A/N: Today (November 20th, 2021) is the first anniversary of when I officially joined Fanfiction. I have read so many good stories and writing my own fanfiction helped me exercise my writing skills and to indulge in the characters I love. You folks who leave reviews are part of the main reason why I still write. I still see the Gotham fanfiction story rate going down. The fandom is dying. There are not many new writers, and the veteran authors are wearing down. Please help. Help support the best Gotham stories—see the list on my bio—by reading and leaving well-thought-out reviews. They will appreciate it. And try to write your own fanfiction. We could always use some new blood.

Thank you for reading my rambling. Enjoy!


Selina's Soul

"You shaved," Selina remarked after breaking the kiss.

Bruce pursed his lips. "Yeah well, I guess it started to bother me," he said, rubbing his hairless jaw. "Sorry that you don't have your burly man anymore."

She touched his smooth face. He remarkably looked younger without the beard. She couldn't lie that she did like the way it made Bruce look older. She also like how it would tickle her skin whenever he kissed down her body. However, as beardless, he looked like the old Bruce again. The Bruce she remembered.

"I can get used to it," she says, rubbing his cheek affectionately. Bruce smiled.

"Master Bruce," Alfred called. He quickly approached despite carrying three bags of luggage and hugged Bruce. Selina smiled at them as they caught up on stuff.

"Cat? Well, I'm either drunk or not drunk enough," Bullock bellowed as he and Gordon approached them.

She rolled her eyes at the pest cops. After exchanging quick "pleasantries," filling in on news, and Bullock giving her a pregnant teenager shot, she asked Bruce if they could go somewhere else. Then she, Bruce, and Alfred went to a backroom in the precinct.

"How did you two get here? The bridges aren't finished yet," Bruce asked while closing the door. The minimum amount of time for building a bridge was sixty days. And across a river was more of a challenge. The construction started six months after the cut-off from the mainland, but the workers—even on the other side of Gotham River—were attacked. The GCPD managed to control most of it. Now since the National Guard was taking part, the infostructure was nearly done. All that was left was the actual road part of the bridges.

"I contacted a chum of mine with a boat," Alfred answered. "He also happens to know a trick or two to get us through undetected."

Bruce nodded and stared back at Selina. Alfred excused himself as if he knew what was going to happen.

"Selina," he started cautiously. "I'm happy you're here. Hell, I'm ecstatic but… I told you it's too dangerous for you while you're pregnant."

She stood her ground glaring at him. "I can't go back to Metropolis now. I'm almost in my third trimester and I can't travel during that period. Whether it's dangerous or not, I'm staying. The city's almost back to normal, plus I can—"

"No, you can't take care of yourself. Not how you used to. We covered this—"

"I'll have Alfred with me and maybe some cops—God, I can't believe I said that." She breathed deeply to calm her raging hormones. "I'm aware I can't defend myself as I used to. I can't run, I can't climb, I can't jump."

She paused at her statement. She has been doing those activities her whole life. The freedom to go wherever she want and whenever she wanted was all she had growing up. Ever since she got pregnant, she had to stop doing her parkour for the baby. It was easier to cope with back in Metropolis, but now she was back in Gotham. Her home turf. The place where she trained her body to move on any surface as fast and as agile as possible. Gotham was Selina's playground—her environment—and now she couldn't do what she was made for. All thanks to Bruce Wayne's child and the so-called "danger" that ran through the streets.

"So I promise I'll be careful," she finished regrettably.

Bruce rubbed his face, already missing his beard. "Wait!" he had a sudden, appalling epiphany. "What if the baby is born here? The hospitals aren't fully operational and there are very few qualified doctors."

She had not thought of that. "What about Lee?" Selina liked her. She was nice and kind of a badass. The doctor was Queen of the Narrows for a while, so she's tough. Which almost made her regret pointing a gun at her the first time they met.

"Maybe, but she has lots of patients at the GCPD."

"We'll figure it out. Do you have a place to stay?"

"I have just been sleeping here. But I'm sure we can find a safe apartment."

In time, they did find an uninhabited apartment. They unpack what they brought: clothes, some food, even Isis and her cat stuff. Bruce seemed to have missed her and so did she. Bruce said he was going to stay at the new place until Gordon needed him again. As good as that sounded to Selina, she said she had to go somewhere.


The Narrows

Have you ever gotten into a situation where you thought a place you've known has changed but at the same time hasn't? It was like that to Selina. She was strolling through the same neighborhood she stayed in the most. Everything was the same. Same crumbling graffitied buildings. Same broken windows. Same trash scattered in the streets and alleys. It was as if nothing happened. The only thing missing was the people. No bums sifting through the trash. No street kids hiding, waiting for the next mark.

All it needs for it to feel like home is a drug exchange going down, a store getting robbed, a group of hookers standing pretty on a corner, and gunshots in the distance. Beautiful, intoxicating, exhilarating chaotic home.

Oh, how she missed it.

Life in Metropolis had been life changing. She got away from crime, saw the world, got a proper education, made some new friends, and started a family. Things she never had. She would admit to a higher power that everything that happened after leaving Gotham was an experience she would not trade for all the riches of the world. Somehow, the carefree life, no dodging bullets, and amazing sex with Bruce felt like living another person's life.

Selina was not the quiet life kind of person. Her ideal day was running across the rooftops, snatching wallets undetected, and running from danger—however that took shape.

Now, she can't do any of that stuff. All she could do was waddle around. If she tried to do her natural activities, she might seriously hurt her baby or go into spontaneous labor, or both.

A necessary sacrifice, she keeps telling herself. Or was it the doctors who said that? Or Alfred? Or Bruce?

They're not wrong though, regrettably. Her studying on pregnancy proved it. That video in Lamaze class scared her into taking things easy.

Just then the baby gave a sharp kick. She winced and took a minute to regain her breath. She tried very hard not to call the kid a parasite. She shouldn't think that.

Soon, she found a building with columns with a large banner hanging reading:

"SIRENS

TURF

NO MEN"

She took a deep breath and pressed up the steps. It had been so long. The club has been under ownership between Barbara then Penguin and back to Barbara and Tabitha. With them being the only "adults" of their little trio, it was technically theirs, but Selina was on an equal level with them. But was she?


One year ago

Tabitha had just shot a disrespectful gangster in the leg. Selina had no sympathy for the scumbag, but she still was startled by the gunshot. She would never admit it—especially not to her partners—but the sound of a gun always bothered her.

"Pleasure doing business with you guys. Please don't bleed on our floor on your way out," Barbara said casually as the men who came to cause trouble limped away. "They seemed friendly."

"Yeah, until they tried to swindle us out of our place," Tabitha objected.

Babs stared at her lovingly. "You always know how to have fun, don't you, Tabby?" She said while leaning in and kissing her.

Selina's eyes darted away. She didn't completely support Barbara and Tabitha's relationship. Maybe it was a lady thing. Maybe she thought the idea of being with another girl wasn't appealing to her. The same could be said for a straight man, she speculated. Nonetheless, Babs and Tabs were grownups. Their relationship wasn't her problem, and they were her friends.

The club started to fill up after that scene. Selina was chilling at the bar watching over the panorama. Drunk, sweaty bodies dancing to the electric music and whirling lights. That stupid commercial they did seemed to work. This was the third night in a row where they had a packed house. Selina nursed on her drink just enjoying a time to unwind. She just hoped she didn't have to deal with another brat pack. Especially one financed by Bruce. That was not Bruce.

Eyes were on her, she sensed it. Glancing to her left, a guy was leering at her. He wasn't unattractive. "What's new, Pussycat?" he said hitting on her. His words indicated that he liked to go fast and like girls who were equally as fast. Selina was eighteen now, a legal adult. Even if the guy was a few years older than her, but again, still legal. She tried to enjoy herself with some flirting. It wouldn't hurt, would it? Come to think of it, she even considered going further, until her uncertainties kicked in.

So, she chased him away with some choice words that clearly scared him. Good.

"Poo, that guy was pretty," Barbara said approaching her. Selina shrugged it off and took a sip. "That drink you got is perfect for you. It's virgin."

She had no right to judge her on that. She may have taught her about sex and all that stuff, but it's her choice. She had always tried to stay away from men who want to take advantage of her. Also, it may sound cliché, girly, and stupid, Selina didn't want her first time to be with some random himbo. She wanted it to be with someone she trusted. She automatically thought of Bruce. Although, with how he was acting like a brat, she didn't know what or who to trust anymore.

Good thing for her, that choice was made. She ended up getting shot and moved to a new city, but she did lose her virginity to the Bruce she knew. And she did not regret it.

But what about her partnership with Barbara and Tabitha?


Lights and music flashed into the hallway as Selina entered the familiar club. The Sirens haven't changed much in the last year. That centerpiece of the gold naked lady was still there. And the bar was still in the back and not in the center again. Though the crowd was leaning more towards more female orientated. Not many men. Just a bunch of women drinking and dancing.

Selina kept her hands in her black trench coat pockets. One hand she held onto her switchblade. She even had her whip as well because the city was still a war zone. This place, however, there wasn't a lot she had to worry about. She owned the place. Some drunk douchebags have tried to make passes at her, but they ended up regretting it. She was a powerhouse and a badass. But she wasn't a waddling mess back then. She hoped she still kept some of her street cred.

She swiveled her head around, looking for either of her friends or any familiar face. Was this how it's been in the Sirens territory? Partying all the time? Idiots, she thought.

"Selina?!"

She snapped her head toward the bar where she heard the happy bellow. Then she saw her face. Barbara Kean. Her blonde hair was shorter now. The lights in the club somehow gave her skin a glow and she had the brightest smile on her face. Selina was relieved to see her. She hasn't seen her in like a year, but Barbara's one of her oldest friends.

Barbara was then racing toward her with outstretched arms for a hug. "Oh my God, I can't believe—"

Her joyful outburst was cut short when the two of them literally bounced off each other. Looking down, Selina saw through Barbara's white blazer at a particularly swollen belly that could only mean one thing.

"You're pregnant too?!" They both said simultaneously pointing at the other's bump.

Selina's eyebrows shot up. It was impossible to tell if shock or happiness was plastered all over Barbara's face. Perhaps both.

"Oh my God," the older woman said after a while. "Where the hell have you been all this time? And with whom?" Her signature mischievous smirk made Selina roll her eyes.

"I've been staying in Metropolis with Bruce," she answered crossing her arms.

"Bruce Wayne?!" Her eyes bugged out. "Is that how you got knocked up? You got into the pants of a billionaire? I knew you two had a thing or something, but I never thought that…. Oh wow!"

Selina's face burned. She asked if they could go somewhere private to talk and they moved to the office.

There, Barbara gave her a proper hug that she accepted.

"So, tell me everything," the crazy blonde said as if they were gossip buddies.

Selina relayed the whole story of how she left Gotham with Bruce, that she went to school, found out she was pregnant, and Gordon call Bruce back.

"Wow," Barbara said as she finished. "Domesticated, are we?" She laughed and Selina rolled her eyes.

"What about you?" The younger pregnant woman asked. "What stupid boy did you rape?"

She almost looked insulted and tired. "It's Jim's," she said.

Jim? As in Jim Gordon? The cop that was the bane of Selina Kyle's existence?! "Jim? You mean Gordon?" she asked.

"Yep."

That was something she was not expecting.

"It was just one night that… well I guess you could imagine."

"Ugh!" Unfortunately, she could with a cringe. For as long as she had known her, she never thought of seeing Barbara in an antenatal state. Or as a mother. Well, the same could've been said about herself. "Did you know?" she asked changing the subject.

"Know what?"

"Know that Jeremiah Valeska shot me?"

"What?!" Distress overtook her face. "When did that happen? Was it serious? Will you and the baby be okay—"

"I'm fine. The bullet didn't hit anything important. But you didn't visit me in the hospital."

She looked visibly hurt. "I… I'm sorry. I didn't know." Her hand moved to her mouth. "I… I just trying to keep…. I have no excuse." She took Selina's hands into her own. "All I can say is that I am so, so, so sorry. If you can't forgive me for that, I understand a hundred-thousand percent." Her eyes became misty. Either they were genuine or hormonal. Selina instantly thought of the hormones because she knew how that felt. However, she almost sounded, in a way, motherly.

Selina turned away to look out the one-way window into the club. Something was missing.

"What does Tabitha say about all this?" she asked. A sniffle was heard behind her. Turning back, Barbara's face fell into a severe look. Something was seriously wrong. "Barbara… what's wrong?" Selina asked suddenly scared.

Barbara's lip trembled. "Tab… Tabitha's dead."

WHAT?!

Selina tensed up and subconsciously clenched her belly.

Her friend continued, "Penguin killed her. The bastard stabbed her in the chest." She was starting to cry angrily.

It couldn't be true. Tabitha? Tabitha Badass Galavan. How could she be dead? She was the toughest, deadliest woman she had ever known. Her mentor. The big sister she never had.

And killed by Penguin?!

She has always known that Cobblepot was cruel, unstable, and heartless. True that she had worked for that little freak once or twice. She has stolen things for him, even saved his limping ass before. It was a mistake.

Back then, she had made bad decisions all because she needed money. But that wasn't the only thing. Ever since she joined Fish Mooney, she had a taste for power. That lust even forced her to turn her back on Bruce a few times. So, everything she has done, every poor choice, it was always her damn greed.

She began to tear up too and went to hug her friend.

The two women allowed the isolated vulnerability to take them as they held each other over the loss of one of their own. Of all the crises and backstabbing, the only real family Selina had besides Bruce was Barbara and Tabby.

They sat down on the couch in the office and talked. To catch up further on anything they missed. They talked about their babies, of course. Selina said hers was going to be a boy and Barbara didn't know what hers was. Without any ultrasound equipment, she had no choice but to wait until the birthing. Selina found it odd that her OB/GYN was Dr. Lee Thompkins. Those two did not have a simple history.

Both Barbara and Selina touched each other's baby bumps. Barbara smiled sweetly. "You and I have a new generation of Sirens coming. We need to find—Oh!"

"Oh!"

Both their babies suddenly kicked at the same time. The miraculous coincidence made them laugh and beamed.

"They recognized each other," Barbara said.

"They high-fived," Selina joked, and they both laughed.

"Ms. Kean!"

The women separated as the annoying sound of a very annoying old nonfriend limped in.

"I have something to remind you that—" Penguin's irritable speech was cut short as he noticed Selina. "Selina? What a pleasant surprise. It's been a while."

Selina only hummed a response.

Oswald began to approach her and spoke again. "While you're here, dear Ms. Kyle, I may have use of someone of your amazing skill set. And I am wondering if you would like a job in my empire?" He clenched his cane and smiled that unpleasant grin of his.

It could've been that she was standing sideways from him, and her half-opened coat must've hidden her bulging belly well because he hadn't noticed the elephant in the room.

"No thanks, Penguin," she bluntly said. "In case you haven't noticed," she spread her jacket wide, "I'm not as light on my feet as I used to be."

The look on his face was worth it.

"Both of you are pregnant?!" He yelled. "God, what have been like of Tabitha was pregnant too—"

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY HER NAME!" Barbara aimed a gun at him and Selina herself was grabbing her whip. The little punk deserved it. He's worse than most of the city's scum. It would've been satisfying to do him in. But something stopped them.

A vine wrapped around his neck. He dropped his walking stick to grasp the choking plant and fell to his knees. Barbara seemed to calm down. Even appeared pleased.

"Thank you, Pam," she said.

Pam? Selina thought. Who the hell is—

"No problem Babs." Another woman came from around the corner. Her green sequence dress and red hair set off alarms in Selina's head.

The new player bent over to Oswald's level. "I suggest you be a tad more patient and walk away, Pengy." She released her hold on him and he left without saying a word.

The redhead turned back to the other women.

It was her. Her face changed again. Last time it was more stern-like. Now it softened to what it was before that. But it was still her.

"Ivy?" Selina asked timidly.

The lady's face changed to a reticent expression. "Hi Cat," she said.

If Selina wasn't pregnant, she would consider it good that they were at a bar. After everything that happened up until that moment, a drink was needed.

Ivy Pepper was in front of her. Her face changed back to the one she had before.

Then it struck her!

The last time they saw each other, they were fighting because Ivy wanted to kill everyone with her mutated plants. They even were at a standoff, Ivy with her poisoned claws and Selina with a knife. They could have killed each other then and there if they didn't agree to back down. After that, they parted ways, but this time not as old friends.

Ivy was fiddling with her fingers. If Selina didn't know better, she'd thought she looked shy. Why would she be timid after everything she had done?

Selina unraveled her whip and reeled back until Barbara stopped her.

"Selina don't!" she shouted grabbing her wrist. Selina looked incredulously at her. "We can explain."


Apparently, she's no longer Ivy Pepper, now she goes by Pamela Isley. After they last saw each other, her last transformation somehow turned backward. She regained more of her humanity as well as her remorse. She realized how vile she was trying to kill those people, as well as Selina, and she wanted to start over.

She went to Barbara to seek help and she offered her a job as a bartender. Ivy even took a new name since her real one was high on the GCPD's list. She ended up choosing Pamela Isley. It was a name a foster family wanted to name her. She didn't like it at first, but it was somehow the first name she came up with at the time.

The idea of Ivy going straight after becoming an attempted mass murderer was ridiculous, Selina thought.

Ivy looked at her with sorrowful eyes. For a second, she thought she saw the old Ivy. The Ivy she knew first.

"Cat… Selina. I know—I know it's hard to believe, but… but I have changed—not just physically, I mean—"

"You're trying to say you're not some homicidal plant lady anymore," Selina finished for her.

The redhead pursed her lips. "Yes…. So, uh…" she rubbed the back of her neck, "I hope you could forgive me."

Selina's eyebrows shot up. "Forgive you?!" she burst. "You killed Roland Charles. Tried to kill a load of people. Tried to kill me. And nearly killed Bruce. After all that, do you think I could just forgive you? You always were a stupid kid."

She made to storm out of the office when she felt a sharp kick into her lung. Staggering she rested on her knees to catch her breath.

Barbara approached from behind to help support her. "Please hear her out, Selina," she persisted.

Ivy raised her hands in surrender. "You're right," she said with big eyes. "I was stupid to ask that of you. I have been evil, and I realize that. Now that I don't want to 'end mankind for the plants' sake,' I want to start over. And I was naïve to ask for your forgiveness because I still had…." She trailed off.

"What?" Selina demanded after getting her wind back. "What did you still have?"

"Feeling for you, Kitty cat," Barbara answered, and Ivy looked horrorstruck.

The hot anger was instantly replaced with awkwardness. It hit her like a brick. Finding it taxing to find the right words to say. "You… had feelings for…?" she idly gestured from Ivy to herself.

Ivy's new pink face gave her the answer that she was looking for and it did not help her disorientation.

"Oh…" she drawled.

Her former friend was still blushing. "Obviously there was no hope for that to ever happen. Especially now." Selina cradled her belly again. "You know what…? I'm won't ask for your forgiveness. 'Cause I don't deserve it." Tears started to well in her eyes. "I won't bother you anymore. Goodbye, Selina."

Of all the trash she's been through, all the people she had grown close to leave, Selina never thought Ivy would be one of the worsts. The time she thought she may have died nearly shattered her. She was her oldest friend from the streets. Like a little sister she never had.

And seeing her now, all those emotions that passed over her face as she left made Selina think that maybe Ivy was telling the truth.

"Ivy. Ivy, wait!" But it was too late.


Sorrowfully, Selina returned to their temporary apartment. She sat there on the couch in utter silence. Alfred was there with her, but she didn't pay him much attention. When Bruce returned later that evening, he was clearly weary from what must have been a long day for him. However, he did not ramble on what happened as most people would. Instead, when he saw her, he asked her what was bothering her. She gave him the basics about the Sirens and Ivy. He wasn't thrilled to hear about Ivy after the last time he saw her. And he believed the supposed "change" she went through just as much as she did.

Before he could persevere further for more information as he does, she kissed him sweetly. Cherishing him. Earlier that day, she had told him she loved him. She meant it. However, she didn't fathom until now that she was merely just saying it. After speaking with Barbara about Tabitha dying, she saw how miserable she looked talking about her. If something happened to Bruce, she'd probably act the same way.

That was how she grasped it. That was how she distinguished that she did love him.


A/N: I'd like to imagine Ivy as Maggie Geha in this. In my opinion, I thought she was the most beautiful. All three actresses who played her on the show were beautiful and gave their own version of the character, but I liked Maggie the most as Ivy 2.0. If any of you want to imagine her as something else, be my guest.

Oh hey! Both Selina and Barbara's babies kicked at the same time—or as Selina said "high-fived." Who could these kids be to each other? Please leave your thoughts and concerns in the reviews. Your feedback is most valued.