A/N: I'm sorry that this is not another chapter. I realized that there were some continuity errors and wanted to fix them before finishing chapter 8. I am working on it though and I hope to have it up within the next few days! Those of you still with me, thank you for sticking with me.
""My dad was Zatara—"
"Holy shit!" Artemis leaned forward, staring at Zatanna with wide eyes. "The Zatara?"
"Who is Zatara?" Megan asked, confused. Did Artemis know Zatanna's dad?
"He was a famous magician." Zatanna smiled at Wally's scoff. She knew how Wally felt about magic. On one supply hunt, he had come back muttering about how magic wasn't real while Megan played with some gags they had found at a magic store.
"We traveled around a lot." Zatanna paused for a moment, taking another swig from the bottle. "We didn't usually go to small places like Happy Harbor, but Dad had been offered a pretty good deal to come here." She looked down, smiling ruefully. "Everything went to hell that night."
The others watched Zatanna carefully, but Robin glanced away. He didn't want to hear what had happened to her dad. It already sounded pretty close to the beginning of his story.
"My dad was performing as usual when—" Zatanna swallowed, trying to hold her tears back. "There was screaming coming from the lobby. I was backstage, but it was so loud. It felt like it was happening right next to me. My dad stopped what he was doing, and one of the security guards peeked out the door to see what was going on." She shuddered. "His nose got bitten off."
This time, Zatanna took a much longer drink from the bottle. Wally chuckled nervously. "Hey, save some for the rest of us." He was elbowed by Artemis, who was glaring fiercely at him, but Zatanna only smiled.
"Yeah, I guess I should. I mean, we're all here for a reason."
"Amen to that."
Zatanna took a breath before continuing her story. "The guard just...fell back. There was so much blood, but then those—those things came in and it became a massacre." She shuddered again. "A scared crowd is a dead crowd. Someone had told me that once. I don't remember who but after that night, I believed it with all my heart. I'm pretty sure my dad, me and some of the security guards were the only ones to make it out that night."
"This way!"
"There was a door backstage that led to the parking lot. My dad and I were ushered into the car while the guards kept the zombies back. Some of the people trying to escape clawed at our car, trying to get in."
"Please save my baby!"
"We're dying out here!"
"LET US IN! LET US IN, YOU BASTARD!"
"I was crying, and my dad held me and turned me so that I wouldn't see out the window. We ended up going back to our hotel room, and that's where we spent the next few months."
Silence ensued as Zatanna paused, biting her lip. "I guess you could say that my story was a little similar to Conner's, except that...well...I was with my dad when he—" She choked on the word. "—when he was bitten."
"DAD!"
"Go, Zatanna! Leave me!"
"No! I can't! I—I don't want to be alone!"
"Then look away. Look away."
"He—He raised his gun to his head and..." Zatanna swallowed. "...I looked away."
"I love you."
"The gun went off and I—I ran. I didn't look back." She ran a shaking hand through her hair. "I was hysterical. I—I probably would have died, but you guys saved me, and—and I've been here ever since."
"At least you know he's dead." Wally muttered. Robin glanced over at him but didn't say anything. It wasn't his place to ask.
"I am sorry, my friend." Kaldur bowed his head. Zatanna gave him a watery smile, rubbing her eyes before any more tears can fall.
"It's okay. It was a while ago. I just wish that I had a photo of him. I didn't bring any on the tour."
The others nodded. Some, like Conner and Megan, had been lucky enough to grab a photo before leaving their homes for good. The others hadn't had the time or the opportunity to, and their hearts ached to see their family's faces.
Kaldur pursed his lips for a moment before standing and walking to his room. He came back out a moment later with to photos. He held them out for his friends to see.
"These are my mother and father." He pointed to the first photo, which showed a beautiful young woman and a handsome stern-looking man. "These are my friends, Tula and Garth." He pointed to the other photo, which showed a pretty young redhead and a handsome young man. "You know about my father already. He was one of the original people who had the virus and turned…I put him down."
Megan frowned, putting a hand Kaldur's shoulder. "I am sorry, Kaldur. But…what happened to your mom? And your friends? Unless you don't want to answer that! I would understand!"
"It is all right. My mother was an elementary schoolteacher. I haven't seen her since she left for work the day of the breakout."
"I'm—I'm sorry." Megan frowned, feeling horrible about bringing that memory up for Kaldur. He smiled at her.
"It is all right, Megan. As for my friends, I went to go find them while I was getting supplies. I only found empty houses."
"Maybe they got away in time." Kaldur shrugged at Conner.
"I have thought about that. I have no proof whether or not they are alive or...dead. I can only hope that they are still alive and well."
The room was silent for a moment, only ending when Wally interrupted it.
"Well! This has been...an enlightening night. I'm pretty tired though so I think I'm gonna head to bed." For once, Artemis didn't argue with him and actually followed him to the bedroom, much to the surprise of the group. Roy sat for a moment before shrugging and standing up, also leaving the room. Robin looked around for a moment before standing as well.
"I, uh, think I'm gonna head to bed too. I can just sleep on the floor if—"
"You can share my bed." Everyone turned to Zatanna in surprise, who looked shocked herself at her outburst.
"Uh, thanks." Robin grinned. Zatanna stood and they both walked to the bedroom, leaving the room in silence once more.
"I don't want to push..."
"I think they should tell there stories." If anyone was blunt, it was Conner.
"Give them time." Kaldur stood. "We do not know what they have been through, and in this world, situations can become very bad very quick."
Megan yawned. "It is pretty late. I think I'm going to sleep too."
The three stood, ready to head off to bed, when they heard a scream.
It came from the bedroom.
