Read Back to You chapter 3 now: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14077571/3/Back-to-You
May 19th. The Batcave. 02:51
Bruce
Damian jumps off his motorcycle, pulling the kickstand up and letting it rest, before he turns to where I stand. He pulls his hood down and off his head, aggressively tears his mask off his face, and slams it onto a neighboring table. "You let him get away!" he yells between clenched teeth. He's angry, very angry.
I take a deep breath and stare at Damian's face. His eyebrows are furrowed and he flares his nostrils as he pulls his gloves off his hands and throws them onto the table, letting them join his mask. "I did what I needed to," I explain. I reach up and grab the top of my mask, yanking it off my head, and wipe the sweat from my brow with the back of my exposed hand. "He was going to lead us to his supplier," I say, carefully unclipping my belt and laying it on my desk.
"Bullshit!" he says, his hands clenching into fists.
I ignore his outburst, letting out a sigh as I turn toward the computer and turn it on, ready to input tonight's surveillance notes. "You failed to see the bigger picture," I state over my shoulder. "Arresting him and giving him to GPD would have ruined the entire operation." Damian lets out another huff and I roll my eyes. My son is intense at times. I can't fault him, it's how his grandfather and mother had raised him for a decade. It's something we've been working on since he was eleven. He now only has occasional outbursts when in moments of high stress or during strong bouts of emotions. Today it is the latter.
I knew seeing Diana would trigger something in Damian. He was a mess when she left, shutting down for days at a time. Even during patrols he wasn't himself - I had to send him home a few times fearing he would get himself hurt. Tonight is no different.
"That's a lie," Damian sneers. He pulls the upper part of his uniform off, knowing he needs to clean the blood from a mugger who was unfortunate enough to meet the bottom of his boot a few times, off sooner rather than later. Alfred would never forgive him for ruining another suit. "You're distracted because that woman is back in Gotham."
My shoulders tense with his statement. It's not the words he says that makes me cringe, it's the way he says it, emphasizing that he would rather call Diana "that woman" than call her by name. I turn to face Damian, watching with narrow eyes as he crosses his arms over his chest. The scar that runs from his left shoulder to the middle of his chest is highlighted by the lights in the cave, a memory of a night I thought I lost him three years ago trying to force its way to the forefront of my brain. I quickly push it back down. Now is not the time.
"Damian," I warn, the sound coming out more raspy than intended. "Don't."
Damian doesn't heed my warning. He shakes his head and throws his hands up in frustration. "You've always been distracted by that woman!"
"Damian," I say again, my voice raising a bit. I understand his frustrations with Diana, but she is still the mother to my child. She deserves some respect. "She will be here for a few days, and you will respect her while she is here."
Damian scoffs. "She left you, Bruce," he says. The sound of my name coming from his lips stings harder than intended. "She left all of us. She doesn't deserve respect." He takes a deep breath and shakes his head. His face begins to redden and I can see he is a few moments from self destructing. "The only reason I tolerate PJ is because she is still a part of this family. But that woman, Diana, is not a part of this family anymore and -"
"Enough!"
The sound that comes from my lips startles Damian and, quite honestly, myself. My intention wasn't to shout. I only meant to stop Damian before he continued down the path I've been on many times before, with hateful words that can't be unspoken. But my son finds ways to rile me up, bringing up things he knows will anger me, wanting me to feel the anger and hatred he feels. Diana is one of those things.
Damian opens his mouth to argue once more, but I shut it down before he can even begin. "This conversation is over," I say, my voice still raised. "It'll be a few days, then things will go back to normal."
Damian only scoffs. "Nothing about this is normal," he mumbles under his breath, unaware I can hear him. With that he walks away, his shoulder brushing roughly against mine as he leaves. His boots leave heavy stomps throughout the cave, until he reaches the elevator and slams the gate closed, riding it back up to the manor.
When he is out of ear shot I let out a sigh and groan. He's right, nothing about this whole situation is normal, but nothing about me or my life has been normal since I was orphaned at eight. I've learned to manage my life around things. That includes when Diana left. This will just be yet another thing I'll manage.
I quickly turn back to the computer and start my surveillance notes, uploading the video and photos I've collected from patrol, trying to push Diana further from my mind. Like I told Damian, she's only here for a few days. When she leaves everything will go back to normal.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
03:40
I pull on a pair of dark sweats and gray shirt, my body still tense. The hot shower I had minutes before has done nothing to relieve the stress that has been building all day, and the more I think about Damian, Diana, and PJ, the more I feel the tension culminating into a headache. I run the towel over my face, drying the last bit of moisture from my beard, before I run it through my damp hair and toss the towel into the bathroom floor. I'll pick it up when I come back up, but for now I need something to settle this dull ache in my head before it becomes a full fledged migraine.
I quickly make my way out of my bedroom, walking down the hall, down the stairs and through the foyer, trying to keep quiet so as not to wake up anyone else. PJ is sound asleep, I checked in on her before I went to my room after patrol. Damian is - well I'm assuming he's grumbling in his room. And Diana is hidden away.
I continue toward the kitchen, my eyebrow raising when I see one of the lights still on. Maybe Alfred forgot to turn one off after cleaning after dinner. Maybe he left one on knowing I would be here after patrol, given what happened during dinner. Either way, I'm grateful to see where I am headed, instead of solely relying on the faint light from the moon. I step into the kitchen, the small smile on my face fading when I see I am no longer alone.
Diana sits at the small table in the corner, curled in one of the chairs. Her arms are wrapped around her legs, keeping them close to her chest. The oversized sweatshirt she wears slides off one of her shoulders, leaving the area bare, making my lips twitch into a smile. It used to be mine, but the first night she slept over she stole it and claimed it as her own, wearing it whenever she had a lot on her mind. I hate to admit it, but it's nice to see she hasn't pushed me completely out of her life.
On the table is a cup of tea. Small strands of steam rise from the cup, showing it hasn't grown cold, but she has definitely been sitting here a while. Something big must be on her mind. Some part of me wants to turn on my heel, rush back to my room, avoid being alone with her any longer than necessary. I take a step back, but it is too late, as she looks up from her cup and notices me in the doorway.
"Sorry," she whispers, standing from her seat so quickly she nearly knocks her cup of tea from the table. "I thought you would still be out."
I only shake my head, reach over to the light switch, and turn the rest of them on. The bright light causes both of us to squint momentarily until our eyes adjust. "I finished patrol a bit early," I explain. When we were together, it wasn't unlike myself to be out until six or seven in the morning; it was one of the changes I made when PJ started spending time at the manor.
Diana nods. "I told Alfred he could go to bed and I'd put away my items. Let me clean everything up and I'll go back to my room." She takes a sip from the cup on the table and walks to the trash, plucking the tea bag from the cup, placing it in the trash, before she heads to the sink.
"It's okay," I say as she turns on the sink and begins to gently wash the cup in her hands. As she rinses off the soap from the cup, I walk to the refrigerator, open it, and pull a bottle of water from one of the shelves. I quickly open the top of the bottle and chug half of its contents, listening as Diana turns off the water and places the now dry cup back into the cupboard. "Don't leave on my account."
Diana lets out a nervous chuckle. Her eyes don't meet mine as she leans against the sink, arms crossed. "It's your home, Bruce," she whispers. "I'm the one intruding here."
I walk past Diana to the end of the room, open the drawer Alfred usually keeps an extra supply of pain medication, and pull a bottle of Advil out and onto the counter. I can feel Diana's eyes on me as I twist open the top of the bottle and pour two pills in my hand, shoving them into my mouth and swallowing with a sip of water.
"Seems someone is getting a little too old for the nightly escapades," she says. Her tone is light and joking but I can see the frown on her face.
"You can say that again," I reply, finishing off the bottle in my hands. She lets out a laugh and my lips twitch into a smile once again. God, I've missed the sound of that laugh. I place the empty bottle on the edge of the breakfast bar and lean against the counter, my eyes focused on Diana, watching as she looks up from the floor.
We stare at each other in silence, both taking in the two people we now are. I noticed it the moment she walked through the door, but I was too shocked to make any comment about it when we spoke in my office. But her hair is shorter, falling right below her shoulders instead of the middle of her back. Her face now shows the faint lines that come with the responsibility of being Queen of the Amazons, and raising a child. Somehow I know PJ has been the cause of a majority of those.
Diana looks older, wiser, but is still as beautiful as ever. Her eyes are still a deep shade of blue, but where wonder and excitement used to lay, there is worry and exhaustion. I fear the island has stolen the best years of her life, although that may be the bias speaking.
"Did Alfred get you settled?" I ask, breaking the silence.
Diana nods and lets out a small sigh. "Yes, although I fear he is conspiring with our daughter to keep me here."
I shrug. "Of course those two are up to something," I say. That much was evident when he had walked into the dining room with Diana, a smug smile on his face as I laid eyes on her. Diana flashes a small smile, glad we agree on one thing. "Alfred would do anything for PJ and he misses you. He misses having a daughter around."
In an instant Diana's smile fades and she bites the inside of her cheek, shame on her face. I decide to change the topic. "What are you doing up?" I ask.
Diana shrugs her shoulders. "I couldn't sleep," is her vague answer. She looks around and lets out another sigh. "I shouldn't have come back," she whispers.
I shake my head. "No, you should've never left," I say before I can stop myself.
Diana's eyes narrow. It's a conversation the two of us have had over a dozen times, the last being the night she brought PJ back to me. "You know I had no choice," she says. Glad to know her stance on the topic hasn't changed.
"Bullshit," I mutter. "You left because you wanted to."
She lets out another sigh. "I never wanted to leave," she says in barely a whisper.
I want to argue. I want to understand why. After all these years I still don't know why she made the choice to leave, but seeing her standing there, quiet, shame in her eyes, I realize I may never get the answers I seek. "Don't forget to turn off the lights," is all I say as I turn on my heel and walk out of the kitchen, leaving Diana to think over if this was as bad of an idea as I think it is.
The Waynes weren't the only family Diana left behind. What happens when she finally faces Clark and Lois after more than a decade? Read Back to You Chapter 5 now!
The hot air that blows through the cornfield and through the trees makes it hard to breathe, and for the life of me, I can't understand why anyone would want to live here. It's hot. It's humid. It's worse than the fiercest of summers in Gotham. But as I walk up the driveway that leads to the small farm house, I notice the serenity a place like this could offer. It's quiet, it's peaceful, and to Clark, it reminds him of his childhood. It's the same for me on the island.
After lunch with Penelope, the two of us had gone back to the manor. She had gone upstairs to nap and I had taken the opportunity to get out of the manor and clear my head. I flew around, no clear destination in mind. I just traveled until I landed in a spot I knew from late nights huddled on the couch, watching movies as Lois gave me pregnancy tips. To my surprise, however, the apartment I had come to love as a second home hadn't been occupied by Clark and Lois Kent, but rather by a couple of college roommates, shocked to see an Amazon knocking on their front door on a random afternoon.
It had taken some quick investigating, but I found out they had moved back to Smallville after the death of Clark's mother, taking over the farm with the help of their son, Jonathan. So I flew as quickly as I could to Smallville, wanting, needing, to see the people I had missed dearly.
The gravel that lines the driveway crunches under my boots as I make my way to the house. When I step on the first wooden step that leads to the large porch, it creaks under my foot. It breaks me out of the trance I am in, and I begin to worry I'm making a big mistake. What if they don't want to see me? What if, much like Damian, they hate me for leaving without a word?
The creaking increases when I step onto the next step, then onto the wooden porch, and I let out a sigh of relief when it doesn't give way. Maybe I should just turn around and leave. Bruce can call Clark and ask about Jonathan coming tomorrow. After all, neither of them know I'm even here. No harm no foul, right? I am about to turn and rush off the porch when the front door is yanked open.
"You were supposed to be home twenty minutes ago Mister-"
Lois stops when she sees me standing in front of her. Her eyes go wide and her mouth stands agape as she stares at me in shock. This must be a big deal as I have managed to shut up the woman who has talked Lex Luthor into submission on more than one occasion. "Diana?" she asks, taking a step toward me.
All I can do is nod. I watch as she shoves the phone in her left hand into the back pocket of her jeans and squeals. "Oh my God, Diana!" she says as she hops onto the porch and pulls me into a hug.
I breathe a sigh of relief as I wrap my arms around the woman who was like a sister to me. The only woman who had no superpowers that I trusted. If only I had trusted her and had told her the truth before I had left. "Lois," I whisper, trying not to cry as she hugs me tight.
Lois pulls away and smiles at me. Her eyes are welled with tears and I feel ashamed that I have caused them. "You son of a bitch," Lois says, trying to sound angry as she punches my arm.
I raise an eyebrow and rub my shoulder. "Ow," I say in shock.
Lois wipes a few tears that have fallen from her cheek and shakes her head. "It serves you right, leaving like that," she says. "But my god it's so good to see you." She grabs my hand and yanks me into the house, pulling me into the living room.
I've been to the Kent Farm on more than one occasion. Ma Kent was always a wonderful host, cooking alongside Alfred for Thanksgivings and treating us all like her children on Christmas. She was a good woman.
Inside the room looks the same as the last time I saw it, nearly twelve years ago, right before Penelope turned one. The couch is newer, the rugs are different, and there are different photos along the wall, but it still feels as homey as ever.
Lois pushes me onto the couch and sits beside me, turning to face me. She's not going to let me go until I answer her questions. I knew this was going to happen, and it's only fair.
"So, spill," she says. "What happened?"
I shrug, unsure of where to start. I've told no one of everything that has happened between Bruce and I. Even Antiope only knows bits and pieces. The other Amazons know only that I am their Queen and Penelope is their princess. They don't know the messy details of what had to happen to get us to that point.
"What did Bruce tell you?" I ask. I need to know what has already been said. I don't want Bruce to sound like the bad guy, because in all reality, he's not solely to blame for what happened. I take most of the responsibility for that.
"Bruce hasn't told us anything," Lois answers. "When you left, he shut down for weeks. Hell, Clark and Dick had to pick up the slack around Gotham because he couldn't do anything. The man was depressed."
"I see," I say with a nod.
"Did he cheat on you?" Lois asks rather bluntly. I only stare at her with wide eyes and shake my head. "Did-did you cheat on him?" she asks, this time a bit more skeptical.
Once again I shake my head. "Neither of us cheated," I answer. "It was nothing like that."
Lois breathes a sigh of relief. I can see she's glad nothing like that was the reason I left, but now I can see she's even more confused than before. "Then what happened?" she asks.
I take a deep breath, holding it for a few moments, before I let it out. "My mother went missing," I say. "Everyone fears she's dead." Lois gasps and covers her mouth with her hand. She knows the relationship I had with my mother. It was rocky, especially when I left the island, even more so when I had been banished for bringing men to the island, but we had been working on it for years. By the time Bruce and I had gotten married, and Penelope was born, my mother was a constant in my life. Losing her had been devastating in its own right, but I never knew that I would have to lose her and Bruce in the same week.
"So you went to go look for your mother?" Lois asks.
"Yes and no. I went to look for her, but Themyscira needed a Queen, and it was my duty to the Amazons to lead them in their time of grief. I had no intention of staying. I was going to go just to find my mother, and if need be appoint another Queen until we could find her, but then Bruce and I started having problems."
"What kind of problems?" she asks. "I always thought you two were perfect."
I let out a nervous laugh. "You know Bruce, he's stubborn, and I'm stubborn, and we both fight so passionately that sometimes we don't know when to stop. He didn't understand why I needed to go back to Themyscira, and the more he pushed me, the more I wanted to get away. He couldn't understand what I owed the Amazons."
Lois nods and places a hand on my knee. I can see the skepticism in her eyes, but like Bruce, she doesn't understand what it's like to be pulled between what you know is right in your heart, and what your brain wants to tell you what's right. It was never an easy decision, and had he not shut me down more than once, I would have made it with Bruce instead of venturing out on my own.
"What made you change your mind? About Penelope," Lois asks. She wants to know why I kept my daughter away from Bruce for a year, why I even bothered bringing her back to Gotham to get to know the man I had run from.
I give her another shrug. "I realized it wasn't her fault her parents were so stubborn. I remembered the feelings of uncertainty, the questions I had about myself as I grew up with only my mother. She needed a father just as much as she needed a mother. I couldn't deny her that."
"And Bruce is so grateful you gave him the opportunity to get to know her, and we're all happy you let her come back into our lives. But we all missed you too.
My eyes meet the floor and I let out a sigh. "I know," I whisper. Lois is right, I've missed them too, but they don't understand the sacrifices I've made. The sacrifices I've needed to make. First and foremost, I am an Amazon and my duty comes to my people. I cannot let anything distract me from that, not even Bruce. Walking away from him, both times, were the hardest things I had ever done in my life.
Lois opens her mouth to speak, stopping only when the front door opens and the room is filled with the sound of boisterous laughter. I look up just in time to see two men step into the room, laughing, holding their sides as they try to contain their giggles.
Clark is the first one I notice, his wide shoulders nearly shielding the other person from my view. He's wearing a blue shirt and dark jeans, his eyes hidden behind thin framed glasses. He looks up and sees me sitting on the couch and his smile fades as he stares at me in disbelief. "Diana?" he questions.
I stand from my seat on the couch and nod. "Hi Clark," is all I can get out before he rushes over to where I stand and envelops me in a tight embrace. It feels like home. Clark has always been quick to forgive - first with Shayera, now with me. The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. My eyes well with another round of tears as I wrap my arms around him and return the hug.
We stay that way for a few moments, before I glance up at the man staring at us and pull away, wiping my eyes with the heel of my palm. Clark says nothing else as he glances over at Lois who gives him a small nod, letting him know she'll fill him in later. I love that the two of them can speak without muttering a word. It was something Bruce and I used to do, although I fear we are too out of sync to even attempt it - as if he'd even want to.
Clark turns to the younger man and introduces me. "Jon, this is Diana." He turns to me. "Prince? Wayne?" He's unclear what surname I am currently using, but it does not matter. On the island, none of that matters.
"Diana," I answer. Neither of those last names feel right to me anymore. I am no longer the person I used to be when I used either of them.
I look up at the younger man, my lips curling into a smile. Jonathan is the splitting image of his father, even down to the fake glasses. "Jon, hi," I say, "you probably don't remember me."
Jon squints at me and gives me a grin. "There's a photo of us hanging by the stairs," he says, using his thumb to point at the staircase behind him. "I remember you used to show me all the cool swords and stuff."
I smile at him and nod, trying to avoid the wide eyes from Lois. It was by accident, as he had come to visit the manor while I was decorating the library, but I was careful. Besides, I was pregnant at the time, so I couldn't have gotten into much trouble with him.
Jon chuckles as he sees his mother's expression. "Chill, Mom," he says. "It was fun, and I didn't get hurt."
"Uh huh," is all Lois says as she crosses her arms over her body. She scoots over to the next couch cushion, giving Clark space to sit down, as she narrows her eyes at me. She knows I would never let her son get hurt, even if he wasn't as strong as his father, but it's the mother instinct in her. I would do the same for any of the boys and Penelope, none of which have powers to help themselves.
Jon kisses his mother's cheek and watches as she relaxes, before he gives me a small wave. "Well, it's nice to meet you again, Diana," he says. "But I have chores and homework."
I nod. I watch as he makes his way to the staircase before I remember one of the reasons I had come all this way. "Oh, by the way, Penelope wants to go to the amusement park tomorrow and wants to know if you want to come."
Jon looks at Lois and Clark, who both nod, and smiles widely. "Oh absolutely!" he exclaims. "Thanks for the invitation. I'll be there tomorrow morning."
He turns to run up the stairs, waving goodbye to me once more, before speeding up and into his room. "Make sure you get all your chores done first," Clark calls after him, before he turns to face me. "So, PJ invited you all to the amusement park? You and Bruce….going together?"
I glare at Clark and shake my head. "She wanted to go, so we're going," I state. "And she was adamant I ask your son." I turn to Lois. "Does my daughter have a crush on your son? Your adult son?"
Lois laughs and shakes her head. "No. But he does have a crush on Damian," she confesses. Clark laughs and nods as Lois says, "But don't tell him you know. We're not even supposed to know." She lifts her finger to her mouth and pretends to shush.
I nod and chuckle, but I can't help the feeling in the pit of my stomach. Jonathan is my godson. I was there the day he was born. Bruce and I put together his first birthday party. I was the one who would baby sit when Clark and Lois needed a night to themselves. The fact that I don't know this about him makes me realize I have missed out on so much of their lives. Who knows what else I've missed out on.
Clark opens his mouth to say something, but stops and places a hand on his ear. He's getting a message on his comlink. He nods and turns to Lois, plants a kiss on her lips, and tells her he'll be back soon, before he looks at me. "Distress call on the Watchtower," he says. "Want to come?"
I shake my head. The Watchtower is the last place I should be. Actually, Gotham, in the manor specifically, is the last place I should be. The Watchtower is a close second. "I don't think I can face everyone," I say. I am still in the first stage of making amends. Talking to Bruce and the boys was one thing. Staying up late last night crying with Alfred was one thing. Coming to Smallville to talk to Clark and Lois was one thing. Seeing everyone on the Watchtower is a completely different thing.
Clark shakes his head and waves away my concern. "Shayera and Jon are no longer here," he says, "they left about two years after you left. Long story." I raise an eyebrow.
"Together?" I ask. Clark nods and I become even more confused. Shayera and Jon left together? When I went back to Themyscira, Jon was still dating Vixen and Shayera was….well she was still trying to grasp her mind around the fact that Bruce had met her son in the future.
"Shocking, right?" I nod. "Dinah and Oliver are retired now. They had a baby and decided to get out of the game."
"Dinah had a baby?"
Lois chuckles as she nods. "And he's the cutest little thing. He's a little under five now, but boy is he a little troublemaker."
"Wally and John knew you wouldn't leave unless you had a good reason to," Clark begins, pulling his glasses from his face. "And they're more forgiving than you think."
I let out a sigh and drop my head. He rushes out of the room, leaving Lois and I to stare at each other, rushing back dressed in his signature blue and red costume, his cape flowing behind him. His costume hasn't changed since I've last seen him. Leave it to Clark to keep up with the nostalgia. "Plus, I could use the help."
I let out another sigh and nod, knowing he won't take no for an answer. Besides, I have a few hours to spare before Penelope expects me back for dinner; an emergency on the Watchtower seems like a decent enough reason to get out of an awkward dinner with Bruce. "Fine, Clark," I say. "I'll help you."
Clark nods and flashes a wide smile. "I'll be home soon," he says to Lois, who only nods and gives him a small wave goodbye, before he steps next to me and touches the comlink in his ear. "J'onn, I have two for transport."
The two of us are enveloped in a white light and suddenly the all too familiar feeling in my stomach returns as we're transported into the Watchtower's transportation bay. I shake my head after we arrive, placing a hand on my stomach. There used to be a time when the feeling of being transported wouldn't bother me at all. Now I can't shake the feeling that has settled in my chest. It's been far too long.
"Superman!" Clark turns beside me, facing the owner of the voice. I follow suit and face the control panel. The room is different, updated. I can't imagine the amount of money Bruce has put into The Watchtower throughout the years. "Diana?"
J'onn stares at me in surprise. His green lips curl into a small smile as he phases through the controls and down to where Clark and I stand. "Hi, J'onn," I respond sheepishly, watching as he becomes solid when he reaches the two of us.
"It's nice to see you," he says. I can see the internal struggle on his face. He wants to tap into my mind, figure out where I've been all these years, but he promised long ago to not intrude on our minds unless specifically asked.
"You too," I say, placing my hand gently on his forearm.
Clark places a hand on my shoulder and steps forward. "Diana is here to help. What's going on?"
J'onn nods and points to the large monitor in the middle of the many smaller screens. "Earthquakes along the San Andreas fault line have caused a building collapse in San Francisco. The Flash is already there starting evacuations with first responders."
Clark nods. "You want to change first?" he asks me, taking a glance down at the jeans and tshirt I'm wearing.
I know he's right. This is not what I should be wearing if I'm going to help with Superman and The Flash on a mission - I should not be helping anyway - but I can't bring myself to even think of putting anything from my heroic past back on. "I think we should get going," I say, shaking my head slightly, not wanting him to question me further.
Clark nods and turns back to J'onn. "Two for transport," he says. "It's nice to have you back," he says as the air around him begins to turn to static, the lights around him turning bright as he begins to phase out of view. Moments later the lights around me begin to get brighter and I get that queasy unsettling feeling back in the pit of my stomach. My eyes close by instinct as I feel my body get weightless.
My eyes open when I feel the sheer force of gravity hit me in the gut. I don't understand how I was able to do this daily for years with no issues. The sound of air rushing past me fills my ears and I look up just in time to see a blur of red rush past me.
Wally stops, his feet sliding against the pavement, a trail of rubble sliding in the wind he has created. His head whips my way and his jaw becomes slack. "No way," he says, more to himself than anyone around as he continues to stare at me. "Is it really you?"
I nod at Wally and give him a smile, my hand offering a small wave to the man who had become like a younger brother to me. "It's me," I say nervously. "I'm here."
Wally rushes up and wraps his arms around me, locking me in a tight hug. I hug him back, the smile on my face growing as I realize the worry I had that he would be angry with me was for nothing. "I can't believe it!"
"I know," I say. Something crashes in the background, the sound of glass shattering against the ground. It forces the two of us to look toward the building that is barely standing straight, its foundation crumbling by the minute. "And while it's nice to see you, we should probably save this for after."
Wally nods and drops his arms, rushing toward a woman who has stumbled out of the rubble down the street. He picks her up into his arms and runs down the street and out of harm's way. I turn on my heel and run toward the building, hopping over the cracked and broken pieces of the road, sliding along the pavement. I silently curse as I watch the heel of my boot grind against the rough street, mentally kicking myself for at least not grabbing a pair of my old boots. I will have to toss these as soon as I get back to the manor.
"Help!"
I scan the area, my ears perking up when I hear someone's desperate cries. In front of me, one of the buildings is on fire, smoke billowing out from every open window. I am about to focus my attention on the building behind me when I hear that desperate voice again.
"Please! Someone, help me!"
I look up and notice something poking out from one of the fourteenth floor windows. A rush of air moves the smoke just enough for me to see the terrified face of a woman unable to escape the flames and smoke. She waves frantically, crying as she tries to get the attention of the firefighters, who start to retreat, thinking they've rescued everyone, wanting to get away from the building before its foundation gives way like the others.
I run toward the building, ignoring the heat that fills the air the closer I get to the building. I take another large step, jumping over a few cars that have been smashed with falling debris, before I fly up and toward the building. My eyes are locked on the woman leaning out of the window. Her face is covered in soot, only cleared by the tears that continue to stream down her cheeks.
"Help! Please!" She calls once more. She begins to cough on the smoke as it becomes more dense, the flames engulfing more of the building by the second.
"There's someone still up there," I hear from the ground.
"We can't risk it," another person says.
I glance over my shoulder and watch as the firefighters stare in shock. Their faces are covered in dirt and soot, the sweat on their brow dripping down the side of their faces. A few of them look on in terror, some look down in defeat as they realized they haven't saved everyone.
I turn back to the building and fly the rest of the way toward it, pushing myself harder than I ever have. I'm nearly at the building, flying higher toward the fourteenth floor. I watch as the woman starts waving a piece of fabric out the window, her throat choking on the smoke too much to yell for help. She leans further out of the window, trying to let the green piece of clothing get away from the smoke, however she doesn't realize she has overextended, and falls out of the window.
Everyone gasps as they watch her fall. She lets go of the green piece of clothing, letting it blow away from her as she waves her arms in an attempt to fly up and away. I swoop down and grab the hem of her shirt, momentarily pausing her descent. She stops a few feet before she hits the pavement, her legs hovering over the heated pavement.
She looks up, her eyes meeting mine, and breathes a sigh of relief, before she cries even harder. "Thank you," she whispers, her voice raspy from all the smoke.
I nod and continue to fly, adjusting her in my arms until she is firmly planted in both my arms. I rush her to the edge of the perimeter the fire department has set up, gently landing beside an open ambulance. I gently place her on an empty stretcher and look up at the EMTs. They both stare at me, wide eyed, mouths agape. "She took in a lot of smoke," I say.
Both men nod, snapping out of their temporary confusion, and begin to work on the woman laying in front of them. One of the EMTs, the older of the two based on the white hair that covers his head, places a mask over the woman's face and begins the flow of oxygen. He turns to his partner and nods once.
They move in unison and push the stretcher to the back of the ambulance. The older EMT stuffs the tank of oxygen onto the stretcher beside the woman, making sure it won't roll off as they shove her into the back of the vehicle.
I turn back to the building when I hear the low rumble of concrete and steel shifting. I watch as the building the woman had been in a few seconds prior falls to the ground, a large cloud of debris filled smoke rushing down the streets inside the perimeter. I move to fly back to the area, stopping only when I feel a hand on my arm. I glance over my shoulder and notice the woman on the stretcher staring at me, her eyes still welled with tears as she keeps her hand on my arm.
Her hand shakes as she moves to the mask over her face. She pulls it from her mouth and whispers, "Thank you, Wonder Woman," before she falls back onto the stretcher. The EMTs slide the stretcher into the back of the ambulance. The older EMT climbs into the back of the vehicle and shuts the door, as his younger partner goes to the driver's seat and drives away, flipping the sirens on as they rush to the nearest hospital.
I take a deep breath and let out a sigh. Being called Wonder Woman was strange, but it brought a familiar sense of peace I hadn't expected.
I quickly snap back to reality and fly back toward the other buildings that have been hit by the earthquake, knowing the job is far from over.
It takes a little under three hours to get everything under control, enough for Clark, Wally, and myself to feel comfortable leaving everything else to local authorities. We talk to the police and firefighters, making sure they feel confident none of the other buildings have been compromised enough to fall, before we make our way out of the perimeter. I try to avoid the line of reporters that have been stationed along the perimeter San Francisco PD has set up since the first aftershock hit the city. I already know photos of my return have been circulating the internet, and the video of me catching that woman, who I now know is Grace Benton, a marketing intern on her second day, has been playing every hour on every news station in the city. I can only imagine who else has seen it.
"Diana," I hear from behind me. Wally rushes up to me and places a hand on my shoulder. His outfit is streaked with dark soot and I can see the sweat on his face. I can only imagine how I look, with my singed shirt and torn jeans. "It was so nice having you back," he says. He gives me a tired smile.
I smile back and try to stifle a yawn. "It was nice to be back," I say back. We make our way toward the edge of the perimeter, ducking under the police tape.
It isn't long before the two of us are bombarded with reporters and photographers, shoving their cameras in our faces. "Wonder Woman," one of them calls, "where have you been?"
"Wonder Woman," another says, "how long have you been back?"
"Wonder Woman, are you planning on staying this time?"
"Wonder Woman, does this mean you and Bruce Wayne are back together?"
I take a deep breath and glance at Wally. I don't have any answers to these. I don't know if I'm staying. I don't know how to explain where I've been, and I definitely don't know how to answer that last question. If I had even the slightest idea, I would have been able to sleep just fine last night. I wouldn't be walking through the manor on eggshells.
Wally steps in front of me, his chest hitting the microphone that was thrusted toward my face during that last question. "Come on guys, give her some space," he says. "She's back, she saved a bunch of people, she helped SFPD and SFFD."
He places his hand on my back and leads me away from the reporters. He glances over his shoulder to make sure no one is following us, before he lets out a sigh and drops his arms. "Thank you," I say. "I just didn't expect to be bombarded like that."
Wally nods, reaches over to the table that has snacks and waters set up for the first responders, and grabs a granola bar. He unwraps it and takes a bite, chewing quickly. "You know," he says as he swallows his bite. "If you got some time, there's an iced mocha on The Watchtower with your name on it." He shoves the rest of the granola bar into his mouth and gives me a wide smile.
My lips curl into a smile and I nod. "I'd like that," I say. "I'd really like that."
Clark Kent was supposed to be dead. Clark Kent was not supposed to have been resurrected, forced to come back to life after dying. Clark Kent was not supposed to be sitting in a bar on a Monday night, casually waiting for two friends, letting his eyes dart back and forth behind fake glasses that kept his identity hidden. But here he sat, staring at the wall of the crowded bar, watching as the images of the resurrected Superman flashed on the screen once more. Clark Kent shouldn't have been alive, but the truth was, he wasn't just Clark Kent, and the world needed Superman now more than ever.
Clark watched the door, waiting for Bruce and Diana to show up. When Bruce had called earlier that week and said he needed to talk to the two of them, he hadn't thought much of it. He knew Bruce was trying to expand the team, wanting to find others like them, others that could fight should the need arise. He was just surprised Bruce wanted to include him in anything. The Batman was so secretive, and up until a few months ago, he had wanted Superman dead. There were times when Clark still found it hard to fully trust Bruce.
The door creaked open and in walked Bruce. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a dark sweater. Clark imagined it was the only casual clothes the man owned.
Bruce quickly spotted Clark and rushed over to the booth he sat in, taking a seat across from the man who had arrived a few moments prior. He quietly glanced around the bar, taking in the various awards and photographs that plastered the walls, before he studied the bartender chatting with a few bikers at the bar. "Glad you could make it," Bruce said casually, not bothering to look at Clark as he continued to study his surroundings; The Batman always needed a means to escape if necessary.
Clark scoffed. "Not like I have anywhere else to be," he quipped. He leaned back in the booth, letting his head hit the top of the seat with a sigh, before he dragged his hand down his face. As a means to keep a low profile, Clark had been spending more time at the farm with his mother in Smallville. He loved his mother's company, and there was a certain nostalgia to being at the farm after all this time, but he forgot how utterly boring it was, especially when Lois was away at work. He would finish all the chores in less than an hour, read everything he could, help Martha with her errands, but the busyness of Metropolis had seeped into his blood and he soon found himself craving the bright lights of the city. He could only hope Bruce found a way to explain Clark Kent's reappearance soon, so that he could get back to his life in Metropolis with the woman he loved.
"Farm life is not everything you dreamed of?" Bruce asked with a smirk. He watched as Clark lifted his head and glared at him, unamused, before he cleared his throat. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted when the door creaked open once more and the chatter that filled the bar died down.
Bruce turned his head and watched as Diana walked towards the two of them, trying to ignore the stares from most of the men, and a few of the women, seated at the bar. Bruce watched as Diana offered Clark a smile, gently placing her hand on his shoulder as she took a seat next to him, before she looked up and gave Bruce a small nod. "Gentlemen," she greeted.
Bruce watched as Clark reciprocated the smile and his hand gripped his knee tightly as a surge of jealousy rushed through his body. "You're late," Bruce said quietly, trying to make his voice not betray him, giving any indication of how she made his heart skip a beat every time he laid eyes on her. He glanced up at her, watching as she adjusted the jacket she wore, before she leaned back and crossed her legs.
"I had to travel internationally," she explained, glancing up at Bruce with a smirk. "Next time you decide to do this, how about Paris?" She watched as Bruce flashed her a smirk. Her heart fluttered as she watched Bruce's eyes travel to her lips; she had done the same to him the past few weeks.
Ever since defeating Steppenwolf the two had grown closer. The flirtations soon followed, as had the innocent touches. Diana would casually stroke Bruce's arm and shoulder while they waited for a file to download. Bruce would gently place his hand on her back as she helped him fine-tune some of his equipment. The two had become comfortable with each other - too comfortable. That was Bruce's worry. He had let himself get swept up in the dream that was Diana and her perfection, and he knew he had to force himself back to reality before it all came crumbling down. Diana was an Amazon, destined to outlive him and be something great for this world. He was a man who was past his prime and nearing retirement. He couldn't rob her of the life he knew she was supposed to lead. So he had pulled back, ignoring her calls unless completely necessary, scolding himself whenever he sent her a text that was less than professional. He needed to focus on finding more members for the team, not pursuing a woman who he clearly did not deserve.
"So why call us here, Bruce?" Clark asked, interrupting the unspoken flirtation Diana and Bruce were engaged in but would never admit to. He had noticed it when he had first come back, back at the memorial. The way Diana had jumped in between him and Bruce, Clark could tell she was protecting him. He obviously meant something to her, and the way Bruce acted around her was evidence enough that the feeling was mutual.
Bruce cleared his throat, clearing his head from any remnants of jealousy, before he glanced up at the Kryptonian. "Now that we know there are others out there, others that want to harm us, we need to be ready." He looked up and lowered his voice, careful not to let everyone around them, who had all gone back to their side conversations when they realized Diana was not interested in any of them, hear what he had to say. "I think there are others out there like us that are willing to join us so we can be ready should another threat come."
Diana nodded and shifted in her seat, placing her hands in her lap. "Agreed," she said. She looked Bruce in the eye and raised an eyebrow. "But something tells me you've already found some."
Bruce only smirked. As much as he hated to admit it, she knew him all too well.
The next two hours were filled with careful planning, whispers of strategies and plans, and boisterous laughter. Bruce had tried to keep this meeting as professional as possible, trying to keep his eyes from stealing glances at the Amazon in front of him, not wanting her to know just how mesmerized he was with her, but had failed miserably. Diana would casually flirt with the man as well, stealing glances of her own, smirking each and every time their eyes met over the table.
Clark, who had grown more and more uncomfortable with the building tension between the two had tried to ignore it, but the harder he tried, the more comfortable Diana and Bruce became. He had even gone to the bar twice to pick up a few drinks, staying a few extra minutes to give the two privacy, but each time he returned, the tension only seemed to have gotten worse.
"So are we not expecting the other three to show up?" Clark finally asked. He was technically the newest member of this group, as he had been six feet under when Bruce and Diana had gathered everyone. Why was he the only one having to deal with the awkward tension that Bruce and Diana were slowly creating.
Bruce tore his eyes away from Diana and shrugged. "Barry is working," he answered, glancing up at Diana who only smiled. She knew it was Bruce who helped Barry get the job at the crime lab, giving him resources to help get the evidence to prove his father was an innocent man.
"Victor has been pretty quiet since getting back to Gotham," Diana explained, her voice nearly a whisper as she glanced over at Clark. She watched as his face softened, his knitted eyebrows relaxing as he realized the weight of her words.
The team had been so occupied trying to calm him when he first came back from the dead, trying to make sure he didn't destroy the city and kill everyone in his path, they had neglected the MotherBox. With no one watching it, Steppenwolf had found it easily, and Silas Stone had given his life so that they might have a chance at finding it once he had taken it away. Clark was convinced he had a part in Silas' death.
Diana's hand quickly found Clark's on the table. She let her fingers wrap around his, giving them a gentle squeeze, silently reminding him Silas' death was not his doing. "I see," Clark whispered in return, giving Diana a small smile, thanking her for her small gesture, before lifting the bottle of beer to his lips and taking a sip. "And Arthur?"
"Arthur is busy being Arthur," Bruce explained, shrugging his shoulders once more.
"Informative," Diana said sarcastically as she released Clark's hand and grabbed her own glass of alcohol. "So you don't have any trackers in Atlantis?" she joked as she swirled her glass, watching the red wine slosh around in the glass as she gave Bruce a smirk.
Bruce tried to hide the smirk that was creeping up on his own face, flicking his eyes up to glance at Clark, who only closed his eyes in embarrassment. "He's in Sicily, actually," Bruce corrected, moving his empty glass toward the middle of the table.
"Ah, forgive me then," Diana said with a smile. She raised her glass to her lips and took a sip, watching as Clark glanced down at his phone. She knew he was silently praying Lois would text him that she needed his help lifting something off the top shelf, or she needed him to go to Chicago for that deep dish pizza they had once had during a conference; anything to get himself out of the awkward situation that he currently found himself in.
"Excuse me," Bruce said abruptly, scooting his chair back and standing from his seat.
Diana and Clark watched as he walked toward the back of the bar, pulling his phone from his pocket as he disappeared around the back corner. "So," Clark began, clearing his throat before he continued, "You and Bruce?"
Diana gave him a guilty smile. "What about us?" she asked, feigning ignorance. She took another sip of her wine.
"What's exactly going on between the two of you?"
Diana shrugged. "It's complicated." Her answer was met with a skeptical face and a laugh of disbelief, as Clark crossed his arms over his chest, not convinced. "Bruce is guarded. Too guarded, and I can never tell what he wants."
Clark took a deep breath, unable to believe he was going to have this conversation with Diana. After everything they had all been through the last year this seemed like it was beneath them, but the more he thought about it, thought about the happiness he felt when he was with Lois, the more he realized everyone deserved that. "What do you want, Diana?" he asked.
Diana said nothing as she stared past Clark at the two men gathered around the pool table at the end of the room. She watched as they threw around friendly banter, each challenging the other, raising the stakes of their game until they shook hands and began to gather the balls.
"Diana," Clark began, forcing her to look away from the men and back at him.
"Bruce loves to throw himself in the fire," she explained. "He tries to sacrifice himself for everyone else, he forgets to live for himself and-"
"And you're worried about getting hurt again," Clark finished. He knew her backstory with Steve. He knew she had been wary about getting attached to anyone else, anyone who was willing to sacrifice themself without a second thought. But he also knew something she didn't. He knew how Bruce felt, even if he couldn't utter the words himself. "You should give him a chance," Clark said. "I think you'll find he feels the same way."
Diana's eyes narrowed. "How do you know that?" she asked, watching as Bruce turned the corner slowly, his attention still on whoever was on the other end of that phone call.
Clark only smirked. "Because every time he's around you, his heart races." He watched as Diana chuckled and finished her wine, shaking her head as she placed the empty glass beside Bruce's. "What?" he asked, raising his hands defensively. "I tried to ignore it, but the other day at the farm I thought he was going to have a heart attack the way it kept skipping and speeding up. It's not healthy for the old man."
Diana let out a hearty laugh, the sound of her laughter filling their corner of the bar. "Clark," Diana warned in between laughs, "leave the man alone."
Clark smirked once more, lifting the half drunk bottle of beer to his lips and taking a large sip. He watched as Bruce finally made his way back to the table and took a seat, before he looked around and noticed the bartender staring their way, wondering when he would be up for yet another refill. "Excuse me," was all Clark said as he stood and made his way to the bar.
"Do you think we can make this work?" Bruce asked, watching as Diana glanced over to the men playing pool, her attention on the cues in their hands.
"The plan for the team?" she asked absentmindedly, her focus still on the men as they took turns aligning their sticks with the white ball on the table.
"Yes." He watched as Diana nodded, her attention still on the gentleman and their game. Bruce leaned closer to Diana, trying to determine what had caught her attention. When he saw the two men playing at the end of the room, he raised an eyebrow. "You want to play?"
Diana turned around to face Bruce, her face stopping a few inches from his. She hadn't noticed how close he had gotten, nor had she minded, but seeing his face this close to hers, even in the dim light of the bar, she noticed just how red his cheeks were. Whether it was the alcohol or his irregular beating heart like Clark had mentioned, she didn't know. All she knew was she didn't mind the closeness. "I, um, I never learned how to play," she confessed, her eyes falling to his lips, watching as he unconsciously bit his bottom lip in thought, before she glanced up to meet his eyes.
"Ah, another time then," he said, his voice raspy as he tried to fight the urge to kiss her. He leaned back away from her, distancing himself, and cleared his throat. "I actually have to get going. I have a meeting in the morning and should probably get some sleep."
"Yes," Diana said, flashing him a smile in an attempt to hide her disappointment. "You've gotten boring in your old age," Diana said with a chuckle, winking at Bruce as he stood from his seat and pulled his wallet from his pocket, stopping momentarily to glare at her after her comment.
"Let's not forget," Bruce began. He pulled a few bills from his wallet and laid them on the table, giving a quick wave to Clark and the bartender, before he turned his attention back to Diana. "You're older than me," he said, his voice low so as not to let the entire bar hear his remark. With that he left the bar, a smirk on his face, as he left Diana at the table, confused now more than ever.
Event time! I'm so happy I was able to get something done to participate in this event. It's been a while since I wrote anything and I thought what would be a better time to get back into writing for this magnificent duo than with a WonderBat event?
I've decided to base this whole event on the AU versions that I wrote for both "O' Christmas Tree" and "New Years Eve", because we all know I like to tie other stories in with each other. There's something about writing an AU that makes me very excited. If you haven't read those two yet, I would strongly suggest you do that to give you a bit of background. I hope you all enjoy this!
January 27. Metropolis. 12:32
Bruce
My heart races as I sit behind the wheel, my hands shaking as I think about what has led me to this place. For months, maybe even years, I have known this was what I wanted, but there is still part of me that worries this isn't what is the best. I feel like the last year has been nothing but a dream, and I'm waiting to wake up. But I don't want to wake up. I want to continue this, continue down this journey with her.
Diana has been my rock since we've started dating- actually she's been my best friend and support system much longer than that. Ever since she transferred to Gotham back in elementary school, she has been supportive, even when I didn't deserve it. She is such a kind, caring, beautiful and compassionate person, and I don't know what I've done to make her choose me, but I will strive to continue to make her as happy as she's made me.
My hands continue to shake as I shift gears, placing the car into park, before I turn off the engine. I let out a small sigh and close my eyes, gently biting my bottom lip in nervous frustration. I know what I am doing is needed, but I can't help but feel it is a bit overwhelming. Diana and I have talked about this before, but it was never an idea set in stone, and I wonder if this is something that I solely want. My hand reaches for the key still in the ignition, ready to bring the car back to life, when my phone begins to ring from inside my coat pocket.
My hand abandons its path to the key and instead digs into my pocket of the coat folded neatly on my passenger seat. It is on its third ring by the time I fish out the phone and I quickly turn the device to see the screen, my lips curling into a smile when I see the name flashing in bright letters across the glass.
"Hello," I say. I pray my voice doesn't give off just how nervous I have been all morning, and when I only hear silence I fear it might have. I soon breathe a small sigh of relief when I hear a chuckle come through the phone followed by Diana's voice.
"Where are you?" she asks, although she already knows the answer. She knows I have business to tend to in Metropolis, I distinctly remember telling her this a few days ago. I was never specific in what I would be doing, as I was worried she would figure out my plan and ruin it, however I realize doing so might make things all the more suspicious.
"I'm in Metropolis," I state, pulling the keys from the ignition and placing them into the coat pocket my phone was housed in moments prior.
She scoffs at my answer. "I know that," she says, "but where in Metropolis?"
It is my turn to chuckle as I shake my head. If I give her even the slightest clue as to where I am she will have no problem making the trip over the bay to join me, and that is the last thing I want. I would still like to surprise her every now and then, and this might be the biggest surprise of them all.
"Downtown," I say. I open the door to the car and step out in the cold winter breeze, reaching back inside the vehicle to grab my coat before I quickly pull it on. As I look over the tall buildings that line the streets of downtown Metropolis, my lips twitch into a smirk. The giant sphere that sits atop of the Daily Planet is in perfect view from where I stand, and I mentally add another item on the to do list, before I close the car door, listening for it to lock before I focus my attention back to my conversation with Diana.
"Hey, Di," I say, patting my back pocket to check for my wallet, "I have to get going. I'll see you later tonight?" I know the answer even before I ask. Diana has been spending nearly all of her free time at the manor, and at first it was a bit frightening; I was used to having the place to myself, with the exception of Alfred of course. But the more time I spent with Diana, the more I wanted her around. It was always so quiet when she left, even if it was for a few hours to get items from her apartment by the bay.
After her incident with the tree, where my stupid self insecurities had caused her to get hurt, I knew there was only one logical thing to do: I had asked her to move in with me. Of course she had accepted, and we both knew what this meant, but I did not care. Bruce Wayne was a bachelor no longer, and I welcomed that change wholeheartedly. It had been a few weeks since I had asked Diana to move in, and although she had a few items still at her place, she was spending every night with me and Alfred.
"Of course," she states, just as I expected.
I am just about to say my goodbyes when she chimes in with, "Don't forget we're having dinner with my mother next week."
I nod even though she can't see. "I know," I say. It is one of the reasons I am currently walking down the streets of Metropolis in freezing weather. "I'll see you tonight."
"See you tonight," she repeats. "I love you."
I am unable to help the smile that forms hearing those three words. We have only been saying that phrase to each other for a few weeks, but it seems like we've known it for years. "I love you too," I return. I wait for her to end the call before I shove the phone back into my pocket and continue down the street. I know now, with absolute certainty, that I am doing the right thing. If thoughts of Diana haven't convinced me, her saying those three words have reminded me of all the reasons I love this woman so dearly.
XXXXXXX
"Stop that!"
My lips curl into a smirk and I turn my face, trying to avoid the death glare Diana and a few of our classmates are throwing my way. "Stop what?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
Diana only furrows her eyebrows even more and places a hand on her hip. My smirk does nothing to her, it never does, and I let out a sigh before I relax my face. "You're no fun," I whisper under my breath, but when she raises an eyebrow, I know she's heard me. How does she do that? The woman seems to know exactly what I'm thinking and while that might be fun occasionally, it's hard to keep myself from letting her know just how hard I'm falling for - scratch that- have fallen for her. It's impossible not to. She's smart, she's funny, she's the most compassionate person I know. Not to mention she's absolutely gorgeous.
"I'm a lot of fun," she says, throwing her arms up in frustration.
One of the guys beside her only scoffs. "That's not what Steve said," he remarks.
I watch as Diana whips her head to glance at Marcus, the one who can't keep his snide comments to himself. Her jaw clenches at the mention of her ex-boyfriend and she stares at the boy, silently burning a hole into the side of his face. If there was one person you didn't want to make angry, it was Diana. Sure, she was the sweetest person I knew, but even the cuddliest puppy could become aggressive when provoked - and Steve was definitely a sore spot for her.
Having broken up with Diana over the summer before he headed into the military, many had assumed it was because he was sparing her the idea of a long distance relationship. Others assumed it was because he didn't want to be tied down going into the Army. But I knew there was more to it. Diana never told me the true extent of things, but I had a hunch. Either way, he didn't deserve her.
"Callahan," I say, startling the rest of the group. I take a step toward Marcus, watching as he takes a step back and raises his hands in surrender. But I'm not done with him just yet. I take another step toward the sophomore and jab him in the chest. "Apologize," I say, narrowing my eyes at the frightened boy.
He nods and gulps before he turns to Diana. "I'm sorry, Diana," he says, "That was uncalled for." He takes another step behind his twin sister, Rose, and breathes a sigh of relief. I may not be the biggest, nor the strongest, or smartest guy on campus, but money talks.
"Okay, okay," Diana says. She places a hand on my shoulder and yanks me back, flaring her nostrils as she shakes her head. My cheeks begin to burn red as I watch her eyes narrow and I turn away from Marcus, Rose, and the two other guys who have remained quiet this whole afternoon. Diana hates when I jump to her rescue; it was one of the reasons she and Steve argued so much.
I know I should've stayed quiet, let her fight her own battles, but she's my best friend. Diana is beautiful, and she knows this. Her confidence is portrayed as egotistical, and people tend to have very few wholesome thoughts of her. She deserves more than what people give her. Not to mention her accent always seems to draw attention, whether it be positive or negative.
Diana glances over her shoulder at the clock on the wall. It is well past four forty-five and she needs to be home before her mother starts to worry; another reason she hates people being over protective of her. Her mother worries enough, Diana doesn't need me to add to it.
"It's getting late," she says as she walks to her desk. "How about we pick this back up tomorrow after class?" She closes the copy of Shakespear's Romeo and Juliet that has been laying open on her desk and turns to the group. They all nod, tired of having read and translated the infamous tragedy, before they begin to gather their own items. She turns to me and gives me a small smile, letting me know she's not as angry as I think.
"Great, see everyone tomorrow." Everyone nods and walks out of the room. When it is just the two of us Diana turns to face me and raises an eyebrow, silently asking me what I was thinking.
"I know, I know," I say, holding my hand up, stopping her from lecturing me. I shove my own copy of Romeo and Juliet into my book bag and zip it up. I watch as she finishes packing her own bag, her lips quivering as she tries to hide a smile.
"People already think you're more than a friend, Bruce," she says. "You know the gossip at this school travels fast."
I know this, but would it be so bad if we were more than friends? Of course it would be. She's my best friend, and I don't want to do anything to ruin the only genuine friendship I've had since my parents' deaths. When Diana and I first met, she didn't treat me like some fragile boy, much like what the rest of the world did. To everyone else I was someone to be pitied, someone who didn't know how to live the rest of my life in happiness. And for a moment, I believed them. But Diana saw through that. She helped me more than I like to admit, and because of that, I vowed I would never do anything to ruin our friendship. Besides, I didn't exactly have a good track record with relationships.
"Let people think what they want," is all I say. She glances at me over her shoulder and lets out a chuckle, shaking her head as she walks toward the projector and turns it off.
"Easy for you to say. You enjoy the attention." She continues to walk around the classroom, checking to make sure she has closed and secured everything, before she pulls the large key from her pocket. She nods to the door, telling me to go, and I oblige, grabbing both of our bags and stepping out of the classroom and into the empty hall. "In case you haven't noticed, I get enough attention," she states as she closes the door and locks up, pushing it to make sure it is secure, before she turns to me.
Of course I've noticed. But I wouldn't dare tell her that. I hand her her bag and mumble a quick, "Sorry," before the two of us head down the hall toward the main office.
It is quiet as we walk, both exhausted from the last week. I can't wait for Midterms to be over, and as I steal a glance at Diana, I can tell she hasn't been sleeping much. She turns her head and catches me staring, her lips curling into a smile as a faint hue of pink begins to grace her cheeks. "Do I have something on my face?" she asks.
I chuckle nervously before nodding. "Yeah," I say, "I don't know what's going on here." I move my finger around her face and flash her a smirk.
She realizes my joke and nudges me with her shoulder, shaking her head as we turn the corner. "I can't wait until this week is over," she says with a sigh. "Although this whole Romeo and Juliet presentation would be a lot easier if you could play nicely."
I only shrug. Group presentations were never my strong suit. Group "anythings" were never my strong suit. "I just hate Romeo and Juliet," I say.
She raises an eyebrow and places a hand on my arm. "Sometimes the thought of living without someone you love makes people do stupid things," she says. "Whether that's a lover," she begins, lowering her voice, "or a parent."
I am momentarily surprised by what she says, freezing in my spot. She gently squeezes my arm, letting me know she hasn't told anyone of how I used to feel, lonely and wanting to die, before she gives me a nod. I give her a weak smile, waiting for her to smile, before we begin our journey back down the hallway in comfortable silence.
XXXXXX
I quickly walk into the shop at the end of the street, quickly closing the door to block the chilly air from entering behind me. There is a middle aged woman behind the counter who smiles when she notices me. "Good afternoon," she greets. "How can I help you?"
I take a step toward her and pull the coat from my body, suddenly sweating by the sudden temperature change, and maybe the nerves. "Hello," I say. "I have an appointment with Gustavo."
She nods and clasps her hands together. "Ah yes, Mr. Wayne," she answers, placing the jewelry stand in her hand on top of one of the glass display containers. "Gustavo should be right in," she says, "Can I show you a few of your selections?"
I nod, watching as she turns and unlocks one of the vaults behind the counter. As she pulls a tray containing a handful of velvet boxes onto the glass, an older burly man walks around the corner and into the main display room: Gustavo.
My family has come to Gustavo's for generations. I knew this was the place I wanted to come to find that special ring ever since my father told me of the time he asked my mother for her hand.
"Ah, Bruce," Gustavo greets. He offers me a hand, which I shake, and places a hand on my shoulder. "When you called me, I was so happy." He turns to the woman by his side and nods. "Ask my beautiful wife Linda, I was so, so happy," he says ecstatically.
Linda nods. "He was," she replies.
"I knew I had to come to the best," I say with a wink.
Gustavo soaks in my compliment and nudges my arm. "Oh Mr. Wayne, you make Gustavo blush," he says. "Come, let's see what we have here." He grabs one of the velvet boxes and opens it so quickly I fear the hinges will snap. Inside there is a ring that would make any woman jealous. The band is gold and the diamond that is perched on top is bright and bold. "Now this is a beautiful ring, for a beautiful woman, yes?"
I continue to look at the ring, making sure to examine every crevice. He is right, it is a beautiful ring, but it's not the one for Diana. "It is beautiful," I say, "but not the right one."
Gustavo nods. "Yes, yes. Of course." He carefully closes the box and places it on the glass, before he grabs another two boxes from Linda. "Don't you worry, Mr. Wayne, we'll find a special one for your little lady."
XXXXX
Diana sits silently, staring at the two textbooks she has laying on the table in front of her. She quietly plops a carrot into her mouth and chews, her eyes never leaving the pages that contain all the information needed to pass her Chemistry final. She carefully flips a page, her eyes narrowing as she looks at the formulas, trying to memorize the chemical compounds that have been used in every lab she had for the past year.
"I don't think it's physically possible to memorize all of this," she says as she lets out a huff. She gently uses her index and middle fingers to rub her temples. "How are you not freaking out?" she asks.
I only shrug and plop a few grapes from my own lunch into my mouth. "You're over stressing it," I say. "You're going to ace it, like you do with every exam. I wouldn't worry about it."
She only throws a glare my way before her focus goes back to the textbooks. "Easy for you to say," she mumbles.
I only smirk and let out a chuckle. "Relax, Di," I say, reaching over to close her textbooks. She opens her mouth to voice her disapproval but I shake my head. "Enough studying. You need to eat." She lets out another huff but listens. She pushes the books aside and pulls out a sandwich, quickly taking a large bite.
I give her a nod, feeling accomplished that I was able to convince her to eat. I shove the last of my lunch into my mouth and chew contently as I glance around the open courtyard. All around are students. Some are carelessly eating their lunches or socializing with friends, unbothered by the thoughts of next week's finals. Some sit like Diana, hunched over text books and notes, trying to cram for exams. And then there's Julie Madison, sitting across the courtyard, locking lips with one of the Seniors. I try to look away, but I am not fast enough as she looks up and locks eyes with mine, before she flashes me a smile.
I quickly turn away from her and shake my head. I had had my chance with Julie but I was much more interested in someone else than her. Word of our break up got around pretty quickly and it seemed as though she were enjoying the attention it brought. "You gotta stop doing that."
I turn to face Diana, who once again has her face buried in a book. "Doing what?" I ask innocently.
She turns her head to glare at me, before she looks ahead to where Julie sits. "Torturing yourself," she replies. "Why don't you just go talk to her? I'm sure she'd take you back in a heartbeat."
I absentmindedly shake my head. "I'm fine," I lie. She glances at me once more, her eyebrow raised, challenging my fib. I narrow my eyes and put on my best poker face, hoping it'll do enough to not raise anymore questions. After a moment she shrugs her shoulders and closes her book.
"So what are you going to do? Stay single forever?" she asks with a smirk.
I know what she's doing and I won't fall for it. For a year I've had to endure Diana asking me why Julie and I never lasted more than two months, but I don't have the heart to tell her it was because of her. "Maybe," is all I say as I gather my trash.
Diana scoffs and I do a double take, offended. "How about this," she begins. She places her textbooks into her book bag and zips it up. "What about, if we come to our twenty year class reunion and neither of us are married, we'll get married?"
I chuckle, stopping when I notice she doesn't seem to find it funny. In fact, she is staring at me, waiting for an answer. While the question does take me by surprise, it's not as if I haven't thought about it. Diana is my best friend, and shouldn't that be the person you marry? Besides, what is the probability it'll actually happen. As I've said before, she's an amazing woman, someone is bound to find that out and marry her before I get the chance to.
"You're being serious?" I ask.
"Absolutely," she says, stone faced.
I let my eyes wander, making it look as if I am actually pondering over the idea, but I already know my answer. "Okay," I say after a few moments, "I suppose so." She gives me a small smile and nods. "But I deserve a full proposal," I joke.
Diana is unable to help the laugh that falls from her lips. "Okay, Wayne," she says. She takes the plastic tie that was used to close her bag of carrots and twists it until it forms a tight ring. "Bruce," she says, pinching the makeshift ring between her forefinger and thumb, "will you marry me?"
"Of course," I answer as I place my hand on my chest dramatically. Diana only rolls her eyes and hands me the ring, watching as I place it on my pinky and flash her my hand. The bell ending lunch rings from the other end of the courtyard and we both stand from where we have been seated. I gather my items and sling my book bag over my shoulder. I watch as Diana quickly disposes of her trash before she grabs her bag and we rush toward the main hall.
When we are inside I walk Diana to her next class, Calculus, as I've done every day this year, casually asking if she's going to go to the big beach party Arnold Zarkousky is throwing next week after finals. She is hesitant at first but I eventually convince her to go. "Okay Prince," I say once we reach the door, "I'll have you know I am not a cheap man. I think I deserve a ring that actually fits."
Diana only chuckles and pushes my shoulder forcing me to take a step back. "I'll get you a ring pop," she says over her shoulder sarcastically as she steps into the classroom.
"Better be the blue one," I say with narrowed eyes. I watch as she shakes her head and takes her seat, before I turn on my heel and rush toward my French class, hoping my casual flirtations with Diana haven't made me late once more.
XXXXXXX
"What about this one, Mr. Wayne?" Gustavo lifts the last velvet box into his hand and silently prays that this is the ring. We have been looking at rings for nearly an hour. We have gone through the original seven Gustavo picked out, and a few more he had in the display cases. We have even toyed with the idea of custom making a ring for Diana, but things do not seem to be going great. I want this to be perfect. Diana deserves a ring that is perfect.
Gustavo hands me the box and I carefully open it. I want to say it's perfect, but there is something I can't quite put my finger on. "I'm sorry Gustavo," I say, handing him the back the ring. "I just want this to be perfect."
Gustavo nods but I can see he is getting a bit overwhelmed. "I understand," he says. "It can be a difficult thing. This woman is a lucky woman."
I nod and let out a sigh. "Gustavo, I'm the lucky one. Diana is beautiful, she's kind, she's smart, and for some reason, she's found enough reasons to love me to stay around." I look up at him and let out another sigh. "When you find a woman like that, you want to make everything possible for her. You'd move mountains just to see her beautiful smile. She makes you want to be a better man."
Gustavo nods. His eyes are moist and he lets a smile form as he tries to fight the tears. "I understand completely, Mr. Wayne," he says. He reaches over and grabs Linda's hand, gives it a gentle squeeze, and kisses her cheek. "When you find a woman like that, you want to give her the world. Yes, you are a lucky man sir, just like me. Lucky to have found your Linda!"
I nod as I let out a small chuckle. I watch as Gustavo kisses his wife's cheek two more times before she pushes him away giggling. "I think I might have just what you're looking for," Linda says. She disappears behind the counter, only to pop up a minute later, a black box in her small manicured hands. She hands the box to Gustavo, watching with a smile as he opens the lid.
"Ah, Bellissima," he says, kissing his wife once more. "My wife is as smart as she is beautiful!" He watches as his wife blushes, trying to wave off the compliment, before he hands me the box. "Take a look, Mr. Wayne," he says. "I think you'll find this one is, perfetto!"
I grab the box from Gustavo's hand and take a deep breath. I open the box and stare at the ring. I can see Gustavo grab his wife around the waist and hold her close as they watch me inspect the piece of jewelry. After a few moments I close the box, a smile on my face, and say, "It's perfect. This is the one."
The two throw their hands up in celebration. "Magnifico," Gustavo says. He walks around the display case and places a hand on my shoulder. "Let's get you all settled Mr. Wayne, so you can plan the best proposal ever."
The two get everything situated fairly quickly and within the hour I am heading out the door back into the winter breeze. "Don't you be a stranger, Mr. Wayne," Gustavo says from behind the counter. "And you bring the future Mrs. Wayne here, so Gustavo can tell her how you didn't stop until you got the perfect ring!"
"Of course," I say, as I step out of the shop. I give the older couple a small wave, watching as they happily wave back from inside, before I walk down the street.
I let out a sigh of relief. I never knew this could be so stressful, but it'll all be worth it. This is what I want, more than anything. I wouldn't have spent all that time looking at dozens upon dozens of rings if I wasn't sure.
Turning the corner, I continue down the street. The sun has come up and the temperature has risen slightly, but the wind is still as strong as ever. I quickly reach into my coat pocket and pull out my phone, dial the familiar number, and wait for them to answer. A few moments later I hear the distinct voice on the other end whisper a, "Hello," and I smile as my free hand pats the pocket where the ring now rests.
