Harrah's
Penthouse
Morning-ish

The light was sneaking through the crack in the curtains. Zatanna was not entirely sure when she fell asleep, but she had a vague memory of Bruce rolling her off of him before she slipped into something approaching a coma. She stretched and winced.

Sore. The best kind of sore.

Reaching her hand out, she searched for his warm body. And searched.

For heaven's sake...no one needs a bed this big.

Giving in, she sat up and looked around the room. The suit she had put him in for the casino was laying neatly in the chair in the corner. If he left, he left in his boxers. As a smile crossed her face at the possibility, she heard the shower turn on.

Target acquired.

She got up and walked to the bathroom; steam was coming out of the cracked door. A bit unsure, she knocked.

"Are you willing to share the hot water?"

It took him several seconds to answer.

"Yes." His voice was low and quiet.

She took a deep breath and stepped into the room. Through the fog, she could see him working a washcloth over his muscles. After the night they had just shared, she had no idea why she was suddenly nervous again, but with another deep breath she got in with him. He was facing away from her as he let the water run over his head. In the bright lights of the bathroom, she could see every scar that marred his back. One in particular drew her gaze: halfway down, jagged and oblong. If she traced it to the front of his body, it would have ended just below the base of his sternum.

Talon assassin. Stabbed through the gut. One of my closest brushes with death.

Her hand rose to feel it with a feather-light touch. He seemed to tense at the contact. She ran her fingers down a short distance before pulling it away and rethinking her decision to join him.

Shit. Shitshitshit.

He was already regretting what they did. Now he wouldn't even look at her; didn't want her to touch him. Her mind was racing and she felt like she was going to hyperventilate.

Escape. Just get the fuck out.

As she reached for the shower door, he moved his left hand behind him, holding the soapy washcloth. He still hadn't turned around. Her hands were shaking so badly that she didn't know if she could hold onto it, but she finally took the cloth from him and stepped forward. Willing her hand to steady, she started slowly rubbing his back with the cloth. Starting at the shoulders and neck, she worked slow circles, scrubbing his skin. He seemed to relax under her touch, so she began to massage his muscles. Taking her time, she made sure to clean and rub each inch of skin until she reached his lower back. She was still afraid he was going to bolt, so she didn't press her luck and rub lower like she wanted. When her hands had been still for a moment, he finally turned.

"Thank you." His face was serious, eyes distant, but he reached and took the washcloth from her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and changed their positions, with her facing into the hot water, his body close behind her. It was his turn to wash her back. He mimicked her cleaning, rubbing her muscles and washing his way down. To her disappointment, he also stopped at her lower back. She quickly shampooed her hair and turned to rinse it, sneaking a peek at his face. Still serious. Still distant.

Is he sleep walking?

When she was clean, she finally got fed up with the weirdness and glared at him.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong or are you just going to stare me to death?"

"I'm just distracted. Sorry." He didn't sound sorry. He had the distracted part down, though.

She thought a moment. "Kate called."

"Yes. Maroni is being extradited to New York in two hours. I need to leave soon to intercept him."

"We. We need to leave."

"No. You're staying here." His words were matter-of-fact as he turned the shower off before stepping out and grabbing a towel.

"Bullshit!" She said a little too loudly, throwing on her robe.

He turned to give her a hard stare. "You're not going."

"Why? You need my help." Was he punishing her for last night? Blaming her for the failure at Caesar's?

"I can handle it on my own. This isn't a debate." His voice was completely steady and it was pissing her off. She realized she wasn't talking to Bruce...she was talking to Batman. And Batman was being an ass. He wrapped the towel around his waist and walked into the bedroom. "I need clothes."

Gee, since you asked so nicely…

"Then go to the fucking store. You don't need my help, right?" She spit the words at him and he turned to stare his Batman stare at her again.

"Can you be petty later? This is important." She hated the tone of his voice. Her hands clinched into fists, but she resisted the urge to try to break that damn chiseled nose again.

"Your withering glare won't work on me, Batman. Go to hell."

"You want to help so much? Help by giving me some goddamn clothes, Zatanna. I don't have time to argue with you!" His voice was building to an intimidating tone and his hands clinched into fists that matched hers. She tried not to show her fear, but it reminded her of being back in the gym when she had bitten into his arm. He was blocking the exit. A spell came to the front of her mind, ready to render him helpless if he made a move toward her. Without realizing it, she had started to back away from him and her hands had raised into a defensive position he had shown her during training.

His face suddenly changed. He looked shocked...pained. His hands relaxed.

"Zatanna...I...I'm..." He held his hand out to her as he stammered. She had no desire to take it. She felt like she didn't even know who she was looking at anymore. "Fuck..." He stepped away from her, sitting down on the bed and rubbing his forehead.

Bruce

There are a lot of ways for a plan to go sideways. Forgetfulness. Human error. Poor planning. Bruce wondered what it was called when someone fucked something up in every way possible. He had wanted to gain Zatanna's trust. Since he had started training her, he had resolved to make her feel like part of the team; make her feel safe. Now he had fucked her, made her feel like a second-tier team member, and scared her into a corner...all in less than 24 hours. Yeah, there's no word for this level of fuck up.

"Sehtolc no." Her voice was an unsteady whisper- trembling hand held out to him. He looked down to see he was now dressed in a black pair of chinos and black polo shirt. His stomach tightened seeing her face. She was hurt and afraid.

"Zee...please come sit down. I'm sorry." She didn't move. "You can tie my hands again if it makes you feel better." His attempt at a joke fell flat and she continued to stare wide-eyed at him. Her hands had fallen to her sides, at least. Despite the fact that he knew she could flay him alive with a few syllables, he decided to take a risk. He stood and quickly moved to her before she had time to react. She had no room to get away and just as she was about to speak, he pressed his lips to hers. He brought his hands up to cup her face and rub his thumbs along her jawline, wanting her to relax. After a few moments, he felt a slight release in the tension of her neck. He pulled back so that his lips were just brushing against hers.

"I'm sorry. Please don't turn me into a pile of dirt. I deserve it, but please don't." He continued to hold her mouth to his.

"I am not a child." Her voice was sharp.

"I know."

"Then stop treating me like one."

He pulled his head back enough to look in her eyes.

"If I were treating you like a child, last night wouldn't have happened."

"I'm not talking about last night. That's over. I'm talking about the League. I'm not a goddamn child." Her hands were in fists again.

"I know." He repeated, letting his hands fall to his side and taking a step back.

"You don't trust me." She wasn't asking and trying to explain wasn't likely to help. His phone buzzed on the nightstand.

"You're not ready." She didn't seem impressed with his avoidance of the topic. Buzz.

"You should go. Batman has work to do," her words were mumbled as she walked across the room and headed down the stairs.

Picking up his phone, he read the message with Maroni's extradition schedule. He had an hour and still had to suit up and get the jet ready. Putting the phone in his pocket, he descended the stairs and found her at the bottom, repairing the vase that they had knocked over. He couldn't think of anything that would make the situation better, so he leaned and kissed the top of her head. She stiffened and didn't turn to face him.

"Good luck with the rest of your shows. See you in a couple of weeks." He wondered if he actually would as he closed the door behind him.

Zatanna

Her head was pounding and she felt like she was going to throw up. Stumbling to the couch, she sat down and put her head in her hands.

What the fuck just happened?

She knew jumping him would be a mistake, but this was on another level. At worst, she thought there would be a few awkward encounters until they settled back into a semi-comfortable working relationship. It was never all that comfortable to start with. Now, there wouldn't be a working relationship at all. No way would he let her stay a part of the League if he didn't trust her enough to finish a damn extraction mission. Somewhere on the couch, her phone was buzzing. She found her purse and pulled it out.

12 missed phone calls, 43 texts. Her crew. She had been so wrapped up in destroying her life that she hadn't talked to them since the last show.

"I'm fine, just needed a break," she texted Tony. He would be the least nosy about what was going on. Next, she dialed Sophie, who would be freaking out. She was already yelling when the phone connected.

"Bruce Wayne? Are you insane? You're seeing Bruce Wayne? The very definition of asshole playboy and you're seeing him? Are you insane?"

"You already asked that. I'm not seeing Bruce Wayne."

"Tell the press! The two of you are on the front page of every gossip rag in the country. Are you insane?" Sophie was screeching in her ear and it was making her head pound harder.

Yes, I'm insane. And stupid and ruined.

"Sophie, it's fine. He's gone and won't be back. Just relax." She was trying to sound calmer than she was. The last thing she needed was to alienate her stage crew because of this. "We have a show in a few hours. Meet me backstage at 4:00 and you can lecture me in person."

"Fine, but be prepared for a long lecture. You're completely insane." She hung up the phone.

Zatanna laid down on the couch and pulled her knees to her chest. Sleeping until 4:00 would be easiest. Maybe it would stop her from thinking for a while.

Batman
Las Vegas

Perched on the roof of the Boulder Station Hotel and Casino, Batman knew he would have very little time to intercept the transport vehicle before they got to the traffic around the airport. He wasn't fond of blatantly interfering with the police in another city (particularly in broad daylight), but he had little choice. Once Maroni was in New York, he would be almost untouchable. The list of charges was long. Racketeering, bribery, forgery, assault, money laundering...they had been building their case in secret for years. Gordon likely had a list just as long for Gotham. With someone like Maroni, you didn't want to move until you could lock them up for good, preferably taking their cronies down with them. He knew this wouldn't go over well, but he hoped he could break Maroni quickly, find the shipment, and deliver him to the NYPD before it got too messy.

"How long?"

"At their current speed, two minutes. You should be able to see them coming over the hill in about 30 seconds. That should give you enough….FUCK!" The sound of an explosion to the north made his head jerk up in time with Kate's curse.

"Batwoman? What the hell's happening?" He was grappling toward the smoke as quickly as he could manage, realizing stealth was not an option at this point.

"The squad car was attacked. An explosion took out the building in front of them. Two black vans and three...no...four black cars are surrounding the area."

He wasn't moving fast enough. This part of Vegas wasn't set up for easy movement across rooftops.

"Talk, Kate!"

"At least a dozen armed men. They're dragging Maroni out of the squad car. Batman, these guys are armed to the teeth." Her voice sounded worried.

"I'm almost there. Don't lose Maroni." He could see the smoke and flames coming up three blocks away. His mind raced. The plan was already imperfect and now it had been, quite literally, blown to hell.

"They have him in the van. It looks like they're going to head west along 159 right through the Arts district. I'll see what's ahead. Be careful, Batman. I don't think they left anyone behind, but..."

"Track him Kate, that's all you need to worry about," he was panting from the effort of trying to reach the explosion site. When he did, he stopped to assess the damage. The squad car was flipped and on fire. He looked around to see if the cops had escaped. No sign.

"Kate, the cops are still in the car. I have to get them out. Don't lose him."

"I won't. Do what you need to."

He landed next to the car. Using his cape to shield himself from the flames, he pulled the car door open and cut the driver's seat belt before reaching to do the same to the passenger. They were both still alive. The driver was wedged in and it looked like his right leg was broken in several places; the car needed to be flipped over. Pulling out his grappling gun, he fired toward the light pole that was still standing on the opposite side of the road. He attached the base of the gun to the frame of the car and pushed the retraction button as he lifted. The combined effort caused the car to flip and land violently onto its wheels. Sirens were getting closer the longer he worked; he needed to be gone before anyone else arrived. There were enough civilians converging as it was. He climbed on top of the car and used his pneumatic mangler to cut the roof open. Finally having access to the cops, he pulled them both out, trying to brace their necks as best he could, and dropped them onto the sidewalk a safe distance away. The car was now completely engulfed in flames. As the first firetruck topped the hill to the north, he grappled up and out of sight.

"They're out. Where's Maroni?"

"Headed south on 215. I'm guessing Las Vegas Airport. There's a jet waiting on the tarmac. Since when does Maroni have this kind of firepower?"

"He doesn't. Something else is going on." He stood on the rooftop, not knowing his next step. "I'll never get there in time, will I?"

"Not unless Zee taught you had to teleport while you were there. Why isn't she with you? They're almost to the airport."

"Goddamn it! Track the plane. This is over. I need to get out of sight."

"I'm sorry, Batman. I don't even know what to say." She sounded as pissed as he did.

"Not your fault. We need to reset. This can't just be about Maroni. Call Tim. He needs to be on patrol tonight. Tell him to wear my old suit and be seen."

"What? It's Barb's night to patrol."

"Too many civilians saw me here, Kate. I need Batman to be sighted in Gotham before Bruce Wayne leaves Vegas. I'll find a place to lie low and then make a show of returning tonight."

"Got it. Don't worry. We'll make sure you're in two places at once." She disconnected the line. Zatanna was right. The casino wasn't a disaster. This was a disaster.

Zatanna
Harrah's
Showroom Backstage

"...and you're not even in Gotham! I could understand if you're in Gotham. Pickings are slim. You're in Vegas. There are rich, handsome men around every corner that you could jump in bed with. You choose Bruce Wayne? Did I mention you're insane? Because you're absolutely insane." Sophie had not paused to take a breath since Zatanna had walked backstage.

"I think you may have mentioned it once." She mumbled, not wanting to listen, but knowing she fully deserved every bit of the lecture.

"Now you're on every page of every paper in the known universe," she exaggerated, "and it's all everyone will be asking about for the next six months."

"You're being a bit dramatic now, aren't you? We went to a casino, we had dinner..."

"And you spent two nights with him in your penthouse." She interrupted.

One night, technically…

"It was nothing. Less than nothing. And you have nothing to worry about." She lied.

"Nothing?"

"Completely, absolutely, utterly nothing." Lies.

"Sex with Bruce Wayne isn't nothing. It's a lot of something." This conversation was going nowhere.

"I'll lock myself in the penthouse for the rest of the tour, okay? Will that make you happy?"

"No, but it will keep you out of trouble. You're insane." Sophie was only looking out for her, she knew that, but she was tired of the topic.

"Let's get ready. We need to make sure everything is set." It was time to focus. She was relieved that she had a show to pour her attention into for the evening.

The performance was electric. Maybe it was the combination of anger and frustration that drove her to put on one of the best shows she had in a long time. Or maybe it was the fact that she didn't allow herself to think about anything other than the moment. The crowd made her feel alive...welcomed...loved. She felt at home, and the audience was her family, embracing her with their applause. But these moments pass. They always pass. The brief highs followed by lows that she tried to cover up ever since she lost her father. And now, without the League to fill her free time, she knew those lows were going to be unbearable.

Sitting in her dressing room and coming off of the adrenaline high of performing, she could feel the letdown creeping into her gut.

"Want to grab some food?" Sophie's voice had lost its chastising edge.

"I'm not hungry yet, but thanks." She wanted to be alone to sulk.

"Well, we were going to see if we could drive by the explosion site first...it sounds like a mess."

"Explosion site? What are you talking about?"

"Seriously? It's been all over the news. An explosion and a cop car and something about a bunch of guns. We probably can't get close, but we thought we'd try." Jenny's voice was filled with excitement. As if Gotham didn't have these kinds of incidents on a daily basis.

Gotham...Batman...SHIT. It couldn't be a coincidence. This had something to do with Maroni.

"Uh...thanks, you two, but I'm worn out. Breakfast tomorrow? Brunch, maybe. You can catch me up on all of the details. I'm turning in early." She needed to get to a computer to find out what happened.

"No gym?"

No point.

"Not tonight. Just a bubble bath and room service. Call me when you get up." She willed her voice to sound as normal as possible, and it worked well enough that they bid her goodnight and left her alone.

"Annataz to esuohtnep."

Rummaging through her luggage, she found her laptop and waited impatiently while it started up. She checked her phone...nothing from the League. Letting out a small sigh, she took that as a good sign. Surely someone would have contacted her if something truly catastrophic had happened.

Logging onto her computer, she started pulling up news sites. The story was everywhere.

"Mobster Escapes Police Custody Following Fiery Explosion in Las Vegas."
"Police Unable to Confirm Sightings of the Batman at Vegas Explosion Site."
"Two Police Officers in Critical Condition after Ambush on Vegas Streets."
"Dozens Injured in Building Explosion. No Deaths Reported."

Zatanna studied the pictures of the crash and explosion site with care. She couldn't make out much due to the smoke in the area, but one shot of the police car showed a shadowy figure perched atop the roof. He had stopped to help the police and Maroni had gotten away. She slammed the laptop shut.

Goddamn stubborn fool.

If only she'd been there… She picked up her phone, wanting to call and cuss him up and down for his stupidity. Her finger hovered over his name. Taking a deep breath, she put the phone back down. He would be pissed enough on his own without having to listen to her. She curled up on the couch again.

Can I just start this whole week over?