Title: Chapter 3 - Questioning (7/?)

Series: Unexpected Series

Author: Mel M. ()

Archive: None but willing to share if you ask ^.^

Pairing: Jaime/Dinah someday, others eventually too.

Rating: PG-13 for language I'm sure.

Disclaimers: Don't own BoP, Bionic Woman or anything like that. Wouldn't be working at Wal-Mart if I did =P

Comments: Good grief this took forever . Sorry! It's been rough with my work schedule being hell and all. Hope you enjoy and the next one will be out soon as I can get it done! And you know my feedback policy, so, please? ^.^

Chapter 3 - Questioning

It had been one very long week. Barbara hadn't exploded, as a matter of fact what worried the teen was the fact her mentor acted as though it never happened. Maybe it was her way of showing approval, or at the very least a sign she was staying out of the matter. Surely she'd mixed business with pleasure in her years as a crime fighter and it wasn't like Helena was any better an example. It still made her uncomfortable. She was trying to sort out the feelings she was having toward the Bionic woman and at the same time freaking out about what her family might think. Would they be disgusted? How could she explain to them that one special moment when she wasn't even sure what it meant? And where did Jaime stand in all of this? She'd been taking her supplies and they'd talked about boring, everyday stuff but not one mention of the searing moment that left her heart racing with one thought.

"Earth to Dinah! Hey, did you even hear a word I just said?" a slightly nagging voice grumbled from beside her.

A smile spread over her lips, even as a sigh fell past them. "She sounds like a peach Gabs but hold off on saying anything. It could make things way awkward, y'know? What with her being an exchange student and all. I'm sure everything will work out. Sorry I've been a total space case. Just got a lot on my mind." She gave her best friend an apologetic smile though they both knew it was forced. Dinah was stressed, and not over the normal stuff. That wouldn't go unnoticed. She smoothed a hand over her hair, turning her gaze from the window to her best friend. She could sense a question arising, bracing herself for the possibilities.

"Well aren't you a talented multitasker," Gabby teased before continuing, "thanks for the advice but you better spill what's going through that brain of yours. You've been zombie queen all week." The curly haired blond was incredibly worried about her friend. She'd noticed her eating less, spacing out more and there were moments when she could almost hear an unasked question evaporating into the air. It seemed all too familiar yet foreign at the same time, and she hoped Dinah trusted her enough to let her in. If there was a problem, maybe she could help. Worth a shot at least and she was determined to pull the issue to the surface before lunch was over. Time was not on her side.

Ok, not so much a question as a demand. She did have good reason though, Di couldn't fault her for that. Cocking her head to one side, she let out a small defeated noise then summoned her voice, "do you believe in love at first sight?" That wasn't really the first question she wanted to start with but which one was? There were far too many and with the curious pinch of brows she waited for a reply. Was this magnetism between her and the stunning brunette merely physical or did it reach beyond that? Why did she want to be the guardian of Jaime's heart? What were these butterflies in her stomach when she heard the Bionic woman's voice dip ever so subtly? Wasn't that something you only saw in movies? Why was she so obsessive about this? Would anything ever make sense again? At this rate, she was convinced insanity was inevitable.

That took her by complete surprise. Thoughts were derailed as she watched her best friend's features completely melt and this swooning glow overtook her eyes. What on Earth? The girl hadn't even looked that star struck over Matt, let alone any other guy in school. Who the hell was she talking about and why hadn't she mentioned this sooner? This was just too. . .weird. The door was open and she was going to tickle information out of the other blond if that's what it took. But for now she was going to follow Dinah's lead. With the roll of her shoulders, she replied casually, "it's possible. I mean, never happened to me before but it's not really common either. Now, my turn. Does he go here?" She stared pointedly at her friend, demanding an answer silently.

Dinah shifted uncomfortably. She knew she should have mentioned this to her best friend but at the same time there were secrets that had to be kept. One of them was her job. However, that didn't mean she couldn't talk about herself and this confusion overtaking her mind. The returned question forced her eyes to widen as she realized she didn't even know how old the woman was. She had to be at least Helena's age but what did it matter? She cared for the woman and nobody was going to stop that. Blushing fiercely, she choked out, "uhm, no." Another shift of her body weight made it clear she was about to say something epic, deep inhale taken before it spilled forth, "um, so, my turn again. . .when and how did you know that you were gay?"

Talk about being blindsided by a semi. Her brain hit overload on the shock meter, leaving the curly haired blond speechless. Was Dinah serious? It could explain a few things but left her stunned all the same. Slowly function returned to her mind as lips trembled in their search for words. Instead of verbally stumbling about she placed a hand on Dinah's arm to anchor herself, speaking only when she was sure her voice would follow through, "I think. . .I've always known, even before I knew about sex and all that stuff. But if you mean when did I realize it then I'd have to say age 12 when I had my first real kiss. Well, I'd kissed boys before that on dares and it was like eh whatever right? Wasn't until the boys thought it would be funny and dared Kelly to kiss me. The minute her lips touched mine there was this. . .thrill I'd never felt before and by that age I knew what it was. Made everything really clear for me actually, even though she was totally weirded." Pausing, she tried to read the other girl who was staring at her intensely, hanging on every word like it was the thread holding her together. It was clear Dinah was scared and she couldn't blame her for remaining silent so long. However, it still stung. Gently squeezing Di's arm, her voice lowered and became more serious, "is that why you've been so out of it? I mean, I get the freaking out but you can trust me, ok? And I want you to know its different for everyone. You have to find the answer for yourself and whatever you decide, you know I'll be here."

Was one kiss enough of an indication? Did Gabby mean more than she was saying? Questions were multiplying but she found the tension easing as her best friend's voice sank. Unable to control herself, she wrapped her arms around the other form and hugged her tight. "Thanks Gabs." Pulling back to collect herself, she continued, "I'm really sorry I didn't say anything it's just we haven't been able to y'know hang out away from school the last week and everything. I was just. . ." Eyes shifted around the buzzing cafeteria, keeping her tone under the radar of gossip queens, "afraid. Can we. . .hang out soon?" She missed her Gabby. Her dad had said no visitors for about a week now and Dinah couldn't think of a place unrelated to school that they could hang out at. Gabby didn't know about her. . .gifts, which ruled out No Man's Land and she couldn't take her to the tower. Barbara would have a conniption.

Gabby's eyes widened at the surprise hug but she returned it gently with a smile. It had to be hard for her friend. New, from a small town and unsure about her sexuality or possibly even identity. And her reputation at school probably didn't help either. There was plenty to be spazzing about. With a nod of acknowledgement, she whispered in return, "sure. How about after school? I know this wicked place downtown where we can chill." She felt like an ass. Their lack of communication was just as much her fault as Dinah's. There were tons of places not far from the school to socialize or have a soda but they were use to the comfort of her house. With Becca staying she didn't even want to bring up inviting Dinah over yet. Not with dad being all patrol dog and lurking around every corner. They'd never be able to talk.

"You mean like a date?" Dinah teased lowly with a chuckle, dodging the jab to her midsection like a pro. "Seriously though, I'm so there. Where do you wanna meet?"

"As if!" she hissed playfully, giggling as she tried to elbow the crime fighter. Girl was getting good at avoiding her which was a little strange. "Flagpole sounds as good a place as any. Just make sure you talk to Miss B about it, because I'm so not answering another one of those phone calls where she sounds like she's going to reach through and strangle you Homer style."

"Deal," Dinah agreed with a firm nod, cringing a little as the bell rang. "Well, guess I'll see you then."

Late afternoon at the safe house. . .

Yep, this was hell Jaime had concluded. Oracle had been slaving away to get information about what the Feds needed her for but something was stalling her. Maybe she didn't feel comfortable sharing that information with the Bionic woman and she couldn't blame her but it was annoying being in the dark. Training day in and day out had grown tiring, leaving her constantly sore and no longer relieving the restlessness. She'd slept a whopping four hours in the last six days, haunted by fears concerning her sister a large percentage of the time. The remainder was spent agonizing over these feeling she was developing for the crime fighter she always found herself eager to see. Why did this have to happen now? Everything was in chaos and still when the girl was with her it all stopped churning. That wasn't healthy, right? She couldn't tell anymore. Pacing back and forth, the same questions battled in her mind. And more sailed in when she considered the fact Dinah couldn't be much older than her sister.

Speaking of her sister, why wasn't she out there looking for Becca? Because Oracle said it wasn't safe. Her 72 hours had run up and if anyone saw her she would be hunted down. Berkut knew her weaknesses, which meant so would anyone sent by them to retrieve her. Would they really neutralize her? Why hadn't Jonas mentioned the Feds were sniffing around? Did he even know? If he didn't, wouldn't he have to by now? 'From what Dinah saw, the Feds might have Becca. I'm sure they're taking good care of her, even if they might be exposing my secret to her as I sit here and rot. That's the worst they can do. If the woman in the car was part of another group that wants my attention then what Oracle said comes into play. She's their only leverage. Without her they won't have a shot in hell at talking to me. This is driving me crazy. I need to get out of here, even just for a couple minutes.'

The brunette stomped out of the small room and back into the tunnel leading to the outside world. It took several minutes but she made it to the surface and fresh air was like a miracle to her lungs. Pulling herself out of the hole, she found a piece of rubble to sit on and stared out into the wasteland. Dinah had told her how this use to be the dock yards of Gotham before the infamous fight between Batman and the Joker 7 years ago. She'd heard of the legend, even being from another coast, and though it was hard to believe he existed it also gave her this hope. There were people out there who dedicated their lives to the pursuit of justice, vigilantes who followed a code of honor while working outside the government's laws. And now she had been granted the opportunity to meet such individuals. A sigh fell past her lips as she enjoyed the sunny afternoon, completely lost in the feel of warm rays washing over her until a voice alienated her mind. "Jaime! Where they hell have you been?"

Blue eyes widened in shock, her interface immediately being instructed to shut down communications with her employer. Blood leaked from her nose, wiped away with one knuckle as she dropped back into the path leading to her prison. "Fuck," she muttered to herself as she scrambled down the tunnel and back into the room where she cleaned off her hand and nose. Opening a connection with Oracle, she waited for a response. She'd really screwed up going out there and forgetting about the chip. She hadn't needed to worry about it since hiding here but the interference only applied underground. Frustrated with herself, she began to pace again. They'd know where she was and be there in no time. It was late afternoon and she wondered if Oracle would even be around yet. She had to have some form of a normal life to pay the bills, right?

Oracle: Jaime, what's up? ::looks a little flustered, hair a bit wind-blown::

With a heavy sigh, she couldn't look up at the screen as it flicked on. "I screwed up," she breathed, moving a hand over her face and it would be clear she was mentally kicking herself. She cut the redhead off before she could ask what she'd done, explaining dejectedly, "I went out for some fresh air. Forgot this place scrambles the signal from my interface to Berkut communications. They know where I am."

Oracle: ::eyes widen:: Dammit! Uh. . . ::brows pinch, fingers hammer away at the keyboard and she nods:: Ok, listen carefully Jaime. There's an emergency lever to the right of the exit behind a flimsy metal panel, just beyond the curtain. You'll have to initiate shutdown to keep the safe house uncompromised. Then I need you to follow the sewer pipe to your immediate left. Eventually it'll dead end. Wait there and an associate of mine will be right with you. And Jaime, don't use your bionics. Jog at a steady pace but don't rush. I'm monitoring the area and so far you look safe. Be careful.

Memorizing the instructions given by Oracle, she gave the screen a stern nod and turned toward the exit. The voice stopped her to warn about the bionics. She wasn't sure why the redhead was requesting that but she'd do it. It was time to prove she trusted these people. Stuffing her things into her backpack, she slung it over one shoulder and headed out. The switch was exactly where Oracle said, activating shutdown before heading down the sewer pipe at a ginger pace. No rush, right? The dead end was much closer than she imagined but she didn't wait there long. A black car pulled up and when the door popped open, the brunette got in. She was handed a blindfold (which she put on) and a blanket. Laying down in the back seat, she pulled the cloth over her and waited. Wherever they were going, she didn't want to be seen.

Whoever the older man was that she got a brief look at knew this city down to every corner, or so she suspected by how smoothly the vehicle turned. It felt like he knew exactly where he was going. For a period of time they were on the city streets but then things grew dark again and soon enough motion rolled to a stop. They were here. The locks clicked, door popping open a second later as she sat up. She could feel the car door open and then a hand touched her arm to guide her. "Come along Miss Jaime, Oracle is expecting you."

Meanwhile at Eon. . .

"Wow, so, like, what is this place?" Dinah asked with hazel eyes darting about before taking a slow sweep over the area. It wasn't a very big place, maybe that size of No Man's Land but the setup was creative and very eye catching. She wondered who was responsible for the artwork and designs, not to mention the soft music humming in the background that added serenity to the environment. Was this where all the normal kids hung out? She was tugged over to a small desk where her friend waved at the paper on a clipboard.

The look of awe from her friend made Gabby smile. She could remember the first time she'd stumbled in here, shyly shuffling her feet and looking around nervously until one of the counselors noticed her. With Dinah's line of questioning at lunch she decided it would benefit them both if she ease her into the community and showed her somewhere safe to go if she needed it. But first the formalities. Nudging the girl, she encouraged, "go ahead and put your name down on that. Anytime you come here you have to sign in, just so they know who's around. First name's enough. Today you'll be considered a guest and when Shaun gets in she'll get into all the rules and stuff. But to answer the question, it's called Eon. It's what we all like to call a safe space where we can be ourselves as long as we respect each other."

Doing as instructed, she filled in what she could. There was one box she left empty because she couldn't say what her sexual orientation was with any degree of certainty. From the sounds of it, they'd understand. Turning to Gabby, she was lead to a little couch near the entrance where they sat down. "So, this is like a gay youth center thing?" Wow, she didn't even realize something like this might exist. Where she came from it was a crime against nature to even consider feeling this way, let alone meeting others like yourself without having to be incredibly careful. Safe space. She liked the sound of that, even if it didn't apply to every aspect of her.

"They don't limit who they help but their main focus is on New Gotham's queer youth community. There are meetings you can attend, discussions and debates, fund raising activities, field trips, movie nights. Hell, near the end of the school year they even have a gay prom. But that's not why I brought you here. It's a great place to just hang out, talk and meet people. If you ever need a place to blow off steam or advice on something you feel weird talking to me about, help isn't that far away. This place did a lot for me when I was in the same spot you're in." Gabby smiled, watching her friend as she browsed through the collection of pamphlets and flipped through each one.

"I didn't even know we *had* a queer community," Dinah admitted, a little embarrassed. "But I mean, New Gotham is a lot bigger than where I'm from so nothings impossible," she added with a chuckle. While looking over some of the material her brows pinched. There was a reference made to the "GLBTIQQ" community and she only understood half of that. Pointing at the bold lettering, she met Gabby's eyes, "what's that? I know it sounds totally lame but I don't understand most of it. Gay, lesbian, bisexual sure. But um. . ."

"Transgender, intersex, queer and questioning. It's more inclusive so they use that sometimes. Political correctness or whatever. Stop distracting me though. You're supposed to be telling me about this chick you're having hot flashes over. Don't think I've forgotten," she hissed with the shake of her finger in a half teasing gesture. Dinah had been able to stall but she couldn't hide forever. Talking about it would help and Gabby was DYING to know more. She'd had this feeling about her best friend from the day they'd met but she could never tell what exactly made the other blond different. This was her chance to have a peek inside the mysterious girl's mind and she wouldn't give it up for the world.

Two hours later near No Man's Land. . .

That had been the most awesome place ever. Well, since she found the Clocktower. She'd spilled everything she could reveal about Jaime and how she was feeling to Gabby and like a pro she had some really great answers. The teen realized after that she really needed to have more faith in the one person she could say anything to. Maybe when all this crazy work business calmed down she'd let her in on that too. But she wasn't committing yet. It was dangerous and she couldn't let anything happen to the sweet blond.

Peeking around the corner before she turned it, the teen stopped mid-step. Watching from a spot escaping Helena's line of vision, she squinted. So her partner had the same idea she had, not out of the ordinary and the brunette didn't have school to contend with. But who was the man with her? Just looking at him made her uncomfortable. He felt. . .familiar and yet she couldn't place him in any clear memory. The two were talking, joking if she had to make a guess because Helena didn't scoff like that for no reason. She desperately wished she could read lips right now, even if she did gag because they were being cute or something silly like that. At any rate, brows furrowed in curiosity. Why would Hel bring the boy toy on a business trip? Could they really trust him?

Both figures got into a car, bolting outta there like the world was going to end if they didn't get to their destination in two minutes flat. Sighing, she made her way into No Man's Land to flag down Gibson. Maybe he knew who the chump was and if she was smooth about it, she might even be able to squeeze out of him the reason for Huntress' visit. Was that guy she saw a meta? That might explain the weird vibe. The minute she walked into the room Gibson strolled over to meet her. "Well, two of New Gotham's most beautiful women in one day. Were you looking for the ever so delectable Huntress? Because is so you unfortunately just missed her."

The teen feigned ignorance, a look of pseudo surprise bursting onto her features, "really? Why was Helena here? She like never hangs out with the rest of us." It was a valid point. The brunette was always consumed by her desire for a normal life which made spending time with her meta family insignificant. Sure, she cared about them but it also meant they saw very little of the feral. She hoped she wasn't laying it on too thick and was thankful Gibson wasn't the one who could read minds. She'd never been a very good liar but maybe she'd learned something in her time with the other two women. They were pro at it, talking mad skills but only to other people. When it came to each other, all bets were off. She found it kinda funny.

Gibson shrugged chipperly, "she just wanted to know if there were any new metas in town that might have to do with your work. She seemed a little annoyed come to think of it. Didn't even stay to finish her drink but you know her, she never does. Speaking of drinks, can I interest you in one?"

Helena annoyed? Ok, that wasn't unusual. But enough to alert Gibson? Suspicious. What made her think metas were involved in what was going on with Jaime? Did she have a lead nobody else knew about? As if she didn't have enough to freak out about, now she'd have to find a way to grill Gibson. "Drink sounds good. So, what kinda metas was she asking about? Don't sweat Gibs, I wouldn't tell her you said anything. I'm just wondering what kinda lead she might be following. Since, y'know, she's so awesome with the sharing and all."

The man ushered her over to the bar where he ordered something for them both and then let out a laugh. "I get it. You're watching her back in case she does something stupid. She's a stubborn one that's for sure. The only one she asked me about was a Jaime Sommers. She's not meta by the way but there is a new one in town. Don't know her name or what she can do but she's out there, I sensed her the other day but she was gone before I could figure out where she was. Our good friend Huntress didn't want to hear it and went stomping off somewhere. So, pool?"

"Sure," Dinah beamed, although she was less than a ray of sunshine inside. Helena didn't trust Jaime, that's what it came down to and she feared the feral might actually find something. What if the Bionic woman was deceiving them? Then again, what reason did she have to do so? They were helping her get back the only thing she longed to protect and Dinah believed the older woman's intentions were pure. Yes, she had secrets but all of them did. Some more than others. The information that interested the young superhero was mention of a new meta. Where had Gibson been when he sensed this person and how did he know it was female? Could she have something to do with being unable to find Becca? "We can talk and play. You can break this time since I did last game. So, how do you know this meta is female anyway?"

While his friend went about setting up the game he watched quietly. The explaination was simple. The location he'd been at was very familiar and nothing had changed in the last five years, but that day it had been different. There was a smell and a voice that had never been present and while the girl could have been passing through something nagged at him. Like there was a detail he'd seen that hadn't quite registered. He'd never had that problem before, considering his abilities. In any case he replied cheerily, "I don't know any meta guys who smell like cotton candy, use the word like incessantly and sound like a fourteen year old girl? I could easily be wrong but those are the only hints I got before poof, gone."

That was strange. Gibson was the master of memory and it almost sounded like he'd forgotten something. Waving a hand at the table, she nodded. "All ready. And yeah, guess the odds are in your favor there Gibs. I'll mention her to Big Sister and see if there's anything we can find to ease your mind."

That night at the tower. . .

With a distant sigh the teen trotted out of the elevator and toward the Delphi where she was sure Barbara would be, no doubt up to her neck in research. Her gaze was trained on the ground, eyes heavy as she was growing tired. It hadn't been that long a day but stress managed to built up nonetheless. She was still trying to figure out what Helena was up to, why that man gave her a weird feeling, if this new meta might be a part of their case and of course there was outing herself. Gabby had told her not to rush things, take it slow and watch how things unraveled in their own time and she couldn't disagree. There was just this part in her that felt every moment she kept it a secret, she was lying to her family. Just then she realized Barbara wasn't alone, hazel eyes shooting up and widening in surprise. "Jaime?" she questioned with pinching brows, confusion obvious on her features.

Both the redhead and brunette broke from their conversation to look at the troubled teen as she approached, neither having an opportunity to speak before another presence caught all of them off guard. The soft click of boots brought the tall, handsome woman striding in but her steps were stunted by blue eyes landing on Jaime. Glaring in the direction of Barbara, she snorted, "what's *she* doing *here*? Isn't this suppose to be *our* secret lair?" Leaning against the computer desk her eyes looked right through the Bionic woman.

Barbara shook her head. It was like having a house full of kids. First she has to save Jaime from her own stupidity and now it was time to sweet talk Helena into playing nice. Good grief. At least Dinah was simply confused and she'd have to explain now anyway. Placing a hand on Helena's, she gave her a stern look. "Huntress, that's no way to treat our guest. Jaime's going to be staying here. We had an issue with the safe house earlier so I had her relocated. The people she works for are very persistent but we've secured a way to keep her hidden until we're good and ready to communicate with them. I have some new information but first I'd like all of you to have a seat. This might be a shock to your system," the Oracle suggested with a glance toward Jaime and then Dinah.

Everyone followed instructions perfectly, although Helena jerked her hand away from her friend's. Why did they have to bring that woman to the tower? What if she was some kinda double agent getting the best of them and learning their secrets for the greater evil Oracle always swore was out there? Maybe it wasn't even that. She didn't trust her and until she figured out why, she didn't see a reason to be more than civil. Crossing her arms defiantly, annoyed crystalline eyes moved over the other brunette and then her partner. There was a look between them, one that made her do a double take and squint. Were. . .they doing the whole uncomfortable silent flirting thing? Ok, now she REALLY didn't like this woman.

Dinah's first instinct was panic but she forced herself to listen until her mentor was finished. At least Jaime was safe but staying at the tower? Great, Helena was going to be a moody bitch for the rest of eternity now and she wasn't exactly sure where the Bionic woman would be sleeping. Her room wasn't a likely option which was both a saddening and relieving fact. She could feel the older woman's eyes appraising her body, peeking up to meet them with a shy smile. Rose colored tint fluttered over her cheeks as she faced the screen, trying to ignore the second set of eyes on her that were heated with rage.

In all of this Jaime was feeling very strange. She'd been having a pleasant conversation with Barbara when Dinah came in and concern arose in her eyes. The younger woman looked frazzled and increasingly alarmed by her presence. An explanation seemed to settle her considerably and the brunette relished in the calm washing over Dinah's face. She looked cute when she was wound up but the innocence in her shyness was a far more stunning sight to behold. Steel gaze dropped to the ground, creeping back up slowly and though it wasn't intentional she found herself taking in the younger woman's soft curves. Realizing what she was doing, her eyes darted to the screen and she shifted awkwardly as a glare burned through the back of her skull. Would the other brunette ever come to trust her? She'd have to prove her worth and that was ok with her. If somebody was treating her sister this way, she'd certainly be up in arms too.

Oracle had readied the Delphi for her presentation and she wondered if what effect this might have on the girls. Dinah and Jaime would surely be stunned but she was more concerned about Helena. This information could very well push her feral friend into nasty territory and it would make this situation hell. A small sigh suffocated in her throat and she cleared it, ready to begin. "The reason we can't find Becca is very simple. Big brother is involved and every scrap of information on the case is locked behind security that makes even me nervous. Regardless I have been able to piece together enough of an understanding to determine why it's such a big deal. I don't know where the allegation came from but apparently some months ago a person reported that Becca was being abused and since then they've been investigating on a federal level. My guess is that they've collected enough 'evidence' to frame you and put the warning out to prevent you from finding you sister before they did. Alternately, they could already have her in custody. Unfortunately without inside information we have few options here. I'm trying to find a way of hacking into their systems undetected but so far I'm not having much luck. That's where we stand." Each bit of her ramble had a window. A picture of suites chasing Becca, a timeline with possible events down to the hour, security levels of each agency with risk meters and a scrap of the actual claim form that wasn't blacked out. This was all guesses but they had nothing else to go by.

Jaime's fists clenched, a fury burning behind normally calm eyes. This was outrageous. She'd never laid a hand on Becca, so what fictional evidence could they have? Were they seriously pursuing her because of this? Did her boss know anything about this? Would he turn her in? Did this mean the Feds had her sister? Knuckles turned white, jaw tightening as she glared at the screen. Somebody was going through an awful lot to trap her and had she not met these three women she would have been helpless to stop any of this. Lady luck was on her side and she hoped it would continue. Oracle was looking into it, what more was there? She wanted to tear something apart but it was pointless without a proper target. Still she remained on edge, stiffening when a gentle fingers grasped her wrist. Frozen eyes slipped down to meet concerned hazels, warm with sincerity and the ice about her presence melted away. Placing one hand on the younger woman's, she forced a smile.

Each word that had fallen from her mentors lips tightened the Telekinetic's muscles. She'd spent countless hours at this point with Jaime and never once had she picked up on anything remotely close to these allegations. From the scenes she'd experienced Becca loved the older woman very much and their separation left both sisters lost, desperately attempting to claw their way back to one another. Sadly it seemed this situation was a tactic and unfortunately for the other player in this game the Bionic woman had three little birdies on her side. Well, two birds without question and whether she liked it or not Helena had an obligation too. Not that Dinah expected the feral to trust the dark haired beauty. That was a matter all its own.

From the moment she'd entered the room to the time the little lecture was over, Huntress was restless. She couldn't dig up anything on Jaime, not one damn thing and she was frustrated. Who's ass did she have to kick to get some answers? If only she could figure that out, then she might be getting somewhere. All this dead end shit was really grating her nerves. There had to be something not so squeaky about Miss Perfect and she was going to be the one to find it. Eyes narrowed at the intake of her friend's discovery and though a part of her wondered if Jaime was capable of such a thing she knew that wasn't it. The other brunette had protected Dinah from those men without hesitation, putting her own life in danger for somebody she didn't even know at that point. She didn't feel the type. When the redhead's conclusion settled into the air she raised one hand with only a moment's hesitation. Receiving a nod, she muttered pointedly, "sounds like my kinda game. Not big on the suites but I know a couple insiders. Gonna check in with our good friend at the PD and. . .another friend, see if they can sniff anything out. Might take a couple days." Slim shoulders rolled in a casual shrug as she sauntered over to the balcony, calling over her shoulder, "if you need me I'll be around." And with that she disappeared into the night as only Huntress was able to do so dramatically.

Everyone had their own reactions to the presentation but it went much better than she anticipated. Everything unfolded smoothly and Helena had even offered to contact her sources about the matter. It was funny thinking of the feral as any sort of negotiator but fact was, she did the street work and therefore dealt with all face to face interactions. Reese was a given at this point and her suddenly dropping in would be less than a surprise. The other contact however was new and Oracle was weary. She didn't have much to go on about him, only that for some reason Helena trusted him and not just cause she was dating him either. He had a spotless record, astounding references, was in perfect health and had been working in government for several years. Only the future would tell if that was a mistake. For the time being she needed something warm to drink and some sleep. Closing out the windows, her attention shifted to the younger women. "I'm grabbing some tea and calling it a night. I have the Delphi patched into my room in case anything happens so you two have a good night. And don't stay up too late."

With the sound of Barbara wheeling away the brunette relaxed, no longer unsettled by the awkward feeling she got when they all shared the same space. The three women were incredibly close, a makeshift family really and she wasn't sure she'd ever fit in. She had a family, so why did was there this urge to gain Huntress and Oracle's acceptance into theirs? Because try as she might thoughts of the young superhero would not quiet. She'd spent her solitude considering options, weighing pros and cons but the truth was she couldn't control this. What she was feeling, Dinah's emotions, the unexplainable connection they seemed to share all lead to the same conclusion. For reason still unknown to her she was falling, in the most innocent of ways. Her last relationship had started on a physical level, only to end once the fire was extinguished. But this had begun in a completely different manner, leaving her unsure of what it meant. She was going to take it slow, give them both time to sort out the questions. In the mean time, getting to know each other couldn't hurt. Placing a hand on the younger woman's, she whispered with a gentle smile, "so. . .did you wanna watch a movie?"

~ TBC ~