Work Text:
Everything For A Good Cause by Freya
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Disclaimer: Don't belong to me, never did and never will. What would I give for that???
Archive: BoO. Everybody else please ask!
AN: This is totally AU. There is no superhero/metahuman-stuff whatsoever, no Batman, Catwoman, nadda. And if there is it's not mentioned in this story. Barbara still has the use of her legs (obviously, since she never got shot by the Joker) and has continued her gymnastics. Bruce and Selina never split and live fairy-tale-y happily ever after as a family with Helena. I think that about covers it. Oh, and another thing. I don't really know what's up with Commissioner Gordon's wife. I remembered reading in some story that she was dead and I thought it was a good starting point for this fic so I simply went for it. Deal with it ;)
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It was just another of countless and to Barbara Gordon in most cases senseless benefit events where New Gotham's upper class ladies and gents gathered to see and be seen, with their champagne glasses in their hands on which they never seemed to nip, though.
It just had to come with the whole package.
The myriad of jewels dangling from the women, reflecting the light in all colors of the rainbow, hurt her eyes wherever she turned her gaze.
Jewels that were in the possession of the families since over a hundred years, it echoed it her mind.
Rather an obsession than a possession, Barbara thought wryly.
The irony of fate was that she was there, too, voluntarily.
She was accompanying her father, Commissioner Gordon, as she always did since her mother's death.
He was standing next to her, deep in conversation with Senator what-ever- his-name-was, there were just so many, she couldn't remember them all.
Gazing up from her own glass, which had been refilled three times already, she returned her attention to her surroundings once more, observing curious or stern looks and pointed fingers as well as the latest rumors, some of which had only began spreading tonight.
She heard bits and pieces of numerous affairs concerning the host, accusingly high amounts of money concerning his wife's wardrobe and alcohol and drug problems about his daughter, all of which she simply shrugged off.
She wasn't the person to judge someone if she didn't know them and she definitely wouldn't begin with it now.
As if on clue her eyes stopped at the large staircase just as said host and his family appeared.
As always, Bruce Wayne looked as handsome as a man possibly could in his black tuxedo and his charming smile, which he was bestowing upon everyone.
In contrast to him, Selina looked distant, to say the least.
There was not the slightest hint of a smile on her face and the white dress she was wearing, together with her alabaster skin and fair hair, made her look ill, out of place somehow.
She had heard Bruce tell Commissioner Gordon once that Selina hated crowds and an evening like this one had to be pure hell for her.
Barbara felt sympathy towards this strange woman.
She knew exactly what it felt like to be somewhere one didn't want to be.
And it seemed she wasn't the only one who knew that.
The Wayne heir was standing next to her mother, wearing a simple black dress that was hugging her form just right in all the places that it should - and it was painfully obvious how uncomfortable she felt in it.
She looked so different in a dress, her dark hair slicked back, so different from all the paparazzi photos Barbara had seen her in, in leather and with her hair standing stubbornly in all directions.
She had to smile at the mental image of a young kitten being bathed by its mother's tongue, hating every single second of it.
Yes, Barbara decided, the metaphor was perfect.
Helena was just like a wild animal, the feral look in her eyes combined with aloofness for the people gathered at the bottom of the steps making her look like a lioness, like a queen.
For a second their gazes locked and Barbara saw recognition flickering in them, together with an interest that the younger woman hadn't been able to hide whenever they'd met over the years.
When she'd first noticed it Barbara had felt uncomfortable under the teen's intense stare but after some time she had gotten rid of the feeling, putting the brunette's come-ons off as raging hormones.
It had worked well, until now.
Until she felt the warm gaze upon her once again, the attention for her person still the same.
A shiver ran down her spine as those blue eyes glided over her body, so intense she could almost feel it, and she turned away abruptly, reflecting her father's smile which he was giving her.
For some more moments she couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched, but when the Senator started asking questions about her and her career as a gymnast she found herself relaxing and almost enjoying the night.
She didn't know how much time had passed when she suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder.
She turned around and found dark eyes once again fixed on her.
"Care for a dance?" Helena asked nonchalantly, completely ignoring the men standing on both sides of the redhead.
She held out her hand to the other woman, waiting for her to make her decision and either take it or leave it.
Barbara took it, much to both women's surprise.
She handed her glass to the nearest waiter and followed the brunette to the middle of the room where a few couples were already dancing.
Feeling herself being pulled closer, one hand resting on her hip, the other linking their fingers, she stiffened a little, aware of the looks people were giving them.
A soft voice whispered near her ear "Let go. Just feel the music and let go."
A little more confident than before Barbara raised her free hand to the other woman's hip, mirroring its position and tried to loosen up, which wasn't an easy task.
Here she was, encircled by people known to have a tendency to gossip, surrounded by various photographers, dancing with a woman who just happened to be the heir of the Wayne fortune, and both their parents were watching.
For a 31-year-old woman the ladder was definitely the most embarrassing point of the above.
Not to mention that Commissioner Gordon and Selina Wayne were just all too aware of the romantic interest Helena had in the redhead.
The squeezing of her hand brought her thoughts back to the present and her eyes met Helen's, catching the amused glimmer in them.
"What?" she asked, curiosity taking over, but the brunette shook her head.
"It's nothing", she said, bowing her head in a manner that alerted Barbara even more.
"There has to be something. Tell me what it is!"
Again the brunette refused to answer, but the spreading smile on her face spoke volumes.
"I hope I can take that smile for a no, as in no, I didn't do anything embarrassing, right?"
Her question was followed by a short but loud laugh and hands that were pressing her even closer, too close to be appropriate.
The rising nervousness was washed away when Helena lifted her head and looked at the other woman.
"No, you didn't embarrass yourself, though I'm seriously wondering if constant fear of humiliation isn't embarrassing enough."
That comment earned her a playful slap on her arm and Barbara's smile widened just the slightest bit.
"Then what was it?"
"I was just thinking how lucky I am to finally have gotten you to dance with me ... in public! The last time we met I could hardly bring you to look at me, let alone speak to me. What was it that made me so dreadful?"
Though the seriousness behind the question was obvious Helena didn't leave it hanging in the air like that.
Instead she flicked her non-existing long hair over her shoulder, batted her eye-lashes and asked: "Or were you afraid you wouldn't be able to resist my oh so powerful charm?"
A small smile grazed Barbara's lips, but just as quickly as it had appeared it was gone again, leaving an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.
She averted Helena's eyes, looking anywhere but at the other woman, frantically searching for a cover-up for her avoidance.
Soft fingers cupped her chin and turned her face so that she was looking directly into Helena's eyes, the question written unmistakable over her feline features.
Barbara swallowed hard, the lump in her throat threatening to suffocate her.
How had she managed to get herself into such a situation?
She had always kept her distance from the younger woman, letting herself believe whatever she wanted to believe were the reasons for that distance, but now that she was confronted with the question why she found herself struggling for words.
For a brief moment her eyes flickered over to her father.
He hadn't moved, but his eyes were fixed on them, wonderment shining in them.
Then she looked back at Helena.
"I don't know." The answer was as honest as she could muster at the moment.
Helena nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer, even though Barbara noticed that there still was something the brunette wanted to ask her.
Instead of that she said: "That's what I thought."
Nothing more, to Barbara's surprise.
The younger woman's hand wandered back to the redhead's hip, but didn't stop there.
It followed the trace of her spine, which was left bare by her dress, eliciting a shudder from Barbara that she couldn't hide.
Helena smiled knowingly, continuing her path up her back before tangling her fingers in long dark-red tresses.
"You have beautiful hair", she suddenly whispered, so soft Barbara had almost missed it.
"Not that the rest of you isn't beautiful!" she added quickly, shaking her head to enforce her last statement.
"But your hair is ... special." Suddenly shy she lowered her head, looking at her hand where it was toying with a strand of fire on Barbara's shoulder.
Fine graceful fingers traced her cheeks, urging her to lift her head.
"Thank you", Barbara whispered and in a moment of affection she leaned closer and brushed her lips over Helena's cheek.
"I think no one has ever made such a genuine compliment."
Their eyes locked and for the eternity of a moment nothing around them seemed to matter or exist.
Then the song ended and they were both brutally pulled back to reality.
Barbara took a step back, letting her hands fall to her sides.
"And thank you for the dance."
With that she turned around, leaving Helena standing in the middle of the dance floor as another song started.
Helena was dumbfounded.
Had she been the only one who had felt the magic between them just seconds before?
Had it just been another figment of her overactive hormonal imagination?
No, she didn't believe that.
She didn't want to believe that.
Without further ado she turned around just to bump right into Commissioner Gordon.
The older man looked at her in awe, his dark eyes shining with a delight he couldn't quite hide beneath the objectivity he was trying to display.
"My daughter had to leave, unfortunately", he told her, "but she asked me to once again thank you for this evening. She had a great time, as she told me, and she hoped you understood that her sudden disappearance had nothing to do with you."
He smiled at her and patted her cheek, like a father would.
"I told her that you're a smart girl and can probably figure out yourself, right?"
The young woman was silent for a few moments and then lifted her head defying, swallowing back the bitter words.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Gordon, I really am, but I think both of us know that what your daughter told you was nothing but a lie."
Her hands were clenched in fists as the frustration she had felt for years threatened to break free.
"The truth is I love your daughter. I've loved her since I was old enough to know what love is. And as selfish as it sounds but I think that she loves me as well, but is too caught up in whatever twisted principles she has!"
She didn't care anymore about where she was or who was listening.
It wasn't as if she had ever cared what anyone, except maybe her parents and Barbara, thought of her and now was definitely not a good moment to start.
All she wanted was the truth, and if getting to the truth meant she would have to shout her love for Barbara Gordon from the top of the world, then she'd do it, ethics and principles be damned.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and was surprised to see tears in the Commissioners eyes.
"Mr. Gordon, I'm sorry if something I said ..." but he stopped her.
"No, no, you didn't say anything to upset me or worse. All you said was ... perfect."
He took his hand away and regained his composure, taking a deep breath before saying: "You know what I expect of you now, don't you, Helena? Go after her! Tell her what you just told me and don't let her get away!"
He stepped aside, making way for her and with a grateful smile Helena rushed past him, ignoring the looks everyone was giving her.
Outside she couldn't see anyone.
The entrance was deserted, but Helena knew that Barbara hadn't left yet.
Her car was still parked next to Commissioner Gordon's, so she had to be somewhere.
She went to the left and rounded the house, hoping to maybe find the redhead in the garden.
But she didn't even have to go that far.
Halfway there she found the other woman leaning against the cool concrete of Wayne Manor, hidden in the dark.
Her sharp eyes spotted her, though, and not bothering to be quite she stepped closer to her.
So it wasn't really a surprise to see Barbara's eyes fly open at the sound of her shoes clicking on the pathway, but the look she gave Helena definitely was.
She looked tortured, scared, and Helena felt her heart ache at the sight and yet she knew that Barbara was doing this to herself.
She could stop it in second but she also knew that she couldn't do it alone.
Barbara had to see what was going on, she had to recognize that the love for her was real and that there was nothing standing in the way of acknowledging their feelings for each other.
And she decided to wait for a reaction.
She stopped dead in her tracks, watching the redhead from her position, hoping that she knew what to do.
Both of them were silent for some time.
All they did was stare at each other, trying to find what the other one was thinking in each other's eyes.
Finally Barbara moved towards her, her eyes never leaving Helena's, and when she was close enough to reach out she lifted her hand, but she didn't move it close to the younger woman.
Instead she let it hover the air between them and then suddenly let it fall limply to her side, just as she had done before her hasty retreat.
When she spoke her voice was so soft that Helena wasn't sure if she'd heard correctly or if the wind was whispering false words into her ear.
"Why are you doing this do me?"
So many other questions were visible in Barbara's eyes and Helena averted her head so she didn't have to see them.
But instead of seeing them she now heard them as Barbara continued, her voice growing louder with each question.
"Why come after me and then do absolutely nothing?"
"Why torture me with your presence?"
"Does it give you pleasure mocking me?"
"Why do you even care?"
A slap to the face couldn't have been more painful than those questions.
Helena felt tears sliding down her cheeks at the accusing and furious voice and her hand reached out, covering Barbara's mouth in order to stop her from questioning further.
She turned her head around, saw the tears stinging on the other woman's face and couldn't take it anymore.
"Because I love you", she blurted out and without missing a beat she leaned forward and brought their lips together.
The kiss wasn't soft or slow as she had imagined their first kiss to be.
Instead it was forceful and passionate, all the emotions, the frustration and hurt, breaking free and manifesting themselves in this one kiss.
Helena felt herself flush from the heat, felt Barbara's hands move over her body freely, and she knew that this was not right.
At least not yet.
She broke away from the kiss, stilling Barbara's hands with her own, and forced the redhead to meet her eyes.
"You know it's the truth. I love you", she said and after a second added, "and you love me."
The other woman went rigid in her arms but Helena knew that this was the only way that Barbara would ever yield to her emotions - by confronting her with them.
The redhead tried to look away, but Helena held her chin firmly in place, lifting her head up so that they were once again eye to eye.
"Say it", she demanded, sounding desperate to her own ears.
"Say it and kiss me again."
Barbara was squirming in Helena's grasp, trying to avoid this confrontation, but even she knew that the brunette was telling the truth.
She had known for years that Helena was in love with her, but recognizing her own feelings had taken her until tonight.
Everything was so new and she wasn't yet ready to say it out aloud.
"I can't", she whispered, fresh tears in her eyes threatening to fall. "Don't make me do it."
Helena heard the pleading tone in Barbara's voice but she had waited too many years.
She finally wanted to hear the words.
"Say it", she said again, kissing Barbara again and again, lightly, feather- soft, every time demanding those three words.
"Say it and I'll let you go."
The redhead was now crying openly.
The softness of her kisses combined with the determination to make her say those words was too much for her and so she flung her arms around Helena's neck, burying her face in the brunette's neck.
"I love you ... but don't let me go. Ever."
She held on tight, feeling Helena relax in her embrace, and suddenly she felt as if a burden had been lifted off of her shoulders.
Dipping her head back she sought out Helena's mouth again and kissed her, softly this time.
The way a real first kiss was supposed to be and she heard Helena whisper against her lips: "It was for your own good, Barbara. Everything for a good cause."
~ Fin ~