Barbara continued searching for any trace of Killer Croc, if he tried to
kill her once, it was sure he would try again; on the other hand she felt
happy, Helena still loved High School and continued being the 'uber-stylish
former captain of the pep squad, and girl voted "most likely to inspire
envy". It was difficult trying to manage her; Barbara needed to look for
different ways to attract her attention; Helena wasn't convinced yet of the
training, and the most difficult part was to trying to teach her
discipline.
The girl was a little sceptic, Barbara had been Batgirl but she wasn't sure she could train her if she was in a. chair. But well, she thought, If she wanted to try, that is the least that she could do for her, Barbara had take care of her.
* * *
"Helena, I said wake up!" Barbara shouted entering in her room.
"Uh?" Helena felt Barbara ripping off her blankets, the daylight annoyed her and she covered her eyes "What is happening?" she asked trying to sit up but a strong headache made her sit back down. "Ouch!"
"It's late, we need start early." Barbara said "Come on wake up."
"Start for what?" Helena could barely open her eyes to see Barbara. She had been at party until 3 AM.
"Your training. Come on."
"Hey are you." she moved her hand to her night table looking at the clock "Barbara it's eight o'clock in the morning!" she protested.
"Yea, too late, we should have been out since seven o'clock. Come on, I'll wait for you downstairs, you got 10 mins."
"My head hurts."
"First rule: You can do anything you wish, if you want to come back here at 5 AM no problem, but you must wake up at 8 AM. Discipline, you need to learn discipline. I've left some aspirins on your night table, take them and hurry up."
Barbara was in the garage of the Clock Tower in the Hummer. Helena appeared in the elevator and tried to step in to the car.
"Out..." Barbara said.
"Out? Why?"
"You have to first run fifteen miles."
"Fifteen miles? But." Helena opened her eyes.
"I'll see you in New Gotham Park. I'm sure you can be there before me, now out." Helena grumbled and opened the door. She slammed it closed.
"I can't believe that a hangover would stop you." Barbara moved her head.
"If I arrive before you, the training days at 7 A.M. will end?"
"Hey, we haven't start yet. Are trying to give me conditions?"
"Give me some motivation."
"You have one, if you do not arrive before me, tomorrow we start at six o'clock." Barbara smiled and turning on the Hummer, she left the garage. Helena rolled her eyes and started to run after her.
When they returned, they went to the training room, Helena put her gloves in her hands. Barbara wheeled in, she wheeled to the shelves and picked up two sticks. She turned and threw one to Helena surprising her, she looked at the stick.
"What is this?" the brunette asked.
"Attack me" Barbara said wheeling in front her.
Helena laughed "No way. of course not." Before she could say another word Barbara raised her stick and tried to hit her, Helena stepped back and instinctively stopped the blow with the stick that she had in her hand. Barbara attacked her again like a hurricane. Helena fell to the floor surprised.
"Stand up, again." Barbara wheeled back "Focus Helena."
".What was that?" Helena picked up the stick and stood up.
"Hold the stick with both hands," Barbara said "never minimize your opponent, got it? Now, attack me."
Helena was afraid to hurt her and she threw a blow without strength, Barbara hit her stick bending her hand and immediately she hit her in the ribs, Helena fell down. "I said attack me!" Barbara shouted.
"Are you crazy?" Helena yelled.
"This isn't a game, stand up!"
Helena stood up and glared at her taking the stick. "I don't want hurt you"
"You couldn't hurt me."
"Of course I can.." Helena said sarcastically.
"You don't have the ability neither the capability to do it." Barbara sighed.
"What?" Helena was beginning to lose her patient.
"You don't focus, you don't know how to hold that stick, you don't know how to fight, how to think, how to move. Maybe you can walk but that doesn't mean that you will beat me."
"Come on, don't joke with me!"
"Try, I want to see you beat me." Barbara smiled.
"Barbara I almost killed a guy in a bar," Helena raised her hands "I knocked two stupid boys last week, I'm meta, I'm faster, are you nuts?"
"No, I want to show you that even with all the advantages on your side you can loose if you don't know your body, your mind and your capabilities. Don't let the damn chair fool you, I can assure you that you will need more than of year worth of training to beat me."
"Barbara."
"I'll take it easy on you, if you can knock the stick out my hands, we finish the training for today. Just as soon as you knock this stick out, you can go."
Helena moved, her face smiling "Is it a deal?"
"Deal." Barbara raised her stick preparing her defence.
"Got it."
* * *
One hour later Helena let her self fall to the floor of the training room. "I surrender." She mumbled tired and sweating; she threw the stick to her side.
"So. what happened?" Barbara wheeled next to her.
". I can't. You win, let me breath." She rolled back.
"I hope that you've begun to look at me in a different light. You have 5 minutes; we need start with the punching bag."
"Barbara, I'm tired."
"Good, that means that you don't know how canalize your strength to avoid feeling tired so fast., I can add that point to your training." Barbara wheeled outside. Helena rolled her eyes asking to herself why she had opened her mouth.
* * *
The young girl began to take pleasure in the trainings, a bit because of her pride, and a bit because she liked to fight. The wheelchair wasn't a matter after the first day to Helena; she didn't care about that, she really needed to focus on Barbara's movements; her mentor was incredibly agile and fast. Alfred smiled, looking at the girl improving every day in the training room. She really was so good; Barbara was doing a great job wth her.
One afternoon, Alfred entered in the gym with a tray in his hands. Helena leaved the place as a hurricane. She almost pushed Alfred. "Something wrong?" the old man asked.
"No, Barbara let me go early." Helena said running to her room "bye!"
Alfred walked in, Barbara was smiling cleaning her face with a white towel.
"She is really good." Barbara said.
"As good as.", Alfred asked.
"No, not yet. she needs work so much, it's hard try to train her, she lose her control easily and that loses her, she couldn't focus, today was perfect, but other days.", Barbara moved her head her anger blinded her, in the streets that is a suicide." Barbara took a glass of water that Alfred gave her.
"Is it serious? Is she going to patrol?" Alfred was curious.
"Not now it's too soon, maybe in a year. She has that sensibility that any hero needs, but she needs to learn so much yet."
"She had been happy the last months, the training changed her bad mood."
"Yeah, this is new for her, and she is exited discovering her self. But."
"But?" Alfred looked at her with curiosity.
"She hates the rules and it's hard do that she understands that she need follow the law." The red head explained almost frustrated.
"Why are you training her miss Barbara? Because she had the potential or because you are afraid that she goes to the bad side?"
Barbara kept silence a few seconds before answer. "She has the potential. But I'm afraid that the story starts again. Selina was orphan, her mother was suicidal and his father an alcoholic. Selina Kyle spent time in a state home for girls before escaping an abusive headmistress to live in Gotham City. Vowing never to go hungry or wanting again, she used her natural acrobatic skills and keen wits to become the most accomplished thief Gotham has ever known."
"Catwoman got her name not only because of her profession, also to her cat- like qualities. Cunning, stealthy, and mysterious; Helena had it and more. Selina was neither super-hero nor arch-villain. Catwoman can stand her ground in a fight with any man, including Batman, and was sometimes the sex kitten and sometimes the steely avenger, but most of the time just a thief, trying to avoid the spotlight and innocent bystanders."
Barbara bit her lip "Unlike most of Batman's foes, Catwoman was not out for mass destruction or world domination. She wasn't in it for the money. She had even been known to do the occasional good deed. When she was surrounded by bad, she was good. When surrounded by good, she was bad. When surrounded by Batman, oh! Catwoman and Batman have developed a grudging respect for each other over the years, and even more. Catwoman had a streak of good in her she can't suppress, no matter how hard she tried."
"Worry me that Helena keeps in mind yet the idea to find some day her mother's assassin and kill him. I'm afraid of her anger. The anger don't let think, the anger take you to do things that maybe tomorrow you will feel sorrow, the anger blind and you will commit dangerous or mortal mistakes."
"You need take your time miss Barbara." Alfred said. "Be patient."
"Yes right, we can't know the future."
"How is going your new wheel chair?" Alfred asked trying to distract her.
"Oh I'll finished next week, it's incredible. Better than the Hummer." Barbara said with great emotion. "You will see it soon."
"I hope it."
* * *
"Are you telling me that I can jump a building of ten floors? That is nuts!" Helena and Barbara were discussing in the training room.
"No, according to my calculations you can do it and more, your bones are very flexible. But you need training or you could break a leg. You are like a big cat." Barbara put in her hands gloves
Helena laughed, "My mom called me kitty because I always was hanging or jumping in a high place but this is crazy."
"Look your tests" Barbara gave her some papers.
Helena looked it a few seconds and gave it back to Barbara. "I don't understand a word."
Barbara rolled her eyes "Have you noticed that you can see as well with the lights off as if it were on? Well, hellooo! The people couldn't see with the lights off."
"I know that!" Helena smiled knowing Barbara was joking with her.
"You need to know your own limitations or some day you will kill your self or someone." Barbara moved her new electrich chair to the gym.
"That thing is amazing." Helena followed her.
"Gives me better movement. Don't be in troubles or I will catch you now."
"You need install it a turbo first."
"I'm on it, don't worry." Barbara looked her.
"Okay, what's next?"
"Gymnastics." Barbara went to the rings that she had installed in the middle of the room.
"Gymnastics?" Helena puckered her frown and followed her.
"Gymnastics. You need learn to keep balance and to use your hands. Is very useful have a perfect harmony in your body. Help me with the rings." Helena lifted Barbara and she grabbed the rings with her hands "watch it." Helena stepped back.
Barbara make several exercises using just her arms; Helena felt really surprised. She could see her muscles tensing in all her upper body. She finished the routine and Helena helped her to back to her chair.
"That was incredible." Helena said.
"Do it." Barbara cleaned her sweat with a white towel.
"Looks easy."
"Do it."
"Okay."
* * *
Alfred walked to Helena's room, he knocked the door and could hear a weakly "Come in" He opened the door; the girl was covered with her blankets with the lights off. He turned the lights on and looked his watch, was seven o'clock at night, too early for her. Helena felt like her body was broke.
"Do you feel okay?" Alfred smiled and walked toward her.
"I'm dead, don't disturb the dead Alfred." She mumbled.
"Is something wrong Miss Helena?" He asked putting an ointment in the night table and raising his sleeves
"Barbara wants to kill me. We did gymnastics today; I thought was easy but I couldn't be hang most of five seconds in that rings lifting my weight. She gave me a routine of exercises to my arms, and now hurts as hell."
"Yes I know, she sent me here" Alfred opened the bottle and took a bit of ointment "Please, turn around and give me your right arm please."
"What?" Helena turned back and looked him with her eyes half-opened "That smell like Vick's Vapor Rub"
"This would help you to feel better, this is a pain relieving ointment for sore muscles and overexertion. Is a great relief for pain, penetrates quickly and provides effective temporary relief."
Helena barely could mover her arm out the blankets. Alfred helped her and started to massage her arm.
"She could raise her own weight with her hands is amazing! How Barbara could do all that exercise and be so well? I'm dying." Helena mumbled.
"Training Miss Helena, but you only felt pain the first two weeks, after that your body began to be accustomed."
"Two weeks" Helena closed her eyes. "Oh God!"
"You have the strength, you just need learn how to manage and improve it." Alfred moved his fingers as an expert, the girl felt a great relief under his hands "I'm sure that if Miss Barbara knew that with training you will be at bed at seven o'clock at night, she would have started with it last year."
"I'm out of action, not jokes Alfred."
"As you said Miss Helena."
* * *
Barbara had finished some repairs in her new electric wheel chair and was testing it in the gym with Alfred. Helena heard the noise and entered. Barbara smiled when she saw her and turned around by herself.
"What do you think?" Barbara asked her.
"That is wonderful!" Helena exclaimed.
"She is a genius" Alfred said.
"Hey, don't say that"
"It's the truth"
"Maybe you can invent something for me." Helena walked in.
"Forget it." Barbara moved her head, she knew about what was Helena talking.
"I don't ask yet" Helena protested.
"I know what have you in mind, so forget it." Barbara raised her brow. "That is cheat!"
"I don't want it for me, I want rent it and earn some money. And yours is so cool."
"Are you crazy? Do you want a micro mic device to give and ask the answers in the exams to rent it? Earn money in a correct way. Wash cars." Barbara went back to her job in the control panel.
"May I wash the Hummer?"
Alfred laughed lightly, the girl was very insistent. Barbara sighed "What do you want Helena? Why don't just go to the point?"
"I want work to earn money." The brunette explained.
"And why do you want earn money?" Barbara asked curious.
"I don't like that you pay for everything." Helena said.
"I will like that you finish High School First." Barbara moved some buttons in the control panel of the chair and moved back "You not need earn money now, you have all."
"But I feel useless, you work all day and night." Helena followed her.
"No, you are not useless. All in the life have steps. You are now in the step where your obligation is study, not work. I'm in the step of my life where I work because I like it, in the shool because I love it and in the night at Delphi's because I love be a crime fighter, is part of my life. When you finish your school you could work, I promise it."
"It's too much time. May I get a job?"
"Are you bored?" Barbara asked moving forward. Helena jumped back to avoid that the chair passed over her feet.
"No, I'm trying to feel me useless. Some of my friends work." The girl said.
Barbara felt surrender. She looked her "What do you have on mind?"
"I dunno, I can look for some part-time job." Helena said.
Barbara scratched her head. Maybe that would be good to help her to feel most secure about her self.
"Barbara while I find a job could you give me some money? I promise pay it back with my first salary."
"The mystery was solved" Alfred said " she want buy something."
"Don't help me" Helena glared to him.
"I knew you have something in mind!" Barbara moved her head "What are you going to buy."
"Hey, I don't ask you what things buy with the money that the school gives you. I worked so har to earn this money!"
"You still don't have a job."
"But I will have one soon."
"Okay, okay..." Barbara couldn't avoid laugh "I want that you finish your High school first, and in summer you can look for a job; you can pay me back until now, okay? How much do you need?"
A few minutes later Helena ran to the exit with the money that Barbara gave to her. Alfred held her hands in his back and looked the door as Barbara.
"She is obstinate."
"Stubborn." Barbara corrected. She bit her lip looking him "Alfred did you know that Helena follow me?"
"Excuse me?"
"She follows me; she thinks I don't see her but I know is always behind me. She hide near the place where I'm and just watch; would be a tree, a window, I dunno. she is too silent hard to find when she hides, but I learn to catch her."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, specially at nights when I stay working late at school."
"Why do you think is she doing it?"
"I think that she is 'protecting' me. She is afraid that the killer will attack me again and she follow me to be sure that I'm okay. Is a cute way to know that she is worry about me but. it cant be. I'm not accustomed to have a baby sitter and she couldn't be all her life following me. I have my life and she has her life. And is a risk for her to be alone at night following me."
"Did you talk with her?" Alfred asked.
"No, not yet, but I think that I can do it later, when we train." Barbara moved her chair back; Barbara felt really happy with her new invention. "I can't let that her fears control her. After her mother died I'm fighting against that."
"You are doing a wonderful job."
"Yes? Remember me that the next time that the Principal call me to his office. Tomorrow we start practicing with her jumps. Until now, I know she could jump almost 3 floors, but I'm sure she could do more."
The girl was a little sceptic, Barbara had been Batgirl but she wasn't sure she could train her if she was in a. chair. But well, she thought, If she wanted to try, that is the least that she could do for her, Barbara had take care of her.
* * *
"Helena, I said wake up!" Barbara shouted entering in her room.
"Uh?" Helena felt Barbara ripping off her blankets, the daylight annoyed her and she covered her eyes "What is happening?" she asked trying to sit up but a strong headache made her sit back down. "Ouch!"
"It's late, we need start early." Barbara said "Come on wake up."
"Start for what?" Helena could barely open her eyes to see Barbara. She had been at party until 3 AM.
"Your training. Come on."
"Hey are you." she moved her hand to her night table looking at the clock "Barbara it's eight o'clock in the morning!" she protested.
"Yea, too late, we should have been out since seven o'clock. Come on, I'll wait for you downstairs, you got 10 mins."
"My head hurts."
"First rule: You can do anything you wish, if you want to come back here at 5 AM no problem, but you must wake up at 8 AM. Discipline, you need to learn discipline. I've left some aspirins on your night table, take them and hurry up."
Barbara was in the garage of the Clock Tower in the Hummer. Helena appeared in the elevator and tried to step in to the car.
"Out..." Barbara said.
"Out? Why?"
"You have to first run fifteen miles."
"Fifteen miles? But." Helena opened her eyes.
"I'll see you in New Gotham Park. I'm sure you can be there before me, now out." Helena grumbled and opened the door. She slammed it closed.
"I can't believe that a hangover would stop you." Barbara moved her head.
"If I arrive before you, the training days at 7 A.M. will end?"
"Hey, we haven't start yet. Are trying to give me conditions?"
"Give me some motivation."
"You have one, if you do not arrive before me, tomorrow we start at six o'clock." Barbara smiled and turning on the Hummer, she left the garage. Helena rolled her eyes and started to run after her.
When they returned, they went to the training room, Helena put her gloves in her hands. Barbara wheeled in, she wheeled to the shelves and picked up two sticks. She turned and threw one to Helena surprising her, she looked at the stick.
"What is this?" the brunette asked.
"Attack me" Barbara said wheeling in front her.
Helena laughed "No way. of course not." Before she could say another word Barbara raised her stick and tried to hit her, Helena stepped back and instinctively stopped the blow with the stick that she had in her hand. Barbara attacked her again like a hurricane. Helena fell to the floor surprised.
"Stand up, again." Barbara wheeled back "Focus Helena."
".What was that?" Helena picked up the stick and stood up.
"Hold the stick with both hands," Barbara said "never minimize your opponent, got it? Now, attack me."
Helena was afraid to hurt her and she threw a blow without strength, Barbara hit her stick bending her hand and immediately she hit her in the ribs, Helena fell down. "I said attack me!" Barbara shouted.
"Are you crazy?" Helena yelled.
"This isn't a game, stand up!"
Helena stood up and glared at her taking the stick. "I don't want hurt you"
"You couldn't hurt me."
"Of course I can.." Helena said sarcastically.
"You don't have the ability neither the capability to do it." Barbara sighed.
"What?" Helena was beginning to lose her patient.
"You don't focus, you don't know how to hold that stick, you don't know how to fight, how to think, how to move. Maybe you can walk but that doesn't mean that you will beat me."
"Come on, don't joke with me!"
"Try, I want to see you beat me." Barbara smiled.
"Barbara I almost killed a guy in a bar," Helena raised her hands "I knocked two stupid boys last week, I'm meta, I'm faster, are you nuts?"
"No, I want to show you that even with all the advantages on your side you can loose if you don't know your body, your mind and your capabilities. Don't let the damn chair fool you, I can assure you that you will need more than of year worth of training to beat me."
"Barbara."
"I'll take it easy on you, if you can knock the stick out my hands, we finish the training for today. Just as soon as you knock this stick out, you can go."
Helena moved, her face smiling "Is it a deal?"
"Deal." Barbara raised her stick preparing her defence.
"Got it."
* * *
One hour later Helena let her self fall to the floor of the training room. "I surrender." She mumbled tired and sweating; she threw the stick to her side.
"So. what happened?" Barbara wheeled next to her.
". I can't. You win, let me breath." She rolled back.
"I hope that you've begun to look at me in a different light. You have 5 minutes; we need start with the punching bag."
"Barbara, I'm tired."
"Good, that means that you don't know how canalize your strength to avoid feeling tired so fast., I can add that point to your training." Barbara wheeled outside. Helena rolled her eyes asking to herself why she had opened her mouth.
* * *
The young girl began to take pleasure in the trainings, a bit because of her pride, and a bit because she liked to fight. The wheelchair wasn't a matter after the first day to Helena; she didn't care about that, she really needed to focus on Barbara's movements; her mentor was incredibly agile and fast. Alfred smiled, looking at the girl improving every day in the training room. She really was so good; Barbara was doing a great job wth her.
One afternoon, Alfred entered in the gym with a tray in his hands. Helena leaved the place as a hurricane. She almost pushed Alfred. "Something wrong?" the old man asked.
"No, Barbara let me go early." Helena said running to her room "bye!"
Alfred walked in, Barbara was smiling cleaning her face with a white towel.
"She is really good." Barbara said.
"As good as.", Alfred asked.
"No, not yet. she needs work so much, it's hard try to train her, she lose her control easily and that loses her, she couldn't focus, today was perfect, but other days.", Barbara moved her head her anger blinded her, in the streets that is a suicide." Barbara took a glass of water that Alfred gave her.
"Is it serious? Is she going to patrol?" Alfred was curious.
"Not now it's too soon, maybe in a year. She has that sensibility that any hero needs, but she needs to learn so much yet."
"She had been happy the last months, the training changed her bad mood."
"Yeah, this is new for her, and she is exited discovering her self. But."
"But?" Alfred looked at her with curiosity.
"She hates the rules and it's hard do that she understands that she need follow the law." The red head explained almost frustrated.
"Why are you training her miss Barbara? Because she had the potential or because you are afraid that she goes to the bad side?"
Barbara kept silence a few seconds before answer. "She has the potential. But I'm afraid that the story starts again. Selina was orphan, her mother was suicidal and his father an alcoholic. Selina Kyle spent time in a state home for girls before escaping an abusive headmistress to live in Gotham City. Vowing never to go hungry or wanting again, she used her natural acrobatic skills and keen wits to become the most accomplished thief Gotham has ever known."
"Catwoman got her name not only because of her profession, also to her cat- like qualities. Cunning, stealthy, and mysterious; Helena had it and more. Selina was neither super-hero nor arch-villain. Catwoman can stand her ground in a fight with any man, including Batman, and was sometimes the sex kitten and sometimes the steely avenger, but most of the time just a thief, trying to avoid the spotlight and innocent bystanders."
Barbara bit her lip "Unlike most of Batman's foes, Catwoman was not out for mass destruction or world domination. She wasn't in it for the money. She had even been known to do the occasional good deed. When she was surrounded by bad, she was good. When surrounded by good, she was bad. When surrounded by Batman, oh! Catwoman and Batman have developed a grudging respect for each other over the years, and even more. Catwoman had a streak of good in her she can't suppress, no matter how hard she tried."
"Worry me that Helena keeps in mind yet the idea to find some day her mother's assassin and kill him. I'm afraid of her anger. The anger don't let think, the anger take you to do things that maybe tomorrow you will feel sorrow, the anger blind and you will commit dangerous or mortal mistakes."
"You need take your time miss Barbara." Alfred said. "Be patient."
"Yes right, we can't know the future."
"How is going your new wheel chair?" Alfred asked trying to distract her.
"Oh I'll finished next week, it's incredible. Better than the Hummer." Barbara said with great emotion. "You will see it soon."
"I hope it."
* * *
"Are you telling me that I can jump a building of ten floors? That is nuts!" Helena and Barbara were discussing in the training room.
"No, according to my calculations you can do it and more, your bones are very flexible. But you need training or you could break a leg. You are like a big cat." Barbara put in her hands gloves
Helena laughed, "My mom called me kitty because I always was hanging or jumping in a high place but this is crazy."
"Look your tests" Barbara gave her some papers.
Helena looked it a few seconds and gave it back to Barbara. "I don't understand a word."
Barbara rolled her eyes "Have you noticed that you can see as well with the lights off as if it were on? Well, hellooo! The people couldn't see with the lights off."
"I know that!" Helena smiled knowing Barbara was joking with her.
"You need to know your own limitations or some day you will kill your self or someone." Barbara moved her new electrich chair to the gym.
"That thing is amazing." Helena followed her.
"Gives me better movement. Don't be in troubles or I will catch you now."
"You need install it a turbo first."
"I'm on it, don't worry." Barbara looked her.
"Okay, what's next?"
"Gymnastics." Barbara went to the rings that she had installed in the middle of the room.
"Gymnastics?" Helena puckered her frown and followed her.
"Gymnastics. You need learn to keep balance and to use your hands. Is very useful have a perfect harmony in your body. Help me with the rings." Helena lifted Barbara and she grabbed the rings with her hands "watch it." Helena stepped back.
Barbara make several exercises using just her arms; Helena felt really surprised. She could see her muscles tensing in all her upper body. She finished the routine and Helena helped her to back to her chair.
"That was incredible." Helena said.
"Do it." Barbara cleaned her sweat with a white towel.
"Looks easy."
"Do it."
"Okay."
* * *
Alfred walked to Helena's room, he knocked the door and could hear a weakly "Come in" He opened the door; the girl was covered with her blankets with the lights off. He turned the lights on and looked his watch, was seven o'clock at night, too early for her. Helena felt like her body was broke.
"Do you feel okay?" Alfred smiled and walked toward her.
"I'm dead, don't disturb the dead Alfred." She mumbled.
"Is something wrong Miss Helena?" He asked putting an ointment in the night table and raising his sleeves
"Barbara wants to kill me. We did gymnastics today; I thought was easy but I couldn't be hang most of five seconds in that rings lifting my weight. She gave me a routine of exercises to my arms, and now hurts as hell."
"Yes I know, she sent me here" Alfred opened the bottle and took a bit of ointment "Please, turn around and give me your right arm please."
"What?" Helena turned back and looked him with her eyes half-opened "That smell like Vick's Vapor Rub"
"This would help you to feel better, this is a pain relieving ointment for sore muscles and overexertion. Is a great relief for pain, penetrates quickly and provides effective temporary relief."
Helena barely could mover her arm out the blankets. Alfred helped her and started to massage her arm.
"She could raise her own weight with her hands is amazing! How Barbara could do all that exercise and be so well? I'm dying." Helena mumbled.
"Training Miss Helena, but you only felt pain the first two weeks, after that your body began to be accustomed."
"Two weeks" Helena closed her eyes. "Oh God!"
"You have the strength, you just need learn how to manage and improve it." Alfred moved his fingers as an expert, the girl felt a great relief under his hands "I'm sure that if Miss Barbara knew that with training you will be at bed at seven o'clock at night, she would have started with it last year."
"I'm out of action, not jokes Alfred."
"As you said Miss Helena."
* * *
Barbara had finished some repairs in her new electric wheel chair and was testing it in the gym with Alfred. Helena heard the noise and entered. Barbara smiled when she saw her and turned around by herself.
"What do you think?" Barbara asked her.
"That is wonderful!" Helena exclaimed.
"She is a genius" Alfred said.
"Hey, don't say that"
"It's the truth"
"Maybe you can invent something for me." Helena walked in.
"Forget it." Barbara moved her head, she knew about what was Helena talking.
"I don't ask yet" Helena protested.
"I know what have you in mind, so forget it." Barbara raised her brow. "That is cheat!"
"I don't want it for me, I want rent it and earn some money. And yours is so cool."
"Are you crazy? Do you want a micro mic device to give and ask the answers in the exams to rent it? Earn money in a correct way. Wash cars." Barbara went back to her job in the control panel.
"May I wash the Hummer?"
Alfred laughed lightly, the girl was very insistent. Barbara sighed "What do you want Helena? Why don't just go to the point?"
"I want work to earn money." The brunette explained.
"And why do you want earn money?" Barbara asked curious.
"I don't like that you pay for everything." Helena said.
"I will like that you finish High School First." Barbara moved some buttons in the control panel of the chair and moved back "You not need earn money now, you have all."
"But I feel useless, you work all day and night." Helena followed her.
"No, you are not useless. All in the life have steps. You are now in the step where your obligation is study, not work. I'm in the step of my life where I work because I like it, in the shool because I love it and in the night at Delphi's because I love be a crime fighter, is part of my life. When you finish your school you could work, I promise it."
"It's too much time. May I get a job?"
"Are you bored?" Barbara asked moving forward. Helena jumped back to avoid that the chair passed over her feet.
"No, I'm trying to feel me useless. Some of my friends work." The girl said.
Barbara felt surrender. She looked her "What do you have on mind?"
"I dunno, I can look for some part-time job." Helena said.
Barbara scratched her head. Maybe that would be good to help her to feel most secure about her self.
"Barbara while I find a job could you give me some money? I promise pay it back with my first salary."
"The mystery was solved" Alfred said " she want buy something."
"Don't help me" Helena glared to him.
"I knew you have something in mind!" Barbara moved her head "What are you going to buy."
"Hey, I don't ask you what things buy with the money that the school gives you. I worked so har to earn this money!"
"You still don't have a job."
"But I will have one soon."
"Okay, okay..." Barbara couldn't avoid laugh "I want that you finish your High school first, and in summer you can look for a job; you can pay me back until now, okay? How much do you need?"
A few minutes later Helena ran to the exit with the money that Barbara gave to her. Alfred held her hands in his back and looked the door as Barbara.
"She is obstinate."
"Stubborn." Barbara corrected. She bit her lip looking him "Alfred did you know that Helena follow me?"
"Excuse me?"
"She follows me; she thinks I don't see her but I know is always behind me. She hide near the place where I'm and just watch; would be a tree, a window, I dunno. she is too silent hard to find when she hides, but I learn to catch her."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, specially at nights when I stay working late at school."
"Why do you think is she doing it?"
"I think that she is 'protecting' me. She is afraid that the killer will attack me again and she follow me to be sure that I'm okay. Is a cute way to know that she is worry about me but. it cant be. I'm not accustomed to have a baby sitter and she couldn't be all her life following me. I have my life and she has her life. And is a risk for her to be alone at night following me."
"Did you talk with her?" Alfred asked.
"No, not yet, but I think that I can do it later, when we train." Barbara moved her chair back; Barbara felt really happy with her new invention. "I can't let that her fears control her. After her mother died I'm fighting against that."
"You are doing a wonderful job."
"Yes? Remember me that the next time that the Principal call me to his office. Tomorrow we start practicing with her jumps. Until now, I know she could jump almost 3 floors, but I'm sure she could do more."