Chapter 13: A Summer of Changes

            A droplet of sweat ran down Barbara's back as the sun hammered down from the cloudless sky. Next to her on a towel lay Dinah. Only the faint sounds of traffic below and the slight clicks of the Clock stirred here high above any regular visits from flies and other bugs. It was summer and one of the perks of being a teacher was to have a long pleasant vacation in the summer. They were using the rare day of completely clear skies to get some rays out in front of the Clock, where nothing could disturb then.

Barbara became aware of a shadow moving over her and looked up to see a lightly dressed Helena sneak closer with an ice cube in her hand. She was clearly aiming for Dinah. She smirked a little and braced for her daughter's outcry. "Ai," Dinah screamed and jumped up from her near doze as the wet ice cube suddenly slid down her back.

"Damn it Helena, I was just having such a pleasant daydream," Dinah slapped Helena over her arm and turned over to look at her. "Mommy, why didn't you warn me," she asked.

"Oh, I never even noticed Helena's arrival," she said but couldn't stop from laughing and revealing the untruth.

Dinah looked out over the sea just visible over the edge. It seemed like all the fun had just drained out of her daughter. Barbara wondered why. "Mom, where are you going?" She felt an icy lump in her throat. She had to begin reminding herself that Dinah was very hard to keep any kind of secret from. Helena glanced at her.

"Well you see, I didn't want to tell you just yet, well because I wasn't sure… it would happen. I am going in for surgery… on my spine. A doctor I've been in contact with, a very brilliant man, has come up with a procedure, which might help to get me back on my feet in a few years or so," she lied, but she knew better than to reveal her plan to Dinah or Helena. They wouldn't understand. They would talk her out of it. They would point all the very real dangers out to her. She didn't want that to happen, so she would like.

"I am going to be in hospital for a few weeks. Actually I thought that Helena might like to look after the Clocktower with a little help from Alfred of course," she said not wanting to leave Dinah alone for that long not even when she was 14 or maybe especially because of that.

"You mean she can make sure I don't get in trouble… That was it what you meant right," Dinah replied.

"Yeah something like that," Barbara answered and looked at Helena, who looked thoughtful.

She noticed her looking and turned her head slightly to face her. "I can do that; I probably wouldn't be a good idea to leave the kid alone anyhow. And a bit of babysitting might be fun," Helena said, while Dinah grimaced at the kid comments.

"Do you mind? I am going to High School after the summer. I am more than old enough to stay home alone for a few weeks," Dinah protested.

"Yeah, but most girls your age don't live in a high tech fortress full of interesting things that she isn't allowed to get near… ever," Helena commented. While inwardly wincing at the truth of the statement and the cost it put on her daughter's life, she said, "Helena has a point. I wouldn't want you to get tempted."

Dinah gave her an inscrutable look; it was almost as if Dinah's eyes were half-mocking her. Dinah sighed at the unfairness of it all and lay back down. Suddenly Dinah's watch started beeping. Her daughter switched off the alarm and rose. "I need to go, Joy is expecting me for some practice for a duet at the music school," she explained before heading inside.

"You know I think she's beginning to feel the weight of your rules. You might have a minor rebellion on your hands soon," Helena said with a tone in her voice as if she was actually looking forward to it.

"All teenagers rail against the rules of their parents. It is a fact of life. Dinah is very smart Helena; she won't ruin things for us because of her raging hormones… But you're right she will rebel soon. We can only wait and deal with the consequences," she explained, secretly hoping of course that Dinah would be one of those well adjusted boring teenagers, whose rebellion was just an incident of getting drunk or going out with the wrong guys, instead of drugs and the things that were worse.

Little over a week later Barbara sat in her wheelchair in front of two young women explaining to them for the umpteenth time the rules and that they weren't to touch Delphi. They both nodded, but Dinah was sure that Helena had no intention of following the rules if she could help it. "And remember Helena with no one here to cover your back there is no patrolling unless there is a major crisis and then even then," her mother turned to face her. "Any you're not allowed to get involved no matter what. Do you two understand?" Dinah nodded sure that Helena would do the same.

"Mom," she leaned forward and embraced her mother in a warm hug. All the strict rules she had left for her absence aside, Dinah was a little bit anxious about her mother going in for surgery, "I love you." She felt a little weird seeing her mother head off to the airport to fly to some special hospital in Metropolis and her being left here. The elevator doors closed leaving her and Helena alone. At least until Alfred came some time tomorrow.

Helena paced a bit around the Clocktower, while Dinah switched on the television and followed the black haired woman out of the corner of her eye. No more then an hour passed before Helena walked up to her and asked, "So when does her flight leave New Gotham?"

She glanced at her watch from what she could remember it would still be a few hours. "In two-three hours… why is it important?" She had to ask.

"Oh, no reason," Helena said and went back to pacing.

"Now your mother must be gone, let's have some fun," Helena suggested a few hours later. Dinah lifted an amused eyebrow, but didn't comment any further. Helena grabbed her coat and motioned for Dinah to follow, when the phone suddenly rang over by Delphi. Helena and Dinah looked at each other.

Helena went over and answered it. "Yeah," she simply said and put it on speaker phone.

"What did I tell you about going near Delphi?" Her mom's voice suddenly boomed out in the Clocktower. "And don't even think about dragging Dinah out to some strange event or party Helena, she is only 14," Helena just stabbed a finger down and cut her mother off.

Dinah shook her head at Helena. She was sure that action would be punished, when her mom came home. She would probably get sent on a patrol in some sewage plant or the like. "Oh, come on, I was just saving us a bunch of money. Phone calls out of planes are extremely expensive," Helena explained and skipped over towards the door.

"Not to repeat myself too much from the bungee jumping incident, but where are we going?" She didn't mind going with Helena, but she'd rather like to know where she was going this time.

"We'll start this week simple. I was thinking about heading out along the shore to the Golden beach for a bit of a swim on a clean and well kept beach," Helena explained. Dinah had heard of the private beaches up coast before, but had never been to one.

"Hey, I don't have my bikini or a towel with me. I am not like you Helena, I mind if everyone sees me butt naked," Dinah exclaimed.

"Relax," Helena said and dangled one of the credit cards they usually used to pay for Clocktower equipment with in front of her. Dinah couldn't help smiling roguishly as they headed into the elevator.

Barbara felt that her mouth tasted a bit like a morning after a great party. She knew that the slight amount of painkillers, which had prevented her from driving home, could be the reason for that. After casting another glance around, she opened the door to the secret elevator and drove her wheelchair inside. Soon she hoped she would no longer be forced to use the buttons for that task anymore and given time she might even be walking again. Happy to be home she pressed the button for the Clocktower leaning in over her bag.

As the elevator doors slid open she was greeted by loud music and the sight of her daughter and Helena dancing wildly near the Delphi consoles. Music was blaring out over Delphi's speakers, while Dinah, dressed in what Barbara could only hope was clothes she had borrowed from Helena, jumped around to the music. "What the hell is going on here," she yelled.

Both turned and looked at her with surprise. Dinah's eyes quickly turned frightened, a fear which was quickly hidden on her partner in crime's face. "Oh… hi Barbara, it is good you're finally home. Your message after the first week said you wouldn't be home until next week," Helena said.

"I got out a little earlier than expected. I distinctly recall ordering you not to play around with Delphi," she pressed on not wanting to lose the moment of righteousness.

Helena looked a bit like a kid caught with the hand in the cookie jar, so she quickly looked at Dinah, who had edged her way to the back, probably trying to slip out of the conversation. "And what is this you're wearing… hooker-wear?" She looked over the tight black shiny leather pants, the high heeled shoes and the tight white tube top.

"I… Well we were going to a rave tonight and I… wanted to fit in," Dinah admitted bowing her head slightly, which caused her hair to slip slightly and reveal the new row of earrings that had been added up along her earlobe. Barbara counted ten piercings filled with small rings or studs in each ear in addition to the original ones that she had barely approved in the first place. And saw red.

"Dinah go to your room, put on some clothes. You're not going to any rave. Wait there I will deal with you later," she commanded and pointed towards Dinah's room. Dinah's face showed a bit of resentment, but she still did as she was told and headed off.

Barbara turned and stared at Helena, not noticing that Dinah slipped away and hid nearby. "What were you thinking," she demanded.

"I don't understand what are you so angry about?" Helena asked suddenly sounding defensive.

"Oh, don't give me that. Do you take pleasure in undermining my relationship with Dinah? I don't my daughter to learn your bad habits just because she doesn't know better than listening to you. She is very impressionable right now Helena and you're teaching her to be irresponsible and reckless," she said.

"Yeah, well at least I am encouraging her to have a life," Helena shot back.

"Don't give me that bullshit; Dinah has a good life here with me," she rolled all the way up to Dinah.

"Why do you do these things with her Helena? You know that she's too young," she asked in a conciliatory tone. She really wondered why.

Helena looked at her in a slightly repentant way, "I… I wanted to be her big sister, to feel like we were family. I never had any siblings… I guess I let it get away from me, huh."

"Maybe a bit, maybe I got a bit too angry… Listen, Helena I worry about Dinah sometimes. Her mind is so strong and full of potential. If we teach her wrong, she could be corrupted by her power. I need to teach her strong moral values and I need you to not undermine my effort," she pleaded. Helena nodded her understand.

"Maybe I should go and explain things to her, before you go see her," Helena suggested. She considered it and nodded in agreement. Maybe Helena could soften the blow of it all.

Dinah rushed into her room and quickly began stripping off the tight clothes finding the pants as hard to get out off as they had been to get into. She quickly changed to a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt. She just managed to land on the bed before Helena walked in. "Hey kiddo," Helena said.

"So are you here as good cop or bad cop," she asked knowing that her mom had sent Helena to explain the importance of the rules and everything else, before her mom came to give her a repeat performance.

"Don't give me that smart mouth Dinah. I knew you were watching us. Just because your mom has her back turned, doesn't mean I can't look over her head and see your attempt at hiding in the shadows. And it is not the first time I've seen you either," Helena explained.

"So are you gonna preach to me now, or can we skip the formalities," she asked, she had half expected Helena to only pay lip service to her mom's suggestion instead she was getting the full show.

"Listen kid, stop the act okay. We got caught and I half think it was good that we got caught, before I let you do some things that you were still too young for," Helena explained.

"Damn it Helena don't give me that crap now. Not after what we've done these last two weeks. I went along with you, because maybe… maybe it was time that I started to be my own person," she replied.

"Really and were you your own person. No, Dinah it is like this. You weren't yourself. You were who I wanted you to be. I still know how it is to be a teenager. All teenagers con themselves into thinking that they're being rebellious and act out when they stand up to their parents, but really they're just trying to impress their friends. You were trying to be more like me. Now I am not saying that you can or should go back from all the changes that have happened these last couple of years, but honestly you shouldn't base your relationship with me or your mother on what has happen these last weeks alright," Helena put a finger under her chin and lifted her head to face her.

"Be your own person Dinah, not me not your mother, become something better than us, learn from us. If you really want to rebel, why not do the totally rebellious thing and be completely different from your friends and listen to a couple of grown ups," Helena suggested and got up.

"Now that was enough wisdom for a long while from me, but think about it," Helena headed out of the room.

She considered what Helena had told her. Her rebellion had been small and not entirely what Helena thought it had been. She had started it ages ago by spying on her mom, when Helena was out on patrol. She had expanded it recently first by seeking out Gibson's help and getting in contact with a few metahumans here in town that had powers similar to hers. She had been learning from them slowly in secret for months now and when they weren't at the No Man's Land, she headed out to one of the abandoned buildings by the harbor to practice her telekinesis.

But maybe she had been overdoing it even if she felt that going back wasn't really what she wanted to do. It felt good to not care as much about other people's opinions like Helena had taught her. Still it confused her, what way she should choose to be and it confused her that it was a choice, she had to make herself. There was a soft knock on the door.

"Hi honey," her mom said and entered the room. "I am sorry for yelling at you back there. I… I can understand, why you might need to go wild every once in a while. It is really hard on you, not being able to tell your friends about next to anything in your life. You feel ostracized… like an outsider looking in," her mom explained and Dinah found that she had been nodding.

"Now it is not going to comfort you much, but everybody goes through something like this. My rebellion led me to a bad experience with an older boy. Helena did several rather wild and public things with Sandy as co-conspirator. So you can see that getting your ears pierced several times without asking permission is just another incident in a human tradition of doing stuff to upset ones parents in a vain hope it will validate your existence at a time, when you're confused about nearly everything," her mom said.

"It wasn't some big thing that I planned. I just asked Helena and she said yes. I think it looks really cool," she said hoping her mom wouldn't bite her head off. Her mom reached out and swept her long hair away from her ear.

"They do look kind of nice… and at least you didn't go home with some random guy and got ravished," her mom commented. Dinah felt her cheeks burn slightly at the thought. The stolen kisses she had gotten over the years from little boys flashed by in her mind. She had never had a real boyfriend, but then a guy didn't really fit in her plans at this point.

"Heh, I think even Helena would have protested if I had tried that. It is enough that she nearly broke that hand of some guy that grabbed my ass at the first rave we… were… could we forget this sentence ever passed my lips, please," she said and looked at her mom waiting for the eventual explosion, but nothing happened.

"I should have guessed. It doesn't matter anyway. I will take it up with Helena. Anything else you want to confess now or should I find out myself like I did with the bungee jump," her mom asked. Dinah looked up at her and realized that her mom was nowhere near as clueless, as she had expected or anything like the moms of her classmates. At least it seemed she didn't know about her visits to Gibson's bar.

"No, good," her mom turned her wheelchair around and headed out of the room. A few seconds later she could hear her mother almost playfully call out, "Oh, Helena, it seems you forgot to confess a few more sins…"

Dinah shook her head with a smile. She saw the movement in her reflection on her huge mirror and turned to look at it. The face in the mirror was different from the image she had kept of herself for years. She glanced over her reflection's many earrings and still found she liked them. She was changing. She knew it, but she would have to wait a few years to define, who she would change into. She hoped it would be a person, she could live with being.

She swept back a few more locks of hair and wondered for the first time in a long while, what her birthmother would think of her and who she had turned into. She still kept a picture of Carolyn in a drawer, but she rarely looked at it anymore. The memories, the emotions were almost gone. All that remained were a few remnants of grief and maybe the ghost of an image attached to some emotion. Dinah lay down flat on her bed and looked at ceiling.