Thanks to everyone who is taking the time to read and review my little story. I really appreciate your comments on the story. So enjoy the next part.
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Helena paced back and forth in front of Jim Gordon in the hospital's waiting room. One of the cops who arrived at the scene had recognized Barbara and called the commissioner. He and Helena had been waiting for over two hours for the doctor to tell them how Barbara was. Helena was trying to contain her anger. She hated waiting. Worrying about Barbara was killing the Huntress. She desperately wanted to hit something . . . or someone, but she knew that Oracle would be pissed if she used her meta powers in public, especially in front of the commissioner. And so, Helena paced because moving helped her to contain her anger.
Commissioner Gordon on the other hand looked ill. He had not shaven or combed his hair before rushing to the hospital. Depression and guilt had set in. He was thinking back to that night seven years ago when Barbara had been shot. He had not been able to protect her then either.
"I'm looking for the family of Barbara Gordon," a middle-aged man in a white coat said from the doorway of the waiting room.
Both Helena and Commissioner Gordon quickly made their way to the doctor. He led them to a smaller room with a table and some chairs. He explained that Barbara had no major injuries. She had a slight concussion and some bruised ribs, but that he felt that she could be discharged within the hour. He was concerned about the sexual assault and gave them numbers to some counsellors.
After the doctor left, the commissioner decided that he would go see Barbara and then the detectives assigned to the case should talk to her.
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In the clocktower, Dinah was watching the television. In reality, the television was on, but Dinah was not paying attention. She was frantically waiting for Helena to get in touch with her. Dinah jumped when she heard the phone ring. It was Helena.
"How's Barbara?" Dinah asked.
"Barbara seems okay. She has a concussion and some bruised ribs, but we should be home soon."
Helena was about to hang up when she heard Dinah ask, "Helena, why are you using the phone?"
"Well, I am in a hospital with a psychiatric unit. I don't want anyone to think that I hear voices in my head."
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Dinah was in the kitchen when she heard the elevator arrive, and she immediately rushed to its doors. Dinah was taken aback by how worn out Barbara looked.
"Barbara, I'm so glad you're okay," Dinah said with relief as she bent over to embrace her mentor and now the closest thing to a mother that she had. As she pulled back, Dinah's hand made contact with Barbara's hand. In that moment, Dinah could see into Barbara's mind. She saw glimpses of what had happened and she felt Barbara's fear of what could have happened, but mostly Barbara was angry with herself for allowing it to happen and for the helplessness that she felt.
"I'm really tired. I'm going to bed," Barbara said.
Helena and Dinah watched her roll toward her bedroom. Neither of them spoke. Dinah was trying to process what she had seen in Barbara's mind. For hours, she had been worrying about how Barbara was physically. Now that Dinah had seen Barbara, Dinah's worry was replaced by anger that was growing into rage.
"Did you find him?" Dinah asked quietly, trying to control her emotions.
"No," Helena replied. "He wasn't there when I found her." Helena winced at the memory of Barbara lying in the parking lot.
Dinah could see the toll that the night's events had taken on Helena. For all her effort to be tough and stoic, Dinah could see that Helena really cared about Barbara. This only further enraged her. The three of them had been through so much and still the fates did not cut them any slack.
"We should go looking for him. There are still a couple of hours before daylight. He may still be in the area," Dinah said. She needed to do something to catch the bastard, and then maybe her new family could find some peace.
"No, I'm exhausted and so are you. Even if you won't admit it," Helena said giving Dinah a concerned look. "Barbara wouldn't talk about it and I didn't want to push her, but she talked to the police at the hospital. I'll go talk to Reece tomorrow," she said as she looked at her watch. "I mean later today to see what the police know."
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Reece was waiting in the alley next to the precinct when Huntress landed behind him. He turned around startled, but Huntress could not take any pleasure in Reece's surprise. She was in a foul mood. She had not been able to sleep since Barbara's attack and she wanted to find this guy.
"I got the file you wanted," Reece said trying to hide the fact that Huntress had startled him. "Why do you want to know about the attack on Commissioner Gordon's daughter? There doesn't seem to be any sign of a meta-human involvement." It was still strange for him to use that term – "meta-human".
"My reason's are my own," she snapped. Huntress regretted her impatience and quick-temper when she saw the hurt look that crossed Reece's face. "I'm sorry. I'm doing this as a favour for a friend who knows the family. What does the file say?"
Opening the file, Reece began to summarize what the report said, "She was attacked in a grocery store's parking lot on Sixth Street. The detective on the case thinks that it was a crime of opportunity. The perp saw her as she was leaving the store. A defenceless woman in a wheelchair out late at night, she was practically asking for an attack."
"No one asks to be attack and just because she uses a wheelchair doesn't make her defenceless," Huntress said irately.
Looking up from the report, he saw how his last comment had angered Huntress. Now it was his turn to apologize. "You're right. I'm sorry. That wasn't what I meant," he said sheepishly.
After an awkward pause, he continued, "The perp started to sexually assault her when he was scared off. A friend of hers . . . um . . . here it is . . . Helena Kyle found her and called the police. Ms. Gordon received some bruised ribs and a concussion from the attack. She was interviewed in the hospital, but she doesn't seem to remember the attack very well. She couldn't give the detectives assigned to the case a description."
"Are there any other leads? Maybe someone in the grocery store saw something?"
"No, there aren't any windows looking into the parking lot and all the people in the grocery store were questioned, but they didn't see anything. I'm glad that this isn't my case. There's a lot of pressure from the higher-ups to solve this one, seeing as how it's the commissioner's daughter. Unless she remembers something, there isn't much anyone can do."