"Fate?" asked Zatanna as she turned to look at the zeta tube. There was Doctor Fate. Just standing there. Staring at them. Both of them cautiously stepped forward before M'Gann yelled "That's not Doctor Fate!"
And with that, he attacked them. He threw two yellow energy balls at them, one hitting M'Gann and the other barely missing Zatanna.
"Then who the hell is it?" she asked, but M'Gann was unconscious. She looked at Fate, and he spoke. She could hear Nabu, but she couldn't hear her father's voice. She heard one much more demonic, which she barely recognized.
"I am Trigon. Your father's meat sack has proved to be quite… formidable. But it became less of a problem when I eliminated his consciousness."
"You're lying!" shouted Zatanna as she twirled her hand, sending one of the chairs flying at him, but he held up his hand and it shattered.
"esaeleR etaF morF nogirT!" she shouted, and Fate crumpled to his knees, grabbing his helmet, but Trigon was clearly fighting it. He looked up and his eyes returned to normal. She could hear her father's voice screaming, so she repeated the spell. She saw him reaching to rip the helmet off, so she eagerly ran over to help him pull it off. Although her efforts did nothing to help, Zatara was able to rip off the helmet and red energy went flowing outside of it as soon as it was released from him. The energy immediately formed into Trigon's physical body, triggering Zatanna's memories from the Tower of Fate, causing her to scream.
"Don't scream, Zatanna. I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for you."
She was paralyzed with fear, but Zatara got up and stood in front of her. "You will leave my daughter alone, monster!" he pulled a small pouch out of his pocket and shouted "part nogirT nI sihT hcuoP!" forcing Trigon back into red energy, which went flowing back into the pouch. "ecrofnieR!" Fate's eyes glowed, as did the string around the pouch. Zatara then placed the pouch back in his pocket and said "Trigon is always trying to escape Azarath, this may be the closest he's ever come, but-" he was interrupted by Zatanna attacked him with a hug. He could feel his shirt wet with her tears.
"I thought I was never going to see you again, daddy."
He gently stroked the back of her head as he hugged her back.
Recognized. Artemis. B07.
"Artemis!" shouted Zatanna as her girlfriend materialized. "How could you just leave like that?! I didn't know if you were mad at me or dead or-" she stopped when she saw the shocked look on her face.
"Zatara?" she asked. He nodded his head. "How?"
"Long story." Said Zatanna.
"Yes, indeed, but I am afraid I am still bound by Fate. I must return myself to him." He said, holding out his hands as the helmet flew back into them.
"Wait! Before you go one last time I… I wanted to tell you something." Said Zatanna.
"Of course, Zatanna."
"Artemis and I are dating." She said quickly and without fear.
He simply smiled and said "You make a lovely couple."
"I love you, daddy."
"I love you too, Zatanna." And with that, he put the helmet on again, teleporting away. Zatanna then buried her head in Artemis's chest crying half-happy tears, half-heartbroken tears.