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Holly Robinson sighed, checking her watch again as if it would make her friend appear any faster. The short redhead glanced around the cafe they were supposed to be meeting at in the Little Italy district of Gotham. “Come on Selina, where are you,” She muttered to herself. “I don’t like leaving the East End for too long.”
Holly started tapping her foot impatiently, wondering if she got the date wrong, or if Selina had been called away for a meeting, that seemed to be happening a lot lately.
“Hey there kitten, you're looking tense, no yarn to keep you busy?”
“Selina!” Holly shot up at the voice of her oldest friend, wrapping her arms around her. “I’m glad you could make it.”
“I wouldn’t miss this for anything little cat,” Selina said. “You’re looking good.”
“I’m looking good? Look at you!” Holly said noting how despite Selina being closer to forty than thirty she still looked as beautiful as ever, with short dark hair, a fit, and strong body, wearing an expensive purple dress that easily put Holly’s trenchcoat, tank top, and skinny jeans to shame. Plus Selina's chest was even bigger than before thanks to the baby bat in the stroller next to Selina.
“I brought Helena along, hope that’s not a problem,” Selina said pulling back the roof of the stroller.
“Of course not,” Holly kneeled down smiling at the one-year-old in the stroller, she had dark hair like her parents and her mom’s green eyes. “Hi little Lena, it’s your Aunt Holly, hello.” She waved, Helena giggled waving her tiny hand, mimicking her.
“Alfred had to go with Bruce, Julia is on the job, Dick’s visiting Kory, and Tim and Stephanie are in school,” Selina explained, sitting down.
“It’s fine, I love seeing Helena, how’s she been doing?”
Selina chuckled. “She’s one year old and already taking after her parents, she found a way to unlock her crib last night. Alfred found her trying to grab a priceless glass vase, luckily he was able to get her away before she broke it and hurt herself.”
“Sounds like she’s going to be someone to watch out for when she gets older if she can do that now,” Holly picked Helena up out of the stroller, holding her close as she sat down across Selina.
“Tell me about it,” Selina rubbed her forehead. “Later, right now, I wanted to ask you. How have things been in East End since I left?”
“It’s been pretty much the same, recently Salvatore Maroni’s guys were causing some trouble, Cheshire Cat knocked them around a little and they scattered. I’m planning on looking into them later, see what I can find in Maroni’s Gotham office.”
“Sounds like you have things in hand.”
“Yeah,” Holly nuzzled Helena’s cheek. “You know if you want we could use some help with the cameras. Three cats would ruin Maroni in no time.”
“You know I don’t do that anymore Holly,” Selina said. “Besides, I’m out of practice anyway, my hands are full with Helena and the Wayne Foundation.”
“Well, the offer is there if you ever want.”
The two ordered their coffee and continued to catch up.
“So anything interesting been happening with the bats lately?” Holly asked.
“Well, I’m not supposed to say but Oracle got herself a new agent, heard she’s a really good one too.”
“Really? What have you heard?”
“Only that this new girl works faster than any of her other physical agents and according to Oracle is so quiet she can rival us.”
“Oh don’t let Shoes hear you, she’s determined to be the one that could outmatch us, she would not be happy to hear she’s got a rival.”
“I’m sure this new kid isn’t as good as I’ve heard, Oracle has a tendency to exaggerate and be overenthusiastic about her favorites.”
“If you say so, Selina.”
“Aba, ga, aba,” Helena babbled in Holly’s lap, starting to squirm.
“Oh, looks like she’s getting a little feisty,” Selina dug through her purse, pulling out her keys. “This should calm her down.”
She dangled the cat keychain over Helena, jingling it to get her daughter’s attention. Helena's whining stopped, she reached up trying to get at the sparking keychain held just out of her reach. Eventually, Helena tired herself out, falling asleep in Holly’s arms. Holly based the baby over to Selina.
“She really is adorable,” Holly said.
Selina cradled her child in her arms. “She is, it might just be the mother in me talking but I don’t think I’ve ever met a more adorable baby.”
“She’s certainly more than either of us were at her age.”
“Agreed,” Selina said. “I want to give her the life we were denied and the one that Bruce had stolen for him.”
“She could still go into crimefighting if she is anything like her father or Tim.”
“That’s different, if she does ever decide to take up the cowl, and I hope she doesn’t, I’d rather it be like with Tim or Oracle than Bruce or Dick.”
“I guess we can hope this Wayne doesn’t have something horrible happen to her,” Holly reached over, brushing the tiny Wayne’s dark hair.
Selina’s phone buzzed in her pocket, muttering a curse she answered. “Yeah? Oh, is everything alright? Sure, we’ll be right over.”
“Something happen?”
Selina sighed. “It’s nothing Stephanie and Tim were at the manner and Stephanie touched something, somehow she got trapped under a suit of armor and Tim needs help getting her out without calling Bruce or Alfred.”
Holly tried and failed to stifle a laugh. “You should probably go help them. I need to get ready for tonight anyway.”
“Alright, it was nice seeing you Holly, we should do this more, you know you’re always welcome at the manner.”
“Eh, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Alfred told me he forgives you as long as you promise not to go in his kitchen again.”
“I still say it wasn’t my fault the pot exploded.”
The two laughed and hugged again, Holly kissed Helena on the forehead. She waved as Selina pushed the stroller away, happy to see her friend had found a somewhat normal life.
~~~
“How exactly did you manage to get beaten by a suit of armor?” Selina asked Stephanie, the blonde teenager’s face was lit up in embarrassment.
“I’d rather not talk about it please.”
“I got it on video for later if you want,” Tim said.
“Tim!” Stephanie protested.
“Alright, I’ll help you two out. Tim can you put Helena to bed?”
“Sure,” Tim scooped the sleeping baby out of the stroller.
“Thank you, now I can focus on getting your idiot girlfriend loose.”
“I’m not his girlfriend and I’m not an idiot.”
“Clearly.”
Selina managed to get Stephanie out from under the armor and get the suit back into place before Bruce and Alfred returned. She promised not to tell Bruce but made no such promise about telling everything to Oracle or Holly the next time she saw them. Later that night she laid down next to her husband.
“So did you have fun with Holly?” Bruce asked.
“Yeah, it was nice seeing her again, she’s doing well, and seems that apprentice she took up is doing pretty good.”
“I guess I’ll need to see them next time I’m patrolling around East End.”
“Hmm no talk of patrols tonight Bruce, right now I just want to be with you.”
Bruce smiled. “Okay Selina, for you.”
~~~
The whip wrapped around the edge of the building and Catwoman clung to the side of the wall, leaping twice against the wall with her clawed gloves. With a third leap, she landed gracefully atop the building, her skin-tight black catsuit mixing in with the dark night and her night vision lenses giving her a clear image of the rooftop. Sitting against the air vent was Shoes.
The pre-teen was playing her game console, her bright blue hair in contrast to the dark clothing she wore from head to toe. She raised her head as Catwoman approached.
“You ready?” Catwoman asked.
“You bet,” Shoes said pulling down the smiling red and white mask with the grinning cat face. Cheshire Cat hopped to her feet, stowing the console away. “Saw two guards at the building entrance and one on the roof.”
“Well we know we’re going for the roof,” Catwoman leaned down stretching her legs, Cheshire Cat mirrored the action. “On three. One…”
“Two…” Cheshire Cat's smile was clear even underneath the mask.
“Three!” The two cats took off running, leaping off the building into the night, off towards their next adventure.