CHAPTER 9

Reese was alone with Helena. Barbara was getting some much needed rest. It has become almost a foregone conclusion that Helena was going to die. Nothing they had tried was effective against this poison. Much to Barbara's dismay, they had to give up their quest for the cure and spend time with Helena in her final hours. That's all Helena had left in her life. According to their projection, Helena would only be alive for another few hours. Her body temperature was now nearing 104. Seizers were becoming more frequent and the chances of a heart attack were growing more likely with every passing minute.

Reese held Helena's hand in his hand and was petting the back of the hand. He looked into her grim looking face and brought her hand up to his face and kissed the back of her hand. "I can't believe it's going to end like this. There is so many experiences that we never got to share. You've wanted to live a normal life, and now that is being ripped away from you. I was going to show you the world, and what it's like to live a normal life."

His eyes began to swell up as tears trickled down the sides of his face. "Damn it, this is not fair!" Reese stood up and bent over Helena and kissed her on her cold, lifeless lips.

Dinah had watched from the second floor, looking from the railing. Her heart was broken, watching Reese mourn over Helena. Helena was going to die, and there was nothing Barbara, Richard, or Bill could do to save her. They said that the only thing for them to do is to be there for her as she is ready to pass away. Dinah refused to accept that.

* * * *

Dinah finally had a chance to be alone with Helena. She had been waiting patiently for this moment. She looked around to make sure the ghost was clear and then looked down at Helena. "Helena, I don't know if you can here me, I hope you can. I hope you understand what I am about to do. If you do, I hope you can help Barbara to understand, because I don't think she will. If you don't understand, then I hope that one day you will find it in your heart to forgive me for what I am about to do."

Dinah could only remember Barbara's warning that doing this would kill her. She knew that Barbara was right, that she probably would not survive, but at least Helena would have a fighting chance to live. She was ready to die for Helena. Helena had more to live for, including a man who loved her deeply. Before doing this, she had come to terms with herself and now was ready to die. She only hope her sacrifice would not go in vain.

Dinah put her hands on Helena's head and closed her eyes. The first thing she was doing is to contact Helena. Dinah opened her eyes and found herself in the black and white world of Helena's conscious. Dinah heard a gun shot, and Dinah followed where the sound had come from. She entered an alley way and found a very young Helena weeping over her Selena Kyle, her mother. "Helena" Dinah called out to her, but she could not hear her.

Dinah turned around an older Helena Kyle, more towards her current age. She was weeping over a body. Dinah took a step forward to see that Helena was cuddling Reese, who appeared to be shot. What memory was this? Reese wasn't dead; how could this be a memory? "Helena?"

"Go away!" She cried.

"Helena, it's me Dinah! This isn't real. Reese is not dead."

"Leave me alone! Let me die already!" Helena still did not look back at Dinah.

"No, I will not let you die! You have people who love you. Your death is going to kill all of us, mostly Barbara and Reese."

Dinah looked up in the sky and saw the shadow of large, intimidating presence of a man. He wore a black mask with red stripes and had a tube connected to the back of his head. He was laughing mockingly towards Dinah. Was this Bane? If so, why was he here in Helena's consciousness? His shadow was like vast sea of darkness, and right now, Helena was in that sea of darkness. "Reese's dead, Barbara's dead, everyone's dead. Let me die!"

"Helena, you must let me help you! They are not dead. None of this is real." Dinah pleaded desperately.

Helena was not even acknowledging her presence. It was as if she was talking to a dream as she cuddled the dead body of Jesse Reese. It was time for drastic measures. Dinah took a deep breath and jumped into the shadow and as she did, her body began to soak in the most horrific pain that she had ever felt.

It was at that moment, Helena acknowledge her as she looked around at her with horrified eyes. "No, Dinah! You're going to die!"

"I'm not going without you. If I have to die to save you, I will!" Dinah cried as tears of pain soaked her face.

Helena jumped to her feet. "Stop it, please! I don't want to loose you too!"

Dinah feel to her knees, unable to find the strength to make it to Helena. The darkness was zapping all her strength. "I'm stuck in here now, and it's going to kill me. The only way to save me now is to save yourself."

Helena slowly made her way to Dinah. "I don't have the strength to fight this. I don't have the strength to save you," Helena's wept. Streams of tears rushed down her face.

"I will touch your skin and give you the strength. I will soak away some of the poison and help your white cells fight it. That will give you the strength."

"It will kill you, Dinah!"

"Nothing can help that, now. Take this last gift from me."

Helena's heart was torn. How could she ask Dinah to give up her life for her? How selfish would that make her? Would Barbara blame her for Dinah's death? Time was running out, and she had to let her instincts make the decision, and her instincts was made clear when Helena reached down and grabbed Dinah by the arm.

As their skins touched, Dinah closed her eyes and could see inside her body. The white cells in her body were quickly being overtaken by this strange black intruding cells. She began using her powers to regenerate her white cells.

Helena slowly began to feel strength seep back into her. She pulled Dinah up and scooped her up into her arms. She slowly made her way back out into the light, but every step she took, the weight of the darkness pressed down on her.