Zatanna
Wayne Manor
Sweet dreams of her son filled her mind as she drifted. His brilliant blue eyes dancing while he laughed and played. His laugh ringing through the manor when she chased him down the hall. His sweet voice calling for his daddy when he came home from work. I love this. The life she wanted to live and the people she wanted to live with...it was what she'd wanted from the first moment she fell in love with Bruce. As the images faded and her mind began to wake again, she smiled and sighed. Soon.
Opening her eyes, she saw that it was dark outside and the room was dim. Bruce wasn't there, which was no surprise. What was surprising was to find Barb sitting next to the bed and reading a text book.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked as she sat up.
Barb closed her book and stretched in the chair. "Told Bruce I would check up on you when I got off monitoring duty. I can study here just as easily as I can at home, so I decided to stay and make sure you were alright."
"Thanks, but I'm fine. Just the usual long nap after tapping out on magic. Heard anything from Bruce?"
"He was searching the area when I left. The fire was out of control, destroying everything."
"I figured as much," Zatanna said. "I felt just enough from the fireball before we got out that I was very glad we didn't stay another second. Anything on the victim?"
"She's good. They're monitoring her at the hospital, but it sounds like your healing did the trick. She'll need a lot of counseling and family support, though."
"He raped her?" She asked quietly, already knowing the answer.
"Yes. Repeatedly. If you hadn't gotten her out..." Barb's voice faded. Both of them knew what would have happened if they hadn't gotten her out. They sat in silence for several minutes before Barb spoke again. "Zee, I know we haven't talked since San Francisco, but I wanted to thank you..."
Zatanna held her hand up to stop her. "I didn't do it for you. I did it for our son."
"No matter why you did it, Bruce has changed with you back. Work's still wearing on him...it always does...but he's happier than I've ever seen him. Actually happy instead of pretending to be...like he has since been he lost Jason. I know his initial reaction wasn't what you wanted, but he needs you here."
Alfred came in with dinner plates, as if he knew exactly when she woke.
"How does he do that?" She mumbled when he left the room.
"What?"
"Know exactly when I need food."
"Oh, he has cameras in here. Every room, actually. Watches them day and night," Barb said with a shrug.
"He...what? He can see us in here?! But it's our bedroom! We...I..."
She started laughing and shook her head. "Zee, relax. I texted him."
Sighing, she glared back. "Real funny, Gordon," she said, while still casting a quick glance around the room to check for any suspicious-looking devices in the corners. They ate quietly for a while before she noticed Barb kept checking her phone, smiling and blushing whenever she received a message. It was a safe assumption that it wasn't still Alfred.
"You going to fess up to who you're so interested in there?" Zatanna asked after several messages.
"What? Nobody. I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Mmm...and Bruce thinks I'm a lousy liar," she said, taking another bite of food.
"I'm seeing someone new, okay?" She was blushing so deeply that her skin tone matched her hair.
"Who is it?"
"Just a guy."
"Don't make me read your mind."
"You wouldn't dare," Barb stared wide-eyed at her.
She wouldn't, but she was banking on Barb not knowing that. "Try me," she said with a wicked grin.
"Fine, it's uh...it's Dick." She put her head down and took another bite of food as Zee processed the revelation.
"You're serious?"
"Yeah. We just started seeing each other a few weeks ago. Look, Zee, I know the two of you have history..."
"Ancient history," she said, setting her plate down and moving to sit closer to Barb on the edge of the bed. "Are you happy?"
"I don't know...yeah...I guess," she stammered, still looking down at her plate.
"Then I'm happy for you." It was a surprise, to say the least, but jealousy when it came to Dick was a thing of the past. She still cared for him deeply, but she wanted him to be happy. Barb would make any guy happy.
"Are you sure? Because if it's too weird...I mean we just started seeing each other."
"Not weird," she said. "Okay, kind of weird, but so is me marrying Bruce Wayne."
Barb laughed and shrugged. "I guess we're a weird little family."
Family. It was the first time she had considered that she might be part of it now...or would be after the wedding. She sat and let the thought fill her with hope as Barb continued to fiddle nervously with her fork, clearly not sure that Zee was okay with it.
"Oh, shit...you're dating your surrogate brother," Zatanna said, shoving her shoulder.
"Just had to go there, didn't you?
"I didn't have to, no."
"Bruce is more like my big brother, anyway. My dad's still around."
"So, you're dating your nephew?"
"Okay, shut up," she said, standing and shoving her back. "You're clearly well enough to give me shit, so I think my work here is done."
"Thanks for babysitting for a while. And tell Dick that if he breaks your heart, he'll answer to me."
"And what if I break his?" She grinned.
"Then you'll answer to me, too." Zee stood and stretched out her sore muscles, ready to shower and put on clean clothes. "Oh, and Barb...don't tell Bruce I cussed. I told him I'd stop."
"You're kidding me," she said, shaking her head and laughing.
"I fucking wish," she mumbled as Barb left.
Batman
Outside Gotham
They tumbled from the roof, hit an overhang, and came crashing onto the ground. He knew immediately that several ribs were broken, but he was able to quickly flip back onto his feet and face his attacker. The man held a knife in his hand as he stood, mask over his face and wearing dark clothes.
"Fuck you, Batman."
"Give it your best shot," he growled back at the killer.
Swinging the knife, he lunged forward, missing as Batman dodged and landed a blow to his wrist. He heard a satisfying crack when his knuckles connected and broke the bones. Running at him again, he stripped the knife with his gauntlets and brought his fist down on his temple, knocking him to the side, before landing a solid shot to the gut that sent him stumbling backwards and gasping for air. "Gotta do better than that."
Taking a step back, the killer reached in his pocket, pulled out a revolver with his unbroken hand, and pointed it at his face.
"Arrogant prick," he said, pulling the trigger. Batman quickly dove down and tumbled behind a tree, dodging the incoming bullets, but making the pain in his ribs even worse. "Come out here and let me blow your brains out, you freak!"
"Will this freak do?" Robin's voice came from behind them and he heard another cracking bone as his staff landed on the killer's forearm, knocking the revolver to the ground. He brought his staff up again and knocked him back before turning and jumping out of the way of a fast-approaching car. The red sedan skidded to a stop and the killer tumbled in, still yelling from the pain. Another hail of bullets kept them clinging to cover as the car sped away.
"Kate! Track that car!"
"I'm following, but he's headed into a heavily-wooded area," she said.
"Where's the batmobile?" He asked Tim, groaning from the pain in his ribs as he stood.
"Back by the house. Stay here...you're hurt."
"Just a rib. I'll be fine. Get the car."
Tim ran off toward the burning house, while Bruce leaned against the tree and tried to catch his breath. It was more than one rib, but he didn't have a punctured lung. He pulled out a lidocaine injection and released his armor torso to expose the already-bruising skin. Jamming the needle in the middle of the most sensitive spot, he pushed the plunger and tossed the cartridge onto the ground.
"Tim?"
"Almost back to you."
"Kate?"
"I've lost them in the woods, but I'm running circles around the area. My battery's low, so you'll be on your own when you get there."
"Damn it." The car pulled up beside him and Tim jumped out. "Stay and help gather evidence at the house. Have Alfred remote the Batwing back to the cave."
"You sure you're okay? You're sweating pretty bad."
"I'm good enough to drive. See what you can find in the fire." He hopped in the driver's seat and sped off in the direction the killer had fled. The Batmobile's sensors picked up on the tire tracks leaving the neighborhood. "How far to the wooded area?"
"Two miles. Just stay straight on the road and you'll see it coming up over the hill."
"Got it. Call the drone back. He's mine now."
Driving fast, he trailed the car through the winding forest road.
I'm faster.
The trees started to thin and he could see buildings through the leaves.
No. He's mine.
He floored the accelerator, but as he broke through the forest's edge, he cursed and slammed his hand on the dash. The road he was on led directly into an intersection with a highway.
"Damn it! Kate, I'm going to lose the trail. Tell me you got a plate."
"It didn't have any. Tim has the gun and knife the guy dropped. We'll run them for prints."
Gloves. He was wearing gloves.
"Okay. Have him check for blood, too. We clocked him pretty good a few times. Monitor local hospitals and clinics in case he goes in for treatment. I'm headed back to the cave to get patched up before I go back to the house fire."
He knew his preferred medic was too wiped to do him much good, but Alfred could bandage him and make breathing a little less painful. It was going to be a long process of analyzing the crime scene and he needed to be able to move easier. His mind was racing as he drove through the traffic.
He's on the run. Dangerous.
The killer had been close to his height and build. He was nimble, light on his feet, but his hand to hand combat was nothing to be afraid of. If his ribs hadn't been broken, he would have been able to grab the gun and take him down.
Fuck.
Pulling into the Batcave, he hopped out and shed his cowl, gauntlets, gloves and cape. He got on the elevator and headed to the bedroom, but Zatanna wasn't there.
Meditating?
She had taken over one of the smaller bedrooms for her meditation sessions, but he didn't find her there, either. Finally walking past the nursery, he caught sight of her curled up in the oversize chair she brought from San Francisco. As usual, she had fallen asleep with one of his old books in her hand. She was still catching up on that misspent youth. Happy to see her in her usual routine, he walked in and sat down next to her, pulling her into his arms and resting his head against hers.
"You okay?" She asked softly.
"Mm. You?"
"I'm fine. Was just tired after everything. Did you get him?"
"Not yet, but we will. We're searching what's left of the house."
Her eyes were still closed and she snuggled into him before looking up and frowning.
"Why are you still in your suit?"
"I have to get back out there, but needed to run by. Broke a few ribs." She immediately started to shift and reach for the releases on his torso, but he stopped her hands. "No, you've done enough for today. I'll have Alfred patch me up. Rest."
"I'm fine, Bruce - it's ribs. I could fix that in my sleep, especially as often as you break them," she teased, kissing his forehead and returning her hands to loosen his armor. Her soft fingers found their way to his skin and, as she always did when she healed his wounds, she pressed her lips to his and mumbled the words. His pain quickly faded and he pulled her closer, able to breathe her in without wincing.
"I love you," he said, kissing her and wishing he could stay. "Thank you for helping today."
"You're not angry?" She pulled her head back and gave him a scrutinizing look.
"No. You did what I would have done. I just wish you didn't have to."
With a small smile, she latched his armor back on and stood up. "Get back out there before I hold you prisoner, handsome."
"Whatever you say, wife."
"Oh, already claiming that, huh?"
"Yep," he said standing and hugging her. "And once I catch this guy, I'll be happy for some prisoner time."
"Deal. Catch him soon before I'm too big to move."
"You're beautiful." He kissed her quickly and headed to the door. He was fully healed and the hunt was on now.
The Killer
The Car
She was there...right there in the room. Right within his grasp, but he wasn't ready. He couldn't overpower her if she had the element of surprise, so he had to activate the contingency plan and burn the place to the ground. Now he had to adjust the entire timetable.
I just lost the upper hand.
He ripped off his gloves and assessed the damage to his wrist.
Destroyed. Needs surgery.
"Fuck!"
"I told you not to take that one."
He glared at the driver. "I didn't ask for your opinion."
"Of course you didn't. You've been ignoring my advice since the start of this idiotic venture."
"Then why are you even helping me?"
"You know why. Your methods may be idiotic, but I need your help and you need mine."
"Just drive." He wasn't the mood for conversation at this point. Everything would need to change. If the fire had been effective enough, the only evidence they would find was the blood drawn when they'd busted his lip. He wasn't in any criminal databases – the benefit of living a legally squeaky-clean life to date.
Just another way fools get caught.
He knew his time was limited now, though, and he would have to move ahead. Zatanna had paid him an unexpected visit. It was time to return the favor.
Zatanna
Shadowcrest
The Nameless Cat had gotten used to hopping into the Zeta tube with her when Bruce left for patrol. He would make himself just as at home as he always did and the house was much more relaxed with him there...for some reason. She bought another crib for her room at Shadowcrest and transported half of the toys and supplies there so the baby would be comfortable at either place. It ended up being beneficial that she had bought enough stuff for three babies. She would call it a premonition, but she knew better...she just loved to shop.
Bruce was still trying to wear her down on staying at the manor every night, but the only thing that would change her mind would be too many dangerous incidents once the baby got big enough to get into trouble...which was, admittedly, a distinct possibility if it took after her. She babyproofed everything that could be babyproofed, but she knew she would need eyes in the back of her head while she was there. Even that wouldn't likely do her a lot of good, if her father's writings were any clue to her future with her son. She'd started using magic after a couple of months, which her father said was "remarkable and terrifying".
Yippee.
Finally ready to face a lengthy lecture, Zatanna invited Sophie and Jenny over for dinner. They had wanted to meet at a restaurant, but she sweet talked them into coming to her place so she could keep her promises to Bruce.
"It smells amazing!" Jenny exclaimed as she entered and hugged her. Sophie followed behind and gave her a warm hug, also. She returned to the kitchen with teary eyes, not realizing just how much she had missed her girls until she saw their faces.
"Thanks for the invite," Sophie said, looking around at all the changes she had made since they were last there. "And here." She handed her a box wrapped in baby blue paper. "It's from both of us."
"You two know the rules," she said giving them a grin.
"Yeah, 'no gifts'. Don't worry, it's not much."
She opened the gift and found a black and white mobile adorned with stars and planets. "It's perfect, girls. Thank you so much."
"I also wanted to congratulate you on the engagement," Sophie said, looking at the floor.
"You sure about that?"
"Yes. If Bruce Wayne makes you happy, then I'm happy for you."
"And damn, that ring would make any girl happy," Jenny said, grabbing her hand and admiring the diamonds.
"Yeah, he did alright there. And I am happy. Very. Especially now that you two are here."
"When you went off to San Francisco, I thought maybe you were done with Gotham for good."
"Me too, but things changed. A lot of things. I'm here to stay."
"And we're going to be the best babysitters in history," Jenny said with a smile.
They ate and caught up on what she had missed while she was away. As always, the conversation eventually worked toward their next opportunity to tour. She knew it wouldn't be until she was fully recovered from the birth, but there was no doubt in her mind that she would be back on the stage before long.
"Okay, it's after midnight and this pregnant lady needs her beauty sleep."
"Let's do this again soon, Zee," Sophie said as they walked to the door. "And invite that fiance of yours. I probably owe him some charm after all the shit I've given him."
"Now, that I want to see," she said with a smile. "Goodnight. And thanks for coming over. I missed you."
Life was good. Everything was good. One serial killer to go and she could have Bruce back to normal. She headed upstairs and set her alarm clock for 6:30. He hadn't been coming up to spend much time with her lately, but she went anyway, just in case.
A promise is a promise...even at the freaking crack of dawn.
Batman
Gotham City
No DNA matches on file, no fingerprints on the weapons. The house was burned to ashes. Elisa Morris said he had kept the mask on around her, but that she would recognize his voice and smell in a room of thousands.
"He wore expensive clothes. Leather gloves. He...wore a condom when..."
"It's okay," Batman said, sitting next to her and trying to be the least intimidating version of himself possible. "Is there anything else you can remember?"
"Motors running. Every time he was there, he started motors."
"Generators," Batgirl said. "There were three in the rubble."
He'd brought Barb in the hopes that she would feel more comfortable talking, and it seemed to help. She looked at her more than him.
"You said they were on every time he was there. He left?"
"Twice, but never for very long. The generators would turn off and I could hear a car drive away. The TV would turn on and the volume would blast when he fired the generators back up."
"What was on the TV?"
"The news. Always. I guess that's what he was doing when he went upstairs. He left me alone unless he was..." Her voice trailed off into tears as she remembered. He looked to Barb, who moved closer and took her hand.
"You're doing great, Elisa. We're going to find him. I promise."
She sniffled and wiped her face. "Soon. Don't let him do this to anyone else. Please."
"I don't intend to," Batman said, standing and moving closer to the door to give her more space. "You said you would know his smell. Was it something in particular?"
"Cologne. Expensive cologne that my husband used to wear. But it was mixed with something else...alcohol, but not booze. Rubbing alcohol. I recognized it again as soon as they brought me here. Damn near had a panic attack."
Barb looked to him as he thought. "Removing possible evidence?"
"Maybe." It could mean a lot of things, but it was helpful. "Do you remember the name of the cologne?"
"Creed Aventus. It's very distinctive, but it made me sick when I was pregnant with the girls, so my husband ditched it."
"Can you think of anything else?"
"No...well, maybe, but it might not be anything. I could have sworn I heard another person walking around once. The TV was loud, so it was hard to tell, but the footsteps sounded different."
The getaway driver?
A nurse walked in with medication and he motioned Barb toward the door. She squeezed Elisa's hand again and followed him out.
"Thank you for talking with us," he said. "This is all very helpful. Rest now and let us know if you need anything."
"Thank you both. And tell Zatanna thank you for me the next time you see her. She didn't have to do that in her condition."
"She never hesitated."
They walked down the hall as the staff and visitors stared at them. "Get me a list of places that sell that cologne. Have Kate go back to the area and look for a second set of footprints."
The prints they had found were a men's size 12, with a tread pattern found only on expensive loafers sold at designer stores. If they missed a second set, he would need to know.
Expensive clothes, expensive shoes, expensive cologne.
Rich serial killers weren't unheard of, but they definitely weren't the norm, either. This one clearly had money and didn't mind flaunting it. The non-slip boots were an outlier. Maybe he didn't want to get his fancy shoes dirty. Maybe he did it as a diversion. Regardless, he knew more about the killer now than he did two days ago. The car was also unassuming: a red Chevy Malibu with no plates, dirty to the point of being almost gray. Zatanna had that part right. Kate had taken multiple pictures of it as the killer made his getaway and it was being broadcast and posted all over Gotham City.
Getting hot. We'll get him. I'll fucking get him.
After a long night, he wanted nothing more than to rest, but he wasn't going to get much time. He had an unavoidable meeting at the office and if he tried to duck out, Alfred would drag him there by his collar. The only thing he knew he had to do beforehand was see his family. A quick shower when he got back to the cave and he was curling up next to them, smelling Zatanna's hair and running his hand over her belly. As he did, he felt something for the first time. His hand froze, checking to make sure he was feeling what he thought he was...kicking. He smiled and closed his eyes, focusing on the movement and amazed that it wasn't waking her.
I can take care of that.
She groaned when he pulled her over to lie on her back and pushed her shirt up to rest his cheek on the spot where he felt the movement. Zatanna's hands went to his back and she smiled down at him when she realized what he was doing.
"Been doing that for a while now," she whispered. "Always in the morning, so he's a morning person. I'm beginning to think I'm not actually the mother."
He laughed at his non-morning-person fiancee and grabbed her hand. "Sorry I haven't been here."
"You've really gotta stop apologizing for doing your job," she said, still smiling.
"Well, I'm not going to. Especially since I have to leave for the office soon."
"Ah, the other job. You don't have to apologize for that one, either."
He searched her eyes, but only saw sincerity in them. And love. There was a clarity there that he'd never seen before...a calmness that soothed him. He lowered his cheek back against the spot, letting their son nudge him as he rested and trying not to fall asleep.
I don't want to miss this.
They laid there for close to an hour before the boy finally went still. Zatanna stayed quiet, running her hands through his hair and watching his face. When his watch sounded, he felt an almost overwhelming urge to throw it onto the floor and stay. Alfred came in with breakfast and reminded him of the importance of the day: the possible start of a new tech development division on the west coast. It would be a massive investment with the potential for massive returns. He knew he needed to be there.
"You'd better get going."
"Come by later? There was some stuff on my desk I wanted to show you," he said with a mischievous grin.
"2:00 work? Let's not forget to lock the door this time."
"Yes, ma'am," he said, giving her a quick kiss and heading out. It was going to be a long few hours before 2:00.