#wonderbatsecretsanta

[deestroyerart]

You don't ever have to be stronger than you really are

When you're lying in my arms, baby

You don't ever have to go faster than your fastest pace

Or faster than my fastest cars 

Bruce and Diana enjoying some free time on Themiscyra, inspired by a Lana Del Rey song and that Batman/Superman animated film (Apocalypse) where Batman spends some time on Themiscyra

My #WonderbatSecretSanta gift for @saultnpeppah Happy Christmas!!

@fyeahwonderbat

[saultnpeppah]

Together

This is for @itickledthesleepingdragon on Tumblr. Unfortunately they did not receive anything from their WonderBat Secret Santa so Maiden and I decided to insure everyone that participated received something. I'm sorry it took this long to get it to you, but I hope you enjoy it.

There's something so invigorating about a good sparring session. The way my heart pounds as my breathing quickens, the way my mind races as it thinks of strategies to win….it's addicting and I can never seem to get enough. It is a part of who I am. I will always love the thrill of a good sparring session, but since coming to Man's World it's been hard to find a good partner.

Shayera was always eager to fight, willing to help sharpen both of our skills as warriors, and for a time that was nice. But after her betrayal, and subsequent absence from the league, it was never the same. Even when she had returned something was different. The trust was gone, and although we were still trying to build that trust back up, it was different.

Clark had sparred with me a few times, and although we had similar strength, he held back. Clark was a gentleman in every aspect. He still felt uneasy about hitting a woman, even if she was running towards him, sword raised and ready to strike.

Then there was Bruce. He was weaker than me, physically, but he had the mind of a warrior. He was strategic. He was cunning. He was charming. And he saw past the fact that I was a woman, and treated me as an equal. Bruce didn't hold back when we sparred. He gave it his all, and I appreciated that more than anything.

"You're distracted."

My eyes tear away from the man sitting at the other end of the room and I quickly raise my staff, blocking the blow that my partner delivered. He huffs in annoyance, dissatisfied that he was unable to land a blow, before he steps back, letting his staff fall to his side. "Sorry," is all I can say, before I turn to face my current partner, trying to hide the grin on my face.

Damian, like his father, was a fierce little warrior. He was meticulous, he was smart, and due to his upbringing with the League of Shadows, he was extremely skilled. However, unlike his father, he was rash, often acting without much thought. He relied on skills and power in a fight, which left many vulnerabilities. Bruce saw these, and although he tried to teach Damian to fight more methodically, the young boy fought him. He knew Bruce was only trying to help, trying to hone his skills into becoming a better Robin, but he didn't think there was much a mortal man could teach him. His grandfather had been Ra's Al-Ghul. Who was Bruce to teach him more?

That was when Bruce approached me. At first he was hesitant, not wanting to ask something of me that he deemed his responsibility. He was Damian's father. He was supposed to raise him the best he could. But I was quick to remind Bruce that as a friend I was more than happy to help train one of the future heroes of this world, but as his girlfriend I was more than happy to help his son in whatever he needed.

Bruce and I had only been dating for a few months, and we were still teetering on where our relationship was, but we had been friends for years before. I was there when Damian was thrown into his life a year and a half ago, and although I'd never had children of my own, or had grown up around kids, I helped Bruce any way I could. Plus, Damian was more enthusiastic learning from an Amazon than his slightly overprotective father.

"If you wanted to gawk at my father, I could leave you two alone," Damian says, bringing me out of my thoughts. I turn to face the boy, watching as he smirks, that stupid smirk his father always seems to wear, and chuckle.

"No, no," I say, shaking my head. "I can do that later, when we're alone." I give the young boy a wink and watch as he grimaces at my comment before I pull the staff up and point toward him. I hear Bruce chuckle from across the room and my smile grows when I realize he has heard my comment. I sneak another glance at the man dressed as Gotham's vigilante, watching as he continues to type on the computer that lights up his corner of the cave. His eyes glance up over the monitor and we make eye contact. My smile turns into a small smirk and he mirrors the action, before he turns his attention back to the screen.

My grip on the staff tightens and I raise my arm, quickly turning toward Damian before I swing at the boy. His eyes widen and he steps back. He raises the staff and blocks my next swing, however the force I have behind it forces his feet to slide across the cave's floor. "What was that for?" he whines. "I'm not the one getting distracted by my father."

I only chuckle, watching as he twirls the staff in his hands, fending me off. "You must be ready for anything," I answer. Without another word I pull off my tiara and toss it toward Damian, watching as his attention focuses on it. It bounces off his staff and falls to the floor and I use the opportunity to run towards him and strike once more. He jumps back and spins, letting his cape twirl, covering his hand that is no doubt reaching for his utility belt. Sure enough, Damian faces me and slams a smoke pellet onto the ground, enveloping his small frame in a cloud of dark smoke.

I turn and let my eyes focus on the dark corners in the cave above, trying to find some sort of indication of where Damian is hiding. I am so focused looking at the ceiling, I don't hear Damian land behind me until it is too late; he's stealthy and sneaky, just like his father. He lands a kick to my left calf and I stumble forward, shocked. Still, that doesn't stop the sly smirk that forms on my face when I realize how determined he is to show me how much he's learned.

I turn to face Damian, watching as he spins his bo staff once more, before he raises his hand and waves me over mockingly. He is cocky just like Bruce. With another grin I tighten my grip on my own wooden staff and bring it to my leg, snapping it in two against my knee. I throw the two pieces at Damian, watching as he flinches and covers his face, before I slide towards the boy, kicking his feet out from under him.

Damian quickly catches himself and flips up, regaining his balance. He swings his staff and strikes me in the shoulder. It is all the motivation he needs. He swings the staff once more, hitting me in the abdomen. With a grin, he twirls and jumps, throwing a few birdarangs my way. I quickly block them with my bracers, listening to the small clink they make against the accessories on my wrist. It is the only distraction he needs.

Damian sweeps my legs with his staff and I fall to the ground with a groan. He quickly steps on my chest and pushes the end of his staff against my neck. The metal is cold and my bare shoulders are freezing against the cold floor of the cave, but I can't help but feel pride at how far he's come. "You've been bested," he states, the grin on his face widening as he continues to breathe heavily.

I only give him a small nod and flash him a smirk of my own. "Good," I respond. "But you're still unprepared." With that, my hands wrap around his ankle and I twist and pull, bringing him down to the floor with a thud. He huffs out in anger before he lays his head down and groans.

He stands and adjusts his belt, before he offers me a hand. He pulls me up when my hand finds his. "Again," he says.

I glance over at Bruce, who is trying not to let the chuckle that is at his lips slip out. "That is enough for tonight," I say. I watch as he once again huffs in anger before he pulls his mask from his sweat covered face.

"Thank you, Diana," he says after a moment. He quickly offers me a small smile and I know he is trying to keep the happy grin from his face. He won't admit it, but I know he enjoys our sparring session. Bruce has told me on multiple occasions Damian has asked when I would be coming to the manor again; he's just as smitten as his father.

"You're welcome, Damian," I say. "You did very well." I watch as he gives me a small nod, before he walks away towards the back of the cave.

When I know that he is gone, I carefully walk to where Bruce sits. I watch as he continues to type on the computer, his gaze never leaving the screen as I take a seat on the desk beside the computer. "He is learning very well," Bruce says.

I only nod. "Do you think I'm being too hard on him?"

Bruce stops his typing and turns to me, letting our eyes meet. He lays back in his chair and offers me a small smile. "You're a wonderful mentor, and he looks up to you," he responds. "I've noticed he's been a lot more strategic when we go out on patrol. More patient. You've done that."

"He's a smart boy," I begin, "Just like his father." Bruce chuckles and offers me another smile. He turns his chair and I take the opportunity to take a seat on his leg, smirking when he clears his throat. "Same time next week?" I ask. He reads something on the screen before he relaxes back into his chair. He knows the question has a double meaning but he doesn't answer fearing Damian is still within earshot.

He opens his mouth to speak but before he is able to answer an alarm goes off. He sits up and I get off his leg as he begins to look at the alarm on the monitor. "What is it?" I ask. I watch as Damian runs back into the cave, his mask firmly placed back on his face.

"Penguin," Bruce answers. He pulls his cowl over his face and stands, before he rushes to where the Batmobile is parked. He watches as Damian jumps on his motorcycle and speeds off before he jumps into the Batmobile's driver's seat. He watches as I jump into the Batmobile beside him but he makes no attempt to tell me I can't come with him; he knows I won't listen. Without another thought he slams his foot onto the gas and speeds off toward the threat.

XXXXXXXX

"We can't let him get away with DeMarko," Bruce growls. He continues to crouch behind a fallen pillar, watching as Penguin and a few of his goons stalk a taller man, forcing him into a corner.

When Bruce, Damian, and I had arrived at the newest casino in Gotham's financial district, Bruce knew who Penguin had come for. Giovanni DeMarko had come into Gotham without a care of its citizens, terrorizing those who were unfortunate to rely on the slumlords of the city to stay off the streets. He was a vile excuse of a man, using fear and terror tactics to force others to do his bidding. He was corrupt, and that corruption, as Bruce had learned, had leaked into the Gotham Police Department; Batman and Jim Gordon were working tirelessly on trying to find those in DeMarko's pocket. But as the godson of the one and only Carmine Falcone, DeMarko was essentially untouchable.

Bruce had been working for months to try and bring him down. He knew that DeMarko's fall would eventually bring Falcone's. What he hadn't expected was DeMarko to step over Carmine and go after the other crime lord's in Gotham. DeMarko had attempted to go after Salvatore Maroni and his assets, but his attempts were quickly stopped by Batman and Robin. Not, however, before the damage had been done. Maroni had lost millions, but he hadn't been the only one affected by DeMarko's actions. Oswald Cobblepot had slowly been building his criminal empire, wanting Gotham for himself, and he was just as ruthless as any of the other crime bosses in the city. He was willing to hurt, maime, and even kill to get what he wanted. And the day DeMarko's men turned the Iceberg Lounge into a pile of ash, Penguin had moved him to number one on his hit list.

Bruce had told me of this power struggle in Gotham. He would often spend late nights staring at his computer, wondering where DeMarko had fled to; he had gone into hiding when he realized what a mistake it had been to attack both Maroni and Cobblepot in the same week. It wasn't until recently that DeMarko had resurfaced, just in time for the grand opening of the Lucky Eagle: Gotham's newest casino and Carmine's newest front for his criminal enterprise.

I watch as Bruce surveys the room around us. Half of the machines are busted, glass litters the floor, and there is a small fire at the end of the room. When we had arrived, Penguin and his men had already trashed the place, wanting to cause as much damage as they could. An eye for an eye was the motto of the criminal enterprise here in Gotham, but I feared it would be much worse had we not arrived when we had.

We had done well in getting everyone to safety. Damian had rushed to find the computers in the underground offices, knowing this was the perfect opportunity to hack Carmine's system and gain information that he had tried to hide for years. Bruce and I had been busy fighting off both Penguin's and DeMarko's men.

Bruce tosses a smoke pellet on the ground, encasing us in a dark cloud of smoke, and we use it to our advantage as we jump away from the barrage of gunfire that has been almost non stop. He points towards Penguin and I nod, knowing what his plan is. He wants me to separate the two. Without a word I fly down in between the two men, using my bracers to deflect the bullets that are shot toward me, before I pull my lasso out and wrap it around an unsuspecting DeMarko. He drops his gun as I pull on the lasso, tightening it around his body, before I pull him into my arms and take to the sky once more. DeMarko struggles in my arm, screaming and cursing at me as I bring us to the top of the building.

"You don't belong here," he says. His words are full of anger. He is mad The Batman is not the only one he needs to worry about in Gotham now.

"Neither do you," I say. I spot the patrol cars that have started to make their way to the casino and lift DeMarko back into my arms. I jump off the building, a smirk on my face when he begins to scream once more, before we are flying towards the cars. The flashing blue and red lights dance on my face and I can't help but chuckle when I look down at the man who has been reduced to tears in my arms.

We land in front of one of the cars, watching as the officer hits his brakes and pulls over. "Wonder Woman," he whispers. There have been rumors that I have been here in Gotham, helping The Batman, much to Bruce's dismay, but some people still do not believe I would waste my time in a city so doomed. Had I listened to my mother, they would be right. Gotham has such a bad reputation, crime fills the streets, and nothing good rarely comes from it. But it is Bruce's city. He loves it, and I love him, and although it has its problems, it is still my job to protect man, even from themselves.

"Officer," I say, nodding my acknowledgment. I quickly unwrap the lasso from DeMarko and shove him toward the officer, who only handcuffs the man and slams him into the backseat of his car. I give the officer a small wink before I am in the air flying toward the casino, ready to help Bruce end this fight.

When I land inside the casino, I see Bruce standing in the corner. He fends off two of Penguin's men, while on the floor are three other men lying unconscious. I can't help but grin as I watch Bruce deliver a jaw shattering punch to one of the men. My grin, however, falters when I see him stumble backwards clutching his ribs. He's hurt, and he won't last long if I don't help him.

I take a step toward Bruce when something, or rather someone, catches my eye. I turn and stare at the man sneaking behind fallen pillars and broken machines. He is the reason we are here, and while Bruce is busy dealing with this man's lackeys, I will handle him myself. I run up to the man, quickly grabbing him by the collar, forcing him to the ground. He lets out a shriek, surprised by my sudden attack.

"Wonder Woman," he growls. His face scrunches before he starts to laugh, pulling something from his jacket pocket. He jabs the tip of his umbrella into my side and I am unable to stop him before he sends a jolt of electricity through my body. It stings, but it won't kill me. However, when Penguin begins to laugh, I realize he isn't through with me just yet. He presses the umbrella into my shoulder, letting another jolt of electricity flow through my body, and as I fall to my knees, I am unable to help the groan that escapes my lips.

"Looky here," he says. He quickly whips the umbrella, slapping my cheek with the handle, before he lets out another giggle. "I'll finally get to kill Batman's sidekick."

I rise to my feet and furrow my brows. Bruce was always so insistent that Gotham was too dangerous for me. Tonight will not be the night I prove him to be right. I grin at Penguin and wipe the small amount of blood from my lip with my thumb, before I shrug my shoulders. "I'm not so easy to kill," I state. "And I'm not Batman's sidekick."

Penguin laughs. "Deary, you're not the one I was referring to." He pulls another gadget from his pocket and presses it with an eerie laugh, nodding towards the ceiling behind us.

Against better judgement I glance over my shoulder to see Damian shoot his grappling gun into the ceiling, before my eyes lock on the object that had been hidden until now. I reach my hand out, trying to warn him, but before I can say anything, Damian jumps off the ledge and is swinging. He is midair when the bomb goes off, startling him, and he loses his grip on the gun. My eyes widen as I watch the boy who I've grown to love like my own child fall.

I run as fast as my legs will carry me, praying to the gods that I will be fast enough. I watch as he presses the buckle of his belt, forcing the smaller emergency grappling hook to latch onto the wall. It stops his fall momentarily, but the force of his descent sends him straight into the wall, letting his head smash into the concrete. The cable carrying him fails under the stress and he falls, only this time I am right beside him and able to catch the unconscious boy. My hand immediately goes to his bleeding head and I look up to see Bruce staring at me. His breathing is erratic and his eyes are wide; he needs to know his son is alive. I give him a small nod and he breathes a small sigh of relief, before he grips the man in front of him and plows his knee into his face, rendering him unconscious. He makes his way over to where I sit cradling Damian, throwing a few batarangs towards where Penguin runs.

"Get him to the cave," he says. His voice is low and I can tell he is trying to hide the fear he feels. He will never forgive himself if anything happens to Damian.

I only nod, stand, and cradle Damian closer to my body as I fly through the room that fire has now spread throughout. I expect to see Bruce following, but when I see him run after Penguin, I know his fight is not over yet. Without another thought I fly as quickly as I can to the cave.

When I arrive, Alfred is already waiting with a table and supplies ready. Bruce must've contacted him while I was in route. I carefully place the still unconscious boy on the table and Alfred shakes his head, disturbed by how hurt he is. "Oh my," he says, rolling up his sleeves. He carefully takes Damian's head in his hands and accesses the damage, a small sigh of relief when he notices the blood is only coming from a cut below his ear. "Right, I'll get young Master Wayne bandaged up and call Ms. Thompkins to come and assess all his injuries." He looks up at me and takes notice of how filthy my uniform is. It is covered in dirt and sweat, there are a few scrapes and cuts along my legs from shattered glass, and my lip is still bleeding.

It is only when Alfred makes a comment do I realize I've been staring at Damian too long. "He'll be alright, Miss Diana," Alfred states. He's worked alongside Bruce long enough to know when an injury should be worried about. "He'll have quite a headache when he wakes up, and I suspect quite a concussion, but Leslie and I can look after him." He places a hand on my shoulder, offering me solace. "I suspect Master Bruce is still taking care of other matters."

My eyes widen as I realize Bruce is still fighting by himself, injured, and worried about his son. I need to get back to him. I only nod. Alfred responds with a nod of his own. "Go. I'll stay here with him."

I nod, give Alfred a sad smile, and rush out of the cave. My hand rises to my ear and hits the comlink I have that connects me to every member of the League. "Batman," I say, hoping to hear his gruff voice. He doesn't respond and my heart sinks. Usually he will at least acknowledge he has heard my message before ignoring me. "Wonder Woman to Batman," I try once more. Once again, it is silent, and I quicken my pace.

My heart begins to race and I worry over the thoughts that invade my mind. Has Bruce become too hurt? Has he done something he will regret? Is he alive? I don't know what to think, nor do I know if Bruce will be okay until he sees Damian, but what I do know is I need to find him.

The casino quickly comes into view. The entire building is on fire and the closer I get, the more I can see it is leaning toward the right; the bomb Penguin let off damaged too much of the supporting beams and it won't be long before the building collapses. "Batman," I call through the comlink once more. My voice is thickened with desperation as I pray to hear Bruce give any sort of acknowledgment that he has at least heard me: a grunt, a moan, a curse, anything at this point will give me some relief. But he doesn't say anything and my heart drops.

"Diana." The voice rings in my ear and I want to respond, but I only shake my head, letting myself know I need to get to Bruce before I can answer. "Diana." Clark's voice is more insistent. He's been the one on monitor duty tonight. He knows I've been calling for Bruce and wants to know what is wrong.

I only tap the comlink once, silencing Clark before I continue toward the building, however I stop when I see the roof begin to crumble. I watch in horror as the building begins to collapse, but there is nothing more I can do. My only hope is to imagine Bruce was able to make it out before it came crumbling down.

I watch as the building is reduced to rubble. Wasting no more time, I rush to the pile of stone and concrete, watching as the flashing lights from the oncoming fire trucks and police cruisers light up the streets that have been covered with dust and ash. When I land in the middle of what used to be the main room, the room where Damian was hurt, I glance all around. The dust that remains in the air clings to my sweat clad skin, and I know I will need a shower later, but all of that can wait until after I find Bruce.

I hit my com link once more, calling Batman's name again. My heart sinks, however, when I turn and notice something on the ground. I bend down to pick it up, an uneasy feeling in my chest. It's Bruce's utility, smashed to pieces. I take another look at the ground and notice half of his cowl is laying on the ground; one of his pointy ears lays on the floor under broken glass, while a piece containing one of his white lenses burns near my boots. But that isn't the most disheartening thing I find. Beside the smashed belt is his comlink and blood- fresh blood- and I know it's Bruce's. There is a trail of it that leads to the next room, where I find a smeared hand print on the seared wall, and the small glimmer of hope that I have makes me realize that maybe he made it out. Maybe he got out just in time.

I quickly run out of the building, out into the alley where he had parked the Batmobile and take notice of its absence. There are only three people that the car would open for, and two of them are at the cave. I quickly break into a sprint, jumping into the air and flying as quickly as I can to the cave, hoping to find Bruce bloodied, but alive.

When I get to the cave I notice Alfred is not alone. He tends to Damian's cuts and bruises, making casual conversation with the extra pair of hands - but they do not belong to the person I long to see. Dr. Thompkins works diligently with Alfred, carefully working around Damian, using precise movements to avoid the boy's head as it rests tightly bandaged up.

I walk up to the two, my legs heavy at the thought that maybe Bruce didn't make it out of that building. Alfred looks up and takes notice of me. Our eyes meet and he raises an eyebrow. "Miss Diana," he says cautiously.

I glance up at the man. "Please tell me Bruce is here," I say. My voice is shaky. It mirrors my body as the realization that Bruce might be back in that pile of rubble starts to set in.

Alfred only shakes his head. "I'm afraid not," he says. He looks at my face and notices the tears that have started to well up in my eyes, before he lets out a small gasp. "Oh dear," he says, realizing the man he loves as a son may never come back.

I wipe away the tears that have started to fall, letting the heel of my hand wipe at the dirt that covers my cheeks. I can hear Alfred mumble something, but I am unable to comprehend his words. He places a hand on my shoulder but everything seems as if it is a blur.

"Diana."

Once again Clark's voice rings in my ear. "Not now," is all I can say to Clark, and I hope my voice doesn't come across as shaky as I feel.

It is silent for a moment as what happened hits me. I realize I need to go back, I need to at least find his body before anyone else does. I stand, having not realized I had been leaning against Bruce's desk, and clear my throat, watching as Alfred shakes his head, letting me know I need to rest. I only shake mine in response. I will rest when he's back with us.

I turn to walk out of the cave when a bright light illuminates the dark cave. I realize it's the transporter Bruce had installed in the cave. I watch as a figure steps out of the light and into the cave, his fists clenched as he steps off the transporter. His cape shifts with the breeze that blows through Bruce's work space and his eyes furrow when he sees me. "Diana," he says once more, pleading for me to listen to him this time.

I only shake my head. "I can't Kal," I say, "Not right now."

Clark steps in front of me and places his hand on my shoulder, stopping me where I stand. "He's alive."

XXXX

I continue to rush through the halls of the Watchtower, ignoring the confused and concerned looks from other members as I push past them towards the infirmary. Clark is hot on my heels and tries to avoid running into other members as I weave in between people. When he came into the cave and told me Bruce was alive, I knew I had to come for him. He told me of how Bruce contacted him when the building was on fire. He told me he came rushing to find Bruce, getting to him moments before the building came down. He told me how he rushed him to the Watchtower, knowing J'onn would be able to stabilize him faster than Alfred could. It was why he had tried contacting me earlier.

I turn the corner, dodging Wally as he flirts with Fire. He raises an eyebrow as he glances my way and I offer him a small apologetic smile before I continue down the hall toward the steel door that closes the infirmary off from the rest of the Watchtower. I stop in front of the door, waiting for Clark to catch up, before I take a deep breath and turn to the Kryptonian. "How bad is he?" I ask. I want to prepare myself for whatever is on the other side of that door.

"He'll live," is all Clark says. "But it'll take time."

I nod as Clark places his hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze, before the door slides open. I take a step inside, stopping once J'onn sees me cautiously glance around. Without a word he points to the corner of the room, where the curtain is drawn around one of the beds. I give him a small nod, thanking him for both saving Bruce and giving him his privacy, before I walk to the end of the room. Taking a deep breath, I grab the curtain and pull it back, breathing out a sigh of relief when I see Bruce laying in the bed in front of me.

His body is covered in bruises, there is an IV feeding him pain medication, and he has an oxygen mask over his face, but he is alive, and that's all I can really hope for. Without a word, I pull the chair by the window up next to his bed and take a seat, letting my hand gently fall onto his arm, letting him know I am here.

His eyes flutter open but he doesn't move. He can't move. His body is in too much pain. He mumbles something and tries to turn his head, but the brace J'onn has placed there to keep him still won't allow it. He furrows his eyebrows and scrunches his nose in pain as he lifts his hand, and I quickly take it in mine, lacing our fingers together before I give it a gentle squeeze.

He moves his other hand and pulls the oxygen mask off his face. "Diana?" he questions. His eyes dance as he looks from side to side. Clark warned me of this. Bruce had hit his head. In fact, he had hit it so hard, he hadn't been able to see anything but shadows when Clark had come for him. I only hope it will not be a permanent thing.

"I'm right here," I say, gently lifting our joined hands and placing a kiss on the back of his.

"I can't see you," he says.

I nod. "I know. Clark told me."

"No," he says, pointing at his brace. "I can't see you because of this."

I only chuckle, shake my head, and stand. His eyes focus on my face and I smile knowing his vision is returning. "Can you see me now?" I ask, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, never once letting our hands fall apart. "Or am I still a blob of shadows?"

Bruce attempts to shrug. "Still a very beautiful blob," he whispers and I am unable to help the chuckle that escapes my lips.

I reach over and place the oxygen mask back onto his face, before I let my thumb brush the sweat soaked hair from his forehead. He pulls the mask off his face once more and asks, "Damian?"

I only give him a small nod, forcing the mask back on over his mouth and nose. "He's okay, Bruce," I say. "A small concussion, a broken arm, a few bruises." He lets out a sigh of relief, letting the mask fog up before he relaxes in the bed. "Which is a lot better than I can say for you. You had me so worried." I take a small breath, gathering my thoughts, and whisper, "I thought I lost you."

He only stares at me as I fight the tears that have been threatening my eyes since watching that casino's walls crumble before my very eyes. He gives my hand a squeeze, as hard as he can muster at the moment, and I give him another small smile. His actions say everything he can't. They convey the words he struggles to find himself.

He lets out a small sigh and closes his eyes, before he takes a deep breath. The medication that he has been stubbornly trying to fight off is finally kicking in and he is unable to hold off any longer. "You get some sleep," I say. "I'll be at the manor with Damian until you are able to come back."

Bruce gives as much of a nod as he can with the brace and whispers something incoherent. He clears his throat and opens his eyes, quickly scans the room, and settles on my face. "Thank you," he whispers. I only nod once. I lean down to kiss his cheek when he whispers one more thing. It causes my heart to skip a beat, and I forget where we are for a moment.

"I love you," he whispers once more and I can't help the smile that graces my face when I realize the man who has spent months trying to hide his feelings has just given the biggest confession he can to me. He is allowing himself to be vulnerable.

"I love you too," I whisper back, offering him a nervous chuckle as a few stray tears make their way from the corner of my eyes down my cheek. I realize these tears come from not a place of sadness, but rather a place of happiness. The man I have loved for much longer than I would care to admit, is alive. He is alive, his son is alive, and I can only thank the gods they have allowed me this chance of happiness. "I'll be back in the morning," I say, kissing the back of his hand before placing it carefully at his side. I lean in and carefully press my lips against his, a smile on my face when I see the small grin on his. The man may be in pain, but my lips on his will always give him that goofy grin.

He gives me a slight nod and closes his eyes once more. It is only a few moments before his breathing slows and he succumbs to the sleep his body needs. I watch him sleep for a few moments, his breathing deep and slow, in perfect synchronization to the beeping from the monitor on his right. Once I am sure he is asleep I carefully leave the room and make my way to my quarters, eager to grab a few items before I head back to Gotham. I know the road ahead of Bruce is not going to be an easy one, but with me by his side, I know we'll be able to do it together.

@fyeahwonderbat

[swiftletinthecloud]

Title: New Beginnings

Notes: For @Wonderbat385, for the WonderBatHoliday2019 exchange held by @maidenoftheworld @fyeahwonderbat! I’m really sorry your gift is later than I had planned!

Alternate Timeline - There has been no Robin before the event of this fic.

FF.net :: AO3 :: Chapter 1/1

After the defeat of Steppenwolf, in between helping Bruce rebuild Wayne Manor into the team’s new headquarter and recruit new members, Diana somehow unofficially moved into Wayne Manor.  It was just more convenient for her to bunk with the billionaire than to maintain her own residency or book a hotel room whenever she was stateside.  It was the logical thing to do since she already had her Paris residence and her civilian job as the Curator for the Department of Antiquities at the Louvre to deal with when she wasn’t busy being Wonder Woman.  Or so Diana reasoned to herself as she stole a glance at the aforementioned billionaire who was busy typing away at his computer across from her.  

They were supposed to be coming up with a plan to recruit the Green Arrow and Black Canary respectively, yet for the past hour, Diana found herself alternating between studying Bruce from beneath her lashes and scowling at the headline of the newspaper in front of her.  

Bruce Wayne’s Hidden Romance with the Sexy Librarian! Look out ladies, she moved in!

A photo of her and Bruce leaving Wayne Manor in his car also graced the front page of the Gotham Gazette.  While Diana had to admit that it wasn’t an unflattering photo of her and Bruce’s smile as he turned towards her in the picture made Diana’s heart fluttered, the headline was so wrong in a hundred different ways - or just about!

“Something interesting in the papers today?” Bruce finally looked up from his computer, and Diana had no idea where the thought came from, but she found the way he took off his reading glasses and briefly pinched the bridge of his nose adorable. Diana hoped she wasn’t blushing when she tossed Bruce the papers so he could read the headline himself.  

“Well, I can see why you’re upset.  You work at the museum, not the library,” said Bruce. A faint smile playing on his lips as he set the papers down and met Diana’s eyes. That smile was quick to turn into a small frown as he reached down to rub his stinging shin.  “Ouch!”

“You know that’s not what I’m talking about,” said Diana as she rolled her eyes.  As irritated as she was, she knew she didn’t put that much force in her nudge against Bruce to warrant such a dramatic reaction from him.

“Diana, I’m sorry,” said Bruce as he ran a hand through his hair.  “All joking aside, I should have warned you what you might be up against, what with my reputation and Gotham’s gossip network, when you first moved in.  I will get the Gazette to take that off their front page today.”

“That’ll just fuel the fire.” Diana took a sip of her coffee to keep herself from frowning again.

“Speaking of adding fuel to the fire...” Bruce hesitated.  He broke eye contact with Diana to glance over at Alfred, who, Diana noticed, stared back expectedly and... encouragingly?  Bruce looked back at her as he took out two pieces of paper from a nearby black folder.  “...I was wondering if you would like to go to the circus with me… as a date.  These are tickets for Haley’s Circus at the Wayne Charities Benefit Performance tonight, if you’re interested.”

Diana could hear Bruce holding his breath as she reached across the table to take the tickets from him.   “I don’t know, Bruce,” she stalled. From the corner of her eyes, she could see his face falling and there was a little stabbing feeling in her heart as she dragged the moment out. “You’re not giving me a lot of time to prepare. It says here that the performance is in three hours, and I haven’t a clue what I’m going to wear,” she said as she gingerly ran her finger over the time stamped on the ticket.

Bruce froze in front of her, as if he was surprised that she didn’t reject his proposal outright.  It took a little tap on his hand from her before he broke out of his stupor. “I was working on how to ask you if you wanted to accompany me since yesterday,” Bruce said sheepishly.

“On a date,” Diana said with a smile.

“Yes, on a date,” Bruce repeated.  His smile wasn’t as evident as hers, but it was there, nonetheless, giving her a good glimpse of what he was feeling.

------

Their first date was disastrous to say the least.  Oh, it wasn’t anything on Bruce’s or her part that ruined the night. Rather it was the tragedy played out in front of them that neither was able to prevent that had her chalking the night up under her list of “First Dates Gone Wrong.”  Both she and Bruce had been frozen in their seats when the Flying Graysons’ rope broke.  In a moment that seemed to take forever yet was over before either of them could react, John and Mary Grayson plummeted towards their untimely deaths. 

Diana could see Bruce’s flinching again as she squeezed his hand in comfort. She couldn’t imagine what nightmarish memories were being pulled to the forefront of his mind as the lone surviving Grayson’s cries echoed throughout the big circus tent, cries full of sorrow and grief.  

“Hey, look at me,” Diana said as she turned Bruce’s face away from the stage and towards her.  “Are you okay?  Are you here with me right now?”  She watched his eyes cleared as they met hers, until only anger and determination remained.

“I’m here with you,” Bruce replied as he squeezed her hand in return.

-----

Somehow by the end of the night, it was decided that little 8-year-old Richard Grayson was going home with Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince.  It seemed wild and slightly irresponsible that the police and the state would let a newly made orphan go with two complete strangers, yet that was the picture on the front page of the Gotham Gazette the following morning.  Little Richard Grayson, still in his red and green Flying Graysons leotard, was bundled up in Bruce Wayne’s suit jacket and carried in Diana Prince’s arms as the three left Haley’s Circus.

The gossip that spread with the new headline and accompanying picture had some Gothamites bemoaning Bruce Wayne’s lost bachelor status.  The more sympathetic Gothamites pitied Richard Grayson’s tragic losses while a few others were way too excited about Gotham’s supposed new royal instant-family.

Back at Wayne Manor though, things were a little bit trickier.  Richard-I-go-by-Dick Grayson’s determination to go after the ones who caused his parents’ deaths had Bruce and Diana on opposite sides of the issue. While Diana was all for bringing Zucco to justice for the murders of John and Mary Grayson, she was not at all for training Dick to be running around the rooftops of Gotham in a costume and a mask.  “Of all the irresponsible things ---!”

But Dick had different plans for his childhood, especially after he found out his new guardians were Batman and Wonder Woman on his third night at Wayne Manor.  “What? Like that’s hard to figure out? You have a round table --”

“--that’s King Arthur ---” Alfred had interrupted.

“--a round table in your hidden ballroom and the Batcave in the basement.  I want in. I want to help you get the man who killed my parents.”

At first, Bruce had been on Diana’s side; he was also against training Dick for any sort of fight...until the little acrobat snuck out on his fourth night at Wayne Manor to track down Zucco on his own.   When Batman and Wonder Woman found Dick at Haley’s Circus, he was a little worse for wear, but thankfully alive.  Dick had Zucco all tied up and ready to be picked up by the police.

“Dick has talents,” was how Bruce had started the conversation after everyone was safe and sound back at Wayne Manor.  “We either train him and let him out supervised with one of us at night or he’s still going to sneak out behind our backs, but a lot less prepared for what he might face in the Gotham night and without one of us as backups.”

Their disagreement had Diana packed up and back in Paris before the week was out.  Of course, she had said it was because she had been away from her work for too long and the Louvre needed her back, but it didn’t stop her from feeling like she was running way.

----

The holiday seasons around Wayne Manor remained a quiet affair despite the formation of the League the previous year.  Clark, Arthur, and Victor had spent the holiday season with their own families after the League’s first end-of-the-year meeting. Barry, on the other hand, was Jewish, and while he could have celebrated Hanukkah at Wayne Manor where Bruce and Alfred had kept a room made for him, the season only reminded him of his own family tragedy so he had kept close to Central City instead. With Diana busy in Paris, Bruce and Alfred only bother with a quiet dinner together on the night of the 25th.  

This year, despite the new addition to the manor, it was still quiet. The disagreement that sent Diana back to Paris had Bruce in a foul mood all month.  While he had kept his promise to train Dick, Bruce also placed Robin, Dick’s chosen masked moniker, on comms duty until the boy reached at least double digits in age.  And Dick, sensing that he had already won one battle too many at the moment against the famed Dark Knight, agreed to Bruce’s condition without much of a fight.  While Alfred had done his best, Bruce was still missing Diana too much to make Dick’s stay as welcoming as it should have been. 

It was shaping up to be quite a sad end to the year when the security alarm for the Batcave blared to life.  The alarm had Dick scrambling for his Batarangs (a Christmas gift from Bruce), but it surprisingly brought a faint smile to Bruce’s face.  There was only person with the ability to enter the Batcave undetected yet bothered to trip his alarm.  She was also the person Bruce had been longing to speak to ever since she left.  Diana breezed into Bruce’s space like she had always been there. Dick looked between Diana and Bruce and was hurrying to leave the room when Diana stopped him with a hand to his shoulder.

“Wait,” said Diana gently.  She broke eye contact with Bruce to look down at the child in front of her.  Hesitating only for a moment, Diana knelt down so that they were at the same eye level.  “I’m sorry about before,” she told Dick. “The choice on whether or not to put on the mask and fight for justice is yours alone to make, not mine or Bruce’s, no matter how well-meaning we intend to be.  Some of us are meant to be warriors, and no one can stop us once we set our minds to it.  I was just like you when I was younger, sneaking out to train with my Amazon sisters against my mother’s wishes.  In the end, she thought it was better to offer me her support and to have someone knowledgeable mentored me than to have me sneak around behind her back.”

While Diana speaking to Dick, Bruce knew her message was meant for him as well, that she had seen his side of their disagreement.

“I just don’t want you to feel like you can’t have a childhood or for you to put yourself in danger when you don’t have to yet.”

“Don’t worry,” replied Dick, “I’m on only comms duty for the next year and a half, no rooftops yet.”

Diana let out a chuckle as she straightened up.  “You’re something special, aren’t you?”

“One of a kind,” quipped Dick. “I’ll leave you to talk to the big guy.”  Nodding his head towards Bruce, Dick continued, “He’s been moping around and missing you since you left.”

As Dick left for the main house, Bruce couldn’t help calling after him. “Precocious is more like it!”  As for the Amazon in front of him, Bruce didn’t know where to start. 

“You know,” Diana began for him, “if you missed me, you could have just called.”

“Would you have pick up?”

“I guess now we will never know, will we?”

The silence between them expanded until Diana turned towards the exits, intending on leaving if that was all Bruce had for her. 

Bruce grabbed her hand before she could take a step towards the doors. “Wait. I’m sorry.”  As Diana turned to face him, Bruce continued, “You came back and I’m being an ass. I did - do miss you.”

“I miss you, too.”

The soft squeeze of her hand that was in his echoed her words. 

“I like you, Bruce. I really do. I’ll try to stop walking away every time we have a disagreement … but I can’t be the only one always offering an olive branch when we fight either.”

“No, I understand,” Bruce rushed to reassure her.  “We’ll both have to put in the effort to make it work, equal partners, so to speak… if you’re still interested?”

“Only if I get to choose our next first date. No circus this time,” Diana said with a smile. 

“No circus,” agreed Bruce. 

The sound of the intercom interrupted whenever Bruce was going to say next, and Dick’s voice filled the Batcave. “Alfred said ‘Welcome back, Miss Prince,’ and dinner’s ready, unless you guys are going on your date right now.”

“We’re coming!” Diana yelled back before she turned to Bruce. “You know, we’re going to have our hands full with that one. I doubt he’s going to make it a full year and a half on only comms duty.”

“‘We’ huh?” Bruce couldn’t stop himself from smiling. 

“Yes, ‘we’,” replied Diana fondly as they walked hand and hand to dinner. 

Word Count: 2235

[fyeahwonderbat]

Calling All Secret Santas! 🎅

Remember, you have until the 25th to post your gift for your gift recipient! Just send me a link @maidenoftheworld​ in a DM, and use the tag for the event #WonderBatHoliday2019! 🎁 If you don’t think you’ll have your gift done by Christmas, please make sure you contact me ASAP so we can discuss. ~ Maiden

[saultnpeppah]

Secret Santa

This is for @undeadroshi on Tumblr. Sadly they never received their item for the WonderBat Secret Santa event we had back in December. I apologize that it has taken me so long to get this to you, but Maiden and I wanted to make sure you got at least something!

Christmas. Growing up on an island paradise secluded from the world of man, I was unfamiliar with the concept. There was something about the thought of a man dressed in red, who entered houses in the dead of night, that did not sit well with me. But the more I listened to Wally and Clark's stories of the holidays, the more I understood the holiday, and the others that were during this time of year, were not about this Santa Claus, but rather time with family and friends. Having abandoned the only family I had back in Themyscira to help on Man's World, I was more than happy to celebrate this time with the friends I had made within the League.

Shayera, though impulsive and a bit withdrawn, had become my first friend. The two of us had bonded over being the only two female members of the League, and although our views on the opposite sex were quite different, I knew I could appreciate her knowledge of topics unknown to me; she had been quite informative when I had approached her with questions regarding the male body.

John was a valiant fighter, focused on maintaining justice and a fair fight for all. I admired his approach to things and although he was proud of his time in the military, which I had learned was a collection of Earth's warriors, he was reluctant to share much of his past. Whether he was ashamed of his past or did not trust us with it, I did not know, and did not pry. I knew enough boundaries to know to respect his decision.

Wally had been the one most excited to show me how things on Man's World worked, and although I had allowed him the opportunity to teach me things, I had set boundaries for us. He was like family, like a younger sibling- a "brother" Clark had called it.

Likewise, Clark had been someone I could talk to when I felt like I did not belong. He knew what a struggle it was to have powers unlike those of Man. He knew what it was like to be feared because of your abilities. He would offer advice, and for that I was very grateful.

J'onn, like Clark, understood my feelings of isolation. His family and his home had been destroyed years ago. Like Clark and I, he was the only one of his kind here, vowing to protect the innocent. J'onn had become someone I was able to talk to, able to share my feelings with. He was an excellent counselor and an excellent shoulder to cry on (should I ever need it). He was a wonderful friend, and the League was extremely lucky that he was the one who had made it possible for us all to meet.

I had grown close to nearly every member of the League, and they had welcomed me in with open arms and open hearts- with the exception of one, of course.

Batman was moody. He was blunt. He knew how to push everyone's buttons, and he was not a team player. But there was no one who piqued my interest more than he. He was mysterious. He was smart. He fought with his head rather than any particular powers; fact was, he had no powers, which made him even more interesting. He was only a mortal man that fought for those who couldn't fight for themselves. He was a true warrior.

On more than one occasion I had tried to get Batman to let me into his world. I wanted to know more about him. I wanted to know more about Gotham, the city he devoted most of his time to saving. I wanted to know his story, why he was part of the League. But each time he only ignored me, stating he had work to do elsewhere. That only piqued my curiosity more. I had grown close to everyone, learning all their secret identities and their lives outside of the League. I had tried with Batman, cautiously walking the line between friendly banter and careful flirtations every now and then. There were some days when he would humor me, flirting in return. Other times he would ignore me all together. He was a puzzle that no one had solved, no matter how hard they had tried. And although I had gotten a little closer to knowing who he truly was, figuring out what his face looked like behind the mask in Paris, I still felt like I knew nothing of the man. I had spent countless hours researching Bruce Wayne, finding myself cringing at the man portrayed in the newspapers and internet blogs. This was not the man I had found myself wanting to know, and the more I fought beside him, the more I realized the world was just as clueless as to who he really was as I was.

He was so secluded. Which is why everyone had done a double take during last week's Founder's Meeting when he had suggested doing a "Secret Santa" for Christmas.

Confused at first, I only sat and watched as Clark had turned to Bruce, an eyebrow raised in confusion. Likewise, Shayera and Wally had only stared at the masked vigilante with wide eyes, wondering what had come over him. I only glanced at J'onn, who shrugged his shoulders, just as confused as I was.

John explained it was a Christmas tradition where people selected one person in secret and bought them a gift. At first I was confused as to why someone would do something like this, but when I thought more about it, I realized this would be my chance to find out more about the man that was shrouded in mystery. I would need to study him, find out what made him tick, what he liked. I was going to give him the best present I could, and I wouldn't stop until I got him to crack a smile. Or so I thought.

"We don't pick who we're going to get?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at Clark. My eyes narrow as I look at the bowl with seven folded pieces of paper, a name of each founder written on each piece.

Clark only shakes his head and lets out a small nervous chuckle. "No, unfortunately not," he says. "That's part of the fun."

I only scrunch my nose, unhappy with this latest revelation. This was my chance to get to know Bruce. This was my chance to get to find out everything I could and hopefully become friends with him. I only let out a small sigh and reach into the bowl, pluck a piece of paper out from the pile, and give Clark a small smile. He smiles and turns to my right, letting everyone pick a name from the bowl until only he and Bruce remain.

I watch as Bruce glances up and I swear I see a smirk on his face. But as soon as it appears, it disappears, and once again I am met with the stoic face I have come to associate with the caped crusader. He places his gloved hand in the bowl and pulls out a piece of paper and places it in his utility belt without seeing the name scribbled inside. He watches as Superman takes the last name, unfolds it, and smiles at the name inside.

I take the time to open the folded piece of paper in my hand. The handwriting scribbled across the white page reads "Flash" and I smile briefly. Wally has shared many of his hobbies. It should be easy to find something worthy for my friend, and although I am slightly disappointed I am unable to use this opportunity to get more information about Bruce, I know it'll be a nice gesture for Wally.

Everyone carefully reads the names on their pieces of paper, shoving them into their pockets when they're done, careful not to let anyone else know who they are responsible for. Clark looks around the room, stopping to stare at Bruce with a raised eyebrow. He only furrows his eyebrows more and crosses his arms over his chest, before Clark chuckles and shakes his head. "Okay, let's bring our gifts next meeting," he says.

Everyone nods and stands from their seat at the large table, exiting the room where all of our meetings are held. I am halfway down the hall when I realize I have left my phone in the room. I quickly turn and walk back towards the meeting room, stopping when I hear hushed whispers coming from the other side.

"You did this on purpose," I hear Bruce say. His voice is low and harsh. He is angry and I only hope the person his anger is directed to knows they are walking on thin ice.

The other person chuckles and I raise an eyebrow realizing it is Clark inside with Bruce. "You wanted to do this," he says. "I merely pushed you a bit."

Bruce huffs and I smirk. It is so entertaining to see a man who is so intimidating to the criminals in Gotham grovel like a child who has not gotten his way. "I only did this so you would stop pushing me to be part of the League full time. You know I-"

"I know, I know," Clark says. "It'll be fun, Bruce," he says, whispering the other man's name so no one finds out the identity that apparently only two of us know.

The door slides open and I jump back, careful to make it look like I have not been eavesdropping on the two men inside. Clark steps out of the room, a smile on his face when he sees me. "Diana," he says with a nod. He walks down the hall, disappearing when he turns the corner, and I step inside the room.

Bruce looks up at me, his lips pressed tightly together as he stares at me. His eyes narrow behind his cowl and I watch as his hand retreats to his side, letting his cape envelop his body. "Eavesdropping, Princess?" he asks. His tone is accusatory, and although I know what he is accusing me of is truth, I do not like it.

"I merely forgot something," I state. My eyes glance over to the table and I let out a small huff when I notice it is completely bare.

"You should keep a better track of your belongings." I furrow my eyebrows and turn to face Bruce, however my face softens when I see he is holding my phone in his gloved hand. I raise an eyebrow, silently asking him what his next move is. He only offers me the device, watches as I grab it, before I quickly thank him. He doesn't acknowledge my thanks. Instead he walks out of the room without a word and disappears down the hall, once again infuriating me with his actions, and furthermore intriguing me.

XXXXXXXX

The seven of us sit around the table, listening to Clark discuss our latest mission. We were all there, we all know the details and how it went down. I genuinely try to listen to Clark relay the messages we all need to hear, but I can't help the excitement that bubbles within me as I glance around the room and notice the wrapped gifts in front of everyone.

It has been a week since we were assigned Secret Santa buddies, and I am so excited to partake in my first Christmas tradition. "Okay," Clark says as he sits at his chair beside me. "Now that that is all complete, how about a little bit of fun." He places his neatly wrapped gift on the table in front of him and offers the room a smile. "Who wants to go first?" he asks.

Before I can say a word I am standing, a smile on my face as I reach for the gift on the table. "May I?" I ask. I had to think long and hard for the perfect gift for Wally, but now that I have it in my hand, I am excited to see his reaction. Clark nods and I walk around the table making my way to where both Wally and Bruce sit. I watch as Bruce's eyes follow me, and I can't help but chuckle when I decide to have a little fun teasing the man who lives such a serious life. I stop next to Bruce and place the gift on the table in front of him, before I slide it in front of Wally, chuckling as I watch Bruce stiffen when my shoulder presses into his chest. "Here you go, Flash," I say. I watch as he snatches the gift and opens it, the smile on his face widening when he realizes what is in his hands.

"Oh wow," he says. He holds the pieces of paper in his hands, and does a small dance in his seat, letting his shoulders bump against Bruce's, who only lets out a small aggravated sigh. "Thank you, Diana," Wally says when he is done.

I give him a small nod, stand from my place beside Bruce, and return to my seat. I watch as Wally kisses the tickets in his hand, keeping his grasp on them tight, afraid they will blow away at any moment. I knew Wally was a fan of the Central City Stars, and after he explained the sport of baseball to me, I knew tickets to see his favorite sport on opening night would make a wonderful gift. Granted, I had to ask Clark for help getting the tickets, as I still did not know how to go about buying such an item. But seeing the smile on Wally's face was proof that it was worth all the hassle.

"Well I guess I'll go next," Wally says. He rises from his chair and runs out of the room, leaving behind only a trail of scarlet. It only takes a second for him to return to his chair, a smug smile on his face and a half eaten donut in his gloved hand. "Don't open it now," he says, shoving the last of the donut into his mouth. The looks on everyone's faces tell me they are just as confused as I am, until I turn my head and notice the brightly wrapped present that sits on the table in front of Clark. It had not been there a second ago and I raise an eyebrow, wondering what kind of joke Wally is playing with Clark.

Clark only takes the gift in his hand and stares at it intently, before his eyes flash up to meet Wally's, who is unable to help the fit of laughter that escapes his lips. Clark opens his mouth to protest his gift, trying to hide the deep hue of pink that is creeping up his cheeks, but when Wally succumbs to another fit of giggles, he knows it is pointless and abandons any mention of the secret gift. Clark quietly clears his throat and bends to grab something by his feet, before he places a gift in front of J'onn, who only smiles widely at the Kryptonian.

I let my eyes wander from J'onn to where Bruce sits and quietly watch as he fiddles with the box that is in front of him. That was not there mere moments ago and I am unable to help myself from wondering who it is for. With Wally, Clark, and J'onn already having been given a gift, there are only three more possibilities as to who will receive the gift Bruce clings to.

My eyebrow raises as I watch J'onn, who is so happy to have received homemade cookies and other Earthly sweets by Ma, as Clark calls her, he can barely contain his smile, slide his perfectly wrapped gift across the table to John. My heart skips a beat as I realize that maybe Bruce had to get me a gift, and my mind starts to race with the possibilities of what could be in that box.

I am so lost in my thought it isn't until Shayera nudges my arm with her elbow do I realize everyone in the room is staring at me. "I'm sorry," I say. I try my best to hide the blush that is creeping on my cheeks as I realize I have missed both John, Shayera, and Bruce open all of their gifts.

Clark only nods, before he clears his throat and looks away from me. "You're the last gift," he says.

I look around the table and notice the mess of wrapping paper and shredded ribbon that litters the piece of furniture we all sit around. I suddenly scan the table, looking for the brightly colored box that had been in Bruce's hands moments ago. Disappointment fills me when I can't find it, and I worry I'll never know what it was that Batman was holding so closely mere moments ago. "Princess," I hear from behind me. I freeze in my seat, wondering how I haven't noticed Bruce was not in his seat across from me all this time.

I quickly turn in my chair and face the masked man. He stands awkwardly by the wall, his body stiff and rigid- he's nervous, and I wonder why. That is, however, until I notice he is still holding the wrapped box in his hands. "This is for you," he says. His voice is low, almost a growl, and he stares at me as he takes a step toward where I sit. "I, uh, hope you like it," he says as he places the bright green box on the table in front of me.

I only nod a small thank you before I turn to face the gift, my heart racing as I realize he had been my secret santa all along. I carefully pull the ribbon at the top, watching as the bow flattens and the ribbon falls to the table, before I grab the top of the box and pull it off. A small gasp escapes my lips when I see what is inside. With a careful hand, I reach into the box and pull out the statue, gently placing it on the table, admiring the most precious gift someone could give me.

The statue, which is made of a beautiful bronze, is of Athena. She is one of the gods I have prayed to since my time on the island, and has been the name whispered in my prayers while here on Man's World more than any other god. I have asked for guidance on more than one occasion after having been banished from Themyscira, just as I used to as a child back home. I only hope this will strengthen my ties to the goddess.

"She's beautiful," I say, finally finding the words. I gently trace the bottom of the statue with my finger, letting it carefully graze the bronze that makes the plaque on which Athena stands. "Thank you."

I offer Bruce a wide smile. He acknowledges my thanks with a small nod, before he turns on his heel and walks back to his seat. I notice his teeth are clenched and he is still stiff, but at this moment I don't care. I have been given a piece of home.

XXXXXX

My hands clench into fists as I make my way into my room, trying to drown out Wally calling out my name from down the hall. I am in no mood to entertain his antics, pretending I am okay with how our latest mission turned out. Instead, all I want to do is shower, get the stench of defeat from my skin, and meditate.

My door slides open and I quickly rush inside, making sure to lock it behind me. I waste no time stripping my uniform off, letting it fall to the floor, before I jump into the shower. The water is blistering and under any normal circumstance I would alter the temperature, but I am too upset to care. I continue to let the water beat against my back as my mind wanders.

It has been three days since I was given the state of Athena by Bruce. When we had ended the meeting I had every intention of thanking him, letting him know how much I appreciated the sentiment. But like always, he had jumped from his seat and rushed out of the room before anyone else could do anything. And like Bruce, he had continued to ignore my attempts to reach him. I didn't know what I had done wrong, nor did I care. I wanted to thank him, I wanted to know why he had gotten me this beautiful gift, and he was ignoring my attempts at any further contact. I knew it shouldn't have bugged me. I knew he was distant from the moment we met, but after the last meeting, I had hoped things would change. I had hoped we would be able to actually get to know one another.

My shower is over as quickly as it began and I quickly wrap a towel around my body before I retreat back into my bedroom. Thoughts of the last few months here on Man's World flash through my mind as I reach into my dresser and begin to absentmindedly dress my body. I think back to how I betrayed my mother's trust, sneaking away to Man's World, convinced I was needed to help the mess the Imperium had created when they tried to take over the Earth. A sad sigh falls through my lips when I realize how worried she might have been, waking up the next morning only to realize I was not in the bed I had slept in for years. I pull a thin sweater from my closet and pull it over my head, letting the hem fall to my waist before I take a seat on the edge of my bed. With Christmas being a few days away, I want nothing more than to be with my family; a family that has banished me from the only home I have known, but my family nonetheless.

My hand carefully slides down my face as another sigh escapes my lips. I knew it was not my mother's choice to banish me, that it was her duty as Queen. It does little to settle the sadness I feel. I stand from my bed and take a step toward the corner of the room, stopping when I notice the statue of Athena sitting on the bedside table. The corner of my lips curl into a small smile as I remember Bruce and the look on his face when he presented me with a gift so brilliant. If asked, he would deny the small trace of a smile on his face, but I saw it. I had the image burned into my memory, letting it flash into my mind each time I walked by the statue.

I had told myself I would thank Bruce when I saw him next, let him know how truly grateful I was for the gift. It was much easier said than done, as the caped crusader was nowhere to be seen for the last few days.

I walk up to the statue, the smile still on my face. My hand reaches over to the statue, the faint whispers that comprise the start of a prayer on my lips. "Athena," I say. I let my index finger gently touch the crown of her head and continue, "Please give me guidance."

I kneel in front of the statue and gently bow my head. "I am lost and I do not know where to go." I stay in silence, hoping to hear some response. I have prayed to Athena many times. On the island, during my training, I would pray for guidance, wanting to be smart in battle. When I first came to Man's World, she was a guiding light, offering me wisdom to properly acclimate to this new way of living. She has never let me down.

"Man's World is confusing," I confess. I glance up and take a deep breath. "Man is confusing." The room is silent for a few moments, the small prayer lingering unspokenly in the air as I stand. My hand reaches out to the statue once more and my finger gently touches the top of the owl perched upon Athena's shoulder. I let my finger run along its right wing, stopping when I hear an audible click come from the piece of bronze.

My hand freezes and my eyes widen as I stare at the statue. I don't dare move my finger, fearing I have broken this precious gift. I steadily let out my breath as I carefully lift my finger, praying nothing falls off the statue. I stare at the statue, letting my eyes do a once over. My eyes focus on the lettering near the bottom. The Bronze letters that make up Athena's name are all the same, except the letter 'e', which is now turned around - it was perfect a second ago.

I carefully lift the statue into my hands and stare at it as I take a seat on the edge of my bed. I carefully turn the letter, watching with a raised eyebrow as it turns with a few clicks. When I am sure the letter is in the correct spot, I push it carefully, pushing it back into place. It lets out another audible click and the spear in her hand turns counter clockwise until it stands parallel to her body.

My finger gently pulls at the spear, my lips curling into a curious smile as I watch the shield laced over her forearm open to reveal a piece of paper. I carefully pull the paper from its hiding spot, before I close the shield, watching in amazement as the hidden gears move the spear back to where it had been. The letter 'e' spins a full three hundred and sixty degrees, and the right wing of the owl perched upon Athena's shoulder rises a few centimeters. I carefully stare at the statue in my hand, both confused and amazed, before I place it gently back on the bedside table.

When I am sure no other part of the statue is going to click or move or do anything beside what a statue is meant to do, I move my focus to the piece of rolled up paper in my hand. Carefully grabbing the edges, I unfold the paper, confusion on my face as I stare at the mess of numbers written in dark ink.

My eyes roam over the small piece of paper, trying to find some sort of meaning behind the mess of numbers. I don't know what I should be looking for, nor do I know why someone would go through such lengths to hide something so trivial as random numbers. A sigh escapes my lips as I throw myself back onto the bed, clenching the piece of paper in my hand as my arm moves up to cover my face. When I had asked for guidance, I had hoped for something a little more distinct.

XXXXXXX

The flash of light that had accompanied the teleportation had all but vanished, leaving me in a dark and cold room. I wasn't sure where I was, or why I had come here, but I knew there had to be a reason for it all.

When I had discovered the piece of paper with numbers scribbled across it, I had tried to shrug it off. It was nothing. There could be no meaning to such chaos. But the longer I sat and thought about it, the more I realized there had to be some meaning behind everything. It had taken me nearly fifteen minutes to realize the numbers were not in fact random, but a sequence. It wasn't long before I had come to the conclusion that those numbers were coordinates - coordinates to the place I now stood.

I take a step off the transportation bay, letting my boot clad foot hit the cold concrete floor. I had no idea where I was heading, so I had quickly changed into my uniform, wanting to be ready for whatever would be waiting for me here.

I hop the rest of the way off the transportation bay and glance around the dark room. My eyes have adjusted enough, allowing me to see a few items scattered around the room. There is a desk in front of me, the large chair turned away from me, facing the multiple screens that display countless bouts of information. To my right is a table with broken pieces of metals scattered about its face. I take a step toward the table, curiosity filling my mind, however before I can take another step something catches my eye. I turn my head slightly and notice it, sitting there in the cold, quietly waiting for that bat symbol to shine in the sky, when its engine will be brought back to life. As I turn once more, giving myself a full inspection of the room I am in I suddenly realize: it is not a room, but a cave - his cave.

"You figured it out."

My body turns, arms raised, ready for a fight, as I watch the back of the chair. The chair turns revealing Batman, who is sporting a smirk that even he can't pretend is not there. He stands from his chair and I lower my arms, suddenly realizing this had been his plan all along. He had planned to draw my name, he had planned to give me the statue. He had planned to give me the coordinates to the Batcave. But why?

"I did," I say with a nod. I watch as he presses a button on the edge of the desk before the cave brightens up slightly, forcing me to look away from the only other occupant for a few moments. My eyes adjust and I blink to erase the spots from my vision, before I glance back up at Bruce. "Why all the hassle?" I ask.

Bruce only shrugs. "I've always been skeptical of you, Diana," he admits. I only nod. He has shared his suspicion of me multiple times, but I do not blame him. I come from an island no man has heard of, with powers bestowed upon me by the gods. It was difficult to convince Man I meant no harm, but for Bruce it had been nearly impossible to gain any of his trust during the first few months.

"So you've told me," I say, flashing him a smirk of my own.

He doesn't acknowledge it. He only takes a step toward me. "You've been my colleague," he begins, "and you've slowly become my...friend." I can't help but blush at the statement, even though I know Bruce hasn't made a confession worth it.

"What would you have done if I hadn't solved the puzzle," I ask.

Bruce only shrugs his shoulder. "That wasn't an option," he says. "You're brilliant, Diana. You would've found it sooner or later."

I only nod, pursing my lips. "And why exactly am I here?" The question comes across as rude, and even I am taken aback by my tone. But I have been working with Bruce for months. There is usually something he keeps to himself. He doesn't like all of his cards on the table.

Bruce only shrugs. "You have questions," he begins. He reaches up and pulls his cowl from his face, letting it fall to the back of his neck. "And I have answers. Starting with who I truly am." He pulls his gloves from his hand and lays them over the back of his chair before he takes a step closer to me. "Bruce Wayne," he says, introducing himself. "But you knew that much already."

I only smile and take his hand in mine. Of course I knew his name and his face. When we had danced in Paris everything had become clear. My suspicions had only grown when Batman arrived in my hotel room that night. "How long have you known?" he asks, dropping my hand. He turns from me and walks back up to his desk, pushing the chair aside to lean against a few of the controls.

I only shrug as I follow him. "Since Paris," I confess. I watch as his blue eyes stare at me, watching as I lean against his desk, crossing my arms over my chest. "But I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how much of the playboy persona is actually an act."

"Good," he says without missing a beat. "How much of Bruce Wayne do you know?" he asks.

I only shrug once more. I let my fingers carefully run along his desk, letting my eyes wander over the different toggles and switches connected to his keyboard. "I know what the papers and tabloids share," I state. My eyes glance up and meet his. I offer him a small smile and he reciprocates, causing my heart to skip a beat. He is a handsome man, this is for sure, but there is something about the way he smiles that makes me feel like a giddy girl with a crush. "How much of the real Bruce Wayne is that, though?"

"Not much."

"Care to enlighten me?"

Bruce only smiles once more. "Over dinner. Tomorrow night?"

I smile and give him a small nod, standing straight and taking a deep breath. "That sounds perfect. But I do have one question." He raises an eyebrow, asking me to continue. "Why Athena?"

Bruce chuckles and licks his bottom lip before he answers, "You've been praying to her for guidance. I've heard you a time or two and thought you could use a piece of home." He takes a step toward me and places a hand on my arm, surprising me. I did not know the seemingly cold hearted Batman could be so tender and attentive. "I know how it is to feel lost, Diana. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

I am shocked. I did not know Bruce cared that much for anyone, let alone me. He is always so distant, I thought he was incapable of being this caring, this sweet. It's a refreshing change of pace. Before I can stop myself, I lean in and give Bruce a small peck on the cheek. His lips curl into another smile and I give him a smile of my own, before I lean back in and place my lips on his. He freezes, unsure of what to do, but that is okay. As much as I would love for there to be a romantic interest between the two of us, we still need to get to know each other more, find out what drives the other, what makes the other tick. Maybe in the future things between us will blossom, but for now this was merely a kiss to express my gratitude.

I pull back from Bruce, unable to help the smile on my face when I see the smirk return to his. "Thank you," I say.

"You're welcome," he whispers. "I will see you tomorrow." He watches as I walk toward the transportation bay at the edge of the room. He punches a few keys on his keyboard, the coordinates of the Watchtower, and gives me a small nod. "By the way, you and I will have monitor duty all next week since Kent will be back in Smallville with J'onn."

That is the last thing I hear before the cave disappears from my vision, only to be replaced by the transporter bay in the Watchtower. I let out a small scoff and shake my head, catching J'onn's attention. "Is everything alright, Diana?" he asks.

I only nod, letting him know I am alright. I offer him a smile for good measure before I step off the transporter and walk out of the room toward my quarters. Having monitor duty all next week is going to be a bore, but at least I'll have Bruce there to keep me company. Thank Athena.

@fyeahwonderbat

[saultnpeppah]

Mistletoe

This is my WonderBat Secret Santa gift for the person responsible for every WonderBat event we have. You're awesome @maidenoftheworld!

December 24. Washington D.C. 17:05

Christmas and the surrounding holidays was a time to be spent with family. Time for families to relax and enjoy the company of those they loved. For Bruce Wayne, the Christmas season had always been a difficult one. When his parents had passed when he was a boy, only Alfred was there to bring the young Wayne much comfort during this time, and although he had tried his hardest, whenever Bruce would feel festive, guilt would soon consume him.

Bruce had struggled for years with survivor's guilt, but he knew his parents would not have wanted him to isolate himself, especially during the holidays. When Dick had come into his life, Bruce had found a new purpose, giving relief and help to another who had lost their parents too young. For a moment it seemed as if he had gained some normalcy back into his life - however normal he could be while still parading as a vigilante every night. But when Dick had died unexpectedly, it had thrown Bruce back into the isolation he had fought so hard to claw out of. He had become angry at the world, and instead of resolving those feelings he buried deep within, he had focused that anger into The Batman.

Within a matter of years, The Batman had become someone to fear, willing to do what needed to be done in order to stop the threats. When one of those threats had become Superman, Bruce had nearly lost his mind and given into the one rule he had set for himself when he had started his war on crime in Gotham, enraged by the death of innocent people that had been sacrificed when the Man of Steel had surfaced on this world. That anger, however, soon became more guilt when Clark had died saving humanity from his world and the horrors of it. Bruce had, once again, been thrown into that spiral of guilt and anger, letting it consume his every thought, letting it spill into his work both at Wayne Enterprises and as The Batman. The only difference was now he had someone besides Alfred willing to pull him out of those thoughts, and she was much less inclined to allow him to say no.

For nearly a century, Diana had wallowed in her own grief. She had grieved the loss of her home, never being able to return to the island she had grown up on and loved dearly. She grieved the loss of Steve, the first man she had loved. And she had grieved the loss of her dear friends, who would age before her very eyes as she remained as youthful as the day she first arrived on Man's World. Diana had known loss, and by extent, had known grief and guilt- she was the one person who Bruce could find a true connection with, as she knew of both of his lives.

With Diana came the discover of Arthur, Barry, and Victor, and they had each brought something of their own to the mix. Soon had come Clark's rival, which had not only brought another teammate, but a friend into Bruce's life, someone he could share not only the playboy persona, but The Batman with. By extension had come Lois, the oh so determined journalist, and Mrs. Kent, Martha, the one who had connected Bruce and Clark and brought Bruce out of his fit of anger. She was the one who saved Clark that night. She was the one who had brought Bruce out of that rage.

It had taken some time, but slowly Bruce had begun to trust himself with his new teammates, his new friends. He would find himself spending more time with the group, wanting to share his life with them. They were his family. And family spent the holidays together and this was no different for the group of heroes.

"On your right."

Bruce turned just in time to see a blur of red zoom past him, the robot that had been inches in front of him seconds before, now a pile of metal on the frosted ground. "Thanks," Bruce muttered before he jumped behind a door, narrowly missing a few shots from another nearby robot, one of the many that were attacking the White House, knowing the President had opted to stay in Washington D.C. for Christmas. Someone had orchestrated this whole attack, and it was their job to stop the army of robots and find out who had gained inside knowledge and started the attack. It hadn't taken long for the team to be bombarded.

Bruce took a deep breath and reached into his utility belt, searching for another smoke pellet. The group had been fighting for nearly an hour and he was running low on supplies. His only hope was Victor would be able to stop the assault from the inside.

His fingers made contact with one of the pellets and he took another deep breath and threw the pellet to the floor, encasing the surrounding area in a thick cloud of dark smoke. The continuous fire aimed at the door Bruce had been hiding behind ceased momentarily, as the artificial army tried to find the caped crusader. They never saw the batarangs fly into their backs, before the miniature bombs went off, sending metal pieces flying about the room.

"Alfred," Bruce said, taking another deep breath. He wasn't as young as he was when he had first created The Batman, and whenever he fought alongside stronger, younger, people, he felt it. But he was never one to give up a fight.

"Yes, Master Wayne," Alfred called out.

"Do we know who's behind this?" Bruce asked. His eyes focused on Clark as he hovered above a few of the bots, letting his heat vision melt the metal that composed their bodies. He watched as Clark flashed him a smirk, before he ran off alongside Barry, punching robots who didn't see the two coming until they were disassembled on the ground.

"The signal is encrypted, Master Wayne," Alfred explained, "The location seems to jump every time I get close."

Bruce let out a frustrated sigh. Whoever was doing this was good and prepared. They knew the League would come. "Victor, have you found the President?"

Victor Stone, who had been tasked with finding the President and getting him to safety, turned another corner, his lips curling into a smile as he stared down the hall towards the bunker that laid under the Oval Office. He let his robotic eye scan the door, his smile widening when he was able to pick up the heat signatures behind the steel. "Yes," Victor replied. "Getting him now."

He quickly connected to the control panel outside of the door and began to decode the encryption. The door quickly opened and Victor stepped inside. "Mr. President," he began said with an outstretched hand. However, he stopped when he was bombarded with a barrage of gunfire coming from inside the bunker, as the President's secret service were unable to discern Victor from one of the many robots attacking the League. "I'm taking fire," was all Victor said, before he jumped out of the bunker and ran for cover.

"Probably shouldn't have let the robotic one go after the President, when robots are trying to attack," Barry said with a smirk as he stopped next to Bruce. He took one look at Bruce's scowl and knew he would be in for another lecture if he didn't stop making sarcastic comments. "Got it," he said, giving Bruce a thumbs up. "Going now."

Bruce turned and watched as Barry rushed off, leaving only a red streak behind him, before he let out another sigh. He refocused his attention to the area in front of him, his eyes widening when he noticed two robots uncomfortably close. He mentally cursed himself when he saw them raise their guns, as his hands fumbled to find something that would buy him extra time. The two robots fired their guns at Bruce, however when the only sound that was heard was the loud pings of their bullets hitting something strong and metal, Bruce knew he had gotten that extra time after all.

Bruce glanced up at Diana, who only raised an eyebrow as she stared into his eyes. She kept her shield raised, keeping the two of them safe from the hail of gunfire that was aimed at the two of them, as her free hand gently punched Bruce in the shoulder. "You're getting sloppy in your old age," she teased, flashing him a smirk.

She watched as he gave her a small smirk in response, before he pulled out his grappling gun. "And you're getting cocky," he retorted.

Diana only shrugged, before she thrusted her arm forward, crashing her shield into one of the unsuspecting robots, crushing its metal skull before it fell to the ground. "I learned from the best," was all she said as she reached for the sword that rested on her hip. "You're going to be late," she whispered, pulling her sword from its sheath, slashing at the robot that had jumped behind Bruce.

Bruce watched as the blade sliced the metal being in half, shrugged at her comment, and aimed his device at a beam across the room. "I'll be fine," was all he said, before he fired the gun, watching as it connected with the wood, before it flung him up towards the ceiling. He carefully disconnected the line, landing on his feet behind an unsuspecting robot, before he drove a piece of metal through its back. The robot quickly fell to the ground and Bruce retreated behind another beam for coverage.

"Barry?" Bruce asked, knowing the speedster should have retrieved the President by now.

"El Presidente is safe and sound," Barry responded, reappearing beside Bruce.

Bruce only gave a small nod and said, "Alfred, any luck on that encryption?"

"There's no need," Victor said, stopping the Englishman from speaking. "I found the control system, and it's unlike anything I've seen before."

"Victor, stop this army," Bruce commanded. He turned to Barry and nodded, knowing the younger man would be able to help Victor find a way to disable the robots before they overtook them all.

Without a word Barry ran off, searching every room in the White House until he found Victor staring at a giant control panel. "Woah," Barry said, his eyes widening as he realized the complexity of what was in front of him. Someone had thought of this for a while, someone smart. It would take a genius to bypass the encryptions on the control panel, and even then it would take hours, if not days.

"It's going to take some time," Victor said, plugging himself into the control panel. Instantly the control panel began to buzz and glow, and Victor began to shake. Whatever he had plugged himself into was trying to hack into his system.

Barry watched as Victor struggled with the control panel. He watched as Victor groaned in pain as electricity began to fly from the buttons and switches, before it coursed through his friend's circuitry. Without another word, fearing for the safety of his friend, Barry rushed up to the control panel and began to push every button, toggle every lever, flip every switch he could, hoping something would stop both the army if robots and the assault on Victor.

Meanwhile, back in the main foyer of the White House, Bruce, Clark, and Diana continued to fight the robots. "Any luck on stopping these things?" Clark asked, punching one of the robots through the chest. He quickly pulled the useless metal from his arm and tossed it aside, glancing over his shoulder at Bruce.

Bruce only shrugged. He didn't know what was taking Barry and Victor so long, but he hoped they would be able to stop it soon. He didn't know how much more he could take. The three of them were managing okay, but it would have been a lot easier if they had more bodies. Bruce made a mental note to pick up the search for more potential members when he got home. He also made a mental note to give Arthur a strongly worded message; even if Diana had to constantly remind him he was now a King and had other duties, he was still a member of the team.

Batman turned to deliver a punch to another robot, shock in his eyes when the robot punched him back. A piece of metal dragged along Bruce's cheek and cut his skin, leaving a small trail of blood. It was enough motivation for Bruce, as he grabbed the robot's arms, placed his foot on its chest, and pulled, dismembering the robot. "You're going to be late," Diana reminded, kicking a robot's head from its body, watching as it landed across the room, before she turned to face Bruce once more.

"It's fine, Diana," Bruce said once more, trying to reassure the woman that whatever he had planned for tonight took a backseat to this. But Diana knew how important keeping up appearances was to Bruce. It was the only way he was able to remain The Batman without anyone becoming suspicious.

Diana opened her mouth to speak, but when every remaining robot in the room began to shake, she knew Barry and Victor had done something right. She quickly rolled on top of Bruce, knowing the robots were going to explode and placed her shield on her back, covering the two of them from any debris that would come their way. Just as expected, the robots all began to self destruct, letting piece of metal fly about the room.

Bruce only laid on the floor listening to the ping each piece of metal made against Diana's shield, trying to avoid the playful smile she was giving him. He knew now wasn't the time to flirt, but she made it so hard. "I do like a woman on top," he whispered with a smirk, listening to another piece of metal fly their way, hitting the edge of the shield.

Diana only chuckled and playfully slapped his chin, telling him to cut it out. Clark, who had been standing next to the two, only turned his head and cleared his throat. The two looked up at Clark, watching as a shard of metal bounced off his forehead, before Diana let out another chuckle. The two had done the flirting and playful banter for so long, it was hardly a surprise anymore. Still, there was a time and place for it.

When the sounds of metal on Diana's shield ceased, she quickly rolled off of him and stood, before offering the man her hand. He took it quietly and she pulled him to his feet, just in time to see Barry run into the room holding Victor and the control panel. "Good work," Bruce said, glancing at the control panel. "How'd you stop it?"

Barry only shrugged. "I just pressed every button until something worked," Barry admitted, lifting his hands, confused.

Bruce tilted his head, unsure of Barry's method. Clark, however, was pleased. "Well it worked," he said, "Any idea who did this?"

Victor nodded. "He tried to hack my system," he confessed. "But he was too cocky and left a signature in the code. T.O. Morrow."

Bruce only nodded his head. "Once I get back to Gotham I will see what I can do about-"

"You will do no such thing," Diana interrupted. She glanced up at Bruce and crossed her arms over her chest. "Clark and I will deal with the clean up here. You have somewhere to be," she said, pointing a finger at his chest.

"Diana," Bruce began. He watched as Diana shook her head before she nodded to Barry.

"Sorry, Bats," Barry said, before he lifted him into his arms and sped off towards Gotham faster than any plane could.

Clark watched as Barry left with Bruce in his arm, chuckling before he turned toward the Amazon standing at his left. "What about the jet?" he asked, knowing Bruce had the only set of keys hidden in his utility belt.

Diana said nothing as she lifted the keys, a smile on her face as she thought of how handsy she had to get in order to get those. She quickly tossed the keys to Victor who gave her a smirk, before she began to clean up the mess the five of them had made.

December 24. Wayne Enterprises - Gotham. 19:35

Diana continued to walk through the crowd of employees and other members of Gotham's elite, walking toward two familiar faces. She tilted her head as she approached, making sure the bun atop her head remained perfect, as a few of her bangs swept down in front of her face.

"Well you look spectacular," Lois said, grabbing the few strands of loose hair and pushing them behind the taller woman's ear, "For being late, that is."

Diana smirked at the red headed woman. She turned and glanced at the dress Lois wore, a beautiful blue cocktail dress, with matching silver heels. Clark truly was a lucky man.

"Blame your husband," Diana whispered, nudging the man next to her. "He had to make sure every piece of metal was picked up before we left."

Clark only shrugged as he took a sip from the champagne glass in his hand, watching as both ladies turned to face him, before they chuckled. He watched as Lois hugged Diana and he was grateful that Bruce had once again, saved him and his family. After the Daily Planet had reported he had been killed in the attack on Gotham, he knew it would be nearly impossible to explain his sudden resurrection. But Bruce had done it. Clark hated having to lie to everyone, saying he had been labeled as a John Doe due to his face being so badly injured during the fight that no one knew who he was. He hated having to tell people he couldn't remember who he was for a year. He hated telling people his mother had buried someone else in a case of mistaken identity - Martha Kent and Lois were the only two to have seen Clark before deciding the keep the casket closed for everyone else. But now that he was married to the woman he loved more than anything, and able to see his mother happy and thriving on the farm, he knew it had been all worth it.

"So where is Mr. Wayne?" Lois asked, her journalist's instinct kicking in.

Diana scanned the room, shrugging when she couldn't find Bruce. She did, however, see another familiar face at the other end of the room, stuffing his face with finger sandwiches and hor d'oeuvres. "Excuse me," she said, walking towards the young man dressed in a red tux.

She quietly walked up to Barry, grabbing a champagne flute from the table and taking a sip. "You clean up nice," she said, plucking a cracker from one of the platters and taking a bite.

Barry glanced up at Diana and smiled, before he stuffed another sandwich in his mouth.

He pointed towards the green tie he wore, swallowed his food, and said, "It's festive." Diana only let out a small chuckle as she nodded. "It is very uncomfortable though."

Diana ate another cracker before she gently placed a hand on Barry's shoulder. "Did he make it?" she asked, letting her eyes wander around the room once more in an attempt to find the person who arranged this whole event.

Barry nodded. "Barely," he explained. "Although he was not too fond of either you or me

the whole way to Gotham.

Diana chuckled once more. "Thank you," she said, watching as he only nodded once before picking up another sandwich. She turned from the table, her eyes lighting up when she saw Bruce come into view.

He was dressed in one of his signature three piece tuxedos. His hair was styled, and the stubble on his face was nicely trimmed. There was still evidence of the cut on his face, but the blood was now cleaned; Diana assumed Alfred had tended to that before he left.

Bruce walked up to the front of the crowd, waving to various employees, offering smiles to those who had decided to share their Christmas Eve with him. "Good evening everyone," Bruce began, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. They all turned to watch Bruce as he evened out the black tie around his neck. "I want to thank everyone for coming. I'm happy to announce that Wayne Enterprises will be funding S.T.A.R. labs' bio-mechanical engineering department." There was applause from around the room, and Bruce smirked. It was his way of telling everyone he was funding Silas Stone and helping with Victor's ever changing mechanics, without outright saying it.

When the applause died down, he looked around the room, a smile on his face when he caught sight of Clark and Lois. "When my parents died, the holidays were a hard time. But as I've grown older, you have all become like family." Bruce's gaze moved throughout the room, watching as smiles appeared on faces at what he had just confessed. He moved his eyes, searching for one person in particular. When he found her, his smile widened as he locked eyes with hers. "To family," he said, raising his glass of champagne. "And Merry Christmas."

Everyone reciprocated the toast, raising their own glasses, echoing his words, before they moved on to their own side conversations. Bruce, content with his small speech, moved from the front of the room and disappeared into the crowd.

Diana, knowing Bruce would be headed towards Clark and Lois, joined the duo, reaching them at the same time Bruce did. Bruce only acknowledged her with a small smile, knowing whatever he had to say to her could wait until he was done with Clark. After all, he had been planning this secret for almost a year.

"That was some speech," Lois said with a chuckle, teasing him for his lack of words. Bruce was known for his ability to make up anything on the spot. He was charismatic, and people were drawn to every word he said.

"There were more important things I needed to get to," was all Bruce said, before he extended his hand, waiting for Clark to reach out and shake it. He did, causing Bruce to smile once more.

"You are still coming to the farm tomorrow, right?" Clark asked. He stared at Bruce but the question was directed to both he and Diana.

Diana only nodded, taking another small sip from her flute.

Likewise, Bruce nodded, reached into his jacket, and pulled out an envelope. "Merry

Christmas," Bruce said as he handed the envelope to Clark. He watched as the reporter carefully opened the envelope, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses, ever suspicious of the billionaire. "Sorry it took so long."

Clark looked up from the papers in his hands, trying his hardest not to cry. The farm had been in his family for generations and when his mother had lost it after his death, he couldn't imagine the pain that it caused. He was more than grateful when Bruce had bought the bank, letting Martha come back to the land she had fallen in love with, but this-this was beyond generous. "Bruce," Clark began, only to be silenced by the older man.

"The deed is in both your mother's name and yours. You should never have to worry about losing the farm again," Bruce explained. He placed his hand on Clark's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you, Bruce," Clark said quietly. "Truly."

Bruce only nodded before he turned to Diana. "Miss Prince," he said, offering the woman a hand. "Care to dance?"

Diana said nothing as she placed her hand in Bruce's and nodded. She waved to Clark and Lois, silently telling them she would see them tomorrow, before she followed Bruce out onto the dance floor. There Bruce turned to face her, stepping closer as his right hand fell to her lower back, pushing her against his chest. "Bruce," she warned, staring into his eye as she placed her right hand into his remaining hand.

"You look beautiful," he whispered, pulling her closer.

"Careful, Mr. Wayne," she whispered back, "I am spoken for."

Bruce craned his neck and raised an eyebrow. "Since when?" he asked, glancing over her shoulder at Clark and Lois who had begun to dance at the end of the room.

Diana ignored his question, lifting her left hand to gently caress the skin of his cheek just below the cut he had received earlier this evening. "You need to be more careful," she whispered, "You're not invincible."

"And you need to stop being so damn flirty when we're on a mission," he retorted. "Especially when you have a boyfriend."

"I never said it was a boyfriend," Diana said with a smirk.

Bruce raised an eyebrow once more. "Girlfriend?"

Diana let out a small chuckle. She enjoyed doing this to Bruce, but would deny it if asked. "What you did for Clark," she began as they started swaying to the music, "That was very kind of you, Bruce."

"He deserves it," he admitted. "Plus, I was a bit of an ass when we first met."

Diana chuckled once more. "Always the charmer, Bruce Wayne."

The two continued to dance, swaying gently to the music, enjoying small talk in between whispered flirtations. They discussed Arthur and his acclimation to the throne of Atlantis. They discussed Clark and Lois' wedding last September . They discussed who to seek out to join the team in case another threat emerged. They discussed Victor and his acceptance of what he was, and Barry's new job with the Central City Police Department. Neither had known just how much time had passed until Lois was nudging Bruce's shoulder, letting him know it was time to make the announcement of the century.

Carefully Bruce led the two of them to the end of the room where he could talk to Diana. He wanted to give her an out. He wanted her to know that whatever she decided tonight, he would support her. After all, she had tried to hide herself for nearly a century, never wanting the world's attention on herself. It was only after Steppenwolf had come to Earth had she let the world know who Wonder Woman was. He didn't know if she was ready for the string of attention this would cause her.

"I'm fine, Bruce," Diana whispered. She knew what he had been thinking. He had confided in her countless nights of this decision, and the more he talked about it, the more she agreed with him. It was time the world knew who the real Bruce Wayne was.

Without a word, Bruce nodded up towards the door frame they stood in. Diana followed his gaze, letting her eyes settle on the piece of mistletoe that Barry had attached to the door frame seconds prior. "You sneaky man," she whispered. She watched as he only shrugged before she shook her head playfully and leaned in for a kiss.

There were a few gasps from the surrounding guests, as they watched Bruce wrap his arms around the younger woman and deepen the kiss. A few of the reporters rushed to grab their phones, wanting photographic evidence that Bruce Wayne had a new fling, however none were as quick as Clark, who snatched the first and only photo of Bruce and Diana kissing.

Bruce pulled away from Diana and flashed her a smirk, before he grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it. Disappointed they had missed their photo opportunity, reporters quickly swarmed up to the duo, pens ready to jot down any details that would get them a story worthy of the front page. "Mr. Wayne," one reporter called out, "Who's your new lady friend?"

"Is Bruce Wayne dating again?"

"How long has this been going on?"

Bruce ignored everyone's questions, raising his empty hand to silence everyone. "I wanted this night to be about family, and I'd like you to meet mine," he said. He gave a small nod to Clark, letting him know their deal was still intact. Lois would get the first and only news story regarding he and Diana's relationship, as she was the only one they trusted. "This is Diana," he began, pulling Diana close to him. He wrapped his arm around the woman, smiling when he realized he didn't have to hide the truth anymore. Bruce Wayne was a taken man, and had been for a while.

"This is my wife."

A little different, but hey, they technically did end up. I tried to add some team interaction for you, and some playful flirtations for you as well. I hope you enjoyed it. This event wouldn't have been possible without your amazing self.

@fyeahwonderbat

[fyeahwonderbat]

WonderBat Secret Santa Update! 🎁

Now that the sign-up process is closed, we are ready to move onto the next step! If you submitted an application, you'll be receiving the gift information of the person you'll be making something for by midnight tonight!

Remember, even if you didn't join in the event this year, feel free to follow these tags:

#WonderBatSecretSanta

#WonderBatHoliday2019

There'll be a lot to enjoy if you follow these tags now, so make sure you keep up to date with this event! ~ Maiden

[fyeahwonderbat]

🎆WonderBat Holiday 2019🎆

Every year, we celebrate WonderBat all throughout December with an event that ends up being the biggest one yet. This year, we’re going to do something a little more traditional that you all may recognize...

🎁It’s going to be a WonderBat Secret Santa 2019!🎁

If you’re looking to participate, here are some handy dates for you:

- October 21st: Click on this link --> WonderBat Secret Santa Sign Up <-- to fill out the form to agree to be someone’s Secret Santa this holiday season! I’ll collect the answers up until November 8th! 

- November 10th: You’ll receive the request information of the person you’ll be making a gift for. You’ll be another WonderBat fan’s Secret Santa, and I’ll give you the information of the gift they requested when filling out the form in the link above!

- December 21st to December 25th: Post the gift you made, Secret Santa! I’ll make sure everyone is tagged and all gifts reach their recipiants in time for the Christmas!

No matter which platform you use, please remember to use the event hashtag #WonderBatHoliday2019 OR #WonderBatSecretSanta so we can all see each other’s work! 

And please tag me as well so I get double the notifcations of your post: @fyeahwonderbat or @maidenoftheworld [Tumblr] or @/LadyLiteration [Twitter]!

If you have any questions at all, send in as many Asks as you need to! Let’s all join in and make this the biggest, bestest event yet! Maiden