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The Proposal
07. What a Night!!
Author: Batman_Wolverine (a.k.a. Bruce Logan)
Summary: The title is self-explanatory!!
“What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” the caped crusader narrowed
his eyes at the vision standing in front of him.
“You were the one who invited me here.”
“Come in,” she spoke tightly as she stepped aside to
let him through. “I didn’t invite you. I didn’t
invite Batman. I invited Bruce Wayne.”
Batman simply stared at her, wondering what kind of
a game was she trying to play. She knew that Batman
and Bruce Wayne were the same people. She was one of
the few people who had figured it out on her own,
that night in Paris.
So why this? Why now?
Still staring at her, he lifted his hand to his
cowl.
------
“NO,” Diana’s loud command silenced him. “I don’t
want this. You are the Bat tonight and even if you
take this mask off, that’s what you will be for the
rest of the night.”
“I am always the Bat,” Batman let his hand fall to
his side.
“That you are,” she smiled her mysterious smile, one
that set a fire burning through him. “Except when
you are at one of those parties of yours, ‘enjoying’
yourself with ‘your’ people and ‘your’ LIFE.”
“What do you want me to do?” his body tensed for
another attack.
“LEAVE,” she raised her hand, giving a nice glimpse
of the side of her breast through her flowing
Grecian dress, clasped at one shoulder with a
brooch, the other shoulder bare and exposed to
him…..but not for him. Not tonight.
“Diana,” Batman started.
“Leave Batman,” her voice seemed tight. “I will let
you know when I can meet you again.”
“What does that mean?” his voice grew cold.
“That means, what you think it means,” she turned
away, not able to look at him while forming her next
words. “I told you….there are a lot more fish in the
sea.”
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“DIANA,” Batman practically yelled out, his voice
booming in the smaller room. “Don’t do this.”
“Why?” she turned to him, her eyes blazing with
anger and hurt. He had come to her, but not as the
man, but as the hero. She loved the hero, but
tonight…tonight she had hoped that he would come as
the man and that too not just in time, but earlier.
She had hoped that he could spare time from his
schedule, which she knew had been completely clear
today. “Why Batman?” she spat his name out. “You are
the one, who has always been about business, whether
in your Wayne Enterprises, the league or your
personal life. You are the one who treats people
like tools. Tools in your mission to be Batman, they
are to be used by you and when they have served
their purpose, they are discarded or left alone to
fall alone by the way side. Guess what BATMAN? I
will not stand for being used as just another tool
by you or any other man…or woman for that matter. I
am my own person and I will do as I please.”
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“Diana….” Batman started.
“Leave…” she walked to the door and opened it.
“….Please.”
Batman momentarily closed his eyes, his heart aching
at Diana’s words, but even more at the tears filling
her eyes. Once again he had made one of those he
cared for sad….once again he had hurt them. Hurt
her.
Taking a deep breath, he turned to the window and
fired his grapple, leaving her standing at the door.
------
Minutes later,
“So, what happened?” Diana’s *second* ‘contact’
inquired through the door as she changed her
clothes.
“He came as the Batman,” her sad voice was muffled
through the partition. “I did as we had planned.”
“So, what the problem?” contact flopped down on the
bed.
“I can’t do this,” Diana sighed as she opened the
door. “Its hurts….to see him like this. I know my
words are causing him pain. I never wanted to do
that. I wanted to take away his hurt, his pain. Not
add to it more.”
“Diana,” the mystery woman laid a hand on hers as
she came and sat on the bed. “Its only for a little
longer. He’s Batman. You have to deal with him in
his own way.”
“But…” Diana started.
“No buts….” The woman patted her hand. “Trust me.”
“Oh, no,” Diana gave a rueful smile. “Not you too.”
“Call its women’s intuition,” her friend wiggled her
perfectly formed eyebrows. “I know that….”
“….Everything will work out.”
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