Disclaimer: See the first page, Chapter 1.
Barbara sat across from Helena as she finished off the last of the left over baked chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy. It amazed Barbara to no end the amount of food the younger woman could put away. Right now, she was happy about it, since Helena's body still needed to recover from the poisonous venom she had been subjected to. But still on most days, it wasn't unusual for Helena to eat a large quantity of food. 'It's no wonder Alfred is always at the grocers. I wonder if we could set up for them to just deliver the main items on a weekly basis. Save Alfred a little work.'
"Earth to Barbara.." Helena said, waving a hand in front of the red heads face.
"Ah, Sorry - just totally amazed at how much you just ate! Where the hell do you put it all?"
"I was asking if you wanted this last piece of pie…" Helena said, taking a big swig from the milk carton she had opened when they first sat down. "And being able to eat as much as I like of whatever I like, is a plus of the meta human life!" she finished with a wink.
"Yeah - rub it in!"
Helena took a huge bite of pie "Yum, cherry - my favorite!! Maybe later I will!"
"Maybe later you'll what?" Barbara asked looking up at Helena, who had a smirk on her face. "Oh! Does your mind ever get off - I mean leave - the subject of sex? Maybe later… Yeah right - maybe in a week! Or month if you're lucky! Tonight you are resting. In fact, you should stay here so I can continue to monitor your vitals. Make sure you don't have any more complications." Barbara said.
"Well isn't that a unique pick up line. Let me monitor your vitals baby…" crooned Helena, picking up the plate to lick the juice from the pie. "God that was good. Too bad there isn't any more pie; I still have some milk left. Do we have any pop tarts?"
"You're still hungry? I can't believe this!"
"Well, no, not really.. I just wanted to finish the milk.. And it tastes better with a pop tart. But I don't have to have one, I'll just finish the milk plain." Helena said with a big pout on her face.
Barbara reached over and patted Helena's hand like she was a mistreated little child. She picked up the dishes and carried them over to the dishwasher. Helena followed behind with the rest and threw the empty milk carton away.
As they finished loading the dishes, Helena let go a huge yawn. "And on that note, it's time for you to get back into bed." Barbara said, taking Helena's hand in her own as they headed out of the kitchen, toward Barbara's bedroom door.
"Now that is an offer I could never refuse." Helena said as she leaned into Barbara's neck and nipped the skin lightly.
"Helena! You need to behave yourself!" Barbara growled at the brunette. Helena opened the door to the bedroom and stood back to let Barbara enter first.
"Why don't you grab a t-shirt and pair of boxers or whatever to sleep in, you know where I keep everything." Barbara said, as she entered the bathroom, "And I'm going to take a quick shower and will be out in a minute." She quickly closed and locked the door, knowing her will power wouldn't be able to stand much of an assault from the vixen out in her bedroom. She leaned her head against the door for a second, and wasn't disappointed that there was a knock and the doorknob jiggled a little just about the time she expected.
A deep growl issued forth through the door "Come on Barbara, you know you need a little help with the shower, don't you?"
"Helena.. What I need is for you to change and get into bed like a good little Huntress. As I said, I will be out in a minute. I'm still all sweaty from my workout. I promise.. Once you have recovered, I will make it up to you!"
"But Barbara, I feel fi….ah-ah-ne." Helena broke into another huge yawn.
"Yeah, right. I'm getting into the shower.. So I won't be able to hear you now…" Barbara said, as she backed up from the door, reached into the shower stall, and turned the water on, and then started to undress.
"I never get to have any fun any more.." was heard faintly through the door as Helena did as she was told. "Come back from the edge of death, and this is the "Glad your alive" party I get.. Go to bed little Huntress…" the words receded as the poor little Huntress went back to the bed. Barbara let the hot water beat down on her abused shoulders and arms. She may have over done it just a little with the escrima. Thinking about the dummies head rolling across the floor, Barbara mumbled to herself, "do ya think?" But it had felt good to work out that hard. It helped release a lot of frustration, fear, and anger that had been building since she had lost contact with Huntress. 'We were so lucky today. Last night? The past 24 hours.' Barbara thought as she grabbed a towel and started to dry off.
After getting ready for bed, Barbara opened the bathroom door to a semi-dark bedroom. She turned out the light, and as she entered the room, she saw that Helena had lit a couple of candles on the bedside table. Looking over to the bed, she saw the younger woman already sound asleep. Whether she liked it or not, her body was going to get the rest it needed. With a soft smile on her lips, Barbara rolled up to the side of the bed, threw the covers back a little, then grabbing the bar over head, lifted herself up and over into the bed. She turned and blew out the candles and as she arranged her body deeper into the bed and reached for the covers, they were already on their way up, along with a warm body that was snuggling up against her side.
"That was more than just a minute." Came a very sleepy complaint, as an arm circled her waist and pulled Barbara closer.
Barbara lifted her arm and said, "Come here" as Helena cuddled in, her head resting on Barbara's shoulder. Barbara's arm encircled the younger woman as the Huntress wrapped her hand over and around the red heads other shoulder, her thumb lightly rubbed along Barbara's neck.
"I missed you." Helena whispered as she kissed Barbara lightly on the chin, then cheek, ending at the full lips. Then she settled back down, placed her head back on Barbara's shoulder. "Good night Barbara. I love you."
Barbara wrapped both arms around the slender woman. She whispered into hair the consistency of silk, "I love you, more than you know." She felt Helena's breathing even out.
Barbara released the breath she had been holding and closed her eyes. 'Thank you for not taking her from me.' Came the silent thanks. 'There is so much I want to do with this woman in my arms. I want to go to exotic places and discover new experiences together. I want to go to Paris with her to see where she was born. Explore the museums together. Just let us make it through this challenge.'
She kissed the head cradled on her shoulder and focused on her breathing, relaxing so she could fall asleep.
Helena awoke with a start. She picked up her head and looked at Barbara sleeping peacefully just inches from her. Not wanting to wake her, Helena carefully got up from the bed, slipped her jeans on and tip-toed around the bed to the door.
Helena knew what had woken her up, but not wanting to look at that for the moment, meandered through the clock tower. Stopping by Dinah's room, she stuck her head in to make sure the girl was ok. She looked to be sleeping peacefully. Helena smiled softly, remembering the reaction that Dinah had shown this morning.. 'Man, only this morning' When she had told Dinah that she had come to think of her as a younger sister. The blonde had squealed and jumped onto the bed and hugged Helena until she jumped back; afraid she had hurt Helena in someway.
The chestnut haired beauty shut the door quietly and turned away from door. The past couple days had yielded up so much change, so much to think about. Helena had never been one who felt she needed to worry about the future. She was a 'take each day as it comes' kinda girl. Let what ever happens, happen. And things had happened. Almost an overwhelming amount of change had happened.
Six short months felt like too many long years. Helena could feel every moment that had caused her to change from the irrepressible, impulsive, angry at the world young woman to someone who now was wandering in the middle of the night a mature adult. "I never thought I would ever consider myself that." She mumbled to herself .She was sure no one else considered her to be mature… but that had to be from the extreme weight she felt pressing down on her shoulders..
'When did change start to occur?' Helena asked herself. She wandered into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle out of the fridge, poured herself a glass of wine. She knew Barbara wouldn't like it, but she was already feeling back to her old self, at least physically. Taking a sip from the glass, Helena continued her winding path, no destination in mind.
Thinking over the events that had happened since Blondie had joined Barbara and Helena in the Clock Tower. It was when they had Guy; that was when she started to feel something settling on her shoulders. He had opened up a part of Helena she never dreamed of ever seeing. 'I think that is when I started to let people in.'
She remembered how special that morning had made her feel. Oracle had called her back to the Tower for an emergency, and Helena had come back from the morgue with a package of diapers to total chaos.
Stepping from the elevator, Helena heard Dinah's voice, a little frantic, "Barbara, it's boiling over… Barbara!"
"What is the emergency?" Helena entered into complete and total chaos.
"These are not ultra absorbent!" tossing a roll of paper towels to the side, "I really needed those diapers!" Barbara said more than a little annoyed.
Dinah demanded, "Where have you been?" shoving a hot pan of boiled milk at Helena.
"I ran into Reese and we were talking!" As the hot milk was sloshed everywhere, especially onto the leather, Helena looked at Dinah in disbelief.
"Well, as much as I'd like to stay here and hear the latest of how you two look longingly into each others eyes" Dinah dabbed at the milk on Helena's coat, chest and stomach and continued in a whining voice, "but actually didn't get anywhere. I have to get changed! I was bouncing him to quiet him down, and he barfed on me!"
"I believe the correct term is 'spit up'." Alfred supplied as he entered the area, sipping a cup of tea.
"What, are you off duty?"
"Might I remind you Miss Helena, I'm a Butler, not a Nanny." Nodding to the screaming child Barbara was frantically attempting to get a diaper onto.
"Oh, I, ah, I thought you raised Bruce Wayne from the time he was little." Barbara jumped in.
"Oh, yes indeed. It does seem I have been taking care of children, and everyone else." Alfred agreed with a meaningful glance at Barbara and Helena. "For more years than I can count. Still, it's nice that you're developing an appreciation of MY work." Alfred turned to leave.
Holding a hand to her head which was starting to throb, "Where are you going?" Helena asked the retreating butler.
"To get a biscuit." He said merrily.
A harried Barbara wheeled around and shoved Guy into Helena's arms. "Take him! Just for a second! Gonna get a burp clothe." She said trying to reassure the Huntress who was making an appalling face and holding the baby like he would bite or something.
Helena settled Guy awkwardly into her arms, and he quieted down. He actually looked like he was smiling at her. "Humph.. Yeah.. See.." she bounced Guy a little, "you were doing it all wrong." This drew a look that would kill from Barbara.
Barbara turned around, pure shock showing on her face, as she looked at the quiet little angel that Helena was now holding. Then up at Helena with a questioning grimace.
"What? Its obvious!" Helena crowed as she rocked the little tyke. "Oh, here's your bio chip."
Barbara, having had enough for now, took the chip, placed the burp clothe on Helena's arm, and headed for the elevator.
"Ah, he looks tired. Should I take him to the penthouse to sleep?"
From the safety of the interior of the elevator, Barbara replied, "Ah, no. Alfred brought over a bassinet from the Manor. It's just, ah, over there." Motioning to the other side of the room. She waved to Helena as the elevator doors closed.
Helena took guy over and laid him in the bassinet. Guy wasn't so happy about being put down to sleep and was fussing. "Come on, you've gotta sleep." She wiped a bit of drool from his face.
As Guy continued to complain about being put down, Helena looked around to make sure no one would be watching.
Guy quieted down.
Then smiled up at Helena.
By the time Helena finished, Guy beamed up at Helena with a giggle. You could tell from the look on her face that she kinda liked the kid.
"You know this doesn't mean that I like you." Helena looked around again, looked down at Guy, and with a cute wrinkle of her nose, she gives Guy a big smile.
Helena joined Barbara down in the computer area, "He's asleep.."
"I always thought I would be the maternal one. It's nice to see how you're, ah, you know, taking to a baby." Barbara said teasing Helena.
"I'm not taking to anything… The sooner he gets back to the family, the better as far as I'm concerned."
Helena smiled fondly as she remembered singing Guy to sleep. He had worked himself into her heart pretty damn quickly! And Alfred had enjoyed the discomfort of the three women just a little too much that morning!
As Helena leaned against the windowsill, she looked outside and sipped her wine. It had broken her heart when they couldn't do anything to save Guy. Why would anyone create a life, a cute little harmless baby, then manipulate him, plan for the child to grow old and to die in a couple of days. That person was an abomination! It had made Helena start to realize a little of what Barbara had been telling her all those years. Of why they did what they did, protecting the city and all.
Helena turned from the window and glanced around the room she now found herself in. She was in the penthouse drawing room. The penthouse had been her father's. And for the longest time, she wouldn't step foot in it. The Clock Tower was another matter. That was Barbara's creation and domain. The penthouse had been Bruce Wayne's abode, when he wasn't at the manor. It now stood mostly empty. A couple of rooms where used. They had moved the training room down here after Dinah had joined their little family. There was also the room that Barbara stored her Batgirl suit. Helena wasn't supposed to know about that or how to get in, but being who she was, she knew.
Just as it was her "birth right", as Alfred would say, for Helena to live in the Manor, she had every right to take over the penthouse and give up her apartment over the bar. She wandered around the penthouse, trying to imagine what it would be like to live here. The place was so big!
She stood in the middle of the library, and remembered the library her Mother had kept. As a child, Helena had loved playing in the library; Mom would be working at her desk. Helena hadn't known it at the time, but the "toys" she used to play with were actually priceless artifacts that Selina had "collected" over the years. Barbara didn't know it, but Helena had kept one piece that had been her favorite. It was an ebony statue of Bastet, the Egyptian Goddess. It had been her mother's favorite piece. Helena kept it in a lock box at the bank, to keep it safe.
While lost in her memories of her mother's library, Helena didn't hear the soft hum of Barbara's wheelchair as she entered the room. "You know, technically, this is yours." Barbara said quietly to Helena, as she rolled up next to the woman sitting in the middle of the floor, laying her hand on Helena's shoulder.
"I know." Helena whispered.
"You still have all the furniture from the house you shared with Selina in storage. We could get a contractor in here to paint the place, refinish the floors, make it all yours."
"I don't know Barbara. You know I still have issues surrounding Bruce." Helena looked up at Barbara, as she realized it was the middle of the night, and she had left Barbara asleep up in the Clock Tower. "How'd you find me? I mean, not that I was trying to hide or anything. I just needed to…"
"I'll admit I was a little alarmed when I woke up and you were gone. But it's your nature to be up and around in the middle of the night. So I figured you had just needed to move around a little. And I hoped that you stayed indoors to do it." Barbara said with a wink at the younger woman. "What made you get up in the first place? If you don't mind me asking that is.."
"I had a dream of when Harley had me hypnotized. I was fighting you and when I started choking you in my dream, I woke up." Helena hadn't forgiven herself for that yet, didn't know if she would be able to.
"Helena, look at me." Barbara demanded softly. Bright blue eyes turned and looked up at Barbara. "That wasn't you who I fought. I thought we had this settled Hel. You were under Quinn's control, and if you had really wanted to hurt me, you could have. Your first blow was one I could easily block. All of them were. The real you was still in there, fighting against the programming. "
"Barbara, I could have killed you!" said Helena, in a choked voice, as she got up onto her knees, placing her hands on Barbara's legs.
"But you didn't! Helena, you know your strength, your speed. You know my weaknesses. Why did you come at me with a stomach punch that can be blocked so easily instead of say, a kick to my head? Think about it! You knew what I had to do to be able to walk; the transponder" Barbara took Helena's face into her hands, looking earnestly into indigo eyes that were tearing. "Helena, I love you! I always have! When I used to watch you when you were little, you stole my heart with your wit and charm. Even as that pain in the ass, angst ridden teenager, I loved you." She wiped the tears from the younger woman's face with the pads of her thumbs. "It's just now, I love you in an entirely different way. An incredible, mind blowing, life changing way! I don't know how long I've loved you like this, probably for a while and was just too dense to see it! And I know in my heart of hearts, you would never have killed me, no matter what! That's where Quinn's plan would never have worked. Never! So, what will it take for you to quit beating yourself up over this?"
Helena closed her eyes, as the tears streamed down her face. She turned her head and pushed into Barbara's palm a little more. She took a deep, steadying breath, and let go of the pain that she carried, as far as the whole, attempted to kill Barbara thing anyway. Opening her eyes, she touched her forehead to Barbara's, "Let's go back upstairs. It's a bit chilly down here, and neither one of us is dressed for it. My feet are getting cold!" She smiled at the red head, trying to lighten the mood.
"Are you ok about this whole "You could have killed me" thing? Are you going to keep carrying it around or can you let it go now?" Barbara asked.
"I don't know. I think I need to do a little close in, physical work with you before I can truly let it go and forgive myself." Helena said with a completely straight face.
Barbara dropped her hands away from Helena's face starting to feel frustrated, and then it dawned on her that the vixen had taken over Helena's mind again. "Hmm… it's that serious is it? Well, lets go upstairs and we can sit in the living room and talk about what will help you to let this all go, shall we? And I can have a glass of wine too!" Barbara started to roll out of the room, stopped turned around, and winked at Helena. "Come on, you wench!"
It took only a second for Helena's mind to kick into gear to realize that Barbara was flirting right back at her. She had missed the gear change she would usually see in Barbara's eyes. "You're getting better at that Red.. Had me for a second!"
They made their way upstairs and Helena retrieved the bottle of wine along with a glass for Barbara. When she entered the living area, Barbara had already moved onto the couch. She was sitting at one end, with her legs curled up. Helena stepped up onto the couch, then sat down facing Barbara, poured a glass of wine for her, and added just a little more to her own glass. She tucked her feet under Barbara's legs. Barbara had put on a CD before getting onto the couch. It was a singer Helena remembered Barbara loving for a very long time.
"Penny for your thoughts Barbara.." She asked handing Barbara the glass of wine.
"Wondering why you call me Red… that's all." Barbara smiled her thanks.
"No particular reason. Does it bother you?" Helena asked.
"No, it doesn't bother me. It just reminds me of another time and place, when I was Barbara Gordon, Batgirl. And the sterling rose? Why did you give me one at the picnic? Sterling's are difficult to find."
"I remembered once, shortly after Mom was killed and you had been shot, we went into a florist, and you had pointed them out, saying you loved them.. That's all. What's with the questions?" Helena asked with an unsure smile, beginning to think she had somehow upset Barbara.
Barbara chuckled, knowing Helena was thinking that she was upset, "I'll have to tell you about all that sometime. Right now, I want to talk about what we are going to do to protect you from Cheshire. Since we are both up, I think it would be a good time to throw some ideas around."
"Ok, since you insist I have to wear a mask…"
"And your objections are duly noted, I'll have you know." Barbara interrupted.
"Yeah, well… It needs to have eyeholes, or whatever those are, that are big. Something as small as what you used as Batgirl would drive me nuts. The mask I wore as Cat drove me batty."
Barbara "No pun intended?"
"Huh? Oh yeah.. Anyway, if my whole face and neck need to be covered what about ventilation? I mean, a girls gotta breathe, right?"
"Right, I've thought of that too.. We don't know if Cheshire uses only toxin dermatologically based or if she uses anything that's air born." Barbara pondered aloud.
"If it were air born, wouldn't it then affect her as well? She had a mask, but it didn't cover her lower face." Helena pointed out.
"Okay, we also have the advantage that she doesn't know you survived." Barbara pointed out.
Helena summed up what they knew, "So the mask needs to cover and protect the skin, but we don't need to worry about a breathing apparatus. So what material can we use for this mask that won't allow a toxin to soak in and reach the skin. And it can't be rubber."
"I did some research earlier on that, I think we can use a material that's similar to Goretex called Ultrex. We would make a mold of your head and neck area, then build the mask from there. We can get some safety lenses made to fit in the eye holes."
"How we going to make a mold of my face?" Helena asked.
"Well - you aren't going to like this.. But we will have to use plaster and cover your entire face and neck with it, then you sit there until it dries.. And I was thinking we use the same material for the gloves too. Then maybe have the contact areas covered in leather for better grip."
"Wait a minute. You're going to put plaster on my face. I don't think so." The Huntress said.
Barbara was rather amused now and teased Hel, "Helena, it won't be that bad, we'll use a quick drying plaster of paris after first putting a light coat of petroleum jelly on your skin. Then we'll use short little straws for you to breath through.. Really, it will be okay.."
"Barbara.." Helena growled.
"We'll do it while Dinah's at school and Alfred isn't here. Then you can watch when we make Dinah's mold. Would that make you feel better?"
"I don't know… that stuff can't be good for my skin…. What if I freak out of something.."
Barbara crooked a finger at Helena for her to come closer. Helena leaned forward a little. Barbara repeated the motion. Helena got on up on her knees to be able to get closer.
"What, you got a secret or something?" Helena whispered.
Taking Helena's chin, Barbara guided the full luscious lips towards her own, planting a light teasing kiss, "I'll make it worth your while if you do this for me…"
Helena leaned in and breathed "Oh, really?" then captured Barbara's lips for another kiss. Barbara, not being able to control herself, moaned and requested entrance with her tongue darting against Helena's lips. Helena surrendered and all but fell into Barbara's lap, deepening the kiss still more. Helena wrapped her arms around the red heads shoulders and pulled their bodies together. Barbara wrapped her arms around the younger woman's torso, fingers taking a moment to tap out a staccato up the taut abs and across a taut nipple through the tank top. Then her hand ran down the brunette's rib cage, and up under the shirt. Before she could reach her intended target, Barbara shuddered and pulled back with a painful cry.
"Barbara what is it?"
"Back spasm!"
"When was the last time you took your potassium? You know you're supposed to take it every day.." Helena scolded the red head, bounding off the couch, and getting a hand down behind Barbara, looking for the knotted muscle.
Once the spasm had subsided, Helena gathered the woman into her arms and carried her upstairs.
Barbara made a wry comment, "You seem to do this a lot lately, Helena."
With a saucy wink, Helena replied, "I just like showing off my meta human strength. I could just jump up here from below, but you would probably get pissed off at me, so I just use the stairs.. Besides, it gives me more time to hold you in my arms. You hot, sexy green eyed goddess, you."
"No more wine for you for a while. Its gone straight to your head! So, we're going into the bedroom for…." Barbara left the sentence open.
"To get your vitamins, and then put you back in bed for more sleep." Helena ordered.
"I don't want to go back to bed."
"How about I get into bed with you and we both go back to sleep."
"Ok!"
Helena chuckled, looking into the green eyes of her sexy goddess, "I like this playful side of you Miss Gordon. I think you should let her out to play more often!"
Barbara smiled a lopsided smile that would always melt Helena's heart and agreed.
Dinah was surprised to see Helena up and in the kitchen so early, and looking in the phone book for God only knows what. "Hey, how you feeling? And what are you doing up so early?"
"Hey kid, Good morning. Barbara and I came up with ideas for the masks she wants us to wear when we come up against Cheshire again. At least the materials.. We are going to get an early start to find where to get the stuff.." Helena murmured while pouring a cup of coffee for Dinah.
"Thanks." Dinah sounded and looked confused. "Are you supposed to be up? I mean, wasn't it just yesterday morning you were.."
"I'm feeling great!" the lanky brunette said looking up from her yellow pages search. "What do you want for breakfast?"
"Ok, I don't know who you are! Where is Helena and what have you done with her?" Dinah said, crouching down in to a defensive stance, ready to take on the woman standing in the kitchen.
"Hey, hey.. What's going on in here? Helena, what did you do?" Barbara asked as she entered the kitchen.
Not sure if Dinah was joking or not, Helena said, "I didn't do anything. I told the squirt here good morning and asked her what she wanted for breakfast and she went all Jet Li on me."
"Barbara - this can't be Helena. For one, Helena is never up this early, and for two, if she is, she is most definitely not this nice to me in the morning! Could Cheshire have switched her body from the time you lost contact to when we picked her up?" Dinah certainly sounded serious.
Barbara just looked at Dinah unbelieving, and then narrowing her eyes a little at the young blonde; she saw the small smile starting to appear.
"Well, Dinah, I suppose she could have switched the body, but that means she would have had to know an awful lot about Helena. Helena, who do you know that would have this kind of information on you? You know, your weight, height, personality.."
"Ha ha.. Very funny.. That's the last time I'm nice to you in the morning squirt! Just remember, paybacks are a bitch! Barbara, would you like a cup of coffee?" And Helena handed the cup she had poured for Dinah to Barbara, with a wink and a smile.
"Why Thank you, Helena. That's very sweet of you!" Barbara smiled back.
Dinah straightened up, "You know I was only kidding right? Right?" she looked back and forth between the two women.
Helena maintained the sullen look she had adopted, while Barbara broke into a smile. "Of course we did Dinah. And we were right there with you. Right Hel?"
Helena had a dark look on her face as she approached Dinah. The girl started to back up when suddenly she was in a headlock, and Helena was joyfully giving her nuggies!
"Urgh! Barbara! Make her stop!" Dinah begged.
"Okay, Helena let her go.. She needs to get to school. And we need to get going."
Barbara and Helena spent the morning going to different shops and stores getting the supplies that they needed to start making the masks. Luckily, New Gotham had a large industrial area, or they would have had to order the Ultrex.
They got back to the Clock Tower and unloaded all their packages, had a quick lunch, then went down to the penthouse to use the kitchen there for getting Helena's mold started. The penthouse kitchen had a center island that had a sink, and Helena's logic was, she could lie on the island while Barbara would have easy access to the sink and all that.
Over all, the process went well. They only had to start over from scratch once. Helena had started laughing uncontrollably after Barbara had gotten the first batch of plaster on her face and had rolled off the island, spitting plaster everywhere. Barbara never could get Helena to fess up what she had been laughing at.
By the time Dinah got home from school, they had the first part of the molding process completed for Helena. Sitting off to one side of the Clock Tower, sat a drying mold of Helena's face and neck that hopefully tomorrow they could start working with to create the mask. Now it was Dinah's turn.
Helena had talked Barbara into letting her out for a brief sweep of the worst areas of the city. Huntresses had promised that if she came across Cheshire, she would high tail it out of her path and lose the woman.
So with Helena out of the Tower, Dinah's mold went quickly without any mishaps. Barbara felt that they would be able to complete the masks in the next day and the rest of the outfits for Helena and Dinah should be ready to go as well.
"Oracle, do you copy?" Huntress called in from her sweep.
"I'm here Huntress." Oracle answered.
"Need a clean up at the corner of Ocean Blvd and 51st street. Got three scum bags that tried to play keep away with a nice ladies purse." Huntress reported, with the sounds of groans in the background.
"Got it. Other than that, how's it been out there?" Asked Oracle
"Pretty quiet. I'm heading back now."
Dinah came up behind Barbara after finishing cleaning up the mess from the mold, "Umm, Barbara.. Could I talk to you about something before Helena gets back?"
"Sure Dinah, let me just send off this message to NGPD…." Barbara hit the Enter key on her keyboard, and then turned her chair around to face Dinah. "What's up?"
"Umm… Is there anything you want to talk to me about.. I mean concerning Helena?" Dinah asked, somewhat embarrassed.
Taking the question to mean that Dinah was concerned with Helena's health Oracle replied, "No, she has recovered remarkably well. I ran a full set of tests this afternoon and her system is totally clear of the venom."
"That's not what I meant. I, ah, I couldn't help but pick up on a few things while you were working with the plaster…" the blonde looked up and was bright red. "Sometimes its hard to block really strong emotions from coming through without looking for them."
"Oh.. OH! Um, yeah, um.. well. You mean about Helena and myself, not - just Helena." Barbara trailed off, not really knowing what there was to explain really.
"Yeah."
"Well, there really isn't much to explain.. I mean, we've admitted we have feelings for each other and that's all. And that was only last night." Barbara said with a deep sigh, "The hours have been so full lately, it seems longer." She finished almost under her breath.
"So, you two aren't a couple? Or dating or what ever you would call it?"
"No, we haven't really had a chance to talk about what the future holds.." Barbara started.
"Not until that bitch is behind bars or dead." Came from the direction of the balcony. "So, the touch telepath strikes again?" Helena asked as she walked past Dinah, ruffling her hair, coming to a stop next to Barbara, and reaching out to take her hand.
"Yeah, but it wasn't intentional.." Dinah said a little defensive.
"Dinah, I didn't think it was." Helena said, letting Barbara's hand go and going over to the blonde. She stopped a little in front of Dinah, "Are you okay with what you know, I mean about Barbara and me?" Helena asked, making one of her lightning quick changes from cool and collected to uncertain as she waited for Dinah to answer.
Dinah looked up at Helena, unsure at first what the woman was asking, "Oh, you mean about you being in love and you're both women?" Helena shook her head answering yes. "Oh yeah, sha! That's no big. I mean, Gabby's a lesbian, and I hang around with her and her girlfriend Gina all the time! It's just; I mean, why I brought it up, I kinda felt uncomfortable having picked up on it, really without meaning too.. And felt like I should say something.. That's all."
Helena's face broke into a beaming smile and she pulled Dinah into a brief hug. "That's good to hear. Otherwise I was going to have to teach you a thing or two! So, who's up for raiding the fridge? I'm starved!" Both Dinah and Barbara started laughing. They had been talking earlier about Helena's ability to be hungry and eat just about anything, at any time.
"What? What did I say?" Totally confused, the leather clad woman allowed herself to be lead into the kitchen area.
The next day, Barbara kept Dinah home from school to help work on the masks, and to also be fitted for the rest of the body armor. The lenses that they had ordered the day before were delivered, so they now had everything needed to complete the construction of the masks.
By late afternoon, they had placed the finishing touches to the masks and armor. Now it time to test them.
"How exactly are we going to do this Barbara?" Helena asked, her voice a little muffled through the mask.
"Well, I was thinking we could head to the showers in the training room, and I could shoot you two with this." Barbara held up one of those super soakers that kids play with. "If the water doesn't soak through any seams or the material itself, I think you will be ok."
Helena took her mask off, looked at Barbara and groaned, "I don't know that I like this idea."
"We have to know if they will keep out moisture. If they don't they won't do you any good." Barbara pointed out. "Besides, if they do work, you won't get soaked when on sweeps during the rainy season!"
"What about a mist type toxin? I mean what if Cheshire has a delivery system for the venom that is in a mist?" Dinah asked.
"If it is something that effects the breathing, we figure she would also be effected, so she wouldn't use that. But, while you two were getting the armor fitted, I actually fitted two small air hoses through your masks that would attach to a small oxygen supply, about 10 minutes worth, just in case something like that happens."
"Okay, lets just get this over with!" Helena stormed towards the elevator to head down to the training room.
After an hour of being shot at and then standing under the shower itself, the suits proved they would hold off almost anything as far as a liquid delivery. The Huntress and Canary were ready to go on a proper sweep once darkness fell.
They had an hour or so until it would be dark enough to head out, Helena took off the armor and was standing next to Barbara as they went over a sweep pattern. The FBI had moved Commissioner Martin to a new safe house; after the other had been tear gassed early in the morning. If it was Cheshire that had done the gassing, Barbara couldn't understand why she only used tear gas. In any case, Huntress and Canary were to start their sweep in the general location, move outwards then come back in to finish in that area.
Darkness fell over the city; Helena was in Barbara's bedroom, getting back into her armor. Barbara came in. She had just finished assisting Dinah with getting the oxygen hooked up and out of the way. Helena turned from the window she was standing next to and looked at Barbara. "We're going to get her and stop her. I promise you that Barbara."
"I have no doubt that you will Hel. I just want you to be careful. There are still unknown variables that we can't plan for…" Barbara's voice trailed off and she looked away, fighting tears.. For once she was scared that something could happen to Helena, and Dinah for that matter. It felt like she had more at stake now. She felt Helena kneel down in front of her. Her gloved finger touched Barbara's chin and brought the green-eyed beauty's head around to look into the breathtaking blue eyes of Helena.
"I will be back Barbara. I won't let anything happen to Dinah or myself. That I promise!" she started to straighten up, stopping only long enough to plant a soft kiss on Barbara's lips, before assuming her Huntress role.
"I need to head out Oracle, and we need you at your usual place." Huntress said, putting her mask on.
Canary was waiting by the Delphi main console as they made their way from the elevator. "Ready to go kid?" Huntress asked.
"As ready as I ever will be."
"Lets go!" Huntress and Canary left the room, out to the balcony and were gone from sight.
Before turning her mic on, Oracle whispered, "Please keep them both safe." She just had a bad feeling about tonight. It hadn't even been a full week since Huntress and Canary went up against Cheshire. Yet it felt like years.
"Oracle, you there?" Huntress' voice came over the speakers.
"I'm here.."
"We're starting our pattern now. We'll be silent unless something turns up."
"Copy that." Now the hard part for Oracle began. The waiting.
Two hours into the sweep and all they had run across were a couple of muggers. Canary had just let Oracle know that she and Huntress were going to split up by a couple of blocks and run parallel to each other as they went through the heart of the city towards the old docks.
"Oracle, I think I've got something." It had been a full minute since Canary had checked in. "On the roof directly across from me, I think I caught a glimpse of green.. I'm going to check it out." Huntress informed Oracle.
All Oracle said was, "Be careful."
Huntress took the direct approach on getting to the roof across from her; she ran and jumped, landing with a whisper of sound. Going into a crouch, she scanned the rooftop for what she had seen from across the way. Nothing was clearly obvious, but that didn't mean anything. Listening hard, she heard rather than saw the movement, someone making their way to the edge of the building, in the direction Huntress and Canary had just come from. One with the shadows, Huntress went to the source of the sound, in time to see Cheshire land on the next building over.
"Oracle, Canary, I've got a visual. It's our target, moving back toward the safe house if I'm not mistaken." Huntress whispered into the comm. When there was no answering word back she added, "Oracle, do you copy?"
"I read you Huntress, Canary ran into a little excitement and will join you in a moment." Oracle relayed.
"Ok, I'm on the prowl." Huntress headed off toward Cheshire. All she needed to do was catch up to and kick her ass.
It took two rooftops for the Huntress to catch up to Cheshire. Waiting until Cheshire was about to leave the current building roof, Huntress called out to her. "Hey Cheshire, I think we have a party to finish. Don't you?"
The woman had already started her leap to clear the street and land on the other rooftop, and there was nothing to do to stop the momentum. Landing solidly on the other side, she whipped around and looked over at the shadowy silhouette of the Huntress. Cocking her head to one side, she called out softly. "Do we? I'm not sure that I remember a party that hadn't been ended."
"What, old age catching up to you Cheshire? I'm sure if you think hard enough, you can remember.. Here, let me give you a hint." With that, Huntress launched herself across, flying over Cheshire's head, and landing just a few feet behind her. "The last party you held I was just a little late in getting to. So I thought I would come to this one a little early to make up for that." She ducked into a crouch, swirling her duster behind her. "Only last time, when I got a little too rough for you, you sprayed me with venom and took off. This time you won't be so lucky!"
A sharp intake of breath from Cheshire, "You survived? No one survives my special mixture of venom!"
"Guess again!" Huntress leapt straight at Cheshire, moving quickly she was able to pull out a snap kick before the woman knew what had hit her. As she went down, Cheshire tucked into a roll, and came up facing away from the Huntress and took off across the roof.
"Shit! What you running for?" An angry Huntress shouted out. "Oracle, she's moving, deeper into downtown. Tell Canary that we are heading due east by north east. The New Gotham Bank building if I'm not mistaken."
"Got it. I'll have her join you as soon as she can Huntress." Oracle said, then
"Canary, Huntress is in pursuit of Cheshire. Headed toward the New Gotham Bank building. You almost have that wrapped up there? I don't want her with out back up for long."
"Yeah Oracle.." a grunt was heard in the background, "Just wrapping this last little item up for New Gotham's finest. Tell Huntress I'm not far behind, I'm leaving now."
The race across the rooftops was fast paced. Canary had said Cheshire was fast, but Huntress had no idea how fast. She was pushing her body to its limits to keep up with the woman in green. Reaching the top of the bank building, she looked around and couldn't spot the bitch. Searching the surrounding rooftops, she couldn't see anything there either.
"Oracle, I think I lost her. Last I saw her she was grappling over the roof of the bank. I wasn't that far behind. I've looked all over the rooftop and she's not here. I don't see her… umnpth! Damn, that hurt." Huntress turned around to stare at Cheshire, "Never mind Oracle, found the little mouse!"
Cheshire held onto Huntress' fist, twisted her wrist, and sprayed Huntress in the face. Nothing happened. Helena didn't feel anything and laughed. "That trick won't work this time Cheshire!" Throwing a right hook, she caught Cheshire on the jaw, and the prey fell back. And the fight was on!
Huntress landed a couple of punch combinations before Cheshire was able to get her bearings and started coming back with a couple of her own.
Cheshire took a step back from the fray, launched herself off the side of an air conditioning unit, and came at Huntress with a kick. Bending her knees and dropping backwards, the kick narrowly missed Helena, the momentum taking Cheshire on past. Following the movement through, Huntress did a handspring up, rounding off at the last second, swinging around with a kick to Cheshire's head. It connected, sending the woman in green closer to the edge of the building. Huntress was on a high, in her element, and it felt great. She heard Oracle say something, but it didn't sink in. She had the upper hand and wasn't giving it a rest. She continued attacking Cheshire, pushing her closer and closer to the edge of the roof. Cheshire was getting more and more reckless in her attempts to fight back.
They were dancing on the precipice, each pushing the other further, and further. A foot slipped here, and one was almost over, but no she recovered and the fight surged on.
Canary broke through the roof door, and stared in horror and fascination for a split second. "Huntress back off. I'm here to help!" But it didn't have the effect she had wanted. Instead of distracting Cheshire, it pulled Huntress' attention just enough for Cheshire to grab for the Huntress' mask. She pulled it loose and just as Canary reached for a batarang, Huntress twisted, knowing the witch was going to try the spray again. But instead of heading back to the safety of the roof, she started slipping over the edge! She reached out and got a firmer hold on Cheshire, but her momentum was too much by then. Cheshire twisted and tried to dive for a pipe sticking up just a foot or so away, and screamed. Both women went over the edge.
"HUNTRESS!!!" Canary screamed, running to the edge, slamming into the ledge, looking over in horror, "HELENA!!!!" The women continued fighting until Dinah could no longer make out their forms. "Oracle.." She sobbed, "They went over the edge. THEY WENT OVER THE EDGE!" She turned and ran for the door to get to the bottom floor of the 20 story building.
In the Clock Tower, Oracle slumped forward, her heart in her throat. "NOOOOOOOOOO!"
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