Zatanna
Wayne Manor
The house was quiet after the team went downstairs to prep for the delivery of Elliott, so she settled into the library with Thomas to wait until she was needed. She was jealous of his complete obliviousness to the insanity going on around him. He was sitting in her lap with a cat's tail in hand, babbling at his best friend.
"There's precisely zero chance that you would let me so much as touch your tail, but he latches onto it...no problem." The cat briefly glanced at her before returning to his chattering conversation with Thomas. That's not really fair.
"Zatanna?" Selina walked into the room and sat down in the corner.
Just what I need.
"Bruce is in the cave."
"I know. I need your help with him."
She wasn't in the mood to help her with anything after she'd spent the previous two days testing every limit of her barriers. "I doubt that."
"He needs to let me help. I...I need him to let me help. I need to do something about this."
"No one's doing anything about it until the bombs are disarmed. Talk to him then," she said, still looking down at the baby and cat.
"Don't you want him to have as much backup as possible?"
"He has his team and the League. Like I said, talk to him once the bombs are secured."
"He won't listen to me! Dammit, I just want you to..."
She finally looked up and glared at her until she stopped yelling. "I never asked for gratitude for saving your life and I never asked Bruce to throw you out on the curb, even though I wanted to. Despite that, you've done everything you can to make me miserable and now you think I'm suddenly inclined to do you a favor?"
Rather than match her glare, Selina looked down at the floor. "I just..." Her voice trailed off and she sighed. "Haven't you ever wanted payback for something someone did to you?"
Yes.
"There will be plenty of time for revenge later," she said quietly, looking back down. "Right now, we're saving lives."
They sat in silence and Zatanna was relieved she didn't have to deal with any escape attempts, for the time being. After nearly half an hour, Selina sighed again, letting her head drop back against the wall.
"He didn't even tell me, you know. Not about the baby or marriage or the killer. None of it." Her voice was low and she was staring at the ceiling. "Found out about you two from the papers and Elliott from Two Face."
"I assumed he did." Well, that's a big, fat lie. "Actually, I didn't think about it."
"I didn't expect you to think about it anymore than I would think about telling you anything. But Bruce...I guess I thought he cared more than that."
"He does care. You wouldn't be here right now if he didn't care."
"I'm not here because he cares, I'm here because it fits his stupid plan and keeps you safe."
Thomas started to get restless, so she stood and walked to the door. "If you really want to think that and keep playing the victim, you can, but Dent would have gone through with this no matter how he lost you, and I'm perfectly safe inside my wards, as I'm sure you've noticed. There's only one reason Bruce is making you stay here."
"Oh, please do enlighten me," she said, still staring upward.
"So you don't get yourself killed." She took a few steps out of the room before Selina spoke again.
"Hey, one more thing." She turned back to face her. "You said you volunteered to get me the other day. What did you mean?"
"It's not some kind of riddle. I volunteered to get you out."
"Why?"
Rather than answer, she walked out of the room. She didn't owe her any explanations and she knew she would just get some sort of snide comment in return. It was almost time to cast a spell and she wanted to focus.
"Time for dinner and bed, sweetheart. Mommy and daddy have some work to do."
Harvey
Gotham City
"We should have picked the meeting spot."
"Why? No matter what, you can bet he'll have a dozen sets of eyes on us."
"Because now the police know, too. Several dozen sets of eyes and ears and everything else they have."
"The more bodies in the street, the better. We have the bombs. As long as we have those, we have control."
"And the gas. You're right. We're right. Batman has no idea what he's in for."
He looked at his watch: 11:30 pm. Could be any time. This might not have been the original plan, but it was quickly starting to feel like the better one. No way would they be prepared for this. Training his eyes on the sky, he tried to temper his excitement. Put that signal up, freak. Let's get this party started.
Batman
Batcave
Tim had put the trackers into Elliott and he, Batgirl, and Batwoman were in place near the warehouse. Superman was patrolling the sky and Wonder Woman, Flash, and Cyborg were all waiting at the Watchtower for a signal to move. Alfred was running ops so everyone could be ready to assist.
"Zatanna, when you're ready," he said, pacing back and forth in front of an unconscious Elliott.
"Mmkay. Let's keep this simple." She stopped and held her hands out, light already forming at her fingertips. "Kcart sih stnemevom. Wollof sih spets." The light quickly surrounded him before fading out. "There. He won't make a move without me knowing where he is."
"Will you be able to just teleport us to him when we're ready?"
"Yep. Whoever you want to wherever he is. As long as I get to stay here...and retired." She smirked at him and moved aside so he could load Elliot into the car. Once he was strapped in, he removed his cowl and turned to face her.
"I won't be long," he said, pulling her close and kissing her.
"Good. I've been researching some more Tantra stuff so the earlier you get back..."
"Wait up, then. I want a full report on your findings so far."
She laughed and kissed him again. "Be careful, Batman."
"Always."
He turned and put his cowl back on before climbing in the car. Zee gave him a small wave and a smile as he pulled out, but he could see the tears welling up in her eyes. He knew the feeling all too well. It was the bargain they'd made when they decided to be together, but it didn't make it any easier to see her upset...or running off toward danger. But he didn't plan on this operation to be any more dangerous than was necessary: a simple exchange and some disarming of bombs. After that, Dent and Elliott could spend the rest of their days rotting in cells.
"I'm close. Everyone in position?"
"We're ready," Kate said. "Fire up the light and we'll keep an eye out for trouble"
"Superman?"
"Right overhead. You didn't use your signal on that last turn...or the ten before that."
"I also ran a red light or eight. Mail me the citation. Thanks, everyone," he said. "Let's get this over with."
Skidding to a stop, he jumped from the Batmobile and pulled Elliott from the seat. Once he hauled him to the roof, he stuck smelling salts under his nose and waited for him to come around.
"The fuck is this? What's on my head?"
"A bag. Stop talking or I'll tape your mouth shut," he said, walking over to turn on the Bat signal. It lit up the sky on the cloudy night, casting an eerie glow around the docks.
"We're outside? You took me outside?"
"I said stop talking."
"I hear traffic. Let me see. Come on, I've been in a basement for god knows how long. Just let me breathe some fresh air."
The pleading was desperate and he clearly wasn't going to shut up without a gag. "If you try to scream I'll just knock you out again." He pulled the bag off of his head and he let out a whimpering sob.
"Oh, man. Air. Real air. Heh...who knew?"
He continued to ramble to himself while they waited. It was over an hour before a car pulled up next to the Batmobile.
"It's Dent," Superman said over the wire. "He's not strapped with explosives. Only weapon he has is a knife."
"I can handle a knife."
"Huh?" Elliott asked.
"Shut up. Anything else around?"
"Just us," Barb said. "Raise your hand if you think this makes sense."
"I know you all can't see me, but my hand isn't raised," Tim said.
"Cut the chatter," Batman barked. "Be on alert."
"I'm alert," Tommy muttered, staring up at the beacon shining in the sky. "Moon looks funny."
Okay, I left him in there a bit too long.
"Quiet."
"You know...I didn't even know what I was doing with that first woman. Just took and her winged it. Killing in a pattern is harder than it sounds. Gotta make it look right every single time...tedious."
"I said quiet!" He shoved him down to the ground and put the bag back over his head.
"Come on, bat..."
The heavy door leading to the roof creaked open and he pressed his foot against Elliott's neck to keep him quiet. Two Face walked out and half-grinned at him.
"You sure follow instructions well...when the stakes are high enough. Shame about Catwoman..."
"Where's the detonator?"
"Impatient, aren't you? Let me see him."
Reaching down, he pulled the hood back off and removed his foot.
"Hey, we're back! Nice! Harv? Gang's all here," Tommy started to ramble again. As he did, Dent's grin faded.
"What the fuck is this supposed to be?"
"Exactly what you asked for. Hand over the detonator and the locations."
"He's a fucking moron now, you piece of shit."
"Give me the detonator!" His voice echoed across the roof.
Dent began to pace back and forth, muttering to himself.
"I'm trying to pin down the detonator signal," Barb said in his ear. "Keep him busy and don't piss him off too much."
"Why him?" He asked, hoping to calm him down long enough for Barb to cut off the signal.
Dent scoffed and glanced over at him. "You think I can just go get surgery anywhere? I can't even sneak down to Mexico with this fucking face!"
Okay, definitely not calm.
"It doesn't have to define you, Harvey. You let it define you for years. Just let me help..."
"Shut the fuck up! You did this to me! Send him over here," he yelled, pointing down to Elliott.
"The detonator."
He pulled a device from his pocket and held it to his side. "Send him."
"I'm almost there. Just keep this going," Barb said.
Pulling on his arm, he helped Tommy stand. "Walk."
"Walk. Yeah...yeah. Harvey, I didn't think you were going to get me. Thanks, I mean...what a pal." He stumbled his way, slowly.
"The detonator," Batman said again when he was halfway. Two Face tossed it at his feet, still staring him down.
"Don't move to take it until he's to me."
"Is that it?" He was asking Batgirl, but was hoping Dent wouldn't realize it.
"No. It's still on him."
"Stop, Elliott," he said. "How do I know that's the detonator?" Tommy kept shuffling forward. "I said stop!"
"Hey, Harv. I didn't tell him everything about the plan, man...promise," he said when he got closer. "He has no idea..."
"Shut up, you damn fool," Dent growled.
"Stop!"
Before he could think, Dent rushed forward, pulling out the knife and plunging it into Elliott's neck. "Fucking worthless idiot," he hissed as the blood began to pour from the wound.
"No!" Batman ran forward, catching Tommy before he hit the ground and pressing his hand against the gaping hole in his neck. "Give me the fucking detonator!"
"This one?" Dent asked, pulling out a small box. "Fuck you." He started flipping switches with a sneer on his face. Nothing happened. The sneer faded as he continued to flip the switches back and forth.
"That was close," Barb said breathlessly. "Way too close. We're moving in."
"What the fuck did you do? What the fuck?!" Dent threw the detonator at him and pulled something else from his pocket.
"It's over, Dent. On the ground." Just when he finished speaking, Dent tossed a glass vial onto the ground next to where he was kneeling. It broke and released a small amount of gas that quickly wafted upward. He heard Superman land on the roof at the same time the gas hit his nose. "Super..." His head started spinning and he fell backward.
"Batman? Can you hear me?"
No. I hear...what do I hear?
A scratching noise...squeaking...wings...water dripping...something flying at him in the dark. A noise in his ear...hissing. He scrambled to his feet and stumbled backward from the shadowy figures in front of him. One of them roaring...reaching for him.
Fight.
He threw his weight forward and lunged at the roaring monster, landing a blow that didn't seem to bother it, but sent a sharp pain through his arm.
Broken. My hand is broken.
Another smaller figure flying at him...wings...black...fangs. He spun around and landed a kick to the flying beast, sending it hurtling backward. Another came at him from the other side, screeching as it descended...a flash of red. It tried to grab him, but he ducked and dodged, grabbing its wing and slinging it away. It let a hiss out when it hit the roof. Another red, winged beast flying around at a distance, roaring again. He shot his grappling hook at it and pulled it from the sky. It landed with a thud and a groan.
I'm hurt. Outnumbered. Need to move.
The larger beast moved faster than he could see and had him around the arms. It was strong. Stronger than him, growling in his ear. The winged monsters started to close in, screeching and hissing.
Bats. How?
They drew nearer whlie he fought in vain against the power of the beast holding him. He couldn't get free. When the smaller bats were surrounding him, he felt a sudden knock against the side of his head before darkness fell over his eyes.
Zatanna
Wayne Manor
She bounced her leg nervously, watching the scene play out from above. Batman was trying to distract Dent while Barb worked on cutting off the signal to the detonator. From there, things escalated so quickly that she could only sit in stunned silence – watching Elliott fall to the ground, bleeding.
"What happened? What did he just throw?"
Alfred scrolled through views on the drone, trying to get a better look. "I'm not sure. I'll try to scan...what is he doing?"
Zatanna watched as Batman lunged and threw a punch at Superman.
What the hell?
He kicked Batgirl across the roof and flung Batwoman before she could grab hold of him. Next, it was Robin's turn to be caught and grappled to the roof. They were down in a matter of seconds and Bruce turned to face Superman again.
"Something's...I'm going." She stood, but Alfred grabbed her arm and pulled her back down to the chair.
"No. He told me about your promises to each other. You don't go together."
Damn him.
"Send me," Selina said from behind them, where she had been watching the scene play out.
"I..." She was about to agree until she saw Clark streak in and secure Batman from behind. He fought in vain to get loose until a quick blow to the head caused his body to go limp. She reached across Alfred and activated coms. "Superman! Superman, what's going on?"
"I have no idea. I'm taking them all to the Watchtower. Meet us there."
The panic she felt was almost incapacitating and she could see the same look of concern on Alfred's face.
"We'll be there," she finally said, turning and running up to grab Thomas from his crib. When she got back downstairs, she took Selina by the arm and pulled her closer to Alfred. "Ekat su ot eht Rewothctaw."
They found Kate first, sitting in a chair near the Zeta tubes and rubbing her neck. "I'm fine. The rest are in medical. Christ, he's fast," she muttered.
Zatanna made her way down the hall, not hearing what others she passed were trying to say to her. When she made it to the med bay, she found Tim bleeding and Barbara holding her arm. Bruce was out cold, lying on a bed and being tended to by J'onn.
"What's wrong with him?" She asked, putting her free hand on his cheek and healing his broken hand...he was radiating terror that she'd never felt from him before.
"He's been exposed to some sort of toxin. I need to run blood tests and scan the vial Dent threw."
Clark came to stand next to her. "It hit him fast. He wasn't listening to anything I said. I got Elliott and Dent out and went back to find the others already on the ground."
"Where is Two Face?" Selina asked, standing on the other side of the bed.
"In a holding cell until Batwoman recovers enough to deliver him."
"And Elliot?"
"Hospital. I don't know if he'll make it. He lost a lot of blood."
Alfred came to them with a chair so Zatanna and Thomas could sit next to Bruce's head. "Is there anything we can do, Master Jonzz?"
"I'm afraid not. We'll have to wait until the toxin clears his system. Zatanna, if you could see to the others."
She hadn't fully registered the injuries around her until he asked. "Of course. Alfred?" Handing over Thomas, she got up and turned to Barb.
"Broken arm and leg. If you don't mind?" She said through clinched teeth. Zee healed her and turned her attention to Tim.
"He's going to feel like a real jerk in the morning. I hope," Tim said as his wounds healed. "No wonder he keeps you around."
"Try to rest, you two," she said, turning back to Bruce. The fear he was still feeling was screaming at her like an angry monster trying to escape from his head. She put her hands on his temples. "Evig em sih raef."
The terror hit her like a bullet in the chest. Whatever he was seeing was horrific. Thomas immediately started crying.
"Zatanna, that's not a great idea," J'onn said with concern.
"I can handle it. I know it isn't real, he doesn't."
"What did you do?" Alfred asked, standing and letting her take Thomas back. She stayed silent and grabbed Bruce's hand, his breathing starting to calm. "Zatanna?"
"She took his fear," J'onn said, earning an angry glance.
"Into yourself? That can't be safe."
"I'm fine. What is he seeing, J'onn?"
He didn't look at her. "You don't want to know," he said quietly. "I'm going to analyze what I've found. If your mind starts to..."
"I said I'm fine. And he will be, too."
J'onn left the room with a sigh. Alfred found another chair for Selina, but she shook her head and stayed leaning against the far wall. Thomas was still crying, and Zee hadn't considered his ability to sense her feelings before she took on the overwhelming sensations from Bruce.
"May I take him home for you?" Alfred asked. She nodded and handed him over. As much as she didn't want him out of her sight, she wanted even less for him to experience even a fraction of what she was going through. "Please, let me know of any changes or needs. I will see that he gets back to sleep."
The room fell quiet once he left, the only sound Bruce's soft breathing. Zatanna laid her head down next to his on the pillow, meditating to keep herself calm.
"You didn't have to bring me here."
She raised her head and looked over at Selina. "You want to go back?"
"No. I...I'd like to stay until he wakes up." She slid down and sat on the floor. "He's still having nightmares?"
"Yes, but the fear is less intense now, so I think the toxin is wearing off."
"I've never seen him fear anything." She chuckled, "naturally he tries to punch it away." Zatanna kept her eyes on his face, wishing he would wake up and prove he was going to be okay.
Laying her head back down and squeezing Bruce's fingers, she dozed off. The fear had faded enough that her nightmares weren't as intense as what she'd experienced in the past several years, and she was willing to endure them if it meant she never had to feel terror like that in him again.
Bruce
Two things finally woke him: a pounding head and aching fingers. He remembered the beast holding him and hitting him in the head. He also remembered shattering his hand when he tried to punch it. This pain wasn't that severe, though, and when he opened his eyes, he saw that Zatanna was holding his fingers in a vice grip while she slept. She's okay. I'm okay.
"Hey," he said, bringing his other hand up to run through her hair. "Wake up, sleeping beauty." She groaned and winced when she came around, her neck in an awkward position from half-sharing his pillow while sitting next to him. When she opened her eyes, he pulled her face forward to kiss her softly. "How am I alive? Who got me out?"
"Superman. The toxin wasn't deadly, though. He just brought you back here once he knocked you out."
"He...knocked me out? What are you talking about? What toxin? I was attacked." She wasn't making any sense. Why would Superman knock him out in the middle of a fight?
Zatanna sighed and finally loosened her grip on his hand slightly. "You don't remember?"
"I remember everything! The giant bats...the big beast that grabbed me. Ask the others." He sat up, but she put her hand to his chest to keep him from standing.
"Just hang on a second."
He looked around the room and saw Barb and Tim lying in hospital beds. Selina was asleep on the floor across the room. "I don't understand..."
"Dent exposed you to some sort of toxin. Whatever you thought you were seeing wasn't real."
"How were they hurt?" He got a sinking feeling in his stomach, fearing that he knew the answer.
"You thought they were attacking you, but relax...they're okay. I made sure of that. And so are you."
His mind searched for some sort of reason in the madness of what she was telling him. Nightmares. I was having nightmares. The images in his dreams were nothing short of terror-inducing. Gotham burning...evil running the world...his family dead. Alfred, the team, Zatanna...Thomas. All of the people he cared about taken from him while he watched in horror. Panic hit him suddenly and he started to get up again. "Where's everyone else? Thomas? Alfred?"
"Hey, hey...I said relax. Everyone is fine. Kate wasn't badly injured and Alfred took Thomas home to sleep."
"I need to know more. This doesn't make any sense...what I saw."
"I know," she said, pushing against his chest until he laid back again. "We all need to know more. Let me find J'onn and see what he's come up with from your blood tests." She stood and started to turn, but he pulled on her hand.
"Are you okay? You look scared."
"I'm fine now that you're awake." He held onto her, studying her face; she was hiding something. "I'll be right back. Rest more." She leaned down to kiss him before pulling her hand away and walking out of the room. He stared up at the ceiling, still trying to figure out what had happened. The nightmares had been so real, but had lost their edge at one point...feeling more like a surreal experience watching a horror movie than a dream.
"You're finally awake," Selina said, bringing him out of his thoughts. "Superman clocked you pretty good." She stood and stretched, staying on the opposite side of the room.
"How did you get here?"
"That wit...Zatanna brought me with her."
"Could you both pipe down? I'm sleeping off an embarrassing ass-kicking over here," Tim mumbled into his pillow.
Bruce finally stood and walked over to where he was laying. "How bad?"
"My body or my pride?"
"Robin, I'm..."
"Don't apologize, Bruce. You didn't know what you were doing," he said, sitting up and dangling his feet off of the bed.
"Apologize to me, then," Barb said, still lying down. "I was injured much worse."
"Sorry. I'll make it up to you both."
Barb smiled and nodded. "I know you will. I like shoes and computers and chocolate. Not necessarily in that order."
"Please don't buy her more shoes. She doesn't even have room for the ones she already owns," Dick said, entering and going to sit next to her on the bed. "Computers either, for that matter. Sounds like Dent did quite a number on your head."
Understatement.
Zatanna returned, followed by J'onn, Superman, and Wonder Woman.
"What have you found?" He asked as Zatanna grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the bed.
"I told you to rest," she scolded, shoving him until he sat again.
"I've managed to isolate the compound. It's manufactured from various hallucinogenic chemicals. Your adrenaline, cortisol, epinephrine, and glutamate levels were off the charts," J'onn said, handing him a tablet with the readouts.
"No wonder you had to hit me so hard," he mumbled to Clark, reading the results and rubbing the knot on his head. Zatanna leaned closer and whispered in his ear, healing the pain and kissing his temple. "Thanks. Any idea how someone could get their hands on all of these chemicals? Is it difficult?"
"That's for you to figure out, detective," Diana said. "Batwoman's on the way to Arkham with Dent right now. Gordon has been updated. He's...less than thrilled that you hid Elliott from him."
Gordon had every right to be angry and Bruce knew that this would be damaging to their relationship. "Elliott alive?"
"In ICU and still critical."
"The bombs?"
"My next task now that I'm feeling better," Barbara said. "Nightwing is going to help the bomb squad find and disarm them once I isolate the signals from the detonator. It wasn't damaged when Dent threw it, so it shouldn't be too difficult."
"I appreciate the help, Nightwing." With a sigh, he put the tablet down and squeezed Zee's hand. "Come on. I need to see our son." The images from his nightmares were still fresh in his mind and he needed to purge them with reality.
"Can I go home?" Selina asked, still lingering in the corner of the room.
He nodded as everyone stood and started to leave. "Yes. Try to stay out of trouble," he grinned.
She grinned back. "Now, where's the fun in that?"
"I'll send your things back to your apartment," Zatanna said, leading him to the Zeta tube. "Aniles emoh."
"I'll keep you up to date on further analysis. Everyone rest...you've all been through a lot," J'onn said, looking pointedly at Zatanna.
Time for an interrogation. When they arrived back at home, he pulled her to the nursery, where Alfred was sitting next to the crib.
"Master Bruce, I'm so relieved to see you up and doing well. And are you okay, Miss?"
"I'm fine, Alfred. Thanks for seeing to Thomas for me," she said, reaching down to carefully lift him without waking him.
"It is always my pleasure to spend time with him. Please do rest well tonight," he said, leaving them alone. Zatanna handed the baby over to him.
"Better now?" She asked.
"Yes. I needed to see them and know they were okay."
"I know. Everyone is fine," she repeated, going to sit down in the oversize chair. He sat down next to her so she could lean her head on his shoulder.
"Tell me."
"What?"
"Why J'onn and Alfred were concerned about you, too. Did you come to the roof?"
"No, I thought about it, but Alfred stopped me. I'm fine."
"You only say that when you're not." He looked down at her, but she had her face turned where he couldn't see her eyes.
"This time I am." He was too mentally drained to push her further, so he leaned his head over onto hers. "Ready for bed?"
"Is it okay if I bring Thomas with us to sleep?"
She turned and studied him a moment, clearly concerned, but still nodded. They readied for bed, but instead of leaving the baby to sleep in the bassinet, he held him and sat up against the headboard. Zatanna crawled in next to him, and he pulled her to lay against his side, cradling Thomas in his other arm.
"You're not going to sleep?"
"Not for a while. Rest. I just need to have you both here."
She sniffled and he could feel a tear fall onto his skin. There was no chance he would be able to sleep until he came down off of the adrenaline high, so he watched his family, alive and safe, while his mind raced.