(A/N): Hello there!

I'm back and I apologize for the delay. Life happened and I got sidetracked for most of September. Anyway this chapter is another slower one, I tried to focus more on Artemis and Wally as they are some of my favourites. That being said I hope you guys enjoy the chapter as in season 4 I'm going to try and focus on the teams lives outside of being heroes. Just to show the human side of being a hero. (I may just be trying to make any upcoming events more impactful, you're in for a wild ride at the end of the season.)

Let me know if you have any thoughts or wishes, I'm always open to feedback.

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3rd Person POV:

There was quite a welcome party waiting for the heroes when they returned to the Batcave.

Alfred had gathered his remaining friends from his SAS days and somehow found Jason Todd captive in one of his Red Hood safe houses that was briefly utilized by Keener. 

Nightwing was overjoyed to find Jason alive, having feared the worst when he disappeared from Wayne Manor after his mind was partially restored.

Batman arrived in the Batwing with Zatanna and (Y/n) nearly an hour after the bio-ship arrived.

The rest of the original team was waiting for their arrival in the Batcave, any injuries already cleaned and dressed properly by the Butler that seemed to perform miracles for the Dark Knight.

As the exhausted agent was helped off the Batwing by his equally exhausted wife, their friends saw his wounds and wondered what happened on the other side of the boom tube.

Tigress: "Oh my god! What happened?!"

Nightwing: "Where did that portal take you?!"

(Y/n): "Drink first, questions later."

The agent ignored the strange glances from his friends though he couldn't blame them. He wasn't the biggest drinker out of the group, his enhanced blood made getting wasted almost impossible due to his increased metabolism.

As the married couple followed the Dark Knight to the main computer, the rest of the team gathered around just as Alfred pulled up a small chair for (Y/n) to sit in.

The agent nearly collapsed and let out a massive sigh of relief when he sank into the large office chair.

Alfred: "Master (L/n), we have some water if that is-l

(Y/n): "Alcohol. Whatever you've got, whiskey, brandy, scotch, it doesn't matter."

The large group of heroes stayed silent as the butler reluctantly went to fetch a bottle.

(Y/n): "Is everyone else alright? Nobody got seriously hurt?"

Miss Martian: "We had a few close calls, but we're alright."

Superboy: "Waller needs to be stopped. It's clear she's altered Batman's contingency plans, she's trying to kill us."

Wally: "Well, let's go find her. Shouldn't be too hard to track her down."

Kaldur: "I appreciate your optimism, but Waller has always been adept at manipulation and she is no fool. She knows we will be coming for her."

(Y/n): "She's overconfident and has no reason to run, she'll still be in the Pentagon, in the middle of Cadmus headquarters. ISAC can get us in, letting us get close without being detected. But the problem is we have nothing on her. Without a reason to take her down, we'll be exactly what she says we are. A bunch of loose cannons that threaten the government and by extension the people."

Tigress: "Her men invaded a sovereign country on her orders, I think that's reason enough."

(Y/n): "Could be, but for all we know the president gave her the green light. We need clear evidence of her attempting to grab power, to show the world that she's another Natalya."

Before the conversation could continue, Alfred returned with a bottle of whisky and a single glass.

Alfred: "It's far from our finest, but for you, it will suffice."

There was a hint of annoyance in the butler's voice, but the agent couldn't care any less. He swiped the bottle and glass from Alfred's hands with a quick "thank you" leaving his lips.

(Y/n): "Alright, I don't think I can answer fifty questions about that fight or the place I ended up. Picture hell, and that's pretty close to what it looked like."

Nightwing: "And Keener?"

(Y/n): "Brought back to life by whoever was there. I recognized Gretchen Good, or Granny Goodness, whatever she was called. It looked like that place we fought her in the last time we saw her, same architecture, Parademons flying everywhere..."

Silence fell over the heroes as an ever increasing number of questions filled their minds.

(Y/n): "It might be easier to just show you. M'gann, read my mind please. Can you show everyone what happened?"

Miss Martian: "If you're sure that's what you want, then yes, I can."

The agent nodded to his friends and relaxed in the chair, letting his mind replay the fight and the events before it over and over again.

M'gann created a mind link with everyone in the Batcave, showing them the fight as if they were standing aside and watching it happen.

They saw the hellish landscape of Apokolips, the towering pillars of fire, the churning seas of lava and the sprawling castles and factories.

The fight on the balcony played out in their minds, taking only a fraction of a second to complete, though for the agent, it seemed to drag on forever.

Then the final blow was struck, (Y/n)'s blood covered and cut face glowing in the lavas light, his hand cut deeply by Keener's knife and his axe lodged in the rogue agents neck.

Then immediately after Darksied declared that he was free to go, the connection faded and the heroes found themselves back in the Batcave.

Wally: "Holy shit. That was insane."

Miss Martian: "You... you saw Darksied."

(Y/n): "I take it he was the big one?"

Kaldur: "Darksied has an alliance with the Light. Almost all of the meta-humans that were trafficked off world ended up as his slaves. He exploits their power to aid his galaxy wide conquest. He is the embodiment of evil, and I do not say that lightly."

The agent took another drink from his glass, downing the liquid in one go. The liquid tasted like it was burning his throat as he swallowed, but without flinching or making any face whatsoever, the agent casually poured another glass.

(Y/n): "From what little I overheard, it sounded like they wanted to use Keener to wipe out the Light. This alliance between them may not be as strong as we think it is."

Nightwing: "Possibly, but we shouldn't count on that for success."

Zatanna: "Ok, let's assume the Light and this Darksied have an alliance. Why hasn't he invaded and just conquered the planet or at least tried to do that? Then he could hand it to the Light and there would be nobody left to fight them."

Kaldur: "If Darksied invades, millions would die. We can't let that happen, and it starts with understanding this alliance with the Light."

(Y/n): "So we need to find information on this alliance, where should we start?"

"GET OUT OF MY WAY ROBIN! I WANT TO SEE THEM!"

At the top of the stairs leading out of the Batcave, Mary and Traci were pushing past Robin and rushing down the steps with the third boy wonder right behind them.

The girls raced across the Batcave and threw themselves at Zatanna, hugging their mentor as the magician wrapped her arms around her students.

Zatanna: "Mary?! Traci?! What are you doing here?"

Traci: "We were going to help you. We tried to get to Markovia through the zeta tubes. A-we never made it."

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*Flashback*

As Mary, Traci and Blue Beetle stumbled out of the zeta tube, they immediately realized they weren't in Markovia.

Blinding spot lights obscured their view as the sound of rifles and machine guns loading filled the air as a commanding voice rang out.

Waller: "Good, you're here. I want you to pass on a message for me."

The searchlights dimmed just enough for the heroes to see the room before them.

Amanda Waller stood before a small army of her Argus soldiers, each man with his weapon pointed at the heroes.

Blue Beetle: "Waller?! What do you want?! Where are we?!"

Waller: "My new headquarters. I have a message for you to deliver to the Justice League."

Tension filled the air as Mary attempted to find an escape route. They appeared to be in some sort of laboratory. Only it was completely destroyed.

Almost every piece of equipment was smashed and bullet holes littered the walls and glass windows that once separated the room from a nearby hallway.

Waller: "You can tell the Justice League, and all your hero friends, that one day soon, the American Government will announce that we find the Justice Leagues charter no longer acceptable. You're based on American soil, you will follow our orders and work for us. It's a new world, you're either with us, or against us."

*End of Flashback*

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*Batcave*

Mary: "Then she just let us go. She turned on the zeta tube and we walked out in Gotham."

Traci: "Jaime is flying up to the Watchtower to warn everyone. Luckily we're mostly all still in one place."

Nightwing: "So Waller can redirect our zeta tube traffic? That's not good."

Superboy: "That's an understatement."

Batman: "Oracle and Robin will find the breach in our security and patch it. But Waller is a problem that we will have to deal with."

(Y/n): "I still have connections in the government. After saving them from the Black Tusk, I could call in a few favours and see if I can get Waller reined in. Or even removed from office."

Kelso: "I'm not sure, the majority of the government is busy dealing with the Russians. They're upset the Rocket Reds were wiped out on American soil."

Zatanna: "The same Rocket Red brigade that you wiped out?"

Kelso: "They were working with Keener!"

As soon as (Y/n) stood up, Mary and Traci gasped, seeing the massive scar on his face for the first time and his bandaged left hand.

Mary: "What happened?!"

(Y/n): "I promise I will tell you everything one day, but not today. I think I'm still processing it, and I don't want to relive it just yet."

Silence fell over the Batcave once again as (Y/n) forced a smile to his face.

Batman: "You will all have a room prepared until we secure Justice League systems and ensure Waller's breach is patched. After that we can begin returning to our normal duties. Once we have a solid case against Waller, we will act."

(Y/n): "ISAC can help patch the League's firewalls. With his help, Waller's techs won't be able to access anything."

Nightwing: "Alright, let's clean up and relax a bit. Everyone here has earned a break."

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*One Week After Keener's death*

Things went surprisingly well for the heroes in the week following the events in Markovia. Oracle, Robin and Nightwing were able to patch the Justice Leagues computer systems with the help of ISAC.

By the time the security of the zeta tube network was restored, the majority of the heroes on the Watchtower were healthy enough to resume their regular duties.

The League had a formal funeral for Zatara, an emotional affair for Zatanna that shook her to her very core.

The service took place at the same small burial ground where they originally placed his body, with a new tombstone marking the grave.

(Y/n) and Nightwing were initially worried about Waller making a move against the League during the funeral service. But to their relief, their newest opponent stayed away.

In the wake of every crisis the heroes faced in the past month, the return to normalcy felt strange for all of them. But in the end it was welcomed with open arms.

After the Justice Leagues computer systems were fixed, Nightwing spent his days helping Jason Todd recover. Between a combination of luck, hard work, magic and Miss Martian's abilities, the programming installed by the Hunters and Black Tusk was successfully removed.

Kaldur refused to take a break and continued his work with the League, helping Black Lightning establish the Leagues credibility and readiness in the wake of the Upside Down Man and Joker's conquest of Gotham.

Tigress helped the Team regain its footing, leading her small strike group on various missions aimed at gathering intelligence on the Light.

Wally was eager to help Tigress and wanted to rejoin the Team, but (Y/n), Nightwing and Flash convinced him to spend some time with his family before jumping back into the action.

The speedster was reluctant to agree at first, wanting nothing more than to race off to the next fight with his improved speed. But he finally realized that his parents were still in shock at his sudden return and despite how desperately he wanted things to return to normal, they couldn't do that just yet.

Zatanna and (Y/n) returned to their apartment in Gotham. Some extensive cleanup was required. Their building had been damaged during the Division's storming of the city. Almost every window was shattered, leaving glass scattered all throughout the apartment.

To make things worse, the near constant rain in Gotham meant that everything in their apartment was damaged and most of it beyond repair.

While it was largely upsetting to see their first home destroyed, most of their valuables were moved out when the couple were forced to evacuate the apartment some time ago.

Superboy and Miss Martian returned home, offering to let Zatanna and (Y/n) stay at their home in Happy Harbour while their apartment gets repaired. An offer which the agent and the magician accepted.

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*The White House*

The halls of the White House had been nearly repaired in record time. Of course most of the priceless art displayed throughout the house was destroyed or damaged in some capacity, leading to the majority of the famous decorations being replaced by replicas.

Amanda Waller was furious. Though these days many people would confuse that for her normal attitude.

She stormed into one of the conference rooms, expecting to meet with the president and his advisors who abruptly froze funding and construction on her newest project.

Instead she was greeted by Charles Maxwell, one of the two men responsible for "training" (Y/n). Waller immediately scoffed, narrowing her gaze at the elderly man who stood looking out the window at one of the many gardens that surrounded the White House.

Waller: "The cockroach himself. Where's the President?"

Maxwell: "Busy cleaning up your mess."

Waller: "I'm not in the mood for your games. If he's not here, then I'm leaving. I have a great many things to attend to."

Maxwell: "I wouldn't do that if I were you. This meeting will determine your future with us. Your actions in recent weeks have caused us a great many problems. And you have things to explain."

By the time Maxwell turned around, Waller had backed away from the door and taken a seat at the end of the massive table.

The former Division agent smiled and grabbed the closest chair, sitting down and stretching his legs out.

Waller: "These problems are going to be problems for this government one way or another. It's better to face them on our terms at a time of our choosing."

Maxwell: "That's a poor excuse. The government owes its continued existence to the Division and the Justice League. While it's true they could pose a threat in the future, we simply owe them too much to follow through with your plan at this time."

Waller: "Following through with my plan will ensure we are never put in a similar position again. With the heroes following our orders, we can stamp out any group like the Black Tusk that may threaten us."

Maxwell: "Cut the PR script Waller. I know this is nothing more than a grab for power. You made your move when the President wasn't in a position to say no. Your thugs invaded a sovereign country, bombed the Royal Palace of that country and tried to kill a government agent, his wife and the team of superheroes with them. It looks like you're trying to settle a vendetta against the Division, and for that reason we're freezing your funding."

Waller: "You are making a mistake."

Maxwell: "No Ms. Waller, leaving you with unchecked and absolute power was a mistake."

Without any warning, Waller jumped up, turning on her heels and marching towards the door. The large oak door swung open as she shot one last glance towards Maxwell who looked content as ever.

Waller: "This isn't over. Cadmus and Argus are the way forward. They will secure the future for the American people."

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*Happy Harbor*

It was early in the morning when Zatanna, (Y/n) and Titan arrived at M'gann and Conner's home through the zeta tube.

The sun was shining in the early morning hours as the married couple and their dog exited through the open garage door, stepping out onto the driveway and the cool coastal air.

The married couple saw Forager, Violet and Tara standing out in the driveway. The girls were dressed in their civilian clothes and ready for school. Forager just stood in his armor, having shown his true identity to his classmates and the world after Brion's ascension to the Markovian throne.

Spirits were high in the shared household, everyone welcomed the return to normalcy eagerly. Zatanna and (Y/n) dropped their bags off on the deck and walked to M'gann and Conner's side.

M'gann and Conner were trying on their wedding bands, just checking to see if they fit before swiftly taking them off and handing the respective band to its holder.

(Y/n): "Ready for your big trip? And you know it's bad luck to put those on before the big day."

Zatanna playfully swatted (Y/n) as she and M'gann giggled in excitement.

M'gann and Conner were practically glowing with excitement. The sheer aura around them forced a smile to Zatanna and (Y/n)'s face.

M'gann and Zatanna swiftly hugged each other, the girls almost squealing in excitement. Conner and (Y/n) simply nodded to each other as Titan and Wolf raced off around the house.

Conner: "You could say we're excited."

M'gann: "My parents are extremely excited. They've been dreaming about this day since I was a little girl."

Zatanna: "We'll take care of everything. It'll all be set up for when you return from Mars."

M'gann: "Thank you so much, you have no idea what that means to us."

(Y/n): "Hey, you guys did it for us. It's the least we can do."

As the two couples were busy talking about the upcoming wedding for Conner and M'gann, Violet and Tara cautiously approached the group.

Violet: "(Y/n) may I have a word?"

The group suddenly turned to the two younger heroes, Violet and Tara looked tired, like they'd been up for days.

M'gann: "What's wrong? You two look exhausted."

Violet: "Recent events have taken their toll. We wanted to ask..."

Tara: "About Brion. We want to know if he's okay. We may not... don't.... agree with what he did. But he's still my brother."

(Y/n): "I wish I had a better answer for you. But all I know is that he's alive. Wally got him out before the Palace was destroyed."

Conner: "I'm sure he's alright. Brion is tough. He'll recover."

Silence fell over the group as the younger heroes worked to convince themselves that their mentors were right.

Eventually the silence was broken by the bio-ship arriving from the other side of the house. As the ramp lowered, Martian Manhunter emerged from the cargo hold and smiled down at the group.

Martian Manhunter: "Good morning Mrs and Mr (L/n). I wanted to thank you both for your actions in recent weeks. You've done an incredible amount for the League and your friends at considerable cost to your lives."

(Y/n): "Thanks, but don't worry about it. You'd all do the same thing we did."

Zatanna: "We appreciate the thanks."

Martian Manhunter: "I'm glad you do. The League owes you two more than it can ever repay. And I will not pretend that we haven't wronged you in the past. You've pushed that aside and risen above it. Proving that you're the best of us. Though my words may never be enough to mend the broken trust between us, I am sorry."

The married couple were stunned at the sudden apology. Despite deserving one and a little phrase for their recent actions, they never expected it to actually happen.

But before they could respond, Garfield Logan emerged from the zeta tube, a backpack slung over his shoulder and a cell phone in his hand.

Beast Boy: "Hey Cassie, just wanted to remind you to keep an eye on the Outsider's socials. I checked it this morning and there are two more legit requests for help. Yeah... yeah I know you've got this covered. Nah, trust me, I can let it go. I'm pretty fried. Right, yeah, you crush it girl, later."

As Beast Boy ended the call, he turned to face the heroes with a small smile on his face. M'gann immediately rushed to meet him and gave him a quick hug.

M'gann: "I'm so glad you're coming with us."

Beast Boy: "Me too sis, kinda honored to be invited actually."

M'gann: "And you're sure you don't mind the month long trip each way?"

Beast Boy: "Nah, I can use the sleep."

Conner: "I guess you'll be missing Perdita."

Beast Boy: "Oh yeah definitely. But we could probably both use a breather."

Silence fell over the group as Conner and M'gann shared a nervous glance with (Y/n) and Zatanna. Though they didn't know much about the young heroes personal life, the glum response was far from the news they expected.

As Sphere and Forager rolled over to the bio-ship and began saying their goodbyes, M'gann turned to the small crowd assembled before them and smiled.

M'gann: "Well, I guess this is goodbye. We'll see you all back here in three months for the wedding!"

M'gann and Conner shared a quick hug with Zatanna and (Y/n) before walking up the ramp into the bio-ship.

As the bio-ship took off and disappeared into the clouds, the group back at the house began to disperse.

Violet and Tara began walking down the road to catch the school bus. Zatanna rushed off to grab Titan as he and Wolf began venturing further and further away from the house.

(Y/n) smiled as he watched his wife playfully scold their dog for running off. He then found himself looking out at the surrounding hills as a cool breeze swept over the area.

ISAC: "Modified SHD technology detected nearby. Extreme caution recommended."

As (Y/n) snapped his gaze towards the nearby hill, following the direction of ISAC's tracking, he immediately noticed three shadowy figures disappearing into the trees.

Zatanna: "Is something wrong?"

(Y/n): "We're being watched."

Zatanna: "What?! By who?"

(Y/n): "I don't know, but I don't think they're after us."

Zatanna: "Who do you think they're after?"

(Y/n): "If I was looking for someone, I'd start at their house. Whoever these people are, they are after Conner and M'gann."

Zatanna: "We should warn them."

(Y/n): "I doubt whoever was watching has the ability to follow them to Mars. So we have three months to look into it before they get back. I'd rather not bother them on their vacation or their wedding day."

As the agent turned and began walking back towards the house, Zatanna took one last look at the distant tree line before glancing up at the clouds. She wondered if her friends were in any danger and if she could even do anything to help.

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Waller kept her gaze focused on the passing buildings of Washington DC as her small convoy of vehicles cruised through the busy streets.

Her mind was racing with possible plans following the revelation that the White House was pulling their funding.

Flag: "Should we give the order to stop construction?"

Rick Flag appeared on the video screen before Waller, his face still bandaged from the wounds he received in Markovia.

Waller: "No. Keep everything going. I want the facility ready within the week."

Flag: "But how are we going to pay for anything? Paying our troops alone will bankrupt us without Washington's support. Not to mention the cost of operating our facilities and vehicles and everything else."

Waller: "I'm heading to my personal residence outside the capital. I'm going to meet with our investors and one major potential investor. With their support we won't need Washington."

Flag: "But will we be allowed to operate without Washington's approval?"

Waller: "The Division does it all the time, with the government's weakened state, all they'll do is complain."

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Zatanna and (Y/n) were stretched out on the couch. The married couple had spent the majority of the day looking at various houses in different cities, attempting to decide where they would like to move to.

While the agent was dedicated to finding them a new home through the Divisions network of safe houses, the magician was occupied with something else.

(Y/n): "I know you're tired, but I've lined up a few places to look at tomorrow. I think they could work for us."

The magician hummed as her husband handed her his laptop and began scrolling through the various listings.

Zatanna: "I think I want to stay on the east coast. As much as being close to Mary and Traci would be nice for training purposes, I like the houses more on this side of the country and most of our lives revolve around places on the east side of the country."

(Y/n): "They are nicer I'll admit that. Especially if you want an actual house, the safe houses that fit our needs on the west coast just aren't as nice."

Zatanna: "I'm not crazy about staying near Gotham, with all the stuff that goes on in that city."

(Y/n): "That's fine, we don't need to stay in Gotham. What about here?"

The magician looked at her husband confused, unsure of what he meant. Her curious look caused him to smile as he gently closed the laptop and pulled her closer than she already was.

Zatanna purred gently and smiled as she shifted her weight into (Y/n)'s lap, relaxing into his body as he wrapped his arms around her.

Zatanna: "Here? I don't think Conner and M'gann would like us living with them."

(Y/n): "I meant in Happy Harbor. It's a small town but there's a farmhouse for sale about a five minute walk down the road. It isn't a Division safe house, but it's something we could make our own."

The magician hummed happily as she considered the idea. She leaned back, rest her head on (Y/n)'s shoulder and peppering his neck with the occasional kiss.

Zatanna: "We could and I do love the look of the place. It says it was built relatively recently so there isn't a lot we'd have to do. I think we should put in an offer if you like it as much as I do."

(Y/n): "Don't you want to tour the place first?"

Zatanna: "Hmm? Oh, yeah sure. I guess we should probably do that. Do they have a phone number you can call?"

(Y/n): "Yes they do, but you seem a little distracted. Something on your mind?"

A brief silence overtook the lovers as Zatanna stared blankly at the television screen. Eventually she broke it by pushing herself away from her husband and sitting down in her previous spot.

Their separation didn't last long as (Y/n) wrapped his arm around Zatanna's shoulders, causing her to lean back into it.

Zatanna: "I've been thinking..."

(Y/n): "Oh brother, here we go."

Despite the playful tone in his voice, the agent's comment still earned him a swift elbow to the ribs. He laughed as he twitched in discomfort, holding Zatanna in place as she pouted childishly.

Zatanna: "I'm serious you dork. It's something we're both owed."

(Y/n): "Really? What are we owed?"

Zatanna: "A honeymoon. I-I want to go on our honeymoon."

The agent's face flushed red as he thought about any potential honeymoon with Zatanna. The magician for her part continued to stutter out ideas, locations that she'd previously looked at.

Zatanna: "You wouldn't mind going soon would you?"

(Y/n): "Of course not. I'd love to go anywhere with you."

Zatanna: "I want to go to an island, maybe Jamaica. We can book some place at a resort where it'll be just the two of us."

(Y/n): "I think that sounds perfect."

Zatanna: "You're not just agreeing because I suggested it, are you?"

(Y/n): "Zee, I would never do that."

Zatanna: "Ha! That's a lie and you know it."

The agent smiled and rolled his eyes, pulling Zatanna closer and leaning back into the couch. Zatanna's eyes darted towards his lips, eyeing up her goal as she leaned in closer to him.

(Y/n): "Okay, fair enough. But we should probably look at booking it soon. I don't know what kind of waitlist they have."

Zatanna: "Oh trust me, you take care of arranging a tour for that house, I'll handle the honeymoon."

The mischievous tone in his wife's voice caused (Y/n)'s heart to skip a beat. In an instant Zatanna had pushed herself into his chest, straddling his lap with her knees on the couch. Her lips connected with his and a soft moan rang out.

(Y/n): "Sounds like a plan."

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Wally was sitting in his parents home with Artemis. The speedster had a laptop positioned in front of him. Artemis and M'gann had composed a small crash course covering the events that took place following Wally's disappearance.

That combined with M'gann's telepathy enabled the speedster to catch up on all the events he missed. But despite being informed of everything, processing it was another matter entirely.

He had been going over the mission logs, helmet cam footage from (Y/n)'s helmet and any other footage he could find from his friends adventures.

Artemis: "You've been silent for over an hour. What are you thinking about?"

Wally: "I think I've got a lot of missions to go on to make up for the lost time."

Artemis: "Wally... please be honest with me. I can't even imagine what this feels like for you."

Wally: "Hey, I always knew I'd find my way back. I never expected you guys to wait around for me. Sure I would've liked to get back to you sooner, but I was basically a prisoner in the future."

Artemis: "Wally, before you disappeared, you wanted to walk away, we did. We built something together and I threw it all away because I couldn't keep that stupid costume off."

Wally: "Artemis, what happened to me wasn't your fault. The world was about to end, and regardless of your involvement in the undercover mission beforehand, I would've answered the League's call to arms. You can't blame my disappearance on yourself."

Artemis: "I found the ring Wally. I was cleaning out our house and I found the ring."

Her voice was broken, shaky as her lips quivered. Tears streamed down the archer's face as she fought off the urge to begin sobbing.

Artemis: "I-I had to sit and watch all my friends get engaged and even married, all while knowing the love of my life planned to propose, but never got the chance because I couldn't stop being a hero long enough to have a normal life with him."

Wally jumped up from his seat and moved to Artemis's side, pulling her up out of the chair and into his embrace.

Artemis: "Now you're back, and all you want to do is jump right back into being a hero... the very thing that caused us to be torn apart in the first place. I... I can't do it Wally. I won't do it."

The speedster and archer held eachother for what felt like hours, Wally attempting to comfort the distraught Artemis.

Wally: "I'm sorry Artemis. Look, when I found Zatanna and (Y/n) in the future, I realized I had a real shot at getting home for the first time since I got there. I was beginning to lose hope, I thought I'd never see you again. And all I wanted was for things to go back to the way they were, with us, in the Cave with all our friends."

Artemis: "Things change. No matter how much we want them to stay the same, they always change. I think you should talk to Dinah. She can help us get adjusted to you being back. I can hardly believe it myself."

After a brief hesitation Wally spoke, his voice full of fear and uncertainty. To hear his voice like that, it shook Artemis to her core. In all their time together she had never heard him like that.

Wally: "Is there still an us? I-I want there to be, I really do, but I don't want to force you back into what we once had, especially if you've moved on. I don't want you to derail your life because I came back."

While Artemis knew the question needed to be asked, she hated the topic with all her heart. She couldn't end the conversation fast enough, but it would have to be answered before it could be properly ended.

Artemis: "If you're asking if I still love you, the answer is yes. Everything we had, I want it all back. I want you. Wally West, I'm yours for as long as you'll have me."

In an instant Wally kissed Artemis, the archer moaning happily as their lips danced. The pair reluctantly broke the kiss for air a few seconds later, staring lovingly into each other's eyes.

Wally: "I'll talk to Dinah, it'll be just like old times. You know, without the telepathically induced coma or the trauma from a fake world where everything was designed to go wrong."

Despite the joking tone in Wally's voice, Artemis chose to ignore him and the memories that came from that day. She kept her focus on her goal of getting Wally help.

Artemis: "Promise me you won't block her out, and that you'll be open about anything and everything bothering you."

Wally: "I promise, Artemis."

The lovers shared another kiss, embracing each other lovingly as the night dragged on.

————————————————————————

Though the late evening hour had signaled the end of the day, Zatanna was still hard at work on her laptop, arranging their honeymoon trip with ruthless efficiency.

Despite all the scattered papers and receipts, the married couple hadn't been working on their honeymoon all evening. Though they had been hard at work doing other things.

(Y/n) was sprawled out on the couch, a blanket covering the lower half of his body. He was shirtless and had nearly a dozen lipstick marks scattered across his body. His abs, biceps, chest, neck and face, nothing was spared from Zatanna's attention.

The agent was completely unconscious, in a deep slumber that he wouldn't be waking from anytime soon.

Zatanna was staring lovingly at her husband while wearing his shirt. The shirt was double her usual size and barely stayed on her slender frame.

Without any warning a puff of purple smoke appeared behind Zatanna, she spun around to find Circe standing tall in an elegant green dress, her purple hair done perfectly.

Shock gripped Zatanna as she stumbled away from the table, attempting to put as much distance between herself and Circe as possible before a fight broke out. But the magician nearly fell over, her legs still weak from their activities before.

Zatanna barely stabled herself on the table, sparing herself from an embarrassing fall. As she glared at Circe while desperately supporting herself, the goddess held in laughter with a massive grin across her face.

Circe: "Wow, you two are really unlucky... what's this, your third home?"

The magician scoffed at the unwelcome remark and prepared to attack.

Zatanna: "What do you want, Circe?"

Circe: "Can't I just come check up on my old friends?"

The magician rolled her eyes, annoyance rushing through her body.

Zatanna: "We are not friends. You kidnapped me, attempted to steal my magic, mind controlled and tried to seduce my husband so he'd kill me. I can't think of many people who are any less of a friend to me. The only reason I'm not attacking you right now, is because this is my friend's house, and I'd rather not destroy it."

Circe: "Well, I'm grateful for that. But I actually came to offer you a gift. And if it's any consolation, I knew back then that (Y/n) would never harm you."

Zatanna: "Well it wasn't for his lack of trying, now I'm going to ask again. What do you want?"

Circe: "A little birdie told me you and your exhausted lover over there... I mean, really, great work, he looks like he could sleep for a week..."

Circe shifted her gaze to the unconscious agent on the couch and Zatanna's face flushed red with embarrassment. The magician struggled to compose herself as Circe held in laughter.

Circe: "Look, I know I've wronged you. But for better or worse I got what I wanted, freedom. And as a nice bonus the world wasn't destroyed by the living embodiment of dark magic."

Zatanna found her courage once again and stepped towards Circe, summoning a small ball of white magic in each of her hands.

The goddess backed up, feigning surrender by raising her hands.

Circe: "It's an invitation."

With a snap of her fingers, Circe summoned a small piece of paper and placed it on the table next to Zatanna's laptop. The brown wrinkled paper looked like it was from the eighteenth century, but the words were written in a purple glowing ink, as if they were alive.

Circe: "As I mentioned before, I've always wanted to get into the show business, and I've opened an establishment for magic users. It would be a great place for the two of you to stop by for an evening. A little getaway that has entrances all across the world. The invitation has instructions on how to summon the doorway."

Zatanna: "How kind of you."

Circe: "I do have one request..."

Zatanna: "There it is. I knew you had something you needed from us."

The goddess rolled her eyes, choosing to ignore the magician's childish remarks.

Circe: "I see your husband's personality has been rubbing off on you. But you'll want to listen to this. My establishment has become an informal hub for information, magical and non magical, and I've been hearing strange rumors of magical artifacts disappearing around the world."

Zatanna: "And let me guess, you want us to find out who's taking them?"

Circe: "Close, but no. I know who's taking them. It's Amanda Waller and her Cadmus pawns. I want you to find out why she's taking them."

Zatanna: "The Justice League will look into it."

Circe: "That's all I ask. I would say enjoy your evening, but it looks like you already have."

With a snap of her fingers and a smug smile on her face, Circe disappeared. A small puff of purple smoke was all that remained of the goddess.

The magician scoffed at the goddess's last remark before turning towards the magical invitation and sighed.

She grabbed the old paper and stuffed it into a binder with all of the plane tickets and receipts she had printed off for their honeymoon. Once that was done she turned her laptop off and made her way to the couch with (Y/n) on it.

The agent was still sound asleep, most of his exhausted body on full display for her.

Zatanna snuggled into (Y/n)'s side on the couch, not having the energy to move back to the guest bedroom.

In an instant she passed out, her head and upper body resting on the agent's bare chest.

————————————————————————

Wally sighed as he stepped into Black Canary's office at the Meta-Human Youth Center. He'd been dreading this conversation ever since he put serious thought into what he promised Artemis.

Dinah was happy to see him, a welcoming smile on her face as she jumped up to greet him. Wally melted into the hug, letting out a stress filled sigh as he tried to compose himself before they began.

Black Canary: "It's so good to see you. I still can't believe you're back."

Wally: "I know, I'm having trouble believing it myself."

Black Canary: "Are you having trouble adjusting? It's nothing to be ashamed about, it's a massive and sudden change."

The speedster sat down in the large comfortable chair as Dinah took her seat behind her desk. It took a minute for him to build up the courage to speak, but once he had, the flood gates opened.

Wally: "Maybe a little more than I'd like. I just wanted everything to go back to normal... well, maybe not normal but the way it was before I disappeared."

Black Canary: "It's a natural feeling, no one can blame you for wanting that. But it's been two and a half years since you vanished. It'll take some time to adjust to the way things are."

Wally: "I just want everything back... my life was stolen from me. I spent years trapped in the future, unsure of if I'd ever see my friends and family again."

————————————————————————

Zatanna woke up early the following morning as rays of sunshine washed over the living room. She groaned as her eyes slowly opened, finding herself in (Y/n)'s arms as he carried her to the guest bedroom.

Zatanna: "Mhmmm... (Y/n)?"

(Y/n): "Shhh, rest Zee. It's still early."

His husky voice caused Zatanna to purr as she snuggled into his bare, lipstick covered, chest.

(Y/n) brought her to the guest bedroom. The room was smaller than any other bedroom they'd shared, with the possible exception of their personal quarters in the Cave and the bedroom in Amsterdam.

The bed was smaller to fit inside the room properly, but they wouldn't need much room.

Titan was sprawled out, taking up most of the small bed. Instead of moving his sleeping partner, (Y/n) snuggled in beside him with Zatanna on top of him.

The married couple slipped under the blankets, (Y/n)'s arms wrapping around his wife as she gently cooed at his touch.

Then came something (Y/n) had been fearing. Zatanna's hand gently arrived at his cheek and began running her thumb over his scar. He shivered in response, drawing in a rapid breath as Zatanna shifted to look up at him.

Zatanna: "I-I'm sorry... I shouldn't have touched it."

(Y/n): "No, it's alright. I don't blame you. You marry a man and within months he's almost had his face split open. I must look like a completely different person."

Zatanna: "No, you're still the same to me. This scar, the one on your hand, and all the injuries you've suffered, they're just proof of how strong you are. You're the strongest person I know, you're beautiful and I love you with all my heart. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise."

(Y/n) stayed silent, his wife's words weighing on his mind. Eventually he sighed and let exhaustion overtake his mind. He passed out on the bed, Zatanna holding him tight, reassuring him that everything would be alright.

—————————————————————————

Wally sighed as he exited the meta-human youth center, he was feeling better, like a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders. But he recognized that he still had a long road ahead of him.

Despite his desire to jump back into action, he knew that healing with his family and friends would have to come before any hero work.

Artemis was anxiously waiting for him to exit the building. Wally could instantly tell she was nervous.

The archer was pacing back and forth, her arms crossed and hugging her sides tightly. The dry New Mexican air washing over the area.

Once she saw Wally, her expression changed from worrying to relief. She rushed to his side, stopping a few feet short of running into him. He could tell she was conflicted, her desire to simply throw herself into his arms combating with her fear of moving their renewed relationship along too fast.

Artemis: "How did it go? Are you alright?"

The speedster forced a smile to his face as he opened his arms to hug Artemis.

Wally: "I'm here, and I'm never leaving."

The archer's eyes began to water and in an instant she threw herself at Wally, hugging him as tight as she possibly could.

Wally: "I've got a lot of adjusting to do, I'm not sure when I'll be ready to jump back into the hero world, or if I ever will, but whatever I do, I want you by my side."

Artemis grabbed Wally's head and pulled him into a kiss, moaning softly into his mouth as his arms wrapped around her body.

—————————————————————————

Later in the day, Zatanna was practicing magic with her students, Mary, Traci as (Y/n) was busy cooking their dinner on the barbecue.

Magic danced in the air as the girls perfected a series of spells with the close supervision of their mentor.

As the girls worked on their magic, (Y/n) let his mind wander and found himself looking at his left hand and the small scar that stretched from the base of his ring finger to his wrist.

In an instant the fight replayed in his head and he found himself wondering if he could've done something differently, something that would have spared him the injuries to his hand and face.

Titan gently nudged his leg, snapping the agent out of his brief flashback before their food burnt. The agent sighed and gently patted his dog on the head, thanking him for checking up on him.

(Y/n): "Foods ready."

As (Y/n) scooped the food off the barbecue and made a plate for everyone, the girls made their way to the patio set and took their seats.

Mary and Traci began giggling as they watched (Y/n) set down the plates for everyone.

Zatanna: "Something funny?"

Mary: "No, we were just talking about how you lucked out picking a husband."

Traci: "Hey can cook, that's for sure. I don't think you've ever served a bad meal."

A small smile formed on the agent's face at their continued compliments. He took his seat beside Zatanna and let out a sigh of relief.

(Y/n): "Well, thanks for the compliment, I'm glad my cooking has met your expectations."

Zatanna: "Mhmmm, more like exceeds them."

As the majority of the group was busy enjoying their food, Mary's gaze shifted to the small table holding all the prepared food beside the barbecue.

Mary: "Titan is stealing a bun from the table."

Zatanna snapped her gaze over to the table and attempted to call Titan over to them, scolding the dog as he ignored her.

(Y/n): "Nobody likes a snitch, Mary."

The sarcastic tone in (Y/n)'s voice caused Mary to roll her eyes as the agent kept his gaze glued to his plate.

Zatanna: "(Y/n), I don't want dog slobber all over our food."

With a slightly annoyed sigh, (Y/n) whistled for Titan. The German Shepherd rushed to his side with the bun still clutched in his jaw.

(Y/n): "Stay here buddy, you're going to get me kicked out to the dog house. And it'll be a little cramped with both of us in there."

The girls giggled as Zatanna rolled her eyes, but Titan had other plans. He planned on getting revenge and knew exactly who to target.

The German Shepherd sat directly beside Mary, staring a hole through her head with his pleading eyes. To seal Mary's fate he slightly tilted his head and whined just loud enough for her to hear.

(Y/n) leaned back in his chair, a smug smile on his face as Mary's resolve began to crack.

Mary: "Stop it, Titan. Stop looking at me."

Instead of stopping, Titan gently rested his head on Mary's lap, looking up into her eyes.

Then Mary caved, not so subtly sneaking him food from her plate. Her actions were immediately met with an annoyed glare from Zatanna.

Zatanna: "Mary, that's not healthy for him. He could get sick."

Mary: "But those eyes, I can't look away. You try saying no to him."

(Y/n): "Oh she can. She's got the grinch's heart and it's frozen over."

That immediately earned (Y/n) a playful slap to the back of the head as the girls giggled in amusement.

Zatanna: "Keep talking and there's only going to be one of us in the bed tonight."

(Y/n): "I'm fine with that, but where will you sleep?"

Before anyone could blink, Zatanna threw a bun at (Y/n). Playfully calling him a "prick" as Titan rushed to grab the bun which had fallen to the ground.

(Y/n): "I can't believe you'd feed Titan, don't you know human food is bad for him? You're setting a terrible example for the girls."

Zatanna: "Why you little..."

The girls broke down laughing as (Y/n) smiled proudly at his wife who was already plotting her revenge.

————————————————————————

Amanda Waller stood beside an injured Rick Flag in the Division headquarters formerly known as the Hub. In the time since she had captured the facility, Waller's agency Cadmus had swiftly repurposed the base. Now it serves as her headquarters and manufacturing base for her every need.

Waller: "What's the status of our Defenders?"

Flag: "One hundred units ready now. The assembly line is up and running, we should be able to meet our target number of units before we run out of funding."

Waller: "I have a meeting with a potential investor. With his money we won't have to worry about the government not backing us. And the Defense Committee meeting is tomorrow. I'll be able to get everything back in place before it seriously affects us. And what of our special recovery project?"

Flag: "Our techs have completed their initial testing, everything looks promising."

Waller: "Good, I want him operational as soon as possible, we will need his calculations to beat back the heroes."

Flag: "What about your plan to arrest them? Are you sure you want to take that gamble?"

Waller: "Their families are their weakness. Once we have them in custody the entirety of the League should surrender, those that don't will be easy to deal with. Between our Defenders and Batman's contingency plans, they shouldn't be an issue."

As Flag walked away from his boss, Waller turned to face the computer monitor on her desk. She turned it on and smiled, watching as her new Defenders continued to be built along their assembly line.

Her plan was in motion and in a short time nobody would be able to stop it.