As Long As You're Here

You Better Come Back In One Piece

Chapter Text
Another scratch scrapes along Asteria's armored wings as Diana tries to avoid the Cheetah's impossibly sharp claws. She's unsure whether to fight back or not, even though the stone has corrupted her, she's still Barbra and Diana would never hurt Barbara. The swings become increasingly vicious as the golden wings begin the crumble, piece by piece.

Diana is stuck knowing that when the wings are rendered useless as armor she will have to fight Barbara and that's something she never imagined she'd have to do. She sees flashes of her yellow feline eyes between deadly swipes and looks away, a silent prayer to the Gods that Barbra, her Barbra, will return. As the final piece of Asteria's golden wings is crushed by the anthropomorphic Barbra, Diana is left to the mercy of her once a friend, and almost all hope disappears.

Cheetah charges at Wonder Woman, running against the wall to gain momentum and Diane decides to make her move, following suit until they meet in the center and the Amazonian grabs her by the back of the neck and throws her across the floor.

Cheetah stays down for a second too long, showing weakness and Diana sees what is possibly her only opportunity to get through to Barbara. "Come on Barbara, fight this, renounce your wish!" pleading, her voice sounds small and strained to try to hold onto the sliver of hope as if it's the only thing keeping her from floating off into space.

Cheetah hisses at hearing the name, Barbara, "Barbra was weak and stupid and pathetic, " she spits with more venom than Diane had her in engines voice in a long time, " and now... well, now she's gone and I am strong and powerful and everything she wasn't." an almost chuckle escapes the Cheetah as she rises to her feet once more, preparing to fight again.

Diana appears physically wounded by the words, although Barbra looked almost unrecognizable, it was still her and she has still said that but perhaps what hurt Diana the most was the very real possibility that whatever remained of Barbra truly believed that she was weak and stupid and pathetic or any other horrible thing anyone has ever said or thought.

That was what truly broke Diana's heart but she couldn't let it show for more than a second because Cheetah was already running back at her, full speed. This time Diana had less time to think and reacted with her heart - her very broken heart - instead of her head. Wonder Woman bangs her two bracelets together, crossing them over in an all too familiar way as a powerful surge sends Cheetah flying into a rock.

Diana could feel the emotions rise in her chest as she strides over to Barbra and before she could stop herself the emotions overflow. "How dare you to talk about my friend like that, she was good, smart and kind, she was filled with a child-like innocence that I envy and I miss her so much she's my friend, my only friend,"

Diana could feel her resolve to be to crumble as her throat began to tighten. After a deep, stabilizing breath she continues more confidently, " My best friend, no one had made me laugh like that in years and no one made me feel so... so..."

That was it, the last twig holding back the dam of her emotions breaking. She doesn't know when or how, all she knows is one thing at some point she fell in love with Dr. Barbra Minerva and now she'd do just about anything to get her back, even if it means facing her biggest fear and admitting something she never thought she would. "And I...I love her.. um, you...uh, I love you...ahem...Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva, I love you!"

When Diana's eyes finally met Barbra's she could see the internal struggle and gave a teary-eyed smile of encouragement, almost as if to say 'you've got this, I believe in you.' And that belief paid off when Cheetah's yellow eyes flashed to Barbara's beautiful ocean blue eyes. The sliver of hope slowly growing.

Barbra stands up weakly, legs shaking as she grips the rock and gazes deep into Diana's eyes, so piercing it feels as if she's looking at the Amazonian's soul. "You...you do?" The blond asks unsure of herself.