Chapter 8
Dinah paced back and forth, wondering what was taking Helena and Barbara so long. She saw Helena flip over the railing and then jump back up but didn't say a word in passing. She knew something was going on but from the look on Helena's face, she knew not to interrupt. The kitchen was still a mess so Dinah decided to exercise her powers and see how much cleanup she could get done without actually lifting a finger. She stared at the broom and willed it to move. Slowly it swept up the glass as Dinah instructed it with her eyes. Even with a black eye, she still was quite proficient with her powers. As she watched the broom sweeping up the glass and remains of the plant, Dinah burst out laughing. Flashbacks of Mickey Mouse in Fantasia crossed her mind; remembering all the mops and brooms sweeping across the floor with magic.
Once the kitchen was clean, Dinah put their lunch in the oven and turned it on low so it would be warm by the time Helena and Barbara were done with whatever it was they were doing. She sat on the kitchen chair and held an ice pack over her tender eye while she waited.
***
Helena knotted the thread tightly and clipped the end with the scissors. She inspected her job. Not bad, she smiled. She pulled out the remaining items from the first aid kit that she needed. As Barbara lay there silently, Helena spread a generous amount of ointment over the stitched area to prevent any infection. She then placed several layers of gauze over the wound and secured it with tape. "All finished," she said with a touch of pride in her voice. Barbara rolled over onto her side; her face flushed.
"Can you hand me a shirt?" Barbara asked. Helena pulled out an oversized, black t-shirt from the closet and handed it to Barbara. She accepted it with a reluctant smile, slipped her right arm though the arm hole but gritted her teeth in pain as she tried to do the same with the left. Helena rushed to help Barbara again. She removed the shirt from Barbara's right arm and first slipped it over her injured left. From there, she attempted to move the shirt to Barbara's right arm, but Barbara flinched and Helena ceased. She had a better idea. She moved back to the closet and dug around until she found what she was looking for.
"Plan B," Helena explained meekly. She wrapped the shirt around Barbara's back and helped her ease her arms into the holes. It was relatively painless this time. Helena reached for the front of the shirt and began to slowly do up the buttons. Barbara stared at her, wondering how long she could keep up with her original plan of tormenting Helena because of all Helena had put her through. Barbara was beginning to crumble in her conviction but the moment Harley or Wade popped into her head, she was reminded of how angry she was. Helena was reminded as well as she had come to expect the moment that anger would return. She could see it festering in Barbara's mind and the look on her face.
As the final buttons were fastened, Helena paused to look into Barbara's eyes but what she was desperately searching for; it was nowhere to be found. Barbara stared back with emptiness and gave a slight nod, and said, "Thanks." Helena nodded back in response.
Barbara made a move towards her chair, and when she was nearing the edge of the bed, Helena once again scooped up her legs and placed them over the edge. Barbara positioned herself so that she could slide into the chair but without her other arm, this method was impossible. Helena stood in front of the chair and held out her arm. Barbara pulled herself up and Helena once again slipped her arm around her waist, while still letting Barbara do most of the work. Helena guided her in front of the seat and let go of her waist and Barbara let herself drop back into the chair; the jolt momentarily hurting her arm, but her pride remained intact.
Instead of joining Barbara in the elevator, Helena flipped over the railing; but waited for her at the bottom and they entered the kitchen at the same time.
"Well it's about time!" Dinah said as she pulled the ice pack from her eye, letting Helena get a good look at her handiwork.
"Dinah, I…" she paused and pointed to her eye, "How do you feel?" she asked instead of apologizing.
"Much better," Dinah smiled, "It doesn't even hurt anymore." Dinah winced as she poked at it to prove her point and Helena smiled at the foolishness. "Don't laugh," Dinah threatened, "You'll be getting a lot of these from me soon enough." She grinned smugly at Helena, trying to act tough. Helena blew her off.
"Pfft!" Helena rolled her eyes, "The only thing I'll be getting from you in a fight, Dinah, is boredom. Or your blood on my clothes." Dinah rolled her eyes. We'll see about that, Huntress, she smiled to herself.
"Is lunch ready, Dinah?" Barbara changed the conversation. Dinah said yes and promptly removed the pan from the oven.
"Smells good," Helena smiled just as her stomach let out a loud rumble. Dinah laughed at the timing and even Barbara cracked a smile, to which Helena caught. I miss your smile, Barbara, Helena made a mental note. "What?" she asked, I'm always hungry!" Dinah carried the tray over to the dining area where Helena has set up the plates earlier. She placed the mini pizza's on each plate; pepperoni for Helena, Hawaiian for Barbara and vegetarian for herself. Dinah was not a vegetarian, she just happened to like this pizza best.
Helena scooped her piece up and took several large bites while both Barbara and Dinah stared at her with disgust on their faces. "What?" she asked again, mouth full. "I told you I'm always hungry!" The looked at one another, back and Helena and shuttered. "Whatever," Helena rolled her eyes again.
They ate in silence but the moment they were done, Dinah asked what had happened in the kitchen. Barbara was quick to explain. "The shelf fell down and it sent a few things falling." It wasn't a lie, the knife did go flying. She just didn't tell Dinah that it flew into her.
"Well I saw some blood on the floor, did you get hurt?" she continued, trying not to show the worry in her voice.
Barbara shrugged her off. "Just a scratch, Dinah, nothing to worry about." She smiled at the young girl, insisting she was fine. She gathered up the dirty plates and stacked them on her lap and headed for the kitchen. Dinah grabbed the cups and pizza pan and since everything was gathered, Helena stretched out on the couch, exhaustion now catching up with her.
Dinah returned from the kitchen but Barbara insisted on hanging back and cleaning. Instead of sitting on the other couch, Dinah sat on the one that Helena was lying on. Helena raised an eyebrow at her. "Yesss" she drawled as Dinah sat next to Helena's legs. Dinah shrugged.
"Are you okay?" Dinah asked, resting her hand on Helena's knee. Helena yanked away quickly and Dinah frowned, offended. "I wasn't trying to read your mind," she looked down in sadness, upset from Helena's quick reaction. Helena realized the sincerity and once again got comfortable.
"Sorry kid," she apologized. "I'm fine," she lied.
Dinah's face dropped even more. "I don't believe you," she responded softly, afraid to look at Helena. Helena sat up and lifted Dinah's face with her index finger.
"I'm fine, Dinah," she lied yet again. "Really. I was out all night on sweeps and didn't sleep yet." The story was somewhat true, and Dinah was buying it fully. "I'm just really tired."
"Oh!" Dinah exclaimed. "Well then I'll leave you alone so you can sleep," she said but Helena caught her arm before she walked away.
"You don't have to leave," Helena said. Truth was; she enjoyed having the kid nearby. It helped ease some of the loneliness Helena was feeling but would not admit to. "How is your eye, really?" she wanted to know.
Dinah wanted to tell Helena that it was perfectly fine but felt it was better to tell the truth. "It still hurts," she confessed, "But the ice really helps." She could see the shame in Helena's eyes so she quickly tired to lighten the mood. "It's already getting better. Meta humans heal quick, right?" she asked.
Helena forced a smile. "Yes, that's right. We heal quick." Her eyes began to droop and Dinah knew she was forcing herself to stay awake. She decided to leave but Helena caught her arm again. "Stay," she said, her eyes pleading. Dinah wasn't used to seeing the vulnerability in Helena; The Huntress. She sat back further in the couch and continued to rest her hand on Helena's legs, offering the only form of affection Helena would openly accept. Helena closed her eyes and within moments, fell into a deep sleep.