It wasn't the massive storm raging outside the Clocktower's windows that woke Barbara from a somewhat sound sleep, it was the sudden feeling of there being something wrong. With the practiced ease of someone who'd done it a million times, Barbara transferred herself from her bed to her chair, grabbing her robe before wheeling out of her room. She wasn't sure what it was that felt out of place, but she had an idea as to who was causing it. Stopping outside of Harley's room she knocked gently before opening the door. Barbara felt her heart stop when she saw the empty room. Wheeling inside she looked around, finding the bed a mess but the room empty.
"Harley?" She called out softly as she continued to look. There was no reply. Heading out into the hallway Barbara checked the bathroom before heading out into the living room. As she moved through their home she could feel her heart going from not beating to thundering in her chest. She was fairly sure she was close to a heart attack when she finally spotted Harley sitting on the couch. The girl had Helena's cordless headphones on and her face buried deeply into a pillow. Her tiny body was curled into a ball as it trembled visibly. Wheeling over to her, Barbara picked up the remote to the stereo and turned it off.
Harley's head shot up when the music stopped. Red-rimmed green eyes met concerned eyes of the same exact color. The girl was to startled and unnerved by the storm to even worry about the fact that Barbara would be able to see she'd been crying.
"Harley?" Barbara said softly as she came closer to the girl. Reaching out gradually she pulled the headphones off. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." Harley lied. "I was bored." She sniffled.
Barbara bit back the smile she felt itching at her lips. Even when Harley looked so small and vulnerable she still clung to her bravado. It was unbearably cute. "It's three o'clock in the morning, Harley. You should be sleeping."
"Sleeping is over rated." Harley snapped back, finally realizing that her cheeks were wet with tears when Barbara reached out to wipe them gently with her thumbs.
"You're shaking, sweetheart." Barbara brushed the girl's hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ears. "Are you afraid of the storm?"
At the mention of fear Harley jerked away from the woman's touch. "I'm not afraid of anything!"
"It's alright to be scared, Harley." Barbara told the girl. She kept her voice soft and soothing, pausing for several moments before reaching out again to brush at the child's hair. She wanted to calm Harley down and the best way to do that was through soft words and caring touches. Not for the first time since they'd found Harley, Barbara found herself being grateful for what she'd gone through with Helena. Those years after Selina's death had been hard on both of them and couldn't have been better at preparing Barbara for this. "Everyone knows fear. It's a natural emotion, sweetheart."
"I'm not scared of anything!" Harley repeated, but her words were overshadowed by the whimper that escaped her lips as another clap of thunder shook the Clocktower.
With the same ease she'd used transferring from her bed to the chair, Barbara transferred from the chair to the couch. She pulled Harley close and wrapped her arms around her. Harley went stiff and rigid before fighting against Barbara's hold, but Barbara refused to let go. She held Harley close until another clap of thunder caused the girl to give up her struggle and bury herself in Barbara's embrace.
Helena rubbed sleep from her eyes as she grunted into her cell phone. She was really going to have to talk to Reese about calling her so early in the morning. Reaching the living room of the penthouse the brunette stopped dead in her tracks. She blinked several times at the scene that greeted her, a slow smile appearing where a deep frown had been a second before. Barbara was sound asleep on the couch with Harley. It was the cutest thing she'd ever seen. It was also the most hopeful scene she'd seen in a very long time.
"hmm?" She finally replied when she remembered Reese was on the phone. "Yeah, I heard ya. Yeah, she'll be there. Yeah, I know she'll be pissed off, but do it anyway. Yes, I'm sure. I know what I'm doing. Alright, yeah, sure. Bye." As she made her way towards the kitchen to hunt down a cup of coffee, Helena paused near the stereo. Picking up the empty CD case she wasn't sure wither to be pissed off or impressed. "Well," she huffed as she made her way to the kitchen with her Stevie Nicks CD safely in her possession again. "At least the kid has good taste in music."
"Wow," Dinah said as she made her way into the kitchen. "I don't think I've ever seen Barbara look so peaceful."
Helena nodded with a mouth full of pop-tart. "They've been like that since I got up."
"How long have you been up?" Dinah asked as she made her way towards the coffee pot. "And please tell me you didn't make this?"
"A while and no." Helena huffed. "Alfred made it."
Dinah looked around but didn't see the old yet ageless butler anywhere. "Where is Alfred? I'm starving."
"Sent him after a couple of things." Helena replied as she snatched the cup of coffee Dinah had just poured for herself and downed half of it in three gulps. She smiled a little at the huff she got from the blonde and nearly laughed knowing she was being glared at.
"What are you doing up so early anyway?" Dinah asked as she poured another cup of coffee and then sat across from Helena.
"Reese called." Helena replied after swallowing another mouthful of pop-tart. "He's finally got Barbara set up to see Quinn."
"About damn time."
Both Helena's and Dinah's heads snapped up at the sudden sound of Barbara's voice. It unnerved Helena; she hated it when the redhead snuck up on her.
"So when do I go?" Barbara asked as she stole Dinah's coffee.
Dinah groaned. Why did they always have to take her coffee? "Are you sure you want to do this, Barbara?"
Barbara nodded. "I have to." She replied before looking at Helena.
"This afternoon at four." Helena answered. "He was able to get you in under the victim's rights laws. I guess you have the right to confront the woman who was charged with kidnapping your child."
"I was hoping that's how he'd get me in. Means I get to be alone with her." Barbara said softly as she looked down into the dark liquid in her cup.
Helena's head snapped up again. "Now wait just a minute. There's no way you're going in there alone. That woman can't be trusted!"
"She'll be in her cell." She looked up to meet Helena's bright blue eyes. "I'll be fine, Hel. Don't worry."
"Don't worry she says." Helena huffed. "She wants to have tea with a psychopath and she says not to worry."
Barbara rolled her eyes. "Helena…"
"God you people make a lot of noise in the morning." Harley moaned as she appeared in the same sudden manner her mother had just seconds before.
"Sorry sweetie we didn't mean to wake you." Barbara replied, her tone of voice changing instantly. "You feeling better?"
Harley shrugged as she slumped down into the empty kitchen chair. She wasn't scared any more, no now she was angry. She was angry with herself for allowing Barbara to get so close to her and for feeling weak and helpless. She felt guilty too. She'd allowed herself to be comforted by her mother's enemy. Ok maybe she was still scared but not of the storm, she was scared of how good being held had felt. In that moment of weakness she'd betrayed her mother, and now she knew more then ever that she had to get out. She had to find Duela and they had to find a place to hide until their mother could get free again.
Spotting the CD case near Helena, Harley deiced to change topics before Barbara could get any further on the how do you feel train. "Hey! I was listening to that!"
Helena looked at the case and then at the kid. "It's mine and I don't like people using my stuff."
"Then you shouldn't leave it laying out all over the place." Harley shot back.
"Just because it's out doesn't mean you get to play with it." Helena looked up at the girl.
Harley huffed. "It's not like I scratched it or anything. I'm not a baby I know how to use a CD."
"If you wanna listen to CDs Harley you can use mine." Dinah offered.
"Your CDs all suck." Harley crinkled her nose at the blonde. "The only decent thing I could find was the kitty bat's Stevie Nicks CD."
"Stevie who?" Dinah asked and then flinched. Helena, Harley, and even Barbara were looking at her as if she had lost her mind. "What? Oh for pete's sake I'm getting the "what are you insane?" look form a ten year old."
Harley blinked and then slowly turned her head to look at Helena. "Is she for real?"
"Afraid so." Helena answered.
Barbara knew Harley had picked on Helena to chance the subject and for now she was willing to let it go. She knew last night had been hard on Harley and she wasn't willing to push her to intensely.
"Sorry that took so long." Alfred said as he joined the small group. He smiled brightly as he placed a shopping bag on the table near Helena. "I had to wait for the mall to open."
Helena smiled as she looked into the bag. "Not a problem, Alfred. Thanks."
"Now, how shall I make everyone's eggs?" The old Englishmen asked. He already knew everyone's answer, but it was part of their routine. Once everyone shouted their reply he set about preparing breakfast.
"Here kid." Helena said as she sat the bag in front of Harley.
"What's this?" Harley asked as she started at the bag as if it were going to explode.
Helena smirked. "Look inside and find out."
Harley narrowed her eyes and stared at Helena as she reached for the bag. Peeking inside she blinked and then looked up. Reaching in she pulled out a personal CD player and a stack of CDs, one set of which was the complete Stevie Nicks boxed set. "What's this for?"
"A start to your own collection." Helena replied. "Now leave mine alone. We'll go later so you can pick out more."
Again Harley blinked before narrowing her eyes and staring at Helena. "This some kind of pay off?"
"No." Helena answered as she rolled her eyes. "It's more of a welcome home thing."
Everyone held their breaths waiting for Harley's pointed 'this isn't my home' reply, but it never came. Instead she muttered a barely audible thank you and then began trying to open the CD player. The four adults in the room watched her for a few moments before finally looking up to look at each other. A slow smile came to Barbara's lips as she mouthed her own thank you to Helena who just smiled and shrugged.