"I didn't think she'd fade so quietly," Reese murmured as he ran his fingers through Helena's short dark hair. It was damp with perspiration. They were still lying on her bed but she was almost completely wrapped in his arms, the sheets clinging to her tape-wrapped legs.
Barbara shuddered at his words. When she had first turned the movie on Helena had been alert and awake, even making crude jokes. As time had passed, she had suddenly become quieter. At first Barbara had assumed that she'd just fallen asleep but her vital signs were weak.
And getting worse by the minute.
She was running out of time.
"Neither did I," Barbara admitted. She reached down to the foot of the bed and picked up a blanket. "Do you mind?" she asked hesitantly.
He nodded slowly and slid Helena off of him. He pressed her into Barbara's waiting arms and moved to his feet. "I uh, I'm gonna get some coffee or something, okay?"
"Reese, it's all right," she assured him. "Get some air."
He frowned. He hadn't wanted to be so transparent. It was all so damn hard. He wanted to rage and breaks thing but he couldn't find the energy. The fear in his body was almost suffocating as he realized just how close to the end they really were.
Either Tim and Dinah got to Helena in time or by the end of the night she'd be dead.
It was that simple.
It was that cold.
"Right," he murmured, quickly slipping out of the room. He descended the stairs rapidly and moved towards the balcony. When he stepped out into the icy wet night he blinked in amazement as he saw Alfred standing outside, eyes looking straight ahead. "Alfred? Are you okay?"
"No," the butler admitted. "I've been watching that girl for many years now. I've been watching them all grow."
"You were her fathers' butler, right?"
"My father before me served the Wayne's and I followed in his footsteps but yes, I pretty much raised Master Bruce," Alfred confirmed. He wrung his hands and then held them up. "Arthritis. It gets so much worse in the winter. During the summere I can tolerate it but it becomes near to unbearable in the cold months."
"You should see a doctor," Reese suggested.
Alfred chuckled. "I'm an old man, Detective, I'm supposed to have arthritis."
Reese cocked his head to the side. "Have you ever thought about retiring?"
"Heavens no," Alfred said quickly. "What would these women do without me?" He paused. "What would I do without them? Enjoy a nice day on the beach?" He shook his head. "Sounds nice. It's hardly my style. No, Detective. I belong right here. For better or for worse."
"Can't say as I like that statement," Reese muttered, watching the snow fall in wet clumps on the ground.
Alfred chuckled lightly. "I have faith that Miss Dinah and Master Tim will make it back on time. Further, I have faith in Miss Helena. As long as you know her, you'll never completely understand her but you will always be able to count on one thing."
"Oh?" Reese queried, eyebrow quirked in curiosity.
"She will always defy expectations. She will always surprise you."
"Yeah," Reese smiled. "I'm getting that." He glanced at Alfred. "But really, what about you? What draws you to this whole thing? I mean, doesn't it all seem kind of insane?"
Alfred laughed. "Kind of? Oh no, it is quite insane." He smiled warmly. "And in that insanity is home."
"That's kind of a non-answer," Reese noted.
"Perhaps," Alfred agreed. "I stay here because it is my duty. I stay here because it is my home and these women are my family. I have known Miss Barbara since she was very young and perhaps in all my time I have never met a more remarkable woman. As for Miss Helena, I came late to that party so to speak but as she was and is a daughter to Master Bruce, she is like a grand-daughter to me." He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Only she teases me more than most grandchildren do I imagine."
"That's probably true," Reese laughed.
"Miss Dinah is the newest but she's the final piece of their puzzle. She completes them." He paused again and then repeated. "They are my family and that is why I stay."
"Good enough," Reese said. Then he sighed. "Is it bad that I needed to step outside and get away for a few moments?"
"Do you think it makes you weak?"
Reese considered that for a few moments and then finally nodded. "Yes. I should be by her side."
"You love her," Alfred put in, his voice mild.
"I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to," the old butler chuckled. "And no, Detective, it doesn't make you less. There's a reason that I'm not in there right now. Besides, this is Miss Barbara's place. Whatever else you will ever be to Miss Helena..."
"I know," Reese chuckled. "Sharing her with the redhead am I."
"Indeed," Alfred said wryly.
"Indeed," Reese repeated. He turned back to stare out at the night.
"Do you smoke Detective?"
Reese blinked and turned towards Alfred. "Not really. A cigar from time to time. Do you?"
"Not really," Alfred responded. He reached into his jacket and pulled out two cigars. "Only when I'm stressed." He offered one to Reese. The young cop took it and nodded at Alfred, incredibly touched by the gesture and the admission of emotion.
"Yeah me too," Reese said. "Me too."
Alfred just smiled kindly at him and leaned over to light the cigar. Reese put a hand over his and took the lighter. The two men locked eyes and the older one finally relented, his hands trembling with pain.
"Thank you," Alfred said softly.
"Sure," Reese responded, just before he turned to watch the snowfall.
Snow was a good thing.
Snow was hope.
And hope was always a plus.
Always.
Barbara clutched the slumbering girl tightly against her check. A frantic check of her pulse showed that Helena was still drawing air and her heart was still beating, albeit a bit slower now.
She was definitely fading. Barbara wondered if Tim and Dinah even had a chance.
No, that was too horrible to consider.
Helena had to survive. Had to.
"I don't know what I'd do without you," Barbara whispered, touching Helena's forehead. "You know, I'd likely be less stressed." She chucked. "I wouldn't spend the majority of my evenings wondering about your whereabouts and hoping that you're okay. I think I'd be more sane."
Tears scrambled down her cheeks and she tasted salt against her lips. She considered brushing them away but then realized that she didn't actually care that she was crying.
"You can't leave me. We're in this together," Barbara insisted. She shook her head. "God, what was I thinking? I never should have brought you into this..."
"Who the fuck knows what you were thinking," Helena muttered. "What I want to know right now is why you're babbling in my ear and crying all over my cool sleep time rags."
Barbara blinked. She pushed the tears away and then sheepishly replied, "Sorry. Thought you were sleeping. Mentor's prerogative to get weepy when protégé is in pain."
"I'm not in pain," Helena informed her. "I mean right now nothing really hurts which is kinda odd." She moved her wounded left leg. "It all just kind of numb."
"Helena..."
"Oh relax, I'm not going anywhere," the brunette yawned. "I'm not done fighting yet."
"I'm holding you to that," Barbara informed her. "You die on me and I will never forgive you."
"Yeah, nice inspirational speech there Gordon," Helena quipped. "I mean come on now, whoo hoo and rally up the troops."
"I'm serious," Barbara informed her.
Helena looked up at her old friend and smiled. "I know you are. And so am I, I'm not going anywhere. No need for great big dramatic deathbed scenes, I'll be here in the morning. Hell I'll be here all week with my comedy routine."
"Comedy routine?"
"Yeah," Helena smiled, her eyes drooping a bit. "Did I ever tell you the one about the five nuns in Tijuana?"
Barbara slapped her arm lightly and laughed. "Yes you did and it was disturbed then as well."
"Yeah well, it's gotten better," Helena promised.
Barbara nodded her head forward. "Well then, by all means, tell me."
"Sure," Helena slurred, the exhaustion overcoming her. She fought through it and continued to speak. "So these five nuns take a trip to Tijuana..."
"What happened?" Reese demanded as he entered the bedroom. Alfred trailed a few feet behind him, face drawn tight with worry. They both approached Barbara who was leaning over Helena's unconscious form. Blankets were strewn all over the bed, like they had been hastily ripped away.
"She's not breathing," Barbara replied tersely as she bent back over her former charge. She pressed her mouth to Helena's, pinched her nose and then forced air into her lungs. Reese watched as the brunette's chest rose and the fell. "Oh God..."
"Can I help?" he asked, frustration in his tone. This wasn't right. This wasn't fair. They'd come too damn far and almost pulled her through it all; they couldn't actually be losing her now.
"Chest compressions," Barbara snapped back. "Basic first aide."
"Right," he mumbled. He slipped around to the side and nodded at Barbara. Putting the heel of his palms against the bottom of her ribcage, his gave a hard push inwards. He did fifteen quick compressions and then waited for Barbara to do her part. After she had given two quick breaths he returned to his part of the job, fear racing through his blood. He gave three hard pushes and was about to do another when he heard a pained cough. He looked up sharply and met Barbara's eyes. She broke the contact and looked down at Helena. The girls' slate blue eyes were open, albeit hazily so. She looked confused and disorientated, like she'd just woken up from a nap.
"Hey, welcome back." Barbara said softly, gently touching the side of Helena's face. She cradled her cheek gently, rubbing the skin with her thumb. She moved her other hand to Helena's wrist and took her pulse, smiling slightly when she actually felt it blipping.
"Ow," Helena muttered, glancing at Reese. "You're still poking me." He quickly broke away from her, looking apologetic. She offered him a smile to calm his nerves. Then she looked at Barbara. "Did I just die?"
"No," Barbara said quickly. "You just stopped breathing on your own for a few moments there. How do you feel?"
"In other words do you know who we are?" Reese asked lightly.
Helena snorted loudly and shook her head. "Yeah, the guy in the back is the only one in this room who's sane."
Alfred chuckled. "It's good to see you as well Miss Helena."
She winked at him and then looked at Barbara and smiled. "I'm okay."
"Sure," Barbara said. "Look I want to get you an oxygen mask..."
"Barbara..."
"We're not arguing about this so let's not, okay?" the redhead said, clearly exasperated. She could only imagine what Helena was going through staring down death but she kind of figured that it at least slightly resembled her own hell. She felt tired and worn down. She wondered when she had slept last or eaten for that matter.
She wondered if they were just delaying the inevitable.
She gazed at her protégé for a long moment, her heart swelling with a thousand emotions all at once. She spun her chair and moved out of the room, leaving Alfred and Reese with Helena.
"Okay," Helena replied, dropping her head back against the pillows. She looked up at Reese and grinned impishly. "Were you about to do mouth to mouth on me?"
"Only you could be cracking jokes right now," he laughed. He shook his head, not willing to give her an answer. He glanced up at the clock on the wall and narrowed his eyes.
The seven hours was almost up.
It was high time for the cavalry to show up and save the day.
"They'll make it," Helena assured him. "This isn't how I'm supposed to go out."
"You're not supposed to go out at all," Reese stammered, locking eyes with her. He searched her for some understanding but all he got was calm. "Are you actually prepared to die?"
She laughed loudly. "You haven't been listening have you? I'm not dying tonight. I'm not dying in a bed. If I do one day, I mean eventually, it'll be on my feet, fighting. Not like this. So no, I'm not prepared to die. I'm not worried."
"You almost just did die," he reminded her.
"No I didn't," she replied. "Barbara saved me."
He turned to look at Alfred for help but the old man just shrugged, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "Okay then," Reese finally said. He dropped down next to her and reached out for her hand. She gladly offered hers and he squeezed it, delighting in the contact. Her skin was feverish but still soft.
"So about that coffee date," she drawled. "How about you take me to a Knicks game instead."
"You like basketball?" he said incredulously.
"That's an understatement, Detective," Barbara said as she re-entered, holding a strange metal tank in her lap. He could see an oxygen mask lying on her knee. She wheeled over to Helena, dropped the tank to the ground and then snapped the mask over Helena's mouth before the brunette could even begin to protest. Steam rose up and away from her and the device made a strange whooshing noise.
"What do you mean by that?" Reese asked with curiosity. He grinned at the frustration he could see in Helena's eyes. That much emotion meant that she was awake and alert and that we certainly a good thing.
"Helena's not just a Knicks fan, she's a fanatic. Trust me, Reese, the girl knows her basketball."
"You're kidding me," he said, glancing down at Helena. She opened her mouth to speak but then settled for shrugging instead.
"She has a wicked perimeter shot," Alfred informed him, seemingly with pride.
"Learn something new every day," Reese commented, eyes still deep within hers. "I'll have to bring you out to play with the boys, see how well that three shot holds up."
Helena reached down and lifted off the mask. "Twenty bucks say they want me on the team and not you by the time we're done."
"Helena, put the mask back on," Barbara sighed, smacking her arm lightly. "Reese, don't encourage her to be bad."
"Sorry," they both said at the same time. They laughed together and then she pulled the mask back over her mouth, but not before first sticking out her tongue at her mentor.
"Barbara!"
She turned quickly, her chair nearly toppling because of the urgent motion.
Reese looked over at Alfred. "Who is that?"
"Tim," Barbara said breathlessly. "They made it."
At that exact moment Helena began to cough violently, doubling over in obvious anguish. Reese moved quickly to her side and slid a hand around her shuddering frame. "Barbara, she's coughing up blood..."
The redhead snapped around, fear widening her green eyes. "Get the mask off her," she snapped. Reese did as he was told, quickly shedding the oxygen mask.
"Barbara," Tim Drake said as he and Dinah swept into the room. Dinah was holding a black and red bag around her shoulder. He dropped down to the bed next to Helena and picked up one of her hands. "Hey baby girl, backup is here." Their eyes connected and Helena offered him a pained half smile.
Dinah yanked the bag off her shoulder and tore it open, pulling out a small black case. In side the case was the vial that Dr. Kasper had given them as well as a small syringe. She filled the needle with liquid and then offered it to Barbara who quickly took it and turned it over in her palm.
Her hands were trembling to such a frantic degree that eventually she had to beg off and allow Tim to inject the needle into Helena's left forearm. The girl hissed the moment the metal point went into her flesh. A few seconds passed and then her eyes rolled backwards and she collapsed into a dead faint.
"Barbara?" Dinah asked, moving around to Helena's side. She bent down to inspect the needle mark, almost like she expected to see something unusual. The redhead slid her hand into Dinah's and gently pulled her away.
"Wait," she said softly. "It could be a natural reaction to the drug. Wait." She took her glasses off and peered down at a monitor that was attached to Helena. The readout on it was rather wild, showing rapidly altering life-signs. After almost five minutes of tense silence, while they all watched the display, the line in the middle began to bleep away calmly. All steady-like.
"Barbara?" Dinah asked, worry in her tone.
"She's okay," Barbara breathed. She moved her chair towards Helena and brushed a shaky hand over her feverish forehead. She dropped down and checked for a pulse. She let out a caught breath when she was rewarded with a study thumping against her fingers. She turned to regard Tim and Dinah. "Well done you two."
Dinah beamed and glanced at her partner in crime who was now wearing a small confident smirk. "In the bag," he insisted. "Never a worry."
Dinah couldn't stop herself from snorting but when Barbara looked up sharply at her she waved her off. "Nothing," she said. "It's nothing."
"You look exhausted Miss Dinah," Alfred noted as he approached her. He slung a blanket over her shoulder. "And wet," he concluded.
She blinked and glanced down at herself. That was when she noticed that she was covered in melted snow and her clothes were now drenched all the way through. Tim was wearing a leather overcoat so his jeans had been mostly protected from the pelting they had gotten on their way from the car to the elevator.
Of course that hadn't stopped Tim from bitching about there being no parking in the garage thanks to Barbara and her big damn Hummer. Or so he'd said.
"I am," she admitted. She cocked her head and looked at Barbara who was now seated next to Reese. Both of them were leaning over Helena. He was gently cleaning blood away from her mouth. "So that's it? It's over?" Dinah asked.
Reese laughed. "Are you kidding me? That's it? Don't know about you but this has been a hell of an ordeal."
"No, no," Dinah said quickly. "That's not what I meant. I'm sorry, I really am tired." She closed her eyes for a beat and then said softly. "Is Helena okay? Is she gonna make it? Can she finally heal in peace now?"
"Yes," Barbara said firmly. "I still want to run a few tests and I want to track the path of the antidote but if it works like it should, Helena will make a full recovery." She laughed. "We can actually start working on her physical therapy."
"Oh that ought to be fun," Tim cracked, dropping down into a chair opposite Helena's bed. He glanced around at the bare walls. "She finally took everything down, huh?"
"I'd like to say she grew out of that phase," Barbara said dryly. "But no I think she just moved her posters to her apartment." Then she laughed. "However come to think of it, I don't think she's put them up just yet."
"That's some quality procrastination," Reese commented. He stood up straight and cracked his back, groaning as his spine realigned itself. "Now what?"
There was a moment of silence and then from different corners of the room they all started to laugh. It started out nervous and uncertain and then became a full-fledged emotional release. No tears of course but the near hysterical peals of laughter said plenty.
Alfred slipped to the outside of the room and closed the door behind him, smiling a bit to himself.
Some rays of light were finally starting to crack through the black clouds.
END CHAPTER 10
Barbara shuddered at his words. When she had first turned the movie on Helena had been alert and awake, even making crude jokes. As time had passed, she had suddenly become quieter. At first Barbara had assumed that she'd just fallen asleep but her vital signs were weak.
And getting worse by the minute.
She was running out of time.
"Neither did I," Barbara admitted. She reached down to the foot of the bed and picked up a blanket. "Do you mind?" she asked hesitantly.
He nodded slowly and slid Helena off of him. He pressed her into Barbara's waiting arms and moved to his feet. "I uh, I'm gonna get some coffee or something, okay?"
"Reese, it's all right," she assured him. "Get some air."
He frowned. He hadn't wanted to be so transparent. It was all so damn hard. He wanted to rage and breaks thing but he couldn't find the energy. The fear in his body was almost suffocating as he realized just how close to the end they really were.
Either Tim and Dinah got to Helena in time or by the end of the night she'd be dead.
It was that simple.
It was that cold.
"Right," he murmured, quickly slipping out of the room. He descended the stairs rapidly and moved towards the balcony. When he stepped out into the icy wet night he blinked in amazement as he saw Alfred standing outside, eyes looking straight ahead. "Alfred? Are you okay?"
"No," the butler admitted. "I've been watching that girl for many years now. I've been watching them all grow."
"You were her fathers' butler, right?"
"My father before me served the Wayne's and I followed in his footsteps but yes, I pretty much raised Master Bruce," Alfred confirmed. He wrung his hands and then held them up. "Arthritis. It gets so much worse in the winter. During the summere I can tolerate it but it becomes near to unbearable in the cold months."
"You should see a doctor," Reese suggested.
Alfred chuckled. "I'm an old man, Detective, I'm supposed to have arthritis."
Reese cocked his head to the side. "Have you ever thought about retiring?"
"Heavens no," Alfred said quickly. "What would these women do without me?" He paused. "What would I do without them? Enjoy a nice day on the beach?" He shook his head. "Sounds nice. It's hardly my style. No, Detective. I belong right here. For better or for worse."
"Can't say as I like that statement," Reese muttered, watching the snow fall in wet clumps on the ground.
Alfred chuckled lightly. "I have faith that Miss Dinah and Master Tim will make it back on time. Further, I have faith in Miss Helena. As long as you know her, you'll never completely understand her but you will always be able to count on one thing."
"Oh?" Reese queried, eyebrow quirked in curiosity.
"She will always defy expectations. She will always surprise you."
"Yeah," Reese smiled. "I'm getting that." He glanced at Alfred. "But really, what about you? What draws you to this whole thing? I mean, doesn't it all seem kind of insane?"
Alfred laughed. "Kind of? Oh no, it is quite insane." He smiled warmly. "And in that insanity is home."
"That's kind of a non-answer," Reese noted.
"Perhaps," Alfred agreed. "I stay here because it is my duty. I stay here because it is my home and these women are my family. I have known Miss Barbara since she was very young and perhaps in all my time I have never met a more remarkable woman. As for Miss Helena, I came late to that party so to speak but as she was and is a daughter to Master Bruce, she is like a grand-daughter to me." He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Only she teases me more than most grandchildren do I imagine."
"That's probably true," Reese laughed.
"Miss Dinah is the newest but she's the final piece of their puzzle. She completes them." He paused again and then repeated. "They are my family and that is why I stay."
"Good enough," Reese said. Then he sighed. "Is it bad that I needed to step outside and get away for a few moments?"
"Do you think it makes you weak?"
Reese considered that for a few moments and then finally nodded. "Yes. I should be by her side."
"You love her," Alfred put in, his voice mild.
"I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to," the old butler chuckled. "And no, Detective, it doesn't make you less. There's a reason that I'm not in there right now. Besides, this is Miss Barbara's place. Whatever else you will ever be to Miss Helena..."
"I know," Reese chuckled. "Sharing her with the redhead am I."
"Indeed," Alfred said wryly.
"Indeed," Reese repeated. He turned back to stare out at the night.
"Do you smoke Detective?"
Reese blinked and turned towards Alfred. "Not really. A cigar from time to time. Do you?"
"Not really," Alfred responded. He reached into his jacket and pulled out two cigars. "Only when I'm stressed." He offered one to Reese. The young cop took it and nodded at Alfred, incredibly touched by the gesture and the admission of emotion.
"Yeah me too," Reese said. "Me too."
Alfred just smiled kindly at him and leaned over to light the cigar. Reese put a hand over his and took the lighter. The two men locked eyes and the older one finally relented, his hands trembling with pain.
"Thank you," Alfred said softly.
"Sure," Reese responded, just before he turned to watch the snowfall.
Snow was a good thing.
Snow was hope.
And hope was always a plus.
Always.
Barbara clutched the slumbering girl tightly against her check. A frantic check of her pulse showed that Helena was still drawing air and her heart was still beating, albeit a bit slower now.
She was definitely fading. Barbara wondered if Tim and Dinah even had a chance.
No, that was too horrible to consider.
Helena had to survive. Had to.
"I don't know what I'd do without you," Barbara whispered, touching Helena's forehead. "You know, I'd likely be less stressed." She chucked. "I wouldn't spend the majority of my evenings wondering about your whereabouts and hoping that you're okay. I think I'd be more sane."
Tears scrambled down her cheeks and she tasted salt against her lips. She considered brushing them away but then realized that she didn't actually care that she was crying.
"You can't leave me. We're in this together," Barbara insisted. She shook her head. "God, what was I thinking? I never should have brought you into this..."
"Who the fuck knows what you were thinking," Helena muttered. "What I want to know right now is why you're babbling in my ear and crying all over my cool sleep time rags."
Barbara blinked. She pushed the tears away and then sheepishly replied, "Sorry. Thought you were sleeping. Mentor's prerogative to get weepy when protégé is in pain."
"I'm not in pain," Helena informed her. "I mean right now nothing really hurts which is kinda odd." She moved her wounded left leg. "It all just kind of numb."
"Helena..."
"Oh relax, I'm not going anywhere," the brunette yawned. "I'm not done fighting yet."
"I'm holding you to that," Barbara informed her. "You die on me and I will never forgive you."
"Yeah, nice inspirational speech there Gordon," Helena quipped. "I mean come on now, whoo hoo and rally up the troops."
"I'm serious," Barbara informed her.
Helena looked up at her old friend and smiled. "I know you are. And so am I, I'm not going anywhere. No need for great big dramatic deathbed scenes, I'll be here in the morning. Hell I'll be here all week with my comedy routine."
"Comedy routine?"
"Yeah," Helena smiled, her eyes drooping a bit. "Did I ever tell you the one about the five nuns in Tijuana?"
Barbara slapped her arm lightly and laughed. "Yes you did and it was disturbed then as well."
"Yeah well, it's gotten better," Helena promised.
Barbara nodded her head forward. "Well then, by all means, tell me."
"Sure," Helena slurred, the exhaustion overcoming her. She fought through it and continued to speak. "So these five nuns take a trip to Tijuana..."
"What happened?" Reese demanded as he entered the bedroom. Alfred trailed a few feet behind him, face drawn tight with worry. They both approached Barbara who was leaning over Helena's unconscious form. Blankets were strewn all over the bed, like they had been hastily ripped away.
"She's not breathing," Barbara replied tersely as she bent back over her former charge. She pressed her mouth to Helena's, pinched her nose and then forced air into her lungs. Reese watched as the brunette's chest rose and the fell. "Oh God..."
"Can I help?" he asked, frustration in his tone. This wasn't right. This wasn't fair. They'd come too damn far and almost pulled her through it all; they couldn't actually be losing her now.
"Chest compressions," Barbara snapped back. "Basic first aide."
"Right," he mumbled. He slipped around to the side and nodded at Barbara. Putting the heel of his palms against the bottom of her ribcage, his gave a hard push inwards. He did fifteen quick compressions and then waited for Barbara to do her part. After she had given two quick breaths he returned to his part of the job, fear racing through his blood. He gave three hard pushes and was about to do another when he heard a pained cough. He looked up sharply and met Barbara's eyes. She broke the contact and looked down at Helena. The girls' slate blue eyes were open, albeit hazily so. She looked confused and disorientated, like she'd just woken up from a nap.
"Hey, welcome back." Barbara said softly, gently touching the side of Helena's face. She cradled her cheek gently, rubbing the skin with her thumb. She moved her other hand to Helena's wrist and took her pulse, smiling slightly when she actually felt it blipping.
"Ow," Helena muttered, glancing at Reese. "You're still poking me." He quickly broke away from her, looking apologetic. She offered him a smile to calm his nerves. Then she looked at Barbara. "Did I just die?"
"No," Barbara said quickly. "You just stopped breathing on your own for a few moments there. How do you feel?"
"In other words do you know who we are?" Reese asked lightly.
Helena snorted loudly and shook her head. "Yeah, the guy in the back is the only one in this room who's sane."
Alfred chuckled. "It's good to see you as well Miss Helena."
She winked at him and then looked at Barbara and smiled. "I'm okay."
"Sure," Barbara said. "Look I want to get you an oxygen mask..."
"Barbara..."
"We're not arguing about this so let's not, okay?" the redhead said, clearly exasperated. She could only imagine what Helena was going through staring down death but she kind of figured that it at least slightly resembled her own hell. She felt tired and worn down. She wondered when she had slept last or eaten for that matter.
She wondered if they were just delaying the inevitable.
She gazed at her protégé for a long moment, her heart swelling with a thousand emotions all at once. She spun her chair and moved out of the room, leaving Alfred and Reese with Helena.
"Okay," Helena replied, dropping her head back against the pillows. She looked up at Reese and grinned impishly. "Were you about to do mouth to mouth on me?"
"Only you could be cracking jokes right now," he laughed. He shook his head, not willing to give her an answer. He glanced up at the clock on the wall and narrowed his eyes.
The seven hours was almost up.
It was high time for the cavalry to show up and save the day.
"They'll make it," Helena assured him. "This isn't how I'm supposed to go out."
"You're not supposed to go out at all," Reese stammered, locking eyes with her. He searched her for some understanding but all he got was calm. "Are you actually prepared to die?"
She laughed loudly. "You haven't been listening have you? I'm not dying tonight. I'm not dying in a bed. If I do one day, I mean eventually, it'll be on my feet, fighting. Not like this. So no, I'm not prepared to die. I'm not worried."
"You almost just did die," he reminded her.
"No I didn't," she replied. "Barbara saved me."
He turned to look at Alfred for help but the old man just shrugged, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "Okay then," Reese finally said. He dropped down next to her and reached out for her hand. She gladly offered hers and he squeezed it, delighting in the contact. Her skin was feverish but still soft.
"So about that coffee date," she drawled. "How about you take me to a Knicks game instead."
"You like basketball?" he said incredulously.
"That's an understatement, Detective," Barbara said as she re-entered, holding a strange metal tank in her lap. He could see an oxygen mask lying on her knee. She wheeled over to Helena, dropped the tank to the ground and then snapped the mask over Helena's mouth before the brunette could even begin to protest. Steam rose up and away from her and the device made a strange whooshing noise.
"What do you mean by that?" Reese asked with curiosity. He grinned at the frustration he could see in Helena's eyes. That much emotion meant that she was awake and alert and that we certainly a good thing.
"Helena's not just a Knicks fan, she's a fanatic. Trust me, Reese, the girl knows her basketball."
"You're kidding me," he said, glancing down at Helena. She opened her mouth to speak but then settled for shrugging instead.
"She has a wicked perimeter shot," Alfred informed him, seemingly with pride.
"Learn something new every day," Reese commented, eyes still deep within hers. "I'll have to bring you out to play with the boys, see how well that three shot holds up."
Helena reached down and lifted off the mask. "Twenty bucks say they want me on the team and not you by the time we're done."
"Helena, put the mask back on," Barbara sighed, smacking her arm lightly. "Reese, don't encourage her to be bad."
"Sorry," they both said at the same time. They laughed together and then she pulled the mask back over her mouth, but not before first sticking out her tongue at her mentor.
"Barbara!"
She turned quickly, her chair nearly toppling because of the urgent motion.
Reese looked over at Alfred. "Who is that?"
"Tim," Barbara said breathlessly. "They made it."
At that exact moment Helena began to cough violently, doubling over in obvious anguish. Reese moved quickly to her side and slid a hand around her shuddering frame. "Barbara, she's coughing up blood..."
The redhead snapped around, fear widening her green eyes. "Get the mask off her," she snapped. Reese did as he was told, quickly shedding the oxygen mask.
"Barbara," Tim Drake said as he and Dinah swept into the room. Dinah was holding a black and red bag around her shoulder. He dropped down to the bed next to Helena and picked up one of her hands. "Hey baby girl, backup is here." Their eyes connected and Helena offered him a pained half smile.
Dinah yanked the bag off her shoulder and tore it open, pulling out a small black case. In side the case was the vial that Dr. Kasper had given them as well as a small syringe. She filled the needle with liquid and then offered it to Barbara who quickly took it and turned it over in her palm.
Her hands were trembling to such a frantic degree that eventually she had to beg off and allow Tim to inject the needle into Helena's left forearm. The girl hissed the moment the metal point went into her flesh. A few seconds passed and then her eyes rolled backwards and she collapsed into a dead faint.
"Barbara?" Dinah asked, moving around to Helena's side. She bent down to inspect the needle mark, almost like she expected to see something unusual. The redhead slid her hand into Dinah's and gently pulled her away.
"Wait," she said softly. "It could be a natural reaction to the drug. Wait." She took her glasses off and peered down at a monitor that was attached to Helena. The readout on it was rather wild, showing rapidly altering life-signs. After almost five minutes of tense silence, while they all watched the display, the line in the middle began to bleep away calmly. All steady-like.
"Barbara?" Dinah asked, worry in her tone.
"She's okay," Barbara breathed. She moved her chair towards Helena and brushed a shaky hand over her feverish forehead. She dropped down and checked for a pulse. She let out a caught breath when she was rewarded with a study thumping against her fingers. She turned to regard Tim and Dinah. "Well done you two."
Dinah beamed and glanced at her partner in crime who was now wearing a small confident smirk. "In the bag," he insisted. "Never a worry."
Dinah couldn't stop herself from snorting but when Barbara looked up sharply at her she waved her off. "Nothing," she said. "It's nothing."
"You look exhausted Miss Dinah," Alfred noted as he approached her. He slung a blanket over her shoulder. "And wet," he concluded.
She blinked and glanced down at herself. That was when she noticed that she was covered in melted snow and her clothes were now drenched all the way through. Tim was wearing a leather overcoat so his jeans had been mostly protected from the pelting they had gotten on their way from the car to the elevator.
Of course that hadn't stopped Tim from bitching about there being no parking in the garage thanks to Barbara and her big damn Hummer. Or so he'd said.
"I am," she admitted. She cocked her head and looked at Barbara who was now seated next to Reese. Both of them were leaning over Helena. He was gently cleaning blood away from her mouth. "So that's it? It's over?" Dinah asked.
Reese laughed. "Are you kidding me? That's it? Don't know about you but this has been a hell of an ordeal."
"No, no," Dinah said quickly. "That's not what I meant. I'm sorry, I really am tired." She closed her eyes for a beat and then said softly. "Is Helena okay? Is she gonna make it? Can she finally heal in peace now?"
"Yes," Barbara said firmly. "I still want to run a few tests and I want to track the path of the antidote but if it works like it should, Helena will make a full recovery." She laughed. "We can actually start working on her physical therapy."
"Oh that ought to be fun," Tim cracked, dropping down into a chair opposite Helena's bed. He glanced around at the bare walls. "She finally took everything down, huh?"
"I'd like to say she grew out of that phase," Barbara said dryly. "But no I think she just moved her posters to her apartment." Then she laughed. "However come to think of it, I don't think she's put them up just yet."
"That's some quality procrastination," Reese commented. He stood up straight and cracked his back, groaning as his spine realigned itself. "Now what?"
There was a moment of silence and then from different corners of the room they all started to laugh. It started out nervous and uncertain and then became a full-fledged emotional release. No tears of course but the near hysterical peals of laughter said plenty.
Alfred slipped to the outside of the room and closed the door behind him, smiling a bit to himself.
Some rays of light were finally starting to crack through the black clouds.
END CHAPTER 10