Marvel & DC Comics

Hulk/Wonder Woman One-Shot

The Goddess and the Titan

It had been many months since his arrival to their world. He came from another universe, from an Earth that was similar to their own. It had all happened so suddenly. A great, gaping tear in time and space appeared in the depths of the galaxy, its very energies deadly to anything mortal and immortal. Yet he somehow survived, unharmed from his ordeal as he streaked across the star-lit heavens and crashed into the city with an impact that seemed to make the entire East Coast of the continent tremble.

She was one of the first to come upon the scene, one of the first to lay eyes upon a titan whose skin was as green as Mother Gaea and whose raw power knew no limitations. Her name is Diana. Daughter of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, and Zeus, King of the Olympian Gods. But to her teammates and the people of this world, she is also known by the name of Wonder Woman.

She would never forget that day. It was a day that changed her life forever. The world and its heroes would never be the same. It was the day that he arrived to their world. The Strongest One There is... the Green Scar... the World-Breaker... The Hulk.

The team had gathered at the impact site: Superman, Shazam, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and the Flash. All were present, with Batman monitoring the events from the Watchtower, as they cautiously approached the large crater. Within it, resting on his hands and knees, was a towering, muscular, emerald-skinned giant that towered over eight-feet tall.

Needless to say, their first contact with the Hulk wasn't a peaceful one. Thanks to an over-zealous Shazam, who was looking to take his anger out on anything after an earlier altercation with Black Adam several days prior, the team was forced to engage the Green Goliath. Throughout the battle, it was soon clear that the Jade Giant was too formidable for any one of them to defeat. Their most powerful blows only served to enrage and increase the Hulk's fury.

The entire city was nothing more than a battleground. The man-monster physically overpowered Superman, Shazam, and Wonder Woman simultaneously at different points. The brute wasn't only immensely strong, but unbelievably fast and agile as he more than once tagged the Flash and even caught him once during the conflict. He shattered through the Green Lantern's energy shields as if they were mere glass, brought Superman down to his knees in a test of strength, and withstood cyclonic/torrent blasts of powerful mystical lightning from Shazam that scorched entire city blocks to ash.

They couldn't restrain him, they couldn't beat him physically, energy attacks antagonized him and weapons such as Wonder Woman's sword, while capable of piercing his flesh when she applied as much force as possible to her strikes, produced minor injuries that healed within moments. It was then that they realized that it was time for a different approach.

Martian Manhunter decided to use his telepathic powers on the Hulk, hoping that his skills would allow him to incapacitate the green behemoth. It seemed to be successful at first. Then, suddenly, the Martian endured a psychic backlash that nearly rendered him unconscious. He would later recall this event, stating that he was fortunate to have survived the experience without permanent damage to his psyche.

It was then that Batman called in through the comlinks, addressing the situation. It appeared that force of any kind wasn't go to stop the Hulk. Fighting him would only serve to increase his anger and make him more powerful, as even in a calm state the Hulk's might rivaled the strongest members of the League.

They needed to find some way, any way to halt the Hulk's rampage. It was Diana who came up with a solution, one that would bring this earth-shattering altercation to an end. During the fight she had noticed that the Hulk had hesitated in engaging her, though at first she didn't know why. At one point he could have killed her, and yet he didn't. Then she caught sight of something that truly shocked her.

A family was caught in frontlines of the battle between the members of the Justice League and the Green Goliath, unable to get to safety. If it were not for the Hulk, who saved them and got them to safety, they would've been crushed by the collapsing skyscraper. It was then Diana came to a definite conclusion regarding the titan.

He wasn't a monster, nor was he a villain. There was more to him than meets the eye, more than any of them tried to perceive upon their initial contact. If force would not end this war, then perhaps reason could. She insisted her fellow teammate to stand back, to let her go and try to reach out to the Hulk.

She made her careful approach, tossing her lasso and blade to the earth, making sure that her presence wouldn't register as a threat. The Hulk's intense, narrowed gaze focused on her, his massive hands clenching tightly into fists as he readied himself for battle. But there would be no further conflict.

Diana's words were soft and gentle, soothing and assuring as the voice of a close friend or lover. She assured him that they meant no harm, that there was no reason to be afraid. It was then that the Hulk spoke, his voice as deep and powerful as the thunder that shook the heavens. He wasn't afraid of them, making it quite clear that if he wanted to take them out that he was more than capable of achieving it. She believed him.

Nonetheless, Diana urged him to understand that they've made the mistake, that it was their fault for attacking him. She wanted him to trust them, she wanted him to trust her. He then bluntly demanded to know why he should trust her, why he should trust any of them? For the longest time, she couldn't summon up an answer to his inquiry.

Suddenly, Diana came up with a solution, one that could be potentially, extremely dangerous to her very well-being. But it was worth the risk, it was worth gaining his trust. This was Diana's counter response: If he thought that her offer of trust was false, she would willingly let him take her life. He stared at her, looking deeply into her azure-hued irises. It was as if he were gazing into the depths of her soul, his intense jade eyes seeking out if her words were sincere or deceitful. He was so close to her that she could feel him inhaling and exhaling air, so close that she could reach up and caress his face with her hands.

The tension surrounding them was growing more intense with each passing second. The six other members of the Justice League continued to watch on, nervously awaiting for the moment where they'd have to intervene in order to protect Wonder Woman. Slowly, Hulk raised a trembling fist, intent on striking a killing blow. Diana merely lowered her head, accepting her fate. However, much to her surprise, it never came.

She raised her head and opened her eyes in order to see why, discovering that not only had the Hulk lowered his massive fist but that he'd also turned away from her. She cautiously made her approach, walking around until she could finally look upon his face. When she could see the Hulk's features she noticed that his rage remained, but now it was overshadowed by a deep sorrow and a soul-crushing anguish. A low snarl escaped his throat, the lids of his eyes remaining tightly shut.

She could swear that she'd seen a single tear sneak out and slowly trek down his cheek. Then she heard him speak, his voice a hushed whisper. It was as if he were speaking to something... or rather someone who was seemingly invisible to her keen sight and heightened senses.

Without warning, the Hulk began to steadily change, reverting into a man. She estimated that he was about in his mid-thirties, his near six-foot height and physical build like that of an average human male. He was distinctly Caucasian, his hair dark brown in color while his eyes were of a gentle, chocolate-brown hue. He seemed quite exhausted, and if it were not for Diana catching him as his legs gave briefly lost their strength, he would most likely have fell flat on his face on the solid, war-torn earth.

She asked for his name. He answered a few seconds later. He was a nuclear physicist, one of the most intelligent men his world or their world would ever know. His name was Dr. Robert Bruce Banner. He willingly surrendered to them, allowing them to transport him to the Watchtower without a struggle.

She recalled hearing Superman and Shazam commenting after the titanic battle. Each compared the blows they received from him to those of Doomsday or Darkseid, two of Justice League's most powerful enemies. Ironically enough, in an indestructible prison, one designed for villainous threats of that degree of vast power and sheer magnitude, the Hulk's human alter-ego was contained.

It was then that they began their interrogation, with Batman being the most inquisitive of the heroes. Dr. Banner answered their question and revealed only what he deemed necessary, including everything that could trigger his transformation into the Hulk. And making it extra clear to all of them that, no matter how well-built and impervious this containment cell was, it wasn't a very good idea to make him angry.

Time moved onward as it always did. Days turned into weeks, which then became months. During this course of time, Dr. Banner and the Hulk helped save the Justice League and the planet from numerous threats. Diana could make quite a long list of the threats they faced with the assistance of the Hulk & Dr. Banner.

The united invading forces of General Zod of the Phantom Zone and Mongul of Warworld were smashed and repelled from Earth. An invasion by Brainiac was sent into retreat and his horde of gigantic, robotic drones were destroyed by the combined intellect of Batman & Dr. Banner. Vengeful gods and demons sought to kill Diana, and if it were not for the Hulk... she would most likely have been slain.

The vastly powerful trio of Black Adam, Sinestro, and Lex Luthor had taken down the Justice League one by one, and if it were not for Dr. Banner & the Hulk, they would have achieved their vengeance. The Hulk saved the entire Justice League from being brutally killed by the monstrous Doomsday, battling the rampaging monster one-on-one to an earth-shattering standstill until its eventual imprisonment in the Phantom Zone. In an attempt to use the Hulk's power as an ultimate weapon of destruction, Darkseid sought to control him, which not only nearly brought about the Dark Lord's own demise and those of his enemies, but the destruction of Apokolips itself.

All of these events and more had transpired since the Hulk/Dr. Banner came to their world. During this time, he/they made alliances with numerous heroes, even bonding with some of them. However, there were a few, like Batman for example, whom he was somewhat reluctant to speak to... let alone ally himself with. But of all the heroes, of all the super-powered beings on the planet, none of them made more of an impression on him then that of Wonder Woman.

At first Hulk was very reluctant to be even near her, acting almost aggressive in his attempts to avoid interacting with her. Dr. Banner, on the other hand, would be quite polite and social to her whenever they conversed or spent time around one another. But as time passed, they became close. Very close. She was the only person that the Hulk would confide in, the only person who he'd willingly discuss his past with.

Whenever Dr. Banner sought to be alone, she would always find him in the lab experimenting or creating a new device of technological wonder. Hulk was different. He wasn't a being that liked to be confined or contained. Every time that he would leave, it was Diana who would seek him out. She always found him, but never at the same exact location twice.

Sometimes the Hulk would venture to the deep Northern forests of Canada, other times he would leap across continents and find an uninhabited, tropical island to seek refuge upon until her eventual arrival. Then there were times that he would venture off into the North American deserts, or sometimes he would simply land on a coastal beach where he would rest himself on the sand and peacefully watch the sun set over the horizon.

At first, Diana didn't think much into his behavior, nor did she want to get involved in something that could be very personal to the Green Goliath. It was only when he continued these journeys, did she begin to speculate and become concerned. Was he troubled by something? And if so, what could it be? Did he miss his world and those that he cared for and fought alongside? Did he miss someone who was close to his heart, perhaps a lover or a family member?

What was causing him to seek solitude from the others, including her? Why did he wish to be alone in these places? There was more to it than just wanting time to be left alone. There was a method to this madness, a reason for Hulk's actions, that much she was certain of. And she was determined to find out, to discover the reasons behind the Hulk's journeys across the planet to these particular locations.

That's why she was here. The sun had begun to set when she found the Hulk on this island in the Pacific. He was standing on the edge of a cliff looking out over the ocean, his gaze seemingly focused on that of the horizon, as if he were expecting something or someone to appear. He seemed unaware of her presence as she landed several feet away from where he stood.

When Diana slowly made her approach, she couldn't help but wonder: what was going through his psyche? Was there an internal, psychological debate going on between the Hulk and Dr. Banner? Was he recalling memories of the past, or contemplating his future? She could only begin to guess.

"Why are you here?", Hulk demands, disrupting Diana from her thoughts as she continued to advance until she came to a stop right by his side.

"I could ask the same of you.", Wonder Woman retorts, crossing her arms over her bosom.

"Hmph!", Hulk grunts, not even bothering to glance sideways at the raven-haired Amazon.

"The sunset is beautiful. It reminds me of my home, of my fellow Amazons... and of my mother.", Diana remarked, taking in the incredible natural settings before focusing her attention on the Hulk once again.

She didn't get a verbal response, not that she expected one, nor did she seem to need it. His stance, the way his massive frame stood as still and strong as Mt. Olympus itself, was betrayed by the angry, yet anguish instilled expression that masked his face. Even his jade-hued irises withheld a tragic gleam in their depths. She knew him so well, cared for him so greatly, how could she not notice? How could she not sense that something was troubling him?

She decided that it would be best to get straight to the point. And while it was tempting to use her lasso on the Jade Giant in order to get some answers, Diana knew that she could never betray his trust in such a rash, manipulative manner. It would be cruel to hurt him in such away, and the last thing she wanted was to lose the trust and acceptance that took her so long to obtain from him.

"Why do you still seek to be left alone, Hulk? Why do you still seek to distance yourself from others? Why do you distance yourself from me?", Diana inquired bluntly yet calmly, her sapphire-hued irises staring up at the towering emerald-skinned titan.

"I have my reasons, Diana. I'm not like you. I'm not like any of you.", Hulk answered, briefly making eye contact before focusing his sight elsewhere.

"What do you mean?", Diana questions, hoping that she could somehow convince him to open up to her.

"You're not monsters. You wouldn't understand.", Hulk growled out, his voice like that of thunder from a distant storm.

"No, we're not. But neither are you.", Diana responds, reaching out and gently grasping the digits of his massive paw with her smaller right hand.

"You still don't understand.", Hulk snarls, tearing his hand away from her gentle grasp.

"Then tell me so that I can understand.", Diana urged, almost pleading with him.

Closing his eyes, the Hulk turned his head away from Wonder Woman, attempting to keep his internal conflict hidden. He couldn't show weakness, not even for a single instant. He was the Strongest One there is, and to show any form of weakness, even to her, was unacceptable. It was only when he felt a hand reach up and soothingly caress his cheek did the lids of his eyes open, his gaze averting down until his green orbs locked on and looked deeply into the azure-hued irises of one of the few women who could ever stand toe-to-toe with him in a fight.

He could sense her concern, see it dwelling in the depths of her eyes. She was the only one he trusted on this world, one of the few heroic beings on the planet that he deemed worth protecting from the threats that sought to annihilate this world. She was his friend, but could even he allow her to know the truth? A part of him wanted to tell her, yet an even larger aspect of himself wanted it to be kept secret from her.

Was it fear that made him keep it hidden? Fear was considered a weakness, something that the Hulk wouldn't tolerate or accept. For it is true that he feared nothing in existence... except his own terrible rage and power. Was it his pride and rage that made him keep it hidden? Was it all of these emotions and internal/psychological conflicts? It wasn't clear, not even to him.

Then he heard Diana's voice, gentle and soothing as it came out in not a demand, but a plea. It was her voice, the concerned expression on her lovely face, and her genuine concern for him as a friend, as an ally, that finally shattered his resolve.

"Please.", Diana said in a voice that was nearly as faint as a whisper.

The Hulk takes a step back from her, releasing a heavy sigh as he did. He knew that she wasn't going to give up, it simply wasn't in her to admit defeat. He admired the tenacity, defiance, fearlessness, courage, and resilience she possessed. It could even be why he allowed her to get close to him in the first place, to allow her the chance to befriend him and fight alongside him in battle.

The Hulk took this into consideration, and it was then that he made his decision. He would show weakness, he would give reason to his actions. Just once... for her.

"All my life... Everyone that I ever cared for, everyone that I ever loved, has suffered just by being in contact with me. Friends... Family... Allies. It didn't matter, 'cause it always ended the same. Those closest to me suffer, die, or become monsters. The last time that I loved someone, I watched her die within my arms... along with an entire world and the people who made me their King and her my Queen. If I lose control, even for a second, this world and everything on it dies. I'm too powerful, too dangerous to be near anyone or anything. It's not safe for me to be close to anyone... it isn't safe for anyone to be near me. That's why I choose to be alone.", Hulk explained, revealing to her one of the true reasons why he seeks to be alone.

They stood there in silence for what felt like an eternity, neither one uttering a single word. It was then that Diana spoke after hearing the Hulk's revelation, taking the time to formulate a response. She knew and understood what the Hulk was trying to tell her, of the possible consequences of being associated with him. And while it may be true that Diana herself could relate to his viewpoint to a degree, having endangered others close to her merely by their association with her, she was determined to make the Hulk see that there's always a choice for him and those that are his friends, allies, and loved ones.

"You believe that you're protecting them, don't you? That by choosing to be alone that it will protect them from yourself? That they will be safe from your wrath?", Diana calmly asks.

"Yes.", Hulk muttered in response, giving her a slight nod of confirmation.

"But do you truly wish to be alone?", Diana questions.

"It doesn't matter.", Hulk replied.

"You can't stay alone forever, Hulk.", Diana said, releasing a light sigh as she gathered her thoughts.

"Diana...", Hulk said only for Wonder Woman to sternly interject.

"No, you need to listen to me. You need to hear this. You can't live in fear your entire life. You can't keep distancing yourself from your allies and loved ones. You must give them a choice. A chance to make their own decisions, to stand by you knowing that there will always be many grave perils. If they truly care about you, if they truly wish to stand with you through the dangers and perils that your life brings, they must acknowledge and accept this willingly. They must be given a choice.", Diana stated, encouraging the Green Goliath to acknowledge and consider her advice.

"Banner might give them that chance... but I won't.", Hulk deadpanned.

"Damn it, Bruce...!", Diana almost shouted, her outburst and mentioning of the Hulk's human alter-ego causing the Jade Juggernaut to lean down and get directly into the demi-goddess' face.

"Don't call me that!", Hulk bellowed, glaring into the Amazonian Princess' eyes.

"Whether you like it or not, Bruce Banner is as much a part of you as you are of him.", Diana insisted, much to the Hulk's dismay and sheer chagrin.

"Shut up! You don't know anything! You know nothing about me! You know nothing of who I am!", Hulk snarled, his teeth clenched nearly as tight as his massive fists.

"You're wrong. I do know who you are. You are the Hulk. And as much as you may deny it, you are also Bruce Banner. You're not a mindless monster. You're a hero, and my friend.", Diana professed with complete and utter sincerity, neither backing down nor breaking eye contact with the Green Goliath that stood before her.

"Leave me alone, Diana. Get away from me... before it's too late.", Hulk said, turning and walking away.

He didn't get too far. No sooner than he got twenty feet a golden lasso encircled his chest, stopping him dead in his tracks. He turned around to discover Wonder Woman holding her lasso tightly in her grasp, her features expressing confidence and amusement. He should have known. She wasn't going to leave him alone, not as long as she was alive and breathing.

"Did you really think that I was going to let you leave, let alone consider your suggestion?", Diana said with a playful, possibly flirtatious smirk.

"Not really.", Hulk replied with a devilish grin.

What transpired next was a long, fun sparring match between the two. Their rough and tumble brawl making the entire island tremble. Trees were uprooted, rocky peaks were shattered, tidal waves surged forth from the ocean as the two friends engaged in a gift of battle. It was many hours later did the rest of the Justice League finally arrive, fearing the worse for their Amazonian goddess. However, what they found was truly a sight to behold.

Wonder Woman and the Hulk, sitting side by side on the beach under some palm trees, gazing out at the moon and star-filled heavens that seemed as endless as the ocean itself. The Hulk's massive arm encircled Diana's shoulder, holding her close as they enjoyed the serenity of this beautiful night. The Goddess and the Titan. Friends, allies, and perhaps in the future... something more.

THE END

Author's Notes

Just a little one-shot I created after reading some of the latest Wonder Woman comics (which are really good, by the way) and past Hulk comics by Peter David & Greg Pak. I have to admit, when it comes to DC heroines, Wonder Woman would be at the top of my list as a potential friend or love interest for Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Think about it for a second.

Much like Caiera, she's one of the very few who can go toe-to-toe with the Jade Juggernaut in a fight. I have a feeling that their dynamic, depending on the incarnation/persona of the Hulk, would be very interesting. Let's not forget Dr. Banner, who can also charm the ladies quite a bit. Get the right writer or writers on a crossover series and I think it'd be very fun & engaging.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this story. Please feel free to leave a review.