The words played over and over in her head on an endless loop, what did he mean.

Did he mean that she and Dick should take a break?

They weren't married, so it's not like it was impossible. The thought had simply never crossed her mind but then again they'd never been in this position before either. She also knew Alfred though and Alfred loved Dick and all the boys he'd raised in the Wayne Manor like sons, he wouldn't do anything to hurt Dick but she couldn't see how leaving him wouldn't do just that.

She thought about it, more than she wanted to admit to herself. Maybe they needed time apart to grow back together. The kids were young enough that by the time this blew over in a month or two at best, they'd hardly remember it. She'd take them with her, she couldn't live without them, she wouldn't. Dick could visit any time he wanted, all he'd have to do is call and she'd make it work. This wasn't a break up, it was a mini vacation from…..whatever they wanted to call themselves and it would only do everyone involved some well-deserved good.

She couldn't see Dick being okay with this though, he'd be upset and more than that, he'd be crushed. Even after all he'd put her through, she'd never want to inflict that kind of hurt on him. He'd lost his family once the last thing she wanted to do was take it away from him again.

She looked at the bed in the reflection of the mirror, there was nothing worse than sleeping alone after an argument; it felt wrong. She didn't want to admit it but being alone felt worse than being angry, she wanted to him to hold her, to comfort her, she needed him and she wondered if he needed her in the same way.

Part of her wished he'd never told her but in all honesty, she wished she hadn't known it all along.

"Your face is gonna stick that way if you keep it up you know." Constantine said at the door of her bedroom.

"Huh?" she replied absent mindedly. Zatanna came out of her pensive trance and John strolled into the room far too casually for her liking.

"You've been making that face since you got here. The face that says you're confused and upset about something, something serious." He guessed.

He took a cigarette out of his pocket and brought it before his nose.

"I'd bet my last dollar," he started.

"I'm surprised you haven't already." She muttered.

He continued despite her interruption, "I'd bet my last dollar that the acrobat has finally bent you out of shape. Tough to do, I'd know because you're pretty damn flexible when you wanna be, and don't worry luv I'm not just talking about the physical part of ya either. What'd he do? Cheat?"

She pressed her lips together and didn't reply.

"Nah," he said waving his hand around dismissively. "He's a genius boy scout, even I wasn't that stupid."

Zatanna got up and started walking towards the laundry room down the hall.

"It'd have to be big though, if you left." He guessed following her down the hall. "Did one of the kids poke an eye out on his watch?"

"No," he answered for himself quickly, "You love those kids more than life itself, he'd be missing a limb by now and you'd be there or here with them…so that can't be it."

He dirty blonde hair fell before his eyes and chuckled, "Well, I guess it doesn't matter what he did since you're going back to him to work it all out. That's why he called yesterday, right? To patch everything up."

"It's none of your business John." Zatanna told him as she said as she pulled her hair into a ponytail and started to fold the laundry.

She sighed inwardly, she'd done more in the day then she had originally planned too and yet it still didn't seem like enough to keep her mind off what was to come.

"It is my business if you're kicking me out of the house, or worse, moving back in it." Constantine sputtered.

Zatanna eyed him in the mirror, "Do I need to remind you that this is my house?" she asked rhetorically.

She could feel herself dragging her feet, she should've been home by now; she'd promised Wyette and John but she couldn't bring herself to face him.

"Yeah, that it is but it sure as hell aint a home. At least not for you." He pointed out. "Common Zee, stop playing games, you love him, don'tcha? For fuck's sake, you nearly died giving him children. You've made a life with him, a home. You expect me to believe he fucked up so bad you left him and the kids? In what bloody world?"

She pressed her lips together and didn't answer.

"Dammit Zatanna, will you just talk to me already or better yet, listen?" John said throwing his hands over his head. Zatanna frowned and spun to face him. She pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and put it out on the wooden floor beneath her flats.

"You're the one who never listens John." She said. "Those things will kill you."

He cocked an arrogant brow at her, and she shrugged.

"Assuming something else doesn't get to you first." She spat.

"Yeah, well we've all gotta face the music some time." He said seriously. Zatanna's eyes fell to the ground and he took her chin between his thumb and index. "Even us."

Zatanna met his eyes again and sighed, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh I think you do." He wagered. "I don't know what happened between you and the acrobat, and if it weren't for the fact that you were walking around here like the living dead, I wouldn't care. But you and I both know you're going home, to your actual home Zatanna, and you're gonna patch things up with him because he's too big a part of your life for you not to."

"You know you could die or heartbreak?" he asked suddenly. "I wouldn't know anything about being a spouse or a parent, but I know a thing or two about heartbreak and trust me, it isn't something you set yourself up for intentionally."

"I know John!" she shouted as she spun to face him.

"You sure, Zee?" he shouted back with just as much fervor. "Because you've been walking around here in a daze like you're getting ready to make one of the dumbest decisions in your life."

"Enough John! You don't know anything about my life and you sure as hell don't know shit about my relationship. You haven't been a part of my life for a long time so don't sit here and lecture me like you have been." She reminded him.

"This isn't about us luv and don't make it sound like it is. This is about you and him, at the end of the day you love him," he said, grabbing her left hand in his. Her ring shone furiously between them.

"You and I both know, you can love someone and still be better off without them." she said in a soft voice that seemed louder than the yells.

With her hand still in his, she pulled off her engagement ring and placed it on the drawer next to the washer.

His grip on her hand tightened, "I've never known that." he said seriously.

She snatched her hand back and hung her head, "Yeah well it's something I'm constantly learning."

"What are you going to do, Zee?" he asked firmly. "You promised the kiddos you'd go home."

No part of her was surprised that he'd been eavesdropping, she was surprised however that he really gave a damn about the situation. She took a big breath and smiled meekly, "I know and I will….I am going home to see them." she corrected. "I just don't know that I am going home to stay."

Constantine studied her face closely and sighed, "Yeah well, I'll finish tidying the place up if you decide to come back with the little stinkers. Just let them know Uncle Johnny's room is off limits."

She smirked a little, "I didn't know they had an Uncle Johnny."

He shrugged, "He's a good friend of their mums. Who wants to see her happy, even if that means, he has to back her up on all of her really stupid, hard emphasis on stupid, ideas."

A small smile started to form at her lips and her rolled his eyes, "John," she started.

"Stupid." He reemphasized as he sank into a ring of fire beneath his feet before she could get all sentimental.

"Thank you!" she shouted into the house because she knew he was still there.

"Go home already." he shouted. "They're waiting for you."

She smirked took a deep breath and opened a portal to the Grayson home. The twins had just come back from school excitedly with Alfred in tow and she smiled as they ran through the house in an effort to find her.

Wyette ran upstairs and John pulled open nearly every door.

She walked through the portal and tapped Alfred's shoulder lightly before pecking him on the cheek.

"Welcome home Ms. Zatanna." He said warmly.

She could hear the twins running towards her from either direction.

"Mom!" they shouted as they slammed themselves into her.

She bent to down to hug and kiss them erratically between their laughs, "The one and only," she whispered, fighting the urge to cry, and running her fingers through their midnight black hair; bringing their foreheads to hers.

"Welcome home mommy." Wyette breathed as she wrapped her small arms around her mother's neck. John nuzzled himself deeper into the embrace and didn't take his eyes off hers for a second.

"What am I?" Alfred scoffed. "Chopped liver?"

Zatanna laughed and the twins joined in.

"Absolutely not Alfred." She promised.

They locked eyes with one another and Zatanna clutched the twins closer to her before dropping his gaze and pulling away from them while holding their hands.

"Okay," she said, "Tell me about everything that's happened, since I've been gone."