I always, as many people here had been thinking about the begining of our
birds. So I worked on my own version of that begining, and in a Time line.
I took the Unaired Pilot and the 13 chapters as a first guide and I mixed it with Babs Biography at comics. Was a little complicate because the comic changed that Bio many times, and the clock time sometimes is crazy and impossible. If you want add a comment or sugestion is welcome.
Thanks to NightStalker that did all the heavy editing work and yhay gave me very good ideas. To Shadow Walker, Kadence and Yank for her suggestions.
I hope you like this first attemp. The story begins after Selina was murder...
===========================
SOPHOMORE, FIRST YEAR
Helena sat alone in an office crying silently, her pink blouse and her blue pants had spots of blood, her mom's blood, the police had taken her statement a few minutes ago about what had happened that night. She felt like she was living inside a nightmare, a dark nightmare.
A few hours ago she had been laughing with her mother as they shopped, and now, she wasn't there anymore, she wasn't with her, she was lying on a cold metallic stretcher in the Police Station. She couldn't believe it, she couldn't understand why.
It had been a man with a long coat that walked up to her, he stumbled against her mother, or so she had thought, and suddenly she saw her mom fall. She kneeled, trying to help her stand up and that was when she felt warmth on her hand; her mother was bleeding. She could see the sadness on her face before she closed her eyes.
She saw the man with the knife stand up near her; nobody helped her stop him, she screamed asking for help and people just looked at her. She called her mom, but she never answered, she never opened her eyes again; she couldn't tell her goodbye. She died right there, on the cold ground, without knowing what had happened.
A captain stood by the door that had a crystal window, looking at Helena. A young, black woman walked over to him and looked at girl too. She raised a sheet of paper and gave it to him.
"We took her statement; she gave us the description of the man that stabbed her mother. The sketch artist finished, I'll send it to all the police stations."
"Okay detective." the captain read the paper "Did you call her family?"
"She does't have one. she told me her mother was her only family."
"Poor girl, she's only sixteen, we need to take her to the orphanage, or to a DYFS office (Division of Youth and Family Services)."
"We can't do that to her now," the detective sighed, "her heart is broken. I think that we need to wait until after the funeral to talk with her. Bruce Wayne sent his lawyer, he said he will pay the funeral expenses."
"Did he know about the girl?"
"Well, I don't know, and if he does know, he didn't say anything about her." The detective raised her brow. "Do you know about Comm. Gordon's daughter?"
"Yes, she was shot two hours ago." The Captain said.
"I know, it's a terrible night. She and this girl." the detective looked Helena "Revenge against Comm. Gordon?"
"Probably, it was the Joker. What is that?" the Captain asked, pointing at a package that the detective had under her arm.
"I bought to her a change of clothes, I feel so sorry for her. I'll talk with her."
Helena had her gaze fixed in the floor. She was asking to herself what she was going to do. The detective opened the door and entered the small room. She sat in front the young girl. Helena raised her tear stained face and looked at her.
"Where is my mom?" she asked.
The detective swallowed. "She is. well, the doctors are preparing the post mortem."
"I see."
"A friend of hers is going to pay all the expenses and gave orders to prepare the funeral, don't worry about anything, okay?"
"Who's that friend?" Helena looked her "she doesn't have many friends."
"Bruce Wayne, did you know him?" the detective asked.
"No. Mom told me sometimes was a far friend; I heard his name sometimes in the news. Why is he paying?"
"I don't know Helena, he just sent his lawyer and asked him take care of it. Do you want us to take her to a special place?"
"She loved the Memorial Gotham Gardens, in the hills."
"Okay. I'll prepare everything, do you want something. special for her?"
Helena shook her head.
"I brought some clean clothes for you," the detective gave her the package "There is a bathroom where you can take a bath if you wish."
"Monique, I want to see her."
"You will, but not now, change your clothes and rest a while, you can use my couch."
"I don't think I can sleep," Helena said in quiet voice "Could you, knowing that your mom was murdered and that you are all alone in the police station?"
The detective was shocked with the question and brushed her hair. "You're right. take a bath and change your clothes and I'll take you to see your mother, okay?"
* * *
Barbara's eyes fluttered open, she felt stunned, she had an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose. The stretcher was raced through the hospital corridors. She could see the lights on the hospital ceiling speeding past in front of her eyes while some paramedics were around her and ran towards the Surgery room.
She could see flashes Joker's evil face laughing while he shot her, she could feel the blood soaking her clothes. She was wearing clothes? She couldn't remember. Over her a man held a bag with serum, they screamed and shouted, but she couldn't understand what were they saying. All turned black again and she slipped back into unconsciousness.
* * *
Helena sat at the end of an exquisite room full of white flowers at her mother's funeral service in the Memorial Gotham Gardens. When she was arriving, she saw, from a distance, a tall, elegant man exiting the room. Monique had told her that he was Bruce Wayne, her mother's friend, that he had asked be with her alone a few minutes.
Many strange people were there, they walked and talked, sometimes they looked at her and she felt uncomfortable. Monique had told her that they were Wayne's and her mother's friends, but she didn't recognize anyone. She expected to see Barbara but she never arrived. She was still in shock and was tired, her eyes were red and had black rings under them. She couldn't think about anything, she just wanted wake up out of that bad dream. She missed Sandy, her best friend, but she had left the city without a word a few months ago.
Gibson was with her, he had heard the news and had spent many hours looking for his friend before he found her; he had called some of Helena's friends in high school and some of them were there. But she didn't seem to notice anyone, she was lost in her grief, sunk in a couch with him next to her.
Helena wasn't in a good mood. She felt trap inside a nightmare, she was overcome by a multitude of emotions inside of her, she wanted to be alone with her mom, she wanted to run away, she wanted go to her home; she wanted kill her mother's assassin. That was an idea that she would keep in mind for a long time: search for and kill the bastard that had stolen her life.
* * *
After the funeral, Monique took Helena to her home, it was a cloudy day. She needed to talk with her and needed a quiet place, the best one was her own home. It was going to be difficult to tell her that she couldn't stay in her home any longer, that now the state custody of her. She looked at her, Helena had her forehead against the window of the car, the brunette still couldn't believe that her mother was gone.
They arrived at the house; Helena stood up in front of the Porsche longing to see her mother opening the door to welcome her back. Monique touched her shoulder.
"Something wrong Helena?"
"No."
They walked in, Helena looked around, she could still smell her there, yet she wasn't there, not anymore. Monique took her to the living room and sat her on the couch. Helena just wanted her to leave the house and leave her alone. Monique sat in front of her.
"Helena, I need to talk with you, I know that you don't feel good right now, that all this is hard for you, but, look, you are only sixteen, you don't have family or friends" Helena glared at the woman as she rested her back ion the couch and crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive position. Monique felt her anger, she tried to explain in the best way. "Helena you can't live alone."
"Why not?" Helena interrupted her.
"You are under age.."
"That isn't true."
"You are too young."
"I have a home, my mom left me money in the bank." Helena stood up.
"And you can't touch it, you are under age." Monique said.
"Why not?" Helena shouted "It's my mother's money, it's my money!"
"You are under age, Helena," Monique stood up too, trying to explain "you can't take the money, the bank won't let you; you can't live alone. You can't live here anymore. Now the state is your guardian, I need to take you to the Division of Youth and Family Services. I'm sorry, but it's the law."
"Fuck the law! It doesn't care about me!" Helena yelled. "Where was the law when that son of bitch killed my mother?"
"Watch your mouth, Helena!"
"Where is the killer? He stole my mother's life! He stole my life! And now, while he is free, I'm the one who must go live in a prison! I'm not going anywhere! This is my home!!"
Monique understood the girl's anger. "I know, but I need to take you, I brought you here to talk with you, to close your house and to let you prepare a suitcase, okay? Don't make this worse."
"Just try to take me out of here." Helena clenched her jaw and faced her.
"I will do it," Monique faced her too. "You know that I could call the DYFS and they would send me the entire police department, if it's necessary, to take you there, like it or not. I'm trying to do this the easy way, understand? So help me and help yourself, go to your room, prepare your clothes and let's go!!"
Helena pressed her lips, she kicked the center table and began to pace around the room. Monique was right, she was under age and the police never would let her live alone.
"It's not fair.." she mumbled.
"I'm sorry, Helena."
"I lost everything in just one second," she stood in front of the window and looked at the garden crying "24 hours ago I had my mom, I had a home and now."
Monique sat in the coach in silence. She knew it was a difficult moment for Helena. She kept silent a few seconds and checked her watch.
"Helena, it's six o'clock, I need take you to the DYFS, but I can do it tomorrow morning. We can stay here tonight, if you want and give you time to pack and say goodbye, but we must go tomorrow, early." Helena sighed and kept silent. "What do you say?"
The girl nodded "Thanks." she whispered "Can I be alone.?"
"Of course, I'll be here." Monique gave her a light smile.
Helena walked to her mother's room; she stood in the doorway and looked in; it was empty, empty of her; all her things where were she left them before they left last night. The last blouse that she changed out of was over the bedside table, where she had thrown it.
Helena closed the door and opened the closet. She touched her clothes, clothes that she wore, trying to feel her again, just once. She caressed one of the blouses with her cheek, she smelled her on each one. Helena lay on her mattress smelling her in the pillows, trying to absorb all of her scent before it disappeared, sobbing, missing her.
Monique fell asleep on the couch, she woke up the next morning, drowsy. She looked at her watch, it was late, almost eight o'clock in the morning. She went to look for the kid; she knocked on the door, Helena didn't respond, she tried to open it but it was locked.
"Helena." she called her, "We need to go." Monique felt that something was wrong and began to knock on the door harder. "Helena!" she took a credit card and unlocked it. She opened it, the room was empty and the window opened. "Shit!" she shouted running to the phone; she dialed some numbers. "Jonathan, the girl ran away."
* * *
Barbara was wearing a hospital gown, resting in a medical bed. She was connected to an IV and to a heart monitor, the beep of the machine was the only sound in the room. She was still under the effects of the anesthesia; it had been a hard surgery of almost 6 hours. The doctors had been fighting, trying to save her life, and they did it with a great effort, but they couldn't heal her damaged spine hurt by the bullet.
Commissioner Gordon sat in front of a round table, he grabbed his head with his hands. He felt guilty, he was sure that the Joker's attack on his daughter had been revenge against him. The neighbours had found her lying on the floor, bleeding.
Barbara moved lightly making a soft noise with the blankets that caught his attention. He raised his head and looked at her. She opened her eyes to find herself looking upwards into dimly lit lights, all was blurred and she felt drowsy; she began to focus; that wasn't her room, it was a hospital.
"Barbara." he said in low voice walking next to her.
"Dad?" Barbara mumbled and turned her face to see him.
Gordon smiled and took her hand "Hi honey."
"It was the Joker." she said sleepily remembering the image of him shooting her.
"We know, we trapped him after he went to your apartment. He's now in a security cell."
"I don't understand, Batman had trapped him a few hours before." she closed her eyes.
"Don't talk my dear." he leaned over her.
"I never. expected see him in front of my door, he surprised me."
"He escaped, I don't understand how he found you. Don't talk, rest..."
Barbara was trying to order her ideas "I was taking a bath and I heard on the TV that somebody had killed Selina Kyle. Selina" suddenly she realized what had happened. "Where is Helena?"
"Who?"
"Where is Helena? Did you know? Where is Selina's daughter?"
"I don't know, I've been with you since the accident. " Gordon looked her with concern "You've been unconscious for days. You were seriously injured, you were unconscious almost four days, you almost died. It's a miracle that you are alive now!"
"Four days? Helena. poor girl, I need to find her." The redhead felt a great anguish inside her. She knew that Helena was under age and she knew the girl would be in a federal custody department, a terrible experience for any kid; Helena was alone.
"Barbara, right now the most important thing is you." Gordon squeezed her hand. "The Joker shot you."
"I know but. I need to find her, she is alone, Selina doesn't have family and." Barbara felt dazed, maybe it was the medications ".And Helena is just a child."
"Babs, I know that you and Selina were good friends, I never understood how, she was a criminal." Gordon sighed thinking how he would tell her that she had been crippled by the Joker.
"She. wasn't a thief anymore,.you know that dad. she quit that life because of her daughter, I told you."
"At this moment I'm only thinking of you."
"But I can't. Father, help me to find her."
"Easy, Barbara, please listen to me." He took her hand with both his hands, it was a difficult moment for him.
"Dad, I." she was impatient.
"Listen to me, the Joker's bullet went through your spine.. Your spine is damaged."
Barbara felt a chill run down her back and she locked her eyes on him "What?"
"You can't walk." A tear fell from his eye.
"But." she tried to moved her legs and realized that she couldn't feel them.
"The doctors tried everything but it was impossible, your spine was seriously damaged and they couldn't do anything." Gordon started to cry "It's my fault, it was revenge against me."
"Dad, don't worry, I can see a specialist and." Barbara tried to convince herself that it was just another accident.
"Barbara, your spine is seriously damaged, you will never be able to walk again."
"No." She touched her legs and tried to move them unsuccessfully. "It can't be."
"They tried everything, they couldn't help you."
"It can't be."
"Babs."
"It can't be!" she shouted, tears were running down her cheeks "Do you hear me? It can't be!"
"Barbara..." he hugged her, trying to comfort her. "Please, I'm here with you, I'm sorry."
She hugged him back crying, she tried to understand what had been happening and what was happening to her; she was shocked, it had to be a mistake, it had to be. She was a hero, she was Batgirl, all this was impossible.
* * *
I took the Unaired Pilot and the 13 chapters as a first guide and I mixed it with Babs Biography at comics. Was a little complicate because the comic changed that Bio many times, and the clock time sometimes is crazy and impossible. If you want add a comment or sugestion is welcome.
Thanks to NightStalker that did all the heavy editing work and yhay gave me very good ideas. To Shadow Walker, Kadence and Yank for her suggestions.
I hope you like this first attemp. The story begins after Selina was murder...
===========================
SOPHOMORE, FIRST YEAR
Helena sat alone in an office crying silently, her pink blouse and her blue pants had spots of blood, her mom's blood, the police had taken her statement a few minutes ago about what had happened that night. She felt like she was living inside a nightmare, a dark nightmare.
A few hours ago she had been laughing with her mother as they shopped, and now, she wasn't there anymore, she wasn't with her, she was lying on a cold metallic stretcher in the Police Station. She couldn't believe it, she couldn't understand why.
It had been a man with a long coat that walked up to her, he stumbled against her mother, or so she had thought, and suddenly she saw her mom fall. She kneeled, trying to help her stand up and that was when she felt warmth on her hand; her mother was bleeding. She could see the sadness on her face before she closed her eyes.
She saw the man with the knife stand up near her; nobody helped her stop him, she screamed asking for help and people just looked at her. She called her mom, but she never answered, she never opened her eyes again; she couldn't tell her goodbye. She died right there, on the cold ground, without knowing what had happened.
A captain stood by the door that had a crystal window, looking at Helena. A young, black woman walked over to him and looked at girl too. She raised a sheet of paper and gave it to him.
"We took her statement; she gave us the description of the man that stabbed her mother. The sketch artist finished, I'll send it to all the police stations."
"Okay detective." the captain read the paper "Did you call her family?"
"She does't have one. she told me her mother was her only family."
"Poor girl, she's only sixteen, we need to take her to the orphanage, or to a DYFS office (Division of Youth and Family Services)."
"We can't do that to her now," the detective sighed, "her heart is broken. I think that we need to wait until after the funeral to talk with her. Bruce Wayne sent his lawyer, he said he will pay the funeral expenses."
"Did he know about the girl?"
"Well, I don't know, and if he does know, he didn't say anything about her." The detective raised her brow. "Do you know about Comm. Gordon's daughter?"
"Yes, she was shot two hours ago." The Captain said.
"I know, it's a terrible night. She and this girl." the detective looked Helena "Revenge against Comm. Gordon?"
"Probably, it was the Joker. What is that?" the Captain asked, pointing at a package that the detective had under her arm.
"I bought to her a change of clothes, I feel so sorry for her. I'll talk with her."
Helena had her gaze fixed in the floor. She was asking to herself what she was going to do. The detective opened the door and entered the small room. She sat in front the young girl. Helena raised her tear stained face and looked at her.
"Where is my mom?" she asked.
The detective swallowed. "She is. well, the doctors are preparing the post mortem."
"I see."
"A friend of hers is going to pay all the expenses and gave orders to prepare the funeral, don't worry about anything, okay?"
"Who's that friend?" Helena looked her "she doesn't have many friends."
"Bruce Wayne, did you know him?" the detective asked.
"No. Mom told me sometimes was a far friend; I heard his name sometimes in the news. Why is he paying?"
"I don't know Helena, he just sent his lawyer and asked him take care of it. Do you want us to take her to a special place?"
"She loved the Memorial Gotham Gardens, in the hills."
"Okay. I'll prepare everything, do you want something. special for her?"
Helena shook her head.
"I brought some clean clothes for you," the detective gave her the package "There is a bathroom where you can take a bath if you wish."
"Monique, I want to see her."
"You will, but not now, change your clothes and rest a while, you can use my couch."
"I don't think I can sleep," Helena said in quiet voice "Could you, knowing that your mom was murdered and that you are all alone in the police station?"
The detective was shocked with the question and brushed her hair. "You're right. take a bath and change your clothes and I'll take you to see your mother, okay?"
* * *
Barbara's eyes fluttered open, she felt stunned, she had an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose. The stretcher was raced through the hospital corridors. She could see the lights on the hospital ceiling speeding past in front of her eyes while some paramedics were around her and ran towards the Surgery room.
She could see flashes Joker's evil face laughing while he shot her, she could feel the blood soaking her clothes. She was wearing clothes? She couldn't remember. Over her a man held a bag with serum, they screamed and shouted, but she couldn't understand what were they saying. All turned black again and she slipped back into unconsciousness.
* * *
Helena sat at the end of an exquisite room full of white flowers at her mother's funeral service in the Memorial Gotham Gardens. When she was arriving, she saw, from a distance, a tall, elegant man exiting the room. Monique had told her that he was Bruce Wayne, her mother's friend, that he had asked be with her alone a few minutes.
Many strange people were there, they walked and talked, sometimes they looked at her and she felt uncomfortable. Monique had told her that they were Wayne's and her mother's friends, but she didn't recognize anyone. She expected to see Barbara but she never arrived. She was still in shock and was tired, her eyes were red and had black rings under them. She couldn't think about anything, she just wanted wake up out of that bad dream. She missed Sandy, her best friend, but she had left the city without a word a few months ago.
Gibson was with her, he had heard the news and had spent many hours looking for his friend before he found her; he had called some of Helena's friends in high school and some of them were there. But she didn't seem to notice anyone, she was lost in her grief, sunk in a couch with him next to her.
Helena wasn't in a good mood. She felt trap inside a nightmare, she was overcome by a multitude of emotions inside of her, she wanted to be alone with her mom, she wanted to run away, she wanted go to her home; she wanted kill her mother's assassin. That was an idea that she would keep in mind for a long time: search for and kill the bastard that had stolen her life.
* * *
After the funeral, Monique took Helena to her home, it was a cloudy day. She needed to talk with her and needed a quiet place, the best one was her own home. It was going to be difficult to tell her that she couldn't stay in her home any longer, that now the state custody of her. She looked at her, Helena had her forehead against the window of the car, the brunette still couldn't believe that her mother was gone.
They arrived at the house; Helena stood up in front of the Porsche longing to see her mother opening the door to welcome her back. Monique touched her shoulder.
"Something wrong Helena?"
"No."
They walked in, Helena looked around, she could still smell her there, yet she wasn't there, not anymore. Monique took her to the living room and sat her on the couch. Helena just wanted her to leave the house and leave her alone. Monique sat in front of her.
"Helena, I need to talk with you, I know that you don't feel good right now, that all this is hard for you, but, look, you are only sixteen, you don't have family or friends" Helena glared at the woman as she rested her back ion the couch and crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive position. Monique felt her anger, she tried to explain in the best way. "Helena you can't live alone."
"Why not?" Helena interrupted her.
"You are under age.."
"That isn't true."
"You are too young."
"I have a home, my mom left me money in the bank." Helena stood up.
"And you can't touch it, you are under age." Monique said.
"Why not?" Helena shouted "It's my mother's money, it's my money!"
"You are under age, Helena," Monique stood up too, trying to explain "you can't take the money, the bank won't let you; you can't live alone. You can't live here anymore. Now the state is your guardian, I need to take you to the Division of Youth and Family Services. I'm sorry, but it's the law."
"Fuck the law! It doesn't care about me!" Helena yelled. "Where was the law when that son of bitch killed my mother?"
"Watch your mouth, Helena!"
"Where is the killer? He stole my mother's life! He stole my life! And now, while he is free, I'm the one who must go live in a prison! I'm not going anywhere! This is my home!!"
Monique understood the girl's anger. "I know, but I need to take you, I brought you here to talk with you, to close your house and to let you prepare a suitcase, okay? Don't make this worse."
"Just try to take me out of here." Helena clenched her jaw and faced her.
"I will do it," Monique faced her too. "You know that I could call the DYFS and they would send me the entire police department, if it's necessary, to take you there, like it or not. I'm trying to do this the easy way, understand? So help me and help yourself, go to your room, prepare your clothes and let's go!!"
Helena pressed her lips, she kicked the center table and began to pace around the room. Monique was right, she was under age and the police never would let her live alone.
"It's not fair.." she mumbled.
"I'm sorry, Helena."
"I lost everything in just one second," she stood in front of the window and looked at the garden crying "24 hours ago I had my mom, I had a home and now."
Monique sat in the coach in silence. She knew it was a difficult moment for Helena. She kept silent a few seconds and checked her watch.
"Helena, it's six o'clock, I need take you to the DYFS, but I can do it tomorrow morning. We can stay here tonight, if you want and give you time to pack and say goodbye, but we must go tomorrow, early." Helena sighed and kept silent. "What do you say?"
The girl nodded "Thanks." she whispered "Can I be alone.?"
"Of course, I'll be here." Monique gave her a light smile.
Helena walked to her mother's room; she stood in the doorway and looked in; it was empty, empty of her; all her things where were she left them before they left last night. The last blouse that she changed out of was over the bedside table, where she had thrown it.
Helena closed the door and opened the closet. She touched her clothes, clothes that she wore, trying to feel her again, just once. She caressed one of the blouses with her cheek, she smelled her on each one. Helena lay on her mattress smelling her in the pillows, trying to absorb all of her scent before it disappeared, sobbing, missing her.
Monique fell asleep on the couch, she woke up the next morning, drowsy. She looked at her watch, it was late, almost eight o'clock in the morning. She went to look for the kid; she knocked on the door, Helena didn't respond, she tried to open it but it was locked.
"Helena." she called her, "We need to go." Monique felt that something was wrong and began to knock on the door harder. "Helena!" she took a credit card and unlocked it. She opened it, the room was empty and the window opened. "Shit!" she shouted running to the phone; she dialed some numbers. "Jonathan, the girl ran away."
* * *
Barbara was wearing a hospital gown, resting in a medical bed. She was connected to an IV and to a heart monitor, the beep of the machine was the only sound in the room. She was still under the effects of the anesthesia; it had been a hard surgery of almost 6 hours. The doctors had been fighting, trying to save her life, and they did it with a great effort, but they couldn't heal her damaged spine hurt by the bullet.
Commissioner Gordon sat in front of a round table, he grabbed his head with his hands. He felt guilty, he was sure that the Joker's attack on his daughter had been revenge against him. The neighbours had found her lying on the floor, bleeding.
Barbara moved lightly making a soft noise with the blankets that caught his attention. He raised his head and looked at her. She opened her eyes to find herself looking upwards into dimly lit lights, all was blurred and she felt drowsy; she began to focus; that wasn't her room, it was a hospital.
"Barbara." he said in low voice walking next to her.
"Dad?" Barbara mumbled and turned her face to see him.
Gordon smiled and took her hand "Hi honey."
"It was the Joker." she said sleepily remembering the image of him shooting her.
"We know, we trapped him after he went to your apartment. He's now in a security cell."
"I don't understand, Batman had trapped him a few hours before." she closed her eyes.
"Don't talk my dear." he leaned over her.
"I never. expected see him in front of my door, he surprised me."
"He escaped, I don't understand how he found you. Don't talk, rest..."
Barbara was trying to order her ideas "I was taking a bath and I heard on the TV that somebody had killed Selina Kyle. Selina" suddenly she realized what had happened. "Where is Helena?"
"Who?"
"Where is Helena? Did you know? Where is Selina's daughter?"
"I don't know, I've been with you since the accident. " Gordon looked her with concern "You've been unconscious for days. You were seriously injured, you were unconscious almost four days, you almost died. It's a miracle that you are alive now!"
"Four days? Helena. poor girl, I need to find her." The redhead felt a great anguish inside her. She knew that Helena was under age and she knew the girl would be in a federal custody department, a terrible experience for any kid; Helena was alone.
"Barbara, right now the most important thing is you." Gordon squeezed her hand. "The Joker shot you."
"I know but. I need to find her, she is alone, Selina doesn't have family and." Barbara felt dazed, maybe it was the medications ".And Helena is just a child."
"Babs, I know that you and Selina were good friends, I never understood how, she was a criminal." Gordon sighed thinking how he would tell her that she had been crippled by the Joker.
"She. wasn't a thief anymore,.you know that dad. she quit that life because of her daughter, I told you."
"At this moment I'm only thinking of you."
"But I can't. Father, help me to find her."
"Easy, Barbara, please listen to me." He took her hand with both his hands, it was a difficult moment for him.
"Dad, I." she was impatient.
"Listen to me, the Joker's bullet went through your spine.. Your spine is damaged."
Barbara felt a chill run down her back and she locked her eyes on him "What?"
"You can't walk." A tear fell from his eye.
"But." she tried to moved her legs and realized that she couldn't feel them.
"The doctors tried everything but it was impossible, your spine was seriously damaged and they couldn't do anything." Gordon started to cry "It's my fault, it was revenge against me."
"Dad, don't worry, I can see a specialist and." Barbara tried to convince herself that it was just another accident.
"Barbara, your spine is seriously damaged, you will never be able to walk again."
"No." She touched her legs and tried to move them unsuccessfully. "It can't be."
"They tried everything, they couldn't help you."
"It can't be."
"Babs."
"It can't be!" she shouted, tears were running down her cheeks "Do you hear me? It can't be!"
"Barbara..." he hugged her, trying to comfort her. "Please, I'm here with you, I'm sorry."
She hugged him back crying, she tried to understand what had been happening and what was happening to her; she was shocked, it had to be a mistake, it had to be. She was a hero, she was Batgirl, all this was impossible.
* * *