Yes! I'm unbelievably excited to start on this. I hope you guys enjoy this story as much as I've enjoyed planning it out.

:)

High Life.

"Welcome, Wonder Woman," the automated voice droned as she removed her hand from the scanner. No matter how many times she heard it, shivers would coil up her spine. Once the door shut behind her, fingers automatically reached up and removed her uniform, her breastplate clanging to the metal floor. Leaving the uniform on the ground, she lazily made her way into the connected bathroom and ran warm water into the bathtub. Grateful and exhausted from beating more of Luthor's robots to pieces, she sank into the heat and rolled her shoulders, working out all the kinks.

Maybe I should have put on a little music. Something like Stevie Winwoo-

"Batman to Wonder Woman," Her com-link broke the silence. All this time, she'd been wearing it and forgotten about it. Damn all these technologies.

"Yes?"

"I need you down here to look over some footage of Luthor's last meeting." She huffed, her head falling back to slam against the tub's rim, hard.

"All right. I'll be there in a minute. Wonder Woman out."

"As you can see, Luthor has contributed a large donation to a group called Itex. It funds hybrid experiments and other scientific research," Bruce explained, pointing to one of the camera screens.

"Hybrid experiments?" Diana questioned, glancing over at her comrade with a raised eyebrow.

"They're trying to graft animal DNA with human genes. A recent expansion was avian-lupine hybrids." She winced, looking at the gruesome creatures that filled the screen, overlapping the video files. As Batman explained more, something- someone- caught her eye on the edge of the video.

"Wait. Rewind video three." Bruce was puzzled but obeyed. "There," She pointed, to the corner of the screen where a man stood in a bright purple suit, "Him. His outfit looks familiar. Where have I seen him before?"

Her question would remain unanswered, though. Bruce rose to his feet and stalked out of the room, leaving Diana to examine the back of the purple-suited man chatting with Luthor.

"What are you discussing with Joker?" Batman snarled, his fist tightening around Luthor's collar. The mastermind chuckled, prying the Kevlar fingers off his Versace suit.

"Might I ask how you know all this?" Batman narrowed his eyes.

"That isn't important. All I want to know is why you're talking to him. He's a psychotic criminal, on occasions more dangerous than you, and he definitely can't be trusted. Why are you even speaking to him?"

"I could say the same for a lot of people," Luthor smirked, "But just to tickle your fancy, I'll give you a hint. He and I have been tracking down a certain someone of our own."

"Who?"

"Now, now, Batman. We all know that you're not called the Great Detective for nothing. I intend to let you… figure this one out on your own." Bruce glared at him for another moment, but eventually dropped Lex, stalking off into the night.

"Find out anything?" Flash questioned as Bruce appeared in the transporter.

"Only that Lex is still being a narcissistic asshole." Flash smirked, "Sounds like somebody else I know."

He wondered if Batman had an unlimited supply of those glares and wanted to know where he could purchase some, if possible. "Wondy's waiting for you in her room. Said something about a surprise," He wiggled his eyebrows juvenilely and earned a whack on the head. Bruce left him rubbing his skull and hurried nimbly to Diana's quarters. For one of the first times in his life, the Batman actually knocked. While he considered if he should erase that from the security camera's memory, Diana flashed before him as the door slid back.

"Did I hear knocking? What have you done with Batman?" She playfully teased.

"Flash said you wanted to see me."

Ahhh, she thought, always cutting to the chase.

"Yes. I do," She motioned him into her room and sat herself upon the bed. Batman stayed where he was, just near the corner of the doorway. "I wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"For these," She delicately pulled out a black velvet box from underneath her pillow. Inside was a beautiful set of Akoya pearls, shining brightly underneath the fluorescent lights. Bruce swallowed hard, watching as Diana slid the necklace out of its hold and held it up. "They're gorgeous, Bruce. I know that I told you once we started… seeing each other that I didn't need any of man's world's luxuries but… these are perfect," Her ocean eyes flickered up to him again, "So thank you."

He nodded once, stiffly, and then exited the room. Diana bit back her sigh, knowing even if he were a hundred feet away, he would still hear it. She placed the pearls back into the box and closed it shut.

The loud snap resonated around the lonely metallic room.

"And what about you, Arrow?" Batman's eyes narrowed even farther as he eyed the blonde playboy. Green Arrow gaped, his own eyes darting over to Dinah quickly, before glancing back to the Dark Knight.

"What?! I would never do that! I mean, Diana is a beautiful woman and all-" Batman cleared his throat threateningly, "But I wouldn't give her a set of pearls, dude."

Batman shifted his position to look out at the rest of the male members of the Justice League. It had been rumored that Wonder Woman and Batman had been going out for some time, and now it was rather obvious.
"All right. You are dismissed," Batman announced and with a whoosh of his cape, was out of the door and out of sight. He stalked down the main corridor, finally reaching his destination.

"Hey, Batman," Clark greeted- as he always did in his Boy Scout way- as he leaned back in the computer chair.

"You'll break that thing if you don't stop," Batman warned and Superman quickly sat up straight, eyeing his friend strangely.

"You're extra menacing today. Had a filling breakfast, I presume?" Clark smirked at his own joke and as usual, Batman practiced the art of becoming a statue.

"Did you give Diana the pearls?"

"What pearls?"

"Just answer the question."

"I'd like to know what we're talking about first, before I answer any questions."

"Diana found some pearls. She thinks they're from me." Superman's eyes grew wide as he turned in his chair, humor leaking out of his words.

"And they're not? Oh, that's rich. Wow," He wiped the tears of laughter away, "Anyway, I'm not sure how you've pointed your finger at me."

"The rest of the men in the Watchtower said they hadn't."

"And you believe every single one of them?"

Batman paused, "Why not? Besides, I doubt many of them would have the balls to do it."

"And you suddenly think I would give Diana a set of pearls with no card attached and-"

"I never said there wasn't a card," Batman pointed out and Superman stood to meet him face-to-face.

"Batman, look, I'm just pointing out faults- if there were any. If I had given Diana a set of pearls, which I haven't, I would have at least put a card with it, that way she knew it was from me. And the only reason I would give her a set of pearls would be… her birthday? I don't know," Clark finished and took a deep breath, "Honestly, I expected better from you, though. I'm her best friend, not her lover. I'm not you, Bruce."

Batman watched as his friend moved past the chair and headed out of the room.

"You're on monitor duty."

Well, first chapter is done. I'm going to get started on the second one after I throw some clothes in the washer.

Also, I'm not quite sure if Superman cries- he can right? Oh, well. Now he does.

There was a bit of an allusion to a book that I'm deeply in love with in this story. It's a bit obvious to me, but maybe not to you guys.

:)

You know the drill.