Thanks to nightstalker for her help editing this fic!

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Being a crime fighter was not easy. No money, no reward. It involved little sleep, high risks, hard training, hard work, injuries, pain, and sometimes, death. It would always be a mystery for her as to why this 'job' had such a magnetic effect on some people. Why, if it was so thankless, was it almost impossible quit?

It was like a disease.

And there seemed to be no cure.

Somehow, her brain started to function again.

She didn't know how long she had been out… had she been unconscious? Or was she conscious? Hard to say. She just knew her head hurt like hell and she felt warm blood oozing down her temple in a slow motion. Her limbs were numb, heavy. Whatever had hit her had been a very hard and precise blow that caught her totally by surprise.

She trusted her instincts so much and sometimes they made her focus her mind on other things; she was distracted at the wrong moment.

"Be alert" – Barbara always said - and she always answered –"Yea, yea I know"- She needed to remember it and not just say "Yes, mommy" the next time the redhead warned her. Damn.

She didn't have time to react. The impact hit her directly on the side of her head and everything had turned black. It was hard enough to knock her down.

She tried to come back to her senses and she must have been succeeding because she felt a hand on her shoulder stopping her movements.

"She's coming back." A distant voice was heard.

"Hel… Can you hear me?" Someone gently clapped her cheek.

"Uh..?" That was not the most intelligent thing she could say, but was all she could manage.

Soft fingers probed her wound.

It woke her fully.

She hissed in pain.

Crap! That hurt.

The hand on her shoulder stopped her move to sit up.

"I said, don't move…" Barbara had transferred from her chair to the floor next to Helena, who was lying on the floor of the training room. A trail of blood ran slowly down the brunette's head. She moved her fingers again to keep an eye on the wound.

The young woman winced.

"Easy Hel…" the redhead whispered, the batarang had hit her squarely on the side of her head, she needed a few stitches there and Barbara would need to cut a bit of hair around it, something the brunette would hate "For all the angels in heaven," she grumbled. "How did you hit her? Were you taunting each other again?"

"No, no… I was practicing with the batarang." Dinah said, rubbing her hands nervously. "She was helping me prepare the target to hit and… and we tried a long distance shot. And she said 'now' and at the same moment… you called her and she turned and she didn't saw it coming and it hit her."

"Lemme kick her ass," Helena mumbled, still dizzy. "It's supposed… you would… hit the target, not me."

"Stay down." Barbara lifted her head, looking for the target… it was on the other side of the room. She moved her head. "It was a pretty bad shot." She took the towel that Alfred extended to her and put it against the brunette's wound.

"I'm so sorry," Dinah said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Forgive me."

"Never…." Helena hissed, putting her hand over Barbara's.

"Helena..." the redhead warned putting another towel under her head, she knew the teen felt horrible for hurting her older partner.

"... I forgive her…" the young woman opened her eyes slowly "May I kill her now?"

"Later, I need to stitch your head first." Barbara finished examining her wound. "Alfred, I need hot water and clean cloths in the lab."

"Yes, madam," the butler said.

"You are lucky that you have a hard head."

"Very funny."

"Hold this, Helena."

"I'm sorry, Helena... I didn't mean…" the teen said again.

The young woman grumbled.

"Don't worry, Dinah," Barbara lifted her brow, "but you really need to practice more with the batarang."

"No next time…" the brunette mumbled.

"We need to cut a bit of your hair."

"No way!"

"I don't want an infection."

The dark vigilant winced. Her head was throbbing.

"I'll be okay with some advil," the brunette said.

"Sure, and some stitches on your head. Can you sit? I need you in the lab, we need to clean your wound and stitch it."

"I hope my superheros insurance covers this," the brunette said, sitting slowly.

"You don't have superheros insurance."

"I need to find another job."

"Good idea." Dinah said. "But I don't think any bank would let you wear leather clothes."

"Oh… shut up."

"All right, let's go to the lab," Barbara said, wheeling back.

The brunette held the cloth on the side of her head and winced. She felt light stabs of pain. Dinah crouched at her side watching the redhead wheel out of the room.

"She looks sad," the teen said.

"Yes, you almost killed me."

"I'm serious, Helena." Dinah glared at her. "She's been sad the last few days. Haven't you noticed it?"

"Yes... I noticed it…" The brunette stood up slowly. "She's been distant."

"Have you asked her about it?"

"No… we haven't had time to talk about it."

"Maybe it would be good for you ask her. She always talks to you."

Helena bit her lower lip. Yes, she had noticed her friend had been distant. She had seen her staring off into space. Barbara was never that way for any length of time, maybe a day or two, but not a week, as she had been.

Helena hadn't asked, she knew the redhead didn't like to talk about herself, not unlike Helena. In that, they were the same… And if both of them were very similar in that respect… yes, Barbara needed someone to talk to.

Dinah put her arm around her shoulders and both walked toward the lab.

"Come on, we need to patch the crater on your head."

"Not funny, Dinah."

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That night, the redhead worked at her station, searching for data. They were tracing a phone call, some kids disturbing a neighbor. It was good, she didn't want to deal with big criminals, monsters, aliens, meta-thieves or anything similar, easy things were better, she'd been in a bad mood the last few days.

She lifted her head and looked at the big mechanism of the clock. Time had gone by faster than she thought. She closed her eyes.

As if it were yesterday, she cold felt the softest satin of the brush of his lips against hers. His soft caress.

A year, almost a year.

She opened again her eyes again.

Almost a year since Wade's death.

She pinched the bridge of her nose and felt the tears in her eyes.

It still hurt. It was hard to accept, but it still hurt. He had been a very nice and sweet man. Always there.

She had been thinking so much of him the last few days. It had all happened so fast; she never expected to fall in love. The few moments they had shared had been wonderful.

Helena always thought he was too dumb for her, but after dealing with super villains, twisted minds, hacking the most difficult hardware and solving the most enigmatic puzzles, she just wanted to be with someone normal, someone to talk to about everyday issues, someone to have a cup of coffee with, or just someone to sit with in a park watching people walk by.

And that was the marvelous thing about being with Wade. The simplicity of things.

But now, the present was this. And she needed to focus on this.

She moved her eyeglasses up her nose with the tip of her finger and looked at the screen. The girls were near the place were 911 had reported the disturbance.

No… no… never. she heard the brunette say.

But Huntress, you promised.

Yea, before you tried to kill me.

I wasn't trying to kill you. You are getting old.

I'm not getting old. The brunette said.

Oracle couldn't avoid feeling amused hearing the arguments of her two protégées through the speakers.

You don't move as fast as you did a couple of years ago. You're getting old.

I'm not old. Barbara distracted me.

"Don't involve me in your trouble," the redhead interrupted, raising her brow.

I recall that you made a hole in my head.

"The hole was already there," Oracle answered, "I just patched it."

You cut off half of my hair. I have to wear a hat now.

"Hats look pretty cool on you."

The cyber genius smiled to herself. "You're almost there, be alert."

I see them, Dinah said four guys at the corner.

We need bait. Kid?

Me?

Sure, who else? I'll rescue you.

Why?

I'm the oldest superhero here.

Just for the record, Dinah interrupted she accepted that she is the oldest.

Shut up.

I thought it was Oracle.

"I'm not old," the redhead protested. "Focus, you two."

Come on kid, you owe me one, Huntress growled.

All right, all right. But with one condition.

What's that?.

I'll handle the guys alone…

That's not fair.

Take it or leave it… Dinah said.

Oracle… Huntress protested.

"It's a fair deal," the redhead said.

All right, all right, go…

Helena was really a fascinating case; not overly tall and rather thin. At first sight she would appear fragile; but reality was that she was a dangerous and a lethal weapon; darkness always surrounded her, with strong character and a temperament that could be really, really annoying, in short: a big pain in the ass.

But, on the other hand she was very human, always caring for others, sweet and childish. She smiled and focused on the sounds coming from the speakers, blows and objects breaking were mingled by cries and swears of the guys. Seemed as if the young street troublemakers were having a hard time with her youngest protégée.

"Be nice," Oracle said, "They are still kids."

Being a kid don't give you right to bother other people.

I didn't do anything! a guy cried.

"I've had heard that before." Oracle smiled to herself.

May I drive the Hummer back? She is having all the fun now.

"No way." Oracle leaned back in her chair and scratched the back of her head, amused.

Why can't I drive the Hummer?

"The last time I let you drive," Barbara explained, hearing the sounds of the fight Dinah was in, "you hit a street light and I had pay almost $800 dollars in tickets."

Hellloooo…. I was following a guy that stole a car. Remember?

"Explain something to me. Why, when you always are chasing burglars or thieves, and I give you my car, it always ends up at the police station and, when I give it to Dinah, it always ends up safe and secure in my parking lot?"

You are so mean to me.

"Sure."

It's done. the teen said, these guys are done.

It took you two minutes, too slow. Huntress grinned.

I like to enjoy my fights.

Hey Oracle, Huntress said I always get the worst part, cuts, bruises, broken bones and I don't have medical insurance.

"No, you have it for free with me, and the service is not bad. You always want attention at midnight."

Well… it's work. When have you seen a crime fighter patrolling in the middle of the day?.

"Excellent." The redhead stretched her arms "Call it a night. Alfred is finishing a great lasagna for dinner."

Gotcha, you said the magic words. Huntress said.

"Anything that involves food is a magic word for Miss Helena," Alfred said, putting a cup of tea next to the cyber genius.

"Yes, she is easy." Barbara smiled taking the warm cup in her hands.

Hey, I heard that. the brunette's voice was heard on the speakers.

"I said: see you later." Barbara leaned forward, turning off her mic.

The old butler smiled. "I must remind you that tomorrow is your weekly dinner with your father."

"Oh yes, thanks. I remembered." She sipped a bit of her tea, "He would kill me if I forgot. It's the only time we have to talk without interruptions."

"He is a great man."

"Definitely." She nodded. "I love him."

"I admire him," Alfred said, "he has always been a strong man with a great heart. You are his only weakness."

She smiled and put her cup on the table. "I don't know what my life would be like without him… he… showed me so many things, love, courage, determination… he taught me all about being a good detective. He is amazing."

"And you are an excellent student."

"I wouldn't be who I am with out him."

"I agree… maybe you would be a boring Microsoft tech."

Barbara couldn't avoid laughing. "Me? Work for Bill Gates? Oh no, please…"

"Could be, but I think that maybe you would have been one of the owners and creators of 'You Tube' or 'Google'."

Barbara turned and narrowed her eyes "You have been talking to Helena, right? She is the only one that has ideas like that in her head."

"Oh, well… we were talking the other day about what your profession would be if you hadn't been a super-hero."

Amused, the redhead sipped a bit more of her tea. "And you would be…?"

"Maybe Superman's butler?" Alfred smiled.

She laughed.

"Well, now, if you'll excuse me, I'll keep an eye on my lasagna. The girls are coming."

He walked toward the kitchen. Barbara waved her hand and turned toward her work station. He always knew how to make her laugh. He was a nice man.

He was definitely one of the most important men in her life.