Longest chapter yet! We have over 3,000 words here guys! Also, you guys easily figured out what was wrong with Robin...but I guess I wasn't very discreet. Don't worry if you didn't figure it out, for all will be explained here.
One quick question: Is anyone extremely against me skipping "Coldhearted"? It's just that there is a distinct lack of Robin in that episode because it's focused around Wally. I guess I could do a chapter with it, but - far warning - it will probably be on the shorter side.
[ ] is the mind link.
*Warning: There is a flashback here that may cause an extreme case of feels. You have been warned.*
I hope you enjoy!
An hour and a half later, Zatanna was finally confident enough to try the locator spell.
"Are you ready?" Kaldur asked, placing a hand on the magician's shoulder. She gave him a small - slightly hesitant - nod before he went back to join the rest of the Team.
"Are you ready?" He asked, looking at the young boy beside him.
"I...I think so." Tim admitted, "It's just so...weird. I've heard about Robin forever but…" He tugged on the sleeve of his costume.
It was the boy's first night out on the city as Gotham and he was nervous - who wouldn't be? He was about to go headfirst into a new world, one full of criminals and heroes. He would be concerned if the kid wasn't a bit anxious.
"It'll be okay." Barbara - now Batgirl - assured him. "We'll be here every step."
"She's right." He placed a hand on the young boy's shoulder, "There's nothing to be afraid of. The major criminals are locked up tight and we won't take our eyes off of you." He looked down at the boy and added softly, "We'll protect you."
"Thanks Dick." He said, giving the man a smile. "Thanks Barbara."
"That's Nightwing and Batgirl to you, rookie." Batgirl joked, making the boy laugh.
"Coordinates locked." He reported, snapping back to reality. "Roanoke Island. You did it." He drew a shaky breath, trying to dispel his last memory. He could focus on that later.
Having something that they could possibly call a plan, the Team milled around the hangar as they attempted to iron out the details, still unsure of what exactly they were facing. Klarion was expected, but beyond that they had no clue.
That was until the lightning came, striking from out of nowhere into the center of the hangar, bringing a young boy - around Damian's age, he noticed - with it.
"It works!" The boy yelled, looking at his hands in surprise.
"Who are you? How did you get in here?" Kaldur inquired, rushing forward with the rest of the Team to look at the mysterious boy.
"Quick, read my mind!" The boy said, completely sure of himself as he looked at M'gann. Her eyes glowed green as she obeyed the young boy's wishes.
She gave a small gasp, "He's Captain Marvel." M'gann told them, her voice full of surprise.
"Yeah, and I'm Speedy Gonzalez." Wally said sarcastically, "Look, just because he's Captain-"
"Geez Wally." The boy spoke up, surprising them all with his knowledge. "Do I really have to bring you nachos and pineapple juice to get on your good side?" He asked, making the Team look at each other. They would have to reevaluate now that a League member had come through. Now, they could communicate and coordinate their attack.
The next few...was it minutes? Hours? He honestly didn't know. What he did know is that whenever Captain Marvel - or Billy, as he was in his civilian, child form - switched between worlds he felt like he was hit in the head with Riddler's cane. It was a dull, throbbing pain that quickly subsided between the Leaguer's visits. But when the lightning came, the headache came as well.
He didn't mention it to his teammates; they couldn't be worried about him and focus on the task at hand, and the mission was much more important. So he simply clenched his fists and was thankful that he had gauntlets to protect his hands from his nails.
When they entered the bioship, he realized that this was his first mission since he had woken from the simulation. It would be the Team's first mission since the failed exercise. Artemis and Zatanna had had a fight with a unique criminal in Manhattan on Halloween, and Superboy had teamed up with new gods from New Genesis right after the simulation, but this would be their first mission together.
"Dick, are you sure you're alright?" Barbara asked, watching him hit the punching bag harder and faster.
"No." He admitted, sending one last punch at the defenseless bag. "But it needs to be done. The League needs a covert operations Team and they're qualified." He took a deep breath, "Jason's qualified. I can't hold them back. I know how they feel. I was there, standing where they are standing now."
She walked closer, "But it's not that simple. After what happened...no one would blame you if you canceled this whole operation."
"But I can't." He gave the bag another punch, watching as it swung back and forth from the momentum. He grabbed it and leaned on it, not looking at the ginger girl. "I remember that day. It was the four of us - Kaldur, Wally, Superboy and I - who started it. We were in the ruins of Cadmus watching as the League descended in front of us and berated us for our actions. But we told them. We told them that we did good work there. The work they trained us for. I remember as Superboy pushed himself to the front and looked at Batman and said "Get on board, or get out of the way." And…" He let out a hollow laugh, "I remember looking at him like he was crazy."
He knew he was rambling now, but he couldn't stop despite how much he wanted to. "But it worked. We were given the Cave as a home and were introduced to Miss Martian - M'gann - as a fifth member. She baked cookies as a thank you for accepting her to the Team. They were burnt, but Wally stuffed his face with them anyway. God, he was such a flirt. He couldn't see that she and Conner had been secretly dating. He was always too busy fighting with Artemis. She was Jade's sister - you know, Roy's girlfriend?"
He didn't look to see her nod "And…" He opened his mouth to continue but no words came out.
Only tears.
"God, I miss them."
"We're here." Miss Martian's voice snapped him back, but it took him a second to register that that had been a memory of something that wasn't real, and what he was doing now was.
"You all know your tasks?" Aqualad asked, looking over. He gave a numb nod, in sync with the others. Aqualad nodded back in response, "Good. Go."
He and Artemis were first on the ground, sneaking up behind the lord of Chaos. He made eye contact with her and silently nodded as she raised her bow. He grabbed several birdarangs and - in perfect unison - fired.
Klarion turned and created a shield of red energy. He gave them a smirk, "That's the best you can do?" he asked evilly, raising his hand to send bolts of red lightning at them.
Before they could move, they were hit. He felt his body skid across the ground and let out a groan. He stood, and helped Artemis - who was lying a few feet away, up.
"Well that didn't work. What should we do now?" She looked at Klarion, who was standing in a circle of runes with a red shield around him. Miss Martian, Aqualad, and Superboy were all attempting to penetrate the shield to no avail.
His hands immediately traveled to his escrima sticks. Electricity sometimes worked against magic, but he would need a high voltage. He cursed under his breath when he remembered that his escrima sticks didn't have a function to electrify them.
"Listen." Kid Flash came up from behind Artemis. "When Fate possessed my body, he defeated Klarion by attacking the cat."
Artemis raised her bow, nocking an arrow, "Good, not a big cat fan anyway."
Because of your sister? He instinctively thought, before mentally berating himself. He could focus on Artemis' secrets later.
Klarion raised a hand, turning the arrow into a green ball of string at the last second. "Show them what a familiar to a Chaos can do Teekl." he laughed evilly, and the small cat turned into a giant monster.
"Great." he muttered sarcastically as Superboy broke off to fight the giant cat-monster. Artemis and Kid Flash ran forward to help.
He moved to follow, but he felt a familiar pain in his stomach. "Not now." He gritted his teeth as the world faded out. He saw Batman, stuck in a green plant that reminded him of fighting Poison Ivy. Red Tornado was battling a wizard who was shooting fire, while Zatara was floating above about to cast a spell. He threw lightning at the four wizards - one he could clearly recognize as Wotan.
The lightning was absorbed by the crystal in the center of the wizards, and when he was brought back to reality he saw it coming for him and his teammates.
The world became fuzzy as he was sent flying backwards once again. He was vaguely aware of Artemis lying next to him and Zatanna standing near them, calling their names as he struggled to keep his eyes open.
He must have briefly lost consciousness, because the next thing he was aware of was a familiar dull headache and Billy's voice over the telepathic link.
He cringed involuntarily at the voice in his head. When was the last time he communicated with someone telepathically? Martian Manhunter and Miss Martian had both been dead in the simulation, and there were no other telepaths in the League or Team. [It's the gem, in the center of the pentagram.] Billy told them, [Destroy it, and we win.]
"That's all I needed to know." He turned to see Zatanna holding the Helmet of Fate.
His eyes widened in horror as he realized what she was about to do, "No Zatanna, don't!" He shouted, scrambling to stand so he could get to her and stop her from making a horrible mistake.
She put on the helmet, just as he reached her, and he stopped realizing he was too late. It was all coming true.
Zatanna would be trapped as Doctor Fate again.
She transformed into Doctor Fate, rising above the battlefield. "Klarion!" His gut twisted at the familiar sound of Zatanna and Nabu's voices combined. "This ends now."
[Billy, tell Zatara!] Miss Martian ordered, and he received a headache as Billy Batson transformed into Captain Marvel once more.
Miss Martian telekinetically lifted an unconscious Artemis away from the battle as Nabu and Klarion began to battle. The Team - minus Superboy, who was still dealing with Klarion's cat - wordlessly regrouped behind the line of dead trees, all knowing the extent of what just occurred moments earlier.
Aqualad and Miss Martian ran forward to help Doctor Fate while he checked Artemis' pulse.
"Her pulse is steady and strong. She'll be fine." He told the speedster. He turned, standing from where he had been kneeling to feel the girl's neck. Kid Flash gave him a nod, before superspeeding away, preparing to grab the gem the moment Klarion's shield went down.
The fiery pain suddenly burned through him and he doubled over. He could see the adults fighting just as they were, and could see a partially translucent Doctor Fate hovering over them.
"When the world's divided, the helmet split too. You're not all here Nabu." He was aware of Klarion yelling.
You're not all here.
That was it, he realized. He, like the helmet, was divided between worlds. It makes sense. A mind of a forty year old and a body of a thirteen year old. I'm supposed to belong here, but I don't completely.
He clawed at the dirt as the pain ran through him, very thankful for his gauntlets. When he settled back into the world he stood up once more, in time to watch as Klarion's wall of magic fell and Kid Flash grabbing the gem.
"Doc, catch!" He shouted, tossing the gem up to Doctor Fate, who easily caught it. The lord of Order recited an incantation, and he suddenly felt complete. It was like he had been missing something and found it. The adults appeared, along with the four defeated wizards from their world.
Artemis stirred and he helped the green-clad archer up. "What did I miss?" She asked, wincing slightly.
"We won, but at a cost." He told her, looking up at Doctor Fate.
"Oh no." She muttered, and he nearly didn't hear her as they moved forward to be with the others.
"Fate!" Zatara cried angrily as he walked forward, before composing himself, "Great Nabu, release my daughter." he requested, a hint of desperation in his voice.
"No." The cold, familiar voice made his blood run cold. "Witness the havoc wrought in these hours. The world needs Doctor Fate, and the girl's natural affinity for the mystic arts makes her the perfect candidate." Nabu explained without a trace of sympathy.
"You can't do that!" Artemis cried out angrily.
"She has her own life to live." He agreed with her, a cold feeling of dread running through him. This was his fault. If he hadn't been so stupid - so weak - he would have been more open with Dinah and Bruce and they could have prevented this. It was his fault. This was on him.
If I had just been faster to get to her or strong enough to warn her or anybody, this wouldn't have happened.
But how was I to know the simulation had hints of what was to come in it? A small voice asked him, but he shook it off. This was nobody's fault but his own.
"Kent would never allow you -" Kid Flash yelled angrily, only to be cut off.
"Kent Nelson did object, strenuously so I released his spirit to the afterlife." Nabu interrupted him. "He is gone." This made the speedster look down in honor of the old Doctor Fate.
"Take me instead." Zatara's words surprised them all. "My skills are already at their peak. My body is physically stronger, better to withstand the strain of your power."
He looked at the magician and the Lord of Order in slight disbelief. Maybe the simulation was wrong. Maybe there was still a chance to save Zatanna.
But even if there is, the cost is the same. A life for a life. Zatara being stuck as Doctor Fate is no better than Zatanna. He reminded himself
"All true." Nabu agreed. "But if I remove the helmet, what guarantee do I that you will don it?" He asked suspiciously.
"My word." Zatara said, raising his hands in one last plea for his daughter's life. "Ekat em daetsni."
Doctor Fate slowly glided down until they were facing the magician on the ground. Slowly, the helmet came off and Zatanna was standing there.
"Dad!" She cried happily.
"Zatanna." He said her name with equal happiness, and also a hint of sadness as the father and daughter embraced. It was a heartwarming reunion, but they all knew the happiness wouldn't last.
Zatara whispered something to the girl, kissing her forehead while taking the helmet from her hands. "Take care of my girl." He said, turning towards the Team and the present members of the League.
"You have my word." Batman promised, and he looked down in shame, feeling guilty. He should have known this would happen.
Zatanna suddenly realized what was happening. "No, please!" She begged, and it broke his heart to grab her to hold her back as she tried to make her way to her father as he put on the helmet. "This was my fault!" She cried, shaking him off. "Dad, don't. Dad!"
It was too late, however, for Zatara had already put on the helmet. Her father was gone, trapped as Doctor Fate.
I'm so sorry, Zatanna. This is all my fault.
The Team was helping Zatanna move in the next morning. Well, the Team besides him. He couldn't face her. It was his fault she was now an orphan.
So here he sat, in another one of Dinah's counseling sessions.
"It was like this in the simulation. It was the same, but Zatanna was trapped as Doctor Fate in a different fight against Klarion." He looked down at his hands. "I knew, and I said nothing. How can I face her knowing that I could have saved her father?"
Dinah leaned forward, "It's not your fault. You couldn't have known."
"But I still could have said something!" He cried, clenching his fists. "If I hadn't been so...so weak. So fragile about the simulation Zatanna would have her father now!" He yelled angrily before his voice died down, "I was right there. If I had been faster…"
"Dick, it's not your fault." She gently told him. "Even if you had told someone, Zatanna made her own decision in the end, and so did Zatara. She was prepared to sacrifice herself to save the world, and he was prepared to sacrifice his freedom to save her."
"It's not your fault."
But, despite whatever Dinah said, he couldn't get rid of the guilt he felt.
Despite whatever anyone said, he would always know - deep down - that it was his fault.