= = = (* Reading Between The Lines *) = = =
Dinah was woken gently by the feeling of a hand on her shoulder. Lifting her tired head off of her pillow she slowly opened her eyes and blinked at the bright light pouring into the room from the now open door. There, standing beside the bed, was Alfred, smiling in that warm manor that never seemed to fade. Sitting up a little more fully, she ran a hand through her sleep-tousled hair. Chuckling affectionately at the sight of the girl, he handed her a fresh towel.
"Good morning Miss." Her said with a gentle tone, "Breakfast is being made as we speak, and I dare say I think you'll like it." He smiled, "Ms. Barbara asked me to wake you so that you might, uh . . . freshen up a bit before Ms. Helena arrives and you have you're meeting?" he asked gently. Dinah nodded, and slowly got out of bed.
"Thank you Alfred." She replied, voice slightly raspy due to sleep. He simply smiled and walked from the room, closing the door behind him. After a shower and change into something slightly more 'I'm-About-To-Yell- ish', she walked into the Main room. It was empty. Making her way up the ramp she saw that everyone was gathered around the kitchen table; plates in front of them, and mugs in their hands. Sitting down silently, Dinah could feel the tense attitude filling the room.
"Before we start," Barbara said gently, awkwardly beginning what was bound to be a very difficult conversation, "I think Helena has something to say to you Dinah." The redhead turned to look at the older girl expectantly, and Helena smiled back weakly. As the brunette looked at Dinah she realized the girl looked mad . . . looked it, but was really just nervous.
"Look, Dinah, I just wanted to explain some things." She said slowly, her voice quiet, not wanting to upset the youngest girl, "But more than that, I would like to tell you that I'm sorry." The blonde's eyes almost fell out of their sockets, she'd expected more yelling, and all of a sudden those thoughts just fell away. Something about the soft sincerity in the crime-fighter's voice made her heart soften, and listen to what the woman had to say.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you, and there's no excuse for what I did, it was wrong . . . and I know that. I came over yesterday to apologize, and, well . . . you were out with Gabby." She said the last word with a touch of bitterness, but Dinah played it off to nothing. "That's wasn't all though." She said quickly, glancing from Dinah to Barbara and back again, "There's something else." The room fell silent, and Barbara gently put down her coffee.
"Dinah, do you remember any dreams you've had lately?" she asked slowly. Dinah shook her head. "None at all? Not a single one?" again, she shook her head. Sighing, Barbara looked to Helena, and the brunette cleared her throat.
"Dinah, I need you to take my hand." She said gently. Dinah hesitantly reached out and took the brunette's gentle offer, looking between the two women. Helena closed her eyes, almost pinched shut . . . and nothing happened. Chuckling slightly, Helena opened her eyes again. "No, Dinah, I mean o need you to read me." Dinah quickly pulled her hand back, pushing her chair away from the table hesitantly.
"What?" Dinah asked quickly, suddenly very weary of this whole interaction, "Helena, I don't think I can do that." She said quietly. Helena frowned, and looked down at her lap.
"Dinah," Barbara said gently, "Something happened that Helena can't really tell you in words. She was hoping that maybe you could reach into her mind and, um . . . . extract it for her." Dinah looked between the girls, eyes lingering on the brunette.
"Helena, I don't think I can do this . . ." she whispered to her, "I'm not very good at reaching in to people's mind and finding things myself. Mostly their minds are just reaching out and I get a shot of it when I touch them." Her voice dropped even more, "Helena . . . I could see things that you don't want me to see. It would be a total mental invasion of your privacy. I could see and learn things about you that even *you* don't know. It wouldn't be right . . ." she trailed off lightly. Helena smiled, glad that she could trust Dinah to read her private thought on purpose. {Seems she learned her own lesson with that guy from school} Helena thought happily.
"I trust you." At that, Dinah's head shot up to look at her. The look in the deep blue eyes was intense, but honest. She hesitantly reached forward, their fingertips brushing, the electricity between their skin zinging as Dinah tried to keep her emotions in check, and not get flashes of things that she shouldn't have seen.
"Try to think about whatever you want me to see, it'll make things easier for me, and also make it less likely that I'll get a glimpse of something you don't want me to." Helena nodded, her breath coming in quick little gasps; she was nervous too. Concentrating on the day before, she waited for the shock to travel up her arm. But it never came. Just as she opened an eye to see what was going on, she saw the look of focus on her friend's face. Suddenly, without warning, the world fell away, and she felt warm and almost floating.
Dinah, on the other hand, felt nothing like that at all. Seeing the world through Helena's eyes was a rough gig, a fact she was sorry to learn. All the things came to her in flashes, they seemed to be mostly in order, but some things were clearly not meant for her to see, and some things were even revisited. It was obvious that Helena's attempt to *not* think about certain things was the very reason that Dinah got visions of them along with the rest.
They started with the Kiss. Dinah felt everything. She felt the way it calmed Helena yet completely pulled her away from herself. It was an escape such as the brunette had never known. But the panic the it left when they broke away was one that felt almost choking, like air had been sucked out of the room. Dinah saw Helena running out of the building to her Bike and rip it all the way home, speeding and almost hitting a fire hydrant; the tears in her eyes effecting her vision.
But that wasn't all. She saw the Huntress unable to sleep the whole night, tossing and turning for hours, and finally sitting up in bed with a ere of defeat. With out even changing, she saw Helena jump from the window and roof-hop all the way to the Clock-tower. Letting herself in, and sneaking into her very own room. It was odd looking at herself sleep and having it invoke the feelings it did. Compassion, remorse, and more than that a feeling Dinah couldn't put a name to. {Could it have been love?} She thought to herself, then quickly pushed the idea away, {No, Helena couldn't love me! Besides, it was too painful to be Love . . .}.
She watched in shock as Helena sat with her, touching her gently, and feeling the tears behind the brunette's eyes. Without warning she was sucked into their shared dream and forced to bare witness to the strange interaction. This had to be the strangest experience she'd ever had; watching a dream that happened inside her head, through the eyes of another because she didn't remember it . . . it couldn't possibly get any stranger than that. She watched as her mother faded, Helena and she argued, and Huntress showed up. Even she was surprised at how knowledgeable she was in handling and assessing the situation within Helena.
But, when she saw her dream-self kissing Gabby, it played repeatedly and with a great deal more vigor each time, Dinah almost blushed. There was a great deal of jealousy rising in Helena, and she was shocked at how angry the brunette became over the small memory. With the dream over, and Helena back in her own body, she also caught a glimpse of Helena running straight from her room to Barbara's. Apparently the two had stayed up half the night discussing the matter, though Dinah didn't get to see it; she simply gain the knowledge that it happened.
"Dinah?" Barbara asked gently, placing and hand on hers. Dinah hadn't even realized she was back in reality. Snapping out of her vision, she looked to Helena, who blushed. Barbara cleared her throat and looked at Dinah to get her attention. "Dinah. I know that is must be kind of weird for you, but I'd like to talk to you about what happened." The blonde nodded, and Barbara smiled slightly. "Now, what you told Helena . . . how did you know what happened?" her tone sounded almost worried, but neither of the young girls knew who it was for.
"I don't know." She said quietly, sounding embarrassed, "I don't even remember it happening. I mean, just look! Helena had to show it to me . . . and I'm starting to wonder if maybe there was a reason I wasn't supposed to know." Dinah sounded scared and a little defensive. Barbara nodded and rolled away from the table slightly.
"I think that you have a few more things you'd like to discuss, but before I go . . ." Barbara voice became cold, though her face changed little. It was as serious as ever, but now there was something new there, a exaltedness that hadn't existed before. "Dinah is seventeen, a minor, and Helena . . . you're not. You're twenty-three and because of your age I am expecting you to act like an adult. I have no problem with the two of you being . . . 'together' . . . but you are not, in any way - shape - or form to become involved sexually; is that clear?" Her voice was so calm it was almost eerie, both nodded mutely and the red-head rolled away. The two remaining girls looked to each other nervously and then looked down at their plates.
"She took the words right out of my mouth." Helena said quietly. Dinah's eyes shot towards the brunette, who smiled back at her hesitantly. "Look, Kid . . . I like you. You know that, I know, and I know I've been a jerk." Helena sighed, her uncomfortableness obvious to the blonde. It was pretty evident that Helena was not used to saying sorry, and more than that; asking for forgiveness. Fidgeting in her seat slightly, she looked back at Dinah. "I just want you to know, that I'm *really* sorry and that I was just afraid." Her voice dropped to near silence, and Dinah sat up a little taller, trying to hear her better.
"Dinah, I missed you last night." She said gently, "I've missed you every night you're not patrolling with me. It's one thing to have you on the Delphi, and another having you with me, D." her voice was tight, as though it hurt to say the words coming out of her mouth. "No one has ever just lain their back on the line for me in a long time. My mom did, and she's dead . . . Barbara has too, but I've never had to worry about her safety. For the longest time I've worked alone because I thought that anyone I took out there with me would end up six-feet-under or worse . . . But not you."
"What?" Dinah asked slowly, voice and face shocked. Helena looked down at her plate, though her eyes couldn't focus on anything on it.
"When we go out there, I'm not worried about you being able to hold your own because I know you can. Not only that, I know that you can watch your back, and mine as well. You've saved my life and risked ours more times than I can count now . . . you've gotten good, and I', proud of you." Helena finally looked up at Dinah and smiled slightly. It was honest, and it showed. "I want things to be alright between us, Dinah." She said quietly, and now it was the blonde's turn to look away. "I want us to be friends again, and I want you to help me with my Huntress - Helena thing you told me about." The brunette's voice was pleading. "I want us to be partners, like we used to be. And . . . and I - . . ." Helena trailed off, not sure of what to say.
"Alright." Dinah said quietly, forcing the tears in her eyes back. "I'll think about it." Dinah looked back at her, and her face was a little cold. "You treated me like dirt these past two days, and more than that, you blamed me for something you *knew* I didn't due on something you *know* I can't control yet." Her voice was hard, and now Helena was the one who was scared. "I honestly don't know if I want to be your friend, or your partner anymore, because the woman I though I lov -" Dinah stopped quickly, never breaking eye-contact, and took a deep breath. "The woman I though I could trust, turns out to be a woman I realized I don't really know . . ." Helena's eyes burn with unshed tears, and Dinah got up.
"Dinah, wait!" Helena said quickly, halting the girl as she started down the stairs. The blonde didn't turn around, but Helena got up, grabbing a box from the counter. "I have something for you." The young girl slowly turned, and the brunette saw that she too had slightly red eyes. "Consider it a bribe to forgive me?" Dinah came towards her slowly, and Helena handed her the box. As she pulled the lid of off the DocMartin shoe-box, her eyes fell of something leather.
"What is it?" Dinah asked slowly. Helena reached into the box for her and pulled out a black-leather duster. As it fell to it's full length, Dinah wondered what was going on; the coat gave off a huge Telekinetic- Vibe.
"My first Leather Coat." Helena said proudly. She put the box down, and held the coat up to Dinah. "It was a little long when I got it, so it should fit you alright, especially since you have such long arms." She said, taking it by the collar and holding it out for her counter-part. Dinah looked skeptical, but took it in her hands and examined it. it was worn in placed, the shine gone from the elbows and parts of the tail. The tingling the coat gave her was a almost as though her mind were trying to block a premonition. She tried to let one in if it was there . . . but still nothing.
"Helena?" the girl asked slowly, "What is it?" she asked slowly. The brunette just shrugged and told her it was a coat. Dinah shook her head and asked again. "No, I mean; What Is It? It's not just a coat, Hel . . . there's something more to this, I can feel it." Helena smiled sadly, and sat back down. Dinah walked over slowly, her anger dissipating slightly from before.
"You're right." Helena said quietly, "It's a little more than that." Holding out her hand, the blonde passed it to her. she ran her fingers over the slightly rougher parts, and sighed. "It's from back before half the pants I owned were back or made out of dead animals." She laughed sadly, "I never owned any leather, I thought it didn't fit me right. I always though it was far to binding and tight and it would make me look 'trashy'." Helena giggled slightly and looked at the tag in the duster as though it were fascinating.
"My mom bought it for me." At that Dinah's eyes widened. "She thought it would look good on me . . . she spent a small fortune on it for out last birthday together . . . she only got to see me ware it twice and I only did it to make her feel better about buying it for me." Helena seemed to drift off, lost in thought, "She thought I'd look really good in black leather, said that was why she got it for me. I think it just reminded her of her when she was younger; before me. And a bit of Bruce." She started folding it neatly, and placed it neatly in her lap.
"I wore it to her funeral . . . it rained that day. I knew it would damage the jacket but I didn't care. She thought it looked good on me, and I wanted her to think I was beautiful . . . especially now that she couldn't see me." Helena's voice became sad, and her face fell slightly. "When Barbara started training me and letting me go out on sweeps, this jacket was the first Huntress Costume." She chuckled at that, and for the first time it wasn't dark. "My first attempt at stopping a mugging got me a nasty black-eye and the woman ran away when I tried to give her the purse back." Dinah had to smile at that, she had never even imagined Helena scaring away a citizen; she'd always found the brunette so welcoming and enticing.
"I want you to have it." Helena said seriously. Dinah's eyes grew to the size of diner plates and shook her head frantically, words failing her. "Dinah, I mean it. I know how much this means to me more than you do . . . I wouldn't give it to the wrong girl." Dinah fell still, and Helena just smiled at her, looking her right in the eyes. After a few seconds, she got up and walked over to the blonde. Gently taking the girls hand and pulling her out of the chair and smiled. "We'll start a new tradition."
Walking behind the blonde, she ran her hands over her arms, and gently slid the jacket over the youth's shoulders. Whispering in her ear, Helena smiled.
"What do you say, Black Falcon . . . . . how does it fit?" Dinah quivered at how close they were gulping slightly, she extended her arms out in front of her, only to see that the sleeves fit perfectly on her usually long arms. The well worn leather allowed her to move more easily as she raised the arms above her head and swoop them back down to her sides. Twirling, feeling the tail swing gently around her legs, she came face to face with the brunette; a small smile marring both their faces.
"It feels like a dream." Came the blonde's quiet response. Helena's eyes flashed Feral for a second, and Dinah frowned. "Huntress?" She asked, voice going slightly cold again, the eyes changed back, and Helena blushed slightly.
"Sorry about that." The brunette said quietly, "Good things never seem to last long, you know?" Dinah simply nodded, remembering what she saw from the dream, and remembering her own words. "So what do you say . . . Bribe accepted? Will you keep it in mind as you consider our . . . friendship?" The full meaning of the last word not lost on Dinah. Helena wanted more, but wasn't going to ask for it. Getting a glimpse into the brunette's head it was pretty obvious why; if they broke up, then the emotional trauma it would have on her couldn't be lain on anyone but herself. Guilt was heavy in Helena, and Dinah couldn't help but smile sadly.
"Bribe accepted." She said quietly. The brunette smiled, and placed her hands on the blonde's shoulders before stepping back and picking the box off of the kitchen table.
"Sweep later?" Helena asked hesitantly. Dinah thought it over, a playful smile on her face. Nodding again, she watched as Helena headed out of the kitchen and back down the stairs. "Be good to that coat; I know you will." She tossed over her shoulder. Dinah smiled and stepped to the rail. She watched as Helena walked to the elevator and stepped in. Smiling and waving up to her, Helena pressed the button for the lobby.
"A New Tradition." Dinah said to herself, "I doubt we're the first this has happened to . . ." Little did she know how right she was. Barbara smiled and rolled back into the side room again, leaving the blonde to her thoughts.
.
.
( To Be Continued . . . )
~VixenRaign~
(Author's note: Sorry that took so long, I had some research to do for the chapter that not only took time but also energy and a better server than I have. I hope that you all liked this chapter, and that I hope all you readers a ready for some excitement. I might not be able to get back to this Fic for a bit, - again I know I'm a bitch for it, - so I hope that it's length is good enough for all of you that have been asking for it. I ask for penance, and offer you 'An Endless Storm' in return - Squibs and I are going to be collaborating on that one as she's INSANELY BUSY right now - and hope that you like it.
_
Dinah was woken gently by the feeling of a hand on her shoulder. Lifting her tired head off of her pillow she slowly opened her eyes and blinked at the bright light pouring into the room from the now open door. There, standing beside the bed, was Alfred, smiling in that warm manor that never seemed to fade. Sitting up a little more fully, she ran a hand through her sleep-tousled hair. Chuckling affectionately at the sight of the girl, he handed her a fresh towel.
"Good morning Miss." Her said with a gentle tone, "Breakfast is being made as we speak, and I dare say I think you'll like it." He smiled, "Ms. Barbara asked me to wake you so that you might, uh . . . freshen up a bit before Ms. Helena arrives and you have you're meeting?" he asked gently. Dinah nodded, and slowly got out of bed.
"Thank you Alfred." She replied, voice slightly raspy due to sleep. He simply smiled and walked from the room, closing the door behind him. After a shower and change into something slightly more 'I'm-About-To-Yell- ish', she walked into the Main room. It was empty. Making her way up the ramp she saw that everyone was gathered around the kitchen table; plates in front of them, and mugs in their hands. Sitting down silently, Dinah could feel the tense attitude filling the room.
"Before we start," Barbara said gently, awkwardly beginning what was bound to be a very difficult conversation, "I think Helena has something to say to you Dinah." The redhead turned to look at the older girl expectantly, and Helena smiled back weakly. As the brunette looked at Dinah she realized the girl looked mad . . . looked it, but was really just nervous.
"Look, Dinah, I just wanted to explain some things." She said slowly, her voice quiet, not wanting to upset the youngest girl, "But more than that, I would like to tell you that I'm sorry." The blonde's eyes almost fell out of their sockets, she'd expected more yelling, and all of a sudden those thoughts just fell away. Something about the soft sincerity in the crime-fighter's voice made her heart soften, and listen to what the woman had to say.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you, and there's no excuse for what I did, it was wrong . . . and I know that. I came over yesterday to apologize, and, well . . . you were out with Gabby." She said the last word with a touch of bitterness, but Dinah played it off to nothing. "That's wasn't all though." She said quickly, glancing from Dinah to Barbara and back again, "There's something else." The room fell silent, and Barbara gently put down her coffee.
"Dinah, do you remember any dreams you've had lately?" she asked slowly. Dinah shook her head. "None at all? Not a single one?" again, she shook her head. Sighing, Barbara looked to Helena, and the brunette cleared her throat.
"Dinah, I need you to take my hand." She said gently. Dinah hesitantly reached out and took the brunette's gentle offer, looking between the two women. Helena closed her eyes, almost pinched shut . . . and nothing happened. Chuckling slightly, Helena opened her eyes again. "No, Dinah, I mean o need you to read me." Dinah quickly pulled her hand back, pushing her chair away from the table hesitantly.
"What?" Dinah asked quickly, suddenly very weary of this whole interaction, "Helena, I don't think I can do that." She said quietly. Helena frowned, and looked down at her lap.
"Dinah," Barbara said gently, "Something happened that Helena can't really tell you in words. She was hoping that maybe you could reach into her mind and, um . . . . extract it for her." Dinah looked between the girls, eyes lingering on the brunette.
"Helena, I don't think I can do this . . ." she whispered to her, "I'm not very good at reaching in to people's mind and finding things myself. Mostly their minds are just reaching out and I get a shot of it when I touch them." Her voice dropped even more, "Helena . . . I could see things that you don't want me to see. It would be a total mental invasion of your privacy. I could see and learn things about you that even *you* don't know. It wouldn't be right . . ." she trailed off lightly. Helena smiled, glad that she could trust Dinah to read her private thought on purpose. {Seems she learned her own lesson with that guy from school} Helena thought happily.
"I trust you." At that, Dinah's head shot up to look at her. The look in the deep blue eyes was intense, but honest. She hesitantly reached forward, their fingertips brushing, the electricity between their skin zinging as Dinah tried to keep her emotions in check, and not get flashes of things that she shouldn't have seen.
"Try to think about whatever you want me to see, it'll make things easier for me, and also make it less likely that I'll get a glimpse of something you don't want me to." Helena nodded, her breath coming in quick little gasps; she was nervous too. Concentrating on the day before, she waited for the shock to travel up her arm. But it never came. Just as she opened an eye to see what was going on, she saw the look of focus on her friend's face. Suddenly, without warning, the world fell away, and she felt warm and almost floating.
Dinah, on the other hand, felt nothing like that at all. Seeing the world through Helena's eyes was a rough gig, a fact she was sorry to learn. All the things came to her in flashes, they seemed to be mostly in order, but some things were clearly not meant for her to see, and some things were even revisited. It was obvious that Helena's attempt to *not* think about certain things was the very reason that Dinah got visions of them along with the rest.
They started with the Kiss. Dinah felt everything. She felt the way it calmed Helena yet completely pulled her away from herself. It was an escape such as the brunette had never known. But the panic the it left when they broke away was one that felt almost choking, like air had been sucked out of the room. Dinah saw Helena running out of the building to her Bike and rip it all the way home, speeding and almost hitting a fire hydrant; the tears in her eyes effecting her vision.
But that wasn't all. She saw the Huntress unable to sleep the whole night, tossing and turning for hours, and finally sitting up in bed with a ere of defeat. With out even changing, she saw Helena jump from the window and roof-hop all the way to the Clock-tower. Letting herself in, and sneaking into her very own room. It was odd looking at herself sleep and having it invoke the feelings it did. Compassion, remorse, and more than that a feeling Dinah couldn't put a name to. {Could it have been love?} She thought to herself, then quickly pushed the idea away, {No, Helena couldn't love me! Besides, it was too painful to be Love . . .}.
She watched in shock as Helena sat with her, touching her gently, and feeling the tears behind the brunette's eyes. Without warning she was sucked into their shared dream and forced to bare witness to the strange interaction. This had to be the strangest experience she'd ever had; watching a dream that happened inside her head, through the eyes of another because she didn't remember it . . . it couldn't possibly get any stranger than that. She watched as her mother faded, Helena and she argued, and Huntress showed up. Even she was surprised at how knowledgeable she was in handling and assessing the situation within Helena.
But, when she saw her dream-self kissing Gabby, it played repeatedly and with a great deal more vigor each time, Dinah almost blushed. There was a great deal of jealousy rising in Helena, and she was shocked at how angry the brunette became over the small memory. With the dream over, and Helena back in her own body, she also caught a glimpse of Helena running straight from her room to Barbara's. Apparently the two had stayed up half the night discussing the matter, though Dinah didn't get to see it; she simply gain the knowledge that it happened.
"Dinah?" Barbara asked gently, placing and hand on hers. Dinah hadn't even realized she was back in reality. Snapping out of her vision, she looked to Helena, who blushed. Barbara cleared her throat and looked at Dinah to get her attention. "Dinah. I know that is must be kind of weird for you, but I'd like to talk to you about what happened." The blonde nodded, and Barbara smiled slightly. "Now, what you told Helena . . . how did you know what happened?" her tone sounded almost worried, but neither of the young girls knew who it was for.
"I don't know." She said quietly, sounding embarrassed, "I don't even remember it happening. I mean, just look! Helena had to show it to me . . . and I'm starting to wonder if maybe there was a reason I wasn't supposed to know." Dinah sounded scared and a little defensive. Barbara nodded and rolled away from the table slightly.
"I think that you have a few more things you'd like to discuss, but before I go . . ." Barbara voice became cold, though her face changed little. It was as serious as ever, but now there was something new there, a exaltedness that hadn't existed before. "Dinah is seventeen, a minor, and Helena . . . you're not. You're twenty-three and because of your age I am expecting you to act like an adult. I have no problem with the two of you being . . . 'together' . . . but you are not, in any way - shape - or form to become involved sexually; is that clear?" Her voice was so calm it was almost eerie, both nodded mutely and the red-head rolled away. The two remaining girls looked to each other nervously and then looked down at their plates.
"She took the words right out of my mouth." Helena said quietly. Dinah's eyes shot towards the brunette, who smiled back at her hesitantly. "Look, Kid . . . I like you. You know that, I know, and I know I've been a jerk." Helena sighed, her uncomfortableness obvious to the blonde. It was pretty evident that Helena was not used to saying sorry, and more than that; asking for forgiveness. Fidgeting in her seat slightly, she looked back at Dinah. "I just want you to know, that I'm *really* sorry and that I was just afraid." Her voice dropped to near silence, and Dinah sat up a little taller, trying to hear her better.
"Dinah, I missed you last night." She said gently, "I've missed you every night you're not patrolling with me. It's one thing to have you on the Delphi, and another having you with me, D." her voice was tight, as though it hurt to say the words coming out of her mouth. "No one has ever just lain their back on the line for me in a long time. My mom did, and she's dead . . . Barbara has too, but I've never had to worry about her safety. For the longest time I've worked alone because I thought that anyone I took out there with me would end up six-feet-under or worse . . . But not you."
"What?" Dinah asked slowly, voice and face shocked. Helena looked down at her plate, though her eyes couldn't focus on anything on it.
"When we go out there, I'm not worried about you being able to hold your own because I know you can. Not only that, I know that you can watch your back, and mine as well. You've saved my life and risked ours more times than I can count now . . . you've gotten good, and I', proud of you." Helena finally looked up at Dinah and smiled slightly. It was honest, and it showed. "I want things to be alright between us, Dinah." She said quietly, and now it was the blonde's turn to look away. "I want us to be friends again, and I want you to help me with my Huntress - Helena thing you told me about." The brunette's voice was pleading. "I want us to be partners, like we used to be. And . . . and I - . . ." Helena trailed off, not sure of what to say.
"Alright." Dinah said quietly, forcing the tears in her eyes back. "I'll think about it." Dinah looked back at her, and her face was a little cold. "You treated me like dirt these past two days, and more than that, you blamed me for something you *knew* I didn't due on something you *know* I can't control yet." Her voice was hard, and now Helena was the one who was scared. "I honestly don't know if I want to be your friend, or your partner anymore, because the woman I though I lov -" Dinah stopped quickly, never breaking eye-contact, and took a deep breath. "The woman I though I could trust, turns out to be a woman I realized I don't really know . . ." Helena's eyes burn with unshed tears, and Dinah got up.
"Dinah, wait!" Helena said quickly, halting the girl as she started down the stairs. The blonde didn't turn around, but Helena got up, grabbing a box from the counter. "I have something for you." The young girl slowly turned, and the brunette saw that she too had slightly red eyes. "Consider it a bribe to forgive me?" Dinah came towards her slowly, and Helena handed her the box. As she pulled the lid of off the DocMartin shoe-box, her eyes fell of something leather.
"What is it?" Dinah asked slowly. Helena reached into the box for her and pulled out a black-leather duster. As it fell to it's full length, Dinah wondered what was going on; the coat gave off a huge Telekinetic- Vibe.
"My first Leather Coat." Helena said proudly. She put the box down, and held the coat up to Dinah. "It was a little long when I got it, so it should fit you alright, especially since you have such long arms." She said, taking it by the collar and holding it out for her counter-part. Dinah looked skeptical, but took it in her hands and examined it. it was worn in placed, the shine gone from the elbows and parts of the tail. The tingling the coat gave her was a almost as though her mind were trying to block a premonition. She tried to let one in if it was there . . . but still nothing.
"Helena?" the girl asked slowly, "What is it?" she asked slowly. The brunette just shrugged and told her it was a coat. Dinah shook her head and asked again. "No, I mean; What Is It? It's not just a coat, Hel . . . there's something more to this, I can feel it." Helena smiled sadly, and sat back down. Dinah walked over slowly, her anger dissipating slightly from before.
"You're right." Helena said quietly, "It's a little more than that." Holding out her hand, the blonde passed it to her. she ran her fingers over the slightly rougher parts, and sighed. "It's from back before half the pants I owned were back or made out of dead animals." She laughed sadly, "I never owned any leather, I thought it didn't fit me right. I always though it was far to binding and tight and it would make me look 'trashy'." Helena giggled slightly and looked at the tag in the duster as though it were fascinating.
"My mom bought it for me." At that Dinah's eyes widened. "She thought it would look good on me . . . she spent a small fortune on it for out last birthday together . . . she only got to see me ware it twice and I only did it to make her feel better about buying it for me." Helena seemed to drift off, lost in thought, "She thought I'd look really good in black leather, said that was why she got it for me. I think it just reminded her of her when she was younger; before me. And a bit of Bruce." She started folding it neatly, and placed it neatly in her lap.
"I wore it to her funeral . . . it rained that day. I knew it would damage the jacket but I didn't care. She thought it looked good on me, and I wanted her to think I was beautiful . . . especially now that she couldn't see me." Helena's voice became sad, and her face fell slightly. "When Barbara started training me and letting me go out on sweeps, this jacket was the first Huntress Costume." She chuckled at that, and for the first time it wasn't dark. "My first attempt at stopping a mugging got me a nasty black-eye and the woman ran away when I tried to give her the purse back." Dinah had to smile at that, she had never even imagined Helena scaring away a citizen; she'd always found the brunette so welcoming and enticing.
"I want you to have it." Helena said seriously. Dinah's eyes grew to the size of diner plates and shook her head frantically, words failing her. "Dinah, I mean it. I know how much this means to me more than you do . . . I wouldn't give it to the wrong girl." Dinah fell still, and Helena just smiled at her, looking her right in the eyes. After a few seconds, she got up and walked over to the blonde. Gently taking the girls hand and pulling her out of the chair and smiled. "We'll start a new tradition."
Walking behind the blonde, she ran her hands over her arms, and gently slid the jacket over the youth's shoulders. Whispering in her ear, Helena smiled.
"What do you say, Black Falcon . . . . . how does it fit?" Dinah quivered at how close they were gulping slightly, she extended her arms out in front of her, only to see that the sleeves fit perfectly on her usually long arms. The well worn leather allowed her to move more easily as she raised the arms above her head and swoop them back down to her sides. Twirling, feeling the tail swing gently around her legs, she came face to face with the brunette; a small smile marring both their faces.
"It feels like a dream." Came the blonde's quiet response. Helena's eyes flashed Feral for a second, and Dinah frowned. "Huntress?" She asked, voice going slightly cold again, the eyes changed back, and Helena blushed slightly.
"Sorry about that." The brunette said quietly, "Good things never seem to last long, you know?" Dinah simply nodded, remembering what she saw from the dream, and remembering her own words. "So what do you say . . . Bribe accepted? Will you keep it in mind as you consider our . . . friendship?" The full meaning of the last word not lost on Dinah. Helena wanted more, but wasn't going to ask for it. Getting a glimpse into the brunette's head it was pretty obvious why; if they broke up, then the emotional trauma it would have on her couldn't be lain on anyone but herself. Guilt was heavy in Helena, and Dinah couldn't help but smile sadly.
"Bribe accepted." She said quietly. The brunette smiled, and placed her hands on the blonde's shoulders before stepping back and picking the box off of the kitchen table.
"Sweep later?" Helena asked hesitantly. Dinah thought it over, a playful smile on her face. Nodding again, she watched as Helena headed out of the kitchen and back down the stairs. "Be good to that coat; I know you will." She tossed over her shoulder. Dinah smiled and stepped to the rail. She watched as Helena walked to the elevator and stepped in. Smiling and waving up to her, Helena pressed the button for the lobby.
"A New Tradition." Dinah said to herself, "I doubt we're the first this has happened to . . ." Little did she know how right she was. Barbara smiled and rolled back into the side room again, leaving the blonde to her thoughts.
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( To Be Continued . . . )
~VixenRaign~
(Author's note: Sorry that took so long, I had some research to do for the chapter that not only took time but also energy and a better server than I have. I hope that you all liked this chapter, and that I hope all you readers a ready for some excitement. I might not be able to get back to this Fic for a bit, - again I know I'm a bitch for it, - so I hope that it's length is good enough for all of you that have been asking for it. I ask for penance, and offer you 'An Endless Storm' in return - Squibs and I are going to be collaborating on that one as she's INSANELY BUSY right now - and hope that you like it.
_