TITLE: A Malady for Christmas

AUTHOR: LOTSY

CHARACTERS: Batman / Wonder Woman

RATING: T

WARNINGS: Author Chooses Not to Use Warnings

DISCLAIMER: I love Justice League, but especially Batman and Wonder Woman. Unfortunately, I do not own the characters and, if I did, things would be much different for them.

SUMMARY: An illness attempts to sideline the Dark Knight who is bent on going on patrol, but a certain Amazon stands in his way. BMWW

A Malady for Christmas

Sitting propped up in bed against a pile of pillows, Bruce Wayne did his best to stifle the sneeze he could feel working its way through his nose only to have it escape despite his best efforts. He immediately reached for a tissue from the box on his bedside table, blowing his nose and tossing it on the floor with the dozen or so other used tissues that littered the carpet.

He closed his eyes briefly, wondering what fresh hell this malady was bringing him during this holiday season. He was a very strong man, worked out daily, and religiously took care of his body. He took vitamins and every precaution known to man.

How a virus had worked its way into his system was beyond him.

Alfred entered his bedroom, setting a tray across his lap. "I see you have yet to find the trash can I placed beside your bed," he curtly stated, leaning down to retrieve the small mountain of used tissues.

Bruce glared at him, his bloodshot eyes diminishing the typical intensity of his fierce glower. "What is this?" he demanded to know, waving a hand over the tray across his lap.

Alfred straightened up, looking over the tray. "Well, I would guess that it is chicken noodle soup, toast, green tea, and orange juice."

"I can see that," he grouchily insisted, his voice raspy and missing its usual baritone rumble. "I don't have time for this."

"I suggest you make time for it, or you'll never get better," he evenly suggested.

"I have to go out on…on…on…" Bruce began to complain only to be interrupted with another sneeze.

"Oh no, you're not," Alfred retorted with a forceful scowl of his own. "You are in no shape to be out flying from one rooftop to another."

"Alfred, it's Christmas Eve," Bruce growled, pausing for a hacking cough that took his breath away.

"Very good, Master Bruce," Alfred sarcastically replied, "and tomorrow is Christmas. Gotham will survive a night without Batman patrolling its streets. You, however, might not survive if you go out into that frigid weather with a terrible cold."

"I'm going," Bruce insisted as he moved the tray to the other side of the bed.

"I thought you might not agree," Alfred said with a conspiratorial smile before walking out of the room.

"That's why he called me," Diana revealed as she entered Bruce's bedroom.

Bruce cursed under his breath as he flopped back against the pillows. "Leave, Diana!" he angrily growled. "I don't want you here."

"Glad to see you haven't lost your pleasant disposition with this illness," she replied with a smile as she retrieved his tray, placing it across his lap once more.

"I don't have time for games, Diana," he ground out, his face flushed with fever.

"Good," she said as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "Neither do I."

Bruce cautiously watched her as she picked up his glass of orange juice. "Drink," she ordered. "You need your vitamins now more than ever."

He glared at her as he took the glass, his mind already racing with a dozen ways that he could escape Diana and this bedroom that had now become his prison. Christmas Eve in Gotham was a villain's playground, not sacred to even the vilest of his city.

Christmas, on the other hand, was a different story.

He eyed the Amazon warily as she pulled a small bag from a hidden pocket, picking up a spoon and dipping it into the mysterious pouch. She pulled out the spoon, a light green powder accompanying it. She put the spoon into his cup of tea, stirring it.

He noticed that she was wearing all black instead of her usual uniform, leaving him to wonder what she was up to. She looked like she might be prepared to rob a bank. All she needed was a mask. Her outfit fully embraced her every curve, leaving very little to the imagination. He did his best not to linger on her figure.

Diana set the cup of green tea on the tray before placing her hand on his forehead. He was too stunned by her action to jerk away, taken aback by her care for him. "You're burning up," she murmured, clearly worried about his condition. "Bruce, you should be in a hospital."

"I am not going to a hospital," he snapped, the usual ferocity in his voice coming out more like a squeak.

"You make a horrible patient," she said with a frown. "I don't think I've ever seen you this sick before."

"I've had worse…and still managed to capture Joker," he claimed, glancing suspiciously at the hot cup of green tea.

"Good thing you won't have to tonight," she told him with a grin. "Drink your tea."

"Diana—"

"No arguments, Bruce Wayne," she interrupted him before he could mount a defense. "I'm taking care of patrol tonight. I'm meeting up with Robin in half an hour so tell me whatever it is you want to tell me now."

"What?" Bruce exclaimed. "There is no way I'm letting you take over my…*cough*…*cough*…*cough*"

Diana frowned at him, her arms crossing against her chest as a single eyebrow arched in question. "You were saying?"

"I forbid it!" he attempted to yell.

Diana shook her head as a smile spread across her lips. "That's cute, Bruce," she replied, reaching out to gently brush aside the locks of hair that had fallen across his brow. "You can be furious with me…refuse to talk to me ever again. You can even hate me if that's what you want to do, but you mean far too much to me to let you kill yourself by going out there in that snowstorm while you're sick.

"I know you have a hard time letting people into your world, but I'm not here to turn it upside down or take over your precious Gotham. I'm only here to help you and to keep you from killing yourself. Now, you can either give me an update on what is happening in Gotham now or I can tie you to your bed with my lasso and do it on my own. Which is it going to be?"

Bruce scowled at her only to eventually avert his eyes under her stare that seemed to bore straight through him to his soul. He knew he was fighting a losing battle. "Fine," he bit out, "but if you ever pull anything like this on me again, I swear I'll—"

"Whatever," she said with a huff of annoyance, rolling her blue eyes as she stood to her feet. "You really do make a lousy patient. Now, drink your tea."

Bruce stared at it for a long moment. "What did you put in it?"

"An herbal supplement from Themyscira," she informed it. "I promise I'm not trying to poison you. It'll help your immune system recover faster."

He picked up his cup, sniffing the tea before looking up at her. "I thought Amazons didn't get sick."

"We don't, but we do get injured sometimes," she pointed out, her patience growing thinner by the moment. "Just drink it already."

He reluctantly took a sip, finding that it was surprisingly good. He decided that if Diana had wanted to kill him, she would have done it long before now with as many times as he had infuriated her over the years. He downed the rest of the tea in one swallow.

"That's a good boy," she teased. "Now, rest. I promise I'll take good care of Gotham for you."

"No Meta powers," he stated in no uncertain terms.

"No one will know it's me," she promised him as she pulled her long raven curls into a ponytail before putting an eye mask on her face. "How do I look?"

Bruce could feel an affectionate smile struggling to form on his lips but refused to allow it to show. "Like you're going to get yourself into trouble," he replied with a scowl.

"Hera!" Diana said, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Just eat your soup and behave yourself for once in your life."

"I have to," he snorted in response. "You didn't give me much of a choice."

Bruce watched as Diana turned to leave his bedroom, cursing in Ancient Greek as she left. He couldn't help but admire her stunning form as she walked out, leaving him to wish he could go out with her. While this was something that he wouldn't normally allow, he knew he really didn't have much of a choice. He had little to no energy, his breathing difficult and labored just lying here.

With the freezing temperatures in Gotham tonight, he'd probably drop dead the second he stepped outside.

Alfred reentered his bedroom with a barely suppressed smirk on his face. "I'm glad you finally listened to logic," he stated.

Bruce scowled as he averted his eyes. "I didn't have a choice, did I?"

"I must say you were hardly friendly to Miss Diana," Alfred pointed out. "She didn't have to come here tonight to help you, but she cares deeply for you…despite your hostile disposition. You might want to think twice about your frosty stance before you completely push her out of your life."

Bruce huffed under his breath in annoyance. He didn't appreciate being lectured, especially about his love life or lack thereof. He knew that he should be more appreciative of Diana's help, but letting people into his world, even ones that he cared about, was more than difficult for him. He loathed the idea of needing help, and even more so in taking care of his city.

But Alfred was right. He knew it deep down in his soul, but admitting it aloud was not going to happen.

"Can I have more tea please?" Bruce begrudgingly requested, picking up the small velvet bag of the herbal remedy Diana had left behind for him.

He hated to admit it, but he was beginning to feel a little better.

Alfred nodded in agreement, relieved that he was at least considering what he had just told him. "Oh, and can you bring me my laptop?" Bruce hoarsely called after him.

XXX

Diana, or Nightengale as Tim had decided to call her, sat perched on a ledge of a building. She used the shadows of the gargoyles to hide her presence as she watched a couple of teenagers walking down the sidewalk. She had a feeling they were looking to cause trouble.

"Why aren't you moving?"

Diana ground her teeth with the sound of Bruce filling her ear. She tapped her commlink. "What are you doing?" she hissed lowly, her blue eyes never moving from her target.

"I'm following you on patrol," he informed her, pausing to take a sip of Diana's tea.

"You're supposed to be resting."

"I am," he insisted. "Now, what are you doing?"

"I'm watching a couple of teenagers," she reluctantly revealed, knowing if she didn't, he'd be out here following her every move. "I have a feeling they're looking to cause trouble."

"Let them do it before you intervene," he instructed her. "You have to catch them in the act in order for them to be charged and taken to jail."

"I'm aware," she replied with growing exasperation. "This isn't my first time, Bruce."

He smirked to himself. "It's your first time in my city."

Diana could detect the underlying humor in his raspy voice, causing her to shake her head. "You're going to be the death of me, Bruce."

"Feeling is mutual, princess."

"They stopped in front of a market," she whispered. "I'm turning you off now."

"Don't you dare," he snapped. "If I'm going to entrust my city to you, I'm coming with you one way or another."

Bruce heard a "Hera" among several other indecipherable words that were probably best left alone. "Fine" she muttered. "They're trying the front door. It's locked."

"Be prepared," he told her. "They're going to look through the front window to make sure that no one is still inside."

Diana watched as the teens acted out what Bruce had described. They used their hands to block out the streetlight shining behind them, trying to find any sign of life inside. "You're right," she whispered in amazement.

"Next, they'll circle to the back of the store," he told her. "Follow them but don't reveal your presence just yet."

The two teens lingered around the front of the store only to finally make their way down a side alley just as Bruce had warned her that they would. Diana silently flew across the street to stand on the rooftop of the store next door to the market.

"Are you using your gift of flight?" Bruce demanded to know.

"No," she stated with a frown and cursing to herself. "Yes."

"Diana, no powers," he reminded her.

"Do you want me to catch them or not?"

"Fine," he groused. "They'll try the door. Finding it locked, they'll break any glass they find so they can get in. Once the alarm sounds, they'll have seven to ten minutes before the police arrive. By then, they'll be long gone."

Diana shook her head in amazement as the teens did exactly as Bruce predicted they would. The sound of breaking glass and the security alarm caused them to quicken their attack. They ran through the market looking for anything of value they could steal, grabbing a couple of cases of beer before heading out the back door.

They stopped dead in their tracks with the unexpected woman standing before them dressed in black. "Who are you?" the taller teen boldly asked.

"Your worst nightmare," she lowly stated as she stepped towards them, each receiving a right hook to the jaw that laid them out in no time flat.

She quickly tied them up, leaving them right where the police could easily find them. The sound of sirens filled the frosty night air, causing her to look up. "Cavalry is coming," she announced.

"Not bad, princess," he said with a hint of pride in his voice.

"It's Nightengale," she corrected him with a small smirk.

"Nightengale?" he questioned her. "Tim?"

"Yes," she confirmed. She paused to look at the sky as she straightened up. "Snow is coming down harder now."

"Better get moving before the police show up."

"Already moving," she informed him.

Diana could feel her hair growing damp from the heavy snow that continued to fall, but she couldn't do anything about it right now. Christmas Eve turned out to be a busy night of fighting crime in Gotham City, far more than she had expected it to be.

She worked her way from one end of town to the other, Bruce continually in her ear giving her tips and instructions on how to handle his city. She had to admit that he knew Gotham far better than anyone ever could, more so than even she had ever believed. He knew how to handle its people with care and compassion, the less than desirable with the fear and justice they deserved.

She sighed to herself in satisfaction as she finished helping a woman to a homeless shelter, getting her out of the frigid temperature and snowstorm that was burying the city under a thick blanket of white. The woman had hugged her tightly as if never wanting to let go. She had been a lifeline for this desperate woman. It had brought the spirit of Christmas home to her in a very real, tangible way.

Bruce's voice softly filled her ear. "You did good, Nightengale."

She smiled to herself as her hands found her hips. "What next?" she asked.

"Time to come home."

"Already?" she asked, looking around for some sort of sign that morning was approaching.

"It's nearly five in the morning," he replied. "It's Christmas Day."

"I guess I should head back to the Watchtower then."

"Come to the manor…please," he gently encouraged her. "I think you've earned a hot shower and a warm meal."

"That is an offer I can't refuse," she agreed. "Heading there now."

XXX

Diana entered Bruce's bedroom looking a little worse than when she had left, her hair hanging in wet strands from the snowfall. "You look like a drowned rat," Bruce noted, his voice stronger than when she had left him.

"Thanks…I feel like it," she replied with a laugh, pulling the elastic hair tie out. "You look like you're doing better. Your face isn't flushed with fever anymore."

"Thanks to your secret herbal cure," he told her, holding up his fifth cup of tea. "I don't know what this stuff is, but I'd like to buy it in bulk."

"We'll see," she simply said.

"Go get a hot shower in my bathroom," he suggested with a nod towards the door to his right. "My blue bathrobe is in there. You can use it while Alfred washes and dries your clothes."

"Sounds amazing right now," she decided as she ran her fingers through her damp hair.

He smiled to himself as she headed into his bathroom and closed the door, the sound of the shower running soon following. Thoughts of joining her quickly filled his head, forcing himself to think of something else to get his mind off her…naked…in his shower.

He finished the last of his tea, setting the cup aside before trying to focus on the patrol reports that he needed to input into his computer. Diana had done surprisingly well, handling each encounter with the necessary compassion or fierce vengeance depending on the situation.

He had to admit that he wasn't really surprised. Diana was amazing in every way imaginable. He should have known that she would do her best to keep his city safe. She always gave all that she had to everything she did.

Bruce found his feelings for her deepening despite his best efforts to lock them away deep inside. It was as if they had taken on a life of their own — growing, expanding, and intensifying against his will. With Diana, he knew that he had finally met his match, losing a battle that he never could have won though he had tried mightily.

Alfred returned with a tray laden with food for two, placing it on the bed beside Bruce. At that moment, Diana exited the bathroom wearing his navy-blue silk bathrobe, drying her hair with a towel. "Your breakfast is ready, Miss Diana," Alfred told her. "I'll have your things laundered in no time."

"Thank you, Alfred," she replied with a smile. "You're a real treasure."

Alfred merely smiled as he went to the bathroom to retrieve her wet things before turning to leave, closing the door behind him. Hopefully, this Christmas will be the start of many more between Master Bruce and Miss Diana.

As Diana sat on the bed beside him, Bruce readily decided that his bathrobe looked far better on her than him. It was loosely tied around her waist, barely staying together. The silken material slipped from her shoulder as she reached for a piece of bacon from the tray in front of them.

"Do you need me to tell you anything about patrol for your records?" she asked.

"No, I think I have everything I need," he decided as he closed his laptop, setting it aside on the bedside table.

"I guess you were with me on patrol for most of it," she pointed out with a mild air of annoyance. "You know you didn't have to hold my hand."

Bruce sighed as he picked up a croissant. "I know, but I'm a rich kid with issues…lots of issues."

Diana chuckled as memories of a conversation on a rooftop across from a museum flitted through her mind. She hoped this conversation went far better than that one did. "And I'm an immortal princess warrior."

Bruce smirked; the memory fresh in his mind too. "You know those reasons we shouldn't become involved with one another still hold true. Nothing has changed in that respect."

"And I think you should try a relationship with a hero for a change instead of all your female villains," she retorted with an amused twitch of her lips.

Bruce nearly spit out his orange juice with her comment, knowing she was right. "I didn't have a relationship with all of them…just some of them."

"Oh?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow as she took a sip of her tea.

He was trying to be strong but the fact she was sitting so close to him on his bed, wearing his bathrobe and nothing beneath was not helping matters in the least. "You know this is going to be really complicated."

Diana leaned in closer, allowing her proximity to have its desired effect on him. "The only complication is you overthinking everything."

"It's kept me alive all these years," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper as his gaze fell to her lips.

He couldn't keep his eyes from caressing the smooth skin of her throat that he ached to kiss. He followed the length of her neck down to the deep "V" of his bathrobe that allowed a peek at the tops of her breasts.

"No more thinking, no more excuses," she softly replied. "Tell me, Bruce. What do you want?"

Bruce didn't have to think twice as he closed the distance between them. "You," he rasped before pressing his lips to hers.

They shared a tender kiss, Diana's hand moving to cup his cheek. "Good choice," she said against his lips.

He brushed his nose against hers, looking down at his bathrobe that he was dying to remove from her body. "So, do I get to open my Christmas present?" he flirted with a heady gaze of desire that caused a shiver to race up Diana's spine.

"Once you're better," she promised him, pausing to kiss him once more. "In the meantime, I'll just have to nurse you back to health."

"I think this is the best Christmas I've ever had," he told her.

"Even though you're sick?"

"You make it better."

"Hopefully, this is the first of many more Christmases together," she replied. "Merry Christmas, Bruce."

"Merry Christmas, Diana," he said with a gentle smile as Diana snuggled up against him, his arm wrapping around her.

A/N: Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas! Will get a Family Tree update posted as soon as I can get it done. :)