It was all so blurry and unclear in her mind.
She knew there was pain. Pain, and sweat, and her cries, and all the effort, so much effort, and Leslie's voice…
"C'mon, Selina", she would say, "just another push. Just one more push…"
She had said that so many times…
And there was Bruce, Bruce by her side, Bruce holding her, and encouraging her, and telling her that she could do it, that she was almost there, that it was almost over…
"Our baby is coming…", he spoke softly by her ear, "she's almost here…"
He would call the baby her; always her. He was so sure it would be a girl.
But Selina, she wasn't sure about anything, not then. She just knew she had to push, and she felt it, the child, she felt it coming out of her inch by inch, that little thing, a brand new human being that was born into the water without a cry or sound, that tiny creature that Leslie suddenly showed her and placed on her breast, its warm, incredibly soft skin on her chest.
"Bruce", she had called, her hoarse, crumbling voice as she looked down to those amazing little eyes, opening for the first time in this world.
Bruce… but Bruce wasn't there. She turned to look at him, and he gazed at the baby in wonder, completely lost in those features, marveled at the sight of his own child… "It is a girl…", Selina whispered, but not even that mattered anymore. She mattered, their daughter, and Selina couldn't believe she had such a precious thing in her arms. And Bruce had his eyes teary, raising a hand to touch the baby, feel her little feet and count her toes, stroke her back and caress her tiny, dark haired head. And look at her eyes – ah, her eyes… the deep blue of those eyes.
Then Leslie came, and she spoke again, something Selina didn't register; her whole world laid there, the baby over her chest, the man supporting her back – what else could make a difference?
But there were things to be done, and the baby had to be examined, and she had to be tended. So Alfred came, but Selina couldn't let go of her, not so fast, not so easily, not before she could stare at that little face for hours and hours, and knew it by heart…
"I'll bring her right back", Alfred reassured.
She gave her to Bruce. She placed their daughter in his arms, and he took her with so much care, his face so anxious and his gaze mesmerized, and Selina knew: he had been taken. He was captivated; he was forever a prisoner of that little girl. He was no longer hers to own, her husband and lover… he was first a father. The father of her child, a man whose happiness was connected to that baby's happiness, a man that would never again know peace unless he was like that: holding her in his arms.
And she knew the feeling all too well…
Tears came. As she watched Bruce as a father, as he kissed the baby's forehead so lightly, as he soothed the crying child and spoke to her in his gentlest, sweetest tone. And she smiled, hoping, wishing that time would stop right then, and they could forever be like that, their little family of three, so complete and full of joy.
Bruce brought the baby back when Selina had already made her way to their bed. He placed the baby girl in her arms and laid on the mattress next to her.
"Happy?", she asked.
He kissed her on the lips. "You", he whispered, "are my world."
She smiled and again looked at her child. "She looks just like you… our baby girl."
"Our beautiful baby girl." He caressed the tiny hand, her diminutive fingers suddenly grasping tightly his thumb. "Strong. Healthy. Perfect little girl."
"Nameless little girl…" Selina chuckled.
They glanced at each other for a moment. And then, he just declared:
"Helena."
"Helena?" She studied her daughter's features, trying to get used to the name. For some reason, it fit perfectly. "So Helena it is."