A/N: First off, I must say if you have not yet seen The Dark Knight yet, GO! Seriously, I went in with extremely high expectations and was amazed that how much lived up to the hype.

Chapter 14 Step Into the Circle

Batwoman paused her approach. "What did you say?"

Helena continued looking out at the Gotham landscape. She noticed an early model of hover car making its way above the streets. Inwardly she rolled her eyes. Hover cars. What a royal waste of time. People have seen too many science fiction movies. She returned her attention to the dark figure behind her. "You heard me."

Cassie dropped the act and narrowed her eyes. "How?"

Helena threw her legs back over from the ledge, posing on it much like her mother once did. "It didn't make any sense. How you all knew each other. Barbara dated Dick. You were Bruce's maid slash nurse slash bodyguard slash whatever, and then my mother…"

"Mother?"

Helena snorted. "Yeah, I'm Catwoman's daughter."

Cassie's eyes narrowed again. While Bruce's obsession now made sense, it opened up a whole new set of questions. The first being that as there was no way he didn't know who she was, why did he not share that Helena Troy was in fact Helena Kyle?

"Like I was saying, it didn't add up. How would you all know each other? I mean, I guess Barbara could've met Dick and Bruce at a ball or something, but that to dating didn't make any sense. Then I find out Dick was an acrobat…"

Cassie interrupted again. "When?"

"I googled him after I met him on Thanksgiving. Well, technically I googled Bruce Wayne and just followed the links to him." Cassie gave a look that might be classified as a glare and Helena shrugged in answer. "I was bored in class."

Cassie gave a solemn nod.

"It was all connected. Barbara a gymnast, you a martial arts expert, Dick an aerialist, and then Bruce Wayne. I knew there was something. I just couldn't see it. Then I met my mother, Catwoman. Barbara knew her. I thought about all the other people who ran around in masks and it clicked. Hell, it's obvious when you really think about it. All that gadgetry? Batman's got to be loaded. Of course, based in Gotham. And Bruce Wayne tops any list of rich Gothamites. His image is the only thing that makes it impossible, and those are so easy to fake. Besides, the man I met was no simpering idiot."

Cassie crossed her arms, unsure if she should be furious or impressed. "Quite the little detective."

Helena met Cassie's eyes with a cold look. "Guess I get it from my father."

A moment of tense silence passed into a time longer than a moment before Cassie decided on a course of action. "We will continue your training in the Batcave tomorrow, it's better suited."

Helena barely had time to process what she said before Batwoman disappeared into the night again. She rubbed her head and then looked out into streets of Gotham once more. This wasn't the worst, best or even longest day of her life, but it topped some list of days of her life.

Selina was having another glass of red wine while pacing. She looked at the phone sitting on the table again like it was snake poised to strike. She had to make the call.

Instead she had another sip and paced more.

She'd pretty much come to terms with the whole 'lost daughter found thing'. Barbara had been over earlier and talking through it with her caused the initial shock and disbelief to wear off. The reality of the situation of the situation had set in, her daughter was found, and in serious trouble.

Her daughter was in trouble again and she had to call the one person who could help her. The person who had gotten her out of trouble the last time this happened. Bitterly she thought it was only fair as she got in trouble because of…

She stomped down on that thought before it could fully form.

Selina looked at the phone again. She was being ridiculous. It was only a phone call; she was a fully-grown woman. A fully-grown woman who faced off with the worst this world had to offer and lived to tell the tale. She picked up her phone and never had an ounce weighed so much.

The doorbell saved her. She put the phone back down and rushed to greet whoever was at her doorstep.

She shouldn't have been surprised by who it was, but she could feel the shock. She regained quickly and lamely said, "I was just about to call you."

He studied her with cold, calculating eyes. "I'm sure. It's a good thing I'm not a woman or I think I'd still be waiting by the phone.

Two days ago she would have slammed the door in his face for that, but that was two days ago. Now she opened the door wider and walked away allowing him to let himself in. "Do you need a drink, Bruce?"

Cassie watched Helena fall from the machine again. In her repeated frustration Helena slammed her fists against the mat. Cassie's face didn't change. "Start over."

Helena started again, but Cassie wasn't paying as close attention as she should have been. She was annoyed. Bruce hadn't been home when she got back and was still missing. She wondered if he was deliberately avoiding the conversation she was itching to have with him. She wouldn't put it past him.

Cassie noticed Helena was coming up to the part she was struggling with but this time she executed a perfect flip to dodge it and landed with a gymnast's grace. Cassie nodded, pleased. "Good. That's enough for today."

Helena was walking to the beginning again with a steely determination though. "No. I must do it again. Make sure it wasn't a fluke."

Barbara was right; the girl was born to be the next Batgirl. What that girl possessed surpassed determination. The girl didn't allow herself anything but perfection. Bruce would certainly like her.

Thoughts of Bruce caused Cassie to get annoyed all over again. Helena successfully completed the training machine twice before she was satisfied. Cassie nodded again this time dismissing her for good. "You need to shower and I need to patrol."

Cassie began to walk towards the vault, preparing for her night. Helena followed. "Okay. I'll see you later."

Cassie turned and Helena nearly ran into her. "When is the last time you slept, Helena?"

Helena gripped her bag a little tighter. Now it made sense as to why Cassie would tell her to bring an extra pair of clothes that she would wear to class. She did answer and Cassie took that as answer enough "You will shower and then pick out one of the thirty-two rooms in this house to sleep in." Then Cassie gave a rare smile. "I'll even make you breakfast tomorrow."

Helena was too exhausted to give any kind of argument anyway, so she did exactly as she was told, climbing the endless amount of stairs to exit the cave.

Helena stretched as she woke. She had the euphoria that can only come after a night of much needed sleep. She got up and dressed quickly. The outfit she chose was a bit more conservative than her usual attire, but it gave her an excuse to wear her favorite necklace of black pearls.

Instead of heading straight for the kitchen, Helena took the opportunity to explore. Hell, she was Catwoman's daughter; she was supposed to be curious.

She found some interesting rooms full of armor, weapons, and other artifacts. The bedrooms she dismissed last night looked vastly different during the daytime.

It wasn't until she opened the door to the bedroom in which an old man was residing she felt the least bit of guilt. Especially when she heard a weak, "Master Bruce?" coming from the bed.

Helena stood in the doorway unsure if she should close and run or greet the old man. The latter instinct won out as she decided it would be terrible of her not to greet the man. She opened the door wider and entered slowly.

Alfred studied the girl. At first he just thought that Cassie had come to visit, breaking from her usual routine of afternoon visits. When he looked closer at the girl though it was clear who she was, the young lady Alfred had wanted to meet for quite some time now. "Miss Troy, I presume?"

Helena a curious look and a small smile when she figured out who he was, "Alfred, we meet at last." She was beside the bed now and sat in the chair next to it, never taking her eyes of him.

Alfred's eyes never left her either. "The resemblance is uncanny."

Helena drew back. "How do you know about my mother? I only found out yesterday! Or two days ago."

Alfred smiled, Helena took after her mother as well but that hadn't been who he was referring to. "Very little escapes me, Miss Troy. Even in these conditions."

Helena grew comfortable again and her smile returned. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Despite being their first meeting both Alfred and Helena felt as if though they'd known each other for a lifetime, and they both felt lighter than they had in months in the relaxation it brought. Alfred asked the obvious and polite question. "Tell me about your life, Miss Troy."

Helena laughed softly. "I have a feeling you already know more than even I do about that."

Alfred gave her a smile of his own. "But never from your perspective."

He reminded Helena of her grandfather. The one she gave up the Olympics for. She forfeited her chance to compete, despite the overwhelming likelihood of winning, when she heard he had taken ill. She spent hours instead beside his hospital bed, watching him die. She alone was at his bedside when he died. She never regretted her decision. She only told Alfred he reminded her of her grandfather and recalled stories of him teaching her how to cheat at cards.

Neither of them noticed Bruce watching at the door until he decided to make his presence known. Helena stood and faced Bruce quickly like she'd been caught doing something bad. Alfred kept his face blank, unsure of a reaction.

Bruce opened his mouth to speak until he took in Helena's appearance. His eyes widened then focused like a laser on the necklace hanging from Helena's throat. "The pearls."

Helena brought a hand up to the offending item. She couldn't quite stand the intensity of Bruce's stare. Alfred understood all to well what was going on but was helpless to stop it.

Bruce looked away. "My mother was wearing pearls the night she was killed. I can still remember how it broke off her neck, the beads mixing with the blood of the corpse and grim of the alley."

Helena didn't know quite what to say, but she made him look at her anyway. "June Troy's blood was thick and sticky and soaked into the two thousand dollar white Persian carpet she saved money for years to buy."

A moment of complete understanding passed between the two. It was completed when Bruce spoke, "Welcome to the family, Helena."