Author's Note:

This is just some simple story I dreamed about a few days ago. It took place before 'Eye Spy'. You might find some scenes a bit cliche-ish but I hope it's at least a satisfactory story for you.

"Good to have you back, Bruce"

The familiar voice pierced through his ears like a ringing alarm clock. It's not like the voice was loud or anything; it's just that the headache that came after opening his eyes made his environment harsher to his senses. It's one of those cases that he wished he was invulnerable as the man standing at the end of his bed.

Clark, in his Superman persona, smiled friendly like he always did. He was the first one to visit Bruce in the Watchtower's health ward. Feeling the bandages itch a little, Bruce sat up. His pain was not as subdued as he expected. Sweat began to form on his forehead.

"Don't push yourself just yet" said the Kryptonian while he sat on the stool at the side of the chair.

Bruce hated being in hospitals. He hated that he's got an IV attached to his vein. He hated the cast on his right leg. He hated how Clark would try to cheer him up. Because there is not a thing that could cheer him up right now, especially that he almost died while trying to save Gotham from the monster called Doomsday.

Unfortunately for him in that incident, the rest of the League had to fight a dozen more of the monster's clone. In short, he was left all alone to face the monster that rivaled Superman's strength. And then, he ended up here

"Quite a fight yesterday, huh" said Clark.

Since the cowl was gone, Bruce's scowl was more visible than ever.

"Quite disappointing indeed" he responded with a bit of a strain to his voice.

"You punish yourself too much" the man of steel suggested, "You should be proud that you alone defeated Doomsday. "

Batman glared.

"I remember him crushing my bones after destroying almost half of my city and-"

"And yet you stopped him" Clark interrupted.

The Batman did stop the monster all by himself. If it weren't for the device that created boom tubes, his whole city would have been pulverized. Painfully, he had to lure it to the portal that led anyone entering it to another distant planet.

The man on the hospital bed didn't talk after hearing Superman's words. The pain from his broken ribs (and probably from a ruptured spleen) was resurfacing. Closing his eyes, Bruce went to meditation to soothe it by inhaling from his nostrils and exhaling through his mouth. When he opened his eyes again, Clark frowned with concern.

"You can request pain killers from J'onn"

"I can handle it" he growled.

Then Superman stood up and gave another friendly smile. Bruce knew that Clark knew him too well to react sensitively.

"Of course you can handle it" he muttered, "Well then, I gotta get going. More clean-up to do in Metropolis, New York, Boston and Gotham. We'll take care of everything, Bruce. Don't worry."

Finally, the Kryptonian walked to the door and closed it shut. Even though he's completely alone in the room, the scowl didn't diminish. Bruce intended to be in a bad mood for the rest of his recovery.

Before the five minute mark was indicated on the clock, someone knocked on his door. He didn't want to welcome whoever's behind it.

"It's me" said a woman's voice.

The door opened and revealed a beautiful woman with black flowing hair. Her ocean colored eyes made Bruce lessen his hardened expression. He didn't think that the sight of Wonder Woman would make him feel almost at ease. Now, he was wrong. He loved seeing her and hated how she made this effect on him at the same time.

Carrying a basket full of fruits on one hand, the Amazonian princess approached him and sat on Clark's stool. As she placed the basket on the side table, the gold and silver in her uniform shined from the room's fluorescent lights.

"How's the leg?" she asked with a small smile.

The Batman wanted to stay angry. He tried so hard to fuel it...

He just...

...couldn't.

Not in front of her.

"Better... I think" he replied, maintaining a flat line on his lips

"Clark said you're in a bad mood"

"I am"

"Well, hopefully, a couple of mangoes will do the trick"

Diana grabbed a ripe yellow mango from the basket. She held it up to him, almost to his face. Bruce was beginning to feel relaxed. He did crave for something sweet after all.

"That's better" she uttered.

Before he knew it, Bruce had erased the scowl and wore his regular 'Bruce' face.

"You know, you look a lot less terrible without the scowl"

Realizing that he hadn't seen himself with a mirror, Bruce touch his face. He could feel a thick bandage on his forehead and a slightly swollen jaw.

"Hold on. I'll get a mirror" said Wonder Woman before disappearing to the bathroom.

Seconds later, she came back with the mirror that hanged on top of the sink. The reflective side showed a man with bandages wrapped around his forehead almost covering most of the hair. A dark eye was visible as well as some stitching on his his neck.

he does look terrible.

Diana put down the mirror.

"Don't worry. You can afford the best plastic surgeons anyway" she joked.

Then suddenly, Diana held her ear with a finger.

"Wonder Woman here... "

Her stance changed. Her expression became serious. It all meant that she was needed to save the world again.

"... I'll be right there" she said, addressing whoever was at the other end of the communicator.

When she was done, Wonder Woman turned to Bruce.

"Sorry. Cheetah's causing a lot of trouble again"

"Don't worry. I'll be right here when you come back" he joked with a straight, but not angered, face.

Diana showed teeth in her grin.

"That's more like it"

Before he could make another joke, Diana waved him good bye and went out of the door in a hurry. He heard no footsteps outside, probably because she flew. That was always faster.

It was a shame she left in a haste. If she stayed a few seconds longer, she would've seen him smile.