Was listening to 'Almost Lover' by A Fine Frenzy and this just implanted itself in my mind. Set in an apocalyptic future that ties in with my other YJ fic, 'From Hell and Back'. Prequel-esque.

The disclaimer was taken by the Reach, sorry.

It is chaos. Complete chaos.

Three days after the Reach began a full-fledged attack against the JLA, a quarter of Earth's population is killed while the rest are suffering under the aliens' domination.

It is devastating.

The world is ankle deep in ash and rubble. The sky is gray from the handful of nukes the Reach forces somehow deflected.

A future seems impossible.

The Watchtower has fallen in an eye catching explosion. Among the eight off-world Leaguers, only three came back. Hawkwoman, Wonder Woman, and Icon.

Half of the Team and most of the Justice League are just corpses.

All because of the unforgivable treachery of Blue Beetle. He didn't just betray the League; he turned his back on humankind.

What's left of us - what's left of Earth, are lost.

"Senihcam noitcnuflam!" I screamed at the invaders.

It was no use.

"Zatanna!" a voice, Batgirls', yelled above the sounds of countless lasers, "There's too many of them! We have to go!"

I stood firm behind our cover; my feet frozen and my body numb.

In my peripheral, a tired Barbara was supporting a bleeding Tim to safety. They're limping away. Then they looked back.

"Zee," Nightwing was beside me, all of a sudden, distressed yet determined. My eyes started to blur. "Zee, let's go! There's a working zeta tube just a few minutes from here. We could make it."

My lips were oddly dry. I licked them and tasted blood at the corner. "No."

"What?!"

My heart was tearing when I looked at his face. Still handsome in this pandemonium. "Fate's gone. My father's dead."

His voice was pleading. "But you're still alive, Zee. Come on, let's go!"

I could hear the fleet coming closer and inhaled. "Dick, I'm not coming."

The look on his face. Disbelief. Hurt. "No, Zee. No." My heart twisted with sorrow.

I blinked, letting tears wet my dusty cheeks. "I love you, Dick."

He cupped the calloused hand I placed on his grazed cheek. "I love you too, Zatanna."

"Almost. Just almost." It was the truth we both knew. "You love Babs, Dick." A tear escaped his tattered mask. "You love Tim, too, and Damian. And they need you. They need their brother."

"But I need you..." It was barely above a whisper.

"I know, Dick. I know. But I need this. To die a hero. To die with hope that you're going to make the future feel the aster." I forced a dry smile.

He held my watery gaze for moment, understanding, then laid a hand at the back of my neck; his fingers brushing my cheek.

And he placed his lips on mine. I kissed him back, yearning. Trembling.

"So, I'm trying to be all nonchalant here."

"Why? Be as chalant as you like."

He pulled away, reluctant. "I promise. I will never ever forget every single second with you."

I leaned against his outstretched hand. Then, with a deep breath, turned around to face the cruel reality.

I wiped the tears and forced myself not to look back as his footsteps grew farther away.

Goodbye, my almost lover.

Goodbye, my hopeless dream.

For the record, I absolutely adore Chalant but DickxBabs is the one true pair.

I hope I made the situation hopeless enough. Just really wanted to get this out of my head and into paper.

My first one-shot, btw.