"This place is incredible." Archie marveled, "I can't believe we just waltzed in here."

"Well the owner is an old friend of mine. This place was really like a second home to me while I was living here." Zatanna said as she smiled fondly into her cup of hot cocoa.

He looked at her in amazement, propping his elbow against the round table and placing his chin in the palm of his hand. "You're the real deal, aren't you?" he asked.

Zatanna smirked, "I don't know what you mean."

"Take a pick." He offered, "What can't you do? What haven't you done? Who don't you know? You've really lived the dream. I actually go to work every day thinking I made this whole thing up in my head. That there is just no way in hell that Zatanna Zatara reappeared on the face of the earth and decided to work with our little theater full time."

Zatann scoffed, "Well I can always pinch you for good measure."

Archie laughed, "No thanks, there's a pretty nasty rumor in the business that you aren't as fragile as you look."

Zatanna cocked a brow in his direction and Archie smiled, leaning in.

"Oh don't act innocent, I worked with one of your former stage hands; Lucille. She said you taught her how to lay out a grown man twice her size in less than a minute. Then she showed me," He laughed, "I had bruises on my back for at least two weeks."

"Lucille was always a quick study." Zatanna chuckled. "Sweet girl, I wonder what she's up to these days."

"Besides breaking backs? Well she also got into the heart breaking business." Archi said sheepishly. "Now she has a sweet little boy of her own, Noah."

Zatanna perked up, "She had a baby?" she squeaked. "Noah, what a beautiful name."

"Yeah she got pregnant right around the time I was getting ready to propose." Archie said fondly. "It was one of the best days of my life, right up until she told me I wasn't the father.

"No!" Zatanna gasped and threw her hand over her mouth.

"Yeah." Archie nodded.

"Oh Archie, I'm so sorry." Zatanna said as she placed her mug down to put her hands over his.

He shook his head and waved his hand around dismissively. "I'm not, Lucille was, well she was alright. She understood the theater, she was just as passionate about the stuff as I was, and she was beautiful, but we weren't in love. You know? We were just convenient for one another."

Zatanna nodded in understanding.

"Still, she could've told you." Zatanna replied.

"Have you met Lucille? The girl was half a saint. It was probably killing her to have an affair let alone confess to one." Archie sighed. "I couldn't fault her, she loved the guy. I loved her enough to let her go, so I did; no fuss, no muss. They were married three years ago, I'm Noah's godfather." He said fondly. "He's an angel born to half a saint."

Zatanna sighed, "You're sweet Arch."

Archie laughed, "Sweet, you know that word is like poison to the male ego, these days."

"So I've heard." Zatanna giggled into her mug.

Archie looked glass, "You should uh...you should give Lucille a call, she could use some advice these days."

"Advice? From me?" Zatanna said surprisingly. "Trust me, she's better off."

It was Archie's turn to look at her skeptically now, Zatanna paused before smiling. "What? Look the girl married the love of her life, has a beautiful baby boy, and an incredible friend as a godfather. Trust me, she doesn't need life advice from a hasbeen."

"Five years is a long time, Zatanna, things change. Lucille? She's a widow now, she married a firefighter. That's the price of marrying a hero or so they say." He muttered. "She could use a friend right now."

"How long has it been?"

"A little over a year but it feels like yesterday." He said. "Noah, won't even remember him."

Zatanna didn't reply. She hadn't even thought of Lucille since she'd last seen her, the girl had been sweet but she wouldn't have called her a friend. She hadn't had many of those before she'd taken off and she certainly didn't have many since returning.

"I'll reach out to her." Zatanna promised. "But I…. I don't know what I could offer other than a few words of encouragement."

"That's enough, you're enough Zatanna. She just needs a friend and she never stops talking about what a role model you were to her. She wanted to be just like you, the shows, the world, and now well she's in Gotham and so are you, so I figured maybe you guys can help each other out."

Zatanna ran her hands through her hair and crossed her arms in front of her semi-defensively. "What makes you think I need help, Arch?"

Archie shrugged, "I don't mean to pry but you could be touring the world making a killing, with your kids in tow and yet you are in Gotham. Even if you wanted to settle down and teach, why Gotham? Where criminal and vigilantes run loose with no regard for academia or the lives they ruin."

"What can I say? The madness, the pull, the vigilantes and loonies dragged me back." she half joked. "I mean what difference would it make if I taught at a prestigious school where kids get those opportunities handed to them on a silver platter? Gotham is where the change is needed, where inspiration, where magic is needed. It's where I'm needed so I'm here."

"And the father of your children?" he broached softly.

"He's here too, so why not Gotham." she replied.

"He's a lucky guy." Archie said seriously.

Zatanna laughed darkly, "He certainly has the best kids in the world, but he might have gotten more than he was asking for when he got me as a baby mama."

"Zatana Zatara, the world's most badass baby mama." Zach said in a lower voice, imitating a move announcer.

Zatanna bit her lip in an effort to keep cool and composed. Hot chocolate with a shot of magic, her signature order from the coxy joint always had a way of making her more vulnerable than she wanted to be. She ran another hand through her hair and rolled her eyes, trying to keep the brimming tears away.

"The bad part," she muttered, "that might be more accurate."

Archie looked at her surprised and grasped her hands in his. "No, no, Zatanna I was joking."

She shook her head, "I….He….He broke my heart." she confessed. "He didn't even know it but he broke my heart, he was one of my best friends."

Small tears made a bee line down her flushed face as she smiled the most heartbreaking smiled Archie had ever seen.

"We weren't together when I got pregnant, it was an accident and it was terrifying but they were also the most incredible thing that ever happened to me. He left Gotham before I could tell him and then I just never did." she sniffled softly. "It was easier that way, at least that's what I thought. I thought I would be protecting them from him, what if he broke their hearts, you know?" she shook her head, "I know it sounds stupid but if you knew him, you'd know, everyone falls in love with him."

"Must be a trait you guys have in common." Archie joked weakly.

"Ugh," Zatanna groaned, "I'm so sorry Arch, I didn't mean to lead you on. You're incredible, I'm just-"

"In love with your ex?" he finished.

"No." Zatanna said sharply, "I'm just not, I don't want that in my life right now." she finished lamely. "I can't really afford to make those kinds of mistakes, right now, I've lost so much in the time that I've been gone, there's a lot of ground to cover. Five years…...it's a long time."

"I'll say." A soft voice replied.

Zatanna turned around to find a small, shapely blonde with a no nonsense stare looking right at her.

"Mikey?" Zatanna breathed.

3:45am; Wayne Manor

Dick opened his bleary eyes and gazed at the alarm clock, something had woken him up.

The floorboards by the end of his bed creaked softly and he sat up, exposing his bare chest, to find an inky haired reflection of his youth staring right back at him. He wondered momentarily if he was dreaming.

"Dick?" John said shyly.

Dick threw his fists over his eyes and yawned, waving the boy forward, "Yeah what's going on bud?"

John walked forward hesitantly, before standing by the side of his bed watching his small toes wiggle.

"What is it John?" he asked again.

"I want my mommy." he whispered softly as if ashamed of the fact. "I want to go home."

His big blue eyes started filling with tears.

"Oh no, don't cry, common. Let's get you up here." DIck said as he scooped up the four year old and sat him down beside him on the mattress.

John sniffled softly into his pajama sleeves.

"I want my mommy. I'm scared here. Please, can we go home?" he cried.

Dick could feel his heart clenching.

"What if I told you, we are home?" he asked him softly.

"Huh?" John said.

"Well, think about it, what makes home so special?" he asked.

John's face grew flushed as he thought deeply. "Mommy….and my T-Rex, and the library, and my room, and sometimes uncle Zach."

Dick chuckled. "Well how about Wyette?"

John huffed, "Wyette doesn't listen very good sometimes."

"But you love her right?"

John shrugged and nodded wearily.

Dick smirked, "Well, that's what makes home so special. The love, the love you have for your mom, the love you have for the sister, and the love you have for your uncle Zach. All that love makes you feel safe and makes home feel so special. But you know what? You have that love here too."

John looked at him skeptically.

"Yep, just think about it. Alfred loves you, Tim, Bruce, Damian, Barbara. They all love you and I love you too, so that makes this place your home too." He explained softly.

John pursed his lips, "You guys….you love me?" he asked.

Dick nodded. "Very much."

"Do I have to love you back?" John asked.

Dick laughed, "It would be nice, but no I guess you don't."

John sighed in relief, "Okay." he replied.

"Do you feel better?" Dick asked.

John shrugged."A little, can...can we have chocolate milk. I'm thirsty."

Dick got out of bed and stretched, holding out his hand towards the four-year-old. "Yeah, common buddy."

The two women sat across from one another, their faces expressing the words that wouldn't come. Archie had excused himself a while ago and Zatanna was sure he wasn't coming back any time soon.

"How have you been, Mikey?" she asked, finally breaking the silence.

Mikey's brown soft brown eyes filled with tears as she looked away and shook her head.

"Where were you?" she asked, "I was so worried about you, I thought…...I thought." she took a sharp breath. "You've been, what? In hiding this whole time?"

Zatanna choked back a sob, "I know, I just, I had to deal with a lot." she muttered.

Mikey scoffed, "You dealing with a lot is not new Zee, you hiding, falling off the face of the earth? That's new."

"I know." Zatanna confessed. "I just-"

"Didn't think I could handle it? Didn't think I would support you, no matter what? You were one of my best friends Zee, I would have followed you to the ends of the earth. What happened? How could you do that to me? To Artemis? To Dick? Do you know how hard we all looked? I quit my job because of you, even after everyone stopped looking, I traveled the world chasing ghosts of you, rumors, anything. I thought you had died!" she sobbed.

Zatanna hung her head.

"Well, aren't you gonna say something? Aren't you going to explain yourself?" she demanded sharply.

"I didn't know what else to do Mikey, I thought I was going to die. I didn't want anyone to be around for that." Zatanna told her honestly. "Especially not you, it would have killed you. But you're right it was selfish and I'm sorry. I should have known you would have looked for me and I should've said something but I was, I was scared."

"Of what?" Mikey asked earnestly. "Does it have to do with what you never told me?"

Zatanna locked eyes with the blonde and nodded. She had only ever told Mikey enough to keep her informed but out of harm's way, she had known Zatanna was more than just a stage magician, she knew she was part of the JLA and a real practitioner of magic but that was all Zatanna had ever allowed her to know. Mikey had covered for her on countless occasions and had even saved her life once or twice, but if she knew any more the woman would have been in constant danger. More than she already was by being a close friend of hers.

"Are….are people after you? Do you need help?" Mikey whispered. "Is that why you disappeared?"

Zatanna smiled weakly, "People are always after me, you know that but this time I'm not the main focus. They are." she said, bringing her phone to the table and showing Mikey a picture of Wyette and John.

Mikey gasped, throwing her hand over her mouth. She looked up at her old friend in shock, "Are they? They're yours?" she asked.

Zatanna nodded as she scrolled through the gallery of photos.

"Yeah." she replied hoarsely.

Mikey took the phone and went through the pictures, "Zatanna, they're gorgeous."

"Thanks." she replied weakly, "They're my whole life Mikey. I found out I was pregnant with them five years ago and I disappeared."

"They're twins?" Mikey asked incredulously.

Zatanna nodded.

"But you…...you're a homo magi, doesn't that mean?"

"I know." Zatanna replied, "It's never really been done but it happened, it nearly cost me my life, but I gave birth to them and kept them as well hidden as I could until their dad found out about them."

"DIck?" Mikey asked.

Zatanna laughed, "Is it that obvious?"

Mikey laughed in return, "Well I would be hard-pressed to believe that little boy could be anyone else's son aside from Dick. You gave birth to a photocopy of him. I always knew Dick Grayson would be trouble and just look."

Zatanna chuckled. "You did always have incredible foresight." she conceded.

Mikey shook her head and grabbed Zatanna's hands, "I forgive you." she said

Zatanna looked at her blankly, in genuine surprise.

Mikey smiled, "I've been waiting five years to find you and tell you that." she sighed. "I won't pretend to understand your life Zee, you do so much and hide even more, but you've always trusted me, you've been there for me and so I'm asking you to let me be there for you. I know I can't give you much of anything, but this friendship is something I've always treasured, something I can't let go of. Please, can't we just….go back to the way it was? I've really missed you."

Zatanna frowned, "I should be asking you that Mikey, you're always stealing my lines."

Mikey smiled as Zatanna wound her arms around her, "Thank you." she whispered. "Thank you for being my friend."

4:00 am; Wayne Manor

It should have come as no surprise, but Dick found himself chuckling anyway when Wyette came down the stairs accompanied by Alfred. He prayed that they would be able to wake up without incident for school tomorrow because they were certainly up past their bedtimes by far. He would add this to the list of things he wouldn't tell Zatanna.

"Chocolate milk?" he offered as the two walked into the kitchen and made themselves comfortable, Wyette sitting across from her brother and Alfred walking into the fridge.

Wyette shook her head softly, her eyelid heavy.

"Strawberry." Alfred informed him.

The twins drank their glasses slowly, mumbling to each other all the while.

"Where'd you go John?" Wyette asked tiredly.

"To find Dick, I got scared." He confessed.

"It's okay." she yawned. "Why did you get scared?"

"I missed home," John told her. "But it's okay because this is our home too."

"It is?" She asked incredulously.

"Yeah because Damian and Dick and Tim and Alfred and Bruce, they all love us."

"They do?" she said with more incredulity.

"I know," John said, "It's weird."

Wyette nodded firmly before finishing off her milk.

"Can we go to sleep now?" she asked no one in particular.

Dick and Alfred snickered in the corner, "Yeah," Dick replied before turning to Alfred. "I've got this."

He scooped both twins in either arm and made his way to their room, tucking them in and putting the stuffed bunny between them.

"Dick?" John said softly, "Can you stay here?"

Dick smiled as he went into the closet and pulled out a comforter and an extra pillow to place on the floor.

"Sure bud." he said.

He heard more than saw the shuffling in the bed before a small head of hair popped over him.

"Thanks Dick." John whispered.

"No problem." He whispered back.

John shuffled back under his blankets before popping his head out once again.

"Hey Dick?" he said softly, the chagrin in his voice almost palpable.

"Yes?"

"I love you too." John whispered.

"Me too." Wyette whispered as she shuffled over to look at him on the floor.

Dick smiled and sat up, bringing his forehead to theirs and running his hands over their heads. They returned the gesture for a moment before shuffling back under the bed and falling fast asleep.

Dick smiled as he waited for sleep to wash over him, listening intently to the sound breaths of Wyette and John.

Zatanna waved her friend goodbye as she watched her drive off. They would see each other later in the morning for work and her heart felt fuller knowing that she had mended one relationship from her past. She walked off the elevator slowly and rounded the corner to her room only to find Archie pacing in front of her door anxiously.

"Archie?" she called out.

He looked over at her, his eyes stealing over as he squared his shoulders.

Zatanna smiled up at him. "Hey Arch, thank you for tonight. I was really wound up and it was the first in a long time that I let my guard down and it just felt good."

Archie looked at her somberly.

Zatanna felt her face and chest pinch in response.

"What's -mmmph."

Her sentence went unfinished as he sealed his warm lips over hers, bringing his hands to either side of her face.