Impression: Part 3 (AU)

Diana Prince hurried down the hallway of the Gotham Museum, the quickened click of her high heels against the marble floor creating a rapid cadence that conveyed her anticipation. She had been working on a statue that had recently been unearthed in Peru when she'd received a call about a special delivery to her office.

She pursed her lips in concentration as she thought back over various items that she'd recently ordered including some special equipment for the museum. There was a particular book that she had ordered that she expected to arrive any day now, but they wouldn't have called her for that.

"Diana!"

She turned at the sound of the voice of her assistant and friend Shayera, finding the red head running towards her with a clipboard in hand. "Shayera," she greeted her, noticing the grin on her face. "You seem excited about something. Did John finally propose?"

Shayera rolled her eyes as she stopped before the statuesque woman before her. "Yah, like that will ever happen," she said with a heavy dose of sarcasm. "It seems that you failed to tell me you went out on a date with Bruce Wayne last night."

The corner of Diana' lips curled into a lop-sided smile. "It's no big deal," she attempted to downplay it despite the faint flutter that hearing his name created in her stomach.

"No big deal?" Shay replied, incredulous. "Does this look like a big deal?"

Shayera handed her a copy of the Gotham newspaper. On the front page was a full colored picture of Bruce and Diana sitting close together in a restaurant, deep in conversation. In bold letters across the top was the headline, "Gotham's Playboy Woos Greek Goddess".

Diana chuckled as she handed the newspaper back to her friend. "It was just a simple date," she claimed. "Nothing happened."

Shayera's green eyes narrowed as she scrutinized her. "Come on, Diana!" she exclaimed in exasperation. "It's freaking playboy Bruce Wayne. He's like an octopus. You can't tell me you didn't have to fight off his advances."

"I didn't," Diana maintained with a frown. "Bruce was a perfect gentleman."

"He didn't try to kiss you?" Shayera quizzed her, muttering under her breath to herself, "maybe he really is gay."

"He wanted a kiss, but I wouldn't let him," she revealed as she turned on her heel and began to walk away.

Shayera openly gaped as Diana made her way towards her office. "And he was okay with that?" she almost yelled.

Diana shrugged a shoulder with an indifferent glance back at her. "I didn't exactly give him much of a choice," she told her. "Besides, it's not like it'll go anywhere. I'm sure he'll be on to the next new woman in town by tomorrow."

"Right," Shay drawled as she ran to catch up to her. "You obviously haven't been to your office lately."

"No," she replied in confusion. "Why?"

"Let's just say that I think Mr. Wayne is quite taken with you," Shayera replied with a cryptic air.

Diana's brow knitted as she quickened her pace. "I'm sure it's nothing."

"I would not say it's nothing," she stated. "It's definitely something…like a really big something. You snagged yourself a boyfriend…and not just any boyfriend but billionaire Bruce Wayne."

"Bruce Wayne is not my boyfriend," Diana insisted. "We just went out on one date—nothing more."

"Well, he definitely wants more," she told her. "I'm just glad you finally went out for a change. I've been trying to get you to go out since you arrived in Gotham two months ago. And it's not like every single male in the museum isn't dying to go out with you."

"Oh my word," Dina uttered with a gasp as she entered her office to find a large bouquet of red roses in an expensive crystal vase sitting on her desk.

Diana slowly made her way towards her desk, a tender smile forming on her face as she reached for the card attached to the bouquet. She pulled the small card out of the envelope, her smile broadening as a faint blush crept over her cheeks.

"You're smitten too!" Shayera crowed as she watched Diana's expression turn from one of shock to delight.

"It's really nothing," Diana tried again as she reread the card. "I'm sure he sends roses to everyone he goes out with."

"Three dozen red roses is not nothing, Diana," Shay stated as she snatched the card of her hand to read it for herself. "Diana, I had a wonderful time with you last night. I'm anxiously waiting for our second date. Sincerely Yours, Bruce."

Shayera looked up from the card to stare in shock at the Greek curator, her green eyes wide as her jaw fell open. Diana started to chuckle as she shook her head. "You're reading far too much into this, Shay," she tried to tell her as she took her seat at her desk.

"Whatever," Shay said as she handed the card back to her. "You definitely made an impression on him. When are you going out again?"

"I haven't said yes yet," Diana sheepishly replied.

"Why the heck not?" Shay demanded to know as she sat on the edge of Diana's desk. "The man is hot, charming, and is insanely rich. He might be a bit of a womanizer and a letch, but I heard he's mind-blowing in bed."

"Shayera!" Diana cried in shock.

"Well, if the rumors are true, this could be quite a wild ride for you," Shayera told her with a grin as she wiggled her eyebrows at her. "It's definitely time you got out and lived a little. You live like a hermit."

"Forgive me," Diana said as she leaned back in her chair. "I'm not a party animal like you are. I enjoy staying home, curling up with a cup of tea and a good book. There's nothing wrong with that."

"B-O-R-I-N-G," Shayera spelled out. "That is exactly why I think you should give Bruce a chance. He'll bring you out of that shell you've locked yourself up in."

Diana laughed as she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. "You make me sound like a nun," she told her. "I like to go out and have fun. I just enjoy quiet evenings in."

"Boring," Shayera repeated. "You call Bruce Wayne right now. Thank him for the flowers and tell him that you'd love to go out with him."

"Love?"

"Yes, love," Shay sternly stated in no uncertain terms. "Don't be so scared of it, Diana. It won't bite and you just might have a great time too. It's time you take a chance for once."

"But—"

"Don't knock it till you try it," she interrupted her with a wink. "Whoa, I gotta run. The new shipment is supposed to be arriving any minute now."

"The one from Paris?"

"Oui, oui," Shayera confirmed with a grin as she stood to her feet. "Text him right now."

Diana shook her head in amusement as she watched Shayera leave her office, her gaze wandering back to the enormous bouquet of red roses. She'd never received anything like this before. To say that it was a little overwhelming was an understatement, but it was incredibly flattering at the same time.

She slowly raked her teeth over her bottom lip as she pulled up her text messages. She smiled at the text message she found from Bruce.

"When am I going to get my yes for a second date?" he had texted her about thirty minutes ago.

"Eventually," she texted back. "Thank you for the roses and the crystal vase. They're beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you are," he responded.

Diana could feel her cheeks grow warm with the compliment. She didn't know why she was reacting this way. No other man had been able to evoke these reactions in her like this. It caused a small swell of panic to form in the pit of her stomach.

Before she could think up a suitable response to his compliment, her phone chimed again. "Next time I'll send you pink orchids."

Diana stared at the text message on her phone, her brow furrowing in disbelief. "Those are my favorite flowers. How did you know that?"

"I have my ways, Ms. Princes."

"You're a very intriguing man, Mr. Wayne."

"Intriguing in a good way I hope."

"Definitely."

"I really like that answer."

"Shouldn't you be working? It is the middle of the afternoon."

"I'm supposed to be going to a meeting right now, but I'd much rather talk to you."

"We're not actually talking."

"It's better than not being able to talk to you at all."

"I'm flattered, but you should go to your meeting. I don't want to be the reason you miss your meeting."

"Fine, but I'm expecting an answer very soon…and my kiss."

"We'll see. Bye."

"Bye."

Diana tilted her chair back, a grin on her face as she lightly caressed the screen of her phone with her thumb, finding herself wishing that it was actually him. She'd never felt this way about a man before. Her typical fears of letting him get too close to her seemed to evaporate around him for some reason she couldn't begin to understand or explain.

She knew that she still needed to be cautious if she chose to move forward with this relationship. She didn't want him to become too attached to her or fall in love with her. It could prove to be dangerous, not just for him but for her too. Could her heart handle a relationship right now…actually find happiness after all that she'd been through?

Tears attempted to gather in her eyes, but she just as quickly banished them with a resolve that was felt bone deep. She refused to give in to any form of self-pity or sorrow. She made up her mind that she would enjoy what time she had to spend with Bruce while it lasted.

She deserved that much…didn't she?

She began to cough, an attack that had her immediately reaching for the inhaler she kept in the top drawer of her desk. She inhaled the medicine as her eyes watered with an overwhelming need to cough again. She quickly grabbed her bottle of water, praying the attack would subside.

"Please…not now," she silently prayed.

XXX

"What are your thoughts on proceeding with the deal?"

Bruce Wayne sat up a little straighter in his chair, schooling his expression and doing his best not to appear as guilty as he was feeling at that particular moment. "I think that we could definitely make it work," he agreed with a definitive nod. "I say let's do it, Oliver."

Oliver Queen smirked as he stared down his childhood friend. "I know that look on your face, Bruce," he flatly stated. "What's her name…and it had better not be Natalie."

Bruce chuckled in response, but it turned into a groan accompanied by a grimace. "No way," he adamantly said. "Been down that road too many times."

"And got burned badly every single time," Ollie pointed out

"Thank you for reminding of that fact," Bruce replied with a frown. "And what makes you think that it's even a woman? Maybe I'm thinking about the money your company is going to make me?"

It was Oliver's turn to laugh as he gathered his papers to put into his briefcase. "We've known each other since we were three years old. There's nothing you can get past me. It's that Greek curator, isn't it?"

"What if I said yes?" he furtively asked, a Cheshire grin on his face.

"I'd say you are one lucky man," Oliver told him. "She's gorgeous."

"Yes, she is, but she's so much more than that," he revealed, his blue eyes alight with wonder as he thought about her. "She's intelligent, charming, witty, and she keeps me on my toes. I'm constantly wondering what she'll say next or how she's going to respond."

"That's almost impossible to do to you," he agreed. "I think I'm hearing wedding bells for the elusive playboy bachelor of Gotham."

Bruce adamantly shook his head in disagreement. "I'm not exactly the marrying type, Ol," he responded with a wince at the thought.

"I've always said that when the right woman came along, you'd change your mind," he countered with a confident air. "I think that maybe she has. I've never seen you like this with any other woman. I think she's the one."

Bruce just smirked, deciding that his friend had finally lost his mind. "This coming from the man who's been dating Dinah for a year and has yet to even look at an engagement ring."

"Hey now," Ollie said as he held up his hands in defense. "Don't make this about me. We're talking about your love life here, not mine. Things are perfectly fine just the way that it is."

"You can't tell me that Dinah hasn't been dropping hints…leaving bridal magazines around the house…talking about having a baby someday?"

Oliver released a sigh as his shoulders sank along with his spirits. "Yah, there has been some of that."

"You know it's not a bad thing," Bruce reminded him. "Getting married and starting a family is usually viewed as highly desirable."

"This coming from the self-proclaimed bachelor for life," Ollie said with a laugh.

"Hey, I never said it was for me, but I think it's definitely something you should consider," he replied. "Don't you love her?"

"Of course, I love Dinah," Ollie quickly confirmed. "I do want to marry her someday, but…well…it's a little terrifying. What if I screw this up? What if I'm a horrible husband?"

Bruce grinned as he crossed his arms against his chest. "I guarantee you'll screw it up at least a dozen times in the first six months of marriage."

"Gee, thanks for the pep talk," Ollie sarcastically snapped.

"Ollie, I'm just saying that every husband in the history of time has screwed up at one point or other," he explained. "That's why God created floral shops. It's how you handle the screw up that will test the strength of your love."

"Wow…when did you become such a romantic?"

"I'm not," Bruce assured him as he stood to his feet. "I'm just smart enough not to get married in the first place."

"I bet you ten thousand dollars you'll be engaged inside of six months."

"Deal," Bruce said, shaking his friend's hand.

Checking his watch, he knew that he had to hurry. He had a very important errand to run before he went home for the evening. He just hoped he wasn't too late.

XXX

Diana made her way to the back door of the museum, more than ready to soak in a hot bubble bath. She stretched her neck out, trying to work out the kinks that had formed while working on the statue from Peru. It had been tedious and time-consuming and yet fascinating to work on at the same time.

She couldn't help but smile to herself as she thought about the large bouquet of red roses that Bruce had sent her today. He made her feel so beautiful…so desirable in ways that she had never imagined. She knew that she shouldn't tease him like she did or leave him wondering if she'd say yes to a second day, but it was just so much fun. She loved bantering with him, keeping him guessing and wondering. She hoped he enjoyed it as much as she did.

Exiting the museum, she checked her cell phone, disappointed to find no new text messages from Bruce, making her wonder if maybe she had pushed him too far. She felt her stomach drop into her feet with the thought that maybe he had given up on her. Had she already screwed this up?

Reaching her SUV, Diana stopped short at the sight of a single pink orchid on the windshield. She couldn't keep her smile at bay as she made her way to her car, her heart beating a little harder. Picking up the pink orchid, she brought it to her nose as her eyes momentarily fell closed, savoring the sweet scent.

Laying the orchid aside, she picked up the white envelope that was resting beneath it, opening it to find two tickets to the ballet. She could hardly believe that Bruce would go to all this trouble just for her, sending her roses and now tickets to the ballet.

Her cell phone rang at that moment, checking it to find it was the man she'd been thinking about. "Yes," she excitedly exclaimed without preamble before he even had a chance to utter a word.

His deep, baritone chuckle caused a shiver to roll through her. "I didn't even say anything yet."

"I'd love to go to the ballet with you," she clarified.

"I'm glad," he replied. "Was it the roses or the ballet tickets that made you say yes."

"I was always going to say yes, but I wanted to see how badly you wanted a second date with me."

"I am going to get my kiss," he adamantly stated with obvious determination in his voice.

"We'll see," she coyly said with a smirk.

"You are such a tease, Ms. Prince."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all," he reassured her, his voice husky with unmistakable desire. "You're unlike any woman I've ever met before. It's intriguing and vexing at the same time."

"Well, I don't want to vex you."

"I assure you it's in a good way," he told her. "So, I'll see you this Friday night."

"I'll see you then."

"I'll pick you up at six for dinner first if you'd like."

"I'd like that, but you still have to show me around Gotham some time."

"How about this Saturday?"

"Two dates two days in a row?" she questioned him with a chuckle. "My, you must be desperate for some company."

"Only your company," he flirted. "I know what I like when I see it."

"And do you like what you see?"

"Very much," he assured her.

"Thank you again for the roses," she said, changing the subject. "It wasn't necessary, but I appreciate the gesture."

"I enjoy putting that beautiful smile on our face."

Diana quickly began looking around for him, warmth spreading through her with the thought of him watching her. "Are you here?"

"Yes, you look amazing in that red dress," he confirmed. "I wanted to make sure you got the tickets before someone stole them off your car."

"You know you could have delivered them in person."

"Would I have gotten my kiss if I had?"

Diana chuckled with his persistence. "I guess we'll never know, now will we?"

"You're killing me, Diana."

"I hope not yet," she replied. "I'm anxious to see where this goes."

"I have several ideas in mind."

"I hope they're all good."

"They're very good," he reassured her. "I'm anxious to explore all of them with you."

"Good night, Bruce," she told him with a laugh.

"Good night, Diana."

Bruce watched as she smelled the orchid once more, mesmerized by the pleasure that filled her expression with such a simple flower. He had a feeling that was just the way that she was—three dozen roses or a single orchid didn't matter to her. Either brought about so much happiness in her. He found he always wanted to be the one to make her happy, to put that enchanting smile on her face.

Driving away, he found himself eagerly anticipating Friday's date, determined to finally get the kiss from her that he'd been aching for since he'd first met her.

A/N: Just a little something to hopefully cheer you all up during this crazy time. Hope you're all doing well despite the chaos going on in the world right now. Remember, God is in control! :)