The Girl That Changed The Wayne (Book 2)

10. Recalling

Thump thump.

I snapped awake and slowly slid Jason's heavy arm off of me.

I peeked out the living room and saw Alfred swilling one of his many alcohol bottles surrounding him, with his red rimmed eyes lifeless.

"Alfred?" I said shocked.

"Oh! Miss Coraline! Would you like a beveage? Tea, soda, coffee...?"

"No, i'm fine." I said and walked away.

I searched the whole living room.

Nothing. Must be the batcave.

I saw Damian punching the bag.

"Damian! Damian, stop!" I pushed away.

He fell on his knees and broke down.

"Its all my fault! I should have moved! Now everyone has to suffer because of me!" He said in broken sobs.

I cradled his face to mine.

"No! Damian, it was never your fault! Helena did this because she loves you! Don't you understand? Even though she didn't live her entire life, she sacrificed hers because she knows the potiental that you can live out yours! Helena would have never wanted you....or any of us be this way!" A tear rolled down my cheek. "Just please.....fillfull her wish." I said as I hugged him.

Dami......it was never your fault. It was nobodys fault. She made her choice. She chose to do this because she wished for people to live better lives than what she experienced. She wished for them to see them not suffer the way she does. Just like Bruce.......

She wouldn't do anything then to protect what she has left to love.

................................

Skreetich!

I tore off the tape with my teeth and smoothed it out on the cardboard box and silently handed it to Tim.

I looked around Helena's room and saw a silver book.

I opened it, and saw ivory pages filled with her writing.

Her journal.

I never had the life I dreamed of when I was a kid. I was nearly killed for ransom from my mother, nearly raped by the babysitter, and nearly killed.

No one should be going through a childhood like that.

No one.

That's why I treated Damian as my own.

After Bruce, I was desperate.

He was all I had left, trying so hard to squeeze the images out of my head if the worst possible case of what would happen.
He never got it through his thick skull, of what risks I was willing to take to let him.grow up and see the world full of success and potiental, not as death and hatred.

That's why Coraline was a good advantage.

I knew the minute he had looked into her eyes, it was love at first sight.

I wanted him to show what it was like to take care of someone he loves the most, to make sure that they are safe, to make sure that would not possibly end up dead.

And he knew.

When they kissed, I could see the anxiety in his eyes as he watched her on patrol, I could hear every waking worried thought in his head when she wasn't by his side.

I knew.

And I make my choices. I never change them. I know I will do what it takes to make this family secure, to make sure that no other person in the family will die because of my actions. I wish to see everyone safe and happy......

But when I found out the Joker came back......

I knew he wouldn't play any games.

That's why I ensured my trust and heart on Jason to protect him no matter what happens.

And that's why......

I would die trying to protect all of us......

No matter the risks and costs.

I gasped a little.

She knew about Joker?

I heard Tim gasp behind me. He was reading it too.

"How did she know?" Tim said, shocked.

"That's what i'm saying!" I said with him.

"We have to tell them."  He said as he walked out.

I grabbed his arm.

"No! Everyone is already suffering as it! No one else needs anything on their plate. We will tell them, but at the right time." I said.

Tim looked reluctant, but then agreed. "Okay."

"Good." I paused. "Can we go out for coffee or something? I need to clear my head." I said and gently slapped my forehead to my hand.

"Yeah. Me too. What's Damian and everyone else doing?" He asked.

"Resting up. We should probably leave them at it. Its been a long week." I said.

"Right."

We grabbed our coats and headed out the door.

.............................

I heard Tim's car crushing over the sleet. I focused on the window wipers as they pushed off the wet snow heavily falling on the windshield.

"I already miss Helena...." I said and put my hands close to the vent, heat warming my fingers.

Tim looked at me for a moment and put a comforting hand on my thigh.

"So do I." He said sadly.

"She was like....an idol. Almost like Wonder Woman, except that she wasn't from Themyscria. She was selfless. She cared more about people than herself." I looked down.

"Yes. And that was her strongsuit. Helena's living Hell was watching the people she loved......suffer. The only thing that kept her from doing something stupid was us. If she lost us......." His voice trailed.

"I remember that one day where we snuck up on Dami while he was reading a book, right? And then she swooped up from behind and pinned him down, and said, 'Go go go! Tickle his stomach!'

And he was all like, 'I'm not ticklish......no....stop....Coraline.....
STOP! HAHAHAHAHAHA!' But that's what I liked about her. Even though she was cold and independent, she was also funloving and caring." I smiled as a tear rolled down my cheek.

Tim smiled too.

"Yeah, I remember that I went to a club on my birthday.......

I was late to the club, and I remember getting this car earlier that week.

Man oh man, it made me feel so cocky and slick that I was overconfident.

I parked the car in the handy capped spot and went inside, as I said, overconfident.

I spotted her, dancing, so I went up to her and kissed her.

Jesus, Jason, blew up, and Helena got pissed at him.

'Well, I can't help myself! Its embarrassing! And plus, you're mine.' Jason pouted.

She was tending the bruises and cuts on my face, and then looked him straight in the eye, and said,

'You know what was embarrassing? The fact that you slept with that teddy bear I gave you until you were fourteen.' She said it in a cool slick way.

And my oh my, I think if laughing were hazardous to our health, Dick would have been in intensive care."  He smiled. "Good times, good times."

"Yep. Good times indeed." I said.