December 19
Wayne Manor......
Dinah practically skipped down the stairs to the Bat Cave. She had known about the cave since joining the team, but had never even set foot inside Wayne Manor until Dick showed up and offered to train with her. She knew that Dick and Barbara had a past – one that obviously hadn't faded much over the years. But she was seventeen, and was more than happy to settle for watching Dick's dreamy figure for several hours without being interrupted. Even if he was trying to wipe the mat with her body.
Ever since the attack, things had grown so dysfunctional at the clock tower, that Dinah's training had grown....well boring. Helena had rarely been functional enough to handle training sessions, let alone go out on sweeps. Barbara had taken charge of Dinah's training, but as her own emotional deterioration began to eat away at her physical health, the workouts had become less challenging.
Dick offered a fresh jolt of energy and challenge that Dinah had been reveling in the past couple of days. Today, he had promised to show her some basic gymnastic moves that he and Barbara had always found useful. He had also wanted to see how well developed her telekinetic abilities were. While she knew she had been lacking in some of the physical exercises, she couldn't wait to show off her 'other' skills. If she had improved beyond expectations in one area, it was definitely that. She spent countless hours by herself experimenting and honing her mental gift. Dinah doubted Barbara even knew just how adept she had become this past year.
As Dinah came to the bottom of the stairs, she heard Dick's voice call to her from the training room. As she entered, she drew to a halt. There, balanced in a perfect handstand on the upper uneven bar, was the object of her teenage lust. His eyes were closed in concentration, and how long he had been there was anyone's guess.
"You ready to get worked over again kid?" he asked without wavering.
"I'm not gonna let you get away with beating on me today," she challenged back.
An eyebrow quirked, even though his eyes never opened. "Oh is that so? Think you're telekinetic skills are that good huh?"
"Why don't you come down here and find out for yourself?" she grinned as she tossed her bag off into one corner.
"All in good time Baby Bird. But first ask yourself this, Can you maintain enough concentration to keep your focus, when you have other things trying to distract you?" To emphasize his question, he let his body swing downwards and around the bar twice before releasing his grip and tucking his body into a tight double flip. He landed perfectly on the mat, lifted his head and Dinah nearly gasped when she realized he had done the whole move with his eyes closed.
As his eyes opened to meet hers though, she lifted her chin proudly and nodded stubbornly. "Like I said before, why don't you find out for yourself?"
Dick chuckled, his eyes crinkling in amusement. "You've definitely been hanging around Barbara and Helena too long. Well before we get to the meta stuff, why don't I show you how to execute the maneuver I just demonstrated."
Dinah grinned, looking forward to more hands on work with Dick Grayson.
Clocktower......
Barbara awoke to the sounds of Dinah leaving for her training sessions with Dick. A small streak of jealously ran through her, but she quickly squashed it down, chiding herself for the absurdity of such a thought. Besides, it was about time Dinah got some proper training. Rubbing tired eyes, Barbara rolled over and squinted at the clock. It was just after nine.
The redhead closed her eyes and listened for any other sounds in the clock tower after Dinah was gone. Helena had actually come back last night, though she had never announced her presence. It was just one of those things where she lurked in a far corner, hidden amongst the shadows, wanting to say something, but not sure how to say it.
Barbara pretended not to notice Helena's presence, though it took every ounce of self-control to accomplish such a feat. She knew that Helena was hurting, both physically and emotionally this time, and Barbara wanted nothing more than to call the young woman over to her and chase the hurt away like she used to. But too much had happened over the past year, and Barbara had cursed herself for helping to create the gap that had grown between them.
For as tough and cocky as Helena was, she was emotionally vulnerable. Barbara and Dinah were the closest thing she had to family, and Barbara had been so wrapped up in her own guilt and remorse, that she had pushed Helena away- and perhaps over the edge.
With the brunette looking on, Barbara finally powered down her computer, unable to focus any more. Her hand drifted by a picture of Helena, and she reached out to snag it. A soft smile touched her lips as she held it up, her finger gently tracing the smiling feline features. In the reflection of the glass, she saw the shadows shift, and watched as Helena almost moved out into the open. Then she had retreated and Barbara's face fell as she put the picture down.
"I'm so sorry," she said in a choked whisper as she gave the picture one final stroke. With unshed tears in her eyes, she wheeled out of the control room to her waiting bed, and a stiff drink.
There was no other sounds in clock tower now, but Dinah's unusual quietness suggested that Barbara wasn't the only one still sleeping. Reaching out, the redhead pulled herself upright and then slid off the bed into her waiting chair. She wrapped a wool blanket around her shoulders, and quietly headed out into the living room. There was no sign of Helena there, or the kitchen, or either of the bedrooms upstairs.
Slightly disappointed, Barbara headed up into the control room to power up the monitors when she stopped short at the sight that greeted her. On the ledge across from her workstation, Helena was stretched out like a cat dozing in the sunlight. Barbara never understood how the young woman could fall asleep in the most impossible places, but it never failed to bring a soft smile to her face.
Rolling over to the window, she reached over and gently ran her fingers through untamed brunette hair. Helena shifted, and nuzzled into the hand that soothed through her hair – a gesture she hadn't done in a long time, but touched Barbara to the core. A quiet sound, almost like a purr emanated from the younger woman as she stretched and then slowly opened her eyes to gaze up at her mentor and friend.
Barbara's palm cupped the side of Helena's face as gentle fingers grazed across the bruised cheek and eye. The injury was minor though, most of the swelling already gone and the bruising beginning to fade. But Barbara said nothing about it, not wanting to push the young woman about what happened last night.
Helena sat up, and Barbara's hands reached out to claim her own, prolonging the physical contact. Blue eyes dropped from emerald, and stared at the clasped hands for long minutes before Helena began speaking quietly. "I'm sorry I've been such an ass."
"I'll only forgive you on one condition," Barbara told her seriously.
Helena's eyes fixed on her once more with a look that said she would do anything. "I'll forgive you for being an ass, if you can forgive me for being such a bitch," she told her friend with a rueful half-smile.
Helena blinked, surprised by Barbara's request, and her brows furrowed in confusion. "This case..... it's brought a lot of emotions to the surface for all of us. At first I was afraid of what might happen," Barbara admitted. "Then I realized that we aren't in this nightmare alone, and that's where I screwed up the first time."
Blue eyes searched hers for further explanation, still confused. "Hel, I never blamed you for Wade's death. I blamed myself, and I shut you out because I was too busy beating myself up," she admitted hoarsely. "Then when you started drinking and skipping sweeps.....I blamed myself even more. Our whole world was falling apart by then, and I didn't know how to fix it." Barbara looked away, shame and despair causing long suppressed tears to well up.
Helena looked at the floor, unsure of what to say. Every nerve in her screamed for her to run, but she had slept here for a reason. This conversation was long overdue, and there was no way she was about to run away from it once more. "It probably didn't help that every time you tried to reach out to me, I would snap at you or leave," Helena finally said guiltily. Her voice was rough with sleep and raw emotions. She had to clear her throat a couple of times before she could speak again. "Wade wasn't your fault Barbara."
"Just like he wasn't your fault," the redhead stated firmly as her eyes bore into Helena's. It was the first time since the murder, that Helena had heard those words with sincere conviction behind them. In that moment, a weight started to lift from her soul. "We were victims of circumstance Helena. Some things are beyond our control, and that was one of them. What matters to me is that you and Dinah and Alfred are still here. I love you guys Hel ... I don't want to lose you," Barbara whispered, the tears finally spilling as her hands clutched Helena's tightly.
Those final words undid the normally proud Huntress, and reduced Helena to a teary-eyed emotional mess. The two women clung to each other, finally letting tears of grief and anguish release in the wake of their soul-searching.
An hour later, Helena lifted her head off of Barbara's shoulder, and shifted on the redhead's lap. In those first few rocky years, Barbara had often cradled the distraught teenager on her lap when things grew really bad. After awhile Helena grew out of the gesture, but there had been a couple of times Helena had sought the comfort of her lap. Like now.
"So are we cool now?" she asked with a tenuous smile, fingers brushing away the last of the tears.
Barbara chuckled, wiping her own face. "We're cool now," she repeated back, using Helena's phrase to reassure her even more.
"Good, cause I was gonna have to kill Dick if this little talk didn't work out."
"So you planned this huh?"
"You didn't think I fell asleep on this ledge because it was comfortable now did you?"
"So does this mean you and Dick are going to play nice from now on?" Barbara asked hopefully.
"And spoil our game of trading witty insults and derogatory comments?"
"I don't know what I was thinking," Barbara remarked dryly.
"Must have been a lack of sleep. But I think a couple more hours in that nice big comfy bed of yours will cure that," Helena suggested as her hand reached out to turn Barbara's chair towards the door.
"You know I hate it when you do that," Barbara huffed, trying to sound irritated.
"Yeah, but it's been months since I've done that. I have a lot of 'bugging the hell out of you' that I have to catch up on."
"Helena, I should really get breakfast going and do more research."
"Come on. The kid is working out with your boyfriend- which I'm sure she'll drag out as long as possible. You have at least another three or four hours before she gets back, and you yourself said she should learn more about the Delphi. She can't do that if she's not here, and this case is giving her a chance to learn a lot of new stuff."
Barbara thought about protesting most of what Helena said, but found that she couldn't argue with Helena's logic. Plus, as much as she hated to admit it, she really was still tired. "Fine," she sighed. "But only another couple of hours. I want us to be ready to go when she comes home. Besides you could use some brushing up on your own Delphi skills."
"Fine, fine, now shut up and drive."
"Lazy," Barbara teased as she headed back towards her room.
"I'm just being energy efficient," Helena countered.
Barbara just shook her head, and grinned, a wave of happiness sweeping through her as they slipped into their old mode of easy bantering. Once in the bedroom, Helena slipped off Barbara's lap and then turned to lift her friend out of the chair. With a gentleness that belied her true strength, Helena set Barbara down on the bed, and then crawled under the covers next to her.
Rolling onto her side, Barbara pulled her friend close, and hugged the lanky form contentedly. Just as when she was younger, Helena relaxed instantly and was asleep within moments. As Barbara listened to Helena's quiet steady breathing, her own body relaxed for the first time in a year, and she sank into a deep peaceful sleep.
Wayne Manor...................
Dick Grayson grinned as he watched his trainee, successfully accomplish the task he had set before her. Thanks to some of her previous training, she quickly grasped the fundamentals of his instructions, and had the guts to attempt everything he asked of her. She had taken more than a few hard landings, but she would drag herself off mat and hit the bars again. Then about an hour into the training, something suddenly changed.
Dick watched as she attacked the bars with fierce concentration, and landed every dismount perfectly. After half a dozen exercises, Disk narrowed his eyes. "Your cheating aren't you?" he asked finally.
Dinah just blinked innocently at him. "You never said I couldn't use my powers, so technically it's not really cheating now is it? Besides you wanted to see what I could do," she shrugged.
An eyebrow arched back at her, and then he gave her a wicked grin. "Fine, I want you to mimic what I was doing when you arrived," he challenged.
And she was doing just that right now. Walking over to the wall, Dick opened a case and started pulling out an arsenal of practice weapons. "Doing good so far, but let's see how well you can multi-task," he warned, just as he began a full out assault on the inverted teen.
Amazingly, Dinah managed to keep herself upright and deflect nearly everything that Dick threw or fired in her direction. Only the last batarang managed to strike her flesh, but with a grunt, she kept her focus on her balance. After several minutes, Dick finally stepped back, impressed by the blonde that was doggedly keeping herself in the difficult handstand. Her arms were beginning to tremble with the effort, and sweat was pouring down her face, but she kept her grip on the bar, and her focus on controlling her body.
It was another five minutes before she finally ran out of energy, and lost her control with a painful gasp. Dick leapt forward ready to catch her, but she managed to rely on her physical training, and let her body swing around the bar and land in a stumbling dismount.
Dick was there to help steady her and she looked up at him with a weary grin as she gasped for air. "So?" she asked, already knowing the answer by his own grin.
"Babs has no clue as to how good you've become Baby Bird. She better watch out the next time you two spar, cause she's in for quite the surprise," Dick laughed, handing her a water bottle and towel.
"Like I said before," Dinah told him after sucking down half the bottle, "It's been months since I've had a decent challenge from either of them, so I had to create my own challenges."
"So what exactly have you been doing to fine tune that gift of yours so much?"
"Started off with little stuff- moving small objects around my room. Graduated to heavier stuff, then multipal objects. Once I could control several things at once and size didn't become too much of a problem, I started working on complex controlling."
"Complex controlling?"
Dinah grinned and shrugged her shoulders shyly. "I don't even know if that's a real term, but that's what I dubbed being able to do control complex and minute tasks- like writing and typing."
"You have enough control to write telekinetically?" he asked now very impressed.
Dinah blushed. "Yeah, it's not like my normal writing, but it's pretty close."
"What kind of range do you have?"
"As long as I can see it, I can move it."
"And the heaviest object you've lifted?"
"So far, the Hummer. But don't tell Barbara that or she'll kill me. That thing is her baby, and she'd have a fit if she knew I had been practicing with it," the blonde snickered.
Dick let out a full laugh, that made Dinah's heart flip-flop, and shook his head. "You really are as bad as Helena- you're smarter though. She always got caught," he chuckled. "Well I think I've tortured you enough today. Go hit the shower, and then we can head back to the tower."
"Can we eat lunch first?" she asked hopefully. "Working my head this hard always leaves me drained and ready to eat an elephant." As if to back that statement up, her stomach rumbled loudly, causing Dick to laugh once more. He knew they should head back to the clock tower, very aware of her slight crush on him. But truth be told, he enjoyed her cheery company, and couldn't deny a starving woman a well deserved meal. "I'll have Alfred whip up some sandwiches or something."
"I'll be up in a few," Dinah grinned happily as she tossed her towel over her shoulder and headed off towards the shower room.
Clock Tower
Dinah and Dick stepped out of the elevator, and looked around curiously. "You think they're still asleep?" Dick asked quietly.
"I know Helena was here when I left this morning, and Barbara almost never sleeps past eight- even on her days off."
They immediately headed towards Barbara's bedroom, and Dinah opened the door, not as quietly as she would have hoped. Two sets of eyebrows rose at the sight before them and Dinah's face broke out into a wide grin. "Awwwww, how cute," she whispered.
While a small streak of jealousy ran though Dick, he too had to agree that the sight of Barbara curled up protectively against Helena was pretty endearing. There gawking however, finally broke through Helena's sharp senses. And she stirred in the bed, disturbing Barbara's sleep as well.
Realizing that their presence was known now, Dick went over to Barbara and knelt on one knee next to her side. She rolled over, and cracked an eye open, trying to focus on her clock.
"What time is it?"
"A little past noon sleepyhead. Glad to see you finally got some decent rest," he told her with a gentle smile.
"God it felt so good to sleep finally," she sighed contentedly.
"Can we sleep for another year?" Helena mumbled as she buried herself deeper into the bed sheets.
Barbara grinned, the first true grin Dick had seen on her face since arriving here, and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Don't make me threaten to get the water bottle out," Barbara said in mock seriousness as she threw the covers back and slid into her waiting chair.
"Why do you always have to be so mean?" Helena whined as she curled up into a ball and grabbed for the covers once more.
"Why do you have to be so stubborn," Barbara retorted yanking the covers back again.
Dick stood next to Barbara, watching the comical battle of wills with a grin. Helena finally gave in with a huff, and after a luxurious stretching session, finally rolled off the bed and stalked into the bathroom.
Dick looked at Barbara, who had her head tipped back, and seemed to be drinking the peace of the moment in with a relaxed smile. Dick raised an eyebrow at her. "So should I start getting jealous?" he asked teasingly.
"Dick!"
He chuckled at her suddenly blushing face, and ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry Babs, I just couldn't resist."
"Once again proving that men always have their mind in the gutter," she stated with an air of superiority.
"Glad to see you two worked things out."
"Thanks...for your not so gentle pushing."
"Anything for you Red. I'll go start some breakfast for you two."
Five minutes later, Helena shuffled into the kitchen and dug in the refrigerator for the milk. With a sigh of relief, she leaned against the counter and downed half the carton without the aid of a glass.
"Other people drink that milk too."
"We're all family," Helena shrugged.
Dick rolled his eyes and then smiled at Barbara who came rolling into the kitchen. He handed her a cup of coffee, which she practically drooled over, and went back to finishing up their breakfast.
"Barbara you nurse that coffee like it was a fine brandy," Dick chuckled.
"Jealous of the coffee now too?" Helena remarked slyly as she walked by Dick on her way to the table.
Dick looked up, slightly embarrassed that she had overheard his comment. Then he shrugged. "At least I know the coffee won't try and compete with me."
"Oh don't worry Dick, I have my sights set elsewhere now," she drawled casually as she flopped into a chair.
Barbara shifted uncomfortably, and began to give Helena warning looks as Dick paused in his task of buttering bread. Helena looked at him innocently. "Besides, we were both plastered when it happened, and it was more of a fun romp between friends than a serious relationship."
The knife clattered to counter as Dick blinked in surprise, and then he quickly fumbled to recover it. "That was a good one...you had me going there for a second," he said when he saw her eyes flash with amusement. Then he looked at Barbara who had her head in her hands. "You're joking right?"
Helena just continued to smirk at him, and Barbara finally looked up to glare at Helena. "Babs?"
The redhead looked at him, and actually fidgeted in her chair. "Dick...it's complicated....and we were drunk...."
"Hey Dick, that smells great, do you have extra?" Dinah asked as she bounced into the kitchen.
Dick started re-buttering the toast, Barbara fell silent and Helena continued to smirk. "Did I just miss something?"
"Grown-up talk, kid."
Dinah glared at Helena, who completely ignored the teen's look. "You just ate," Dick remarked, stalling an argument.
"Yeah, an hour ago," she told him in a typical teenage tone that was meant to say 'duh'.
"It's a good thing you don't get training sessions that intense- Barbara would be broke just from having to feed you."
"So how did the session go today?" Barbara asked, relieved to move onto another topic.
"Babs you would be pretty impressed with what this young lady can do," Dick answered as he dished out the food and brought the plates over. "I was very impressed myself...."
Wayne Manor......
Dinah practically skipped down the stairs to the Bat Cave. She had known about the cave since joining the team, but had never even set foot inside Wayne Manor until Dick showed up and offered to train with her. She knew that Dick and Barbara had a past – one that obviously hadn't faded much over the years. But she was seventeen, and was more than happy to settle for watching Dick's dreamy figure for several hours without being interrupted. Even if he was trying to wipe the mat with her body.
Ever since the attack, things had grown so dysfunctional at the clock tower, that Dinah's training had grown....well boring. Helena had rarely been functional enough to handle training sessions, let alone go out on sweeps. Barbara had taken charge of Dinah's training, but as her own emotional deterioration began to eat away at her physical health, the workouts had become less challenging.
Dick offered a fresh jolt of energy and challenge that Dinah had been reveling in the past couple of days. Today, he had promised to show her some basic gymnastic moves that he and Barbara had always found useful. He had also wanted to see how well developed her telekinetic abilities were. While she knew she had been lacking in some of the physical exercises, she couldn't wait to show off her 'other' skills. If she had improved beyond expectations in one area, it was definitely that. She spent countless hours by herself experimenting and honing her mental gift. Dinah doubted Barbara even knew just how adept she had become this past year.
As Dinah came to the bottom of the stairs, she heard Dick's voice call to her from the training room. As she entered, she drew to a halt. There, balanced in a perfect handstand on the upper uneven bar, was the object of her teenage lust. His eyes were closed in concentration, and how long he had been there was anyone's guess.
"You ready to get worked over again kid?" he asked without wavering.
"I'm not gonna let you get away with beating on me today," she challenged back.
An eyebrow quirked, even though his eyes never opened. "Oh is that so? Think you're telekinetic skills are that good huh?"
"Why don't you come down here and find out for yourself?" she grinned as she tossed her bag off into one corner.
"All in good time Baby Bird. But first ask yourself this, Can you maintain enough concentration to keep your focus, when you have other things trying to distract you?" To emphasize his question, he let his body swing downwards and around the bar twice before releasing his grip and tucking his body into a tight double flip. He landed perfectly on the mat, lifted his head and Dinah nearly gasped when she realized he had done the whole move with his eyes closed.
As his eyes opened to meet hers though, she lifted her chin proudly and nodded stubbornly. "Like I said before, why don't you find out for yourself?"
Dick chuckled, his eyes crinkling in amusement. "You've definitely been hanging around Barbara and Helena too long. Well before we get to the meta stuff, why don't I show you how to execute the maneuver I just demonstrated."
Dinah grinned, looking forward to more hands on work with Dick Grayson.
Clocktower......
Barbara awoke to the sounds of Dinah leaving for her training sessions with Dick. A small streak of jealously ran through her, but she quickly squashed it down, chiding herself for the absurdity of such a thought. Besides, it was about time Dinah got some proper training. Rubbing tired eyes, Barbara rolled over and squinted at the clock. It was just after nine.
The redhead closed her eyes and listened for any other sounds in the clock tower after Dinah was gone. Helena had actually come back last night, though she had never announced her presence. It was just one of those things where she lurked in a far corner, hidden amongst the shadows, wanting to say something, but not sure how to say it.
Barbara pretended not to notice Helena's presence, though it took every ounce of self-control to accomplish such a feat. She knew that Helena was hurting, both physically and emotionally this time, and Barbara wanted nothing more than to call the young woman over to her and chase the hurt away like she used to. But too much had happened over the past year, and Barbara had cursed herself for helping to create the gap that had grown between them.
For as tough and cocky as Helena was, she was emotionally vulnerable. Barbara and Dinah were the closest thing she had to family, and Barbara had been so wrapped up in her own guilt and remorse, that she had pushed Helena away- and perhaps over the edge.
With the brunette looking on, Barbara finally powered down her computer, unable to focus any more. Her hand drifted by a picture of Helena, and she reached out to snag it. A soft smile touched her lips as she held it up, her finger gently tracing the smiling feline features. In the reflection of the glass, she saw the shadows shift, and watched as Helena almost moved out into the open. Then she had retreated and Barbara's face fell as she put the picture down.
"I'm so sorry," she said in a choked whisper as she gave the picture one final stroke. With unshed tears in her eyes, she wheeled out of the control room to her waiting bed, and a stiff drink.
There was no other sounds in clock tower now, but Dinah's unusual quietness suggested that Barbara wasn't the only one still sleeping. Reaching out, the redhead pulled herself upright and then slid off the bed into her waiting chair. She wrapped a wool blanket around her shoulders, and quietly headed out into the living room. There was no sign of Helena there, or the kitchen, or either of the bedrooms upstairs.
Slightly disappointed, Barbara headed up into the control room to power up the monitors when she stopped short at the sight that greeted her. On the ledge across from her workstation, Helena was stretched out like a cat dozing in the sunlight. Barbara never understood how the young woman could fall asleep in the most impossible places, but it never failed to bring a soft smile to her face.
Rolling over to the window, she reached over and gently ran her fingers through untamed brunette hair. Helena shifted, and nuzzled into the hand that soothed through her hair – a gesture she hadn't done in a long time, but touched Barbara to the core. A quiet sound, almost like a purr emanated from the younger woman as she stretched and then slowly opened her eyes to gaze up at her mentor and friend.
Barbara's palm cupped the side of Helena's face as gentle fingers grazed across the bruised cheek and eye. The injury was minor though, most of the swelling already gone and the bruising beginning to fade. But Barbara said nothing about it, not wanting to push the young woman about what happened last night.
Helena sat up, and Barbara's hands reached out to claim her own, prolonging the physical contact. Blue eyes dropped from emerald, and stared at the clasped hands for long minutes before Helena began speaking quietly. "I'm sorry I've been such an ass."
"I'll only forgive you on one condition," Barbara told her seriously.
Helena's eyes fixed on her once more with a look that said she would do anything. "I'll forgive you for being an ass, if you can forgive me for being such a bitch," she told her friend with a rueful half-smile.
Helena blinked, surprised by Barbara's request, and her brows furrowed in confusion. "This case..... it's brought a lot of emotions to the surface for all of us. At first I was afraid of what might happen," Barbara admitted. "Then I realized that we aren't in this nightmare alone, and that's where I screwed up the first time."
Blue eyes searched hers for further explanation, still confused. "Hel, I never blamed you for Wade's death. I blamed myself, and I shut you out because I was too busy beating myself up," she admitted hoarsely. "Then when you started drinking and skipping sweeps.....I blamed myself even more. Our whole world was falling apart by then, and I didn't know how to fix it." Barbara looked away, shame and despair causing long suppressed tears to well up.
Helena looked at the floor, unsure of what to say. Every nerve in her screamed for her to run, but she had slept here for a reason. This conversation was long overdue, and there was no way she was about to run away from it once more. "It probably didn't help that every time you tried to reach out to me, I would snap at you or leave," Helena finally said guiltily. Her voice was rough with sleep and raw emotions. She had to clear her throat a couple of times before she could speak again. "Wade wasn't your fault Barbara."
"Just like he wasn't your fault," the redhead stated firmly as her eyes bore into Helena's. It was the first time since the murder, that Helena had heard those words with sincere conviction behind them. In that moment, a weight started to lift from her soul. "We were victims of circumstance Helena. Some things are beyond our control, and that was one of them. What matters to me is that you and Dinah and Alfred are still here. I love you guys Hel ... I don't want to lose you," Barbara whispered, the tears finally spilling as her hands clutched Helena's tightly.
Those final words undid the normally proud Huntress, and reduced Helena to a teary-eyed emotional mess. The two women clung to each other, finally letting tears of grief and anguish release in the wake of their soul-searching.
An hour later, Helena lifted her head off of Barbara's shoulder, and shifted on the redhead's lap. In those first few rocky years, Barbara had often cradled the distraught teenager on her lap when things grew really bad. After awhile Helena grew out of the gesture, but there had been a couple of times Helena had sought the comfort of her lap. Like now.
"So are we cool now?" she asked with a tenuous smile, fingers brushing away the last of the tears.
Barbara chuckled, wiping her own face. "We're cool now," she repeated back, using Helena's phrase to reassure her even more.
"Good, cause I was gonna have to kill Dick if this little talk didn't work out."
"So you planned this huh?"
"You didn't think I fell asleep on this ledge because it was comfortable now did you?"
"So does this mean you and Dick are going to play nice from now on?" Barbara asked hopefully.
"And spoil our game of trading witty insults and derogatory comments?"
"I don't know what I was thinking," Barbara remarked dryly.
"Must have been a lack of sleep. But I think a couple more hours in that nice big comfy bed of yours will cure that," Helena suggested as her hand reached out to turn Barbara's chair towards the door.
"You know I hate it when you do that," Barbara huffed, trying to sound irritated.
"Yeah, but it's been months since I've done that. I have a lot of 'bugging the hell out of you' that I have to catch up on."
"Helena, I should really get breakfast going and do more research."
"Come on. The kid is working out with your boyfriend- which I'm sure she'll drag out as long as possible. You have at least another three or four hours before she gets back, and you yourself said she should learn more about the Delphi. She can't do that if she's not here, and this case is giving her a chance to learn a lot of new stuff."
Barbara thought about protesting most of what Helena said, but found that she couldn't argue with Helena's logic. Plus, as much as she hated to admit it, she really was still tired. "Fine," she sighed. "But only another couple of hours. I want us to be ready to go when she comes home. Besides you could use some brushing up on your own Delphi skills."
"Fine, fine, now shut up and drive."
"Lazy," Barbara teased as she headed back towards her room.
"I'm just being energy efficient," Helena countered.
Barbara just shook her head, and grinned, a wave of happiness sweeping through her as they slipped into their old mode of easy bantering. Once in the bedroom, Helena slipped off Barbara's lap and then turned to lift her friend out of the chair. With a gentleness that belied her true strength, Helena set Barbara down on the bed, and then crawled under the covers next to her.
Rolling onto her side, Barbara pulled her friend close, and hugged the lanky form contentedly. Just as when she was younger, Helena relaxed instantly and was asleep within moments. As Barbara listened to Helena's quiet steady breathing, her own body relaxed for the first time in a year, and she sank into a deep peaceful sleep.
Wayne Manor...................
Dick Grayson grinned as he watched his trainee, successfully accomplish the task he had set before her. Thanks to some of her previous training, she quickly grasped the fundamentals of his instructions, and had the guts to attempt everything he asked of her. She had taken more than a few hard landings, but she would drag herself off mat and hit the bars again. Then about an hour into the training, something suddenly changed.
Dick watched as she attacked the bars with fierce concentration, and landed every dismount perfectly. After half a dozen exercises, Disk narrowed his eyes. "Your cheating aren't you?" he asked finally.
Dinah just blinked innocently at him. "You never said I couldn't use my powers, so technically it's not really cheating now is it? Besides you wanted to see what I could do," she shrugged.
An eyebrow arched back at her, and then he gave her a wicked grin. "Fine, I want you to mimic what I was doing when you arrived," he challenged.
And she was doing just that right now. Walking over to the wall, Dick opened a case and started pulling out an arsenal of practice weapons. "Doing good so far, but let's see how well you can multi-task," he warned, just as he began a full out assault on the inverted teen.
Amazingly, Dinah managed to keep herself upright and deflect nearly everything that Dick threw or fired in her direction. Only the last batarang managed to strike her flesh, but with a grunt, she kept her focus on her balance. After several minutes, Dick finally stepped back, impressed by the blonde that was doggedly keeping herself in the difficult handstand. Her arms were beginning to tremble with the effort, and sweat was pouring down her face, but she kept her grip on the bar, and her focus on controlling her body.
It was another five minutes before she finally ran out of energy, and lost her control with a painful gasp. Dick leapt forward ready to catch her, but she managed to rely on her physical training, and let her body swing around the bar and land in a stumbling dismount.
Dick was there to help steady her and she looked up at him with a weary grin as she gasped for air. "So?" she asked, already knowing the answer by his own grin.
"Babs has no clue as to how good you've become Baby Bird. She better watch out the next time you two spar, cause she's in for quite the surprise," Dick laughed, handing her a water bottle and towel.
"Like I said before," Dinah told him after sucking down half the bottle, "It's been months since I've had a decent challenge from either of them, so I had to create my own challenges."
"So what exactly have you been doing to fine tune that gift of yours so much?"
"Started off with little stuff- moving small objects around my room. Graduated to heavier stuff, then multipal objects. Once I could control several things at once and size didn't become too much of a problem, I started working on complex controlling."
"Complex controlling?"
Dinah grinned and shrugged her shoulders shyly. "I don't even know if that's a real term, but that's what I dubbed being able to do control complex and minute tasks- like writing and typing."
"You have enough control to write telekinetically?" he asked now very impressed.
Dinah blushed. "Yeah, it's not like my normal writing, but it's pretty close."
"What kind of range do you have?"
"As long as I can see it, I can move it."
"And the heaviest object you've lifted?"
"So far, the Hummer. But don't tell Barbara that or she'll kill me. That thing is her baby, and she'd have a fit if she knew I had been practicing with it," the blonde snickered.
Dick let out a full laugh, that made Dinah's heart flip-flop, and shook his head. "You really are as bad as Helena- you're smarter though. She always got caught," he chuckled. "Well I think I've tortured you enough today. Go hit the shower, and then we can head back to the tower."
"Can we eat lunch first?" she asked hopefully. "Working my head this hard always leaves me drained and ready to eat an elephant." As if to back that statement up, her stomach rumbled loudly, causing Dick to laugh once more. He knew they should head back to the clock tower, very aware of her slight crush on him. But truth be told, he enjoyed her cheery company, and couldn't deny a starving woman a well deserved meal. "I'll have Alfred whip up some sandwiches or something."
"I'll be up in a few," Dinah grinned happily as she tossed her towel over her shoulder and headed off towards the shower room.
Clock Tower
Dinah and Dick stepped out of the elevator, and looked around curiously. "You think they're still asleep?" Dick asked quietly.
"I know Helena was here when I left this morning, and Barbara almost never sleeps past eight- even on her days off."
They immediately headed towards Barbara's bedroom, and Dinah opened the door, not as quietly as she would have hoped. Two sets of eyebrows rose at the sight before them and Dinah's face broke out into a wide grin. "Awwwww, how cute," she whispered.
While a small streak of jealousy ran though Dick, he too had to agree that the sight of Barbara curled up protectively against Helena was pretty endearing. There gawking however, finally broke through Helena's sharp senses. And she stirred in the bed, disturbing Barbara's sleep as well.
Realizing that their presence was known now, Dick went over to Barbara and knelt on one knee next to her side. She rolled over, and cracked an eye open, trying to focus on her clock.
"What time is it?"
"A little past noon sleepyhead. Glad to see you finally got some decent rest," he told her with a gentle smile.
"God it felt so good to sleep finally," she sighed contentedly.
"Can we sleep for another year?" Helena mumbled as she buried herself deeper into the bed sheets.
Barbara grinned, the first true grin Dick had seen on her face since arriving here, and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Don't make me threaten to get the water bottle out," Barbara said in mock seriousness as she threw the covers back and slid into her waiting chair.
"Why do you always have to be so mean?" Helena whined as she curled up into a ball and grabbed for the covers once more.
"Why do you have to be so stubborn," Barbara retorted yanking the covers back again.
Dick stood next to Barbara, watching the comical battle of wills with a grin. Helena finally gave in with a huff, and after a luxurious stretching session, finally rolled off the bed and stalked into the bathroom.
Dick looked at Barbara, who had her head tipped back, and seemed to be drinking the peace of the moment in with a relaxed smile. Dick raised an eyebrow at her. "So should I start getting jealous?" he asked teasingly.
"Dick!"
He chuckled at her suddenly blushing face, and ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry Babs, I just couldn't resist."
"Once again proving that men always have their mind in the gutter," she stated with an air of superiority.
"Glad to see you two worked things out."
"Thanks...for your not so gentle pushing."
"Anything for you Red. I'll go start some breakfast for you two."
Five minutes later, Helena shuffled into the kitchen and dug in the refrigerator for the milk. With a sigh of relief, she leaned against the counter and downed half the carton without the aid of a glass.
"Other people drink that milk too."
"We're all family," Helena shrugged.
Dick rolled his eyes and then smiled at Barbara who came rolling into the kitchen. He handed her a cup of coffee, which she practically drooled over, and went back to finishing up their breakfast.
"Barbara you nurse that coffee like it was a fine brandy," Dick chuckled.
"Jealous of the coffee now too?" Helena remarked slyly as she walked by Dick on her way to the table.
Dick looked up, slightly embarrassed that she had overheard his comment. Then he shrugged. "At least I know the coffee won't try and compete with me."
"Oh don't worry Dick, I have my sights set elsewhere now," she drawled casually as she flopped into a chair.
Barbara shifted uncomfortably, and began to give Helena warning looks as Dick paused in his task of buttering bread. Helena looked at him innocently. "Besides, we were both plastered when it happened, and it was more of a fun romp between friends than a serious relationship."
The knife clattered to counter as Dick blinked in surprise, and then he quickly fumbled to recover it. "That was a good one...you had me going there for a second," he said when he saw her eyes flash with amusement. Then he looked at Barbara who had her head in her hands. "You're joking right?"
Helena just continued to smirk at him, and Barbara finally looked up to glare at Helena. "Babs?"
The redhead looked at him, and actually fidgeted in her chair. "Dick...it's complicated....and we were drunk...."
"Hey Dick, that smells great, do you have extra?" Dinah asked as she bounced into the kitchen.
Dick started re-buttering the toast, Barbara fell silent and Helena continued to smirk. "Did I just miss something?"
"Grown-up talk, kid."
Dinah glared at Helena, who completely ignored the teen's look. "You just ate," Dick remarked, stalling an argument.
"Yeah, an hour ago," she told him in a typical teenage tone that was meant to say 'duh'.
"It's a good thing you don't get training sessions that intense- Barbara would be broke just from having to feed you."
"So how did the session go today?" Barbara asked, relieved to move onto another topic.
"Babs you would be pretty impressed with what this young lady can do," Dick answered as he dished out the food and brought the plates over. "I was very impressed myself...."