CAT'S OUT OF THE BAG
It's late, or early depending on your definition, by the time Helena returns to Enigma's midtown apartment. She doesn't even try to tiptoe inside. No need walking on eggshells or breaking and entering. No re-wiring E's electronic surveillance devices. No messing about. Just play it cool. Act nonchalant. Like nothing is wrong. If she's lucky, Enigma will still be fast asleep. But Lord knows, luck has never been on this black cat's side.
Sure enough, E's up and waiting for her. Sitting on the sofa in her purple polka-dotted pj's. Tinkering with some little doo-dad and a screwdriver.
"A man is looking at a photograph." Enigma begins, eyes still down and on her work. "When asked whose picture it is, the man replies, "Brothers and sisters have I none, but that man's father is my father's son."
She puts down the puzzling device upon Helena's arrival. Eyes wide and alert, trained on the archer. Perky as ever, even at this ungodly time of night.
"Who's in the photograph?" E poses the question.
Helena groans and removes her jacket. It's far too late and she's not in the mood for E's shenanigans. Plus she's got a splitting headache. These riddles of hers are only making her head hurt even worse.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Hel sighs.
Maybe she can quietly make her way over to the bathroom to ready herself for bed before E ever gets to where it is she's going with this riddle.
"May I see the photo?" Enigma asks plainly, extending her hand.
So that's where the little puzzler was going. Like Helena could really avoid this conversation. And she nearly got away clean too.
"A photo? Of what?" She plays coy.
Enigma scrunches up her nose, giving Helena a face. She doesn't even need to say anything. The look alone tells her she knows she's lying.
"Who says I have a photo?" Helena continues to defend, though her case isn't going anywhere.
E bursts out laughing.
"You're such a terrible liar." Enigma giggles.
The diabolical little Sherlock Holmes of a girl stares at Helena with a perceptive eye.
"You went for a second opinion." She states flatly. "Why you even bothered with the at home pregnancy tests when we ALL know you're a stone cold truth kinda girl. You need facts. You need definitive proof. You won't just take anyone's word at face value. Not even mine. You need to see it to believe it. With your own eyes. So I know you went to a doctor's office. Though judging by the time of night, waited for after hours? Another family friend? Someone you can rely on to keep a secret? I'm guessing Doctor Thompkins?" Enigma so easily deduces. "Am I right?"
"Did you follow me?" Helena asks pointedly, raising an eyebrow.
"Like I need to." Again E laughs. "I KNOW you, Mama-Cat."
And again, she holds out her hand.
"So may I see the ultrasound photo now?"
Helena sighs, defeated. She reluctantly reaches into her pants pocket and produces the photograph Leslie had printed out for her. The grainy black and white ultrasound of her child. Such a strange set of words. Her child. It still hasn't sunk in yet.
Giddy as can be, Enigma squeals in delight and snatches up the picture. Ogling over it with such interest and wonder. She can hardly contain herself.
"How far along are you? When's the due date? How soon till they can tell the gender? Do you wanna boy or a girl? Who's the father? Do I know him? When did you two hook up? Was it sweet? Was it romantic? Was it a one night stand? Was it-"
"E... STOP!" Helena shouts, holding her head. "You're making me dizzy. And I really don't want to throw up again."
Helena slowly takes a seat beside her way too chipper friend. She takes in deep breaths. Hand on her stomach, trying to bring herself back down.
"One question at a time." Hel says softly between breaths. "Please."
Enigma quickly calms herself for Helena's sake. Making order to the chaos of questions in her brain. Though her excitement is making it very difficult. She still can't bring herself to tear her eyes away from the print out.
There aren't all too many discernible features. Not at this stage in the fetus' development, that's for sure. It's just a little bean of a thing. With tiny arms and legs. Fingers and toes. No matter how hard E squints, she just can't puzzle it out on her own.
"Who's the baby daddy, Mama-Cat?"
Helena sighs and rests her head against the back of the couch. Guess it's time to fess up and come clean. She's much too tired and worn out to lie, anyhow. It takes a whole lot of energy to get anything past Enigma and she just doesn't have it in her right now. Or maybe she just really wants to get it off her chest to someone.
"Klarion."
Enigma nearly throws a fit. Once again bursting with boundless energy and a million and one questions. Somehow Helena knew this would happen. She's only opened up a can of worms.
"BLUE BALLS!?" Enigma shouts. Though she's not angry or even ecstatic. Just confused and perplexed. "But you said under NO circumstances were you gonna tell him you were like... You know... Back!"
"I know." Hel sighs. "But the circumstances changed. I had no choice. It's a long story..."
"And you didn't TELL me you were SEEING him?"
"I'm not SEEING him."
"What about Kevin?"
"What ABOUT Kevin?"
"Is Blue the reason you two broke up?"
"Kinda... Yeah?"
"How long has this been going on?"
"NOTHING'S been going on." Helena argues under E's interrogation. "We've just been hanging out off and on a bit. I'd been helping him reclaim his people's ancestral land. And... Well... Things happened."
Helena rolls her head and snickers at the ceiling. Not that any of this is funny. It's just, what a whirlwind it all has been.
"I bet you're kicking yourself for missing my birthday party now."
"THAT'S when this happened?" Enigma asks, eyes wide and hungry for more. "At your party?"
Helena nods, confirming E's suspicions. Thinking back to the night in question, though, she only hopes her friend doesn't ask for details. No way Enigma would believe her anyway. Hell, SHE doesn't even believe it, herself. They were like animals. Rabid, hungry beasts. It still doesn't feel real. Thankfully, asking to dish on the details is the ONE thing E DOESN'T ask.
"Yeah. Sorry I missed your special day, but no way. Me and a room full of hero-types? Nuh-uh. Wasn't happening." Enigma still can't believe it. It's so hard to digest. "So you and Blue Balls, huh? Wow. Never knew he had it in him."
"Yeah. That makes two of us." Helena replies, tentatively touching her belly. "I mean, this shouldn't be happening."
Cuddling in close, Enigma lays her head on Helena's shoulder. It instantly makes the young mother feel better, lifting her spirits. Just being held by someone. Confirming that she's not alone.
"Shouldn't. Couldn't. Wouldn't. But face it, girl, it IS happening. Like it or not." E states the obvious. "So what are you going to do about it?"
Thinking, Helena rests her head atop E's.
"I'm not really sure, actually." She says simply. "I'm still kinda in shock, you know. This wasn't the outcome I'd expected. I guess I just haven't weighed all my options yet."
"Options? What options?" E questions Hel's absurdity. "It's a baby, not a mission. There's no tactics involved. No strategy. This isn't a game of chess, Hel."
"I know. I mean... I'm still not sure if I'm going to keep it." Helena confesses quietly and uneasily.
This makes E sit straight upright, catching Helena off-balance and nearly toppling her over. She glares down at the raven-haired heroine in disgust.
"I seriously can't believe you'd SAY that!" E snarls. "As far as I'm concerned there's only ONE option."
Helena pulls her knees in, hugging them close. She stares blankly past the floor.
"Actually, there's THREE options, Emilia." Hel begins. "Abortion. Adoption. Or..."
"Keeping it." E cuts in.
Helena nods slowly.
"Or that." She confirms. "There are pros and cons to each. They each need to be weighed separately."
Enigma folds her arms across her chest and slumps back in her seat.
"Fine then, Little Miss Logic." She oozes with sarcasm. "State your case, then. Why abortion?"
"To state the obvious?" Helena begins dryly. "Having a baby would mean the end to my career. No more late nights and jumping off rooftops."
"A selfish reason."
"But it's a reason." Helena defends. "And it's not like I've never killed before. I may bear this cross, but I'm hardly a saint. I've got plenty of red in my ledger. Maybe a little too much. Especially for my dad's tastes."
"But we're not talking about crooked mob bosses or dirty, human traffickers. This isn't some low life. This is a baby. YOUR baby. Could you really forgive yourself for taking an innocent life?"
Enigma's always had a way with words. When she puts it like that... Maybe Helena's maternal instinct is kicking in, but the thought nearly brings her to tears. She shakes her head. She could never hurt a child. Her own or otherwise. And that's her choice.
"Fine, then." Enigma decides. "Abortion is out. And what of adoption?"
"No."
The immediacy of her response and surety of Helena's tone catches E off guard. She doesn't even entertain the possibility. It's not an option. Taken completely off the table.
"You know, it's funny. Before I knew who they were, I used to hate my parents for giving me away. I felt like they didn't want me. Like they didn't love me. Like I was just this burden they couldn't wait to be rid of." Helena confides softly. "I became a ward of the state. Just another kid in the system. Bounced around from home to home. Until I said enough and found a life for myself on the streets. I just couldn't do that to a child. I'd never wish that kind of loneliness on anyone."
Not to mention, she doubts any adoption agency would even want to take in a possible blue-skinned, metahuman child.
Enigma places a warm hand on Helena's knee. A comforting gesture that does not go unreciprocated. Hel takes hold of her friend's hand and gives it a squeeze in return. A little 'thank you' for the girl's uncommon kindness.
"So adoption is out, too." E says softly, resisting the urge to jump up and down and get excited over the next part. "So, you're keeping it, then."
"It's not that simple." Hel sighs deeply. "The whole reason why my mom gave me up in the first place was because she couldn't keep me safe. She'd already been down this road. Tried to give up the life. No more Catwoman. But she's got enemies. The sort of twisted enemies that wouldn't bat an eye at knocking off a kid." She unloads. "So she gave me up. She thought she was giving me a chance at a better life. No way she had any idea it would turn out so bad. Or that I'd come back to her."
"History's not doomed to repeat itself, Mama-Cat." E consoles in a soothing tone. "Just because your mama couldn't keep you safe, doesn't mean you won't be able to keep your little one safe from us baddies. You don't have to do it alone. You have friends and family. Klarion will-"
"No."
Again, the surety of Helena's response takes Enigma aback. She has no idea of the events that transpired before this baby came into being and perhaps that's for the best.
"But, Mama-Cat, he's the father." The red-head says cautiously. "Of course he'd help to protect you and his baby."
"No."
Helena's like a broken record. Standing firm on the issue. It becomes clear to Enigma, that Hel really doesn't want anything to do with the blue witch in question.
"You ARE going to tell him, right?"
Why'd she even bother asking? Perhaps it's just in her nature to ask the difficult questions. Or any and all questions.
"Hel, you HAVE to tell him!"
"I don't HAVE to do anything!"
"But he's the FATHER!"
"So?"
"So he has the RIGHT to know!"
"Like you're suddenly the voice of reason!" Hel snorts. "Since when did you learn your rights from wrongs?"
"Hellllllllll..." Enigma growls.
The princess of puzzles gives the amethyst archer the most poutiest of faces. Helena isn't winning this one. Not at all.
"Look, we didn't exactly leave things on the best of terms the last time we... you know... got together." Hel replies timidly, trying her best to bring down Enigma's evil glare. "I... uh... I kinda threatened to put an arrow in him."
"Yeah, well, he put a BABY in YOU!"
"Ughhh... I don't NEED him, OK!?" Helena argues defiantly. "I'll have this baby and raise it on my own. I don't need any help. Especially from him."
"And that's good and fine, but he still has the right to KNOW." Enigma argues in kind. "You WILL tell him, Hel. Or I will..."
Eyes growing vacant, Enigma trails off. Certainly an idea has come to mind. The gears are turning. The pistons whirring. A nefarious grin slithers across her pink bubble gum lips.
"On second thought." She says low through her grin. "I WILL tell him."
She gets up from her seat on the couch and suddenly Helena is frightened. The Huntress has seen it when Enigma gets this way. And it's never for good reasons. Usually there's a death trap involved. Or worse.
"What are you up to?" Hel calls over to her friend.
Enigma hunches over her workstation, shuffling through the random bits of metal sheeting and wires laid out before her. She finds an old pressure pad from a previous game, adds a few components, and sets to work on something new.
"I'm building a trap." Enigma states simply. "For a witch."
Helena gets up from her seat abruptly, shaking her head and waving her hands in the air as she makes her way over to E.
"Woah, woah, woah!" She declines her friends 'help'. "No! No way! You are NOT going to put Klarion in a death trap!"
"Who said anything about 'death'? It's just a trap. Cool your jets."
"And WHY are you trapping him?"
"Because... Why not?" E shrugs, not really grasping the point. "Don't worry. I'll tell him. But first... I've never trapped anyone magic before."
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Helena screws her eyes shut and sighs. She can only keep E's attention for so long before the ditzy dame goes off on a tangent in a million different ways all at once. And they usually all involve some sort of contraption. Mind you, she wouldn't even know how to catch and contain a witch. But she wouldn't even know what to do with him once she got him.
"E?"
Just a step away, but E's not hearing her. She's got her nose to the grindstone. Goggles on and blowtorch hot and ready.
"Enigma?"
Helena places a hand on the enigmatic engineer's shoulder, making E stop what she's doing and pay attention. She places down her tools, if only momentarily.
"I'll tell him." Helena replies, hoping it will put an end to this madness.
"But I can still build a trap, right?" E hopes. "Just in case?"
Just in case of what, Helena doesn't even want to think about. When in the world she would ever need a witch catching device. But you never know. One never argues with the mad mind of Enigma. The girl thinks of everything. Somehow always ten steps ahead.
"Of course." Hel can't help but laugh. "Build all you like."
If anything, Emilia has surely lifted Hel's lowly mood. She's even brought a smile to her face.
"And we're keeping the baby?"
Helena nods. Sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck and smiling down at the floor. What the hell? Might as well embrace it.
"Yeah." She confirms softly. "Guess I'm having a baby."
Like a cork in a bottle, E erupts. Gushing and bubbly and all over the place. The sound of her squeals echo throughout the modest sized apartment. And even with all of Enigma's electronic equipment, somehow Hel doubts the sound would register on any sort of device. Surely there are dogs three blocks away barking at the noise she makes.
Jumping up and down like a hopped up rabbit on speed, Enigma grabs Helena by the hands and forces the broody bat to celebrate along with her.
"Green onesies! I'm buying the baby green onesies! Green's a gender neutral color, am I right? Great for boys or girls alike!"
Helena listens as Emilia prattles on about diapers and booties and bibs and bottles. Baby showers and cakes and streamers and balloons. Her excitement is infectious. Hel can't help but share in it.
A baby.
She still can't believe it. It feels so surreal. She never wanted to be a mother. Never expected this to happen. But now? Now she just may be coming around to the idea. She may even grow to like this whole pregnancy thing yet.
Keep an eye on that Enigma and her witch catching device... It'll come into play much much later. So keep it in the back of your mind!
And speaking of said device, that "old pressure pad from a previous game" is a little bit of a nod to the Arkham video game series. Used to achieve Riddler trophies and whatnot.
Up next, you guessed it, the return of our favorite Warlock!
Riddle me this, how you think he's gonna take the news?
XOXO