...
Catwoman, "We have a lot to talk about."
Batman, "Yes, we do. But not tonight."
-Catwoman 53
...
Chapter 1
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.
"I made you," I whispered, "Well, I had help, but I did the hard part."
I made her, she thought, this tiny, little person...I...made...her. It's amazing. I never thought I would...and yet, here you are.
Helena began to stir. Her little eyes opening slightly.
"Good morning," Selina said, "are you hungry?"
"Hmm...wua...wua," came the reply.
"I guess so. C'mon." Selina picked up Helena and went about feeding her. She sat down with the baby in her arms, "No one said breastfeeding would hurt this...ow...much, but...ow...it's good for you, right? Don't worry, mommy will get better at it."
Once Helena was satisfied and burped, she fell asleep. Selina placed her in her crib and walked towards the window. The rain hit hard and slid down the window pane. She stood there for a long time, thinking. She sighed. How did I end up here? she thought. How could I have let this happen? Tears formed in her eyes, "What have I done?"
...
One Year ago. The Pacific Ocean.
Bruce Wayne had decided to take some tome 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.
Together, they trained, studied, and meditated, always trying to improve and hone their skills. They even got the occasional opportunity to do some sight-seeing. Many weeks passed like this. Bruce had tried to stay focused, but one day, he allowed himself to think too much. To think of the past.
Bruce stood on the lower deck looking out at the ocean. When he turned in 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, he thought, but this time, there were severe consequences. Zatanna, the JLA. What they did to me, to others. But that was hardly the worse thing that happened...Tim. Tim had lost so much. Recently, his best friend, Connor. And only a little before, his father. I know how he felt losing his father. Unable to save him..
"Bruce. Did you hear me? Bruce!"
"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 when we stop by Tokyo...maybe...um...we can get Samurai Warriors 2. 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 Warriors 2 before anyone else we know."
Tim had disappeared behind the stairs. Bruce let out a little smile. Then he stopped. He had not allowed himself to think of Gotham. He had 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 Villains had always been my enemies. But Harvey...Harvey had once been my friend. Then, he became my enemy. Now, he was my friend once more. Whenever, I went up against Two-Face, I always felt...somehow...conflicted. I knew he had to be stopped. What he was doing was wrong, but there was always a moment, even for a split 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 had never been like the others. Never a psycho 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 she was the same woman she had always been. No one could change that, I'd said. But... that wasn't what she needed. What she needed, I didn't give her. I should have told her the truth...Deep down, she's always been a good person, even though a bit misguided at times, more 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...Selina...
At that moment, he made up his mind to go. 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. So 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.
