End: Wonder Woman Wins

Lois Lane had seen the Green Lanterns. Many of their energy constructs were so intricate, almost fragile-looking...and also awe-inspiring. Something shaped by pure will, their mind imposing form on formlessness, order to the universe. She had only a vague idea of the rest of the emotional spectrum...the yellow light of fear, the red light of anger, the violet light of love...and wondered what kind of a person could shape and channel those emotions into anything like what the Green Lanterns made.

Wonder Woman, of course, had no training. When her Star Sapphire flashed, there was no pretty tracery of glowing objects, no intricate creations. The woman she loved was in danger. Her love poured out a single, bright barrage of light and ****.

Blaze had a single moment to realize her error before the **** struck her. The demon hit the wall. The wall cracked and broke. Diana was on her in a moment, the golden lasso slipped off her neck as the scarlet succubus's grip gave way. A moment before impact, Blaze had the foresight to raise her arms before her face, the magic bracers in the way.

Diana's first blow buried the demon in the wall.

She didn't stop. Lois Lane coughed, holding her side. A broken rib, she was pretty sure of it. It took her an entire minute to get to her feet. The dull, pounding whud-whud-whud wasn't just in her head. She staggered a step or two to where it appeared that Diana was punching the hole in the wall. Except there was a pair of red legs dangling out of the hole, the knees bent backwards, feet dangling askew from shins at weird angles.

There was a series of snapping sounds. Wonder Woman tossed a pair of dark horns over her shoulder. A moment later, she emerged from the hole with her tiara and bracelets in her hands. Lois bent down and gathered the golden line of her lasso.

"Hey," the reporter coughed and then winced.

"Lois! You're hurt! We'll get you to the hospital—no to Themyscira, there's the purple ray—"

Lois held up the lasso. She formed a little golden hoop around one end, and slipped it over her own right wrist.

"Anyone that is bound by this...they have to tell the truth, right?"

Wonder Woman blinked. Her Star Sapphire was glowing bright, shedding a cold violet light over both of them.

"Yes?"

Lois handed Wonder Woman the other end of the lasso.

"Ask me."

"Ask you what?" Diana said, taking it.

"Just ask me," Lois said, her eyes pleading with the Amazon.

"Lois..." Wonder Woman took a deep breath. "Do you love me?"

There it was. The question cut right to the quick. All of the emotions that Lois Lane had been trying to work through, putting off, questions about her sexuality, how she had imagined her life would go, whether she was capable...worthy...of being with the princess of the Amazons...and all of it seemed to fall away. One truth, primal and needing to be told, burned in Lois Lane's mind and soul.

"I think I do."

"Well then," Wonder Woman said with a smile, as she drew the lasso taut and drew Lois in toward her. "Let's get you patched up. It's no fun making love with a broken rib. I should know. Once..."

They left what was left of Blaze in the wall. The cultists scattered. Lois Lane wouldn't be surprised if the missing women were among them. There would be time enough to call the cops, to shut down the club, and all of that...later.

It was all that Lois could do to keep Diana from carrying her like a wounded puppy to the vet.

"Are you going to keep the Star Sapphire?" Lois asked.

"For now, perhaps. I still don't know how to use it very well. And I fear it affects my emotional state..."

"Is that why your hand has been on my ass for the last ten minutes?"

"Where else would my hand be?"

"Oh God, don't make me laugh it hurts..."

"Hang on, Lois. We have a long night ahead of us."

"Longer than a night, I hope." Lois said without thinking...and blushed as she realized the end of the lasso was still coiled around her wrist.

Wonder Woman smiled, the light of love burning in her eyes...and Lois Lane knew, deep in her heart, that Diana had won more than just the battle. The Amazon had won her heart.