Author's Note: Okay, this chapter probably sucks, but I was trying to get
something out before I go on vacation. I'm hoping to get another chapter
out before I leave and hopefully it will be better.
Chapter 8
Helena sat at the bay of computers that was normally occupied by Barbara. She sat in the chair with her head in her hands, praying that the Delphi monitor would go off. That would mean that the computer had picked up Barbara's tracking signal and maybe then this nightmare would end. Helena stared at the computers, but nothing happened. Helena sighed and rolled her head to one side trying to loosen the tightening muscles in her neck. The day's events played over in her mind.
After leaving the Redmonds, Helena had headed to her meeting with her father's old lawyer. His news had not brightened her mood. He had basically informed her that with her current job and past history with the law, it wasn't going to be easy getting Dinah back. Helena wasn't the model citizen and by all outward appearances, the Redmonds were. In order to convince a judge that Helena was responsible enough to have guardianship of Dinah, her lawyer recommended that she change her image, starting with accepting Bruce Wayne as her father. After her mother's death and Helena had found out who her father was and that he wouldn't enact revenge on the Joker, she had wanted nothing to do with the man. She hated him for not killing the man who had her mother killed and for her to use his name to help her now, sickened her. She wanted nothing to do with the man and she didn't want to be tied to the Wayne fortune. Yet, the clock was ticking and Helena was running out of options. She just didn't know what to do. She wished Barbara were here; she always had all the answers. As it was, Helena just stared at the computer screen and prayed for a miracle.
Helena heard the elevator doors slid open, but she didn't bother to look up. Reese walked into the Clocktower and over to the bay of computers. He looked at Helena curiously.
"What's up Helena? Any news on Barbara?" he paused as Helena ignored his questions, continuing to stare at the computer screens. "Is everything okay?" he asked. Reese glanced around the silent Clocktower. "Where's Dinah?"
Helena glanced up at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "Dinah's gone."
A look of shock came over Reese's face followed closely by a look of anger. "It was the Joker, wasn't it? What has that maniac done this time? What happened?"
Helena shook her head. "No, it wasn't the Joker. It was her foster parents. Turns out that there was a custody dispute that Barbara neglected to mention and now that she is gone, the Redmonds were able to convince a judge that Dinah would be safer with them. I'm not so sure they're wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"Look at me Reese," Helena's voice rose as she started to get angry. "I'm not the model citizen. I tend bars for a living and when I'm not doing that, I'm patrolling the streets of New Gotham as a rogue vigilante. So, not the most respectable jobs in the world. I've lost Reese. I've lost Barbara; I've lost Dinah. It's over."
Reese shook his head, "No, I refuse to believe that. You'll get Dinah back and we'll find Barbara."
Helena sighed. "No we won't find Barbara. The Joker wouldn't keep her alive without letting us know. He would use her as bait to draw us out, but he hasn't. It's over. Mr. Redmond was right."
Reese was starting to get angry with Helena's self pity. "Do you hear yourself? Do you actually hear what you're saying? I can't believe you're giving up."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Damn it Helena, you're supposed to fight. You have people depending on you. You can't give up."
"I'm just tired of fighting," Helena whispered as she broke down into tears.
Reese took her into his arms and hugged her as Helena cried. "I know you're tired, but you got to keep going. We'll find them."
Helena pulled away from Reese and dried her eyes. "You're right, you know. It just seems like the cards are stacked against me and whenever I think it can't get any worse, it does. I just needed a good kick in the ass, to get me back on my feet. Thanks."
Reese smiled. "That's what I'm here for." He put his arms around Helena. "It's late. What do you say we call it a night."
Helena sighed. "I wish I could, but I have so much paper work to go through. I have this trust fund junk from the lawyer that I need to look over." She lifted up the stack of papers to show Reese.
Reese put the papers on the table. "That can all wait till morning. You need you're rest. You won't be any help to Dinah if you're half dead."
Helena smiled. "I hate it when you're right."
Reese smiled as he pulled her towards the stairs. "I always am."
Helena grinned as she let him lead her towards the bedroom. The paperwork could wait till the morning, and maybe, just maybe, everything would be better in the morning.
Chapter 8
Helena sat at the bay of computers that was normally occupied by Barbara. She sat in the chair with her head in her hands, praying that the Delphi monitor would go off. That would mean that the computer had picked up Barbara's tracking signal and maybe then this nightmare would end. Helena stared at the computers, but nothing happened. Helena sighed and rolled her head to one side trying to loosen the tightening muscles in her neck. The day's events played over in her mind.
After leaving the Redmonds, Helena had headed to her meeting with her father's old lawyer. His news had not brightened her mood. He had basically informed her that with her current job and past history with the law, it wasn't going to be easy getting Dinah back. Helena wasn't the model citizen and by all outward appearances, the Redmonds were. In order to convince a judge that Helena was responsible enough to have guardianship of Dinah, her lawyer recommended that she change her image, starting with accepting Bruce Wayne as her father. After her mother's death and Helena had found out who her father was and that he wouldn't enact revenge on the Joker, she had wanted nothing to do with the man. She hated him for not killing the man who had her mother killed and for her to use his name to help her now, sickened her. She wanted nothing to do with the man and she didn't want to be tied to the Wayne fortune. Yet, the clock was ticking and Helena was running out of options. She just didn't know what to do. She wished Barbara were here; she always had all the answers. As it was, Helena just stared at the computer screen and prayed for a miracle.
Helena heard the elevator doors slid open, but she didn't bother to look up. Reese walked into the Clocktower and over to the bay of computers. He looked at Helena curiously.
"What's up Helena? Any news on Barbara?" he paused as Helena ignored his questions, continuing to stare at the computer screens. "Is everything okay?" he asked. Reese glanced around the silent Clocktower. "Where's Dinah?"
Helena glanced up at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "Dinah's gone."
A look of shock came over Reese's face followed closely by a look of anger. "It was the Joker, wasn't it? What has that maniac done this time? What happened?"
Helena shook her head. "No, it wasn't the Joker. It was her foster parents. Turns out that there was a custody dispute that Barbara neglected to mention and now that she is gone, the Redmonds were able to convince a judge that Dinah would be safer with them. I'm not so sure they're wrong."
"What do you mean?"
"Look at me Reese," Helena's voice rose as she started to get angry. "I'm not the model citizen. I tend bars for a living and when I'm not doing that, I'm patrolling the streets of New Gotham as a rogue vigilante. So, not the most respectable jobs in the world. I've lost Reese. I've lost Barbara; I've lost Dinah. It's over."
Reese shook his head, "No, I refuse to believe that. You'll get Dinah back and we'll find Barbara."
Helena sighed. "No we won't find Barbara. The Joker wouldn't keep her alive without letting us know. He would use her as bait to draw us out, but he hasn't. It's over. Mr. Redmond was right."
Reese was starting to get angry with Helena's self pity. "Do you hear yourself? Do you actually hear what you're saying? I can't believe you're giving up."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Damn it Helena, you're supposed to fight. You have people depending on you. You can't give up."
"I'm just tired of fighting," Helena whispered as she broke down into tears.
Reese took her into his arms and hugged her as Helena cried. "I know you're tired, but you got to keep going. We'll find them."
Helena pulled away from Reese and dried her eyes. "You're right, you know. It just seems like the cards are stacked against me and whenever I think it can't get any worse, it does. I just needed a good kick in the ass, to get me back on my feet. Thanks."
Reese smiled. "That's what I'm here for." He put his arms around Helena. "It's late. What do you say we call it a night."
Helena sighed. "I wish I could, but I have so much paper work to go through. I have this trust fund junk from the lawyer that I need to look over." She lifted up the stack of papers to show Reese.
Reese put the papers on the table. "That can all wait till morning. You need you're rest. You won't be any help to Dinah if you're half dead."
Helena smiled. "I hate it when you're right."
Reese smiled as he pulled her towards the stairs. "I always am."
Helena grinned as she let him lead her towards the bedroom. The paperwork could wait till the morning, and maybe, just maybe, everything would be better in the morning.