TITLE: Committment

AUTHOR: LOTSlover

CHARACTERS: Batman / Wonder Woman

RATING: T

WARNINGS: Author Chooses Not to Use Warnings

DISCLAIMER: I love Justice League, but especially Batman and Wonder Woman. Unfortunately, I do not own the characters and, if I did, things would be much different for them.

SUMMARY: Batman has risked everything by coming to Themyscira to see Diana, but will she accept what he has to say? BMWW

Commitment

"Love is a commitment to protecting another person's heart with the same passion you use to guard your own." ~ Rob Hill, Sr.

Hundreds of thoughts had assaulted Bruce's mind as he had flown to Themyscira to bring Diana back, but none of those thoughts had even remotely included marriage. He wasn't necessarily against the notion of marriage or even having Diana as his wife. To say that the thought had never crossed his mind in the past would have been a lie, but he still couldn't stop his blood from pounding in his ears or the way that his heart hammered in his chest.

Hippolyta smiled politely at him, waiting for an answer to her question…an answer that didn't seem to be coming any time soon. Knowing that Diana would be returning all too soon, she decided to skip the pretense and delve right into the heart of the issue.

"I know all about your dubious reputation as Bruce Wayne and I have to admit that I have reservations about you," she explained. "If I didn't already know that you were Batman, I would forbid Diana from ever seeing you again. However, your heroic actions have earned you a chance to at least explain yourself."

Bruce couldn't figure out for the life of him how she even knew about his playboy status. It wasn't like news from Man's World traveled to Themyscira on a regular basis. He ultimately decided that it was a query best saved for another day. Right now, he needed to protect the tenuous relationship that he'd been able to establish so far with the queen.

"I can assure you that my reputation as a womanizer and a playboy is nothing more than an act to protect myself and my family," Bruce assured her. "I can't have people linking Bruce Wayne with Batman or it could endanger my family even more than they already are as my partners against crime in Gotham."

Hippolyta nodded thoughtfully as she considered his explanation, understanding his desire to keep his loved ones safe. "So, these other women that you've been rumored to be with are nothing more than…what do you call them…smoke screens?"

"Some of them—yes," he agreed with a contemplative nod as he considered just how much he should reveal to her. He wanted to settle any doubts that the queen had in her mind about him but discussing his life story wasn't on the top of his list of things he was anxious to do. "I will be honest with you. I've had past relationships with women that haven't worked out…one woman that I was even engaged to."

The queen noticed how his expression grew somber, a flash of pain alight in his eyes that stunned her. "What happened to her?" she softly asked, feeling as though she was treading on sacred ground.

"It didn't work out," he said, his tone somewhat curt as his gaze grew distant as if being taken back in time to that moment when his life had fallen apart. "There were family issues that caused Andrea to leave. I loved her…was prepared to make a life with her even if it meant giving up being Batman. Losing her was a very painful experience, one that I swore I'd never go through again."

Bruce's lips quirked at the corners as he paused in his story, adoration reflecting in his eyes. "But then your daughter dropped out of the sky and into my world and my life hasn't been the same since."

Hippolyta shared his smile with the heartfelt confession he'd just shared with her. "Diana does have a way of doing that," she agreed. "I know how vitally important being Batman is to you. You must have really loved Andrea if you were willing to give up that life."

"I did love her, but that was in the past," he found himself confessing.

He'd found himself revealing a lot of things since first coming to Themyscira that he normally never would have revealed, and he wasn't certain that he liked it very much. It made him feel weak…vulnerable. He hated that feeling, but he was wholly committed to making this work with Diana. For her, he would do anything.

"And Diana?" she pressed.

"I love Diana more than my own life," he confessed with an absolute certainty that he felt bone-deep.

"Do you think you deserve her?" Hippolyta questioned him.

"No, I don't," he stated without hesitation, his eyes never wavering under her piercing stare that sought to reveal the truth behind his words. He released a sigh as he shook his head in obvious bewilderment, hoping to unlock the mystery that had baffled him all this time. "I honestly don't understand what she sees in me or why she loves me, but I swear to you that I will work every single day to be worthy of her."

Hippolyta was taken aback by his response, expecting a completely different answer from him. "I admit that I appreciate your honesty, Bruce," she replied, "but I must tell you that when Diana first arrived on Themyscira three weeks ago I had never seen her so disheartened in all my life. All the light had gone out of her eyes as if the fiery spirit that I know burns inside of her had been snuffed out. Even though she would never say it, I know that part of it was because of you."

"Hippolyta…" he began, wanting desperately for her to stop. He couldn't bear to hear how he'd nearly crushed her spirit.

The queen held up her hand to silence him. "Please, let me continue," she told him. "As a mother, there is nothing more painful than to see your child hurting so deeply and not being able to do anything about it. I am relieved that you and my daughter have been able to work things out, but I want you to know that if you hurt her again, you will have the full extent of my wrath coming down upon you."

Bruce swallowed hard, his chest clenching painfully. He knew that he'd hurt Diana with his actions, but he'd had no idea the depths of that hurt until now. "Hurting Diana is the last thing that I want to do," he swore to her. "I know that I've made mistakes and I didn't handle my feelings for her the way that I should have, but I love her. I only want to make her happy."

The sound of the door opening signaled Diana's return, a wary expression on her face as she approached the table with a bottle of wine in hand. "Sorry it took me so long," she apologized as she settled into her seat at the table, shooting her mother a displeased glare. "It seems that someone hid the best wine in the back of the wine cellar. It took me forever to find it."

"Hmmm…I wonder how that could've happened," Hippolyta innocently replied with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

Diana looked at Bruce, appraising him to make sure that he was all right. His expression revealed nothing, but his eyes held a hint of lingering grief that angered her. "I hope my mother behaved herself while I was gone," she pointedly stated, her gaze conveying her concern for him. "Mother has a tendency to go for the jugular, but she means well."

He gave her a faint smile in a failed attempt to reassure her. "We had a very good talk," he assured her.

"I was merely inquiring about Bruce's life back home," she simply replied. "I have to admit I think you've chosen very well, Diana. Bruce is a man of honor and complete commitment to those he cares about. I can see why you love him."

"Thank you, your highness," Bruce responded, once again finding himself moved by her words as Hippolyta filled his goblet with the wine that Diana had retrieved. He took a drink, surprised by the taste. "I think this is the best wine that I've ever had."

"It's Diana's favorite," Hippolyta revealed with a chuckle. "Isn't it, my sun and stars?"

"Don't even think about it, mother," Diana warned her.

"What is it?" Bruce asked, suddenly intrigued.

"Mother, don't you dare," Diana ground out.

"I would love to hear stories about Diana when she was young," Bruce approved with a grin as he lifted his goblet to Hippolyta who clinked her goblet against his in agreement.

Diana's narrowed glare did little to frighten Bruce nor did it deter her mother from delving into the memorable event. "Diana was about eleven years old at the time of the Festival of Dionysus," she told him. "She begged me to try the wine, but I told her she was too young. Well, little miss stubborn here had her mind made up that she was going to try some whether I approved or not. While I was presiding over the evening's events, Diana snuck away and stole one of the bottles of wine."

"Mother, please…" Diana grumbled in protest.

"Diana not only takes a drink, but she nearly finishes off the whole bottle," Hippolyta continued as if not hearing her daughter's plea. "By now, my daughter is so inebriated that she begins dancing right in the middle of the festival during a rather dramatic poetry reading."

Bruce couldn't suppress the laughter that bubbled up at the image that popped into his head, his sorrow from the previous conversation forgotten. "I always pictured you as being so obedient and proper as a child, princess," he said.

Diana gave him a sullen look, clearly unamused by everyone's enjoyment at her expense. "I was," she insisted. "Mother just likes to exaggerate things."

"I think not," Hippolyta countered with a snort of disagreement. "She was a constant source of mischief and trouble. If she wasn't dragging some poor, disabled animal that she'd found somewhere on the island into her bedroom in the palace she was leaping from trees or running here and there and everywhere like a wild animal. I thought I was going to have to put a leash on her."

"Okay, new topic," Diana interjected. "Bruce, why don't you tell us a story about you?"

"No, this is far more entertaining," he ultimately decided. "Besides, you'll just use it to blackmail me against the boys."

"Fine, I'll get my information from Alfred," she smugly said, folding her arms against her chest.

"Don't you dare," Bruce warned her in that deep baritone voice that sent shivers through her.

"Or what?"

"I can think of several things off the top of my head," he retorted. "How about I start with telling everyone about your intoxicated dance."

"I will make you pay if you do, Bruce," she ground out. "It won't be pretty."

"I'm not scared, princess," he shot back with a cocky grin as he leaned across the table. "I typically win when we spar anyways."

"You do not!" she exclaimed. "I took three out of five rounds the last time we sparred."

"Only because I let you."

"Hera, you and your ego," she grumbled with a huff. "You can't stand the thought of me beating you."

Hippolyta repeatedly clinked her goblet with the tines of her fork, gaining the attention of the quarreling couple. "Do I need to send you two to your room to work this out?" she asked, a single eyebrow arching as she looked from her daughter to Bruce and back again.

Diana stood to her feet, her hands finding her hips. "Please do!" she exclaimed. "I'd be more than happy to teach this man a lesson he won't ever forget."

Hippolyta grinned knowingly at them, witnessing firsthand the fire that burned between the two lovers. "I can definitely see the sparks flying," she commented, standing to her feet as well. "Get out of here you two. You've kept me company long enough. Go enjoy your last night on Themyscira together."

Diana made her way around the table, grabbing Bruce by the hand. "Thank you, mother," she sheepishly replied.

"I'm going to be the one teaching you a lesson, princess," he huskily murmured in her ear.

"Just don't get pregnant," Hippolyta called after them. "I'm not quite ready for grandchildren yet."

Bruce and Diana nearly stumbled in their step as they stopped before the door, whirling around on their heels to stare in shock at the queen. Hippolyta grinned as she raised her goblet to them before taking a drink of her wine.

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE FALL 2019