After a nice, quiet dinner, the women laughed, remembering old stories; Selina finally gave Helena permission to give out the presents. She ran to the living room and the women followed her. Selina sat on the couch again with a glass of bourbon observing her inside that Santa Claus costume; she seemed to be enjoying the moment.
"Oh," Barbara said, opening her present, "this is beautiful."
Leslie opened a sweater and put it back in its box, "Thanks, Hel, this is great."
"I picked it out." Blue eyes shone happily.
"Why don't you look under the tree?" Leslie asked her. "Barbara and I bought you something."
"Cool!" The girl turned and looked at the boxes wrapped in paper under the tree, there were many. She kneeled and began to read the tags, after a few minutes she raised a box, "This is yours, mom."
"Oh, give it to me." Selina smiled.
"But I can't find mine." Helena looked at the boxes again. "Where is it?"
"In front of you," Barbara said.
"I don't see anything, just a..."
A big box was behind the tree. She went to it, it almost as big as her, she looked at Barbara and Leslie, "Is that mine?"
Both women nodded. The child almost jumped on top the box and began to unwrap the paper. Her eyes opened wide. "A bike!"
"Four gears." Barbara went to her. Helena finished unwrapping the paper.
"A bicycle?" Selina looked at her friends.
"She loves bikes," Leslie said.
"Ohhh, yea!" Helena giggled, "And it's black like Dick's." She looked at Barbara, "Is it as fast as his?"
"This is just a bicycle, I don't think so." Barbara helped her open the box.
Selina's senses turned on. That was not good. "Dick's bike"… She had heard that well, it was not her imagination. She raised her brow. "Fast as his?" she asked Barbara.
Before the redhead could say anything, Helena answered, "It's cool, he gave me a ride."
Leslie closed her eyes. That was going to hurt. The redhead noticed Selina's eyes change Selina from normal to feral. She was pissed, and that was not good.
"Dick gave my daughter a ride on his bike?" Selina put her glass on a table next to her.
"Not any bike mom," Helena said excitedly, "A Harley Davidson V-Rod. Aluminum body. 49mm 38° raked fork. 180mm rear tire. Black calipers..."
Selina moved her hand. "I don't need details, I know." She looked at Barbara and stood up. "And?" Barbara knew she hated Helena riding bikes. She was still too small and she didn't want to see her hurt just because Barbara loved to disobey her orders.
Barbara swallowed, looking up at the taller woman. Selina annoyed was not good. "Well... she was sad, for her stuffed cat and..."
Leslie stood up immediately; she didn't want a problem or arguments to ruin the night. "Why don't you discuss that tomorrow, right now, Helena is happy with her bike." She glared at them, "We don't want to see her sad, right?"
Selina glared at Barbara coldly, but Leslie was right. She moved back to the couch. "All right."
Barbara sighed, she was in trouble again.
It was late, the flames in the fireplace lit the room and kept it warm. Helena was asleep with her head in Selina's lap, while the blonde pet her head distractedly. Leslie sat on the couch next to her, drinking a glass of water. Barbara had gone minutes ago, she needed to be atwork early. They kept talking comfortably, without notice the time. Leslie had turned the lights off. In a moment, silence covered the place; they felt comfortable just sitting there.
"She doesn't know." Leslie's voice broke the silence.
The blonde looked at her. "Excuse me?"
"Barbara doesn't know about Helena's father."
Selina's gaze turned to the fire. "No."
"Why did you tell me? She has been better friend for you than I." She put her glass down. "I know you are special, that you don't like to have deep relationships... but, she has been supporting you without ask."
Selina picked up her glass of champagne from the table next to her. "And I appreciate that. Her discretion. She never asks, she never tried to figure out what happened or why. She's a perfect friend for me." She sipped the liquid, "Did you know that I admire her as Batgirl?"
"No."
"The first time I encountered her, I thought she's be a push over. She is smaller than me. And, suddenly, I had an hurricane on me. She was a damn pain in the ass."
Leslie smiled.
"Yes," Selina nodded, "a smartass with incredible intelligence." Blue eyes looked at the old woman, "She stunned me, she is a brilliant, impressive detective."
"You two fought."
"It was fun," Selina finished her glass, "I kicked her ass sometimes."
"And she kicked yours..." Leslie grinned, "I know both versions, remember? I'm everyone's doctor."
"Whatever, she cost me a lot of money." She poured a bit more champagne in her glass, "She stopped me from completing some robberies."
"You were working for the wrong side."
"Came on Les," she raised her glass, still petting Helena's head with her free hand, "it's my nature. And it was damn fun..."
"Why did you trust her, knowing that she was your enemy."
Selina laughed, her laugh was light and she looked beautiful every time she did it. The woman fascinated Leslie, she was contradictory in many ways. She didn't agree with her past criminal activities, and she was still mysterious, keeping many secrets just for herself. She still wondered why she had agreed to help her when Bruce had asked it of her. Her eyes fixed on the little brunette sleeping on her mother's lap, she smiled. She felt happy for having done that.
"She was not my enemy... not exactly." The blonde explained, "She was a challenge; and more so when I noticed she was still practically a teenager." She raised her brow. "How do you think my pride was when I discovered that a damn teenager had kicked my ass?"
"Not pleasant, I guess." Leslie sipped her water, amused. It was always fun talking with Selina.
Selina kept silent a few seconds, "She is light, you know how the light calls attention to the darkness." She winked at her. "And I'm dark."
Leslie moved forward, intrigued. Selina loved to play with words, "And what does that mean?"
Selina grinned. "Nothing bad, don't worry. It's just that... well, I knew she would do anything to get justice. Justice is her obsession. We were in the middle of many confrontations... but always, her sense of justice and the drive to do the right things stopped her from doing unfair things. Regardless of her anger. I admire that." She drank a bit more of champagne, "I would break the neck of any asshole that would try to attack me... She could have killed me at least once, and she stopped."
"Barbara doesn't like hurt people."
"Barbara doesn't like the darkness, but respects life; even it's that of her worst enemy."
Helena raised her head slightly, half asleep. "Where are we...?" she mumbled, dizzily opening thin cat pupils. Selina leaned down and brushed her hair. "Shhh... it's okay. Sleep."
"May I go to my room?"
"We are not in our home yet, sweety." She whispered warmly to her, "Sleep." The child moved and snuggled against her mother's waist, purring. The blonde smiled and kissed her forehead.
Leslie heard the strange sound, she cocked her head trying to figure out what it was. She looked around, but was stunned when she realized the sound came from the place where Selina and Helena were.
"What's wrong, Leslie" Selinna asked gently, noticing her concern.
"Nothing... just...do you hear that"
"What"
Leslie hesitated"It's like a rumble. A light one."
The woman once known as Catwoman laughed. The doctor didn't understand. Amused, the ex-burglar fixed her eyes on her. "Come here."
"What"
"Please, come here, with me." She put her glass on the table.
Leslie walked toward her and noticed the rumble was becoming clearer. She didn't know what to think. Selina raised her hand and took her wrist. "Come here." She moved the old woman's hand toward Helena's back. Leslie moved her hand back, disconcerted. Selina held her grip laughing. It was the first time she realized the strength of the blonde.
"Don't worry." Selina whispered gently"It's her, she is purring."
"Purring" Blue eyes opened wide. "Helena purrs"
"Yes" she released the woman's hand and hugged her child"she does it when she feels happy or comfortable... or loved."
Leslie moved her hand slowly over the child's back and marveled"I never... imagined this… it's... it's wonderful."
"Yes, it is." Selina kissed Helena's temple"I love to hear, and feel her purring. Is it not cute"
"Yes... You purr too"
"Yes, but" she smirked "only in "hot" situations."
Leslie observed her in silence, the contrast between the lovely mother; the sexy woman and the amazing criminal was astonishing. "Was it hard?" she asked.
"Hard? Was what hard?"
"The choice of having her." She gestured towards the sleepy brunette, "you loved your freedom; your life."
"No," Selina raised her head, "I wanted her. She is my treasure. And I didn't want her to have an insecure and dangerous life because of me. I didn't sacrifice anything, it was, it IS a pleasure to give her all my time."
"Why do I know and she doesn't know?"
"It's the best... for her. I don't want her feeling trapped between her loyalty to him and the promise to not tell him that I would ask for before telling her his name." She moved back and sighed, "And the less people that know, the better that is for Hel. Many criminals wouldn't think twice about hurting her to hurt him. And I would never forgive myself for that, because since the first moment I knew that I had his child, I knew that meant danger for the baby... and probably death," Selina's eyes lowered and she caressed her daughter's face, "I never regret having her. How could you think that? She's a part of me... the best part."
Leslie was moved by the words. It was the first time that she had opened so deeply to her. "Don't you think you are too rude with her?"
Selina blinked and raised her head. "Uh?"
"Barbara…. she is a good woman, she has helped you and you scold her so much."
"I don't scold her."
"She has been so nice with you and with Helena. She always tries to do the best to make her feel comfortable and you too. But you are often angry with her."
"It's not anger." Selina smiled, "Barbara is a smart woman, and an incredible crime fighter but... she is ystill ung. She is learning, and... well, you know how obsessive I am about Helena. I can't help it. I don't like her to ride bikes. I know about bikes, and I know how Barbara and Dick drive. No one would feel comfortable knowing her child is riding a bike with them. They are insane, high speed, crazy drivers... no, no. And Barbara knows that. Helena loves bikes too and I don't want that them encouraging her passion for those things."
"Please, you know they would never put her life in danger." Leslie moved her head.
"I prefer her not to be near those things."
"Whatever, don't be rude with her. She is trying her best. She has dalt with a lot of people, except children; she doesn't know what to do with a child, and well... she has been doing pretty well. Your kid is difficult and she has managed her very well... Helena trusts in her and that is hard, you know it."
"I know..." Selina relented, Leslie was right, "and I don't trust Helena to anyone."
Leslie smiled gently at her, "So Cat-mother? Why don't you try to be more patient with Bat-nanny? You always act like a grumpy mother with her."
"I'm not grumpy."
"Yes, sure..."
Selina rolled her eyes, "All right, all right, I promise I won't be rude with her," she pointed at the doctor with her finger, "but that doesn't means I forgive wonder clown boy."
"Dick," Leslie said.
"Same thing."
"All right," Leslie stood up, "The champagne is finished, want more?"
