I sat there, trembling, my eyes refusing to meet his'

I was done!

It was he who finally broke the silence, but not on his accord.

"Andrea..." his breath slipped and my heart skipped a beat. That moment, I felt that I did not know him anymore.

"Sir," came Alfred's voice, from the doorway, "Superman is here to see you."

"Superman?" Bruce frowned, "You mean...Superman"

"Yes, sir," Alfred said without flinching. He knew what his master meant, and he wanted to reaffirm that there was no one else around and that he hadn't been noticed.

Bruce sighed and rose. He shot a fleeting glance at me as he left the room. He did not ask to be excused as Bruce would normally do. He did not say a word.

I did not know him anymore

I followed him outside, anyway, and he did not resist.

**************************************************

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior," Superman said somberly.

Bruce considered him for a while, and nodded.

"I also wanted to wish you - Happy Birthday!" he said.

"Well...thank you." Bruce nodded again. And then after a pause, he said, "I appreciate it."

Superman fists clenched. Bruce knew everything they had been through, and still, he was playing hard on him.

As if it was a cue, Bruce placed his hand on his shoulder and patted briefly. He began to say something but decided against it. He let his grip his shoulder for a moment and then let it slip away.

He gulped visibly. He was no Batman. He held Bruce's palm before it lost complete contact with him. He breathed heavily, eyes shut tight, as if trying to fight off a nagging feeling of guilt. Next moment, Bruce found himself being crushed in an embrace.

"Superman...let...go!" Bruce choked. Superman drew away, realizing his mistake.

"I...I am so sorry," he stammered. Bruce sank into the sofa.

I couldn't help but smile as he panted heavily for a second and then tried to regain control over his breath. Superman smiled sheepishly, scratching his head.

"Next time..." Bruce said finally, "Give me a heads up."

"Sure, sorry again."

"I feel sorry for Lois," Bruce muttered. Superman let that go unheard.

"I need to get going," Superman said, stepping back, "I should get ready to cover your party."

"Perry is sending you?" Bruce frowned.

"I'm afraid Lois is sick!" he smirked and left before Bruce could react.

"Now, where were we?" he said casually.

He was playing me now, and for all I had seen of him in the other world, I had more than one reason to smack him in the face.

"That was everything." I said.

He sighed, sinking back into the chair.
"Looks like there is no respite for Bruce Wayne in any world." he shook his head.

I did not know how I was supposed to take that.

"Would you rather be there, Bruce," I voiced the question which had been nagging me all the while. Again, the woman in me wanted him to decline.

"What makes you think so," he asked.

I sat down next to him. I wasn't aware of the change in my position till I met his eyes levelly. They were not the icy cold eyes of Batman which peered into my soul. They were firm and soft at the same time.

I wanted to say, "I don't want to think so." But something in me told that it was not what he wanted to hear.

"You had your family, everything you ever wanted."

"And I was so egoistic to not see the value of it all."

"No," I almost jumped, "No, you were not. You were still the man who stood up for the right. You were still with us."

"And yet I let the League go to Luthor. I was weak."

"You were not Batman," I screamed. Bruce did not flinch. It was as if he saw that coming. It was as if he wanted to hear that from me. His eyes, still firm and soft, still fixed at me.

"Yes, I was not Batman." he said softly.

I could not decipher what those eyes were trying to tell me. There was a painful anticipation in them. What else do you want from me, Bruce?

"I was not Batman," he repeated, "and that made all the difference."

"I am sure you wouldn't have let it happen. You did not let it happen!" I said. I could sense my eyes brimming up with tears.

"Did it make a difference to you, Diana?" he asked, holding his ground.

Did What make a difference to me? I simply stared at him.

"The fact that I was not Batman."

I let out a sharp sigh. Not this...not again. Why are you doing this to me, Bruce?

I did not see him inch towards me, taking my hand into his. I did not sense anything till I felt his lips against my fingers. It was not their touch that ran goosebumps all through me, it was the heat.

"Bruce, you're...hot." I withdrew instinctively and felt his forehead, "You're burning!"

He chuckled. "Looks like there is a connection between the worlds after all."

I closed my eyes and let tears flow freely, my lips forming a pout. He caressed my cheeks and rubbed the tears away.

"This is my reality, Diana. This is my world and I don't want to fight it. I have no regrets. This is what I am...what I chose to be. And this is what I will be, for as long as I have..."

I brought my hand to his lips, cutting him off. I could not bear to hear that again.

Finger by finger, he pushed my hand away.
"If you want to shut my mouth, there are better ways of doing that." he smiled.

And the woman in me wanted to seal those lips up with mine, forever if I could.

"I love you, Princess," he whispered into my ear as our lips parted.

And there I was, the Princess of Themyscira, the strongest, the immortal, the Wonder Woman - seeking respite in this man's embrace. I had lost count of the number of times this feeling nagged me since this morning. I was being just another woman.

But it was not just to any other man...

And I do not regret it...

- THE END -