James Grande was used to late nights. For him a good idea, or any idea for that matter, could not be put off until morning. His mind was filled with ideas recently. As Greek Mythology was his favorite subject, he had found a bountiful well of inspiration in the form of a woman who had pretty much stepped out of myth.

A crash echoed into his room through the window, left open to allow the cool night air to drift inward. James looked up from his computer, pushing silently away from the large oak desk. Quickly, he moved to the window, peering downward. The ancient orange tree that had served as a nighttime escape route for James during his high school days swayed gently in the perfumed breeze, its leaves rustling softly. The incandescent moon hung heavy in the night sky, full and round, its radiant light making the twinkling stars seem wan and dull. Nothing out of the ordinary. But James had recently come to learn that things aren't always as they seem, that what you can't see can hurt you. A closer inspection revealed a small shape slinking across the damp lawn, nearly invisible from James's second story window. A cat, long tail twitching irritably as it padded away into the gloom. James noticed a shovel lain across the shattered fragments of a clay pot.

Uh oh. Dad's not gonna be happy. That was his new pot . . . oh well. At least I know what to get him for Father's Day now.

James turned, and saw a shadow swoop across his room. Blinking, he saw nothing.

"Okaaay . . . Now that we've established that I'm a lunatic . . . Enough monsters and myth for the night," he murmured to himself, switching off his computer. He took a long sip of his coffee, wrinkling his nose at the taste. For some reason it was sickeningly sweet, no longer the sharp, bitter taste. "Definitely need to get some sleep."

His nighttime hygiene routine completed hours before, James was free to fall into his bed, slipping into the arms of Morpheus as his heart raced with anticipation for the morning.

"Di, you're beautiful. Quit fussing," Callista groaned. Standing in front of a full-length mirror, Diana Prince was rearranging her outfit yet again. She was dressed fairly casual; dark jeans and a small, pink top, the words 'Abercrombie and Fitch' tattooed across her chest in scarlet. Her black hair was pulled away from her face in a loose ponytail.

Shrugging, the disguised princess checked the suitcases by the door one more time, before glancing nervously at her golden wristwatch.

Callista chuckled. "You've really fallen for him, haven't you?"

Diana looked up, eyes wide, crimson lips moving soundlessly. Callista struggled not to crack up. Again, Diana's naiveté showed through. For all her centuries of life, the Princess had precious little knowledge of modern romance. Callista guessed that relationships were a little different when you lived in an all-female society three thousand years ago.

"I . . . um . . . " Callista's musical doorbell echoed through her intercom system, and Diana breathed a sigh of relief as she scooped her heavy suitcase up easily and sprinted into the hallway. It led straight to the balcony at the edge of Callista's open foyer. Diana leapt over the railing, gracefully dropping the three stories to the tile floor. Her designer boots echoed as she landed agilely.

"Farewell, Callista! See you in a few days!" Callista breathed a sigh of relief as Diana remembered to open the door, rather than tear it off its hinges. James Grande stood on the other side of the heavy door, smiling nervously, with a suitcase in one hand. Callista leaned on the railing, smoothing a lock of blonde hair behind one ear. She shook her head, smirking at her friend. This was quite possibly the most beautiful woman in the world, even when the Mask of Proteus cloaked that beauty. She could have her choice of nearly any man in the world, and she chose a nerdy writer. James was admittedly cute; the bleach in his hair had begun to grow out, speckling his naturally dark hair with blonde, and he was tall and slim. But still, he couldn't compare to Hawkeye or Quasar. Callista shrugged, waving to her two friends as they headed out back.

Diana laughed as she easily hefted the bag. Reaching into her pocket, she withdrew the disc that was the compact form of her Transparent Craft. As she activated her telepathic bond with the magical device, it shifted and contorted, bursting outward in a shimmering mass, taking the form of a massive aircraft. The side opened up into a door and steps formed.

"Shall we?" Diana asked. She and James hurried up the steps into the surprisingly comfy interior of the Amazon invention.

Gentle hands grabbed the controls of the plane, steering it into the sky as it faded, masked by ancient magic from the view of the men and women below.

"I'll never get used to this," James groaned, his stomach twisting and turning with every shift of the Transparent Craft. Diana laughed.

"I think I know something that could help," Diana replied, grinning.

"Oh? What?" James asked.

"This!" Diana cried, twisting the controls. The plane whirled into a barrel roll.

"Aaaaahhh!" James felt his breakfast surge upward, and he struggled to keep from vomiting all over the invisible machine. Diana giggled, pressing slim fingers to ruby lips to try and stop.

James gave a comical glare at his pilot, before yelling out in surprise. "We're here already!" They had crossed over the entire USA, from Georgia to California, in around thirty minutes.

The Pacific Ocean rolled onto a sandy beach, salty waves surging over smooth rocks. Diana's keen vision could see tiny shapes riding the larger waves in the distance, balancing on brightly colored boards.

"What are they doing?" she wondered. James peered towards where she was pointing.

"I don't see anything," he replied.

"Oh! There are several people riding on colorful boards."

"They're surfing," James replied. "They use surfboards to ride on waves. It's actually a lot of fun. I'll show you if you like."

"I'd love to," Diana replied. "Where's your father's beach house?"

"Over there," James said, pointing towards a house a little bit down the beach. It was isolated, a rocky dirt road leading up to its yard. It was weatherworn, but still nice looking, half on stilts leading into the water.

The Transparent Craft glided to land in front of the house. Depressions appeared in the fine grains, seemingly of their own accord. The craft shed its cloak of invisibility, and Diana and James leapt agilely out. The craft faded away again and shot upwards into the sky, guided by Diana's thoughts to hover above the house until it was needed again.

"Unh . . ." James clutched his abused stomach. "I feel horrible . . . "

Diana moved to help him stand. "I'm really, really sorry, James, I didn't mean - "

"I'll be fine," he replied. "Just need to lie down for a little while . . . "

Mentally kicking herself, the Amazon Princess led James into the house, following his directions to a soft bed. She deposited his suitcase next to the bed, and her own in her room, before rushing off to get James a drink, her Amazon speed delivering her to the novelist's side in seconds.

"You sure you'll be all right?" Diana asked. Concern was evident on her lovely features. Paradise Island was free from disease, and even a minor stomachache worried her.

"I'll be fine, I've always gotten airsick," James replied. "Go and take a walk or something, look around."

"Okay," Diana replied. "I saw a store a little while over there; I'll get our 'supplies'."

James groaned in response, and Diana hurried away. A few miles away, and she was not even winded, her pulse not a fraction above normal. Suddenly, a chorus of screams echoed from nearby, almost inaudible even to her keen hearing. It came from somewhere close to James' cabin. Reacting swiftly, Diana pulled her facemask away, transforming with a brilliant flash of light into Wonder Woman. The sun glinted off her golden breastplate as she shot like a ruby, sapphire, and gold bullet towards the source of the noise.

"By Aphrodite! What sort of sea beast is that?" she gasped, floating hundreds of feet above a small community, composed of several small beach houses. The area was quaint and quiet, obviously a resort of some kind. But something tore through the serenity of this area, a hulking monstrosity that smashed through the sturdy cabins like they were matchsticks. Bulging muscles rippled beneath rough, glimmering scales. Teeth like needles flashed in a gaping maw, as finned fists pounded wood and metal to slivers.

Wonder Woman knew that she should gauge the beast's strength somehow, but she didn't have the time. Quicker than lightning, her lariat swooped outward, snatching a teenaged girl from the beast's path. A deep growl emitted from the sea-spawned demon's throat as its prey was whisked from its powerful jaws. A flash of gold, red, and blue slammed into its muscled abdomen, sending it crashing through the ruins of one of the beach houses.

If the way it tore through these dwellings is anything to judge by, that blow did naught but stagger it, Diana noted, hands raised in a defensive stance. The creature erupted from the shambles of the house in a shower of debris, swinging its finned fists. Diana dodged its wild swipes, before returning with an uppercut to the jaw. Howling in pain, the monster staggered backward.

In that instant, Wonder Woman had drawn her lasso and was whirling it over her head. Suddenly, the air between her and her quarry was filled with flashes of sapphire blue. Abandoning her lasso toss, Diana caught each flash on her bracelets, deflecting the projectiles into the ground.

Suffering Sappho! The beast is using its own scales as weapons . . . there are too many for me to deflect and toss my lasso at the same time!

The beast charged again, this time managing to send Diana shooting backward into a yet untouched dining hall. The massive structure collapsed on the Amazon Princess, burying her in the rubble. It took little effort for her to knock the wood away, but by the time she had, the sea beast had escaped.

"Son of a Sire!" she cursed, floating upward to search for her bestial opponent. Even her keen huntress's vision revealed nothing. Spinning about, Diana shot towards James's cabin. "Hera . . . I pray he's all right!"

"James! Are you okay?!" she asked frantically. James was sprawled out on the sofa, eyes watching the flickering television.

"Um . . . yeah Diana, I'm cool," he said, sitting up. "What's wrong?"

"Thank Gaea . . . some sort of sea creature was attacking a resort nearby here," Diana replied. "I attacked it, but it managed to escape . . . I was just worried that it had made its way near here."

James's eyes widened. "A monster? I heard stories about them from the local kids around here when I was little . . . they used to scare me silly, but I just assumed that they were trying to pick on me. But a real monster . . . their stories said that it only came out of the sea once in twenty years, so we don't have anything to worry about."

"But James . . . "

"Diana, I'm feeling better. Let's go for a boat ride. I'm sure you can handle this thing as Wonder Woman," James replied. "If it comes back."

"All right," Diana agreed reluctantly.

"This is so peaceful . . . " Diana murmured; the threat of the monster already set back into her mind. The sun's dying rays painted the sky like the brush of a mad artist, splattering the blue canvas with innumerable shades of orange, red, and violet. "Can we stop and watch the sunset?"

"Of course." The engine hummed as James slowed his boat to a halt. Diana sighed, settling back into the seat on the boat. She sipped at her lemonade, as James seated himself next to her. James' arm snaking around her shoulder barely registered in the content Amazon's mind, and she subconsciously nestled close to him, resting her head upon his shoulder. They stayed like this for several minutes, simply rejoicing in their mutual closeness. Then Diana felt James' touch upon her cheek, his fingers soft and gentle as he turned her face towards him. Diana froze as he moved closer, eyes gently closed.

He was like a meteor, a powerful force moving towards the earth that was the Princess of Paradise Island. The meteor struck, with the explosion of worlds colliding. Lips opened and closed slightly, softly, as they probed and explored each other's mouths. They wrapped their arms around each other, hers around his neck and his around her slim waist. A soft, warm feeling spread through Diana's body.

A thousand thoughts raced through Diana's mind like quicksilver, appearing and vanishing each as swiftly as the next.

There are no words . . .

He tastes good . . .

Am I doing this right?

I have not kissed since Alexander . . .

What will Mala and Euboea think?

What would Mother think?

What do I think?

Suddenly, Diana pulled away, face flushed, gasping for air, though she needed none.

"Gaea!" James' breath was hot on her cheek, but she did not notice. Her mind was spinning, overwhelmed by thoughts, concerns, and most of all emotions.

"Diana? I'm sorry, I didn't mean . . . "

"I-it's okay . . . James . . . I liked . . . It was . . . " Diana stumbled to describe the indescribable; for when one is truly in love, can one put their feelings to word? Despite her centuries long life, Diana had never experienced true love for another, unrelated person. She loved her mother and her sisters . . . but not like this. She loved them more, but in a far different way. Unlike some of her Amazon sisters, she did not find herself attracted to women, and her other escapades with men before moving to Paradise Island had been simply curiosity, or attempts to make peace. She had never even kissed them. They had certainly tried, but when an Amazon says no, she means it.

Her hands still rested on James's shoulders. They felt like they were growing bigger, more powerful, and rougher, so rough that they scratched at Diana's soft skin.

"What . . . Black Hounds of Hades!" Diana saw the last traces of a pinkish aura fade from her view, and James was gone.

Or, more precisely, changed, into the very beast that Diana had fought earlier! Before she could react, a scaly fist the size of a small boulder hammered into her jaw. She was lifted in a high arc from the boat, transforming as she flew into her shining Amazon armor as the Mask of Proteus was sent sailing from her face. With a splash, Wonder Woman landed in the water.

What has happened? Why is James like this? I was too distracted to notice any magic about him . . . but that must be the cause of this calamity! I do not wish to hurt him . . . but sometimes we hurt the ones we . . . love?

Diana surged upward from the water, creating a small wave as she landed on the deck, lariat in her hands. James sprang at her swinging wildly. Wonder Woman ducked and wove, dodging his furious assault, but he was too close for her too lasso. Diana pulled her arm back and slapped him, hard, knocking him into the water.

My open-handed strike seems to have stunned him . . . she thought as she leapt overboard, twirling her lasso. Its unbreakable coils wrapped soundly around the dazed monster.

"James! I command you to cease struggling . . . fight this wretched enchantment!" Diana yelled over James' bellowing complaints. He paused, glittering ebony eyes staring at the Amazon. "Thank Gaea . . . "

Suddenly, the monster's gaping jaw opened wide, and a powerful blast of water gushed forth, slamming into the floating Wonder Woman. She was blasted far and back, sailing miles through the air.

"Oomph!" she struck the water, which felt like cement to her beaten body. "Great Hera . . . why didn't the lasso work?"

Diana spun, righting herself, as James plowed into her again, already having crossed the distance. She grappled with him, but he was strengthened by the water around him, nearly as strong as she. Wonder Woman dove beneath a swinging arm as thick as a tree trunk and grabbed her lasso, still wound around James' frame. She yanked, twisting his arms behind his back, as she flew out of the sea, James dangling like a demonic fisherman's prize from Diana's golden lariat.

"My lasso's enchantments may not work on you . . . but you still can't break it!" she yelled. James gurgled and thrashed, but the lasso held taunt. Diana's arm moved swiftly, landing an open-handed strike to the base of his neck. He fell unconscious, Diana's Amazon strength managing to knock him out despite his armor-like scales. With a sigh, she flew back to the boat, lowering its transformed, unconscious captain to the deck.

She didn't know what hit her. In one instant, James vanished, and in another, the world was consumed in a rosy haze, as pink energy exploded around her, blasting the boat to splinters and sending Wonder Woman into a deep, Stygian blackness; a cold, silent oblivion.