Dinah didn't say anything

Title: Fear and Loathing in New Gotham pt.7

To say that she was in shock would be an understatement.

"You so did not have sex with Helena."

"Oh yes I did." Dinah replied.

Barbara splashed icy water into her mouth and swallowed as she sat in her modified bathroom.

They had had sex.

As the words had spilled from Dinah's mouth, Barbara had panicked. She had manoeuvred herself out of the blonde's bedroom before she had been noticed and now she was hiding. Barbara didn't know what to make of the confession.

Perhaps Dinah was mistaken.

Barbara shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. Stupid. Dinah was a teenager; she probably knew more about sex than Barbara did. She had often caught kids at school discussing the finer points of copulation and even though she was only thirty-three, she hadn't understood everything being described.

Perhaps Dinah was lying.

Dinah didn't lie … but then again, she had. Barbara thought about when this could have happened.

Friday? Dinah had found Helena upset and sick.

No. Barbara shook her head again.

The weekend? No. Dinah had spent the entire weekend with her except for sweeps, but even then they were in constant communication.

Monday? Dinah had skipped school to go and look for the brunette but hadn't found her.

Barbara's eyes snapped open as her memories flooded her mind and did their best to convince her that Monday was the day.

Dinah had said that she had had sex with Helena, Barbara believed her. Oh god. Her seventeen year old ward had had sex with her twenty-four year old best friend. Were they crazy? What had they been thinking? Why hadn't they told her?

Barbara felt betrayed but it didn't seem justified. Why did she feel betrayed? Sex between two consenting adults was perfectly natural. Nothing wrong there. But, did she consider Dinah to be an adult? The answer was a definite yes. She was young but in no way a child. Sex was also a private affair and she didn't need or want to know when her two younger friends 'did it'. Therefore, not being told was the right thing for them to do. But, Dinah hadn't even told her that she had seen Helena, she had said that she had gone looking for her but hadn't found a thing. So, Barbara had continued her search without vital information, like where she actually was.

Dinah hadn't needed to say that she had found Helena had sex and then left. She could have just told her where the brunette was without elaborating.

Why hadn't Dinah told her that she had seen Helena? Why had she, instead, hidden it from her?

Barbara pulled her glasses to the end of her nose and rubbed the bridge between finger and thumb. She was starting to get a headache. Barbara didn't know what she was going to do.

She groaned.

"Did you fall in?" Helena's muffled voice came through the locked bathroom door as she knocked.

Barbara jumped. "What?" She squeaked.

"Are you okay in there?"

The redhead could hear the concern in the other woman's voice. She took a deep breath before replying as calmly as possible. "I'm fine. I'll be out in a minute."

"Okay. I'll go and see what D wants to eat."

"Okay." Barbara called back, sliding her glasses back into position. She glared at her reflection, looking for answers. They were lovers. Small smiles, little touches, Dinah's noticeable concern for the brunette and Helena's need for her to be there during 'The Talk' had convinced her. They were lovers and they wanted to keep it to themselves, for now, she hoped. Barbara decided that she wouldn't say anything until one or both came to her and told her.

'This is going to be so hard' She thought before leaving.

…………………………………….

"What you doin?" Dinah bounded up besides Helena as they waited for Barbara to return before they called and ordered takeout.

The brunette pursed her lips as she flicked through a stack of cd's. "Thought we could listen to some tunes while we ate."

Helena wasn't even looking at the cases in her hands, Dinah could tell. Helena was shuffling Barbara's collection of classic eighties music and it was definitely not her flavour. "Are you okay?" She took the discs out of the other woman's hands and put them back into the cd tower.

"It all seems too easy." Helena sighed.

"What does?" Dinah frowned.

The brunette waited a beat for the blonde to finish stacking the discs and turn to her. "Being back here … after everything that's happened."

Dinah took one of Helena's hands in her own. "How can you say today was easy?" She smiled warmly.

Helena shrugged her shoulders. "We talk, we move on … but what about Wade?"

Dinah stepped forward and pulled the brunette into her arms. She placed her head on Helena's shoulder and hugged her tightly. "We'll never forget him, Hel. But you've gotta remember that we don't blame you for his death." She pulled back, cupped Helena's cheek and swiped at a stray tear with her thumb. "And if I have to remind you of that every day … I will."

……………………………………..

'Oh God' Barbara groaned internally. How was she supposed to do this when they were so obvious? She cleared her throat to let them know that she was back.

"Hey." Dinah turned to Barbara as Helena turned away and wiped her face dry. "We ready to order?" The blonde's brows knitted as she took in her guardian. Was Barbara blushing? Her silent question was left unanswered as the brunette spun around and spoke.

"Sure am."