Disclaimer: I do not own any DC Characters including Batman, Superman or anyone else. They all belong to their respected authors. As for Haley Brown, He's my original Character.

Hoody Boy: Elseworld Stories
The Adventures of Haley Brown
Arc Three, Part Three: Its a Wonderful Night

Zatanna had been signing Autographs for the last four and a half hours, or the whole train ride pretty much. The trek from Upstate New York to a change up in New York City to Gotham to the stops they had to pull to get there. Between that and have fans swamping her, she started to ask herself really if using magic to get by was really worth it. She shrugged it off when they announced over the intercom that they'd be in Gotham in about 10 minutes.

Zatanna went to her car and rubbed her right hand a moment and removed her wand. She tapped her wrist and smiled. She flexed it a minute, checking to see if it was alright and ruled it fine. She sat back and mentally prepped herself.

"Damn you Haley..." She mouthed silently.

"Damn me? Come on Z, I owe you one."

"Gah!" She said in surprise.

"Sorry," Haley apologized, "Usually I walk in on dreams but you weren't sleeping so I decided to float around the car for a few minutes."

"Did you scare anyone!" She asked.

"Well... I did flush the toilet a few times and make it jiggle. Heh, the guy in the next stall was rather put off..."

Zatanna frowned and rolled her eyes, "Alright, I'm doing you the favor, can you just let me have some peace and quiet right now?"

"I get it, damn Fans... I was talking with James a little while ago, he told me that there are a bunch of Impostors running around as me. They had to use deadly force on a few of them, we have one in the morgue right now." Haley said sitting down.

"Are you kidding me?" She asked.

"Hah! No Z, you can ask James yourself." Said Haley.

The train rolled to a stop at Gotham Grand Central. The Gothic Architecture, gargoyles and such seemed to just stare at Zatanna as she got off. She shuddered a bit as she walked off the Platform and into the building.

"That's James and Alice..." Haley answered.

Zatanna turned around and saw a lanky brown hair, brown eyed twenty something year-old standing there with his arms crossed. He scratched his chin and smiled. The blonde, whom Zatanna assumed to be Alice was short, roughly 5'3, with a look of innocence on her face. She smiled and the two of them started over.

"I take it you two are James and Alice?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'd look better but I forgot you were arriving today and got a few drinks." James replied.

"Alright, we got a place for you to stay. We'll be back tonight when we're ready to do this. You can relax until then." Alice answered, being straight forward and very precise.

Zatanna noted that that innocence on her face was a really good fake. This girl had been with Haley alright, she was very, very, very strong willed and the anticipation for bringing Haley back was almost shining off her.

The three of them walked out of the station into its vast parking lot. James walked off leaving the two standing there while he went and got the Miata. He pulled the car up and pulled the passenger set forward and gestured for Zatanna to get in first. She sat in the cramped back seat while James swerved through the streets. He pulled to a stop and Alice got out to let her out.

"Thanks guys..." She replied and shook Alice's hand.

She nodded back and went back into the passenger seat and the Miata sped off. Zatanna turned around and looked at where she was for the first time. She looked up and up even farther. Emblazoned on the top of the building was Wayne Suites.

"Damn Bruce..." She said amazed.

She stepped into the lobby and went over to the front desk, "Reservation for Zatara?"

"Ah yes Ma'am. The Presidential Suite, courtesy of Mr. Wayne himself. Do you have any bags?"

"No." She answered and took the key.

She walked into what was not just a room, or even a suite, it was a apartment. An Apartment filled with Art, Kitchen, Couch, TV and things that made Zatanna cozy ranch look tiny.

"Holy..." She whispered when she looked up.

A massive sparkling chandelier hung over her head lighting the whole second story of the place. She flopped down on the couch and hung her head back and took a breath. This was the life of the rich and famous. She rested for about an hour, taking a small cat nap on the couch and walking back into the Spa they called a bathroom. She took a shower, got dressed and again went over the mental proceedings.

A knock on the door woke her up. She shook her head to try and take away the fog on the edge of her vision.

"Zatanna?"

"Yeah, hang on a sec." She said and started walking towards the door.

She looked through the peep hole, James stood there crossing his arms. She opened the door and ushered him in.

"Alright, everything is set." James answered, "Let's get going."

The two of them walked out of the lobby and into the Miata. Compared to the back seat, the front seat was far less cramped. The two of them shot off and pulled to a stop at a red light.

"Hang on a sec." Zatanna answered removing her wand, "Neerg Sthgil"

The light switched to green and the little Miata sped down the street, the light changed to green again and James rolled through. They had green lights all the way to the Graveyard. The rolled up the drive and pulled to a stop about a minute later.

"I really have to learn some Magic." James said getting out of the car.

"I don't feel you have any magic in you, but you've been touched by it, that I am sure of." She replied and walked over to the grave.

A Red Fern was on the top of the grave, marking the spot. James looked around while Zatanna reached down and pulled up a piece of the dirt.

"Where the hell is Alice..." James answered.

Zatanna closed her eyes and felt around the grave, she could see Haley in the coffin, well the Spirit of Haley anyway. He waved at her and waited. She smiled and relaxed. She stood up and raised her arms. The wind howled and the leaves of the tree began to rustle. James shifted position. Zatanna focused harder onto the grave, the dirt still in her hand.

"Tirips fo Yelah, nioj htiw ruoy ydob dna emoceb eno niaga!" Zatanna shouted.

The grave rumbled and James stepped back. A Hand burst through the ground and pulled some of the dirt down as it tried to pull itself up. A brown and messy pile of Hair popped out of the ground and the hand crawled another piece of the ground. Haley clawed himself out coughing and spitting off to the side. James and Zatanna went over and grabbed him and lifted him up. He was dressed in a now dirty white shirt and his khaki pants and a pair of converse shoes.

Haley panted a sec, "Holy crap..."

Zatanna patted him on the back, with dust coming off with each hit. Haley walked away from the grave, his pistol was in his hand. He sank to his knees and took a breath.

"Where's Alice to bowl me over?" Haley asked.

"I dunno, she was here before any of us."

"My My Haley... you look pretty horrible..."

"Slade." Haley answered looking up.

Slade held a sword up to Alice's neck and smiled, he hand his hand over her mouth. They were hidden behind a large mausoleum and were coming straight for him. Haley got up on two wobbly legs, his chest going in and out.

"Let her you you sack of rat shit." Haley snapped.

"What are you going to do about it? You're weak, a Fly could have more effect on me..." Slade answered.

"You ever danced with a devil in the pale moonlight?" Haley asked shrugging Zatanna and James off of him.

He stood up fully erect, his eyes narrowed, his figure somewhat gaunt but still him. He eyed Slade, his rage taking over. He felt that old feeling, the one he'd felt back in underneath the Museum. His arms and legs tingled. Slade threw Alice aside and looked at Haley, his sword out, tip up and pointed at Haley.

Numbers began to flash across his eyes, he understood those numbers. He felt his mind gain full control and he liked it. The number of minutes remaining went to the top right hand corner of his eyes.

"Slade... you've been deemed with a minor threat rating now... I hope you like what I'm about to show you." Haley said tossing his Vesper aside.

"What would that be?" He asked.

Haley didn't respond and charged at Slade. He swung his sword and hit nothing to his surprise. Haley had slid in between his legs and threw a kick that sent him flying forward. He crashed into Haley headstone knocking it over. Haley started walking towards him, his hands clenched, his teeth grit.

"You killed me, on orders. My mother will pay dearly for messing with me. You..." Haley said pointing at him, "will suffer as well." Haley answered.

Slade got up and whipped the sword around. Haley stopped the blade with his thumb and index finger pinching it. His eyes stared emotionless into Slade. He didn't get it, how come he'd never seen this before. Haley shoved the sword out of his face and snatched Slade's neck and choked. Slade felt his wind pipe close up entirely and he began getting lightheaded almost immediately. Haley had his pressure point locked up and he'd be dead within two minutes.

Haley gritted his teeth and yanked Slade over his shoulder like a rag doll. Slade rolled across the ground and looked up at Haley's pair of Converse shoes. He pushed back and got to his feet. Within a second he drew his Shotgun and aimed. Haley threw a kick that knocked the gun around with the barrel pointing at Slade. He pulled the trigger and sent him flying into a tree. His back cracked up against the thing and his figure fell limp. Haley shook his head, the numbers disappearing from view. He threw the shotgun away and waited.

"He's done Haley..." James said looking at him.

Alice ran up to him and threw herself into him. Haley leaned back to balance her weight and his own. She kissed him deeply and they both toppled over. Zatanna looked around the graveyard then down at Haley and Alice and then at James who smiled.

"Well this has been a wonderful night hasn't it." Zatanna answered, "I think we should all go back to my hotel room and just relax, because this has been most trying."

Haley managed to pull himself away from Alice's kiss for a second, "Can we get some hamburgers and shit before we go to your room? I'm hungry."

Zatanna nodded and the four of them started to the Miata, Alice still attached to Haley's head like a face hugger from the movie Alien.