Mistletoe (DCAU)

"Meet me under the mistletoe."

The words played over and over again in Diana's mind as she tried to sit through Monitor Duty. She had no idea who had sent her the note, but several possibilities could be behind the invitation. There was one in particular that she wanted it to be from, but she just wasn't sure if he would ever act on the flirtatious nature of their relationship.

She'd tried to focus on her duties for the last three hours, but it was more than difficult when there was someone who wanted to meet her under the mistletoe in Metropolis this evening. She wasn't certain if she should even go, but her curiosity was beginning to win out the more she thought about it.

Meet me under the mistletoe

Seven o-clock tonight in the Main Square in Metropolis

She couldn't help the smile that continually tugged at the corners of her lips, wondering who it could be. There was Wally who asked her to marry him at any given moment. She doubted it was him. He knew that she was only interested in friendship with him. Besides, he was like the little brother she'd never had.

Then, there was Booster Gold who hit on her every chance he got. The idea of meeting him under the mistletoe caused her stomach to churn. She had no interest in Booster Gold whatsoever. She sent silent prayers to her goddesses that it wasn't him.

Plastic Man came to mind next as she considered who it could be. He was always making comments about her looks and wanting her to go out with him. She held no interest in him past teammates so the idea of meeting him for a romantic rendezvous under the mistletoe in Metropolis caused her smile to turn into a serious frown.

Her frown deepened as panic suddenly struck her as sure as a bolt of lightning. What if it was Kal? Kal and Lois had broken up months ago and had yet to reconcile. She had been spending more time with her best friend since then, but she didn't view him as anything more than a friend or brother.

What if his feelings for her had changed in some way?

She decided that she wasn't going to go to Metropolis to meet him. There was no way she'd be able to face Kal if it were him standing under the mistletoe hoping that she would show up for a Christmas kiss. The thought of kissing him didn't appeal to her in the least, making her that much more resolved that she wasn't going to go.

She didn't want to her Kal's feelings by not showing up or by turning him down, but at the same time, she didn't want to encourage something that was obviously one-sided. She could never view him in a romantic light, not after all they'd been through together over the years as friends. Besides, it was obvious that he belonged to Lois. She was certain they'd eventually get back together in time.

Her heart sank as she checked satellite imaging one more time for any brewing disasters. She had been flattered and somewhat excited about the prospect of someone showing interest in her, but the fact that it was Metropolis had her worried that it was the Daily Planet reporter.

Of course, Metropolis was famous for going all out at Christmas with their decorations and festivities. They were renowned for their celebrations, their outdoor ice-skating rink, the lighting of the Christmas tree as well as the carolers who came out every night to sing to the crowds.

Maybe it could be someone else.

Her heart began to beat a little harder with the thought that it might be Batman. She'd been reluctant to admit that she had feelings for him that went beyond friends and teammates. Bruce had seemed fairly content in their close friendship and their flirtatious banter that they regularly participated in. She was a little wary about upsetting the perfect balance that they had found.

The idea of Bruce going out of his way to send her a note inviting her to Metropolis for a kiss under the mistletoe both excited her and made her a little wary. She wasn't sure if it was a good idea to pursue something romantic with the Dark Knight, fearing it might interfere with their League duties. She didn't want to destroy the close bond that they shared by something that might not ever work out for them.

Besides, Bruce Wayne wasn't exactly known as a man who stayed with a woman for any length of time. Commitment phobia was putting it mildly when it came to the handsome billionaire. She knew it stemmed from fears and demons from his past that continued to plague him, making her all the more desirous to help him get past his trauma and find love with someone who wouldn't hurt him like the others.

But was it worth it to risk her heart only to have it crushed in the end?

Diana drew a frustrated breath, releasing it slowly. When it came down to it, she had no idea who it was who had sent her the invitation. It could be a civilian staff member for all she knew. Could it be Tom who worked in the commissary or perhaps Hector who worked in the mailroom or Justin who was part of the maintenance crew? They had all been exceptionally nice to her.

"What's up, Wondy?"

She guessed there was only one way to find out who her admirer was, and that was to meet them in Metropolis under the mistletoe. She decided she would transport there, staying out of sight in the shadows to see who showed up before making her final decision.

"Wondy?"

Diana looked up to see Green Arrow standing there with his arms crossed against his chest. "Oh, hello, Ollie," she murmured, somewhat embarrassed to have been caught daydreaming.

"Something on your mind?" he asked.

"Just an invitation I received," she found herself confessing, needing to talk to someone about it.

"What kind of invitation?" he questioned her, moving to sit on the corner of the desk.

"I received an invitation to meet someone under the mistletoe in Metropolis tonight," she revealed.

"That enormous mistletoe they have hanging from the archway that leads to the ice-skating rink?"

"I guess that's the one," she replied. "I've never been there before. I've only heard about it."

"And you have no idea who sent it to you?"

"None," she confirmed, sitting back in her chair with a sigh of confusion.

"Well, let me see," he thoughtfully said. "I guess it could be…well…just about anyone who breathes. Everyone loves you, Diana…even Batman."

Diana chuckled as she swatted at Arrow's leg. "You're not helping at all, you know that?"

"I can tell you it wasn't me who sent you the note," he told her. "That helps narrow it down, doesn't it?"

"I'm glad it's not you or Dinah would kill you."

Ollie visibly shuddered with the thought. "That's putting it mildly," he agreed with a groan. "I think you should go to meet your secret admirer. He just might turn out to be the man of your dreams."

"Or the man of my nightmares," she uttered with a laugh that turned into a drawn-out groan. "What if it turns out to be someone like Booster Gold or Plastic Man?"

"Hey, don't knock it till you've tried it…except if it's Booster or Plastic Man," Arrow replied with a grin. "Those two need help."

"You know Shayera told me that once," she thoughtfully said, remembering that conversation so well. It made her begin to look at Batman in a vastly different light. "Don't knock it till you try it."

"Good advice," he reassured her. "You need a little love and excitement in your life, Wondy. You spend far too much time up here or on missions. There's a lot more to life than just saving the day."

"You know…you're right," she agreed with a nod, her mind finally made up.

"Well, you better hurry," he pointed out. "You only have two hours to get ready and get to Metropolis in time to meet your Prince Charming."

"Or my Frankenstein," Diana said with a chuckle as she gave her seat to Ollie. "I don't know that I'm really looking for a relationship. I like my life as it is now. Why risk a close friendship over something that might not work?"

Ollie gave her a knowing smirk as he kicked back in his chair, putting his boots up on the desk. "So, you do have an idea of who it could be."

Diana felt her face instantly grow warm as she hooked a curly lock behind her ear. "I…I guess I might have a small idea, but it's highly unlikely. In fact, I'm sure it's impossible…probably…I think."

"You'll never know unless you go," he encouraged her.

"Thanks, Arrow," she replied with a warm smile.

"Anytime, Wondy," he called over his shoulder as he turned his attention to monitor duty.

Diana made a quick exit, anxious to get ready for the evening, and whoever was going to meet her in Metropolis. A certain Dark Knight entertained her thoughts, but she pushed those thoughts aside, not wanting to get her hopes up.

XXX

Diana transported to the alley beside the Daily Planet, pulling her winter coat and scarf tighter around her before stepping out of the alley and into the busy fray. She drew a deep breath to settle the unexpected flutter of nerves that abruptly assaulted her, releasing it slowly through parted red lips.

She frowned to herself, uncertain what she could be nervous about. She was just meeting someone that she probably already knew, more than likely a good friend…a friend who wanted more than just mere friendship with her.

What in Hera had she gotten herself into?

The flutter came back with a vengeance for reasons that she didn't care to dwell on at that moment as she made her way towards the Main Square of Metropolis. The anticipation of who she was meeting vied with trepidation for the very same reason. This was either going to end like a fairytale or an absolute disaster.

She really hated the idea of hurting a friend's feelings if it was someone she held no romantic interest in.

Making her way down the street, she passed by couples holding hands as they went about their Christmas shopping and enjoying the festive atmosphere. She felt an unexpected tug on her heart as she walked alone with no one's arm to hang on to or a hand to hold.

Snow began to fall in cottony flakes that instantly clung to everything it came in contact with including her hair and eyelashes. It tickled her nose as she drew closer to her destination, her blue eyes anxiously darting about in search of a familiar face…or maybe a certain face if truth be told.

The large bouquet of mistletoe strung along the iron archway came into view, making her heart begin to race. This was it. There was no turning back now. She swore she could feel his eyes on her, creating warmth inside of her knowing that he was watching her every movement as she approached. There was no hiding in the shadows now if she'd been seen already.

She spotted a couple beneath the arch sharing a passionate kiss before walking away hand-in-hand. She found herself longing to share a moment like that with someone special, but she was still uncertain as to whether she wanted to risk her heart and a dear friendship on something that could be so fickle as love.

She stuffed her hands into her coat pockets as she made her way towards the mistletoe, her shoulders set, her heart in her throat, and her stomach in her boots. She silently scolded herself for feeling so silly, reminding herself that she was an Amazon warrior after all.

Diana stood awkwardly near the arch looking for her admirer, feeling so out of place just standing there all alone. She had a sudden change of heart, deciding this was a really bad idea. She turned to leave when she heard his voice.

"You came."

Diana looked up at the sound of the all too familiar voice that always made her stomach do flips against her will. She felt tears instantly fill her eyes as her legs seemed to move of their own volition towards him. It felt as if she was drifting through a dream. She could hardly believe this was real.

"It's you," she murmured.

She found herself standing under the mistletoe with a man, staring into the handsome face of someone her heart secretly longed for, but she hadn't wanted to admit it. He reached out to cup her cheek, a worried yet tender expression adorning his face as he stared into her eyes.

"Don't cry, princess," he softly said, his thumb caressing her cheek.

She bit at her bottom lips as she tried to put emotions and confusion into words. "Why?" she whispered, afraid to test her voice any further, but questions bombarded her mind as they demanded answers.

Bruce glanced down as if trying to gather the courage that had suddenly deserted him before finally meeting her tearful gaze once more. "I love you," he simply said.

"You do?"

Bruce nodded his head. "I want to be with you, Diana."

Diana drew a shuddering breath as she tried to contain her emotions that were now attempting to storm out of control. "I…I don't know what to say," she confessed, shaking her head in confusion. Her heart wanted this, but did that make it right to pursue this with him?

"You were hoping it was Clark," he bitterly replied, looking away from her as his hand fell from her cheek. Diana watched as his walls instantly flew up, his eyes hardening as his jaw grew rigid. "This was a bad idea. I shouldn't have done this."

She instantly reached out, grabbing hold of his hand as he tried to turn away from her. "No, I wanted it to be you," she softly confessed, stroking the back of his hand with her thumb.

Bruce's gaze snapped back to Diana, relieved by her admission. "Really?"

She smiled softly at him as she looked down at their joined hands. "Yes," she confirmed. "In fact, I was afraid it was Kal who had invited me here this evening. I didn't know how I was going to tell him that I only wanted his friendship because I had feelings for someone else."

Bruce's forehead rested against Diana's, his nose nestling hers as their warm breath mingled in the chilly winter air. "I've had feelings for you for a long time, but it wasn't until you began spending so much time with Clark after his breakup with Lois that I realized just how much I loved you. I didn't want to lose you."

A tear trickled down her cheek against her will as her eyes momentarily fell closed, his words replaying over and over again in her mind. "I love you too," she found herself admitting.

The smile that appeared on Bruce's face was nearly blinding, something that Diana readily decided that she wanted to see more of. His smile seemed to grow as his arms slipped around her and pulled her to him. He leaned down to kiss her beneath the mistletoe, his lips connecting with hers with a hint of nervous anticipation.

It was sweet and chaste as he took his time kissing her, savoring the moment as well as the feel of her lips against his and her body molded to his. The kiss was intoxicating as they lost themselves in the intimate exchange between would-be lovers.

Her hands slid up the back of his neck into his hair, her fingers winding around the short strands as his tongue prodded the seam of her lips. She happily responded to his request, moaning softly as his tongue made contact with hers in a playful dance. Their kiss grew more passionate and assured, finally revealing and reveling in what they felt for one another.

Breaking the kiss, Bruce drew a ragged breath, feeling a little lightheaded from the heat of their desire. "That was definitely worth the wait," he murmured, his lips ghosting over hers once more.

"I don't want to wait so long for my next kiss," she teased.

Bruce readily obliged her, capturing her lips in a kiss that warmed her clear to the tips of her toes. "Better than the last," he decided with a smirk.

Hearing a discreet cough behind them, Diana looked over her shoulder to find other couples waiting for their turn under the romantic archway. The small crowd that had gathered whooped and cheered at the couple, applauding them for the steamy kisses they had shared beneath the mistletoe.

Diana immediately flushed a bright shade of pink as her forehead came to rest against Bruce's cheekbone. "I think we've had our turn," she told him.

"Oh, we'll definitely be coming back here," he reassured her, taking her by the hand as they walked away.

"So, you were jealous of Kal and me?" she asked as they stopped before a vendor

Bruce ordered two cups of hot chocolate, handing her one before responding. "No, not jealous," he replied with a frown. "I just didn't want anyone else to have you."

Diana grinned over the lip of her cup of hot chocolate, blowing on it before taking a sip. "I think that's jealousy, Bruce," she told him.

"I'd prefer to think of it as overt concern that my chances with you were dwindling at a rapid rate."

"You didn't have anything to worry about," she assured him as he took her hand.

"I didn't know that," he reminded her.

"Let me reassure you," she murmured, turning and kissing him with a heat that bespoke of her feelings for him.

Returning her kiss, he eagerly decided that sending her that invitation to meet him under the mistletoe had been the best decision he'd ever made in his entire life. Losing her to Clark or anyone else for that matter was something that had finally forced him into action…and a sprig of mistletoe had sealed the deal, giving him a chance at a life he'd dreamed of sharing with her.