We almost finish, thank you you all for all your patiente and comments, really it had been a very long fic and i hope you had enjoyed it as much as me. Aussie and Night thank you again to my two editors... Love you!

"Can you turn on the necklace?" Alfred asked the redhead who was working as fast as she could to find a way to locate her partner..

"Almost, I just need to unlock this code and…" Barbara watched her screen. "The necklace is on…"

"Where is she?" Alfred asked.

"She is moving towards the center of the city."

The phone at her side rang.

"That must be her." She hurried to pick it up.

"Helena?"

=I'm sorry to disappoint you Barbara Gordon.=

The voice made a chill ran down the redhead's back.

=I can't tell you how disappointed I'm in your girl.=

Alfred and Barbara looked at each other in silence.

=What's the matter? Bat got your tongue?= Quinzel asked.

"Very witty, Quinzel." Barbara said.

Harley - Harley Quinn. And quite soon this city, or what's left of it, will be mine.

"Don't count on it."

=I love your always controlled behavior. Would it flip a switch somewhere deep in your psyche to know that we kissed, Helena and I?=

Barbara didn't say anything. She bit her lips angrily.

=No? She is a damn good kisser and I bet she really made you scream in bed. How did it feel having her inside you? Tell me, she was wild? Was she was like an untamed… cat?=

"Where is Helena, Quinn?"

=Oh, your lover? Well, she will be past tense soon…=

"What did you do to her?"

=I am ready to make my dream come true, it's a shame your dear Helena Kyle - your friend and lover - couldn't see it. I asked her so nicely to join me and she refused.=

"She never would. You will never win Quinn."

=Yes? How about if I told you I stabbed her and she is now enjoying a slow death?=

Barbara listened without making a sound. The emotion breaking over her face spoke volumes to Alfred.

=It was hard to say goodbye to her. Now she is alone, in darkness, dying, with no hope and no Barbara or Batgirl to help her. You don't have any idea how nice it felt when I buried the same knife that killed her mother into her skin. You should have heard her cry Barbara, it was music.=

"What do you want Quinn?"

=I already have what I want, her life in my hands… I kept a small souvenir to remember her. It's a shame, she really was a good girl. You don't have any idea Barbara Gordon, how much I'm enjoying your suffering, knowing you can't do anything for her, because you don't know where she is or how much time she has left. I just can assure you, she will be with her mother in a couple of hours. Nature will do it's work. Hmm? Sweet dreams Barbara.=

The redhead heard the click of a button disconnecting the phone.

"She could be bluffing." Alfred said.

"Not a criminal like her." The redhead observed her screen again. "This is strange… Helena's signal is moving."

"But she said miss Helena was dying."

Barbara typed at her computer and replayed the phone call. She reduced the sound of Quinzel's voice.

"What are you doing?" Alfred asked.

Barbara tried to think as fast as she could. "She said she took a souvenir from Helena."

"The necklace."

"Yes, and she said Helena is dying alone, in darkness. When I turned on the necklace locator, the signal was moving along Road 34 towards the city." Barbara replayed the tape.

Nature will do it's work. Quinzel's voice was heard on the speakers.

"Nature?" the butler said "That road takes you to the old oil factory."

"And below that… are the cliffs…." Barbara opened a window on her screen and a map appeared. "Under the oil factory there is a secret refuge." Alfred said.

"Secret refuge?"

"It was built during the second world war." the old man said "Small boats could come inside, but at night the small dockyard inside the cave is completely flooded. I used to work at the factory when I was young and we knew the factory had a secret passage to that refuge."

"What time is the high tide?"

"Two o'clock, more or less."

"Quinn said that miss Helena will be dead in a couple of hours. It's 12:20 now miss Barbara. She could be at the dock… But, what if Quinn is lying? Miss Helena's signal is moving, she could already be in the city."

Barbara stood up and went to the elevator.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to follow my instinct. Keep an eye on Delphi, we will be in contact."


Helena never thought the water could be so cold. The tide was rising quickly, it was almost 20 inches higher. She moved her arms trying to free herself, but a sharp pain in her side made her stop.

Fuck, this was going to be hard. The light had gone out a long time ago and she was in darkness. Damn, this was like a cheap horror movie. She rested her back against the wall and looked up She examined her options, there was no way to climb up, maybe she could try to jump to the door.

She stood up and felt she could barely support her own weight. There was a small ledge above her, maybe she could jump and stand there. She took a deep breath and jumped, but she miscalculated and couldn't reach her goal, she bounced off the wall and fell heavily into the water.

She cried. That had really hurt.

She coughed and spat water.

Damn.

If she could barely stand on her feet she would never be able to try and swim out of there, the chains restraining her hands were too heavy. The drug's effect was passing but now she was paying the price of blood loss. Fucking Quinn, she had thought of everything.

Her thoughts focused on Barbara. Being with Barbara had been an important part of her life. She had learnt so many things about life and about her self. She made her feel full of life. She had the chance to kill Clayface but… one of the things she had learned was that she was stronger, much stronger than normal people and she was responsible for her power... it was what being strong was all about.

She needed to remain in calm and try to keep her strength. She needed to survive for Barbara.

She still had many things to tell her, to share, to make her feel.

She needed do it.


Batgirl parked her bike beside the biggest building. She used her batarang as a hook and threw it to the rooftop to climb the tall wall.

The oil factory had been abandoned for more than 15 years. What had Helena been doing in there? In some way Harley, as the criminal they had been looking for, had found out who Helena was and led her to a trap.

She took out a small computer which showed a map on the screen.

"I'm here Alfred."

=Go to the last building, the smallest. = he said.

"On my way."

=You must hurry, it's almost two o'clock.=

"I know." She said running across the rooftops.

=When you get there, you must go to the basement=-

"Got it."


Helena coughed, the water was freezing and had risen above her chest, she shivered trying to remain conscious. She knew Barbara could find her, she always knew how to find her. She coughed again and spat water. This was really bad.

"Fuck..." she growled through chattering teeth.

She closed her eyes. She could see Barbara smiling at her. She had really bad luck! Finally she had found someone that loved her and it seemed she couldn't enjoy it any longer. She looked around again and this time the walls didn't move. It seemed her metabolism was kicking off the drug, but now the hypothermia was taking a real toll on her as was the loss of blood.

She closed her eyes. She needed to remain alert, she couldn't sleep, but it was hard. The damned water was so cold she was freezing.

Life was not fair.

She didn't get to say goodbye to Barbara. She would be really pissed and Barbara being pissed was not good. She could hear her calling her name, every time she pronounced her name it sounded wonderful. Barbara always had been so marvelous with her, she regretted the years she lost trying to hate her.

The saying was true: We hate some people because we do not know them; and will not know them because we hate them. She tried to raise her eyelids but they felt so heavy, maybe if she slept a bit she could recover some strength and try to get out.

"Barbara…" she whispered feeling her eyes closing. "I'm trying."


The redhead arrived at the basement, the room was filled with old boilers, she used a torch to look around the place. There was an old elevator car with it's doors stuck open, and a rusty door close to it. She shone the light on the door, maybe her feelings had been wrong, the door looked like it hadn't been opened in years.

She felt her heart beating faster in hope, there was a padlock on the lock and it was new. She took a small lamp out of her belt and hung it over the wall to light the room a bit more. She then took her laser from her belt and knelt to cut the chain holding the padlock. She removed it and opened the heavy door pulling with both hands.

The noise was loud. There was no floor, just a hole, it was dark. It seemed there was a floor below. She could hear the sound of water moving below.

"Helena?" she shouted and searched the place with her torch. "Are you there?"

She couldn't see anything, just the dark water below and…

…there was a small dark head just barely visible over the water.

"Helena!" she shouted. Not thinking twice, she hooked her batarang around a pipe and hanging onto her rope, she moved down. The feeling of the cold water shocked her.

"Damn!" She growled.

She reached the brunette, she had her eyes closed and her lips were blue.

"Helena, it's me." She said touching her cheek "Helena?"

The brunette's eyes opened slowly. She looked at her and smiled weakly.

"Hey…" she whispered. "You're late…"

"I couldn't get a bus on time." Batgirl moved an arm around her back to help her to stand.

"Cabs are faster…"

"But very expensive."

Helena couldn't stand up, Barbara noticed then that her hands were chained behind her back. She lifted Helena over her shoulder and pressed a button on her belt; the rope began to retract and pulled them up easily.

"I've got her Alfred." She said into her mic.

When the redhead was on the upper floor, she lay the girl on the floor and using her laser pen, she cut the chains to free her hands.

=How is she?= Alfred asked.

"She is in shock, I need to warm her, she is very cold." Batgirl said. "She was inside a cave filled with freezing water." The redhead removed Helena's long coat.

"Do you really want sex now?" the brunette asked with a weak voice.

"I need to increase your body temperature."

"Ok, we can have sex then…"

Barbara tried to remove her blouse but Helena winced. She noticed Helena was bruised, she had been beaten very badly, she felt angry. Damn Quinn, the woman was crazy. Her hand felt slick, she looked at her fingers. Blood. It was then that she saw the wound in the girl's side. "Oh God…"

=Is something wrong?=

"Quinn stabbed her…" Barbara bit her lips, the wound looked bad. She felt an incredible rage building against the evil doctor. "I need help here Alfred."

It seemed the cold water had helped Helena by slowing her bleeding. Batgirl removed her cape and then the rest of Helena's soaked clothes. She wrapped Helena with her cape, it had a thermal system that she used to keep warm in winter. It would give her the warmth she needed.

She hugged her against her chest. "Hold on, you will be fine."

"I didn't kill him red." Blue eyes tried to focus on her.

"Don't talk now." The redhead smiled at her caressing her cheek.

"I didn't kill him."

"Who are you talking about?"

"Clayface…" Helena said with low voice

"Clayface? You fought him?"

The brunette smirked feeling proud of herself. "I kicked his ass… She asked me do it but I didn't kill him."

"Quinn?"

Helena nodded.

"Why?" Barbara asked.

Helena took a few seconds before whispering. "I don't want live with hate…"

The redhead felt touched. She rubbed Helena's arms trying to help warm her up. "I'm so proud of you."

"It's cold."

"I know, just try to keep awake, you will be fine." Batgirl said.

"Did I tell you that I hate Batgirl?"

Barbara chuckled and removed her cowl. "One hundred times." she leaned in and kissed her forehead.

Helena tried to remain awake despite the feeling of dizziness enveloping her "I will feel better… if you kiss my lips."

Barbara leaned and brushed her lips against her. "Better?"

Helena gave her a weak smile.

"Oh, what a moving scene. So sweet."

Barbara lifted her eyes and found Quinn smirking at them. Next to her, Clayface was pointing a gun at them. She couldn't hide her surprise.

"Quinzel?" Helena recognized Harleen's voice, she tried to move but the redhead kept a hard grip on her.

"Stay…" the redhead whispered to her.

"I did the old trick of 'follow the fake signal'." The blonde said "I knew you would find her, I don't know how but I knew it." She fixed her eyes on the brunette who was shivering from the cold. "MMM… seems the little Kyle survived, but not for long."

"What do you want?" Batgirl's green eyes pinned the other woman.

"Well…" the blonde waved her hands "To kill you both?"

"You will never win Quinn"

"Don't be so sure, this is my time. You and your fucking bitch will burn in hell."

Barbara felt a hand on her waist.

"Shhh…" Helena whispered "Don't move."

"Now please," Quinn said as she stood up slowly and took a step back.

"You want me to jump in that hole?" the redhead asked.

"Yes, and please help miss Kyle inside too."

"You will kill us anyway," Barbara said "what's the difference?"

The blonde tapped her chin. "That's a fucking good point. But, it's your problem, not mine, now, do what I say…"

The redhead stood up slowly and took the brunette's hand. "Are you ready?"

The girl nodded.

Barbara helped the brunette to stand, Helena suddenly turned towards Clayface, pressed the button of Barbara's Wall-Penetrating Grapnel and it hit Clayface on his chest, making him drop the gun and crash into the wall behind him.

The redhead jumped at Quinn, punched her in the face and forced her to the ground. The anger inside of Barbara kept her attacking the evil woman over and over, never letting up.

Harley dodged and turned trying to stave Barbara off. She grabbed whatever she could find to hit the redhead managing to hit her once.

Harley swung but the experienced crime fighter leaned back and dodged the fist. Feeling cornered, Harley pushed Barbara away, she picked up a metal pipe and swung wildly and missed.

Barbara turned and kicked her hard in the gut. Annoyed, she kicked her while she was on the ground until she released the pipe.

Barbara picked it up and grabbing Harley, she pushed her backward over a railing holding her there with the flat of the tube.

"You should have heard her crying when I stabbed her." The blonde taunted her.

The redhead clenched her teeth. She had almost killed the brunette. "You fucking bitch…"

"Barbara, don't!" the brunette shouted.

"Stay back, Helena!"

"Barbara, listen to me…" the brunette stood up slowly, she winced in pain holding her side.

"There's nothing left to say."

Helena stood right behind her feeling her legs shaking.

"Yes, there is… You have saved me so many times. It's my turn... When my mom died, you told me something that I didn't understand until right now. You told me revenge might dull the pain, but the less we felt, the less we were."

"It was a lie."

"No, it wasn't… Please… Barbara, we don't kill. No matter what. I can't let you do this. It makes us less."

Still, Barbara didn't let go of her hold on Harley. Helena knew she could stop her but this was one choice that Barbara needed to make for herself.

"It makes us less." Helena said quietly bitting her lip trying to endure the pain.

After a moment, Barbara released Harley and stood up.

The brunette sighed relieved and bent over holding her side. Fuck. She didn't know how she had stood up, maybe had been the adrenaline.

Barbara turned and noticed Helena was barely standing on her feet. She walked over to her and wrapped a hand around her back, helping her to stand.

"You need medical attention."

"You will burn in hell!" Quinn shouted suddenly lifting her hand.

The redhead turned and noticed a strange shaped object between her fingers. She had her thumb over a red button.

It was a bomb.

She saw the crazy woman throwing the object at them as if in slow motion.

Barbara held the brunette by her waist and jumped inside the elevator car.

A loud explosion was heard.

The place seemed blow into thousand of pieces, it sounded as if the whole building was collapsing. Barbara covered her head. She felt an incredible pain in her back when a heavy piece of metal hit.

Everything turned black.

She didn't know how long she was out.

A voice calling her brought her back slowly from the darkness... She felt a hand pressing hers.

She coughed.

"You scared me." Helena whispered.

"Hel?" Barbara coughed again and looked around, it seemed that part of the room had collapsed. She noticed she was trapped from her waist down and they were surrounded by rubble. She didn't know how they had survived, they were in a small hole. It seemed it was true that elevator shafts were a good place to hide during earthquakes after all.

"Are you okay?" the brunette asked softly.

"I think so." The old woman said wincing. "And you? I can't see you."

"I'm here." She felt Helena's fingers pressing hers.

"Can you move?"

"A bit…" Helena felt that she would pass out at any moment, she felt totally spent.

"You are cold." Barbara felt helpless. She never had felt so useless as in that moment. She knew Helena needed medical attention urgently or she would die.

"I'm fine." Helena lied knowing she was fighting for consciousness every moment. Her cat vision let her see the tears in Barbara's eyes.

"Don't cry Barbara, I hate it when you cry."

"I failed you…" Barbara whispered knowing she would never get out of there and help Helena in time.

"You never failed me. You saved me so many times." The brunette gave her a weak smile "Did I tell you how much I love you?"

"No." Barbara said playfully.

"Fuck, I'm an asshole then… I love you red."

Barbara chuckled softly, she didn't know how Helena could make her laugh in the worst moments. Helena closed her eyes for a brief second and rested her forehead on the ground. She didn't have any strength left and her fucking side was burning.

"We are screwed red." She mumbled.

"Looks like." Barbara knew she couldn't deny the reality they were facing. They were trapped with no hope. They were at the end of their roads. Alfred couldn't rescue them in time. "Did I tell you how much I love you?" she asked softly.

"Yeah… tell me again." The brunette asked.

"I love you Hel…"

"I'm so damn lucky."

"No more than me." Barbara bit her lips to avoid crying. She never thought things would end like this for them. She felt Helena gripping her fingers hard.

"I, Helena Kyle," the young woman whispered with low voice "love you, Barbara Gordon, and I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life."

"You are cheating."

"Why?"

"Because we are going to die soon."

"You caught me." Helena said feeling her eyes closing. "I'm tired Barbara…"

"Hold on Hel…"

"I'm cold… and I'm tired red." The brunette closed her eyes.

"Hel please..." Barbara said feeling her fingers loosen "Don't go…"

"I'm here…" she tried to keep her eyes open but she couldn't.

"Just hold on a bit more."

"I… always will be with you red…"

Barbara felt a knot in her throat. "Helena please…"

Silence was the only answer. A tear rolled down her cheek. She pressed her hand hard against the brunette.

"We will be together soon honey…" she said softly.

She head a noise above her and dust fell from the ceilng. It seemed the ceiling was collapsing. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the ground waiting for her end.


A YEAR LATER…

Bruce was standing in his garden with his hands in his pockets. It was a nice place and now it was filled with color from all the different flowers within it. He had spent many days in the last months enjoying his garden, it gave him peace. The tall New Gotham buildings were visible in the distance.

He had missed the city all the years had been gone. This city so big, so dark, so violent, had given him so much and at the same time it had claimed a part of his life, and the person he most loved.

It was still hard.

His thoughts moved toward Selina.

The only woman he had loved… and he had lost her.

With all the experience he had now things would have been different. Maybe he would have been a better father too.

Many 'maybe's'.

"Thinking about her?" Alfred's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Bruce smiled. "You know me very well."

"Observation master Bruce, just observation." The butler stood at his side "Have you ever thought about returning to crime fighting?"

"I'm old Alfred, it is not the same."

"New Gotham still needs a hero."

"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."

"Interesting quote. But it is not easy to be a hero."

The tall man lowered his head. "Yes, it isn't easy, you are lonely most of your life and afraid to love, knowing the day your enemies know who you are, they will try something against the people that are the most important part of your life."

"But you need a life," .

"True… I'm living it."

"Good for you."

"Maybe too late, I wish I could have been a better father for Helena. The time we lived together was bad…"

"Well, she was not a piece of cake."

He chuckled "I agree."

"They are here." Alfred said "Waiting for you in the living room."

"Oh, excellent."

They walked inside the manor. In the living room were Barbara and her father looking at an oversized painting on the wall.

"Hey, I'm glad you are here." He said.

The redhead smiled and turned her wheelchair towards him.

"Now what is that?" he asked smiling, noticing that it was not her usual manual chair.

"It's my new invention." She said waving her hand "What do you think?"

"It's incredible."

"I've worked on it for almost four months."

"Wow, that's amazing." He extended his hand to his old friend "Hey Jim."

"Hi."

"I have something you will love." Bruce said "Godet selection special, ten years old."

"Really?" Jim Gordon couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Yes. Come with me," he lifted his index finger to Barbara. "We will back in a few minutes."

"Don't worry, I'm stunned here admiring your new acquisition, the Matisse."

Bruce smiled and rested a hand on Jim's shoulder as they walked outside the living room.

Alfred stood next to Barbara. "Do you want something to drink Miss Barbara?"

"A glass of water will be fine." She said. "This painting is incredible."

"And pretty expensive."

"I can imagine it."

"You surprised master Bruce with your new wheelchair." Alfred laced his hands behind his back.

"Yes," She smiled proud of herself "it's pretty cool."

"It's quite impressive." He looked at the wheelchair "I'm glad to see you are improving every day."

"I'm the Oracle, remember?"

"You know all."

"Almost all." She chuckled.

He observed her and hesitated a brief second before commenting "It has been almost a year."

"A year, three months and sixteen days." She exhaled heavily.

He lifted his eyebrow.

"I wanted to die that night… I prayed to God to take me with him…"

"I'm glad he was deaf that day." He smiled.

Barbara chuckled. "Alfred, Alfred…"

"It was incredibly lucky that Master Bruce appeared after you left for the oil factory. He went there straight away to help."

"Yes. It's a shame he couldn't get there before Quinn made that bomb explode."

"Destiny is a book filled with unknown writing." Alfred stared at the painting on the wall.

"I never will forget that day," Barbara said softly "I could escape my destiny once, but not twice. Quinzel and Clayface died, I was paralyzed and…" she paused briefly "You know…"

"It has not been easy."

"No, it's still not easy some days… everything is different." She waved her hands towards her legs. "But now I know I'm much more than my legs, that I still have my life and I'm trying to enjoy each day intensely. Every second is a gift for me."

"I'm really proud of you"

"Thanks." She touched his hand.

He moved his other hand over hers. "Really proud."

She nodded smiling.

Alfred turned to the bar. "Do you want ice in your water?"

"Yes please." She turned her wheelchair and wheeled inside the living room.

He poured a glass of water and returned to her side.

"Do you miss her? I can see sadness in your eyes."

"It's impossible not miss her." The redhead took the glass "When I return from school I expect to see Helena sprawled on the couch changing channels; when I work at Delphi I almost can feel her gaze behind me. But when I miss her most is when I'm alone in my room.. I expect to see her appearing suddenly with her smile and her usual way of walking but no… she is not there. I never thought I would miss someone that much."

Alfred smiled gently at her in understanding.

"But well…" Barbara shrugged her shoulders "This is me, a bit corny sometimes."

"A woman still in love I would say."

"Yes." The redhead sipped a bit of her water and looked at him "I'm not the hero I once was, Alfred."

"Well, thank goodness." the old butler said "Batgirl was strong, but impetuous. You've grown into a thoughtful, beautiful woman with the capacity to care more for others than you do for yourself. Now, if that's not a hero, I don't know what is."

Amused green eyes fixed on him. "How is it you always know just the right thing to say?"

"Years of practice, my dear. Years of practice. Dinner will be ready shortly."

"Hey, we are back." Bruce said walking into the living room.

"This Cognac is really good." Jim Gordon lifted his hand with the glass of Cognac.

"I'm glad Barbara is here." Bruce said "So you can get drunk and she will drive."

"No way."

"Why not?" Jim asked.

"I don't want to be cleaning my car if you have complications and want to throw up."

"Point for her." Bruce said.

"I can use your limo then." The ex-commissioner smiled.

"Forget it."

Barbara was amused as she observed them, it was nice see how they had turned into a real family in the last few months. Now they usually have dinner twice per month and just sped time together to talk.

She liked that.

She felt grateful for her life and God. Life had turned good for her. She never could forget the sad and painful events of the year before but she needed to keep living.

"A toast?" Jim asked.

"Fine." Barbara lifted her glass of water.

"You need something stronger." Bruce said, "Maybe mineral water."

"Don't be silly." The redhead chuckled.

They spent a nice evening talking and enjoying the moment.

TBC