Chapter 12

"The Road Less Traveled"

Space

Zatanna sat in her room, miserable and still angry. Apparently Clark had given up even trying to apologize, not that she would accept one from him anyway. Even when he tried he seemed to screw it up and only made it worse. I should have never come on this trip she thought. God, now I'm stuck here!

Something slid under her door and caught her attention. She looked at it and saw it was just a plain white envelop. Only her name was written on the front of it. Curiosity got the best of her and she reluctantly she got off her bunk and went over to pick it up. Carrying it back to her bunk, Zatanna sat back down and opened it with her fingernail. She pulled out the sheet of crisp white paper and unfolded it. It was hand-written in a strong, cursive style and it was addressed to her. Slowly Zatanna began to read the letter.

Zatanna,

I've fumbled the words I've wanted to say to you again and again, so I finally decided to just write them down. I apologize. If I get everything else wrong with this letter, please believe that. I am deeply, deeply sorry for causing you to be unhappy. I never wanted that. It seems when I'm around you I end up doing a lot of things I usually wouldn't, both good and bad.

The kiss I gave you is both of those. Good because I wanted to kiss you. Dancing and holding you in my arms made me realize just how amazing you are. The kiss was just a natural reaction to you. The Bad was you were acting as a friend trying to help me deal better with magic and I took advantage of the situation. I was raised to believe you don't just take something without asking permission even if you really want it. That's what I meant when I said I regretted what happened. I regret the kiss because I took it without considering that you might not want to be kissed by me. A gentleman always asks a lady if he's not sure.

This trip has been special to me and a large part of that is because of you. I always knew you were beautiful, but now I realize you are so much more. Zatanna, you're kind, smart, funny and countless other things I'm just starting to see. If my behavior or stupidity ruined things between us, I will accept complete responsibility. It will be my loss to not know you better.

I realize I'm in no position to ask favors of you, but I'm going to anyway. Forgive me, Zatanna.

Zatanna looked up from the letter for a moment and wiped the tear from her eye. No one had ever written her a letter like this before. It felt old fashioned, yet much more intimidate and personal than a call, a text or even a face-to-face apology. That he had taken the time and put the effort into sitting down and writing this just for her touched Zee far more than she could say. Zatanna felt the emotions welling up inside of her and before they overwhelmed her she wanted to finish the letter. Wiping her eyes again she continued to read.

I feel like our relationship is at sort of a fork in the road with three possibilities. One is to continue as it is right now, with you angry with me. If the last day or so has shown me anything, it's that this would be a great lose for me, but if you chose this road I will respect your wishes.

The second road is for our relationship to go back to what it was before we started this trip as casual friends. I've just started to get to know you, so that would be my loss as well. Again, I hope you don't want this, but will understand if you decide to take this road.

The third is what Robert Frost called the Road Less Traveled. Somehow that's what it felt like we were just starting to do on this trip. I don't know where it was leading us, but I found myself looking forward to the journey.

Please forgive me, Zatanna.

Clark

She sat for a moment just rereading the letter over and over. Tears were rolling down her face, but this time they were joined by a smile. Zee wrapped her arms around her knees and pressed her face to them. This was real magic she thought, somehow the letter had turned her anger into happiness.


Space

Clark sat at the main table sipping his cup of coffee. He'd fixed the table earlier. He found himself in a rather melancholy mood. He hoped by now Zatanna had read his letter and yet another part of him hoped she hadn't. When he sat down to write to her he had only meant to apologize but something seemed to urge him on as he was writing. As a reporter occasional his true feelings would come through, but that was rare. When it did it, there was just something about the story that touched him. Clark usually didn't even realize it until it was in the paper or someone pointed it out of him.

Reflecting back on it now, he realized he'd written more than just an apology to Zatanna. Putting pen to paper, Clark had tried to speak from the heart and set his feelings down on the paper for her. Thinking about what he'd written it still surprised him the depth of his feelings. Did I just write her a love letter, he wondered? Is that what I'm feeling towards her? We've only been together on this trip for a few days it can't happen that fast, can it? What do I do if she says no? What do I do if she says yes?

As all these questions swirled around in his mind, Clark found himself nervous. He had just willingly left himself completely vulnerable to her, something he never wanted to do with anyone. From past experience he knew how much it hurt when he opened himself up to someone only to have to walk away. One of the main reasons he'd come on this trip was to get away and here he'd gone and put himself right back in that situation. The only difference this time was he wasn't sure he had to walk away. He wasn't sure he wanted to walk away, either.

It was all too confusing, so Clark tried to concentrate on the immediate issue getting Zatanna to accept his apology. Wally came in and stopped in front of the table. He glanced at Clark and then at Zatanna's door.

"She's quiet, too quiet," he said. "Do you think your letter will work?"

"I hope so, I've kind of run out of ideas," Clark admitted.

"You should have went with a mixed tape like I suggested," Wally replied. "I mean who writes a letter nowadays anyway? I get the nostalgia thing, it has a nice folksy feel about it. Chicks love that kind of thing but come on why go back to the dark ages? A mixed tape is nostalgic too, but it's 80's nostalgia, something in our lifetime. Like on VH1's I Love The 80's, the whole Girls Just Want to Have Fun vibe. A letter reminds me of the History channel and that's wall-to-wall Hitler shows. There aren't a lot of apologies you associate with Hitler, big guy."

"Well, if the letter doesn't work, we can go with that as a plan, Wally," Clark said.

"Great, I've already got some ideas about it," Wally eagerly said. "We start it with Nothing Compares 2 U and then follow it up with Like a Virgin."

"I'm not sending a tape to Zatanna or anyone else for that matter with Like a Virgin on it," Clark replied.

"How about Papa Don't Preach?"

"Absolutely not."

"You're not a Madonna fan, huh," Wally asked.

"Wally, Papa Don't Preach is about a young girl getting pregnant!"

"Really? I never knew that, are you sure," Wally asked.

"Yes!"

"Wow, I was way off on what that song meant," Wally chuckled. "I thought it was a fun kind of role playing song, you know like her boyfriend likes her to call him Daddy, that sort of thing.'

"And you thought that would be a good song or me to send to Zatanna, why exactly?"

"She likes to dance," Wally lamely offered. "Okay strike that song from the playlist. How about some Big Daddy Kane? You know go real old school on it."

"What is it with you and the daddy theme," Clark asked.

"Okay, you're not a rap fan," Wally replied. He didn't even acknowledge Clark's question. " How about the Police?"

"They are a great band," Clark admitted.

"Every Breath You Take?"

"Isn't that sort of the universal stalker song?" Clark asked.

"Jeez, if you're going to be difficult we're never going to get this tape done," Wally complained. "Okay, how about something more top 40, like Hall & Oats, very eighties vibe. I got it! Maneater!"

Clark just sat back with his mouth open looking at Wally.

"What?"

Before Clark could answer, the sound of Zatanna's door opening made them both turn. Wally and Clark were very nervous and stayed very still as they looked at her. She was just wearing old sweats and brushed her hair out of her eyes as she looked at them. Wally gulped, as the tension was almost too much for him to take. Zatanna's eyes stayed on Clark and then she smiled.

"Hi."

"Hi," he replied, a smile of his own coming to his lips.

"Oh, thank God," Wally said in relief. Zatanna chuckled at this and dipped her head in embarrassment.

"I guess I've been kind of bitchy lately," she admitted.

"No, no, no, well, yeah," replied Wally. Zatanna gave him the look and he took a step back. "For which you were completely justified, I might add."

Zatanna just shook her head and turned to Clark.

"Thank you for the letter, Clark, it means a lot to me."

"You're welcome," he replied. "I am very sorry and do apologize. I hope you accept it."

"I do. I guess I overreacted a little and I apologize about that."

"No problem, so are we okay?" Clark asked, desperately hoping they were.

"Yeah, we're okay," replied Zatanna. A small smile spread across her lips as she looked at him.

"You know it was my idea,' Wally interjected. Both Zatanna and Clark turned to look at him.

"The slipping it under your door part," Wally clarified.

"Well thank you too, Wally," Zatanna said.

"You're welcome. Now that we're all friends again, how about we celebrate?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," she replied.

"Okay," Clark added. His eyes were still on Zatanna.

"So I'm thinking brownies! What do you say, Zee," Wally asked.

"That's all you really care about, isn't it," she asked.

"I'm hurt, Zatanna, that you would think that of me," he teased. "I think I'm just going to go to my room and not talk to anyone!'

"Wally!"

"Gotcha," he smiled. Zatanna blushed and gave him a look but his smile won her over.

"All right, brownies it is, but you're helping this time!"

"Yes! I'll get everything ready," Wally replied and then zipped into the kitchen. Zatanna chuckled and started after him, but then turned and walked over to Clark. He watched her the whole way over. She stopped right in front of him.

'Clark?"

"Yes?"

"Just for future reference, you have my permission," she softly said to him. Zee gave him a dazzling smile and then walked back towards the kitchen. Clark sat back watching her walk away with a big smile on his face. So it was the Road Less Traveled, he thought.


The Watchtower

Dinah sat at the communications array, while Shayera paced back and forth behind her. Both were nervously counting down the seconds until the next contact with the Javelin. They had so many questions about what was going on, they couldn't wait to talk to Wally.

"It's time," Dinah said.

"Finally!' Shayera quickly moved over next to Dinah as they waited for the ship to come in. It took a moment and then the image of a smiling Wally came into view. He was wearing a balloon hat.

"Hey!' Wally happily said. "This is getting to be a habit between you two and me. Better be careful or people will start to talk!"

"What he hell are you wearing on your head," Shayera immediately demanded.

"It's called the Commodore, like it," he asked.

"A balloon hat? You look ridiculous!"

"Jealousy?"

"What? No of course not," Shayera replied. Dinah waved Shayera off.

"Forget the balloon hat, we want to know what's going on there."

"Oh, the mission is going fine, no problems," Wally replied.

"Not the mission, Wally, on the ship! You said that tensions were very high last time. You were all nervous and anxious."

"You mentioned an insult and tears," Shayera added.

"We want to know what's going on, Wally," Dinah said.

"Oh, that," Wally replied.

"Yes, that!'

"Well, about that, it's…" Wally started but then Zatanna moved into the frame. She was wearing a balloon hat too. She smiled at her two friends.

"That is none of your business, Dinah, Shayera," she said with a smirk. "The mission is going fine. Everything is A-OK. Talk to you tomorrow, bye!"

"Wait, Zee!' They both shouted, but the screen was already black.

"Oh! I could kill her sometimes!' Shayera growled. "Did you see the smug little smile on her face? She knows it's killing us not knowing what's going on!'

"Why were they wearing balloon hats, I wonder," Dinah ventured.

"That's what you're focused on?"

"What the hell is going on, on that ship?"