He can't ignore it. Little has changed since the whole thing ended. The little bit of the darkness that Diana dispelled, had gripped him again. The shadows that are covering him are nothing compared to it. It feels like a cold, dark hand is gripping his heart, more and more. It feels like there's very little of his heart left that isn't covered in the dark grip.

It isn't unfamiliar. He's felt it before. It's plagued him before. After his parents death, but he managed to suppress it, thanks to his training and help from Alfred and his various masters. However, the more and more time he was Batman, the harder and harder it was too keep the darkness out. It kept getting to him more and more, until finally, it turned him near completely introvert and had him drive most of the people connected to him away.

The longer he stared into the abyss, the more it stared back at and into him, until eventually, it reflected itself in him.

Then she came and eventually she dragged him out of the darkness. She was just stubborn and strong enough to not let him push her away.

This time however, it doesn't feel like the abyss is merely looking back into him. This time, the abyss is dragging him in…

She wakes up, not feeling his arms around her. Looking around the room she finds him seated in the armchair in the shadows. She can distinguish him, even though he's covered in shadows. The moonlight is outlining him. But why is he sitting there in the shadows? His posture would indicate that he's thinking. Thinking about something that disturbs him.

„Bruce, are you alright?" Diana asks concerned.

„I am." Bruce answers unconvincingly.

Diana looks at him worryingly for a while and then stands up from the bed, moves towards him and sits down in his lap and, putting her palms on his cheeks, she turns his face towards her. What she sees disturbs her.

His arms just slumped down on her thighs. His face is mostly covered in shadows, one side slightly illuminated in the moonlight. His eyes caught some reflected light and are visible even in the shadows, and in those eyes Diana sees a mixture of anger, fear, hate, desperation, determination and something darker than the shadows enveloping him. The light that used to shine through in varying intensity is now utterly expunged, as if it was never there. It is hidden behind angry brows and a dark stare.

"Bruce, what's going on? Tell me" Diana asks, near pleading out of concern.

Bruce looks away for a moment, but soon returns his gaze upon her as he answers: "I can't stop thinking about all that's happened. What I've done, what I've failed to do. How I endangered you. How I still endanger you."

"Bruce, it's not your fault. You couldn't have predicted any of it."

"It is my fault. That trap was meant for me, Diana. Not you, me!"

"It's NOT your fault! What if they had captured you? Tortured you? Would that have made it any better? Do you honestly think that that wouldn't hurt me?"

"I'm poison, Diana! Everyone and everything connected to me in any way gets hurt!"

"Stop it!" Diana yells at him, her eyes watering up. "Don't ever say something like that again! Bruce, we've been together in a wonderful relationship for 5 years now. We've been happily married for 3 and a half. Please don't tell me that you're willing to ruin all of that because of this one incident!"

"I don't want to! I love you, Diana. More than life itself! But…"

"No! Don't even go there! Those reasons do not even remotely apply to our situation. Not even the 3rd one. What happened was due to circumstance, not because the Joker planned it as a way to hurt Batman!"

"It could happen again. You know that…" Bruce's voice trembled slightly at the very idea.

"And if it does, I know you'll come and save me again. If it happens to you, I'll come and save you. So stop it!"

"I…" Bruce stops and groans, as he realizes that no more words will come out of his mouth. His forehead falls down into his palm and he slumps over, resting his head on his hand. She did it again. She pulled him out of the abyss. She wouldn't let him push her away. Her words, her love, her passion, her strength, her stubbornness, her comforting hand on his shoulder… All that gave him the strength to pull away from the darkness that gripped him so tightly. He isn't rid of it. It is still there. It still holds on to his heart, but its grip is weak. The only one who holds his heart completely is her.

As he turns back towards her, she can see the light in his eyes has banished the darkness. That brings a smile on her lips and one tear escapes her eye.

"Alright. I concede. I can't win anyway, can I?" Bruce finally speaks and Diana notices that his tone has changed as well. The light that shines in his eyes is noticeable in his voice as well.

"Not at this" Diana answers, with a small smile gracing her beautiful face.

"Fine. But I do know one thing in CAN win in…"

"Oh? And what might that be, pray tell?" Diana asks, raising an eyebrow at his sudden teasing tone, slightly surprised. Pleasantly surprised.

"Well… So, as you said, if the need arises, I save you and you save me, right?"

"Of course. If either of us is in trouble, we can always rely on the other to come and save us."

"True. But tell me something, Princess. Who's going to save you from me?" he smiles as he pulls her closer to himself, making his way for her neck.

"What do you... Oh..." she lets out a seductive sound as he kisses her neck.

However, not long after her face assumes an expression of terror before being thrown into fits of hysteria as Bruce's fingers tickle her ribs and his tongue her neck. "Nooo! Ahahaha... Bruce, you can't do this to meeee... Nooo... Ahahaha..."