Written in the Stars Chapter 40: End Game, a smallville fanfic

Chapter 40 — End Game

Bruce adjusts his tie as he walks into the kitchen of the penthouse. Over the past year, they had settled in a routine. Alfred and Zoey had bonded over their love of food and trashy reality shows. They had also bonded over telling Bruce that he needed to do other things than be Batman. Lately, Zoey had stopped mentioning him needing other, more public, hobbies since he would always drag her along. He frowns seeing Zoey wearing sweatpants and an old Stanford Law t-shirt. "You're not dressed," he says, sitting down next to her. "We'll be late."

"Late for what," Zoey asks.

"Dinner. I brought an Italian restaurant and I thought we could go try it out tonight."

Zoey stares at him. "Why would you buy a restaurant?"

"It's what Bruce Wayne does."

"And why do you need me to go with you?"

Bruce smirks, then softly kisses her. "Because the world needs to know what Zoey York does when she's not running a company."

Zoey stares at him, then stands up. "Fuck you. Give me ten minutes."

Alfred waits until Zoey is out of earshot before turning the man he had watched grow up. "Master Wayne, do you think bringing along Ms. York on this outing is the best idea," he questions.

Bruce shrugs. "It'll be fine."

The Italian restaurant that Bruce had brought turned out to be the hottest new restaurant in the city. The waitlist for a table was a two-month wait. It was also the same restaurant that Rachel Dawes and Harvey Dent were having dinner that night. Rachel was a prominent figure in the district attorney's office and an old friend of Bruce's. Harvey was Gotham's newly elected district attorney and was making waves in putting members of the mob behind bars. Dinner for the most part had been a friendly affair, though it was obvious that neither Rachel nor Harvey knew that she and Bruce were joining them. "So, Zoey, how are things," Rachel asks.

"Good," Zoey answers. "Keeping busy with stuff at Wayne Enterprises."

"You don't work for the Justice League," Harvey asks, smirking. Zoey tenses at the joke. She had never publicly commented on the JLA; anytime she was asked she found a way to avoid answering. Bruce places a comforting hand on her thigh. "I would've thought that Green Arrow's ex-wife would be a fan of vigilantes. Gotham is proud of an ordinary man standing up for what's right."

"I think what Batman does is very important," Zoey says. "But I do think that for any kind of real change to happen it has to be through a democratic process. Like how you got into office."

"Exactly," Bruce agrees. "Who appointed the Batman?"

"We did," Harvey argues. "All of us who stood by and let scum take control of our city."

"Except that we live in a democracy," Zoey counters.

"When their enemies were at the gate, the Romans would suspend democracy and appoint one man to protect the city. It wasn't considered an honor. It was considered public service."

"And the last man they asked to protect the republic was named Caesar," Rachel points out. "He never gave up that power."

"Well, I guess you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain," Harvey says. "Look, whoever the Batman is or the rest of the Justice League, they don't want to spend the rest of their lives doing this. How could they? I'm sure Batman's looking for someone to take up his mantle."

Zoey raises an eyebrow. "You mean someone like you?"

"Maybe. If I'm up to it."

Zoey smirks. "Did you just confess to being Batman?"

Harvey laughs. "If I were sneaking out every night someone would've noticed by now," he replies, grabbing Rachel's hand.

Zoey watches the exchange between Rachel and Bruce. It suddenly clicks in her mind. She remembered seeing Rachel leave Wayne Manor after it had burned down. "Well, you've sold me, Dent," Bruce says, slapping a hand on the table. "We're gonna throw you a fundraiser."

"That's nice of you, Bruce, but I'm not up for reelection for three years. That stuff won't start for—"

"I don't think you understand. One fundraiser with our pals, you'll never need another cent."

Harvey glances at Rachel, then a smirk appears on his face. "Would the Justice League be at this fundraiser?"

"That guy was an asshole," Zoey proclaims as the steel grey Lamborghini speeds down the streets of Gotham. "In fact, that entire dinner was so uncomfortable. Next time you buy a restaurant, get a supermodel or something to try it out with. In fact, next time you decide to buy a restaurant to crash someone's date, find someone else to crash the date with. I'm happy to spend time at home with Jamie Fraser."

"That's a fictional character," Bruce counters.

"And he has a perfect ass." Zoey stares at Bruce. "How long did you and Rachel date?"

"Rachel and I have never dated."

"How long were you fuck buddies?"

"We were never fuck buddies. We've been friends since we were kids. I'm sure if I asked she could get you a job in the DA's office."

"Mhmm. You're in love with her. And no, I wouldn't want to work in the DA's office. Dinner with Harvey Dent was horrible, why would I want to work there? Besides, I enjoy my job at Wayne Enterprises."

"Sitting in your office and watching TV on your laptop all day doesn't count," Bruce argues. "Besides, you have a law degree. You should probably use it."

"You only want me to work there to spy on Harvey Dent and potentially break him and Rachel up. Neither of which I'm comfortable doing. Plus, I go to board meetings. I stay awake during board meetings. And I repeat, that guy was an asshole. And so were you!"

"How was I an asshole?"

"For crashing their date."

Bruce rolls his eyes. "I need you to go to Hong Kong."

"Why do I need to go to Hong Kong?"

"To tell Mr. Lau that we're not going to be doing business with him."

"And what are you doing?"

"Taking the Russian ballet to the Caribbean."

Zoey nods. "Yeah, thanks for not including me in that."

Bruce chuckles. "I'll meet you in Hong Kong. Alfred's gonna stay with the ballerinas."

"You should be his butler for a day."

Zoey pulls off her sunglasses and places them on the top of her head. Hong Kong was very sunny that day. She had been enjoying the city. Through she was not enjoying the humidity. "I'm afraid for security reasons I have to ask for your mobile phone," the security guard tells her. Zoey smiles and pulls out her cellphone from her purse. She hands it to the security guard and watches as he places it in a box underneath his desk.

Zoey is led to the top floor of the L.S.I. Holdings building. She was meeting Mr. Lau for lunch to discuss the deal with Wayne Enterprises. She had been in the board meeting with Mr. Lau. Even if Bruce hadn't dangled a deal with L.S.I. Holdings to get a closer look at their books, she would've canceled the deal.

Zoey waits until the board and Mr. Lau are out of the boardroom. She turns to Bruce and Mr. Fox. "There's no way in hell we are doing this deal," she quietly says. "Bruce, I know that this deal was your idea. And I know that the consultants love it, which doesn't mean much to me since if you throw a bunch of Cheetos at something the consultants love it. But L.S.I. has grown eight percent annually. And it's been a very steady improvement, which means they got some crap off books. We are not going to do any business with someone who is doing something illegal. If we were in the business of working with people doing illegal things, I would take the meeting that Lex Luthor keeps asking for every single month."

Bruce raises an eyebrow. "Lex Luthor asks you for a meeting?"

"I always tell him to fuck off."

"Okay. Cancel the deal with Lau."

"Okay." Zoey narrows her gaze at him "And you already knew all this. You couldn't have filled me in?"

"I needed a closer look at their books. And you were busy with your fictional Scottish boyfriend."

"I must apologize for leaving Gotham in the middle of our negotiations," Mr. Lau tells her. "I must admit, Ms. Queen, that I'm surprised to see that you're here and not Mr. Fox."

Zoey smiles. "Mr. Fox had a family emergency and I offered to step in for him. Why exactly did you have to leave Gotham so suddenly?"

"A misunderstanding with the Gotham police force," Mr. Lau says. "I couldn't let such a thing threaten my company. A businesswoman of your stature will understand. But with you here...we can continue."

"Mr. Lau, thank you for bringing me out in such style. Truthfully, I've come—" Zoey's cut off when her cell phone ring. She shoots him an apologetic look as she pulls out her phone.

"We do not allow cell phones in—"

"I'm very sorry about that. I forgot I had it. Mr. Lau, to be honest, I'm here to tell you that we will not be continuing with this deal. See, we can't afford to be seen to do business with someone who has been accused of doing something illegal. I'm sure a businessman of your stature understands."

Mr. Lau forces a smile. "Ms. Queen, a simple phone call would have sufficed."

"I know. But Bruce and I didn't want you to think that we had deliberately wasted your time. Plus, I've never been to Hong Kong."

"You were just accidentally wasting it."

Zoey laughs. "Mr. Fox was right. Bruce and I both said that you didn't have much of a sense of humor. I guess we were wrong." Zoey grabs her purse and stands up. She grabs her cell off the table. "I won't take up any more of your time, Mr. Lau." She shoots him a smile before walking out. As she walks out of the main entrance of L.S.I. the security guard holds out her phone. Zoey smiles and waves her phone at him.

Zoey smiles as she holds her phone and takes a selfie. Behind her was Hong Kong and the harbor. After a quick stop at her hotel to change, she had decided to take in some sights of the city. "If you'd like, I can take a photo for you." Zoey smiles at the tall, dark-haired stranger who was wearing a t-shirt, cargo shorts, and a pair of Ray-Bans.

"I'd like that," she tells him, handing her phone over. She smiles as he takes her picture. He hands back over to the phone and pulls out a map. "Thank you."

Zoey turns and looks out at the city. He stands next to her. "How's the view from L.S.I. Holdings," Bruce quietly asks.

"Well, Mr. Lau was very unhappy in his very secured building," Zoey softly tells him. She digs through her purse and pulls out a cell phone. "A few months ago, I was looking through some of the design plans that Oliver had R&D create. I had a prototype created. It sends out high frequencies and records the response time to map an environment."

Bruce smiles. "Sonar. Just like a b—"

"Dolphin," Zoey amusedly interrupts.

Bruce chuckles. "And the other device?"

"Already in place."

A comfortable silence falls over them. Zoey's phone buzzes and she pulls it out. She places a hand over his. "Good luck." She starts to walk away, but he grabs her arm. She raises an eyebrow. He takes a quick glance around to ensure that no one recognized them, then he pulls her into a kiss. Zoey can't help but smile. She was very much enjoying being with Bruce.

"I have a couple of free hours," Bruce softly tells her.

Zoey smirks. "Are you asking to come back to my hotel room?"

Bruce leans down. "Who said anything about your hotel room," he whispers into her ear. She shoots him a questioning look, but he just smirks at her.

"This is not what I was expecting," Zoey mutters as Bruce leads her into the back room of the dilapidated docks. Smugglers weren't known to use high-quality areas and the ones that Bruce had hired fit the bill. She hadn't missed Bruce handing one of the men a wad of cash. Bruce closes and locks the door. She turns to ask him something, but his lips are on hers. The back of her thighs hits the desk that was sitting in the center of the room. He lifts her up and sets her on the desk. "Br—"

"No talking," Bruce whispers. Zoey shoots him a quizzical look. "No noise." Zoey opens and closes her mouth. A frustrated look appears on her face. "No. Talking."

He places open-mouth kisses along the top of her breasts. She gasps when he lightly rubs her clit. She reaches to pull him close, but he leans back.

"No touching." She shoots him an annoyed look. He was changing the rules. "You need to relax. You need to enjoy being in the moment. Trust me."

Zoey stares at him. That was her issue. She did trust him unequivocally. She knew that she would do anything for him. And it terrified her. She was terrified that she was going to end up in the same position she had been after her divorce from Oliver. Alone and broken-hearted. She nods, giving into him.

Bruce kisses her. His tongue tangles with hers. His hands tightly grip her thighs. Zoey grabs the table edge. Not touching him was harder than not making any noise. He pulls back and kneels in front of her. She bites her lip, keeping in the moan. He shoves the bottom of her dress up, revealing the black lace thongs she was wearing. He knows exactly what she wants him to do. She's caught off guard when he yanks her off the table and spins her around.

Zoey's eyes widen when he pushes her down onto the table. Bruce shoves her hair over her shoulder before running a hand down her back. Bruce was always the one to take charge in their relationship. It had been that way since they were teenagers. She rests her cheek against the wood of the table. He shoves her dress up and tugs down her underwear. He rubs her butt before delivering a light smack.

Zoey starts to sit up, but he presses her down. He lightly spanks her once more. She wasn't sure how she felt about this. He had never expressed any desire to do anything like this. Bruce leans forward, rubbing the slowly forming red spot on her butt. "Do you want me to stop," he questions. She shakes her head 'no'. Another spank, this time harder. She bites her lip harder; she could taste the copper from blood. She never thought spanking would be something that turned her on, but it did.

There's a rustling of fabric. "Do you want me to fuck you," Bruce whispers. Zoey nods; she wanted him more than anything in that moment. His cock slowly enters her. She relishes the feeling within her. He pulls out then reenters her. His rhythm is slow and tortuous. He would speed up at times, but the moment he felt her about to orgasm, he would slow down.

She could feel the grip he has on her hips tighten. His pace picks up. Zoey closes her eyes as her body shudders with the release she had been longing for. Bruce lets out a grunt and collapses on her. The only sound in the room is their heavy breathing. She feels their combined juices slowly drip down her thigh.

Bruce pulls out of her and fixes his clothing. Zoey slowly pushes herself up. Her legs felt like jell-o. His thumb wipes the corner of her mouth where blood was forming. "You know it's okay to not be an overachiever all the time," he tells her.

Zoey snorts. "I'm not an overachiever."

Bruce softly kisses her. She pulls him close. She didn't want this to end; they were in their own world and she never wanted to leave it. His arm is wrapped around her waist; his forehead rests against hers. "You, Zoey Stella York, are an overachiever."

"Ah," Zoey exclaims as people prepare for the fundraiser that Bruce was hosting for Harvey Dent that night in the penthouse. She wasn't excited about the fundraiser and she was even less excited about the grand entrance Bruce had talked her into doing with him.

"How's it going," Bruce asks, walking into the living room.

"Annoying," Zoey mutters, causing Bruce to chuckle. She shoves a bookmark in her book and turns on the TV.

"I think your fundraiser will be a great success, sir," Alfred tells him.

"And why do you think I wanted to hold a party for Harvey Dent," Bruce asks.

"I assumed it was your usual reason for socializing beyond myself, Ms. York, and the scum of Gotham's underbelly," Alfred says. "To try and impress Miss Dawes."

"Very droll. But very wrong. Actually, it's Dent. You see—"

"Holy shit," Zoey yells. The book falls from her hands and lands with a loud thud on the floor. On the television was a Batman copycat. The bottom of the news ticker had 'Batman Dead?' running across the screen.

The screen changes back to the news anchor. "Police released video footage found concealed on the body. Sensitive viewers beware: it is disturbing," the news anchor says.

The scene changes to where a man, wearing a blindfold and a homemade Batman suit, is tied to a chair. His face is covered in blood bruises. "Tell them your name," a haunting voice orders.

"Brian Douglas," the blindfolded man answers.

"Are you the real Batman?"

"No."

"Why do you dress up like him?"

"He's a symbol...that we don't have to be afraid of scum like you..."

"But you do, Brian…You really do. You think the Batman's helped Gotham?" Brain weakly nods. "Look at me." Brain avoids looking at him. "Look at me!" Brian finally looks up at the voice and the camera turns to reveal that the Joker was the one questioning the man. His face is covered in white paint and red smears highlight the scars on his face. "This is how crazy Batman's made Gotham. You want order in Gotham? Batman has to go. So...Batman must take off his mask and turn himself in. Every day he doesn't...people will die. Starting tonight. I'm a man of my word."

Zoey shakes her head and quickly walks out of the living room. She makes her way to her bedroom and sits down on the bed. The bad guys that Oliver had gone up against while they were married had never done anything like this. While there were moments where she had been worried that Oliver would never make it home, she had never been terrified for him. But with the Joker…she was terrified for Bruce. Footsteps signal someone entering the room and she looks up to find Bruce.

Bruce sets the book she had been holding on the dresser. "You don't have to come tonight," he says, sitting down next to her.

Zoey shakes her head. "No, I'll be there. I just needed a moment. Oliver never fought against someone like the Joker. But Oliver also never had people dressing up as Green Arrow to help him. Batman inspires people in a way that Green Arrow and the rest of the Justice League doesn't." A silence falls over them. "Are we still doing the helicopter entrance?"

Zoey looks out the window as the helicopter flies over Gotham. Gotham was a beautiful city. The art deco buildings stood out against the other more modern buildings. The older brick buildings reminded people of how old the city actually was. She turns to Bruce. "Can you explain to once more the purpose of the grand entrance," she amusedly asks.

"The grander the better," Bruce replies. His gaze drifts over the dark red dress that showed a modest amount of cleavage. It ended right above her knees. A tear-drop pearl necklace accented her look. "Nice choice on the dress."

Zoey turns her gaze back out of the window. There was a part of her that was starting to have feelings for Bruce and the only thing she could think of doing was burying those feelings. She knew that Bruce didn't return her feelings; he was in love with Rachel. Zoey had quietly done her own research into the tall brunette. It wasn't hard for her to find information on Rachel. Zoey had learned that Rachel's mother had formerly worked for Thomas and Martha Wayne; that Rachel had spent much of her childhood at Wayne Manor. They left the manor after the deaths of Thomas and Martha, but Bruce and Rachel had managed to stay friends over the years.

A feather-light touch at the top of her cleavage snaps Zoey out of her thoughts. She looks to her right and finds a mischievous look in Bruce's eye. She starts to ask what he was doing when he pulls her into a kiss. She was even more confused. She knew she should push him away and ask what he was doing, but she wasn't going to deny that she enjoyed it. She wasn't going to deny that it felt good to have someone touch her with such intimacy after being alone for so long. Zoey lets out a soft sigh as he trails feather-light kisses across her cheek.

"Sir," the pilot says. "We're getting ready to land."

Bruce pulls back and shoots her a smile. He grasps her hand. The helicopter softly lands on the helipad outside of Bruce's penthouse atop the Wayne Foundation building. Bruce opens the helicopter door and climbs out. Zoey slides across the seat and grasps his outstretched hand. The helicopter takes off as the duo walks towards the penthouse.

"Sorry, we're late," Bruce announces as he and Zoey enter. Alfred walks over to them, holding a tray with champagne glasses. Bruce plucks two off and hands one to Zoey. "Glad you started without me! Where's Rachel?" Rachel was standing off to the side with Harvey. Zoey watches as the brunette forces a smile. "Rachel Dawes, my oldest friend. When she told me she was dating Harvey Dent, I had one thing to say…the guy from those god awful campaign commercials?" Laughter rings throughout the penthouse. "'I believe in Harvey Dent.' Nice slogan, Harvey. Certainly caught Rachel's attention. But then I started paying attention to Harvey and all he's been doing as our new DA and you know what? I believe in Harvey Dent. On his watch, Gotham can feel a little safer. A little more optimistic. So get out your checkbooks and let's make sure that he stays right where all of Gotham wants him." Bruce raises his glass and the crowd follows suit. "All except Gotham's criminals, of course. To the face of Gotham's bright future, Harvey Dent."

Zoey holds up her glass as Bruce throws his back. He presses a kiss to the side of her head and she shoots him a smile. The crowd breaks up into small groups, mingling amongst each other. She looks up at Bruce. "Nice speech," she softly says. "Not slightly dickish at all."

"You picked up on that," Bruce mutters, pulling her against his chest. His hand trails down her back.

"I think anyone who has known you long enough picked up on it," Zoey replies. She places the still full glass of champagne on the tray of a passing waiter. "Excuse me." She quickly walks down the hallway to the bathroom. It had been during Bruce's speech when it finally clicked. She couldn't count on the number of times the press department of Wayne Enterprises would get questions from different news organizations from around the world to ask if she and Bruce were dating, to ask whether they had secretly married or not, to if there was a secret love child. After the first time, Zoey had directed the press department to always reply with 'no comment.' She wipes a few stray tears that had escaped. She takes a deep breath and gathers herself. Zoey makes her way back to the party. She arrives as a man with green hair and a purple suit hits another man on the back of the head with a shotgun.

"Good evening. We're the entertainment," the man loudly says. More men spill into the living room, all bearing guns and wearing clown masks.

"Oh my god," Zoey mutters. She easily recognized who the man was from the news.

"I only have one question, where is Harvey Dent," the Joker asks. "I'll settle for his loved ones."

"We're not intimidated by thugs," an older man angrily says. Zoey knew it wasn't right that this man was standing up for the crowd.

The Joker stops in front of the man. "You know, you remind me of my father." He grabs the older man and places a knife in his mouth. Zoey bites her lip. She couldn't let this man be hurt by the Joker. Zoey glances around the room. She spots Rachel, who appeared to getting ready to yell. She couldn't let Rachel get hurt. "I hated my father."

"Purple is so not your color," Zoey loudly says, stepping into the center of the room. The Joker shoves the older man back into the crowd. "And the green unwashed hair is so last season."

"Hello, beautiful. You must be Bruce's squeeze," the Joker replies, walking towards her.

"You can say that. I guess. I'm not really sure. We haven't had the talk about labels and stuff."

"Not the loved one I was looking for, but you'll do." Joker runs a knife over Zoey's cheek. She eyes the scars that ran from the sides of his mouth and up to his cheeks. They were covered in red stage makeup. "You're curious. It's the scars, isn't it? Wanna know how I got them?"

"Not really."

Joker tilts his head. He was intrigued by her. "I had a wife, beautiful like you. Who tells me I worry too much. Who says I need to smile more. Who gambles. My wife got in deep with the sharks. One day they carve her face and we've got no money for surgeries. She can't take it." Joker presses his knife into Zoey's cheek. A small drop of blood appears. "I just want to see her smile again. I just want her to know I don't care about the scars. So I put a razor in my mouth and do this to myself. And you know what? She can't stand the sight of me. She leaves! See, now I see the funny side. Now, I'm always smiling."

Zoey raises an eyebrow. Her heart was racing. She had faced down Lionel and Lex. She could easily hold her in a board room full of men who were twice her age. She wasn't going to let the Joker know that he was currently scaring the shit out of her. "Are you sure that she didn't dump your ass because you're a dick?"

"You have a mouth on you."

"I've been told that once or twice." Zoey notices Batman appear behind in the crowd. The Joker notices her gaze and turns to the new arrival.

"I was wondering when you were gonna make an appearance," The Joker says, pushing Zoey away. She stumbles towards one of the windows. Zoey watches as Batman and the Joker fight hand to hand. Batman defeats the Joker. Zoey's gaze widens when the Joker makes his way over to her.

Joker grabs Zoey and presses a knife against her throat. "Drop the knife," Batman growls.

"Sure," Joker cackles. "Just take off your mask and show us all who you are." Silence settles over the room. Joker raises his shotgun and shoots out the windowpane. He shoves Zoey towards the open window.

"Oh my god," Zoey mutters, eyeing the drop.

"Let her go," Batman growls.

Joker cackles. "Very poor choice of words." He shoves Zoey out of the window. She screams as she slides down the angled glass. Her hands run over the window panes as she slides down, hoping to find a weak spot. A gloved hand wraps around her wrist as she goes over the side.

Batman pulls her against his armored chest. His arms wrap around her, holding her protectively close. His grip on her tightens as they land on top of a taxi. Zoey doesn't move. Her heart was pounding in her ears. "Are you okay," a voice growls.

"No," Zoey sobs, clutching her left shoulder. "My fucking shoulder!" She could feel gloved hands on her. "Go! Go!" There's a light squeeze on her thigh, then she hears the grappling gun and a whoosh signals Batman's departure.

"Ma'am," a voice shouts, running over to the crushed taxi she was still lying on. "Ma'am, are you okay?"

Zoey turns her head to find a young police officer. "Are you fucking kidding me," she snaps.

Bruce finishes drying his hair and tosses the towel into the bathroom. Zoey was sleeping in bed, her left arm in a sling. A fractured collar bone. She had refused to take any painkillers that she had been prescribed, but he had quietly taken the prescription and had it filled. Alfred had been against putting crushed-up painkillers in a glass of orange juice for her. Bruce had done it instead. He slides into bed next to her, his arm resting on her waist. He lightly strokes her side. "You scared the shit out of me last night," he softly tells her. "I thought I was going to lose you."

"Bruce," Zoey softly moans, leaning into him.

He softly kisses her head. "I'm here. Just rest. Okay? I won't let anything happen."

"I love you."

Bruce lightly smiles. "I love you too."

There's a soft knock on the door and he looks up to see Alfred in the doorway. "Mr. Queen is on the phone," he quietly says.

Bruce nods and Alfred slips away. He looks down at a sleeping Zoey; her soft snoring filling the air. "I will be right back. I have to go deal with your annoying, overprotective ex-husband." He presses another soft kiss to the side of her head before climbing out of bed.

Zoey places her iPad on Lucius' desk. "I hate this whole one-arm thing," she mutters as she scrolls through her calendar. It was their weekly meeting where they discussed business relating to Wayne Enterprises and a few other things.

Lucius shoots her a smile. "You know, Ms. Queen, you are allowed to take time off to rest and recuperate."

"I know. But then I'm sitting in the penthouse, bored out of my mind. I've already watched all of Outlander twice. And I've read all the books."

The door to the office opens and they look to find Coleman Reese. He was a consultant that had been hired. He had a short-cut haircut that reminded Zoey of George Clooney when he was on ER. His suit was immaculate. He had a pile of papers under his arm. "What can I do for you, Mr. Reese," Lucius asks.

Reese glances at Zoey. "I can come back if you're busy."

Zoey shakes her head. "No, please. I'd like to hear what you have to say, Mr. Reese."

Reese sits down in the other chair. "You asked me to do the diligence one the L.S.I. Holdings deal again. I found irregularities."

Lucius exchanges an amused look with Zoey. "Their CEO is in police custody."

"Not with their numbers. With yours. A whole division of Wayne Enterprises disappeared, overnight. So I went down to the archives and started pulling old files." Reese unfolds a piece of paper and sets it on the desk. Zoey leans over to see that it's a set of blueprints for Batman's Tumbler. "My kids love the Batman. I thought he was pretty cool, too. Out there, kicking some ass. Changes things when you know it's just another rich kid playing dress-up." Reese motions to a corner on the blueprint where Lucius' name was on display. "Your project. Don't tell me you didn't recognize your baby pancaking cop cars on the evening news. Now you're getting sloppy. Applied Sciences was a small, dead department — who'd notice. But now you've got the entire R and D department burning cash, claiming it's related to cell phones for the army. What are you building him now? A rocket ship? I want ten million a year. For the rest of my life."

Zoey leans back in her seat. She exchanges a look with Lucius. She watches as Lucius folds up the blueprint. "Let me get this straight. You think that one of your clients, one of the most wealthiest and most powerful men in the world, is secretly a vigilante who spends his night beating criminals to a pulp with his bare hands…And now your plan is to blackmail this person?"

Reese looks between Zoey and Lucius. He clearly hadn't thought this part out. Zoey smiles at him. "Good luck," she brightly says, with a smile. Reese sits there for a moment, then stands up and walks out of the room. Zoey grabs the blueprints off the desk. "This is a very impressive piece of equipment."

"Ever taken a ride in it," Lucius amusedly asks.

"Noooo," Zoey answers. "Nor do I ever plan on doing so. Biometric security upgrade for archives?"

"I think so." Lucius takes off his reading glasses and looks at Zoey. "Ms. Queen, did you reassign R and D?"

"No."

Zoey hadn't meant to listen in. In fact, she had been actively avoiding Rachel since the woman had shown up at the penthouse. If wasn't for the fact that the penthouse was currently the safest place in the city, Zoey would have gone back to her suite at the Rosewood. But when she was making her way back to her bedroom and had to pass by Bruce's room, she couldn't help listening in on what Rachel and Bruce were talking about. It's how she learns that Bruce is planning to turn himself in and that Rachel knew his secret. It's also how she learns that Rachel returned Bruce's feelings in some capacity. Zoey wasn't going to deny the heartbreak that had settled in her since the night before. She pushed down her feelings and carried on as if nothing had happened. It was what she did when Oliver first started pulling away from her and their marriage. She didn't let her feelings on the subject show.

Currently, she was sitting on the couch in the penthouse's living room. On the TV was the live footage of the lobby of the New Jersey Superior Court, where Batman would finally reveal himself to the world.

Zoey does a second glance at her watch when Bruce takes a seat next to her at the kitchen island. He was never up early enough to join her for breakfast. "I thought bats were nocturnal," she tells him, picking up her morning latte.

Bruce shoots her an amused look. It doesn't stay for long. "I'm going to tell everyone the truth this afternoon at a press conference," he says.

Zoey stares at him. "Give me a dollar," she replies. "Actually, make it two dollars."

Bruce frowns. "Look, Zoey—"

"Give me two dollars," Zoey interrupts.

"Alfred and I are going to destroy anything that—"

"Will you just give me two fucking dollars, Bruce," Zoey snaps. Alfred clears his throat as he walks into the room. He hands Bruce two dollars. Bruce, still confused, hands the dollars to Zoey. "Thank you. Congratulations, you and Alfred are now officially being represented by me. You're also paying for Lucius."

Bruce smiles. "Why am I the one paying for everyone?"

Zoey smirks. "Because you're Batman," she says in a low, gravelly tone. Bruce lets out a snort while Alfred chuckles. She smiles. "Look, Bruce, I'll be fine. I've been through this before after Oliver publicly came out as Green Arrow. I will be fine. We all will be fine."

"Has it started yet?"

Zoey glances behind her to find Rachel standing there with a nervous look. "Not yet," she tells her. Zoey stands up. "I'm going to get some water. Would you like some?" Rachel doesn't reply. Zoey nods and turns up the volume on the TV. She wanted to be able to still hear the press conference.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming," Harvey Dent greets on the screen. The sound of the television covers up the noise of Zoey quietly grinding up a couple of pills she had pulled out of her pocket. "I've called this press conference for two reasons. Firstly, to assure the citizens of Gotham that everything that can be done over the Joker killing is being done. Secondly, because the Batman has offered to turn himself in."

The ground erupts. "So, where is he," someone yells out.

"But first," Harvey continues. "Let's consider the situation: should we give in to this terrorist's demands? Do we really think that—"

"You'd rather protect an outlaw vigilante than the lives of citizens," someone shouts and the crowd agrees.

"The Batman is an outlaw," Harvey begins. Zoey walks back over with a glass of water and a glass of Coke. She hands the water to Rachel, who drinks some of it. "But that's not why we're demanding he turn himself in. We're doing it because we're scared. We've been happy to let Batman clean up our streets for us until now—"

"Things are worse than ever," someone snaps.

"And I promise you, the dawn is coming. One day, the Batman will have to answer for the laws he's broken...but to us, not to this madman."

"No more dead cops!"

"Where is the Batman?!"

"So be it," Harvey says into the microphones. The crowd had started chanting. He looks at the officers behind him. "Take the Batman into custody." The room falls silent. Zoey waits to see Bruce make his way to the stage. "I am the Batman," Harvey loudly declares. Chaos erupts on the TV as Harvey is taken into custody.

"Whoa," Zoey mutters. "I didn't see that coming."

Soft footsteps enter the living room. The two women turn to see Alfred. "Why is he letting Harvey do this, Alfred," Rachel questions.

"I don't know," Alfred confesses. "He went down to the press conference—"

"And just stood by," Rachel exclaims.

"Perhaps both Bruce and Mr. Dent believe that Batman stands for something more important than a terrorist's whims, Miss Dawes, even if everyone hates him for it," Alfred says. Zoey watches as Rachel grabs her coat and bag of a chair near the island. Zoey doesn't miss the empty glass of water. "That's the sacrifice he's making - to not be a hero. To be something more."

"Well, you're right about one thing - letting Harvey take the fall is not heroic," Rachel tells them. She pulls out an envelope from her purse and holds it out to Alfred. "You know Bruce best, Alfred...give it to him when the time is right."

"How will I know?"

"It's not sealed." Alfred reluctantly takes the envelope. "Goodbye, Alfred."

"Goodbye, Rachel."

Rachel moves towards the elevator only to find Zoey standing in front of it. "Zoey—"

"I can't let you leave," Zoey interrupts.

Rachel sighs. She was not amused. "Look—"

"I crushed up a couple of sedatives and put them in that glass of water you drank," Zoey tells her. "So, I can't let you leave." Anger flashes over the older woman's face. Zoey waves her hand. "You can have me arrested and charged with a litany of crimes after the Joker is sitting in a supermax cell." Rachel looks over at Alfred, who had an alarmed look on his face. Rachel starts to move around Zoey but stops as her vision blurs.

The elevator door opens and two men step out. Rachel vaguely recognized Oliver Queen, but the tall African-American man wearing a blue leather jacket wasn't someone she recognized. He steps forward and gently grasps Rachel's arm.

"J'onn," Zoey brightly greets. She hadn't seen the Martian Manhunter since she and Oliver had divorced. "It's good to see you."

"I figured someone with actual powers would be able to help," Oliver explains, shooting Zoey a smile.

"I'm surprised you didn't ask Clark."

Oliver rolls his eyes. "He didn't agree with the drugging and technically kidnapping someone aspect."

Zoey glances at Rachel, who was having a hard time staying awake. "I already told her that she can try and send me to jail. I'll give you a call when it's safe."

Oliver nods. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

"I'll be fine."

"Come, Miss Dawes, we're going to take you somewhere very safe," J'onn says, guiding a barely upright Rachel to the elevator. Zoey watches as the doors close.

"What in the actual fuck were you thinking," Oliver greets. Zoey sighs, wondering if she had made the right decision in making this phone call. "Bruce told me what happened. He told me what you did. So, what in the fuck were you thinking?"

"There's a woman. Her name is Rachel Dawes. She's an assistant district attorney. And I was wondering if you and the JLA could make sure she stays safe until the Joker has been taken care of."

"Zo, you're my person. So, you know that I'll make sure this woman stays safe. But answer my damn question."

Zoey turns in her chair to look out at the Gotham skyline. "Bruce loves her. And…I'm the idiot who loves him," she softly says. She wipes away a tear. "Please save your gloating or whatever. I don't want to hear it."

Oliver snorts. "Yeah, you are an idiot, Zo. But not for the reason you think."

"Oliver—"

"Zo, I'll make sure Rachel stays safe. Just get her to the penthouse and keep her there until I can get there."

"Thank you."

"You know, after this, we are going to have a serious talk."

Alfred walks into the master bedroom of the penthouse to find his charge sitting in an armchair, staring out the window. Normally, he would be carrying a tray with a breakfast that had been prepared. A breakfast that he knew wasn't going to be eaten. Pieces of armor and the cowl were strewn about the bedroom. The city was in a state of shock with the presumed death of Rachel and the serious injuries Harvey had gained. Alfred, though, knew the truth. He clears his throat. "Alfred," Bruce asks, staring out the window.

"Yes, Master Wayne," he replies.

Bruce looks at him. The look on his face wasn't one that Alfred had seen since the tragic murders of Thomas and Martha. "Did I bring this on us? On her? I thought I would inspire good, not madness—"

"You have inspired good," Alfred interrupts. He holds out the iPad. On the screen was Rachel's face. "There is something you need to see."

Bruce reluctantly takes the iPad. "Hi Bruce," Rachel softly greets.

Bruce looks at Alfred, confused. "Alfred—"

"Bruce, I'm alive," Rachel tells him. "I don't know all the details. I certainly don't agree with the methods. But Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter saved me. I woke up here this morning."

"Where are you," Bruce asks.

Rachel sighs. "A safe house for the Justice League. I saw the news. Is Harvey okay?"

"He's in the hospital. Serious burns to his face. Are you okay?"

Rachel smiles. "I'm fine, Bruce."

Bruce stands up. "I need to go. Will I be able to talk to you this way?"

"Yes," Rachel answers. "Can you let Harvey know that I'm okay?"

Bruce nods before ending the call. He sets the iPad on his bed. "Where's Zoey?"

"I believe Ms. York mentioned that she would be hiding out and getting some work done," Alfred answers.

Bruce knew exactly where Zoey would be. The times when she didn't feel like going to her office at Wayne Enterprises, she would head down to the 38th floor. It was an empty office space of the Wayne Foundation building. No one had occupied it in years. She had found it one day while exploring the building.

"How much rent do you pay me for this space," Bruce amusedly asks. The space had floor-to-ceiling windows with breathtaking views of the city and harbor. He eyes the boxes of flat-pack furniture and the paint cans. "Did you even sign a lease? This is prime real estate. Someone could be jumping at the bit."

Zoey rolls her eyes. "I don't pay you shit," she argues with a smile. "And I did sign a lease for a space that had been empty for six years. For the record, your building manager said I didn't have to pay and I could do whatever I wanted."

Bruce steps off the elevator and finds Zoey sitting at the large coffee table in the corner of the room. Her laptop was sitting in front of her along with a stack of folders. He knew that Zoey would spend time working on her slowly growing media company. She had made it very clear that during the process of buying back the public Wayne Enterprises shares that she wanted to buy the Gotham Gazette. Given everything she had been doing to help him out, Bruce had no problem with it.

Hearing the elevator door open, Zoey had turned around. She had watched the news that morning. It had been replaying the terrifying events of the night before. She had gotten tired of listening to it and had just muted the TV in her office. Bruce had been lucky that she was the only one who actually worked in her office. Especially given that he was standing there still wearing most of the bat suit. She stands up and stares at him. She wasn't sure what to say. She opens her mouth to start, but Bruce quickly crosses the office. His lips are on hers. His hands are in her hair. She just lets herself go.

Zoey laughs. "You know, when I pictured having all the pillows and a coffee table instead of a regular office set up, this isn't what I had in mind." Pieces of the bat suit and her clothes were strewn around the office. She ignores the pang in her gut that this was more than likely a permanent goodbye between. The Joker would be caught and sent to supermax, Rachel would break up with Harvey, Bruce would finally get to be with the woman he loved, and she would go back to being alone. Zoey sits up and reaches for her water bottle, sitting on the coffee table. Her gaze lands on the TV as Bruce lightly runs his fingers over her back.

Bruce places his lips on her shoulder. He had only meant to talk to her about how Rachel ended up in the care of Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter; he didn't intend to kiss her or them to end up naked on the floor of her office. But he wasn't going to deny that he enjoyed it.

"Fuck me," Zoey mutters, reaching for the remote.

"I am trying to," Bruce murmurs against her shoulder. His hand snakes around her waist and his feather-like touch travels over her breasts. Zoey unmutes the TV.

"He's a credible source," the reporter by the name of Engel says. "An A and M lawyer for a prestigious consultancy. He says he's waited as long as he can for the Batman to do the right thing." Bruce looks up to see a man with a nervous, but confident look on his face. "Now he's taking matters into his own hands. We'll be live as we reveal the true identity of Batman, stay with us."

The TV cuts to a commercial. "That fucking cunt," Zoey exclaims. She looks at Bruce. "Coleman Reese came to me and Lucius the other day, said he knew the truth about Batman and demanded ten million a year for the rest of his life. Of course, Lucius pointed out if it was true, then why would he want to blackmail the person who spends his nights beating criminals to a pulp?" Zoey turns back to the TV. "You think going on national TV and exposing someone is going to get you ten million a year, you dumb fuck?"

Clothes drop into Zoey's lap and she shoots Bruce a questioning look. "We gotta make sure the Joker doesn't kill the dumb fuck," he tells her.

Zoey hastily pulls on her tank top and shorts, then catches up with Bruce at the elevator. "What do you mean by 'we'," she asks, as the elevator makes the short journey up to the penthouse. "I am not in the superhero business. I'm in the helping run billion-dollar company business."

"You're in the helping people business," Bruce argues as the elevator doors open to the penthouse. He immediately spots Alfred. "We already saw." He starts down the hallway to his bedroom. "Zoey, we're going out for lunch."

Zoey shakes her head. "I need to stop fucking people who like to dress up and fight crime," she mutters, walking towards her own bedroom. She quickly changes into a light blue bandage dress, cream sweater, and strappy heels. She shoves her iPad into a tote bag and runs out of her bedroom. She catches up to Bruce at the elevator.

"I need you plugged in, checking Gordon's men and their families," Bruce tells Alfred.

"Looking for," Alfred asks as they step onto the elevator.

"Hospital admissions."

"Will you be taking the batpod, sir?"

"In the middle of the day? Not very subtle, Alfred."

"The Lamborghini then. Much more subtle."

Zoey shakes her head. "I think you need to explain why I am a part of this."

"Because I need you," Bruce replies as the elevator speeds down the building. The elevator comes to a stop and Zoey watches as he steps out. She stands there for a moment, then follows after him. She silently curses herself as she climbs into the dark grey Lamborghini.

Bruce watches as the EMTs examine Zoey. He had made sure that the pickup truck had hit the back end of the Lamborghini in order so that neither one of them had any injuries. She had glared at him and he gave her an apologetic smile. He knew that she wasn't too happy with him at the moment. The truth was that he didn't actually need her there, he wanted her there. He watches as Zoey shoots the EMT an annoyed look and turns her attention back to her phone. "You okay, Mr. Wayne?"

Bruce looks to find Commissioner Gordon standing in front of him. "Call me Bruce," he replies. "I think so."

"That was a brave thing, you did."

Bruce scoffs, playing up the public persona of 'Bruce Wayne'. "Trying to catch the light?"

Gordon frowns. "You weren't protecting the van?"

Bruce turns and looks at the police van. He acts as if it's the first time he's ever seen it. He turns back to Gordon. "Why? Who's in it," he asks as Reese steps out of the van. He locks eyes with the Wayne Enterprises consultant and gives the man a subtle nod.

"You don't watch a whole of news, do you, Mr. Wayne?"

Bruce shrugs. "It can get a little intense. Zoey keeps up more with that stuff. Think we should go to the hospital?"

"Not today, I wouldn't."

Zoey walks over, acting as if they hadn't just been in a car accident that he had purposely caused. "Hi," she brightly greets Gordon. "You seem like the person who is in charge here."

Gordon awkwardly smiles at Zoey. Bruce fights to keep the amused look off his face. He knew Gordon well from his work as Batman, which meant that he knew that Gordon was taken back with Zoey's bright, bubbly personality. It was the face she put on when out in public. It was her defense mechanism when she didn't want to let people know that something was bothering her.

Gordon clears his throat. "I am," he tells her and holds out a hand. "Commissioner Gordon."

Zoey shakes his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Commissioner. I'm Zoey. Anyway, I have a quick question. How much longer is it gonna be? I only ask because I have an emergency that I need to deal with."

"Shouldn't be much longer, Ms. Queen. Just have to get a couple of witness statements from you and have the EMTs give you the all-clear."

Zoey smiles. "Thank you." She takes a seat on the curb next to Bruce and they watch as Gordon walks over to the police van.

"What emergency do you have to deal with," Bruce asks, bumping his shoulder against hers. Zoey wordlessly hands him her phone. On the screen was a press release: LexCorp announces its intention to buy The Daily Planet. "Why are you selling the Planet? I thought it was your bread and butter of YMG."

"I'm not. And it is," Zoey answers. "Lex is just being an asshole. Like always."

"I'll go to Metropolis—" Bruce is cut off when an explosion sounds in the distance. The once-bustling car accident scene goes silent.

Zoey shifts. "I can handle Lex on my own," she softly says. Her phone buzzes and she rolls her eyes, seeing Oliver's name on the screen. "You know, Oliver wasn't this fucking overprotective when we were married. It's so annoying." She shoots him a soft smile before standing up and walking towards a more private area.

Bruce runs a hand over his face. "Queen," he greets.

"I wanted to talk to Zoey," Oliver snaps. He was agitated. Waking up to see the footage of Zoey crash landing on top of a car with Batman wasn't something he enjoyed.

"She's asleep. Just a hairline fracture on her collarbone. Doctor said she would be fine," Bruce tells him.

"She got thrown out of a fucking window, Wayne. If you can't protect her, then you need to keep her away from Batman."

"Zoey makes her—"

"Zoey will end up getting herself killed by trying to help you. She tried to help me once and she nearly died, Bruce," Oliver snaps. He takes a deep breath. "You either need to find a way to protect her or you need to end it with her now. Because if you love Zoey as much as I think you do, you'd rather her be alive and pissed at you, then dead."

Bruce blinks. "I didn't think ex-husbands could do the overprotective older brother routine."

Oliver sighs. "I just got her back in my life, Bruce. Don't be the reason that I lose her again."

"I'm going to ask her to marry me," Bruce tells him.

"Just keep her safe and happy. Also, if you break her heart or worse, I will not hesitate to put a quiver of arrows in you. Batman suit or not."

Things in Gotham were slowly settling down in the days since the Joker had been apprehended. Zoey's trip to Metropolis had only lasted a couple of days and when she returned to Gotham she had brought Rachel with her. Rachel had held a press conference, thanking Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter for keeping her safe and promising to fully prosecute the Joker to the fullest extent.

Bruce had been paying attention to the press and the public. The public was angry that the GCPD had declared Batman it's most wanted; the public loved Batman. They also still loved Harvey Dent, who had tragically succumbed to the injuries the Joker had caused with the explosion. That was the story that had been spreading in the press. The reality was that Harvey had gone on a killing spree due to his own perceived grief. Harvey had refused to believe the truth; that Rachel was alive and safe.

Zoey, however, was not fine at the moment. She had been avoiding him since returning. He had talked with Rachel and learned that Zoey was mostly fine on the flight back to Gotham. Except for the stomach bug she seemed to have developed. Alfred had told him that nothing seemed out of the ordinary with Zoey. Which was why he was currently making his way towards her office in Wayne Tower.

Donna was sitting at her desk. "You have a meeting Friday at nine with Zoey and an architect," she tells him. "It's about helping to rebuild Gotham General. You should be there since Zoey wants to name it after your dad."

Bruce nods. "Where is she?"

"In her office."

Bruce silently makes his way to Zoey's office. He finds Zoey asleep on the couch. Her arm was still in the sling. Her shoes were by the door. He slips in and pulls a chair up. He doesn't miss the trash can sitting within arm's reach. He places a hand on the top of her head and lightly strokes her hair. She lets out a soft groan and opens her eyes. "Bruce," she softly asks, shifting on the couch. "What are you doing here?"

"I want to know why you've been avoiding me," Bruce tells her.

"I haven't been avoiding you. I've been busy. Work stuff."

"Bullshit."

"Bruce—"

"You don't get to hide things from me, Zoey. Because if something is going on, then you need to tell me. You don't get to go through this shit alone anymore. I love you." Bruce reaches into his blazer and pulls out a black velvet box. He opens it to reveal a pearl necklace. Zoey's gaze between the necklace and him. "It was my mother's. Your family isn't the only one to have a family vault."

Zoey blinks. "You…You love me."

"I do."

"So, Rachel—"

"Is just a friend," Bruce interrupts. "We crashed their date because I wanted to check out Dent. I wanted to make sure my friend wasn't dating a giant douche."

"Oh."

Zoey smiles at Rachel as the older woman walks onto the private jet. She turns to Oliver and smiles at him. "Thank you," she tells him. "I mean it. I know things between us haven't been the greatest, but, um, I really appreciate it."

"Zo, you know that I would do anything to help you," Oliver replies. "Which is why I'm going to tell you to stop being a fucking idiot."

"I-I-I…what?"

"I hurt you. I horribly hurt you, Zo. I see how happy you are with Bruce. Don't let what I did to you prevent you from being happy. Bruce loves you. He has for years. As far as Rachel goes, they are just friends. And I know he loves you. Because he told me he was going ask you to marry him."

Zoey blinks. "Bruce wants to marry me? And he told you first?"

Oliver shrugs. "Zo, I want you to be happy. He won't hurt you like I did."

"What did you say when he asked?"

"I told him if he hurt you, then I would put a shit ton of arrows in him. Batman armor or not." Zoey stares at him. She looks down at the ground and shakes her head. Oliver raises an eyebrow. He thought that she would be happy, hearing the news from him. Instead, she seemed sad. "Everything okay, Zo?"

Zoey forces a smile. "Yeah, yeah. Everything is fine. I'm just tired. I think I have some kind of stomach bug or something. I'll see you around." She starts towards the plane, but he grabs her arm.

Oliver moves close to her. Her reaction was not what he expected. "You need to tell me what's going on, Zoey."

"There's nothing going on. I'm fine."

"Bullshit. I tell you that Bruce wants to marry you and you're upset."

"I'm not upset."

Bruce had been paying attention to the press and the public. The public was angry that the GCPD had declared Batman its most wanted; the public loved Batman. They also still loved Harvey Dent, who had tragically succumbed to the injuries the Joker had caused with the explosion. That was the story that had been spreading in the press. The reality was that Harvey had gone on a killing spree due to his own perceived grief. Harvey had refused to believe the truth; that Rachel was alive and safe.

Bruce nods. "Where is she?"

"In her office."

"I want to know why you've been avoiding me," Bruce tells her.

"I haven't been avoiding you. I've been busy. Work stuff."

"Bullshit."

"Bruce—"

Zoey blinks. "You…You love me."

"I do."

"So, Rachel—"

"Is just a friend," Bruce interrupts. "We crashed their date because I wanted to check out Dent. I wanted to make sure my friend wasn't dating a giant douche."

"Oh."

"Zo, you know that I would do anything to help you," Oliver replies. "Which is why I'm going to tell you to stop being a fucking idiot."

"I-I-I…what?"

Zoey blinks. "Bruce wants to marry me? And he told you first?"

Oliver shrugs. "Zo, I want you to be happy. He won't hurt you like I did."

"What did you say when he asked?"

Zoey forces a smile. "Yeah, yeah. Everything is fine. I'm just tired. I think I have some kind of stomach bug or something. I'll see you around." She starts towards the plane, but he grabs her arm.

Oliver moves close to her. Her reaction was not what he expected. "You need to tell me what's going on, Zoey."

"There's nothing going on. I'm fine."

"Bullshit. I tell you that Bruce wants to marry you and you're upset."

"I'm not upset."

"You're not happy about it either. Tell me what's going on."

Zoey lets out a deep breath and tells the secret she had been hanging onto for years. Oliver stares at her, a shocked look on his face.

Zoey sits up. She takes a deep breath. "I have been avoiding you," she confesses. "But I'm fine." She shifts. "I'm pregnant. I, um, I had a new IUD put in before we went to Hong Kong. And, um, well, apparently the batch that my doctor was using was bad."

Bruce stares at her. "That makes you about eight weeks."

"Yeah. I only found out a few days ago because I thought I had a stomach flu and I went to the doctor. Look, if you don't want to be involved I understand. It's not exactly something we've ever talked about."

Bruce leans forward and softly kisses her. He places a hand on her stomach. "We've having a baby."

Zoey softly smiles. "Yeah."

"How was meeting with Luthor?"

"Oh, it went fine. Lex won't be bothering me anymore."

Bruce raises an eyebrow. "What did you do?"

"I threw up on him. Turns out I'm not the only one to hate him." She leans forward and presses her lips against his. For the first time in years, she felt happy. She felt that she could allow herself to enjoy being with him. He wraps his arm around her waist, pulling her onto his lap. At that moment, they just wanted to enjoy being with each other. It was something she wanted to last as long as it could.

I don't wanna touch you, I don't wanna be
Just another ex-love you don't wanna see
I don't wanna miss you (I don't wanna miss you)
Like the other girls do
I don't wanna hurt you, I just wanna be
Drinking on a beach with you all over me
I know what they all say, yeah
But I ain't tryna play

I wanna be your end game (End game)
I wanna be your first string (Wanna be your first string)
I wanna be your A-Team (A-Team)
I wanna be your end game, end game