Finally, the annual Wayne Family Christmas Party (which comprised of every important person in Gotham, so it was really a game Christmas party, was it?) arrived on December 1st.
As Helena mingled between guests, someone suddenly caught her eye. She rushed over and squealed-
"HOLLY!"
"Ah!" Holly Robinson, formerly Catwomen's sidekick and current informant for the Batfamily, laughed as Helena squeezed her tight.
"Hey Helena! How have you been? I know I'm a bit late, but congrats on being 18! Is it all you hoped for?" Holly asked as she had been away for a few months traveling aboard.
"Eh. I feel the same if I'm honest. I didn't expect you to come!"
"Of course I would come! You think I wouldn't? Selina invited me-I could not resist the invitation. I miss you guys." Holly said, pulling Helena into another hug.
"So, where are those bats?" Holly asks, surveying the room for Helena's siblings.
"Tim and Jason were in the kitchen last I saw them. I think Damien's up in his room avoiding the party and... well Violet might be up there with him now that I think about it."
"Haha! So where's Dick, then? I don't see him." Holly extends her neck up to try and see him in true crowd.
"Yeah... uh. He might not be coming." Holly then turns and blinks.
"Not coming? Why??" Helena bites her lip and feels bad looking at Holly's concerned face.
"Come with me." She says, grabbing Holly by the wrist and leading her upstairs.
"Is there a reason you can't tell me down there?" Holly asks as they reach the top level of Wayne Manor.
"I just... want to talk about it in private." Helena replies, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Hey Holly." Violet greets deadpanned from her room without looking up as she and Damien play a racing game on the screen.
"Hey Vi! Hi Dami!" Holly greets as she past with a wave.
Finally, she and Helena reach the end of the hallway, Helena's room. She opens it only to find-
"Um... hello?" A couple, Holly and Helena's age, who were heavily making out stop and blink at her bewildered.
"Uh... yah?" The girl asks.
"You're in my room."
"Ugh, we just wanted a little privacy!" The boy complains.
"I don't care, dude! Get the fuck out of my room! Shoo!" Helena says, extremely annoyed. The two grumble as they exit but say nothing more.
Holly chuckles quietly and Helena sighs, exasperated, as she lays down her bed.
"Ugh! Some people!"
"You said it!" Holly agrees, as she sits on a purple beanbag chair.
It goes quiet as the two girls don't say a word, just listen to the laughter and chatter of the party. Holly looks outside for a brief moment before slyly glancing at Helena.
"So... what did you want to know about?" Helena sighs deeply, closing her eyes and then begins to explain the events that transpired eight months ago.
"So, I found Dick at the mall a few days ago and I met Roxanne and she was really nice and all her family lives in Star City and...I just felt bad for her, Holly. Was I wrong to do that?" Holly shakes her head without hesitation.
"No. That was very nice of you. I'm sure your mom was proud."
"She was. The rest... not so much."
"Mm. I figured. Your dad probably wasn't happy either-what is it?" Holly stops mid sentence as she sees Helena pale.
"I forgot to tell him." She says quietly and a silence falls between them as they realize the gravity of the situation.
"SHIT!" Helena curses as they both race out of the door, passing by Violet and Damien-in Violet's room-and the couple that were making out earlier, in the hallway.
Violet sticks her head out of her room.
"Where are you going??"
"No time! Roxanne! Haven't told dad! Gotta go!!" Helena shouts back as she runs down the stairs. Violet turns to Damien.
"I'm hungry-and want to see how this train wreck turns out. Want to come?" He shrugs.
"Sure."
*
"Excuse me, sorry, sorry! Pardon me!" Helena exchanges pleas tries as she pushed past the many, many and found her parents near the foyer. She practically slams into her mother, making Selina jump.
"Oh... good. You've uh... you've met Roxanne." Helena states, exhausted.
"Mm-hm. We did." Selina replied.
"Great, I uh... I thought dad would be mad-god my lungs hurt." Selina sighs.
"Roxanne, you of course already met my daughter. She's a good kid, just um... worries a lot."
"It's fine! I get it. Me and my sisters put my mom through the ringer a few times!" Roxanne replies and it makes Bruce crack a small smile.
"Well, I'm glad. I'm sorry, this is Holly. She's just returned, apparently, from France."
"Hi!" Holly greets and she and Roxanne shake hands.
"Nice to meet you, Holly. This is my best friend, Afia." They say their hellos.
"Hey Dick." Holly greets.
"Hi Holly. I had no idea you even left!" He tries to make it a joke but Holly isn't having it.
"Yeah... you might've known if you were around." She says, vaguely hinting at something that Roxanne and Afia didn't know about.
Helena's cheeks turn crimson.
"Uh...I think I'm gonna go to the kitchen and grab a snack. I'm hungry. Are you hungry, Holly?" Helena asks, gently tugging on her arm. Holly continues to stare at Dick's profile as he drinks from his champagne glass. She nods slowly.
"Yeah, I could eat." Helena beams at her parents who smile back at her subtly as Holly is dragged with her.
Bruce and Selina both turn back Roxanne and Afia.
"So, Helena told me that you are studying psychology, Roxanne. Afia, what is it that you are studying?"
"I've sort of been bouncing around but I've been mostly stuck with the art program. I'm taking art therapy clases right now."
"Oh, interesting! I didn't think they had a class on that at Gotham U." Selina says, genuinely impressed.
"Yes, I'm sure there are a lot more classes since you were there, I'm assuming."
"Oh! I didn't go there, but my husband did," Selina explains gesturing to Bruce, "and so did some of my step children. My daughter will be going there soon."
"Oh. Cool." Selina chuckles at that response.
"Roxanne, you said you have sisters? How many?"
"Yes, I have three. Do either of you have siblings?"
"Bruce doesn't, but I have one sister. Maggie."
*
Helena swipes a chip from Damien's bowl.
"Hey!" Helena shrugs nonchalantly.
"What are you two even doing down here?"
"We wanted to see the train wreck for ourselves." Violet murmurs with some Fritos in her mouth.
"Mm. I see."
"How'd it go?" Tim asked.
"It went fine. Dad already heard about Roxanne from my mom." Helena explains, taking some of the chips and grabbing a for herself with some dip.
"Nice to see you back by the way, Holly." Jason says and she smiles.
"Thanks."
"How was France?"
"It was totally awesome! You should have seen all the historic buildings, the pretty lights, the amazing food-and the cute guys and girls!"
"Mm. You would like all those things. Chip?" Helena murmurs, handing Holly the bowl.
"Thanks."
"I wanted to go to France with you but mom wouldn't let me." Violet murmurs, looking at her empty bowl. Everyone stares at her in surprise. She looks up and scowls.
"What??" Helena smiles warmly.
"You said mom when referring to my mom."
"I- SHUT UP!" Helena just laughs and hugs her step-sister tightly.
"Ugh! Get off of me-no Fritos for you!" Violet says, shoving Helena off and continuing to scowl, making Helena laugh even more.
*
As the party begins to wind down, Holly finds Dick alone in the garden. As he walks around, she grabs his arm.
"Hey! We need to talk."
"About what?" He asks, concerned by her serious tone. She glares at him, not a bat glare but still as effective.
"Don't play coy with me! Helena told me all about what you did!" Holly spat accusatorially. Dick sighs.
"Yeah, I know... and I pissed Barbara off too." Holly blinks.
"Barbara too?" She repeats in surprise. Dick nods and explained what happened.
"You dick!" Holly shouts at him, hitting him in the arm.
"Ow! I know, I know-ok? I was an ass!"
"Why would you even tell you didn't need her help when you clearly need her help??" Dick sighs.
"I don't know." He admits with a frown.
"What do you suggest I do?" He asks Holly and she seems surprised that he is asking for her advice. It's now her turn to sigh.
"I don't know yet. But I'm sure I'll figure something out." Holly reassures him.
"Thanks Holls."
"You're welcome, but don't think I did just because of you. I'm worried about your family. I hate to see you all fighting like this." Holly says, her eyes saddened. He nods and makes his way inside.
"Where are you going?"
"I have to talk to Bruce about something real quick before I forget." Dick explains, halfway through the balcony doors.
"Alright. I think I'll hang here and get a feel for the few guests left. See ya later!"
"Bye Holly."
*
"What do you think of her?"
"I do not know."
"Well I like her." Selina replies to Bruce as she smiles her thanks as he hands her a whiskey from a container in his office.
"Why?" He asks curiously, leaning against his desk.
"She's polite, smart, funny. She seems to have a bright future ahead of herself."
"She's also an alcoholic." Bruce murmurs darkly as he drains the small amount of whiskey he had in his glass.
"Yes, I know. But tonight she was sober."
"She still a bad influence on my son, and she was what possibly-probably-caused him to appear drunk at Helena's birthday party eight months."
"Our son," Selina corrects, "and maybe she was the reason, but it still doesn't mean that she doesn't have a bright future!"
"Still, she is a bad influence." He stubbornly retorts. Selina glares at him pointedly as she nurses the whiskey.
"My father was an alcoholic and I turned out fine. You know, aside from being a cat burglar... but you feel for me anyway. You think I'm not a bad influence on you?" She questions, challenging him as she moves closer. Bruce is about to retort but there's a knock on the door.
"Yes?"
"It's me."
"Dick?"
"Yeah... I have to talk to you about something." Bruce turns to Selina.
"Go on." She encourages. He turns back to the door.
"Come in." Bruce replies and the door opens and closes.
"Uh... hi."
"Should I leave?" Selina asks, making a movement to go.
"No! You can stay if you want." Selina nods slowly and sits in one of the chairs off to the side as Bruce takes a seat in his office chair.
"What is it, Dick?"
"I uh... well I wanted thank you both for being so nice to Roxanne and her friend for me. But um... I have another thing to ask: do you know any AA meetings near campus?" He looks taken aback by the question, and so does Selina, but Bruce nods.
"I do. Why?"
"I just... look, I know Roxanne has been the cause of problems lately. And I know I've been a jerk. But I... I at least want to fix something that I've fractured. I just... I want to help her get better." Duck explains, awkwardly fumbling out his speech.
"I... don't know if I can do that." Bruce says, though he's hesitant. He doesn't want to turn his son away outright but doesn't want to help either.
"Are you sure?" Bruce sighs deeply.
"I'll give to you straight, Dick: I don't like Roxanne, she's a bad influence on you-"
"And he clearly wants to help her curb her bad influences." Selina argues, defending Dick. Bruce still doesn't budge.
"Look, Bruce. I love you, but this isn't right. You know it isn't. If the other kids asked you about this, you wouldn't hesitate. So why are you refusing for the oldest one you've got?" Selina asks. It goes quiet, and then Bruce gives in.
"...alright. Tomorrow morning I'll send you an email of a list of AA meetings in the area." Dick smiles slightly.
"Thanks... and I'm sorry. But, thanks... dad."
"You're welcome... son."
"Bye." Dick says to Selina before making his way out the door. Bruce glances over at Selina who gloats.
"See, that wasn't so hard?"
"No... no it wasn't." Bruce admits, a smile slowly spreading across his face, before he pulls Selina into his lap.
"Thank you."
"For what?" Selina asks, puzzled, their faces a few inches apart.
"Just being there for them... for the kids."
"Of course. I would help them again in a heartbeat." Selina admits, smiling down at him. Bruce smirks.
"I love you, Cat."
"And I love you too, Bat." She replies and they both go in for the kiss.
Author's Notes
Whoa! That was long, over 2,000 words. I'm proud of myself ^-^
Here's some trivia before you go:
-Selina does actually have a sister Maggie in the comics, but here nothing traumatic has happened to her nor does she become a nun or Patient Zero (simply put: Roman Sionis made her eat her own husband's eyeballs after he kidnapped them both and killed him. I know. The man is fucking messed up-)
-I don't remember when I saw this, but in one origin story of Catwomen, her father was a drunk and her mother was obsessed with cats
Sorry if I accidentally gave anyone nightmares ;-;
Watch something like hearted before you go to sleep just in case!!
Meanwhile, I may not go to sleep. Why?
BECAUSE THE RAIN WONT STOP AND I HAVE TO KEEP WINDOW OPEN BECAUSE THERE'S NO A/C!
Ugh! I hate this😭
BatgirlGeek❤️