It was a card she never thought her mother would play. Diana just stood frozen, hardly able to comprehend the words.

Queen Hippolyte continued, "I am doing this for your own good, Diana. So far you have been able to make it with the help of the powers you possess. I am of the opinion that if you want to continue living among the mortals..." She didn't finish her thought. Instead she said, "When we are of calmer spirit, we shall talk again."

It was an obvious dismissal. Diana started to speak but thought better of it. She simply turned and left the room.

Outside in the hallway, Diana met Drusilla and knew instantly by the look in her eyes that she had overheard what was just said.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Absently, Diana took Dru by the hand and they walked along toward Diana's rooms.

"I will be, I guess. I need time to take this all in. I just never imagined..."

"I know. I apologize for eavesdropping, Diana. It's just that I was worried. I realize how easy it is to say the wrong things when you are angry," Drusilla confessed, obviously speaking from her own experience in dealing with their mother.

She continued: "What will happen, do you think, if you don't go back?"

"I really don't know, Dru. I know the rest of the world will go on with or without Wonder Woman or the woman they know as Diana Prince. But I never had to answer the question, until now, of whether I could get a long without it. Or whether I could get along without her. " She gazed ahead solemnly.

Drusilla turned to her, bewildered.

"You mean that you would actually return without the powers you have as Wonder Woman?"

Diana stopped and turned to her sister. She didn't know how to put into words what she wanted to say. How could she ever convince someone so naive in a worldly way just how hard it was to be put in such a situation? But she would try. She felt she owed Dru that much.

"When I left Paradise Island, I left with both anticipation and fear. I didn't know what I was getting myself into or what I might be giving up by leaving. But living there all this time... having my own life and friends, I feel I might be sacrificing myself this time if I don‘t return. And if that might mean returning as a regular mortal, then so be it." Her words trailed off as what she had just said registered in her own ears.

She realized that while looking for a way to explain things to Drusilla, she had convinced herself of what she really wanted to do. She felt relief but at the same time she was concerned with how Dru might take her decision.

"Can you possibly understand what I am saying?" Diana asked her.

Drusilla didn't speak for some time and Diana wondered what she might be thinking. When they reached Diana's room, Drusilla turned and smiled the way a child would when they know a secret you don't.

"There has got to be a way, Diana."

"A way...?" She didn't understand.

"Yes! A way for you to return as Wonder Woman!" she answered excitedly.

Diana sighed, missing the full import of her sister's statement.

"Well, I suppose mother might come around. Maybe I'll give it another couple of days to see what happens."

The Princess looked up and caught something in her younger sister's face that disturbed her...