Batman Fan Fiction / Justice League Fan Fiction ❯ What Dreams Tell… ❯ What Dreams Tell… ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer:  I do not own Batman, Wonder Woman, Justice League, and DC characters herein.  They are more than divinely owned by DC comics.  

Author's Note:  This fanfic was originally posted on Jan 7, 2006 at other sites. Back in 2006, the last panel of JLA #90 made me wonder and I decided to explore it in a fanfic.  Was the ending just the writer's attempt at making a dramatic ending?  Did Batman check out what Wonder Woman saw?  He was still in the room when she turned off the lights, right?  

Please visit my other Batman/Wonder Woman story, Intervention, which is somewhat of a sequel to this.

What Dreams Tell…

by Ericedwyn

“It ended badly in there, didn’t it?  A Greek Tragedy?”  Bruce grinned, indicating the colossal brain-shaped device known as the transconsciousness articulator with his gloved thumb, as the raven-haired Amazon strode passed him. 

Diana didn’t turn around nor say anything.  She busied herself with her robe as she considered her words.  “It was just a dream, Bruce.  I didn’t look into the future.” 

“I know that.  Of course, it was just a dream.  But…”  Bruce began to say. 

‘Why can’t he just let it go?’  Diana asked herself.  Didn’t they already say their peace?   Diana sighed inwardly. 

The images were the hopes of her heart…  From the heart of a lonely, warrior who may be destined to remain… alone.  Besides, they weren’t images of their shared dream.  She wouldn’t presume. 

“You really want to know?”  Diana schooled her features as she reached for the illumination’s “off” button.  She turned and gave Bruce, what she hoped for a “usual” smirk.  “It was terrible.”   She turned off the lights and left quickly, lest he was given any opportunities to read between the lines and see past her forced behavior.  ‘It’s better this way…  There’s just too much at stake.’  Diana thought as she walked away.  

J’onn had been waiting outside the room, in a non-corporeal state, and his eyes now followed the retreating figure of one of the people he admired the most as she rounded the corner, while his consciousness sensed a carefully concealed feeling of dashed hope emanating from inside the room.  He shook his head.  He was disappointed with them both, but more so, he felt sorry for them.  

The Martian Manhunter turned his gaze towards the closed door.  He had lost so much in his lifetime… his home planet… the blissful, peaceful life he once knew, but at least, he had faced down any fear he had of starting anew, and even found love again.  His two friends didn’t even want to try.   ‘Why do humans make things so difficult for themselves?’ 

Bruce wasn’t sure how long he stood there in the darkness, still staring at the door.  The words that were said earlier in the room should have given him closure.  So why did he feel so bereft? 

Quite suddenly, the right and left hemispheres of the cerebral machine became illuminated, and the Batman instinctively reacted by leaping away from the articulator.  He landed in a defensive stance in the shadows, a batarang in hand. 

“Can I have one more day?”   Diana’s voice suddenly suffused the room.  The desperation in her voice so naked that even the Batman was rendered frozen in his stance. 

“Every one I have left.  My life is yours.”  

Bruce fell to his knees at the response.  Unable to see what had transpired in Diana’s dream, he could only imagine the scene of himself… time-worn and grizzled… and beautiful, ageless Diana, in an embrace, that could very well be their last.   

“There was a sense of peace in his words.”  The Martian Manhunter broke the silence as he turned the illuminations on. 

“He knew the facts.  He would grow old.  She would stay young.”  Batman replied after a moment, returning his batarang into a receptacle in his utility belt as he did so.  “I guess he made peace with that.”  He remained on his knees. 

“Hypothetically…”  J’onn began.  “If you and Diana got together.  Would you be at peace with that?” 

Bruce uncurled to his full height and faced J’onn.  His uncowled face was set in a mask.  “I never thought about it.”  

The Martian Manhunter sensed otherwise, but he let it go.  “It seemed like an ending that unfolded from a happy union.”  

Wordlessly, Bruce gathered his cape and cowl and donned it as he proceeded towards the door. 

“It’s been said, ‘It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all’.”  The green Martian called out to him. 

“It takes two to make a relationship work.  This is not even remotely one-sided, J’onn.”  Batman laughed without mirth.  

“I agree, it’s not.  You both have burgeoning feelings for each other, borne from deep seated respect, friendship, trust, and affection.  You just won’t act on them.”   J’onn said, a little exasperation escaping in his tone.  “’It’s complicated.’  That’s what you are about to say.”  The Martian deactivated his transconsciousness articulator as he continued.  “Nothing worth having comes easily.  Wouldn’t love be worth having?  Will you regret it for the rest of your life if you walk away from this now?” 

“My life’s full of regrets.  What’s one more?”   With that parting shot, Batman made his escape. 

FINI