Set in my own continuity that gives us a look at Zatanna and Bruce's relationship developing through the ups and downs over the years.

September 5th, 2000. 9:02 AM.

"Zatara! You're late!"

Zatanna grimaced, seeing her boss, Angelina, shaking her head. Zatanna hadn't been at the Martha Wayne Center For Children for very long, so she was still struggling to get used to the early 9 AM shift start. As a person who had spent her entire life as the daughter of a stage magician, Zatanna was used to late nights, not early mornings.

She thought about her past a bit bitterly, the pain of her father's death still fresh. It had been five years ago, but she still couldn't seem to come to terms with it. Plus, her recent accepting of her failure as a stage magician was difficult to come to terms with, especially considering how taking part in that life was really her last connection to her father.

"I'm sorry", she apologized, taking off her "Gotham Knights" jacket and hanging it on a hook, "I'm still getting used to this Gotham traffic."

The blonde woman nodded, "Just don't let it happen again."

Zatanna nodded, heading to one of the tables to help where a young girl was sitting. She sat down and smiled. "How was your weekend, Harper?"

The blonde haired nine-year-old almost jumped out of her seat, "Daddy took me to the amusement park in Metropolis! I rode the Ferris wheel One-Hundred time!"

Zatanna laughed as the nine-year-old tried to show Zatanna how many times she rode the Ferris wheel by showing ten fingers.

"That sounds fun! Did you get any cotton-candy? My Dad always got me cotton candy at amusement parks."

The girl shook her head, "I got chocolate ice cream with sprinkles!"

Zatanna chuckled, "That's even better! Hey, what do you say we get to work on your Grammar?"

The girl nodded but didn't seem totally convinced. Harper was in the Center because of her massive OCD. She couldn't concentrate on anything for very long, so the rigid schedule of public school didn't exactly work for her. That's why Martha Wayne had created the Center over twenty years ago, having grown up with a friend who suffered from a similar issue.

From what Zatanna had heard, Martha created a few short years before she had been killed with her husband in Crime Alley. It was done in honor of that same friend, who had died in a car accident. Zatanna remembered when Bruce had explained the Center to her years before, expressing frustration over the lack of funding for it from the board members in charge.

"When I return, I'm gonna make sure it's run by people who care about it. It won't be a government project anymore. That organization along with the halfway house for woman in crisis and the adoption center were very important to her. I'll make sure they are all treated how they should be", he had said one night as they sat on the roof of her father's studio, staring at the stars.

Zatanna had always thought his drive and passion was so appealing, but she had also been so transfixed whenever he would talk about his mother or his mother's best friend, Leslie Thompkins, who was Bruce's maternal figure aftter Martha died. He spoke so highly of them, like they were angels that could do no wrong. They pillars of virtue that inspired him.

Zatanna had never truly had a maternal figure in her life due to her mother dying after giving birth to her, so she felt so intrigued by his experiences. When she had left London to come to Gotham and found that he had not returned, Zatanna had looked for Leslie Thompkins, but no one really knew where she was, so Zatanna had come here to the place Martha Wayne had such an imprint on.

At first, Zatanna had seen a way to stay close to Bruce and help out with something that meant so much to him, but there was also an aspect of wanting to learn more about Martha Wayne, a woman who meant so much to the man she loved.

What she had learned about Martha was that she was truly the person Bruce had described her as, a selfless person who used her wealth for the betterment of others.

Zatanna began to help Harper with her school, never getting frustrated by the tangents that Harper had the tendency to go on due to her ADHD, but Zatanna was happy to talk with her on her tangents. Suddenly, the brunette felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to see her friend, Meg, smiling at her. Zatanna told Harper she would be right back and walked to the corner with Meg.

"Did you hear?"

Zatanna gave her a questioning look, "Hear what?"

The red-haired woman smirked, "Your boy is back with a bang, Zatara."

Zatanna felt her eyes bug out of her head and a blush hit her cheeks. Meg was her only real friend in Gotham and had essentially got a confession out of Zatanna for why she was here. Zatanna very sheepishly admitted that she had essentially come to Gotham in search of Bruce. She had left out all the other parts about their relationship and how Bruce had broken her heart, giving Meg a bit of a more…cliche version of what had happened.

"What did he do?"

Meg shrugged, "He didn't do anything. Apparently, someone tried to blow up his car. I guess someone was trying to kill him or something."

Zatanna felt concern wash over her. "Is he okay???"

"He's fine. He's back at his big castle now. How did you get to know him again?"

Zatanna felt her mind racing a million miles a second. What did he do to make someone try to kill him? Was this part of his mission that he was always talked about? What did that mean?

"Earth to Zatanna."

Zatanna looked up, realizing she had gotten lost in her own head. "What? Sorry. He uh…he went to stay with my Dad to learn how to be a stage magician and to learn more about how his dad and my dad knew each other."

Meg nods, "So, you going to go to him?"

Zatanna ran her hand through her hair. "I don't know. Not yet. I can't leave work early. Angelina would have my head."

Meg laughs, "You're right about that. Are you sure you can concentrate on your job?"

Zatanna rolled her eyes, "Yes, I'm sure. I'm not sixteen, Meg."

Meg nodded, going back to her work. Left with her thoughts, Zatanna felt her anxiety grow, both at the thought of talking to him again and the concern of why someone would try to kill him. She dug her nails into her fingers. She needed to focus on helping Harper with her School right now. Checking on her "boy" as Meg had called him could wait. Even though they were technically broken up since he just left abruptly without saying a word….

Zatanna closed her eyes in frustration. Focus on your job, she mentally told herself as she made her way back to the table to help Harper with her school.

As always, open to suggestions for future stories!