Helena yawned. She looked at the other side of the bed. Barbara had gone? She hadn't heard her when she arrived last night. No, she wouldn't go without telling her bye. She stood up, running and looked for her. She sighed with relief when she saw Barbara eating her breakfast in the kitchen. The redhead smiled at her.

"Hey, Helena. Want breakfast?"

"Yes..." Helena frowned and looked at her, cocking her head.

"Something wrong?" Barbara stood up to give her some scrambled eggs.

"Your cheek is purple..." the girl said.

Barbara had tried to cover it with make up, unsuccessfully. Her brain worked quickly, searching for a good answer. "Yesterday, I fell and hit with the corner of the table in the living room, it was dark and I didn't turn on the lights."

"Oh..."

"Come on. Sit down." Barbara said to her, putting the plate on the table.

The kid obeyed and took a fork.

"And... tell me... how was the ice cream?" the red head asked.

Helena raised her eyebrows. Uh oh! She had forgotten to hide it. She was in trouble. "I just ate a bit," she mumbled.

"A bit?." She bent forward, getting down to Helena's eye level. "You finished the gallon. It was half full."

"Are you sure?" Helena opened her eyes wide.

"I'm sure." The red head crossed her arms.

"Maybe it melted," she said innocently.

Barbara shook her head. "It did not melt."

Helena tried to think of another excuse. "Are you sure it was half full? I don't remember. I can't eat that much ice cream. My stomach is small."

"Small? So, you must have a tapeworm and its entire family living in there." Barbara smiled.

"I don't have worms!" Helena didn't like that idea. "I take a bath everyday!"

"It's not about whether you bathe everyday or not." Barbara was amused. "The worms are introduced into your body by various means-- dirt, uncooked food, contact with an infected person, pets..."

"JaƧques??"

"No, no, worms are intestinal parasites that have different breeding cycles and depend on the human host in order to live and reproduce. The systems of the body affected are the stomach, intestinal tract, bowels, and lungs."

Helena didn't understand a word the redhead said, but she protested again. "I don't have worms!"

"You don't have them. It was just a figure of speech, because you have a very good appetite and I'm amazed, you eat very well."

"I don't have worms?" Helena asked, worriedly.

"No, you don't have them." Barbara laughed and brushed her hair "I was joking, sorry. But to be sure you don't have worms, no more ice cream this week and no more candy before you finish your meals, right?"

Helena sighed with relief.

Barbara raised the newspaper and continued reading it. Helena watched her. She was curious about that young woman. Why did her mother trust her? Her mom was very special. Must be a good reason.

"Are you like us?" Helena finally broke the silence.

"Sorry?" Barbara asked, raising her eyes.

"Are you meta?"

Barbara smiled. "No, no... I'm a regular woman."

Helena looked her strangely.

"What?" the red head asked.

"I thought you were meta..."

"No, I'm not... Eat your breakfast Helena..."

Helena kept her gaze fixed on the redhead.

"Something is wrong?"

Helena kept silent a few seconds, Selina had told her that normal people couldn't know that she was meta because they wouldn't understand that. Barbara was a normal human being and she knew she was meta. She frowned; she didn't understand why. "You are human."

"Two legs, two arms and two eyes, yes, I am... Is that bad?"

"But you know that I'm meta."

Barbara smiled and touched her cheek with her hand. "Metahumans are just people, a lot of people with abilities beyond what we think of as human. No two metahumans have the same gifts. Don't ask me where their powers come from, no one knows. But normal people usually don't understand it because they don't have those skills. And people are usually scared and afraid about things that they don't understand. I've known your mother a long time; don't worry, I know she is meta and that doesn't scares me. You are as normal as anyone."

"How do you know her?" Helena asked, chewing a piece of toast.

"Long story. Some day she will tell you. Some day you will understand, it's complicated." Barbara avoided the point. She moved back. But Helena kept her eyes on her. After a few seconds Barbara sighed and crossed her arms. "And now?"

"I don't understand, why did mom leave me with you?... A human."

"May I remind you that you are half human too?" she raised her brow.

"I know, but mom never let anybody take care of me, she always said: she is too human or she is too young or too old. You are too young and very human. I don't understand."

"I'm the coolest person that you ever will know." Barbara said to her, standing up. "Now be good, I need to go to work now."

"When are you going to comeback?" Helena asked sadly, disappointed.

"Mid-day, don't worry. I bought more ice cream, but don't eat it until I get back."

"Did you check my homework?"

"When I come back, I will...don't worry you don't go to school until Monday."

"Alright." Helena lowered her head feeling disgusted. It was going to be another long, boring day.


The kid watched movies all morning and then fell asleep. She heard Barbara arrive early, almost at one o'clock but it was only because she needed to work without be interrupted. She sat at the table and made some phone calls. Helena needed to finish reading a book, so she sat in the living room and began to read, at least she didn't feel alone.

"I said no." Barbara almost yelled, sitting at the table with her phone in her hand. "That is wrong. Look, I'm going to vote against that. So I need a good speech.... Yes... Let me think on that one and I'll send you something by fax." The redhead wrote notes on some papers on the table. "Tell me which ones... no... why I do I have to agree?... We need to talk with Patterson... contact him... I'm waiting here...." The phone cell sounded. "A second, Candy... Gordon speaking... Yes? Frank? Yes... I can help you... maybe we can have a meeting... sure."

Helena raised her eyes and looked at her; it was impossible concentrate with her talking, talking and talking. Barbara turned her head and smiled at her and continued to talk. A strange smell caught the brunette's attention. She raised her nose, something was burning.

"Barbara..." Helena said.

The redhead didn't pay attention to her. "Frank, may I call you later?... yes... thanks..." she hung up her cell phone and picked up the regular phone again. "Where is Patterson, Candy?"

"Barbara..." Helena mumbled.

The young woman waved her hand and making a sign for her to wait a second. "Patterson, you can't do that!"

Helena hesitated, it wasn't her home and she didn't want to touch anything; but the smell was getting stronger. She stood up and walked inside the kitchen. A pot was smoking over the stove. Seemed the water had finished. She scratched her head. Why did her mother let Barbara take her when she could barely take care of her own life?

The other point was that she was not meta. Why did her mother trust some one that was not meta? She turned off the fire and looked in the pot, the beef was black. Perhaps that was good. Barbara was not a good cook; the waffles and the meal yesterday had been awful.

She opened the fridge, it was empty. She gazed at Barbara, who kept discussing things phone. She checked her pockets. Her mother had given her some money.

"Yes.... That sounds. better." Barbara sighed, after haven discussed the subject for over an hour. She heard the door bell ringing but she didn't pay attention to it. "Tell him I want to see him... tomorrow at eleven will be okay? Yes... Thanks. We can discuss this and develop a plan... Sure... how?... Explain that to me slowly... I see..."

Helena put some plates on the table and two glasses. Barbara thought that was a nice thing for her to do. "Yes... I agree with that. It will be the best... I love it!" Finally, Helena put a big pizza box on the table.

Barbara opened her eyes wide. "Yes, Patterson... Patterson, wait a second." She covered the speaker with her hand. "Helena, what's that? The meal is at the kitchen... I..." Suddenly, she remembered the food on the stove "Damn!... Patterson, I'll call you later... bye.." She hung up the phone and ran to the kitchen while Helena sat at the table and put a napkin over her lap.

"Shit!" She heard the redhead growl from the kitchen and then the sound of clanging dishes.

Barbara walked out of the kitchen angrily. She looked at the table. Helena watched her in silence, she had put a slice on Barbara's plate and one on her own. She was waiting for her.

"How...?" the red head muttered, looking at her. Having Helena there had broken her routine and she didn't know how to manage it. She tried to remain calm. "Why you didn't tell me?"

"I tried but you were busy on the phone. The fridge was empty and you have so much work..."

"Pizza?" Barbara blinked.

"I figured you wouldn't have time to go out and buy food."

Barbara didn't know what to say. That had been a nice touch and she had saved the day. "Where did you find the phone number?"

"Fridge door."

Barbara sat next to her. "Thanks so much... Oh sorry, Helena; I'll give you the money for this pizza okay? This work makes me nuts. Listen, Helena, I need to go out for a few hours. Will you be okay?"

"Yes..." she bit a slice of pizza.

"I'll give you my phone number, call me if you need anything. Alright?"

"Okay." Helena couldn't protest. It was Barbara's home and she was just a guest, but she would like to talk more with her. She felt Barbara wasn't paying much attention to her.


Selina arrived at her apartment. She got the plans of the Museum. She put them on the table and examined them. The alarms and sensors were visible. Seemed a bit complicated. She took her hand to her chin. She needed to be fast and smart.

The phone rand and took her from her thoughts. She picked it up.

"Yes?... I have the plans. I told you I would get them. If you gave them to me, they would suspect..." She looked through the window "I want this over... I want this to be the last time.... Don't call me here again. Better if I call you better.... Yeah, right... bye..."

Selina lowered her head. She would do it, but she was worried. Helena was the first thought that occupied her mind. Helena deserved the best, she knew she could give her everything, for that reason she needed to do this. She looked at portrait of her and her little child on the night table. She smiled.


Nine o'clock and Barbara hadn't arrived yet...again. It was so boring being there alone. Helena turned off the television and yawned. She crossed her hands and looked around the room. It was nice, but, cold; she felt it was cold. Barbara seemed to be the master of the order. Everythign was in its place, every detail, every book, all the furniture. Too perfect, too boring...

Maybe her house wasn't that neat but she felt warm there. Her mom always had time to talk and be with her. She looked at the table with her notebooks on it. Barbara didn't have time to check her homework either.

They were in order, perfect order, on the table. She opened the notebooks and left them there, maybe Barbara would look at it if she saw it messy.

The ringing of phone filled the place. She ran toward it, maybe was her mother.

"Mom?" she said, hopefully.

::No, Barbara... How do you feel, Hel?::.

The girl was disappointed and made a face. "My arm hurts..." She knew she was lying, but she wanted to talk with someone; she didn't like being alone.

::Take a pill off my night table. Just one and you will feel better.::

"I made a drawing today..." Helena tried to talk with her.

"Oh, good..." Barbara responded distractedly. "Listen, Helena, I'm in an important meeting. I'll be home late. There is food in the fridge, eat your dinner and don't wait for me. OK?"

"Okay..." Helena heard the click of the phone. She put it on the table and went to the bedroom. She wasn't very hungry.