[Scott looks at the new FAQ post and realizes that he has a few more stories 
that fall under the new parameters. . . :-)]

Summary: While still dealing with the aftermath of Superman's return, Batman 
received an unexpected visitor at the BatCave.

Disclaimer: All of these characters remain the property of their 
owners/creators.

Rating: T, for themes.

Time Frame: Just after the events of "Hereafter." (spoilers!)

Archiving: Be my guest, but e-mail me (eilandesq@hotmail.com) to let me 
know. . .I like to know where stuff I write ends up
 and I might want to see what else you've got.

COURT ETIQUETTE



Bruce's eyes snapped open, and he immediately sat up and looked at the 
antique grandfather clock that stood on the far side
 of his bedroom. It was half past six in the evening--the sun had set almost 
an hour before. He got out of bed, slipped into a
robe, and went down to the BatCave, donning his costume and ordering the 
computer to give him the news summary for the
past twelve hours.

In spite of the warning they had received, stopping Vandal Savage from 
obtaining the chunk of dwarf star matter that would
have precipitated the end of the world had been no easy matter. The evil 
immortal had planned well and recruited allies.
 While he believed that they would have prevailed in any event, the 
scientist who had made the discovery of the hyper-dense
 object had turned out to be an invaluable ally in stopping Savage when he 
unexpectedly manifested superpowers due to his
 exposure to the degenerate matter. When the sounds of battle had faded and 
Savage and his allies had been taken away to
 a hopefully more secure site than the last one the would-be world conqueror 
had escaped from, the members of the League
 had gathered and thanked Dr. Palmer--and offered their assistance in 
helping him to discover what the nature of the changes
 in him really amounted to. Palmer had seemed taken aback at the 
effusiveness of the thanks and offered help--Batman
 suspected that, like himself, the others were reacting to the sheer relief 
of having Superman fighting at their side again. Even
 if he did look more like cover art from a Conan novel than a Big Blue Boy 
Scout for the moment.

Batman frowned and read the news summaries. Nothing major going on outside 
of the news of Superman's return and the
 battle with Savage. * The Joker's been in Arkham for six months--he's way 
overdue for another escape. I should see if I
 can slip one of these new micro tracers into his food--*

"Master Bruce."

Batman smiled involuntarily for an instant before replying in his most 
businesslike tone without turning: "Yes, Alfred?"

"You have a visitor." Alfred's tone was as level as ever, but Batman thought 
that he detected an extra note of formality in his voice.

"Bruce Wayne isn't here, remember? I told Lucius that I was taking a two- 
week vacation in Barbados and made sure everyone
 else in Gotham knew I was going." Batman frowned--Alfred never forgot 
details like that.

"The visitor is here to see Batman, Master Bruce--here, unless you care to 
receive her upstairs." Batman turned and blinked, and
 Alfred added with a slight smile: "Forgive my discomfort, Master Bruce--but 
my origins entail a bit more sensitivity to the treatment
 of royalty than is typical for you Americans. I would really rather not 
leave her waiting any longer than is absolutely necessary."

Batman repressed a smile. "Of course, Alfred--please extend my apologies for 
keeping her waiting and escort her down. Announce
 her with all of the titles that she is privileged to be known by."

Alfred nodded. "Very good, Master Bruce." He turned and departed, heading 
for the staircase that led back into Wayne Manor.

Batman turned back to the computer and smiled. * It was bound to happen 
sooner or later * Diana had seen through the playboy act
 when she met him in Paris--the time they had spent together fighting Savage 
immediately afterwards had probably helped her make
 the connection a little more easily- -and she had teased him about it on 
several occasions when they had been alone. He had given her
 a standing invitation to visit him here, with the proviso that she do so in 
a clandestine manner--neither of them wanted the headache of
Wonder Woman and Bruce Wayne being linked in the tabloids any more than the 
brief dance in Paris might have provoked. Batman
 chuckled at the thought. * Of course, those tabloids would be even more 
interested in linking Batman and Wonder Woman. . .might
be a challenge to avoid that little pitfall, should the need arise *

On the other hand, he liked challenges.

He heard the door to the manor open again, and he stood up, calling out as 
he turned, "We really need to stop meeting like this,
 Diana--people will st- -" He stopped in mid-sentence and stared at the 
woman standing next to Alfred.

Alfred--who was standing just in front of and to the left of the visitor--  
looked down at his boss with a smirk and announced loudly: "Her
 Royal Highness Hippolyta--Queen of the Amazons--Ruler of Themyscira--High 
Priestess of Hera--and Guardian of the Gates of
Tartarus." He turned to the stunning woman he had just announced and asked, 
"Your Highness, is there any other service I can provide
 before I take my leave of you?"

Hippolyta smiled and shook her head. "Your hospitality has been exemplary, 
Mr. Pennyworth. I thank you." Alfred bowed once and
 departed, and Hippolyta turned to Batman as she walked down the stairs and 
commented, "You know, letting your jaw drop like that
rather spoils the effect you strive so hard to create--taking a moment to 
compose yourself might be an excellent idea."

Batman blinked, then set his jaw as he replied politely--if not warmly: 
"Your Highness, I believe I can be excused for a moment of
surprise. Your presence here implies your possession of several pieces of 
knowledge that could only have come from a limited number
 of sources--none of whom would have willingly given you that information."

Hippolyta smiled. "Your faith in my daughter's fidelity is moving, Batman--  
and fully justified. My sources of information are mystic in
 nature." Batman raised an eyebrow, and Hippolyta sensed the reaction 
without seeing it and elaborated, "After Erisia's treachery,
 I made a point of keeping a closer eye on Diana's activities, and her 
interactions with you and the rest of the Justice League. My scrying
 inevitably revealed a number of secrets that all of you hold dear--I hope 
you can accept my word that none of the secrets I have
 discovered will pass my lips unless I deem it necessary in order to protect 
Themyscira."

Batman silently stared at the Amazon Queen for several seconds before 
nodding and saying simply, "I am aware of the seriousness
of such oaths to you, Your Highness. I will, however, inform the others so 
that they may be aware of the situation." Hippolyta
inclined her head, and Batman added, "Just how much--?"

"I am not a voyeur, Batman." Hippolyta sounded faintly amused as she replied 
and approached him. Batman smiled grimly, and Hippolyta
 added, "I did observe some of your interactions with Diana both with and 
without battle gear during the incident with the Kasnians. She
 obviously thinks very highly of you."

"Her respect means a great deal to me, Your Highness." Batman said quietly, 
and added, "Your presence during the time of Superman's
 memorial meant a great deal to her--I thank you for visiting her and 
bringing her formal costume."

"She is my daughter--and the man she was mourning is a hero to the people of 
Themyscira--I could do no less." Hippolyta looked relieved,
and added, "I will hold a feast in honor of his return to this world when I 
return." She looked downcast, and added, "I regret that Diana will
 not be at my side to offer the first toast."

"I know." Batman said gently, and met her eyes as he asked, "I know *how* 
you are here, but not why, Your Highness. Is there a danger
 that you wished to make me aware of to Diana or to Themyscira?"

"The events of the past two weeks have driven home just how crucial your 
group is to the protection of all that is--both Man's World and
 Themyscira. I wished to understand you more before I departed for home." 
Hippolyta paused briefly, then added, "I came to you because
 the others are far easier to understand--including J'onn and Shayera--I 
hoped that a face to face meeting with you would help me perceive
 with more wisdom the man behind the mask."

Batman smiled inwardly. "And has this meeting given you any useful insights, 
Your Highness?"

The Amazon Queen smiled and gestured at the BatCave as she replied, "Well, 
I'm fairly certain that you're not claustrophobic." The calm
 observation provoked a brief smirk from Batman, and Hippolyta nodded and 
added, "You are naturally distrustful of others, but capable
 of putting aside suspicion when you deem the need for doing so. You exist 
in isolation, but you are willing to expend your last breath to
 save innocent strangers. You resent that I exiled Diana, but understand my 
reasons and the price I had to pay to preserve my honor as a
 ruler." She stared at him a bit more intensely, then concluded, "And if I 
were to choose one guardian for Diana in Man's World, it would
 be you--with all due respect to Kal-El. He is a great hero, but I prefer a 
touch of ruthlessness for my daughter's guardian, and you have
 that quality in abundance without letting it turn you into a monster."

"Some would disagree with your last observation, Your Highness," Batman 
replied. "I'm not exactly considered to be the most stable
 person in this line of work. Even some members of the League--"

"Yes, you make them uncomfortable at times, just as their idiosyncrasies 
irritate you on occasion. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that they
 respect you, as I do." Hippolyta studied him carefully, then added, 
"However, I am still the Queen of the Amazons, and I *will* raise
 objections should you choose to seriously pursue my daughter 
romantically--there are principles of my people that even my respect for
 you and my love for my daughter will not let me ignore."

Batman raised an eyebrow and briefly considered a blanket denial of any 
romantic interest in Diana--before finding that he was remembering
 the sight of Diana's joy at Superman's return, and that behind his poker 
face he was thinking that she had never looked more beautiful than
 she had at that moment. He blinked, locked eyes with the Amazon Queen, and 
stated flatly, "In that case, I'll have to be *very* persuasive
 if that day comes."

Hippolyta's stare grew hard for a moment before softening, and she chuckled 
before replying, "Yes, you will."

"Mother, stop harassing the poor man."

Batman and Hippolyta turned and saw Diana watching them from the top of the 
stairs, her arms folded. Alfred was standing just behind her,
 and Batman glared at his faithful servant. Diana saw the reaction and 
interjected, "Don't be angry at Alfred--I asked him not to announce me.
 Mother left me a note saying where she had gone, and I thought I should 
rescue you as quickly as possible."

Batman allowed himself to smile slightly. "I appreciate the gesture, but 
we've been getting along just fine." He turned back to Hippolyta and
 added, "Isn't that right, Your Highness?"

Hippolyta inclined her head at Batman before replying, "Most certainly, 
Batman. It has been a most enlightening--if brief--encounter. I thank
 you." She turned to Diana and said, "My daughter, I believe it is time for 
me to depart for Themyscira. If you will take me to the departure
 point, I would appreciate it greatly."

"Of course, Mother. I need to discuss something briefly with Batman first." 
Diana replied quietly.

Hippolyta nodded, then turned back to Batman one last time: "Thank you for 
your hospitality, sir."

Batman smiled genuinely. "It has been my privilege, Your Highness." The 
Amazon Queen nodded and walked over to Alfred, who escorted
 her out. Diana walked over and stopped next to him, studying him with a 
vaguely speculative look on her face. After a moment, Batman
 frowned at her and asked, "What did you need to discuss with me, Diana?"

Wonder Woman looked into his eyes, and he could see amusement there as she 
replied, "Just one thing, *Bruce*" Batman flinched at the
 emphasis on his real name and stared as Diana continued, "If you're really 
thinking of winning that argument, I'd start working on it now.
 She's had three thousand years to become very, very stubborn." She smiled 
warmly at him, then turned and walked out of the BatCave,
 calling over her shoulder: "See you at the Watchtower."

Batman looked at the empty doorway for a few moments, then sighed. * Another 
project--but not for tonight * His expression was wistful
 for a moment before returning to normal, and his thoughts went back to the 
thorny problem of slipping micro tracers into a certain insane
clown's food.

*

As always, comments are welcomed and desired. 


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