December…

Selina Kyle sat in front of a window, watching the snow falling over Paris. She had bought a luxurious department near the Champs Elysées, one of the principal avenues of the city. Inside the room, a soft white couch lay against one of the pink-painted walls, next to an elegant cradle. In her arms, Selina held her baby, a little girl no more than six months old. Selina's index finger was held in the little hands and the woman moved it around as if she was trying to free it from her hold; the baby giggled.

Knowing that was her first Christmas with her own family made Selina Kyle feel excited, she couldn't remember a happy family Christmas; she'd always missed a family. Being a mother was an experience she never expected to be so wonderful. She loved it, she loved her child. The little one had so much of her father; it was something she couldn't describe, she just saw it in her face. Selina had lost her own mother as a child, and her life with her father hadn't been pleasant, until his death.

"Hey, guess what?" she said to her baby, "I bought you something." She freed her finger, reached out to pick up a transparent rattle, with small, colorful balls inside, off of the night table. Little blue eyes widened, noticing the colors in front of them; the baby followed the movement of the object and the sound that it made caught her attention. Selina moved it in front of her eyes, smiling, noticing how she followed the rattle with her gaze.

The girl giggled again and raised her hands trying to reach for it. Selina moved the rattle and laughed, watching how the baby tried, unsuccessfully, to take the rattle; the still clumsy movements of the little baby prevented her from being fast enough to grab the rattle. Suddenly, the child growled angrily. Selina watched in amusement as her blue eyes turned golden and her irises became two thin vertical lines. The baby tried to take the object, but failed again.

"Oh, you are grumpy, Helena." Selina said, touching the little nose with her index finger. She gave her the rattle and the little brunette pushed the object far away with her hands.

"Hey, take it." The blonde opened her little fingers and gave her the rattle. The baby cried and threw the object across the room. Selina raised her brow at seeing the rattle crash against the far wall. "Grumpy and strong. A dangerous combination." Helena really was like holding a sack of screaming cats. "Strong lungs too. Come on." She lifted the small baby and held her against her chest with her head over her shoulder standing up, "My god, Helena, I was just playing with you…"

She heard the doorbell and took the pacifier off the table to put it in the child's mouth. Helena spat it out and cried again. Selina tried once more, but Helena moved her hands up and pushed it back, throwing the object. "Don't do that, it's bad manners." Selina kneeled to pick up the pacifier and moved toward the phone.

"Kyle here."

«Selina, it's a pleasure.» She heard a familiar male voice at the other end of the line.

Selina maneuvered with the crying girl in her arms and put the phone between her shoulder and ear. "Sam, Sam Grey?"

«Yes, it's me. » The man heard the child's cries. «Are you busy?»

"Not exactly, yes… well…" She sighed and looked at Helena again. The baby's cries were echoing around the house, and her hands moving frantically. "Could you just please not cry so loud? We were just playing."

«You have a baby?» the man asked, surprised.

"Yes, it's a long story. Where are you?"

«Paris. »

"Sam, that's wonderful! I would love to see you! May I invite you to dinner tomorrow night?" She lay down, snuggling Helena against her. "Shh, Helena, it's okay, it's okay."

«I would love to see you, too. What do you think if I call you later to ask for your address? You seem to be pretty busy right now. » Selina could swear the man was smirking.

"Yes, great idea, call me in thirty minutes please."

«Done. »

Selina hung up the phone and looked at her baby, "What about a song? Okay?" A sweet voice began to flow out of the tall woman's mouth. The baby's cries diminished slowly, finally turning to a soft purr a few moments later.

Selina lowered her head, her eyes smiled at small eyes, wet with tears, that had changed back to blue. "You're calmer now?" The girl looked at her. "I don't have that temper of yours. Who taught you those bad manners?" The brunette kept her gaze fixed on her. The blonde kissed her head and kept singing, looking at her lovingly; Helena yawned and fought against the sleepiness that began to fall over her. Selina smiled again, noticing how the baby was struggling to avoid closing her eyes. Finally, the weight was too much and she closed them.

Selina kept singing until the baby fell asleep. She put her in her cradle and covered her with a warm blanket, gently brushing the rebellious hair off her face. Smiling, she put her hands on the sides of the cradle and rested her face over it, watching her and singing softly. The baby's skin was white and her cheeks were pink because of the cold. Selina leaned to kiss her cheek and walked outside the room.

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Little blue eyes looked curiously at the person in front of her. The voice wasn't the usual one that talked to her. This one was deeper. Her fine sense of smell told her it was not the familiar scent that she was surrounded with every day. This was different. It itched. She sneezed. Whoever it was, they were talking to her, but she didn't have any clue as to what it was about.

"Bless you," the old man said, looking curiously at the little baby in the playpen near the table. "How old is she?" he asked Selina, who was in the kitchen preparing the salad.

"Just six months," the blonde answered.

"I never imagined you as a mother." Sam was an old friend of Selina. He looked like an old professor from some University, with big eyeglasses and white hair.

"Me neither, but it is the most beautiful experience any woman can have." She walked inside with the salad plate.

"May I hold her?"

"Sure, she's friendly."

The man bent and, taking the baby by her arm pits, he lifted her.

No, it was definitely not the usual person. She tried to focus, attempting to recognize the form in front of her.

Carefully, he cradled her near him. "Hi, baby."

"Her name is Helena." Selina smiled, giving him a milk bottle. "Give it to her."

"And why not your name?"

"I want my child to have her own personality. Helena is a pretty name, it's strong and sweet."

Helena tasted milk on her lips and opened her mouth. Whoever it was, they were feeding her and she welcomed the food!

"Don't you miss your life?" Sam asked.

"No, not at all." Selina began to prepare the table.

The man felt a soft purr between his arms and lowered his head while the baby was kneading the milk bottle with her left hand. "Oh my…."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. She is… trembling…"

Selina laughed, "She's purring, she does it whenever she feels comfortable or happy."

"What?"

"Like a kitten." Selina went toward Sam and carefully took the baby in her arms, and rubbed her nose against hers, "Hi, sweetie." Blue eyes looked up to meet loving ones and she giggled, immediately recognizing the familiar scent.

"She's definitely yours."

"Yes. There's a glass of wine on the table for you, I know you love it. Sit please." The woman sat in the living room. "It's her feeding time, sorry."

"No problem, Selina," the man said, taking the wine and sitting in front of her.

"What are you doing here? I never expected to see you in Paris."

The man sighed. "Long story."

"Well," the blonde smirked, "You are not here for nothing. Tell me."

"Someone stole my Egyptian pendant. Remember it?"

"Are you joking?"

"No, I came here following the trail of the thief, and I found it, but now the pendant is lost. Impossible to recover."

"Why?"

"It's inside an antiquities trafficker's house, a fortress. Impossible to get inside-- security, guards with guns. I'm tired of this," the man said with sadness. "I'm going back to New York this weekend." He looked at the girl and smiled. Raising his finger, he pointed at her.

Selina lowered her head to see. Helena had finished the milk and was playing, making bubbles with it. Her face was covered in milk, as were her clothes. The blonde removed the bottle of milk immediately. "No, no! I told you not to do this." She apologized to the old man, taking a cloth to clean the child's face "Sorry, she loves doing this."

"Don't worry, it's fun."

"It's not polite, Helena." The girl giggled, making more bubbles, "No, no more bubbles, stop it." She stood up and walked toward the playpen and put her there carefully. "Now, stay here while I clean myself. I'm a mess now." The blonde looked at her milk-stained blouse, while the little baby moved her hands and legs. She didn't want to be there. She frowned and growled.

"Strong character," Sam said, looking at her.

"Annoying sometimes." Selina went toward her bedroom, "I'll be right back."

The old man noticed the baby's face turning red. "She looks like she's going to cry."

"She loves tantrums, let her."

"May I?" He pointed to the girl, who was screaming at the top of her lungs, having a tantrum.

"Sure, do anything you want."

The man went toward the baby and raised her. Immediately, she stopped grumbling, feeling someone was picking her up, and giggled.

"See… I told you." Selina said from her room.

"She is cute." The man took the baby's hands and moved them.

"When she is not pissed, she is a pain in the ass."

"Your mom is saying bad things about you, that's terrible." He put his finger between her lips and pushed her bottom lip down. "Hey, a tooth is coming."

"Yes, and be careful, it bothers her and…" The comment was cut short by a loud yell. Selina rolled her eyes, "…and she bites."

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A dark, thin figure landed on the balcony of the dark residence. She avoided all the security alarms and guards. The place was like a big fortress. Kneeling on the floor, she looked around. No one had seen her. Extending her hand, she used one of her long, sharp nails to cut the glass of the window.

After removing the round piece of glass, she moved agilely through the hole and crouched inside the big room. She was inside the library of the big house. Slowly, she walked toward the next wall, one covered with wood; trying to be silent, she pushed a table in front of it to the side, and took a small knife from her belt. Behind the table was a small square. Using the knife she pulled the square out easily. A button was inside and she pressed it. The desk began to move and slid to one side. Hidden under it was a door. The dark woman knelt and opened it. Many small packages filled the security box. She sorted through them, reading the numbers on each one.

She looked anxiously, row by row. Suddenly, they stopped on the number she was looking for. She removed it and opened it.

A marvelous, old Egyptian pendant was in her hands. She closed the box and moved everything back in its place. She crept out of the office and jumped in the garden.

"That's mine." She heard a female voice behind her.

The woman dressed in black looked back. She frowned. "Cheetah?"

"That's mine."

"Excuse me?" The tall woman smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"I said mine!" The back tail swept through the air and hit the blonde's hand, knocking the pendant to the ground.

"Do it again and you'll lose your skin." Blue eyes shone with anger, glaring at Cheetah, the strange woman with cat form. She had been performing experiments on her own body, and the results had transformed her into a human / cheetah hybrid, providing her with the best attributes of both species, but also with the physical appearance of a humanoid cat.

"I'd like to see that…." Cheetah tried to hit her, using her tail as a whip.

The agile Catwoman jumped and rolled over her to take the pendant off the floor with her left hand. She crouched on the floor. "Too slow, honey," she said, grinning.

Cheetah tried to hit her again, but Catwoman took out her whip and threw it towards her, grabbing Cheetah's tail. She pulled and the woman fell to the floor.

"I told you."

Angrily, Cheetah stood up and attacked the woman dressed in black. "Give me that pendant!"

"Sorry, I'm recovering it from this trafficker," she answered, hitting Cheetah with her elbow, "I hate people who steal and then keep things locked up."

"I need it!" Cheetah growled, trying to hit her again.

"Sorry, I saw it first. And it's not mine, it belongs to a friend." Catwoman ducked, but she couldn't avoid Cheetah's claws, which ripped her costume on her side. "Hey careful, that hurts!"

"That's the point!" Cheetah growled.

Angry now, Catwoman kicked her and punched her face, but Cheetah's fist found her gut. The woman was pretty fast and strong. They began to exchange punches; Catwoman had a hard time blocking them; Cheetah had inhuman strength, and she was making so much noise, the guards would soon know they were here. A pain on her cheek broke her thoughts.

"Dammit!" Catwoman growled, putting her hand to her cheek. Cheetah had ripped her cowl with her claws.

"Don't piss me off!" Cheetah growled.

"Exactly what I was going to say." Catwoman hit Cheetah's face which such force that she sent her stumbling back. She looked at her fingers… blood. She hated scratches, especially on her face.

A light suddenly blinded her. "Hey! Who are you?" a voice shouted.

"Party's over." Catwoman ran toward the fence, the guards of the house had discovered them. The Cheetah's tail wrapped around her ankle and she fell down, cursing the woman. She turned over and punched the woman roughly on her face. She raised her leg and tried to kick her, but Cheetah was fast and held her leg.

"Give me the pendant," the feline woman shouted.

"Forget it." Selina took a fistful of sand and threw it in Cheetah's eyes. She quickly jumped over the fence at the moment that several shots hit near her feet. She was in trouble. She lost her balance and fell hard on her side. Before she could stand up, Cheetah was on her again and crashed her fist against her face.

Stunned, the blonde woman refused to open her hand. She wasn't going to let that freak steal her friend's jewel. The feline's grip on her wrist was strong. They struggled until Catwoman leaned and bit her arm hard. Cheetah cried and released her. The blonde took the opportunity and punched her in her gut taking the air out of her. "Sorry, honey," she smiled, "Not your day."

The sound of a bullet smashing next to her feet made her lift her head. Several men were on top of the building pointing at her. "Sorry," she said, jumping toward a tree, "I have an important meeting. See you."

Angry, Cheetah stood up and tried to follow her, when a shot in front of her stopped her. She turned and saw a man a few steps from her, she growled and jumped over him. The other men ran to help their partner.

Five minutes later, a pile of bodies surrounded the devil woman, she removed her claws from the stomach of one of the guards that fell limply to the floor. Her body was covered in the blood of the guards that had tried, unsuccessfully, to stop her. She looked around trying to find a clue as to where Catwoman had gone. With fury, she threw her hand against a tree, breaking it in two with her claws. "Damn bitch! You will pay for this! That pendant will be mine!"

Growling, she disappeared in the night.

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June…

A year later…

Selina Kyle kneeled at the floor and put a paper party hat on Helena's head.

The baby was sitting on a rug with a cake in front of her. She was dressed in a pink dress and had her short black hair tied back. Little eyes blinked, looking at Selina.

Selina moved back slowly with a camera in her left hand. "That's okay, don't move, Hel, don't move."

Helena brought her hands up, trying to take the object off her head. It itched.

"No, Helena, stay quiet!" Selina raised her hand.

The movement caught the attention of the little brunette, who stopped moving.

"That's it! That's it! Now, don't move!" Selina raised the camera trying to focus on the girl, but the baby raised her hands again and tried to remove the paper hat. "No, Hel!" Selina went to her and, taking her hands, she put the paper hat back on Helena's head.

Helena growled, protesting.

"Just stay quiet for two seconds, Hel, you look beautiful," Selina asked, taking her chin in her her hand smiling.

The little eyes fixed on her smile and giggled.

"That's it, you look beautiful." She gave her a fast kiss on her forehead and moved back. When she turned to take the picture, Helena had the paper hat in her hands, examining it. The elegant woman rolled her eyes. "No, Hel no!"

Helena threw the paper hat and put her other hand inside the cake. It felt nice, she closed her fist against the pink cream. "Helena!" Selina ran to take her hand. The girl giggled and gurgled.

"Yes, it's your cake, but you aren't supposed to put your hand inside it. The cake is for eating." The blonde took a napkin and cleaned her fingers. The baby looked at the cake and put her other hand inside. Selina rolled her eyes and sat on the floor. "Oh God!" Shining blue eyes and the big smile on her little girl's face made her smile too. She smiled and brushed her nose against her. "You are terrible. Mommy will kill you for this next time."

Helena raised her hand and cupped her check. "Ma..." she mumbled.

The elegant woman moved back with her cheek painted with fingerprints of icing and opened her eyes, surprised. "What did you say?"

"Ma… ma… ma," Helena giggled, clapping her hands.

"You're talking!" She hugged her not caring that Helena put her hands covered in frosting on her blouse, "You said ma!"

"Ma… mamamamamama." Helena repeated, giggling.

She heard the door bell and picked her up, kissing her cheek. "It's wonderful, Hel!" She went toward the door and opened it; she found a delivery man with a small package.

«Le packet pour Madame Selina Kyle. » he said.

« C'est moi. »

"Mamama…" Helena kept saying.

« Signez-la, s'il vous plaît. » he extended a tablet with paper.

Selina maneuvered with the girl in her arms and leaned forward to sign it. "Merci."

"Mamama mamamama…"

« Bonne journee, madame. »

« Voilá » Selina closed the door and read the sender's name, Ken Smith. Who was he?

"Mamama mama…" Helena giggled.

"Yes I'm your mommy, honey, and you have made a mess of us. Let me take your picture and, after that, we must take a bath." She sat her on the floor again and took several pictures of her and, later, of the two of them using the automatic button. She put the camera on the table and looked for a spoon in the kitchen, but when she came back Helena was eating a piece of cake using her hands. She sighed, "You are not polite. I must teach you some good manners." She sat next to her, little blue eyes raised to see her and, extending her hand, she showed her mother a piece of cake. Selina smiled and took it with her mouth. "Mmmm, tastes great!" She took a piece of cake with her fingers and put it inside Helena's mouth, who smiled and ate it, "And it's our favorite flavor, chocolate! Happy birthday!"

After taking a shower with Helena, Selina clothed the girl and gave her a bottle of milk. While she was eating, the blonde lay on the bed next to her and opened the package that she had just received.

"Who is Ken Smith?" Inside the box was a letter and a small package covered in paper, she opened it. With sadness, she read the package was from her old friend Sam Grey, he had died a few months ago, and he had mentioned her in his will. He had left her a gift of thanks for all of her support, friendship and help.

She opened the package and found the incredible Egyptian pendant she had recovered a year ago from the antiquities trafficker's house with a small note written by her missed friend: "Thanks so much, a pendant of a queen to a queen. Sam."

Selina marveled, looking at the pendant in her hands.

Helena raised her hand, trying to take it.

"No, no, honey, this is mine." Selina smiled, examining the object. It was incredible. It had the form of an eagle with open wings. She stood up and put it around her neck before stopping in front of a mirror. "Wow," she mumbled to herself, "Sam, this is marvelous."