Title: In another life I would make you stay.

Words: 3160+

I've had this in my mind and computer since last summer not knowing how to complete it until everything came rushing to me about a week ago.

This is a person swap though not a gender swap.

Imagine if Zatanna was the one who was in the circus. Imagine if Dick was the son of Zatara. The only people who change in the story is both of them. The other characters are still in their original genders and positions.

I can't put a where and when on this story to be honest.

Enjoy!

Sometimes he thinks the whole reason why he still came here was because of Nightingale.

That and to see the his lifelong best friends.

But yeah definitely more about Nightingale.

'Forever working aren't you?'

She spent to long in her room. Way way too long.

'It's just that this T.O Morrow tech I found when we went there it's amazing and if I could duplicate the cell modules and -.'

' Robin it's 2 o'clock in the morning.'

She gave him a rueful smile and stood up from her chair and faced him.

He found himself staring at her sunglasses.

'You really shouldn't be wearing these in the cave.' He wondered if she could sense the fact that he was pleading. 'At least with me.'

She turned her head slowly, she held his hands lightly. 'One day, I promise you I won't.'

'Justice League in the house!' Mal hollered from when he saw him enter.

'Mal, always great to see you, how's Karen?' He asked.

'We're good, Nightingale is training though.'

'How did you know I wanted to see her? I came for M'gann's cooking.' His eyebrows were raised.

'C'mon Warlock'

He just smiled and left, he didn't know he was as easy to unfold like that.

Across the way he saw Robin the Second as he liked to call him. He liked the kid but seeing a male wear this uniform was quite odd to him. The Robin II actually always did distance himself from him but know when he saw him; Warlock was almost certain he saw a smile.

'So no more Robin?' He was quite sad. He was so use to the red and black outfit.

They were in his room at the cave and she told him this as a trusted secret.

'Nope,I kinda grew out of it and though it took time, Batman agrees with me...'

'Yeah, plus the fact that you were gone for weeks.'

The silence was deafening.

'I needed to find myself.'

'I hope it was worth it for leaving me, I mean everyone.'

'Dick-'

'Y'know what Zatanna? Forget I said that.'

Another silence.

'At least you will have your utility belt?' he asked her teasingly. He held the belt in his hand.

She snatched it back 'It won't be yellow though.'

'That's my favorite color on you.' Dick mock-frowned.

More certain than almost though.

'She is training.' The boy gave a knowing look at him.

'What if I told you I just came to eat some of M'gann's cooking?'

'Then you would be lying.'

He ruffled Robin II's hair which surprised the both of them.

He didn't look uncomfortable or slink away so Warlock took it as a good sign.

'Do not hurt her'

Warlock was reminded of Batman when he was telling him the same thing about five years back.

'Listen, hurt her I hurt you, I don't care if Merlin himself tell you to do so, I know everything about you and if there is something you even think I don't then I definitely do. Yes, I know about your poem to your babysitter in the seventh grade and when you got a D- in the fourth grade Math and I know others that are too embarrassing for me to mention to you. Do not mess with any of my family.'

He remembered that fatherly look in his eye coupled by bare threat and love.

He saw a look very similar to the one that Robin II was giving to him except replace fatherly look with brotherly.

But the bare threat and love were still there.

Warlock nodded.

It was only after Robin II left that he noticed that

a.) He was probably the only one who called him Robin II

b.) The kid sounded way too proper, he would tell Nightingale that he needed to go and eat a cheeseburger or something.

'Warlock!'

M'gann was with La'gann her new boyfriend. He missed her with Conner though.

She hugged him. M'gann was always friendly with him, motherly even which was good since his mother died at such an early age, he remembers glimpses of her, mostly when happier.

'Nightingale is training.'

She gave him a wink.

'Is there anyway I could at least make you believe I'm here for your cooking?'

'Nice try, do you still remember the way?'

He mocked hurt. 'How could you even think I forgot M'gann?'

She just laughed and left him with La'gann at her back.

He realized that they didn't say one single thing to La'gann.

God, he could watch her all day.

She was way too flexible and way too beautiful.

She already noticed him enter, she always did.

Back when life was simpler she said it was because he smelled of fantasy and belief.

'Dick.' She greeted him with a nod.

'Is that all I get? Even Robin let me ruffle his hair and all you give me is a Dick?'

She hugged him, if he didn't know her so well he wouldn't have noticed how she stayed three more seconds something she only did when she missed someone.

He feels weird for knowing but not all that weird.

Being with her was always quite confusing like that.

'I'm happy you're here.' She said.

'I'm happy that me being here makes you happy.'

She gave him a gooey smile.

That reminds him of the simpler times as well.

They were going to find out something about Red Tornado.

She was Robin at the time.

'I'm not trying to be all non-chalant here-' she started.

'Why be as chalant as you like.' Warlock replied with an interested smile.

'What brings you to the cave?' she gave him a once over. 'You need to work out more.'

'You need to work out less.'

'It really hurts the male ego when you throw me to the floor in a matter of minutes.' He whined.

'You can't always put all your focus into your magic, and if it makes you feel any better I'm a protégé of Batman so it's a cheat sheet.'

'My dad always used to tell me that in a joking way about magic.' Dick looked the other way. It has been a really long time since he had even seen his dad and here he was having fun.

Zatanna didn't really hate Nabu but right now there and then she was filled with loath for what he did to Dick.

'Everybody's here for you, y'know.' She put her hand on his shoulder (It was kind of their thing). 'Some little Robin birds more than others.'

He chuckled and gave an appreciative smile.

'Any news from space?' as she looked at him once again in his magician ready suit, looking like his dad more and more.

Every single day.

'Well no, not really but I wanted to ask your opinion on something.'

They walked through Mount Justice till they came to her room. They talked, teased and flirted in the way they always did.

The room was tidy, scarily tidy like she expected a lot of visitors to becoming into her room instead of just him and formerly, Wally.

Because Zatanna and Wally are best friends.

'So you've been in there for quite some time.' Dick breezed after a mission. Wally got hurt really badly, but was healing very fast.

The coolness of being a speedster he guessed.

Robin spent all her time in his room watching him sleep and chatting when he woke up. 'He's my best friend and I love him y'know?'

Jealously wasn't his thing but even the green eyed monster appeared to the best of people.

The next thing he saw was a rush of blonde hair and a lean body.

Artemis was with Wally and closed the door peaking out between both directions. Her face worried and concerned. Wally's face beamed before saying something that resulted in Artemis rolling her eyes.

'But not like that.' Zatanna mused. 'That love isn't Wally and I in any way.

She never got jealous when other girls looked at him when they were together. She was always calm and cool. Even more calm and cool when they were going through any disagreement.

'I'm getting a protegee.'

'Awww, a little Warlock running around?I can't wait to meet him' She laughed a pretty laugh.

'Her.' He corrected Nightingale.

'Her?'

'Her.' He confirmed. Zatanna desperately tried to fight off a frown.

Now that he thought about it the girls who gave him eyes never looked at him ever again.

'Since there isn't exactly any Homo Magi on the team-'

'Lagoon Boy has magic' She interrupted him.

'Atlantean magic isn't Homo Magi magic; anyway Fate doesn't want to take any protegee so I thought I could do it.'

Dick told Zatanna that her name was Traci Thirteen and her father was good friends with his family.

He also told her she was fifteen and he thought of her like a sister.

'When do I get to meet her?' Zatanna was relieved.

'Soon enough' Dick smiled she was still his little robin bird.

Just more grown up and not exactly his anymore.

She was also no more Robin.

So that actually means she is not his little robin bird.

And he wasn't her little Merlin either.

So what were they now?

'You're not a real member of the Justice League till you get a protegee.' She smiled.

'So you approve?' Dick's eyes lit up.

'Does my approval mean that much to you?' She asked a little bit more vulnerably,

A little bit more emotion.

'Of course Zee'

'Then yeah, I think it's great.'

There was an opening of the door.

Batgirl.

'Babs!' Zatanna let out a scream. The girls embraced.

So make that Wally, Barbara and him.

He was in no way intimidated of Barbara, first of all he was pretty sure she was straight.

'Warlock? All the way from outer space?' She looked suspiciously.

But he kinda, in a way, thought she hated his guts.

'He came to visit ' Zatanna rolled her eyes. 'How was your mission?'

'When you got me on espionage only how won't you expect me to think it was boring?'

Zatanna laughed, Dick remembered noticing a long time ago that she didn't giggle like other girls she either laughed a full on heart stopping laugh or she didn't do anything.

He found that attractive and still does.

'How are you doing Babs?' He asked politely.

'I'm alright Warlock, what are you guys doing?'

He had to be perfectly honest.

Kissing after training is wonderful.

He now understood why Superboy and M'gann did it so much.

It should be a sport.

Zatanna let out a moan.

It should be celebrated.

She massaged the back of his head.

Hell, it should have its own day.

'What are you guys doing?'

There stood a very confused Batgirl.

Zatanna, as quick as the ninja she was, let out of his grasp and turned a bit red, just a bit though.

Cause Zatanna was composed like that.

And he?

Well he was quite the complete and utter opposite.

'Nothing important enough to explain.' She said with her tangled hair and teasing blue eyes.

Batgirl gave him an once-over. Her eyes were always filled with judgment when looking at him, it was becoming quite uncomfortable.

They caught each others eyes.

Scratch that very uncomfortable.

'Sureeeee' She said sarcastically. 'Could I speak to you Nightingale?'

A pause.

'In private?' Barbara looked at him again.

'Yeah, sorry, I didn't-, I wasn't-'

Zatanna smiled.

He left quickly with his small dignity that was still intact. Hell, why couldn't he have acted like a man?

Even what he's going to do now isn't very manly.

It's a simple spell really just to listen in on the conversation.

Which probably was about him.

'What's your beef with Warlock, Babs?' Zatanna said.

'No beef, just don't know his game...'

'His game is that he likes me, and I like him and you should be happy for me! For goodness sakes! You are my best friend Barbara.'

Zatanna was filled with all these sad emotions, she just wanted two very important people in her life to get along. Was that so hard?

'Exactly! I'm your best friend! That's why I have to warn you about him, he's a bit of wreck, he's a daddy's boy who lost his daddy, his emotional intelligence is incredibly low! He needs someone to hold onto and that Zee is you! He's using you to fill a void that can never be filled, and what if there's even a chance that he recovers which are slim to none, he'll probably just move on, he's weak, he's pulling you back, making you unfocused even.'

Barbara seemed like all her contents were slipped out.

How many times have you looked for him or blew missions just to save him? Don't get me started on everyday affairs. For goodness sakes even the villains know you fancy him!'

If this was another time and place Zatanna would have laughed at the fact that Babs said 'fancy'. She'd been hanging out with that Constantine way too much.

'That's been some time ago though, he's much better now and I thought those were symptoms of love?' Zatanna mumbled.

'Maybe, and it could just be friendly affection that you're perceiving wrongly.'

Dick stopped listening after that.

Now, that he thinks about it that was probably the beginning of the end.

'Nothing really, we're just talking.' Zatanna answered with a keen smile. 'What about you? What are you doing?'

'Something with my dad.' Barbara's eyes lit up.

And she said he was a daddy's boy?

She left and she took the awkwardness with her.

One day Barbara Gordon would like him, hell adore him even.

'Any new romances?' Dick blurted out before he could think it through.

'Well, not exactly, I mean one night stands here and there, you?'

'Uuuh, the same.'

She raised her eyebrows.

'Okay maybe not exactly one night stands, but a lot of flirting, I mean girls flirting with me and –'

'I understand Dick' She smiled.

They never did flirt like her though.

Charity balls at the age of fourteen were not exactly his thing per say. He hated how his father continuously dragged him to these things, his father makes him do a meet and greet, a special father-son magic trick and done. He 'flirted' with some girls who wanted him to show them a trick, innuendos added of course.

'Scuse me ladies can I take the magician for a dance?' He couldn't place the voice anywhere but he knew he heard it before.

'I should say thank you, I was running out of tricks.' He started a conversation. She was really gorgeous , her dress modest but sexy with bright blue eyes which went with her dress.

'I hope not, I heard you had some of the best in town, I hoped you could show me, something more special than what you gave the other girls?'

She was flirting too, but for some reason he liked it a whole lot better than the other girls flirting.

He decided to play along.

'I've just been waiting to show you something fantastic, something that will only fit your extraordinary eyes.'

'My, my you do know how to charm a girl.'

'Only ones who have black hair and blue eyes.'

'But you really did take my breath away, with your own black hair and blue eyes, you took my breath away and I knew those girls didn't deserve you.'

'My, my you do know how to charm a boy.' He mimicked.

Only ones who have black hair and blue eyes.'

They talked some more flirted even more, made fun of the stuffy grownups and flirted some more.

'Want me to show you a trick?' She said, the party was almost ending, with the more 'dignified' people leaving to continue being 'dignified' while the less dignified (sleazy) were drinking to much alcohol and loosening their ties and pulling up their skirts.

Dick found it all incredibly amusing.

'I thought I was supposed to be the magician here?'

'Well, obviously, but still-'

'It's time we go home now.'

This man in front of him is definitley familiar, the air of seriousness, the know all see all and that firm 'no-time-for you' smile.

This man is better than you.

Dammit why didn't he just realise this now?

But he still wasn't so sure though.

'What's your name?' He asked her. The man's face was expressionless.

She looked up to the man's face.

'I..I don't think I can tell you that.'

And she was gone with nothing else but a slight smile.

The next day Robin barely looked at him.

He wasn't stupid, he knew or at least assumed but he waited for her to confirm it.

And waited and waited.

And waited.

Tension in the room grew, so many things left unsaid, so many actions that were of the past.

'I miss you.' She said not looking at him.

'I miss you too.' He said also not looking at her.

'Why can't we be together?' She said it seemed more like she was asking herself than asking him so he chose not to answer.

Another silence.

'Because of the life we live.' Zatanna finally answered.

Dick didn't say anything.

They always do this whenever they're alone.

Always

He wants to be respectful and allow her think on her own about what she wants to do and if she truly wants to be with him.

But he hates how it ends with her saying 'I'm sorry.' and him saying 'It's okay.' and then telling her goodluck and leaving till they see again for another mission or debriefing or parties when they act like nothing happened.

But now, today it was going to be different.

So he kissed her.

And she kissed back letting her self not be Nightingale or Miss Grayson or The Team Leader.

But Zatanna.

They can't remember who shut the door or who removed the others clothes first or who said 'I love you' first all they remember is each other.

'Marry me.' Dick said half buzzed off on what just happened and half serious.

She blinked.

'Yes, but I can't now.'

'Well obviously later who said I wanted to be an honest man at this age?'

She threw a pillow at him.

He dodged it then kissed her.

'What does this mean?' She asked him her face actually seemed fresher and younger.

'What ever you want it to mean.'

'I want it to mean that we love each other but no labels.'

'Except the label of girlfriend and boyfriend.'

'Except the label of girlfriend and boyfriend.' She agreed.

This time when he left there was no feeling of longing just a feeling of renewal and happiness.

And if he wants to be really honest the next time he comes here it will be for Nightingale.

That and of course to see his lifelong best friends.

And this is done!

Should I write a wedding chapter?

r&r.