TITLE: Peace 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: Set during Hereafter, Diana gains a better understanding about the man behind the cape and cowl, but will it draw them closer together or push them apart? BMWW
Peace of Mind
Bruce paused to rub his tired eyes with his thumb and forefinger, attempting to alleviate a measure of the burning. Alas, it did little to help him. With a sigh, he turned his attention back to the microscope he'd been hunched over for the last couple of hours.
Without looking, he grabbed his cup of coffee, taking a drink only to find it empty. With a growl, he slammed the cup back down on the desk, clenching his teeth with anger. Ever since Clark had been hit by that energy beam, he'd been working non-stop to prove that the Man of Steel wasn't dead despite everyone's insistence that he was.
Unfortunately, it was proving beyond difficult at the moment. He had run countless tests on the small scrap of red cape that had been left behind. His tests had come back inconclusive so far, testing his belief that Clark was actually alive, but he knew it to be the truth. People don't just disappear like that.
Memories of that horrible moment continually played over and over again in his mind as he tried to figure out what had really happened to their friend. He had been so worried about getting to Diana at that moment, knowing that she was injured. Then Toyman had aimed that energy beam straight at them.
Bruce knew in his heart he'd been more than prepared to sacrifice his life in order to protect her, to keep her from being killed. Instead, Clark had flown straight into the path of that energy beam, taking the full brunt of it and disappearing into thin air.
He could still hear the deafening silence that had followed that incomprehensible moment, the shock that had seized each and every one of them. Then Diana had reacted, tearing apart that machine and clutching Toyman by the throat. He remembered the anguish that had lit her eyes, the tears that had dripped down her face in the rain.
He'd wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and hold her close, but his own grief and disbelief had kept him firmly planted where he stood. Public displays of affection were not his strong suit even on a good day. Besides, he'd had a case to solve and a friend to find.
He'd had no sleep, no peace of mind since his best friend had disappeared from sight. He'd cut off all communication with his teammates, paying no heed to their countless messages and calls. He'd even ignored Diana. She attempted to contact him multiple times, but he'd refused to acknowledge her hails.
He felt a pang of regret and guilt over that fact, knowing that she was hurting deeply, but there was nothing he could do about it. He'd have to try to make it up to her later. Right now, he had to find proof that Superman was still alive and a way to bring him home from wherever he currently was at.
His belief that Superman had been merely displaced instead of killed held firm despite the fact that he'd hit one dead end after another, but he absolutely refused to give up. Clark was alive and he wasn't about to stop until he'd found him.
"Master Bruce," Alfred called to him.
"What is it, Alfred?" he growled.
"Miss Diana called again for you," he revealed. "She's quite worried about you not to mention quite upset about Superman's passing. She believe that she could really use a friend right now."
"I know, but I can't," he gruffly replied. "I'm busy trying to prove that Superman is still alive."
"She wanted me to remind you that his funeral is this afternoon," he continued. "She was hoping that you would make an effort to attend."
"I'm not going," he snapped.
"I beg your pardon, sir?" Alfred responded, clearly stunned by his surrogate son's decision. "As Batman and a member of the Justice League, you will be expected to attend the funeral and present a united front with your teammates. What kind of message will you be sending with Batman's absence?"
"I don't care what everyone expects of Batman," he bluntly stated, his jaw clenching tightly. "All I care about is proving that Superman is not dead and bringing him home."
Alfred drew a deep breath, slowly releasing it before attempting another approach with his stubborn ward. "Bruce, I know you want to believe that Mister Kent is alive, but—"
"It's not that I want to believe it," Bruce snapped, finally looking up at his British Butler. "It's the truth, Alfred. Clark is alive. I just have to find the proof that I need and then I can get to work on finding a way to bring him back."
Alfred knew that he was fighting a losing battle. Bruce was obstinate and near impossible to deal with when he had his mind made up about something. It was obvious that he was determined to prove his theory regardless of what anyone said. He just hoped that he found what he was looking for. He didn't think he would handle the loss of his friend very well.
"I will bring you more coffee then," Alfred said before turning and leaving him to his work. "You're going to need it to keep you going if you're going to find Mister Kent."
Bruce glanced over his shoulder at the retreating form of his father figure. He released a weary sigh as he stared into the microscope once again. He was not about to go to a funeral for a friend who was not dead. He refused to accept it could be a reality until he had definitive proof.
He glanced at the computer, checking the time. The funeral was five hours away, but he would not be going. He could not attend, being forced to sit through a service praising Clark's heroic efforts and celebrating his life when his friend was still alive. He would not do it…refused to do it.
Clark was alive and he would find him no matter what it took.
XXX
Diana continually looked over her shoulder, checking every few minutes to see if Batman had arrived yet. Even though she hadn't seen him during the memorial service, she'd hoped that he had been at the very least hiding in the shadows like he had such a penchant for doing.
Unfortunately, she had seen no sign of him anywhere. Her heart was breaking over the loss of her best friend, Kal's death bringing her a great deal of pain. She had needed Bruce now more than ever, but he still refused to accept that Superman was gone even now.
While she wanted to be angry with Bruce for his refusal to come, she knew in her heart that she couldn't be. He had a hard time dealing with his feelings and this situation was proving no different. Kal was his best friend too and he had been snatched out of their lives.
She just wished that Bruce would let his walls down and let her in. She wanted to be allowed to be there for him and maybe even find a measure of comfort in one another in the midst of their immeasurable loss. Unfortunately, he refused to talk to her or take any of her calls.
She wanted to give him his space, realizing how difficult all of this must be for him. She had come to understand some things when it came to Bruce. His brusque, icy exterior was used to promote his forbidding aura as the Batman, but it was also one of his tools in his arsenal to keep people from getting too close to him.
Her mind was consumed with thoughts of Bruce, her heart consumed with grief over the loss of her best friend. Her fingers curled around the brass handle of the empty casket, her eyes falling closed with the anguish that nearly choked her as they began the slow processional.
Walking down the street, Diana held her head high, determined to honor the fallen warrior from Krypton. While his death was devastating to everyone, she was so proud that her friend had died in battle. He truly was a hero of Themyscira.
She stared straight ahead, her focus on the memorial looming large and solemn before her. She felt the fine hairs on the back of her neck prickle, something telling her that he was there with them, watching them. She could feel the eyes of all those gathered along the streets to pay their respects to the fallen hero, but this was different. This was Bruce and she felt it deep in her bones that he was there.
Glancing up to her right, Diana spotted Batman standing on a roof, partially hidden in the shadows watching the proceedings. His black cape whipped in the wind, giving him an almost haunting air like Thanatos himself. She swallowed hard, quickly looking away from him as tears built behind her eyes.
He had come…Bruce was here in the only way he felt that he could. It warmed her heart knowing that he was there watching from above like the silent sentinel that he always was, almost standing guard like he would do for his own beloved city.
Hopefully, with any luck, he'd begin to let his walls down around her after this night, but she knew it was going to take a great deal of patience and persistence. It was going to be an uphill battle, but she was prepared to do whatever it took. She had been developing feelings for him ever since their first meeting, her attraction to him only growing stronger despite her best efforts to feel nothing more than friendship towards him.
Right now, though, she couldn't allow herself to think about him any longer. Her friend deserved her attention right now and she would give him all that she had just as he had given her his all in death.
XXX
Diana tilted her head back as she tried take in the enormity of Wayne Manor that towered before her. It was rather dark and foreboding, but then again so was Gotham so she shouldn't have been surprised. Drawing a deep breath, she walked the rest of the way to the front door, hoping that Bruce didn't throw her out for showing up here uninvited.
She lifted her hand to push the doorbell only to have the door open before she even got the chance. She found herself standing face to face with a gray-haired man dressed in formal attire, a warm smile on his face. "Good afternoon, Princess Diana. I'm Alfred Pennyworth," he greeted her. "Won't you please come in?"
Stunned speechless, all she could do was nod her head before following him inside. She began looking around the massive foyer, trying to take in every single detail, but it was beyond difficult. Between the woodwork, the marble floors, the antiques and the artwork, it was quite the scene to behold.
She could definitely see Bruce in some of the décor, but it was obvious that not all of it had been by his hand. It had to have been from his parents, especially his mother with some of the feminine touches that she spotted here and there. She found herself completely in awe, feeling as though she had just stepped inside a museum that she was dying to explore from top to bottom.
"May I get you a cup of tea, miss?" Alfred offered her as he led her into the library.
"I don't want to be an inconvenience," she replied. "I only wanted to talk to Bruce for a few minutes if he'd be willing to see me."
"It's not an inconvenience at all," he reassured her. "I just made a pot for myself."
"Thank you, Mister Pennyworth," she politely responded.
"Please, call me Alfred," he insisted. "Master Bruce will be up to see you shortly."
"Thank you," she said as she began to explore the expansive library, her hands clasped behind her back.
She found herself completely fascinated by his vast collection of classical literature as well as various other works that she was interested in reading. The problem was finding the time. Their responsibilities were going to increase greatly in order to make up for the enormous hole Kal's death had left. With her now being the strongest member of the League, a lot of responsibility was going to fall on her shoulders.
"What brings you here, Princess?"
The baritone of his voice nearly made her jump out of her skin, causing her to whirl around on her heel to find Bruce standing there with his hands in the pockets of his khaki's. He had a frown on his face that told her he wasn't exactly happy about her being here, but he was obviously willing to give her a couple of minutes of his time.
"I'm sorry to intrude like this uninvited," she sheepishly began as she closed the distance between them. "It's just that I had to see you."
"Why?" he bluntly asked, his lips thinning into a disgruntled line.
"Why?" Diana repeated, stunned by his question. "Kal is dead, Bruce. I wanted to see how my friend was doing…to maybe be of comfort to each other."
"He's not dead, Diana," he angrily snapped, wishing everyone would stop saying that.
Her expression fell, her eyes reflecting her anguish as well as her mounting anger. "Bruce…"she began, her voice trailing off.
"No, Diana," he cut in. "I don't have time for this. I've got work to do."
Diana watched in stunned disbelief as he turned his back to her, preparing to walk away from her. She knew that he was struggling, but she'd had more than enough of this behavior from him. She reached out without a second thought, grasping hold of his wrist.
"Bruce, stop and talk to me," she ground out through clenched teeth.
Bruce stopped dead in his tracks, looking down at her hand wrapped firmly around his wrist. Her audacity had somewhat taken him by surprise, but he knew he really shouldn't be. Diana wasn't one to be trifled with and he had more than done so with the way that he had pushed her away and ignored her since the moment Clark went missing. Not to mention, he was being a complete ass to her now.
He released a weary sigh before finally turning around to face her, causing her to release her grip on him. He folded his arms against his chest, his scowl darkening and his blue eyes narrowing. "Fine," he spat out. "What do you want?"
Diana couldn't believe he was acting like this. They had been growing so close over the last several months, giving her hope that maybe he felt something for her too. Their sparring session on the Watchtower had gotten quite heated, a definite air of attraction permeating the room. Now, he was acting as if he didn't care the least bit about her.
"I want to know if you're all right," she began. "I know you believe that Kal is still alive, but you're going to have to start accepting the fact that he's not coming back to us."
"This is what you wanted to talk about?" Bruce immediately regretted his brusque behavior, seeing the hurt that reflected in her eyes. Softening his tone, he tried again, doing his best to not unleash his anger on her. She wasn't the source of it and definitely didn't deserve it. "I'm fine, Diana. I appreciate your concern, but I have a lot of work to do if I'm going to figure out what really happened to Superman."
Her shoulders slumped slightly, her grief with losing her best friend and her confusion and anger with Bruce mingling into a violent cyclone inside of her that demanded to be released. "Have you found anything out yet?"
"No, not yet," he confessed, averting his eyes. "I'm not giving up, though."
Diana's hand came to rest on his crossed his arms, noting how taut his muscles were. "Is there anything I can do to help you? Do you want me to watch over Gotham for you so you can work?"
His eyes settled on her once more, drinking in her beauty and compassion and finding himself falling a little more. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and kiss her, to comfort one another and share in their grief, but he knew that could never happen. He wasn't meant for a life like that and especially not with her.
"No…but thank you for the offer," he softly said, unfolding his arms and taking hold of her hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze, a small smile forming on his lips. "I promise I'll let you know as soon as I find something."
Her face lit up with his reassurance, the brightness of her smile mesmerizing him. "Thank you, Bruce," she replied. "I really appreciate that."
He nodded before releasing her hand and exiting the room, leaving her standing there all alone. Alfred appeared in the next moment with tray of tea in hand. "Care to join me for a spot of tea, Miss Diana?"
Diana looked to Alfred as he set the tray down, feeling perplexed and more than a little confused by Bruce's behavior. One moment he was angry that she had shown up uninvited and trying valiantly to push her away. The next he's holding her hand and promising to contact to her. It made no sense to her.
At times, she felt that she understood him and his difficulty with handling his emotions, but then something would happen that would totally change everything. He would become an enigma to her all over again, a complex puzzle that she couldn't begin to figure out. It was a dizzying dance that was making her head spin.
"Please join me, miss," Alfred gently prodded her.
Deciding that it couldn't hurt to share a cup of tea with him, Diana made her way to a high-back chair beside the British butler's. "How do you take your tea?"
"A spoonful of sugar please," she softly said, feeling as though she had just walked into a surreal dimension when she'd passed through the front doors of Wayne Manor. It made her wonder if she had done the right thing by coming here.
Alfred handed her a cup of tea before preparing his own cup. "I really must apologize for Master Bruce's abrupt behavior," he uttered with a sigh before taking a sip of his tea. "He often gets like this when he's buried himself too deeply in a case."
"I always knew that he was intense about his work," she admitted, taking an offered sugar cookie. "I guess I just hadn't anticipated him being so adamant about Kal being alive. I thought that his appearance at the memorial was a sign that he was beginning to accept it."
"I'm afraid that Master Bruce becomes quite consumed to a fault when it comes to his investigations," Alfred said with a nod. "When it's personal, he gets even more obsessive if that's even possible."
"I knew that he and Kal had known each other long before the formation of the League," Diana replied.
"Quite," he agreed. "I would venture to say that Mister Kent is probably the closest to a best friend that he has had, though I'm sure Master Bruce would say differently. He's not one for developing emotional attachments. Dealing with feelings, especially matters of the heart, is not his forte. In fact, it's something he does his best to shy away from at all cost."
Diana frowned, disheartened by the revelation. She had honestly felt as though they were developing a deep friendship, a special connection that could possibly to lead to something more. "I assume that it's because of what happened to his parents?"
Alfred nodded as he took another sip of his tea. "I'm afraid that is the core of it, but there have been several past relationships that have served to further cement those feelings."
"What happened?" she found herself asking before thinking that maybe she shouldn't have broached the subject.
"Let's just say that the women that have managed to capture Master Bruce's attention haven't always had the best intentions in mind," he ventured without giving away too much. "His romantic relationships have caused him quite a bit of heartache. It has made him rather gun-shy about venturing down that path again."
The more Alfred spoke the more Diana found herself hurting for Bruce, realizing the reason why he seemed to pull her in only to put distance between them later. He was trying to guard his heart, afraid of getting hurt again. It seemed to only strengthen her feelings for him as well as her determination to not give up on him.
"Thank you, Alfred," Diana murmured, pausing to finish her cup of tea. "You have been most helpful."
"It is my pleasure, Miss Diana," he replied with a smile. "Please do not take offense to Master Bruce or his behavior. He seems to firmly believe that Mister Kent is still alive. He'll stop at nothing to prove it."
"Do you think he's still alive?"
Alfred seemed to contemplate the question for only a moment before responding. "Let me put it this way," he began. "I have seen Master Bruce perform many miraculous things over the years, solving hopeless crimes and seeming to accomplish the impossible. If Master Bruce believes that Mister Kent is still alive, then I would bet my life that he is."
Diana felt her resolve and spirits lifted. She reached over and took hold of Alfred's hand, squeezing it. "I can't thank you enough, Alfred," she told him as she stood to her feet.
Alfred stood as well, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he escorted her to the front door. "It's obvious that you care about Master Bruce," he knowingly told her. "Please do not give up on him. He needs a good friend that he can count on whether he wants to admit it or not."
Diana smiled in response, her eyes dancing with mischief. "I'm an Amazon, Alfred," she reminded him. "I'm not so easily driven away. Besides, I love a good challenge."
"I'm very happy to hear that, miss," he said with a conspiratorial grin as he bid her goodbye.
Alfred sensed that her feelings for his surrogate son might run deeper than just mere friendship. He already knew that Bruce was rather taken with the Amazon beauty, especially with the way that mentioned her in the few times that he did talk about the League and their missions.
He felt a spark of hope begin to take root inside that he hadn't felt in a very long time. He had a feeling if there was anyone who could possibly get past all of Bruce's defenses; it was most certainly going to be her.
XXX
Diana hummed softly to herself as she made her way towards the Monitor Womb with a drink in each hand. All was finally right in the world again…or at least it was for the present moment. Superman was alive and back with the League where he belonged and Lobo was long gone, hopefully to never be seen or heard from ever again.
She swore to herself as she thought about that insolent beast. It had taken every bit of restraint that she had possessed not to break his face and send him packing back to wherever hole that he had crawled out of. She swore he had come from the Pits of Tartarus itself.
Now, things could get back to normal around here at long last.
Entering the Monitor Womb, she found the object of her search working on a computer while also doing monitor duty. She had learned a lot throughout this whole experience—the value of friendship, how any one of them could be taken away in less than a heartbeat despite their seeming invulnerability, to make the most of the time that is given to each of them.
She had known all of these things already, but she had found a deeper understanding. Along the way, she'd also discovered an even deeper level of trust and respect in the man behind the cape and cowl that had captured her attention from the start, thanks in part to Alfred.
"Princess," he greeted her without even turning around.
His deep baritone rasp seemed to echo throughout the Monitor Womb, giving it an almost haunting effect. It never ceased to amaze her how he always seemed to know she was there long before anyone should be able to and always without looking. It was something that completely mystified her. She hoped that he'd teach her his secret someday.
"Batman," she pleasantly replied, setting a hot cup of coffee down on the desk right beside him. "Thought you could use some caffeine."
"Thanks," he muttered as he reached for the cup, wondering if the Amazon princess had suddenly developed the ability to read minds.
Diana turned to lean against the edge of the desk so she could face him, taking a sip of her iced mocha. "You're welcome," she said. "I didn't get a chance to tell you the other day, but you have a magnificent home. I enjoyed meeting Alfred. He's a very sweet man."
Bruce felt guilt prick his conscious, knowing that she didn't get a chance to tell him because he hadn't given her the chance. He had been abrupt and just downright rude. Despite that glaring fact, she was bringing him coffee and being her usual kindhearted, smiling self full of such forgiveness. It made him feel like such a heel.
"He's invaluable," he found himself admitting. "I'd have been dead long ago if it weren't for him."
"Then, I'm very thankful for him as well," she replied.
"Something I can do for you, Princess?" he asked, beginning to feel a little uncomfortable with talking about his personal life with her.
Despite how much her unexpected appearance at the manor the other day had actually lifted his spirits and renewed his resolve to find Clark, he wasn't sure he was ready to have her invade his other life just yet. Alfred, on the other hand, was already hounding him about when he would be inviting the princess back to the manor. He swore that he'd seen wedding bells shining in the old man's eyes.
"I just wanted to say thank you," she confessed, somewhat nervously hooking a lock of hair behind her ear.
"For what?" he asked, stunned.
"Despite everything, you never stopped believing that Superman was alive," she explained. "You never gave up trying to your friend even though the rest of us had lost all hope. You gave me faith when I had none."
Before Bruce could begin to form a response, Diana stood up and closed the distance between them, leaning in towards him. His heart nearly stopped beating altogether, her close proximity as well as her jasmine scent causing his breath to catch in his throat.
"You don't get near the credit that you deserve," she softly murmured, her mouth just mere centimeters from his. "You're truly a remarkable man, Bruce."
At the last second, Diana bypassed his lips to kiss him softly on the cheek. She lingered there a heartbeat longer than necessary, her nose brushing against his as she pulled away from him. She gave him a warm smile, her blue eyes sparkling like diamonds before straightening up and walking away.
Diana was almost to the Monitor Womb doors before Bruce was finally able to draw a breath or form a coherent sentence. "Princess," he growled far harsher than he had intended.
Diana stopped at the door, turning to face him. "Yes, Batman?"
"Training room tomorrow, sixteen hundred hours…don't be late," he practically ordered her.
Her lips curled into a dazzling smile that seemed to illuminate the entire floating space station. "I look forward to it," she said with a nod. "I noticed the last time that there were quite a few moves that you could improve upon. I'm anxious to teach you a better way."
Bruce sat straight up in his chair, more than prepared to tell her how wrong she was. The twitch of amusement on her face, however, told him she was trying to rile him up. Well, two could play that game. "I don't know about that," he rasped almost threateningly. "I believe we have more than enough to work on with your skills that we won't have time to work on me."
The look of pure indignation that filled her face caused the corner of his lips to tick up, her blue eyes narrowing dangerously. "Just come prepared to have your ass kicked, Dark Knight," she taunted him.
His smirk grew into a full-blown grin as she whirled on her heel and walked out, leaving all alone again. "There's no one else I'd rather have try, Princess," he murmured to himself as he turned his chair back to his work, finding himself looking forward to tomorrow.
A/N: So, I felt bad that there weren't any Bruce/Diana moments in the Thief update I posted yesterday, but they're there to investigate and catch a thief. This chapter needed to focus on the real reason they're there or this fic will go on forever! To make up for it, I'm posting this update to hold you over until I post Chp 24 of To Catch a Thief. :)