Wedding: Interrupted

Wedding: Interrupted

Rated: T

by Icha

Summary:

My take on the (possible) future story lines in JLA#0, notably Wonder Woman's marriage. BMWW, Diana Nemesis, Bruce Talia, Dick Donna. Set five years after the IC. Ch 25: Epilogue. Many thanks to Hepburn for the excellent beta and her constant supports.

Chapter 25. Epilogue: Wedding, Resumed

Selina Kyle, the Catwoman, gingerly traced the silky feeling of her green tunic as she walked down one of the pebbled paths in one of the most beautiful gardens of Themyscira, the warm morning sun fell onto her sleek short black hair. She did not visit the island often, but when she did, she was always grateful for it. The Amazons here always treated her with respect and friendship, and they also loved talking about current fashion with her, an added bonus indeed. This time, her gratitude doubled because she was about to visit her sister Maggie.

"Nice teleport, Sel?"

The friendly greeting came from Donna Troy-Grayson, who suddenly appeared from one of the green turns in the garden. Upon her emerging memories, Maggie Kyle had been admitted to the Royal Health Authority of the Republic of Themyscira where she had so far received one of the best traditional Themysciran therapies for mental health. Donna Troy came to Selina's apartment a few days ago, declaring that Bruce and Diana sent her to pick-up Maggie and take her to Themyscira. Selina could not say no, for she had been trying to contact Diana herself.

"Yeah, on my way to visit Maggie," Selina smiled to her friend before quirking her eyebrows. "Old but new costume, huh?" Donna Troy was wearing her red and gold costume. "Where's the starry one? Laundry?"

"Yeah, and change of style too, sometimes," Donna grinned. "I've just come from seeing Maggie, she looked healthy, and she was asking about you."

"You did tell her that I was on my way, no? I had to go back to Gotham to see Helena." She just got herself teleported from the Themyscira House after her short visit to Gotham to see her darling toddler.

"I did, and you should know by now that you can bring Helena with you the next time you visit."

"Is it safe… for Maggie?"

"I would think so. You might want to ask Epione's advice, but I think it's almost time that Helena is brought here."

Selina looked pensive before she nodded. "Thanks for everything, Donna. I'll talk to Diana too about it. Is she around?"

"She's at Athena's Temple, I believe," Donna gestured to a tall building of which the dome was visible from their spot.

Selina thanked her and said that she would visit the temple later. She then resumed her journey towards the private health chamber where Maggie resided nowadays.

"Visiting your sister?"

Wondering at the unfamiliar, but not completely alien, voice, Selina stopped and looked around. Her eyes widened as she saw Talia Al-Ghul sitting on one of the stone seats in the park.

"Talia!" In reflex, Selina changed her stance to defensive one. Her last encounter with Talia Al-Ghul was not a pleasant one; they were claw-to-claw in the Batcave.

"Do not be alarmed, Catwoman. I'm not here for a fight." Talia closed a book she had been reading, and raised to welcome Selina. Selina craned her neck to see the book's title ('Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul') and frowned.

"You're here just to read a book? A self-help book?"

The woman in front of her tucked a lock of her brunette hair. "Pretty much. To heal myself."

"Does it work?" Selina threw the cynical comment, but as soon as she caught the flash of regrets in Talia's eyes, she immediately felt ashamed of herself. "Sorry."

"Don't be. People like us know that regret often comes late, hence very painful. And the healing might take a long time…"

"But it can be healed," Selina did not know what came into her. She just knew that she inexplicably wanted to comfort the strange Talia in front of her. She did not know what happened with Talia, Bruce and Diana in Tibetan Plateau, but she knew that something big took place almost a week ago that involved the three of them. "Look at Maggie. It took almost ten years, but she is healing now."

"I saw your sister from a distance today," Talia slowly diverted the subject. "She looked peaceful."

"Thanks. And are you?"

Talia exhaled and smiled wistfully. "I hope so..."

Selina was quite for a while before replying with, "We all have our demons. I hope yours is defeated soon."

"Thank you." Talia turned to resume her walk, towards the Temple of Athena. Yet she suddenly halted, turned back, and chased Selina. "Look, just in case I have no more strength to say this –" Selina raised her eyebrows. "I'm sorry about our fight at the cave back then. It was… very silly of me."

Selina's emerald eyes searched for Talia's eyes and found truth and regrets in those pair of brown eyes. She knew that Talia meant it.

"And me too," she admitted. "And I really thank you for saving my life when Lady Shiva went berserk, way back then." She kicked a small pebble away before adding, "It's not too late for damage control, I hope?"

Unexpectedly, Talia chuckled. "Damage control… if such a small damage cannot be fixed, then what about the larger one?" she looked at Selina and smiled. "Take care of Maggie, Selina. You don't know how nice it is to have a sane sister as yours."

"Don't I know it?" Despite the irony, Selina felt that Talia did not mean to mock her. Puzzled but relieved, she shook Talia's hands and resumed her journey to see her sister.

-xxx-

Inside the Temple of Athena, under the soothing shadows of the clinging plants, Diana of Themyscira wrapped herself with the Lasso of Truth and the Fire of Hestia. She had been doing it intensively since she got back to Themyscira, right after the event in Tibet, just to make sure that all effects of the Lazarus Pit had gone away.

"Is it not painful for you, to face your demons everyday?"

She smiled and, without opening her eyes, answered.

"I've been used to it. How are you? Had a nice sleep last night?"

Talia Al-Ghul cautiously approached Diana, but then stopped ten feet away. She was still unsure if she could stand close to the lasso, though it had saved her life that day. She then sat down, pulled her knees close to her chest, and watched Diana's figure, clad with a white Grecian tunic and entangled with the Amazon's own lasso, glowing in harmony with her breathing.

"I had my first dreamless night, so thank you." She came to the island yesterday afternoon on her own volition. Strangely, it was just fifteen minutes after her decision that a visit to Themyscira might not be harmful for her, when Wonder Woman's invisible jet hovered outside her Metropolis apartment, her hide out the day after the fiasco in Tibet. Diana's voice was heard from the empty jet, inviting her to board the plane, later to take her to Themyscira. On the island, Diana herself welcomed her and ushered her to a private quarter, but they had not talked about Tibet and Bruce ever since. "Don't you ever have nightmares?"

Diana was quite for a while. Then, as the glow of her lasso abated, she opened her eyes and said, "Some times. I'm not perfect. When my mother died, I had nightmares almost every night."

"How did you get away from regrets?"

"I did not. I acknowledged it, overcome it, and promised to be a better woman than I was. In the end, I was grateful to have her appearing in front of me again, her soul, I mean. I got my redemption."

"Surely it wasn't that easy."

Diana shook her head. "No, it wasn't. But I am glad I took the chances."

"I should be glad of it too, one day." Talia was talking about her own chances. For a while, the two women sat in silence. Diana folded her lasso and hooked it at her belt before sitting down in half-lotus position.

"I will go to Gotham after lunch," Talia resumed the conversation. "I will give Bruce what he needs… and then I will go."

Diana was still silent, playing with her own tunic. Then, "Where to?"

"Not sure. I've been thinking of Nanda Parbat. Too close to the snowy cave, I know, but it should be different."

"It's a very soothing place. Try to find Lama Jhorde, if he's around. He will help you."

"I understand that you accompanied Bruce and Tim during your missing years back then?"

Diana nodded. "It was an honor to see a new Bruce emerging from the cave."

"I wish I was there, you know?" Talia shifted to face Diana. "But I also know that I was not fit to accompany him. He needed you back then, he needs you now. For your constant search for truth."

"I could be boring him to death," Diana tried to crack a joke.

"Still, he loves that boring part of you," Talia got up. "I will leave you with the ritual now. I just need to tell you that…if you hurt Bruce even just half the way I hurt him, I will cross the world to punch you. And I do deliver hard punches."

"Don't I know it," Diana smiled. "Thank you."

"Don't be." Talia walked away, her words echoed along the temple's corridor. "It's what a lover must do for her loved one."

-xxx-

The sun was about to set in Gotham's skyline when Bruce Wayne cleared his table from that day's paper works. It was his first full day work at the office after almost a week of absence, and he felt good to return to the mundane life of his company. Not that he did not trust Lucius Fox, God knows he did; he just needed distraction from the recent event he had experienced.

He also missed Diana, and though he knew that she went to Themyscira for her own good, he still missed her presence. They had not talked a lot about what happened back then in Tibet; they just returned to the cave after dropping Tom Tresser in Washington. Dick and Donna had flown to New York with Dick's Nightjet, leaving them alone at the cave.

Naturally, they were tired. But when Diana started to attend to his cuts and wounds, Bruce's desires started to shimmer to the point that he pulled her hard and turned her harsh, slammed her to the console and started to undress her. To his delight, Diana did not refuse him. Instead, she arched her back, moaned as he clawed her, gasped as he kneaded her hills, and jerked his hair in ecstasy as his tongue played with her nipples. But he was about to enter her flooding valley when she stopped him. Despite her panting breaths and hazy look, Diana's words were clear when she said that he still had things to solve with Talia before they could be together. She also still needed to check the remnants of Lazarus Pit in her system. Being the guardian of Truth, Wonder Woman could not accommodate any insanity within her.

In pain, yet in full comprehension, Bruce let Diana fly away to the Island. He had not seen her again afterwards, and it's already almost a week. His body was painful due to the unmet desires he had on her, and his heart longed for her presence.

It's been several days, he massaged his own tired neck. If I don't hear from her tonight, I will teleport to Themyscira myself.

Just as he finished his thoughts, his intercom buzzed, and the firm but friendly voice of Patricia Cornwell entered his office.

A guest for you, Mr. Wayne.

Bruce frowned and looked at the clock. It's almost 7:30pm. "Name?"

Patricia's hesitant voice. She prefers not to be named, Sir. But she's clear.

Eyebrows still knitted together, Bruce activated the videocom to the foyer. Not Diana, he was disappointed. At this stage, Diana would fly right into his office. His guest, definitely a charming woman, has a slender body, but not as tall and well-built as Diana's. Yet her clothing was conservative; her generous chest was covered with a very expensive Vicuna shawl, her dark hair was covered with a Hermès scarf. The woman carried a luxurious Armani briefcase. Bruce pursed his lips. Talia Al-Ghul had arrived.

"Send Talia here, Pat."

Right away, Mr. Wayne. If Patricia was surprised, she did not show it.

Bruce turned to the window and fixed his Venetian blinds to reveal the twilight Gotham. Pretty, with many lights emerging one by one. Soon, he would do his patrol.

"Is it not time for your patrol, Bruce?"

Bruce kept his surveillance over his kingdom, bathed in the evening light. "I assume everything is alright, Talia?" He then turned, leaned on his desk, and observed his wife. There was no sign of torture at all. Her figure was relaxed, but not sensuous. Her stance royal, she almost reminded him of Diana. But the most important thing was her eyes. They were clear brown eyes, the color of brown agate, the eyes of an independent Talia. A woman who loved life, a woman who loved him, a woman he used to love.

"If you wonder whether my dear sister had murdered me again and tossed me to the pit again and again, no it did not happen. I've talked to Damian, and though still puzzled, he promised to protect me from his own aunt." Talia's lips formed an ironic smile. "It seems family feud is always inevitable in my family."

"I'm glad that he's with you," Bruce looked at her contemplatively. "I wish I could bring Damian here, but –"

"– it's not the time," Talia interjected. "We both know that. Damian is an Al-Ghul now. To be a Wayne, he has to go through many trials – mostly within himself – before he can prove that he is truly the Son of Bat. For now… he's my charge."

Bruce gave a surreptitious nod in gratitude. "Drink? Shiraz or cognac?"

Talia's neatly manicured hand gestured a 'no'. "Would love to, but I have no time. I need to do this fast, in case I change my mind." Bruce's silence told her that he knew what she was about to talk about. And since she was unsure of her own strength, she did not resume talking. Instead, she opened her briefcase, retrieved a stack of papers, and settled them on Bruce's desk.

"All signed. All originals, no deceptions at all." She looked at him in the eye. "You are free."

Not unfriendly silence among them before he spoke again. "Thank you. And are you free now?"

"As a bird." Talia gestured her chin at the papers. "You don't even look at the papers."

He gave her a sincere smile. "I trust you."

"You did not before."

"It was not you back then. Now, it is you here, and I trust you." His deep blue eyes spoke volumes.

Talia Al-Ghul felt her throat clogged, her stronghold broken. "Bruce… I…" she blinked back her tears. "Had I not manipulated you that time… had I let everything flow naturally… would you, would I…" A drop of tear fell as her words quivered. "Would we have had a chance?"

It took Bruce at least one minute to ponder before he gave the answer. "Perhaps. Things are possible. I did care for you. I still do."

Talia closed her eyes to prevent more tears falling. "Thanks. But that's not enough." She opened her eyes again, lifted her chin ever so slightly, closed her briefcase and made to leave. "You care for me, but you love her. You love her, above others because she transforms the Dark Knight into the Knight, without changing you into herself. She makes you a better you."

Once again, Bruce's silence was the evidence of her statement's veracity. Only when she reached for the door did he say, "Take care, Talia."

She smiled, more sincere this time. "You too, Bruce. Say hi to Alfred." She wanted to hug him, to feel him for the last time, but she knew she had blown the chance long ago. Anyway, Bruce's friendly hug would only cause her pain now and destroyed her last citadel of pride. She needed her pride now, and she needed time to heal.

A few minutes after Talia's departure, Bruce began to slowly look through the paper work. He chose to trust Talia because he knew that his trust meant a lot for her. And he was relieved that it was not unfounded. All required signatures were there, all places where Talia Al-Ghul's signature should be found were marked. Bruce took a pen and started to write on the papers as he buzzed his intercom.

When Lucius Fox arrived a few minutes later, Bruce was finishing his last 'Bruce Wayne' signature. He looked up, smiled at the old man he often considered as the second surrogate father after Alfred Pennyworth, and said.

"I owe you a lot old man, but I'd appreciate if you take care of these papers for me." When Lucius' grey eyebrows arched as he saw what the papers were all about, Bruce added, "I owe you the story, I know. I will give you the nutshell, but I need to take care of another thing first now."

"A nocturnal activity, Mr. Wayne?"

Bruce smiled as he donned his jacket. "More like a shopping and a social visit."

-xxx-

"Why do I feel that this is the last time I will walk with you as a single woman?"

"Are you trying to crack a joke, Tom?"

"You tell me." Tom Tresser stopped and closed his eyes to feel the last sunlight of the day reflected by the calm surface of Hudson River. The afternoon river breeze blew his blond lock away; he opened his eyes to fix his hair, and he caught the way Diana looked at him. She's pretty, even in her tee and jeans civvies. "What's up, Di?"

"It was quite an adventure in Tibet a few days ago."

"No kidding," Tom smiled and sat at the grass. The seats were too far away from their walking path, and he wanted to feel the soft summer grass.

"Are you okay now? They beat you almost to a pulp back then."

"Nah... Takes more than that to kill the Man of a Thousand Face," Tom scratched his stubble. "How is Talia? Heard anything about her? Hopefully she's not thrown into the pit anymore." He shook his head in fear. "Nasty."

"I met her this morning in Paradise Island. She was alright. She went to Gotham this afternoon, after lunch." She paused to gather her strength, but no more words came out.

After an uncomfortable silence, Tom decided to help. "Is this the part where you should say that she delivers the divorce paper to Bruce, and that you will marry him instead?"

"Perhaps," Diana was surprised at Tom's calm demeanor. But why should he not? This guy had evolved considerably the last few weeks. How about me, have I grown up? "I'm not sure what happens in Gotham, actually."

"But assuming that they will deal with the divorce papers soon, will you marry him?" It was an honest question from an honest, sincere friend. Diana could not hold her stance anymore.

"I will hurt you again, Tom. I'm sorry."

Tom was quite again for a while before finally replied. "Don't be. Look, Diana –" he turned to face Diana, who at that time already sat next to him in the grass. "– I admit that I hated Bruce before, for stealing you away from me. But as I said in Washington that day, I knew that he was meant for you. All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts..."

"As You Like It."

"Clever," said Tom. "And old Shakespeare was right Diana. For you, the one man that plays many parts in your life… is Bruce Wayne. Like it or not, I have to accept that." He looked away at the sunset over the building silhouettes across the river and added, "And honestly, after knowing what Talia did to Bruce, and what Nyssa did to Talia, I could only pity Bruce and Talia. They might try to mend the fences as friends… but they may never be close friends like you and me."

Diana lowered her head and studied her neat finger nails instead. "So sad," she admitted later.

"Yes. But he has you. And he will go through it."

"And you still have me as a friend," Diana tried to smile.

"Of course." Tom got up and helped Diana to her feet as well. She carelessly wiped the grass off her jeans before hugging him, burying her face in his strong and accepting chest.

"Will you come when we invite you one day?"

She was – of course – talking about her inevitable wedding with Bruce Wayne. "Perhaps. I can't promise you. But if I do, you will see the best of me. And you will be proud of me."

"I know." Her sweet smile… that was no longer his, but was it truly not his anymore? Among the Trinity, Tom knew that Wonder Woman and Superman were true friends, and that true romance was between Diana and Batman. Though Tom could not compete with Bruce, perhaps now the Herald of Justice could compete with the Man of Steel. If friendship is all about competing, that is…

His cell phone produced a noise. A text message. "Must be from Sarge Steel," he apologized. "I need to report back to him at eight."

"Don't let him wait, then," Diana punched him jokingly. "He can fire you right away after that Tibet fiasco."

"He won't. He's a nice guy."

"He is," Diana said as she floated to the air. "Give my warm regards to him."

"Will do," Tom could not wipe the smile on his face as he watched the strong and beautiful Amazon flew northeast along the river. He then turned his attention to his cell phone, opening the new text message to answer Sarge Steel's message.

Except that it was not from Sarge Steel.

Am in Washington for the night. Wanna meet at 8:30 for dinner? Eve.

Tom Tresser blinked and looked at the number again. It was an old number that had not been in contact with him for a long time. Eve Eden, a.k.a. the Nightshade. It took him a while before texting her back:

Am w/h Sg Steel at 8pm, meeting. Hw bout 9? Name d place.

He was in his yellow cab, on the way to the DMA helipad launch at the top of the New York DMA building across Central Park when his mobile blinked again.

That's late dinner. U pay double, am hungry.

Tom Tresser smiled. So be it.

-xxx-

She had been wondering if he would ever show up tonight. She had not called him since her arrival in New York, nor after her meeting with Tom Tresser. But she trusted that he had met Talia that afternoon, and tomorrow at the latest she would receive news from him. Still, she had pondered the possibility of him showing up at the Watchtower, for she knew that Batman would not miss the fact that it was Wonder Woman's turn for Monitor Duty that night.

Yet, night passed by without any Gothamite visitor and her Monitor Duty was soon over at 2 A.M. as Superman arrived to take over.

"Anything new, Diana?" Clark asked casually as he strolled into the Womb with a cup of espresso. Strong fragrance of caffeine attacked Diana's nostrils. Not tonight though. She would rather sleep right away as she returned home.

"A fire in Star City, Dinah and Ollie were on it, Captain Marvel assisted. An old Parthian magician suddenly appeared in Cairo market and made some troubles, but Isis and Teth Adam required no assistance. Some efforts to blow up a market in Jodhpur, India, but J'onn J'onzz was too quick for the terrorists."

"He must be pissed off, having his yogic holiday disturbed," Clark sipped the coffee as he flipped through a confidential report on the console.

"Pretty much," Diana chuckled. "And Two Face made some silly moves again in Gotham." She wrapped up her report. "Nothing really happened, in the League standard."

"Bruce surely didn't need any help," Clark closed the confidential report and sat down at the large, comfortable chair of the Monitor Womb. He wriggled his back and gave a heavenly sigh before placing his legs on top of each other on the console. Wonder Woman quirked; she did not like it. The Man of Steel ignored it; a sibling fight with Diana was always good. "Don't you think this chair is too comfy? Someone would fall asleep."

"Not you. You're awake and talking," Diana wrapped her papers and slapped them at Clark's legs. "Legs off, Kal. And Bruce did need help. He arrived late; he let Batgirl, Robin, and the Huntress handle that freak."

"Two Face?" Superman's attempt to have another espresso sip was halted. "The Batman was late?!"

Wonder Woman shrugged. "Having some trouble with the Batmobile perhaps." Perhaps that's why he did not call me.

"Whatever," Superman shrugged too and grinned with Wonder Woman. Then his expression turned serious. "Diana…I know what happened in Tibet."

"The League's log, of course."

"It's just a simple chronological log. But beneath it, I know there's more." Kal-El dropped his legs from the console. His baby blue eyes showed his deep concerns. "I wish you and Bruce happiness, Diana. Don't you think it's time now?"

Wonder Woman did not reply. She just kissed Superman on the cheek.

"Batman can knock me out for that, Di."

"He can try. So far I know, Superman is invulnerable," she smiled before walking away from the Monitor Womb. Her smile widened as her enhanced hearing caught Kal El's reply: Not if you have a jealous boyfriend punching me with a kryptonite ring.

-xxx-

It was almost 3 A.M. as she slipped into her bed after a nice hot shower. Other than reading the League reports and her own Ambassadorial papers, she did nothing during the Monitor Duty, and the night went too slow for her that she wished a stupid maniac like Grodd would make some trouble in Metropolis or something like that. She needed distraction… to divert her attention from her own needs. Her own desires.

It was a quick hot shower that she took. Longer than that, she might be too alert to sleep. She let her legs wriggled inside the blanket. She closed her eyes and sighed as her toes found the nice cool spots. Then she suddenly opened her sleepy eyes, scrutinizing her dark room. A ray of silver light of the full moon fell on her Persian carpet. Something was different with her Ambassadorial room. Something strange… something alien, yet familiar at the same time. She smiled.

"Are you going to wait until I sleep?"

" I was thinking about it," the Batman emerged from a shadowy corner. "How are you?"

"I can't sleep."

"Why?" the tall dark 'stranger' drew nearer, his silhouette was back-lighted by the silver moon. He sat, she felt his weight on her bed. "Why Diana?"

She said nothing. Instead, she reached for him and – with a swift move – unmasked him. Bruce Wayne did not even blink. "Why?" She let her trembled fingers traced Bruce's unshaved jaws. "I'm waiting for news."

"What news?" his voice was hoarse, passion started to overflow. He took off his gloves and let his hands traveled to touch the goddess in front of him. She shivered as he caressed her breasts, moderately covered by her sleeping attire. When his hand travel downwards beneath her white silk tunic, she sighed and strived to say,

"That a tall, dark, handsome stranger…would dare to claim me as his… for this is his second chance, and he better use it wisely."

"What if he's still scared?" Despite his question, the Dark Knight unclipped his cape and took off his boots. He then leaned so close to Diana, whispering the same question again.

"Then he's a fool indeed." Her fingers traveled to his Nomex-Kevlar costume, feeling the strong muscles beneath it.

"Well, I'm glad that I'm not the fool." He clasped his hands to her neck, tasting her sweet curves and lips before withdrawing again. On Diana's neck now perched a very beautiful silver starfish. Diana's Tiffany, lost three years ago, yet found and kept by love. She looked down, realized what was it on her neck, and tears started to well on her azure eyes.

"It's beautiful, Bruce," She almost chocked herself with tears. "Thank you…"

Bruce said nothing. He just smiled, pulled Diana to a sitting position, and kneeled down in front of her. Slowly but sure, he then produced a small box from Batman's utility belt and opened it to reveal a pair of very lovely white gold rings, forged in the form of gentle waves, with two little starfish on each of them.

"The fool is no more. The one in front of you now is a grown up man, a free person who cannot live without you." He took the smaller ring out and held it to her. "Will you marry me, Princess?"

Her 'yes' was swallowed by her bursting tears, but the sun, stars, and the moons in her eyes were enough answers for him. She kissed him again and again, and moaned the 'yes' again and again as he lowered her damp body, undressed her, and let her undress him in return. He teased her again and again as he tongued and bit her everywhere, leaving his primitive marks; marks that claimed her as his forever. All along, she kept saying 'yes'. And when she finally let him sheathed himself into her, and he felt the glowing golden warmth within him like he had never felt before, she uttered her loudest agreement in ecstasy. He exploded inside and responded with his simple growl and moan that he, too, had become hers.

Bruce's and Diana's wedding would not take place until the next spring, when the beautiful trees, budding roses, and chirping birds became the background of the solemn and beautiful ceremony at the Wayne Manor, attended by the closest and the dearest ones. Donna was the maid of honor and Dick was naturally the best man. Also attending the Bat family, Diana's Amazon sisters, the Kents, the Queens, the Kyles, the Gordons, the Leaguers, the Titans, the Bird of Preys, the Outsiders, the Trevors, Bruce's closest ring of the Wayne Enterprises, and the Embassy staffs. At a very visible corner of the podium, stood a very nice flower bouquet from Tom Tresser, who at that time was on his assignment with Nightshade somewhere in the heart of China.

But for Bruce Wayne and Diana of Themyscira, their wedding night was actually that night when the Dark Knight visited and made love with Wonder Woman in her chamber, under the glowing full moon. He presented himself with love, shed the 'Dark' side of his knighthood, and became a grown man beside his lover. As for Diana, though she lost her immortality right then that night as he entered her again and again, claiming her in the most primal way that she was his forever, she had found something else.

Together, they had found something else: immortal love, the equivalent of sweet life itself.

-FIN-

Author's note:

Phew! Never thought it took me two years to finish this story! Man… Thanks for bearing with me, though! Hope you like this saga.

I incorporate the knowledge in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight that Lucius Fox knew about Bruce Wayne's secret ID. I think it just befitted the storyline and the characters. Lucius is not a fool, after all.

I don't include many DC canons, e.g. Amazon Attack, the Circle (great story as it is), Batman RIP, Selina's losing her daughter, Salvation Run, etc. I live in my own DC Universe. Thank Gaea for that.