AngelQueen
10-26-2002, 09:03 PM
One Hears Things
Author: AngelQueen
Email: AngelQueen04@aol.com
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Status: Complete
Spoilers: Pilot Episode
Disclaimer: Birds of Prey, it's characters and concepts are the property of Warner bros, Tollin-Robbins Productions & DC Comics. I just invited them over to play. They'll return home before their curfew. *grins*
*~*~*~*
One hears things in Metropolis. Especially when one has friends.
The papers have mentioned some mysterious happenings in Gotham. Criminals being dropped on the Police Department's doorstep, robberies were being stopped when the police hadn't even arrived on the scene.
Perhaps Gotham has a new champion now. Maybe there is someone else now who races across rooftops, someone else who stands in the shadows and protects those who stand in the sunlight.
Lois and Clark know that I'm here, of course. Clark is the closest I've ever come to having a brother and Lois has been a good friend to me as well over the years.
They've been hearing things too and keep me appraised of it. Barbara left her law studies and switched to education. She even took in Selina's daughter, Helena...
The atmosphere has become... strained lately, between Lois and I. I think that she believes me to be hypocritical for not staying in Gotham when one of my own proteges needed me the most. Clark refuses to even discuss it, with either of us.
Maybe she's right. Maybe I am being hypocritical in leaving Barbara alone like that, in leaving Alfred as well.
But it just hurt so much, seeing her like that. Knowing that her condition was my fault. And Selina...
I close my eyes, trying to shut it out. Perhaps that was the point of what happened afterwards. I knew one day that I just had to get away. I just got into my car and drove away from the Manor. And I kept going.
For a while, everything became a haze. My next clear memory was walking into Lois and Clarks' apartment. They'd heard that Batgirl had disappeared and could guess that something had gone wrong. We spoke late into the night and morning. I told them of Selina's murder and Barbara's experience at the Joker's instigation and hand, respectively. I poured it all out, quite possibly for the first time.
The two of them listened quietly, not speaking, not judging me. They just listened. I bunked on their couch for a day or two before I finally went to the apartment that I kept in Metropolis. This place served sort of as a getaway for me, though the company knew to reach me here if I was needed that badly.
And so I've remained here for the past six or so years. I don't know if I'll ever be able to be what I once was, if I could ever return to don the suit, or return to Gotham at all.
But I still have my contacts. They told me of Barbara's rise in the education field and how she placed herself in a high school to teach the works of Shakespeare. They told me of how she recently took in an orphan by the name of Dinah Lance. They told me of Helena's notorious temper and anger management sessions.
Inwardly, I wince at the thought of Helena. I can tell by her birthdate, her picture, and the very feeling that I get when thinking of her that she is my daughter. She has my colorings, but her spirit... so much like her mother. I can understand why Selina didn't tell me about her. The life of Batman is no place for a child. And she would have been at great risk if anyone found out that Catwoman and Batman had a daughter. She'd be a target. Selina did the right thing in hiding her from me.
A part of me often thinks of what might have happened had things been different. Would Selina have ever told me about Helena? If I had stayed, could Helena and I helped one another through the grief of losing the one we loved? Would have we been able to help Barbara adjust to her situation?
So many questions. So many what if's. So many things that never will be.
If I'd stayed, would I be trying to discover who this person who seems intent on uniting the underworld of Gotham, just as the Joker did? Would I have an ally in this one who seems to be helping the police, just as I did?
Indeed, one hears many things in Metropolis.
Someone is rising out of the ashes of the battle seven years ago, and is trying to bring back what was lost as well. Whoever is trying to stop them, I wish them luck.
Perhaps one-day, I'll be able to do more. But not now...
For now, I will continue to hear things and reflect if the mission is truly worth all the damage it has done to so many...
*~*~*~*
Author: AngelQueen
Email: AngelQueen04@aol.com
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Status: Complete
Spoilers: Pilot Episode
Disclaimer: Birds of Prey, it's characters and concepts are the property of Warner bros, Tollin-Robbins Productions & DC Comics. I just invited them over to play. They'll return home before their curfew. *grins*
*~*~*~*
One hears things in Metropolis. Especially when one has friends.
The papers have mentioned some mysterious happenings in Gotham. Criminals being dropped on the Police Department's doorstep, robberies were being stopped when the police hadn't even arrived on the scene.
Perhaps Gotham has a new champion now. Maybe there is someone else now who races across rooftops, someone else who stands in the shadows and protects those who stand in the sunlight.
Lois and Clark know that I'm here, of course. Clark is the closest I've ever come to having a brother and Lois has been a good friend to me as well over the years.
They've been hearing things too and keep me appraised of it. Barbara left her law studies and switched to education. She even took in Selina's daughter, Helena...
The atmosphere has become... strained lately, between Lois and I. I think that she believes me to be hypocritical for not staying in Gotham when one of my own proteges needed me the most. Clark refuses to even discuss it, with either of us.
Maybe she's right. Maybe I am being hypocritical in leaving Barbara alone like that, in leaving Alfred as well.
But it just hurt so much, seeing her like that. Knowing that her condition was my fault. And Selina...
I close my eyes, trying to shut it out. Perhaps that was the point of what happened afterwards. I knew one day that I just had to get away. I just got into my car and drove away from the Manor. And I kept going.
For a while, everything became a haze. My next clear memory was walking into Lois and Clarks' apartment. They'd heard that Batgirl had disappeared and could guess that something had gone wrong. We spoke late into the night and morning. I told them of Selina's murder and Barbara's experience at the Joker's instigation and hand, respectively. I poured it all out, quite possibly for the first time.
The two of them listened quietly, not speaking, not judging me. They just listened. I bunked on their couch for a day or two before I finally went to the apartment that I kept in Metropolis. This place served sort of as a getaway for me, though the company knew to reach me here if I was needed that badly.
And so I've remained here for the past six or so years. I don't know if I'll ever be able to be what I once was, if I could ever return to don the suit, or return to Gotham at all.
But I still have my contacts. They told me of Barbara's rise in the education field and how she placed herself in a high school to teach the works of Shakespeare. They told me of how she recently took in an orphan by the name of Dinah Lance. They told me of Helena's notorious temper and anger management sessions.
Inwardly, I wince at the thought of Helena. I can tell by her birthdate, her picture, and the very feeling that I get when thinking of her that she is my daughter. She has my colorings, but her spirit... so much like her mother. I can understand why Selina didn't tell me about her. The life of Batman is no place for a child. And she would have been at great risk if anyone found out that Catwoman and Batman had a daughter. She'd be a target. Selina did the right thing in hiding her from me.
A part of me often thinks of what might have happened had things been different. Would Selina have ever told me about Helena? If I had stayed, could Helena and I helped one another through the grief of losing the one we loved? Would have we been able to help Barbara adjust to her situation?
So many questions. So many what if's. So many things that never will be.
If I'd stayed, would I be trying to discover who this person who seems intent on uniting the underworld of Gotham, just as the Joker did? Would I have an ally in this one who seems to be helping the police, just as I did?
Indeed, one hears many things in Metropolis.
Someone is rising out of the ashes of the battle seven years ago, and is trying to bring back what was lost as well. Whoever is trying to stop them, I wish them luck.
Perhaps one-day, I'll be able to do more. But not now...
For now, I will continue to hear things and reflect if the mission is truly worth all the damage it has done to so many...
*~*~*~*