Helena woke up, dizzly, almost at midday. She opened her eyes and saw her pillow was the Barbara's stomach; the redhead was sleeping deeply. She was there? She should be working. She raised her head and looked at the clock on the night table, uh, oh. She was going to be pissed. She moved her lightly.

"Uh???" Barbara mumbled and sat up in the bed. "What's wrong? Helena... do you feel okay?"

"Yes, but it's late, you should be at work." The kid kneeled on the mattress and pointed at the clock.

Barbara felt the child's forehead. "Yes, you are much better, but you still have a bit of a fever."

"Hurry up Barbara, it's late."

Barbara put her head on the pillow again. "No, I'm not going to work today."

"Why not?"

"Because I think that it's a better idea to watch the movie that we were going to watch yesterday and eat something in the bed."

Helena frowned. "Do you feel okay?"

"Yes. What about a brunch?" The red head looked at her crossing her arms behind her head. "I can make something you like."

"Are you being serious?" Helena couldn't believe that.

"Yes, today is our lazy day, no work, no baths and lots of television, like it?"

"Yea!"

the red head opened a medicine box. "Well, while I go to the kitchen, you take these pills that the doctor gave me." She gave them to her. "And prepare our movie."

"And the bed? We need to make it."

"No, I said today is our lazy day. Bring the movie here and we can watch it in the bed."

"Great!" Helena jumped off the bed.

"Medicine first!"

"I'll go get water," the child said running, through the corridor.

Barbara smiled. It was so easy to make her happy and she had been so blind. She stood up and walked toward the kitchen, when the phone rang.

"Gordon here... Selina?... Hey! How are you?"

Helena ran back and almost jumped on Barbara trying to take the phone. "It's for me! It's for me!!"

"Selina... wait a second..." The red head was forced to give the phone to the girl.

"Mommy!" Helena yelled in the phone. "Why you didn't you call me?"

Barbara smiled and pushed her off gently, the kid rolled over on the mattress. She stood up and went toward the bathroom.

::I was busy dear, I'm sorry.:: Selina answered with a sweet voice.

"Did you sell the apartment? When are you coming back?"

She heard her mother laugh ::Soon dear, I just need a few days more.::

Helena sighed with sadness. "I miss you..."

::I miss you too, honey. How do you feel? Barbara told me you are sick."

"I'm okay, but Barbara says I still need to rest, we are going to watch movies."

::And her work?::

"She says it's our lazy day."

::Lazy day? Oh, I see...::

"I made a drawing." Helena took the phone with both hands and sat on the bed. "A big one."

::A drawing? That sounds great. What did you do?::

"I drew a bird and I painted it with water colors."

::It must be beautiful, we can hang it in the living room.::

"Oh yea!!! I'll keep it for you."

:::Oh good, well, honey, I send you a big hug and a kiss. I promise to call you on Friday.::

"I love you..."

::I love you too.:: Selina said with sadness, she wanted to be with her and hug her ::I love you so much. I bought a toy for you and shirt for Jacques."

"A toy!!"

::Yes, a big one. Listen, Hel, may I speak with Barbara?::

"Yes." Helena raised the phone. "Barbara!!! Mom wants to talk to you!"

Barbara opened the bathroom door and walked toward the bed. "Go take your pills."

Helena jumped to the floor and ran to the kitchen.

"Hey ... How is it going?" the redhead greeted. "Fine... everything is fine here..." She covered the speaker with her hand "Selina, why didn't you tell me that she purrs at night?"

Selina laughed on the other side of the line.

"She scared me! I thought it was my stomach!"

::Isn't she cute? I love her purr.::

"I can't sleep with her purring and her moving about all night. What do I do?"

Selina was amused. Barbara didn't have any experience with children and she understood her frustration ::Oh... that...well, the only thing I have been able to find, aside from putting her back in her bed, is to turn.::

"Turn??"

::Face her and hold her against you, put your arm around her, rather than let her lie any which way. That way, she won't move around the bed all night::

"Ohh... and the purr?"

::Forget it, she always does that when she feels happy or is comfortable. I have tried everything, unsuccessfully. But I like it; it's soft.:: Selina explained.

Barbara rolled her eyes.

::I know I'm disturbing your activities at night, but I'll try to be back as soon as possible. This is turning a bit difficult and I need to sell the apartment.::

"If I survived to you, I'll survive her." Barbara smiled, noticing the concern in Selina's voice.

::Listen, Barbara, I really appreciate this... You know I don't trust anyone; she is my world... I have never left her alone with anyone. I'm worried about her, I know it's not easy because I always let her do everything with me. I hope she is being a good girl..::

"Hey, don't worry, she is nice and well-mannered."

::I'll call you on Friday, Barbara. Thanks again.::

"All right. Good luck." Barbara moved the phone. "Helena! Say bye to your mom!"

She heard the little steps over the wood floor of the corridor. She jumped on the bed again.

"Hey... easy." Barbara said.

The kid took the phone and shouted: "Bye mom! I love you!"

"Okay." Barbara took the phone and hung it up. "Did you take your pills?"

The girl opened her mouth. Barbara looked inside. "Good, are you hungry?"

"Yes."


Selina hung up the phone and looked at it a few seconds in silence. She was in the street wearing her Catwoman costume. God! How she missed her girl. Hearing her voice encouraged her to finish her job as soon as possible. She walked down the street toward the Louvre Museum, concealed by the night. Today was the day.


Barbara stayed with Helena all day. She really enjoyed being with the child. She was a funny girl, and very warm; she hadn't appreciated it before, always being in a hurry. After the second movie, they played cards on the floor of the living room. Helena had massive stack of chips all in disarray and Barbara had a small pile of well-organized chips. Helena was very good at playing Poker; Selina had taught her all the best tricks in that game.

Helena offered her the cards.

Barbara swept them up and glanced them over. "Well, now it's my turn, I win." She smiled putting her cards down. It was time to end Helena's lucky streak. "Four eights. Put your cards down."

Helena tossed down her hand. "Four ten's. I win."

"Hey... that's cheating!" Barbara exclaimed. She couldn't believe she had won again.

"You lost, it's not my fault," Helena said.

"It's impossible! I can't lose all the games." She examined the cards.

"You are bad." Helena crossed her arms and glared at her.

"I'm not bad." The red head leaned over her.

"You are bad." The kid leaned forward too, locking her eyes on hers.

"I'll show you that you are wrong." Barbara half-closed her eyes. Helena was challenging her.

"I'm here."

"Deal my cards." The young woman took the cards and began to shuffle them.

Helena laughed; it was funny to see her pissed. Barbara gave her the cards and Helena dealt themm. The red head picked up her cards; she couldn't believe she was losing to a kid.

"If you lose this one you must check my homework today before you go to sleep," the child said.

"We are betting money."

"Are you afraid to lose?" Helena taunted her.

"Deal!" Barbara's pride was hurt, she moved back and began to look at her cards.

Helena organized her cards and watched her in silence a few seconds. "Barbara?" she finally said.

"Yes..." This hand was good, the red head thought, maybe just need to change two cards.

"Do you have a guardian angel?"

"Mmm... yes, my mom told me that."

"Have you ever seen it?"

"No, give me two..." Barbara put down two cards.

Helena did it and asked again. "Never?"

"No... you can never see them." Barbara smirked at the child "Two kings and two queens. Beat that."

Helena put her cards down and showed them off, grinning. "Royal Straight Flush."

Barbara's jaw dropped. "Oh damn, give me the cards, I'm dealing them this time."

"Okay, why not?" Helena shuffled the cards.

"Why not what?"

"Why can't you see them?"

"Because they are angels, you can't see them."

"I saw her." Helena gave her the cards and Barbara began to deal them.

"You saw... her?" Barbara froze a second.

"I saw my guardian angel." The kid looked at her with a big smile.

"Wait a minute, you have a guardian angel and you know it's a woman?" Barbara took a sip of her coke next to her.

"Yes, she has a cape and wears a black costume with a yellow bat on her chest."

Barbara coughed and spit the coke. She never expected that. Helena gave her a napkin. She took it and put it over her mouth. She had talked to her in a metaphor but... "Cough, when did you see her? Cough...."

"Yesterday night."

"Yester...day? How do you know she is your guardian angel?" Barbara cleaned the mess on the floor with another napkin.

"Because she told me, and that she helps people. She helped me, she brought me here."

"Your guardian angel brought you here?" Barbara never considered herself to be a "guardian angel".

"Yes." Helena nodded.

"I've never heard of guardian angels dressed in black."

"She uses a cowl."

"A cowl..." the red head shook her head. "A strange woman dressed in black with a cowl brought you here last night?".

"Not a woman, my guardian angel."

"You must have been dreaming." Barbara looked at her cards again while she tried to figure out how to get out of the conversation.

"I was not dreaming. She was here," Helena said to her. "You don't believe me?"

"Well... It's not common that guardian angels appear. No one has seen one before. That couldn't be. Give me one card."

"She was." Helena gave her a card.

"Supposing it was...." She put down her cards. "I win."

Helena put hers on the table. "No, I win."

"Shit.." the red head closed her eyes. That couldn't be. She shook her head and, after a few seconds, she asked her again. "Okay, as I said, supposing it was true, answer me, if I left you here at bed last night. Why did she bring you here? Where were you?"

"... I was leaving..." the kid said in low voice, avoiding her look.

"Leaving? To go where?" Barbara faked surprise.

Helena didn't want to answer. It had been a wonderful day and maybe Barbara would be angry if she knew what had happened.

"Come here." Barbara almost read her mind. She smiled gently and pulled Helena into her lap, wrapping her arms around her. "Don't be afraid, tell me what happened."

"You'll be angry... " .

"I promise not to be angry, but I would like us to trust each other. Now tell me, where were you going?"

"Home," the small brunette answered, almost inaudibly.

"You were leaving to go home last night, when I went out?"

"Yes." Helena hugged the redhead. "I'm sorry."

Barbara took her chin and asked softly, "Why?"

"Because I thought you didn't like me... that I was in your way."

"That's not true, Hel."

"I felt that... I was sad..."

Barbara hugged her tightly. "Oh, I'm sorry, it was all my fault. I didn't mean to make you feel bad."

"I wanted to go home and she appeared in the street."

"Who appeared?." She brushed her hair.

Helena raised her head and looked at Barbara. "My angel..."

"Your angel..."

"Yes, she told me I had to come back... she said I was sick and she brought me here." The eyes of the child shone. "She has a bike."

"An angel with a bike?" Barbara chuckled. "Wait a minute, wait a minute. Angels don't use bikes."

"This one did. She was nice. She brought me back here and gave me medicine."

"Helena, this is crazy."

"She will come back today and you will see her."

"She will come back today?"

"She promised it. She said she'd comeback to see if I'm okay."

"Ohhh.." Now she was in big trouble "Well...I want to see her. And if that is true, I must scold you," Barbara put her middle finger on her forehead and chuclked as the brunette's eyes crossed, following her hand. "I don't want you to let strangers inside the house when you are alone."

"But she is my angel," the kid said.

"Angel or not, you must be careful. Right?"

"But..."

"Right?"

"Right..." Helena looked at her, worriedly. "Are you mad?"

"I'll be mad if you try to go out again, alone at night. It's dangerous for a little kid. Promise me you won't do it again."

"Okay."

Barbara smiled and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "Okay, now I quit!"

"Well... so.." Helena moved back and began to count her pile of chips "You owe me almost ten dollars and you have to check my homework."

"Count your chips well, don't cheat." Barbara glared at her.

"I don't cheat. There's ten dollars, pay it."

The red head counted the chips; she was right. "Whatever," she growled, standing up. She took her bag and gave the child a bill. "Tomorrow will be my revenge. I'll take a bath and when I'm done we can have dinner if you want. Take your medicine."

"My homework?"

"When I finish my bath."

"Right... can we have lasagna?"

"No, chicken soup, it's at the top of the fridge. I'll be back." She walked toward the bathroom.

"I don't like chicken soup," Helena said in loud voice.

"Want to throw up again?"

"No."

"Chicken soup."

"Ice cream?" Helena shouted.

"Not until next week, doctor said that." Barbara stepped back.

"Just a bit?"

"I know your 'bits'." Barbara said, remembering the half gallon of ice cream that she had eaten a few days ago. Chicken soup."

"All right." Helena picked up the cards and the chips and put them in a box. After she finished, she took her pills and took the chicken soup from the fridge and put it inside the microwave. She pushed three minutes and looked for glasses and the dishes. When she finished, she ran toward the window.

She looked down. The street was empty; she was not there. She waited a few minutes, but she didn't appear. She sighed. Maybe she wasn't going to come back. She was fine now but... she had promised it. The ding of the microwave made her turn to the kitchen; she ran to take out the chicken soup and serve it at the table.

"Good night."

Helena turned her head. She knew that voice. It was her! She smiled and ran toward her.