The Phoenix Behind The Truth
By: Catwoman
Disclaimer: I don't own the BOP actors, writers, or set (since they took it off). But If I did this is what it would be like! ^.^
Warning: This is a hardcore BOP fanfic! With actual facts from the comics and show to combine together and bring peace to between BOP comic lovers and BOP show lovers. Enjoy!
Special Thanks: To my twin sis, Maria for pointing out the obvious. To John Stinizi (I know I'm spelling your last name wrong but you know it's you) for convincing me to take on the character of Bruce Wayne. To Trace Messmore for role-playing as Bruce (what? You guys think I actually know this guy?). Last but not Least, Shadow Walker for peer editing my work. Thanks A Bunch Huns! And too my fans ^.^!
Summary: Trust is a hard thing to piece back together once it's broken. When one detailed is left out of a truth it is automatically lie, it cannot be toyed with. No matter how hard we try, the past always comes back to haunt us. And when you think you know someone they show you the real them in the strangest ways. How can the birds combat these errors? Run or stick in for the fight? These are the Birds of Prey!
Apologies: I'M SO SORRY! I haven't updated since March and some part is my fault but not entirely. I cannot control the world and what it throws at me. My twin sister and I had our own little Birds of Prey adventure, a Dinah adventure to be exact. Running away for abusive guardian, the whole nine yards. It took me a while to get settled down- with computer and mentally. However one pattern I've seen is that I will be making many apologies, and if you really like this story then you will stick to it. I will do my best at bring you more chapters and in good times. Anyways I will shut up and let you read chapter six. HAVE FUN! ^.~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 6What We Are Made Of
Then it comes to be
That the soothing light
At the end of your tunnel
Was just a fright train
Coming your way
~~Metallica
It was pitch black, simple as that. It wasn't just some dark secluded room. No. It was the place between reality and illusions. Veiled from sanity and discordance. Amid life and death. A place called the mind.
At the very base of this region Dinah laid heavily sedated. The blonde teen was safely tucked from the world's troubles. It wasn't at will she remained there, but by an unknown source of power. The time seemed quite pleasing to it, and let Dinah's body become her own.
"Wake up little canary and sing the song that is your own."
By impulse, she took in a deep breath, which lifted her torso to a sitting position. The process of reviving the blonde teen came inward like a roaring flood. The heart pulsated faster then the status quo, pumping blood to every required direction and encircling heat. Her eyes fluttered involuntarily until the development completed, then it snapped into place.
It took a while before Dinah was able to think, the primitive part of the brain dominated while she received information. She let out a silent cross between a groan and clearing her throat. The junior super hero made her first move on her own. She subconsciously placed her hand on her temple acquiring the last bit of knowledge. Where am I?
Dinah remembered the last incident in the classroom, then the voice in her head. What could have happened in the time-spent unconscious? She put her hand away to revel nothing but black. The first thing that came to mind was not to panic, being a superhero is really coming a long way. By instincts she blinked her eyes attempting to fixate her vision, but the results were the same. Am I blind?
Laughter engulfed the space.
That voice, it still dwelled in her consciousness. Where could he have taken her? She looked around and crept backwards trying to find a solid wall to lean on. Knowing how far things were would give her an advantage and a sense of security.
Her movements stopped when the voice came about. Its tone was deep and sly, belonging to a male's. His words were cold like the space; it came at her from every direction. "You're blind? That's rich Dinah; sometimes I actually pity you. Simple minds think simple things. Welcome to your mind." The unknown source of power paused letting his words jumble in the area, but mostly letting the last sentence interpose.
"Who are you?" She asked trying to compose herself but the fear in her heart gave it away.
"Exactly how many times did you ask me that Dinah? Why is it that you need to know who I am?"
"Let's see, why would I want to know why something is in my own mind talking to me… I wouldn't have the lightest clue!" The junior superhero's emotions started to take over not contemplating responses.
He chuckled, "Sarcasm, humans most reliable mask when faced by uncertainty."
"Just answer the damn question."
"A friend of a friend. It doesn't really matter how formal someone goes because you never really know them."
"What do you want?"
"Right now… it's not what I want, but what you need to see. My guess is safe to say that you don't trust me, am I correct?"
Dinah didn't answer the ridiculous question.
"Very well then." Nothing came afterwards. All was left at that.
Dinah waited impatiently. In attempts of just trying to make out anything, she waved her hand before of her face. Nothing was present in her eyes, only black. Damn, she inwardly cursed. As of now she was trapped; guzzled by her own subconscious. He was her only compass. Things like this, the enemy shouldn't be trusted, but there was no other resolution. "Hello?"
No one answered.
The thought of him never answering was floating in her psyche. Could she have lost the ticket out of vastness? "Hello?" All hope seemed gone so she brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them creating a barrier.
As if by response a beam of light pierced through the darkness. It came from the bottom, over, then back down, forming a shape of a door.
Dinah's eyes shut in reflex to the light, and then opened them glimpsing her legs. Before the junior superhero considered making a move, she examined her body clarifying all was in tact.
"You want to know who I am?" He asked. "Then walk into the light."
Dinah stood up gazing into the entry shaped beam of light. It was said never to walk into the light. However, here, all the laws were being broken.
"It's ok Dinah, you don't have to enter. You can just remain in that solitude of darkness."
The junior superhero quickly walked up the door and took in a deep breath. She noticed there was no doorknob so she placed a hand on its surface. It didn't open, instead it feel on her. At the blink of an eye she was through the other side.
The blonde teen looked behind her, checking if the door was there but it was gone, as if nothing had ever been plastered there before. Dinah quickly examined the place she was in now. The room felt familiar but didn't have time to go over the details. She looked around for any signs of him. Thunder roared from a nearby window and it startled the little girl in the room. "AH!" It had looked as if she came out of a nightmare. She started to cry uncontrollably.
WAIT! Dinah concluded, That's me!
Immediately, another door opened beside her, this time some came rushing in. "Dinah?" The older women called.
"She was stabbed!" The little girl began as the women walked over. All of this was recognizable; it was the night of the nightmare. Somehow she was reliving it but in present time. "And the other one, he shot her! I saw her! She fell downward on the floor- on the floor-"
"Hush Dinah- hush," her foster mother placed a hand on her face. Looking into those frighten eyes the older women pulled out logic, "It was just a dream."
Young Dinah didn't dare make a request but let her foster mother embrace her.
Dinah took a step back from the scene lightly shaking her head. How could this be possible? Was there some way this person was able to accomplish time travel? Or maybe he's just a good illusionist… it didn't matter anymore, she just wanted out! The junior superhero headed for the door but someone stopped her tracks. Batman.
Not Bruce Wayne, but the man who was killing innocent people in the past few days. Most was being reveled now. The man in her mind is none other than the enemy they've been looking for. All this time he's been coming after them, communicating through her. However, by the look on his face, it seem like it was game over.
Dinah didn't move and waited for him to make the first attack.
He didn't so much as budge and placed a hand on her shoulder.
Dinah pushed him away, "Don't touch me!"
He grinned obviously enjoying her resistance.
"We've talked about this Dinah, you know how your father and I feel. It's all you imagination."
The present Dinah faced the scenery behind her. Her younger self was sitting on a chair while her foster mother brushed her hair. The blonde teen could still recall the brittles on her scalp, how rough it was on her smooth head. She wasn't able to pull away from it because her foster mother held tightly to her strands.
"No! I saw it, too girls in New Gotham and-"
"It's just a dream! You've never even step foot outside this town. What ever you think you see, it's not real." The older woman ended her speech with a final brush.
The little girl was too numb to even feel the pain it left. She looked into the mirror beaconing her, staring into nothingness.
"Are you listening to me Dinah? You didn't see anything, did you?" The older woman became agitated.
Countless times she's been told to hide what's she sees, but it is so hard to deny what is right in front of your face. Ever since her mother left her four years ago, all young Dinah could do is try to make the people who she is with worthwhile. It seemed like the more she tried to be herself the more they hated her. Maybe, just maybe, if trying to be what they want would get them to love her, she would have to be that way.
"No I didn't," Dinah lied.
"And what about those other times? That was just your imagination too, right?"
The young Dinah denied herself more and more. It wasn't easy pretending she was not herself, but now she had to tell her foster mother what she wanted to hear; for the sake of her sanity, for the sake of not being alone, "Yes, like you said many times before, it was just my imagination."
"I knew it!" The older woman exclaimed proudly. "But that's perfectly normal, I mean now I know why your mother gave you up. I am starting to think she is psycho. I told your father you just wanted attention but no, I'm the crazy one. I mean who does he think he is-"
"You don't even love him!"
"What was that young lady?" She glared at the little girl.
"You heard me," Dinah hissed and got the courage to stand up. "You don't even love him! If you did then you would leave that other man alone! That's why he calls you crazy. Just cuz some other guy has money doesn't give you the right to have-" her words were stop by the force that her foster mother liberated on her face when she smacked her. Dinah fell to the floor hitting the desk first. Tears streamed down her face as she stumbled back on her feet.
"How did you know about him? Your nothing but a- a little girl!"
"I hate you!" Her foster mother slapped her again but not as hard as before.
"Shut up- shut up! The- the devil sent you I know it!" Dinah's foster mother was now hallucinating and looked around for a sense of security. "If you tell anyone about this I swear to God I'll-"
"Will what? Kill me! I bet you would you like that!" In an effort of trying to deny herself Dinah now knows that it was best just to be herself and that she was alone in Opal Missouri. However, those girls in her dream, some how she is connected to them, for some reason they needed her. But at this moment she was on full rage and was going to make sure her foster mother would know what she is capable of. "I know everything about you- even the things you don't know and especially the things you run away from. I did see those girls in my dream, that was not my imagination!" She took a step forward looking her in the eye. "You don't deserve dad, he tries his hardest to love you but he isn't dumb, he knows you're a-"
Her foster mother smacked her again then shoved her in the closet, "Not another word, you hear!"
The door began to rattle.
This didn't happen before, the older Dinah thought. All she remembered was crying in that confined space confessing her hate, but not in any sense of using telekinesis. She had only recently discovered that ability. But maybe the blindness of emotions triggered it, for she was in the dark at that time and who really knew what was going on in the outside?
The present Dinah stood by and watched the recreation of that night. She remembered the feeling of betrayal her foster mother exposed. All she wanted was to be loved and not even being herself could she achieve this. That brought Dinah's self esteem to rock bottom, never again would she trust someone with her powers or even utter a hint of being at the time what she thought was being a freak. A hand was placed on her shoulder and she faced Batman, "I'm not even touching that door, am I?"
He shook his head.
Dinah looked at the door and her foster mother.
"I hate you!" They would hear her younger self call out.
"Why? Why are you showing me this?" Dinah pleaded.
"Don't be so blunt Dinah, don't you see? You and I are the same."
She took at step back, "What? I am in no way relevant to you!"
"Look!" He pointed at the closet, which still rattled. "This is what we are made of! You and I feed off of hate and fear. Their negativity gives us strength, gives us power, and gives us life. It helps us unleash our true capabilities."
"I am not like you! I don't go around killing innocent people because-"
"Save your breath birdie," he spat. "Don't pull that on me. That we-don't-kill crap isn't going to cut it; or need I remind you of a breakdown you had with a certain detective's father?"
"That was long ago," she turned around.
The impostor grinned. He seemed to know the blonde vigilante's in coming answer, and that was one advantage Dinah wished she had on her side. There wasn't even a clue as to whom this man may be but one thing is for sure, he knows pain and redemption but above all he knew hers as well. "They say that a man who kills is notorious but a man who wishes it is more dangerous. I am in you, Dinah. In your heart you would love nothing more than to see Al Hawke dead than live peacefully behind bars."
"My feelings are nothing more than that. My wishes are dream, I have the will not to act upon them."
"No! You are just doing the same thing as before. You're denying who and what you are. You're bottling it up inside little by little until you finally… pop!" The lights began to flicker on and off. This was a result to the young Dinah in the closet still crying.
Dinah looked at her foster mother as she ran out of the room screaming in fear.
"Stop it!" She faced Batman, "I'm not like you!"
He came closer to her locking eyes, "You can only bury so much in that space of denial. Soon you will break and it will be all the more satisfying to see your true nature."
Their surroundings darkened and the cries of Dinah drew faint till it was silent. Under his spell once more she closed her eyes and opened them simultaneously. She woke up in Downtown New Gotham.
How did I get here? She thought. It was already dark in the lonely downtown area, but deserted didn't always mean comfort.
She stood up. That dream was all too real. But could she really still be carrying hatred towards Hawke? He killed the mother she never knew. Dinah could have made him pay with his life. Helena was there to stop her from making that mistake, not through her own will. Though she turned around and saved his life from a Meta assassin things turned out to be more for Detective Reese than her agony. There was no time to think about herself. She never had that closure.
A sweet breeze caressed the lone vigilante's face helping her escape the past. Dinah felt her ears to contact her fellow teammates but the COM link was gone. I better call Babs, she's probably worried sick, she head towards the middle of the street in search of a pay phone. Dinah stopped dead in her tracks; she felt a presence and swiftly turned around. No one was there.
Deeja vue, she thought. This had happened once before. She scanned the lane for any signs of human life force but all she saw was lonely lamppost shinning on a pay phone in an alley. Dinah headed towards it and felt the presence again. She turned around and was face to face with someone the most unexpected, Jerry.
It's been a year since their last encounter. He was the first person she trusted in New Gotham and was the first person who disappointed her. Jerry glared at her that same cold hard stare from before. With all his intentions present in his facial features he pushed Dinah to the wall and pressed his body into hers.
"I take it your girlfriend isn't here to save you."
Dinah remained inaudible as his husky breath beamed her face. Not again, she thought. It was people like him that faulted New Gotham from any chance of a utopia. Men like him that lured women with confidence then would take advantage of their predicament.
"So how long has it been, Dinah? I take it New Gotham shouldn't be so new now," he caressed her hair. "But how well do you know the alleys?" Jerry tightened the gap between them, locking eyes grinning her to the wall. Dinah could see all the people's he's hurt in the contact. There were so many lies in his life she wouldn't be surprised if his name weren't Jerry.
No! I will not be added to the list! The emotional girl let out a force that sent him flying to the other wall, "Better than you think!"
He grunted, "Why am I always so lucky as to have the freaks!"
"What can I say," she lifted him up in the air with her telekinesis, "You have that special something most people don't have, oh maybe like being a sick psycho!" Dinah sent flying into her fist. The junior super hero was now subsided by rage.
Jerry knelt down on the floor while Dinah circled around him, "I'm- I'm bleeding!" He stumbled up on his feet and looked at her, "I'm gonna make you wish you never came to New Gotham!"
Jerry charged at the crime-fighting female but she was prepared. Dinah kicked his neck then with her other leg she kicked his head. She stood over him and held her position with her feet on his neck, "I thought you would have learned your lesson by now! But no, people like you never give up. Why do you keep doing this? What joy could you possibly get out of making people hurt? Why do I even bother? Huntress let you live! You got off easy-"
"Finish him!" A voice ordered from behind.
Dinah froze. She recognized it, but why now? Why had he come? She faced him and surely enough it was Batman.
"Finish him off! I know you want to, I can smell it on you like fear. Nothing would satisfy you more then to stop his cycle. End it Dinah, you know how."
The rage was gone. She looked at her true colors. The grief was supposed to have passed! Dinah tried so hard to convince herself. But I still hurt myself and others, she took a step back from the body.
"Typical," the impostor walked over to them. "Is it because I'm here?"
Dinah turned around not willing to face the situation.
"We all have our secret sin yet this isn't one of them. You say you want justice and quite frankly I do too. We must do everything in our power to peruse that."
"No! Not like this!"
"Look at me Dinah. If this is what you believe then face it."
She faced him but didn't meet his eyes.
Batman picked up Jerry by the neck, "We can either let him go or end this. There is no evidence of his attacks so you can't turn him in. He's not going to change, they are never going to change. It's your call junior super girl."
"There must be another way," she pleaded tears streaming down her face.
"Oh poor bittersweet tale. They're not going to get us, Dinah. I mean that as a double standard. They don't understand justice the way it is suppose to be, you can't eliminate evil unless you kill it, hence exhibit A. Now lets end this cycle and the others that will decent!"
She dropped to her knees. It made perfect sense, but why did it feel so wrong. Jerry should pay in hell, all criminals should, but which philosophy could beat his. This man's life rested in her decision. Dinah looked up at Batman; he glared deep into her soul as Jerry remained in the air like a rodent waiting for execution. She could stop this from going any further, all she had to do was get rid of temptation.
The blonde hair vigilante charged at the capped crusader but he was expecting an attack and moved out of the way. Dinah's body weight rested forward of her punch but with only hitting air she fell too the ground.
"I'm disappointed. Lucky for you I believe in second chances if not you'd be dead by now. Dinah, you have a lot of potential that shouldn't go to waste. That rage building up will form into two things, either evil or good. Am I good or evil? It's all in the eye of the beholder."
"Why can't you just leave me alone!"
Batman dropped Jerry and he ran away. The capped crusader walked over to Dinah as she cried on the ground. "I'm just showing you who you are. That is what everyone on earth is looking for, the very essence of their existence."
"Why me?"
He knelt down, "Everyone wonders why events like this are in their lives when the answer is in their face. Look at me Dinah, I have green eyes and Bruce Wayne has dark brown, which should have been Helena's first clue. The same answer lies for her; she was blinded by rage and only looked at the big picture. It's the little things like that, which can make all the difference."
His eyes looked like a turquoise light being sucked into a black hole. She could feel his flame diminish as he caressed her cheek and wiped the tears away. His hands were warm and gently to the touch, which she found most surprising because of the force he carried around. Dinah placed a hand over his, "What is the essence of your existence?"
"My essence has no name; I know you can feel it. However, my will has many," he leaned forward and kissed her softly.
The touch wasn't rough or savage; it was mutual. The way he approached the junior superhero always built her rage but his lips neutralized the sensation. It wasn't effortless being a teenager and fighting the forces of evil, one thing she didn't need was someone challenging her emotions. Dinah retreated from the contact, "Who are you?"
He paused for a while catching his breath, "You want to know who I am? Look deep inside you."
Before she could answer he kissed her again. Dinah didn't fight it as the flavor of his lips made her numb. Batman placed his hands on her back drew her closer. She felt a jolt in her heart and rapidly opened her eyes. Her vision was a blur and all she could see was white. The capped crusader had abandoned the moment. Dinah rubbed her eyes; she was staring at a ceiling.
"Finally your awake, blondie."
The now conscious girl faced the direction of the voice. Shawn sat in a chair holding her book bag in his hand.
"Where am I?"
"In the nurses office. Are you anorexic?"
"What? No," Dinah rolled her eyes and rose to her feet. Leave it to Shawn to ask a very forward question.
"Well then find away to make that statement public, that's the number one motive for the drama show you pulled to get out of a test. Here catch," he threw her the book bag and she caught it with ease. "I ain't got all day let's go."
"Wait. What time is it?"
"It's three fifteen now hurry up," he walked out of the office and Dinah followed.
That meant that I was out till second period! "How come I wasn't sent home?"
"No one was there."
"No one was there?"
"Did I stutter?"
"No, I just find that hard to believe."
They walked out into the yard. "We'll go in my car," he threw his book bag in the red Porsche.
Dinah stared at the very expensive car in awe for a while.
"Well hop in blondie, I'm sure it won't bite."
She got in, "I like your ride."
"Yea me too," he arrogantly stated as he shifted to drive, "Don't stay to long in my house though, my girlfriend is coming over."
She rolled her eyes, "So who's the unlucky girl?"
He grinned, "None of your business, blondie."
"Stop calling me that! I have a name you know."
"I make you a deal, you stop getting into my business and I'll have no reason to call you so, got it?"
"Whatever."
~ ~ *** ~ ~
Helena handed the last group of people their drinks. This Monday afternoon was pretty packed. So far she's been busy in all areas of work and relationships. Tonight Reese and Helena weren't going to do the meet me over a dead body thing. They haven't had a real night talk since her high school reunion, which was a really long time ago. Not to mention it was the main reason why Reese has been pushy towards their relationship. However, she told herself she wasn't going to let him in, not for another long, long time. Barbara once told her that if she trusted Reese enough to get information why was it so hard for her to tell him who she was? Babs also stated that her own method of secrecy wasn't very effective, which was the number one reason not to acquire her advice.
"Hello Helena."
The female bartender by day was startled for a moment but loosened as she realized it was only Bruce, "Hi."
He took a seat.
"You want anything?"
"Maybe some coffee."
"Coffee? I have you know this is a bar, we don't take kindly to coffee."
"Well, I don't drink. Got any soda?"
"Sure, what kind you want? We have grape, sprite, coke, and cherry."
"Well, I think a Sprite will do fine. I don't think I need any extra caffeine."
"Interesting how you were just asking for coffee," she turned around and fixed up his order.
"Yeah, well that's different I just thought I'd ask for the most non toxic thing."
Helena glared at her biological father as they stood there for an awkward moment. "Gotcha… Well Michael is not our man, this trade mark bat has his own little committee."
"Is that right?"
She reached into her back pocket and handed him the letter Mr. Thomas gave her, "Maybe Babs can match the finger prints and handwriting, looks familiar?"
"Looks like my hand writing, forgery isn't hard, you should see Plastic Man's Sean Connery, it's a riot."
Helena could see the tension and how desperately he wanted to make conversation with his daughter, but it would take a lot more to get this chick started. "Anyway, well this guy must have been really close to you, he shows the awareness towards your bat side."
"Which rules Michael out."
"And again no leads. There must be something we are over looking."
"And since I don't think its Rah Al Ghul, I see what you mean."
Helena rested her arms on the bar table, "You think Ras might have spilled information?"
"I doubt it, it's too personal for us. Has Dinah turned up anything?"
"Not that I know of, she's out of school now, but she mentioned something about going over to a boy's house. Maybe I should contact her."
"No, wait until after, I don't want to alarm her."
"Okay, if anything turns up I'm sure she would contact us immediately," Helena looked around and saw a man that needed tending. "Well I'm going to sever this guy here, hold on."
She walked over to the none so looking gentleman, "So what are you having?"
"Martini and you, fine lady," he answered quickly, obviously he had been working on that line in ages.
"Get in line," she countered and turned around to fix his drink.
"So how many are there? I'm sure I can skip up front, right?"
The female bartender handed him the drink and just glared at him. Then Bruce stood over the rude man, "You need to mind your manners, and you need to let the lady do her job."
The man didn't so much as faced Bruce Wayne, "What job? She tends a bar, she can tend me if she likes, right?" He looked at her father, "Anyway, she out of your lead pops, get in line like she said."
Bruce put his hand hard on the reluctant man's shoulder and turned him around to face him, "You need to be more respectful to my daughter."
"Oh snap! I didn't know! You have a nice daughter there, sir. Can I get my drink and go?"
"I think you can go now- get my meaning?"
"Catfish," he meant capish but he was to scared out of his wits. The man got his drink and left a very nice tip.
"Well, Helena, I think he won't be bothering you anymore."
"Yeah, even without your mask you put the fear in people. I should take you clubbing with me."
"I wouldn't count on it. Dick and Barbara tried that once…Lets just say Club Metropolis is OFF the list and call it even?"
Helena smiled, "Really? I guess I can cross that off my list of things to do with my father."
They stood there for another uncomfortable second.
"So how's Babs? I kinda stormed off on her yesterday."
"She is hurt, but weathering it well. She's a good soldier."
"I'm still mad she never told me the truth. Why did she keep it from me?"
"I told her not to tell you."
"Oh," Helena felt like such a fool. How could she have doubted Barbara? This wasn't the first time her rolling rage hurt Babs, but the speech she put on that day would be hard to forgive if she told anyone that. However, Helena knows Barbara as well as it were the other way around and knew that the apology would be accepted.
"Helena, I just really thought you should have heard the truth from me. But just because I left doesn't mean I left you. I was always there."
"What?"
"You don't think all that top of the line equipment came from Barbara's teacher salary, it wasn't exactly a gift from the Gods."
So that answers the gazillon dollar question. How could she take money from Bruce knowing I wanted nothing to do with it. Talking about the past only made her more mad so she simply nodded with an agitated look on her face.
"Helena, I've always wanted to see you grow, but I thought you would be better off without me."
"I know."
"I know I'm not the father that Helena always wanted but I can be Batman for Huntress if you will let me."
"I think there's room."
"Then what do you say? Let's bag these guys- I don't have a Robin anymore but I think you will do even better. Though one thing scares me, I've seen you fight and I don't think Babs has properly trained you in lethal combat."
"Hey, just because I don't have a weapon doesn't mean I don't know how to go against a knife or gun."
"My point exactly, you try to be the knife or the gun. How about we talk about disarming as oppose to maiming?"
Helena acts like she knew what he just said, "Oh.... So I'm guessing we are going to have a bat in the training room."
"If you can live with that."
"I've lived with many things."
"Besides I think you aren't the only one that needs to be taken down a peg. I'm thinking a certain blonde teen. She's getting over confidant isn't she?"
"Well Dinah has been like that since the beginning."
"The mistake you and Babs have made is that you have coddled her- I won't."
"So you're one of those austere types."
"Does it show?"
"I don't know, why don't you go and ask the guy I tended before."
"Wonderwoman and I finally convinced Green Lantern he can't always count on that magic green ring and taught him how to fight."
"Hmm… Just as I can't always trust my super strengths."
"I don't trust Meta abilities, no offense."
"None taken, human." She looked at her watch, "Well my shift will be over in a little while. I hope my boss didn't see me do nothing all today, he might deducts some points."
"Did you bring Batarangs? I forgot mine."
"Look at these pockets," she pointed at them, "I don't think one can even fit in here."
"You'd be surprised what you can fit in there, like you haven't seen my Bat suit?"
"I don't do Batarangs. They're at the Clocktower."
"My little girl… always has to be different. So like your mother."
"For the record, I'm a big girl, I've always been. Look at my height," she took a step back.
He examined her before making a judgment, "Well I think you are a little shorter than Wonder Woman, but OK."
They laughed.
"So you want to train after your shift?"
"Actually I can't right after, I have a date."
"Oh?" He came forward interested.
"Yea, his name is Reese, we've been working together for a year now."
"Working together?" He leaned in closer obviously curious of the relationships his only daughter is getting into.
"He's a cop. We kinda found each other in an ironic case-"
"He is a police officer?" Bruce interrupted.
"A detective."
Bruce narrowed his eyes trying to comprehend the details he is hearing. It is clear Helena's way is foreign to him. "Does he know who you are!"
"He knows what I do, not who I am."
"Well, that's good. Did Barbara tell you about my relationship with her father?"
"Yea, she's given me the 411."
"Don't get to close. I once offered to tell Jim who I am. He declined, and in a way I'm glad he did."
"Yea, well not this guy he still bugs me about it," she mumbled.
"About your relationship with him?"
"Yeah."
"It's not a good idea to let him get too close. He's a civilian, Meta or not they can't understand what we do. Don't get me started on when Wally went public."
The bartender by day remembered Barbara's advice, "That's kinda weird, Babs said it most opposite."
"Yeah? And did she tell Daddy about Batgirl? I don't think so. Take it from me kiddo, when you start bringing people in, they tend to die, or do I need to remind you about Jason?"
"No.... I get the picture."
"Superman, Wonderwoman, and I never saw eye to eye on this, but the fewer the better."
The fewer the better, it was one of the sayings that would stick along with her mother's: Rely on no one but yourself. Those words drifted her mind to the past when she held John in her hand as he slowly died. Darkstrike helped her in the battle of good and evil when Harleen Quinzel, her psychiatrist, revealed her nature, evil. With the help of Joker and Ivy they turned the Clocktower into a fortress, reeking havoc and mayhem. Harley trapped the female vigilante in Arkham Asylum; where Helena thought she was going to spend her last days in torture cambers. When all hope was lost Darkstrike risked himself by letting the Crawler out for a while just enough to find her and take her away from the chambers. John was her savior that day, but he couldn't save himself from the beast within. The battle between good and evil weight to heavily in his heart to go on. The Crawler managed to break free and take control of the situation. John had no choice but to kill himself in order to protect her. John risked his life for justice, for rightness, for her. But how long will it last for Reese? He's been in danger since day one. When will it be till he won't have anymore lucky strikes.
"Well I guess Reese has been lucky for a year now, but how long will it be till this all finally catch up with him… Maybe I should cancel the dinner," she looked at the counter. "Better him getting mad then not be there at all."
"No, don't shut him out entirely. But you have to walk a fine line."
"Why not... he'll most likely be better off. I mean I hate waking up to the thought of his presence being capered by some new demonic criminal."
"Yeah, I kinda had that thought about Babs, Dick, Jason, Tim… your mother."
Her face became hotter. It hasn't been easy talking about her mother. She was one of those unlucky people who didn't make it just to let her carry on. One thing they also leave her with is guilt. "I miss her."
"You think I don't? I loved her more than anything, next to you. Look, Helena, this detective most likely doesn't mean any harm but if you just disappear, you'll be making the same mistake I did. This cycle has cursed everyone's life. The continuation of secrecy always made things complicated. Look at your mother, hiding you away from me took a complicated task."
"So what should I do?"
"Well by the way you explain things to me I can tell you two haven't talked about your involvement towards one another. You should explain to him your motto and the importance of your secrecy."
"Thanks, I think I just might go on that date. Are these clothes suitable for Shea Pier?" She took a step back revealing her tight black pants and red tank top; which was obviously not suitable for a fancy restaurant.
"What do I know? I guess so. Just promise me one thing, you'll tell me how it goes."
"I will as long as you promise to stay alive."
"I will if you will."
~ ~ *** ~ ~
"Would you get your head out of the clouds and just listen!" Shawn exclaimed.
It's been like this since they've arrived. The brunette would explain something and she still couldn't comprehend. Like grasping algebra was hard enough- Shawn wouldn't stop giving her a hard time. If only Barbara would just let her change partners life would be a whole lot easier. Evil hates good and lots of it, she told her. But sometimes if we run away form time to time they're would be a battle in the first place.
"I am listening! I just don't understand what you're talking about," Dinah explained.
"Look," he brought the paper closer. "If you want to find x you must do the opposite of what the equation is doing. So if three plus x equals five, what must you do to find x?"
Dinah stood there for a brief moment trying to comprehend what he just said. The blonde teen drew a blank, "What?"
"The opposite thing!"
"Oh yeah, right. The opposite thing," she tried to remember then jolted it down on her notebook.
"So then what's the next step?"
The opposite thing, the opposite thing, she thought. "Subtract?"
"Yes! Oh God you finally listened! Dumb blonde high-five!" He smacked her on the forehead.
Dinah rubbed her temple, "Ouch. What was that all about?"
"A dumb blonde high-five," he grinned.
"Can't you ever say anything nice?"
"Let me think?" He sat there for a while looking at the ceiling as if the answer was going to drop from the above.
Spending an hour with him helped her understand the comebacks he would fire and at the precise time they both said, "No!"
Dinah giggled.
Shawn wasn't pleased and just raised an eyebrow at the giddy girl, "So, you think you know me?"
A smile formed at the corner of her lips, "Does it show?"
Shawn stood up still looking at her. Dinah just sat there widely smiling at the over-confident senior. He yawned as he stretched his arms out in the air, "Well since you know me so then you would know the answer is yes. But, you only think you know me. No one does, or ever will, so don't start."
Dinah didn't say a word. Every time she'd get personal he would shut her out. After trying countless times before she knew it was best not to comment on his ordeal.
"Hmm, no snappy comebacks? So you do pay attention," he looked down on her and smiled.
"Do you want one?" Dinah rolled her eyes.
"I wouldn't feel at home without one."
"Sorry Mr. Sanders but I'm not giving you what you want."
"Playing hard to get?"
Was I flitting with him? There is no way I could have any warm fuzzy feelings towards a creep like him, It was time to end the trail right there. "That'll be the day. The truth is I don't have one."
"Come on, there must be one in that little brain of yours," he poked her head.
Dinah pushed his finger away, "I don't want to, okay. Can we just get back to math?"
"To tell you the truth I'm beat. Teaching you the opposite of addition and subtraction isn't exactly a piece of cake."
The blonde teen placed her books on the small table by the couch then grunted, "Why can't you ever say anything nice?"
"Well since you know me so you must know nice just isn't my style, blondie."
"Stop calling me that."
"Make me."
"Why is it that everything with you is hostile? All you want to do is pick a fight, even about the simplest things, it's hard to believe you're a senior."
He clapped, "That's what I've been waiting for. You have just made my day."
"You still haven't answered my question."
Shawn shrugged then ran his finger through his brown strands, "What can I say, I take after my father."
Dinah remembered meeting his parents a few months ago at the PTA. His father is an executive for corporate lawyers while his mother is a doctor at New Gotham Community Hospital. They seemed like your regular pick of the mill parents, trying to get by and doing it in style. "Hard to believe. Your parents seem like such nice- normal people."
"My foster parents," he corrected.
"Oh," Dinah obviously assumed relations. But if Shawn didn't take after the Sanders; then who? "Dare I ask how is your biological father?"
"He was the adventurous type."
"I'm sorry," she gave her condolence.
"Don't be. It was a long time ago."
"How long ago?"
"Not long enough- and what's with all these questions? You're not my psychiatrist."
"Sorry, but I've been up that alley."
A small chuckle came out, clearly in disbelief. "How so?"
"My mom died a year ago. She gave me up when I was only six years old, I stayed in foster till I was sixteen and now I'm living with Bar- Ms. Gordon. I met my mom last year… she was killed right in front of me."
"Wow, you should write a book," he jokingly expressed. Dinah quickly gave him the why-bother look and he smoothing shook it off continuing. "Well I figured Ms. Gordon wasn't your mom."
"And why is that?"
"You two look nothing alike… And she is smart."
"You always do know how to ruin a good moment."
"Habit. Well I'll tell you this much to make up lost and love, my father was killed in front of me too. The only difference between you and me is that you've found a happy ending."
"That's not true."
"So you're not happy with Ms. G?" Shawn put words in her mouth.
"No, I mean- the thing is that. Grr, I am happy, but this isn't the end."
"Right… do you know who killed your mother?"
"Yeah, he's locked away. He's paying for everyone he's hurt," she kept it confidential.
"And you can live with that?"
"Yeah… What about you, do know who killed your father?"
"Yes."
"Is he locked away?"
"Why do you assume it's a he?"
She shrugged.
"It is a he, and no. He's not locked up. In fact he's with his family still spreading terror."
"So you never did get justice?"
"No, but I've lived with that. Most of it has made me what I am today."
"Malevolent?" Dinah shot.
"Shove my ego in a precious moment why won't you. I don't even know why I'm telling you this," he stared hard at the floor.
Shawn is a very difficult character. You never think he could get hurt but when he does you really feel bad about it, and if you give him pity he shove right back at you. Dinah came closer to him and faced his gaze. The brunette gave the blonde a 'what' face and she smiled at him, "Habit."
The over-confident senior smiled back breaking the ice between them. He gave the finishing touches of the tale, "Diligent."
"I was going to say that before you rudely interrupted," she teased.
Shawn narrowed his eyes, "But doesn't it change you?"
"In more ways than one."
"I would have never guessed your mom died. You're too optimistic."
"So you think it didn't hurt when she was gone? Optimism isn't easy, but it can be done. It's only hard when you do it alone."
"Yeah, well when you're being shoved from foster to foster home because no one wants a ten year old boy that wakes up crying in the middle of the night it's kind of difficult to avoid being alone."
"My foster parents weren't exactly picture perfect either."
"Well did they ever lock you in a closet until they told you to- forget it."
"Continue," Dinah lead the way.
"Forget it. It's not like it you need this. Exactly what will you gain. Seeing that Straight A Sanders didn't have a Straight A life. Forget it."
"Hey, I wouldn't give two cents if you weren't. Not everything is about pride you know, there are actually people who care in the world," Dinah stood up and walked over to him. Surprisingly he didn't resist her words. Could it be that he was actually listening to her?
"Are you saying you're that person?" Shawn came closer.
"I'm saying…" Dinah paused for a while. Could it be that this creep might actually have a heart in there somewhere.
"Dinah?"
"Yeah?" She looked up at him.
"Do you ever think if your mom was still alive you would…"
"Would what?"
"Actually understand algebra," he grinned.
Guess I spoke too soon, Dinah was a bit surprised. Something in her made her comfortable with him and she shoved his shoulder.
"My turn?" Shawn asked happily.
"Um… no."
"Come on Dinah. Our paths have been the same so far, with all the dying and calm state. You just did something to the equation, actually something opposite, and now to level it you must do it to the to the other side. You get my meaning?"
Dinah stood there shocked, " Actually, I understood that."
"I must be a good teacher," he grinned.
"But you said it yourself Shawn, no more algebra."
"I changed my mind. I find this memorable," Shawn walked over to her and shoved her on the couch.
It didn't hurt, but the fact that he would do that is surprising. If she shoved him hard would he do the same? He sat down beside her and grinned.
"Now what?" Dinah asked.
"Well what do you do after you level it out?"
I know this, Dinah tried to remember. "Solve for x?"
He patted her head making her feel small, "Very good."
"I don't get it," she gave him a blank look.
Shawn smiled at her, "Think about it. Our paths are the same. We've both lost and gained; now we are here because we need each other. You in some way give me sentimental value and I show you school work. I maybe a jerk but I'm not blind."
"You have sentimental values?" Dinah teased.
"Shut up blondie," and with that he Shawn placed a hand on her shoulder not saying anything. Then he lightly pushed her backwards and leaned forward kissing her.
The junior superhero did not expect this, however she didn't fight it either. Why? Is some ways she admitted it to herself she actually like the guy, but what could she like? He was rude, inconsiderate, and arrogant; the list goes on. He had all the wrong qualities. What could she possibly find acceptable? And didn't he say something about a girlfriend?
Shawn pulled away from the contact giving her an evil grin breathing in deep.
Dinah smacked him. "You creep! Don't you have a girlfriend?"
The brunette's facial expression stayed neutral. "Oh her… I'm looking at her."
"I can't be your girlfriend, Shawn."
"And why is that, Dinah?"
"Because I hate you."
"I do too. That's how mutual is. In some catastrophic way we are from similar worlds and have different personalities, but where one lacks the other is strong."
In some strange way he made sense. It seemed as if he put some thought into it. "You're a weird one, Shawn."
The over-confident senior shrugged, "I can live with that." He leaned in again and kissed her but this time the brunette brought all of himself along. Her back leaned on the couch seating while he was on her. Dinah placed a hand on his cheek in attempts of pushing him off but his lips dove deeper into hers. The blonde teen wanted more of the contact so she ran her fingers through his soft hair and brought him inward.
Could his theory be correct? Was there a way they needed each other? So many questions were being answered in a simple osculation. I have to stop this, she thought. But it feels so good, she contemplated. It was a battle between logic and emotions.
Shawn retreated from her lips then plunge into her neck. His hot lips blended with her cool neck created a sensation that tensed her skin. For a moment it felt like being captivate by a spell until her body was able to control the phenomenon. The brunette placed a hand on the blonde teen's waist maneuvering her closer to him. Dinah placed a hand on his back lightly scratching it.
Shawn pulled away locking eyes. He was defiantly a good kisser, which gave him some points, but to a degree; it was still Shawn Sanders. His eyes looked like a green and yellow beam dancing around a black cauldron. "Dinah," he managed to speak through awkwardness. "You've ever had a guy cook for you?"
To Be Continued…
