The following week saw the palace's training garden get plenty of use from the princess and her charge, with Epione watching from the sidelines in case her services were needed. It had become part of their new daily routine and where they would spend most of the afternoon hours after lunch before taking some time to relax before the evening meal. But supper was still a little ways away right now, so the two women were going at it in full force, kicking up sand as they traded fists, feet, swords, and various other melee weapons in the small arena where the royal family honed their skills for thousands of years.

"That's enough," Diana insisted, dropping out of her fighting stance. "Very good, Gwen; you are an incredibly fast learner."

"Thanks," Gwen managed a thumbs-up even while hunched over as she got her breathing back under control. "Ten years of superheroing has made me very adaptable if I say so myself."

Epione offered Diana a towel, which she took, and then Gwen snagged the other one with a web strand from several feet away. It felt cool to the touch as she dabbed it across her face, another practical application of Amazonian magic she was grateful for. But when she moved the cloth away from her face, it was as if the curtains in a theatre had drawn back for a feature-length presentation, and Diana was the star.

With grace befitting her station, the princess of the Amazons methodically guided her towel over the glistening skin of her toned arms, her swan-like neck, and the top of her chest before bending over to do the same to her legs, all to remove the sweat that had accumulated on her body and while unaware of the show she was unintentionally putting on for her audience of one.

Gwen bit her lip. God, I'm hopeless.

And useless. On your left, missy.

Wha-?

SMACK

"Ah, geez," she rubbed the side of her head and looked to where the object that just hit her fell to the ground, finding a waterskin. "Who-?"

"Aren't your senses supposed to be sharper than that, Gwendolyn?"

Nubia and Leliana were standing at the edge of the arena, the former leaning against a column with a smug grin while the latter tossed another waterskin at Diana, who caught it effortlessly.

"Don't be hard on her, Nubia," she chided. "With the gifts you and I possess, the rest of our sisters still struggle to match us in combat despite their centuries of training, but in these last few days Gwen has proven capable of standing on even ground with them."

The blonde's face grew warmer as she picked up the drink container and then focused on Leliana. "And it's at least better to be hit in the head with a pouch full of water as opposed to a knife."

"Oh, you mean this knife?" the spymaster then threw her hand out and Gwen barely noticed the glint of metal before catching said weapon by the handle inches from her face.

She was about to deride Leliana, but then took a closer look at the blade itself, which wasn't a blade at all. It possessed no sharp edges or a pointy tip, appearing more as a thin metal bar with ridges along the sides polished to gleaming perfection. She tapped it against her noggin and felt it vibrate almost like a tuning fork, perplexing her even further.

"A trick dagger?"

"It was never meant to harm you, significantly at least," Leliana explained as Gwen returned the non-lethal dirk to its owner in the same manner it was delivered. "My intent was to stun or distract you, nothing lethal."

"Well, it worked, so cheers," she took a big, refreshing swig of her beverage, humming in delight as her insides were cooled. "Anyway, how are things on the Artemis front?"

"That's actually why we are here," Nubia said. "Artemis asked us to inform you that she wishes to face you again tomorrow."

Gwen almost choked on her next sip of water, lightly coughing as she wiped her chin clean of spittle. "Tomorrow?"

"At noon, to be precise."

"Is she a fan of spaghetti westerns, or something?" their looks of utter confusion made her sigh in defeat. "Nevermind, but what if I say no?"

"Then Artemis will simply have to wait," her sparring partner divulged. "As she was the one who issued the challenge, you get the final say in when it will take place as per tradition here on Themyscira. There is nothing wrong with postponing the contest if you feel you need more time to prepare."

"But let us also remind you that the sooner this is resolved, the better," Nubia regarded Gwen inquisitively. "After all, you don't want to spend all your time on our island cooped up in this palace, would you, Little One?"

Nubia had a point. Training with Diana this past week had been an exhilarating experience, but seeing the same guards roaming the same halls every day for the past week was making her a little antsy. Routines were good and all, but without shaking them up once in a while they could become stale rather quickly, like old bread.

And Gwen never liked old bread.

Still, as Diana herself had been the one gauging her combat abilities, she felt it only respectful to let her give her input. During their training regiment, the Amazonian royal was very constructive in her criticisms of Gwen's technique, never deriding or belittling the webslinger for her mistakes and failures, instead simply addressing them, offering instructions, and then encouraging her to follow through. And the pinch of sugar on top was the absolute sincerity Diana conveyed in her praise at Gwen's fast progress as she did earlier. It was very refreshing and she found herself needing more of it.

"Do you think I'm ready?" she asked the princess.

Diana's smile outshone the sun. "I believe you are."

Gwen felt her confidence swell. "Then I believe I am, too. Tell Artemis I said 'you're on'."

"We'll do just that," Nubia made to leave only to nearly bump into Alexa, who just arrived. "Oh, hello Alexa."

"Good day to you all," she waved while clutching a large book under her other arm. "Pardon me, Gwendolyn, but are you busy at the moment?"

"Nah, we were just taking a break," she downed a little more water. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if you could help me with something in the library. It concerns Man's World."

Oh, well this should be interesting. But first…

She locked eyes with Diana, who shrugged. "I suppose we can finish a little early today. Mind if I join you two?"

"As is any of us could stop you," Leliana murmured.

"I probably could," Nubia boasted, which earned her a playful jab to her ribs from her twin. "Well, Leliana, shall we begin?"

The assassin smirked and drew her twin daggers. "After you."

Gwen's anticipation grew as she followed the red-headed scribe out of the gardens and towards the library, wondering what exactly she was needed for as she walked side-by-side with Diana, faintly aware of how their bodies were drifting closer together with every step until their fingers touched. A spark of… something arced between them, jumpstarting their spatial awareness and separating them by a few feet. Both women opted to face forward for the rest of the trek, wanting to focus on something else apart from their embarrassment or how their arms tingled pleasantly afterward.

Upon entering the library, rows and rows of books, scrolls, and wooden tables passed them by before Alexa stopped at a large and beautiful statue of Athena towards the back. A golden chestplate and helmet adorned her sculpted visage, and an owl of the same material rested on her raised forearm.

Alexa bowed in respect to the goddess of wisdom. "Ανοιξε."*

Gwen heard a chime before the statue slid backward, revealing a secret passage hidden beneath it, complete with stairs. Alexa motioned for her companions to follow her as she descended the steps. Diana gestured for Gwen to go next, and the entryway closed behind the statuesque brunette once she made it through. The smallest of the group found comfort in Diana's placement and how she felt safer because of it, especially now that she was being led down somewhere mysterious for (as of yet) unknown reasons.

Little candles burned in small cubby-holes carved into the wall, lighting their way as the trio traveled further downward until the narrow passageway soon opened up into a spacious circular room of white marble with bookshelves lining the walls all around. In the very center of the chamber sat a golden basin filled with crystal-clear water, and off to the side was a wooden table and chair.

"Is this your secret clubhouse or something, Alexa?" Gwen asked.

"Not exactly, Little One," the redhead grinned at how the blonde pouted at being called that again. "This is the Alcove of Argus the All-Seeing."

"Only Alexa and a select few my mother permits are allowed in here," Diana expounded, which only served to confuse her charge more.

"But why would she give access to an outsider like me?"

"Because an outsider is exactly what we need," Alexa verified as she moved to stand next to the basin.

"With what?" Gwen puzzled.

"This pool is enchanted so that we may use it to view what transpires in Man's World for one hour on the first day of every month. One of my foremost duties is to record what I observe and report it to Queen Hippolyta once a year to determine if the Amazons were ready to rejoin the rest of the world."

Gwen put two-and-two together. "So, all these books...?"

"Contain my findings, yes," the scribe's gaze traced the row and rows of tomes encircling the room. "Sadly, the vast majority of them are documentations of wars, famines, and other horrors from the last three thousand years that I would rather not revisit, and it's for those very reasons why Themyscira has remained isolated all this time."

"Yeah, I get it," Gwen rubbed the back of her neck as she recalled what she learned in world history class. "And I think I speak for most people in Man's World when I say that we're sorry you had to see all that."

"A century ago I would've dismissed your apology as a meager attempt to salvage what little dignity you had," Alexa's smirk betrayed her firm demeanor. "But that was before my hope was restored."

She practically skipped over to the bookshelf closest to the alcove's entrance. Gwen looked to Diana for answers, and the princess gestured for her to remain patient with a small hand wave. Alexa returned seconds later with one of the books in her hands and an excited gleam in her eye.

"As we already informed you, Little Gwen, you are the second foreigner to set foot on our home," she opened said book to the first page and pointed to the central figure drawn on it. "He was the first."

Gwen stared with her mouth agape as the implications of what she was seeing crashed down upon her; a picture-perfect rendition of the original superhero team and a big factor in the Allies' victory in WWII, the Justice Society. Jay Garrick was smiling as he ran forward into danger alongside Union Jack, Bucky Barnes, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and The Blazing Skull, while Doctor Fate, Alan Scott, the Spectre, and the android Human Torch flew overhead. But what drew the most attention from her was the one leading the group and the legendary shield he carried, held high like a beacon of courage.

"Captain America," she breathed out. "You actually had Steve Rogers visit your island?"

"I take it you are familiar with him?" Diana asked, intrigued by her charge's reaction.

"You could count the number of people who aren't on one hand or even half a hand; the dude's a legend. But why was he even here to begin with? What's the story?"

Alexa dipped her hand into the pool, brought some of the liquid to her lips, and drank it. Her eyes then became pure white as the water began to swirl around like a whirlpool to reveal an image of an unconscious and injured Steve Rogers lying on a beach with a cadre of Amazons surrounding him. Artemis could be seen in the foreground inspecting his shield, while Diana handed what looked like a golden belt to Hippolyta.

"Are these… your memories?" Gwen inquired.

"They are," Alexa replied, her eyes wide open but the rest of her body completely still. "This is the day that all my sisters remember well from almost eighty years ago."

"We found Steve near-death on the beach with my mother's girdle in his possession," Diana said, having joined the other two at the rim. "She was happy to see it again, but was more concerned with the fact that a man was now on our island, so after we used the purple healing ray to speed up his recovery, we interrogated him."

The pool shifted again to show Steve on his knees before Hippolyta's throne with a dozen guards encircling him, spears at the ready. The young webslinger visibly cringed when she noticed the Lasso of Truth wrapped around his torso with Nubia holding the other end.

"We learned much from him over the next several days, mostly about the Second World War, the struggle against the Nazis, and the consequences if they won," Alexa continued.

"He was very cooperative and forthcoming even without the lasso's influence," Diana added. "He even attempted to persuade us to join his side, but my mother refused vehemently and ordered him confined to a prison cell indefinitely."

"That seems so unlike her considering how she treated me," Gwen pointed out.

"Queen Hippolyta was very different back then," Alexa frowned. "From what we had seen through the pool over the centuries, she and the majority of our sisters had come to believe that Man's World was completely corrupt and not worth rejoining, let alone saving."

"My mother's original plan was to simply keep Steve imprisoned until he died of old age," Diana lamented before her tone became more serious. "But then everything changed when the forces of HYDRA attacked a few months later."

The viewing pool changed again to showcase a picture of HYDRA footsoldiers clad in their green and yellow uniforms and armed to the teeth being deployed onto Themyscira's beach via amphibious vehicles.

"Oh great," Gwen sighed. "Those assholes."

"From what Steve told us, he stole Hippolyta's Girdle from them but his escape craft was destroyed," the scribe's brow furrowed. "The belt's desire to be reunited with its rightful owner is how he wound up on our shores, but that was HYDRA's plan all along; it led them right to us."

"Against my mother's wishes, Steve was set free and given his shield to help us fend off the invasion," Diana recalled as the water revealed an epic still of Captain America and the Amazons charging across the beach to meet their foe head-on. "In the ensuing battle, he proved himself a noble warrior, fighting not only to defeat his enemy but also to protect my sisters whenever he could, even at the risk of his own life."

The next picture showed Steve smashing his shield into the neck of a HYDRA goon, followed by another of him protecting Leliana from a storm of laser bolts that he deflected with relative ease.

"We fought nonstop until every single invader was slain, or so we thought."

"Captain Rogers was quick to deduce that the battle was merely a diversion," the scribe went on. "HYDRA's true goal lied in the Solitary Dungeon."

"Ares," Gwen whispered. "HYDRA always had a knack for regarding myths and legends as valuable intel."

"The leader of the attack, Steve called him 'Zemo', planned to set him free with a powerful ebony blade, believing that with the God of War on their side the Nazi's victory would be assured."

"And if he succeeded, that would have been the least of our worries," Diana confirmed grimly. "But thankfully we were able to stop him."

Another change and now they could see the super-soldier grasping Zemo's blade with his bare hands, blood seeping from the deep cuts in his palms just to keep his foe in place and give Diana the opening she needed to decapitate the baron with Steve's shield.

"Captain Rogers didn't ask for anything in return and went right back to his cell once the battle was concluded," the admiration in Alexa's voice did not go unnoticed. "We disposed of the invaders' bodies and equipment and locked the Ebony Blade away, and after honoring our fallen sisters, Hippolyta took some time to rethink her views on Man's World."

"In the end, our queen had a change of heart, releasing him from our custody and allowing him to return to his war," her memory was of the Amazons seeing the good captain off as he sailed away from their island. "He vowed to keep Themyscira's existence a secret, and we didn't need the lasso to know that he'd keep his word."

"Steve Rogers inspired us to hope again that Man's World was not completely lost," Diana remembered fondly. "Not with noble men like him and his Justice Society fighting for what's right."

"Yeah, he has that effect on people," Gwen mused. "Just ask Superman."

"What's a 'Superman'?"

"You just broke my heart with that question," by now the pool had calmed and all Gwen saw in it was her reflection. "But yeah, Cap never mentioned any of this whenever he shared his war stories, but I get why. He never makes promises he knows he won't keep."

"I beg your pardon," Alexa blinked and her eyes returned to normal. "You speak as if you know him personally."

"I do. We've even saved the world together on a few occasions," after a moment of silence she noticed Diana and Alexa staring at her as if she had grown a second head. "What?"

"Fifteen years ago the pool began to show glimpses of Captain America's return after decades of absence," Alexa recounted, eyeing the pool in disbelief. "We assumed it was a successor, or perhaps even his descendant, but you mean to say that it is the same person?"

"How could he still be alive after all this time?" Diana sounded as if she couldn't believe her own words. "If memory serves, he wasn't ageless."

"No, he was buried under a mountain of ice and frozen after his final battle with HYDRA," Gwen flipped through a few more pages, finding nothing of real interest. "Fifteen years ago he was dug up, thawed out, and then he got right back to doing what he did best; fighting to protect the whole world alongside a new generation of heroes."

A beaming Alexa then took the book back to its proper shelf and quickly returned with another one already opened. "You mean like these?"

A wave of nostalgia washed over Gwen, memories of her earliest exploits as Spider-Girl coming to the forefront of her mind as she beheld her younger self standing proudly amongst a cadre of other heroes around the same age she was back then in front of the ruins of a massive alien ship, backdropped by a city whose buildings gleamed in the light of the rising sun.

"Yeah, these guys are heroes, all right," her eyes lingered on a certain Tamaranian the longest. "And some of my closest friends."

"And that's you among them, isn't it?" Diana pointed at the figure in question, leaning close enough to her charge that their shoulders pressed together.

She feels so warm and firm and… and I really am useless, aren't I?

Level up! +1 Self-Awareness!

"Y-Yeah. It was one of my earliest adventures as Spider-Girl, just a few months after I got my powers."

A pregnant pause and an expectant look from the other two women expressed their desire to hear more. She resisted the urge to swallow, as her past was not something she was of touching on, but perhaps… she didn't have to tell them everything? Filter out the negative, relay the positive? That could work.

Here it goes.

"I went to Jump City on a class trip. Peter had to stay home because of food poisoning, but I'm glad he did on account of the Gordanian invasion that occurred while I was there."

"Gordanian?" Alexa had somehow procured a scroll and inked-quill and was already writing down more notes.

"Angry winged lizard people from space, but I didn't face them alone; I had help from these guys, the original Teen Titans."

"To call themselves 'titans' seems rather presumptuous," Diana claimed.

"Oh c'mon, we were kids and it was a catchy name. Can you blame us?" Gwen advocated.

"Hmm… I suppose not."

"Who are they, exactly?" Alexa was practically drooling for more info. "How did you all meet?"

"Well, here's the gist of it," Gwen's finger indicated who was who as she spoke about them. "Back then, Robin, Kid Flash, and Beast Boy wanted to get out of their mentors' shadow and strike out on their own, Cyborg and Raven were drifters with nowhere else to go, and Starfire was the princess of her homeworld Tamaran who recently escaped enslavement."

"Enslavement?"

"Yeah. Her sister Blackfire…"

More like Bitchfire, if you ask me.

"Staged a coup to take the throne with the Gordanians' help and then gave Starfire to them as payment for helping kill the rest of her family. When Star got away she tracked her down and led the attack on Jump City, forcing us to band together to stop her."

"It must have been quite the battle," Diana surmised. "Even for adolescents."

"That's putting it mildly, but together we pulled through. We were the first teenaged superhero team, and after we defeated Blackfire and scared the Gordanians off-world all on our own, we felt like we were on top of the world, unstoppable like… well, titans."

"Ah, now I understand the name. Oh, how I miss the naivety of youth."

"Hey!"

"What happened afterward?" the scarlet-haired historian's eagerness had no end, it seemed.

"The Tamaranians came and took Blackfire into custody, Starfire abdicated the throne so she could start a new life here on Earth, and the Teen Titans were officially formed. I couldn't stay, though; I had to get back home, but I was made an honorary member before I left."

Alexa scribbled everything down everything she said with incredible vigor. "Yes, yes, yes, this is perfect!"

"Uh, what is?" Gwen asked, still unaware of what she was needed for exactly and why.

"As we said before, we severed all ties with the rest of the world under the belief that it was corrupt," Diana reiterated. "But through Steve's testimony of how the world has changed, and now yours, we can start reconnecting with the rest of humanity and bring this age of isolation to an end."

"We formulated this plan after Captain Rogers had already departed, and now, with your help, we can bring it to fruition," Alexa rolled up her scroll and tucked it under her arm before adopting a more professional posture. "Gwendolyn Stacy Parker, we Amazons wish to petition you for information on the current state of Man's World to determine if our society should or should not become a part of it once again."

The blonde's mouth hung ajar until her mind came to terms with what her very enthusiastic friend was implying. "You want me to help decide the course of your entire civilization?"

"Gwen, please understand," Diana's soft, pleading voice was akin to a smooth melody, drawing her in like a siren's call. "Most Amazons won't admit it out loud out of respect for my mother, but we have grown weary of remaining confined to this island for so long. Our once merry traditions and practices have degraded into dull exercises, and while many of my sisters have been able to maintain healthy relationships with each other for as long as Themyscira has existed, the rest yearn to find a husband or wife beyond our borders whom they can start a new family with."

"An impossible goal unless the status quo is altered," Alexa proclaimed. "If you need some time to consider our proposal, you will have-"

"I'll do it."

"All the time you need to…wait, you will?"

"Yes."

"Just like that?"

"Uh-huh."

"Forgive me, Gwen," a flabbergasted Diana chimed in. "But how did you come to that decision so quickly?'

She closed the book and hugged it to herself. "Because if I have the power to help make your lives better, then it would be wrong for me to not do anything about it. So, yes, I accept your offer. What do you need me to do?"

The two Amazons were taken aback. Alexa's expression showcased how impressed she was with her charge's resolve, and the spark of hope was alit in her eyes, making Gwen feel more at ease despite the enormity of the task before her.

Don't get used to it.

Shut up.

But now Diana was giving her that look again, the same one from when they first met that made her feel so dismantled, so open and vulnerable like there was nothing she could hide from the immortal warrior-woman. The thought of having all her secrets laid bare to anyone sent another cold chill crawling up her spine, but luckily, Alexa chose to ask for her book back in that very instance, and she quickly obliged, if only to set her mind on something else.

"I propose that you and I meet once a week and go over my records together," the scribe instructed. "You will simply explain the meaning and context to me, and then I will pass it on to my queen and the council so they may make an informed decision."

"O-Okay," Gwen coughed. "Yeah, that sounds good."

"Splendid! I am so excited to expand my knowledge of… Morrigan."

"Huh?"

Following Alexa's line of sight, there she stood at the Alcove's entrance. Her dark purple, very low-cut robe left little to the imagination and Gwen had to mentally slap herself for lingering too long on everything the elongated v-neck didn't cover up.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Morrigan said as she moved further into the room, her hips swaying with every step almost nonchalantly.

"Oh no, Lady Morrigan, we were just…"

"Finishing our meeting," Diana interjected rather abruptly, stunning the others. "Unless you have more to say, Little Gwen."

"Um, I don't think so," she replied sheepishly. "So… same time next week then, Alexa?"

"That sounds… perfect," the redhead managed to overcome her surprise. "Have a pleasant evening, you two."

"We shall," the princess placed her hand on Gwen's back and gently pushed her towards the exit. "Come along, Little Gwen. I almost forgot that there was one more thing I wished to show you today before dinner."

"Uh yeah, sure," Gwen allowed herself to be led away, giving a sharp look to Morrigan as she passed her by before heading back up the stairs.

Once they were gone, Morrigan crossed her arms over her chest. "Fascinating."

"What is?"

"How protective our princess has become of her ward in such a short time," the councilor turned to regard Alexa. "Surely you have noticed it too, have you not?"

"Y-Yes ma'am," she blushed. "But for the sake of fairness, I understand why her majesty would be wary of allowing the outsider to be in your presence for any length of time, at least for the moment."

"You are referring to my line of questioning during her trial," it was more of a statement than a question, one that had the intended effect on the historian, who wilted under her superior's intense gaze.

"I am," she affirmed meekly.

Morrigan stepped closer. "Do you disagree with my choice of conduct that day?"

"N-No ma'am."

"I thought not," the sorceress reached forward and began to slowly pet Alexa's hair, her slender fingers eliciting a shudder through the younger girl's body as they ran along her scalp. "I can always count on your ability to read between the lines, so to speak."

"What can I say?" Alexa purred, her eyes closed in bliss. "I had a book before I had a friend."

"That reminds me," her eyes drifted to the book and scroll still tucked underneath the historian's arm. "What information did your guest share with you?"

"Hold on," Alexa's request made Morrigan pause in her ministrations. "You haven't forgotten my payment, correct?"

"Of course," with a sultry smile, the svelte seductress grabbed the redhead's ponytail and pulled, tilting the latter's head back and drawing a sensual gasp from her lungs. "Will this suffice?"

"N-Not quite," she hissed in pleasure. "I require more."

"I know you do."

Morrigan's lips and tongue descended upon her partner's neck, indulging herself in the always delectable taste of her lover, and Alexa instantly surrendered to the powerful and dominant sorceress as her book and scroll dropped to the floor, forgotten for the time being.

(X)

"May I ask you something about the Teen Titans, Gwen?"

She turned away from the painting they just walked passed. "Sure."

"The one called Starfire, Princess of Tamaran, was she important to you?"

"You noticed that, huh?"

"Through the way you spoke of her and regarded her image, yes," Diana listed off. "The sheer reverence you displayed on both accounts intrigued me, but I did not want to seem invasive."

Good looks and a considerate personality. What more do you want, girl?

"I appreciate it," she waited for her heartbeat to calm back down before answering. "But yes, Starfire is very special to me, because she helped me discover my sexuality."

"Your sexuality?"

"Only women are attractive to me; I'm a lesbian."

"As in the Island of Lesbos? Birthplace of the poet Sappho?"

"Bingo."

"Remarkable," Diana's face lit up. "I wasn't aware she was still known to anyone outside this island in this day and age."

"She's more popular with ladies like me," Gwen waved at one of the royal guards, who nodded back, never breaking stride.

"So how did Princess Starfire help you learn this about yourself?"

She folded her hands behind her back and gathered her thoughts. "When her spacecraft landed in Jump City, I got to it first. I didn't know what I'd find, but the last thing I expected to come out of the wreckage was a half-naked, orange-skinned, green-eyed, and flaming-haired supermodel. She tried to introduce herself in her native tongue, but I was so busy trying to figure out how someone so beautiful even existed that I couldn't move, let alone reply coherently. When she discovered the language barrier between us, she immediately went about rectifying it."

"How?"

"Tamaranians have the unique ability to learn any language through lip contact," she saw the gears turning in the princess's head. "So before I could react, she backed me against the wall, lifted my mask above my nose, and kissed me hard. I was surprised, at first, but then I realized how good it felt, how good she felt, and went along with it, pulling her close as we made out in the middle of the alley."

"We have a similar gift in the Blessing of Hermes that allowed us to learn English from Steve instantaneously… without having to kiss him," Diana rabbit-trailed before getting back on topic. "Was that the first time you had ever kissed a woman?"

"It was my first kiss period, and you never forget your first kiss," Gwen lifted her finger and brushed the tip over her lips, the memory replaying vividly in her mind.

"What did you do next?"

"I couldn't stop thinking about that kiss even after I got back home, and when Peter asked me about what happened that night, I left that part out because I still didn't know what to make of it. Weeks went by of me trying to deny what I already knew about myself but wasn't willing to admit yet, and then it all came to a head when Peter found my secret stash."

"Of what?"

"Pictures from magazines, newspaper articles, and websites of various superpowered women, mostly heroes but also a few villainesses too, all of whom I thought were sexy, or beautiful, or both. Peter teased me about them and accused me of being jealous of their looks and popularity, but while he was just trying to be funny, I had finally had enough of the denial and second-guessing of myself and snapped. I snatched the pictures from him and roared in his face, 'I'm not jealous, Peter, I'm gay!', and it was the most liberating moment of my entire life."

"You told him you were happy?"

"No; 'gay' nowadays means that you're only attracted to the same sex."

"Strange," Diana meditated on that and decided to not bother with it for now. "So now that you understood yourself more clearly, did you and Starfire court one another?"

Gwen chuckled at the idea. "As appealing as that sounds, no; Starfire got together with Robin and the two are now happily married and still saving the world together."

"How lovely," there was a long pause as Diana seemed apprehensive to speak again, but after several moments of tense silence went for it. "Did you ever find someone to love?"

She kept walking a few more paces before realizing that Gwen had stopped moving. Turning back, she saw her charge standing completely still and staring at the floor blankly, a haunted look on her face. She held her breath and waited for her charge to do something, anything, and the seconds stretched on for an uncomfortable length of time until Gwen finally answered.

"Once," she said as her watery eyes met Diana's. "Only once."

Diana remained motionless, half of her mind elated over her charge sharing something so personal with her, the other half frantically trying to figure out why it made her so sad just to talk about it. In the end, she could only hope that Gwen would one day trust her enough to share the whole story, but for now, standing still while the young hero was despairing simply would not do.

Closing the distance between them, she cupped Gwen's face in her hands and kissed her forehead again, putting even more care and tenderness into the gesture than last time.

Pulling away, she smiled down at the girl she'd grown to care for so deeply. "Better?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Now, supper is approaching, so I was thinking I could show you how to cook one of my favorite meals that we could share tonight. Does that sound alright?"

There it was, that precious smile Diana was so fond of, more so than she yet realized.

"It does. Let's do it."

(X)

AN:

HOLY CRAP. After three fricken years, it's finally back. Not gonna lie, I wasn't sure if I would actually go back to this, but here we are. Three years later. I blame myself. First off, thank you all who patiently waited for so long and understood my LOA from this story.

I still don't know how long it's going to take to finish, but hopefully, this will suffice for now. Again, thank you all for your patience and support.

On a side note, while this is a fusion fic, I may lean closer to the DC side of things as I'm simply a bigger fan of it than Marvel. I'll try my best to balance it out, but if I favor one over the other, now you know why.

Excelsior!