Chapter 3: Friends are Forever
Bruce gave Helena a quick tour around the manor. When she saw the clock on the living room she remembered Barbara.
"Oh my God!"
"What is it? Something's wrong?" Bruce asked.
"Barbara must be worried. I turned off the micro transmitter when I found you. I better be going."
"Let me take you."
"Okay, but will you come up and see Barbara?"
"Don't you think we should prepare her first?"
"Not Barbara, she's the strongest person I know. And besides, she's always wanted you to come back."
"You mean, she's not mad at me for leaving everything the way I did?"
"If she ever was, she forgave you a long time ago. She always says you might've had a big reason for leaving. Barbara knows you better than you think, Dad."
"She's one of the wisest people on this planet."
"I know. C'mon, let's go."
They both left the manor and in a few minutes they were at the Clock Tower. Helena turned on the micro transmitter,
"Oracle, sorry I took so long" she said as she was entering the elevator "I'm going upstairs now."
"Huntress! For God's sake, I've been so worried. Where were you? Why did you turn off the transmitter?"
"Save your sermon Barbara, you'll know why in a few seconds."
The elevator door opened and Helena and Bruce stepped inside.
Barbara was searching for information on the Delphi system and without turning around she said, "So, explain yourself, I'm listening."
"It's my fault Barbara" said Bruce.
Barbara stopped what she was doing and turned around immediately almost without breathing. Her eyes filled with tears as she recognized her friend, and with a broken voice still unable to believe what she was seeing she asked
"Bruce?"
Bruce walked to her, leaned over and grabbed both her hands into his, and looking into her eyes he said:
"Barbara, I'm so sorry I left. Will you ever forgive me? Will I ever be worthy of your friendship again?"
She smiled at him as tears rolled on her cheeks.
"There's. nothing to forgive," she sighed "you're back. Are you okay?"
He grinned "Yes, I am now. It took me years, but I'm here. How are you?"
"I'm. fine. But, c'mon let's sit over here so we can talk" she said gently removing her hands from Bruce's and motioning him to the sofa.
She then realized Helena had been silently watching them. "You didn't know he was here, did you?"
"No, I found him two hours ago. Do you want anything to drink?"
Barbara turned to Bruce ""Do you still like tea?"
He nodded and grinned. "You remember. Tea sounds good."
"Same for me. Thank you, Helena" Barbara added.
At that moment Dinah came out of her room.
"Is Helena back?" and seeing an unfamiliar face she added "I'm sorry. I didn't know you had company."
"Dinah, this is my father" Helena said smiling.
"Mr. Wayne? The Batman?"
"In the flesh" he stood up "nice to meet you. You're Canary's daughter, I suppose?"
"Yes, I'm Dinah. I'm so glad to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you."
"Me too" Bruce answered.
"Really? How?"
"Alfred." Bruce said.
"Mmmmm" Barbara started "I should have known. Since when?"
"He's known for years Barbara" Helena said.
"But I asked him to keep the secret" Bruce stated.
"That's our Alfred" Barbara added.
"C'mon kid" Helena said to Dinah "help me make some tea for everyone."
And both disappeared into the kitchen.
Continue to Chapter 4
Bruce gave Helena a quick tour around the manor. When she saw the clock on the living room she remembered Barbara.
"Oh my God!"
"What is it? Something's wrong?" Bruce asked.
"Barbara must be worried. I turned off the micro transmitter when I found you. I better be going."
"Let me take you."
"Okay, but will you come up and see Barbara?"
"Don't you think we should prepare her first?"
"Not Barbara, she's the strongest person I know. And besides, she's always wanted you to come back."
"You mean, she's not mad at me for leaving everything the way I did?"
"If she ever was, she forgave you a long time ago. She always says you might've had a big reason for leaving. Barbara knows you better than you think, Dad."
"She's one of the wisest people on this planet."
"I know. C'mon, let's go."
They both left the manor and in a few minutes they were at the Clock Tower. Helena turned on the micro transmitter,
"Oracle, sorry I took so long" she said as she was entering the elevator "I'm going upstairs now."
"Huntress! For God's sake, I've been so worried. Where were you? Why did you turn off the transmitter?"
"Save your sermon Barbara, you'll know why in a few seconds."
The elevator door opened and Helena and Bruce stepped inside.
Barbara was searching for information on the Delphi system and without turning around she said, "So, explain yourself, I'm listening."
"It's my fault Barbara" said Bruce.
Barbara stopped what she was doing and turned around immediately almost without breathing. Her eyes filled with tears as she recognized her friend, and with a broken voice still unable to believe what she was seeing she asked
"Bruce?"
Bruce walked to her, leaned over and grabbed both her hands into his, and looking into her eyes he said:
"Barbara, I'm so sorry I left. Will you ever forgive me? Will I ever be worthy of your friendship again?"
She smiled at him as tears rolled on her cheeks.
"There's. nothing to forgive," she sighed "you're back. Are you okay?"
He grinned "Yes, I am now. It took me years, but I'm here. How are you?"
"I'm. fine. But, c'mon let's sit over here so we can talk" she said gently removing her hands from Bruce's and motioning him to the sofa.
She then realized Helena had been silently watching them. "You didn't know he was here, did you?"
"No, I found him two hours ago. Do you want anything to drink?"
Barbara turned to Bruce ""Do you still like tea?"
He nodded and grinned. "You remember. Tea sounds good."
"Same for me. Thank you, Helena" Barbara added.
At that moment Dinah came out of her room.
"Is Helena back?" and seeing an unfamiliar face she added "I'm sorry. I didn't know you had company."
"Dinah, this is my father" Helena said smiling.
"Mr. Wayne? The Batman?"
"In the flesh" he stood up "nice to meet you. You're Canary's daughter, I suppose?"
"Yes, I'm Dinah. I'm so glad to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you."
"Me too" Bruce answered.
"Really? How?"
"Alfred." Bruce said.
"Mmmmm" Barbara started "I should have known. Since when?"
"He's known for years Barbara" Helena said.
"But I asked him to keep the secret" Bruce stated.
"That's our Alfred" Barbara added.
"C'mon kid" Helena said to Dinah "help me make some tea for everyone."
And both disappeared into the kitchen.
Continue to Chapter 4