The elevator door opened. Helena entered the Clock Tower singing in a soft voice. All was silent and dark. It was her advantage that she could see at night. She walked in the kitchen and opened the fridge, looking for some milk.
The light turned on. "Where were you?" Barbara asked. She wore her dressing gown, her face couldn't hide her annoyance.
"Oh..." Helena turned. "You are awake. It's late." She took out the bottle of milk.
"Yes, very late, where were you?"
"Just around." Helena took a Corn Flakes box and a bowl.
"I asked you not to leave the Clock Tower." Barbara moved next to the table. "You are one of the most wanted people in the country. If the police..."
"I know." Helena poured some milk in the bowl ad opened the Corn Flakes box. "But I needed to see someone. I was with Reese."
"Reese? Are you crazy?"
"I think so, I kissed him."
"What?"
"And he kissed me back." She smirked. "He kisses very well."
"Helena, you are insane! He could have caught you!"
"Nah... I like him." She put a spoon with milk and flakes in her mouth. "And he likes me."
Barbara rubbed her eyes with her hand. Helena was more crazy than she ever had thought, as crazy and impulsive as her mother.
"I think," the brunette said, "history will repeat again, you know, the 'hero' and the burglar, mom and dad..."
The red head glared at her. "Could you avoid your 'conquest' until all this is finished?"
"Barbara, don't be pissed. I just asked him for some time, time to try to catch our bad guy."
"And the kiss was part of the deal?" The older woman crossed her arms on the table.
The brunette winked. "Well, that was a bonus." She put another spoon with milk and flakes in her mouth.
Barbara couldn't avoid laughing. "You are terrible."
"Barbara do you really believe the kid's story?"
"Do you?"
"No."
"So, why are you helping us?"
Helena cleaned her mouth with a napkin. "Because I can prove I'm innocent of the murders and I want trap the son of a bitch that killed those kids."
"And after that?" Barbara asked her. "Are you going to back to jail or are you going to escape?"
"I promised you I would come back." Helena looked her bowl and played with her spoon. "I'll come back."
"Why?"
"I promised you."
Silence fell over the place. Barbara took a deep breath.
"Have you thought about changing your life after all this is over?" she finally asked.
"No."
"You can do it, you can live a normal life."
"I couldn't." Helena sighed.
"Your mother could."
"That was different."
"You could have a normal life, a normal relationship."
Helena didn't like talking about her life, her problems; it was her weak point. She found a way to try to get out of that with a question: "You don't believe the kid's story, why are you helping her? If you believe it, you wouldn't be worried about my future."
"I want to know the truth," Barbara answered. "I can't say she is lying, she knows so much about our lives, about our past. And it's hard to believe the entire story. Whether she is lying or not, we will know only when we catch Destiny and we get the Materioptikon." She looked the young woman "I would have liked to be your mentor, I would have liked to take care of you."
Helena raised her head and looked at her stunned.
"I would have liked that, yes," Barbara affirmed. "I would have liked be with you after your mother's death. I would have liked for you to come here to live with me."
Helena lowered her head. "But it wasn't, I never went to live with you, I was taken far from here. We can't change the past. The only thing that we can do is accept our present. I love being a catburglar..." She raised her eyes. "...It is something that I have in my blood. I love it, it's like... like how much you love being a crimefighter. You loved it so much, it doesn't matter that the Joker... that he... he shot you; you found a way to keep going and to keep working at this job that you love, maybe you love it more than your own life, as I do." She stood up and put the dishes in the sink. "It's late, time to go to sleep."
"We go for the blue diamond this weekend."
"Okay."
Barbara felt a great sadness inside her heart. Helena started to walk out of the kitchen. She stood up behind the red head and hesitated a few seconds before she touched her shoulder. "But I would have liked to live with you, too. I really would have liked that." She suddenly leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Thanks." She walked toward her room.
Barbara watched her go. "I love you too."
Helena couldn't avoid a big smile.
------------------------
New Gotham. Next day. 6 P.M.
Barbara was out with Dinah, where had they gone? That wasn't the important thing, the important thing was that they weren't there. Alfred was the only one inside; but he was cleaning the room where Barbara stored her Batgirl suit. She exited the Clock Tower silently. Barbara would be pissed if she knew that she was out, it was dangerous for her. But on the other hand, Commisioner Gordon had called her by phone, he had told her that it was urgent, and that he needed to speak with her alone and that she shouldn't tell Barbara about their meeting.
She jumped between the buildings until she arrived to the Commissioner's apartment; she moved down, toward the window, it was open. The lights were off, she walked in slowly. She looked around, the place seemed to be empty.
"Good night." He turned on the lights walking out the kitchen. "Would you like a drink?"
"Scotch?" she said, putting her hands inside her pockets.
He went to the small bar and opened a bottle. "She helped you to escape."
"Yes."
"I'm intrigued, why is she helping you?" He took out a glass.
"That's a question that is in my head too." Helena looked at some pictures on the wall "Nice place."
"Thanks. It took me years to buy this collection... Are you blackmailing her?" .
"Of course not." She frowned. "Never, she said she wants to help prove that I'm innocent."
"I can't believe that she is giving you a hand," Commisioner Gordon said giving her the glass. "Sit down, please."
"She believes in me Commisioner... Look, I have never denied who am I. But I don't have anything to do with those murders. Let me prove that I'm inoccent."
Gordon sat on a couch in front of her, crossing his legs. "I think that you are going to run away as soon as you have the opportunity. You are using her and taking advantage of the love that she felt for your mother and you."
"No, I promised her not do it."
"Your word has some value?" he asked.
"Yes, she knows that." Helena knew that it wouldn't be a pleasant conversation, but she needed to keep calm. "Why did you call me? I need o get back before she notices I'm out."
"Go back to the prison."
She looked at him and shook her head. "Now I can't, I need to prove I'm innocent."
"Have you read the newspapers?" He moved his glass nervously. The idea that the police would discover Barbara and send her to jail for aiding a criminal scared him "All the people talk about her as an insane person for helping you. Her career is in danger, her prestige, all her years of work. And now it is just worse now that you have escaped. If the police discover that she helped you, she is lost. Do you want that?"
"Of course not. But Commissioner, we discovered Dr. Destiny is behind all this, he is dangerous, he killed those people; and he wants to control the city. We can prove it and send him to jail."
"Helena, come on, that doesn't matter to you. You are trying to take advantage of all her technology and the love that she feels for you. You want the blue diamond."
"No, no, that's not true." She said shaking her head. "I just want to prove that I didn't kill those people. We are going to use it to trap him."
He stood up and walked around the room. "Helena, I'm just trying to protect her. She worries me, since the accident everything has been hard. I won't see her hurt."
"I don't want to hurt her. I just want to solve this... to show the world the truth, what really happened."
"Are you going to come back to jail after all this is over, after you prove you are "innocent" of the murders?" Gordon stood up behind her. He touched a lamp on a table behind her and brushed the dust off with his fingers.
"I promised her I'd come back." Helena said in a low voice.
"Yes, you promised her, but are you going to do it.?"
"Yes." She played with the mouth of the glass with her fingers. "I'll do it."
"Helena, I'm worried for her, do you understand me?"
"Yes..."
"So, you'll understand..." Gordon took the lamp with his hand.
Helena felt danger, her eyes changed, but before she could turn, she felt a hard hit on her back. She growled, falling heavily against the table in front of her, breaking it.
"You understand," Gordon said throwing the lamp to a side.
She fought against the darkness that was covering her mind. A loud buzz echoed in her head. She tried to stand but her knees couldn't support her own weight. She fell again to the floor.
"You could destroy her life, I can't allow you do that," he said pulling out his handcuffs.
Helena half opened her eyes and watched him leaning toward her. The last thing she felt was him turning her over and pulling her hands behind her back before she passed out.
The light turned on. "Where were you?" Barbara asked. She wore her dressing gown, her face couldn't hide her annoyance.
"Oh..." Helena turned. "You are awake. It's late." She took out the bottle of milk.
"Yes, very late, where were you?"
"Just around." Helena took a Corn Flakes box and a bowl.
"I asked you not to leave the Clock Tower." Barbara moved next to the table. "You are one of the most wanted people in the country. If the police..."
"I know." Helena poured some milk in the bowl ad opened the Corn Flakes box. "But I needed to see someone. I was with Reese."
"Reese? Are you crazy?"
"I think so, I kissed him."
"What?"
"And he kissed me back." She smirked. "He kisses very well."
"Helena, you are insane! He could have caught you!"
"Nah... I like him." She put a spoon with milk and flakes in her mouth. "And he likes me."
Barbara rubbed her eyes with her hand. Helena was more crazy than she ever had thought, as crazy and impulsive as her mother.
"I think," the brunette said, "history will repeat again, you know, the 'hero' and the burglar, mom and dad..."
The red head glared at her. "Could you avoid your 'conquest' until all this is finished?"
"Barbara, don't be pissed. I just asked him for some time, time to try to catch our bad guy."
"And the kiss was part of the deal?" The older woman crossed her arms on the table.
The brunette winked. "Well, that was a bonus." She put another spoon with milk and flakes in her mouth.
Barbara couldn't avoid laughing. "You are terrible."
"Barbara do you really believe the kid's story?"
"Do you?"
"No."
"So, why are you helping us?"
Helena cleaned her mouth with a napkin. "Because I can prove I'm innocent of the murders and I want trap the son of a bitch that killed those kids."
"And after that?" Barbara asked her. "Are you going to back to jail or are you going to escape?"
"I promised you I would come back." Helena looked her bowl and played with her spoon. "I'll come back."
"Why?"
"I promised you."
Silence fell over the place. Barbara took a deep breath.
"Have you thought about changing your life after all this is over?" she finally asked.
"No."
"You can do it, you can live a normal life."
"I couldn't." Helena sighed.
"Your mother could."
"That was different."
"You could have a normal life, a normal relationship."
Helena didn't like talking about her life, her problems; it was her weak point. She found a way to try to get out of that with a question: "You don't believe the kid's story, why are you helping her? If you believe it, you wouldn't be worried about my future."
"I want to know the truth," Barbara answered. "I can't say she is lying, she knows so much about our lives, about our past. And it's hard to believe the entire story. Whether she is lying or not, we will know only when we catch Destiny and we get the Materioptikon." She looked the young woman "I would have liked to be your mentor, I would have liked to take care of you."
Helena raised her head and looked at her stunned.
"I would have liked that, yes," Barbara affirmed. "I would have liked be with you after your mother's death. I would have liked for you to come here to live with me."
Helena lowered her head. "But it wasn't, I never went to live with you, I was taken far from here. We can't change the past. The only thing that we can do is accept our present. I love being a catburglar..." She raised her eyes. "...It is something that I have in my blood. I love it, it's like... like how much you love being a crimefighter. You loved it so much, it doesn't matter that the Joker... that he... he shot you; you found a way to keep going and to keep working at this job that you love, maybe you love it more than your own life, as I do." She stood up and put the dishes in the sink. "It's late, time to go to sleep."
"We go for the blue diamond this weekend."
"Okay."
Barbara felt a great sadness inside her heart. Helena started to walk out of the kitchen. She stood up behind the red head and hesitated a few seconds before she touched her shoulder. "But I would have liked to live with you, too. I really would have liked that." She suddenly leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Thanks." She walked toward her room.
Barbara watched her go. "I love you too."
Helena couldn't avoid a big smile.
------------------------
New Gotham. Next day. 6 P.M.
Barbara was out with Dinah, where had they gone? That wasn't the important thing, the important thing was that they weren't there. Alfred was the only one inside; but he was cleaning the room where Barbara stored her Batgirl suit. She exited the Clock Tower silently. Barbara would be pissed if she knew that she was out, it was dangerous for her. But on the other hand, Commisioner Gordon had called her by phone, he had told her that it was urgent, and that he needed to speak with her alone and that she shouldn't tell Barbara about their meeting.
She jumped between the buildings until she arrived to the Commissioner's apartment; she moved down, toward the window, it was open. The lights were off, she walked in slowly. She looked around, the place seemed to be empty.
"Good night." He turned on the lights walking out the kitchen. "Would you like a drink?"
"Scotch?" she said, putting her hands inside her pockets.
He went to the small bar and opened a bottle. "She helped you to escape."
"Yes."
"I'm intrigued, why is she helping you?" He took out a glass.
"That's a question that is in my head too." Helena looked at some pictures on the wall "Nice place."
"Thanks. It took me years to buy this collection... Are you blackmailing her?" .
"Of course not." She frowned. "Never, she said she wants to help prove that I'm innocent."
"I can't believe that she is giving you a hand," Commisioner Gordon said giving her the glass. "Sit down, please."
"She believes in me Commisioner... Look, I have never denied who am I. But I don't have anything to do with those murders. Let me prove that I'm inoccent."
Gordon sat on a couch in front of her, crossing his legs. "I think that you are going to run away as soon as you have the opportunity. You are using her and taking advantage of the love that she felt for your mother and you."
"No, I promised her not do it."
"Your word has some value?" he asked.
"Yes, she knows that." Helena knew that it wouldn't be a pleasant conversation, but she needed to keep calm. "Why did you call me? I need o get back before she notices I'm out."
"Go back to the prison."
She looked at him and shook her head. "Now I can't, I need to prove I'm innocent."
"Have you read the newspapers?" He moved his glass nervously. The idea that the police would discover Barbara and send her to jail for aiding a criminal scared him "All the people talk about her as an insane person for helping you. Her career is in danger, her prestige, all her years of work. And now it is just worse now that you have escaped. If the police discover that she helped you, she is lost. Do you want that?"
"Of course not. But Commissioner, we discovered Dr. Destiny is behind all this, he is dangerous, he killed those people; and he wants to control the city. We can prove it and send him to jail."
"Helena, come on, that doesn't matter to you. You are trying to take advantage of all her technology and the love that she feels for you. You want the blue diamond."
"No, no, that's not true." She said shaking her head. "I just want to prove that I didn't kill those people. We are going to use it to trap him."
He stood up and walked around the room. "Helena, I'm just trying to protect her. She worries me, since the accident everything has been hard. I won't see her hurt."
"I don't want to hurt her. I just want to solve this... to show the world the truth, what really happened."
"Are you going to come back to jail after all this is over, after you prove you are "innocent" of the murders?" Gordon stood up behind her. He touched a lamp on a table behind her and brushed the dust off with his fingers.
"I promised her I'd come back." Helena said in a low voice.
"Yes, you promised her, but are you going to do it.?"
"Yes." She played with the mouth of the glass with her fingers. "I'll do it."
"Helena, I'm worried for her, do you understand me?"
"Yes..."
"So, you'll understand..." Gordon took the lamp with his hand.
Helena felt danger, her eyes changed, but before she could turn, she felt a hard hit on her back. She growled, falling heavily against the table in front of her, breaking it.
"You understand," Gordon said throwing the lamp to a side.
She fought against the darkness that was covering her mind. A loud buzz echoed in her head. She tried to stand but her knees couldn't support her own weight. She fell again to the floor.
"You could destroy her life, I can't allow you do that," he said pulling out his handcuffs.
Helena half opened her eyes and watched him leaning toward her. The last thing she felt was him turning her over and pulling her hands behind her back before she passed out.