TITLE: Mindful

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 goes to Wayne Manor expecting to spend some time with Bruce. What she doesn't expect is to be interrogated.

Mindful

"Are you sure?" Diana asked, her lips pursed as she floated above the scene below.

"Yah, go ahead, princess," Batman reassured her. "I've got this covered."

"I don't mind staying to help with clean-up," she told him.

"You've already had a long day with nonstop missions," he reminded her. "I can take these two to lockup."

"Will you be heading home soon?" she ventured, hope lacing her voice.

"Sorry…Batgirl just notified of me of a situation in Gotham that I need to look into," he informed her. "It's related to a case I've been working on."

"Hurry," she encouraged him. "I'll be waiting for you."

It was impossible to miss her insinuation. It caused the corner of his lips to twitch. "I won't be long."

"I hope not," she seductively replied. "I haven't seen much of you the last several days and I have needs that are aching to be satisfied."

She heard a low growl just before she ended the transmission, a grin spreading across her face as she took off towards Gotham at a speed that Hermes himself would be proud of. She was anxious to take a long, hot shower before enjoying Alfred's amazing cooking. With any luck, Bruce would be home in time to eat with her, giving them some time together alone before he needed to head out for patrol.

Her eyes momentarily fell closed as her anticipation built for the evening that awaited them if Bruce didn't dawdle. They hadn't seen very much of each other over the last ten days due to missions and life in general, leaving her more than a little uptight. Tonight's date was sorely needed and long overdue.

She couldn't wait to feel Bruce's lips and tongue against her skin, his fingers tangling in her hair as they made love. She longed to run her hands all over his muscular body, showing him how much she loved him and missed him before finally curling up against him.

The more she thought about him the more she thought about just forgetting dinner and jumping him the second he arrived home. She was certain that Alfred wouldn't mind keeping dinner warm for them. Hera knew that he'd had to do that for them on more than one occasion since they'd started dating.

Diana felt a warm flush suffusing her cheeks and coalescing in the pit of her stomach as she reminisced about the last time that they'd missed dinner. She drew a calming breath as the sight of Wayne Manor became visible on the horizon causing her to quicken her pace. Despite the fact Bruce wouldn't be home for a little while, she was glad to be home.

Home.

The word startled her as she headed towards the secret passage that would lead her into the Batcave. She didn't technically live here and yet it felt like home to her. Her quarters on the Watchtower was where she actually lived, but it didn't feel like home. It was just a place to sleep, a room to find a little quiet from the world around her.

She couldn't help wondering what Bruce would think if he knew that she felt so at home here at Wayne Manor. She laid no claim to the historic mansion nor had she actually moved into the manor. They really hadn't even talked about their living arrangements.

She wasn't against the notion, but she also didn't want to push Bruce into something that he wasn't ready for. This was his childhood home after all, and she knew how difficult it was for him when it came to commitment. She was certain moving in together would be a huge step for him.

Landing in the entrance to the Batcave, Diana found the hidden sanctuary of the Batman to be completely empty and eerily quiet. She had half expected Barbara or Tim to be down here training or working on some project of theirs, but there was no one to be found.

She made her way towards the showers, eager to get cleaned up. It had been a very long day with a string of missions that seemed as though they would never end including a fierce fight with Giganta that had caused a few bruises. Thankfully, this last mission with Batman had been fairly routine with little incident.

She quickly stripped her uniform off to be cleaned, laying her tiara, boots, and lasso aside on the bench. Turning on the water, she stepped into the shower, releasing a contented sigh as the hot water sluiced over her. She tilted her head back, allowing the dirt and grime of the day to find its way down the drain.

Reaching for her bottle of shampoo that she had left here, she began to wash her hair as her thoughts turned to the missions that she had been on today. She would have to find time to write up her reports, but she readily decided it could wait until tomorrow. She knew they were supposed to be done while events were still fresh in their minds, but since she was sleeping with the man who had written the protocols, she didn't think waiting until tomorrow morning would hurt that much.

Diana took her time enjoying her shower, using the jasmine body wash that she knew Bruce loved most. Finally finishing, she quickly dried off before grabbing a pair of his workout shorts and one of his t-shirts, tying the front of it around her waist. She began running her fingers through her wet hair as she made her way towards the platform, spotting someone up there.

She frowned to herself as she floated up to the platform, knowing that Bruce couldn't have returned already but hoping she was wrong. She was surprised to find Dick, Tim, and Barbara sitting in three chairs lined up side by side on one side of the ploatform, a single empty chair situated directly in front of them.

Diana glanced from one sidekick to the next, all three sporting the same stoic expression though there was a definite twinkle in Tim's blue eyes that was unmistakable. "Hello," she tentatively greeted them as she landed on the platform. "What's going on?"

"We'd like to have a private meeting with you if you wouldn't mind," Barbara formally began, making herself the spokesperson of the small group.

"Um…okay," Diana cautiously agreed as she moved to take the empty seat across from the trio. "May I ask what this is about?"

"Oh, sure…it's about you and Bruce," Tim excitedly chirped, nearly bouncing in his seat. Dick gave him a stern look as he elbowed him sharply in the ribs, causing him to curse softly and rub his side. "I mean…uh, no…you can't. We're going to interrogate you."

"You're Interrogating me?" she repeated, stunned by the revelation. This was not at all what she had expected when she'd arrived at Wayne Manor this evening. "What about?"

"We want to know what your intentions are towards Bruce," Dick revealed.

Barbara frowned at Dick before adding under her breath, "among other things".

"Are you going to be my mother?" Tim asked, receiving another elbow to the ribs. "What? I have my own set of questions I'd like answers to."

Diana smiled to herself, trying to keep her amusement from reaching her face even though Tim's question had stunned her. She was grateful that they cared as much about Bruce as she did, giving her a measure of comfort that there were others that looked out for his welfare even if he would dismiss it as completely unnecessary.

She couldn't help but think back to that night not so long ago when Bruce had revealed to them that they were dating. Though shocked, they had taken it all very well…had even seemed excited about the prospect of them as a couple, but she'd had a feeling that questions and doubts still lingered in their minds. Bruce had no doubt trained them well. He would be very proud of their investigative efforts even though she was sure he wouldn't appreciate them delving into his private life or their relationship.

"I can assure all of you that I am very committed to this relationship with Bruce," Diana confessed with utmost sincerity. "I care very deeply about him and only want him to be happy even if it's not with me."

"No!" Tim exclaimed. "We want it to be you!"

"Do you love him?" Barbara asked as she leaned over and placed her hand over Tim's mouth only for him to push her away.

"I love him more than anything in this world," she shyly admitted. "There's nothing that I wouldn't do for him."

"Well, that's good enough for me," Tim piped up with a grin. "Welcome to the family."

"Shush!" Barbara admonished him. "We're not done yet. Dick and I still have questions and concerns."

"Yah, but Bruce will be back soon," Tim said. "He's not going to be very happy when he finds out we've been interrogating his girlfriend."

"Let's move on to the next part," Dick suggested. "We need you to be aware of a few things."

"Like what?" Diana asked. "I already know about the women that Bruce has been with and the playboy image that he purports, but it doesn't bother me. I know that those days are over now."

"Well, you need to know that Selina can be really catty sometimes and likes to sink her claws into anyone who gets in her way…no pun intended," Dick told her with a grimace. "She may try to get Bruce back. Then, there's Talia ah Ghul. She's also a real piece of work."

"I'm sure I can handle them," she reassured them. "Besides, I trust Bruce. He would never intentionally hurt me."

"You need to be mindful of the fact that Bruce can be very difficult to deal with at times," Barbara warned her.

"A real pain in the ass," Dick revealed.

"And stubborn to the point you just want to choke the man sometimes or shove a Batarang where the sun doesn't shine," Barbara bit out with unmistakable frustration, her threat causing Tim and Dick to both shudder with the thought.

"And he's very grumpy…especially in the morning when he gets up," Tim added with a horrified expression on his face as if he'd encountered such atrocities in the past. "Don't talk to him until he's had his morning coffee and even then, be very careful."

"I'm sure she's already figured that one out for herself, genius," Dick muttered under his breath.

Barbara shot him a glare. "I'm sure she has, but I don't want her to get discouraged by his brooding, ill-tempered behavior," she pointed out with a huff. "Bruce can come across as very reclusive and uncaring sometimes…burying himself in a case for weeks on end and ignoring everyone around him, but he really does care about you, Diana.

"You have been so good for him and he's obviously head-over-heels in love with you. He's finally happy and at peace for the first time in his life and we don't want to see anything happen that would break his heart again. No one deserves this happiness more than Bruce does."

"I wouldn't leave him for being who he is or doing what only he can do to catch a criminal," Diana replied, hoping her answer helped to settle the doubts they obviously had about her staying with Bruce. "I know that his commitment to Gotham comes first. I would never stand in the way of that. I only want to help him in his mission and to be there for him…to hopefully make the burden that he carries a little easier to bear."

"Now, where do you see this relationship going?" Barbara asked her. "Do you see yourself living with Bruce in five years if you manage not to kill him?"

"Have you talked about marriage yet?" Dick questioned her. "A wedding on the grounds of the manor would be pretty cool."

"Are you going to have a baby with him?" Tim inquired. "I'd love to have a little baby brother or sister."

"Whoa…whoa…whoa," Diana said with a chuckle, holding up her hands. "One question at a time. I would love to live here in the manor with Bruce someday. As far as marriage, we're not anywhere near ready for that. We're taking things slow and seeing where it goes…no baby talk. We're just enjoying being together and in love for right now. We'll figure out the rest as we go."

"Well, that settles it for me," Barbara ultimately decided. "I don't think there's a better person to handle Bruce."

"Yah, it would take someone with superpowers to be able to handle him," Tim decided.

"I still think they're absolutely perfect together," she insisted. "It's the princess and her knight."

"That's because you're such a hopeless romantic, Babs," Dick told her with a shake of his head. "I still have some questions, though."

"Fire away," Diana encouraged him.

"Are you with Bruce just to get your hands on the Batmobile?" Dick demanded to know. "Are you going to try to get him to let you drive it? Because if you are, I'll have you know that I called dibs on the car years ago. It's mine when Bruce decides to retire."

Diana stared at him for a long moment, trying to process the question posed to her when a booming voice echoed through the Batcave. "Don't you three need to be getting ready for patrol?"

All three sidekicks suddenly straightened up in their seats as if they had just been caught red-handed by the teacher. They made a very quick escape from the platform, three chairs left spinning due to the speed with which they had left them.

"I told you we should have sent him further away from Gotham," Dick grumbled to Barbara as they ran for the changing area, Barbara smacking him on the arm. "Ow!"

Diana stood to her feet to find her handsome Dark Knight coming up the platform stairs. "So, how long have you been here?" she asked as he approached.

"Long enough to hear Tim ask if you were going to be his mother," Batman revealed with a smirk as he pulled his cowl and gauntlets off, tossing them onto his computer desk.

"That long?" she questioned him. "And you never even attempted to step in and rescue me?"

"You didn't need me, princess," he told her. "You handled it all very well. Besides, if you can handle an interrogation by the people that I've trained, then you can definitely handle me."

Diana scowled at him as he wrapped his arms around her waist, her blue eyes narrowing dangerously. "Sounds to me like you just wanted to hear how I was going to answer their questions," she countered. "I think you enjoyed watching me being thrown to the wolves."

Bruce tilted his head and brushed his lips against hers a couple of times before finally fully kissing her. Her arms slowly wound their way around his neck as he pulled her flush against his Kevlar covered body. He parted his lips in a silent invitation, their tongues tangling as each fought for control of the kiss that was growing more heated by the moment.

Retreating, Diana's lips ghosted along his defined jaw line to his ear, her warm breath whispering against his skin and creating a warm flush inside of him. "Admit it, Bruce," she seductively murmured. "You wanted those answers just as badly as they did."

He felt a shiver of need race through him as his mouth found hers once more in a passionate kiss that hinted at what he wanted. "Ewww!" Tim cried. "Not in the Batcave! It's like a desecration or something!"

"Take your time, you love birds," Barbara called to them as she slipped on her mask "We've got patrol covered."

"Yah, we're good," Dick agreed, heading to his cycle with his gloves in hand. "Don't even think about us or Gotham. We've got it handled."

"We'll see about that," Bruce grumbled. "Call me if there's a situation."

"You got it, daddy-o," Dick said as he swung his leg over the other side of his bike and started it up.

Diana began to kiss and nuzzle behind his ear, nipping at the sensitive spot that always drove him wild. She was anxious to continue where they had just left off. "So, what did you think about what you heard?" she ventured. "Did I pass the test?"

"With flying colors," he confirmed, pulling back to take her by the hand and lead her down off the platform.

"So, I answered their questions the way that you would have?" she questioned him. "Like living together? Marriage? A baby?"

"Yes, except for one thing," he told her as he removed his boots and began to strip off his uniform with a lustful leer in his piercing blue eyes as he studied her.

Diana's hands found her hips as she tilted her head slightly in curiosity. "What's that?"

"Living here with me," he told her as he removed his uniform pants before closing the distance between them. "I want you to consider living here at the manor with me."

Diana's hands come to rest against his bare chest, her eyes softening with the unexpected request. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I want you to move into the manor…that is if you want to," he replied as he gazed into her eyes, wanting her to know just how serious he was.

It was the least he could for her after permitting her to be interrogated by his partners. He was allowing her a rare glimpse into his heart and soul after she had just revealed what she held in her heart for him. Her words had only caused his love for her to deepen even more that he had believed was possible.

"You're not just asking me to move in because of what Dick, Barbara, and Tim were saying, are you?" she asked. "I don't want to move in if you're truly not ready for that next step."

"I've actually been thinking about it for some time now," he confessed, his gaze falling. "I like knowing you're in my bed waiting for me at night…waking up beside you in the morning. I would like it to happen more often."

Her lips found his in a sweet kiss, one that held her answer. "Yes," she murmurs. "I'd love to."

"We'll work on that then," he agreed as his hands settled on her hips, his fingers playing with the edges of his t-shirt that she wore. "You know you look much better in my t-shirt than I do, but I also look amazing out of it."

He slowly untied his t-shirt as she raised her arms up above her head, allowing him to slip it off of her. His mouth founds hers in a heated rush, his hands beginning a very thorough exploration of her body as if it was the first time.

Pushing his shorts off her hips, he picked her up and carried her into the shower with him, their kisses growing more passionate by the moment as he finally set her down. He quickly pressed her up against the wall of the shower, wrapping her long legs around his waist as he began to make love to her.

Meanwhile upstairs, Alfred was placing the couple's dinner into the refrigerator to be reheated later this evening when they were finally ready to eat. "Thank you for the warning, Miss Barbara," he murmured to himself, a knowing smile on his lips as he slid his cell phone into his pocket.