Helena rose to her full height, like a cat's fur standing on end. She stared the attacker in the eyes, "I will not let you hurt these people." She was amazed at how brave she felt. She didn't understand why she felt the need to protect these people. She was risking her own life, when she could be running.

The man laughed, "Won't let me. Ha! And just what do you think you're going to do about it?"

Helena wasn't sure what she would do. She had no training, no way to defend herself, but this other side of her, it seemed to react on instincts. It carried power that caused her to lash out. Perhaps this would help her, anyway she hoped so.

"Perhaps I should let them go and take care of you first. After all, if you want to be the hero, the hero always goes first." He advanced on his new target.

The cat studied his movements, the way he walked and the confidence that radiated off him. She watched his eyes, which seemed to anticipate every move he made. She watched as he pulled his hand back to punch her, and saw it float forward. But just like the birds, it seemed to come at her much slower than it should. The slowness gave her a chance to side step the punch right before he made contact.

He stumbled when his hand didn't make contact with the girl. "Nice try girly, but I am just getting warmed up."

He threw several more punches and Helena stepped out of the way right before they would have sent her sailing into the air. Every step she took was away from the attacker's original targets. She could see the mother kneeling in the dirt, hugging her daughter, as they watched the fight from afar. Helena took a chance and glanced behind her.

"No more room to run little girl." The alley was coming to a dead end, which meant trouble for Helena.

She felt her back touch the wall as she sidestepped another punch. I have to do something before he hits me. Her head started to throb again. Helena didn't know if it was the pain that made her do it, or the fact that she was scared. But she lifted her fist, pulled it back as far as it would go, and threw it into the guy's gut. She pulled back, screaming in pain, as she realized which hand she had thrown into the guy. The lovingly wrapped hand was now red with blood once more. The bandages quickly soaked up the blood and it began to run out around them. As the man dropped on to his back from the punch, she fell to her knees in pain. She bit her lip to keep from screaming again and fought the tears that came to her eyes as they changed back to normal.

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The sleeping redhead awoke with a start. She rubbed her eyes and took deep breaths, trying to calm down from the nightmare. She had seen blood, so much blood. Hers, Selina's, and Helena's. It flowed from each person. It pooled around Barbara's side as it flowed from the bullet wound in her back. It slid down Selina's shirt from the stab wound. The blood from the two women careened into a red river of blood that led to Helena. It filled her heart and engulfed her into the stream. Helena's hands dripped with her own blood, adding to the river. She floated on the river and was carried down stream, away from those who loved her.

With every drop of blood that was shed, she has been taken farther away from those who want to help her. Now the blood of an innocent girl has been added to the mix. How can I save her from the strong winding current?

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The child stood on shaky legs and cradled the bleeding hand at her side. She walked back to where the mother and child had been, but there was no sign of them. No marks in the dirt, no food scattered on the ground. They had vanished with no trace. Helena was in so much pain she couldn't figure it out. She reached in a pocket to find something to soak up the blood in, and she pulled out a piece of paper.

She unfolded it and recognized Barbara's writing. It was the paper she had given Helena. It contained instructions on where the new place was at, and how to get in. The girl looked at the horizon and saw the Clocktower standing out against the night sky. She looked down at her painful red hand and remembered the kindness Barbara offered her even when she didn't deserve it. Barbara would never replace her mother, but she was offering Helena something that she longed for. A home with someone who loved her and a friend to take care of her.

I think it is time for me to go home.

She walked along the street, unable to climb up a ladder to the buildings. Every step she took brought her closer home. She suddenly found herself running from the longing of being home and pushed herself harder and harder. Her breathing became labored but she didn't care, she was almost there. She didn't know what would happen after she came home, but it had to be better than what she had been enduring on the streets.

She reached the alleyway entrance and pushed on the wall hiding the elevator. She pressed the up arrow and the doors opened allowing her to enter. She figured Barbara would be in bed and pressed the A button and the elevator began to move.

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Barbara was awaken again, but this time by a small alarm going off beside her bed. It was Delphi telling her someone was in the elevator. She quickly shut off the alarm; afraid she would wake Alfred, who had taken up residence in one of the bedrooms. Since no one lived at the Manor anymore, he insisted on rendering her his butler expertise at the Clocktower. Barbara had offered him one of the other rooms. It made since for him to stay in the apartment than have to drive over every day. He had taken the bedroom farthest from Barbara, leaving the one closer to her for Helena. The alarm wasn't loud, but she was still worried about it waking the kind man.

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Helena slid to the floor in the far corner of the elevator. She wondered what would meet her on the other side. Would Barbara accept her with a loving hand or scold her for running away?

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Barbara slipped into her chair and pulled on a sweatshirt. She opened the door to her room and pressed the buttons releasing her escrima sticks. Whoever it was, she would be prepared. She didn't expect it to be a visitor; after all, it was almost two in the morning. And it couldn't be Laura since she always called before coming over. That only left one possibility and she was ready. She heard the ding signaling the elevator doors were opening.

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The doors on the elevator slid open and the homebound kitten cautiously stepped out. She walked towards the only door in the small hallway and read the instructions. She stretched out and felt along the top of the door looking for a key. The fingers on her good hand grasped key and she pulled it downward. She fumbled trying to get it into the keyhole. Wasn't exactly easy trying to do it with her left hand. She managed to get it in and slowly turned the key waiting for pop of the door unlocking. She turned the knob and walked into the dimly lit room.

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Barbara saw the knob turn and watched the door start to open. She raised her arms into a fighting position ready to defend and attack. A figure slowly walked into the room. Whoever it was, they were hurt. Barbara could clearly see that. They had one of their arms held closely to their body, and walked slowly like they were watching for something. She was afraid it was Laura. That she had gotten herself hurt while out stalking. But the figure was too short to be Laura.

A head glanced up and dark, pain filled eyes caught Barbara kind, loving ones. The loving eyes recognized the pain filled ones. She dropped her sticks to the ground and slowly moved towards the child. Helena watched her movements and stared into the eyes that read her soul.

Barbara stopped two feet in front of Helena. Helena opened her mouth and spoke the words Barbara had been dieing to hear.

"I have come home."

The broken child stumbled into open arms and wrapped her good arm around a warm neck. She buried her head into Barbara's shoulder just like she did the first time she had seen the faithful redhead in the hospital.

Barbara held on to the crying teen and she began to feel something warm against her shirt. She carefully pushed Helena back and looked down to see a large dark spot on her clean shirt. She looked at Helena and saw the blood soaked bandages. Helena glanced down afraid she would be scolded.

"Don't worry about the shirt. It is an old one anyway. Lets get you fixed up," she led Helena out to the hall and back to the elevator. She pressed the number one and entered her access code. They road to the main level of the Clocktower in silence.

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Alfred watched from a crack in his door as the lost bird came home. The pair had finally come together completing each other. She seemed injured, but he would let Barbara handle it. If it was to bad, she would come and get him. Besides, the two needed time to bond. It would probably take several months for the two to fully bond, but this was the first day. Alfred wanted it to be about those two. He would see her in the morning. She was finally home, but the journey wasn't over. It was just beginning.

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The elevator door opened and the lights in the Clocktower came on. Barbara wheeled to a cabinet where she kept the first aid supplies.

"Pull that chair over here." Helena sat down and Barbara took the fragile hand in her lap.

She carefully cut away the old bandages and gently wiped the blood from the hand. She placed the hand on a dry towel under a small portable x-ray machine. She took a picture of the hand and it appeared on the computer attached it to. It was definitely broken. She gave Helena a shot the numb her hand and began the repair job. First she fixed the open cuts, tying off bleeding blood vessels, and stitching the openings closed. She backed over to her cabinet and mixed together casting solution. She cautiously positioned Helena's bones in the best position for them to heal properly. She wrapped the hand once more and placed it in a cast.

When the cast had dried, the pair went upstairs to the loft to find something to eat. There wasn't much for a teenager, but Barbara did find some cereal and crackers. She was out of milk though so Helena had some juice with her meal. While Barbara cleaned up, the teen explored her new home. She found the training room and then curled up on a couch. Barbara found her there, sleeping. She didn't have the heart to wake the girl and take her down to her new room. She dimmed the light and stroked Helena's face. She took the elevator downstairs and returned to her bed. She slept soundly knowing her lost charge was safe at home.