Huntress shivered and pulled her thick cape tighter around her trembling frame. A loving smirk quirked the corner of her mouth as she remembered Question's thoughtful gift; a fleece cape for the tough winter months. She'd forgone her typical two-piece suit, instead opting for a full body thermal suit with heated boots. Helena had quickly learned not to take her chances in the cold after her first winter as a vigilante.
The heroine shook her head slightly, shielding her eyes against the light snowfall as she sped as fast as she was comfortable on the icy road. She was about two minutes out from the coordinates her boyfriend had sent her, still unclear about what exactly she was walking into. Question had sent her some coordinates with a message about a potential disturbance, accompanied by a static-y informative review that she couldn't make out. Their comm links were severely impacted by the weather; even the Justice League couldn't call up to Watchtower with the impending storm. With a flash of concern, Huntress hoped she made it back to her apartment before the predicted blizzard hit the city.
With a screech, Helena skidded to a stop in front of an abandoned warehouse about 20 minutes outside city limits. She stepped off the bike, reluctantly taking her helmet off and feeling the frigid winter air hit her now exposed ears. The vigilante shivered, colder somehow now that she'd stopped moving. She hoped this turned out to be nothing; the heroine was looking forward to curling up in her warm bed with a hot chocolate.
Huntress crept forward to the door that was hanging slightly ajar, hand hovered over the crossbow holstered in her utility belt. The surrounding forest was eerily quiet, which did nothing to ease the purple-clad vigilante's nerves. With a slight inhale, Huntress pushed the door open, revealing an obviously abandoned pop-up lab setting. There was broken glass scattered over the floor, stools tipped over as if their occupants left in a hurry. A few computers with smashed external hard drives rested on the skewed tables along the walls of the small warehouse, accompanied by various vials of corked chemicals.
After a quick scan, Huntress decided that the place was abandoned. She snapped a few photos with her duty phone for Question, knowing she wouldn't be able to send them to him until the storm passed through. The heroine crept through the lab, wary of any potential threats.
BOOM!
The walls of the building shook and Huntress flinched, whirling around to face the back door of the building. Some sort of explosion had rocked the outside of the warehouse, causing some of the chemicals to roll off the table and crash on to the floor, colored corrosive liquid spreading all over the dusty floor. Helena grimaced as she lightly hopped over the puddles to peek out the back door, worried about what she might see on the other side.
The white brightness momentarily startled the heroine as she opened the door. She sunk into a defensive stance, expecting an initial attack at any moment. As her vision adapted, she could make out three figures fighting about a tenth of a mile from the rear of the building. One figure was a giant hulking mass of muscle and fur, clenching a large automatic machine gun in its grasp. Grodd. The second figure was much less menacing and Helena could have identified the bright red suit and bulky epulettes from a mile away. Sonar. The third figure was lithe and clad in all dark clothing, leaping acrobatically between the two villains while getting a few good hits in. A flash of blonde hair immediately made the Huntress's heart quicken. Canary.
The blonde was fighting the two villains on the edge of a frozen pond and Huntress was genuinely impressed that none of them had slipped on the icy grass. After her brief analysis of the situation, she realized that though Canary was giving it her all, her moves were growing more desperate as exhaustion set in. Sonar was relatively easy to incapacitate, but as soon as Canary would knock him down, Grodd would be on the offensive before she could land the final blow. She was dodging swinging gorilla fists and random sonic blasts, growing weaker as the elements and exhaustion set in.
Huntress snapped out of her reverie when she saw Grodd's particularly hard swing connect with the Canary's jaw, knocking her backwards into a tree trunk. The heroine hit the bark with a sickening thud, sliding to the ground in a crumpled heap. Helena inhaled sharply, unsure if the blonde was still conscious, until the Canary struggled to push herself up. Her blonde hair hung tousled around her pale face, head lolling as she struggled not to lose consciousness.
A spark of concerned rage burned in Helena's stomach as she suddenly found herself running to the heroine's aid. "Nice day for a beatdown, right guys?" She smirked, hearing the satisfying crunch of her boot connecting with Sonar's face as she leaped into the fray.
Grodd roared and whirled to face her. Good - she drew attention away from the injured Canary - but now she had bigger problems. Her primary focus was taking out Sonar, since one villain was easier to handle than two. She quickly landed a punch to the sonic villain's jaw, watching him slump to the side, unconscious. Helena had no time to celebrate before Grodd was swinging his large fists, narrowly missing her shoulder as she did a back handspring to avoid his blow. She risked a quick glance at the Canary, glimpsing her clamber to her feet with a grimace. leaning heavily on the tree for support.
Glad that the blonde was "okay" for the time being, Helena flipped back towards the other heroine, figuring that their combined acrobatic martial arts could incapacitate the gorilla in no time. "Need a hand, Canary?" She asked flippantly, concern coloring her tone.
The blonde grinned at her, setting her jaw with determination. "Thanks, Helena." She replied, sinking into a fighting stance.
The gorilla roared, charging towards Dinah with his teeth bared. The Canary smiled, almost taunting the brute, before springing out of the way at the last second , allowing the primate to careen into the thick tree trunk headfirst. The creature howled, slumping to the ground, dazed and nearly unconscious from the hit.
"Nice one, Canary!" Helena fist pumped at their quick work of the villains.
The blonde pulled out a set of large cuffs from her leather jacket pocket, slowly approaching the dazed gorilla. Her hands trembled immensely as she cuffed his large wrists. Both heroines sighed in relief when the beast made no effort to attack them.
"Th-that should h-hold him..." Dinah said with finality, teeth chattering viciously.
Concerned, Helena turned to the blonde who was clad in her normal leggings and signature leather jacket. Full body shivers wracked the heroines small frame and she was unable to conceal the chattering of her teeth. Her skin was so pale she almost blended into the white backdrop of the forest, especially considering the snowfall had increased. Large flakes drifted listlessly down, covering both heroine's shoulders with a thin, white blanket.
"Aren't you cold, Canary?" Helena asked in a teasing tone, but the underlying worry in her voice caused her friend to avert her gaze.
"I-I'm okay." She offered in return, flashing the vigilante a bright smile.
Helena rolled her eyes. "That's a lie and we both know it. Come on, let's get these guys detained so we can go warm up and-"
"Helena LOOK OUT!"
Before Huntress could process what was happening, she felt a desperate shove, sending her stumbling back into the snowbank behind her. Irritated, she opened her mouth to shout before being deafened by the sonic blast of Sonar's weapon. She glimpsed the intense beam hitting the Canary square in the chest... right where Helena had been standing. Huntress's heart turned to ice... it should've been her, but Canary pushed her out of the way. Before she could blink, Dinah was thrown backwards by the blast. In horror, Helena could only watch in fear as her friend crashed through the ice in the pond, sinking into the frigid water with nothing more than a light splash.
Panicking, Huntress sent an arrow in Sonar's direction without thinking, hearing him yelp as the weapon was thrown out of his grasp and shattered once hitting a rock. Helena didn't have time to apprehend him; the Canary hadn't resurfaced. She skidded to a stop on the shore of the pond, looking at the hole that the blonde had fallen through.
"No no no no no no no..." Helena whispered frantically, desperately scanning the white surface of the pond for any sign of life.
What if the Canary had been knocked unconscious by the blast? Or if the water was so cold that she couldn't swim to the surface? Or what if she was trapped beneath the ice? Should Huntress jump in to help her or would that just result in both of them getting hurt... or worse? Should she-
Helena's racing thoughts were interrupted by an intense vibration emanating from below her feet. The ice on the surface of the pond cracked, deep fissures allowing the separate pieces to separate and break apart. Bubbles rose to the surface a few feet in front of Helena...
Her Canary Cry! Huntress realized, slightly proud of her friend's quick thinking. She shoved the thought of Dinah's probably desperation out of her mind and instead focused on where she'd seen the bubbles rise. The only thing she could think to do was to send her grappling hook into the water, hoping that Dinah was still conscious and capable enough to grab hold of it.
Sending a small prayer to whoever was listening, Helena shot her grappling hook into the water near where the bubbles had risen, waiting for any kind of tug. She felt a slight bump as the line reached the bottom... trying not to panic when she didn't feel any other movement.
Ten seconds went by, which felt like an eternity to the Huntress. Her blood roared in her ears as she mentally prepared to dive in after her friend, until suddenly, she felt a weak pull on the line. Immediately, almost as if she was was fishing, Huntress yanked the grappling line up, reeling the hook back in and hoping that the Canary could hang on. For a few stressful moments, the water remained still, almost peaceful as Helena held her breath.
Suddenly, Helena saw a pale hand break the surface of the water, weakly curled around the grappling line. The vigilante let out a choked sob of relief and continued reeling, letting the grappling apparatus fall to the ground as soon as Dinah's body had reached the shore. The heroine rushed to her friend, gasping at the cold water licking at her hands as she grabbed Dinah's limp form and dragged her on shore. They both collapsed into a large snowbank, Helena panting from the severe shock of the cold and the stressful exertion of dragging her waterlogged friend from beneath the frigid water. She rolled over and scanned the blonde's body... coming to a horrific realization...
The Canary wasn't breathing.
Huntress gasped and immediately rolled her friend to her back, glimpsing the blonde's white, blue-tinged face. Helena pressed on the Canary's chest hard, trying to force the water from her friend's lungs.
"Come on, Canary, stay with me. Come on, just breathe for me..." She begged under her breath as her compressions continued.
Finally, the blonde's eyes flew open and she quickly sat up, coughing and spluttering as she expelled the water from her lungs. Helena fell back in surprise and relief, feeling frozen tears track down her cheeks. Dinah's body heaved for a few moments as she desperately gasped for air, before her glassy blue eyes began to roll back into her head. The Canary began to fall backwards, body going limp as the trauma of what had just occurred set in. Helena quickly moved to encircle the heroine's torso in her strong arms, cradling the blonde's head in her lap. She brushed the damp blonde strands that were already beginning to freeze out of her friend's face, noting that Dinah seemed to be fighting for consciousness. Her head lolled back against Huntress's thighs and full body shivers wracked her tense frame. Her breaths were shaky and gurgling, as if she was struggling to inhale through the remaining water in her lungs. Her skin was pale white, her lips and cheeks tinged blue from the cold or lack of oxygen... Helena couldn't be sure.
Relieved but achingly worried, Helena attempted to call out to her friend. "Dinah? Can you hear me?" She ran her fingers through the frozen blonde strands in an attempt to rouse and comfort the heroine in her arms.
The Canary's dazed blue eyes flitted listlessly before finally settling on the Huntress. Her pupils dilated, then narrowed, then dilated again, as if the heroine was struggling to focus. "He-l-na..." The blonde slurred weakly, teeth chattering slightly against her will.
Huntress chuckled slightly. "I'm here, Canary. How do you feel?" She asked worriedly, not expecting a coherent answer.
Canary's brow furrowed slightly as ragged gasps tore through her aching throat. "Ti-red... you- 'kay?" Her eyelids fluttered as if just forming those barely intelligible syllables had exhausted the heroine.
Helena gaped at the woman in her arms. "Kid, you just got thrown through a frozen lake and you're asking if I'm okay?"
Dinah made a halfhearted shrugging motion, eyelids drooping. "W'ried... Vil'ns..."
Huntress glanced at her friend fondly. "Sweetie, I'm more worried about you... I'm sure Grodd and Sonar escaped by now..." Considering that they hadn't been attacked and the only evidence of them being there was the quickly disappearing snow silhouettes, Huntress figured they'd made a run for it. She didn't care as long as the blonde in her arms was safe.
The Canary's eyelids drifted shut. "'m ti-red..." She slurred weakly, the shivers wracking her body growing slightly less intense as her consciousness dimmed.
"No no no!" Huntress panicked, shaking the blonde by the shoulders. She immediately felt guilty upon hearing Dinah's pained yelp. "Don't fall asleep, Dinah, okay? I need you to stay with me."
The Canary's brow knitted in concentration and she fought valiantly against the pull of unconsciousness. "-kay." She murmured breathlessly, the shivers returning full force.
Helena sighed, knowing that they didn't have much time. The snowfall was getting worse the longer they remained on scene, signaling the impending blizzard. Helena knew that the Canary needed medical attention; she figured that they only had a few minutes before she became hypothermic and she could hear the remaining water in the blonde's lungs. They needed to go... and fast. She could tell Dinah was fighting it as much as she could, but her eyelids fluttered with every breath.
Helena quickly hatched a plan. She reached up to unclip her cape, immediately missing the warmth it provided, and wrapped it around the Canary, who didn't even flinch. Huntress fought down her concern and prepared to lift her friend. She slid one arm around Dinah's back to lift from her shoulderblades and the other arm curled beneath her friend's knees. The Canary was completely out of it, not reacting whatsoever as the Huntress lifted her into her arms.
Helena let out a sharp gasp. She was shocked at how cold the Canary was to the touch, the cold water causing Huntress to freeze in her movements momentarily, only adding to her view of the dire situation. Helena was also shocked at how light the blonde was; obviously the Canary was slim, but she was practically weightless in Helena's grasp. Concerned, Huntress quickly walked towards her motorcycle, her friend's full body shivers increasing her pace.
"Hey, Dinah, you still with me, sweetie?" Huntress asked, taking comfort in the regular, yet gasping wet breaths of her pseudo-rival.
The Canary attempted to speak but, even with her head pillowed on Helena's chest, her teeth chattered too much to allow her to speak clearly. She let out a choked keening noise before silencing herself, curling into Helena's arms unconsciously.
"Alright, Canary, we're gonna get you home, don't worry. I've got you, I promise." The Huntress vowed, sitting on her bike and adjusting the Canary so that her head was pillowed on Helena's collarbone and her shivering frame rested against her torso.
Without a second thought, Helena sped off back towards the city as fast as she could safely go. The world was an absolute blinding white, the wind howling in Huntress's ears as she sped as fast as she dared. The snowfall was heavier now, so Huntress could barely see the road in front of her, snow covering everything in a deadly white blanket. When she could, Helena would risk a glance at the Canary, who was limp against her torso, eyelids fluttering weakly as she fought against the overwhelming pull of unconsciousness.
"Hey, Canary, it'll be okay... shhhhh I got you... stay with me, sweetie... that's it..." Helena murmured absently, attempting halfheartedly to keep her friend awake.
Eventually, the snowfall was too intense for Huntress to see clearly. Her motorcycle slid dangerously on the road as she careened past the city limit sign, back into town. Helena wasn't even sure she was still on the road. Terrified, she pulled to a stop, breath hitching as she struggled to decide what to do.
Canary needed medical attention; her gurgling gasps and weakening shivers making Helena's heart clench in concern, but the hospital was on the opposite side of town. The wind screamed in her ears, almost taunting her to dare the trip. Huntress was worried that they wouldn't make it that far. The sky had darkened and the snow now whipped against her face angrily. The vigilante didn't even know if they'd make it to her apartment that was only a few blocks away. She shook her head vigorously, dispelling the thoughts, glancing down at the shivering heroine in her arms, only to see two glassy blue eyes staring dazedly back at her.
"'m... o-kay..." The Canary chattered weakly, breath rattling in her chest. "L'me... he-help y-you..." She slurred, head lolling against Helena's collarbone as her consciousness faded in and out.
Tears sprang to Helena's eyes and her heart clenched at her friend's strength. Even though she'd been beaten and thrown into a frozen pond, completely exhausted from the cold and using her Cry, she still begged to help the Huntress to safety. In that moment, Helena decided to go back to her apartment, worried that despite her bravado, the blonde may not have much longer. Helena struggled to turn the key of her motorcycle, half upset that her sputtering engine wouldn't start and half unsurprised considering the temperature. She refused to become desperate, instead steeling her resolve and glancing at the Canary's trembling form.
"Canary... hey, can you look at me?" Helena asked softly, watching as her friend's eyes roved over the entire sky before finally dazedly meeting her own. "Hey, sweetie, I need your help."
The knot inside Helena's stomach grew tighter, hoping that the Canary was up to the task for both of their sakes. Helena could feel her fingertips growing numb, the cold threatening to seep past her thermal costume. She knew that she couldn't carry the Canary the several blocks back to her apartment. Though the woman was practically weightless, Helena knew that her exhausted muscles would give out before they reached the apartment. She hated asking the frozen blonde for this, but knew it was their only hope.
Dinah nodded weakly, eyelids fluttering slightly more open.
Huntress sighed. "Okay, Dinah, we've gotta get out of this snow. We're gonna go back to my apartment, sweetie. I should be taking you to a hospital but I don't think we'll make it with this weather." Helena recognized the flash of understanding in Dinah's eyes, followed by the slight incline of her blonde head. "Do you think you can try to walk with me for a little while?"
The blonde took a moment to process Huntress's words, before a resolved expression overtook her face. The set of the Canary's jaw was all the answer that Helena needed. Her relief was short-lived, though, as the Canary's full body shivers soon brought her back to the present.
"Alright, sweetie, I've got you..." Helena murmured as she held the Canary to her chest. The purple-clad vigilante swung her legs off the bike, standing up slowly with the blonde in her arms.
Dinah's eyes began to roll back into her head at the change in position and she slumped heavily against Helena for support.
Helena quickly realized the Canary's plight and gathered her closer, helping to hold her upright. "Stay with me, Dinah... that's it..." She praised as the Canary's pained blue eyes opened again.
Desperation began to set in as Helena realized how dire this situation truly was. They were stranded outside in the beginnings of this blizzard, with no way to contact Question or the rest of the Justice League for help. The Canary was likely hypothermic and only had a short window before her body completely gave out on her, and Helena knew that if she stayed in the cold for too long as well, they'd both be screwed. She pulled the other heroine closer, determination setting in.
"C-C'n d-do it..." Canary assured weakly, standing up straighter with the Huntress's help.
"Here we go..." Helena whispered, taking her first step into the wind.
Canary stumbled alongside her, trying her hardest to remain upright in her dazed, exhausted state. Her breaths hitched and gurgled as they pushed forward, and she murmured the following as almost a mantra. "'m s-rry..."
Every apology made the Huntress's heart break a little bit more. As they stumbled further into the city, the cold began to take hold of her, her steps becoming almost as stiff and ungraceful as the Canary's. She fought down her panic when she realized that the Canary's shivers were weakening, barely trembling against her side. Her gasps had become deeper and more desperate, as if she couldn't get enough oxygen, and her litany of apologies had become more infrequent, as if she was barely clinging to consciousness.
"H-Hel-na?" The blonde gasped weakly as they rounded the penultimate corner.
Confused, but not slowing, Huntress glanced over at the woman beside her. "Yeah?"
The Canary obviously struggled to form even these words. "G-go... le-'ve m-m-me..." She begged, eyelids drifting closed.
Helena paused as the blonde's words hit her in the chest. "What? Canary, n-no, I'm not leaving you!" She insisted, wondering why on earth her friend was talking like that.
"'m so-s-rry..." The heroine whispered, eyelids fluttering shut as her body finally gave out on her.
Helena watched in horror as the Canary pitched forward, exhausted, frozen limbs giving out on her. Huntress sunk to the ground to catch the heroine, anxiously pushing frozen blonde strands out of her friend's face.
"C'mon, Canary... don't do this to me..." Helena begged, knowing it was futile. In horror, she realized that her friend's desperate gurgles had quieted into weak, shallow rises of her chest. Her full body shivers had completely ceased as the cold took hold of her body. Dinah lay limply in her lap, dying from exposure.
Desperate tears sprang to Helena's eyes as she struggled to find the will to move forward. They were only two blocks away... she could carry the Canary that far. She had to.
With a grunt, Helena assumed the position she had before they left the warehouse, adjusting the Canary so that one arm was across her back and the other was underneath her knees. Slowly, painfully, Huntress stood up, swaying slightly in the wind. She relentlessly pushed forward, blocking all thoughts from her mind except the promise of safety ahead of her. Helena didn't even want to risk glancing downward at her friend, taking a small comfort in the weak, barely audible whistle of air moving past Dinah's lips.
After what seemed like an eternity, Huntress glimpsed the familiar brick of her apartment building looming out of the fog. She pushed forward quickly, desperately struggling up the stairs to the front door. Warm air caressed her icy fingertips and face, but Helena couldn't take the time to bask in that relief. She quickly turned to take the stairs up to the third floor, feeling her weakening arms scream in protest.
With a desperate cry, Huntress threw her door open, relieved that she'd accidentally left it unlocked. She kicked her apartment shut behind her, stumbling forward to the couch. With as much care as she could muster in her state, Helena gently lay the blonde on the couch. Dinah didn't stir, her skin paler than Helena had ever thought possible, a blue tinge to her pallor increasing the direness of the situation.
With shaking fingers, Helena struggled to get the heroine's frozen, soaked clothes off of her skin, knowing that the remaining ice was half the problem. She threw her friend's signature leather jacket aside, using her dagger to cut off the two piece leotard and fishnet leggings from her friend's limp body. When Dinah was clad only in her sports bra and combat shorts, Helena reached for the two large, comforter-like blankets she kept near her couch. Helena spread them over the Canary, then began to discard her utility belt and boots, unzipping her thermal layer to leave her only in a pair of leggings and a tank top. She crawled on to the couch behind the Canary, gasping as she made contact with the Canary's ice-cold skin. Helena gently pulled the blonde against her, letting her head loll against her chest and her legs tangle with Helena's own beneath the blankets. The moment seemed highly intimate, but Huntress knew this would be the fastest way to warm up the Canary without shocking her system. She ran her warming fingertips over the Canary's upper arms and shoulders, trying to rub some warmth back into the frozen skin. The Canary still was limp in her grasp, her body too cold to even shiver. Helena carded a hand through the frozen blonde strands, as if attempting to comfort her friend. Helena felt her own eyes drift closed, not having the strength to fight against impending unconsciousness, comforted by the Canary's weak wheezes in her arms...
Helena awoke with a start, nearly sitting up before realizing that the Canary was still cradled in her arms. However, full-body shivers shook the blonde's limp form; she must have warmed up enough for her muscles to weakly spasm in an attempt to keep her alive. Her gasping, desperate breaths drove an icy dagger in Helena's heart. She pulled the heroine closer, pressing her warm body against Dinah's frigid form, stifling a gasp at the sheer iciness of her skin. Helena didn't know how long she laid like that, trying to give all of her warmth to the shaking blonde in her arms.
Suddenly, the Canary's whole body tensed and she bolted upright, desperately clawing at her throat. Her breaths came in rapid gurgles, frightened eyes darting around the room, unseeing. Helena sat up too, scared for her friend's safety. Canary's breaths soon dissolved into distressed wheezes and the realization sunk in...
Canary couldn't breathe.
That revelation startled Huntress into action. She sprang to her feet, ignoring the prickling sensation in her limbs as she darted for the first aid kit Question had insisted she keep in her apartment. She fought down the sudden wave of gratitude as she fumbled with the zipper, searching for-
"Aha!" Huntress exclaimed, grabbing the oxygen mask and connected tank from the kit.
She rushed back over to her friend, only to see her slowly slumping backwards, lack of oxygen threatening to claim her. Her eyelids began to close as unconsciousness loomed. Her breaths had become weak, desperate gasps, her entire body heaving at her attempts to breathe.
Frightened, Helena immediately pressed the mask to her friend's face, looping the straps around Dinah's ears below her hair. She turned the oxygen flow up to 10 Liters per minute, desperately hoping the supplemental oxygen would save her friend.
The Canary initially panicked, uncoordinated shaky hands weakly grabbing at the mask. Her expressive blue eyes shot opened, darting around the room in a panic as she didn't comprehend what was happening. Helena quickly grasped the blonde's wayward hands, rubbing slightly with her fingertips.
"Shhhhh... it's okay... let me help you, Dinah. Just breathe... that's it..." She comforted and praised as the Canary practically gulped down the supplemental oxygen.
After a moment, recognition flashed in the blonde's tired eyes. "Hel-na?" She weakly forced out from behind the oxygen mask.
Huntress chuckled, reaching one hand to push the wayward blonde hair out of her friend's face. "I'm here, sweetie. It's gonna be okay." She admonished, seeing the relief in her friend's expression.
Helena slowly got back on to the couch, holding the Canary's still-frigid form close. She adjusted the blankets around them, watching in relief as the blonde's eyes began to flutter closed in exhaustion.
"I've got you, Canary... just rest... shhhhhh..." She encouraged, running her fingertips through her friend's hair in an effort to lull her back into unconsciousness.
"C-n- sl-p no-now?" Dinah murmured weakly, fighting a valiant losing battle against unconsciousness.
Helena couldn't help letting out a breathless chuckle. "Yes, sweetie, just let go now... I promise I've got you..."
Helena watched in relief as Canary's body finally grew limp in her arms. The vigilante let out a sigh, feeling her heart thud in her chest. There must still be water in the Canary's lungs stopping her from breathing properly. Fear clenched Helena's heart when she thought about the implications. Her friend definitely needed a hospital; all Huntress could hope was that she had enough to keep her stable until the storm died down or the League comm links were functional again.
Helena let out a deep sigh, finally allowing her body and mind to process what she had just gone through. She shivered slightly; though she had warmed up significantly since coming inside, the Canary's body was still ice-cold to the touch. Helena could feel the bruises forming on her shoulders and legs from their earlier fight. She could only wonder how the Canary felt, since she'd bore the brunt of the attack. Helena's heart clenched as she gazed at the selfless woman in her arms. Dinah had pushed Helena out of the way of the blast without a second thought, sacrificing herself and nearly drowning after being blasted through the icy pond.
Huntress let out a deep sigh, pulling the heroine slightly closer. "Why would you do that for me?" She whispered softly.
To her surprise, the Canary's eyes fluttered open slightly. "H'd t- s've y-you... r'ther m-me th'n y-" The blonde struggled to form words, teeth chattering as she slurred her exhausted reply.
Helena felt tears spring to her eyes for the umpteenth time that day. "Canary... thank you..." She whispered sincerely.
"I-" The blonde's reply was cut off by a choked gasp.
"No, Dinah, don't try to talk... save your strength, sweetie... I've got you." She promised, trying to lull the Canary to sleep. The shivers wracking the heroine's body did not let up, even when her eyelids drooped closed and her breathing slowed.
Helena's exhausted mind couldn't process everything that had happened that day; she felt sleep beginning to claim her tired body once again. Huntress allowed herself to blissfully drift off to sleep...
Helena's exhausted mind couldn't process everything that had happened that day; she felt sleep beginning to claim her tired body once again. Huntress allowed herself to blissfully drift off to sleep...
The next time Helena awoke, she was warm. She sighed in relief as the memories came flooding back to her, glancing down at the heroine in her arms. Dinah was still shivering, though less intensely as she had previously. Her skin was pale, but through the oxygen mask, Huntress could see that her friend's white lips finally had a pink tinge rather than the eerie blue tinge. Her skin was still cool to the touch, but not painfully cold. Her breathing, however, worried the purple-clad vigilante.
Dinah's breaths were uncoordinated and wheezing, her entire body fighting to take in a wet, gurgling breath. Every few exhales, the blonde would cough and sputter as her breath hitched in her throat. With Canary's head pillowed on Huntress's chest, Huntress could hear the crackling of fluid in the heroine's chest. After a few moments of listening to the achingly ragged breaths of her friend, Huntress gently extricated herself from her friend's grasp, making sure to tuck the blanket around her frigid form. The Canary hadn't even stirred and, even though the vigilante wasn't surprised, her heartbeat quickened in concern.
Helena padded over to the first aid kit, wondering if there was anything in there to help her contact anyone for help. Her phone still read "no service" and she knew the comm links wouldn't work. Huntress was no doctor, but even she knew that Canary needed a hospital. She would be damned if she let the blonde who saved her life suffer any more harm. Helena absently rummaged through the first aid kit, noting a vial of painkilling medication. She set the vial aside, hoping she wouldn't need it later. After a few more seconds, Helena pulled out an analog radio, turning it on with a beep. She was relieved to see a list of preset channels programmed into the device. After cycling through the list, she pressed channel 1 - Q - and began to speak.
"Question? Question are you there?" She tried not to let her voice shake, taking care to speak slowly and clearly. A few seconds went by and Helena tried not to get her hopes up. "Question? Question, are you there?" She repeated, growing anxious by the passing silence.
She was about to speak again before the radio in her hands crackled to life, nearly dropping it as she heard, "Huntress?"
Helena stifled a sob of relief and replied, "Question! Thank God it's you!"
"Helena, I'm so glad to hear your voice. Are you okay?" Her boyfriend asked and, even through the static-y echo from the radio, she could hear his palpable concern.
Glancing at the pale blonde struggling to breathe on her couch, Helena shakily exhaled. "I'm okay but... Canary's not doing so well."
"Canary? Is she with you?" Question asked, confused.
Helena mentally facepalmed as she realized that the last Question had heard from her, she was on her way to the coordinates he'd sent her. Her boyfriend had no idea what had transpired. "Yeah, Q. When I got to those coordinates you sent me, she was there fighting with Grodd and Sonar-"
Before she could continued, Question interrupted, the guilt in his tone obvious. "Grodd and Sonar? Helena, I'm so sorry, I thought I'd sent you to an abandoned lab..."
"You did." Huntress affirmed. "They were fighting outside; I had no idea she'd be there. During the fight, she- well, she saved my life. She pushed me out of the way of Sonar's blast and got knocked through a frozen pond. Question, she-" Helena broke off, voice thick with emotion.
"Helena? Are you alright?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine... but Q, she almost drowned. She's still so cold and I- she needs a doctor. I don't know what to do." Helena admitted, fear creeping into her tone.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the radio. "Helena," Question began. "What can I do?"
Huntress let out a sigh, swiping beneath her eyes. "I don't know, Q, I just want to know how to help her."
"Okay... first you gotta get her warmed up." He replied, his cool, rational tone comforting the vigilante.
She found herself nodding, even though the detective couldn't see her. "Yeah. I got her out of the wet clothes and put some blankets over us to warm her up. It's been a few hours and she's still cool to the touch."
"Very good, Huntress, that's the first step. I think you've gotta warm her up a little more. Maybe draw a warm bath." He instructed.
"I just didn't wanna shock her system too badly." Helena trailed off, glancing towards the Canary.
"You're right. Throwing her straight from hypothermic temperatures into a hot bath would've shocked her system, but now that she's a little warmer, it shouldn't be too detrimental. It will be painful though. Do you have pain medication in the kit I gave you?" He asked.
Huntress glanced at the vial she'd found. "Yeah."
"Good... is she conscious?" Question continued.
"Not right now, she's sort of in and out." Helena admitted, concerned. "She woke up a little while ago and couldn't breathe. I put her on the oxygen you gave me and it seemed to help, but she's still struggling."
"ARDS..." Question mused. "You said she almost drowned? She's probably got water in her lungs. That's not good; could lead to pneumonia or-"
"Question... English please?" Huntress asked, worry causing her to snap.
Question sighed. "Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. When someone drowns, they try to breathe out of desperation, even if they're underwater. That causes water to fill their lungs and sometimes, the body can't expel that on its own. Infection can develop, which causes pneumonia and other illnesses, which can be deadly if untreated."
Helena inhaled sharply. "How do I help her?"
"I'll work on trying to contact the League. The comms are down and so is their teleportation system; I don't know when it'll be back up and running. This blizzard is supposed to last a few days and, based on the weather, I don't think you'll be able to get her to the hospital without J'onn's help. The best thing you can do is keep her warm and help her breathe and rest." He answered grimly.
Helena let out a shaky breath. "Okay; I'll do my best."
"This radio should work no matter the weather, so I'll keep it with me if you need me, okay?" Question comforted.
"Got it. Thanks, Q." Helena responded, icy determination entering her voice.
"Good luck, Helena. Keep me updated."
Huntress sighed heavily, concern threatening to overwhelm her. After a moment, she shoved the radio in her pocket and grabbed the vial, turning to face the couch. Her friend's breaths came in gurgling gasps, audible even through the oxygen mask. Helena shook her head to dispel her worried thoughts and knelt alongside the heroine. She gently placed a hand on the Canary's shoulder, squeezing and shaking slightly to rouse her.
"Dinah? Are you with me?" The vigilante asked, resuming her ministrations.
After a moment, tired azure eyes blinked open and dazedly settled on Huntress. Recognition flashed in their pained depths. Canary struggled to sit up, worry soon overtaking her expression.
"Whoa whoa whoa..." Helena gently pushed the blonde back down. "Stay down, sweetie. It's okay."
Canary's breath hitched. "Hel-na?" She slurred, eyes languidly resting on the Huntress.
"I'm here." Helena assured her friend. "Hey, Canary, I need you to do something for me, okay?"
The vigilante's heart clenched as she watched the blonde in front of her struggle to focus. The heroine nodded, determination sparking in her glassy irises.
"We gotta get you warmed up, sweetie. I've got some medicine for you and then we're gonna get you in a warm bath, okay?" Huntress spoke slowly and carefully, hoping that even in her exhausted state, the Canary would understand.
After a moment to process, the blonde nodded. "m'kay." She mumbled.
Helena felt a flash of pride for her friend as she unscrewed the cap on the vial. After a quick glance at Dinah's shaking hands, Helena knew that she'd have to help the blonde ingest the medication. She carefully pulled the oxygen mask away from Dinah's face, pressing the vial to her friend's lips. The heroine swallowed, wincing as if the movement was painful. Now that Helena was paying attention, she could see the bruising and swelling beneath her friend's jaw where Grodd's fist had connected.
After a few painful swallows, the Canary let out a gurgling wheeze, slumping back against the couch. Helena quickly replaced the oxygen mask. "Great job, sweetie." She praised lightly, delicately squeezing her friend's icy shoulder.
"Th-nk y-y'u..." The blonde gasped, eyelids fluttering slightly.