Bewitching

Diana adjusted her hat as she studied her appearance in the mirror, wanting to make sure that she looked perfect for tonight. She could hardly believe that Bruce had actually allowed her to have a Halloween party let alone having a party at Wayne Manor of all places.

She must have caught him at a weak moment…a very weak moment…although Bruce didn't have any weak moments which made it even more strange that he had even agreed to her request. Shayera tried to tell her that he'd only agreed to it because Diana was still wearing her yoga pants and tank top from their workout in the training room.

It also hadn't hurt her cause any when she had placed her hands on top of Batman's table and leaned over to talk to him. Diana didn't see how that had made any difference, but Shay felt the perfect view down her tank top hadn't hurt her campaign either. She guessed that explained why Bruce had nearly choked on his sandwich before she'd even made her request.

Whatever.

She had gotten what she wanted along with the chance to decorate the ball room to boot so in her eyes it had been a major victory. He'd even agreed to let her get ready for the party at his house. Shayera told she should've asked for a lot more, but Diana hadn't wanted to push her luck.

Diana frowned as she thought about it. She'd felt a growing irritation over the last two weeks with the notion that Bruce had only agreed to this party because he'd gotten a good view of her chest. It bothered her deeply to think that he only appreciated her for her looks. She had to mean more to him than that…right? I mean they were very close friends.

She'd somehow managed to coax Bruce into attending her costume party, but he'd already forewarned her that he couldn't be there the whole evening. Halloween night was notorious for being a headache and patrol would undoubtedly take him away. She had readily agreed, more than willing to take whatever he was willing to give her. She just appreciated the effort he was willing to make.

"It's now or never, Diana," she murmured to herself, drawing a deep breath before heading towards the door of the guest bedroom.

She couldn't help wondering if Bruce was actually going to take the extra step and dress up in an actual Halloween costume tonight. She definitely wasn't going to hold her breath for that to happen. She knew Bruce far too well. Getting him to let her have a Halloween party at his house had been more than she'd hoped for. Getting him to attend for more than a handful of seconds would be considered a miracle of the gods. She'd faint if he actually participated in the event past growling at them as he stalked through the ballroom.

Diana was immediately assaulted by delicious aromas as she descended the stairs, her stomach rumbling in anticipation of Alfred's cooking. She had been more than thankful that Alfred had enthusiastically volunteered to plan and prepare the entire menu. He had turned out to be a true partner and co-conspirator in crime in planning the event.

Maybe with a little luck, the British butler had been able to persuade Bruce into wearing a costume tonight. She had a pretty strong feeling if anyone could do it, it would definitely be Alfred.

"Miss Diana, you look magnificent," Alfred greeted her as he came around the corner with a tray loaded with cookies.

Diana glanced down at herself, looking up with a proud smile. "Thank you, Alfred," she replied. "I hope I look the part."

"You look absolutely perfect," he reassured her.

"Do you think Bruce will dress up?" she tentatively asked.

Alfred sighed with a reluctant air that told her she wasn't going to like his answer. "I'm afraid that remains to be seen," he confessed with an apologetic look. "I would have to say it's highly unlikely."

"That's what I thought," she replied, clearly disheartened. "I'm not going to let that ruin my party, though. I've always wanted to have a costume party like this and now I finally get to. I couldn't have done it without you, Alfred."

"It's my pleasure, Miss Diana," he told her. "It's nice to have a party around here. It's a refreshing change to the gloom and doom that usually permeates this house. I'd much rather be helping to throw a party than patching up Master Bruce after his latest kerfuffle."

"Is Bruce home from work yet?"

"He just arrived home a few minutes ago," he informed her. "I'll make sure that he makes an appearance at the party."

"Thank you, Alfred," she said.

The ring of the doorbell alerted them that their first party guest had just arrived. "I'll get it!" she excitedly volunteered, racing towards the front door in her black stiletto heels.

Alfred chuckled to himself as he carried the tray to the ballroom. Normally, he would have insisted that he answer the door, but the princess's elation was undeniable and quite contagious. He just hoped that Master Bruce didn't do anything to screw this up and steal her happiness tonight.

XXX

"Fabulous costume, Wondy!" Wally told her, looking her up and down as he entered the manor. "I never knew you had it in you."

"I'm not a real witch, Wally," she reassured him.

"But I'm sure you could perform a little witchcraft, Di!" Wally quipped, laughing at his own joke.

"Hilarious," Shayera uttered with a roll of her eyes as she pushed past the speedster to enter the manor.

"Shay! You look awesome!" Diana told her, impressed with her sexy angel costume. "Love the halo."

"Are you an angel fallen from heaven?" Wally asked, falling on his knees before the Thanagarian.

"Don't even think about it," John stated as he followed Shayera inside, dressed in his Marine uniform. "You really didn't dress like that?"

"Why?" Wally exclaimed. "Joker is super popular this year."

"Bruce is so going to kill you and use you as a speed bump in the Batcave tunnel," John warned him.

"Oh, come on," Wally said with a laugh. "Bruce will get a kick out of it."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

The rough, grating rasp of the infamous Dark Knight filled the foyer, causing all four superheroes to whirl around in surprise at the unexpected appearance. They found Bruce standing there dressed in his Batman uniform as if ready to start patrol, his cape draped around him like a death shroud.

"That's your costume?" Wally cried. "Not very original, Batsy."

"Says the fool who decided to dress as my most hated enemy," Batman countered with a terrifying sneer.

"You know I think I better check out the food Alfred made," Wally readily decided, taking off in a streak of red.

"Glad you could join us," John said.

"For a while," Batman clarified. "First sign of trouble in Gotham and I'm gone."

"It's okay, Bruce," Diana reassured him. "I'm just so happy you came…even if it's just for a little while."

"A witch, princess?" he questioned as he studied her, the corner of his lips quirking in amusement.

She looked positively deadly in black stiletto heels; fishnet stockings that made her legs look like they were a mile long. Her black dress fit like a second skin, low cut in the front. The skirt had a jagged hem that ended at mid-thigh, allowing a glimpse of the garters holding up her stockings. Her black pointed hat completed her look.

In a word, she looked…bewitching.

Diana's hands came to rest on her hips, her lips twitching with a beguiling smile. "What's the matter, Bruce? Don't you like it?"

Before Bruce could answer her, the doorbell rang again. "Saved by the bell again," she lightly teased with a grin before going to answer the door.

Opening the door, she found Lois and Clark dressed like Han Solo and Princess Leia. "Princess Leia coming through," Lois said without preamble, pushing past Diana. "Where's the food?"

"Lois, honey…" Clark gently chided her.

"What?" Lois snapped. "I'm stressed and I'm starving."

"You have nothing to worry about," Clark reminded her. "The wedding is still a month away."

"Follow the decorations towards the ballroom," Diana told Lois. "Alfred has all the food set up."

"Great costume, Diana," Lois replied, her scrutinizing gaze falling on the Gotham vigilante. "What's up with tall, dark, and menacing?"

"Always a pleasure, Lois," Bruce groused.

"For a man with a genius IQ, you are severely lacking in the creativity department," she informed him in no uncertain terms.

Bruce glared at her, wishing Kryptonite affected her like it did her fiancé. "Don't you have a story to chase…like in Bolivia?"

"Good thing you're handsome, Wayne," Lois said, patting him on the chest as she walked past him on her way towards the ballroom. "You really need to work on your people skills."

"I'm sorry," Clark apologized for his fiancé.

"It's okay, Kal," Diana reassured him.

"Nice costume, Clark," Bruce said with a smirk.

"It wasn't my idea," Clark revealed. "I was hoping for something simple, but well…Lois…"

"I get it," Diana said. "Go help yourself to the food."

"I also have to make sure Lois doesn't drink all of Bruce's liquor," he said with a sigh.

"I'll be sure to send you the bill if she does," Bruce called as Clark made his way down the hall.

Diana turned towards Bruce again, intent on asking him the question that had been bugging her ever since that day in the commissary. "Bruce, I have to ask you something," she began.

"Whoop! Who is ready for a par-tay?" Dick yelled as he and Barbara came from the library, holding hands and dressed like zombies.

"Sorry, we're late," Barbara apologized. "Dick couldn't stop adding more zombie makeup."

"Hey! I have to look the part," he claimed. "This is a costume party after all."

"Yah, that'll look great on patrol," Batman grumbled.

"I'm sorry…do I know you?" Dick asked, narrowing his eyes as he studied Bruce. "You look and sound like the Bruce we all know and love, but you can't be him because you were supposed to dress up for Diana's costume party."

"This is my costume for the party," he ground out.

"Man, your fun factor is in the toilet," Dick told him.

"Bruce is very fun," Diana defended him. "You just have to look really hard and a little deeper to find it sometimes."

"Thanks…I think," Bruce stated with a frown. "Just be ready to roll if we get a call."

"I'm always ready," Dick countered as he led Barbara towards the ballroom.

Music began blaring from the ballroom, the entire manor seeming to pulsate with the pounding bass. "Wally found the sound system," Bruce groused, his jaw clenching in annoyance.

"Come on, Bruce," Diana insisted, looping her arm through his. "It'll be fun."

"Not without me!" Tim hollered as he bounded down the winding staircase, jumping onto the banister before leaping the rest of the way to the floor below.

"No jumping from the banister," Bruce growled at him. "This isn't the circus and my name isn't P. T. Barnum."

"Yes, sir!" Tim said with a stiff salute.

"Who are you supposed to be, Tim?" Diana asked.

"I'm Deadpool," Tim proudly announced, puffing his chest out as he placed his fists on his hips.

"I don't know who that is," she replied.

"Never heard of him," Bruce stated.

"You two really need to get out more," Tim muttered as he walked past them.

Diana led a reluctant Bruce towards the ballroom. "Come," she insisted. "You still owe me a dance."

"I don't think this is the kind of dancing that I had in mind when you forced me to make a promise to make it up to you."

"I didn't force you into making a promise and I'm sure there's a slow song in there somewhere," she maintained. "You're not leaving here tonight until I've gotten my dance."

Entering the ballroom, Bruce had to admit that Diana had done a really great job with the costume party. The decorations were amazing, creating a haunting air that seemed to only add to the fun and excitement of the evening. It had been many years since this ballroom had seen a party…not since his parents were alive. He felt that his parents would've enjoyed it very much.

"Coming through," Zatanna announced as she shoved past Bruce and Diana in a Cinderella costume. "Girl's gotta get her party on!"

"Who all did you invite?" he asked Diana.

"Only friends that know your secret identity," she reassured him.

"I'm glad you had some restraint," he quipped.

Diana pulled him to a stop, her hand sliding down his arm to take his hand in hers. "Bruce, there's something that has really been bothering me and I need to know the truth."

"What is it, princess?" he asked, noticing the tension that creased her brow.

"Yeeha! Giddy up, boys and girls!" Oliver Queen hollered as he entered with Dinah on his arm, dressed like a cowboy and cowgirl.

"Giddy up?" Dinah questioned him with an annoyed look. "Just…don't, Ollie. It's definitely not you."

"Fine," he grumbled, "but I'm saving this lasso for you and me later tonight."

"In your dreams, Wyatt Earp," she said with a laugh.

Diana cursed with a growl of frustration. "You know what?" she ground out. "Never mind. It doesn't matter."

Turning on her heel, she ran right into Etrigen, stumbling a couple of steps backwards. "Hera! Who invited you?" she yelled, her anger bubbling over.

"I never miss a great party," he growled, his beady red eyes narrowing as he studied her. "Why would you want to dress like a witch? You remind me of the repulsive Morgaine le Fey. If she makes an appearance here, I'll—"

"She's not invited, and neither were you!" Diana growled at him.

"Hey, there's Zatanna," Etrigen said with a grin as he made a beeline for her.

Diana began to storm away only to be brought to a stop when Bruce's fingers securely wrapped around her arm. "Diana, what is it?" he pressed, forcing her to face him.

"I just…" she began, voice trailing off as she averted her eyes. How was she going to ask him what she wanted to know?

"Come with me," he told her, taking her by the hand and leading her out of the ballroom and into the hallway. "Talk to me, princess."

Diana began wringing her hands in nervous anticipation. She wasn't sure if it was voicing the question or his answer that concerned her the most. "Why did you agree to me having a Halloween costume party at your house?"

"What do you mean?"

She released a sigh as she struggled for the right words. "Shayera said that you agreed to it because I was wearing yoga pants," she explained. "Is that why you agreed? Because of my looks?"

"Is that what you think?"

"I just need to know, Bruce," she replied, her chin falling slightly. "Do you only value me for the way that I look?"

His fingers beneath her chin forced her to meet his handsome face, his piercing blue eyes revealing so much more than she had hoped for. "Diana, you are the most beautiful woman that I have ever met in my life both inside and out," he confessed. "I value you for who are…and for everything that you represent and fight for. I value you for your strength, your purity of heart and fiery spirit, your immense capacity to love."

"So, why did you let me have this party then?" she asked, confused. "This isn't like you at all, Bruce."

The corner of his lips quirked as his hand came to rest against her check. "Haven't you figured it out by now, princess?"

"Figured out what?"

"That I'm hopelessly in love with you," he admitted, his thumb caressing her cheekbone.

"I thought that you…you didn't want me," she murmured, stunned by his confession.

"Wanting and allowing myself to have are too very different things, princess," he revealed as he leaned in closer to her. "I'm finally ready to try to have what I want most."

"Why now?"

"Are you going to keep questioning this?" he asked with a chuckle, his lips ghosting over hers. "Or would you rather just accept that I love you and I want to be with you."

Diana's arms slipped around his neck, pulling him closer as he kissed her senseless. Finally retreating with a breathless gasp, her forehead came to rest against his, savoring the moment of being in his arms. She lightly ran the tip of her tongue along her lower lip, loving the taste of him lingering in her mouth.

"I love you too," she softly confessed. "But why now, Bruce? Please…I just need to know."

"It was the look of excitement on your face when you asked me about having your costume party. I just couldn't say no," he admitted to her. "I realized in that moment that making you happy brought me more joy than I had ever known. I decided that I wanted that happiness in my life all the time…I wanted you in my life."

"So, it wasn't the view down my tank top or my sexy witch costume?"

"Princess, you've been bewitching me since the first moment I met you," he replied, brushing his lips against hers. "It's like you cast a spell over me long ago, one that I don't want to be free from. I realized that day that I couldn't say no to you any longer. I didn't want to say no any longer."

"It's about time," she murmured, her lips crashing into his with a fierce passion as she threaded her fingers through his jet-black hair.

He returned her passion, pulling her flush against him. "Will you wait here at the manor for me to return from patrol tonight?" he huskily requested.

"Depends," she decided as she began to kiss along his jaw.

"Depends on what?" he asked suspiciously, tilting his head as she found his ear.

"Can I have a Christmas party here for our friends?"

"If you promise to keep your witch costume on until I get home from patrol tonight."

"Deal," she readily agreed.

"Deal," he replied, claiming her lips once more.

Kissing her breathless, Bruce decided she was definitely the most bewitching woman that he'd ever met and now she was finally his. He could hardly wait to return home to find out just how naughty or nice his witch actually was.