Chapter 12
Helena wandered the city with no clear destination in mind. She finally had it out with Barbara and it pained her, knowing that things would never again be the same between them. She killed someone Barbara loved and there was no apology for that. No way that she could ever take that pain away; to bring him back. She took the keychain out of her pocket and read the words again. A mother's love never dies. Helena took the words to heart but in frustration and disappointment, threw the tiny heart, smashing it against the nearest building. She looked up at the heavens and thought, I'm sorry I've disappointed you mom.
***
Barbara worked for over an hour, preparing the transponder. When Harley had thrown her against the railing, the electronics were damaged but they were minor. The evening sky settled and Barbara was finally ready. Dinah helped her attach the device and Barbara strapped it tightly around her waist.
Cautiously, she rose from her chair. Dinah assisted her until Barbara could maintain her own balance. "Are you going to find Helena?" Dinah asked softly. She hadn't said much since the fight. She was terrified, watching her new family fall apart.
"Yes," was all that she responded. She saw Dinah following close behind. "And I'm going alone, Dinah," she turned around, eyeing the young girl. Dinah grumbled and then planted herself in front of the Delphi monitor. Barbara rode the elevator down and once out of the building, followed the small signal on the hand-held device she carried. The tiny signal indicated Helena's location. Barbara had to find her. She had to talk to her.
***
"Somebody stop him!" a woman shouted as she spotted a thug in the distance, beating on an elderly man. "Somebody stop him!" she screamed again. The thug pulled out a knife and ran for the woman but was surprised to find another woman, jumping him, knocking him off-balance. He lashed out with his knife and made contact, the knife plunging deep below the ribcage. She cried as the knife entered her body, violent pain engulfing her.
Helena turned quickly toward the chaos. A roundhouse kick sent the thug flying across the sidewalk. He stood up from the wet sidewalk he fell on, knife still in hand. Helena looked at her feet, seeing the woman that he had attacked. Her mother's face flashed in her mind and her heart skipped a beat. Mom? She wondered. She wondered if she were dreaming again.
The knife dropped to the ground and standing above it, Helena saw a familiar face. Her own face scrunched in confusion. What is happening? She wanted to know.
"He killed her!" someone yelled, snapping Helena out of her trance.
She bent down to the woman before her and pulled her in her arms. Helena brushed the hair out of the woman's eyes as the blood soaked her hands. Selina flashed in her mind as she stared at the woman she cradled in her arms. The familiar blood, the knife, she was reliving the moment her mother died, but this was no dream.
Her clouded vision cleared and Helena nearly passed out when she saw who she was cradling. "Barbara!" she cried. "Oh my god! It's Barbara!" she sobbed and hugged her tighter. Helena wallowed like a small child. "Barbara, Nooooo!" she cried. "Stop him! Someone stop him!" she shouted, pointing to the thug, running from the scene.
Helena's tears fell heavily on Barbara. Helena leaned over to kiss her gently and to her shock, Barbara stirred. "Barbara!" she exclaimed, "Barbara! I'm so sorry!" she kissed her forehead. "Please forgive me, I'm so sorry," she continued to cry.
Barbara reached up and cupped Helena's cheek. Her eyes were fading, her wounds severe. She lovingly stroked her cheek and softly spoke the words Helena was longing to hear. "I love you, Helena."
Her hand fell and she slipped away. Helena tried to wake her up but she wouldn't. "Someone call and ambulance!" she screamed and through the commotion, heard one bystander say that one was on the way.
Barbara's breathing was shallow, but she regained consciousness. "You can't die!" Helena begged. "Please don't leave me. I'm so sorry for what I did to you. Please…" she continued but Barbara cut her off.
"Helena," she said quietly. Helena leaned in so she could hear her better. "Helena," she smiled again. "I forgive you, and I'm so sorry. It wasn't your fault." Helena opened her mouth in protest but Barbara placed her fingers on Helena's lips, keeping her from speaking. "I came out her to tell you I was sorry."
"Sorry?" Helena was confused. "You have nothing to be sorry for."
"Yes, I do. I blamed you but the truth is, I was afraid." Barbara coughed and tiny bits of blood covered her lips. Helena brushed it away. Coughing blood, not a good sign. Helena tried to hide her expression but she knew that meant that Barbara's lung had been punctured. "I was upset about Wade," she continued, "But what scared me most is the thought that I might lose you."
Helena was covered in chills. "What?" she sobbed, not sure if she heard correctly.
"When Wade died, all I could think about is what I would do if I lost you, Helena." Barbara stopped speaking for a moment, she was too overcome with emotion, as was Helena.
"Is that why you were pushing me away?" Helena whispered. "I thought you hated me." Tears continued to stream down her face.
"I could never hate you, Helena." She found the strength to touch Helena's cheek yet again. "It wasn't your fault," she said as Helena looked away. Barbara pulled her face so that they were looking eye to eye and stressed, "It WASN'T your fault."
The ambulance arrived and as it was pulling up, Helena once again saw the familiar face, standing over the knife and smiling. She shook the vision from her mind, but it would not go away.
The ambulance attendants carefully placed Barbara on the gurney and put her inside the vehicle. Helena jumped in with her and as they drove off, she glanced out the window and in the distance, that familiar face stood, smiling warmly, and then disappeared.
Goosebumps raced across her skin. Helena blinked a few times, but the face had just vanished into thin air.
"She's got something in her hand," one of the attendants spoke, distracting Helena from her thoughts. She moved closer as he unfolded Barbara's fingers. He looked at what she was holding. "Interesting," he commented, and turned to Helena. "Would you like to hold onto her belongings for her?" he asked, handing over the item.
Helena reached out her hand and there he placed a tiny heart keychain with the inscription, A Mother's Love Never Dies.
***
Dinah and Helena sat in the Emergency Room waiting. When the doctor finally emerged, he informed them that Barbara would be just fine but she needed to remain in the hospital for several days. The girls hugged one another tightly, thankful that Barbara was okay.
Helena pulled out of the embrace and said, "I'll be back, Dinah, I have to go somewhere." Dinah reached out and gripped Helena's hand, allowing her mind to meld with Helena's. A flash of a woman's face was smiling at Helena. The smile full of love, of caring and compassion. Dinah let go quickly and didn't say a word as Helena walked away. She didn't know what to say. Her vision confused her, but at the same time, she felt comforted.
***
Helena held the keychain tightly in her hand as she entered the building. She walked up to the familiar office that she had destroyed just one day earlier and what she saw made her collapse to her knees. Where there was supposed to be an office, she found a stairwell. "What?" she looked at it in confusion. She glanced around, thinking she had the wrong floor but there was no mistake.
She stepped into the stairwell and disbelief swallowed her. "What's going on?" she whispered, troubled. She walked over to the window and looked out at the morning sky. A light breeze passed over her, yet the window was closed. Helena suddenly felt a sense of love, of peace. She looked out at the sunrise and watched as a tear fell from her eye, hitting the windowsill below. She looked where it landed, and once again, fell to her knees.
Helena sat quietly for several moments, staring blankly, unsure of what she should believe. It was too incredible, and yet…
Helena smiled warmly and walked out of the stairwell, not looking back. As she stepped into the hallway, another light breeze passed by the closed window, blowing away the words written in the dust on the sill. Blowing away the words that read, A Mother's Love Never Dies.