Helena was under the covers, looking through the window and hugging a pillow. Barbara was taking too long in coming back to the room. She looked at the door and back to the window again. Why she couldn't just tell her boyfriend to come back later? Suddenly, her fine hearing made her raise her head; after a few seconds, the door opened and she saw Barbara walking inside with a cup of hot chocolate and a big piece of cake. Her eyes shone and she sat up immediately.
"I hope you like this." The redhead gave her the plate with the cake and put the cup of hot chocolate on the night table. "I know you love the milk and chocolate."
Helena took the plate with both hands. "Thanks so much!"
The young daughter of Commissioner Gordon smiled and crawled to the other side of the bed, covering herself with the bed spread too. Helena put a big piece of cake in her mouth. "Where is he?" she asked.
"He has things to do." The redhead sighed, moving her head against the pillow.
"You are just as bad a liar as he is."
"And you are very curious." She turned on her side and rested her head on her hand, putting the elbow on the pillow.
"Are you thinking about marrying him?"
"Of course not." Green eyes lifted to meet little blue ones.
"So why are you dating him?"
"I'm not 'dating' him."
Helena put another big piece of cake in her mouth. "Okay, so, he's never asked you to be his girlfriend."
Barbara rolled her eyes. Some times she was so annoying. She took the remote control and turned on the TV.
"Why didn't you ask him?" the child attacked again.
The redhead looked for a good movie to watch, "Why I didn't I ask him what?"
"To be your boyfriend."
"Wait a minute, wait a minute..." Barbara sat up on the bed.
"You like him, he likes you. You kiss him and he comes to visit you, what's the problem?" Helena never understood why adults loved to complicate things. She put the empty plate on the night table and took the mug of hot chocolate.
"I can't ask him to be my boyfriend!"
"Why not?"
"Because..." The younger woman dropped her jaw, she couldn't believe she was having this conversation with a kid, "because it's not right and it's none of your business."
"Oh, come on!" Helena raised her eyes, "don't tell me that! You are avoiding answering me."
"I'm not avoiding anything, this is not an appropriate conversation between an adult and a child."
Helena giggled. Barbara glared at her. "What?"
"You are angry because he hasn't asked you to be his girlfriend!"
"That's not true!" How the hell Helena did to put her in the middle of these uncomfortable situations? She took the empty plate from Helena. "Now drink your cocoa."
"You love him." The little brunette smiled.
"Helena," Barbara said in a serious tone, "I'm not going to discuss my personal life with you."
"Why not?"
"Because you are a child, I told you."
"I think you are shy."
"What?"
"Yes, embarrassed to talk about this." Helena sipped her cocoa.
"A... about... what?" the redhead muttered.
The kid licked her lips, a big chocolate moustache of chocolate was on her lip. "About love and boyfriends."
"Helena, this is not a conversation for a girl like you."
"I can give you advice."
This time Barbara couldn't avoid laughing. "You what?"
"I've had boyfriends," the kid said seriously.
"Oh... you've had boyfriends."
"Yes." She smiled proudly.
"How many?"
"Three."
The redhead opened her eyes in surprise and tried to contain her laugh. "Three? God! Helena, you're only ten!"
She sipped again her cocoa. "How many have you had?"
This time the older woman kept silent, thinking. Well, she had never been very sociable, she was always busy studying and... wait a minute, she got her again. She was not going to fall into her trap. "No, forget it."
Helena's eyes narrowed, she asked, almost surprised, "Is he your first boyfriend?"
"...Of course not..." Barbara answered immediately.
"I can't believe it!" Helena put her empty cup on the night table.
"He is not!"
"He is!... Why?"
"He is not! I've had other ones."
"Sure." Helena crossed her arms, "Who?"
Barbara took a bag of candy from her night table, she always kept it there. She had heard it was good give to kids candy after an emotional experience because their blood sugar lowered. "Take this, entertain yourself."
Helena had never had a big bag of candy like the one that was in Barbara's hands. Her mother never let her. She raised her hand to take it but Barbara moved her hand back. "Promise you'll just watch television quietly and without questions."
Helena made a face. "We are just talking."
"Well, no more talking, I want to watch TV in silence. Deal?"
"Okay." The kid took the bag and opened it.
"I'm wondering what am I going to tell your mother. She won't be happy that we were in trouble," the redhead thought out loud.
Helena turned her head, with her cheeks looking like balloons, munching candy. Barbara saw her out of the corner of her eye. "Have you considered eating one at a time?"
The kid said something incomprehensible.
"Helena," Barbara took the bag and gave her just a few pieces of candy, "don't eat the entire bag. Just eat a few and keep the others for later." She put it on her night table. The door bell sounded suddenly. She stood up off the bed. "I'll be back."
As soon as the red head left the room, limping, Helena took the candy bag again.
"Sorry for the delay, Barbara." Selina said, walking insie the apartment, "But the center of town is a disaster. Mr. Freeze blew up a big part of the park. "I guess you heard about it, it was just a few blocks from here." She removed her coat. "That lunatic has something new in mind, he assaulted the Central Bank."
Barbara sighed and closed the door. "I was there."
Selina raised her brow. "Where?"
"At the parkā¦. when he arrived."
Selina felt her heart beating faster and looked around. "Where is she?"
"Don't worry, she is okay, she is okay," Barbara said. "She don't have any bruise, she is calm now, don't scare her."
"What happened?"
"We were at the park making a snow man and, suddenly, I heard an explosion. I saw a big wall of snow coming toward us and I covered her. We were trapped under a trash container, but thankfully she is okay. She was scared; she took a bath and now is in my room watching TV."
"You told me you were going home!" Selina felt anger growing inside her, knowing kow that her child had been in danger made her mad, "Why did you stay at that damn park?"
Barbara rubbed the back of her head. "She wanted make a snowman and..."
"You told me you were going to go home! And you put her life at risk!" She pointed at the redhead with her finger, her pupils turned feline.
Barbara was confused. "Selina... we were just playing; How was I supposed to know that Freeze was going to appear there?"
"You should have come back to your home, you didn't have to stop to play in the park."
This time the redhead was angry.
"Are you stupid or what? Where is my kid?" the blonde turned to look for Helena.
"Enough!" Barbara almost shouted. Selina never thought straight when it came to Helena.
"You are a...!"
"I said enough! I'm tired you dealing with me as if I were a child. I'm not! I would never let anything happen to her! You know it! But nobody expected Mr. Freeze to appear from underground breaking the park's fountain! How the hell do you think I could have guessed that?"
"She was your responsibility, I trusted you!"
"I'm taking care of her, I protected her!"
"I will never trust her to you again! Where is she?" Selina growled.
"I'm not any irresponsible Selina! You are unfair!" Barbara faced her.
The blonde turned, ignoring her and walked toward Barbara's bedroom. "Helena! Where are you?" She opened the room's door and closed it hard behind her.
"Shit!" the redhead shook her head, frustrated. She rubbed her forehead. Okay, she deserved it, for trying to be nice and helpful. Dammit.
Helena had heard everything her mother has said since the first moment she walked inside the apartment; she put the bag of candy under the covers and spit the ones she had in her mouth into the drawer of the night table. She heard her arguing with Barbara, and she was really angry; she cocked her head. Why she was mad with Barbara? The door opened and the kid could saw her feral eyes. Yea, she was very pissed.
"Mom..." she mumbled.
"Oh honey." Selina ran toward her and hugged her strongly, "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, why are you mad?"
"Are you sure you're okay?" Selna moved back and examined her; she touched her child's cheek softly.
"I'm okay, why are you mad?"
"I'm not mad, come on, we need to go home." She kissed her forehead.
"Mom, why are you mad at Barbara?" Helena fixed her eyes on hers.
The blonde woman smiled gently at her, "I'm not mad honey, but we need to go home now."
"You shouted at her, why? She helped me."
The ex-criminal sighed and hugged her again. "I'm sorry, I hate to think that something would happen to you."
"I don't understand you two." Helena moved back and frowned.
"What you don't understand?"
"Barbara helped me to get out of that place. I couldn't move and she helped me to get out." She lowered her head.
Selina, concerned, brushed her rebellious hair back, it immediately fell again over her face. "Where were you honey?"
"We were making a snowman and she pushed me... when I woke up, I was trapped under her, all icould see was snow. I was under her and I couldn't move. She helped me get out, but she couldn't get out because she was trapped under I don't know what." Selina listened carefully to the words of the little brunette, who played nervously with her hands.
"And what happened?"
"I crawled out of a hole that she made; when she could finally get out, I tried to help her, but she pushed me back."
"She pushed you back?"
Helena raised her blue eyes to her mom, "A car was going to hit her, it was moving back and the driver hadn't seen her. I tried to help, but she pushed me and shouted at me to leave her. I couldn't leave her there mom."
Sellina swallowed. Her eyes wide open. "And?"
"I pushed her out, she couldn't walk and she kept shouting at me to leave her... Why? I was just trying to help her. She was angry," the child said with sadness and hugged her mom. "She took me and pushed me far from her before I could move her away from the car... I thought it was going to squash her and I closed my eyes, I thought she was dead mom... but the car stopped a few inches before and moved to the other side."
Selina brushed her hair and rested her cheek on her head, "What... car was it, honey?"
"A big one... looked like a big tank..."
"A man was on top of it? A... man with strange clothes?"
The kid snuggled against her, "Yes... I don't understand mom, she was mad because I tried to help her, and now you are mad with her because she helped me."
Selina took a deep breath. "It's not that honey... It's that... she..." She remained silent, understanding, it wasn't Barbara's fault. That was a truth she didn't want to see, but thinking that something could happen to Helena turned her irrational. They were many other people in danger at the park and Barbara had done everything to protect Helena, and she had done it. She didn't have a scratch. "...She was trying to protect you..." Selina finally said, "that car would have killed you."
Helena moved back again "But it was going to hit her..."
"Yes, but it didn't matter to her. She was pushing you to avoid the car hurting you. The most important thing was you."
"Why?"
"Because I asked her take care of you. She was doing it... no matter the cost." The ex-criinal gave her a kiss and looked at the TV, "What are you watching?"
"Bugs bunny..."
"Okay, keep watching it, while I have some coffee with Barbara."
The child tilted her head, "Aren't you angry with her?"
"I must apologize to her. She was helping you. Stay here." The older woman stood up and exited the room.
Helena watched her go. Adults were weird. She raised the blankets and took out the bag of candy.
Barbara put some ointment on her ankle and sat on the couch while she waited for Selina to leave her room with Helena; it was hurting. She looked at the big bruise on her skin.
"Why don't you try some ice?"
The redhead raised her head. Selina was standing up with her arms crossed over her chest.
She lowered her head again. "I'll do it in a few. Helena's clothes are in the laundry room, I put them there to dry. I'll get them for you." She was going to stand up, but Selina stopped her with her hand on her shoulder.
"No, wait..."
"Well, I can give you some clothes to cover her. Outside, it's..."
"I want to apologize," Selina interrupted.
Barbara blinked.
"I was unfair." Selina sat on the couch, in front of Barbara. "Knowing that Helena was in danger blinded me... I'm sorry..."
Barbara looked at her in silence; she had never heard her apologize. Bruce had told her that she never does it; she had too much pride.
"Helena told me that you didn't let her help you... you were trapped and... she tried to help you?"
Barbara raised her brows, "She has incredible strength, she dragged me out of that hole with just one pull. Surprised me, really."
"What happened?" Selina tried to sound calm. "What car was going to hit you?"
The redhead rested her back on the couch and began to tell her what had happened. Every moment, Selina felt more and more ashamed. When Barbara finished, the blonde stood up angry with herself.
"Crap..." she growled, moving her hand nervously through her hair.
"Damn, it wasn't my fault!" Barbara tried to stand up but a sharp pain in her ankle stopped her; she bent down, holding her leg.
Selina heard her and turned immediately, taking her arm to help support her. "Stay quiet, you should be resting." She moved her to the couch. "I was not referring to you. I blame myself for being so unfair with you."
"Dammit." The redhead let herself fall onto the couch. She felt angry. "I have saved many lives, I have a lot of responsibility every night dealing with criminals, murderers, burglars. My life is at risk every night. Why do you deal with me as a child?"
"I don't do that!"
"You do it every time you can! Why do you think I can't take care of a child? Why don't you just look for someone more responsible than me and ask her take care of Helena every time you need it and stop annoying me!"
Selina glared at her, "I annoy you? She annoys you?" she knew the younger woman was lying.
"Yes!" the redhead grumbled.
"Please, Barbara, you don't believe your own words!" she raised her hands.
"I have enough problems to deal with without adding your mothering issues!"
"What mothering issues?" a brow raised defiantly.
Barbara stood up again to face the tall woman, "With me! I'm tired of this! I'm not your child! I'm a woman! Every mistake or accident that I have, you turn it into something big and intentional."
"Sit down now! You are hurt!" Selina ordered firmly.
"See? Stop that! I'm an adult, Selina, understand that! Why do you think I'm irresponsible?"
"It's not that!" Selina put her hands over her hips.
"No? So what the hell is it?" Barbara raised her voice.
"I'm worried about you! I'm worried that something will happen to you! You are too impulsive⦠I'm worried that some day you will be killed! You never stop trying to help people, even if it costs you your life!" Selina shouted.
Barbara didn't know what to say, she just swallowed.
The blonde lowered her head and said almost with a whisper, looking at her fingers, "I'm afraid someday I'll wake up and find that something happened to you..."
Both remained still, looking in silence at each other for long seconds. Barbara sat down slowly on the couch and exhaled, shaking her head. She never thought Selina would worry about her so much; she never expected that.
"Let me see this." The blonde kneeled on the floor and began to remove the bandage.
"I'm okay." Barbara tried to stop her, but Selina pushed her hand to a side.
"I said, let me see this." she removed the bandage and raised a brow. "You need ice. Why are you walking?"
"I needed..."
"You should use a crutch" Selina walked toward the fridge and took out some ice"I saw you walking without support. Do you want to hurt yourself more"
"It's nothing."
"I don't understand why superheroes always say that. Where's the ice bag?"
After a few minutes, long fingers massaged the ankle with ointment carefully and she covered the bruised skin; the blonde recognized that it must be painful.
"I hope you have accepted my apologies," she said with a soft voice, bandaging Barbara's ankle, "I think I'm overprotective about Helena and many times unfair with you."
"You know I would never let anything happened to her. Why don't you trust me?"
"I trust you," blue eyes found green, "If I didn't, do you think I would leave her with you? It's just my character, you know me, I'm so impulsive. I'm sorry."
Barbara nodded and smiled taking her hand. Selina smiled too and moving her other hand over the redhead's, she squeezed it lightly.
