Chapter 7 - Mirror Images
Barbara couldn't believe her eyes. Selina Kyle, Catwoman, who was supposed to be dead, stood in front of her as plain as day. She looked exactly like she did when Barbara last saw her, nothing had changed. Emotions started rushing forward as Barbara thought back to the days Selina and herself had spent together.
********* FLASHBACK *********
Barbara smiled as she watched Helena chase the other toddlers around the slide. Tag was always her favorite when she was Helena's age. She loved spending all her summer at the park chasing the others; playing tag, swinging on the swings and sitting on the grass with her mom and dad.
Her eyes wondered to a nearby park bench where Helena's mother, Selina, sat watching Helena. Selina had changed after Helena's birth, a change that was not only for the good legally, but good for Selina. Helena's birth had marked closure of Selina's past and a door opened for a new life, one she could share with Helena. Barbara's only wish was that Selina included Bruce, but she had to respect Selina's wishes.
Barbara blinked as she realized her mind had wondered off, she smiled again and approached Selina. "How's the birthday girl?" she asked as she walked up, next to Selina. Selina looked up and smiled, "Hey! Oh she's having a great time!" Barbara sat down next to the former Catwoman. She searched her jacket pocket and pulled out a small box, gift wrapped. She handed it to Selina. "What's this? You've already given her a gift!" Selina said accepting the box. "It's not for her, it's the device you wanted," Barbara said leaning against the back rest of the bench. Selina nodded in understanding, "ah." "I still disagree with you though," Barbara says, "Nothing's going to happen to you or Helena, he's not coming back."
Selina lifted her head and watched Helena play. After a while she sighed and turned her head to face Barbara, "One day, when you give birth, and you look into your child's eyes for the first time, the world around you melts away because the child in your arms represents everything that is pure and innocent. Then reality slowly seeps back and you start to fear his/her safety and you vow on your very own blood to protect him/her and keep them safe. This," she holds the box up, "is my way of keeping her safe Barbara."
"And when she grows older? What will she think when she finds out her mother had been keeping track of every step she had taken alone?" Barbara asks.
Selina looked at Barbara, her eyes piercing the air, "I choose a life that excluded me from a normal life, and so too it has passed onto Helena. As much as I'd want her to have freedom, we have a different price to pay. When she grows older, yes she will be angry, but she will also come to understand that I had done it to protect her."
Barbara slowly began to understand. She remembered the night Helena was born. She had insisted on staying by Selina's side and after a heated debate with the doctor she was finally allowed to stay. Barbara had held Selina's hand the whole time.
She smiled as she watched the nurse hand over the precious form to Selina. A tear ran down her cheek as Selina started crying with pure joy. After Selina had told Barbara she wanted to call her Helena she handed the girl over to Barbara. It was what she felt that minute that made Barbara now understand Selina's reasons.
She felt someone take hold of her hand. Barbara's thought floated back to the present and she looked up at Selina, who held her hand. "Promise me one thing Barbara," Selina said, her eyes burning with seriousness. Barbara inclined her head slightly to one side, "Hmm?" "If anything ever happens to me." "Selina." "No, listen, if anything ever happens to me, promise me you'll look after her, promise me you'll protect her," Selina squeezed Barbara's hand. "Selina, nothing." Barbara began to say. "Promise me Barbara," Selina interrupted her. Barbara studied Selina's face, and then nodded, "I promise."
A smile formed slightly on the left corner of Selina's mouth. They both turned away and watched Helena play.
******* PRESENT *******
She covered her face in shame as fresh tears cascaded down her face. She fell down to the floor next to him and sobbed. "I didn't protect them; I . didn't keep my promise. I'm so sorry," she cried out.
Selina bent down next to her. "No, you're wrong. You did protect her. Listen to me Barbara, they're not dead."
The words hit her like a chilling breeze. She stopped crying and looked up at Selina. She frowned questionably at her, "What do you mean?"
Selina laid a hand on her shoulder, "None of this is real, Barbara."
Barbara stared at her and then a thought flashed through her mind, "Am I." "No, you're not dead," Selina replied.
Barbara stared at her. Nothing was making sense. She shook her head, "No! This is real!" Selina held firmly onto Barbara's shoulder, "No, it isn't Barbara, listen to me! Stand up." Barbara obeyed her order and stood up. Selina took a few steps backwards and then said, "Walk to me."
"Selina, this." "Look at the transponder Barbara," Selina interrupted. Barbara frowned. What was Selina up to? She slowly turned her head and managed to look over her shoulder. The light wasn't on, the transponder was off. She slowly walked towards Selina.
So many things started to rush through Barbara's mind. What was happening? Was she dreaming? If she was why does all of this feel so real? But it is real! Then why could she walk? BUT THIS FEELS REAL!
"This isn't real Barbara," Selina answered her thoughts. Barbara looked up. Her eyes wide with bewilderment. Nto real? She then frowned, I'm not really walking. She looked down at the killer and then back at Selina, "Who is he then?"
Selina lifted her head up slightly, "Look at him closely, look through him." Barbara looked back down at him, and slowly, to Barbara's horror his face changed. Barbara then stood staring at a mirror image of herself.
Barbara couldn't believe her eyes. Selina Kyle, Catwoman, who was supposed to be dead, stood in front of her as plain as day. She looked exactly like she did when Barbara last saw her, nothing had changed. Emotions started rushing forward as Barbara thought back to the days Selina and herself had spent together.
********* FLASHBACK *********
Barbara smiled as she watched Helena chase the other toddlers around the slide. Tag was always her favorite when she was Helena's age. She loved spending all her summer at the park chasing the others; playing tag, swinging on the swings and sitting on the grass with her mom and dad.
Her eyes wondered to a nearby park bench where Helena's mother, Selina, sat watching Helena. Selina had changed after Helena's birth, a change that was not only for the good legally, but good for Selina. Helena's birth had marked closure of Selina's past and a door opened for a new life, one she could share with Helena. Barbara's only wish was that Selina included Bruce, but she had to respect Selina's wishes.
Barbara blinked as she realized her mind had wondered off, she smiled again and approached Selina. "How's the birthday girl?" she asked as she walked up, next to Selina. Selina looked up and smiled, "Hey! Oh she's having a great time!" Barbara sat down next to the former Catwoman. She searched her jacket pocket and pulled out a small box, gift wrapped. She handed it to Selina. "What's this? You've already given her a gift!" Selina said accepting the box. "It's not for her, it's the device you wanted," Barbara said leaning against the back rest of the bench. Selina nodded in understanding, "ah." "I still disagree with you though," Barbara says, "Nothing's going to happen to you or Helena, he's not coming back."
Selina lifted her head and watched Helena play. After a while she sighed and turned her head to face Barbara, "One day, when you give birth, and you look into your child's eyes for the first time, the world around you melts away because the child in your arms represents everything that is pure and innocent. Then reality slowly seeps back and you start to fear his/her safety and you vow on your very own blood to protect him/her and keep them safe. This," she holds the box up, "is my way of keeping her safe Barbara."
"And when she grows older? What will she think when she finds out her mother had been keeping track of every step she had taken alone?" Barbara asks.
Selina looked at Barbara, her eyes piercing the air, "I choose a life that excluded me from a normal life, and so too it has passed onto Helena. As much as I'd want her to have freedom, we have a different price to pay. When she grows older, yes she will be angry, but she will also come to understand that I had done it to protect her."
Barbara slowly began to understand. She remembered the night Helena was born. She had insisted on staying by Selina's side and after a heated debate with the doctor she was finally allowed to stay. Barbara had held Selina's hand the whole time.
She smiled as she watched the nurse hand over the precious form to Selina. A tear ran down her cheek as Selina started crying with pure joy. After Selina had told Barbara she wanted to call her Helena she handed the girl over to Barbara. It was what she felt that minute that made Barbara now understand Selina's reasons.
She felt someone take hold of her hand. Barbara's thought floated back to the present and she looked up at Selina, who held her hand. "Promise me one thing Barbara," Selina said, her eyes burning with seriousness. Barbara inclined her head slightly to one side, "Hmm?" "If anything ever happens to me." "Selina." "No, listen, if anything ever happens to me, promise me you'll look after her, promise me you'll protect her," Selina squeezed Barbara's hand. "Selina, nothing." Barbara began to say. "Promise me Barbara," Selina interrupted her. Barbara studied Selina's face, and then nodded, "I promise."
A smile formed slightly on the left corner of Selina's mouth. They both turned away and watched Helena play.
******* PRESENT *******
She covered her face in shame as fresh tears cascaded down her face. She fell down to the floor next to him and sobbed. "I didn't protect them; I . didn't keep my promise. I'm so sorry," she cried out.
Selina bent down next to her. "No, you're wrong. You did protect her. Listen to me Barbara, they're not dead."
The words hit her like a chilling breeze. She stopped crying and looked up at Selina. She frowned questionably at her, "What do you mean?"
Selina laid a hand on her shoulder, "None of this is real, Barbara."
Barbara stared at her and then a thought flashed through her mind, "Am I." "No, you're not dead," Selina replied.
Barbara stared at her. Nothing was making sense. She shook her head, "No! This is real!" Selina held firmly onto Barbara's shoulder, "No, it isn't Barbara, listen to me! Stand up." Barbara obeyed her order and stood up. Selina took a few steps backwards and then said, "Walk to me."
"Selina, this." "Look at the transponder Barbara," Selina interrupted. Barbara frowned. What was Selina up to? She slowly turned her head and managed to look over her shoulder. The light wasn't on, the transponder was off. She slowly walked towards Selina.
So many things started to rush through Barbara's mind. What was happening? Was she dreaming? If she was why does all of this feel so real? But it is real! Then why could she walk? BUT THIS FEELS REAL!
"This isn't real Barbara," Selina answered her thoughts. Barbara looked up. Her eyes wide with bewilderment. Nto real? She then frowned, I'm not really walking. She looked down at the killer and then back at Selina, "Who is he then?"
Selina lifted her head up slightly, "Look at him closely, look through him." Barbara looked back down at him, and slowly, to Barbara's horror his face changed. Barbara then stood staring at a mirror image of herself.