Chapter 2

Gotham; August 31st, 07:16 EST

The smell of something tantalizing met Artemis's senses, enticing her to open her eyes despite her desperate desire for more sleep. A passionate marathon of lovemaking had left her sated and lithe. She stretched with a sigh of utter contentment, not ready to leave her bed just yet despite the growling rumble in her stomach.

Raising her arms above her head, she caught a glimpse of the ring on her finger. She still couldn't believe that she was actually married. She knew her sisters would be shocked that she, of all of the Bana-Mighdall, had fallen for a man, marrying him and becoming his wife.

Had she become soft since arriving in Man's World? Lost her warrior's edge and thirst for battle?

It left her feeling unsettled in a way…conflicted. She loved Jason very much and was happy with their new life together. At the same time, she couldn't fight the nagging feeling that she had lost something of herself along the way.

"You're awake," Jason said, entering their bedroom with a tray of food and a smile on his face.

She smiled softly, shifting to sit up in bed. "You're up early," she commented. "Didn't I wear you out last night?"

"Yes, but I was starving," he replied, setting the tray on the bed between them. "My stomach won out over exhaustion."

She leaned over and took a piece of bacon. "I can't believe you actually made breakfast."

"I have a wife to take care of now," he told her, trying to steal a kiss only for her to abruptly pull back.

"Take care of me?" she questioned him with a skeptical look. "I don't need to be taken care of."

"I didn't mean it like that," he claimed with a roll of his eyes. "I just meant that I want to do things for you because I love you."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You know I can do everything myself. Just because I'm married doesn't mean I'm helpless now."

"Of course not," he responded with a frown, wondering where all of this was coming from. "That's how you show you love someone. You want to do things for them to make them happy."

"Alright," she relented, closing the distance between them to kiss him. "Thank you for breakfast."

"You're welcome," he replied, relaxing.

"What all do we have planned for today?" she asked.

"I got a text message from Bruce," he revealed. "They need us at the manor this afternoon. Something's going on, but he didn't say—"

"Great!" she exclaimed, interrupting him. "I'm anxious for some action. Is it in Gotham or something else?

"I don't know yet," he told her. "Bruce just said that they had a situation that they needed our help with."

Artemis's expression grew concerned, reaching for her cell phone on the bedside table. "I wonder what Diana found out on Themyscira."

"No idea," he said. "That wasn't in Bruce's message. You know him. You only get the bare minimum of information."

"Diana's pregnant," Artemis announced with obvious surprise, wondering how she had missed the text message. Then, she remembered who had been holding her full attention most of the night. "Wow…three kids. I can't even imagine that."

"Believe me…they can handle it," he assured her before taking a bite out of a piece of toast.

"There's a text from Donna too," she continued. "There's trouble with Diana."

"What kind of trouble? Trouble with the baby?"

"Magic type of trouble."

Jason snorted. "Bruce is definitely not going to be happy about that."

Metro Tower; August 31st, 08:00 EST

"Who is everyone's favorite speedster?" Flash happily asked as he zipped into the Founders' conference room, a large pink box in his hands.

He set it in the middle of the table, flipping the lid back to reveal an assortment of bagels and breakfast pastries. Superman instantly stood up, snatching a bear claw out of the box. "You, Flash," he said before taking a large bite as he sat back down. "Definitely you."

"Thank you, Wally," Diana said as she took a cinnamon Danish. "This will go great with my iced mocha."

"It's a wonder you don't go into sugar shock with a Danish and an iced mocha," Shayera said with a laugh.

"Dude, you read my mind," John agreed, taking a large cinnamon roll dripping with icing. "I didn't get breakfast this morning."

"And who's fault was that?" Shayera asked, folding her arms against her chest with a smirk.

"Yours," he claimed without missing a beat, his teeth sinking into the sweet treat without hesitation.

"Now that everyone has breakfast, can we get on with this meeting?" Batman nearly growled.

"Got a big case you're working on?" Flash asked, kicking back in his seat with a chocolate donut.

"Bigger than you can imagine," Batman ominously stated.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Superman asked.

"No," Batman curtly snapped.

"Alright," Superman cautiously continued, knowing how on edge Batman was. "Let us know if there's anything…"

"I will," the Dark Knight interrupted.

Diana reached over to place her hand on his thigh, gently squeezing it in hopes of calming him. He'd been in a complete tailspin since they found out about this spell that had been placed on her as an infant and she could hardly blame him. It was rather unsettling knowing that something was coming but not having any clue as to what it could be. There was no way to prepare.

As of yet, they had no clear evidence that it was necessarily going to be a harmful thing. On the other hand, the fact that Aphrodite had sworn to protect her baby hadn't exactly put any of this in a good light. She hated not knowing what was coming, but she knew that Bruce loathed it even more.

He couldn't prepare for something that he had no idea about nor could he possibly battle the magic that might be involved in it. He hated magic more than anything and yet he had fallen in love with her, a being created by the very thing he hated.

As Clark prattled on about protocols and regulations, Bruce drew a deep breath to regain control of his roiling emotions. He drew strength and comfort from the feel of Diana's hand on his thigh, appreciating her ability to soothe his fraying nerves.

He needed to find Zatanna so he could get a jump on what was coming for Diana. Whatever it was, it wasn't going to be anything good. That was not a blessing being placed on Diana when she was an infant. It was something seriously grave that had caused Aphrodite to promise her protection for their baby.

His blood turned to ice water in his veins with the thought of losing Diana or their baby. He refused to lose his wife or for his children to grow up without their mother. He knew the pain of growing up without his parents all too well. He was not about to let his children know the pain of not having their mother in their life.

"I'm afraid Shayera and I are going to need to take a short leave of absence," John announced. "We need to go to Thanagar."

"Is it safe for you to go there, Shay?" Diana asked.

"Not really, but I'm afraid I have to," she replied. "My sister died. I believe she was murdered. I'm going back to Thanagar to find out what happened to her."

"My deepest sympathies," J'onn told her.

"Thank you, J'onn," she said. "I don't believe it'll take more than a week."

"What about the kids?" Diana questioned her.

"Ol' Uncle Wally and Aunt Linda have it covered," Flash revealed with a grin as he titled his chair back.

Batman snorted in amusement. "I'd keep 911 on standby…maybe even Clark."

"They'll be just fine," John reassured them. "My mother is going to take care of them during the day and Wally and Linda will stay with them at night."

"I love your mom," Wally told him. "She's a ton of fun."

"Just don't destroy my house or you'll find my mace in a very precarious place," Shayera warned him.

Wally grimaced with the thought, shifting his position in his seat. "I promise…I promise."

"We'll be fine," Superman assured them. "Take whatever time you need."

"I'm afraid I need to take a leave as well…at least from missions," Diana announced.

"You aren't!" Shayera exclaimed in shock.

"Aren't what?" Superman asked, looking around at the Founders in confusion.

"I knew it!" Shayera cried in excitement.

"Knew what?" Superman demanded to know.

"Diana is pregnant," Batman growled in annoyance. For a reporter, Clark could be so clueless sometimes.

"Oh!" Superman murmured, his forehead furrowing. "I thought you two weren't having any more kids."

"We obviously changed our minds," Batman defensively responded.

"Congratulations to you both," J'onn said. "I can already tell this child will be very special."

Batman's head snapped to the side with his comment, wondering what he meant by that. "What are you talking about?" he demanded. "Can you sense something?"

"The baby's presence is quite energetic already," J'onn clarified. "Her spirit is strong."

"It's a girl?" Diana murmured, her hand moving to her abdomen.

"I'm sorry," J'onn apologized. "Yes, it is a girl."

Diana looked at Bruce who smiled softly at her, a look that was incongruous with the uniform he wore. He took her hand in his, squeezing it. To say they were overjoyed would have been an understatement. They had been quite happy with Nicholas and Kaia, feeling as though their family was complete. Now that another daughter was on the way, they couldn't imagine anything more perfect for their family that would soon become five.

"I'm so happy for you," Shayera said, looking at her husband. "Don't be getting any ideas. Anytime you think about having another baby, remember the two kids we have at home."

"They're not that bad," John retorted.

"I'm afraid I'm working on a very important case," Batman stated. "I'll be unavailable unless it's an urgent matter."

"It's all good," Wally assured him. "Supes, J'onn, and I can handle everything. We have it all covered."

Shayera gave him an incredulous look. "It's not like you don't have the rest of the Justice League to call on. There are well over fifty members on active duty, not to mention those who are on reserve duty."

"We'll be fine," Superman agreed. "There are plenty of members to cover for the four of you, but you will be missed."

"I can still help with monitor duty," Diana volunteered, receiving a growl of disagreement from her husband.

"We'll call you if we need you," Superman wisely decided, receiving a slight nod from Batman in agreement.

The meeting continued without any further surprises, Diana having a difficult time paying attention. They were going to have another daughter. Would she be like her compassionate brother Nicholas or more like her mischievous sister Kaia? She could hardly wait to find out.

She couldn't help but wonder why her baby had such a strong presence already. She didn't recall J'onn ever noticing anything like that before with Nicholas or Kaia. Could it be this baby possessed something that the other two didn't?

Nicholas and Kaia were both gifted in their own ways, being blessed by her gods with powers that would help to protect them and aid them if they chose to follow in their parent's footsteps. What would this daughter be blessed with?

She expected they'd find out in about nine months.

"We'll meet again in a week unless anything comes up sooner that we need to discuss," Superman said.

Everyone gathered their things in preparation to leave, Batman going to Shayera. "If you need any help in your investigation, call me and I'll see what I can do from here."

"Thank you," she softly replied. "I appreciate that. What's really going on? Whatever is happening is more than just a case in Gotham. This is personal. Is it about Diana?"

Batman averted his eyes, noticing Diana talking to J'onn. She was his life, and she was in dire trouble. "It's not something I can talk about right now," he told her. "I have quite a bit of research I need to do, but yes…it's personal."

Shayera could tell it revolved around Diana. "I'm hoping we won't be gone for long. If there's anything we can do, you know you can count on us."

"I appreciate it," he murmured, his gaze lingering on his wife.

Wayne Manor; August 31st, 15:11 EST

Kaia took a chair from the kitchen table, its legs scraping against the floor as she pulled it into position. She ran around to the other side and climbed up onto the seat. Standing on it, she found herself about chest high with the kitchen counter.

Frowning, she placed her forearms on the counter before hoisting herself up onto the countertop. She walked along the top, stopping before the cupboard she wanted and reaching up with a soft grunt to open the door. Pulling it open, she retrieved a cup, setting it down on the countertop.

"And just what do you think you're doing, Miss Kaia?"

With the sound of Alfred's voice, Kaia whipped around, having been caught in the act. "I'm thirsty."

"Haven't you been told to ask for a drink instead of climbing on the countertop to get it?"

Kaia glared at him, a look of utter annoyance forming on her face. "I can get it myself!" she insisted with a huff. "I'm not a baby."

Alfred patiently went to her, moving the chair back to the kitchen table. Turning towards her, he lifted her into his arms. "I know you can, but it's safer if someone helps you."

"I don't want to be helped," she stubbornly told him. "I'm big enough to get a drink by myself."

"You'll be big enough when you can reach things without having to climb on the furniture and the countertops to get it," he reminded her. "It's too dangerous for you to be climbing on the furniture. You could call and get hurt."

Kaia pouted as Alfred took the glass to the refrigerator, pouring her some juice. "Why do you put things up so high where I can't reach them?" she asked as he handed her the juice.

"I'll tell you what," he decided, crouching down before her. "How about I find a spot in this cupboard right down here for your cup? That way you can get it anytime you want without needing to climb on the countertop to get it?"

"Okay," she ultimately agreed, satisfied with the compromise. She turned on her heel and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Alfred to shake his head in wonder and amusement.

"So much like her mother," Alfred said to himself with an affectionate smile.

Tim entered the kitchen, noticing the look on Alfred's face. "She was climbing on the counters again, wasn't she?"

"Yes, but I believe we have found a common ground that everyone will be mutually happy with," he replied. "Her cup will be kept in a special spot in the bottom cupboard where she can reach it all by herself."

Tim laughed as he headed to the refrigerator. "Little Miss Independent," he said. "Pretty soon, there will be something else she thinks she needs that she can't reach."

"She does keep us all on our toes," he agreed.

"Can you imagine what their next kid is going to be like?"

"Heaven help us all if that child is just as mischievous as Miss Kaia Wayne," Alfred replied, chuckling at the thought. "The trouble all three of the Wayne children could get into together could bring the whole mansion to its foundation."

"I think this had better be the last baby for them," Tim decided with a laugh.

"It will be," Diana confirmed as she entered the kitchen, tossing her purse and car keys onto the counter. "I have a feeling this baby is going to be the ultimate definition of energy."

Alfred grimaced at the thought. "We'll have to have Miss Zatanna add a magical spell to keep the mansion from crumbling."

Diana slipped into a chair at the table, sitting back with a sigh. "Not a bad idea," she agreed as she reached for an apple in the bowl on the table.

"How did Nicholas's first karate class go?" Tim asked, joining her at the table.

At that moment, Nicholas jumped into the kitchen with a loud cry, making a chopping motion with his hands. "See for yourself," she replied. "He's been yelling 'hi-yah" all the way home."

"Is that all you learned today?" Tim asked.

"No, I learned this too," he told him, kicking his leg out in a dramatic fashion.

"Very impressive, Master Nicholas," Alfred praised him. "How would like some juice and a snack?"

"I'm hungry!" Nicholas exclaimed, running to the table to sit with his mom and Tim. Taking a chair next to Diana, he leaned his head against her arm. "Mama, do you really have to have another baby?"

Diana chuckled softly as she stroked her son's hair. "I'm afraid so," she told him. "I know you don't like change, but this will be a good one. I promise."

"I don't see how," he grumbled. "I like it just me and Kaia. We don't need another kid around here."

"Your daddy and I think we have more than enough love for you, Kaia, and another baby," she gently pointed out to him.

"I don't know," Nicholas muttered, clearly unconvinced. "Where's daddy?"

"He's looking for Zee," she replied as Alfred set his snack in front of him.

"Why does he want to find Aunt Zee?" Nicholas asked.

"It's about a case he's working on," she told him.

"I want to tell him we should give the baby away," he revealed. "It's good the way it is."

Diana leaned down to kiss the top of his head. "We're not giving this baby away, little warrior," she informed him. "You wouldn't have liked it if we had given you away after you were born."

"Yeah…I guess," he reluctantly agreed.

Damian walked into the kitchen, a worried expression on his face. "Dad wants us all downstairs," he announced. "Barbara thinks she's uncovered something."

"If Barbara found it, then it is something and we should be worried about it," Tim replied, following him out of the kitchen.

"I'm going to see what's going on," Diana said. "You finish your snack and then get washed up."

Diana headed downstairs behind the other two, anxious to see what was going on now. They needed to find out what was happening with this spell that had been placed on her. They didn't need anything else occurring right now, especially something sinister transpiring in Gotham.

Hera only knew who could be behind this new scheme this time around.

Quickly descending the stairs, Diana spotted her husband sitting at his computer station on the platform, Cassandra standing behind him with her arms crossed. She hadn't had a chance to talk to Cassandra about the new baby. She hoped that she didn't feel as though she was being pushed aside or had to leave.

Jason and Artemis were already on the platform standing to the side. They didn't appear to be very happy either. She was sure that Bruce had filled them in on their newest problem with the spell that had been placed on her.

Using her gift of flight, Diana flew to the platform, landing before Tim and Damian could even reach the steps. "Congratulations on the baby," Artemis told her. "You are crazy for having more, you know."

"Thank you…I think," Diana replied, turning her attention to her husband. "What has Barbara found?"

"She's uncovered a possible collaboration between Riddler and Penguin," Bruce informed them.

"That doesn't sound good," Tim groused. "Anytime those two get together, it always ends up being big trouble."

"What are they cooking up this time?" Damian asked.

"Barbara's not sure yet, but they were spotted together last night," Bruce revealed. "The Riddler was seen entering the back of the Iceberg Lounge. He was wearing a disguise, but Barbara recognized him fairly quickly."

"Could there be anyone else involved?" Diana wondered out loud.

"Good question," Bruce murmured thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "He could be recruiting Gotham's villains for some sort of takeover, but we won't know until we get more information."

"Or he could just be plotting something with Riddler," Damian added.

"Looks like we're paying the Iceberg Lounge a visit tonight," Tim announced, looking at Damian.

"There's more that you all need to know about," Bruce announced, turning his chair around to face everyone.

"Do we need to get Dick and Donna here?" Jason asked.

"They already know," Diana told them. "We told them last night."

"What's going on?" Tim asked, concern on his face.

"There's been some sort of curse—" Bruce started.

"Spell," Diana firmly corrected him.

Bruce glared at her. "A spell…probably a curse…has been placed on Diana," he continued. "We have no idea when, where, or what it is. We're basically running blind here."

"Who put the curse on you?" Jason asked her.

"Spell," Diana amended. "We don't know. It happened when I was a couple of days old."

"And it's just now happening?" Damian questioned her with a skeptical expression.

"We don't know why it's taken a thousand years for it to finally happen, but I'm not going stop until I find out what's going on and why," Bruce replied with resolute determination.

"You mean 'we'," Artemis corrected him with a scowl. "You two aren't going through this alone."

"We don't even know what 'it' is," Diana pointed out with growing exasperation. "It might end up being nothing."

"Diana," Bruce growled in frustration. "Aphrodite wouldn't promise to protect our baby if it wasn't a danger to your life."

"I'm trying to be positive about this," Diana snapped at him. "I'm not going to allow this to dictate my life or cause me to second guess everything that is happening. I won't do it."

"What do you need us to do?" Tim asked, trying to diffuse the sudden tension that nearly suffocated them. "We'll do whatever has to be done."

"Right now, I'm trying to track down Zatanna," Bruce told them. "I've sent out multiple messages, but she is on an astral plane right now. I'm not sure how long she'll be gone."

"What about Doctor Fate?" Damian suggested.

"He's next on my list to contact if I can't find Zatanna," Bruce revealed.

"There has to be more that we can do," Tim said.

"I don't want any of you to stop living your lives," Diana decided. "We don't know how soon this could be happening or what it could be. For now, I just want you to forget about it until we know more."

Tim snorted in shared frustration. "That's next to impossible. Something could happen to take you away from us and we're supposed to just forget about it. Not gonna happen. There has to be something that we could be doing in the meantime. We're not going to just sit back and wait for the end to come."

"I'm going to contact Themyscira and talk to Queen Hippolyta," Artemis announced.

"We already talked to her," Bruce told her.

"There might be something more that I can find out," she stated.

"Why don't we just go there and see what we can find?" Jason suggested.

"We just left there, but it wouldn't hurt if you two wanted to see if you can uncover something," Bruce agreed. "Anything would help at this point because right now we have next to nothing."

"I guess we're heading to Themyscira," Artemis said to her husband.

"What can we do here, though?" Tim asked, feeling utterly helpless.

Bruce turned to face Tim. "I'm going to need you and Damian to keep track of Penguin and the Riddler. We must figure out what they're up to now. We can't afford to have them running rampant in Gotham while our attention is on Diana. We can't let our guard down."

Tim crossed his arms against his chest with a scowl. "They're always causing trouble," he uttered with a huff of anger. "We need to help keep mom safe."

Diana moved to stand in front of Tim, her hand coming to rest on top of his arm with a gentle smile. "It's okay," she reassured him. "You're doing what needs to be done. Keeping Gotham safe is more important than me right now."

"Doesn't feel like it," he grumbled, averting his eyes as he wrestled with his growing anger at the situation.

"I know, but I'm fine and so is the baby," she pointed out. "If something happens, you'll be the first one to know."

His arms fell to his sides in unspoken surrender. "You promise?"

"Promise," she replied, pulling him into a tender embrace that he readily returned.

"Okay, now that we all have our assignments, what are Dick and Donna going to do?" Damian asked. "Are they helping us with Gotham while you work on the curse?"

"Dick offered to help," Bruce confirmed. "Donna has her hands full with the twins now that they're walking."

"Damian, Cassandra, and I can handle Gotham," Tim said to Bruce. "Just do what you have to do and don't worry about us, but if there's anything we can do to help Mom, you better include us."

"Hey, we won't be gone for long," Jason pointed out. "We'll only be gone a couple of days…especially if Bruce lets us use the transporter system."

"Do it," Bruce stated. "We're going to need you back here as soon as you can."

"Something else going on?" Jason questioned him.

"No, but we need to all be here, if possible," Bruce replied. "We need to be prepared for anything."

"Whatever 'anything' could turn out to be," Tim muttered under his breath.

Gotham; August 31st, 20:25 EST

"Let's get this meeting started already," Penguin groused, puffing on his cigarette. "We've waited long enough. My time is very valuable."

"Just a few more minutes," Scarecrow cautioned him. "Not everyone is here yet."

"We're wasting time," Penguin insisted. "The longer we wait the stronger they get. Before you know it, we'll be chased right out of Gotham. I won't stand for it. Do you hear me? I have a lot invested in this city."

"We all hear you," The Riddler griped with a scowl. "You've been complaining since we got here like we already don't know it. Why do you think we're here anyway?"

"I think we start without—" Penguin began only to be interrupted by the fourth in their party.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, sauntering in with her usual swagger. "I ran into a little…traffic."

"We don't have all day you know," Cobblepot complained.

"Ouch," she replied with a grimace. "You're a grouch today, aren't you?"

"He's always cantankerous," Scarecrow told her.

Poison Ivy took a seat at the table, her red lips curling into a fake smile. "I'm more than happy to leave," she told him. "I don't need you three goons to get what I want."

"Are you sure about that?" The Riddler asked her with a raised eyebrow "You haven't gotten very far on your own up until now."

Ivy's eyes narrowed as she glared daggers at Riddler sitting to her left. "And you have?" she shot back with a snarl.

"Look, none of us have managed very well against the Bat clan," Scarecrow interjected, "but fighting amongst ourselves isn't getting us anywhere. It's time we teamed up and did something about it together. Remember, there is power in numbers."

"And soon," Penguin added. "There's a new bat showing up almost every week. It's bad enough that Batwoman is now running around helping the Bat clan keep order in Gotham, but now there's this new Batgirl."

"Where did she come from anyway?" Riddler wondered out loud.

"Who knows, but they keep coming out of the woodwork," Penguin complained. "We need to do something about them."

"What do you suggest we do?" Scarecrow asked.

"I think you need to follow my lead," a familiar voice entered the conversation, abruptly turning the group of four into five.

Everyone turned to look as Two-Face joined the meeting. Penguin scowled, jumping to his feet. "Who invited this low-life to join our mission to eliminate the Bat clan?"

"I did," Ivy announced. "We need as much help as we can get if we're going to do this."

"You might as well invite Joker too while you're at it," Riddler spat out with disdain.

"Good to see all of you too," Two-Face derisively retorted as he took a seat at the head of the table, coin gripped firmly in the palm of his hand.

"Stop the squabbling," Scarecrow snapped. "We need to put aside our differences if we're going to put an end to Batman and his family of Bats."

"Agreed," Ivy said, glaring directly at Penguin, "and our egos."

"Why do you look at me when you say that?" Penguin groused. "I can be a team player when the time calls for it."

The Riddler tapped the tip of his cane on the table. "The time definitely calls for it," he stated. "We're in real trouble of being run out of our own city. We could lose everything that we've worked so hard for."

"That's why we need to put our heads and our resources together to keep our city," Two-Face replied.

Penguin puffed on his cigarette before responding. "I take it you have a plan?"

Two-Face grinned with one side of his face. "You could say that."

"Well, what it is?" Scarecrow demanded. "Out with it. We don't have all night."

"Two words," Two-Face revealed. "Divide and conquer."

Unknown Location; September 1st, 00:00 EST

Cronus summoned her with a barely contained excitement, his dark eyes shining with the perversive joy he felt with his plan. He'd been waiting for this day for a thousand years. He'd been watching as one form of evil after another had failed to eliminate Wonder Woman. He'd thought for certain that Darkseid would've been her downfall, but even he had failed.

Now, though, the time had come.

He had been honing her skills and gifts during this time, making certain that she would not fail in the mission that she had been solely created for. It was time to destroy the Amazons starting with Wonder Woman. From there, her sisters would soon fall.

Her precious family would be destroyed, every single one of them falling like dominoes starting with Queen Hippolyta. They would all be wiped out, leaving no one to carry the mantle of Wonder Woman. Not her beloved first-born daughter nor the daughter that she now carried. Not even her sister would be alive to take on the title.

The family tree was about to be permanently chopped down.

"It's time," he announced with a devious grin that was followed by an even darker laughter as his creation approached him.

A/N: Wow! Things are really spiraling out of control.

UP NEXT: IT BEGINS!