hey guys! back at it again with the newest chapter! so a few things before you begin reading:
- to the guest who left me an extremely long review with constructive criticism, i thank you so much! if not for your review, this chapter probably wouldn't have gone as smoothly as i had been planning. i definitely took your idea and morphed it into the story so for real, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
- i'm going to try my best to have another chapter up by monday, and then there will be a week break because i'm going on vacation!
- a reader messaged me and asked about why they didn't fly to the arctic in the bio-ship with m'gann at the helm. my answer? you'll see later on! there's a method to my madness!
thanks all for every fave, follow, read, and review! i hope you're still enjoying it!
disclaimer: if i owned young justice we'd have season 3 by now
Panic. Right now it was the most common emotion felt among the group of friends as they drove in silence.
Dick was panicked over his latest and greatest moment with Zatanna. They were so close, so intimate. Their lips were almost pushed together, almost ready to end the tension between them with a single kiss. And it didn't happen. He was mentally hitting himself repeatedly for not making his move. What held him back? He still wasn't all too sure. He knew it was dumb to expect himself to have done something, but there was always a part of him that thought if given the chance he would kiss her again. Obviously the former Boy Wonder knew that there were more important things on their plates, but something about this had his undivided attention.
Zatanna felt herself struggling to swim in the anxiety and fear she lived in. Her mind was running at speeds the Flash couldn't even reach. So many small things were building up; her and Dick, Dr. Fate's warning, this mission, Klarion finding them. She couldn't handle it. This wasn't supposed to happen, none of it. She wasn't supposed to be falling for Dick again or worrying about some empty threat from the being that took her father from her. She was supposed to be focused, concentrating on the spell she worked so hard to perfect in the last few weeks. Everything was slipping through her hands and she didn't know how to stop it.
Artemis was a mess, to say the least. She was shaken up from her encounter with Parasite. How in the hell did he find her? And what did he mean about her skills? Why did he want her dead? What the hell was going on? This trip was supposed to be simple; bring Wally home. Now there was this feeling that maybe she should listen to Wally's advice from her dream. Maybe she should turn around, tell her friends to go home, and accept that this wasn't the right time. Too bad she was too stubborn to listen to him. Something inside her told her to not give up. She would do anything in her power to bring home her boyfriend because she deserved it and so did he.
After Artemis rushed up to the car there were no objections with getting back on the road. As they drove, the compared notes. Klarion and Parasite in the same town? That couldn't be good.
"I just don't understand how they found us," Artemis sighed, raking her fingers through her thick blonde hair out of frustration.
"I think it's because of my magic," Zatanna admitted, sighing as well. "Magic is traceable, remember? We did it years ago when Klarion separated the adult and child worlds. The only thing needed is a locator spell and there's a chance he can find us."
"Can you like, hide our trail with magic?" Artemis asked.
"I mean, it would probably only be able to be temporary. Hiding an entire magical aura takes years of experience and someone on Doctor fate's level. I'm strong, but not there yet. The best I can do is give us a few hours and maybe try to throw off the trail."
"Or just not use any magic until we get to the disruptor."
"Or that," Zatanna nodded once before sighing again. "I'm so sorry I did this," she mumbled. If she wasn't so used to relying on magic for everything this wouldn't have happened. She wouldn't have done this.
"It's not your fault," Artemis frowned. "You didn't know Klarion had it out for us. Or Parasite. Or that they were even working together." She went to touch her best friend's arm, but stopped when she saw Dick reach over and take her small hand in his own. He'd been quiet, listening to the two girls talk. .
"Zee, please," he started, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Artemis is right. You had zero idea this was even a possible threat. You're fine, and we aren't mad at you. We couldn't ever be mad at you." A small smile tugged on the magician's lips as she looked up at him in a daze. It lasted for a handful of seconds before she finally looked away. Dick frowned a little but didn't say anything. He just understood, and Zatanna was grateful.
"Okay, okay..." She took a deep breath, finally calming her nerves. She looked back at Artemis and gave her a smile. "Thank you guys."
"Of course! You're my best friend, who else is going to take care of you?" Artemis joked. She was glad to see that smile again. Although the affection between her best friend and Dick was confusing her. Did she miss something between the two?
"We love you, Zee," Dick reassured her, knowing damn well what he said.. Zatanna's cheeks warmed to a rosy pink shade. There was something else in his words and she knew it. On one end, she wanted to welcome it with open arms but on the other end, she wanted to turn away and ignore it. Artemis sat there and blinked a few times, stunned. Oh yeah, she definitely missed something between these two.
"Yeah, we do love you," she agreed trying to piece everything together. Zatanna let out a little laugh to try and brush off the embarrassment she had from Dick's statement.
"I'm glad I have you guys," she admitted, allowing herself to ease into the seat of the car. "Who knows where the hell I'd be without you."
"You can say that again," Artemis seconded. She felt that on a very personal level. If it hadn't been for these two, plus Kaldur, Conner, M'gann and Bart, she would probably never leave the confines of her bed at home. They pulled her out of her depression, out of the sadness that overtook her when Wally ceased. When she wanted to give up and go home they all pushed her to stay and kick whatever the problem was in the ass. She was strong, but even stronger with the constant love she was shown. And she was forever grateful.
As the trio continued their drive into Northern Canada the weather had gotten significantly worse. Most of their technology, other than the GPS and Dick's cell phone, had lost signal or shut down, and Artemis began to get nervous. Her eyes glanced from window to window in the backseat, watching the heavy white snow flurries fall.
"Maybe we should try to find some other sort of transportation up to the disruptor," she said glancing up toward Dick. "This weather isn't the best for driving."
"Artemis we'll be fine," Dick reassured her. His focus was on the slick road, both hands had a death grip on the steering wheel.
"Okay but what if we aren't," Artemis argued, crossing her arms. "I don't like the feeling I'm getting right now."
"We'll be fine," Dick said again, glancing over at Artemis through the rearview mirror. She shot him a death glare and he gave her a sheepish grin. "Trust me."
"Good luck with that one," she muttered, leaning back into the seat with a pout on her face. After a second she sat up again and peeked over, glancing at Zatanna who had her nose in the spell book. "Whatcha doin'?" She asked, resting her head against the seat.
"Reading," Zatanna responded without even looking up. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she closed the book, "or at least trying to. I've got this pounding headache all of a sudden and I can't focus. It feels like someone's in my head with a pickaxe hitting my brain," she said rubbing her temple with two fingers.
"Maybe take a little while and just relax? Close your eyes?" Artemis suggested.
"Yeah we need the Mistress of Magic in tip top shape to bring Wally home," Dick added, trying his best to lighten the mood. Zatanna rolled her eyes jokingly at his comment and Artemis gave him a half smile.
"He's right," Artemis pointed out.
"I know he is, and I hate that." Zatanna laughed, setting the book down at her feet. "Nothing pisses me off more than fueling Dick Grayson's ego," she teased.
"Watch it, missy," he chuckled. She rolled her eyes again trying to hide the smile on her lips. Slowly she stretched her arms up above her head and let out a yawn before curling back up into her seat.
"Alright guys, quiet game starts now. Time for me to get some shuteye." She mumbled, closing her suddenly heavy eyes.
"Night Zee," Dick chuckled, shaking his head. She sleepily mumbled something back to him, which neither him or Artemis could make out. Within minutes the dark haried magician was out cold. Artemis poked her head over the seat to double check if she was before she hit Dick's upper arm.
"What the hell is going on between you two?!" She asked in a loud whisper. "One minute you hate each other and next thing I know you're all touchy-feely, ooey-gooey romantic! Pick a side, dammit!"
"I don't even know how to answer your question, Art," Dick admitted, running a hand through his dark hair. "I'm at a loss with her."
"Explain," Artemis demanded, raising an eyebrow.
"So when we left she was so anti-me, like she wanted absolutely nothing to do with me. And then we're attacked and she all of a sudden is into me?"
"She never got over you," Artemis corrected him.
"You said that the other day. So what does that mean? If she never got over me, our relationship, everything, is there something still there? Does she want me to make a move or no? This is ridiculous." Dick let out a heavy sigh, "girls drive me nuts."
"Well it's painfully obvious you two have some sort of loving going on, I don't know what the hell it is, but it sure is something." The blonde told him as she pushed a few loose strands of hair away from her eyes.
"You can say that again," Dick groaned. He was so frustrated. Their relationship right now was the equivalent to one of those thousand piece puzzles Dick hated as a child. Everything just made his head spin.
"Obviously she's interested, otherwise you wouldn't be allowed to touch her like you did earlier," Artemis pointed out. Dick nodded, remaining silent. Artemis was right, he knew that much.
His thoughts traced back to their relationship. Their first kiss on New Years, their first date to the movies, their favorite song, the night he told her his secrets. He remembered how sad she would get on November 6th every year and how he did his best to show her she was loved. He remembered her doing the same every April. They were two lost kids who needed each other to be found.
Their breakup was another memory. Dick had believed if Zatanna wanted to join the League, she would be better single. It'd eliminate the possibilities of potential threats, villains finding her weaknesses and vulnerabilities. While on his end it seemed simple enough, Dick didn't realize what he was doing when he broke up with her. The former Boy Wonder had other things on his plate at the time. There were the arguments with Bruce that he had grown tired of, accepting he was no longer Robin, and especially losing Jason.
Zatanna was the one who was there for him, or at least she tried to be, and he blew it. Towards the end of their relationship he was distant. Part of it was because of everything piling on top of him, part of it was being focused on Kaldur's mission with the Light. Regardless she could tell there was a lie and he knew it. Maybe that's why she was so hurt. Maybe if he had been more open and honest with her they wouldn't have ended so poorly. Maybe she would still trust him. Maybe things would just be different.
"How did we even end up like this?" He sighed, leaning his head back on the seat's headrest.
"For starters you guys broke up for some pretty shitty reasons. Her joining the League wasn't even a big deal and yet it prompted you to dump her. Then you lied about that even because all you did was lie to her. It wouldn't even have stayed bad but then she found out about the plan, my fake death she helped hide without knowing it and everything else you lied about. She lost her trust in you."
"Please don't say it like that," he frowned.
"Dick it's the truth. It hurt her, what else am I supposed to tell you? Should I lie like you did and say that she was fine and everything was peachy keen and she didn't spend a week in bed barely wanting to get up? I witnessed it first hand. She was crushed and that's putting it lightly. And then to top it all off, I had to die and leave her without a shoulder to cry on!"
"I didn't tell her because I knew she'd be against it. It was just what I thought would be better for her, Artemis. She couldn't know. I care about her more than I've ever cared about anyone. I didn't want to see something horrible happen to her, not because of me."
"Well regardless of what you did to her, now you have the opportunity to fix it," Artemis mumbled as she sat back in her seat. "Don't fuck this one up."
'Oh, trust me' Dick thought to himself. 'I won't.'
Another few hours went by. Dick had the radio on low, trying to get a signal from whatever he could. Artemis was sitting with her legs crossed in the passenger seat and a crossword puzzle book in her lap much like her mother when she left. The two had pulled over for a few minutes when the weather became undrivable. They also moved Zatanna to the backseat so she'd be more comfortable while sleeping. She'd been out cold for almost two hours now and something about that wasn't sitting right in Artemis's stomach.
"Maybe we should wake her up soon, I know she loves her sleep and all but this almost seems excessive," Artemis frowned, closing the book and throwing it up on the dashboard.
"You know I was thinking the same thing," Dick said as he glanced back at the sleeping magician over his shoulder. Artemis turned her body in her seat to lean into the back, gently shaking her best friend's shoulder.
"Zatanna," Artemis whispered in a soothing voice, "Zee you need to get up." Nothing. Artemis raised an eyebrow, shaking her slightly harder. "Zatanna come on it's time to get up. This is so not funny." The sweet nature in her voice was gone and now she was just all worry.
"Is she breathing?" Dick asked, half joking. Artemis checked her pulse for the hell of it.
"She's alive, but sleeping," Artemis huffed. "Zatanna I swear to Fate if you do not get up right now I'm going to have to climb back there and sit on you." Nothing again. Artemis, not knowing what else she could possibly do, flicked the side of Zatanna's arm to get her to jolt awake.
Absolutely no movement.
"Dick pull the car over," Artemis instructed, "I'm going to climb..." The blonde went dead quiet as her eyes widened at what she saw. "Dick, stop the car, now!" Artemis yelled. Dick slammed on the breaks and the car came to a screeching hault.
"Artemis what the hell are you yelling about?!" Dick's body turned around in the seat and suddenly his face mimicked Artemis's panicked expression. "What the fuck?!"
Zatanna's body was levitating off the backseat. She looked lifeless. Her skin was whiter than a ghost and her eyes were glazed over in some sort of black color. A blood red glow encased her body as she floated there, almost like it was holding her up.
"Dick what do we do?" Artemis asked as she turned to look at him. She hadn't even noticed him get into the backseat. "What are you doing?"
"It's Klarion, it has to be!" Dick yelled, wrapping his arms around her waist at an awkward angle to try and pull her down into his lap. The first tug to bring her down doesn't work. Then he tried again, and again, and again. "No, no, no." Dick mumbled, the panic taking over his brain. He gave it one final tug, careful not to hurt her. This time, his grip was forced off of her and the aura begins to grow stronger.
Artemis sat in horror, grabbing Zatanna's spell book and looking for any sort of thing that made sense for whatever the hell was going on.
"Zatanna! Zatanna please! Fight him! You're stronger than this!" He yelled, grabbing onto her hand.
Zatanna felt someone's hand on her own.
She heard a voice yell her name.
It was the last bit of reality she had before feeling herself slip into a world of darkness, a world of disaster, a world of chaos.