Title: The Right Knight
Plot Summary: After Infinite Crisis, everything jumps One Year Later. Catwoman has given birth to a daughter, Helena, and Batman returns to Gotham. (This is how it should have been..maybe a little sappy, but still!)
Disclaimer: the cat, the bat, and everyone else are property of DC Comics and are used without permission.
Catwoman: "We have a lot to talk about."
Batman: "Yes, we do. But not tonight."
-Catwoman 53
ooo
I had just brought Helena home. He stopped by. I knew he would want to look at her. "She's beautiful," he said. I looked at her. She was beautiful. So tiny. So soft and delicate.
He couldn't stay long and it was just the two of us again.
"I made you," I whispered, "Well, I had help, but I did the hard part."
I made her, she marveled. This tiny, little person—I made her. It's amazing, really. I never thought I would... and yet, here you are.
Helena began to stir. Her little eyes opened slightly.
"Good morning," Selina spoke softly, "Hungry?"
A small cry was the only reply.
"I guess so. C'mon." Selina picked Helena up and went about feeding her. She sat down with the baby in her arms, "No one said breastfeeding would hurt this...ow...much, but it's good for you, right? Don't worry, momma will get better at it."
Once Helena was satisfied and burped, she fell asleep. Selina placed her in the small crib and then walked towards the window. The rain continued outside. It landed hard against the window pane and fell.
Selina stood there for a long time, thinking. She sighed. How did I end up here? How could I have let this happen? Tears formed in her eyes, "What have I done?"
ooo
ONE YEAR AGO. The Pacific Ocean.
Bruce Wayne decided to take some time off. He would retrace the steps he first took to become the Batman. But this time he would not go alone. Dick Grayson and Tim Drake would be there with him. Together, they trained, studied, and meditated; always trying to improve and hone their skills. Occasionally, they got the opportunity to do some sight-seeing. It was part of their cover.
Many weeks passed in this manner. Until one day, as Bruce stood on the lower deck looking out at the ocean, he allowed his mind to wander. He allowed himself to think of the past. When he turned to face the opposite direction, he could see they were approaching land again.
So much had happened in the last months. We fought to save the universe, like other times before, but this time, there were severe consequences. Zatanna. The JLA. What they did to me, to others. Bruce shook his head. That was hardly the worst thing that happened. There was Tim. Tim had lost so much. His best friend, Connor. And shortly before, his father. I know what it's like. Unable to save him...
"Bruce. Did you hear me?"
"Yes?"
"So what do you think? Dick said you would say no, but I thought, you know, since you trained there and all..."
"What are you getting at, Tim?" asked Bruce.
"Um...maybe we can get off the yacht when we stop by Tokyo...? Maybe...um...we can get Samurai vs Ninja 2…" Tim looked towards the nearing land, "It's out today! But only in Japan. It won't be out in Gotham until—"
"Sure."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Thanks, Bruce," Tim spun around and yelled, "He said yes. I told you, bro. We're gonna play Samurai vs. Ninja 2 before anyone else we know."
Tim disappeared behind the stairs. Bruce let out the little smile he was holding in. Then he stopped. Gotham entered his thoughts again. He had not allowed himself to think of Gotham. He decided to take time off. Gotham was in good hands. Oracle. Batgirl. Huntress. Harvey Dent.
They'll watch over Gotham while I'm away. There was a time, when I would have never imagined that possible. Harvey Dent. He was Two-Face... But before that, he was D.A. Harvey Dent... Perhaps possible after all. Most of the Villains had always been my enemies. But Harvey...Harvey had once been my friend. Then, Bruce sighed, then, he became my enemy. Now, he was back. My friend once more. Whenever, I went up against Two-Face, I always felt…conflicted somehow. I knew he had to be stopped. What he was doing was wrong, but there was always a moment, just a fraction of a second during our battle when I looked into his non-scarred eye and I thought I could see my old friend Harvey... but then, Two-Face would quickly remind me I was wrong by trying to blow my head off with a double-barreled sawed-off rifle.
The only other time I felt that sort of conflict was with Catwoman...Selina…
She was never like the others. Never a psycho. Never intent on killing. Catwoman didn't kill. Selina didn't kill, but she was a thief. And stealing was a crime. She wasn't the worst criminal, but she was a criminal. She was. Past tense. Now, she was the protector of the East End. She had done so much good. Yet, she said it wasn't her choice. Zatanna. The JLA. Again. Bruce shook his head. Violating another person's mind. How could they do that? They mind-wiped Selina. Why wouldn't they, they mind-wiped me! She broke into Wayne Manor...she asked me who she was. I'd known her a long time, she'd said, as an enemy, as an ally, as...a lover. I told her she was the same woman she had always been. No one could change that. But, that wasn't what she needed. What she needed, I couldn't give her. I should have told her the truth...Deep down, she's always been a good person, even if a bit misguided at times… concerned with thrills and games. Still, she helped me on numerous occasions, using her talents for good. She helped me capture Joker. She stole the discs I needed to bring Gotham back to her feet. She'd worked with Robin and Azrael. She knew Jean Paul was not the real Batman...she knew me...even before I revealed my identity to her, she knew me. She always helped me when I needed it, even if I didn't ask. And when she needed me...I let her down. I couldn't be honest with her...and I just left her. I wanted time off, and I left Gotham...and I left her. Now when she was the protector of the East End...when she helped me and the JLA against Despero...I didn't even stop by to make sure she was alright. I didn't even call...
At that moment, he made up his mind.
Dick walked towards him, "Alfred wants to know how long we'll be in Tokyo? He says that—"
Bruce cut him off, "I need to go back to Gotham."
Dick smiled," Ha! I knew it! Tim owes me—"
"What?" asked Bruce.
"Tim said you would be able to hold off for the whole year. I said no way. He lost! You know, you were starting to get me worried. It's been almost, what, three months and you hadn't even mentioned Gotham." Dick continued smiling.
"I'm not going as Batman. I'm going as Bruce Wayne. I need to see...someone."
"Does this someone know you're going?"
"No. She doesn't."
"She doesn't, ey?"
"Dick."
"Bruce, look, it's none of my business, really. I'm just giving you a hard time. If you need to go see her, whoever she is, then you should go. Take your time, but—"
"I'll be back tomorrow," Bruce said as he walked off the yacht. Soon he was in a cab on the way to Narita International Airport.
