends, but definitely nothing more.

"Bats, are you feeling all right?"

Batman looked up to find Flash entering the infirmary. "I'm fine," he gruffly stated as he stood to his feet. "I'm going to get a shower and change into a new uniform."

"Okay, if you're sure," Flash replied, sounding unconvinced. "You looked like you were struggling to catch your breath there for a moment."

"It's nothing…just a delayed reaction," he snapped as he made a quick exit.

XXX

Diana felt herself flush inside with the nervous flutter that had settled in her stomach. She couldn't believe she'd touched Batman like she had. She felt like she'd invaded his privacy somehow, uncovering some hidden secrets that she was not meant to know.

And yet, she couldn't help herself.

She silently cursed to herself, annoyed with Shayera for even putting that thought in her mind in the first place. If she hadn't listened to the Thanagarian, she wouldn't be in this quandary right now, dealing with things that she'd been trained not to think let alone feel for a man.

Her shoulders slumped slightly, knowing that wasn't the whole truth. She'd felt an inexplicable pull towards Batman for months now, one that had started during their battle with the aliens. Shayera hadn't known that she'd hit upon something that had been lingering in the outer recesses of her mind, slowly arising in that unnamable place inside of her where subconscious thoughts and desired dwelt.

She'd felt safer when those thoughts and feelings had stayed in her subconscious mind beneath her notice. Now, they were being drawn out and into the light, making her acutely aware of something that she had chalked up to nothing more than just simple wonder and fascination.

Was she beginning to have feelings for this man, something that crossed the line of friendship and comradery?

The thought caused the nervous flutter in her stomach to unexpectedly shoot through her veins. It both excited her and scared her senseless. It was something she'd never felt before and now to feel like this for a man unnerved her, shook her to the very foundation of her deeply ingrained beliefs.

She forced herself to raise her chin and straighten her posture as she turned to stare out the window of the Watchtower. She was an Amazon warrior, Champion of the Gods. She feared nothing and she would not fear these feelings she couldn't quite put a name to.

Diana knew it wasn't love, but it definitely felt like more than just friendship. Touching him in the infirmary had sparked a flame inside of her that could not be denied, one that she still felt even now as Shayera talked on and on about what she was going to do on her day off tomorrow. She felt guilty for not paying better attention to her friend, but her mind refused to let go of what she'd experienced with Batman in the med bay.

"Don't knock it till you've tried it, Princess."

Diana was beginning to think Shayera might just be right about it. She was definitely having a change of mind and heart about men and it was starting with a certain mysterious, forbidding hero. She couldn't help feeling as though she was embarking on a very difficult mission, one that would be a constant, uphill battle.

A smile curled the corners of her lips at the prospect of what lay ahead of her—the thrill of the hunt, the challenge of the pursuit for her prey. She had no idea where any of it would lead her or them, but she was anxious to find out.

And if it turned out they would be nothing more than just good friends, then she would accept that. Still, the prospect of more with him made her tingle all over.

"Earth to Diana."

The Amazon warrior turned to look at her friend, startled out of her thoughts. She couldn't help wondering how long she'd been ignoring Shay. "I'm sorry," Diana murmured. "What were you saying?"

Shayera's lips quirked into a smirk. "Where were you just now?" she asked. "Something or someone was on your mind."

Diana quickly turned back to gaze out the window, trying to hide the blush she could feel rising to her cheeks. Had she been that obvious? "Just thinking about everything that happened today."

"Care to tell me what exactly or, better yet, who you're thinking about?" Shay pried.

"Who says there's even someone I'm remotely interested in?" Diana coyly asked. "I come from an island where we are trained to hate men."

"Don't play coy with me, Di," Shay chided her. "I recognize that look in your eye. It's Superman, isn't it?"

"What?" Diana exclaimed, turning around to face the Thanagarian. "Why would you say that?"

"You two are always together," Shayera pointed out. "You're like two peas in a pod. Your uniforms even match."

Diana's brow furrowed, her mind working through the possibility of any romantic feelings for her Kryptonian friend. She adamantly shook her head, pursing her lips in embarrassment. "No, he's just a very good friend," she replied. "I have no romantic feelings for Kal."

"If you say so," Shayera replied, obviously unconvinced. "I'll figure it out."

Diana looked up to see Batman and J'onn approaching them, her breath catching in response to his unexpected presence. "How are you feeling?" she asked, quickly recovering as she squared her shoulders, determined to portray an air of professionalism.

Batman met her gaze, all business and no hint of what was actually storming through his mind at that moment. "Better," he evenly replied. "It's a good thing you were able to recover Aresia's notes from her hideout."

"Yes," she agreed. "Without them, we might never have found the antidote."

"Superman and Green Lantern have almost finished distributing it," Shayera announced, causing all of them to look at the screen.

Diana looked away, regret and sadness rising to the surface as she thought about her lost sister. "If only Aresia could have learned to see the noble qualities in you men," she commented, looking directly at Batman.

"I definitely could've taught that bad babe a thing or two about guys," Flash smugly announced as he approached them with a can of pop in hand. "Too bad we never met."

Flash belched loudly, Diana and Shayera looking at each other in bewilderment. "Maybe it's just as well," Diana readily decided.

Batman moved to stand a little closer to Diana as the four of them talked. He was more than annoyed with Flash's rude behavior. Thank heavens Aresia never had a chance to meet him or they might never have been able to stop her.

"I can assume monitor duty, Shayera," J'onn offered.

"Sounds good to me," Shay readily agreed. "I need some food and a nice long shower."

"Come on, Shay," Flash said. "I just put a couple of pizzas in the oven."

"Just save me at least three slices this time," she told him as she followed him out.

"I'm going to take a hot shower and get some sleep," Diana announced, her voice edged with fatigue. "Call me if you need me, J'onn."

"I need to get back to Gotham," Batman rasped, turning on his heel to follow Diana from the monitor womb.

Batman fell into step beside the Amazon princess, his attention focused straight ahead of him. "You did a good job today stopping Aresia," he stated as they walked side by side through the Watchtower. "I know it couldn't have been easy being forced to fight against one of your sisters like that."

"Actually, it wasn't quite as hard as I thought it would be," she thoughtfully replied. "She was hurting my friends and trying to destroy the entire male population. There was no other outcome in my mind than putting a stop to her. I just wish I could've helped her see how wrong she was, but her mind was set on only one course of action regardless of the cost."

"I'm sorry it ended the way it did," he replied, his tone conveying his sympathy.

"Me too," she softly said, stunned by this unexpected glimpse of a side of him that he typically kept so well hidden.

They came to a cross hallway, their destinations leading them in the opposite direction, away from what their hearts were beginning to desire. They came to a stop, an awkward silence growing between them. "Sleep well, Princess," he finally told her.

Diana smiled softly, her blue eyes brightening. "Thank you," she said. "Be careful out there."

Batman watched as she turned, her hands clasped behind her back. He turned to leave as well, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting desires that went against what he'd trained himself to believe. He didn't think he'd ever forget the feel of her touch that had branded him like an iron, the secret moment no doubt following him into his dreams.

"Batman," Diana abruptly called to him.

He stopped, turning to find her staring at him with an intensity that sent a shiver racing up his spine, a warm smile lighting her face. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

Diana watched him as he gave her a slight nod in response. She could've sworn there was the barest of smiles on his lips as he turned away from her before disappearing through the doors of the Javelin bay. She drew a calming breath before continuing towards her quarters, her thoughts consumed with him.

XXX

Batman immediately yanked off his cowl and gauntlets as he slid into his chair at his workstation in the Batcave. He quickly brought his computer system up, his fingers tapping impatiently on the desk as he waited. He couldn't stop thinking about what had happened earlier in the infirmary, how intimate it had felt…how right it had somehow seemed.

He growled to himself. It shouldn't seem right. She was a teammate, a trusted friend. She had merely been curious, nothing more. And yet, he couldn't deny the kiss that she'd given him in Gorilla City, the hours of research that she'd done in an effort to learn more about him. Did she really feel something more for him?

He tried to tell himself it was nothing more than friendship that had developed between them, the attraction he felt towards her completely natural…a basic male response to a beautiful, intelligent woman. He was still a man after all and trying to control his baser instincts was something that he'd been able to master for the most part…that was until he'd met her. Now, it was growing more difficult.

If all he felt for her was camaraderie, then why had his heart leapt when he'd overheard her tell Shayera that she held no romantic feelings for Superman?

Bruce sat forward in his seat as he began typing away, accessing the security feed for the Watchtower, more than thankful that he'd decided at the last minute to add security cameras to the infirmary. He soon found the feed that he was searching for, going back to the point in time when J'onn had left him alone with Diana to watch over him.

He sat back in his chair as he watched her, a sensation of warmth and peace washing through every inch of him. He felt his heart start to pound a little harder as he watched her study him so intently, leaning closer…touching and caressing him.

Even now, he swore he could feel her finger against his skin, her intoxicating scent blanketing him as her raven hair slid across his abdomen. His fingers instinctively curled around the arms of his chair as he stared at her, locking it in a death grip.

It was so sensual to behold, arousing him all over again. She had brushed her finger along his cowl, asking herself what he hid behind the mask. She'd never even tried to remove his cowl, didn't even attempt to steal a peek. It both amazed and confused him at the same time, creating a flurry of feelings inside of him that he didn't want to think about.

She kept him feeling off balanced and unsure of himself and he hated it.

He stopped the video at the point when Flash had made his unwanted appearance. He replayed the recording that he'd made for himself, making sure it contained the exact time frame he wanted before saving it to a file he'd created that was simply tilted "Princess".

Bruce leaned back in his chair, his elbow propped up on the arm rest. He slowly ran his finger back and forth across his bottom lip as he stared at the picture of her that he'd brought up on his computer screen.

"What happened to make you change your mind today, Princess?" he murmured to himself.