Primal Instinct

Birds Of Prey Fan Fiction

(TV-verse B/H)

by Enginerd

Chapter 2 - Getting to Know You

Barbara took Helena on a tour of the clock tower. She found herself enjoying the young woman's company, reminding her how much she had missed her. Barbara hoped this newfound ease between them would not evaporate once Helena got her memory back.

"So we are not detectives, but go out to investigate crimes in our free time?" Helena said skeptically. "Is that how we can afford Alfred?"

"No. We are crime fighters, Helena. It's what we do," Barbara said, motioning to the computer center. "And contrary to your suspicions, all this is not to surf the internet," Barbara said, eyeing her.

"What kind of computer system is it, if you can't even surf the internet?" Helena complained with a look of disapproval.

"I never said I couldn't . . . ," Barbara responded with irritation but stopped, seeing amusement in Helena's eyes.

With a belabored sigh, Barbara continued. "All this helps me to see and understand what is happening in the city, discover trends, and hopefully, with your and Dinah's help in the field, stop crime and protect the people."

Helena looked at her, liking the idea of protecting the people. "Are we any good?"

Barbara smiled with satisfaction "I think so."

"You aren't a bartender too, are you?"

"No, I'm a high school teacher," Barbara said with a smile.

"Heh."

"What? Why do you find that amusing?" Barbara said, with a tinge of defensiveness.

"Were you ever my teacher?" Helena asked instead.

"Not in the traditional sense, no."

"Was I good in school?"

"You . . . passed," Barbara said carefully.

"Great," Helena said with a sigh, somehow suspecting that had been a disappointment to this intelligent woman.

"You were too smart for your own good and easily bored," Barbara offered.

"I'm sure I would have paid attention if you were my teacher," Helena said, eyeing the woman who always seemed to defend her. Though, Helena didn't know if paying attention to this attractive woman would have actually helped her grades any.

"I doubt that. For some reason, you seemed to delight in not listening to me and getting into trouble at home. We had quite a rough time for a while," Barbara said with a smile that Helena didn't share.

"Great. . . a slutty stupid jerk," Helena said rolling her eyes, really pissed at herself.

"Helena, stop putting yourself down," Barbara scolded her.

"Well, Red, it's kind of hard not to when I keep finding out things about myself that I really don't like."

"You are a sensitive, compassionate woman, Helena Kyle. You've been through a hell of a lot but have managed to become an amazing individual - in spite of some rough ed . . ." Barbara responded, then was suddenly distracted with another thought. "Did you just call me Red?"

"That's your hair color. If it annoys you I won't . . . ."

"No, I was wondering if it was something you remembered," she said with a small exhale of disappointment.

"Nope. So . . . what's your favorite color?" Helena asked.

"Excuse me?"

"Color? What's your favorite color?" Helena repeated.

"I am aware of what you asked, I just don't understand why, out of all the things you could possibly want to know, would you want to know that," Barbara said, dumbfounded.

Helena grinned. "Cause I just do."

"I see," Barbara said, not really seeing at all as she rolled down the platform.

"Soooo?" Helena asked, following behind Barbara.

"Blue. All right?"

"Yep. So . . . what's your favorite pop-tart flavor?"

"Helena," Barbara growled, but couldn't fight the smile that curled her lips.

/BoP\

Dinah looked around in the alley, still feeling the ominous presence. It was broad daylight and she pondered how she could feel it surrounding her yet not see one lousy thing. As she felt the presence fade, she frowned and started back to the clock tower.

/BoP\

"Meatloaf? Your favorite food is . . . ?" Helena asked incredulously then stopped in her tracks as Barbara rolled into a large room. "Holy crap, you've got a gym in this place?" Helena said as she finally entered the well-equipped workout room.

"We all spend a good deal of time training," Barbara said stopping in the center of the room. "And you happen to like Alfred's meatloaf too," she noted.

"Uh huh. So we train . . . to beat the bad guys," Helena said, looking around at the equipment.

"Yes. Unfortunately, they don't respond as well as we'd like when we politely request them to cease their corrupt ways."

"Funny," Helena said flatly with a smirk. Talking with Barbara, she learned not only was the beautiful redhead intelligent and caring, she was just fun to be around, she considered. Helena wondered why she moved out.

"Would you believe I used to do standup - but not so much anymore," she said, glancing down at her chair.

"You're on a roll," Helena countered, not finding Barbara's joke all that funny, then eyed her with challenge. "So, you any good?" she asked, nodding towards the various weapons displayed on the wall.

"What could a wheelchair-bound woman possibly do?" Barbara said innocently as Helena smiled and walked around the room, inspecting the weapons more closely.

"I'm thinking. . . ," Helena said, looking over the redhead with blatant appreciation. Barbara's stomach fluttered. ". . . I'd like to find out," Helena added, suddenly tossing nunchucks at her.

Distracted by her surprising reaction, Barbara almost didn't catch the weapon.

"I . . . I'm not so sure that's such a good idea so soon after . . . ." Barbara sputtered, feeling decidedly uncomfortable.

"Chicken?"

"Helena, you just got out of the hospital," Barbara argued with mild irritation.

"Chickaaaaaaan?" Helena repeated once more, with feeling.

"Helena, that's so juvenile. Even for you."

Suddenly, Helena's face was in hers, causing Barbara to blink with surprise. Her heart pounded at the unexpected thought that Helena might actually lean in and kiss her. After what felt like an eternity, Helena uttered a quiet, single "bruck."

With an odd mix of relief and startling disappointment, Barbara made a show of rolling her eyes at her friend's antics as she rolled slightly back.

"Brrrrr. . . ," Helena started to repeat her slanderous taunt but was interrupted when Barbara's eyes narrowed. She quickly tossed her the nunchucks back into Helena's chest. As Helena took a step back, fumbling to grab the weapon, Barbara whipped out the Eskrima sticks hidden within her chair. With lightning speed, she swept Helena's feet from beneath her. Instead of the expected back-flip, Helena crashed to the ground, hard.

"Helena! Oh God, are you all right?"

Staring at the ceiling gasping, Helena struggled to catch her breath. "You sure know . . . how to sweep a girl . . . off her feet," Helena said breathily as she slowly got up, chuckling with difficulty.

"I knew it wasn't a good idea," Barbara said guiltily.

"Somehow I knew you'd kick my ass," Helena smirked.

"It's not funny. I could have hurt you."

"I have no doubt you could have, if you wanted to, Red," Helena said, not helping to prevent a deeper frown from forming on Barbara's face. "Relax," Helena said easily and briefly squeezed her hand, wanting to put Barbara at ease. "This just means I have a few things to learn - like never call a redhead chicken," she added with a grin.

Barbara tried to stay upset, but Helena's playful side wormed its way into her heart. Oddly enough, even with the frightening aspect of losing her memory, Helena seemed so much lighter in spirit. And not as aloof as before, Barbara thought, glancing at Helena's hand on hers.

"So, if I'm going to be useful around here, you know, protecting the people and all, shouldn't you be training me?" Helena asked with raised brows of anticipation.

"Helena! You just got out of the hospital and. . . ." Barbara responded with frustration.

"Pleeeeeease. I'll go stir crazy. And apparently I'm a lot of trouble when I get BORED," Helena pleaded her case, crouched down by Barbara's side. "Pretty pleaaaase?"

Barbara sighed heavily, knowing she should say no, knowing Helena should rest more before trying to workout, knowing she was unable to deny the young woman. "Perhaps some work with weights to get your muscles warmed up. I don't want you to over . . . ."

"I'm on it!" Helena interjected happily, sliding beneath the bench-press bar.

". . . do it. You know, you never liked to work with weights before," Barbara said.

"Oh. Should I rebel or complain a lot?" Helena said with a sparkle in her eye.

"No, no. Please don't. I'm enjoying this agreeable side to you," Barbara said, selecting the weights for her former ward, trying to ignore the mysterious smirk on the younger woman's face. "Just a few reps."

"Gotchya," Helena said then pushed, finding the bar not moving. "Funny Barbara. But how about a weight I can lift?"

"It's only three hundred, Hel," Barbara said, knowing Helena could lift much more without breaking a sweat.

"Pounds?" Helena said with surprise.

"Yes . . . ?" Barbara said hesitantly.

"Can you lift that?"

"No?"

"Then how the hell am I supposed to?"