Meta Care-Intimate Wonders

by Cosmic Sky

It was a good night for both of them, at least initially in Diana's case. Getting turned into a pig ended that notion until she ran into an unlikely savior. Running into him again, she began to wonder if there was something special about this young healer. Alex was the kind of man she liked to be around, as perhaps more than just a friend As someone she'd quietly longed for.

Hey, everyone. Welcome to the fourth installment of my Meta Care series. For this one, the leading lady will be none other than DC's most prominent heroine and the divine part of the DC Trinity, Wonder Woman! I'll shamelessly admit the DCAU was my first introduction to Diana and to this day still remains my favorite version of her. Though that'll be the primary version I'll be writing with this story, I'm going to include some of the wider Wonder Woman mythos from the comics and other versions (as I've tried to with all my previous stories). Now then, with that in mind, read on and I hope you all enjoy the story!

I own nothing.

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Meta Care

Intimate Wonders

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"Man, I hope he hurries up." Alex groaned while looking from his right to his left, five times in a single breath. Truthfully, he was expecting something to jump out at him, or race by him, or fall on top of him. While almost every major city in the world could lay claim to some sort of "abnormality" thanks to the presence of metahumans, few could claim to be as wild or dangerous as Gotham City. There was a good reason it was often at the center of horror stories. Some of them were probably real while others were likely embellishments. Alex had no eagerness to find out, but here he was.

And despite his worry, he had to admit, he'd enjoyed himself. He was enjoying himself. His friends were enjoying themselves. Julio sure as hell was.

He found it ironic how a Metropolis native seemed to be getting it on with a girl from Gotham City. Then again, despite the two cities being polar opposites, they often seemed like something of a pair. Their respective superheroes certainly were, and worked together as the World's Finest Duo. Darkness and light, though opposites, they went together extremely well.

Despite its, well, gothic design, Gotham City was still filled with light and life, particularly at night. One of the few positives people spoke about was the absolutely thriving nightlife it possessed. The last several hours had showed Alex that reputation was well-deserved.

"…Alright, I'll go."

"Wait? Seriously? Alex, that's awesome! Thanks! Thank you, thank you! Oh, and make sure to enjoy yourself out there!"

"Noted."

"Man, I'm serious. We're heading to one of the best nightclubs in town. You need to relax, otherwise it won't be any fun going."

"I got it, I got it. Really, Julio, I do. I'll keep my number available…and be sure in case you call I have a-"

"I'll have that personally covered. You just…ahem, save those for yourself."

He quietly thought back to the pack of condoms he had stored in his hotel room. It was the same as Julio and Chad. As for the girls, well…that was their business. They'd all came out to Gotham City prepared as best they could. Luckily, so far, the worst they'd all prepared for hadn't materialized. Yet.

There was still plenty of time for it to do so.

Despite his worry, he looked back at Julio with a happy smile. He could tell he and Carly were still talking. Laughing. And having a tough time keeping their hands off each other. They definitely hadn't gotten enough of each other on the dance floor. Alex knew he'd seen the makings of a relationship between his best friend and the Gotham City native. In that regard, their weekend outing to the dark city seemed to have been a success, at least for Julio. Sadly, his own luck hadn't been as great, but he was happy for his friend. He was happy for the others as well. Tanya had taken her big leap of faith, and she'd landed…right into the arms of a charming redhead. Chad and Miranda were sure as hell enjoying their time on the dance floor.

"You know, if you want to break them up, you could just go up and ask them." Chimed in a flirty voice. A pair of arms wrapped around his waist followed by a gentle weight on his backside. "Or, you know, you could always just tell him he can take the car."

Smiling, he patted one of the hands holding his waist. "Tempting, but I do the driving. I let Julio do it and we'll have Batman thinking we just robbed someone and are trying to make a getaway."

"I heard that, Alex!"

Grinning, he shouted back, "Wasn't trying to hide it from ya'! Hey, Carly, you want to take him off my hands for the night, I'm all for it! I'd love to be able to get to have the TV and shower to myself for the night. Maybe even the following day."

The dark-skinned girl blushed at the implication, and so did Julio. Apparently, neither of them had thought about spending not just the night, but the next day together. Well, he'd just put the thought into their heads; while Alex had only been joking, he was glad they seemed to be genuinely considering it.

Someone was quick to jump on the idea. "Might as well go for it, Carly. I'd say this guy's a catch, so might as well stack a claim while you can. Some other girl may snatch him up, or another one may just catch his eye."

"H-Hey, come on, Jessica."

"Promise to look after him?" Yep, Julio and Carly were definitely considering spending the night together thanks to their subtle priding. Frankly, it hadn't taken much. Focusing on Julio, he flashed him an encouraging grin. "See you back at the hotel tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I…guess you will. Alex-"

"Hey, I mean it. I am looking forward to having the place to myself for a night. Plus, I'll be able to sleep easier knowing someone's looking after you."

"You know, I'm the one usually saying that." He grinned. Julio briefly looked back to Carly, whose brown eyes were brimming with as much excitement as his. They didn't want to stop what they'd started on the dance floor, and he did his part to keep it going. "Alright, you'll…know where to find me. Jena and Harry are already back at the hotel so,"

"I know. We'll all check in, and if anything happens, just call me. I'll be there." Jessica had untangled herself from his backside, though she remained beside him. It made it easier for him to look at them all as he made his declaration.

"We know, Alex." Jessica said, then leaned in to peck him on the cheek. "Just make sure you get home safely, alright?"

"And please, don't jump at…anything weird you see, alright? This is Gotham City." Julio cautioned.

"And if you hear police sirens-"

"Run as fast as I can in the opposite direction." They'd gone over all of this before they hopped on the flight over to Gotham. Their parents had collectively done the same, especially his. The buddy system had been taught to them all in pre-school, but in the right time, it was effective. It almost made him sad about breaking it, but out of everyone in their group, Alex could handle himself the best. That was the privilege in being the gang's sole metahuman. On the flipside, him being by his lonesome meant if anything happened to his friends, he'd have to double time.

Julio and Carly departed once their taxi arrived. The drive was a friend of the latter thus someone they could trust-someone Alex felt like he could trust with his best friend, and his luckily, soon-to-be girlfriend. He'd be waiting for that call to confirm they'd both gotten home safely; after that, well, like he said, he'd enjoy having their room to himself. Finally, the chance to catch his favorite shows uninterrupted. Plus, not having to worry about being told he's hogging the bathroom to himself.

Finally, just the two of them, he and Jessica shared a mutual smile with one another. "Thanks, Alex. I…appreciated tonight." She said. Her brother was due to pick her up in a couple of minutes. Someone else he could trust with one of his closest friends. "Sorry you struck out."

"Hey, it's not like I came here expecting to find someone new. I just came to make sure you were all alright."

"And that's the thing, Alex, you're always putting yourself out there for other people. For the rest of us, even now, I can tell you're not going to stop worrying until you get a call from each of us."

"Can you blame me, Jess? This town just…puts me on edge."

They patiently waited on the side walk while a steady line was maintained leading to the club's entrance. It sure as hell wasn't closing anytime soon, and it was facing no shortage of clubgoers. The same went for the slew of other clubs on the block, including the more high-end ones. That included the famed Iceberg Lounge. As tempting as it might have sounded, Alex would have skipped a night out there if it'd been offered him. Being owned by one of Gotham's biggest crime bosses was something of a deal breaker. To be fair, any other villain, he'd have taken his chances, but he didn't feel like getting caught up in whatever secret, possibly international dealings the Penguin was involved in. Or be caught in the crossfire of some gang war.

Frankly, that could still happen now. Just him and Jessica patiently standing on the sidewalk waiting for a ride. Gotham City was just that kind of place. But people still chose to make their lives here. Jessica's brother had, and despite the worries she had, he'd found success, and a family.

"Does this place…mess with your powers? I've heard some rumors about Gotham City, that it was built on some ancient Indian burial ground, or…some shit like that."

"I read once Indians did used to live here."

"Pretty sure Indians used to live in a lot of places on the east coast. And the Midwest, oh, and the west coast, too." Their laughter broke up the tension. "Another story I've heard is that a Conan the Barbarian-type of sorcerer used to live here."

Crazy as it was, Alex believed both theories could have been possible. Even with the rise of superheroes and supervillains, people still questioned why there just seemed to be something special about Gotham City, something that drew the darkest and craziest to its streets. Why the criminal element seemed so strongly tied down here. Fittingly, all that seemed to have birthed the Batman, a dark hero for a dark city. Half the appeal of coming to Gotham had been the question of if they'd catch a glimpse of the Caped Crusader. Albeit if they did, odds were, it meant they'd have front row seats to something bad. Very bad.

Of all the villains, magic-users like himself seemed to be few and far between in Gotham. Alex wasn't in a hurry to meet any of them.

Holding up his hand, he toyed with igniting his finger, a habit he'd never quite managed to break since he discovered his powers. Alex called forth the magic that'd been passed down to him. It flashed at the tip of his finger, a single moment of illumination; despite its briefness, Jessica had caught it, and smiled in reassurance.

"To answer your question, nope. It works just fine." He smiled.

"I'm glad, though I hope you won't have to use it tonight."

"Here I am, forty-minutes past twelve and on my way home. If the sun rises and I still haven't had to heal anyone, you'll have gotten your wish."

"Crossing my fingers, Alex."

Her brother's car pulled up in front of them not ten minutes later. A quick meet-and-greet with Jack. He offered him a ride home, but Alex stuck to his original plan of a bus road then a walk back to the hotel. Nothing but a nice, simple ride back, then a good night's sleep. That was the plan, though there was always the possibility Gotham City would have different plans.

The bus ride was quiet, for him at least. At this late an hour, one might have expected it to be empty, but it was far from. Alex counted people from all walks of life taking this late night ride. It was the same with Metropolis.

Although in Metropolis, pigs never hitched a ride on a bus.

One minute the bus was a bastion of quiet murmur, everyone content to wait as it finished up its latest stop. In addition to a trio of new passengers, someone-something else decided it needed a ride to. That something was a pig, a fast one.

"Gah! W-W-What the hell?!" Variations, including colorful variations, of that statement, broke out as everyone became aware of its presence. It was hard not to notice since the pig proceeded to race up and down the aisle, squealing all the while.

"I had a feeling it wasn't going to be something, but seriously, this wasn't it!" Unlike a couple other passengers, Alex was proud to say it wasn't panic that filled his voice. More like shock, and a bit of annoyance. He'd faced worse than some pig that'd managed to escape from the slaughter house.

The animal was certainly squealing with all the fervor of a swine that didn't want to go back, not that Alex could blame it.

It moved fast, but he kept track of it. He'd tracked faster things. That refined eyesight allowed him to catch something on the pig that gave him pause. Last he checked, pigs, not even Gotham pigs, wore shiny silver bracelets

What the-? Wait a sec, those look like-! His realization was cut short as the pig finally made its way toward him. "Ah, crap!" Dogs and cats, he'd handled, but pigs? Those were entirely new territory. On the positive side, the pig was cleaner than he thought. "H-Hey! Come on, couldn't you have picked someone else!" Holding the struggling animal let him finally get a catch a glimpse at the silver glint his eyes had caught earlier, even as the pig frantically kicked about. His brown eyes, his whole face, was briefly reflected in the chrome silver bracelets fastened to the pig's legs. They were familiar. Incredibly familiar. Too familiar. Those, those can't possibly be-! While he continued to hold the pig, Alex reached out. Not with any physical limbs or senses, but those that could only be described as mystical. Like the former, they'd been honed, yet weren't quite used as much, except for times like now.

They confirmed the possibility he'd only just begun to entertain, yet what he wanted to write off. It wasn't because he didn't believe it was possible, he just didn't want to believe it.

"Hey, I've got a window open, throw it out! Throw the damn thing out!"

It all happened fast, faster than he could have reacted. The shock slowed his reaction time, recovery coming too late as someone ripped the big from his grasp and tossed it out onto the street. Alex quickly spun around, watching it through the window. Back outside, it took off toward a nearby alley.

All I have to do is just sit here and go back to the hotel. Offered the voice of caution and normalcy. He'd listened to it several times before, but he already knew this wasn't going to be one of those times. Alex felt himself rising to his feet and moving toward the door before the sigh of resignation even left his lips. Then came the words, "Hold the doors, I just remembered I've got something to do around here!" Thankfully, the doors held, though maybe not because of his words. Maybe everyone else was still too shocked by the fiasco, including the driver. Either way, his shoes touched the hard pavement of the road. Alex was making tracks around the front of the bus and through the crowds, all in the direction of the pig.

Standing before the alley, he heard that voice of caution beckon to him one more time. It told him he could just walk away from this, that the rational thing to do would have been to walk away. He was about to head down a dark alley in Gotham City, to chase after a pig.

A pig that may or may not have been Wonder Woman.

With a deep breath, he reached out with his mystical senses. The city, the urban decay, all of it fell away in favor of nothing but a dark sea from which misty shadows rose up. This was different from Metropolis and New York City. Those origin stories Jessica had told him about, the stories his grandparents had told him about, how the magic of a place was something to be noted-how it could help one determine what kind of land they were in. Alex didn't need his magical senses to know he was in a dark place. He needed it to find out where that pig had gone.

Dark as an amethyst gemstone, tinged with golden sparkles. The magic was different then anything he'd felt; the purity and strength, even from this distance, made the hairs on his neck stand up as he tried to gauge it. Regardless, Alex moved in the direction of the violet glow.

This magic, and if it's really who I think it is…ah man, the Odyssey! Really! Well, getting turned into an animal won't be the worst thing to happen to me. Better than getting my soul enslaved. Or maybe that'll come with the territory! Ah, forget it! Just focus on finding her!

Tracking down a pig in a city wasn't easy. Tracking one down through the streets of Gotham City might as well have been a death sentence. Any second he could run into a thug or psycho who'd gladly gut him, or torture him. Alex chose not to think about though, it'd only slow him down.

He moved from one alley to another, across streets, and up buildings. It wasn't a straight path, but then again, Alex saw that one coming. The pig he was chasing was frantically running wild. No doubt it-no-she had little idea what was going on.

That made his next crazy idea, seem even crazier.

"HEY, IT'S ALRIGHT! I KNOW IT'S YOU! YOU CAN STOP RUNNING!"

Anyone within a block radius probably heard him shout. He'd practically just sent up a big neon sign to every person in the area: I'm here, come rob me and kill me! At least he had his powers to fall back on, provided he was able to catch his would-be-attacker before they made their move. Either way, he'd made his choice and now it was time to live with it, which hopefully would be more than the next five minutes.

Alex nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard one of the loud squeals that'd filled the bus. It was distant, but he heard it, and it was getting closer. He'd already worked up a sweat from all the running and climbing, but now the sweat was from the watchfulness of something reaching him before the pig did. Every other second he looked around, waiting for something to wrong. Now was the perfect time for his so-called luck of the Irish to-

"Oink!"

Unlike their last encounter, the pink was a little more subdued. Between all the running and his words, maybe that'd taken some of the energy out of the mammal. He tried to steady his breathing as he bent down to one knee and spoke in his best gentle tone.

"Uh, okay, thanks for coming. Um…I'm just going to get out with it, are you Wonder Woman?"

There was no other way to describe the series of loud squeals and vigorous nodding as a yes.

"This is so not how I pictured meeting you." The pig, she, trotted closer to him. Incredibly, he saw the change in its eyes, as well as sensed it. Cautiously, he reached his hand out, and the transformed woman leaned into his embrace. Alex's first instinct was to rub the head as he had the cats and dogs he'd interacted with growing up, what stopped him was the reminder that he wasn't dealing with any ordinary animal. In fact, she wasn't really an animal but a person. "So, um, I'm just going to go out on a limb here and ask…did…is…the Odyssey is real, isn't it?"

"Oink! Oink! Oink!"

"Which means…Circe did this? Circe as in the same witch who turns people into animals?" Another affirmative squeal. "A three-thousand-year-old witch in Gotham City, right as we come out here for a weekend." The hell kind of luck was that? As he wiped the sweat from his brow, he turned to the next matter. What the hell do I do now? What can I do? What if Circe's actually looking for her?

ROOOWWWRRR!

"Ah shit, just had to say something. Or think something." A nature documentary here and there had left him knowing what a big cat's roar sounded like. He couldn't quite tell if it was a lion or a tiger, not that it mattered. The danger was the same. "Sorry, but I gotta do this!" Alex grabbed her as he spoke then took off running before the second was through. The feline roars behind him told him the act was no appreciated, not that he cared. Running away was the only thing he could have done in this situation, and that's exactly what he did.

A memory of one of those nature documentaries returned to him-an average lion could outrun a human being as well as outmuscle one. The same went for a tiger. With those thoughts in mind, Alex knew he was screwed, at least if he were just an ordinary human being.

As he ran, he heard the ferocious growling and roars of the beasts on his tail. They were closing in on him. For a second, he wondered if they were the reason the alleys had been devoid of people. He didn't want to find out-he didn't want to look back and see blood dripping from their maws.

Running while carrying a squealing pig wasn't easy. Less so when he threw his right hand behind him, a clear invitation for one of his pursuers to bite it off. Fingers curled, he summoned the power within him and let it explode out his palm, not as fire but as pure light. The predators reacted to it accordingly, their pursuit halted as the blinding light caught them completely by surprise. Alex couldn't help but grin. Apex predators they may have been, but they could still be blinded like any creature with a pair of functioning eyes. He didn't stop to consider if that trick would work again-maybe it would since the beasts seemed to be feral.

For as long as he could, he had to stick to light instead of trying to project fire. He was certain these creatures weren't escapees from the zoo, like the woman in his arms, they'd been transformed from human into beasts. Though he'd healed wounds, life-threatening wounds, he'd never tried to do something as crazy as undo a magical enchantment. Not even the thought of the challenge was enough to get him to turn back and give it a shot.

Inevitably, the roars returned. Alex continuously looked around him. He was completely lost, going from one alley to another. Each one, unfortunately seemed big enough to allow the animals pursuing him to keep it up. That would have to change-he could change that, if he could survive long enough.

While he ran, the female pig in his arms continued to squeal, not that he blamed her. Being pursued by ravenous animals while transformed into an animal yourself was something that could even get to an amazon warrior. He at least wanted to think that it wasn't his holding her.

Shit! Shit! Shit! I can't outrun these things! I've gotta-! Right! It was pure coincidence, or fortune that he spotted a ladder on the side of a building. Without a moment's hesitation, he grabbed it and pulled, using practically all his strength to do so. Before it'd even finished sliding down, he began climbing. His companion squealed in what he hoped was delight as they rapidly ascended. Like before, he didn't look back, if he did the hesitation could prove fatal.

Even once he was on solid footing, he was heading up the stairs of the fire escape. His heart was pounding so loudly in his ear, thunder could have rumbled across the skies and he wouldn't have heard it. The adrenaline in his system would have kept him moving regardless of what happened, even if the sky itself came crashing down, he'd still keep running. He didn't stop running even as he made it to the rooftop. Alex simply ran to the opposite edge of the building, only stopping once he reached the ledge. By then, his legs positively felt like jelly, though he somehow remained standing, if only barely.

"Hopefully…we're…safe. I'm…hoping they…can't climb fire escapes." Remarkably, he was able to gently set the pig down, then slowly fall to his own knees. Sweat seeped into his dress shirt and poured down his brow, dripping onto the hard rooftop. His right hand shot forth to keep himself from completely tipping over. Every breath made his chest ache, but there was no stopping them. Not until he felt something soft nudging his face. "Huh? Oh, I guess you're alright?"

A happy oink ensued. He wasn't sure how well pigs could smile, but he liked to believe he was being smiled at. While he'd have liked it if it was the Amazon's human form, he was content with having kept them both alive. Wonder Woman seemed pretty happy about that accomplishment herself.

After a few minutes of catching his breath, he found himself drifting back to the same question-what now?

Well, I can't leave her out here. I should probably-

RRRROOOWWR!

"Fuck, you've got to be kidding me." Near immediately, he was back on his feet. Wonder Woman let out an oink that was about as intimidating as a pig's could be. Across from them, the first of the beasts managed to climb over the ledge. Fittingly, it was a lion. It let out a vengeful roar as it stared them down with murderous hunger in its eyes. Alex took one look into its eyes and knew the animal was under some kind of enchantment. Once, it may have been a person, a man, but thanks to a millennia-old witch, there was nothing but a feral beast that'd like nothing more than to rib him, and his swine companion, to bloody pieces. The lion was joined by several others, tigers and a panther. As they steadily climbed up the ledge, Alex realized he only had one option left.

While he hadn't wanted to use fire against these transformed people, he recognized it was either that or get mauled to death. The choice was crystal clear.

Magic immediately flowed through his veins as he summoned it into his hands. Instead of "flipping on a switch" he commanded it to ignite. The rooftop became lit by the baseball-sized blazes in his palms, which he threw directly at the assembled creatures. Seconds before impact, the animals' eyes widened. Primal instinct took in causing them all to retreat before the fireballs impacted. He'd aimed them carefully so they'd hit right in front of them instead of on them.

Spinning on his heel as the wall of fire formed, he prepared to call out to Wonder Woman (or Wonder Pig), but the words became lodged in his throat.

He should have figured at least one of the big cats would be smart. These weren't just transformed humans, these were genuine big cats, complete with the hunting instinct. Ambush tactics were a favorite of many of them, even being their primary means of hunting.

While he'd been dealing with the main group, one of the panthers had chosen to go in from the side. Somehow, it'd climbed up the building and patiently waited for him to deal with the bulk of the wild cats, then it'd made its move.

The amazing bravery he'd seen the amazon display was nowhere to be seen, not that he blamed her. Instead, she was running as fast as she could while the panther pounced on her. It really was like in those nature documentaries, except this wasn't the wild. These were the urban streets of an American city. The two predator and prey weren't really animals, just victims of a cruel sorceress.

And Alex Farrelly wasn't just going to sit by and let "nature take its course."

"No!" On pure instinct, the threw his arms out while dashing forward. The distance between him and the panther seemingly disappeared, which was dangerous since burning hot light shot from his palms. This time, they hit the animal, causing it to roar out in pain as its fur-covered flesh burned. His attack pushed it off its attempted course, though not over the rooftop ledge. "Wonder Woman!" he called out.

His shout made her turn to him, just in time for him to scoop her up in his arms. Once again, he was running, but this time toward the edge of the building. Luckily, there was another right beside it of similar height. Alex didn't know the exact distance, but jumping it was his only hope. Staying on this rooftop simply wasn't an option. Within seconds, he was at the ledge, and then he was making the jump.

There was something strangely exhilarating about making the jump. It'd been a while since he'd done anything so wild, maybe that was part of it. His life, and the life of the Justice League's strongest female member, were on the line. That was motivation enough to give the jump his all.

It was enough. Joy shot through him the second he felt his feet touch solid ground. First one, then two. "Yes!"

Once more, his joy was short-lived.

The squeal and the alertness came simultaneously. They told him one thing long before his ears registered the familiar sound of a big cat's roar. From there, his body moved on pure impulse. His arms shot out, but this time, it wasn't the power within him he released, but the pig. Alex saw the pink-bodied female go a few feet before he went down. Not even getting bodychecked by Danny Martson in high school hurt this much, not to mention the guy never sunk fangs into him. He squeezed his eyes shut at the pain as he hit the ground, yet Alex found it in himself to remain conscious.

With that one bit of consciousness, he reached up with his right hand and smashed it into the animal's face. Fire, light, heat, it didn't matter, he just wanted the damn thing off him; it worked.

He felt himself bleeding and hurting from the pouncing. A few feet away, Wonder Woman was squealing at him, trying to warn him.

Body hurting, he was in no condition to be body slammed and bitten into by a second big cat, yet he remained conscious. Alex wondered how long that'd last, but what he knew was he had to make the most of the time he did have. Calling on his magic, he didn't channel it into his fist for a melee strike, he wasn't even sure where the cat was. Instead, he simply expelled it throughout his body. Bright, burning light like a star flaring up in the darkness of space. It was enough to knock the second cat, and potentially third, off of him. And that was all he had left.

Pain racked his body. Getting to his feet wasn't an option. He could barely remain upright on his hands and knees-that wasn't going to last too much longer. He knew he was bleeding, from the neck and likely somewhere else. His first instinct was to cauterize the wounds, it'd hurt but it'd halt the blood loss. Unfortunately, he felt like he didn't have the strength for that.

His vision was growing hazy as he stared forward. Wonder Woman was desperately calling out to him, panic clear in her dark eyes. Alex wished he could have actually seen her real face, and she didn't have to see his pale and sweaty. Not the best way to meet one of your heroes, but he took solace in the fact that he'd bought her some time.

"R-Run." He whispered. "J-Just go, I'll…figure something out."

"No need, kid!" Shouted a new voice.

After the last several minutes, it was a relief to hear another human voice. It was a greater one to see another human, albeit a strange one.

Obviously, he was another member of the Justice League. No cape, no shirt, showing off a physique that spoke of rigorous physical activity. Instead of pants, he had on a red leotard that matched his feline-like mask., Alex took one look at the man and found himself laughing.

He put a finger to his ear while looking between him and Wonder Woman. "Yo, Bats, I found your pig, but I've got a civilian casualty. Yeah, I know, I'm taking him to the hospital now." At the end of his call, his attention became solely focused on him as he reached out. "Stay with me, kid. I'm getting you some help."

"I'd…appreciate it." Alex muttered. He felt himself being lifted up. It was followed by another oink. Before he knew it, he was moving. The constant motion further lulled him into unconsciousness, but he fought through it to stay awake. It was far easier said than done as he every time he blinked, the scenery changed. At least…he's moving fast.

The white walls of a hospital eventually greeted his eyes. Doctors around him, voices around him. He answered their questions as best he could. Not easy, but he managed. Alex managed it until he couldn't anymore, then darkness swept over him.

---

It was pure chaos, but then again, natural disasters always were. There were moments of calmness that were quickly replaced by the roar of pandemonium, and back-and-forth it went until the crisis was over with. That could seem like a long time away.

That's certainly how Diana was feeling as she frantically searched for Superman amidst the uproar of the eruption. She couldn't picture this being over with despite the ceasing of violent, battle-induced shockwaves. They'd further agitated the volcano's already catastrophic eruption. It'd been just their luck, a bad situation becoming worse, and right at the heart of it was a threat so severe even Superman, Clark, was struggling to contain it.

Her heart momentarily stopped in her chest when she finally got to him, and saw the injuries he'd incurred during the fight.

There were few things on the planet that could push Superman to the brink, to injure him as she saw him. His uniform torn to shreds with his body not too far off. Most horrifically were his eyes, mangled and scarred like the rest of him. Upon seeing the wound, Diana couldn't shake the feeling he'd tried to use his heat vision and his opponent had brutally countered the move, and ensured he wouldn't be able to use it for the rest of the fight.

Shouting his name, she caught him before he could collapse, right into the river of molten-hot lava around him. If she'd been a second later, he'd have been swallowed up.

"Stay with me, Clark! Clark!" She yelled, only getting pain-filled grunts and moaning in return. If not for the shallow breathing she could just barely hear, she'd have feared the worst. She still did as she flew him to the nearest transport.

When she arrived, it was pure chaos. Like her it was shocking and horrifying to see Superman in such a wounded condition. Diana knew many were no doubt wondering exactly what had done that to him-and if it was still around. She couldn't exactly answer that question, only focus on getting Clak the treatment he desperately needed.

After everyone got past the shock of seeing Superman so bloodied, that treatment finally began. Diana knew short of someone magically fixing him up in a second, it'd have been too slow for her. Regardless, she patiently waited on the sidelines of the makeshift operating room. Doctors, native and foreign, intensely discussing the severity of the wounds and what they could do to heal him. Diana didn't care, she just needed them to do it.

She didn't care until they brought in someone new, someone she honestly, truthfully, never expected to see again. Although a small part of her had wanted to.

The second he entered the room, their eyes locked and Diana felt something shoot through her. It almost felt like an arrow cutting through the air as it zoomed toward its target. What that was, she didn't know, but Diana only knew it was somewhere inside of her. She knew that she was happy to see him, alive and well after the mess with Circe back in Gotham, two months ago.

Of course, he looked incredibly different. Gone was the pale blue dress short and dress pants he'd worn, likely for a night out on the town. He was instead dressed in the same uniform as many of the foreign aid workers, and like many of them, his uniform was sullied dirt, ash, and splotches of blood. That extended to his face and hair, and yet his brown eyes hadn't lost their shine. Maybe that was because she was the first one they looked to. Diana saw the recognition flash in his eyes, and he saw it in hers.

It was only for a moment as a cough and call drew his attention to the operating table.

"Jesus Christ," he swore.

"Alex," spoke one of the doctors, a woman. "Please, we need you here. I know you've used up a lot of your-"

"I've got enough left for this." His voice, his face, were brimming with determination as he stepped forward.

Diana did her best to fade into the background, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight, for multiple reasons.

She knew the young man, Alex Farrelly, was a metahuman. Watching him work, she realized he was like Zatanna and Doctor Fate-he could use magic. His magic also held traces of the divine, she sensed it in the luminous light he emitted from his palms. Whichever god had blessed him, it'd been a sun god, one who held dominion over sunlight and healing like Apollo. She'd have guessed him if she hadn't heard him whispering in a new language.

Gaelic, ancient Gaelic.

Ah, I see. She quietly noted. The sun deities of Ireland were like her own, and their power to heal and restore was just as impressive. The healing power of the sun was exactly what Clark needed. She saw it with her own eyes, how his breathing steadied and color quickly returned to his face. The bleeding from his wounds was further halted, some even closing on their own. Thank Hera, and thank you, Alex Farrelly. This is the second time you've saved a Leaguer, and the second time you were there for me.

Feeling mesmerized by the light, Diana continued to silently watch, content with being a bystander. She was a warrior, but what was needed now was a healer, and she saw that one of her closest friends was in the hands of a skilled one.

-O-

San Baquero was practically gone, though everyone knew that was inevitable when the volcano erupted. Its fate was only further sealed when it became the sight of a battle between titans, something no one could have predicted. Likewise, it'd also been the sight of an attempted nuking.

Diana tried not to think about the nuke, about the nuclear warhead lined with Kryptonite. There was only one reason such a weapon would have been made for, and she could think of only one organization that'd launch it. It made her shiver in worry, a feeling that she wasn't used to, and she didn't like. As much as she wanted to believe the incident was an isolated one, Diana doubted it was, and she highly doubted tensions would cool after this.

She knew deep in her heart, things were only going to get worse. How bad, Diana couldn't say, but she just felt it in her bones.

However, it wasn't all bad. There was one ray of light in this whole situation, and she found it eyeing the horizon just as she intended to.

He'd found the time to wash his face, allowing her to his face free of blemishes. Diana was happy that was able to say the same about herself.

"You, um…hi." She smiled as he stood at attention. Given his six-foot stature, he stood a few inches taller than her, though he wasn't quite as broad-chested as either of her caped teammates. That said she knew he had a heroic spirit akin to theirs.

"Hello," she kindly responded. "Alex Farrelly."

He nodded, his smile growing and a light tinge of pink adorning his cheeks. She was glad after the second year, she'd gotten used to such reactions, and she'd come to enjoy it a little. Especially from good-lookers like the brown-eyed healer. "You remember me?"

"Let's just say I wasn't going to be forgetting that night, any time soon."

"Glad that I'm not the only one."

The truth was, Diana partially wished she could forget that night. Being transformed into a pig then being forced to run on four legs for her life, she never would have imagined she'd have such an experience. Such a humiliation that would unfortunately stick with her for years to come. Such had been Circe's intent, though it'd also been her intent to be torn limb from limb by animals formed from the very humans she'd sworn to protect. Oh, the irony in a demise like that.

Thanks to the young man whom she now stood beside, her story continued on, and once more, it'd intersected with his. Much to their mutual joy.

"I never got a chance to properly thank you for saving my life that night, Alex."

"The note was enough." The thank you note had come almost three days the incident. That's how long it took her to fully recall what'd happened to her while transformed. While she'd feigned ignorance of what'd happened, that'd been more for Bruce's sake. Tracking down the boy who'd outrun big cats to keep her safe was personal.

"I wish I could have contacted you sooner." Diana admitted.

"Don't worry about it, the important thing is you survived."

"Thanks to you, Alex. If you hadn't picked me up, then I…I believe there is a possibility I might not have survived the night." His warm brown eyes stared back at her with silent respect as he coolly nodded. The humility in which he accepted her gratitude was something she positively noted. "Did you use magic to find me while I was running? I certainly know you used it to fend off the big cats that attacked us on the rooftop."

"Yeah, after you hopped off the bus, after getting on without paying." She returned his brief smile, even giggling a little. "I reached out and tracked you down. It wasn't hard to do since the enchantment on you was strong, and divine. When I felt it, I connected it to you being transformed into an animal."

"Let me guess, you'd read the Odyssey?" She asked with an affectionate giggle.

"Yep. My parents made sure I knew the stories of our ancestral homeland, but they didn't mind me picking up the stories from elsewhere. My mom's favorite Greek hero was always Odysseus. Oh, my family's-"

"Irish, right?"

"Looked me up?"

"No, I heard your incantations while you were healing Superman. One of my powers is the ability to understand all languages. That includes ancient Gaelic." Her eyes shifted to his hands. She could still see them shining with solar radiance that light up the whole room. Diana almost felt tempted to reach for them so she could feel some of that solar warmth again. "Belenus, am I right?"

"Yes, you are. My forefathers were druidic worshippers of his, and he rewarded them with this." The light returned, a small but cherished spark of sunlight amidst the darkness of the night. This time, Diana couldn't keep from reaching for it. With a smile that was literally dazzling, Alex stretched his right hand over and allowed her to feel it.

Hera, it's so warm, yet it doesn't burn. Diana felt the anxiety that'd been eating away at her burn away. It was wonderful, it was magical, it was…relaxing.

She knew she'd held onto his hand longer than what was probably acceptable, but it wasn't like he was stopping her, nor was anyone interrupting them. The second one was something Diana was glad for. Basking in Alex's light was something she wanted to keep doing, perhaps until the true sun rose above the horizon.

Maybe…even after that, I'd keep holding on.

Alex was the one to let go, perhaps self-awareness at how intimate they were getting. The light faded, though the glow on his face remained. He had a hint of a blush on his face, though he seemed to be trying his best to stamp it down. It was cute.

"Do the Greeks ever talk about the deities of Ireland?"

"I heard talk the deities of the Tír na nÓg on my homeland. Your ancestors' gods are…colorful."

"You know, that can be taken either way." He grinned.

"I've heard Belenus' abilities positively compared to Apollo's, as well as the valor of Lugh in battle. To be truthful, I've wondered what the Otherworld was like."

"Do you still wonder?"

"Yes, and one day I wish to see it for myself. Alex, would you like to see it yourself one day? Perhaps even meet the god your ancestors worshipped? The fact that you still wield his power must mean that he knows of you, and he approves of how you use his blessing."

Bewilderment colored his face. From her to his hands, he looked at them as if expecting the solar light he'd called upon to manifest. A sign from the Celtic sun god, his god. She didn't question if Alex had ever wondered if he and the other Celtic gods were real, he probably learned they were the first time he manifested his powers. She was curious as to when that was. She was curious how he'd handled growing up. Since coming into Man's World, she'd learned the world had forgotten the dangers and wonders of magic. That'd changed over the last two decades, thanks in no small part to her.

"Was it…difficult for you growing up with your gift?" She asked, half-hoping she wasn't invoking bad memories.

"No, at least, not as hard as it could have been. Really, people learning I could heal injuries made me pretty popular, but also pretty sought after. Frankly, I was always just willing to help where I could, or who I could. It's why I came to San Baquero, I had a friend who asked me to. I knew League help or not, there was going to be casualties." His nonchalant shrug belayed the courage it took to make his choice, the same courage he held fast to when he chose to rescue her. "Things just took off from there. On the positive side, thanks to my magic, I've always had a strong resistance to heat. Not immunity, but just a resistance." He looked back in the direction of the island. "I came here fully knowing I'd probably end up pushing that resistance to its limit."

"That was a brave thing to do, Alex." She offered with serene appreciation.

His humility endured. Instead of her, he looked back in the direction of the island. It was faint, but Diana could still feel the eruption's finale even from miles away. "I know San Baquero was a hotspot for drug trafficking, but people still lived there. That's what I'm sad about."

"As am I. Despite what this island's…rulers involved themselves in, as well as its citizens, it was still their home. I pray they'll be able to find another."

"Hopefully one not ruled by criminals." He ruefully remarked. "That…that nuke, it can from the U.S., didn't it?"

His statement showed he was in no way dumb or naïve. "…Yes, I…believe so, Alex. I don't know why it was fired." That was a lie, although she couldn't let Alex know that. She wanted to keep him out of this shadow war brewing between the League and Cadmus, and keep whatever goodwill Alex had in his homeland intact. Diana had no doubt the missile launched had been meant to kill Superman, but that knowledge was meant to stay within the League. A civilian like him had no right, and no need to know it.

"Whatever…it was that was fighting Superman, could it have been-"

"Possibly." Lying wasn't something she enjoyed doing, but it was something she'd forced herself to become decent at. "A rather extreme approach, but these are dangerous times we live in."

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, was it as dangerous back then in the…days of myth?" There was a hint of genuine curiosity in his voice, and on his face.

Diana smiled. "Somewhat, though I would say the modern world is a great deal more complicated than the world of old. That said, I still like it."

His face brightened. "Happy to hear that. I know the world isn't perfect, but I think there's still a couple of good things about it."

"Many, including the people in it." She looked straight into his brown eyes, silently telling him that he was one of those people. The response was immediate-a blush of his cheeks and a swelling of pride on his face. "How often do you practice with your powers, Alex?"

"Often enough. While I want to be able to heal people using old-fashion medical skills, I know my mystical abilities can't be ignored. Bit of a balancing act, but I like to think I'm able to pull it off most days. Times like tonight are when I'm glad I kept up with them." His humorous grin drew a laugh from her. "That and nights like when we first informally met. Speaking of which, I'm glad all that got sorted out."

"In part thanks to you, Alex. If you hadn't picked me up, I'd have spent all night running for my life until the enchantment was broken or Circe's hunters caught me."

"Or you somehow ended up at a slaughter house somewhere in town." His smile was apologetic as she gave him an aside glare. She knew he was right though. That was another possibility, albeit one she chose not to entertain. "Sorry."

"Apology accepted." At the end of it came a smile that told him it was water under the bridge, at least for the most part. Talking of that night brought her to another facet of it. She recognized how Alex had been dressed. Certainly not casually, though not overly so. The need to know burst forth before she could event think about keeping silent on the matter. "Alex, that night…were you…out on a date by any chance?"

The surprise of her question was immediate, though he quickly recovered and gave her a straight answer. "Not quite. Just out on the town with some friends for a weekend. Now, my best friend Julio, he was on a date. I was also helping another friend of mine, Jessica, get over a bad breakup. I was on my way back to our hotel when you hopped aboard the bus I was on. I recognized your bracelets and like I said, put two and two together and things just went from there." He paused to release a humorous chuckle. "When I woke up, I had a dozen missed calls from my friends. We promised each other we'd all phone in once we got in to make sure we were all safe. Gotham was just that kind of city."

She'd only been to Batman's home a few times, but she had to admit, it was…a shadowy place. Quite a fitting one for it'd birthed the Dark Knight, whose tactics and demeanor made him seem a native of Hades. That said, Diana knew pockets of light existed within the city. Batman was one such light, even if he dressed otherwise. The sheer joy and euphoria on the faces of the clubgoers they'd observed while on stack out was further proof.

Thinking about that moment reminded Diana of the fanciful thoughts she'd had before the alarm went off, and they learned who they were dealing with. Having heard Alex's story, she found it quite a coincidence he was doing what she wished she could do, albeit from the sounds of it, he hadn't been with anyone important. His focus had seemingly been on his friends, particularly this Jessica who'd been mending a broken heart. From what she'd seen of him, Diana could picture it-Alex Farrelly was the type of person who tended to put others' well-being before his own. Noble, although that life was not without its drawbacks.

"I'm sorry for the worry I caused you and your friends, Alex." She spoke.

"It's okay. Really. Though, it kind of helped that you left me that note to confirm yes, I really had gotten caught up in Justice League business. Not that the others didn't believe me. Having the doctors confirm that a Leaguer dropped me off was enough, but I think they were all skeptical I'd really gotten involved with Wonder Woman. We were just glad it hadn't involved anything getting blown up or cars thrown around." He responded with an upbeat smile.

According to B'wana Beast, Alex had been slipping in and out of consciousness when they'd made it to the hospital. She'd hardly been able to stand still, but she'd done so knowing it wouldn't do her, or anyone else, any good to wonder off. The wild man hero had also been kind enough to tell the staff to watch after her. She wondered how many of them saw her bracelets and came to the same conclusion Alex had.

She'd have thrown in an extra hit on Circe if she had the opportunity. Unfortunately, she had to settle for waiting until the sorceress next appeared. In exchange for turning Diana back to normal, she was also allowed to go free, although Zatanna had told her the next time she popped up, she was going back to Tartarus. Diana had every intention of sending her back with as many broken bones as possible.

Going over Alex's words, she found something somewhat more pleasant to focus on. "It sounds like your friends traveled to Gotham expecting the trip to be…chaotic at some point."

"Hey, we may live in Metropolis, but Gotham City is another type of animal. A big black-furred animal that'll torture you before eating you."

"Batman told me the same thing once."

"Speaking of him, um…I heard some chatter that he was the one that piloted the ship that diverted the missile. Is it try?"

Diana waged a short battle within herself. Would anything come of revealing the truth to him? She already knew Bruce wouldn't care if she tried to improve his reputation in the eyes of one person. It wasn't about rather or not he cared though, she did. "Yes, he was. He did it to save everyone on the island, Leaguer and civilian alike." She immediately waited for his reaction.

It was awe, then it morphed into concern. "Is he alright? I mean, I know he wasn't amongst the-"

"He was retrieved and given immediate medical care." She assured. Relief spread over his face. "If he hadn't, I would have tried to divert the missile myself."

That brought the concern back to his face.

"I could have done it." She boasted. Really, she could have, but she knew she'd have been left in a similar state as Bruce, or Clark. No word on how the radiation might have affected her. She'd tested herself against radiation and found like many things, she had a resistance to it, but something on the scale of the nuke Batman deflected? That would have been a first. Diana quietly admitted a small part of her was glad she hadn't tested herself in how much of its payload she could take.

She had a feeling that Alex felt the same way.

The night breezed caressed their bodies, hers more so than his given the…openness of her attire. She pushed her ebony locks out of her face as she looked out to the sea. Moments ago, the waters had been thrashing about as if stirred by Poseidon himself. Now, their calmness was almost mystifying.

"Putting your lives on the line like that, that's what makes you guys heroes." His words were as soothing as the waves. They also seemingly carried the same invigorating warmth as the sunlight.

Diana took it deep into her heart. "Thank you, Alex, but I'd say you've got a bit of that same heroism inside of you. Without hesitation, you came here to help those in need. And before that, you helped me when you could have just have easily ignored me and continued on your way."

"Could have," he ruefully confessed. "But then I wouldn't have been able to live with myself, not to mention the Justice League would have been done a member, including another one of its original founders."

In her mind, she saw an image of her and her comrades at the start of the League. All seven of them, the Original Seven, the Founding Seven, as they'd been called. Even amongst the vastly expanded league, they still held a certain position, both within the League and in the public eye. Except one of them, a face that Diana wasn't eager to see again.

Mercifully, chatter in her ear kept her from taking another step down that path and the feelings that came with it. On the other hand, Diana had a feeling that whatever it was, it'd take her away from Alex. She turned out to be right.

Turning to him, she felt almost apologetic in addressing him. "I have to go, Alex."

"Hey, it's fine. It was nice talking to you, Wonder Woman."

"And I you, Alex."

Not for the first time, she felt some reluctancy in flying away. Still, she kept the image of the brown-haired youth in her mind as she flew back to the island of San Baquero. As she did, she quietly hoped Alex wouldn't be having to treat her as he had Superman. If he did, Diana found she wouldn't have minded it.

---

As a rule of thumb, the more precious something was, the more one held onto it. When that something happened to be an item of power, one would have expected that attachment to be even stronger. It was, but sometimes not everyone could hold onto such items. Sometimes there were numerous factors at play that caused that separation.

Diana had learned that lesson hard and well, especially since coming to Man's World and becoming a superhero. Legendary items, weapons of great and terrible power, had slipped from the hands of their previous owners. Some via death of said owners while others were stolen. In some cases, that hadn't been so bad considering the potential power of the items, and the moral alignment of those owners.

Unfortunately, sometimes those previous owners came back for what was theirs. Other times, their descendants came for them, believing they had claim to them.

Nikos Aegeus was one of those people.

"Here comes the next one, Wonder Woman, see if you can deflect it too!"

Her warrior upgrading had given her reflexes that were superhuman, and they'd saved her many times. Including over the past five minutes as she battled her fellow Greek. If it weren't for those reflexes, and those combat skills, Diana knew she'd have died already.

He released the gold-tipped arrow, allowing it to fly straight at her-she could have sworn death was inscribed on them. Getting hit by them would have meant her death, or the death of anyone nearby. That made deflecting them dangerous, though trying to catch them was equally as fatal, as she'd found out. Her burned hands clenched as she ran through her options while the arrows traveled her way, cackling with divine energy all the while.

Settling on her choice, she prayed to Hera for strength, just as she always did. She also prayed neither Clark nor Metropolis would hold the museum's destruction against her.

By the time her bracelets came together, the arrow was mere inches from her, practically a beam of light to onlookers. To Diana, it was an arrow encased in light, ironic considering the destructive power.

BOOOOM!

Diana felt herself thrown backwards, though she remained conscious through it all. The good news was she didn't feel the arrow pierce her flesh. However, she did feel it tear and burn from the blast. Within seconds, she felt herself crashed into the ground, but it didn't stop here. Of course, she skidded through it, smashing through everything in her way until she finally stopped. While the pain ceased to increase, Diana was left to deal with the amount that'd accumulated, and it was lot.

Her ears rung with the echo of the explosion-Diana had to guess they were bleeding, just like the rest of her. A myriad of sounds blurred together as she rose, not to her feet but her hands and knees. It was the best she could manage at the moment. Everything in her gut told her that had to change.

Wham!

Of course, that gut feeling was right. Her chin stunt with pain as her body rolled backward. Her already aching back flared up with more pain as it hit the ground. The agony was doubled as a harsh foot came down on her stomach, pushing her deeper into the ground. Her spine shattering seemed like a possibility.

"I…had a feeling you'd…deflect the arrow. Luckily, I was…prepared." Wheezing. Exhausted. Diana took solace in that analysis as she tried to force her eyes open. "Petty you didn't. The gods kept their true power out of your reach."

Through a bloody haze, Diana's blue eyes brought her a clear enough vision of Aegeus. Indeed, he'd came prepared, not just in weaponry (which he planned on adding to) but in defensive armor. Her eyes drunk in every detail of the Greek-style armor that covered his body. Her mind rapidly combed through memories, more memories than the average human mind could hope to comprehend, to find her answer. She knew the armor had come from legend, she just had to figure out which legend; it took a long look at the boar crest on the chest for her to realize which one.

Through the pain, she sneered. "Diomedes' armor."

"Yes, I believe he'd have been quite disappointed if it was left to simply rust away despite still being filled with power. As you can see, I'm putting it to good use, the use it was made for."

A retorted immediately built up in her throat, but it came out as a scream courtesy of the sudden swift pain across her face. Diana felt the sweep of something metallic across her cheek for only a moment, but its effects lasted far longer. Eyes screwed shut, the scream morphed into a barely-controlled hiss. "Damn you…to Hades."

"That's going to be you, and from what I've heard, he'll just love to see you."

"Aaaaarrrgh!" This time, the blade's presence in her body was prolonged. That gave the accursed weapon more time to seep its poison into her body. She felt a complete loss of feeling in her left arm, though she also felt a nonstop burning agony that fueled her scream. Of all the blows she'd taken so far, this was undoubtedly the worst. Unless she did something, Diana knew that it would likely be topped by something even more agonizing. Her death wouldn't be gentle, nor would she likely leave behind a presentable corpse-and that was still assuming Aegeus didn't dismember her.

With the spear impaled so deeply into her shoulder, she knew he could do exactly that. The spear's acidic nature made it superb at not only inflicting poisonous wounds, but slicing through anything. Even orichalcum could be sliced apart.

It was no wonder the Hydra Spear was locked away when it finally fell into more reasonable hands. By then, it'd already left a trail of bodies in its wake. Even when it became lost to history, it was hoped for that it'd never be used for evil again. For over two-thousand years, it'd remained lost and out of the reach of those who'd use it for evil. When Diana saw an eerie look alike in the paper, a center piece of a new ancient Greek addition to the Metropolis Central Museum, she had a feeling not only had it been found, but someone would come for it.

Oh, how she hated how right she was. She likewise hated that she'd came less prepared than she should have.

"Since it's been such a good day, I'll make you an offer, Wonder Woman. Admit defeat! Proclaim that on this day, you were bested by I, Nikos Aegeus! Descendant of the Gods and Greece's true champion!" Bellowed the dark-haired terrorist.

Her response was immediate, "Never! You have not won yet!"

Beneath the visor of his helmet, his eyes flashed. Rather it was his own divine power or that of the armor, she didn't know, not that either one mattered. "Then die!"

Diana winced feeling the spear twist while still lounged in her shoulder. A simple drag and it'd slice her heart-her entire chest-in two. Calling forth all her strength, she lifted her arms up to catch the spear's shaft. Enchanted the metal was, but Diana knew she could break it if she tried.

"Hey, asshole!" The shout caught both her and Aegeus off-guard. Diana felt like she was more shocked than her opponent, after all, she recognized the voice.

Aegeus didn't, but he didn't care. His warrior instincts kicked in thus he raised the spear up. The weapon left a trail as it moved in a swift arc, slicing apart not a fireball, but a piece of rubble. Diana's surprise was momentary as she realized now was her chance, and she seized on it.

Though her left arm was numb with the pain quickly spreading through her body, she was still able to move. She did move, charging like a bull, she slammed into Aegeus' backside, smashing him into the ground. With her good hand, she lifted his head up and smashed him into the ground. Faint as it was, she heard a pain-filled groan coming from him. As much as she wanted to, Diana held back enough to make sure she didn't kill him. An odd mixture of relief and excitement circulated through her as she lifted her head up.

Straight ahead of her, a dozen feet away, he stood. It was oddly reminiscent of when they met on San Baquero, almost a year ago. Dirty, sweat-covered, and coated in blood, either his own or that of others. Despite all that, his brown hair, his bright brown eyes, hadn't lost any of their luster. Especially now, as he stood across from her, smiling in recognition. Diana smiled back.

In what seemed like the next breath, they were within arms' reach, his reaching out to hers. His gaze naturally went to her left arm. "Let me heal you."

"Alex, this is…hydra venom. From the-"

"Hercules' hydra, yeah, I kind of figured that. Still, I'm going to do what I can!" There was no stopping him. Golden light burst from his palms, his right hover over the shoulder wound. She had a dozen questions, namely what he could have been doing here. That one was near immediately answered by the simple possibility he'd been at the museum to enjoy himself. His casual clothes, or what remained of them, spoke to that likelihood.

She'd never known what it felt like to feel Alex's healing powers first hand, but now she knew. Of course, it had to be for something as serious as hydra venom. Though Diana had told him not to try to heal it, a part of her was curious. If his powers came from Belenus, whose abilities were equal to Apollo, maybe there was a chance.

There was. Though faint at first, Diana felt the surging heat burning away the venom that'd spread through her arm. Alex's brow knitted as more sweat accumulated on his face. It was clear this was taking a great deal of his concentration and energy, and he was trying to work fast. He knew they had limited time.

Aegeus rose behind them. Her charging blow and head smash may have knocked him down, but he was far from out. He had Diomedes' blessed bronze armor, and though Diana was confident she could break it, it'd take more power than she could muster in her poisoned state. That or her stealing one of the many enchanted weapons he had on his person, particularly the Daggers of Vulcan.

All those thoughts were put on hold as she grabbed Alex and jumped to the side. The ground exploded in a veil of acidic green. Splotches of poison hit the ground outside the immediate area, eating through the already cracked ground.

"Stay atop of me, then roll over when I give the signal. I think I can blind him!" Hissed the mortal man beneath her.

"Alex," she cautiously called back. Pushing herself up, just a little, their eyes locked. He was tired, no doubt from tending to others before her, but the determination was still there. The bravery. He knew this was a bold, dangerous plan, one that could end with him getting injured or killed, but he was willing to go through with it.

Diana knew she shouldn't have agreed to it, but she did. Something about his eyes, torches of courage that blazed bright before her, made her nod in agreement.

It all occurred in just a few seconds. Aegeus was lunging at them again. The spear was raised high and ready to impale both of them-a feat Diana knew it could achieve. Nearly two meters in length, it could easily run through both of them, the pointed end clearing the way for the rest of the shaft. That was the end that came down toward her.

Again, her superb reflexes allowed her to dodged just in time., It was Alex she was worried about. He wasn't trained, but he had guts.

From the corner of her eye, she watched him raise his palms and his inner power flare up. Even Diana had to shut her eyes to avoid being blinded by the solar flare. For Aegeus, the effects were much more intense. His cry of outraged shock rung in her ears, as did the sound of the Hydra Spear's impalement.

"Gah!"

Diana charged forth again, but this time, it was with a fist. She smashed it into Aegeus' left side; ribs cracked beneath the force of her blow, holding a great deal of her strength. The next grunt of agony came from the delusional terrorist-she made sure the grunt was followed up by a scream as she landed another blow. Her third came not with her right hand, but her left. It lifted Aegeus up into the air, though the spear remained tucked tightly in his grip. Grunting, Diana leaped after him. Unfortunately, he wasn't quite as dazed as she'd wished.

Roaring, Aegeus spun about in the air, waving the Hydra Spear. Foul magic exploded from it, turning into a sphere of magic acid that would have ordinarily warded off any normal blow. Or any normal fighter.

Roaring, Diana continued charging forward.

"W-What the-!?" Her arm burned as she plunged it through the acid bubble. Diana knew this was coming, but it didn't stop her from driving it straight into the Aegeus' gut. Blood and saliva flew from his mouth as he was thrown backward. "Y-Y-You spoiled bitch!" Beaten, but not out, his determination was something Diana begrudgingly admired. He swung his spear at her fast, quite fast even the damage he'd taken.

She had just enough time to pull her head away, but the spear's miasma was strong. It got in her eyes, which instinctively closed. Her legs struck out as well, one of them connecting with his Aegeus' outstretched arm. Diana heard bones breaking, which gave her temporary satisfaction. It ended thanks to the pain in her better than taking a direct hit, Diana knew she'd been temporarily blinded. She'd have to fight on using her other seasons. Aegeus' hard breathing allowed her to pinpoint Aegeus' location, with that knowledge she launched herself forward.

"D-D-Discordia!" Wings and neighing, a pegasus.

Diana knew she should have gone after Aegeus, but between the lingering pain in her shoulder, the agony of her right hand, and her blindness, she recognized she was in no shape to do that.

"I swear on the Gods of Olympus, I will have my revenge, Wonder Woman!"

"And I swear on the same gods, you will fail!" She shouted back. Her feet touched the ground, and with it came heavy pants. That'd taken quite a lot out of her, even if she still had strength left to burn. She wouldn't be using it.

"W-W-Wonder Woman!"

"Alex! Hang on, I'm coming!" Using her hearing, she immediately dashed toward him. "Are you alright? Tell me where it-" Normally, in a time like this, any physical intimacy with strangers would have had her striking back. Violently. That protective, instinctive hostility, was not present when she felt Alex's hands touching her eyes. His touch was gentle, the gentlest she'd felt in a long, long time. Even before she felt the surge of healing light, Diana felt herself unwinding. The battle was over with.

Her eyes opened, fully healed. The first thing she saw was the warm brown of Alex Farrelly. Diana felt her heart swell with joy that made her completely forget the pain in her right hand. She found herself able to move it, and she used it to wrap him up in a hug.

"I…take it your eyes are better?" His tired voice sounded.

"Much better."

"Great, now, let me…get a look at your hand, so I can-"

Diana pulled away, her eyes on the cut on his left shoulder. Diana saw the greenness around the wound. "You first. You and the other wounded." Sirens were abuzz in her ear, shouting that naturally followed a battle's end.

The battle was over, and thanks to this brave young man, she'd say it ended in victory.

---

When you lived in Metropolis, you came to accept a seemingly ordinary day could take an extraordinary turn. That was the truth Alex had accepted, as had his family, when he agreed to be a chaperone for his Maddie's field trip group. He'd been to the Metropolis Central Museum of Art and History once before, and he had to say, it was an awesome place. Especially for a girl with a vested interest in writing and history. With his powers, he believed he'd be able to keep her and their tour group safe.

He took solace in the fact he'd more or less accomplished that. Once people started shouting in a panic, Alex immediately knew he had to get her and her friends out of the museum. The other chaperones and teachers realized the same. They managed to get the kids out just before the whole place became a battlefield, then came crashing down. Amidst that, he'd caught sight of her, again.

With an exhibit filled with ancient Greek weapons and artifacts, maybe it wasn't too surprising to find Wonder Woman present. Maybe she new some of the artifacts weren't simple relics. She knew it before anyone else did-before they were broken out and used to turn the museum into a warzone.

When he saw her catch one of those golden arrows, he saw it explode in her hands, scarring them. The attacker, the self-proclaimed terrorist, Nikos Aegeus, had proclaimed them to be god-killing arrows. Based on how Wonder Woman, strong and powerful Wonder Woman, fell to her knees after one exploded in her hands, Alex honestly believed that's what they were. It helped motivate his decision to go back, along with some ridiculous sense of chivalry fueled by an open crush.

And it got him this, lying up in a hospital bed with a shoulder wound so bad it'd made him feel like his arm was about to fall off and someone had injected lava into his veins. Hydra venom, as in the venom of the Lernaean Hydra. Alex never knew part of its venom had been coated into a spear, only that Hercules had dipped his arrows in them. And that it'd been a hydra venom-coated shirt that'd finally done him in, painfully.

Alex didn't know how true the stories were, or where that damn spear fell in comparison to the arrows and shirt, but Alex knew even a glancing blow from it had hurt. A full stab wound would have killed a normal person, but Wonder Woman, Diana of Themyscira, was not a normal woman. She was Wonder Woman.

She was his final visitor for the night, or rather, she'd returned to see him again. "How are you feeling?"

"A little bit better than when you asked me that four hours ago." He smiled. She did the same as she took a seat beside him. He knew superheroes weren't invulnerable, not the greatest amongst them and not the greatest woman amongst them. Her right hand was heavily bandaged up while her shoulder was practically in a sling. According to the doctors, his left arm would be the same for likely several weeks.

"That's good, it's remarkable that you're even awake, Alex. Hydra venom is…quite a powerful thing."

"Yeah, I caught that." Rather than motion to himself, he looked down at her right hand. Catching his eye, the sable-haired woman half-heartedly tried to hide it. "You're a direct person."

His tone was soft, not accusatory nor disapproving. "Yes, I always have been. Even all these years in Man's World has not changed me, though I like to believe I've learned the ways of being…less direct. That said, sometimes there is only one way, or rather, I will choose one specific path."

"It's not so bad," he offered. His smile had returned, meant to be reassuring. "That's part of who you are, and it's a reason people like you."

"Does that include you, Alex?" She asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

Shrugging would have hurt, and it might have downplayed the feelings he already had for her. "Yeah, suppose I do. Being an Amazon, it's not like you're afraid of stepping over anyone's toes, at least metaphorically. Even when you show up on TV acting as Themyscira's ambassador, you still walk with the same pose as you do when you're fighting."

"It hasn't been easy, learning the art of diplomacy, but…for the sake of my homeland, and the world, I've done my best."

"Just my opinion, but I think you've done a pretty good job at it. My sister certainly thanks so." His grin brightened as he recalled one particularly recent memory. "By the way, thanks for signing her bag, and the others."

Her laugh was the shine of the stars outside his window. "I was more than happy to. Being able to put a positive spin on what must have been a terrifying incident for them, it was the least I could do Especially after ruining their field trip."

Alex shook his head in quite defiance. "You didn't do that, that maniac did. You made him pay for it though."

"Yes, but he'll be back. Either after the Spear of Hydra or some other artifact. Aegeus will not rest until he has the power he believes he's entitled to."

Curiosity forced his next words. "And he's entitled to that because?"

"He is descendant from the gods, particularly Poseidon." He nodded, keeping a snark comment about temperament to himself. "Though divine blood runs in his veins, it was originally inert, not able to grant him much. In the presence of divine artifacts, it was roused, and whatever latent powers he possessed, emerged."

"And he wants more, on top of wanting to turn back the clock to when Greece was the heart of Western Civilization." He sighed. The feeling of enlightenment was surprisingly thicker than he thought it'd be. "There's been a resurgence in Greece and its culture since you showed up. Have you…" The stupidity of his question only hit him when he was part-way through his question.

Her accepting smile soothed his worries. "As a matter of fact, I have been, Alex. Both officially and unofficially. It has…changed so much in the time since the gods walked the earth."

"Do you…feel the same way Aegeus does? Like it's fallen far?" It was a question everyone speculated about. Of the Leaguers, four were American. Or assumed American in the case of Batman and the Flash. Wonder Woman was the only member who was from a real world foreign nation, and Greece readily claimed her as one of their own. That said, no one was quite sure what her feelings were on the nation, especially since she was alive when Greece was a center of the known world. Alex saw an opportunity to get that question answered, if she was willing to give him an answer.

Her posture was lax, her eyes distant, yet they still possessed a mysterious allure to them. It was present in how she spoke as well. "Admittedly, a part of me does long for the Greece of old, in terms of architecture and design, but I do not mourn. I'm proud that it has continued to the present day, and its influence has spread so far. That it helped set the foundation for the United States."

"Do you…want to see it return to being a world power?" he quietly asked.

"I honestly wouldn't care if it did or didn't, just it continuing to exist is enough for me. I certainly down want it to rise the same Aegeus does, through violence and oppression of its neighbors." She spoke like a philosopher, or a stateman, straight out of, fittingly, ancient Greece. Her words and demeanor carried an aged wisdom that Alex knew he couldn't come close to matching. "Alex, I…brought something here for you, something I hope might help."

She reached down to the floor, to some sort of bag. What she pulled out was some kind of jug, slender and Greek in design. He faintly remembered seeing something like them in history books and online searches. The Greeks stored wine and other drinks in them.

The thought of sharing a victory toast with Wonder Woman popped into his idea, and he had to say, he rather liked it.

"This is nectar harvested from Themyscira. Potent in its healing properties." His eyes widened, looking between her and the container. Just as his mouth opened, Wonder Woman continued, gently cutting him off. "I keep some stored away in the embassy in case of emergencies. My enemies sometimes bring with them forces from the ancient world, which your modern world is ill-equipped to oppose."

While he didn't want to go that far, he knew she had a point. He'd only taken a glancing blow from the spear, and his arm still hurt like hell. Doctors had said it was like every fatal toxin in the world rolled up into one and doubled-and again, all that was still from a glancing blow. There were several bodies sitting in the city morgue that were testaments to what a more severe wound would have done to him, powers or not.

"Wonder Woman," he called.

"Diana," she corrected. The twinkle in her eyes was different than before. It was almost hopeful, like she was revealing some intimate secret to him. Considering what she'd just presented him with, that might not have been too far off. "If you'd like, you may call me Diana, Alex. This is the third time you've done me a service."

He knew the number three was big in Greek culture. The same went for Celtic culture. "Diana," he tested it out. "I always thought it was a great name, even before I learned it was also the name of another goddess."

Her bubbly smile was something he hadn't seen on TV or in articles. That was because he was seeing the woman behind the professionalism. "Artemis, the goddess. Yes, I've been made aware of the similarity. My archery falls short of hers, however."

"What about your brawling?" He quipped. Another heart laugh, one he joined in. As it ended, the quirk on the lid was removed. Immediately, Alex felt a sweet aroma that seeped into his body. It alone made him feel more relaxed and healed then any of the medication he'd been administered. "It…smells so sweet." Such a simple statement couldn't completely encapsulate what the drink smelt like, that'd require too many words.

"I'm glad, I've had it sitting within my quarters for some time."

Then I hope it's like wine, it gets better with age. She brought the container up to him, never withdrawing her hand, even as he moved his hand over to it. The moment their hands touched, he realized this was what she wanted. His gently overlaid atop hers, he drunk in the nectar. What he tasted was the refreshing breath of spring, the coolness of the ocean, the warmth of a fireplace, and the gentle soothing of invisible hands throughout his body. One seep, one long, seep where he drunk down as much of the nectar as he could.

It was almost painful to pull his lips away from the jug, but the taste, the feeling, of the drink remained. Like the hydra venom, it spread through his body, only cleansing what the venom had corrupted.

He looked to the smiling woman. "That's some powerful stuff. Did you drink some for yourself?"

"Alex," she mused. His voice was filled with concern. While happy he'd received the invigorating drink, he was still more worried about her. She'd taken more serious blows than him. "Yes, I drunk some, but I wanted to make sure I…had enough left for you."

"You didn't have to save some for me, Diana."

"I chose to, Alex, because I…I wanted to. I wanted to make sure you would be alright." The twinkle in her eyes seemed to have grown brighter. She was looking at him with a hint of emotion that caught him off-guard. He'd seen it before, he'd seen it all over the place at the club the night they'd met. That was little over a year ago, and since then Alex had kept it in his thoughts. The same went for their surprising meeting on San Baquero. It always seemed like they only met when someone was in danger, then they were putting themselves in danger to stop it.

Diana's bandaged finger reached out, suddenly wiping a bit of the nectar off his lips. The short, but intimate physical contact, sent sparks cascading through his body. Those sparks turned into full on lightning-bolts as she lifted her finger up and licked the residual moisture off.

He'd never seen Wonder Woman do that before. His eyes stared at her, widen in shock, and his cheeks still beat-red. Alex was sure the blush wasn't going away any time soon, especially as she smiled back at him with those sky-blue eyes.

"As I said before, on San Baquero, you're a brave man, Alex. As brave and noble as the heroes of old…and those of today." Somehow, he managed to remain silent as she began to lean toward him. "I'm…I'm glad I had the fortune of running into you."

"M-M-Me too." He stuttered. Holy shit, is this really happening? Second by second, it was confirmed yes, it really was.

It was like the touch of a bonfire, small, yet filled with such warmth and tenderness. All right on his cheek. Alex's eyes widened as euphoria shot through him. Sure, he'd been kissed on the cheek before, but none of those kisses could compare to this.

It's Wonder Woman. Sounded off an internal voice, detached from his main, stunned psyche.

The kiss was over with, yet Wonder Woman, Diana, didn't pull away from his face. Not just yet. Her face hovered mere inches from his, a deep look of longing on her face. Alex was absolutely floored by it, yet somehow, he kept a modicum of composure. What was she thinking? Why did she have that look on her face? What did she think of him? Enough to give him a kiss on the cheek, but…was she thinking about doing more?

In the recesses of his head, the possibility began to take root-that Wonder Woman, the strongest and most beautiful woman in the world, might have actually been…a little lonely. Alex stared at it like it were a meteor that'd fell hit the earth. He didn't touch it, too mystified by its celestial glow-blue as the daytime sky.

His breath mingled with Diana's, a natural result of their faces being so close. All it'd take would be a simple nudge for either of them to close the short gape between them. Alex was hesitant to take it, and so was the superheroine. He searched her eyes for reasons why. Fear? Nervousness?

Like dawn, several hours away, an idea began to rise within his mind. It was a simple one, albeit realizing it wasn't easy. If it failed, if it was taken the wrong why, Alex feared he'd never recover from it. Never mind how the woman in front of him might take it.

Luckily, he didn't have to dwell on it for long.

Diana pulled away, an apologetic look on her face. "Alex, I'm-"

"You don't have to apologize. It's…it's fine. I don't know if there's…if there's anyone…"

"I do like having a social life, and in that life, I have people I care about. People that I would like to have fun with. Enjoy time with. Outside of…work."

"So I was-! Never mind." He blamed the relaxed, and surprisingly charged mood, for letting his tongue slip.

Diana's face showed it was too late to take it back. "You were…right or wrong about what, Alex?"

Sighing, he sat up straight, a feat only achievable thanks to his injecting of the nectar. It really was working wonders on his body. Alex wondered if he practiced with them, more so than he already did, if his powers could reach a similar level. Brushing that thought aside, he focused on Diana. "I…wondered if maybe, you ever got…lonely. I mean, lonely in your social life. Lonely in the sense that you…don't have a significant other."

Of all the reactions he expected, he didn't expect such a sad, self-resigned smile. "I don't, and it does get to me sometimes. Someone that I can go enjoy myself with, not as Wonder Woman, but just as Diana. Just…a woman." Her deep sigh seemingly contained all the frustration she felt on the matter. "I've…not had the best luck when it comes to finding myself someone to spend time with. Someone to just enjoy myself with."

Alex knew the look in her eyes and the way her shoulders hug heavy with an unseen burden. It wasn't that she'd never tried it, she had and it hadn't worked out. While deeply intrigued as to what the story behind that was, he knew there was something more important to do.

"That someone's out there, you just…have to keep on searching for them. I know it's not easy, but you can do it." Now this wasn't the situation he ever thought he'd find himself in, yet here he was. Alex made it up as he went along, hoping he didn't say the wrong word or make the wrong move, not with the most beautiful woman in the world bearing her heart to him. "My…when my dad died, it hurt my mom. Me, my brother, my sister, everyone in our family worried about her. She'd tell us to stop, but none of us could. We really didn't until we learned she'd started dating again. She's got a boyfriend now, someone nice."

"Aphrodite bless her." She offered with a bright smile.

"Heh, I guess that's one way to put it. Basically…you can find that special someone, even if you suffer a loss. You just gotta…hold your head up and keep looking." It may have sounded corny, but it was the best advice he could give. How applicable it was to someone like Wonder Woman, he didn't know, but he had to try.

Perhaps that was also where he was making his mistake. As she'd just laid clear, she had thoughts and feelings that weren't any different from an ordinary person's. He'd certainly seen her bleed like one.

"Alex," she called. Looking to her, he saw her face seemed more upbeat, and there was a small fire in her eyes. Being the only occupant in the room, it seemed trained solely on her. "Thank you for the words, I appreciate them. That and…"

"And…?" he repeated with a cocked brow.

"Since your sister's field trip was…rudely interrupted, would you be willing to chaperone for her school again?" There was a hint of excitement in her voice, a spark looking for something to ignite.

With a thumbing heart, he gave it just that. "Sure, just where to?"

By the next morning, he was mostly healed, fit enough he was able to be discharged the following afternoon. Maddie stuck with him all the while. It was easy to keep a secret from her, partially since after things settled, she went right back home to New York City. For the sake of their family, he went too. It was nice to see everyone again.

About two months later, he saw Maddie and her school friends again, on yet another field trip. He was the one who traveled to her, in their hometown. A trip to the newly opened Themyscira Embassy in New York City was a pretty great way to spend the weekend. More so when parts of the tour were hosted by none other than Wonder Woman herself.

Who made more than a few winks in Alex's direction. Just a few more in the growing collection he'd amassed.

---

The summer sun was merciless in its shine, not that Alex was bothered by it. He never was, a trait that went for his entire family. Even for his brother and sister, who hadn't quite inherited the family magic the same way he had. He'd long learned his body seemed to passively absorb sunlight when present. It made perfect sense considering he could admit mystical sunlight to heal wounds, and concentrate it in enough douses he could project it as solar fire and even beams of light.

Alex wanted to believe he wouldn't need those abilities today. Then again, he wasn't totally optimistic. Even if something unexpected happened, he couldn't help but feel like this day was going to turn out pretty good.

Turning to his left, he was utterly shocked by the woman that emerged from the double doors. He'd been told to be on the lookout for her, and he was looking at her, seeing the Diana of Themyscira that he'd gotten to know over the last few months. Only he saw her, no one else, such was the nature of the enchantment she'd put upon herself. Alex didn't blame her. With her hair done up in a ponytail, an aquamarine blouse with a floral pattern, and sensual summer jeans that accented her legs quite well. A pair of low heels clacked against the pavement as she made her way toward him. The smile on her face was as bright as the sun over their heads, maybe even brighter.

He couldn't help but gawk at her, and if he was doing that, then he knew practically everyone on the streets would be doing the same. That combined with their physical closeness while walking…yeah, Alex hadn't questioned why Diana would wear a disguise before. He sure as hell wasn't questioning it now.

A quick breath and he spoke the first thing that came to his mind, "You look beautiful."

"Thank you, Alex. You look quite well yourself." He honestly didn't believe that. Shorts, sneakers, and a t-shirt. Certainly not the ideal picture most guys thought of when they pictured taking Wonder Woman out on a date. However, Diana seemed just fine with it, which he appreciated. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah, definitely." He answered. The first step felt like stepping onto a cloud; the feeling persisted with each one that followed. Alex simply came to accept he was walking on the clouds, on cloud nine, again and again.

One second, one minute, one hour, it all held. DC was bustling with activity, natives like Diana and tourists like him. To the eyes of the dozens they passed, they were just another couple, which was exactly what she wanted. Alex quickly found he was grateful for it too. He knew the media would have had a field day with stories of him entering numerous clothing stores, trying on outfits, going to the zoo, and eating food, with the Sensational Wonder Woman. Not to mention Alex knew he'd be the recipient of hundreds of death threats from jealous admirers.

"It both astounds, and disgusts me how willingly rude and even cruel people are when they can hide behind the facelessness of the internet."

"Well, that's what happens when you can say whatever you want and not have to show your face while doing it. Some people think it's a blessing." Her flat frown was actually laughable, and Alex did laugh. "Yeah, I figured you'd think that. Still, it's not like people didn't send anonymous letters back in the old days."

"They did, but sometimes I am surprised by the sheer vitrail people can express. Personally, I would must rather have people be open about their discontent."

Behind his neutral expression, his mind turned to the mess involving the Justice League and Lex Luthor. Alex hadn't been surprised in the slightest to learn the latter had been on a secret smear campaign against the League, and most importantly, Superman. While he doubted the man frequented internet forums, he was the type who made them fertile ground for hate and conspiracy theories. Such places were the polar opposite of Diana.

She was an honest person, some might have said too honest. That was part of her charm though; Alex certainly saw it that way.

"For my two cents, you handle it all incredibly well."

"Sometimes, that's not easy." Between laughter, she leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. His cheeks immediately reddened. "But I do appreciate the compliment, it gives me hope that I'm doing something right."

As far as money went, Alex came prepared, but he quickly found the only thing he had to spend his on was food. Diana seemed to take a bit of pride in using her own to pay for anything she bought. He wondered where her finances came from, though he had several ideas. Maybe in a future date he could bring it up.

A future date, the idea was radical, yet Alex felt it was becoming a real possibility. Two hours in and everything had gone well. He was having fun, and so was Diana.

"I was actually nervous when my mother told me to become Themyscira's ambassador." She confessed some time after he believed that conversation to be finished. He had no problem revisiting it. "For all my life, especially since coming to Man's World, I've been a warrior, and a good one."

"So you had to transition to learning how to fight with words. Not an easy thing to do."

"Sometimes, using words felt like a waste of time, yet I've learned they were at least worth a try. Not every conflict can be solved with violence, though the same goes for trying to use diplomacy." The heaviness on her face spoke to her bitterness on both fronts.

In the face of it, Alex did his best to offer what advice he could. "We do our best to figure out which is which, and whichever one comes up…well, like I said, we do our best. You've been pretty good at both."

Looking back at him, she returned his smile. "Thank you, Alex although there's one area I feel like I still need to improve in. As for the other…well, as prideful as I am in regards to my fighting ability, I still want to maintain that as well."

"There's no need to act like you have to choose one over the other. Hell, it's amazing you've managed to balance diplomacy and fighting. Some people try and fail miserably. Others, I suppose greats can manage it, just like you can." His brown eyes held her blue, the air between them suddenly becoming more charged. "It's worthwhile that you're a warrior who tries for peace, no matter what. Be it using your words or your fists." He gazed up at the afternoon sky, few in clouds and overwhelmingly blue. With a sense of airlessness, he looked back to the ebony-haired woman. "To be frank, you're the kind of idolized warrior for truth and justice that people always aspired to be, but you're still…I guess, human. You struggle with that weight, but you don't' let it break you. You push forward, even when…it feels like the world's against you."

The unspoken implication was there. Diana stared straight at him with widened eyes, filled with amazement. He fought back the impulse to look away. She'd bore her heart to him, so Alex knew it was only right he do the same, especially since she was a woman he wanted to give his absolute best to.

"Alex," she began in a tender whisper. Unlike him, she looked away, but only for a moment. When she looked back, he couldn't miss the blush she wore on her cheeks. Or the tenderness of the smile she gave him. "Your sister told me during the whole Watch Tower affair, you never lost your faith in the League. I take it that means-"

"I never lost my faith in you, yes." The cat was out of the bag, so there was no point in trying to stuff it back in. Not at the moment, anyway. He was definitely going to have a talk with a certain little sister when this was over with, but not before. "There was so much going on, but…I just knew in my gut you guys, the League, wouldn't fire that cannon unless you had a good reason. You just," he stopped short of saying person instead of people. While he had no idea how the League inner workings operated, he was confident that firing the laser cannon their space base possessed couldn't just happen at the drop of a hat. "You just weren't those kinds of people, regardless of what people kept on saying. The fact that Lex Luthor was running for president was a massive elephant in the room that everyone seemed to keep on forgetting."

Her lips curved into a bright smile. "I'm glad that you never fell for supposed redemption."

"You'd be surprised how many people in Metropolis actually realized something was off about him."

"I suppose I would be, but I'm not interested in them." She stepped closer, thinning the already small distance between them. Alex felt a sharp rise in his heartbeat, an undeniable effect of the way she was looking at-smiling at-him. "I'm interested in you, Alex. Admittedly, during that time, I did…wonder about you, if you'd lost faith in me just as so many others had."

He calmly, yet sternly shook his head. "Like I said, I knew you guys wouldn't act without reasoning, and with Lex Luthor in play, I just knew something was up. I kept it to myself…until a big 'ole ship shaped like Brainiac suddenly came out of LexCorp's top floor and fought the Justice League."

"I could tell you the full story about that." She cheerful said.

"You would? I mean, isn't that, like, classified information?"

"Consider it a gift for believing in me. One of the many you've earned, Alex." She explained, that charming smile never dropping from her face. At his nod, she began to tell him the full story. They began walking again, though their shoulders occasionally bumped. He knew the contact wasn't accidental.

It was one hell of a story, one he'd say was worthy of an ancient epic. Superman's long-thought defeated mechanical enemy hiding in the body of his biggest hater, the two of them merging into one, only to be defeated by the Flash of all people. While it validated his belief in the League more so than it already did, Alex had to admit he was genuinely blown away by it all. From the sounds of it, Brainiac's plan had been years in the making, seemingly happily lining up with Luthor's attempt to run for president…just to piss off Superman and smear the League.

"That whole experience didn't leave you with a sour view of technology, did it?" He found himself asking at the end of it all.

"No, but I will say that it honestly left me with…unsettling dreams for a time."

"I don't think anyone wouldn't have nightmares after that. Seriously, it's like a sci-fi movie come to life…which nowadays isn't that strange." He gave a wistful chuckle that Diana joined in. As a kid, he never would have imagined he'd be…calmly surprised to turn on the news and catch sight of a giant, human-faced ship blasting it apart the city he currently lived in. "I'm just happy that you all made it through it. Diana, I'm…I'm happy that Luthor's whole smear campaign against you, Cadmus, I'm glad that none of it broke your faith in men."

She stopped, and he stopped with her. Once more, calm brown met warm blue. "Hating all men would be a bit of a bit ridiculous since the head of Cadmus was a woman." A short, mutual smile chuckle, then it was back to quiet, yet warm seriousness. "Facing such accusations and skepticism, I won't deny part of it hurt, but I'd grown enough I could handle it. What helped me through was the knowledge there were still good men, no, good people out there. Now, I know there was one particularly good man that never lost faith in the League, or me. A man who's warmth is like Apollo's and Hestia's, healing, inviting, and invigorating. I think about how lucky I am to have met him, and have spent such a wonderful time with him."

Her arms looped around his neck, her lips were on his, all in the blink of an eye. The bags he'd been carrying, the quiet questioning of if this was just a casual date or something else, was answered. There was absolutely nothing casual in the way Diana kissed him, nor in how he kissed her back. His arms wrapped around hers, holding her against him as they swapped saliva. In seconds, the kiss surpassed each and every one he'd had before. Rather shamelessly, he hoped it was one of the best, if not a good kiss, for Diana as well.

That answer was given via how intensely, how longingly, she kissed him. Alex felt the hint of longing there that he'd picked up so many times. With searing hot courage, he answered it.

It was hunger that colored her eyes when they separated, a hunger that Alex knew he'd both sated and grown. His response to that was to merely smile and tighten the hug, an action Diana gleefully returned.

"So, shall we continue our date?" She said that despite holding him like she never intended to let go of him. Not that he minded that.

"I'm be more than happy to, Diana."

With it being summer, nightfall came later than normal, much later. It was to the benefit of many as they simply used that time to stay out later than usual.

It wasn't like Alex or Diana had curfews, but they certainly enjoyed the extended sunlight. Being a DC native, the latter had many places she wanted to show the former in the daylight. She also had a few she wanted to show him when night fell, but that could wait for another time. There was something extremely important she wanted to do once night fell.

In the safety of a dark alley, she took him up and flew him onto one of the rooftops, one with an absolutely stunning view of the starry sky. Undoubtedly, a beautiful way to camp off the night.

"The night we met, I was on a stakeout with a colleague. We were watching couples going in and out of the Iceberg Lounge. Admittedly, watching them made me curious, and envious." The night stuck in her mind for a lot of reasons, both good and particularly bad.

It was memorable for Alex as well for the same reasons. He absorbed the new information with sullen silence. "You wanted to be down there, or at least, you wanted to be with someone. Diana, did you and your colleague, were you thinking-"

"Yes, I was, though he shot it down. In a way that I'll admit, I found both amusing and attractive, but…I've come to realize that path may not be for us." She turned him around and fixed him with a deep, passionate stare. Again, Alex felt there was more to the story, but he wasn't going to pry. Diana didn't want to dwell on the negatives of that night, and frankly neither did he. "I'm not telling you this because I want you to believe you're consolation or anything of the sort. I just…want to be honest with you about what happened that night. What I was thinking, and…why I'm sorry if I'm not quite the ideal girlfriend you-"

Kissing someone was always the easiest and most intimate way of silencing them. Especially when they seemed to be sliding into a bout of self-decrepitation.

Diana immediately embraced the kiss, letting the inner fire that burned within her brunette-haired date flow into her. She'd genuinely lost track of how many kisses they'd had since that one in the afternoon-that was partially on her. After that first one, she felt it near impossible to keep her lips off of Alex. More so when she saw other women eyeing him. It was almost enough to make her want to undo the enchantment and reveal herself to them-he could do no better than her.

As the kiss ended, Diana truly came upon the realization she might not be able to do any better than Alex. He may not have been a fighter, but he had bravery. He had kindness. He had an openness that wasn't present in Bruce, and in it, Diana found boundless comfort. Oh, and he was quite a looker. Out of his teenage years and stepping onto the cusps of manhood; Diana knew she'd be there with him for every step on that continuing journey, and maybe beyond.

"You just be you, Diana. It's why I've always liked you. The warrior, the woman, I wouldn't have you any other way." He declared in that soothing voice that was practically verbal sunlight.

Again, Diana felt that rush of healing, and invigorating warmth, surge through her. It fed an amorous fire that'd been burning hot within her since she laid eyes on him coming out of the ambassy. With a sultry smile, she leaned close to Alex, stopping short of his lips. "As happy as I am to hear that, Alex, I have to ask. Would you have me in another, more…intimate way?" Her right leg hiked up his left while she thrusted her hips forward.

Alex felt the instantaneous response of his body. His lips fell on hers, suckling them with vigor as he had during their previous kisses. He was all too aware of the tightness between his legs, now greatly magnified by the lustful nature of the kiss.

He felt both exhausted and vigorous when it ended. "We should get home for that sort of thing."

Her grin broadened. "We already are." Grabbing his hand, she ushered him through the door and down the flight of stairs. Hallways and doors disappeared in a blur. Alex didn't even try to get familiar with any of it, his only focus was on the fact that Wonder Woman was currently leading him to her apartment with one, very obvious purpose.

A door flew open, then slammed shut, his back against it. Hungry lips on his, and his on another. Despite being assailed by a clearly horny Wonder Woman, Alex fought back, or rather, he recuperated her feelings, just as he had on the rooftop.

Bags fell to the floor as they shuffled along it. Diana had only faint awareness of her surroundings, but that was enough. She got them to the bedroom all the same.

For the first time since she'd bought it, the sheets knew the feel of another body beside her own-that of a man. He laid flat on it, breathing hard as he gazed at her with those deep brown eyes, drawing her in with every breath. With a flick of her wrist, she tore away the necklace that concealed her face; she'd never been concealed from Alex, though. It was a simple spell, immunizing him from the illusion by using a lock of his hair in the enchantment. Diana made a mental note to think Zatanna for teaching it to her.

Then, she swept in on her boyfriend. Rather than turn away, he happily embraced her. Diana shivered feeling one of his hands on her hip while the other moved through the black river that was her hair. A solid hold formed on the back of her head, pushing her down and deepening the already intimate kiss. Hips thrusted, muffled moans filling the rooms for what seemed to be hours on end.

Sheets ruffled as bodies turned, first in one direction then in another. Alex and Diana lost track of who was on top and who was on the bottom. At least for a little while.

Moonlight shined through the open curtains, hitting the two of them. The Amazon lay on top, hair utterly disheveled and eyes wild with lust. Beneath her, the mortal man, breathing hard with a neck dotted with kiss marks. His eyes seemed to be shining with the fire of lust that burned within him, the same as that of the woman above him. In her though, it seemed to be burning brighter and hotter.

Alex's eyes moved to his chest, where her fingers lay curled like a wild cat's. Within seconds, he knew if they hadn't stopped, Diana would have torn his shirt to pieces. Considering he'd gotten a few new ones, he'd have a few replacements, but Alex wouldn't have mind. Though he wasn't one of those obsessive weirdos, he'd have definitely prized the torn remains.

Keeping her eyes on him, heavy with desire, she moved her hands down to his waist and gripped the rim of his shirt. His own breathing labored, he raised his hands up, allowing her to easily slid it off him. Her right hand fell on the faint scar left by the Hydra Spear, seemingly so many months ago. Diana moaned at the reminder of his courageous intervention.

Her hand swept across from the wound to his center chest, where her hand pressed down. She felt the fast-paced beating of his heart. Ignited by her touch, Alex reached up, and boldly grabbed her breast.

"Ah~" Cried the Amazon. What he'd just done would have gotten him beaten and dismembered in her homeland. Ten-fold as he began to openly grope her breast. "You…want to see them, Alex?" She didn't mean for her voice to sound so tempting, but it just came out that way. A natural seduction, one might have said.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, and fighting off the intense hardness between his legs, he nodded. "You're…always showing them off."

"So I've heard." Diana was aware of that hardness, a mirror match to the wetness between her legs. Their clothing was stifling, annoying, vile. She had to do something about that.

Pulling her hand away, and removing his, she quickly discarded her blouse, not caring where it landed as she threw it to the side. All that mattered to her was the slack-jawed awe that Alex looked to her with.

She was muscular, but not overwhelmingly so. Diana prided herself on her body still retaining not small amount of feminine charm despite the visible muscle she possessed. Not nearly enough to tell of her true strength, but enough to show she was no delicate flower, yet she still possessed all the right contours of a sexy body. That especially went for her breasts, often the desired sight of many men, and even women. Though they were held back by a jet-black bra, their near perfect roundness and incredible size were still plain to see-for Alex.

He was the only man afforded the honor of groping them, and based on how he gawked at her, he couldn't wait to do it again.

Practically bursting with eagerness, she grabbed his hands and brought them up to her chest. He immediately gave into his instincts, his impulses. Diana let out sultry moans as his hands moved her breasts about in slow circular motions. Coherent words vanished from her vocabulary as those hungry hands had their way with her chest. Eyes fluttered shut, preventing her from seeing Alex's slow rise to her face. Her moans were stemmed by his mouth. She moved her hands from his-he no longer needed the initiative-to wrap around his waist. Their bodies squeezed together, his hands clapping down on her still-covered breasts like a vice. Diana would have told him to just remove her bra if she wasn't so enthralled with the kiss.

Alex took care of that.

Still keeping their lips locked, and when air called for reentry into their lungs, he made sure they remained connected via their tongues. There was perfect coordination between his mouth and hands, both working to keep her bristling with ecstasy. His hands moved along her skin to her backside, where they briefly played against her exposed skin. Diana cut short their mutual inhalation of air to start a new kiss. Alex noted the fervent desperation in which she threw herself at him with. It spoke of one clear message-to be stripped bare and taken by him. Maintaining the kiss, he obliged.

With surprising ease, he unhooked her bra. It was difficult to pull away from Diana's lips, but he did so. On top of that, he swiftly took her up in his arms and rolled them over. Propping himself up on his arms and knees, he leered at her with hungry eyes, eyes that drunk in every bit of her exposed upper body.

Globes of pure, milky-white flesh. Emphasis on pure as no other man or woman had touched them, save for him. Perk pink nipples spoke of ever-growing arousal, as did a blushing face and shadowed blue eyes. The woman who'd stood as the representative of a nation, was speechless. All she could do was pant and moan and stare.

"Oohhhhh~! Y-Yes~!"

His own face wasn't much better, nor was his breathing. It hastened as he began to grope and massage the twin mounds that Diana half showed to the world. She wondered why people criticized the way she dressed. From the right angles, the top of her boobs showed and it was more than enough to get people thinking. Then there was the sheer obviousness of how big her chest was from a frontal or side view. There'd been endless speculation as to how big they really were and how they must have felt.

Alex knew the answer to both, and they'd stay with him to his dying days. As he groped the tender mounds, he felt a deep, near primal sense of ownership come over him. Not helped by the way Diana moaned and looked at him. Her eyes were pleading, her mouth open in a never-ending plea for more.

"AAAAAAHHHH~!" She cried feeling her nipples pinched by the young man's warm fingers. Diana could have sworn a pair of the warmest prongs imaginable had just pinched both her tits. One leg kicked out, fingers curled. The pinching continued, furthering her howls. "A-Al…ex…Alex…aaaaahhh~! AAAAH~!"

"I never knew you were so sensitive here, Diana." By Hera, how in the hell had he gained such a husky voice? Had he always had it?

Her wondering was cut off by the familiar, yet new and blazing feel of his mouth on hers. Diana's moans became muffled, her body shaking quivering beneath the triple assault. Alex ran his tongue over hers; he was quietly enjoying his dominance over not just the kiss but her. As was Diana.

She'd heard some men liked taking the lead as did women. Diana always wondered where she stood on that matter. Though dominance did seem to call to her, she couldn't deny how much she was enjoying being putty in Alex's hands. Never had she so willingly surrendered herself to someone, not even Steve.

Amidst his much appreciated groping, Diana's legs rose. The tip of Alex's rection, hidden by his pants, continuously poked at her. She wanted more of it-she needed more of it. She needed to feel his naked body against hers, skin against skin. Not for combat but for the most sensual of acts.

Diana would have gotten to it, if Alex hadn't tweaked her breasts at just the right moment. Her mouth flew open in a passionate scream. A stronger tingle than before raced down her spin and through her womanhood. She rubbed her legs together in a losing attempt to both prolong the feeling and keep it controlled.

Her vision cleared allowing her a preview of Alex smiling at her. He leaned forward, pecking her on the neck as she'd done several times to him. She'd taken no small joy in leaving him proof of her ever-growing affection for him. Now, he planned on returning the favor, albeit his marks would be in a place no one would see them, no one but Diana every time she looked in the mirror.

He moved lower to her chest, his right hand falling away to be replaced by his mouth. The beautiful Amazon once more cried out in bliss, louder than before. He bit down on her nipple like it was a precious piece of candy. Again, Diana felt that sharp jolt through her pussy. While she felt a suffocating need to allow it to taste open air, she couldn't work up the strength, or coordination, to undo her pants. Alex was still driving her mad with lust by playing with her chest. His teeth lovingly bit into the summit of her left mound, his tongue sweeping over the top like a summer breeze. Diana could have sworn she felt her eyes rolling into the back of her head. Her hands clenched at the sheets and her toes curled. His mouth and his left fingers, they assailed her chest with the fury the Greeks showed at Troy. She moaned and gasped, like one of the many women who found and gave bliss within the warriors' camp.

When Alex pulled away, he'd left his mark on her left teeth. His gaze lingered on it, filled with pride and still smearing desire. Then, they switched to her other breast. Out of complete impulse, Diana cupped her right breast, trying to make it look as enticing as possible.

"HAAAAH~!" It worked, not that there was any doubt that he wouldn't go for it. Oh, he went for it alright. Biting and licking at it with even more gusto than he had before. Diana whined and panted, grabbing at his chest at first chance. It inclined Alex to bite down harder while flicking his tongue across her tit at a faster rate. "Aaaahhh~! Haaaaahhh~! HAAAAH~!" She felt something between her legs coming undone. Diana didn't pay too much mind to it, she couldn't, not with her brain frying from the oral treatment being done on her breast. In the grand scheme of things, it might have been minuscule, but not to her.

She had the biggest, softest, and sweetest tits Alex had ever seen, and had the honor of toying with. He continuously laughed about how much of a lucky man he was, all while never stopping. His hands moved across her sides, warm fingers drumming against her skin. Perhaps it wasn't just her breasts that were sensitive-seemingly every part of her body was. Still, Alex felt like he couldn't say that for certain until he'd truly touched every part of her.

Despite all her superhuman strength, it was easy for him to break out of her grasp. Not wanting to take any chances, he quickly moved to her waist. There was an undercurrent of white-hot, fiery glee in him as he undid her pants and pulled them down. There was some trouble when he got to her heels, but he removed them fast enough then turned his full attention back to Diana, naked from the waist up. Her black panties were a perfect match for the bra she'd discarded earlier. Not to mention it had quite a surprise waiting for him.

His eyes were almost predatory when they looked up to the red-faced Amazon. "You came, Diana." The sly grin on his face was uncontainable.

Gone was the warrior princess who'd impressed and inspired the world. Replacing her was shy woman experiencing sex for the first time-and Alex felt nothing short of titanic pride in being the one to invoke such a transformation. "I-I-I couldn't help it." Her voice was pleading, either for him or herself. "I-I just…couldn't hold it back. You were…just too good."

Oh, how that stroked his ego. Grinning, he began to advanced on her, though his right hand took a different path. It was easy to slip his fingers into the soaked underside of her panties. Diana's resulting cry of bliss was silenced by his mouth. All future sounds were likewise muffled-there were many things to his slow stroking of her womanhood. The superheroine pushed her tongue out against his, putting up poultry resistance. That resistance further crumbled with the assault of his left hand on her breast. A nipple was tweaked, a kiss was broken, and a barely audible moan run through the room.

A single thrust and it turned into a scream.

"AAAAAA~!"

"God, you're already squeezing my finger so tightly."

Meeting eyes with him, all she could do was give a fluttering apology.

Smirking, he gave her a quick peck on the lips. "Don't worry about it. Just makes me more excited for when I can finally fill you up."

The thought of his cock inside her womanhood was deeply arousing to both of them, they saw it on one another's faces. They could have simply skipped to that, but they wanted to go through all the steps in feeling each other up, and making one another cum individually before they did it together.

Currently, Alex was on track to make the most powerful superheroine in the world cum twice.

"OOOOOHHH~!"

That's exactly what he did. Cum exploded from Diana's loins, coating his fingers, and further staining her undies. The sweet aroma he'd caught before was magnified. Alex took several whiffs of it while he continued to make out with her. She wasn't so completely stunned that she couldn't react to his oral stimuli. Just barely.

Diana's mind was a complete haze, different from the sort that came with fierce beatings taken during battles. This was entirely different. Not to mention so much better. Better than she could hope to describe with words, even if the ability to think and spear coherently returned to her.

All she did was hang onto Alex as he continued to kiss, grope, and finger her. There wasn't a part of her body that didn't feel light as air.

Suddenly, Alex's lips and hands were gone from her body, as were his fingers. With their absence, Diana felt her body slowly beginning to recover from the mind-breaking orgasm she'd experienced. During that recovery, she regained the ability to keep her eyes open longer than just a few seconds. She turned them south, toward a sudden breeze that tickled her nether regions.

Gone was her sullied undies, hovering above her soaking vagina was Alex's mouth. His hot breath tickled her womanhood, causing her to shudder in lustful anticipation. Brown eyes swept up meeting hers. All she did was nod, knowing her recovery was about to be short-lived.

For a new surge of erotic bliss, it was a worthy trade.

"Hera," she gasped, clenching at the sheets. Feeling Alex's tongue was different than his fingers. The wetness wasn't just due to the cum that'd overflowed from her pussy, which her young lover licked up. He did a marvelous job cleaning up her cunt before he set about ruining it again. She wanted that to happen so much she was on the verge of screaming for Alex to push deep into her womanhood.

He did, albeit at a turtle-like pace. Diana both loved and loathed it. The college student knew how much she wanted this, and he probably wanted this just as much, yet he was deliberately dragging it out. So, she took matters into her own hands.

"Hmm?!"

"Ah!"

Her hips only barely worked, but they worked. She got them to work, and it motivated Alex to pick up the pace. His hands took hold of her hips, steadying her as she aggressively pushed her hips against his mouth. She felt his tongue push deeper into her loins, both because of her own actions and his. Diana purred feeling his fleshy appendage smacking against all sides of her pussy. Wet and wet, flesh smacking against flesh. It was just what she wanted, what she'd always dreamed of. Now that she had it, she didn't want it to end; a voice told her it wasn't going to end until Alex had made her cum a third time. Then it'd be a fourth, a fifth, a sixth, and maybe a seventh.

"OOOOHHHHH~! MMMAAAAAAAAHHH~!"

"MMMMMMHHH~!"

They were going at full speed, her hips and his tongue. Maybe it'd been longer than just a few minutes, but however long it'd been, it was enough to bring her to the edge of orgasming. Diana felt the strong build up within her, more apparent than before. Alex's tongue seemed to be moving faster than his fingers. She didn't question how that could have been, or what prior skill he had at this from previous relationships. The proud and noble warrior woman and icon simply bucked her hips against her boyfriend's mouth, speeding closer toward another erotic release.

That release hit her in a flash, sudden and powerful. Her mouth flew open, a cry loud enough to shake the entire room leaving her red lips.

Divine, literally, nectar burst from her pussy. Alex immediately compared it to the healing nectar she'd given him following the battle with Aegeus. He'd say it tasted like that, but it wasn't quite accurate. Diana Prince's cum tasted better. What made it all the sweeter was this time, he was able to completely drink his fill, and that's exactly what he did. His hold on the Amazon's hips tightened, eve as her entire body spasmed.

She lifted her body up, yet he never let go, nor did he stop gulfing down her love nectar. Diana truly felt her eyes roll back into her head and all the strength leave her body. It must have brought her back down as she faintly registered the sensation of her back hitting the mattress. It was practically nothing compared to the continued flicking of Alex's tongue against her overflowing cunt.

He drunk her dry; when he pulled away, he now truly knew what the sweet nectar of the gods tasted like. The twenty-one-year-old sat up, clearly pleased with himself.

Some small part of Diana shouted she shouldn't have found such a look so sexy, but she did. Hera help her, she loved the smug smile he wore on his face as he leered over her. Though she felt small and vulnerable, she also felt proud and happy. Not only had she give him a taste of something men had fought and died over, she was glad that something, someone, had made her cum. Not once, but thrice.

Her formerly tight knuckles began to regain their color as her fingers spread out. Diana pushed herself up, breathing hard as she closed the distance between them. The last bit was helped by Alex quickly wrapping his arms around her waist, squishing her against him as they melded lips. She'd tasted herself before, but for the first time, her own essence was delivered via another, giving it a mixed, delectable taste. Diana couldn't get enough of it, and neither could Alex. There was nothing between their chests this time, no clothes or hands, her licked and bitten nipples squeezed against his warm and hard chest. It was only a different story from their waists down.

At the end of their make out session, Diana decided it was time to change that.

Alex didn't question how he ended up on his backside and stark naked in the blink of an eye. He was having sex with a woman who could literally fly around the world in less than a minute if she wanted to. Hell, she could have stripped him of all his clothes the second they were through the door and before he could even turn the lock.

Her naked body loomed over his, a truly lustful look unlike any that he'd seen before loomed in her blue orbs. The more he looked at her, the more Alex felt like she was literally glowing.

Aphrodite, I…wonder if she's…well, if you're listening. Thanks, and if you can, could you give me a little strength to make it through this night? The translucent aura he believed he'd been seeing seemingly materialized. Alex didn't know what that meant, there was no time as Diana swiftly fell on him again. Rabid hunger was present in her kisses, but he responded to it in kind.

They went at it for seemingly hours, then Diana was scrambling down his waste. That maniac hunger he'd felt in her kisses was present in her movements. Apparently, he'd been more on the money than he realized about how horny she was.

Alex knew there was a joke to be made about a woman experiencing her first time after spending a life time in an environment full of nothing but women. It probably had been made, probably by men who'd had their bones broken by the woman staring at his manhood with naked hunger. He kept it to himself and simply waited for her to-

"GAAAAAHH~!"

Hera, so…this is…a man's p-p-penis! Just as she'd felt wet, Alex had felt hard. It wasn't like she was clueless on the differences between male and female anatomy. It'd been an awkward but much-needed first lesson. Being born and raised on an island of Amazons, there were some things Diana had to learn from the outside world.

She would never admit to anyone that she…studied up on proper sex between a man and a woman. The things she saw, in both books and on video screens, she'd been repulsed and bewildered, but time had gradually turned those feelings into acceptance, fascination, and even longing. Diana of Themyscira, an Amazon, Princess of the Amazons, wanted to see a cock, she wanted to feel one, she wanted to know what it felt like to have one inside of her.

Now she knew, and she realized for several years in the World of Man, she'd been missing out on something incredible, just like Hawkgirl had said. Just like so many other women had told her.

She sucked Alex's cock with gusto. It didn't erase any notion she was an amateur, quite the contrary. Diana sucked him with the fervor of a woman experiencing her sexual awakening, and that's exactly what she was. There was no shame or guilt in such a thing, only the perpetually increasing euphoria that ran through her and her mortal lover. His grunts and groans of pleasure filled her with a feminine pride she heard came with this sort of thing. She was pleasing him, and she was happy about that. Ecstatic.

While she sucked him, she felt herself growing wet from the cock sucking. It's just like…Huntress said. The more I suck it, t-t-the more I…want it inside of me! The more I want it to be mine and mine alone! Thoughts of Alex's manhood lodged int her vagina danced about in her mind as if it were a festival. Inevitably, they invited more explicit imagery, drawn from some of the…sexual education she'd taken in. By Hera, I-I think I'm-

"AAAAAHHH!"

"MMMMMMH~!"

It was sudden, at least from her perspective. Diana had been so lost in her thoughts she'd failed to notice how much faster Alex's thrusts had become, how tightly woven his face had become. Not until he finally came, his manhood erupting within the confines of her mouth. Acting quickly, Diana readily accepted the outpouring of male juices. She felt it rushing down her throat, a warm, creamy liquid better than any beverage, any wine, any ice-scream, she'd ever taken in.

Yes, she was addicted. Totally addicted.

Cum burst not just from Alex's tip but Diana's own pussy. She felt the juices pouring down from her silt, though she didn't stop her sucking of her man's rod. With her superhuman abilities, she managed to drink up every last drop, a sight that utterly amazed the Irish-American. Diana lifted her head up to meet his gaze. She flashed him a smile that was so hot even his powers seemed pale in comparison.

"Your cum is warm and tasty, Alex." There was something undeniably sexy about her slurred voice. This was definitely not the Wonder Woman the world had known.

Alex felt almost proud in realizing he'd helped birth her, or perhaps help her find her way. Right into his arms, no doubt. "I thought so. For the record, Diana, you taste great too."

A deep, feminine laugh that seemed to belong to someone ten years younger. Her eyes moved back to his cock, still hard and rigid, although coated in saliva and a bit of cum. Alex knew his girlfriend wasn't done with his cock just yet. He was right.

"Ooooohhh!"

"So…this is how…it feels!" The hardness of his shaft contrasted with the softness of her breasts. "Amazing! Simply amazing!"

"Fuck, yes, i-it is!" He concurred. A titfuck had been on his bingo card, but he'd placed the odds of it happening as pretty low. At least until the last…twenty, thirty minutes. "Dianaaaaahhh!" Like with his cock, she was hitting the ground running. His cock throbbed anew as her twin mounds practically squished it between them. The last time he experienced this was…no, Diana's breasts were so amazing his last relationship and all it contained couldn't even begin to compare to what he was currently experiencing. "AAAAAHHH~! AAAAAHHH~!"

"That's right, Alex, scream for me!" She shouted sounding just a tinge deranged. Diana knew some women spoke of this with a hint of scorn, others were more positive. For the former camp, she honestly couldn't understand why there was a hint of disapproval toward this. Then again, maybe she was just part of the latter group. Pumping Alex's cock using her breasts, feeling it rubbing against her mounds, Diana was sure she was going to orgasm from it. Probably after she made Alex cum again. This had originally been her intention to even the score between them, but all too quickly it'd morphed into a venture of genuine pleasure.

Their voices rose in tandem with one another, each brimming with growing euphoria. They felt the growing tension in different ways. For Alex, it was completely internal, the familiar tightening in his cock calling to him, warning him. Diana felt it through their skin, her enhanced senses, but especially her sense of touch, telling her how close she was. The constant protrusion of Alex's tip called to her, and she answered it.

"Dianaaaaaahhh!" All it took were a few licks of her tongue. That was it, then his member erupted in another shower of cum. This time, it wasn't contained to the confines of Diana's mouth, his tip erupted in the open. For a time, his semen shot straight upward, then it began its descent-right down onto the Amazon's face. Her mouth was open, happily accepting the cum that fell perfectly into place. She didn't seem to mind those many shots that didn't stick the landing.

The feel of the hot, warm, creamy substance splattering on her face was an incredible feeling. Her pussy pulsated with erotic anticipation-the thought of having such a substance blasted into her filled her mind while she licked up the cum that fell around her mouth. Diana's hands fell on her cheeks, feeling the warm substance, further pressing it against her skin. It was a good thing she was kneeling on the edge of the bed, otherwise she'd have toppled over. That would have happened if Alex didn't reach down, grab her by the shoulder and pull her forward.

Lips smashed in a mess kiss, but a loving one. Diana latched onto him, feeling his cum-soaked yet still hard cock pressing against her bare skin. It was a sensation she knew she'd be loving, and getting more of in the future. The more she felt it, the more Diana felt an all-consuming desire to feel it inside of her, pounding her again and again until she couldn't lift a finger.

Such a desire took hold of her, pulling her upward. "Alex," she panted.

His hands moved to her hips. He already knew what she wanted-he wanted the same. Her pussy hovered above his member, still as tall and hard as an oak tree. It seemingly throbbed in yearning for its divine counterpart. "Are you-"

"Gaaaah!" Yes, yes she was a virgin, and yes, that came with an unbroken hymen. Diana had read it hurt having it broken, a woman losing her virginity for the first and only time. While she would never scuff at the pain others felt in experiencing such a thing, but she believed she'd be above it. Diana was wrong.

A loving hand stroked her cheek, giving her reason to look up. "I'm sorry." Came Alex's tender voice. "I wanted to wait a sec' before we, before I-"

"I-It's okay, Alex." She responded. "I…wanted to get it over with. Hearing how that first time hurts, I…just wanted to get it out of the way."

"Sorry about that." She shook her head, causing her ebony strands to sway before his eyes. Alex was mystified by them, almost enough that he forgot about the pain he inadvertently caused her.

"Don't be, Alex. It's…a part of being in an intimate relationship. This pain, I cherish." Their foreheads bumped together, their hearts beating in near perfect tandem with one another. "Now, we're past that hurdle…so let's go."

Despite her words, she practically got started without him. Alex didn't mind having to quickly catch up though. Given the vast differences between their physical abilities, as well as her rapidly growing lustful side, Alex knew he was going to be putting in serious work to satisfy the Amazon. He didn't have a single problem with that. Not in the slightest.

"HHHAAAAAAAAAAHHH~! BY THE GODS!"

"I…KNOW THE-OOOOHHHHH! SHIT! SHIIIIT!"

Tight like a trash compactor, and smoldering hot like an incinerator, that was her pussy. Alex felt it constrictor more and more on his member with every second, every bounce. In response, the Amazon felt like his member grew in size with each thrust, reaching her core. They fed one another, their bodies shaking in continuous ecstasy. Sweat cascaded down their bodies, pressing tightly against each other. His arms around her waist and hers around his neck. Voice rose in a duet that it penetrated every corner of the apartment.

"THIS…FEELS…UTTERLY…AMAZING, ALEX! DON'T STOP!"

"TRUST ME, I COULDN'T, EVEN IF I WANTED TO!" He had no intention, and that was shown in his vigorous, bed-shaking upward thrust. Diana's black hair flew back as her body shook, boobs bouncing against his chest. Alex growled feeling her walls tighten even more around his manhood. It was almost enough to make him cum right there, but he held on, and continued to fuck Wonder Woman with all the strength in his body.

Her voice was a constant motivator. What he, a modern man, had discovered was that Amazons were apparently quite loud when they were being fucked. Or at least Diana was.

In-between her screams, she'd switched from English to ancient Greek. All he caught was the name of the goddesses Hera and Aphrodite, the latter more so than the former. If the Greek love goddess was watching, he was sure she was pleased.

"HNNNNGGGHH~! MMAAAAAAAHHH~!"

His grunts were loud and resounding, his grip ironclad. Just as he had no intention of stopping, he wasn't going to let go of her, not even if she deflated into a wispy husk in his hands.

"Diana, you're…getting…tighter!"

"And you're…getting-HARDER!"

The bed was in complete disarray all around them, not that they cared. They'd gladly sleep in the mess when it was over with, but at the rate they were going, that wasn't going to be happening any time soon. Not with the ecstasy-borne strength they were both operating on. It seemed the vast physical wall between them had been demolished, broken down with every loud slap of their bodies against one another. And scream that echoed through the apartment, potentially penetrating the walls.

What was certainly being penetrated was the Amazon's core. She felt her feminine core being hit over and over again by the red-hot spear that was Alex's manhood. Defeat, release, was imminent. Diana felt it right down to her bones, which also shook in ways they never had before. Every thrust Alex made reverberated through her body. Only in battle had she felt such shockwaves like this, but instead of pain, it was pleasure unending. Pleasure, purpose, obsession. She looked into his now fiery brown eyes and found herself taking his lips for her own. Despite everything, despite the fervor in which they fucked, he still held the upper hand.

Holding dominion over their kiss, keeping pace with her superhuman rhythm. Holding her so lovingly, yet with such amorous intent. Alex truly was a special man-he was her man.

"GODS, ALEX, I'M GOING TO-"

"Cum?!"

"YES! FUCK! FOR THE LOVE OF FUCKING OLYMPUS, YESSSSSSSS~!" She did cum, right then and there. It hadn't been intentional, not on her part. For Alex, it must have been a different story. The second she answered, she felt him pick up his pace, his manhood smashing into her womanly core at new speed. Speed and heat, combining into a sun-dipped arrow that penetrated her and shattered her into a hundred pieces.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" It wasn't just her. Alex felt it as well. The sweet velvet walls that'd been constricting his cock like a boa made their final press. Pushing his semen out of him in a rip-roaring orgasm. Each shot went straight up into her womb, and each one bore more squeezes from her vaginal lips.

Cum shot upward while flowing downward, the intermix staining the sheets. The mortal and immortal couple held each other. Through labored breaths, they stared longing into one another's eyes. A single kiss, then their bodies moved again.

Diana lay on her backside, still holding fast onto her boyfriend as he loomed above her. A new series of thrusts, each as sturdy and mind-shattering as the previous set.

"HAAAAAA~!~ HAAAAAAA~!"

"I'M NOT STOPPING, DIANA! NOT UNTIL I'VE FUCKED YOU SENSELESS!" he passionately screamed.

"GOOD! THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANT, ALEX! FROM YOU AND ONLY YOU!"

He was able to push deeper into her than he ever could before. Alex had never felt like this, pure energy running through his veins. Maybe Aphrodite had blessed him. Maybe it was just some new application of his powers, all the sunlight he'd passively absorbed. It wasn't a mystery he diverted much thought to; he focused entirely on continuing to fuck the warrior woman beneath him. Continuing to make her scream his name in mind-numbing euphoria. To heighten that, he grabbed at her breasts, roughly squeezing them.

"HAAAAAA~! A-A-AL-ALEXXXXXX~! GODDESSES, Y-YOU'RE-I-I'M-" The second he grabbed her breasts, Diana felt herself on the verge of cumming. Did he not know how warm his hands were? Not scorching hot like the sun's, but the kind of warm that made one's body break out in an erotic sweat, which Diana was already in the throes of.

"NNNNNNGGGNHHHH!" He roared. Each thrust was made with the force of a battering ram. His hands moved in a fierce frenzy. Alex's eyes remained honed on her face, sweat, crimson, and utterly devoid of composure or sadness. She was screaming her lungs out, in English and ancient Greek. His name kept on coming up; he didn't need to translate them to know what she was saying. "AAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH~!"

Horizontally, his cum shot into her divine cunt. Diana's walls burst in feminine juices that coated his rushing member. She pulled at the sheets so hard they actually tore; she continued to hold them as Alex rocked his hips forward several more times, emptying more of himself into her. The Amazon's legs temporarily tightened around his waist before going slack. As Alex's seed was pumped into her, his body too went slack. He fell forward into the dark sea that was her hair, though his cock remained lodged deep in her, his orgasm uninterrupted.

Diana gladly held him. She too felt a whiff of exhaustion gnaw at her, although it was quickly overshadowed by the thunderous rumble of excitement that raced through her. It grew stronger as she held Alex, feeling every shot of his cum into her.

Her pussy, her vagina, her cunt, claimed by a man. Her body, claimed by a man. She held him in her arms in a positively loving embrace. Diana knew she would always hold him this way, and long for him when they were apart.

Alex turned, meeting her eye. "Did you…enjoy all that?" he whispered.

"More so than words could describe." She replied with a smile. "But I…still want more, Alex."

"Heh, normally, I'd have to turn you down…but I feel like I've still got power to burn."

"Bless Aphrodite," she laughed untangling herself from him.

"Pretty sure she might have." His jaw dropped as he watched the new position she got into.

Diana ran a hand over her perfect, heart-shaped ass. "Yes, she might have." Her voice was a seductive purr. Immediately, he got into position, showing just how much vigor he still had left in him. Quite a lot, and more so getting a look at her waiting ass. "Take me, Alex."

He gripped his member, lining it up with the Amazon's ass. Following a silent slew of thanks, he pushed forward, straight into the gates of heaven. "OOOOHHH!"

"OOOOHHHHHHH~! BY HERA, IT'S EVEN BETTER LIKE THIS!"

"OH, SO YOU LIKE DOGGY STYLE, HUH, DIANA?!"

"GODS, YES, I DOOOOOOO!"

This information would purely stay with him. No one else would be privy to it. Likewise, no one else would know what it felt like to have their hips smack against the Amazon Princess'. His cock would be the only one to take her, especially from behind as she so enjoyed. His hands would be the only ones that would occasionally come down on her ass cheeks, leaving handprints that would leave no illusion that someone had touched her. Touched her in the lewdest way imaginable.

Alex spread his slaps out, making sure he never lost hold of her waist. Diana was going at it hard and fast, but like before, he somehow kept pace with her. She was the most vigorous woman he'd fucked, and that actually excited him.

"AHHH~! AHHHH~! HNNNNNNGGGGHHH~!"

"AAARRGGGGHHH! AAAARRRRHHHH!"

"YES, GODS, YES, TAKE ME LIKE THAT, ALEX! I AM YOURS~!"

"All the men, all the guys in the world!" He grunted before slamming his palm down against her right ass cheek.

"I BELONG TO YOU, ALEX~! I AM YOUR WOMAN~!" That got her a thick, powerful thrust that put her on the edge of climaxing. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the sheets in a new death grip. Looking back, she let him see the truly maniac, yet loving look in her eyes. "AND YOU, ARE…MY MAN!" With all her strength, she slammed her hips backward, pushing his cock deep into her vagina via her own volution.

"YESSSSSS!" The shout was both in response to her statement, and the mind-breaking bliss her move brought him. "DIANA!" He yelled pushing her away with the intent to bring her back in.

"ALEXXXX~!" The warrior princess screamed back, pushing back simultaneous to his forward thrust.

It was simply perfect, a true shared orgasm. His cock blowing out a fresh stream of semen while her walls erupted in new love nectar. The room seemed to shake with the shockwaves of their combined orgasm, up becoming down, left becoming right, and vice versa. Amidst it, Alex and Diana held each other. For several seconds, borderline minutes, their bodies retained their intimate position. Then, they finally fell forward.

Breathing hard, they seemed finally spent, yet a near mystical glow coated their bodies. Neither of them gave much thought to it. Not even when their hands raised, the second their eyes met their lips followed suit. Diana reached up wrapped her arm around Alex's neck, locking him in an intimate kiss.

It kick-started their next round. Despite all they'd done prior, it was no less intense than what came before, a trend that would continue through the rest of the night to an unknown point, when both simply collapsed in each other's arms.

Alex knew he was spent when the sun rose and he still felt like his body weighed two-hundred tons. Voices were faint in his ear. As best he could, he rolled over, noticing an absence that immediately struck him as odd. Through exhausted eyes, he looked up, seeing a blurry image at the edge of his sight.

"Di…ana?" he called pushing himself upward. Not easy, but doable. Probably helped by the sight that greeted him as his vision cleared up, surprisingly fast.

Diana of Themyscira stood at a table not too far off from the bed, utterly naked. Her flawless, or semi-flawless body, was assailed by rays of morning sunlight. The marks he'd left on her body were still there, all over her.

"You…have to go to work?" He called. It'd been a fun night, but he was prepared now that morning had come. It was a miracle they'd gotten through it without something happening, a call from the League, one of her villains attacking her, or someone seeing through the disguise and causing a scene.

Putting the phone down, Diana shook her head. Her eyes retained that amorous fire they'd held through the night. "Nope, and I'm not going in for the rest of the day. I did say I was taking the weekend off…with my boyfriend."

A grin immediately spread over his face. The next thing he knew, he was being tackled back onto the bed. A beautifully naked demigoddess lay atop of him, peppering his face with sweet kisses that served as prelude to what the new day would bring. He returned the sentiment, making the same promise to her. Not just for the day, but for the rest of the foreseeable future. Their future.

Fin

---

Looking at the final word count, I guess it's a good thing I didn't include a segment featuring the Annihilator Armor. Yes, that's right, I was going to include the Annihilator Armor from the JLU episode, "Hawk and Dove." I based a lot of this one around episodes featuring Wonder Woman such as that one, although I also had some input from a friend of mine on the San Baquero scene, from the episode "Doomsday Sanction."

"This Little Piggy" was one of my favorite episodes from JLU for numerous reasons (Kevin Conroy had a hell of a singing voice, RIP). It made for the perfect springboard for this story since it put Diana in a pretty dangerous situation, and opened the door to Alex to do something stupidly brave that'd make a good impression on her. Not to mention it was the episode that showed Diana was actually thinking about a normal social life, including romance. As a Wonder Bat shipper, I'm glad it included Batman, but as I said, for the sake of this story, it didn't go anywhere, just like in the show. Some of that frustration tickled through into Diana, and helped give her the push to pursue Alex.

Aegeus is a villain from Wonder Woman's series. Like many characters, there's different versions of him, two in particular being the New Earth and Prime Earth versions. I mixed a little of both of them for the sake of the story. His claim to fame is he really does have an arsenal of magical, divine weaponry, which includes god-killing arrows. As a God of War fan, that probably helped me choose him over some of the other WW villains I was considering like Cheetah or Doctor Poison. I chose to include the shockwave power from the DCEU movies since by now I feel like they've become an iconic feature of her bracelets. Had I included the Annihilator bit, I'd have had Diana wielding a sword and shield as she's been recently depicted. I'll have to save those ideas for another time.

So, I hope you all enjoyed this one. I've been waiting to do a Wonder Woman lemon for years, in fact it partially motivated me to create the Meta Care series. Now that I've done it, that's a big writing project off my checklist. Don't' expect this to be the last time I write for our favorite Amazon Princess! Let me know what you thought of this one, and until next time, readers!