Batman and Catwoman: Family Mystery

Part 16: The Runaways

(Past)

Living on the street came quite a handy skill when Selina left home with the girls in tow. Despite just having been through hell, she made them put on brave faces as they pointlessly wandered the streets as far away from home as possible.

On lookers thought they were just a couple of girls strolling through town. First chance she got, Cat booked a taxi to the farthest distance her wallet allowed, which luckily happened to be just over the bridge.

It was almost beginning to be night time, and the girls were plenty exhausted running for a whole 18 hours. Maggie was in no mood to sleep on the street another night, so the grown up girls took turns looking for a shelter.

They found one just at capacity and begged the person in charge to let them stay the night. With only one warm bed to share and cold leftover dinner, they had the healthiest food they'd had in a day, and Maggie fell asleep soon after. Sylvia let the sisters have the bed as she chose to sleep on the floor spread.

But while her little sister slept, Cat was restless. As she went outside for a walk, Isis followed quietly behind, then purred softly against her leg. Selina knelt and scooped up the kitten, who snuggled against her neck then comfortably positioned herself into Selina's arm.

"It was mamma's birthday yesterday, Isis." Selina whispered and stroked her cat.

"That's why you bummed out?"

Selina turned back to the voice and found Sylvia.

Even though she was the oldest and almost the toughest by now, the day's exhaustion had gotten to her and she broke.

"I'm so sorry, Sel!" she cried. "It's my fault you're homeless now! If I had just stayed hidden, or if I hadn't even come in your life-"

"Hey! Shhh!" Selina comforted. "We had to get out of there anyway, or at least I did. I always thought I'd be the only one running away. I didn't think that maybe he could hurt Muggs after I was gone. Maggie is the only thing I live for, and I can't stand if something happened to her."

"So what are we gonna do now? I don't suppose this place'd let us stay forever."

"But they're letting us stay tonight. So why don't you go inside and sleep. We'll think of tomorrow, tomorrow. Good night."

"Good night." Sylvia sniffled and yawned on her way back in.

Selina stayed outside still, running her hand over the kitten sleeping in her arm, praying to run into her mother someday soon. She thought about that kid she'd met at St. Swithin's, how she'd given him something to live for.

She thought about reaching out to him; he was rich, right? But she hadn't seen him in over a year, back when she used to bump into him near the orphanage. What would he think of her now? She'd just tried to kill her own father while he was all about avenging his father's wrongful death.

Selina shook the thought away; it was probably best to stay away she thought as she went back inside. She tucked herself in next to her sister, and Maggie instantly turned in to her, crying in her sleep. That right there did it!

Mugs couldn't live a life on the run, but Selina couldn't bind herself down. She started to make a list of all the places she could safely leave her baby sister while being able to still visit her on the chance. She fell asleep halfway through a rough list.

The morning came rudely quick as the shelter keepers woke everyone up. Maggie was taking a while to wake so Cat left her to get breakfast while it was still hot. It was oatmeal and fruit, which was better than the candy and cheap diner food they had had in the past day. While Maggie ate, Selina wandered the building. In a room that could've been a prayer room, she came across an elderly lady down in prayer.