Mercy

"Do you fly all of your guests to your secret layer?" Zatanna's sass was still going strong, much to Alex's dismay. 

"Do you always stand over dead bodies?" Alex was more than peeved at this point.

"Now, now, are you still mad because I lied to you about my name?"

"That isn't even the point of concern right now!"

"I agree, because the alien is alive and in your custody. I also helped Mags out in finding out what was happening at the docks, all the while saving the poor bastards life. So, from where I'm sitting, this is about this morning. It's okay, you can be truthful." She leaned in across the table, putting her face inches from Alex's. "If I wasn't highly aroused right now, I'd take it you don't like me." That damn devilish smirk was back. Alex was having a hard time keeping her facial expression in check. She got out of her chair, taking a few steps back from the table. "It's okay to be close to me. I don't bite." Her words definitely had bite in them though, as she leaned back into her chair. It wasn't like Alex was holding her. She already talked to another agent before Alex got the nerve to interrogate her, herself. She wasn't lying, she solved NCPD's mystery dock anomalies, finding out it was an alien selling his blood for money. She had a feeling his blood acted like a drug, sending humans on the ultimate high, which would make sense that the calls they had were about colors and lights, and yet the Police never actually saw them. Still, she didn't know why Zatanna was there, and, yes, she would be lying if she wasn't at least a little bit curious as to why she lied about her name.

"Why were you there, and how did you save him?"

"See, that's too many questions."

"Answer. Now." She was tired of her games.

"I was taking a stroll."

"Why the docks?"

"I like the water and I'm a big fan of Otis Redding." Alex gave her a few points for at least having a decent taste in music.

"You know I can think of at least six ways to hurt you with my index finger alone?" Her voice was raspy and demanding as she leaned forward and pushed Zatanna's chair backwards.

Without even missing a beat, she stood up and walked the agent right into the wall. "That's a threat I hope you follow through with." She whispered in Alex's ear and backed away, casually walking towards the door. "I was there because I was listening to the NCPD's Police scanner. Why you ask, because I get bored, and to no surprise, this city isn't nearly as exciting as Gotham. To answer your second question, I used magic, after all how do you think I got my number on your cup. And now to answer the question we both know you're wondering, I lied because my name is horrible. Let's be honest, it's not the easiest name to moan when you're in bed, or wherever we may be." She winked. "Also, the number, it's really mine."

"I told you, I'm taken."

"And I'm telling you, I don't care."

"Maggie." She was hoping that would stop her.

"What about... Oh." Everything about Zatanna changed in an instant. Instead of the cocky persona she had all day, she turned rather small. "Well, that does change things."

"Really? It's that easy?"

"Yes, really."

"Okay then, thank you." Alex was stunned by the sudden shift in the air.

"Am I allowed to go now, or do I have to be flown out?"

"One last question."

"I thought I covered it all?"

"How?"

"I'm not alien, if that's what you're wondering. I studied and practiced magic before I could even walk." She took a noticeably deep breath. "He was dying, Alex... I had no other choice." Her voice was shaky, with a vulnerability Alex didn't think Zatanna possessed. There was pain behind her words, and she couldn't figure out why. "Now, can I please go?"

"Yes, of course. Let me escort you out."

***

About a week had gone by from the last time Alex had seen Zatanna. Maggie figured out why Alex was so guarded about her and laughed it off rather quickly. Whatever their past was, they had a mutual respect for each other. Where Maggie would usually be jealous, she stayed rather calm, suggesting that they all grab a drink sometime. A week since seeing this mystery woman and Alex was curious to say the least. This woman she knew so little about, saved someone's life by reciting words. This frustrating human being held secrets to her girlfriends past. However, her curiosity went far past where it should've gone. She wanted to know more about her. Not in the, I want to date you sense, but she wanted to know how one second she could be the most confident woman she had ever seen, far more than even Maggie, and yet the next she was small and fragile with pain hidden behind her eyes. There was more to Zatanna and she wanted to know what it was. With the bar door opening, she was hoping she got more answers than questions this time around.

"Zee!" Maggie ran up to her and gave her a hug. "Or should I call you Clair?" They both chuckled.

"I promise that won't ever happen again. Speaking of which, hi, Alex."

"Hey, it's nice to see you again, on better terms." She tried to keep her tone a little light. There was an odd awkwardness between them. Zatanna wouldn't even look Alex's way, at least not directly.

Maggie called over the bartender. "Three beers please." 

Before M'gann could walk away, Zatanna stopped her. "Just make it two and a water, please."

"Wait, the girl who use to be able to drink me under the table, isn't drinking tonight?"

"Let's just say, the last time I drank, it wasn't pretty." Maggie's eyes beckoned as to why. "I got a tattoo I'm not very thrilled about, and after that, I learned I make very poor choices under the influence." She was lying. Alex could tell, but Maggie was seemingly buying it.

"What was it?"

"The bat." She paused and smirked to herself. "Tramp stamp. The wings spread out across, dipping ever so slightly towards my ass."

Even if she was lying, the image they all gathered in their minds was far to hilarious not to laugh at. Alex still wanted to challenge her though. She couldn't understand why she keeps lying about small things and making petty excuses for it. "You have to show us now." Alex chuckled.

"As much as I would love to, I got it removed. Hurt like a bitch. Don't ever get a tattoo drunk."

"That's why I just stay away from the needle in general. Can't say the same for my girl over here though." Maggie bumped Alex with her shoulder.

"What do you have and where?" Even though she was asking Alex, her eye's wouldn't dare capture hers. It was as if she was hiding from her. She felt that the second she looked into those beautiful doe eyed, brown eyes, she'd be a goner. All of her secrets, her pain, her problems would be on the table. She wasn't ready for that, and she would never be. After all, this was Maggie's girl and she knew she needed to respect that. She knew, that Alex wasn't like anyone she had ever met, and the games she played wouldn't be won when played with her. She would humor Alex in a conversation, but that was as far as she would go. A week after their meeting and somehow the agent still had a hold on her and she didn't understand why. She didn't understand why she suddenly cared and felt. She just wanted her stupid confident, jack ass, self back, and she was going to try as hard as possibly to stay that way. There was no room for feelings. Gotham taught her that.

"I have a tattoo on my back, dedicated to my sister and another one on my foot, an old Chinese proverb dedicated to my father. Do you have any that you didn't get removed?"

"I have two. Right arm and down my ribs. Same side."

"You've definitely have gotten a lot more edgier since the last time I saw you that's for sure." Maggie chimed in.

"Well, I stopped doing magic shows, so the costume was a little out dated. I can't ever get rid of wearing the heels, though."

"So, how do you two know each other?" It was eating Alex up not knowing. Just as she asked, M'gann came back with their drinks.

"Well, she was new to town and a few of my friends took her in." It was a simple, yet, very cryptic answer.

"I was just starting up in Gotham, when I ran into the bat, rather, bats and one cat." Alex scrunched her nose in confusion. Maggie caught on quickly to her girlfriends look. "National City has Supergirl and the Guardian, Gotham has Batman, Batgirl and Catwoman, just to name a few."

"Vigilantes?"

"Precisely." Zatanna interjected.

"I got a call in for suspicious activity in this old warehouse. The P.D. was running a little bit thin so we all had to go one-man out on the streets. It's never ideal, especially in Gotham to not have a partner to back you up. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first, until I heard distinct laughter coming from the back room. I tried calling in back up, thinking I stumbled upon one of Joker's many hide outs. He makes National Cities villain of the week look like chump change compared to him. He's a true psychopath." Zatanna nodded hastily in agreement. "To make a long story short, I walked into something I wasn't suppose to and this girl right here, along with her friends, saved my life. I got shot a few times from his henchman and before I know it I am at the Batcave, with Zee standing over me reciting words over me as I watched the bullets fly out of me. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here."

"You're just saying that. I'm sure any doctor could've done the same thing." Modesty was something Alex did not think the woman had.

"They couldn't have done it in half the time, not to mention I'd have stitches and with you I don't even have a scar, and was up and moving twenty minutes later." Alex reached for Maggie's hand, happy to have her girlfriend by her side.

"So were you a vigilante as well?"

"I guess you could call it that. I tried to stay away, but..." There it was. That hesitation. She saw it before when she was interrogating her. "I couldn't stay away from the game to long." Zatanna couldn't help it. It wasn't like she wanted to lie. She just didn't want to spill her whole life story on the two in front of her. For the most part, Maggie knew a little bit about the pain she had to go through, but that was five years ago. Things changed. Things got worse. Her father got worse. She wasn't trying to forget, she was just trying to run from it and not have to mention it. That's why she was here. She didn't want anyone to know her. That's the real reason she called herself Clair. She wanted to be someone else for a change. Live a simpler life. Not have the pain follow her everywhere she went. It was impractical, but a girl could dream. "It's entirely to much fun."

"It's also, very dangerous." Maggie unknowingly snapped at Zatanna.

Alex could tell they might need a moment. She used this time to excuse herself to take a step away. "I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back." She got up and almost instantly heard chatter behind her as she walked into the bathroom.

"How long have you two been together, Mags?"

"A little over six months now." Maggie couldn't even contain her dimple filled smile. "One second we were butting heads at my crime scene, the next she was kissing me in this bar. It took us awhile to get here, but we finally did."

"You were scared weren't you." She knew Maggie all to well.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. She terrifies me in the best way possibly. It doesn't get much better than her. There's just something about her. She's different."

"Do you love her?" It was a simple but loaded question.

"I don't think I ever wasn't in love with her." Maggie went from adorable to heart crushingly vulnerable in a millisecond flat.

Zatanna couldn't help but cock her head to the side, analyzing the situation. "Then why lie to her?"

"Excuse me?" 

"Clearly you haven't even touched base on your time in Gotham to her."

"I haven't gotten around to it. Plus, what's there to tell Zee?" She began to get defensive.

"She deserves to know Mags. Why haven’t you told her?"

"It’s not relevant anymore."

Zatanna always knew Maggie was closed off, she couldn't help but notice some things never did change. "You were engaged. You had an entire life back there. You can’t just erase that."

"Isn’t that what you’re trying to do?"

"No." For the first time tonight, she was actually being honest.

"Then why did you leave?" Maggie was trying to change the topic as quickly as possible, fearing Alex could walk in on it at any second.

"I can never forget, you, more than anyone knows that. I can, however, try to be better than the person I was."

"You said Gotham does one of two things, which happened to you?"

"I told you Mags, both. I’m no longer who I was and I will never be. I can try to move on from it, but I can never forget the pain that city caused me. What it took from me. Neither can you."

"What happened? What changed?" Maggie could see the pain wanting to pour out of her friend. She just wanted to help erase it.

"Nothing. That’s the whole point. Nothing ever changed. It stayed just as crappy as it always has been. If anything, it got crappier." 

"But…" 

"Let go of Gotham, Mags." Zatanna silently let the words fall out of her mouth. She didn't want to risk Alex, or anyone for that matter sneaking up and hearing their conversation. Little did they know, Alex was an earshot away sneakily catching the tail end of their conversation.

"Why?"

"Because, she’s let go of you." Alex wanted to barge in and ask all the questions, but she knew she had to let Maggie come to her about whatever this conversation was about.

"She’s?" Maggie was playing dumb, Zatanna was sure of it.

"Tell Alex."

"What if she leaves?" Fear was all Alex could see in her beautiful girlfriends eyes.

"What if she stays?"