Chapter 3
Dinah wandered the dark streets looking for Helena. She knew of a few buildings that Helena liked to perch on top of. Hmm, she thought to herself. I'm supposed to be a daughter of a Canary and Huntress is the one that can fly! The daughter of a cat??? Dinah lifted her head, tilting it all the way back until she was looking at the night sky and hoping to see a silhouette of Huntress cast through the light of the moon. Oh this is useless! She thought as she craned her neck trying to see. I wonder… Dinah stared intently at her feet, willing them to move with her mind but they would not obey. If I can move things with my mind, why can't I make my feet move? She wondered, scrunching up her nose. She finally gave up, realizing that she can make something fly across the room but that something did not include her, no matter how hard she stared at her feet. She let out a heavy sigh and continued on her mission.
Barbara was momentarily puzzled when Huntress's communicator went silent but once again, ignored it. She bowed her head in self-pity and let her chin drop to her chest. A single tear fell to her lap but that was all. She was spent. "I can't help you," she said aloud, knowing full well Helena could not hear her because Barbara had turned off the two-way communicator. She didn't want to talk to Huntress. Not now. She wondered silently when she would want to talk to her again after what had happened. "I shouldn't have listened to you!" she shouted at the one-way communicator but stopped herself before she threw that across the room. "Damn you!" she cursed.
The cold air gave Dinah chills but she pressed on. "Oracle? Are you there?" she asked after touching her necklace, switching the communicator on. "Oracle?"
Barbara sighed, not wanting to deal with this. "What is it Dinah?"
"Huntress took off and I'm trying to find her. Can you locate her for me?" Dinah requested. Under normal circumstances, she would leave Huntress alone but after the events that had occurred, she felt the need to keep a close eye on her family. "Has she reported in to you?" she wondered with a touch of concern creeping from her voice.
"No Dinah, she hasn't reported in to me," Barbara explained. She wasn't lying but she also wasn't exactly telling her the truth. What was she going to say? That Helena cried out in anguish and she ignored her? No. It was best to keep that from Dinah. Sweet Dinah.
Dinah's shoulders slumped a little and she sighed. "I'm getting worried about her, Oracle. She just took off from me and I need to know that she's okay. She was really angry and just took off."
"So what else is new?" Barbara snapped, unintentionally.
"Well can you at least check Delphi and locate her so I don't have to wander the streets all night?" Dinah practically begged, growing more concerned by the minute. "Please?"
"Sure, Dinah, hold on." Barbara paused and took a deep breath. She couldn't very well tell Dinah that she threw her keyboard across the room so instead; she kept her waiting and making the girl think she was looking up the information. "Nothing is coming up yet, Dinah," she lied. "Give me a few minutes and I'll get back to you, okay?"
Dinah bought her story. "Okay," she responded, and waited patiently. Barbara turned her wheelchair and headed towards the supply closet just off the kitchen and retrieved a new keyboard. She rebooted her system and once back online, the new keyboard was fully functional and she tapped on the keys, soon bringing up a map on the monitor. A few more clicks and she targeted the area and quickly pinpointed the area where Huntress was.
"Dinah?" Barbara asked over her comm. set.
"Go ahead, Oracle," she replied, anxiously.
"Huntress is at the intersection of Seventh and Wilson. You'll find her there," Barbara explained. She stared at the screen curiously, "She hasn't moved for a while," she finished. Dinah once again turned down her comm. set and headed off for the building.
When she arrived, what she saw made her heart sink to the pit of her stomach. Huntress was not moving. Dinah ran over to the listless body and shouted in concern, "Oh my God, Huntress!" She was about to reach out but found her face being met with a powerful right cross, sending her flying across the rooftop. Dinah immediately covered her face as Huntress was on her, ready for a second attack. She clenched her fist for another strike but stopped when she heard Dinah scream.
"Huntress! It's me!" Dinah cried, trying to protect herself from the powerful predator. Huntress's fist stopped in mid air, moments before it connected with the young girl. Confused, Huntress stepped back and her feline eyes retorted back to their usual human appearance. "Please, Helena!" Dinah sobbed, "Don't hit me!" Huntress stared at her victim, battered, but not broken and came back to reality.
"Dinah," she breathed as she realized what she had just done. Helena moved in closer, this time Dinah didn't flinch. "Dinah! What are you doing here?" Helena reached for the girl and pulled her to a sitting position on the cold concrete of the roof. The younger girl sobbed as the pain now erupted and her eye was on fire, sending shooting pains into her head. She gripped her head as tears unwillingly flowed. "Oh Dinah," Helena cried, "I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you," she explained, "I'm so sorry!" Guilt filled her to the core.
"I'm sorry I snuck up on you," Dinah wallowed, remembering a time when Helena explained to Dinah to never sneak up on her. Her reflexes were too quick and she nailed Dinah without meaning to. Dinah's body tensed in pain. Helena moved closer and pulled the young girl in a fierce hug and held on for dear life.
Helena cradled the girl in her arms and rocked back and forth. "I'm so sorry," she cried, self-hatred washing over her. "I didn't mean to, please be okay. You have to be okay!" she begged as she held on tight. Dinah struggled out of Helena's grip, fearing something was wrong.
"Huntress!" she shouted, breaking the woman's trance. They met eye to eye and Dinah realized that Helena was still somewhat out of it. "Helena," she said a little more softly, reaching out to stroke her cheek and wipe away the tears. "I'm okay," she reassured, despite her intense pain. Embarrassed, Helena pulled away and wiped her tears quickly.
"You need to get some ice on your eye," Helena explained, squaring her shoulders and her face expressionless. Dinah struggled to stand and Helena was quick to help her. She put her arm around the younger girl and together they walked to the clock tower which was only four blocks away.
Most of the walk was spent in silence but Dinah had to know. She asked Helena the question that was plaguing her mind. "Why were you crying before?" she asked softly, which caused Helena to stop mid-stride. She turned curiously at the younger girl with gentle eyes, but ignored the question. Dinah could see that she was deep in thought and she decided not to press the subject. They walked the remaining distance to the clock tower.
Dinah leaned against the wall as Huntress punched in the access code to the security system. They made their way to the elevator and the second it started to move, Dinah gripped her stomach and head simultaneously, feeling very motion sick. She moaned softly and Helena held her a little tighter, keeping her from sinking to her knees. "Almost there kid, almost there," she reassured.
The elevator hit the top floor and the door opened wide. Helena was momentarily taken aback as she saw Barbara near the elevator, waiting for them. She took one look at Dinah and shouted, "Helena! How could you?" Barbara's face filled with disgust and Helena recoiled. "Jesus! Don't you have any control over yourself?" she snapped and reached out for Dinah.
"It wasn't her…" Dinah tried to speak but a very angry Barbara cut her off.
"It's never her fault!" she spewed in anger, throwing Helena a deadly look. Helena met her eyes for a moment before she dropped them in shame.
"I'll get some ice," Helena mumbled, looking defeated.
"You've done enough," Barbara continued her abuse. "Why don't you just leave?" she snorted. Helena met her gaze while Barbara's eyes burned with rage. "Now," Barbara demanded, dangerously. Helena's fought back tears as she moved to the elevator, saying nothing.
As the door closed and she looked up one more time to meet a final look from Barbara. She was devoid of all caring, of all love. Helena waited for the doors to completely slam shut before sinking to the ground, once again tears engulfing her. "I'm all alone," she sobbed, her soul ripping into a million pieces.