Thomas Elliot
His Cell

The dark, damp hole he'd been stored in made it impossible to track what was day and what was night. Batman would show up every once in a while and throw some disgusting form of food and dirty water onto the floor. It was enough to keep him alive, but not much else. He was still refusing to bring Bruce and Zatanna to him, but it would only be a matter of time. They would want to know...all of them. Until then, he would have to live off of the slop thrown at him. Unless, of course, his accomplice decided to hold up his end of the bargain. He admitted that it didn't look too promising.

Some ally.

He needed them to come. He needed to look in Bruce's eyes and see the fear...the knowledge that all his money couldn't buy him peace. His perfect life with his fancy house and fancy cars and fancy butler were all window dressing. He was no more safe than a homeless beggar. Zatanna was no different from a common whore on the streets. They could both be torn down and slaughtered as easily as anyone else.

I'll show them. I'll get out and I'll show them.

Bruce
Wayne Manor

"It doesn't matter. You're not going down there," Bruce said between reps.

Zatanna was being obstinate...as always.

"If you want to know the whole story, he'll get his way. You know that. He wouldn't have cut up his own face unless he was insane and determined. Feeding him trash and isolating him won't change that," she said, sitting and watching him do dead lifts. The cat was curled up next to her, finally coming back out of hiding after a prolonged period of cuddle decompression.

"It's only been a week and a half. There's still plenty of time for him to break." He returned the barbell and switched to curls with the dumbbells. He smirked at her as she rubbed her feet. "Swollen?"

"They're like little water balloons that I have to walk on," she complained. "Don't change the subject."

"Thought we were finished. He'll rot until he talks. I can be patient."

"Right...until you remember that there was a getaway driver."

Damn. Never should have told her that.

Finished with the curls, he walked over and pulled her to her swollen feet.

"Wanna spar?" He asked with a grin, punching at her hands. She swung a series of punches that he dodged before grabbing her fist with the last attempt.

"I've got overactive hormones and feet that weigh twice as much as they're supposed to. I'd drop you like a sack of dirt."

Laughing, he pulled her close and kissed her. "I've got a better idea."

"Mmm...tell me all about it," she said, biting his bottom lip. He grabbed her hand and pulled her upstairs to the bedroom.

"Get dressed. I'll shower and get ready."

"But...what?" She stood looking around the room, clearly having other ideas in mind. He intended to get to that later, but he knew she'd been a shut in for too many weeks.

"Dinner. Get ready."

Her face lit up and she turned toward the closet. When he got out of the shower, she was dressed in a flowing green dress and examining herself in the mirror.

"My feet aren't the only thing that's swollen," she mumbled as he put his clothes on. When he was ready, he wrapped his arms around her and smiled at their reflection.

"You really have no idea how sexy you look like this, do you?"

"Oh, stop. I'm a few days from being able to roll down the stairs in the morning."

He turned her to face him, running his hands through her hair and kissing her forehead. "You're fucking gorgeous."

"My, my, Mr. Wayne. Swears? Such a dirty mouth you have."

"Let's go to dinner and I'll show you just how dirty it is after."

She laughed and pulled him toward the door. "You'd better."

Zatanna
Gotham City

Ah, civilization.

She didn't realize just how cooped up she had felt until they started to drive through the city. Other than her quick visit to rescue Elisa and her regular trips to Shadowcrest, she hadn't been anywhere outside of the Wayne estate. Bruce drove slowly, letting her enjoy the fresh air with the top of the convertible down. His hand was in hers, warm and rough as ever.

"This was a good idea," she said, squeezing his fingers.

"I thought you'd approve. It's nice to have a night off for a change." He turned toward Bayside and she realized where they were headed.

"How did you know it was my favorite?"

"Magic," he said with a grin. The valet took the keys to the Jaguar and Bruce led her by the hand into her favorite Italian restaurant. They requested an outdoor table overlooking the river. Only a few patrons gawked at them as they walked by, with the rest too enamored by their dates or their food to care. She was used to being recognized often, but Bruce was recognized everywhere, everyday in Gotham City; he rarely even noticed.

"Ah, Signore e Signora Wayne. Welcome. It's so good to see you both," the waiter said, handing them menus and pouring water. Zee cast a quick glance to a smiling Bruce and wondered if he had made reservations as a married couple. "Wine for signore?"

"No, I'll just have the water."

"You can drink. I won't feel left out," she said.

"What kind of husband would I be if I drank while my wife was pregnant?" The smile had grown wider as he spoke. He's got jokes.

"Bring him a glass of your best merlot, please. I'll have my usual."

"Yes, the vegetable gniocci and water, and for signore?"

"Seafood Rigatoni, please." Bruce handed the menus back to the waiter and leaned forward to kiss her gently.

"Signora, hmm?"

He held his hands up in an attempt to plead ignorance. "Hey, don't look at me. Alfred made the reservations."

"Oh, you're going to pin this on poor Alfred when he's not even here to defend himself?"

His lips stopped hers again as she laughed. "Happy to be among the living?"

"Very," she said, caressing his handsome face. "And happy to be with you. I love you."

"Good. Because you're stuck with me...signora."

The waiter arrived with his wine and a free appetizer of flash fried spinach. They knew how to treat their regulars.

"So, tomorrow," she said as they ate.

"Tomorrow?"

"Let's talk to him and get it over with."

"No. Nice try, though," he said, forcing a half smile.

"I don't want this hanging over us. We talk to him, it's over. You can hand him over to Gordon and everyone can move on with life."

He ate quietly for several minutes, and she let him think...knowing she was, for once, being the more reasonable person.

"We can talk about it more tomorrow," he finally said. She took it as a good sign. There was no danger in talking and she'd heard worse things from the demon in her head than any serial killer in a cell could ever say.

"Okay. No more shop talk, I promise," she said, taking his hand and kissing his cheek. "Now about this whole wedding thing you're insisting on..."

"You're not getting out of it."

"Why? We could just go to a judge."

"I want to see you walk down the aisle. Why are you so resistant?" His brow furrowed as he entered interrogation mode.

"I'm not resistant, it's just unnecessary."

"It's tradition. And it shows our commitment."

Never would have guessed I'd fall for a traditionalist.

She knew she was fighting a losing battle and there was a part of her that wanted to walk down an aisle that he was waiting at the end of.

"Okay. Wedding it is," she said with a squeeze of his hand. "We can invite the whole city, if you want."

The smile that crossed his face was worth any price. For whatever reason, the wedding meant a lot to him and she wanted to make him as happy as he was making her. The food arrived and they ate and talked about the new tech expansion he had been planning in California. To her delight, it would be in San Francisco and they would need to make regular trips there.

"I thought you'd be a fan of that," he said, paying the bill when they had finished eating. "And we'll have a place to stay."

"Yep. I'll get to show you even more of my favorite places to eat."

They left the restaurant and returned to the car. He knew better than to think she would be up for a walk on her swollen feet, so he offered to take her for a drive along the coast. It was the first day of that week that it hadn't rained nonstop.

"Tell me when you're tired," he said, again holding her hand as he drove.

"I don't want this night to end." Her eyes scanned the Gotham City lights across the bay. For all its faults, the city was a magnificent sight to behold at night.

"I wasn't planning on ending it...just getting you in bed."

For some reason, she had expected his attraction to her to take a hit once she entered the third trimester, but it hadn't. They still made love almost every day (with creative new positions to allow for her abdominal girth) and he stared at her in a way that made her feel more wanted than ever.

"In that case, feel free to head home anytime," she said with a wink. He took the next turn and headed back toward the manor. "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow."

"I'll go with you."

"You don't need to do that, I just wanted you to know I'd be out and about."

"I'll go. I haven't been doing the stuff I should so far," he said, frowning. "You found a good doctor?"

"I think so. I like her, anyway. She gives fewer lectures than my San Francisco one."

"Lectures?" He raised an eyebrow and studied her.

"Long story. I was underweight for a while. Managed to fix that just fine, though." She patted her belly with her hand and laughed.

"Tell me the story. It's a long drive home." Damn it all. Closing her eyes, she decided to try the always-reliable fake sleep method. "Are you pretending to sleep?"

"No, I'm very definitely asleep."

"Zee..."

She opened her eyes and watched the road for a few minutes. Keeping secrets wouldn't do them any good...not anymore. He needed to know everything that he was getting himself into.

"Those voices I was hearing weren't voices. I was possessed." Rather than keep going, she decided to let her insane words rattle around his head. It felt like they drove another ten miles before he finally spoke.

"Pretty short story," he said quietly.

"Had an exorcism. Went well." She still hadn't looked at him, not wanting to see the look she imagined was on his face. He was silent again. "Any thoughts?"

"You seem fine now."

"I am. Like I said, it went well. I actually don't even remember it. Chatted with a memory of my dad through the whole thing." Still not looking.

They arrived at the manor, where he silently parked the car and walked to help her out. Rather than leading her inside, he pushed her against the car and lifted her chin until their eyes met.

"I should have been there for you. I wasn't and I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"I know," she said, not seeing the doubt in his eyes she'd been expecting. "This all reminds me of something else I should probably tell you about." No secrets. Yikes.

"You can tell me anything," he said, still holding her against the side of the car.

"Sometime after I give birth, I have to help Tsaritsa with some stuff." His face changed so quickly that it would have been amusing in another setting.

"No."

"It's not optional, Bruce. I made her a promise to get her to help me. She won't forget and she won't let me off the hook."

"What did you agree to do?" His jaw was tight and his eyes were trying to bore a hole through hers.

"She...didn't really specify yet." She tried to squirm past him, but his hands were on her upper arms and holding her tight.

"Are you insane?"

"Yes, we've talked about that many times before. I absolutely am."

"That woman is a maniac, Zatanna!"

Realizing she probably could have waited a day or two to tell him this bit of information, she let her head fall back against the car and sighed. That's one way to ruin a date night.

"Go on. Get it out of your system," she said, ready to be yelled at for the foreseeable future.

"Do you have any idea what her history is with the League?"

"I know a little, but I don't see what that has to do with me or my promise."

"You're pregnant!"

"Yep. Still not seeing what that has to do with the promise. And she knows and is fine with me waiting until the baby is born." She shrugged her shoulders and finally made eye contact again. His eyes were not happy. "If you're going to carry on a while, can we go inside? My legs are growing by the second."

Gritting his teeth, he grabbed her by the hand and led her inside. Rather than take her to the bedroom, he sat her down in the kitchen and poured them both a glass of water. Yep, this is going to keep going for a bit.

"I'm going to call her and get you out of it," he said after pacing in front of her several times.

"No, you're not. I made a promise and I'm keeping it." The circling conversation was making her head hurt. "I'm going to go sleep."

She went upstairs and curled up in the nursery. The bedroom still gave her the creeps when she was alone and Bruce was likely already on his way to the cave to fume.

Should have kept my big mouth shut.

Bruce
Wayne Manor

There are bad ideas and then there are really bad ideas. Making a promise to someone like Tsaritsa was a really, really bad idea. He washed the glasses and thought about ways to fix the mess Zee had gotten herself into.

Diana. I need to tell Diana.

She'd kept tabs on her lunatic foe for years and would know best how to handle her. It was the most reasonable option and they had the advantage of time if Tsaritsa was willing to wait until Zatanna had recovered from the pregnancy.

This is fixable...I hope.

When the glasses were clean, he headed upstairs, expecting to find Zee in bed and well on her way to sleep, but she wasn't there. He immediately went to her default refuge of late and found her in the nursery.

"I thought you were going to sleep," he said as he entered the room.

"I'm trying to."

"You aren't coming to bed?" He couldn't imagine the chair was actually comfortable anymore with the size of her stomach.

"I can't sleep in there alone since he attacked me."

Walking over to the chair, he looked down at her; she hadn't shared that bit of information with him before. "You won't be alone."

"Just go to the cave, Bruce. I know you're pissed at me. I've been scolded enough for one evening."

He knelt down and sighed. "I'm not mad. I'm worried."

"You still don't trust me."

"I don't trust her."

Her eyes started to well up. "That wasn't a denial. And I can't change what I am."

Damn it, Bruce. Say the right thing.

Shifting her body to the side, he sat down next to her and grabbed her hand. His mind searched a moment before he knew what he wanted to say. He remembered the advice Diana had given him months before.

"Zee, I trust you with my life. I trust you with our son's life. I want to help you with this because I love you, but if you tell me to butt out...I'll butt out." It wasn't what he wanted. Every fiber of his being was trained to fix problems himself, but he knew he couldn't control her or make demands. They sat for a long time in silence. She was staring at the ceiling with tears flowing down her face and he didn't know what else to say to fix things.

"Our son will be magi," she finally said in a voice so quiet he could barely hear her.

"I know that." It dawned on him where her mind was going and he knew he needed to stop the derailed train of thought she was riding before it tore them apart. "Look at me." When she didn't, he reached up and nudged her chin until her head turned. "I won't lie to you and say that magic in the wrong hands doesn't scare me. It does. But your hands, I trust implicitly." He lifted her hand and kissed it for emphasis. "I didn't put this ring on your finger because you're pregnant or because you came back from San Francisco. I did it because I love you. Every part of you. And I know you'll raise our son to use his powers responsibly."

She started to cry and he was afraid his words weren't getting through. His mind started to scramble for more to say until she finally started to speak through her sobs.

"I'm so scared."

"I told you I'd help you. We'll find a way to get her to..."

"No! Not that. I can handle an idiot like Tsaritsa."

"Then what? What else is..."

"I don't know how to be a mother, Bruce! I don't know how to be a wife!" She was crying hysterically at this point and he was so flustered it took him a minute to get his bearings.

"Zee, anyone who can love a cat like Asshole is going to be a great mother."

"I almost got him killed!"

Swing and a miss, Bruce. Okay...hormones...pregnancy...mood swings...I can do this.

"Bet I'm more afraid than you." She shook her head and continued to cry. "Get this: when the mother of my child told me she was pregnant...walked right out of her house. Didn't even talk to her for three weeks. How's that for scared?"

"Sounds...sniff...like a pretty shitty thing to do...sniff."

"It wasn't my finest moment," he said, pulling her over to cry on his shoulder. "Thankfully, she's very forgiving and understanding." He felt her nod against him. "Good qualities in a wife...a mother." She nodded again. He let her tears flow for a while longer before taking a peek down at her puffy, red face. "You ready for bed?"

"Yes," she said with a sniffle.

"Do you know how much I love you?

"Yes...sniff."

"And do you know how much I trust you?"

"Yes...sniff."

"Good. That's not going to change, even if you have to keep a promise I may not like." He stood and helped her to her feet. They got ready and curled up in bed, as usual, and he fought the urge to laugh at the absurdity of the roller coaster night they'd had. If he managed to survive the next few weeks, he decided he could survive anything once the baby was there.

The Accomplice
Gotham City

"Do you think he's just ignoring us?" The accomplice asked, leaning against the door frame.

"I think you're a fucking idiot for trusting him."

"That's not helpful, you know."

"You want helpful? How about I kill you. That would be very helpful to me, because then I wouldn't have to listen to your voice anymore."

He sighed and walked to the living room. With a punch of the remote, the TV was on and blaring, so he sat down and tried to clear his head. Elliott had either been captured, killed, or run like a coward. There had been no reports on the news, and the capture of a serial killer would be broadcast nationwide. The cops clearly didn't have him. If Bruce Wayne had caught him trying to attack his fiancee, he may well have killed him, but it was unlikely he would cover it up; the killing would have been justified and the police fawned over him, anyway. That would also be broadcast all over the news. There was another option, but he didn't know Zatanna's temperament well enough to determine its likelihood. She certainly had the power to just vanish him from existence, though.

But then...then there's the most likely option.

Batman. He'd been hunting him and it was only a matter of time before the master detective caught the trail. Elliott had done well in covering his tracks for months, but he got cocky...took someone too noticeable and wanted to take his time with her. Give Batman time and he'll hang you. Now the plan was shot to hell.

I've either gotta rescue the fool or find another person to work with...and there's no telling what they would want in return.

It was time to try and figure out just where Thomas Elliott was.

Bruce
Wayne Manor

For the first time in...well...ever, he woke up to the sound of Zatanna's alarm instead of his own. She grumbled something about the "freaking doctor" as she turned it off and threw the phone onto the floor.

"What time is your appointment?" He asked as he yawned.

"Eight. All she had open," she said, pulling the covers over her head. "I need to shower."

"It's currently unoccupied."

She didn't move, so he removed the covers from her head. Her eyes were still slightly puffy when she looked at him sheepishly.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"For what?"

"Everything. Last night. Tsaritsa. Being an emotional pain in the ass and ruining your night."

He got up and walked to pull her out of bed. "I don't need an apology and you're not a pain in the ass. You're allowed to be emotional and any night I fall asleep with you next to me is a good night." She looked in his eyes for a moment before giving him a small nod. "Go shower and I'll see if there's something quick we can grab for breakfast on the way."

"I told you, you don't have..."

"Get ready. I'll meet you downstairs."

Always more prepared than anyone else in the house (or on the planet), Alfred had breakfast sandwiches ready to go for them. The drive to the appointment was quiet and Zatanna seemed nervous. From what he knew, most of the risky weeks of pregnancy were long past, but worrying was probably second nature to her at this point. He leafed through several magazines while they waited in a room filled with glowing mothers and fathers, with a few of the men looking like they were about to lose their grip on sanity at any moment.

I feel you, gents.

"Ms. Zatara?"

A young nurse led them through the back, stopping to check Zee's weight and vitals before settling her into an exam room and helping her put on a gown.

"It's a busy day, but you shouldn't be waiting too long," she said as she left.

"That's medical jargon for 1-2 hours," Zatanna said as she flopped back on the exam bed. He laughed and pulled his chair over to sit closer to her and hold her hand.

"At least we have some fine art to appreciate while we wait," he said, pointing at the wall.

"That's a diagram of a cervix, Bruce."

"I know. It's very tastefully done."

She turned her head and smiled at him, looking like she could fall back asleep at any moment. "Thank you for being here."

He leaned forward and put his hand on her face, gently stroking her cheek as she looked in his eyes. "Nowhere else I'd rather be." There would be times when he knew he would say the wrong thing or make her angry, but he was determined now to never leave her feeling alone. As she stared in his eyes, the blind panic from the night before was gone and had been replaced with the calm, loving clarity he'd grown used to since she'd returned. "Home stretch. We're gonna be mom and dad soon."

"Mmmhmm. I can't wait," she whispered. The doctor came in, already talking as though their conversation had started somewhere out in the hallway.

"...weight is good and your vitals are as normal as they'll ever get for you. How are you..." she finally looked up from the chart she was carrying. "Well, well, if it isn't Prince Charming himself. The way she talks about you, I expected you to show up with wings and a halo."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Zee close her eyes and clinch her jaw and he had to fight a chuckle. "Left them out on my white horse."

"Heh. I'm glad you could make it today, Mr. Wayne. I'm Dr. Lewis. It's almost time for this little guy to make his appearance and you need to be ready, too."

She walked through what to expect in the final weeks of pregnancy and when to call if they think she might be in labor. All of the tests were normal and Thomas was strong and healthy. For the first time, Bruce heard his tiny heart...beating fast and steady. He watched Zee's face through teary eyes as she smiled up at him.

"There might be some mood swings and stress, but that's to be expected."

"Thanks for the heads up," Zatanna said as she changed back into her clothes, casting a sheepish glance his way.

"Same goes for you, Dad. Make sure you're getting plenty of rest, because you won't get much after the baby's born. Take care of each other and don't worry too much. I'm just a phone call away if you need anything."

She left the room and Zatanna sat down to put her shoes on, struggling to reach her feet. He knelt down and slipped them on for her.

"Don't let that Prince Charming stuff go to your head, now," she said.

"Too late. I'm investing in a white horse tomorrow. I'll look very dashing riding around Gotham."

"I think an ass would be more appropriate."

"Let's go. I need to pretend to be a businessman the rest of the day," he said as he led her out of the office. He was relieved that she seemed to forget her insistence on talking to Elliott. Talking to him at all was not something he wanted her to do and with the added hormone and stress fuel, he worried she would end up killing him in his cell. Some things could wait and this was one of them. The family was still keeping an eye out for the getaway car and there was no evidence that anyone else had assisted with the actual murders and rapes. For now, patience was their best weapon.