Batman and Catwoman: Family Mystery

32: Purpose

[past]

Selina woke up to a light blue ceiling, a welcome change from usual dark colors of the dungeon. She was disturbed by the sound of a kitchen machine. It didn't smell too bad, either. Selina got off the bed, slipping her feet into the slippers waiting for her, and walked until she found the kitchen.

"Good morning, Selina." Dr. Tompkins greeted her from the stove.

"H-hi," Selina replied quietly. 

"Help yourself to whatever you like! There's eggs, pancakes, waffles. Anything that catches your eye."

Selina meekly slid into a kitchen stool, grabbing a little of what she fancied. 

"So, how did you sleep?" Tompkins asked as she sat across. 

"Good," the girl replied quietly. 

"Does that make you feel bad?" The doc cut into her egg. "You're not stealing someone else's right to a good sleep."

Selina choked on a sob, and the lady passed her a warm mug.

"My sister..."

The doc gave Selina some time to continue, but when she didn't, Lee spoke. 

"She's living with the Hathaway's now, remember?"

Selina looked up at her. 

"You arranged that," Tompkins squeezed her hand. "You gave your sister a good night for the rest of her life. Now don't you worry, one day, you will matter to someone just as your sister does to you."

Tompkins gently pulled the girl into a hug.

"You're all right, now. You're not alone anymore. You're home."

[present]

Selina woke up, hazily staring at a happy yellow ceiling. She couldn't find the physical or emotional effort to get out bed. 

"Good morning, Selina."'

Selina turned her head to the voice, finding Mother sitting next to her. 

"What's so good about it?" Selina rhetorically asked the ceiling. 

 Mother took that literally. 

"Good... is that you woke up. The condition that you came here in, it's a miracle that you survived your injuries."

Selina looked back to Irene, an empty look on her face. 

"Did I? Then why don't I feel alive? Why do I feel hollow?" Tears lined her lids.

"Selina-"

"Why me?!" She sobbed. "Why not it? Why did he have to take it from me?!"

"It wasn't meant to be yours," Irene said matter of factly, as if Selina's pain meant nothing to her. 

"It was mine!" Selina protested. "I-We tried so hard for it!"

"Children are never ours, Selina. They are god's gift to us. Perhaps this is not your purpose."

Mother Irene got off her chair and sat next to Selina on the bed.

"That does not mean you cannot be a mother. You beg for a child, but, does it have to have come from you? There are many children in this world, this city alone, who need families. Who need love. Who need a mother. Perhaps you can make that your purpose. Love god's children who are already in this world, and maybe he will reward you with your own gift."

Selina turned back to the ceiling, the tear on end of her eye determined to roll back to the pillow.

∞∞∞

Jason found him. Or, more like the other way around. For some dumbass reason, he'd gone back to her place. Bill was waiting for him there; took him along too. He handed the boy a schoolbag, filled with something definitely not meant for school. They went to the pier, looking like they were fishing. 

They weren't. 

It was a drug deal.

Bill made the kid walk to the lure shop, ironically. Jason kept looking over his shoulder, not knowing himself why. He got to the shop, and the owner came out. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and turned him in the intended direction, but their path was blocked by darkness. 

Soon enough, the Batman was surrounded, a person with a weapon at each hour. Someone fired, and the boss took off with the boy, leaving his men to deal with the hero. Neither of them thought to take or drop the bag and ditch the other, so the dealer kept the boy closer, pinning him down as they hid behind the car.

Suddenly, the dealer was grabbed from behind, and lifted up over the car. Jason ran out, following his natural instincts. His father would keep him safe. 

Bill Todd was horrified of the deal gone wrong. He dreaded being caught, especially given the hunter. He had to run. And he did.

Jason watched him run off, not once looking back as he called out for him. But he didn't chase far. He gave up. 

He watched the boy run off, to someone he expected would protect him. But the father walked out, and the son stopped in place. Batman stood there as Jason turned around, for once letting himself be caught. He saw the boy suck it up before he walked over, emotionless. He no longer had any expectation from the world. 

They sat off the end of the pier, legs brushing the water. Silence was their company, until the sirens came. Jason turned a second to look at the approaching officers, and Batman left. The detective lead him to her car and to the station, staying with him until she was called out. 

Jason didn't expect anything anymore, especially not the jacket put over his shoulders. He looked up just as Wayne kneeled in front of him, with a smile that said everything. 

"It's gonna be okay," Bruce echoed to Jason the words that were told to him when he had been in this chair. But he didn't stop there. This wouldn't be deja vu.

"Let's go home."