She got a call early in the morning. The sun hadn't yet risen over the city let alone the horizon. Feeling around she grabbed her cellphone. The light from it blinded her. "Hello?" her voice was dry as she spoke. Her uncle J'ohnn had yet to get back to her about Zatanna. At this point she had made peace with the fact that her best friend could he dead. Everyone thought she was gone.

Some even wished they could see her again. See her sitting at a cafe, at the park with Mar'i smiling, seeing her alive would be enough. But she just disappeared into thin air. "M'gann" it was her uncle's voice. Happy Harbor was a couple hours ahead. The sun was probably already up over there. "Uncle J'ohnn? What is it? Did you find anything?" she was fully awake now.

"M'gann no one has seen her. It's been near a month, she may be-"

"Okay, thank you. I know I've made-I've made peace with the fact that she is actually dead. Thank you though" her voice cracked and was shaky as she spoke.

Closing her eyes she sat there with the phone to her ear. Trying to keep her breathing steady. Maybe she was in fact dead? "I am sorry M'gann" her uncle said. She sniffled as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. "Its okay. I'll call you later" she said before hanging up. She stared at the lock screen on her cellphone. It was a photo of her, Artemis, Roquette, and Zatanna. The tears wouldn't stop falling. "Oh god" she said tossing her phone to the side.

Falling back onto the bed she curled up into a ball. The light from her phone making the dorm room glow. Why was life so cruel? It was so hard to get through an hour let alone a day. She couldn't even imagine what Dick or Mar'i were going through. In fact she didn't want to know. They were probably feeling what she felt times a thousand. All she could do was cry. All she wanted to do was cry. As she just lost a best friend, a sister.

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At this point they've given up trying to talk some sense into him. All they could do was try to comfort him as best as they could. She sat on the couch wrapped up in a throw blanket. The lamp in the corner of the room was on. All she was doing was staring off into space. A recollection of memories bombarding her mind. Remembering the first day she met Zatanna.

"What's your name kid?" Artemis asked crossing her arms.

"Z-Zatanna Zatara" she stuttered out.

"Well then Zatanna because I'm feeling a little generous I'll make sure nobody bothers you on this date" she said before walking away.

That memory played over and over in her mind. She could see how happy she was in her mind. That nervous smile she had on her face upon meeting Artemis. Only then there friendship bloomed. She considered the raven haired girl her sister. Artemis didn't notice the tears that had began to stream down her olive cheeks. Wally stirred in his sleep before his eyes slowly opened. Turning around he noticed Artemis not lying next to him.

Walking into the living room he saw the lamp in the corner on. Her sitting on the couch wrapped up in one of the throw blankets. He called her name only for her not to answer. Walking over he saw her staring off into space, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Artemis" his voice cracked as he sat down next to her. She turned to look at him. That broken expression on her face haunted him.

That's when she hugged him. Pressing her face into his chest. Wally could feel her hot tears against his skin. "She's gone Wally" she cried out even harder. All he could do was hold her close. Try to comfort her as best as he could. After all he had to be strong for her. "It's okay babe, I know, I know it hurts" he whispered into her ear. The tears wouldn't stop. She's been holding off from crying, from mourning.

Everything was just hitting her now like a truck. There was a continuous flow of tears. Someone else began to hug her as well. She could only guess it was Bart. She probably woke him up with how loud she was being. "Its okay Artemis, it only hurts for a bit. Eventually the pain will lessen but for now Wally and I will be here to help you. To make the world seem like its not so shitty" Bart said trying to calm her as best as he could.

"I love you guys" she said holding both of them close.

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He sat there staring at the wall. What else could he do. The Commissioner had escorted him home earlier. All he could feel was a pain in his heart. Zatanna's disappearance still eluded him. Where the hell did she go? His eyes were puffy from crying. Luckily Mar'i wasn't here to see him like this. She had been staying at the manor for the past two weeks. He hasn't even seen her.

Why did he have to take her? Why not him? Dick would give anything to have her back, anything. Just to hold her and tell her that well he loved her. He still did. There was a noise. The soft padding of footsteps making their way into his room. However he didn't notice. Someone crawled into his bed next to him. "Dad, dad, daddy. Do you not love me anymore?" he heard the sweet voice say.

Sitting up he looked to the side. Rubbing his blue eyes to see his daughter sitting on the bed. What was she doing here? How did she get here? Without thinking he pulled her into a tight hug. "Sunshine I love you so much. So, so much. Please don't leave me" he said, fresh tears spilling from his eyes. Mar'i was all he really had left. "I won't, I promise" she said, tears spilling from her eyes now.

The two were crying and it was hard to stop. She thought he hated her and didn't want her anymore. Dick was just afraid to show his daughter that he in fact had flaws. He wasn't strong, he never was. "How did you get here?" he asked a couple minutes later. It was silent and she was falling asleep. "I snuck out and walked to the train station. A nice woman directed me to the right train. Then I walked the rest of the way here" she said in a tired voice.

He felt like such a horrible father. The fact that his ten year old daughter had to take a train alone to see him said a lot. Clearly she wasn't being taken care of very well there. "Just call next time" he mumbled as she tiredly nodded. He didn't want to give up on Zatanna just yet. Even though his hope was slowly fading. What if she was still out there? Alone and scared? Especially with that psychopath.

Anything could happen to her, anything.

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Miraculously her wrists were now so thin she could slip them out from the handcuffs. For so long all she knew was pain. To the point where she was absolutely numb. He couldn't break her anymore as there was nothing left for him to break. She slipped her hands out and sat up. The place was silent. All she wanted to do was get out. Her freedom was the only thing driving her.

Bruises were still scattered across her body as well as cuts and burns. He did a lot to her. Things that are to painful for her to even think back to. For some reason he hasn't come to check on her in awhile. Maybe he went out? Maybe she could escape after all? The door creaked as she slowly pulled it open. The sun hadn't risen yet, it was probably around four or five-thirty. She couldn't really tell.

She had no clothes on and there was no telling how cold it was outside. The only thing covering her body were her undergarments. Zatanna never got to really explore this place. The house or cabin, whatever it was looked old. Every step she took made the floorboards squeak. Peering around the corner she looked into the room. He was nowhere to be seen which was a relief.

For a moment she felt something bubbling inside of her. It was hope. There was a jacket lying on the arm of the old couch. The television was on but the channel was rather fuzzy. She couldn't even hear what it was saying, the sound was pure static. Picking it up she slipped it on, putting her arms through the holes. It was baggy but it provided warmth. Now all she needed to do was make it outside.

At this point she could just taste freedom. Maybe everything was going to be alright after all? His car was parked outside but where was he? However that thought was bothering her at the moment. The only thing she was focused on was escaping. Leaving this horrible nightmare and never coming back. She walked around trying to be as quiet as possible. There was a slim chance that he was still asleep.

Then again she didn't plan on getting out today. Or any other day. She thought she was trapped here forever. Clearly that wasn't the case. All of those days she wasn't able to eat actually made her smile. It gave her the ability to slip out of those handcuffs. The front door was in her view. There was no difficult lock for her to open. A simply turn of the knob and it would open.

She placed her hand on the cold brass doorknob. There was a clicking noise which sounded from behind her. "Now what are you doing here love? Trying to leave?" he said with a gun pointed to the back of her. Her eyes darted to the side. There was an antique vase. Within seconds she had picked it up and threw it. The vase shattered once it hit him. Throwing the door open she ran out.

The cold air hit her like nothing she had ever felt. She felt so alive. Zatanna was going to make it. There were trees surrounding her. A dirt road leading through the thick of it. She tugged on the cars door handle but nothing happened. Of course, there were no key's. So she started running down the dirt road. Ignoring the sharp rocks stabbing the bottom of her feet. "You bitch, you'll regret that!" she heard him yell.

Fear spiked through her entire body. Shaking her to her very core. Every step she took made her heart beat even faster. Where was the main road? She screamed when she heard a gun shot. Which only made her run even faster. He wasn't even bothering to run after her. As she wasn't that far ahead. The gun was held out as he fired it, bullet after bullet. There was no way he was letting her leave.

He loved her remember? Anger was filling the inside of him. The darkness in his heart spreading throughout his body. Why would he want to leave her? She was so disobedient! Not listening to what he says! Not eating the food he makes for her! "Remember my name love! John Constantine!" he yelled before firing one last shot. He watched as the bullet cut through the air.

Then her body fell to the dirt.

Skycrystal23 ;)