Here's the happy ending for everyone waiting for it! Enjoy! :)

Chapter 31

Watchtower;October 12th, 20:17 EST

Batman stood silently off to the side, arms crossed against his chest and a scowl firmly fixed on his face. His jaw was clenched tight enough to crack teeth, but that was the least of his concerns at that moment. What consumed him was sitting on the medical bed being evaluated by J'onn.

He was not the least bit happy that Diana had given up her immortality in order to save his life, but he was going to have to learn to come to terms with it now. There was nothing that could be done about it. Besides, he still needed to figure out how to get her back.

Diana was not a fickle woman. When she cared, she cared with every bit of her heart, holding nothing of herself back. It was obvious she still cared for him. She had sacrificed so much for him today. She had saved his life, giving him a chance at happiness once more and he wasn't going to waste it. He was going to do whatever it took to get her back.

Bruce tore his gaze away as Diana argued vehemently with J'onn, insisting that she was perfectly fine despite the fact that her vocal cords were damaged and she could barely talk, countless claw marks marking her skin. He was more than relieved the injuries within the League hadn't been severe, the worst being his own death at the hands of Darkseid. Thankfully, no one was aware of that fact save for Diana and Clark.

Fire was currently being tended to for a head injury. Oliver was getting stitches in his upper arm while Dinah held his other hand. Past them, Vigilante was having his ribs wrapped while Shayera was being treated for a nasty leg wound. Several other League members were being tended to for various injuries from the Parademon Troopers, but thankfully no fatalities…this time.

They had been very fortunate today. They might not be so lucky the next time and he had no doubt in his mind that there would be a next time. Darkseid had escaped, but he knew that he would back. It was only a matter of time before he re-amassed his army and launched another attempt.

What worried him the most was the fact that Darkseid was after Superman, Diana and himself. He was after the three of them, hoping to break them and turn them against Earth. As his gaze returned to Diana, he couldn't suppress the raw fear that shivered through him with the notion of her being at the mercy of Darkseid.

Yes, they had been very lucky today, but, more than that, he knew that he had been very fortunate too even if he was struggling to accept the precious gift that she had given him. Her fiery blue eyes met his at that moment, so many emotions playing out across her face, all of them fighting to be recognized.

They had so many things they needed to talk about, so much they had to work through together. Despite giving up her immortality in order to save his life, she still believed that he had only slept with her in order to save her life, but it couldn't be any further from the truth.

He internally cringed at the dark purple bruising around her throat, Darkseid's mark that he'd left behind on her. He wanted to hold her in his arms and feel her body pressed against his, to know that she was going to be all right. Watching Darkseid holding her off the ground by her throat had scared the life out of him, further cementing in his heart and mind how much he truly loved her…how much he needed her in his life.

He had no idea how she had gotten such a powerful hold on him. He never believed that he needed anyone in life until she'd managed to work her way into his heart. He'd analyzed it and tried to dissect it, but it made no sense how she had managed to do something no one else had ever been able to do.

But this was Diana. She defied all rules and laws, demolishing all sense of logic with her warmth and compassion, her grace and that knee-buckling smile that could thaw even the most frozen of hearts. The only explanation was that she was Diana and he wanted her back.

"Well, your vocal cords are swollen and you have severe bruising, but I see no emergent reason to keep you here," J'onn finally spoke with a grim expression. "Besides, I highly doubt that you would stay if I did try to keep you here."

"I told you I was fine," Diana insisted as she hopped off the table, her voice still hoarse. It would likely be that way until the swelling had gone down. Thankfully, it hadn't been any worse.

Diana could tell by Bruce's stiff stance that he was grappling with all that had happened today. It had to be rather disconcerting to feel one's life drain away only to just as abruptly be brought back to life and by magic no less. Bruce absolutely hated magic.

As she slowly approached him, Bruce abruptly turned on his heel without uttering a single word, marching out of the infirmary. Diana drew a deep breath as she followed him, uncertain of his destination or if there was even any hope of salvaging their relationship that had barely even gotten off the ground yet.

After what had happened today, she had realized that she loved Bruce far too much to give up on them, to not give him a chance to explain everything. She just couldn't understand how everything had gone from being so perfect between them to such an utter mess.

Looking up, Diana realized that she had followed him to his quarters. She'd assumed that he'd want to return to Gotham as quickly as possible, avoiding any and all conversation about what had happened today until he'd time to deal with it on his own time.

Bruce obviously didn't seem interested in talking to her, though. He hadn't said a single word since they'd left the infirmary. She just hoped and prayed that they would still be able to work things out. She'd had a glimpse how amazing things could be between them and she wasn't about to let that go…to let him go.

She was still hurt by his deception and yet she didn't regret saving his life. She loved him deeply. Nothing was ever going to change that. He was too much a part of her life now, capturing her heart long before she'd even realized it.

Batman silently punched in his security code as Diana began to walk by him, heading to her own quarters to get cleaned up when a gauntleted hand abruptly wrapped around her arm and pulled her to a stop. He pulled her into his quarters, the door sliding shut behind them.

He stood with his back to her for several long moments, his head lowered as he struggled to find the words that he wanted to say…the things that he needed to say to her. He slowly pushed his cowl back before turning to face her.

"Bruce…" Diana began, her throat tightening with so many emotions.

"Diana…" he said at the same time, pausing to draw a deep breath.

"Go ahead," she rasped, anxious to hear what he wanted to say and yet feeling somewhat nervous at the same time.

"Can you come to the manor tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Yes," she murmured, her forehead creasing with worry.

"We need to talk," he told her, slowly closing the distance between them. "I can't do it now, Princess. Far too much has happened today…too many emotions. I just need a little time right now."

Diana's countenance sank, knowing deep down that he wasn't going to be able to handle her sacrifice very well. He hated magic and, on top of that, she had made a sacrifice in order to save him. That only added to the weight of the situation, making it even harder for him to accept. He loathed appearing weak or needing help.

"I understand," she hoarsely replied, sealing off her emotions behind the fearless expression of a warrior princess.

Removing his gauntlets, he took her hand in his, his thumb caressing the back of hers. "Be at the manor at seven o'clock," he said.

She nodded, forcing a small smile to her lips, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'll be there," she whispered with a small nod, pulling her hand free from his.

She turned to leave only to be stopped by a firm hand on her upper arm. Before she knew it, she found herself surrounded by his strong arms, his lips firmly on hers. There was nothing gentle about his kiss. It was fierce and bruising, conveying his fear, his hurt, his need. It was all he was capable of communicating in that moment, allowing his actions to speak for him and hoping it would be enough until he could fix things tomorrow night.

Finally breaking the contact with her, Bruce rested his forehead against hers. "I'll see you tomorrow evening," he softly said, his fingers stroking her cheek.

Diana smiled softly, her eyes shining brightly. She nodded her head before turning and leaving him standing there all alone, already resolved not to let him dictate the terms of their relationship no matter what transpired tomorrow night.

Bruce raked his fingers back through his hair, trying valiantly to calm his racing heart as well as his libido. He wanted her more than his next breath, but now was not the time. He needed time to make sure he did this right.

Tomorrow he would make her his again.

Wayne Manor; October 13th, 18:47 EST

Bruce stood in the study in front of the fireplace staring at the portrait of his parents, a glass of scotch in his hand. The soothing sounds of the fire's occasional cracking and popping added a background noise to the thoughts and emotions that he'd been struggling with ever since returning home from the Watchtower last night.

After changing into a new uniform, he had set out on patrol, hoping it would help him sort through the events of the last few days. Unfortunately, it had proven to be an unusually quiet night. He hadn't been able to fall into his normal routine that always seemed to help him focus his thoughts. Instead, it left him feeling restless and irritated.

Returning home before dawn, he'd undertaken a three hour workout before showering and finally collapsing into bed. Sleep had been regrettably fraught with nightmares of Darkseid killing Diana, crushing her windpipe and ending her life as well as his own.

He'd spent the rest of the day trying to focus on the unsolved cases that he'd left unattended while in England, but his mind wouldn't let him work. All he kept thinking about was her—how much he loved her, how she had irrevocably changed his life, and the lengths that he would go to in order to get her back.

Memories of their time spent together in England only served to make him miss her even more, making him long to see her and to make love to her. At the same time, it also gave him an idea on how he might be able to help heal the hurt that he had caused her.

"Master Bruce," Alfred interrupted his thoughts. "Miss Diana will be here shortly. Is there anything that you need?"

"No, thank you, Alfred," Bruce replied, pausing to down the last of the alcohol in his glass.

"Might I offer you a word of advice, sir?"

"I'll take anything at this point," he muttered as he stared into the dancing flames before him.

"I know how difficult it is for you, but just open your heart to her," he advised him. "Tell her everything and hold absolutely nothing back. I think you'll find Miss Diana to possess a very forgiving spirit."

"Despite the fact that I hurt her, she sacrificed so much for me, Alfred…far more than she should have," he told him. "I don't know how to accept that or where to even start to make it right again."

"You could always start with I'm sorry and maybe we can try going from there."

Bruce whirled around at the sound of Diana's voice, stunned speechless by the sight of her standing there beside Alfred. She was wearing a simple red dress, but on her it was anything but simple. She looked so beautiful despite the bruising that had yet to fade away.

"I will give the two of you some privacy," Alfred announced as he headed towards the door. "Please let me know if you require anything."

"Thank you, Alfred," Diana rasped, the British butler giving her a wink before leaving them alone. She turned back to face Bruce to find him staring at her with that look in his piercing blue eyes that always made her shiver in response. It was unadulterated longing pure and simple.

"You look beautiful tonight," Bruce told her, his hands finding his pants pockets as he stared at her.

"I was worried my red dress would clash with the bruises," she replied as she briefly glanced down at her attire, attempting to lighten the mood; however, the grimace that passed over Bruce's face did not go unnoticed by Diana. "I'm sorry, Bruce."

"Don't be," he said with a shake of his head. "I'm the one who is sorry, Diana. I hurt you by keeping what I had learned in the future from you, but I swear to you I didn't sleep with you just to save your life."

"It's okay," she attempted to reassure him.

He drew a deep breath, removing his hands from his pockets as he closed the distance between them. "No, it's not," he insisted with a deep frown. "I thought I was protecting you."

"What was supposed to happen to me, Bruce?" she asked.

Taking her hand in his, he led her over to the leather couch, sitting down beside her. He leaned forward to brace his forearms on his thighs, forcing his mind back to the conversation with his elder self that had haunted his sleep…the one he'd been trying so hard forget.

"When we went to the future, I noticed the way my future self looked at you when he first saw you," he began. "It was obvious then that something horrible had happened to you. Then, you disappeared right before our eyes and I was so afraid that I'd lost you forever.

"My future self pulled me aside and told me that I needed to admit my feelings for you to save your life, to not be the fool that he had been by denying he loved you. He was a bitter, lonely old man, filled with so much pain and regret. It shocked me what I had become, how the weight of losing you had so deeply affected my future self."

Diana reached over, placing her hand on his back. "Bruce," she murmured his name.

"He told me that something was going to happen to you…that you died in his arms, telling him that you loved him and that you'd be waiting for him in Elysium," he continued, turning to look at her. "He also told me that you died saving me."

"I'm so sorry," she softly said, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

She could feel his pain, how this was tearing him up inside. She finally understood now why he had secluded himself away from the League and especially her after returning from the future. He had been wrestling with this revelation this whole time, trying to carry it alone.

"So when Darkseid killed you with his Omega Beam..." she surmised, her rasping voice trailing off as realization abruptly washed over her.

"It was supposed to have been you that died last night…not me," he confirmed, having finally put the pieces together last night.

"How did the future Bruce know that admitting you had feelings for me would change the future?"

Bruce shook his head. "I don't know," he confessed as he gazed at the floor once more. "He left a lot of the details out. He wouldn't even tell me what it was that was going to lead to your death. I don't know if we had some sort of fight where I refused to give in to my feelings for you and you died after that or what happened between us. All I know is that I've been wracking my brain trying to find a way to save your life without having to surrender my heart to you."

"Why, Bruce?" she asked, a single tear slipping down her cheek. "Is it really so bad to feel something for me?"

Bruce's head snapped up in disbelief at her question. "No," he adamantly stated, the intensity in his azure eyes revealing the truth of his answer. "Diana, I don't always know how to handle my emotions very well. Since losing my parents, I've dealt with my feelings by running away from them…by keeping people at arms' length so I don't have to deal with them or so I won't get hurt again. I've made my mission to protect Gotham my sole focus.

"I was terrified of letting you in. I was afraid that I couldn't live up to what you needed me to be, feared that I would only end up disappointing you and driving you away. I didn't know what it would mean for Gotham or for Batman. Could I still live and work in the darkness if I actually allowed myself to be happy?"

"What changed your mind?"

"You did," he confessed as he turned to face her, reaching out to cup her cheek. "You made me realize that there was nothing in my life that made it worth living if you weren't in it—my mission, Gotham, Wayne Enterprises…even Batman. None of it means anything if my life didn't include you in it."

Tears began to silently slip down her cheeks as she stared at him, his confession warming her heart. He gently erased the drops with his thumb as they lost themselves in each other. She slowly closed the distance between them, gently pressing her lips to his as her fingers slid up into his hair. She loved this man more than she had ever dreamed was possible and now she knew that he truly loved her in return even though he hadn't actually given voice the words yet.

Retreating, he lightly brushed his lips against hers before standing to his feet and offering her his hand. "May I have this dance, Miss Prince?" he asked her.

Diana stood to her feet, uncertain of what he was actually up to until he reached for a remote and pressed a button. Music began to fill the room, the sound of "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You" surrounding them.

This was the song they had danced to the last night in England. It had been magical in every sense of the word as they had danced, their feelings for one another nearly overwhelming them. As he pulled her into his arms, she felt her love for him threatening to overwhelm her all over again.

Bruce held her close as they slowly swayed to the music, the words of the song weaving around them and through them. He smiled to himself as she laid her head on his shoulder, his nose burying in her hair as he held her. They still had so many things to work through, but he knew they were finally on the right path again.

"I love you, Diana," he murmured in her ear, discovering the words came so easily and freely. "I should have told you sooner, but I love you and I want you here with me. That is why I made love with you. Yes, I was determined to save your life, but I had finally accepted the fact that I'm in love with you and I'm tired of pretending that I'm not…of wanting you and not having you."

"I love you too, Bruce," she confessed.

Despite the hoarseness of her voice, he decided that it was the most beautiful thing that he'd ever heard. It filled him with more joy that he'd ever known, but he knew that it wouldn't last. It never did for him. They were going to have to find a way to make this work with the lives that they led, the responsibilities that would attempt to pull them in opposite directions.

He was more than determined to give her everything that he could despite all the obstacles that stood in their way, despite his stubborn demons that would rear their ugly heads. He feared, however, it wouldn't be enough. She deserved far more than what he could ever begin to offer her.

As if sensing his worry, Diana's hand came to rest against his cheek. "Bruce, we'll figure this out together," she reassured him as she caressed his jaw. "I would never ask more of you than you can give nor would I ever ask you to give up being Batman. It's who you are…who I fell in love with."

His lips claimed hers with a heated rush, one that quickly stole her breath as he kissed her with all the longing and love that he held in his heart for her. He cradled her head in his hands, his tongue tangling with hers as passion began to take over.

He pulled back with a sharp gasp, his breathing ragged. "I think I better give you a tour of the manor, Princess," he murmured, his lips finding her ear. "How about we start with my bedroom?"

She dipped her head, capturing his lips in a kiss that gave him her answer. He swiftly picked her up in his arms, carrying her out of the study and up the stairs to his bedroom. Kicking the door closed behind him, he set her down, his hands roaming over her sides as he lost himself in her bright blue eyes.

His lips ghosted along her bruised throat as if silently apologizing for what Darkseid had done to her, wishing he could have stopped him. His fingers caressed her bare shoulders before pulling the thin straps of her dress down her arms, her dress pooling on the floor at her feet.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you," he murmured against her neck beneath her ear, teeth and tongue combining to further excite her.

"Shhh…no more apologies," she whispered. "Right now, I just want to feel how much you love me…I want to feel you inside of me."

He growled deeply with her request, his hands gripping her thighs before lifting her up and wrapping her long legs around his waist. He graced her with a heated kissed as he carried her to his waiting bed, more than determined to spend the rest of his life showing her just how much he loved her.

Chicago; October 14th, 18:32 EST

Hannah stood behind the desk at The Peninsula Chicago, her distracted thoughts making it more than difficult to focus on her work. She finished checking in the guest standing before her, a forced smile on her lips. Despite her best efforts, she could not forget about Peter.

He had left in the middle of the night without a word or note goodbye. When she had woken the next morning to find him gone, she had been devastated by his absence, but she had not given up hope that he would someday return.

She knew there was far more to him than he had revealed to her, discovering his name was an alias soon after he had disappeared. For some reason she couldn't explain, she believed in her heart that he was a good man, one with a troubled past of some kind.

She knew it was probably foolish to hope for his return, but he had managed to win her heart in the short time they had been together. Maybe it was because she had no family, leaving her alone in the world. Maybe it was because she had been looking for someone like him for so long. Maybe it was her romantic heart wishing for something that was never going to happen.

Hearing approaching footsteps, Hannah swallowed back the hurt that welled in her chest, knowing she needed to forget about Peter. She needed to move on with her life and focus on her job right now, not daydreaming about something that obviously wasn't ever going to happen.

"Can I help you?" she asked without looking up, needing to finish entering the information on the last guest into the computer.

"Yes, I was wondering how you feel about second chances?"

Hannah froze with the familiar sound of Peter's voice that caused a fierce flutter in that pit of her stomach. Tears instantly sprang to her eyes as she slowly raised her head, biting at her bottom lip as hope bloomed inside of her. "Peter?" she tentatively murmured his name.

"Actually, it's Alex…Alex Bristow," he sheepishly replied. "It's a very long, very sordid tale, but I would love the chance to tell you about it if you would be so kind as to give me a chance. I know that I don't deserve it, Hannah, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about you and I'd very much like it if we could possibly start all over again."

"Alex?" she whispered as she walked out from behind the desk to face him, stunned by the revelation and yet elated with his unexpected appearance.

Alex slowly nodded his head as he turned to face her, hoping that she would give him a chance to make things right. "I'm so sorry I hurt you," he told her, tentatively reaching out to touch her cheek.

"I haven't been able to stop thinking about you either," she softly said.

The corners of his lips curled with her confession, more than relieved. "How do you feel about visiting London?" he asked, hope lacing his voice.

"I'd love to," she replied with a warm smile, taking his hand.

"I live in a drafty, old mansion just outside of London," he revealed. "I hope that won't be a problem."

"Not at all," Hannah reassured him as she removed her badge and placed it on the desk before allowing him to lead her away. "I've always wanted to see England."

"Well then, you are in luck because I have a private jet at the airport waiting to take us there," he announced, lacing his fingers with hers as they exited the hotel.

"What about my things…my apartment?" she asked.

"If you like it in London, we can have your things shipped to my mansion."

Hannah pulled him to a stop, a grin lighting her face as she leaned in and kissed him deeply as her arms slipped around his neck. Alex readily returned her kiss, amazed at how his life had turned around for the better since he met Batman.

Many have said that he's nothing more than an urban myth, others swearing that he's a terrifying demon incarnate, but to Alex, he was a hero. Batman had caught a thief that night, but he had saved the heart of the man, allowing him a second chance at life. For that alone, he'd be eternally grateful.

THE END

A/N: Thank you all for the faves, follows, and reviews. I'm truly humbled by your support for my BMWW fics. Even if we never get BMWW in the comics or anywhere else, we have the most AWESOME fandom anywhere. It's up to us to keep it alive and growing no matter what happens!

For those of you who read the cliffhanger chapter, I was actually considering having both Bruce and Diana die together in that scene, reuniting them in Elysium, but I didn't want to cause everyone to have cardiac arrest. I know I always do a happy ending, but I was very tempted to do a bittersweet one. If I do a sad or bittersweet ending, I'll be sure to warn you if you want. :)

UP NEXT:

Family Ties (Already wrote Chp 1 and starting Chp 2)

What Lies Beneath (Sequel to Murder at Wayne Manor; Working on Chp 19 now and hope to start posting it in the coming weeks)

Deadly Intentions (Diana's secret admirer turns out to be a deadly stalker that no one expected. Can Batman get to the bottom of who is stalking her before it's too late?)

To Save an Amazon (Sequel to To Catch a Thief)

Suspicious Minds ("Starcrossed" is the next episode to explore!)

Love you guys to pieces! Thanks so much for sharing my BMWW obsession with me. :)