Thanks for all your post and your comments! Im sorry if this fic flowed too slow!

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

Barbara sat the brunette on the ground. "Hold on, Helena."

The young woman grabbed her hand and tried to stand up. "You can't, let me…" she didn't want Sandy to hurt her.

"Stay here," Barbara held her down easily with a hand on her shoulder and turned to face the other woman. She took out her sticks and opens them up.

"Happy to see me?"

"Not exactly…"

The Chinese woman looked at her friend on the ground, who glared at her.

"Sandy, no…" Helena growled.

"I see you cheated, Barbara." Sandy smirked, her gaze toward her legs. "The chair was a trick."

"She needs help, Sandy. She is sick."

"And my sister, Barbara? Remember her? She was fifteen years old."

"You know that if I could undo what I did, I would, but what happened was an accident, and I am sorry. I don't want to fight you."

"Your apology will never be accepted. I told you once 'This debt can only be repaid in blood'." She took out a three petal-shaped shurikens and threw it at her.

The red head ducked in time. She wasn't playing.

"You are fast." Shiva smirked circling her.

"Sandy, stop!" Helena said, moving to her feet.

"Stay out of this, Helena!" Barbara shouted. "This is just between her and I."

Shiva tried to kick the older woman, but Barbara avoided it, turning and hitting her with her stick. The movement of her hands was incredibly fast and Shiva was on the ground.

"Interesting. You improved." The woman rolled to avoid another of Barbara's blow.

"Shiva. I don't want to fight you, please. I need to help Helena."

The Chinese woman attacked her again, The redhead blocked all her blows with her sticks; her experience and ability were superior. Shiva hit the ground again. Annoyed, she stood up and charged her enemy. With her elbow, Barbara stopped a kick and hit her hard on her head.

The young woman stumbled back. The former Batgirl hit her stick against her shin. The blow was painful. She bent down.

"Please, Shiva," the redhead said, breathing heavily, "stop this."

The woman at looked Helena who was leaning against the side of the Hummer, watching them. Angry, she stood up and raised her hand with a shuriken in her hand.

The Barbara's quick worked and she grabbed her wrist. "No!"

Shiva pulled her down and both struggled. Shiva tried to free her wrist. With her free hand, she felt a belt around Barbara's waist. She hit her head against the redhead's and moving as fast as she could, she pulled another shuriken from her bag and used it as a knife against the transponder. Barbara groaned; a short circuit was created.

Shiva pushed her back using her feet and raised her Chinese star toward her. "Good bye."

Helena looked at the fight; when she saw her friend fall to the ground, she reacted and jumped over her ex-school friend. "No!"

Shiva, angry, struggled with her; she took her by her neck. "Stay away! This is not your problem!"

Helena grabbed her wrist. "I'm not going to let you do this. You are wro…" A kick to the side of her head cut her off.

"I said stay away!" Shiva shouted hitting her again. "I don't want to hurt you!"

Helena coughed and grabbed her strongly her wrist "Please, no, Sandy…."

"I'm sorry… You asked for this…" She hit her hard on the side of her head with her elbow and the brunette fell heavily to the ground. She bent down to pick up the Chinese star on the floor. She was going to finish this.

Shiva felt a blow in her gut. And another under her knees that made her fall. Barbara put a stick across her neck and held her still. "It's over, Sandy."

"I'll… kill you." She struggled, but the redhead kept the stick pressed into her neck.

"It's over I said!"

A car appeared, suddenly turning around a near corner at high speed. It would be Shiva's henchmen; "Run, Barbara…" Helena tried to stand up, but she collapsed on the ground again, barely conscious.

"No!" The redhead was blinded by the car lights, but kept her the grip harder. The transponder was hurting her, but she wasn't going to let her protégée alone.

The doors opened.

"Barbara!" A familiar voice was heard.

Green eyes narrowed, trying to see who was there. "Reese?" she asked.

"Are you okay?" Dinah's voice asked, moving out of the vehicle.

"Yes, I'm okay." She felt a great relief

Reese went to her side pointing at Shiva with a gun, "Don't move."

"What are you doing here?" The redhead was stunned to see Dinah walking towards her. "You are not well…"

"You needed back up." The blonde smiled watching Reese cuff Sandy "A bit of a temperature won't kill anyone."

"How is Helena?" the detective asked.

"Sick but we still have time," Barbara answered.

"Your transponder was failing. Can you walk?" Dinah tried to help her to stand up.

"I'll survive. We need to help Helena."

The teen showed her a small vial. "Alfred gave me the antidote."

"Excellent. Let's do it."

They went to her. Helena moved restlessly on the floor. The teen touched her cheek while Barbara prepared the injection, the brunette jerked back.

"Hey, easy!" Dinah said. "She is burning up, Barbara."

"I know… Remove her sleeve."

"Dinah?" he brunette asked, stunned at seeing Dinah at her side.

"Yes, it's me. Don't worry."

"Where… is Barbara?"

"Here. Don't move." The redhead buried the needle in her arm. "We need to take her home. Can you drive, Dinah?"

"Sure."

"Great, my back is killing me." She removed the needle. "It's done."

"How is she?" Reese arrived

"She'll be fine, I injected the antidote. Help us get her to the Hummer. Dinah, give me a hand," Barbara requested, taking her hand to her back. The transponder was failing and it was painful.

Reese moved his arm behind the brunette and caressed her cheek, happy to see her again. "Hi Hel."

"Hi Reese." Helena smiled lightly.

"We need to get you home." He took out a handkerchief and cleaned her face.

"We need stop to seeing each other like this." She rested her head on his shoulder.

"Agreed, I'll take Sandy to the police station and I'll be with you in a few."

The brunette nodded and closed her eyes. He kissed her forehead and lifted her easily.

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

The redhead stirred, but she stopped her motion when she felt a sharp pain in her back. She grunted and tensed for a few seconds. When the pain diminished, she relaxed her body. Taking a breath, she opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on the ceiling.

It had been a rough night, but she had finally managed to get Helena back to the ClockTower; her transponder had been failing again and hurting her back since she was carrying the young woman out that place. The extra-weight was too much for the small computer system. It had failed and broken at the exact moment that she had settled herself on the front seat of the Hummer.

She turned her head. Her chair wasn't next to her bed as it usually was. She rolled her eyes. Alfred. She stretched her arm and took the phone, pressing a button. She didn't get an answer and she pressed it again.

"Dammit." She grumbled to herself. Knocks at the door called her attention. "Come in."

The gentle butler appeared with a tray in his hands. "Good afternoon, Miss Barbara."

"Good af… afternoon?" Green eyes blinked.

"Yes." He put the tray on the night table next to her. "It's twelve."

"Twelve?" she asked, stunned "Wha….?" Suddenly, she remembered the last cup of tea that Dinah had forced her to drink after she injected the antidote into Helena and insisted on keeping her vigil. How dare he and Dinah drug…

"You were so tired. You fell deeply asleep." Alfred voice interrupted her thoughts. "We didn't want to disturb you; your back was terribly sore."

He was as bad a liar as he was loyal. She rubbed her temples trying to control her anger. "And my chair? Why is it not here?"

He crossed his hands behind his back. "I was afraid that if you tried to move to your chair when you woke up, that you would hurt yourself more."

"Alfred, I know what I do, I hate…" She tried to sit and a sharp pain hit her back, she winced and rested her head on the pillow again.

"Excuse me, Miss Barbara, I misunderstood your health. Do you want me to bring your chair now?" he asked seriously.

He'd won again, he was right and she hated it. She bit her lip trying to endure the pain and her anger. "Don't say another word."

"I'm sorry, Miss Barbara, but it was for the best. The girls need you and you will not be able to help them if you don't take care of yourself."

The redhead took a deep breath. She hated feeling helpless. "How is Helena?"

"Much better. She was awake a few minutes an hour ago and the first thing she said before falling asleep again was "I'm hungry." He walked toward the closet and took two pillows.

Barbara couldn't avoid smiling, she was relieved. "Yes, she is much better."

"She recovers much faster when she sleeps. The antidote is working well on her, but the virus had overwhelmed her. "

"Yes, I know. She scared me last night. Without her immune system, she would have been dead days ago."

"Miss Dinah did a wonderful job."

"I know, she is young, but learns fast. She will be an expert in cybernetics in a few years… She is okay?"

"Totally recovered." He walked toward her with the pillow "May I?"

The redhead nodded and slowly pushed herself up a bit to let him put the pillows behind he,r to help her to remain reclined on the bed. She bit her lip. Damn. That easy moment hurt like hell. When he settled the pillows, she felt a great relief moving back again.

"Hi, Barbara." Dinah's bright smile greeted her.

"Hi, Dinah."

"How do you feel?" The blonde hopped inside the room happily.

"Sore…" She took the pills from her night table.

The young girl sat beside her on the bed. "I checked your back last night…"

"I'll survive?" the older woman mocked, taking the pills with a glass of water.

"You are lucky," the blonde said seriously.

"Helena?" Barbara wanted to change the subject. It was best; she was lost without those two.

"Sleeping like a log. A quake couldn't wake up her. She's a really heavy sleeper. She is recovering pretty quickly, and her wound is healing. Took me two days, but I'm sure she will be okay later this afternoon." Dinah gave her a laptop.

"What's this?"

"I scanned your back and sent it to Dr. Thomkins; she is not in the city, but I emailed her after I called her up."

The redhead sighed and took the laptop. "What did Mother Goose say?"

"Two days until she comes to check you."

"Two days?" Barbara almost shouted, "I can't! I have work to do."

Dinah smiled. "She told me you would say that and asked me to give you your laptop, check your e-mail; she will send you a note and ask you to stay quiet."

"Smart move," Alfred said, "I'll bring your lunch, Miss Barbara."

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

Helena sat at the balcony looking into the night. With her eyes closed, she felt the wind caressing her face and playing with her hair. The familiar sound of the wheelchair made her turn her head.

"You should be resting."

"You should be, too." Barbara answered.

"I'm just sitting here."

"Me too."

Helena laughed lightly. The older woman played with her fingers. "Sandy will be in prison again."

"It's sad how life changes sometimes." The brunette bit her lower lip "The world was so different when we were in school…"

"A moment can change your entire life, Helena." Barbara looked at her.

"I know… I know it well."

"But the most important thing is that those moments help you grow up, and not to let yourself fall into the darkness."

"The line is pretty thin." Helena hugged her legs.

"What line?" Barbara raised her brow.

"The line between dark and light."

"Yes."

"The darkness is more exciting than the light, you know?"

"Yes, I know that, but it's more painful too."

"True."

"You killed for me," Helena said with a whisper.

Barbara lowered her gaze and rubbed her hands ."I didn't want to do it. It was instinct. I didn't think… I just knew I needed to survive to help you."

The brunette kneeled in front of her and took her hand. "I'm sorry, I didn't want..."

"I know." The redhead smiled gently and patted her hands, "Don't worry. I just hope you will never be forced to do it…" She lowered her gaze "It's not a pleasant feeling, it's something you can never feel proud of. We don't give life, we can't take it. It's not our right."

"Some people deserve it." Helena stood up. "I'd prefer to rip off someone's head, rather than leave him living, knowing he would hurt more people."

"Believe me, Helena, it's something I don't want you to feel. It breaks your soul, evil or not, it breaks your soul."

"But you did it. Sometimes we need to do it, whether it breaks our soul or not." The young crime fighter challenged her. "I'd do it if someone tried to touch you or Dinah… as you did it for us."

Barbara felt uncomfortable, she shook her head.

"Sorry, Barbara…" Helena understood her and hid her eyes behind her bangs. "I know you don't want it, and I hope I never have to do it, but… I'd do it without hesitation for my family. You are my family, I can't lose you too."

The redhead felt the tension lift, Helena was opening up to her, something difficult for her to do. She smiled at her again.

The young crime fighter changed the topic, wasn't good be so sentimental. "What did you do with the other necklaces?"

"I gave them to the police," Barbara explained leaning back on her chair.

"And the legend from the ancient book?"

"The book too…"

"Too?" Helena asked, surprised. "If someone reads the ancient legend inside, the necklaces would be in danger. Another crazy villain would try to…

"Yes," Barbara interrupted "I hope the museum can preserve it as much as they can. IT would be a shame if this book wasn't cared for. When that happens, usually some pages break or disappear." Long fingers raised a wrinkled yellow paper.

Helena frowned and took it. She opened it carefully. It was the legend. She glared at the redhead.

"I told you." Barbara said "It's necessary that those books be in a library or pages may get lost and be irretrievable."

"You…"

"I… hope the book will be well preserved in the museum." The redhead took the pages from Helena's hands and put them in her pocket. "It would be a shame if more pages were lost." She looked at the brunette's Egyptian necklace. "It's a really nice piece."

"Mom had a good taste."

"Always." Barbara smiled "You too."

"I know it. I'm cool."

"And you have her modesty, as well..."

"Don't forget her phenomenal blue eyes."

"Oh, come on." Barbara hit her lightly, "Want dinner? I'm hungry."

"Sure." Helena stood up. "After you."