"Mom!" Dinah woke up trembling and sweating. She immediately turned on her lamp. Breathing quickly, she looked around, scared. It had been a dream, the same one as on many nights. She watched the building collapse, and she was in front of it, with her feet glued to the floor, unable to move. She bent her knees and buried her face on them, covering her head with her hands. She needed to calm down, she was safe, she was at home. Well, maybe not hers, she didn't have a home, she had lost her mother.

The images of Barbara laughing with her father made her felt sad. She didn't know him. She didn't knew his name. Nothing about him. And she had lost her mother, first when she had left her at the Redmond's house, and later in that fire. She hadn't given

her the opportunity to make the decision of being with her or not. She had spent all those years afraid of her unknown ability, of her own power. Locked in a closet many nights because she could see and feel things that no one could explain. Knowing her "parents" were afraid of her, and knowing they saw her as a freak.

She tried to remember a nice moment in her life, but it was among shadows. There were only blurred memories; most of her chilhood was full of sad, frightening memories. She had forgotten what it felt like to be protected by her mother's arms.

She rubbed her arms, she felt cold, very cold. It was too cold for her. She felt tears in her eyes, the solitude she was feeling was painful. She didn't want to feel alone anymore and hugged herself standing up.

Barbara was cleaning her closet. She couldn't sleep, it was one of those nights when sleep just wouldn't come and instead of rolling on her mattress, she

decided to do something. She had chosen that night to check what was inside some old boxes in her closet.

She opened a box and looked inside, there were notebooks, clothes, albums of herself. She closed it and moved it to the side. There was another box and, as she picked it up, she noticed another box with "Helena" written in big letters on the back. She tried to move it, but it was a bit heavy. She moved out of her chair and pulled it out of the closet.

She opened it. She took out some old notebooks and albums with pictures. She found something she didn't expect. A familiar, old object made her smile. She took it between her hands and looked at it; her mind traveled back, many years ago. She didn't know how many minutes she stayed there, unmoving and caressing the small object, her mind lost in her thoughts.

The knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. "Yes?" She turned her

"It's me, Dinah, may I come in?" Dinah asked, knowing the redhead liked people to respect her privacy.

"Sure, come in." The redhead moved to face her.

Dinah's head appeared, she looked at the redhead with curiosity. "I thought you were sleeping."

"No, I couldn't," Barbara explained. "And you?"

"Oh… well…" She walked inside lowering her face, ashamed. Maybe it had been stupid to go there.

Barbara fixed her eyes on her night shirt. "Something is wrong? You are soaked."

"Well…"

"Nightmares?" The redhead understood immediately.

The blonde girl nodded. Barbara patted a place on the floor next to her. "Come here."

"I'm sorry, it's stupid." She sat in front of Barbara.

"It's okay, don't worry. All of us have nightmares. You are not the only one. It's part of our fears, and our memories."

"Sometimes I think I could have done more," Dinah said with sadness.

"Your mother?"

The girl nodded. Barbara cupped her cheek with her hand. "You are not guilty of anything. You did all you could in that moment. You know that, and thinking of what "could have been" is not going to bring back your mother, it's only hurting you. I know she wouldn't like it, she only wanted you to be happy. Don't hurt yourself. You are a great girl with a great heart."

Dinah sighed and her eyes fixed on the small black object that Barbara had in her lap. "What is that?"

"Uh?" Her mentor lowered her head and smiled, she took the small stuffed black cat between her hands and showed it to the teen, "Dinah, meet Jaçques. Jaçques, this is Dinah."

"Jacques?" Dinah frowned. She didn't know the woman that was computer genius liked stuffed cats.

"Yes, I just found him now, I was cleaning some boxes."

"Hi, Jaçques," Dinah laughed, "Who is he?"

Barbara couldn't avoid a big smile on her face and a nostalgic shine in her eyes. "He was the Helena's pet when she was a child, he was her inseparable friend, her partner."

Dinah could feel the emotion that Barbara was feeling in her words.

"If this cat could talk," the red head said, caressing it, "he would tell you marvelous things of a wonderful girl, a really wonderful girl." Tears filled her eyes. "A girl that lost all of her innocence and her illusions on one cold night, when destiny snatched her mother from her side." The older woman blinked and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. "Forget it." She was talking too much.

Dinah extended her hand to Barbara's. "Please…"

Barbara gave the black cat to her. Dinah brushed the messy hair of the kitten.

"He has lost a bit of hair," the red head said, "and needs some good laundry attention."

"Helena liked it?" the teen asked.

"Yes, she always slept with him."

"Why was he inside that box?"

"She grew up. She had him in her room. Months after the shooting, we sold almost everything. She packed some things in boxes. But this one, she never opened it again. When she moved, she told me she would come back for it, but every time I remind her of the box, she tells me 'later'. It makes me think she wants me to keep it here. But I have never opened it. It's a small piece of the home that she lost."

Dinah closed her eyes and smelled Jaçques' head. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled the redhead. "Thanks for sharing this with me."

"No

"Want me to put it in the box?"

Barbara took the cat. "No, I guess I want sleep with him tonight and, tomorrow, send him to the laundry."

"Barbara…" the teen started, ashamed, "May I… well…"

"Yes?"

Dinah suddenly moved toward her and hugged her. The red head, surprised, hugged her back.

"Hey Dinah… what's wrong?" she asked with a soft voice, rubbing her back.

"I just wanted to hug you."

"Sure, any time… what happened, Dinah?"

"I… I saw you so happy with your father and…" she sobbed, "I never had a mother, I never had a family… I don't know what it feels like to have a family. I don't have anyone."

"I know it's not the same, but you have u,s Dinah." The red head smiled. She knew that the girl felt alone; she wanted to feel loved. Helena was a girl that had a lot of love to give, and that needed to feel loved. Knowing Dinah's sad past, she knew she didn't know the warmth, the comfort that a mother would give.

"Thanks for accepting me."

"Anytime." Barbara kept hugging her in silence; Helena had been a happy child, she had lost her mother; but she had the opportunity to feel loved and to give love. Dinah had missed all that. And her sadness and pain had made her insecure, shy. A very strong contrast from the brunette, who, in a moment, had turned into a very violent, angry, and self destructive person.

"Dinah, why don't you sleep in here?" the red head asked softly.

"Really?" the teen moved back.

"I'd love it,

just let me pick this up and then we'll go to sleep."

"May I help you?."

"Sure. This is a disaster."

Dinah kneeled at the floor. She picked up a old notebook. "Is this Helena's too?"

"Yes, she liked to draw."

Dinah noticed an old package of cards. "And this?"

Barbara laughed covering her mouth with her hand. "Oh my! She kept them!"

"What?"

"She loved to trick us with her cards." Barbara took the cards and dealt them. "Selina taught her how to cheat in poker games and, if you didn't know it, she would steal all your money."

"She tricked you?"

"Just once. But she tried to do the same one day to Alfred. He was smart and he turned the tables. She lost all her allowance that night."

Dinah laughed. "She was pissed."

"No, disconcerted, she didn't expect that. Alfred, of course, gave back the money to Selina, and Selina gave her a good punishment. She had forbidden her to do that."

"That's funny."

"Not for her." Barbara finished dealing the cards. She looked at the blonde girl and grinned, "Want to play?"

"No cheating?"

"No."

"Okay…" Dinah smiled.

Barbara began to give her the cards.

-----------------------------------------------------------

The following day, Barbara was in a chinese restaurant with Dinah. The red head thought that it would be a good idea to go out to eat that Sunday. They spent so much time closed up in the Clocktower and Dinah was just a teen. The hard thing had been waking up Helena at midday. She usually slept until late afternoon on Sundays. The place was decorated all in red, making it look like one was really in China. They were looking at the menu. Dinah was a bit confused with so many strange words. She tried to figure out what exactly was in each

plate, unsuccessfully.

"Barbara… I don't know what to order."

"There are many delicious things here."

"Hi everybody," Helena greeted, appearing suddenly. She sat next to Dinah.

"Hi." Dinah smiled.

"Hi." Barbara grinned.

Helena rolled her eyes and crossed her hands on the table. "Not funny."

"Not my fault you flirt when you are working," the red head said, looking again to the menu.

"I wasn't flirting," Helena protested. She didn't like talking about herself with everybody.

"You were flirting."

"No! We are different."

"He is handsome." Green eyes shone, looking at her. She knew her too well, maybe more than Helena would want.

"He just follows rules." The brunette tried to protect herself from her mentor's attack. She avoided her gaze.

"And you love breaking them." The redhead grinned.

"Forget it."

The waiter arrived.

Helena looked at him. "I want chinese dumpling soup, steamed shrimp dumplings, chop suey, and chaw fan."

"Are you going to eat all that?" Dinah opened her eyes.

"Yes, but don't worry," Barbara said, "I asked for separate checks."

"Ha,ha," Helena grumbled.

"Duck for me is okay," Barbara closed the menu, "And, for her, some Bow Thai Pasta with Shrimp."

"What is that?" Dinah asked.

"You will love it."

The waiter moved back.

"How was dinner?" Helena asked, taking a piece of chinese pasta with sauce that was in the middle of the table and putting it inside her mouth.

"Oh wonderful! Barbara's father is charming," Dinah said excitedly. Helena raised her brows surprised. "He talked with me, and he is great. He talked about many topics, he's smart and funny."

"Oh." The brunette nodded.

"The dinner was excellent," Barbara added, "In the fridge is a big piece of cake that I brought for you."

Helena's eyes lit up. "Cake?"

"Dad sent it to you. He knows you love cake. He is not as grumpy as you think."

"I don't think he is grumpy… well... just a bit." She smirked.

Barbara sighed, Helena would never change.

"Okay, I'll call him to thank him."

"Yes, you better do it," Barbara brushed her hair.

"Come on, Barbara, I'm not so evil."

"You and he are so damn stubborn. You two give me big

"Your life would be boring without us."

Dinah laughed.

"Have any news about the murders?" Helena asked.

"The three guys found, including the one that you found dead, were meta," Barbara explained.

"What?" Dinah blinked.

"The first one that the police found had the ability to transform his body into glass. He died, according to forensics, by a wound made by a glass; the second guy, yours, had the ability to manage electricity, he died by electrocution; the third guy, some one hit him to death with a hammer. Guess what his ability was?"

"Dammit." The brunette growled, leaning back into her chair.

"Can't be a coincidence," Dinah pointed out.

"I know." Helena sighed. "Ideas?"

"The first one that came to my mind I sent to the trash," Barbara said.

"Why?

"Claude Morton, Reese's ex-partner. He is dead."

"True. So this means another crazy is stalking the streets?"

"I don't have a clue. We need to find one." The red head shook her head. "Did Reese tell you anything?"

"He is lost."

"We need to warn people," Dinah interrupted, "Not to panic anyone, but so they avoid deserted places or walking alone at night."

"Yes, we can do that," the red head said.

"Okay, so after here I can go to see Gibson," Helena said.

"May I go?" Dinah asked.

Helena did a face and raised her brow. "You know you can't, you are seventeen."

"I can go if I don't drink. We are not going to drink, we are going to work."

"Better come with me, Dinah." Barbara smiled. "I feel better when you are not with her."

Helena glared at the redhead. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"You are terrible and sure not good company."

Helena cocked her head with a confused face. "Are you joking?"

Barbara laughed. The waiter put their plates on the table. Dinah looked in amazement at the size of it, while Helena licked her lips.

"The service is fast," the teen mumbled.

"They have it all ready in the buffet kid," the brunette said. "It's Sunday."

"How can you eat all that?"

"I'm growing."

"You have two stomachs." Barbara smiled.

"I do not!"

"Looks like it." Dinah joked. It was nice having them as part of her life. Yes, they were so much better than her 'family'. And it was the most wonderful gift life had given her so far.