Title: Dive In
Author: VietAngel
Pairing: Helena/Reese
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't
own these characters…blah, blah, blah.
Author's Note: This
is an extension of the last scene from Reunion. All dialogue down to
Reese saying "…I bet you are" has been transcribed from the
show.
Jack Barrett was a great guy. He had been the object of all her adolescent desires, and if this was a different time and a different place…and if she was the person she might have been if her mother was alive, she might be making some of those steamy dreams she'd had about him in high school come true right now. But this wasn't that time or place, and she certainly wasn't that person. She wasn't a kid anymore, and there was a new man in her dreams…and he was right here, right now, in the middle of the part of her life she had tried so desperately to keep him away from. Detective Jesse Reese…he was the reason she had just let Jack Barrett down gently. He was the reason her mind was spinning right now. She had a decision to make…she could either continue to run, or let him know her…all of her. She took a deep breath and steeled herself before taking the few steps that closed the gap between them…it was now or never. He had his back to her; he was questioning two women when she tapped him on the shoulder. The look of shock on his face was almost as good as when she snuck up on him at crime scenes.
"Huntress, what are you doing here? What, did you track the killer here?" Reese asked.
"I tracked him, I found him, and I stopped him. It's all over. And the best part…no mess," she said with a giggle.
"Really? Well, nice work," he replied.
"Thanks," she said.
"So what was he after?" he asked.
"A girl," Helena replied nervously.
"Hmm, let me guess…Helena Kyle," he said. For the first time since they'd met, he was the one who had surprised her. This was the first time she had ever heard her real name come from his lips…and she liked the sound of it.
"Yeah," she replied, confirming his guess.
"Well, who is she?" he asked. She hesitated and bit her bottom lip nervously. If she told him now there was no turning back, and he would truly be a part of her life…but she found herself wanting that more than anything.
"Me," she said simply, taking the plunge. Her heart was pounding so hard that Barbara would probably be able to hear it if she was on coms.
"What?" he asked, surprised. He didn't quite understand what she was saying.
"I'm Helena Kyle…Now you know," she said, smiling her most brilliant smile. She saw the hint of recognition in his eyes and realized he finally understood that she was telling him her real name. He had certainly earned it.
"Oh," he said. This was almost too much for him. "Why are you telling me this now?"
"Because for some reason when you say "nice work" it means something to me, and…and I realize that your opinion is the only one here that matters," Helena replied.
So then all of this here…this is your reunion?" he asked, taking in the scene. Suddenly she became a real person to him. She was more than the beautiful vigilante; she was a real woman who went to high school, and had friends, and lived a normal life.
She reached into her back pocket and pulled out the nametag that Gibson filled out for her and held it up for him. "Umm, yeah," she said.
He laughed and took the nametag from her. "Helena Kyle," he said in disbelief. It was all a little surreal for him.
"Hi," Helena said.
"So tell me…" he started, peeling the protective backing from the nametag and gently smoothing it onto her shirt. "Miss Helena Kyle, what have you been up to these past five years?"
"Well, I am a bartender by day, and a meta vigilante patrolling the rooftops of New Gotham by night," she replied with a laugh.
"You're a bartender, huh?" he asked.
"Yeah…a really good bartender," she replied with a devilish smirk.
"Mmm hmm…yeah…I bet you are," he said.
It dawned on him that this was the first time he was truly seeing her, and she was magnificent. As beautiful as she was in the middle of a dark alley, she was even more so in good light. She smiled and he saw her dimples…cute, he had never noticed before.
"So, Helena Kyle…may I have this dance?" he asked as he reached over to brush a piece of hair from her forehead.
She took his hand and led her over to the dance floor just as a slow song started…Crazy by Aerosmith…it was ironically appropriate. She felt a wave of warmth wash over her body as he pulled her close to him…hands on her waist, fingers caressing the exposed sliver of skin between her shirt and the waistband of her pants. She couldn't have known it, but he felt that same rush as she let her fingers softly graze the back of his neck. Before they knew it the song was over, and as they pulled away from each other Reese's fingers lightly brushed across the small of her back.
He didn't know it, but that was the one action that always drove her crazy with desire and made her weak in the knees. Her eyes changed involuntarily and she cursed herself as she saw the shock on his face. She closed them self-consciously…thinking it would freak him out and drive him away. When she opened them again the moment had passed, and they immediately reverted from golden cat-like slits back to their normally vibrant blue.
"Your eyes…they're so beautiful," Reese said. Helena's cheeks flushed with embarrassment and she lowered her head and stared at her feet. Reese gently lifted her chin so she was looking him in the eye again. "You're beautiful…Helena Kyle," he whispered. That amazingly bright smile of hers was his reward.
"You're not too bad on the eyes yourself Detective," Helena replied.
They regarded each other for a long moment, and he couldn't help but think he was getting himself into a lot of trouble with her. Staring at her was kind of like staring into the sun…even though you know it's dangerous you still can't take your eyes off of it. Hell, this was a woman whose beauty inspired a man to kill in the hopes of having her…and that was just Helena; Huntress was a whole different kind of dangerous. Despite knowing what he knew, he still found himself wanting to jump into whatever this was headfirst.
Helena was a little amazed that she didn't have the urge to run. She had never been much for authority or the law…but here she was, starting a…well, starting something with a detective. She had never been one for relationships either…much to Barbara's dismay, she had always been more of a love 'em and leave 'em kind of girl. She'd been told many times over that she got that particular characteristic from Selina Kyle…that was until Selina met Bruce Wayne. Maybe Jesse Reese was her Bruce Wayne…and she shuddered at the fact that the thought had actually crossed her mind.
"So, Hunt…I mean, Helena…do you have any plans for the rest of this evening?" he asked.
"Why no, Detective Jesse Reese…why do you ask?" she said.
"Well, I was wondering if maybe you'd be interested in going to get a cup or coffee or a bite to eat with me. That is unless you'd rather stick around…this is your reunion after all," he said.
"Oh no, I think I've had enough of high school. I'd much rather spend the rest of my evening with you," she replied.
He was astounded by her honesty. It wasn't the witty, sarcastic answer he'd usually expect from Huntress…but she wasn't Huntress tonight, she was Helena Kyle. He found himself liking them both. Taking her hand he lead her through the crowd and out of the school. Neither of them knew what would happen next or where it would go…but they were both willing to find out.
Fin
