Author's Notes: a few chapters, dedicated to the time after Black Canary's death. It's very cutesy.
I love it so much, please review...
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Birds of Prey
"Something wrong Miss Barbara?" Alfred asked, watching Barbara, who was staring at the blank computer screen. She shook her head.
"Dinah hasn't come out of her room since her and Helena got back." Barbara voiced her thoughts out loud. Alfred raised his eyebrow.
"And you expected her to?" He asked.
"No, yes, maybe. It's just that she hasn't talked to me or Helena." Barbara mumbled.
"Miss Barbara if I may, it took Miss Helena six months to talk to you." Alfred reminded her. Barbara sighed.
"I know, it's just, that, Dinah is so different than Helena. And..." Barbara trailed off.
"And you thought that Dinah would be different and talk to you immediately." Alfred finished for her. Barbara nodded.
"I'm worried about her. It's not good for her to be alone." Barbara mumbled.
"She'll come to you when she's ready" Alfred assured her.
"I know," Barbara sighed. Alfred placed a tray in her lap.
"Where's Miss Helena?"
"She went to her apartment to grab some clothes. She's staying the night." Barbara said, distractedly. Alfred nodded.
"Umm, Alfred?" Barbara asked, noticing the tray on her lap. He looked at her and she gestured to the tray. He smiled.
"I thought Miss Dinah might be hungry, I made her favorite foods." He said.
"That's a great idea Alfred. I suppose you want me to bring it to her." Barbara said.
"If it won't trouble you Miss Barbara. Excuse me, I have some laundry to do." Alfred said.
Barbara wheeled over to Dinah's door and knocked on it. There was no answer. Slowly, she pushed the door open and saw Dinah asleep on her bed. She wheeled into the room and placed the tray on Dinah's desk. She wheeled over to the bed and stared at her young protege's sleeping face. Tearstains marked her face, a sad look was on her face. Even in dreams she was plagued by her mother's death. Barbara pulled the blanket over Dinah and noticed that she was hugging something. A raggedy stuffed canary was clutched in her arms.
Carolyn had given that to her when she was very small. When she first came to New Gotham and she unpacked her suitcase, Barbara noticed it peeking out between the folds of clothes. After every single battle we had Dinah she hugged that raggedy canary.
It was her favorite thing in the world, it was the one thing she kept from her old life. It used to be a bright sunny yellow but time had worn away the colour to a dull yellow. One of it's eyes was missing and covered by an eyepatch. There was a bandage on one of it's wings and a sling around its neck.
The world had been very cruel to Dinah. It had given her an awful foster family and snatched her mother away from her. Dinah had only just met Carolyn for the first time in ten years and then she was ripped away from the teenager before she had time to truly get to know her.
Barbara brushed back some of the hair that had fallen on Dinah's forehead.
"I love you so much Dinah. You are like a daughter to me. Me, you , Helena we're a family. I know what it feels like to have your family ripped away from you, I know Helena knows too. We are here for you Dinah. Never forget that. We will help you through this. It'll never be okay that she died. But one day, you'll understand everything. I promise you that. Carolyn was a very good friend and I'll miss her a lot. I love you Dinah. Never forget that. We love you." Barbara whispered, lovingly stroking Dinah's hair. A tear slipped from Dinah's eye and Barbara felt her own eyes watering.
"Good night, baby bird. Good night Dinah." Barbara said, kissing Dinah's forehead. She wheeled out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Helena was sitting on at the kitchen table, a mug of coffee in front of her. Barbara wheeled over to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup and sat down across from Helena.
"How's the Kid?" Helena asked, taking a sip.
Barbara sighed, "sleeping, thank God." Helena looked at her.
"Never took you for a religious person, " Helena said, amused.
"I'm not. Blame Selina." Barbara said.
"Mothers are always a sore subject in this family." Barbara commented.
"Yeah. She was right behind us. I swear. I just ran and grabbed Dinah." Helena said, her sentences choppy and small.
"There was nothing you could have done. You didn't know the building would explode." Barbara assured her.
"I just feel so stupid." Helena said, running her fingers through her hair. "I wanted to save Dinah the heartache of watching her mother die. I made sure that Carolyn was safe before we ran out but I forgot about Hawke. Damn bastard."
"He'll pay Helena, he'll be locked up and won't be able to hurt anyone ever again." Barbara promised.
"What do we do? What do we say to her? How'd you do it?" Helena asked.
"I don't know what to do Hel. We just make sure she knows she's not alone. And I had no idea what to do with you, you were so lost, so angry and confused." Barbara confessed. Helena looked at her mentor, Barbara was crying and Helena felt her eyes tear up.
"I was so angry, I thought you were trying to replace my mother." Helena whispered. Barbara wheeled over and hugged her.
"I would never try to replace your mother Helena." Barbara said in Helena's ear.
"I know that now. I love you Barbara. Thank you for everything." Helena said. Barbara smiled.
"I love you too, Hel."