"Helena, time to go." Barbara stood up in front of the kid's play area inside the restaurant. She held Jaçques and Helena's coat in her arms. Helena was hanging upside down over a castle.
"Just five minutes more!" the girl shouted.
"No, let's go now, and be careful, I don't want to bandage your head today."
James Gordon smiled at his daughter. "You look good as a mother."
"I'm not a mother."
"Looks like it." He gazed toward Helena.
"She is hyperactive. All day she's like that, I just need to pull her back some times."
The man looked at her gently, "I'm worried about you."
"Why?"
"I don't think being a friend of Selina is good for you."
"Your day becomes more complicated taking care of her. Why do you accept it? You can tell Selina no. And now… well… she is not your responsibility… she is not family."
The young crime fighter took a deep breath. "First, I didn't have a real choice. Selina needed someone to take care of her because she had to go to France for a week. I saw her the first days as another person… not as a kid who calls for your attention. She showed me that the small things, like sharing a night with a kid just watching TV, could be an invaluable treasure for her. Kids enjoy the small things of life that we, as adults don't see. Our work, bussiness, schedules take all our time and we don't enjoy life."
The old man looked at the little bruntte again, who was running toward them. "Just be careful Babs, don't become fond of the girl. You will be hurt. I still don't like that Selina Kyle. She is not a good company." He kissed his daughter on the cheek and walked toward the exit.
The redhead watched him go. Don't become fond of the girl? Damn. She already was. How could she avoid it? She was an innocent child. She felt Helena taking her hand.
"Bye, Mr. Gordon," the girl said to her father.
"Bye, Helena." The old man waved his hand.
Helena looked at the redhead. "You still need to fix Jaçques."
"Yes. Let's go."
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"Helena!" Barbara leaned against the door frame of her room.
"Watching TV!" the girl said from the living room.
"Helena! I want to see you now." The young woman scratched her head.
"I'm coming."
In a few second Helena appeared in the hallway. "Yes?"
Barbara raised her left hand and showed her a turtle. "He was in my bed. What was Leonard doing in my bed?"
"It's Leroy, I dunno." The girl took him with her hand and walked inside the room toward the aquarium.
"You don't know?" Barbara followed her with her gaze. "I have never heard about turtle that can climb on beds. Can can you explain to me what Leroy was doing in my sink?"
"The one in your sink is Leonard. He is taking a bath." The girl put the small turtle inside the aquarium.
"I know he was taking a bath, but why in my sink?"
"Because the sink of the other bathroom don't have a plug for the drain." The girl walked inside the redhead's bathroom.
"Alfred bought a tray for you." She followed her.
"I couldn't find it."
"It's in the kitchen."
Helena picked up the turtle from the sink took a towel to dry him.
"No, Helena!" the redhead stopped her.
"No, what?"
"That's my towel."
"I always dry him with it."
"It's my towel!"
"He is small, he can't get your towel very wet."
"It's not sanitary." Barbara folded her towel and put it over the sink.
"You always use complicated words." Helena frowned with the dripping tutle between her hands.
"You always have strange ideas." Barbara put her hand on her back and pushed her out of the bathroom. "Put him in his aquarium."
"He's wet."
"Turtles loves to be wet."
Helena ignored her comment and asked, "What are we going to have for dinner?"
"We just finished lunch and you are thinking about dinner?" the red head asked.
"Well, I like to know."
"I would like know where you put all that food. Do you have a pit instead of a stomach?" The red head head said, "We need to call Gibson."
"Why?"
"We need to do all the homework that you missed this week at school. I'll go see your professor on Monday and explain that you were sick."
Helena went toward her with Jaçques in her arms. "You promised to fix Jaçques."
"Yes. Let me see." The redhead took the stuffed cat in her hands and gently removed the handkerchief. "Bring me the bag with the items bought at the pharmacy."
Helena ran towatd the living room, Barbara was more angry with herself than with Selina; she knew something was wrong with her and definitely after this. She wouldn't let Helena go back with her until she knew what the hell was happening. The brunette walked back after a few seconds.
The young woman took a bandage and began to bandage the small leg of the stuffed cat.
"Do you think Mom is back?" Helena asked curiously.
"No, she would call me. But don't worry. I'm sure she's got some very important business." Barbara cut the bandage and took the tape.
"Do you think?" Blue eyes looked at her hopefully.
"Yes. I'm sure of it." She raised her head and smiled gently, "Your mom loves you so much."
"She was mean to Jaçques, I have never seen her so angry with him."
"What did he do?"
"Nothing." Helena played with her fingers on the table.
The redhead watched her, she tried to ask carefully, "And she was angry with you too?"
The child nodded.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" Barbara raised her brow. She knew the Helena "nothing's".
"I just asked her to help me with my homeowork, but she said she needed go out. That she didn't have time."
"Is that all?"
Helena nodded again, "She told me I wouldn't go to school and when I asked her again to help me with my homework, she pushed me out of the room and closed the door."
"She pushed you outside?"
"She said she was busy, Jaçques was inside. So I asked her to give him back to me."
"Just asked?" The young woman finished taping the cat's leg.
"Well, I shouted…" Helena didn't raise her head.
"Just shouted?"
"Well… I knocked on her door."
"And I imagine you kocked the door hard, no'"
The child nodded once more, tears covering her eyes; "…and she opened the door and she told me go to my room and she threw Jaçques against the wall…"
"Come here…" Barbara waved her hands and Helena stood up and hugged her burying her face in her neck, sobbing. "Don't worry, honey; everything she is okay." The redhead sighed, rubbing the girl's back with her hand. "Don't worry."
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He walked inside the department. The window was open. The woman was working on her laptop. Just the light of the living room was on. He crossed his arms.
"Why don't you knock on the door? It's too hard for you?" the redhead at the table asked.
"You have her child again? Are you looking for trouble?"
"She left her alone again." She removed her eyeglasses and turned to face him, "I couldn't abandon her."
"I think you are taking too much time taking care of a girl that is not yours and…"
"I know who is behind all this." Barbara interrupted Batman. She wasn't in the mood for an argument.
"Who?"
"Mad Hatter." She handed him a small plastic bag.
"How do you know?"
"I patrolled two nights ago. I trapped a guy; the police shot another one. He is dead. Last night I went to the police station and checked the body, I "borrowed" this."
The dark knight took the samll bag, "What is this?"
"A microchip, in the nape of his neck. After it I asked check the man that I had trapped. He had an identical one. I have been checking it. Receives a signal. Controls their mind, for that reason they don't remember what happened."
"He invented a mind control device that he places in the necks of his victims."
"Yes, this is similar to the old ones that he used a few years ago before you caught him." Barbara stood up and scratched her head.
"And your theory is?"
"Selina has one of these things in her head. He is controlling her, for that reason she is acting so weird. A strong reason to prevent her from being near Helena again. We need to trap and help her."
"Selina will try to locate you when she discovers you have the child."
"Yes… I know." Barbara nodded and took a deep breath.
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The tall blonde woman known as catwoman landed easily on the balcony of the highest floor of the apartment building. Using her claws, she carefully and silently made a hole in the glass of the door. Removing the glass, she moved her hand inside and unlocked the door. She opened it and walked inside.
The place was completely dark; she looked around. All was in order; she saw a picture over the phone table. She took it in her hands. The annoying red head and her more annoying father. Be annoying seemed to be a characteristic of the Gordon family.
Barbara had used up her patience and she was going to finish with her.
Now.
Barbara had been in her home yesterday.
And she had taken her girl.
She walked down the corridor and moved toward the bedrooms. She opened the door slowly. The young crimefighter was sleeping deeply. She smirked.
Piece of cake.
Catwoman stood up beside the bed and raised her claw. Barbara opened her eyes at the moment that Catwoman stabbed her with her claws.
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The redhead woke up abruptly. She looked around, disconcerted. She had been dreaming. She looked down and saw Helena sleeping deeply at the foot of the bed, hugging her stuffed cat. She smiled, that girl moved so much. She reached towards her and gently she took her by her arms and pulled her up again to the pillow next to her. She covered her wih the blankets.
The little girl growled and tried to remove the blankets.
"Stay quiet," Barbara whispered, "It's cold." The young woman settled back on her pillow and closed her eyes. She suddenly felt a weight on her stomach. Helena was now using her as her personal giant pillow. Rolling her eyes, she removed the cat tail that was near her nose.
She needed to buy a king size bed.
It was difficult trying to sleep, knowing that Selina could appear in any moment, or maybe not. Mad Hatter was controlling her mind and using her for his criminal activities. She needed time to look for the blonde, but with Helena with her, it was difficult. She had been really clingy all day. It was rather annoying after a while. The little girl had to be right next to her, having her undivided attention all the time. She had deduced it was because she wanted to feel secure, loved, because she missed her mother.
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"Please, Dad. Just a day." She didn't like to ask this of him but Alfred was working at the Wayne Manor that day. She closed the door of his room behind her.
He put a hand on her shoulder and spoke gently to her, "Babs, I love you, you know it; but I'm not a nanny."
"I know, Dad, but I must go to the University; as head of the Library, the principal asked me to be part of the meetings for Gotham' anniversary. I can't take her there."
He smoked his cigarrete and raised his brown. "What am I going to do with a child?"
"You're off, Dad, please; you know I'd never ask to you this, but…" she looked at him with puppy eyes, "Please? She has been clingy for two straight days, please."
"And you want her to be clingy with me?" James Gordon asked, surprised. "I'm too old for that!"
"It's just an afternoon."
"I know those meetings." He shook his head, "You know when they starts, but you don't know when they'll end."
Barbara knew she wsa losing the battle, she smiled at him and put her arms around his neck, "Do you know that I love you?"
"No, no, you are not going to convince me with that."
"So you know you are my favorite daddy?"
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Barbara kissed Helena's check and patted Jaçques' head. "I'll back as soon as I can." She said, "Be a good girl."
"I don't want to stay here." Helena said, lowering her head. She was sitting on the couch in Gordon's living room, "I want to go with you."
"It's just a few hours, honey, when the meeting is over, I'll come pick you up."
"I don't want to stay."
"See?" James said from his single couch, "She doesn't want to stay."
Barbara turned and glared at him. She shook her head and looked at Helena again, caressing her cheek with her thumb, "I promise I'll back soon, all right?"
The girl nodded sadly. The redhead smiled and stood up. It was better to leave before Helena or her father could change their minds. She kissed her father on the cheek and walked outside.
"Be good you two, I'll be back later."
The door closed behind her. Gordon and Helena remained in their places. Helena with Jaçques in her hands and afraid to look at Barbara's father. She didn't know him. He was unfamiliar to her; she had just met him twice.
Well, and now….? He smoked his pipe and crossed his leg wondering what to do. The girl was not tall and her feet didn't touch the floor. She was holding a stuffed black cat, yes, the same one who had the leg patched a few days ago.
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Helena looked around. The place was different than Barbara's, and smelled awful, smoke. Books and notebooks were everywhere. Barbara's house had new funiture, modern. This one had old furnitures, smelled of wood. And the colors were grey.
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What topics would be good to discuss with a child? The last police reports?
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The living room was darker than Barbara's house. There was no TV there, seemed to be a boring place. She began to move her feet back and forth.
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Grey eyes fixed on the girl curiously. Would it be a good moment to ask her about her mother? Maybe she knew aomething about the criminal life of her mom or if she had seen her dressed as Catwoman. Maybe talking about the places where she had been would be useful. He was sure she was guilty of the latest art thefts.
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Why was he looking at her? She examined her shirt and her shorts. They were clean. No, it wasn't that. Maybe Jaçques? No, he was sitting next to her. Maybe he didn't like the color of her clothes. She leaned and examined her shoes. Clean. Everything was okay.
She sighed and turned her head to her left.
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The girl was looking at the kitchen. Maybe she would like some coffee.
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Would Barbara's dad have coke in the fridge?
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Maybe the girl would like to play chess.
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Where was the TV?
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"So… Helena, that's your name, right?" Jim finally asked, trying to break the umcomfortable silence.
"Yes, sir," the girl answered.
"Oh." He moved his head. Silence filled the place again.
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He rubbed his chin. Well, after that… what other questions would be good to ask a child?
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Yes, her name was Helena and his name was Jim. Her cat was Jaçques.
Great.
Smart question. Asking about the weather would be much better. She sighed and rested her back on the couch. Why had Barbara left her here? What if she didn't love her anymore? She looked at Gordon sadly.
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Something was wrong. Gordon arched his brow. "Are you okay, Helena?"
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She nodded. How could he understand? She felt tears coming to her eyes. Her lip quivered and she bit it, trying not to cry.
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The girl's eyes began to turn moist. That was not good. A crying child was not good. "What's wrong, Helena?" he leaned towards her.
"Nothing," she sobbed.
"Oh," he was in trouble, he knew it. A crying child was not good. He looked toward the kitchen. An idea. He stood up and went to the kitchen. "Do you like cookies?"
Helena nodded.
He took the jar of cookies off the fridge and walked back to the living room with it; he opened it and extended it to her.
The little brunette looked at him without knowing what to do.
"Come on, take whatever you want," he said.
"All the cookies I want?"
"Yes, take them."
Helena took a fistful of cookies before he could change his mind.
Jim put the jar on the table. Kids were easy to bribe with food. "So… you go to school, eh?"
"Yea." She said with her mouth full of cookies. She looked at some pictures of the man and some police guys. "Are you a cop?"
"I'm the Police Commissioner," he said lighting his cigarrete.
"What's that?"
James Gordon tried to explain it in an easy way. "I'm the boss of all the police men."
"What does that means?" Helena cocked her head.
"I have the ability to order compliance, using enforcement and decision notices, and prosecution." The face that Helena made told him she hadn't understood a word. "In other words, I'm the boss of all the New Gotham police."
"That's a lot of police. How can you give orders to all them?"
"Well, I have people that help me to do it. I'm not alone."
"Do you have a gun?"
"Yes. But that's not for kids."
"Why not?"
"Because guns are dangerous for kids." The phone next to him rang. He picked up the speaker. "Gordon…. Yes… What?... Oh damn… Where is he now?..." he looked at Helena, that was a problem; what would he do with her? "Yes, I'm here… yes… I understand…" He tried to think fast, being the nanny of a kid wasn't a funny situation, "I can't now…Yes, yes, all right…. I'll go now." He stood and hung up the phone, he didn't have any other choice. He closed the jar of cookies, "Well, we need to go out."
"Where?"
"I'll take you to see the police station." He took Helena's coat. He didn't have another options.
"Really?" the brunette opened her eyes wide.
"Yes, come with me."
The girl stood up and followed him, taking her coat.
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"You are cheating!" Barbara heard Helena's voice when she opened her father's apartment door.
"I'm not cheating. You are cheating." Gordon's voice answered.
"I don´t cheat," Helena said.
Curious, the redhead frowned and walked to where the voices came from: her father's library. Her dad and Helena were sitting at a table playing dominoes. The kid had had a police hat on her head and Jaçques, as always, was next to her.
"You can't take the surplus of tiles left in the stack," James told her.
"My hand is bad. I can't play with this."
"It is not an excuse to cheat."
"I wanna play, I've skipped the last two hands."
"It's a game, Helena. Any player who does not hold a tile in his hand with the correct number of pips, and therefore cannot make the next play, must either pass or bye from the stack, according to the rules of the game."
The redhead smiled. Helena always did that. Made people crazy.
"I wanna play…" the girl complained.
"You will."
Barbara knocked on the door. "Hi…"
"Hi, Honey," the old man said.
"Barbara!" Helena smiled and jumped at the redhead.
"Hey, easy…." The young woman leaned down to hug her.
"I visited the police station!" Helena wrapped her arms around her neck excitedly.
"My dad put you in jail? What did you do?" Barbara joked.
"I wasn't in jail, I was at the police station, we were at his office, he has a lot medals there."
"You took her there?" Green eyes watched grey in amusement. He had taken her to his office? Now, that was weird. "I thought…."
"I got a phone call from the office and… and I couldn't leave her alone here…"
The redhead raised her brow. "Yes?"
"Yes. What did you expect that I do?"
Barbara smiled to herself. He had a "tough" image and he would always try to keep it. "Yes, I understand. Thanks, Dad. We need to go now. Helena get your coat, it's late."
"I can't, I'm playing." Helena said.
"You can play later."
"I don't want to go now."
Barbara shook her head, "I thought you said you didn't want to stay."
"I'm playing." She pointed at the domino pieces.
The young woman smiled, "Later, it's late, Helena, Dad needs to work tomorrow and you have school."
"I'm playing."
"Hel…"
The girl sighed, moving her head and stood up, looking for her coat.
Barbara was relieved, her father didn't like Helena so much and Helena hadnn't wanted to stay; things seemed to have changed a bit, she looked at the old man. "Thanks, Daddy."
"A pleasure, Barbara."
She kissed him on his cheek, "I know this was not easy for you and that you did this for me."
"Anything for you, baby." He smiled back, "You know it."
"I hope she was a good girl."
"Oh, she was, I needed go to authorize some papers." He scratched his head "I took her to the office and the guys gave her a ride in a patrol car and showed her the building. She had a lot of fun at the police station and the guys had fun with her."
"I'm ready." Helena gave Jacques to Barbara. She turned and walked toward the kitchen.
"Give that hat to my dad," the redhead said, pointing at the police hat that was bigger than her head.
"It's mine."
"The guys gave it to her, Barbara, don't worry," James said.
"All right."
Helena came back with a big bag of candy.
"Wait a minute," Barbara raised her hand, "What is that?"
"It's mine." The brunette hugged the bag against her.
"Who gave you that?"
"The guys."
"The guys don't have to deal wih you when you eat too much candy." The redhead rolled her eyes.
"Barbara!" the girl protested.
"All right. I'll take it from her at home. You can have it, but just a few per day."
"That's unfair," Helena protested.
"That's for my own sanity." She kissed her father. "See you, Daddy. Say bye, Helena."
"Bye, Mr. Gordon." The girl waved her hand. "Thanks for everything."
"Pleasure, Helena." He took her hand and shook it.
James closed the door behind them. He took a deep smoke from his cigarrete and walked toward his window. He observed his daughter walking on the sidewalk toward her car. From her movements, it appeared that they were arguing again.
He smiled.
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