Zatanna
Before

A cool breeze ruffled her hair while she stared at the stars overhead. She knew her father would be expecting her home, but she didn't want to leave yet; the night was peaceful and she was in good company. Dick's hand was warm in hers and every time she looked at him, he had a grin on his face. That makes two of us.

He had finally gotten around to asking her out and they were on their first date. Sitting in the middle of Gotham Central Park, it felt like they were the only two people in the world.

"Thanks for tonight," he said, breaking a long stretch of silence...and grinning.

"I should be thanking you," she said, "you paid for dinner."

"Bruce did, technically."

"Oh, don't tell him that. He thinks I'm a monster"

Narrowing his eyes, he squeezed her hand tighter. "You know that's not true. He let you in the Titans, didn't he?"

"Maybe not a monster, but he sure doesn't trust me. I'm surprised he let you come out with me tonight. Or does he even know?"

"He knows I'm with you. Just give him time...he'll learn to love you, too."

"Uh..." Her eyes widened at his statement, wondering if he realized what he just said.

"I mean...not that I'm...what I meant was..." he stammered and turned the brightest shade of red. He took a breath before speaking again, the grin returning. "The whole team loves you, Zee. You're part of us, now."

"Nice save, Robin," she laughed, resting her head on his shoulder. Rolling his eyes, he pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers.

"I don't want to take you home," he said, their lips still touching.

"If you don't, my dad will turn you into a frog."

"Worth it," he said, kissing her again.

Now

At least it wasn't a nightmare.

Zatanna woke with the images still fresh in her mind. It certainly wasn't the first time she had dreamed of Dick, but it didn't help her forget about their fight. She needed to get a grip before she caused more trouble for the League. Personal problems had no place on the Watchtower. If he showed up at another meeting, she would ignore him...simple as that.

You're nothing if not delusional, Zee.

She was glad to have work to dive into for the day. Evening training would help, too; she needed to punch something.

"Why are you so amped up today?" Sophie asked after an hour of practicing.

"I'm not. It's called being focused," she replied, hanging upside down over the fire she had set on the backyard patio. Slipping her hands free from the handcuffs and loosening the chains, she swung out and did a back flip before landing on her mark at the front of the fake "stage".

"Time?"

"28 seconds from fire to landing," Jenny responded with a nod. "Not too shabby."

"It's getting there. I could be quicker."

"The back flip was a nice touch. Maybe add a twist for flare?" Sophie suggested.

"I'm not an acrobat, for crying out loud. I'll break my neck if I try that," Zee responded.

"You dated an acrobat." Zatanna shot Sophie an angry look and she shrugged. "Just saying. He could give you some tips if you want to up your game."

"I don't need help from Dick Grayson." And I don't want to think about him right now.

"You need a man. He's a man. And you're still in love with him, so why not?"

"I am not in love with him!" Her voice had risen, sick of the prodding. It was like he was haunting her steps.

"Well, screaming about it certainly makes it more true."

Jenny, likely not wanting to help cover up a murder, finally intervened and recommended that they move on to work on the finale. They had decided that the tiger trick would be fine, with some levitation thrown in for extra flare.

Zatanna let them call it an early day and the girls left at 4:00. Sophie had reluctantly apologized for giving her shit about Dick after Jenny threatened to make her walk home. Zee just wanted to rest. She could handle the physical rigors of being a stage performer and working with the League, but emotional turmoil always dragged her down the hardest. It was why she needed to make peace with Dick, even if that meant stopping her affair with Bruce. She didn't like the thought, but she knew it was only a matter of time before he ended it, anyway...either for Dick's sake or because Selina came back or he moved on to someone else.

She curled up in bed, needing a nap before she went to the Watchtower for training. Just let this be dreamless again.

The Voice

Time never much mattered to him. Not for the last several centuries, at least. If patience was a virtue, he was the most virtuous being who had ever lived. Regular humans moved so quickly...rushing through life as if they were dying tomorrow. And maybe they were. Immortality can warp your perception of time; especially when you spend centuries imprisoned. Your mind finds a way to stop caring.

His reverie was broken by the approaching intruder. Opening his eyes, he raised a hand and cut the prying signal off.

Sooner than I had expected. Impressive.

He closed his eyes again and went back into his thoughts.

Bruce
Batcave

Barbara had tracked down a drone that suited their needs. Knowing her, there was likely some hacking and questionable ownership involved, so Bruce decided not to ask how it was procured.

"You want me to fly it?" He asked, not content to just be an onlooker.

"Hell no. I found it, I fly it. You watch," she said, having entirely too much fun already.

Sitting down in the chair next to her, he watched the monitors as the drone covered miles and miles of desert. It would occasionally pass over an isolated village before more sand.

"What direction are we going here?"

"East. I'll fly it 80 miles or so south of Cairo across the Nile before I turn it north. I'm doing my best to keep it out of sight and out of radar range of the big cities. If it gets shot down, I want it to be in a remote area. No need to put anyone in danger for recon."

After 20 more minutes of flying, the drone crossed the Nile. Another 15 minutes and it crossed the Gulf of Suez. Barb started to turn north, heading toward the coordinates of the vacant lot.

"What kind of tech do we have on this thing?"

"You ask a lot of questions, you know."

"Detective," he reminded her. "What kind?"

"3D photography, infrared, and LiDAR. Why do you think it took me so long to get one? I wanted to get the data in one trip, not a dozen."

"Can you fly it back here afterward? Sounds handy." He smiled at her, impressed with her acquisition.

"Assuming I don't wreck it or get shot out of the sky, I was planning on returning it. Make your own," she grinned back, shaking her head at him. "Okay, we're almost there."

The drone slowed and Barb began making sweeps across the area. Five minutes in, they started to get results.

"You see this?" Barb asked.

"There's something under the surface. Can you tell how deep?"

"Not really. Shallow enough that the drone can detect the abnormalities in the ground. I'm guessing that's where the crates were before they were shipped."

He moved closer to the screen, trying to detect any sort of pattern to the abnormalities. When he did, the drone image showed a bright flash before going black.

"Barb?"

"Um...I'm not sure. I don't think I'm in control anymore," she said, fiddling with the keyboard.

"Who is?"

She shrugged and continued working with the controls, trying to regain the picture. When it finally came back up on the screen, the drone was headed over water before making a deliberate and sharp turn downward.

"Well, I guess I won't be returning it."

"That site was more than just a storage location. Someone's still there," Bruce said, pulling the 3D images up.

"There or nearby. I have no idea how they could have overridden my security so quickly. It was instantaneous." She was pissed now, angrily typing.

"We got what we needed. A few more passes wouldn't have made a big difference," he said, trying to keep her from flipping out. She finally turned the broken feed off and started going through the images they had accumulated.

"I know what you're thinking, but don't. Not yet," Barb said, reading his mind as he looked at the screen.

"It has to be checked out."

"And it will be, but intelligently. Batman flying in and stomping around the area isn't intelligent. We know the crates aren't there, so finding them takes priority. After that, we can figure out who downed the drone."

"Okay. Get this sent out to the team. Good work, Batgirl."

Zatanna
Before

"Zee?" The soft knock on the door broke her trance. "Hey. Have you eaten?"

Dick entered her room with a plate of pasta and a glass of water. Setting it down on the nightstand, he smoothed her hair and sat on the bed.

"Not hungry," her voice was weak and she didn't open her eyes.

"I didn't ask that," Dick replied. "Eat or I'll stay here and nag."

With a sigh, she sat up and took a bite of the food and a sip of water. It hit her stomach like a rock; she hadn't eaten in two days - not since her father died. She leaned back in the bed and rubbed her temples.

"Is everyone gone?"

"Yeah, I shooed everyone out. Told them you needed to rest."

"I don't need a babysitter, Dick." She was too upset to be friendly.

"Good, because I'd make a terrible one. I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fucking fantastic. You can leave."

Ignoring her, he climbed into the bed, pulling her over to lay across his chest. She didn't fight it, resting her head over his heart. The tears started to flow again, soaking his shirt while he rubbed her back and stroked her hair.

"I'm so sorry, Zee," he whispered. When the tears finally started to ease, she shifted and laid on her back. Dick propped himself on his elbow and turned her head to look at him. "Do you want me to go?"

She shook her head and looked back to the ceiling, trying to control her thoughts. Wiping the moisture from her face, she took a deep breath before turning her body to face him.

"You should try to slee..." Her lips cut off his words and she pulled his body closer. He put a hand behind behind her neck and his tongue entered her mouth. Moaning, he shifted until he was on top of her and deepened their kiss as her hands started to work down the buttons of his shirt. Pulling his head back, he looked in her red, swollen eyes.

"I'm not sure we should do this. Not while you're upset," he said, his breathing heavy.

"Please. Just...make me feel...something. Please, Dick." She pulled him back down, lips pressing against his as her hands pushed his shirt off. The familiar taste of his mouth caused the tears to well in her eyes again. He broke their kiss.

"Zee..." His fingers brushed tears from her cheeks. "You know I want this, but not for the wrong reasons."

"Then just go," she tried to make the words harsh, but her voice was weak, hands pulling his body back down so she could feel him. His eyes closed and he took a shaky breath through clinched teeth, fingers still tracing along her cheeks.

"I love you," he whispered as his lips returned to hers.

Now

She woke even more upset, her mind reeling from the realism of the dream. Not even sleep was a refuge anymore...unless Bruce was there, but that wasn't something she could rely on. She considered meditation to try to purge the thoughts from her head, but was worried it would lead to more visions.

No escape.

Looking at the clock, she decided to go to the Watchtower early. It was only 6:00, but it would give her time to release some frustration.

Maybe I can make myself too tired to think.

Bruce
Watchtower

RECOGNIZE: BRUCE WAYNE

Barry turned to give him a nod as he entered the monitoring room.

"Anything new?" He asked, foregoing a greeting.

"Nothing much. Robin just started his patrol. Superman is covering some civil unrest in Pakistan, but I think he has it almost wrapped up. Zee's already in the gym. In fact, she got here a little after six; she still seems upset." Barry was there for the scene with Dick, too. He knew Zatanna wouldn't be happy that everyone was focusing on what happened.

"Okay, I'll be in the gym. Let me know if you need anything."

"Uh huh," he said, turning back toward the monitors.

Bruce walked to the gym, wondering what had brought his sparring partner in so early. When he entered, she was working the heavy bag: face flushed, sweat dripping, grunting with each shot.

"You going to stand there and stare...or get to work?" She asked between grunts after he had been watching her for a few minutes.

He walked to the bench and wrapped his hands, keeping an eye on her as she threw her weight into each punch.

"Maybe you should break a second. Take a drink." She ignored him, spinning to kick the bag before throwing another punch. "Zatanna."

Stopping, she turned and glared at him. Her eyes were on fire, clearly not wanting to be interrupted.

"You want me to stop being a shitty fighter, let me fucking practice."

He smirked at her angry outburst and moved closer, putting his arms around the bag. The anger certainly wasn't a turnoff.

"Wouldn't you rather punch me instead?"

Taking a deep breath, she leaned against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor.

"Sorry. I'm not mad at you. Just mad in general."

He grabbed her water bottle from the bench and handed it to her.

"You're in the right place. Let's practice."

She drained the bottle in a few seconds and her breathing slowed slightly. "Sure are brave now that I already wore myself out," she said, holding her hand out for him to help her up. He pulled her to her feet and held her against him for a moment, brushing strands of sweaty hair from her face before walking her over to the mat.

"Let's try something new. You're doing well with Muay Thai. Heard of Krav Maga?"

"I've heard it's hard. I haven't even finished learning the last one," she replied, stretching her arms over her head.

"It is hard. So is Muay Thai. Switching will require all of your concentration. You won't be able to think about anything else."

She grinned, following his train of thought. "Sounds perfect. Get started."

Deciding she had already done enough cardio for several evenings, he started with basic stances again. Like the last time, she picked them up quickly. She was focused and serious the entire time, studying everything about the way he stood and held his hands...even asking questions about weight distribution and leverage. When their time was up, she asked if they could keep going for another hour.

"I think you're tired enough. You look like you're about to fall over," he said.

"Good. Push me until I actually do."

"No. You're going to hurt yourself." He walked away from the mat and unwrapped his hands. As he grabbed another bottle of water, he turned to see her heading back to the bag. "Zee, stop."

"No. Leave if you want to. I'm staying." She was hitting the bag even harder this time around.

He stepped to her and grabbed her fist before her next punch could land.

"Hey. Just stop a minute," he said, grabbing her other hand before she could use it to break loose. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. I just want to work out," she lied, jaw tight and eyes still blazing.

"Try again," he said in a low voice, putting both of her hands in his left and tracing her cheekbone with his thumb. Her eyes fluttered closed under his touch and she stepped closer to him.

"Fine. You win. I'm going home," she finally said. "You remember the address." Her lips lightly brushed his before she stepped back and vanished.

Zatanna
Shadowcrest

She had briefly considered going to another gym to finish wearing herself out, but decided against it when she took a few steps at home - her legs had the structural integrity of overcooked noodles. She wasn't even sure she could lift her arms to wash her hair. If her goal was to reach the point of exhaustion, she had pretty much achieved it. Turning the shower on to a cool spray, she got in and let the water flow over her head and lower her body temperature back down. After a few minutes, she managed to find the arm power to quickly wash her hair and body. It was only 10:00 when she collapsed onto the bed. She didn't want to attempt sleep yet, afraid that the dreams would return. Taking out The Rosicrucian Enlightenment, she leaned back and tried to bury herself in studying.

Her eyelids started feeling heavy after about an hour. Just as she was considering giving up and sleeping, she felt a familiar energy before an unnatural buzzing sound came from the closet. Bruce opened the door and walked in, still in his workout clothes. She fought a smile as he walked toward the bed.

"I guess that's better than the window. How did you override security on the Zeta tube?"

"I built the programming for it," he shrugged. "Can I use your shower?"

She nodded and looked back to her book, trying to play it cool, but no longer absorbing anything she was reading. When the shower turned off, she felt the heat between her legs start to rise. He probably wouldn't stay long, but maybe a good fuck would work just as well for exhaustion and help her sleep. When he walked out, he had a towel wrapped around his waist and was using another to dry his hair.

"Koob ot flehs, kram ym ecalp." She stood and walked, weak-legged, to stand in front of him. The towel didn't hide the fact that he was already aroused and she smiled up at him as he tossed the spare towel onto the floor. His hair was a mess and his eyes were dark as he looked down at her. He lifted a hand to her neck and rested it there.

"Are you going to tell me what tonight was about?" He asked, voice low and husky.

"Nope," she said, reaching forward to pull the towel off of his waist and stroke him with her fingertips. He was in no condition to demand that she talk, and she loved the sense of control she had as he stood there naked and aroused while she was still in her tank top and shorts. Her eyes held his and she continued to gently stroke up and down his length. The room was quiet aside from their heavy breathing; his hand was tracing the muscles on the side of her neck. He pulled her closer and pressed his lips to hers, sighing when she let her tongue dart out and taste his mouth. Deepening their kiss, he walked them closer to the wall and pulled her shirt off. She grunted at the effort of lifting her arms over her head and he smiled against her mouth.

"Told you...tired enough."

"Tuhs pu," she murmured back. He laughed and pulled her shorts and underwear down. He ran his hands up her thighs to her hips and lifted her up, tongue gently moving against hers. Lowering her onto him, he moaned into her mouth and wrapped his right arm around her waist. He didn't seem to notice her weight as he began to move her up and down. His other hand went up to tangle in her hair, his lips leaving hers when he started to pant and groan. She watched his face, wanting to memorize everything about being with him. Why can't I dream about this?

His pace quickened and he let her shoulders lean back against the wall, thrusts becoming frantic and hard. She could feel herself ready to climax and dug her nails into his shoulders as he grunted and twisted her hair tighter in his grip.

"Fuck..." The word came through his teeth like a hiss when he pulled her down onto him and thrust her against the wall, letting himself come as her orgasm made her muscles pulse around him. "Fuck, Zee," he hissed again, still moving her up and down, panting hard in her ear. She finally felt his arm start to shake under her body and he took a deep breath before lifting her off of him and carrying her to the bed. Laying her down, he stretched out next to her and stared at the ceiling, catching his breath. Zatanna rolled onto her stomach and turned her head to watch him, still wanting to memorize the night. It was several minutes before he finally looked at her.

"Okay. Now tell me what's going on."

"Nope. You've lost all your leverage now, detective."

He huffed and turned to his side, running his hands along her arm and back.

"You're getting strong," he said, tracing lines along the muscle definition she had developed since she started working with him.

"Strong-er. I'm certainly not bounce-someone-on-my-cock-with-one-arm-for-fifteen-minutes strong." She let her eyes close and enjoyed the feeling of his rough hand on her skin.

"You'll get there. Just keep working," he laughed. "And it was at least 20 minutes."

"Mmm...I'll take your word for that. I lost track. I'd be happy with an eighth of your muscle mass. Might actually do some damage with those strikes."

"You've drawn your fair share of blood. And you don't need to be able to bounce someone with one arm for 25 minutes to do damage."

She laughed at his increasing inflation of their fucking time and opened her eyes. He was smiling at her, the relaxed look on his face again. Something about seeing his face, in particular, in such a relaxed state was soothing to her. Using what little strength she had left, she turned to face him, pushing him onto his back so her head could rest on his chest.

"How long can you stay?" She asked, voice quiet in the darkened room.

"I don't have to be at the office until 9:30."

She smiled and closed her eyes, wanting to test her theory that he was a talisman against her nightmares. His hand running along her back lulled her to sleep almost immediately...the deep, dreamless state returning.