Chapter 21
"You made the 'o' in love in the shape of a heart," Bruce said. Helena glanced up at him for a second, wondering what he was trying to get at. She went back to signing the cast on his foot as he looked over the signature on his arm cast.
"You never did anything like this when you were young. I was wondering why you are starting this kind of thing now."
She finished signing his leg cast and sat down on the couch next to his wheelchair. She looked over the set-up he had with it. It was motorized and made with the latest technology of Wayne Enterprises. The chair could fly and do most of the things Alfred did for him. Everything was controlled by a panel that was placed on his left side so he could operate it with his good hand.
"I've started realizing that because I was raised by you there are certain things I missed out on doing. I guess I'm just making up for lost time. After all, I figure I won't ever have another chance to sign a cast of yours again. Right?"
Her father stayed silent. She wasn't sure if he was angry about the whole missed childhood thing, or the questioning of whether he would ever be injured again. When he spoke he answered her question for her. "If there is one thing I've learned over my life it is you never know what might happen. There is no way to know when I might have to go back out there as Batman."
"You didn't have to go out this time, Dad. There is an entire league of superheroes the three of you could have called on for help."
"I know this city like no one else," her father replied. He stared straight ahead as he talked and didn't look at her. "I was needed. Gotham needed me. I had to keep the promise I made to my parents."
Helena walked in front of the chair and kneeled in front of her father. He was still reluctant to look at her so she grabbed his chin and held it so he had to look at her. "I want to make this clear to you. The promise you made to your parents is my promise now. Gotham is my city to watch over. You don't need to put yourself in danger any more to protect it."
She let go of his chin as she stood. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the top of his head. "I don't want anything to happen to you, Dad. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."
"Don't be like me," she heard him say softly.
"What was that?" she asked as she leaned back and placed his hands on his shoulders.
He let out a long sigh. "I hate to admit it, but you have always been right about my gumption and how that has led to my stupidity. As my daughter, I have often been afraid you have inherited the trait from me. You are powerful and have been well trained, but you can't handle everything yourself. I hope you learn to rely on others. You have a great life ahead of you."
Helena wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the head again. She rested her chin on his head as she talked to him. "I need you around for advice like this,' she told him. "Everything I am is because of you."
She leaned back and kept her hands on his shoulders as she looked him in the eye. "Now, you need to get healed and stay that way. You have to walk me down the aisle in a couple of months and you can't do that in a wheelchair. Now I'm going to go out and find Mom. She went out to ride one of the horses."
Helena walked away thinking that after she talked to her mother she should find Superman and read him the riot act for letting her father go out instead of calling in more help. Right before she was out of earshot of her father she heard him stammer something. "Wait, you and Connor. Are you-"
"Yes Dad, we set a date for the last weekend in July." She turned around to look at him. "For being the world's greatest detective it often takes you a while to figure out some things."
Helena could tell Prince was excited to be out and racing around the land that surrounded the manor. It was a moderate temperature and there was a cool breeze that kept him from feeling overheated as he exerted himself running. When they emerged from the small tree garden on the north side of the manor he neighed as if to announce himself to the empty field they were now running through.
As soon as they had burst through the trees Helena saw her mother. She had Troy stopped at the cliff overlooking the sea that was behind the manor. The sun was setting and Helena guessed that was what her mother was watching.
Helena slowed Prince to a trot as she neared her mother. She stopped a few feet from her.
"Beautiful sunset," Helena said to her mother to break the silence.
"Did you come out here to watch the sunset?" her mother asked her as she kept her gaze fixed on it.
"I think you know the answer to that," Helena replied.
Diana glanced over at her daughter. "So you did come out here to read me the riot act."
"That was the plan," she replied. "Now that I'm out here I think I should save my anger for Superman. He's not family so I can say anything I want to him."
Diana snickered at her daughter's rational for letting her off the hook. "Besides, you're probably not going to be around here much longer, and I don't want us to be mad at each other for that time," Helena added.
Diana looked over at her daughter. "Bruce didn't tell you?" she asked with a puzzled look on her face.
"Tell me what," Helena replied.
Diana went back to looking at the sunset. "I'm not going to be leaving any time soon. In fact, I won't be leaving you two ever again. Your father and I are together again, and this time we're determined not to let anything break us apart."
Diana immediately felt Helena embrace her in a hug. "I'm so happy for the two of you," she said in a soft voice as she rested her head on her mother's shoulder. "Dad wanted this so much. He never said anything, but I could tell."
"What about you?" Diana asked her daughter.
"I wanted this too. I wanted to see the both of you happy, and I knew the best way for that to happen was for you guys to get back together. Also, Dad's getting to be a handful in his old age. I needed someone to relieve me."
Diana looked at her daughter's face and could see the broad smile she had. She started giggling as she backed away from her mother. Diana was glad to see her joking around, but she brought up a subject that was a sore subject for her.
"I know I put a lot of responsibilities on your shoulders, Helena," Diana said. She looked down as she talked to her daughter. "I made you do at a young age the kinds of things I should have been doing all along. I'm sorry for that, Helena. A young girl never should have had to look after her father the way you were made to."
"It's okay, Mom," she replied. Nothing else was said between the two, as nothing else needed to be said. There were times in the past she cursed her mother for the task she had given her, but that was all in the past. She realized how important that responsibility was in making her the person she was today. She was glad it shaped her the way it did even though she was often resentful over the burden she had been given. She had a complicated view of her life. Unlike her father, the past was something she had stopped dwelling on. On Tamaran she had seen Maril and Rex throw away any bitterness they should have had over being kept separated for five years. They were too focused on the life they had ahead of them together to worry about what they might not have had in the past. Helena was trying to take the same view with her life.
"It's just about time for dinner," her mother said to her. "We should head back to the house."
Helena followed her mother back to the manor. She thought about how these family dinners were now going to be permanent. Her parents had found each other again after years adrift and alone. As Maril would say, the two of them were meant to be together. She giggled a little thinking that she must be meant to be with Connor if her commitment phobia was unable to tear them apart. Helena found it hard to believe how things were coming together for her and so many of the people she loved.
Maril woke up as the rays of the Tamaranian sun filtered in through the curtains and hit her face. She was waking up alone, as Rex was on Thanagar handling business. She would have loved to go with him, but she had business to attend to herself on Tamaran.
She laid in bed and tried to imagine Rex was with her. She closed her eyes and could feel his body pressed against her back. His strong arms were around her and his cool breath was blowing through her hair. She rolled over and nuzzled against his massive chest.
Maril was brought back to reality by the feeling of nausea and the sensation of acid coming up her esophagus. She flew to the bathroom and puked in the toilet. Her hair was so long and thick she found it impossible to hold it all back. When she was done throwing up she grabbed a towel and tried to wipe the chunks out of her hair. She wasn't upset over puking over herself because of what her morning sickness implied. She had a secret check-up with a doctor last night and was anxiously awaiting the results.
"Queen Maril," she heard the voice of Rheadr'a shouting. "Are you in here? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she answered as she stepped out of the bathroom. She was still wiping the puke out of her hair.
"If you don't mind me asking, madame, what happened?"
"Just a little morning sickness." Maril wiped off the last of the chunks and threw the towel back in the bathroom. "What business do I have this morning?"
Rheandr'a shuffled through her things and pulled out an electronic notepad. The girl looked at Maril's stained hair as she handed her the notepad. "I guess I should give you this first. The, uh, doctor who examined you last night sent a message."
Maril's hand trembled as she held the notepad in her hand. She couldn't bring herself to read the message just yet. "What other business is there for me right now?"
"Nothing official, just several personal messages. Rex was able to depart from Thanagar early and will arrive here around dinner time instead of late at night."
"Is there anything on my schedule for dinner?" Maril asked.
"You were supposed to dine with some union leaders," the girl answered.
"Reschedule it, it's not important." Rheandr'a made a note on her pad as Maril thought about how magical tonight could be. She really hoped she would have some big news for Rex.
"A message was relayed to us from Earth. Your father said he is still planning on coming out with the family for a visit next week. I checked with the Space Force and they are making arrangements to pick him up at the Justice League Watchtower next week. The message also said he will be in Gotham City this week babysitting a Mr. Wayne."
Maril smiled as she wondered what Helena had to do to get her father to agree to that. Maril knew Helena had a tournament on Themyscira this week and didn't want to leave her father unattended, or else he might get the crazy idea he could fight crime again.
"That is all the business I have, Your Highness. Rex's parents are in the dining hall if you want to join them for breakfast."
Maril breathed deeply as she glanced back down at the notepad. "I will take my leave now, your highness," Rheandr'a said as she bowed to her queen.
"Please, stay," Maril said to her. The girl didn't move as she came up from her bow. "Can you read the message the doctor sent me?" she asked as she handed the girl the notepad.
"Nervous about this?" Rheandr'a asked.
"Of course, for a long time I didn't think this would happen for me."
"I would imagine its stressful knowing you're expected to produce an heir."
The girl had misunderstood what Maril had meant. She didn't feel like correcting her. It was unimportant and she didn't feel the need to explain what the apparent loss of Rex had been like to her.
Maril watched the girl closely as she read the note. She saw a small smile cross the girl's lips and began to get hopeful. "Congratulations, you're going to have your heir."
Maril's heart leaped in her throat and she let out a squeal of joy. She could see Rheandr'a was trying hard to suppress a laugh. "You can laugh at me," Maril told her. "I'm not concerned about protocol or decorum right now." Rheandr'a let it out, but caught herself quickly.
"When you leave here, send a message to the chef he is to contact me ASAP. I need to plan a special dinner for my husband tonight."
"It's fine Dad," Helena said as she walked down the steps to the Batcave and found her father working on the sparring robot. She had an upcoming tournament on Themyscira she was training for. "The thing has been doing a fine job with me."
"Okay, I've made some changes that should allow it to defend some of the moves you've been using on it." He completely ignored everything she had told him. He took his seat outside the practice circle so he could watch and evaluate Helena.
For a week Gotham was going to be without Wonder Huntress to protect it. Olivia and Richie were going to watch Gotham and Bludhaven together, with Olivia concentrating on Gotham. She was going to have the unenviable task of working with Bruce, who wouldn't let anyone fight crime in his city without his approval. The two families had made a deal; the Graysons would watch both cities while Helena and Diana were on Themyscira and the Waynes would do likewise while the Grayson family was on Tamaran.
Helena and her mother both knew Bruce would be itching to get out during the week. Dick was staying with him under the pretense he might be needed as a mediator between Bruce and Dick's son and daughter-in-law. The real reason was to keep Bruce from suiting up and going on patrol himself.
Helena entered the practice circle and stood ready with her swords drawn. The sparring robot copied her stance. Her father raised his hand as he shouted 'ready.' "Go," he shouted as he brought it down.
The robots reaction time was quicker and it charged directly at Helena. It swung its swords furiously, but Helena was able to block or deflect every thrust and parry. There was only one thrust that she barely deflected, the sword struck her armor softly and she barely felt it.
The robot's quickness in its strikes did force Helena to move back to the edge of the circle. If she stepped out it would mean a victory for the robot. The robot was so fast she didn't think she could start counterattacking and force him back. She knelt down and then thrust herself up into the air. She flipped over the robot and sliced at him as she landed.
She looked at her father for his reaction. If she hadn't known better, she might have mistaken him for a statue because he moved so little after her victory. When he finally spoke it was in the same condescending tone he always used to give her instructions. "You're fortunate your blades are sharp while the robots were dull. Also, you're unlikely to be able to make a move like that against a seasoned Amazonian warrior. They will know to slash upwards and hit you as you fly over them."
"I'm surprised to see you've actually softened in your old age, Bruce." Dick had a huge grin on his face as he walked up to them with Diana trailing behind him. "Back in the day, when he was training me, he would have spent a half hour tearing me a new asshole explaining how I would have died in real combat."
"That's not even close to the truth," her father said to her. "It would have been two hours right after the fight and another half hour at breakfast the next morning. And finally another hour before we went out on patrol that night."
Everyone was unsure of how to act as they couldn't tell if Bruce was being sarcastic or not. When Bruce didn't hear any laughter he spoke up. "You guys didn't think I was being serious, did you?"
"It's always hard to tell with you, Dad," Helena said as she walked up to him. She gave him a tight hug and a long kiss on the cheek. "Mom and I should probably get going. I'm going to miss you. Please be alive when I get back."
When she was done with her father she looked at Dick. "Try not to kill each other," she instructed him. "And remember, our deal is broken if he dies."