BODY DOUBLE | PART TWO
A/N: Major thanks to everyone who waited for me to get my butt back in gear. I haven't been writing a lot of BoP fic lately, because of the lack of it on TV, but have slowly been trying to integrate myself into the Birds- verse once again. Hopefully this doesn't stink. Also, this picks up directly after the first part left off.
I've been playing around with the way this whole reversal thing works and when you see Helena talking or doing something, know that it's Helena in Dinah's body. Same goes for Dinah. Even though it says "Dinah walked down the hall and. . ." it's really Dinah, in Helena's body. Got it? Good.
* * * * *
"Figures," Helena muttered, more than a little disconcerted when Dinah's bubbly voice hit the air. She was going to have to get used to that. It just wouldn't do for people to stare at her shocked face every time she spoke. "You get tackled by your partner and somehow manage to get in her body. Did I mention that I never wished for any other body but my own when I was growing up? I mean, there is no reason for this. I don't deserve it at all."
"Oh be quiet," retorted Dinah, who was currently wearing her skin; this became even more apparent as her eyes changed. "Like I *asked* for this. I was just trying to save your ass and you give me all this crap. Next time, I'll just stay out of your way and let you get killed."
Before it could get any further out of hand, Barbara, ever the voice of reason and wisdom, spoke up. "I have a theory as to why it's happened. If. . . anyone's interested." The two looked at her. She cleared her throat. "I think because Helena was in her Meta form-which, incidentally saved her life-and Dinah subconsciously absorbed the blow and redistributed it, it caused some energy imbalances and therefore switched your bodies."
"Great," Helena replied sarcastically, though it failed to deliver the usual zing since it was through Dinah's voice. "Just what we need. Are we stuck like this?"
"I'm going to work developing on a similar charge to switch you back, but this time, Helena's going to have to do it. The only problem is, it's probably going to take some time, and Helena, you have no control over Dinah's powers yet. You're going to need to get them somewhat mastered before this can happen-I have a feeling it's going to be a one-time thing and if you mess up. . . it might become permanent before you can try again." She looked at their blank faces and added, "DNA imprinting and stuff."
"Sh*t," Helena mumbled quietly.
It was bad enough that she'd had to get used to her own powers, but they weren't as loose cannon-y as Dinah's were. Not to mention that Dinah was a full blown meta, which added to the problem, since she still had trouble with her own status as what Gibson affectionately called a "halfer". Now she had to learn a whole other set of powers that were as controllable as anything was without limits. For some reason, this made her think of herself, in her later teenage years. A force to be reckoned with; and prime example unpredictability. Strange that she should be thinking this now, when she wasn't even in her own body. Somehow she'd always thought that reminiscing happened when you were comfortable with your own skin. . . which she obviously wasn't even in at this time.
"Until then, you have no choice but to go to school and work as each other."
In Dinah's body or not, there was no mistaking a seriously pissed off Helena Kyle. "There is no way I'm going back to that seventh pit of hell that's mistaken for High School. And-she can't serve liquor, she's a minor!"
"Not anymore," Dinah chirped, feeling a little smug at the moment.
The computer screens started to flicker and they all looked up. "Uh, Helena?" Barbara gently inquired.
She looked back at her and frowned. "Sorry." A moment later, the screens resumed their current tracking of New Gotham's most notorious alleys and one extremely uneasy blonde had her arms folded across her chest.
Classic Helena for "I don't want to talk about what just happened even though it really freaked me out beyond words."
The redhead sighed. "As much as I hate to admit this, Helena's right. She could lose her job if Dinah goes in her place. But I'm pretty sure she has some vacation days that she can use, so we should be covered there. As for Helena. . . you've already done the High School gig, it should be old hat to you by now."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever," and started to walk out of the room.
"Wait, please." Her tone of voice brooked no argument. "Just so you know, from this point on, I'm going to call you by your own names, so you don't get confused. You will answer to it, regardless of whose body you're in." They continued to look at her until she looked away from her computer screens. "Oh, that was it. You can go now."
* * *
Even though they were in each other's bodies, didn't mean that their personal space--for example, their rooms--no longer belonged to them. Helena walked into her room at the Clocktower and tried not to look as she passed the mirror. It didn't work. She sighed and stood in front of the full-length mirror, assessing her new figure and the options it had.
She flicked a piece of hair experimentally. "This could be fun, for a little bit. I always wanted to be a natural blonde."
Sighing again, she walked over to her closet and looked at her dark clothes. She was going to have to go back to school tomorrow. Ugh. Something told her that if Dinah came to school clad in something other than her usual funky style, something like--Helena's all-over uniform black- -it might cause somewhat of a stir. And while she was all for making an entrance, there were easier ways to do it.
That being said, there were some things here that she didn't want Dinah to even lay eyes on. Hell, there were some wisps of clothing that Barbara would have an apoplexy over. She ran a hand through her hair and grimaced when it tangled in the long, blonde strands. And tried to remind herself that it could always be worse. She could have switched bodies in the beginning, when Dinah's hair was nearly down to her waist. She shuddered.
"Okay. Enough with the thinking. If I want this stuff to be hidden, I've got to get a move on."
Helena threw aside the normal shirts and pants to reveal a second bar of clothing in the back. It consisted mostly of leather and very small tops and skirts. She grinned. Maybe in a day or two, Dinah could have some fun after all. Besides, wasn't there a guy she wanted so desperately to impress?
* * *
It was weird. Okay, of course it was weird, but walking around like this, where it felt like every limb and muscle in your body was connected? It was sinful. It felt so good, she almost never wanted to stop moving. How could Helena complain about being sore when the end result was a saunter that had men all over the place dumbfounded? If she had that gift, she wouldn't give it up for the world.
Not to mention, she glanced up at the second story railing and estimated the distance, crouching slightly. Seconds later, she was hanging onto the metal for dear life.
"Barbara!"
"Be right there," she called back, busily typing away.
"No, I really need your help, here."
The soft whirring of her chair sounded louder than normal in Dinah's ears as she waited for her mentor to arrive.
"What happened?"
She winced, and let one hand off the railing so she could look at her. "I tried to jump. I guess I don't quite have the hang of it just yet."
Barbara's eyebrows rose. "That's why you're letting all your weight fall on one arm? Pull yourself up, Dinah. It should be relatively easy."
Dinah gripped the railing tight and tried to imagine her body moving. It wasn't working. She said as much to Barbara.
"That's because you're trying to move with your mind. Use your *arms*, Dinah. That's how you got there in the first place."
A look of determination filtered into her eyes and she was suddenly flipped over the rail. "Whoa," she put her arms out for balance, looking oddly like a surfer. Then she examined the finger-dents in the railing. "Sorry."
Barbara shook her head, smiling. "Look down that bar, about two more feet."
There was another set of markings nearly identical to the ones she'd just made. Dinah cautiously set her hand over it and let it close over the indent. Sure enough, it was a perfect fit.
"But I didn't do this!" She protested.
"I know," Barbara wheeled away, going to the elevator. "Helena did, when she was still learning."
* * *
She had a pile of clothes stacked precariously high on her bed. "What am I supposed to do with them now?" Helena asked, gesturing to the pile.
The clothes suddenly lifted an inch off the bed and she was acutely aware of a slight pressure in her mind. Her eyes widened with understanding and she willed them higher. The pressure increased, but not too much. Little by little, getting acclimated to the feeling, she lifted the garments and started separating them, setting them into a circle, hanging around the room.
A giggle escaped her as the clothes whirled merrily in a circuit of the room's perimeter, looking like some messed-up amusement park ride. The door opened and startled Helena, who lost concentration and let the clothes go. A mesh-bra top landed on Barbara's head.
She peeled it away from her face disdainfully, and gave her a reproving look. "What's going on in here?" She threw the shirt off her and was surprised to see it hover in the air, three inches from her eyes.
Helena stared at the shirt intently, her eyes tracking it's movement until it landed safely on the bed. "I was just doing a little. . . cleaning up."
Barbara made a sound of unbelief and watched as all of the clothes lifted off the ground and joined the shirt in a flurry of movement. It was weird, but she'd swear it was Helena's own mischievous grin shining through Dinah's sunny exterior.
She cleared her throat, hoping to get her attention. "I see you're getting the hang of things."
"Little by little," Helena modestly replied, lifting her hand and flicking her wrist slightly. The door slammed behind Barbara and she winced. "Now. We need to talk about a few things."
* * *
Even the gym felt like a whole new experience for her. She felt like she could go for hours on end, after the punching bag, or with the escrima sticks. Her arms moved fluidly, and she'd spent at least twenty minutes finding out that Helena could do a pretzel with no effort whatsoever.
The dumbbells and weights scattered about the training room were witness to her learning status, but a few more hours of this and she should have it down. The only thing she wasn't looking forward to was the jumping. Oh sure, it was fun, once you got the hang of it. Helena probably thought nothing of it as she crossed several street lengths at twenty feet in the air. But the falling part? She wasn't really looking forward to that.
"Look at it this way, squirt. You always land on your feet."
She whirled around to see Barbara and. . . well, this was still uncomfortable--herself in the doorway. It was even stranger to see her own body leaning against the doorway in a casual pose that practically screamed Huntress.
"How did you--"
"Telepathy," Helena smirked, tapping her head gently. "You've got so much fun trapped up here in this brain of yours."
A low growl sounded in the room and she was shocked to find it was coming from her. "It's nice to know you're having a good time," she let punching bag have it with her arm, dodging the returning glide it made.
"I am." Helena returned, flipping her blonde hair teasingly. "But that's not what I came up here to talk about."
"You can take the body of the Huntress, but you can't take Huntress out of Helena Kyle," Barbara muttered softly, wheeling in between the two girls.
She gazed around at the scattered chaos in the room, then glanced back at Helena, who nodded. With a few flicks of her hand, the weights and dumbbells were replaced in their usual spots, and even the swinging punching bag stood still. Slowly, her fingers uncurled from their fist-like formation and she breathed heavily.
"Wow. Guess that takes a lot out of you."
This time, it was Dinah's turn to smirk. And she did so beautifully. "You're not me, not just yet."
"I don't really want to be you, actually, but as long as I'm stuck here, I might as well make the best of it." Then she shook her head, as if trying to clear it. "God. Now I even *sound* like you. I hate optimism."
"Look," Dinah put her hands on her hips, enjoying the smooth way her voice echoed in the room. "Was there a point to this?"
It looked like she was starting to get the hang of things, too.
Once again playing peacemaker, Barbara spoke up. "Helena and I have discussed a few things. While you're still learning what the other is capable of, and while the meta who did this is still out there, you are to report to the Clocktower at night. That means, Helena, you have to sleep here. And Dinah, no sneaking out to clubs after sweep." At her outraged look, she added, "Helena already told me you were thinking about it."
Helena shot her a smug look and Dinah looked out the window, crossing her arms.
"Also. While Helena's going to school, as you, you're going to have to fill her in a little on your classes--otherwise, she'll fail." Barbara ignored the shocked look on her face and continued, "And she will help you with the whole Huntress thing. Once we've settled into a comfortable pattern, we're going to attempt to switch you back."
"How long will that be?" Dinah asked, still glaring out the window.
Barbara sighed. "That's the thing. Both of your meta readings are off the charts right now. Things need to calm down first, and at the rate they're going--it won't be for at least a week or so."
* * *
End Part Two.
And it goes on.
A/N: Major thanks to everyone who waited for me to get my butt back in gear. I haven't been writing a lot of BoP fic lately, because of the lack of it on TV, but have slowly been trying to integrate myself into the Birds- verse once again. Hopefully this doesn't stink. Also, this picks up directly after the first part left off.
I've been playing around with the way this whole reversal thing works and when you see Helena talking or doing something, know that it's Helena in Dinah's body. Same goes for Dinah. Even though it says "Dinah walked down the hall and. . ." it's really Dinah, in Helena's body. Got it? Good.
* * * * *
"Figures," Helena muttered, more than a little disconcerted when Dinah's bubbly voice hit the air. She was going to have to get used to that. It just wouldn't do for people to stare at her shocked face every time she spoke. "You get tackled by your partner and somehow manage to get in her body. Did I mention that I never wished for any other body but my own when I was growing up? I mean, there is no reason for this. I don't deserve it at all."
"Oh be quiet," retorted Dinah, who was currently wearing her skin; this became even more apparent as her eyes changed. "Like I *asked* for this. I was just trying to save your ass and you give me all this crap. Next time, I'll just stay out of your way and let you get killed."
Before it could get any further out of hand, Barbara, ever the voice of reason and wisdom, spoke up. "I have a theory as to why it's happened. If. . . anyone's interested." The two looked at her. She cleared her throat. "I think because Helena was in her Meta form-which, incidentally saved her life-and Dinah subconsciously absorbed the blow and redistributed it, it caused some energy imbalances and therefore switched your bodies."
"Great," Helena replied sarcastically, though it failed to deliver the usual zing since it was through Dinah's voice. "Just what we need. Are we stuck like this?"
"I'm going to work developing on a similar charge to switch you back, but this time, Helena's going to have to do it. The only problem is, it's probably going to take some time, and Helena, you have no control over Dinah's powers yet. You're going to need to get them somewhat mastered before this can happen-I have a feeling it's going to be a one-time thing and if you mess up. . . it might become permanent before you can try again." She looked at their blank faces and added, "DNA imprinting and stuff."
"Sh*t," Helena mumbled quietly.
It was bad enough that she'd had to get used to her own powers, but they weren't as loose cannon-y as Dinah's were. Not to mention that Dinah was a full blown meta, which added to the problem, since she still had trouble with her own status as what Gibson affectionately called a "halfer". Now she had to learn a whole other set of powers that were as controllable as anything was without limits. For some reason, this made her think of herself, in her later teenage years. A force to be reckoned with; and prime example unpredictability. Strange that she should be thinking this now, when she wasn't even in her own body. Somehow she'd always thought that reminiscing happened when you were comfortable with your own skin. . . which she obviously wasn't even in at this time.
"Until then, you have no choice but to go to school and work as each other."
In Dinah's body or not, there was no mistaking a seriously pissed off Helena Kyle. "There is no way I'm going back to that seventh pit of hell that's mistaken for High School. And-she can't serve liquor, she's a minor!"
"Not anymore," Dinah chirped, feeling a little smug at the moment.
The computer screens started to flicker and they all looked up. "Uh, Helena?" Barbara gently inquired.
She looked back at her and frowned. "Sorry." A moment later, the screens resumed their current tracking of New Gotham's most notorious alleys and one extremely uneasy blonde had her arms folded across her chest.
Classic Helena for "I don't want to talk about what just happened even though it really freaked me out beyond words."
The redhead sighed. "As much as I hate to admit this, Helena's right. She could lose her job if Dinah goes in her place. But I'm pretty sure she has some vacation days that she can use, so we should be covered there. As for Helena. . . you've already done the High School gig, it should be old hat to you by now."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever," and started to walk out of the room.
"Wait, please." Her tone of voice brooked no argument. "Just so you know, from this point on, I'm going to call you by your own names, so you don't get confused. You will answer to it, regardless of whose body you're in." They continued to look at her until she looked away from her computer screens. "Oh, that was it. You can go now."
* * *
Even though they were in each other's bodies, didn't mean that their personal space--for example, their rooms--no longer belonged to them. Helena walked into her room at the Clocktower and tried not to look as she passed the mirror. It didn't work. She sighed and stood in front of the full-length mirror, assessing her new figure and the options it had.
She flicked a piece of hair experimentally. "This could be fun, for a little bit. I always wanted to be a natural blonde."
Sighing again, she walked over to her closet and looked at her dark clothes. She was going to have to go back to school tomorrow. Ugh. Something told her that if Dinah came to school clad in something other than her usual funky style, something like--Helena's all-over uniform black- -it might cause somewhat of a stir. And while she was all for making an entrance, there were easier ways to do it.
That being said, there were some things here that she didn't want Dinah to even lay eyes on. Hell, there were some wisps of clothing that Barbara would have an apoplexy over. She ran a hand through her hair and grimaced when it tangled in the long, blonde strands. And tried to remind herself that it could always be worse. She could have switched bodies in the beginning, when Dinah's hair was nearly down to her waist. She shuddered.
"Okay. Enough with the thinking. If I want this stuff to be hidden, I've got to get a move on."
Helena threw aside the normal shirts and pants to reveal a second bar of clothing in the back. It consisted mostly of leather and very small tops and skirts. She grinned. Maybe in a day or two, Dinah could have some fun after all. Besides, wasn't there a guy she wanted so desperately to impress?
* * *
It was weird. Okay, of course it was weird, but walking around like this, where it felt like every limb and muscle in your body was connected? It was sinful. It felt so good, she almost never wanted to stop moving. How could Helena complain about being sore when the end result was a saunter that had men all over the place dumbfounded? If she had that gift, she wouldn't give it up for the world.
Not to mention, she glanced up at the second story railing and estimated the distance, crouching slightly. Seconds later, she was hanging onto the metal for dear life.
"Barbara!"
"Be right there," she called back, busily typing away.
"No, I really need your help, here."
The soft whirring of her chair sounded louder than normal in Dinah's ears as she waited for her mentor to arrive.
"What happened?"
She winced, and let one hand off the railing so she could look at her. "I tried to jump. I guess I don't quite have the hang of it just yet."
Barbara's eyebrows rose. "That's why you're letting all your weight fall on one arm? Pull yourself up, Dinah. It should be relatively easy."
Dinah gripped the railing tight and tried to imagine her body moving. It wasn't working. She said as much to Barbara.
"That's because you're trying to move with your mind. Use your *arms*, Dinah. That's how you got there in the first place."
A look of determination filtered into her eyes and she was suddenly flipped over the rail. "Whoa," she put her arms out for balance, looking oddly like a surfer. Then she examined the finger-dents in the railing. "Sorry."
Barbara shook her head, smiling. "Look down that bar, about two more feet."
There was another set of markings nearly identical to the ones she'd just made. Dinah cautiously set her hand over it and let it close over the indent. Sure enough, it was a perfect fit.
"But I didn't do this!" She protested.
"I know," Barbara wheeled away, going to the elevator. "Helena did, when she was still learning."
* * *
She had a pile of clothes stacked precariously high on her bed. "What am I supposed to do with them now?" Helena asked, gesturing to the pile.
The clothes suddenly lifted an inch off the bed and she was acutely aware of a slight pressure in her mind. Her eyes widened with understanding and she willed them higher. The pressure increased, but not too much. Little by little, getting acclimated to the feeling, she lifted the garments and started separating them, setting them into a circle, hanging around the room.
A giggle escaped her as the clothes whirled merrily in a circuit of the room's perimeter, looking like some messed-up amusement park ride. The door opened and startled Helena, who lost concentration and let the clothes go. A mesh-bra top landed on Barbara's head.
She peeled it away from her face disdainfully, and gave her a reproving look. "What's going on in here?" She threw the shirt off her and was surprised to see it hover in the air, three inches from her eyes.
Helena stared at the shirt intently, her eyes tracking it's movement until it landed safely on the bed. "I was just doing a little. . . cleaning up."
Barbara made a sound of unbelief and watched as all of the clothes lifted off the ground and joined the shirt in a flurry of movement. It was weird, but she'd swear it was Helena's own mischievous grin shining through Dinah's sunny exterior.
She cleared her throat, hoping to get her attention. "I see you're getting the hang of things."
"Little by little," Helena modestly replied, lifting her hand and flicking her wrist slightly. The door slammed behind Barbara and she winced. "Now. We need to talk about a few things."
* * *
Even the gym felt like a whole new experience for her. She felt like she could go for hours on end, after the punching bag, or with the escrima sticks. Her arms moved fluidly, and she'd spent at least twenty minutes finding out that Helena could do a pretzel with no effort whatsoever.
The dumbbells and weights scattered about the training room were witness to her learning status, but a few more hours of this and she should have it down. The only thing she wasn't looking forward to was the jumping. Oh sure, it was fun, once you got the hang of it. Helena probably thought nothing of it as she crossed several street lengths at twenty feet in the air. But the falling part? She wasn't really looking forward to that.
"Look at it this way, squirt. You always land on your feet."
She whirled around to see Barbara and. . . well, this was still uncomfortable--herself in the doorway. It was even stranger to see her own body leaning against the doorway in a casual pose that practically screamed Huntress.
"How did you--"
"Telepathy," Helena smirked, tapping her head gently. "You've got so much fun trapped up here in this brain of yours."
A low growl sounded in the room and she was shocked to find it was coming from her. "It's nice to know you're having a good time," she let punching bag have it with her arm, dodging the returning glide it made.
"I am." Helena returned, flipping her blonde hair teasingly. "But that's not what I came up here to talk about."
"You can take the body of the Huntress, but you can't take Huntress out of Helena Kyle," Barbara muttered softly, wheeling in between the two girls.
She gazed around at the scattered chaos in the room, then glanced back at Helena, who nodded. With a few flicks of her hand, the weights and dumbbells were replaced in their usual spots, and even the swinging punching bag stood still. Slowly, her fingers uncurled from their fist-like formation and she breathed heavily.
"Wow. Guess that takes a lot out of you."
This time, it was Dinah's turn to smirk. And she did so beautifully. "You're not me, not just yet."
"I don't really want to be you, actually, but as long as I'm stuck here, I might as well make the best of it." Then she shook her head, as if trying to clear it. "God. Now I even *sound* like you. I hate optimism."
"Look," Dinah put her hands on her hips, enjoying the smooth way her voice echoed in the room. "Was there a point to this?"
It looked like she was starting to get the hang of things, too.
Once again playing peacemaker, Barbara spoke up. "Helena and I have discussed a few things. While you're still learning what the other is capable of, and while the meta who did this is still out there, you are to report to the Clocktower at night. That means, Helena, you have to sleep here. And Dinah, no sneaking out to clubs after sweep." At her outraged look, she added, "Helena already told me you were thinking about it."
Helena shot her a smug look and Dinah looked out the window, crossing her arms.
"Also. While Helena's going to school, as you, you're going to have to fill her in a little on your classes--otherwise, she'll fail." Barbara ignored the shocked look on her face and continued, "And she will help you with the whole Huntress thing. Once we've settled into a comfortable pattern, we're going to attempt to switch you back."
"How long will that be?" Dinah asked, still glaring out the window.
Barbara sighed. "That's the thing. Both of your meta readings are off the charts right now. Things need to calm down first, and at the rate they're going--it won't be for at least a week or so."
* * *
End Part Two.
And it goes on.