Lifetimes

By Carla

DISCLAIMERS: All the characters and locations belong to DC or Warner, I'm just playing around with them. Helena-oriented, but other characters play a big role as well.

Chapter IV: Home

"What are you doing here?" Carolyn Lance had asked the intruder.

"I'm in my boyfriend's shirt, in my boyfriend's kitchen, fetching breakfast for two, really Birdie, what do you think I'm doing?" she had answered, cocky as always. God, she was annoying!

"You don't belong here thief!"

"You know, you don't really live here either, so shouldn't you be shutting up right about now, Canary?" Selina Kyle went back to the refrigerator, searching for some orange juice.

"One thing is if you two want to screw around on the rooftops, but for you to..."

"Hey! How do you mistake 'shut up' with 'please, voice your opinion on an issue that has nothing to do with you'?!" Selina was losing the battle with her temper as Carolyn Lance continued playing around dangerously close to her last nerve. She hated this woman, although she didn't like to admit it to herself, mainly because the reason was so mundane, so beneath Catwoman, or Batman, or even Black Canary for crying out loud! But Carolyn wasn't making coexistence that easy either.

"It is my business when one of New Gotham's more known criminals spends the night in my lair and walks around like she owns the place!"

"It's not your lair Canary, it's Batman's, and now that I think about it, this isn't even a lair! It's Bruce's house, not the Batcave! If you'll excuse me, I'm going to continue my walking around towards HIS bedroom, where I so obviously spend the night, not alone I might add." Carolyn felt like giving her a taste of the Canary's Cry right there and then, until her ears bled, but Batman wouldn't like it. But it just hurt so much to see them together... Why her?!

"You're just keeping his bed warm until he chooses someone more worthy of him." She saw Selina shudder. Good. She wanted to hurt Selina, as much as Catwoman hurt her when she kissed him, when she touched him, when she whispered in his ear... Selina laid the tray she was carrying on the stairs and turned slowly to face Carolyn. Her eyes had gone cat, Carolyn was ready to blast the little feline the minute she as much as meowed. Selina Kyle was a worthy adversary, Canary could rend anyone unconscious with her cry, but Catwoman was fast enough to avoid the sonic attack 9 out of 10 times, if she was focused... which she probably wasn't now.

"Even if that were true Carolyn, he still didn't invite you to his bed, did he?"

Carolyn felt as if someone was cutting her heart open.

"You're the biggest mistake Bruce ever made Selina, one day he's going to realize it and then you're out of here."

"How does it feel Carolyn?" Selina was no longer listening to her, she was hunting her prey now, so she had to stayed focused on her strategy, no matter what distractions came along the way.

"You're just a body to him..."

"In all the stories, fairy tales, myths... the good girl gets the boy. You're right about one thing Lance, I'm not a good girl, and he still loves me."

"Dark fascination with evil things, he'll grow out of it..."

"You don't get prince charming good girl, the bad kitty does. Does it hurt? I guess so, you're on his team, you follow every single order he gives, you are a heroine, a legend, and then I come in..."

"Shut up!"

"I make him chase me around, I steal things, I booby trap him, whip him, claw him, laugh at his orders... and he still wants me."

"You are..."

"The woman he loves Canary. Deal with it. I'm here now, he won't be yours. I'm sorry but you've got to open your eyes here, he's not interested. Get over it." Before Carolyn could answer, Selina was gone. Damn cat abilities! She practically disappeared in thin air, with her breakfast tray, back to Bruce Wayne's bed and arms.

What Carolyn Lance never knew while she left the manor, was that Selina Kyle's biggest fear was everything she had just said. That Bruce would be attracted to her because she was a 'bad girl', that he would get over it when she was falling so hard for him, that she was just a one night stand to him. But when Selina brought him breakfast in bed and he smiled, embraced her while he took his juice, kissed her and told her that he loved her, she believed him. She prayed to be right, that he loved her as much as she loved him, and she kissed him back.

Dinah Lance had been so excited to see her mother alive! She had cried so hard! She was so thankful for the chance to be with her again, to get to know the woman she had almost forgotten in the ten years she had spent without her. With a nod, Barbara confirmed that she wasn't dreaming. This was her mother, no some meta-villain posing as her, no dream, no phantom, but the real thing: Carolyn Lance, Black Canary was home. It was already 4:00 p.m. Dinah and her mother had been talking for about two hours, Barbara was politely allowing them some privacy, when she felt the elevator rise. She knew who it was right away, so did Dinah.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late but I felt bad about poor Alfred doing everythi... Black Canary!" to say Huntress was startled was an understatement.

Carolyn Lance's eyes flashed when she saw her necklace... she had seen it so many times before... in Catwoman's neck. Bruce bought it, he had even asked advice from Barbara and herself before buying it... He was so oblivious for the World's Greatest Detective. She hated that necklace, it reminded her of how much Bruce loved someone else... so did Helena. But it wasn't the young woman's fault. Truth be told it hadn't been either Bruce's or Selina's, it was just easier to be mad at her, she was one of the rogues after all. But she was long dead. This child was blameless. Carolyn still didn't like her, too much of her mother on her, but she could at least be civil.

"Helena." Was all she said, but she tried to be polite.

"I thought you were... I mean, I'm glad you're not! Is this really Canary?"

"Helena!" Dinah called her, although she could understand her doubts. She had shared them.

"I'm sorry Dinah, it's just..."

"It's okay Helena," Barbara answered "This is Canary."

"Okay... it's good you're back." Helena managed. This may be Dinah's mother, but she was also the woman who had called her 'thief's daughter', whether that was true or not, she had said it with scorn, and she had accused her mother of 'stealing her childhood', which was silly from a woman who abandoned her daughter, while Helena's mother had given everything else up to actually give her a normal childhood. But she could be civil.

"Thank you." She answered, and with that Helena left for the gym. She felt like training now that the hangover was gone.

"That went well." Dinah commented.

"Better than I expected." Barbara added.

"I just came here to see you, Dinah." Carolyn said. Dinah smiled and embraced her mother.

"I know mom, I know."

While mother and daughter went back to talking, Barbara decided she wouldn't be missed now. It was good to see Dinah patch things over with her mother. Maybe it was Barbara's turn to help out her... protege.

Where was he? They never told him. How long had he been there? Who knows! What the hell did it matter! The only important thing was... was there something important going on? How would he know? He was locked up! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

At least in the old days he had been sent to Arkham, that was a good place... he could go in an out as he pleased, although the shrinks didn't particularly encouraged it! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

But at least all the rogues where there! All his fellow rogues! And how much fun would they have together! Oh, the old times! Hiding Harvey's coin, watering Ivy's flowers with paint, playing with fire near good old John Crane, drawing glasses and a moustache in the Ventriloquist's little puppet... then again they didn't seem to enjoy the old days as much as he did... that's probably why he was always in isolation! HA HA HA HA HA HA...

Oh hell! What was the point? Having all these great jokes and no one to laugh at them! The guards where no fun and he had been sent away from Arkham, Gotham, the Ha Hacienda... there was no one to laugh at his jokes.

Harley would laugh, the thought entered his troubled mind. Of course! Harley Quinn! HIS Harley Quinn! That little stupid blonde... Oh, how he missed hitting her with buckets, newspapers, logs, whatever he could find... and the face she would make whenever he sent her crushing to a wall... what had become of Harley? He hadn't seen her in who-knows-how-long, which probably meant that she had no idea where he was, or else, she would have come for him already. Whenever she did, he was going to have to break her leg or something for taking so long... he just laid back, contentedly waiting for that day...

He would go back, see how well Batman took his good-bye gifts, two for one! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA... oh, never mind.

The Bat-witch was just the most boring thing he had run into in his whole life, he couldn't see anyone minding that much! Then again, Batman didn't like it when he killed Robin-annoying, how the hell did he resurrect anyway? Never mind. Bats simply had no sense of humor! And in any case, he didn't kill Barbie-Bat, did he? He left pictures to prove he didn't! The nerve!

Catty was such a pity though! Such a spirit... in one hell of a body! She was once one of the rogues, so he didn't particularly dislik her... Selina was fun, and looked smoking in that cat outfit! But Bat-Boy had the hots for her, sorry Selina, pum! It was simple, he had to prove Batman that he wasn't joking around... So if he was going to go to the mad house, girlfriendless he might add, so was Batman. Sorry Bats, au revoir chat! Poor kitty...

He suddenly heard noises from outside, wherever outside was! A disguised man was taking down all the guards! You go big ugly brute! The brute was now standing in front of him.

"Joker?" he asked. The nerve! Who doesn't know THE JOKER!!!! He was about to snap his neck, although he wasn't quite sure how to get his hands near his neck with the containing cell and all, when he added the phrase that saved his life. "Harley Quinn sent me."

Well, well, well, apparently, he wouldn't have to wait any longer! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

Helena was already in her second round of hitting things when she felt Barbara Gordon's presence. Sometimes Barbara would come to see her train, give her some pointers, like she needed any! 'Don't be so cocky' was one of her favorites, so she thought nothing of it.

"So..." Barbara started. Damn! We're doing the talking thing, Helena thought. "You enjoyed your birthday?"

"Sure! It was a jolly-holly day." She answered, not particularly liking the conversation.

"You could've had a better time if you had allowed us to share it with you."

"Look Barbara," she stopped her training to face her mentor, "Birthdays aren't supposed to be fun. You get older, what's to be happy about? I'm just more honest about it than most people, who pretend it's something to celebrate."

"You used to had fun at your birthday." Helena felt like someone had punched her. Barbara was one of the few people that knew her whole story, including her relationship with her mother, for her to bring it up... it just made Helena mad.

"I'm not Helena anymore, remember? I'm Huntress." She took her towel and started to leave, she knew that she had stunned Barbara enough with her answer. But the former Batgirl was not ready to give up yet.

"Helena wait!" luckily, Helena halted on Barbara's command. "I didn't mean to hurt you..."

"Then can you please drop this Barbara?" For the first time in years, her voice when she addressed Barbara was pleading. She hoped the older woman would stop, but she knew what Barbara was thinking: If she allowed her to go on like this... she had to stop it.

"I can't do that anymore Helena. You have to understand this: you're not alone."

"Yeah right."

"What do you mean 'yeah right'?! Don't you see us in front of you? Me? Alfred? Dinah? We're here with you!"

"Not you're not Barbara! You're just all here but that doesn't mean I'm not alone!"

"What do you...?"

"You know what I would've liked for my birthday?" Now tears where falling from her eyes, she hadn't cried in front of Barbara since she had been a kid. "I want what Dinah has right now! Canary was supposed to be dead but somehow she's back here, she and Dinah got another chance! I don't get one Barbara! My mom is dead! Really dead! Where's my second chance to have a family?!"

Barbara didn't know what to say, she wanted so much to hold Helena in her arms and promise her that everything would be okay, like she had done a lifetime ago. But she couldn't make that promise anymore. In seven years, she hadn't made everything alright for Helena, because she, the living Oracle, had no idea how to accomplish it.

"I can't give you your mom back Helena." Barbara said, tears falling from her eyes as well. To love a person so much and not be able to fill the void in her life... it was killing her. "I wish I could, but all I can give you is my hand, for you to take whenever you need it. I'm HERE FOR YOU, Helena, I have always been."

"You don't understand..."

"Then why don't you help me understand, damn it! What do you want me to do? I'm out of ideas here! I'm willing to do anything you need..."

"There's nothing you can do! There's nothing ANYONE can do!"

"That's not true Helena! Do you think Selina would have wanted for you to be standing here like this? She always wanted for you to be happy."

"Well, I don't think that much of my current life is what my mother would have wanted."

"What do you mean?"

"She wouldn't have wanted for me to become Huntress, and you know it." Barbara felt as if a knife was thrown at her. For years she had wondered, as well as many other people, she reminded herself, if she had done the right thing. The mess Helena Kyle was right now, was a decent indication that she maybe had not.

"I'm sorry," was all she could say.

"You don't have to be Barbara..." Helena regretted the words the moment they left her mouth. She didn't mean to blame Barbara... Hell, Barbara was the only reason she was standing still, the only person who had been there for her in the long run, but sometimes it was so hard. "I didn't mean it like that... I'm just... going through my birthday breakdown, better stay clear of me until I get it all together, okay?"

"Helena..."

"Just let it go Barbara!"

"Twenty-tree years-olds aren't supposed to have yearly breakdowns!"

"Well, this one does. I can live with this, so should you!"

"I can't anymore! Helena, get this through that thick skull of yours, I love you and..."

"This conversation is over Barbara! I mean it! Now please, leave so I can continue with my training, or stay here but please, leave me the hell alone!" Helena didn't understand why, but whenever Barbara said that she loved her... Loving her got people killed. Selina had loved her so much that she had taken her away so no one would know that Batman had a child, so Helena wouldn't become a target. And then, Selina had become a target herself. Barbara had kept her secret, and if she hadn't, chances were the Joker would not have come after her that night, but after Helena. She wasn't safe, she was to blame for her mother's death, and in a way, for Barbara being in that chair.

Barbara knew that the conversation was really over. Helena just couldn't handle the 'I love you' part, she couldn't help but wonder why, if it was so true. She didn't dare call Helena her daughter, because any attempt to replace Selina Kyle would set the young woman off, and that wouldn't help at all. But she thought of her as such, she had known her all her life, she had played with her when she was a baby, talked to her when she was a teenager and taken her in when she was alone. Barbara loved her. Helena was, in a sense, her daughter... Dick had once said that Selina had given birth to Helena and that Barbara had given birth to Huntress... Barbara didn't care about Helena because she was Huntress, she cared for Helena Kyle, the child she had met twenty-tree years ago. Maybe one day they would be able to have this conversation. For now, she just left, after leaving a little package on the floor.

Helena turned when she was sure Barbara was gone. She was about to take her aggressions back to the sack in front of her, but something on the floor caught her eye. It was a flat, rectangular package wrapped in gift paper. She knew Barbara had left it for her, her birthday present, she had gotten one for her since her first birthday. She approached it and sat by its side. She felt terrible, but she had issues letting people, even Barbara, get close to her. Helena just wish she could make Barbara proud, but all she accomplished was to be a pain in the ass. She unwrapped her gift and suppressed a gasp at what greeted it.

It was a framed pictured of herself and her mother. It had been taken the day Helena had been born. Selina Kyle looked tired, but as beautiful as Helena remembered her. She was holding her daughter closely to her chest, looking down at her and smiling. Helena had seen pictures of that day before, but she had never seen this one. After so many years with Oracle, if she had become something was curious, and a clue was a clue... She opened the frame from behind, luckily she didn't have to break it. As she suspected, there was something written there, and it was in her mother's handwriting. She smiled as she read.

Dear Barbara,

Look what I did! Her name is Helena Kyle, she's healthy and perfect. I hope you can meet her very soon my friend, I want her to meet her Auntie Barbara. I made you a promise, that you would be a part of her life and I'm sticking to it, because of all the people I can imagine being a part of my daughter's life, you're the best one.

Love,

Selina

Helena put the photo back into its frame. She looked again at her mother's face. Selina was right, of all the people that became a part of Helena's life, Barbara Gordon was the best one. Helena just didn't know how to say it to her face.

Detective Jesse Reese had been doing his nightly patrol when he had been called from the station. It had been one of the strangest calls he had gotten in his life. Apparently, there had been a breaking... at the zoo. Most criminals went for the bank, jewelry stores, but not the freaking zoo! Still, some guards had been shot, so it was an homicide case. He had to go check it out. The zoo! He was still distracted, so he didn't notice the woman lying on his car's door until she called him.

"Hi there, Detective!"

"Huntress!" he was startled at first. She was smiling, and he had to admit that he was happy to see her.

"I'm having a slow night, do you have something interesting?"

"I feel like I have the mother of all jokes in my hands..."

"Pardon me?"

"Never mind... Missed you last night, I have a few trash bags for you to hit if you feel like it..." He meant it as a joke, but still he didn't miss her grim expression.

"Night off."

"You get those?"

"Not usually, but last night was an exception."

"I see... Can I ask why it was an exception?"

"You can, not than I'm answering anyway."

"You've got to be the most difficult..."

"Here we go again... look Reese, I need something to punch and my associate is not giving me much... do you have something?"

"Actually I do, but you're going to think I'm kidding you."

"Spit."

"Someone broke into the zoo."

"The zoo?" she asked, unconvinced.

"Yep."

"Are you messing with me or something."

"Scout's honor, Huntress. Someone broke into the zoo and the guards were murdered. I still don't have a word about what they stole..."

"Dalmatians for a coat?"

"I'm serious. You want in or out?"

::Huntress:: Oracle's voice came through her communication device.

"What?" Huntress asked.

"I said..."

"Not you Reese... Oracle, what is it?"

"Really, why these names?"

"Reese!"

"Sorry, I'll... wait."

::Huntress, go with him. I'm getting the information on the zoo breaking and I want you there.::

"Why would someone mob the zoo?"

::This is New Gotham, Huntress, I can name you at least five criminals in the city's history who would have wanted something from the zoo.::

"Your bad guys left town."

::I still want you to check this out. I'm not getting information on how the guards where killed, there might be something there.::

"Fine. Huntress out. Detective," she addressed Reese this time "My associate feels I should tag along."

"Great. Car or rooftops?"

"You wouldn't be able to follow me through the rooftops." Helena smiled as she entered the car while Reese held the door for her. The drive to the zoo was about twenty minutes long, she was very silent, which was making Reese really nervous. He tried some small talk while they were in the car.

"So... what did you do during your night off?"

She looked at him, trying to figure out what he was up to.

"Mostly break stuff," she answered, and was proud with herself that she wasn't technically lying.

::Good one.::

"You know, this thing really needs an 'off' switch!" she commented.

"What?" Reese asked

"Oh... it's nothing, I was talking to..."

"The Voice. Got it. Okay Huntress... so you broke stuff."

"Yep."

"Yours?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

"It was a tough day, I needed to express my anger. That's as much information as you're getting on the subject Detective."

"Okay... then... you break your stuff, you need to buy new stuff... you afford it with...?"

"Money."

"So you've got money!"

"Maybe."

"You have an actual paying job or you just make a living on your vigilante gig?"

"All I'm saying is I have a job."

"As...?"

"Someone who gets a check. Done, Reese." She had to smile while they played this little game. He was still desperately trying to get information about her, but he was going about it in a funnier way at least. This way, she could actually share some things with him without blowing up her cover.

"Okay... I'm guessing if you don't want to tell me your real name, you're not going to be willing to discuss your family, right?"

"I don't have any," she answered almost bitterly.

"Sorry..." Reese was afraid he had asked a wrong question.

"Not your fault and... apparently, I'm not as alone as I tend to think." This she added mainly because she figured Barbara was still lurking.

::That's a start.:: and she was, of course.

"You know... families are overrated." Reese decided this time he was the one who should do the sharing, maybe that would encourage her to talk. "You are not defined by who your parents are, trust me, I should know."

"Granted... still, there's always a shadow."

"I guess... I never had the healthy home environment at home as a kid, and I think I turned out pretty decent," he joked.

"Cocky Detective! But you did. Actually... you're not going to go lurking for my identity with what I'm about to say right?"

"I promise you I won't." He was deadly serious. If he was to never know the name of the woman by his side in order to know the real person, who she truly was, he was ready to live with it.

"I trust you. I actually did have the healthy happy childhood, I just don't have a family anymore."

"Your parents died?"

"My mom. Never knew my dad."

"I see. You know... I wish I had never met my dad, it would've been better for me."

"I hear you."

"We're here." Reese announced when they parked in front of the zoo. He was not really sure what to do now so Huntress was the one who made the call.

"We can't go in together, I'm lurking in the shadows, you're doing the cop thing. Thanks for the lift... and the pep talk." She smiled, and before Reese could answer she was gone.

"I enjoyed it too." He said to no one, as he entered the crime scene.

"Short flight." Dick Grayson commented as he and his father and mentor walked from the airport.

"Fast plane," was all Bruce Wayne commented. He had never been one for words.

"Okay Bruce... Where to now?" Dick asked as he took in the streets of New Gotham he hadn't seen in so long. When he turned, he could see his companion was doing the same thing. Bruce Wayne seemed to be remembering another lifetime, when he was the Dark Knight, the Cape Crusader, the Batman. He had given up pretty much his whole life for this city after his parents had been murdered in front of his eyes. Years on end, he had been the protector of New Gotham, he had taken down foes like the Joker, Two-Face, the Riddler, Poison Ivy, the Penguin... New Gotham once had the most varied gallery of criminals... the Rogues.

Dick himself had trouble keeping control of his feelings at the moment... This was were everything had started... Here he had also been known as Robin. When the Joker had almost killed him, he had been fired by Batman... No, he had been fired by Bruce, his father, because he had been afraid that his son would get hurt, because Bruce hadn't wanted to put him on the line of danger anymore. Of course, they had both gone on with their lives, even when a breach had been opened between them. Dick had moved to Bludhaven , becoming its protector by the name of Nightwing. Batman, on the other hand, had mentored two more Robins: Jason Todd, murdered by the Joker, and Tim Drake.

They had led amazing lives in New Gotham, lives most people can't even begin to imagine or dream of. Still, they had gotten some things and they had lost others, that was the way it had been. And the truth was, Bruce was not the only one about to deal with a ghost of his past. It felt like ages since the last time Dick had seen Barbara Gordon... He had been gone from Gotham almost as long as Bruce, actually longer. When he had left, Barbara and him hadn't been in the best of terms. Dick had been sorry to leave young Helena back then, but she had needed one "mentor", as Barbara had said, not to gravitate between Barbara and Dick. Barbara had known her all her life, it had been the clear choice... Still, Dick had never particularly liked the decisions Barbara had made for her young protege.

Maybe this was the time to fix that as well.

"You drag me here Dick, you should've figured where to first."

Dick was taken out of his meditations by Bruce's voice.

"I... I don't know where you'd like to go first: The manor, Wayne Enterprises, to see Barbara..."

"The manor will do nicely." Bruce started walking towards a cab. Dick just shook his head, this was going to be tougher than he had thought, but at least they were back in New Gotham. Dick followed Bruce and soon they were in their way to the manor.

"Oracle, do you read me" Huntress asked as she approached the crime scene without being seen.

::Yes, what's going on there, Huntress?::

"The police are checking on the bodies, I don't want to go there yet, way too many. I'll wait until Reese is alone."

::Alright, try and figure out what has been stolen.::

"I think a couple of animals. Let me see." Huntress walked towards the zone close to were the guardians had been killed. Nearby were the lions, she loved the lions! The females were the huntresses, the ones that provided for the cubs, the ones who truly ran the jungle, even if the males thought they were the 'Kings of the Jungle'.

Helena loved coming to the zoo from time to time. She knew all the animals here, she had a great memory. She went through some of the cages and all the animals appeared to be there. She had walked for about ten minutes when she found something: Another body. It was separated from the others, which was really weird. It was another guard, she approached him slowly. She crouched near it so she could get a closer look.

"Oracle, there's another body, it's not with the others."

::Another guardian?::

"Yes. I guess this one found the bad guy while he was stealing and the others are his trace, you know, while he ran away?"

::Okay Huntress, I want you to take some scans so I can identify him and how he was killed.::

No answer, Huntress wasn't paying attention anymore.

::Huntress, do you copy?::

Huntress still ignored Oracle, she felt like the world was slowing down for a moment, she could barely move, but she had too.

::HUNTRESS!!::

She picked up the item she had found by the body and walked slowly to the cage, closer to the victim. That was it, what he had stolen, it was from there.

::Helena, talk to me. Are you alright?::

There were supposed to by five. One by the big rock, one was sleeping, one near the small pond... one, two, three... one, two, three... no more. She adjusted her eyes to make a better scan of the area. No. Only three, two had been taken.

::Helena...::

"I know what he took." Huntress answered almost mechanically. She was still in her own little universe, she was dizzy and mad and scared and a thousand other emotions at the same time. She wanted to sit because she was afraid she would faint, but she couldn't move.

::EARTH TO HUNTRESS!!! I'm asking you what did he take!::

Helena could hear the tension in Oracle's voice, it wasn't like Huntress to act this way, so she knew something had to be wrong.

"Two hyenas," she answered while she looked at the item in her hand: A little used explosive device, probably once filled with poisonous gas, which had killed the guardian. The device had a laughing face, painted with white, bright red lips and green hair. She could hear Oracle gasp. Helena just stayed there looking at the laughing face for a couple of minutes. The Joker was back in town.