Summary: It's Steve's job as a personal bodyguard to ensure Diana is always safe during the ongoing war. If he happens to be staying the nights in her room as well, then really he's just doing his job, right?

This is pretty long, so enjoy!

Steve found Diana tucked away in the furthest corner of the library, legs tucked up in spite of her gown and head in a book. It wasn't at all surprising. Maybe a few years ago he would have been annoyed with her for somehow sneaking out from under his nose, but not anymore. He was never annoyed with her anymore.

"It's my understanding," he started, watching as her fingers twitched around the book in surprise. "That when your life is potentially in danger, you shouldn't leave your assigned guard."

Setting her book down, Diana looked up at him with a playfully innocent look. "Maybe my guard is the one trying to kill me. It would be safer to leave him then, no?"

Steve shook his head and crossed the remaining space to sit on the arm of her chair. Diana didn't bother waiting until he was comfortably situated before leaning her head back and against his stomach. If her hair hadn't been done up intricately, Steve wouldn't have resisted the urge to run his fingers through it. As it was though, there were too many pins and Steve had no desire to return her to the ball with her hair thoroughly mussed.

"Your mother will worry," he told her softly, reaching down for her hand. She laced their fingers together without prompting and Steve smiled.

"She always worries."

"It's just a few more hours, angel." Diana squeezed his hand and Steve bent to press a kiss to her head. "Just two more hours and then you can make your excuses."

Diana didn't argue with him, but he supposed she knew that she would have to return no matter what. Even though it had already been four hours of dancing and chatting and trying not to catch Steve's eye across the room, she'd have to go back until they were very near done with the night. She wasn't sure she wanted to.

"If I am partnered with Ares again, promise you'll come?" she asked. A small frown appeared on her face and she muttered, "He talks too much of the war."

Steve chuckled under his breath. "Of course."

He slid off the arm of the chair and pulled Diana to her feet. Taking the book from her, he returned it to a shelf ("That's not where it goes, Captain Trevor.") and walked her all the way back to the ballroom.

They managed to slip in unnoticed by all except for Hippolyta who gave Diana a disapproving frown. Shortly after, Diana was whisked away by one courtier or another while Steve was left to return to his post, keeping an eye on Diana while also watching for any potential threats.

For what it was worth, Steve enjoyed the nights when Olympus held balls. Not for any reason he could admit out loud, but solely because it meant he could stare at Diana in a new dress and not get a raised brow or two. He could shamelessly admire her as she spun around the dance floor and after, when she finally got approval from her mother to leave, he could whisk her away and know that no one would bother him or need her until morning.

His favourite part of the night, however, would be when Hippolyta called him to her side and told him to return Diana safely to her chambers. Hippolyta would pretend that she didn't know Steve would end up staying the night and if he was particularly lucky, she would give him a small nod instead of a slight frown.

"Trevor."

Steve pulled out of his thoughts to see General Ludendorff standing at his side.

"General." Steve bowed his head politely then returned his gaze to Diana. She was still dancing merrily with Hecate, so he turned back to Ludendorff. "What can I do for you?"

Ludendorff smiled. "I just came to talk, soldier. Can't a general do that?"

"Of course," Steve said, biting back a remark about how Ludendorff didn't seem like the type for small talk at a ball. His eyes found Diana just as she looked up at him, still smiling.

"How has your assignment been?" Steve pulled his attention away from Diana as she switched partners in the dance. "I've heard nothing but good reports."

"It's been good," Steve confirmed. After all, being asked to protect the princess hadn't necessarily been a step down from his current position and any excuse to stay off the front lines of the war was a good one.

"Queen Hippolyta seems very happy with your services."

"Yes, well, the Princess is very easy to work with." His eyes found Diana again and if he hadn't had the excuse of being her personal guard, he would have worried about what Ludendorff thought.

"Make sure it stays that way, yes?" Ludendorff hummed. Steve's gaze cut to him sharply, but Ludendorff looked as nonchalant as he'd sounded. "You would not want your personal affections to get in the way of your duty."

Before Steve could attempt to correct him or make a hasty excuse, Ludendorff slipped away. Across the dance floor, Diana's face flashed with concern so quickly he almost missed it, but her eyes lingered on him even as she was spun away and he knew she'd seen something. Whether it was his own panic or Ludendorff himself, it was enough for her to worry in the middle of her favourite dance.

When her eyes caught his again, he gave her a smile and shook his head, hoping to dissuade some of her fears until the end of the night. There was still an hour left before Hippolyta would let Diana disappear for the night and there was no use in letting Diana worry.

"Good evening, Captain."

For the second time that night, Steve's attention was unexpectedly pulled away and he turned to see Queen Hippolyta standing beside him, but not looking at him.

"My Queen." He bowed his head and waited until Hippolyta spoke again to lift it.

"There are rumours of a possible mole in the palace," she said quietly. Steve's eyes immediately found Diana as he lifted his head. "They are only rumours," Hippolyta repeated, her own eyes finding Diana in the crowd. "However..."

Without hesitating, Steve replied, "I understand."

Hippolyta nodded. "Yes, I knew you would."

A stiff silence fell between them, but Steve preferred it over the uncomfortable silence that had been familiar during his first year as Diana's personal guard.

As if she could hear Steve's growing discomfort, Diana appeared in front of them in a twirl of white and gold as she left the dance floor. Bowing first to her mother, she greeted them both.

"Mother." She turned to Steve and gave him a small smile. "Captain."

"Diana, I think it is time you retire for the evening," Hippolyta said. Steve blinked in surprise, but Diana didn't react. "You've had a long night and tomorrow will be an early morning, so sleep well."

"Yes, mother." Diana bowed her head and Steve followed suit as Hippolyta left. As soon as her mother was gone, Diana turned to Steve and raised a brow at him. "What did you say to her?"

"Absolutely nothing." He held out his arm and she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow.

He decided not to mention the potential mole not because he thought Diana would worry, but because she was more likely to do something reckless in order to find out herself.

"And Ludendorff?" she prompted. Steve sighed and her hand on his elbow tightened.

"Just an unexpected report."

Diana glanced at him sceptically, but Steve did not say anything else until they had left the ballroom and were alone in the hallway outside of Diana's chambers.

"You may not be able to stay long," Diana told him, pushing open the tall door and walking into her chamber room. Steve followed close behind, scanning the room habitually. "Mother will come by early in the morning and while I'm sure this is no secret, I do not think she'd appreciate walking in on you still here."

"Perhaps I'm just very early," Steve teased, lighting the closest lamp.

The door shut firmly behind them and if it weren't for the one lit lamp, they would have been surrounded by darkness. The flickering light from the fire gave off a warm glow and provided plenty of light for Steve to still be able to admire Diana as she walked away from him.

She turned back to glance at him. "You stare a lot."

Steve hummed unashamedly and reached out to catch Diana's hand. Pulling her back to him, he wrapped one arm around her waist and the other reached up to cup the back of her neck. Her teasing smile disappeared and something else flickered across her face moments before Steve leaned down to kiss her.

Even after a long day where he could feel the exhaustion in his bones, Steve kissed her fiercely. He pulled her as close as possible and firmly pressed his lips to hers, knowing it was very possible they'd be bruised. Nevertheless, she kissed him back just as firm, reaching up to frame his face and pull him down to her as if he would float away if she didn't hold him close.

"You're nice to stare at," Steve whispered against her lips, pulling back just far enough that he could trail kisses along her jaw. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer still, as he dropped hot kisses along her jawline and down her neck.

"I missed you," Diana breathed. Her voice was airy and Steve smiled against her skin, glad to know that he was the reason for it.

"Missed you too," he replied, making his way back up her neck and jaw. The instant his lips found hers again, Diana pressed up against him and her arms locked him in place.

If they had been anywhere else, Steve would worry about them being indecent but here, alone in Diana's chambers with no risk of interruption, he was free to let his hands slide along her waist and up her back. There were too many ribbons and ties on her dress for him to even think about taking it off of her, but he was more than willing to just kiss her.

Gasping for air and rosy-cheeked, Diana only pulled away when Steve had successfully kissed her breath away. She dropped her forehead to his shoulder and smiled to herself as Steve pressed one, then two warm kisses to her shoulder.

"Did you enjoy yourself tonight?" he asked, his breath warm against her neck.

"Yes," she admitted. As awful as she sometimes found the balls, she did enjoy the dancing and even the food. "One day, you'll dance with me."

"Diana..."

"One day," she insisted, wrapping her arms around him tighter. "Even if it's twenty years from now."

Steve sighed and brought one hand up to rest on the back of her head, holding her close.

"You know I would love to, angel," he murmured, burying his face in her hair that was still pinned up. "You may have to teach me some of those wild jigs, though. It's not necessarily my field of expertise."

Diana pulled back to smile at him and kiss his jaw softly.

"I suppose I could find the time."

Steve stayed that evening; watching Diana attempt to show him the footwork of her favourite dance and then attempting it himself gave him the excuse of being too tired to walk back to his own chambers. While Diana unpinned her hair and changed into her nightgown, Steve pulled out his own nightclothes hidden in the back of her closet under many old books. He fell onto her bed shortly after.

"With dramatics like that, one would think you were the one dancing all night," Diana teased, sliding into her bed beside him.

Steve slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer until she was nearly lying on top of him. "I've certainly been watching the dancing all night. I might argue that's more exhausting."

Diana snorted and draped her arm over his chest. She revelled in the feeling of having Steve so close after a long day and sighed contentedly.

"Are you sure my mother wasn't pestering you earlier?" she asked, tilting her head up and resting her chin on his chest.

Steve looked down at her and shook his head. "Not in the slightest."

"And Ludendorff? You're sure about him too?" The General had always rubbed Diana the wrong way and she'd be lying if she said she didn't hate the thought of him talking to Steve at all.

"I—" Steve faltered and Diana's heart skipped a beat. "He knows about us," Steve said quietly, his fingers combing through Diana's hair. "I'm not sure how much he knows, but he certainly hasn't written off my constant staring as part of my job."

"Are you in danger?" Diana asked worriedly. She tried to sit up, but Steve held her tighter.

"No, I am not," he assured her. His hands reached up to frame her face and he leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "He is suspicious of me, but I am not in any danger. I may have to stop staring at you so often, though."

"Steve," she warned, not falling for the slight joke. "If he tells my mother—"

"Your mother already knows, Diana," he reminded her. Diana huffed and Steve ran a hand over her hair. "She would never let Ludendorff convince her of something she didn't already think of anyway. We're okay for now."

Diana bit her tongue to keep from repeating the for now part and instead chose to hug Steve a little tighter.

In theory, she knew they had limited time. She knew that one day she would be expected to marry and it was not likely that Steve would be among the acceptable suitors. But the thought of losing him because of something Ludendorff did made her sick and panicked.

"I will take care of it," she promised. Steve's hand stilled in her hair.

"Don't go anywhere near him, Diana," he warned, an edge to his voice that Diana was not familiar with.

Hippolyta's warning echoed through Steve's ears as he looked at Diana, so determined to take care of Ludendorff. He shook his head again. Diana frowned.

"I will," she insisted, sitting up enough to look down at him. "I will not let him worry you, my love."

"Speaking as your love, Diana, I appreciate it," he said, pulling her back down and pressing a kiss to her temple. "Speaking as your guard, however, I am telling you not to go near Ludendorff."

"Steve—"

"Diana, please," he interrupted sharply. She blinked in surprise and Steve softened immediately. He tucked her hair behind her ear and very softly, he said, "I just—Please, Diana. Trust me and leave it be."

For a long moment, she looked like she was going to argue, but then she relaxed against him and nodded, laying back down.

"Tell me if you are in danger," she whispered, her voice shaking just enough for Steve to hear.

"I will," he promised, hoping it would be one he didn't have to break.

* * *

Steve did not hear another word about the suspected mole despite how it had seemed to worry Hippolyta. He kept a closer eye on Diana, though he did already follow her everywhere as it was his job. What was not his job, however, was kissing Diana behind closed doors and waking up in her bed at dawn before scurrying off to his own quarters.

After one morning where Steve woke up just a little too late and was already pushing the limit, Hippolyta is waiting for him in the hallway.

Behind him, the door slammed shut too loudly and Steve winced, trying not to look at the woman in front of him while still dressed in yesterday's clothes.

"You have an interesting way of protecting my daughter, Captain Trevor," Hippolyta said, her hands clasped in front of her and her face free of any emotion.

"Yes, well." He grimaced at his poor answer, but Hippolyta clearly had other things on her mind because she didn't.

"Zeus has confirmed there's a mole," she said firmly, "All members in the palace are under scrutiny and I imagine you are no exception, no matter how much I vouch for your integrity."

Steve murmured a thank you under his breath at her unspoken compliment.

Hippolyta looked away from him, staring at the door to Diana's room. Very softly, she told him, "While I cannot condone your actions with my daughter, I am more worried for her safety. Do you spend every night with her?"

If Hippolyta was going to have him hung for the relationship he had with Diana, this was certainly not the way she would go about it, so Steve decided to answer honestly. "No, not every night."

Hippolyta nodded.

"Would you mind it?" she asked. Steve frowned and she gestured to Diana's door. "Staying with her every night. I would post guards outside her door, but I doubt that would deter the most determined."

"Yes." He tried not to sound too eager, but getting permission to actually stay in Diana's room was not something he ever expected. "You don't need to worry, my Queen," Steve promised, bowing his head to her. "I will keep her safe."

Hippolyta nodded and with a murmured, "I know," she left him standing alone in the hallway.

Steve looked after her for several seconds before hastily making his way to his quarters. With Hippolyta's warning and worry running through his mind, he dressed quickly then hurried right back to Diana's chambers. Just as he was about to knock on the door, it was pulled open and Diana stood in front of him.

"Steve." She smiled.

"Good morning," he greeted, taking her hand and kissing it gently. "Where to first?"

Even before he'd fallen in love with Diana, he hadn't minded following her to all the appointments she'd had. Now, always standing in the corner, seeing her at work in her element, it all seemed a little better knowing that at the end of the day, she'd be asking for his opinion as well.

"There's a court meeting this morning Mother wants me to attend," Diana informed him, falling into step beside him. Her hands stayed firmly at her sides, despite Steve's desire to reach out and lace her fingers through his. "It will only be an hour or two I believe, but afterwards, I will be going out with Antiope. You won't be needed much today."

"I'm sure I can find an excuse or two," Steve replied. Hippolyta's warning was still fresh in his mind, but he wasn't fond of leaving Diana's side in the first place. "Anything else that demands your attention today?"

"Yes, actually."

Steve glanced at her, but she didn't look at him. With a playful smile and her eyes still straight ahead, she said, "I am in desperate need of some time away from the palace. If it would please you at all to join me for an afternoon ride, I would be greatly appreciative."

Steve smiled and nodded, turning his focus forward as well. "I'm sure I can find some time."

Diana's smile didn't fade until they reached the courtroom where Steve remained at the door and she found her assigned seat. Behind Zeus and beside her mother, Diana looked just as regal as always and Steve found it difficult not to stare. At Ludendorff's arrival, however, he tore his eyes away from her and made himself content to look at the rest of the crowd.

After court, while Diana trained with Antiope, Steve walked through the palace, keeping an ear out for talk of a mole. He crawled through the servant's tunnels with a lamp as his light and wandered through the courtroom only to find nothing at all.

"Captain," Ludendorff said, nodding at him as he passed.

Steve nodded back, glancing down the hallway Ludendorff had come through and finding it empty. Unsuccessful and running out of time before Diana finished with Antiope, Steve decided to go back to the field.

He passed Ludendorff again, this time entering an unfamiliar room with an envelope in hand. Steve paused just outside the door, wondering who Ludendorff was meeting only to hear him greet Ares.

"Glad you could make it."

The door shut and Steve huffed. As uncomfortable as the thought made him, Steve knew that Ludendorff had always been a trusted friend to Ares. After all, it only made sense that the general was good friends with the royal strategist and Ares and Ludendorff were often seen drinking together.

That night, however, neither were spotted at dinner. Steve would not have noticed had he not passed the kitchens and heard whispers of gossip, but upon his return to escort Diana back to her chambers, the empty seats stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Have you seen Ares at all today?" Steve asked, glancing down at Diana as they walked through empty halls.

"No, not since the court meeting," Diana answered. Her hand was warm on his elbow, but Steve felt cold. "Why? Have you heard something about the war?"

"No, just curious, I suppose."

When they reached Diana's door, she looked up and down the hall twice before pulling Steve in by his tunic. The door hadn't even fully shut before her arms wrapped up around his neck and his wrapped around her waist, keeping her from falling too harshly back against the door.

Diana's lips found his before Steve could light a lamp, leaving them in darkness save for what moonlight came through her windows. She kissed him desperately, throwing Steve off guard for a moment. He tried to pull away, but she just tugged him even closer.

"Diana."

He pulled back in protest and looked down at her as she leaned against the door with flushed cheeks. Steve pulled one hand from around her waist and reached up to gently brush his fingers across her cheek.

"Hey," he murmured softly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She tried to drag his lips back down to hers, but Steve turned his head and looked at her worriedly. She sighed. "Antiope said they're investigating a mole in the palace. They came after her today even though she's my mother's sister."

"Oh, angel, you don't need to worry about that," Steve said, pressing his lips to her temple.

Diana's arms tightened around him. "They'll come for you. Even though my mother has vouched for your honour, they'll come."

"And I'll be okay."

He had nothing to hide and no reason to be worried if the palace came to ask him questions.

"You are rarely in your own quarters," Diana reminded him, pulling back to look at him pointedly. "Someone is bound to have noticed. That won't look good, Steve."

Steve drew her back into his arms and held her face gently. "Do you trust me, angel?"

"Of course," she replied without hesitation. "I will worry about you always, though."

"And I will worry about you," Steve said. Before he could talk himself out of it, he admitted encountering her mother earlier. "She has all but given her approval," he told her, flicking the lock on the door before drawing Diana further into the room. "I will stay here until they find the mole and even then, you'll be hard-pressed to get rid of me."

Diana smiled and stepped forward, pressing her lips to his again, less heated, but still firm.

"Don't do something ridiculous, Steve Trevor," she murmured, her lips brushing his as she spoke. "Even if you are certain."

Steve just tilted his head to capture her lips once again, deciding not to make a promise he was bound to break. Not if it meant turning his head the other way and certainly not if it meant she would be safe.

* * *

Diana had listened to stories about the war in every court meeting for the past couple of years. It had always been something small, far from the palace and never very real, until there had been an attempt to break into the palace and a threat to her life. The day after, Steve Trevor had been assigned as her personal guard and the rest was history.

At least, it had been until Diana accidentally overheard a whispered conversation during one of the few moments when Steve could not be with her.

"They suspect nothing—"

"It's only a matter of time before they do."

She knew the voices, she knew that she did, but she could not place them. Not when the whispers were spoken so harshly and there was a constant bustling from down the hall. Even pressed up against the wall with her ear against a crack in the door, it was difficult to make out what was being said.

"It will be taken care of by the end of the week. As long as you can take control of the captain, that is."

The conversation was not finished, but she was pulled away by a hand around her wrist before she could hear the end of it.

Turning sharply, Diana expected someone to raise a sword at her or to come face to face with an angry lord. Instead, she looked up to see Steve in front of her.

"You weren't at the stables," he said worriedly, pulling her away from the cracked door. "Are you alright?"

Diana glanced over her shoulder then turned back to Steve and shook her head.

"Yes, I was just on my way there."

"You look worried." Steve's hand reached towards her face, but she stopped him with a look.

"There is someone here," she warned quietly. Steve withdrew his hand and glanced behind her down the hall. "In that room," she told him, whispering just like the voices she'd overheard. "They were talking about—something. Something with you and a distraction and—"

"Let's go," Steve said sharply, eyes locked on the door. His hold on her hand was gentle but firm as he pulled her further down the hallway. "I'll send someone to look."

"We're here now, Steve," Diana hissed, pulling away from him. "It could be the mole. There's no guarantee they'll still be there later."

"What do you want me to do, Diana? Poke my head in now?" he demanded. Diana's eyes narrowed and Steve shook his head. "No, not with you right here where they can see you."

"Fine," Diana replied, "I'll look myself."

Before Steve could grab her and pull her away, she hurried back to the room and pressed her face near the crack, struggling to see inside. Seconds before Steve tugged her away, she managed to make out the first man and commit to memory what the second man was wearing. Steve covered her mouth, stifling a gasp as he pulled her away hastily.

"Are you crazy?" he hissed, pulling her around the corner and trapping her between him and the wall. "You could have been seen!"

"I wasn't!"

"You could have been!"

Steve scowled and Diana scowled right back. Down the hall, they heard the door click shut and Steve curled around Diana so she could not be seen.

"What were you thinking?"

"I saw who they were," Diana protested. Steve's scowl fell away and his eyes grew wide. "Just Ludendorff, but the other man was wearing black and I know that I know him—I know I do. Let me go back and I can identify him."

"Absolutely not." Steve shook his head. "I will report Ludendorff, but you will not try and uncover the second man."

"Steve—"

"No." She recoiled at his sharp tone and Steve sighed.

He dropped his head, his nose brushing against her temple, and even though they were not well hidden away and anyone could stumble upon them, Steve pressed a barely-there kiss to her forehead.

"Don't do this, Diana," he murmured. One of his hands found hers and he tangled their fingers together. "Let me do my job, alright? Trust me to do my job."

Diana sighed and let go of his hand. Steve's heart clenched in his chest when she slipped out of his arms, but he didn't try to pull her back.

"I have tea with my mother in a few minutes," she informed him, only looking at him from the corner of her eye. "You can leave and report Ludendorff now. Don't find me again until you have."

"Diana, angel, please."

"Until later, Captain Trevor."

Steve sighed and watched Diana disappear down the hallway.

As Steve turned to find Ludendorff himself, he was surprised to find him already standing behind him. His hands were clasped behind his back and even though Steve knew he hadn't seen him with Diana, part of him was worried all the same.

"Captain Trevor," Ludendorff greeted. Steve nodded. "Just the man I was hoping to find."

"Anything I can do for you, General?" Steve asked, turning his back on Diana's retreating form, her words about Ludendorff ringing through his ears.

"Yes, come with me."

* * *

Diana did not see Steve for the rest of the day. It was almost uncomfortable to walk through the palace without someone at her side, but for the first few hours, she was too angry with him to necessarily care. When dinner arrived and he did not meet her after, she began to worry.

Even when he had other duties to fulfill during the day, he was always there at the end before she retired for the evening. Walking back alone tonight, the halls echoed louder than usual and the silence rang in her ears.

As she pushed open the door to her chambers, she stopped short in the doorway. A lamp had been lit and flickered carelessly from beside her bed even though Diana knew she had not left the candle burning. Behind her, the door latched shut, but she did not move.

The lamp sent shadows crossing through her room, leaving an eerie light and making the discomfort rise in Diana's chest. At a sound from within her washroom, her hand found the door handle.

"Diana?"

A familiar figure walked out from her washroom, limping slightly but no less recognisable.

"Steve?" she gasped. Her hand fell away from the door handle and she hurried over to his side. "Gods, what happened? Are you hurt?"

Steve grunted as she hugged him tightly, but did not allow for her to pull away.

"Ludendorff had an intense training regime planned for this afternoon," he told her, one hand reaching up to pull the pins from her hair. "Aside from a swollen ankle, I am otherwise uninjured."

"Are you sure?" Diana asked worriedly. Her hands brushed over his chest and she scanned his face for any injuries. "I can call a doctor if you need—"

"I'm alright," he promised. He combed his fingers through her hair. "I think you were right about Ludendorff, though. He tried to put me on a night shift, but your mother came to my rescue."

"She does that sometimes." Diana smiled softly at the thought and stretched to press a soft kiss to Steve's jaw. "I'm sorry about earlier."

"No, I'm sorry." He stepped away to put her hairpins on her vanity and hand her a hairbrush. "I should have investigated more when you said what you did. First thing in the morning, we'll report Ludendorff and see if we can find out who he was talking to, alright?"

Diana nodded, taking the hairbrush from him and starting on her hair while Steve slipped back into her washroom. When he came limping back out, Diana was changed into her nightgown and sitting on her bed. On the nightstand, the lamp flickered again.

As he crawled across the bed beside her, Diana smiled at him warmly. "I am glad you're here."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." He tugged on her nightgown, easily convincing her to slide down the bed and lay next to him.

Diana rolled until she was tucked snug against his side, one arm over his chest and the other tucked under her. Steve wrapped his arm around her to pull her even closer, dropping his lips to her head and breathing in slowly. His body was sore from the training with Ludendorff, but having Diana so near and so warm was already making him forget.

"Sleep well, angel," he murmured in her ear, pressing his lips to her hairline.

Diana fell asleep first, the long day taking over any will to stay awake and talk softly with Steve until much too late at night. Her breathing evened out shortly after they had climbed into bed and if Steve hadn't been so preoccupied with his own thoughts, he would have followed suit soon after.

When he did fall asleep, it wasn't for long and he found himself waking up just as the moon appeared in the window. He stared at it for several seconds, trying to guess the time before giving up and turning over to hug Diana to his chest.

As he wrapped his arm around her and pressed a soft kiss to the back of her head, the floor creaked.

Steve froze. His arm around Diana tightened and without moving too much, he tried to look around the room for any intruders. Even with the brightness of the moon, the room was shrouded in darkness and Steve could hardly see past the bed frame.

He was about to pass it off as just the wind—perhaps it had even been someone walking by outside the room—but it happened again. Quiet footsteps echoed around the silent room and Steve knew they were no longer alone.

Fully awake, Steve shot upright just as Ares appeared from behind the bed frame, arm raised as he lunged toward Diana. He caught Ares's arm much too close to Diana for comfort, staring wide-eyed at the dagger that Ares held between them. With an angry grunt, Ares grabbed the dagger with his free hand and shot forward before Steve could catch him again.

Diana's hand caught his arm this time, holding him at arms length.

"Skylos," Ares hissed. He twisted his arm and threw the dagger as best he could with both Diana and Steve holding his arms, but Diana moved quickly and the dagger landed on the pillow instead of her throat.

Pulling free of them both, Ares stumbled away from the bed, snatching his dagger back as he moved. As Steve scrambled to untangle from the covers, Diana picked up something from her nightstand and lunged towards Ares.

"Diana!" Steve yelled, reaching for her. She was well out of reach though and Steve was still tangled in the covers.

He watched with wide eyes as Ares raised his dagger again, only for Diana to block his blow with her own. The ringing of metal echoed through his ears and for a moment, Steve watched in stunned silence as Diana met every one of Ares's hits without effort.

He was broken out of his awe when Ares lunged for her with his dagger in one hand and his other stretched out toward her throat. Diana ducked, but not before Ares got a handful of her hair and twisted her around sharply. She hit Ares's dagger out of his hand, dropping her own so he could not use it against her.

"I thought for sure you'd have figured me out before now, Princess," Ares hissed, throwing her against the wall. Diana hit it with a sickening thunk but didn't let it stop her from lunging back at Ares and pinning him to the ground.

"Holy—Diana!" Steve yelled, moving quickly over to where she was wrestling Ares.

"Go get Antiope!" Diana demanded, forcing Ares onto his stomach and twisting his arm back sharply.

"Are you serious—No, I'm the one protecting you," Steve protested, very aware of the fact that he was not actually doing such a thing.

Diana gave him a look that sent him hurrying toward the door nonetheless. "Go."

Steve made it to the ladies' quarters faster than he thought possible. Pounding on the door loudly, he prayed desperately that Antiope would be the one to answer and not someone else who would have to go search for her.

His frantic knocking was interrupted as the door was pulled open abruptly and he was suddenly met with the glaring face of Menalippe.

Still breathless from his run there, Steve gasped out, "Diana—attacked—Need Antiope."

Antiope appeared behind Menalippe a second later and the door closed tightly behind her.

"What are you doing here if she's been attacked?" Antiope demanded. She didn't wait for an answer before running off with Menalippe, leaving Steve to follow a few seconds later.

The halls seemed to stretch out longer than before as Steve struggled to run back to Diana's chambers, hoping his panting didn't wake up anyone else and making a mental note to attend morning training more often. Clearly, he'd gotten a bit out of shape when accompanying Diana every morning instead of running as usual.

Diana's door was propped open when he arrived. He didn't hear anyone panicking or wrestling on the floor, so he allowed himself two minutes to breathe before pushing past the door and into the room.

Antiope had taken Diana's place on top of Ares, though they had moved considerably since Steve had left. Menalippe stood above them both, her spear dangerously close to Ares's face as Antiope bound his wrists.

"Diana?" Steve asked, looking around the room. A light flickered from the washroom and Diana's head appeared. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Diana."

"Captain Trevor."

Queen Hippolyta's voice cut through the air sharply as she appeared behind Diana, stepping out of the washroom. Steve stopped where he stood, but Diana kept moving forward until she was able to wrap her hands in his. Her nearness calmed him almost instantly and he pulled her closer until he could feel her body heat.

"She's just worried," Diana murmured, glancing over her shoulder at her mother. "Don't let her get to you."

"He left while you were being attacked, Diana," Hippolyta reminded her, pinning Steve with a stare so cold he couldn't have moved if he wanted. "One job was all he had and you were still injured."

"You're hurt?" Steve immediately stepped back to look her over, his hands finding her shoulders gently. She didn't look hurt, but he did remember the hard hit that she'd taken when Ares threw her against the wall and grimaced.

"I've taken worse hits during training." The thought was not reassuring, but Hippolyta did turn her glare to Antiope much to Steve's relief. "I will be unfortunate enough to have a headache come morning, but I am not bleeding, so you don't need to worry."

"I'll always worry," Steve murmured. Even with the Queen still facing him and Menalippe and Antiope behind him, he pressed a soft kiss to Diana's head. "You're sure you're alright?"

Diana nodded. "Perhaps a bit shook up, but alright."

"Don't expect a medal of valour for your bravery, Captain Trevor," Hippolyta muttered, scowling slightly. One look from Diana, though, and her expression softened. "However, Diana did inform me of what you did. While I do not enjoy the thought of my daughter holding down a madman alone, I know you would not have left her side if she had not had it well under control."

Steve appreciated the sentiment, but he wasn't exactly sure how to respond. He chose to simply nod his thanks, lacing his fingers once more through Diana's.

Queen Hippolyta, however, was not finished. "I have never trusted men, Captain Trevor, but I trust you with my daughter's life, however capable she may be. I will speak with Zeus on your behalf."

"Mother?" Diana's brow was furrowed as she looked at her mother, confused. Steve glanced down at her, confused as well, but less willing to say so in front of her mother.

"Who else will I find that knows how to protect you so well, my daughter?" Hippolyta held out a hand and Diana hesitantly took it, stepping away from Steve. "He has proven himself a good man and I see the way you look at him. I may not like it, but I will speak with Zeus and he will give you his blessing."

Behind them, Antiope and Menalippe pulled Ares to his feet, bound and well restrained.

"Ares has seen them together, my queen," Menalippe said, nodding to the man between them. "It may be necessary to act sooner rather than later, or risk word getting out about Diana's virtue."

Steve immediately objected. "I would never—"

"No," Hippolyta agreed, shaking her head at Steve. "You would never, but others will think the worst. Unless you have any particular objections, Captain Trevor, you may find the formal process a bit sped up."

Steve blinked, glancing between Hippolyta and Diana to Menalippe and Antiope. "I'm still a little unsure of what's going on."

Antiope snorted and Hippolyta let out a chagrined sigh. In front of him, Diana laughed softly and left her mother's side to rejoin him.

"They've given us their blessing to marry, Steve," she said softly, taking both of his hands in hers. "And they will fight for Zeus's as well."

"Oh," Steve breathed, staring at Diana in a bit of a shocked state. "Oh, well that's great."

Diana laughed and behind him, Menalippe and Antiope snickered.

"Take care of Ares, yes?" Hippolyta suggested, sending them both out of the room. She turned back to Steve and Diana, fixing Steve with an unreadable expression. "Do not make me regret this, Captain Trevor."

"Never, my queen." Steve bowed his head and beside him, Diana nodded to her mother.

Hippolyta nodded to them both then followed after Antiope and Menalippe, closing the door firmly behind her and leaving Diana and Steve standing alone in the flickering light of the lamp.

"I didn't know you knew how to wrestle," Steve murmured, drawing Diana into his arms. He couldn't stop himself from brushing his hand over her head, checking subconsciously for any invisible injuries and being glad to find none. "How long has that been a secret?"

"Antiope began to teach me when I first entered the court five years ago," Diana replied softly. She leaned into his touch and turned her head to kiss the inside of his wrist. "We both hoped it would be useless, but I am glad to have learned it now." She smiled teasingly. "Are you jealous?"

"Very." He returned the teasing smile then leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to hers. "You would tell me if you were hurt, right?"

Her arms tightened around him momentarily as she looked up at him. "Of course."

Steve nodded contentedly.

Tugging gently on his hand, Diana pulled him back toward her bed. "Come," she said, "It's still late. Besides, I don't think Mother will bother us too early."

Even though he was still on edge and a little too high on adrenaline to be able to sleep, Steve followed her to the bed and laid down. Diana curled around him without prompting, fully content to hug him as close to herself as she could.

As the room fell silent once more and Steve felt calmer by the minute, he turned to press a kiss to Diana's temple. "You're sure you're alright?"

Diana smiled, her eyes still closed, and shifted closer yet. "Never better."