Chapter 5

Batcave; September 2nd, 19:36 EST

"Devastation?" Bruce questioned him with a furious scowl.

"That's what she called herself," Flash informed him over his commlink as he continued to survey the extent of the damage that she had left behind her. It was massive.

"I want everything you can tell me about her," Bruce instructed him. "Put it all in your report and forward it to me immediately. Leave nothing out even if it seems unimportant. She might end up holding the key to Diana's condition."

"You got it, Bats," Flash assured him. "Let me know if you need anything. I can be there in a second."

"Thanks," Bruce murmured, ending the transmission.

Bruce glanced back over his shoulder to check on Diana who was still lying lifeless in the medical bay, Donna sitting by her side and watching over her. He raked his fingers back through his jet-black strands, releasing a frustrating blow of air.

Who was this Devastation and where had she come from?

Her sudden appearance happening at the same time as Diana falling into a coma was too much of a coincidence to be ignored. He needed to find out what her connection could be in all of this. He needed to be there the next time Devastation showed up. If she had any knowledge about what was happening to Diana, he wanted to know about it.

From Flash's descriptions, she sounded like an extremely formidable opponent, one who possessed immense powers if she was able to tear up San Francisco as if it was nothing to her. He would have to check with Hippolyta to see if she had ever heard of her.

He leaned forward to place his elbows on his desk, holding his head in his hands. He had no idea what he was going to tell Nick and Kaia. They would no doubt want to know where their mother was and lying to them wasn't something that he wanted to do. At the same time, they were far too young to handle the truth. They wouldn't understand it all and it would only cause them fear and worry.

"I thought you could use another thermos of hot coffee."

Bruce lifted his head with Alfred's arrival on the platform. "Thanks," he muttered, straightening up in his chair.

"No change yet?" he inquired.

"No, nothing," Bruce replied. "I have a feeling this isn't going to end any time soon and not without a fight of some sort."

"Hopefully, Miss Zatanna and Mister Constantine will be able to uncover something that will help," Alfred offered, saddened by the unexpected turn of events. He could easily see the toll it was taking on the man before him. It reflected deeply in his eyes as well as the stern set of his jaw.

"The worst part is that Diana's gods know what is going on and why this is happening and yet they refuse to tell us anything," he growled, his anger rising as his hands curled into fists. "They won't do a damn thing to help us save her."

Alfred shook his head with mutual anger and frustration. "It's unbelievable how they won't help their own champion. She has done so much good for the world, and this is how they reward her."

"Well, I'm not going to let them get away with it," he growled.

"Master Bruce, you're not actually considering going up against the Gods of Olympus?"

"I am considering it if it will save her life."

"I suggest you give everyone some time to see what they can uncover," he said. "You don't want to incur the wrath of the gods only for Miss Zatanna to return with a way to reverse the curse. Master Nicholas and Miss Kaia need their father now more than ever."

"I don't even know what to tell them," he confessed, suddenly appearing deflated.

"Miss Diana is on an important mission and will return as soon as she can," Alfred suggested. "It's obvious that the gods are allowing this for reasons that we don't understand so it is a mission of sorts."

Bruce nodded his head. "I'll be up later to talk to them and tuck them into bed. I want to keep things as normal as possible for them."

"It'll be all right, Master Bruce," Alfred reassured him. "Miss Diana is the strongest woman I've ever known. She will always fight to return to you and your family."

He could only nod his head as Alfred left him alone once more. He knew Alfred was right, but what if this was something that she couldn't fight let alone win against?

"Bruce!"

Bruce's head shot up as Donna called for him. He ran down the stairs towards Diana's bed. "What is it? Is she awake?"

"No, but look," Donna said, pointing at the side of Diana's face.

Bruce stared in disbelief as a tear trickled out of the corner of her right eye, trailing down her temple before disappearing into her hair. "Diana?" he murmured, his hand resting on the curve of her face.

"J'onn," Bruce hailed him. "I need you here in the cave right away."

"Coming now," he responded, appearing within a couple of minutes.

"She's crying," Donna told J'onn, watching as another tear escaped.

J'onn reached out, placing his hand on her head, his eyes glowing orange. "I sense extreme sorrow and loneliness."

"Is she suffering?" Bruce demanded to know. "Is she in any pain?"

"I don't sense any physical pain," J'onn relayed. "It's mental and emotional anguish, but again, the magical barrier won't let me access her dreams or thoughts."

"Is the baby still safe?" Donna voiced the question they had all been thinking about.

"Aphrodite promised to protect our daughter no matter what happened to Diana," Bruce pointed out.

"The baby is fine," J'onn revealed with a faint smile. "She's very strong…her spirit is formidable like Diana's."

"This makes no sense," Donna murmured, shaking her head in disbelief. "What in Hades' name is going on in her mind?"

"I wish we knew," Bruce softly said, reminded for the hundredth time how much he loathed magic.

Thanaldarn,Thanagar; September 3rd, 00:06 EST

"Well…this is home," Shayera announced as she stared out the window of the Javelin.

It was surreal to be back on her home planet. She felt overwhelming apprehension, and at the same time, determination to find out what had happened to her sister. She had a bad feeling that this wasn't going to be an easy mission they were about to undertake.

"It's…nicer than I expected," John confessed, amazed by what he saw before him.

Shay gave him a sidelong glance, her eyebrows furrowing. "What were you expecting?"

"I'm not sure," he muttered as he studied Shayera's hometown. "I guess I pictured something dark and foreboding."

She chuckled softly as she removed her seatbelt. "Why is that?"

John shrugged as he stood up. "I guess because of the Thanagarian invasion. I just imagined something sinister and militaristic."

"I guess I can see why you would think that way," she admitted. "We better put our disguises on. We need to be as inconspicuous as possible."

"Just make sure you wear something baggy and ugly," he told her.

"Why?" she asked.

"You wear anything else you're going to attract attention," he said, pulling her in for a kiss. "You're the most beautiful woman I know. I don't want anyone trying to steal you away from me."

"I think you're safe," she assured him. "I only have eyes for you."

John quickly slipped into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, pulling a navy-blue jacket over it. Shayera dressed in a simple pair of pants and a shirt, pulling her hair back into a ponytail before slipping a hat on. With any luck, they'd be able to blend in and not be recognized.

The thing that worried her the most was the possibility of running into someone she knew. She just hoped her prolonged absence from Thanagar would make people forget about her. She was sure this was the last place that others would presume to find her.

Leaving the Javelin, Shayera wasn't prepared for the rush of emotion that assaulted her as they made their way to the city that she had called home. She had been gone for so long that she was certain that any sense of nostalgia had long grown dormant, but it had been reawakened within a few minutes of being here.

John glanced at her, concerned about her prolonged silence. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she confidently replied with a curt nod of her head. "Just…a lot of memories."

"I'm sure it's not easy being back home," he empathized.

"I'm fine," she assured him. "I have a friend that I trust with my life. He's the one who sent me the message about my sister's passing."

John's brow wrinkled with curiosity. "Another former boyfriend I should know about?" he teased, staring straight ahead while maintaining a stoic expression.

Shayera almost tripped in her step, taken aback by his playful jab. "No," she countered emphatically. "I'll have you know it's Samara's old boyfriend."

"Do you think we'll run into Hro?" John asked. "I'd love a rematch with him."

"Shouldn't," she replied with a frown. "Last I heard he lost his rank and was shipped out to the nether regions to work security at an old prison mining system out there."

"Works for me," he decided with an undeniable sense of satisfaction. "How do you get your information about what happens on Thanagar?"

"Samara's old boyfriend Erik," she revealed. "I get a communication maybe a couple of times a year. He was keeping me up to date on my sister."

"You never told me that," he said.

She flashed him a sexy grin. "There's a lot I never told you," she flirted.

"I've noticed that," he muttered with a frown. "You know we need to have open communication and full disclosure if our marriage is going to work."

Shayera snorted in amusement. "Oh, like you'd told me everything about yourself over the years."

"I'm an open book," he maintained.

"Then, why did I have to find out about Katma Tui on my own?"

John's shoulders dropped slightly with the reminder of his former girlfriend. "I wasn't keeping her from you," he claimed. "I just…forgot…to tell you."

"Sure," she murmured, her brow furrowing as she spotted a familiar face. "We need a drink…definitely need a drink."

Grabbing hold of his arm, Shayera pulled her husband into a bar that she didn't remember being there before. The last time she was home, it had been a grocery store. "Who did you see?" he asked, glancing about and wondering what she had seen that had rattled her.

"My old partner on the force," she softly said, leading him to a booth near the back.

They slid into the same side of the booth, each picking up a menu lying on the table. "Actually, I'm starving," he revealed as he perused the offerings and not recognizing one thing that looked somewhat familiar let alone edible. "Okay, you're going to have to help me out here. I have no clue what I'm looking at."

Shayera giggled as she leaned in close to him, pointing to one section on the menu. "These are your appetizers," she explained. "Over here are your main dishes and these are desserts."

"Hamburger," John said. "I just want a good old-fashioned hamburger and fries."

"You're not going to find that here, my friend," she warned him, looking over the menu before continuing, "this…this is probably the closest to a hamburger and fries."

"What can I get you?" a winged man with a dirty white apron asked, notepad and pen in hand.

"We'll both have the number six and a couple of mugs of ale," Shay ordered for them.

"Super," he sarcastically replied with a cantankerous frown, writing it down and walking away without another word.

"Is everyone this friendly around here?" he asked as he looked around at the other patrons at the bar.

There were a handful of people there, most of them Thanagarian with a couple of other visitors from other planets that John couldn't immediately identify. "Tell me about your partner when you were a detective," he said. "I know his name is Kantar. Don't you think he'd be happy to see you?"

Shayera shook her head as she thought about it. "I'm not certain," she replied as their mugs of ale were placed on the table before them. "He's very by the book about everything. I doubt he'd be thrilled that I betrayed Thanagar to save Earth. He would probably arrest me himself."

As if on cue, Kantar entered the bar, looking about before making his way to the bartender. Shayera pulled her ballcap further down to shield her face as she took another swig of her ale. She carefully listened as Kantar spoke to the bartender about a deadly crime that had taken place in the area last night. Thankfully, he didn't seem to notice her or John.

Shayera watched as her former partner left the bar after several minutes. She felt a pang of sadness, wishing she could talk to him, but it was too dangerous. They'd had a close partnership, a friendship that she had to admit that she missed even after all this time. He had been almost like a brother to her, but she couldn't trust that he wouldn't turn her in if he saw her.

"Penny for your thoughts," John murmured, lightly elbowing her in the ribs.

She paused in her response as the man brought their food. John gave the plates a skeptical look before picking up what he only hoped was beef but was fairly positive it wasn't. He was certain he didn't want to know. Shayera's head fell back as laughter escaped her lips.

"It's not going to bite back," she told him.

"I'm not so sure about that," he grumbled as he sniffed it. It didn't smell bad. That was a good sign.

Shayera picked up an orange stick that looked kind of like a carrot. "Trust me…you'll like it."

He took a small bite, chewing it slowly and thoughtfully. "Hmmm…not bad," he decided. "Still like American hamburgers better, but this is halfway edible."

"Glad you approve," she replied.

"Are you sure you can't trust Kantar?" he asked. "If there's one thing I've learned, you can always count on your partner."

"I don't know…maybe…" she thoughtfully muttered as she stared at the door. "I don't know if we should take the chance right now. Let's see how things go."

"Okay, what's our first move?" he asked, taking a swig of his ale only to cough violently at how strong the alcohol was.

She patted his back in amusement. "I want to go to the alley where her body was found," she decided. "At some point, I think we need to go to her apartment to see what we can find. Hopefully, nothing has been touched yet."

John frowned as he thought about it. "I imagine someone would've cleaned it out by now."

"Not in this apartment building," she told him. "Erik owns the building. He made sure that no one touched it until we arrived."

"He must have really loved her."

"He did," she said with a sigh. "Samara loved him too, but unfortunately she loved drugs more."

"Did Erik say what the official cause of death was?"

"Drug overdose," she revealed with a scowl, "but I don't believe it. There's something more going on. Erik told me she had been clean for several months and was trying to get her life back together."

"She must have had a relapse," he suggested.

"I don't know," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm not convinced. When my sister makes up her mind to do something, she does it and nothing gets in her way."

"Reminds me of someone else I know," he teased, looking at his half-eaten sandwich. "You know…this is actually pretty good. What is it?"

"You don't want to know," she replied.

Gotham; September 3rd, 01:59 EST

Barbara fought back tears as she searched for any morsel of information that could help them discover what was going on with Penguin and Riddler. She'd been trying to keep herself composed and focused on her work since learning from Bruce that Diana was in a coma and pregnant with their third child, but it had been more than difficult. Her friends were in trouble and there was little she could do to help.

It just didn't make any sense, but then again, this was Gotham. Nothing seemed to make any sense in Gotham.

She quickly wiped her eyes as Tim and Cassandra entered the room. "Hey, have you been able to find out any more about the Penguin and Riddler?" Tim asked as Cassie went to the refrigerator for a drink.

"Not yet," she replied without turning around, doing her best to school her features. "I'm going through various security cameras throughout the city to see if I can pick up anything important."

Tim sat down in a nearby chair, leaning forward. "Barbara…" he began.

"I heard," she interrupted him before he could finish, pausing to draw a shuddering breath. "Have there been any changes?"

"No, nothing yet," he replied, clearly struggling as well with the news.

Cassandra entered the room, sitting on the floor beside Tim. She felt the life that she had been so fortunate to have now with the Wayne family was crumbling right before her eyes. The family that she had come to care so deeply for was hurting. It was breaking her heart.

"I can't believe this is happening," she softly said.

"Yeah, we're all struggling to understand it."

Cassandra drew her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. She rested her chin on top of her knees, wishing there was something she could do, but she felt so helpless to make it all better. They had done so much for her and there was nothing she could do to repay them for their kindness.

She released her arms to slam her fist into the palm of her other hand. Tim nodded in agreement. "We'd love nothing more than to get our hands on whoever is behind this," he said.

"Bruce hasn't been able to find anything yet?" Barbara asked.

"Not yet, but definitely not for lack of trying," he replied with obvious amazement. "He has Zatanna and Constantine looking into the magic angle and he sent Jason and Artemis to Themyscira."

"And on top of that, Riddler and Penguin are stirring up trouble again," Barbara added with a frown. "Makes my head spin some days."

"Tell me about it," Tim said with a grimace. "I'm thinking maybe I should just move back home to help with Nicholas and Kaia. They need some semblance of normalcy with Diana out of commission for the time being."

"You just moved out," she pointed out. "I don't think you should give up your apartment just yet. Diana could wake up tomorrow for all we know."

"I wish," he murmured.

"Maybe spend a night or two if needed, but I wouldn't make it permanent," she advised as she thought about it. "How are Nicholas and Kaia doing?"

"Bruce hasn't told them anything yet," he revealed. "He's going to talk to them before they go to school this morning."

"What's he going to tell them?"

"Their mom is on a mission and will be gone for a few days," he told her. "They seem to take everything in stride for the most part. There's always something going on with the family and the lives we lead, but we try to keep things normal for Nicholas and Kaia. They really don't get ruffled too much.

"They're used to Bruce and Diana going on missions for a few days, but I'm afraid if it goes on longer than that they could have a meltdown. Nicholas is already having a hard time with the idea of another baby on the way. They're both smart kids. They'll catch on pretty quick that something's wrong if Diana doesn't wake up in a few days."

"What does Kaia think about a little sister?"

Tim snorted in amusement. "She's already picking out names and trying to decide which of her toys she can give the baby."

She laughed in response. "Sounds like our Kaia."

Barbara sat forward as she suddenly spied something on one of her computer screens. "This is going to be a problem," she muttered as she began typing furiously.

Tim and Cassandra jumped up to stand behind her, leaning over her shoulder to see what she had discovered. "No way!" Tim exclaimed. "That's Scarecrow with Riddler."

"It looks like Riddler and Penguin have pulled Scarecrow into whatever they're scheming to do," she said, pulling up another camera angle. "There's no telling who else they've recruited now."

"This could get ugly," Tim murmured. "Alert the others. Cassandra and I will head to their location now. If they move, let us know."

"Will do," she replied, getting to work as an icy sense of dread steadily crept up her spine.

Why did always seem like everything went from bad to worse?

Wayne Manor; September 3rd, 07:36 EST

Kaia swung her legs excitedly as they ate their breakfast, anxious for her baby sister to arrive. She wanted the baby to come today, but Mama told her they'd have to wait. She didn't like the idea of waiting. She wasn't good at waiting.

Kaia glanced over at her brother. "I don't know why you're not excited about the new baby."

Nicholas shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know why you're so excited about it."

"It'll be fun to have another sister to play with."

"I think it's fine just the way it is," he decided. "We have fun together. We don't need any more kids."

Alfred's lips pressed into a thin line of amusement. He knew that Nicholas didn't like dramatic changes like a new baby, but he also knew that Nicholas would love his little sister once she finally arrived. He knew it had to be difficult being small children in a family of superheroes even though Bruce and Diana did their best to keep things as normal as possible. Adding another family member to the bunch had to be overwhelming for a little boy who liked to be in control like his father.

Bruce rubbed his tired eyes as he entered the kitchen, putting on a front for his children while his insides churned with turmoil. "Anything special happening at school today?" he asked as he took the coffee cup that Alfred handed him.

"No!" Kaia exclaimed with a scowl. "Can I stay home today? I need to go through the rest of my toys to give to my new sister."

"I think you'll have plenty of time for that, Kai," Bruce told her. "School is far too important to miss."

"Doesn't seem like it," Kaia grumbled. "It's boring."

Bruce frowned as he thought about it. "I wonder if we should have you tested," he replied. "You might need to be put in an advanced class like Nicholas."

"Kaia can be in my class?" Nicholas asked with sudden excitement. "That'd be fun!"

Kaia giggled at the thought. "We could sit next to each other and pass notes."

Bruce rolled his eyes as he shook his head at the thought. "Your poor teacher," he grimaced as he glanced at Alfred who was attempting to stifle a chuckle at that moment.

"What?" Nicholas said. "We're good."

"Good at finding trouble," Bruce told him.

"Where's Mama?" Kaia asked, looking around. "She needs to do my hair for me."

"Mom had to go on a mission," Bruce hesitantly revealed, sitting down at the table. He couldn't tell them that she might never come back to them.

"How long?" Kaia questioned him with a frown, tilting her head in question as if she didn't believe him.

"Hopefully just a few days," Bruce said. "In the meantime, you two need to be extra good and helpful around here."

Nicholas stared warily at his father as if sensing something was wrong. "Where did she go?"

Alfred wisely stepped up, taking Nicholas's empty plate. "You two need to go get your teeth brushed," he reminded them. "You don't want to be late for school. Miss Kaia, I'll be up to do your hair. Do you want braids, pigtails, or a ponytail today?"

She thought about it for a moment, her expression priceless. It was as if it was the toughest life choice she was going to have to make. "Braids I think," she decided. "I'm feeling pretty smart today. Braids will make me look even smarter."

"Braids it is," Alfred agreed with a smile. "Now, scoot."

Nicholas and Kaia ran from the kitchen, Bruce watching as they disappeared around the corner "I think they know something is up."

"Children always seem to be able to sense those things no matter how hard we try to shield them from it," Alfred agreed. "I think they'll accept things for now."

"But what about later?" he murmured. "I have to get her back, Alfred. I can't do this without her…go on with my life…raise our children. I…I need her. I always hated admitting that I needed anyone in my life, but I need her. I need Diana."

Alfred felt overwhelming grief for the man that he'd known since birth. He had been through so much, far more than any man should have to endure. It was rare for him to show vulnerability like this. It spoke volumes about what he was going through right now that he would admit such a thing.

"I know," Alfred softly confessed. "I believe she'll come through this. She's strong and she loves you…loves her family fiercely. She will fight to return to you."

Bruce nodded his head, unable to form any more words as Damian entered the kitchen. The pain in his father's eye was unmistakable as he reached for a bagel from the plate on the table. "No change yet?" he asked.

"No," Bruce said.

"You look terrible," Damian commented. "You better get some sleep or Nick and Kai will know something is really wrong."

"He's right," Alfred agreed.

"Of course, I am," Damian stated, turning to leave as he stuffed a piece of bagel into his mouth. "You know Diana will survive this. She's too stubborn not too."

"He's right," Bruce murmured.

"Of course, I am," Damian yelled back over his shoulder.

Kaia ran back into the kitchen, leaping into her father's lap and hugging him tightly around the neck. "I love you, Daddy," she softly said. "Don't be sad. Mama will be home soon."

Bruce returned her embrace, cherishing the feel of his daughter in his arms. "I love you too, Kai."

"Come on, Miss Kaia," Alfred said. "Let's braid your hair so we can get you to school."

"I really think I need to stay with Daddy," she insisted. "He looks too sad to be left alone."

"I'm fine," Bruce claimed. "I'll come pick you two up from school."

Kaia's face lit up, her bright blue eyes growing wide with excitement. "And get ice cream?"

"Sure," he confirmed, unable to say no to that face.

"Ni-Ni! We're getting ice cream after school," Kaia yelled as she ran from the kitchen followed by Alfred.

Bruce sighed heavily, amazed by his children's resilient spirit. It was something that he knew that they had inherited from both of their parents. He was thankful for it because he knew they were going to need it now more than ever.

Astral Plane; September 3rd, 08:04 EST

Zatanna put her hands on her hips in utter frustration. They had been here for hours and had been unable to uncover any useful information. Either no one knew about the curse placed on Diana or no one was talking.

Constantine walked up behind her, sharing her annoyance. "This isn't getting us anywhere," he spat out.

"I think the spirits are too afraid to talk," she replied. "We're going to have to come up with a different approach."

"Or find someone who is willing to talk," he added.

"Well, Bruce told us that Diana's gods aren't talking," she reminded him.

"Why would Hera not want to help her champion?" he thought out loud as he began to pace before her. "There has to be some reason why Hera would want Diana to be kept in this situation."

"Maybe she's testing her," Zatanna suggested, hating the idea. It was a cruel way to treat their greatest champion.

"Could be," he pensively responded, hands tucked into his overcoat. "Is it possible that Hera herself cast the spell or maybe had someone do it?"

Zatanna shuddered with the thought. "I hope not," she said with a shake of her head. "That's just…evil."

"Who puts a curse on a helpless infant?" he groused.

Zatanna considered it for a long moment. "Maybe whoever cast the spell knew that Diana wouldn't remain a helpless infant."

Constantine stopped his pacing to look at her, wondering where she was going with this. "What do you mean?"

"What if the mysterious person behind it had seen the future and knew that Diana would eventually become the Champion of the Gods?"

"Hmmm…" John thoughtfully hummed. "So, someone was out to stop Diana before she could become Wonder Woman. Well, it didn't work, did it?"

"Bruce said the curse was interrupted," she attempted to logically piece it all together. "What if the curse that was meant to stop Diana from ever becoming Wonder Woman was just delayed somehow until now?"

"So, Diana stays in a coma for the rest of her life?" he questioned her. "That would take her out of the whole justice-fighting equation, wouldn't it?"

"That's some serious hate for the Amazons or for Diana," she softly said to herself. "Who could possibly hate Diana that much?"

"Circe," he said.

"That's a given," she agreed with a nod. "I think it's time to track down the witch and have a little chat with her."

"Do you really think she'll talk to us?"

"We're about to find out."

A/N: I'm almost giddy about what I have up my sleeve!

UP NEXT: Diana's life continues in her dreams, Jason & Artemis continue the search on Themyscira while Kaia finds herself in trouble. :)