Title:  You Learn Something New Every Day

Author : Mel M/Misty AKA SSailorUranuss@aol.com

Archive: please ASK if you want to archive it.

Pairing: H/D

Rating:  PG?

Disclaimers: I don't own or anything attached to any mentioned show/character and I'm making absolutely nothing off of this fic. Well, accept for maybe feedback and a good grade (Gelman, you rock!).

Comments: I need feedback. Remember, FEED ME!

' ' Indicate thoughts

Dinah sighed tiredly as she shuffled into the main area of the Clocktower.  It had been a very long and stressful day for the young Superhero in training.  Yawning, she sat in front of the Delphi system, hoping it would bring news of some bad guy she could bust.  Just as she was about to doze off Barbra wheeled up beside her.  Smiling, the redhead spoke softly, "long day?  I know how you feel.  Do you have any homework?"

The teen groaned before yawning once more.  "Yeah but I need a nap first," she replied.

"What's the assignment?  Next week IS finals," her mentor reminded.

"I've got this "Becoming A Master Student" project to do for Social Interaction.  I have to do a project and study for next weeks test.  I might need a little help later, do you think you'd be up for it?" Dinah asked hopefully.

"Actually, I'm going to a movie tonight but Helena can help you when she gets here in a couple hours.  Don't procrastinate either.  This assignment is worth allot of points Dinah," the girl's guardian stated sternly.

"Don't worry Barbra.  A little procrastination is good but I think I'll tackle this one ASAP so I don't agonize about it all weekend.  Well, wake me up before Helena shows up so I can wake up and be ready for our study session," the blonde girl replied as she wondered into her room to nap.

A couple hours later. . .

Her eyes shot open, her body rising from the bed as "Bring Me To Life" blared into her ears.  Her soft palm thudded against the snooze4 button, shutting the confounded contraption up for the moment.  Catching her breath she turned the alarm off and headed into the kitchen for some leftovers.  Barbra wouldn't be home for a while and Alfred was out for the evening so she needed something to get the mojo flowing.  Walking to the fridge she read Barbra's note that simply said Helena was late as usual and that she would be back around ten.

Opening the refrigerator she spotted two plates and a note from Alfred.  With a smile she took her plate out and set it in the microwave.  While her food was heating up she wrote Helena a note and stuck it where the brunette would see it.  Taking her plate, she went back to her room to study.  Sitting on her bed she stared at her food.  With a sigh she set it aside and grabbed the assignment and her notes.  "I'd better get this done now.  I so can't eat when I know I have work to do," she admitted as she sorted all of her notes out.

Taking out a few sheets of paper, she previewed the assignment then outlined it.  Feeling a familiar presence in the room she stopped writing.  She felt strong, slender arms wrap around her waist that ever so sensual Huntress voice purred, "hey Superkid.  Whatcha doin?"

Dinah sighed contently, her mind now venturing far away from homework.  Looking down at her outline she replied, "hey yourself.  I'm reading my assignment.  Reading IS a process you know."

"Process?  I just read," Helena replied as her eyes returned to their normal steel blue.

"That's what most people do.  In this class we learned how to critical read, which involves previewing, outlining, writing down questions, read the material, underline the important stuff and answer the questions you wrote down.  I know it sounds complicated but most of us do it naturally anyway, we just don't know it."

"How do you remember all this crap.  I mean, if they're teaching you all this stuff how do you keep track of it?"

"It's all about memory techniques like creating associations, relaxing, writing it down or repeating and reciting.  It also helps if you cut out what you don't need to remember.  There are allot of ways to remember things but those are the ways that help me.  There's actually a chapter in the book about that," Dinah informed as she turned in the woman's arms.

Their lips met for a moment and smiles captured their features.  Helena pulled away with a wry grin.  "Not so fast kid, we have work to do.  Then you'll get your reward."

"Ooooh, motivation.  I'm so ready to get my homework done now," the teen squeaked excitedly.

Helena shook her head with a chuckle.  Spotting what appeared to be a pie chart she picked it up.  Staring at her lover she held the paper out.  "What's this?"

"That's my Discovery Wheel.  It basically tells me what areas I'm good in and what I need to work on.  We did one at the beginning of the class and we're doing another one on Monday to see if the book has helped up improve or not."

"Sounds kinda lame."

"It depends on the person Hel.  It's helped me allot.  I know this probably sounds corny but it's made me a better person as well as a better student."

"Maybe I should read this thing.  Does it come with a portable shrink?" the brunette snickered.

"Very funny," the blonde muttered as she shook her head.  "What is it with you and shrinks anyway?  I mean, I don't think they're bad."

"Yes they are!  They're EVIL!" the brunette growled bitterly.

"Don't be so prejudice Helena.  Each one is a person, which makes them all different.  Some are bad and some are good.  It all depends on what kind of person they are.  I'm not saying you're wrong, I just think you should be a little more open-minded."

Helena smiled.  "Let me guess, diversity was another chapter in the book?  I get that and maybe I do have a prejudice against shrinks but I know I do.  Prejudice isn't going away but we can cut down on the hate if we know about it and deal with it within ourselves."

Dinah stared at the woman blankly.  "Have you been reading my notes?"

The brunette playfully swatted the girl on the arm as se spoke, "no.  Life taught me that.  It was a rough lesson but it stayed with me.  Enough chatting.  Hand me your notes so I can test you.  Then we can focus on the stuff you don't know."

"T-T-Test?" Dinah whimpered as her skin flushed and her body froze.

"I'm guessing you have test anxiety.  Look, tests aren't that bad.  When I was in school I use to freak out when I had to take a test but Barbra gave me a few pointers.  When you're taking the test relax, breathe and keep your thoughts from spinning outta control.  As far as focusing, don't stress is your mind wonders.  It's normal.  Just finish that thought and get back to the test.  It's really easy," Helena advised.

Color returned to the girl's face as she placed a light kiss on her girlfriend's lips.  "Brains and brawn, I could get use to this.  Thanks Hel, I'll have to try that.  Here, I'm ready," she replied as she handed over her notes.

Steel blue eyes skimmed over the notes quickly.  "You've got some good notes here kid.  High marks on observation and recording.  Now it's time to see how well you reviewed them.  What do you say we get started before the scum of New Gotham crawl out of their hideouts to terrorize the city?"

"Great idea."

Hours later. . .

Staring at the Delphi Barbra sighed and shook her head.  She really didn't want to interrupt Dinah's study time but this was important.  Tapping on the door, she pushed it open.  Staring at the two females, she cleared her throat.  "There's a Delphi alert."

At that they all made their way to the monitor.  "They look like mimes from hell," Dinah commented.

"What do we know?" Helena asked softly, watching the screen and giggling at Dinah's remark.

"An infamous thug gang known for meta-human assassinations is at it again.  They go by the name Red Rum and have been attacking metas for almost seven year.  There here in New Gotham and we have to stop them," Barbra replied, now in Oracle mode.

"And my friends said I'd never have to use my critical thinking skills.  Ok, so we know what they do but who are they after?  Maybe if we know who they're after we can figure out where they're going, why they want this meta dead and when this is gonna go down," Dinah replied, her brain now in critical thinking battle mode.

"They're after Gibson," Oracle replied softly.

"Gibson?  Well, that answers the where but why are they after him?" Helena questioned, a little confused as to why anyone would want Gibson dead.  Granted he was the most annoying meta she'd ever met but not to the extent that she would ever wanna kill him.

"He wouldn't let them into his club to take out one of their targets.  They've been waiting to get him alone.  The club's closing soon so you better get there now Huntress.  They're very dangerous so be careful," Oracle commanded.

"I'm going with.  Meet you there?"

Oracle shook her head.  "It's too dangerous Dinah, you're not going."

"But. . ."

"No."

"Why don't you try listening to the kid for once All Might Oracle?" Helena hissed as her steel blue eyes became amber slits and Huntress emerged.  She had to get out of here quickly and she didn't have time for this.

"I know what she's going to say Huntress and we don't have time for this.  You're not going Dinah and that's final."

The teen's eyes narrowed as she lost her temper.  "You have no idea what I'm going to say because you can't read minds.  I think you should try listening when people tell you things.  Don't tell me that you listen because you don't.  Listening is when you shut your mouth, concentrate, make eye contact and listen without response.  Sending and receiving messages is the biggest part of communication, we all know that.  Now listen to me.  I'm going with Huntress to help Gibson whether you like it or not.  I'm taking a com set with me in case we need backup, got it?"

Oracle's eyes narrowed.  "Fine, you can go but we're gonna have a talk about your attitude when you get back.  Am I making myself clear?"

Dinah nodded, "sorry for yelling.  I kinda lost my temper.  We'll talk more about this later though.  C'mon Huntress, lets kick some butt!"

"If you can keep up kid.  Meet you at No Mans Land," Huntress replied as she leapt out the window, into the night.

Dinah went to leave when she felt a hand on her arm.  Staring into calm green eyes she waited for her mentor to speak.  Would she reprimand her now?  "What are the four main components of conflict management?"

For a moment the blonde was lost.  A minute passed when she realized what she was talking about.  "Oh!  I know this one.  State the problem, listen, get your point across and focus on a solution but why did you ask me that now?"

"Because you might need that when you're out there tonight.  Be careful Dinah."

"I will be."

Ten minutes later at No Mans Land. . .

Dinah ran up to her companion, completely out of breath.  "Took you long enough," Huntress teased.

"Yeah, well Oracle refused to give me the keys so I had to run.  What do we have?"

"Four covering the entrance, three surrounding Gibson and five more toward the back.  Think you can handle the four up front?  I'll take the five in the back and we'll close in on the ones surrounding Gibson."

"I think I can hold my own."

"Great.  Let's go!"

Huntress disappeared into the night as Dinah entered Gibson's ground level shop.  Spotting two of the four goons she looked around.  'Resources, resources, resources.  Ok, what in here could be useful?' she asked herself, briefly reflecting on that chapter in her schoolbook.

Seeing a chain on the counter she tried to figure out a way of getting it without alarming the thugs.  Deciding there was no way to do that she made herself seen.  "Do either of you know where I could find the owner of this shop?  I'd like to buy something."

"Look what the cat dragged in, another meta scum," one thug sneered.

Dinah shrugged.  So they knew she was meta, big deal.  "Scum huh?  I think you're a little confused there buddy.  You're the scum and I've come to clean house."

"Big talk for such a little girl," his buddy cackled as he ran at her.

Without so much as an effort she roped him with wire and threw him out the door.  The other one came running at her quicker than she'd expected so instead of tying him up that quickly she grabbed a metal baseball bat and swung it at his head.  It smacked him upside the head, sending him falling backwards unconscious.  She pulled out some rope and tied him up before grabbing the chain and heading to the hidden club area where they were holding Gibson.

As she entered the room she hid in the shadows to watch them for a moment.  There was no sign of Huntress, which really worried her.

"S-S-Sir!  There's a problem!"

"Problem?"

Suddenly Huntress tackled two of the four men, butting their heads together.  Another went to grab for her but ended up on his back.  The guys got back up, circling the Huntress.  She looked around, slightly worried about her lover.  Where was she?

"You guys really should learn how to play fair," the teen chided as she threw them all in different direction with her mind. She flung the chain in their boss' direction, binding him to a chair so he couldn't move.

Huntress grinned, quickly tying up the other three goons.  "Nice job kid."

Sirens sounded in the distance as Gibson regained consciousness.  "Thanks guys."

"Anytime.  We'd better split though.  I don't think Reese really wants to see us here."

30 Minutes later. . .

Dinah sighed as the elevator door opened.  Trudging over to Barbra, she sat down.  "I'm guessing you wanna talk about my attitude.  I'm really sorry I talked to you that way but I was upset.  I just wanted to help out tonight."

"I know Dinah.  I'm glad you're actually learning something from school.  You used facts against me instead of wit.  I'll let it slide this time but don't get use to it," Barbra replied.  "So how's the project and studying coming along?"

"Done on the project.  I'm gonna study my notes some more tomorrow.  It's better to review them every day.  I was also wondering if I could stay at Helena's tonight."

"Sure."

An hour later. . .

'I guess studying really does pay off.'

~<>~ The End ~<>~

So what did you think?  Don't be too hard on me, it's for school ^.^  And even though my teacher is hella cool I don't think he'd like slash for a project.  Hope to get some real fic to ya'll soon,

Peace, love and marshmellows,
~<>~ Mel ~<>~