Alfred Pennyworth is doing more than just answering doors tonight as it is evening of the Solstice Ball, which marks the first day of winter. However he does curiously manage to be at the foyer when several particular guests arrive at the front door. There is an irrepressible smile on his face to see so many couples in attendance and even Helena could tell that the appearance of a certain dark haired beauty had almost given the old butler to grin. Pennyworth is definitely a sly one on this occasion or maybe he is just glad someone is here to put Wayne on the spot and not let up if she asks him for a dance.
"Do come in, plenty of others are already here, but it is bound to fill up more before the night as out. Do leave your coats and outerwear wherever you like, but there are hired hands for that task."
Helena could not remember a time that she ever wore a dress quite like this one, but it did look like ones her mother used to wear, ones that her father could not take his eyes off at all. She pulls Vic's arm around her waist line and together they slowly walk along the foyer then follow the crowd in the direction of the recently renovated ball room. The heels were a little higher than she was used to, but she felt could manage otherwise there is always taking to a corner table and hoping that Vic would remember how much she likes mixing foot rubs with footsies.
It also felt different to briefly wear leg warmers over her new sheer stockings, which was also something she rarely if ever wore yet she is in a mood to look and feel sensual because it is her holiday party with Vic. She also spots one of the Iceberg Lounge's former singers. She had been on stage the night Batwoman made her appearance there.
Montoya at that time had been given a new assignment with one of department's new transfers, Detective Crispus Allen, late of Metropolis SCU whereas Bullock gets the other new department regular Detective Sonia Alcana.
This is also about the time that Kathy Duquesne comes into Bruce Wayne's life.
Dr. Roxanne Ballantine also had gotten a position at Wayne Enterprises for her advances in metallurgy.
The three women for reasons of their own had a stake against three different criminals.
Kathy had long nursed a grievance against her father crime boss Carleton Duquesne. Roxanne had a bone to pick with Oswald Cobblepot. Sonia had long sought to nail Rupert Thorne. Kathy's mother took a shot meant for Carleton. Roxanne's fiancé was setup by Cobblepot for a theft that Cobblepot orchestrated to frame said fiance. Thorne had Sonia's parents shop burned to the ground for refusing to pay the protection racket, but of course in the 'old days' Gotham's legal system was still full of holes as well as graft.
The master touch of the Batwoman 'saga' as the media would refer to it in retrospect is that Batwoman had been the vigilante persona for not one woman, but three.
Cobblepot, Thorne, Duquesne, and the late comer Bane all got jail time for the heavy arms' manufacturing consortium that had gotten funding by one of the paramilitary factions in Kasnia, which had as of late still been caught in the grips of civil war.
Alcana left the force because Gordon could accept working with a 'vigilante', but not on the GCPD payroll. He did hate to cut her loose because having cops as dedicated as Alcana remains a rare asset. Ballantine eventually marries Kevin and they left Gotham behind to start over elsewhere. As for Kathy, she has kept close ties with Bruce though whether she knows he is Batman is still a mystery, but women do enjoy puzzles to some degree at least Helena thought so.
Zatanna is dancing with Jason Blood, which is a curious turn, but again nobody can control what compels an attraction though they could just be here separately with notions to have a fun holiday in mind.
Barbara is arm in arm with Dick Grayson, so one had to wonder just a little were they looking to get back together or just here as friends. Either way curiosity has a way of cropping up from time to time.
Bruce is in the midst of a crowd of women including the again single Veronica Vreeland and the reappearing Kathy Duquesne.
Now all we need is Selina and Diana… I almost wonder how you will get out of that one Bruce.
Diana enters in a long flowing red evening gown with King Faraday at her side. The two had become friendly close after the summit in Scandinavia.
It could be nothing, but it is doubtful that Bruce sent the invitations himself so that leaves Alfred's handiwork as usual. Try all you like Pennyworth, but the only way Bruce does anything with Diana is if he is of the mind to do it though her dancing with King could be a motivator.
John arrives with Mari.
It is also the first time many have seen the face of Scott Free though plenty had seen Barda's face already including Clark who had come with Lois.
I'm sure Lois knows she's here with Superman otherwise it might be embarrassing when Barda calls him Kal.
Shayera appears next with both Wally and Beatriz.
Linda Park is crazy about Flash, but of course he is not here as Flash, wonder if he told Linda the secret identity thing though knowing Wally he probably make his usual crack that chicks dig the secret identity thing.
Helena snorts a little as Vic hints to the dance floor so he takes her by the arm and leads her out. It is a winter time waltz that plays as she pulls him closer to her. As they twirl about, Helena notices that Diana and King are dancing in plain view of Bruce who as usual betrays almost no sign of jealousy unless one counts that he is infrequent glances. He appears to be trying to focus on the crowd of women close to him.
The waltz tune ends as the former Iceberg Lounge singer Cheryl Valais sings the number she made famous at the Iceberg. One that Kathy noticeably remembers as she leads Bruce to the floor where he refrains from noticing Diana in the arms of King Faraday.
"You know we never did dance for this one the second time we had a night at the Iceberg," comments Kathy.
"Well the first time, I did think I rubbed you the wrong way about going there considering who owned the place at the time," answers Bruce.
"I was thinking of buying it though I thought you could just easily afford it with your money, the respectable Mr. Wayne buying a nightclub, what a headline sensation that would be."
"If you need extra money for the buy I'd be willing to help you with that."
Diana looks away when hearing them talk about the Iceberg, but of course King doesn't see the connection or consider asking why there is a very slight flush in his date's face.
"You lip reading or reading body language Helena?" probes Vic.
"How did you guess?" teases Helena.
"I know the signs, watch me long enough and you probably got them from me."
"Yeah, you betcha, never can fool you can I?" whispers Helena.
"I also heard that Ricky Navarro is here," murmurs Vic.
"The guy famous for Am I Blue?" giggles Helena.
The song wraps and the guests applaud Valais' performance. Tim Drake is already talking to her, probably asking for an autograph, as if he did not have a few already, but somehow it is not without a cuteness factor.
Vic puts her through a spin after catching strains of a variant of Tango playing and Oliver had come onto the floor with Dinah.
"Time for a few rounds on the floor eh Vic?" jests Oliver.
"You are on Ollie boy," cracks Vic.
Dinah gets a slightly amused look on her face then physically reminds Oliver to watch his footwork. Helena takes the lead away from Vic for the moment though he appears to not mind for the moment until he abruptly takes the lead back and tilts her back before giving her a bit of a sway. She pulls her way back by way of his tie with a mischievous smile on her face.
"Where did you learn that one?"
"Remember my mother was a dancer right?"
"Right, figures you might remember it."
Helena gets the feeling that people are watching them than they are watching Dinah and Oliver. She sharply exhales then turns with her hips facing Vic. Something about them being this close keeps giving her a rise. He twirls her around again as the music changes to something softer more like a piece that is entirely done with pipes, violins, and maybe a piano. They are literally skin against skin except for their evening attire. She intermittently notes the looks that women have on their faces and men casually acknowledge if they are too busy with a drink or a woman on their arm. The instrumental strains finish as she pulls him towards a corner table, her feet did hurt some so she settles into a seat, and he almost instinctively looks as if he senses her next move.
"Not such a bad dancer yourself babydoll," coos Helena.
"Just get lost in the music and stick close to something warm," remarks Vic.
I'd thank your mother if I ever meet her…. Though for now remind me how good you are with your hands.
As he rubs her feet, she occasionally prods him with her toes so he rubs her more above the ankles. She smiles then shifts herself onto his lap and kisses him.
"New lipstick tonight… tastes like strawberries… and kiwi," murmurs Vic.
"You sure you know what you taste don't you?" sighs Helena.
Ricky Navarro is the next act and almost predictably kicks off with Am I Blue.
Bruce is avoiding the looks from many quarters though from Zatanna and Diana in particular.
Barbara and Dick take seats near Helena and Vic.
"Bet that song is causing some embarrassment for Bruce," comments Dick.
"Well he did it sing so that Circe would take the spell off Diana," reminds Barbara.
"Sure Babs… but you ever heard him sing before?" queries Dick.
"You mean Bruce or Batman?" replies Barbara.
"Is there a difference?"
"Could be… but no I never heard him sing before… he hums to himself sometimes though."
"Maybe we should ask Alfred."
The butler makes a stop by the table to offer champagne. Barbara is the quickest to take a glass then Dick follows suit. Helena takes one too, but Vic declines for now.
"You want a sip?" asks Helena.
"Mind telling me the flavor?" probes Vic.
"I'd think its strawberry like, but you're the flavor go-to around here."
Vic sips some and declares that flavor is possibly mixing with the lipstick 'taste'. Helena had after all left lipstick marks on the champagne glass.
"Not that you mind, it is like getting a taste of me with a pinch of champagne too."
"Right…"
He kisses her bare shoulder and she catches herself making a low moan though it sounds more an mmm.
Barbara giggles and Dick puts his hand over his mouth to avoid making an out loud chuckle possibly.
"Sounds like you two would rather be somewhere else," suggests Barbara.
"Plenty of room upstairs though I doubt Bruce would like that," interjects Dick.
Vic almost glares at Dick and Helena just winks at Barbara.
"When you are in love, it doesn't matter if an entire room can say you being affectionate."
"If only Bruce could get over himself then maybe he wouldn't keep restraining himself like he does."
Bruce appears to be asking Diana to dance, which King notices yet allows figuring it is just a dance. Nothing is just anything when you put those two together in a room, but anyone who had been in the League or around them long enough could tell this.
Alfred heads towards the far side of the room where an older gentleman is arriving with a similarly gracefully aged female companion.
"Now who do you imagine that is?" queries Barbara.
"That's just Simon Trent, he played the Gray Ghost. Bruce had all his tapes of the show converted to DVD recently though for novelty it looks like he kept the tapes," answers Dick.
"Who is the pretty lady with him?"
"Kyra Silvis, her family changed their surname when they came to America."
"Never understood why a last name should be such a bother."
Helena notices Vic almost frown at a turn in the conversation.
"Hey baby, something wrong?" whispers Helena.
"I need a breather," murmurs Vic.
She gets off his lap and he slowly walks away as if almost knowing where he is heading though she had no idea where, so she sits back down for a moment.
"You might want to watch what you talk about sometimes."
"I never saw him to be bothered about such things before."
"Maybe he hides it better than you think."
"If he doesn't reappear in a few maybe somebody should check on him."
Helena slides her high heels back on then goes looking for Vic though she stops to ask Alfred something.
"You see where Vic went?"
"I believe he went towards the den, the one that has the portrait that Master Bruce is rather fond of."
She heads towards the suggested room and finds him in there with his tie loosened quite a bit.
"You okay baby?" whispers Helena.
"I never usually like that query, the answer to it is uncertain from one moment to the next, and of course when Grayson was talking about Trent's date…" sighs Vic.
"What about her name," asks Helena
"Last name changes were all too common by the start of the 20th Century, but they happened even before that. If one were forced to change names for the sake of appealing to authority or making pronunciation simpler then what is the value of the name then?" remarks Vic.
"You told me your last name is Sage… that wasn't always your last name was it?"
"My mother told me my real name as a child, but she still told me to answer only to Sage."
"So what is it really then?"
He looks at her curiously for a moment as if deciding something so she let him decide on his own.
"My full name is Charles Victor Szasz. My father was Polish hence Szasz and as for mother she was from Soviet Russia. What exactly happen between them aside from my conception is unknown to me. I was not overly curious because I was more a romantic in my notions about my parents as a kid."
She felt uncertain how to answer him, sometimes he had that effect on people even her, and he moves away from the fire then plops himself down on a sofa that faces the manor's exterior.
"So now you have heard more about my past. Not much of a puzzle anymore."
"Don't sell yourself short baby, you still surprise me. What matters is the man I love, no matter what name he uses for himself."
He rests his head on her shoulder after she sits down next to him.
After awhile she takes his head in her hands and kisses him.
"You feel up to dancing Vic?" asks Helena.
"Back to the ballroom then," answers Vic.
"We can dance anywhere," responds Helena.
"No music in here."
"Wrong again," jests Helena.
She starts singing La Vie En Rose in Italian. It is a slow dance with only the fireplace crackling for illumination. She is glad he is too lost in her singing to notice that Oliver and Dinah briefly passing by after probably noticing their absence from the ballroom.
Such a hidden sensitivity, one wonders how he handles being that way, but it carries a dualism to it. It can be so intoxicating yet fragile especially when something gets to him in ways he appears to have never had to share before.
She continues to hum after finishing the song and he appears to perk up some.
I have rarely seen him unbend though I suppose he doesn't like to be seen in that state and I already had glances of that last year.
"Let's return to the floor."
She smiles and gracefully follows his lead back to the ball room where the couples continue to dance the night away.
Bruce is still on the floor with Diana and King is talking to Shayera who apparently had little luck prying John away from Mari. As for Clark, he has Lois leaning against his broad chest and quite happy with herself.
Wally is in the midst of eating and Beatriz is doing almost the same apparently dancing with the fastest man alive does indeed work up an appetite though Beatriz is almost famous for her knowledge of exotic dances particularly ones that are native to Brazil. She is rumored to be a fan of the rumba and the mambo, which is more famously known for the Caribbean Islands.
Helena giggles when hearing the new song, which is from a movie that Dinah told her about, something called The Wedding Date. She found the plot amusing in that the woman found herself falling for a man she hired to be her date to her younger sister's wedding. It was definitely a relationship charged film if she understood Dinah's synopsis. Helena had gone to Dinah for help getting ready for the ball, not that she did not think she could prep herself alone, but in a way the two had become close friends in the past few months aside from wasting Roulette's operation in Bludhaven.
She slightly shifts her hips as if aiming to entice Vic to grab them on the way out to the dance floor. His spirits appear to be lifting as the music blocks out everything except the dance. She almost hears herself panting as they get intimate by body to body contact in the dance.
"You don't have to hold it all in anymore, if we are going to be honest or as honest as we can, nothing must be held back because you have been there for me… so let me do the same," whispers Helena.
He spins her around and pulls her in close again.
"The questions I don't answer. The things I don't say to you. I am almost always certain shouldn't be seen or heard, but usually in giving myself over to the questions and their tangents… I can forget myself until something triggers to pull me back into my own skin… reminds me again," murmurs Vic.
She forces his hands to her hips and he grabs them gently.
"I'm not going anywhere. I have already said that before and I still mean it. I love you, you are the best thing to happen to me in a long time. I went after you last year because I wasn't willing to accept losing you after you saved me."
He nuzzles her and tightly holds her by the waist.
"I was prepared to relentlessly pursue what tangents had come to me especially ones regarding Cadmus, but what I could never prepare for, not anticipate, always had to do with you. Sure Bruce got on my case about it and I would more then certainly bring up Diana yet unlike him I wasn't willing to…"
She kisses him before he can finish, but in a way the kissing is again the affirmation of an answer.
"To let all this get in the way of the feelings I couldn't control, couldn't make go away because eventually I found there are things you can't deny just because it would be hard to deal with what happens because of it. "
She leans against him knowing this is one of his romantic moments.
The Ball comes to a close in the early hours of the following morning. Guests had been departing since before midnight, but they kept to the floor until almost one.
Wally, Beatriz, Clark, and Lois all left between midnight and one.
Mari leaves before two though John is hesitant to leave apparently. He claims he had to talk to Bruce or so Helena heard him say though he is probably looking to talk to Shayera.
He doesn't see that she is standing under mistletoe hidden by an overhanging party decoration. She lays one on him almost unexpectedly. She didn't really want to wonder how long John would remain caught between two women, but clearly his feelings for Shayera remain despite what Shayera would call confusing declarations.
However she seems unlikely to wait him out for much longer, but love as always makes people do strange things. Many were almost too drunk to realize what they were doing at this hour of the morning, which would probably account for why Shayera dares to kiss him and why he doesn't exactly resist her kissing him. Inhibitions usually don't get in Helena's way anymore yet falling in love with Vic had taught her much about herself.
Bruce offers to put any remaining guests up for the rest of the weekend as a blizzard is starting outside now. It is possible to teleport out, but Terrific radios that there are no guarantees for the effectiveness of beaming, which leaves John stuck here in the same house with Shayera and the same goes for Bruce with Diana.
"Looks like they can't get away from each other now," snorts Helena.
"Maybe not physically, but emotionally they have been distant except occasionally something intrudes on them. Memories, caresses, the kisses, and more are all part of this intensity that we subscribe to as part of love," comments Vic.
Jason and Zatanna were also staying the weekend since that is how long the blizzard is expected to last. The majority of the other guests had left before the snow had begun to come down heavier, which it did in the last hour or so.
Helena notices Vic watching the storm as a child might be looking forward to holiday gifts, but then at times she had seen a youthful wonder in his expressions or his eyes.
"I don't think I have ever seen anyone show such fascination with a blizzard," comments Shayera.
"He does that, things about him seem perplexing at first, but he grows on you," remarks Dinah.
"His compassion can never be in doubt yet one never knows how he'll express it," says Diana.
"Makes you wonder why some other men don't take cues from him," murmurs Zatanna.
Helena almost finds it puzzling that the women sound envious of her or maybe just admiring him.
Bruce reappears to guide Diana, Zatanna, and Jason to their rooms by way of flashlight since the power is fluctuating with the blizzard. However the manor does have backup generators for emergencies as well as an independent heating system that kicks in if the mains go down from the cold.
Dick leads Shayera, John, and Barbara to their rooms while Tim directs Dinah and Oliver.
Alfred has already gone to bed.
As for Helena, she would sleep anywhere in the manor tonight as long as Vic is nearby.
The pair cozies up in one of the ground floor guest rooms and Helena stays as close as she can to him.
It will be a long emotionally full weekend with this many personalities at Wayne Manor, but somehow she thought Alfred would probably love the company not that Bruce is emotionally boring yet Alfred is a sociable butler, he enjoys varied company.
The only exceptions tend to be when people bring harm to his doorstep, but even so there needs to be a refuge from the unapologetic and the unforgiving elements of existence.
"You gonna undress before bed?" asks Helena softly.
"I'd almost ask you the same, but we know where that leads, don't we?" replies Vic suggestively.
She puts one of her heels between his legs then slides it off before pulling up her other leg to remove the second heeled shoe. Next she loosens his tie before pulling it away from the collar. He hikes up her dress, which when down comes to just below her knees. He follows up by unhooking straps that keep her stockings in place, which she answers by pulling his belt out. She notes how much she enjoys his apparent slowness, but this is always how they did things, in steps, for there is no need to rush even when time is passing them by.
She smiles in the darkness of the bedroom as she hears his fingers rolling up her stockings. The stockings join the pile as does his shirt and her dress shortly after. There is little left to take off except like another night months ago both tiredly fall into bed making sleepy gestures at physical intimacy between the sheets.
The next morning everyone is playing in the snow except Alfred, Bruce, Diana, Jason, and Vic.
Helena tries to elicit Vic to join them though he says he prefers to watch for now. She lets it go as it feels like enough that he is at least out here with them. There is still comfort to have him close at hand.
Shayera is painfully accurate with snowballs plus many are insistent that John refrain from using the ring even when people keep pelting him in particular.
"C'mon Diana, you are missing out," calls Shayera.
"I don't see a point," remarks Diana.
"There really isn't one… except maybe have fun," responds Dinah.
Helena and Zatanna encourage her to join in the fun.
Vic finds Bruce talking to him for once about something other than work directly.
"Simon Trent and one of his former co-stars were in attendance last night."
"Yes I know, Kyra Silvis.... her character was Viola Satis aka Velvet Vixen..."
"Dick seems under the impression that something was bothering you."
"Mind your own problems Bruce. I can take of mine."
"Fair enough Vic…"
"So what did Montoya tell you about the Grant murder?"
Bruce exhales, the cold shows his breathe, and the two take seats on covered patio chairs.
"Aside from this idea that it had to be someone of equal or greater strength to knock Grant out the window is the first thing he brought to my attention. She did relate also that you were at the scene, but she told me that in confidence since Bullock didn't see you."
"I didn't intend to give myself away at all, but she's good like that. You can't slip much pass her."
"I'm usually not enthused to see Bullock either, but that aside, she admits to be being baffled by the scene. In her words, it felt staged, whoever did it did kill him, but the apartment ransacking was meant to throw off the police."
"That is if we both decide rather than appear to choose to believe it is an incidental death."
"She seemed under the impression that you felt it was a premeditated killing."
"Grant had quite a few criminal underworld enemies including Moretti for starters, but the fact that someone sent Lawton after Atom and Plastique means someone else is calling the shots."
"The two could be unrelated, don't go thinking there's another Cadmus caliber threat again."
"That was enough of a nightmare to last a lifetime twice over."
Bruce lessens the intensity of his demeanor as he spots two snowballs hurdling towards him and Vic.
"You might want to watch out… playful women with snowballs."
"Right, like they would do that... "
Two snowballs pelt Bruce's sweater.
Together they try to make snowballs of their own except now everybody in the yard is throwing snowballs at them.
"Just like old times."
"I hate old times."
"Least this got you out of that cave."
"You sound rather positive now."
"You grin like a Cheshire cat."
"That a smile I am seeing on your face?"
"Just get snowballs and fast."
"Whatever you say Vic."
The snowballs are flying about again as Alfred returns with a tray of hot cocoa.
"My word… I haven't seen Master Bruce play in the snow since…."
He puts the tray down and rubs the corner of his eye.
Shayera mischievously sends a spread of snowballs at John and Barbara follows suit with her own pair pattering against Dick. Dinah and Oliver face off against Helena and Vic.
Diana lost her footing and starts squirming to get back to her feet except she left a rather haphazard impression of angel wings in the snow. Bruce is in midst of admiring it when he takes a snowball straight to the jaw. At first he looks furious though instead starts making more of his own to toss at Diana.
After awhile everyone heads back under the veranda's overhang as the snow starts up again.
"Now this is what I call cocoa," declares Helena.
"Perhaps you'd like the recipe then Miss Bertinelli," suggests Alfred.
"Maybe, but I doubt it would do justice to yours."
"Thank you… still you could try if you like."
"Another time perhaps."
"Another time then."
Alfred heads back inside to get more cocoa presumably and Helena cozies up to Vic with a blanket over their legs.
"Used to not like holidays for a long time after my parents were killed," murmurs Helena.
"Any change in that belief lately?" asks Vic.
"Do I have to spell it out for you?" whispers Helena.
"No, but few ever think to ask the question," chuckles Vic.
Dinah giggles and gags a bit on her cocoa as she overhears that last part.
"Did you just make fun of yourself Vic?" jests Oliver.
"Maybe I did, but it is a different world under these snowflakes."
Oliver takes a seat near them and Dinah purposely sits on the side that's facing Helena.
"You want your leg warmers Helena?" asks Vic.
"Yes if you don't mind getting them," answers Helena.
"You got an extra pair?" queries Dinah.
"I do, never know when you might need in this weather," remarks Barbara.
Oliver gets to his feet as if anticipating Dinah asking him to get the extra pair from Barbara. She doesn't ask because he is already heading after Barbara. Oliver and Vic won't cross paths inside because the rooms they slept in last night are in different parts of the manor as the ladies see them walking off in different directions once inside.
"Last night was fun, I practically almost consider you the closest thing I have to a friend," says Helena.
"Likewise, I'd still win in a fight though, but that aside, it was fun," remarks Dinah.
"Not like a sparring match between us proves anything, if you'll remember we call a tie."
"Right well one of these days we could try again, but that's not so necessary."
"I think we also have dance experience in common."
"All in the footwork and I tell you that Vic is full of surprises, not unlike Ollie at times."
"You mean that fake death stunt at the first Metabrawl when he fought Wildcat in your stead?"
Dinah trembles slightly, but not from the cold entirely.
"Yeah, I actually thought Ted had killed him, he used one of those stun arrows to make it look convincing. It scared me badly, I remember crying thinking he was dead, called him stupid, but sweet then he started speaking when the stun wore off…"
"Guess Ted got the point after he thought he killed Oliver. For me the eye opener scare was the tipping point of that mixer with Luthor and Cadmus. When I found for sure that Cadmus had him, I wasn't holding back at all, but I forced myself to remember…"
"The night the four of us squared off because of Mandragora. I know I sounded disgusted at you kissing a man who had no apparent face. I didn't think too highly of either you that night. My opinion about you didn't really change until we both got mixed up in Roulette's Glamor Slam scheme…"
"Vic was actually the one that gave me the starting point to figure out something was wrong. He admitted he just handed his findings off to me so that I could investigate it; solve it on my own…"
"He did that… I was kind of surprised the guys took so long to get down there except Vic wasn't with them. We all didn't see him until after and in the manor's library of all places too…"
Helena mischievously smiles remembering that he said he had the guys taste the mystery flavor.
"When I was first following you the night we shut down Roulette's new Metabrawl. He apparently was snooping around inside a Baskin Robbins factory. He made it sound like he made a pretty significant discovery."
"What he did find?"
"He was talking a secret ice cream flavor, one that nobody had supposedly tasted yet…"
"The four of them minus Vic did show up together at the same time…"
"I think he might have given some to them…"
"They did appear to be acting funny even for them…"
"Flash split off with Fire to the Watchtower… she was rather affectionate towards Flash…"
"Shayera told me Flash… Wally… has a crush on Fire even though Linda Park has a crush on Flash…"
"I trust I wasn't the only one to see Giganta kiss Flash…"
"Sometimes he has that effect on other women…"
Both women laugh and feel glad Wally isn't here to hear them talk about him.
"What are you two laughing about?" asks Shayera.
"Clark would have heard you and if it were Bruce he could have lip read it," comments Diana.
"Just a friendly chat more or less about when the guys showed up after…" replies Dinah.
"After we took down Roulette and that despicable game of hers…" finishes Helena.
"Quite a workout, took awhile to get rid of the pulls and the spasms," continues Shayera.
"I couldn't feel much difference, but then I recover faster than any of you," adds Diana.
"Speak for your self I had aches in places I thought almost nigh impossible to pull plus the burns I got from fighting with Beatriz. I felt mortified when I saw her sprawled in that cell across from ours."
"We still owe Helena here for initiating the breakout," insists Diana.
Praise from Wonder Woman, now that's a first, but even she had to admit that mind control is a hard thing to break away from when it was that total.
"We also owe Vic for putting her on the trail even though there's still female intuition too," reminds Shayera.
Together we did it, but its nice to give him some credit at least.
"So why was he not with them?" asks Diana
"He said he felt like I could handle the case alone for starters," answers Helena.
"The experience changed what I thought of Helena and we have become friends since then."
It was a known story within the League to a degree that Black Canary and Huntress were at best almost rivals to start off with after both became a part of the expanded roster. The further story is that Helena was ejected from the League yet still managed to find where Arrow and Canary were as the two were League representatives aiding King Faraday's detail assigned to Steven Mandragora.
"What you did to break him out of Cadmus is also something that's been discussed among the Founders. Superman in retrospect found it to be rather romantic when he heard about your relationship with Question," remarks Diana.
"Did Batman have anything to say on the subject too?" probes Helena.
"He knows about it, but as usual he is very tight lipped about League relationships. He has this deal with dating within the League, but that doesn't apply to you," remarks Shayera.
"Besides Ollie and I have made it work so one wonders why he's so non-plus about relationships within the League," continues Dinah.
Vic and Oliver are heading back towards them so the other women move off just before the men are back with their ladies.
"Not the best fit, but it'll do. It takes away some of the chill that's good."
"They aren't the only way to keep back the cold, but still a toasty standby all the while."
Alfred reappears a third time to announce that brunch is ready now.
The gathering heads inside except for Helena who takes a parting looking at the falling snowflakes. She leans over the railing and catches some in her mouth. Vic noticing she Is still outside heads back and puts an arm around her waist from behind.
"I believe Pennyworth is expecting us to join the brunch," suggests Vic.
"Yes, I just haven't seen this much snow in years," replies Helena.
As they walk back into the warmer manor and towards the dining room she thinks for a moment of Ted.
"You remember what Ted said about both of us separately," asks Helena.
"Almost impossible to forget at this time, called both of us nut jobs," responds Vic.
"Love isn't sane, make us do crazy things you know that babydoll?" jests Helena.
"What Ted called nuts, I call eccentricity, which I think is the part of the charm," remarks Vic.
It is a far more intimate atmosphere with only a handful of them sharing brunch instead of an entire ballroom like the night before.
"Seriously you should give Alfred a raise Bruce," insists Barbara.
"I think he is happy with the current arrangement," replies Bruce.
"Maybe you should ask him?" suggests Dick.
"My service to this house has never a question of money Master Richard," comments Alfred.
"You really are the only person to still call me that after all these years."
"I was never totally fond of the nickname though I occasionally catch myself saying it."
"By the way where is Master Timothy?"
Tim arrives a moment later and still looking like he had been out in the snow with his snowboard.
"Seriously when that road is covered in snow its better than a ski slope.'
"I trust you have an appetite to match your sporting fun in the snow."
"You betcha I do, all looks good, take a seat, you should eat with us today."
"I really must be getting to lunch preparations."
"You sure you don't want join us?"
"Maybe just this once, but I must make sure the kitchen is sorted first."
Alfred leaves the dining room to check on the kitchen.
"What made you ask him to join us?" asks Diana.
"He's family and besides it's the holidays," answers Tim.
Diana is smiling at Tim and then grins at Bruce for obvious reasons. Alfred returns and takes a vacant seat near Tim.
Glad we are stuck under one roof in a blizzard and just maybe crime will take the holidays off too. Best holiday experience I have had in a long time and there really are gifts that keep giving.
Helena forks a strawberry, puts it in her mouth, and pulls Vic towards her as they are sitting side by side. His mouth is already half open as he is about to attempt eat some pancakes though her coming at him with a strawberry between her lips is unexpected. Both of them bite down, chew some, and swallow before she gives him a kiss.
Barbara snickers, Diana holds in a laugh, and Dinah smiles while making that kind of positive head shake.
Tim heard it, but didn't see it.
Alfred is too busy munching on some waffles to make any kind of response, but he saw it.
Bruce and Oliver look at each other then go back to eating more to avoid the looks that some of the women are giving them.
Everyone goes back to eating, but of course nobody who saw what Helena did could forget it especially not Vic with him on the receiving end of a strawberry sharing.
"Mercy Graves officially takes charge of Lexcorp in the wake of Lex Luthor's latest disappearance in the wake of the fourth Apokolipitian incursion. The company appears to have been on the rebound until Luthor engineered a conflict between the Justice League and the American Government."
Channel surfing is vaguely boring even for Helena, but the reveal that Mercy is back in the top spot of her again former boss' company is unsurprisingly. Like last time she is the only person that Lex would trust to keep the company afloat in his absence.
"A new appointment to Lexcorp is Maxwell Lord. Lord despite the Ultimen Incident remains a notable figure in the business world, but of course speculation arises as to why Graves has picked someone like Lord to join what can be called almost her company. She kept it from completely crashing while Luthor did time for various crimes prior to his apparent reform."
Graves could run the company without Lord, so could both gain by this alliance, but even so why be curious about that? Terrific I am having a Question moment while watching the news.
"Lexcorp stocks are on the rebound tonight. Lord always draws a likeable public image and he is good with finances though it could just as easily be marketing given the Ultimen run even though its been revealed they were genetically engineered as a counter measure to the Justice League."
Vic plops down next to her though he likely overheard the news anchors. The woman did sound rather proud of Mercy though had shown an annoyance that she would bring Lord into the mix. As for the man, he almost did sound proud of Lord's return to the business world yet seems uneasy about who he will be working for now.
"So what do you make Graves and Lord working together?" asks Vic.
"Graves knows the inner workings of Lexcorp, but the hearings have put her in the hot seat as to how much she knew about Luthor's deception as well as his ploys to ruin the League. Cadmus could have him step in as an observer to monitor her. However she could have also independently chosen him to help restore the company's reputation," answers Helena.
"Both plausible, but something else might also be at work with that situation."
She drags him away from the television after turning it off.
The blizzard shows no signs of letting up, but she doesn't mind being stuck here because he is with her.
A/N 1: Simon Trent appears in BtAS Beware the Gray Ghost. His brief cameo is a nod to Hollis Mason/Nite Owl I. Kyra Silvis, Viola Satis and Velvet Vixen were made up by me. She's something a nod to Sally Juspeczyk/Silk Spectre I, except she succeeds as actress where Sally did not.
A/N 2: Helena discovers Vic knows a bit about dancing too and she also gets a taste of him being truly vulnerable around her. Likewise they have more than a few tender and intimate moments while stuck at Wayne Manor during a December blizzard.
A/N 3: Details, visuals, .... tasteful yet elegant... I try to be imaginative about how the women dress up on this occasion especially Helena.
A/N 4: Mercy Graves goes back to running Lexcorp except now she's got Maxwell Lord to contend with and as for the exact nature of this corporate partnership... only time will tell.
