Joining Hearts

By Ry_Rain

Disclaimer: Although I wish I did, I do not own any characters from the show.

Pairings: Helena/Carolyn eventually, Barbara/Dinah eventually

Rating: PG-13 for now

Feedback: PLEASE! Ry_Rain@hotmail.com

Warning: If the thought of a same sex relationship goes against your beliefs then don't read this.

Summary: This is an AU fic. All the characters are in high school and are the same age except Dick Grayson, and Reese is Helena's brother.

A/N: Thanks for beta-ing Erin!

Chapter 1

"I can't wait till school is over!"

"Helena, it just started," Barbara said as they walked to 2nd period. "If you don't count today we still have 179 days left till summer." Helena and Barbara took their seats and waited for class to begin.

They were early so they continued chatting as they waited. "Who knows Hel? Maybe this year will be different and Blondie will actually show some interest in you," Barbara commented as she watched Helena gaze lustfully at the girl who just entered the room.

"I've been crushing on her since sixth grade. She probably doesn't even know I exist," Helena replied as she turned to look at her best friend.

"I'm sure she knows you exist. You are the one who beat up her boyfriend when you caught him cheating on her last year." Helena snorted at that. "Its her lost not having you as a friend."

Helena smiled and was about to say something when the bell rang. "Alright, class. Settle down. My name is Mr. Grayson and I'm gonna be your English 10 teacher." Mr. Grayson put the seating chart up on an overhead projector. Everyone moved around to get in their correct seat except for Barbara and Helena, they were already in their right seats. Helena's face lit up when she saw who would be seating behind her, Carolyn Lance, but then it dropped when someone sat in front of her.

"Why, hello Helena. How is my fair lady today?"

"Hey Gibson," both Barbara and Helena said sullenly as they started their classwork that Jesse had just passed out.

AFTER SCHOOL

"Agh! I can't believe every single one of our teachers gave us homework on the first day!" Helena exclaimed as she waited for Barbara to finish putting her books in her locker. "Why are you putting all your books away?"

"Because, unlike you, I spent my free period doing my homework instead of lusting after the unattainable."

"Are you saying I'm not good enough now?" huffed Helena.

"Of course not. All I'm saying is she is as straight as a nail and JV cheerleading captain. She is a stereotypical blonde cheerleader. What you see in her is beyond me." Barbara closed her locker with a bang. "Are you coming over?"

"Can't. Big brother wants me home right away so I can do his chores or he'll tell Mom I'm gay."

"Jesse's an asshole. I'm not surprised he failed 10th grade for the second time. Here." Barbara reached into her book bag and handed Helena a red folder.

"Whats this?" Barbara winked at her and pointed to the top of the folder where, in big, bold, letters HOMEWORK was written. Helena hugged Barbara. "Thanks Babs. You’re a lifesaver. I might actually get MY chores down tonight." Helena looked at her watch. "Damn! I got ten minutes to get home." Helena's eyes went feral. "TTFN!"

Barbara watched as Helena ran, unhumanly fast, through the door. She turned around and ran right into someone, causing them to drop all their books. "Oh, man. I'm so sorry." Barbara got down to help the girl pick her books up. "Here."

"Thanks," the girl said as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and stood up.

Barbara stood up as well and held out her hand. "My name's Barbara."

The girl hesitantly took Barbara's hand then sighed with relief. "Dinah," she said as they shook hands. "I think we actually have all our classes together. You sit next to that weird brunette girl, right?"

"Yeah, that would be Helena," Barbara said as she chuckled. The two of them then stood staring at each other. Dinah looked down at her feet as Barbara asked, "You want a ride home?"

Dinah looked up and smiled. "Sure. Thanks." With that the two of them walked out to the student parking lot.

LATER THAT NIGHT

Barbara was lying on her bed talking to Helena. "You mean that shy blonde chick who was sitting in the back of all our classes?"

"Yeah, I gave her a ride home and we talked. She's really a cool person if you get to know her."

"Sounds like someone has a crush."

"Please Helena. I don't have a crush on her. I'm straight need I remind you."

Helena chuckled on the other end and said, "Don't I know it."

"Alright, maybe I have a tiny crush but its nothing serious. I'm not gay. Its perfectly normal for a girl to have a slight crush on another girl."

"Who are you trying to convince, me or yourself?"

"Helena."

"Alright. I'll stop arguing with you. Thanks for the homework help. I actually got my chores down before my parents got home."

"No problem. We have art tomorrow and I think I'll probably need some help. I always do. Also, from now on I'm not giving you all the assignments. You have to do some on your own."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You say that every year, but I am grateful. If it weren't for you I would be worst off then my brother." Barbara chuckled. "Now, seriously, do you actually like this Dinah chick?"

Barbara sighed as she said, "I thought you were going to stop asking me about that?"

"I never said that. I said I would stop arguing with you. Stop avoiding my questions. Do you really like her? I mean like her, like her."

"Honestly, I don't know. I'm going out with Bruce but its not going anywhere. I mean, we haven't even gotten to second. You're not even going out with the girl but you've already made it to second with Carolyn in the play this summer. And I think he's gay. I always saw him staring at Mr. Grayson last year."

"I loved doing that play," Helena said dreamily. "Thanks for making me do that." Barbara chuckled. "Barbara, if you think you want to have a relationship with this girl, go for it. If you're happy, who gives a damn what other people think."

"Shouldn't you be saying this to yourself?"

"Yeah but its easier to tell someone else and then have them say exactly what you just did."

"Barbara! Time for bed!"

Barbara covered the mouth piece on the phone. "Okay Dad! Goodnight!" She moved her hand. "Gotta go Hel. I'll see you tomorrow. Want a ride?"

"That be great! Night Babs."

"Night Hel."

Chapter 2

THE NEXT MORNING AT HELENA'S

Helena was sitting at the table with her mother and brother when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," she yelled as she jumped up.

"No, Jesse will get it. Barbara can wait for you to finish your breakfast." As Reese went to answer the door, Helena sat back down. He came back a few minutes later with Barbara behind him. "Hey Barbara."

"Morning Ms. Kyle. Are you almost ready Helena?"

Helena finished eating her breakfast and said, "Yep." She jumped up and grabbed her books. "Lets go."

"Wait a minute!" Helena stopped and turned around to look at her mother. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Helena's eyebrows scrunched together in deep thought. Ms. Kyle cleared her throat.

"Oh right!" Helena walked over to her and kissed the top of her head. "Sorry. Love ya Mom. See you later." Helena walked back over to Barbara and put her arm around Barbara's shoulders. "Well, lets get going. We don't wanna be late on the second day."

"Bye Ms. Kyle!" Barbara said as she and Helena went out to the car. "Geesh Hel, whats the hurry? You hate school." Helena shrugged as Barbara started the car and they were off. When they got to school Helena jumped out of the car before it had even stopped. She ran around the back and opened Barbara's door for her. "Alright. What are you up to?" Helena had a hurt look on her face and pointed to herself. "Yes you."

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Helena looked at the entrance to the fountain courtyard and pointed at somebody. "Hey isn't that your new girlfriend?" Barbara followed Helena's finger and saw Dinah standing by herself. "Lets go say `Hi' or something. I mean she's all by her lonesome."

"Helena."

"What? Barbara, I promise I won't embarrass you. Come on. Introduce me." With that Helena was off across the parking lot. Barbara sighed and ran after her. Helena turned around, winked at her, and stopped.

"Thank God you stopped. Come on. Lets just go to our lockers and go to homeroom."

"I only stopped so it wouldn't look like you had ran over to see her. Don't want to seem to eager."

"Oh look, she's talking to someone. Too bad. Lets go."

"I don't think so Babs. Look who she's talking to," Helena said as Carolyn Lance looked their way. "Now, why would the cheerleading captain be talking to little Miss Shyness?" Barbara shrugged and headed towards the other courtyard until Helena grabbed her arm. "Wait a minute Barbara. Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

Barbara looked at Helena and said, "You can't possibly believe their going out." Helena shook her head. Barbara fully turned around and looked at Carolyn and Dinah. "I don't see anything. What am I supposed to be seeing here?"

"Look at their face structures."

"What?" Barbara asked somewhat confused and disbelieving.

"I think their sisters."

"Helena, they have different last names."

"So?" Helena asked. "Jesse's last name is Reese. We have the same mother but different father. Not only that, when I was born my mother and father were not married, hence my last name being Kyle and not whatever my father's last name was." Barbara rolled her eyes. "Would you stop rolling your eyes and sighing? I'm serious."

"I know. Which is why I'm rolling my eyes and sighing. Just because they are both blonde does not mean they are related. There are probably a million blondes in the whole world and not every one of them are related." Helena shook her head. "Helena look. So what if they are sisters?"

"I just think it would be funny if they were."

"Why?"

"Because, Barbara ever since you said that there is no way we would ever be together my love for you has turned sisterly." Barbara quirked her eyebrows. "I consider you a sister. You get that right?" Barbara slowly nodded. "Alright. I have a crush on Carolyn and you on Dinah, right?" Barbara started shaking her head until she saw the look on Helena's face and then nodded. "And I think they are sisters."

"So?"

"God, you are so slow for a genius Barbara. Its funny in an ironic way okay?"

"I don't understand irony." Helena snorted and nodded. "Hey!" Barbara said as she socked Helena in the stomach. "You were not supposed to agree with that."

"Come on Babs. You can introduce me to your dream girl another time. I'm hungry for a second breakfast. Care to join me in the café?" Barbara chuckled and shook her head as they turned around and headed for the cafeteria. "What?"

"Nothing."

ENGLISH LIT – Second Period

Barbara and Helena were sitting in second period counting desks to see if there was anyway they would be partnered together for an assignment Mr. Grayson had just assigned. "Damn," Helena said. "There's no way we'll get partnered unless he does it completely random and we get lucky."

"I wonder who we will get partnered with."

Just then Mr. Grayson answered Barbara's question. "Alright everyone. I will be giving all of you a number that corresponds with your name and then another number. The second number is your partners number." Barbara and Helena looked at each other hopefully. "Now, I have to warn you that I will break up partners if you happen to land with your best friend." Everyone in the class groaned. All of them had been thinking they would just switch numbers so they would be with their friend. "I want you to have to work with your partner to write their biography. Get to know them. The worksheets I am passing out have your numbers on them. Once you have your sheet, get with your partner. If you're not sure who your partner is come ask me."

When Helena got her sheet her face lit up. Her partner's number was one higher then her own. Helena leaned over to Barbara and whispered, "Tell me my partner isn't who I think it is."

Barbara looked at Helena's paper and smiled. "I think it is who you think it is."

"Yes!," Helena quietly exclaimed. She turned around to Carolyn. "Hey Carolyn, is your number 14?"

Carolyn looked at Helena and smiled. "Yeah. Helena right? You were in the play with me this summer."

"Yeah. I was."

"So, where do you want to meet to work on this?"

"I don't really care. Anywhere is fine with me as long as I have a ride home if its not in walking distance from my house."

Carolyn nodded. "Well I can drive you home." Carolyn looked over at Barbara. "Hey, Red. Who's your partner?" Barbara spun around and pointed at herself. "Yeah you. Who's your partner?"

"I don't know. I was about to go up and ask Mr. Grayson."

"What's their number?"

"23."

"Hey, that's my sister Dinah. Cool, then all four of us can work together." Helena looked at Barbara trying to surpress her laughter from the look on Barbara's face.

"Don't even Helena."

"Don't even what?"

"You know what."

Just then the bell rang for the end of class. Carolyn gave Helena a piece of paper. "Here's mine and Dinah's address. We can work there today say about five?" Barbara and Helena nodded. "Cool. See you guys then."

Helena watched Carolyn and Dinah leave the room. "Told you so," she said as she laughed. Barbara punched her in the shoulder. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Like that really hurt."

"It did," Helena said as she rolled her shoulder. "Come on lets go get our books so we're not late to third period.

Chapter 3

FOUR FIFTY-FIVE THAT EVENING

Barbara and Helena pulled up to Carolyn and Dinah's house. "Well, here we are." Helena turned to Barbara and asked, "How do I look?"

"You look fine Hel. Just like you did five minutes ago." Barbara shut the car off and put her keys away. "Come on. Lets go in."

"Barbara she remembered me from the play. She knew my name."

"So?" Barbara said as she shrugged her shoulders. "You're point is?"

"Barbara how long have you know her?"

"Since preschool."

"Okay and what did she call you earlier?" Barbara quirked her eyebrow and gave Helena a weird look. "She called you Red. She couldn't even remember your name, yet I'm in one play with her and she knows mine."

"Yeah, a play where you had to French kiss her. Not only that, you are the same person who beat up her boyfriend."

"Yeah, you mentioned that yesterday Babs. That's not the point."

Barbara looked at the door to the house. "Look, Hel. Carolyn always called me Red. Even in preschool. Who knows if she ever knew my actual name?" Barbara looked at Helena. "I'm sorry but its the truth. Why do you think I turned around. That weird chick who sits behind me has red hair." Helena nodded. "Come on. Ring the doorbell. I'm sure they have noticed we're out here. Hopefully not what we're arguing about."

Helena rang the doorbell and waited. The door opened to reveal a butler. "May I help you?"

Barbara and Helena looked at each other. "I'm sorry, we must be at the wrong address. Is this the Lance household?" Barbara asked, looking at the slip of paper Carolyn had given Helena.

"Yes it is. Are you two Barbara and Helena?" They nodded. The butler moved aside to let them in. "Welcome then, to the Lance home. Carolyn and Dinah are in the study. Follow me." Barbara and Helena followed the butler as he went down several different hallways. "Right in here."

"Thank you," Barbara said. The butler nodded and opened the door for them. Barbara and Helena walked in and found themselves in a room with shelves on all the walls and several brand new computers. "Wow, you guys have a great place!" Barbara said.

"Thanks," Carolyn said. "Come on in and sit down. Pizza is on the way. We figured we could eat and then begin our biographies. I hope you guys like pepperoni."

"Yeah. We both like it," Barbara said, nudging Helena who was staring at the room, completely speechless.

"Yeah, pepperoni is fine," Helena said. "So, have you guys always lived here?"

"No, we only moved in this past year. Our mother recently got remarried and then we moved in here with him." Just then the butler came in with the pizza. "Oh, thanks Alfred, but I could have come down to get it."

"Of course not Miss Carolyn. It is my job. Is there anything you need?"

"No Alfred. If we need anything we can get it ourselves. Don't argue."

"Yes, Miss Carolyn."

Carolyn rolled her eyes. "I hate it that he insists calling me that. It gets annoying." Barbara and Helena chuckled.

An hour later the girls were all talking and giggling. The pizza had been finished a while ago and the assignment completely forgotten. "So that was you that beat the crap out of my boyfriend last year?" Helena blushed and nodded. Carolyn laughed as she said, "He told me him and one of his friends were rough housing."

"Well, duh! Do you really think he would admit to a girl half his size beating him up?" Helena asked.

"No. You're right. Why did you beat him up?" Helena blushed again and mumbled something. "What? Didn't quite hear that."

"Saw him kissing some other girl. I remembered Barbara saying you use to be a friend of hers and any friend of hers is a friend of mine."

"Thank you," Carolyn said. Helena just shrugged and went to playing with her shoelace. Carolyn looked at the clock. "Wow! Its already seven o'clock. You guys want to just stay the night here? Me or Dinah can lend you some clothes to sleep in and for tomorrow."

"Sure. It is a Friday and we didn't get any of our project done."

"Wonder why we started school on a Thursday," Dinah asked out loud.

"We always do," Barbara said. "Don't ask why. I have no idea. Its been like that forever." Dinah nodded. "Can we use your phone to make sure its alright?"

"Sure. There's one right outside the door," Carolyn said. Barbara and Helena nodded and went outside. Carolyn looked over at Dinah and smirked.

"What?" Carolyn shook her head. "Shut up Care. You are wrong." Carolyn nodded, smiled, and started picking up the trash from the pizza.

IN THE HALLWAY

Barbara hung up the phone. "I can stay. Do you think you're mother will let you?"

"Since you can, yep. She figures as long as you are with me, I won't get in trouble." Barbara laughed and gave Helena a superior look. "What?" she asked as she dialed the phone.

Barbara shook her head and said, "Nothing."

"Hey, Mom? Yeah, I'm fine. Hey, Barbara and I were asked to stay over tonight, can I? Yes she's already called her father. Yes. I know you are going to call him and check it out. Yes Mom, I will. Love you too. Bye." Helena hung the phone up with a huff.

"She gave you a hard time huh?" Helena rolled her eyes and grunted. "You and Carolyn seem to be hitting it off." Helena glared at Barbara. "What?"

"Well, so have you and Dinah." Barbara blushed. "What? Didn't think I noticed? Babs, I notice everything. You should know that by now."

"Yeah, well, you haven't been very discrete." Helena gave Barbara a confused look. "Oh, please. When we first walked in the study you were speechless and drooling."

"Were we in the same room? Of course I was speechless and drooling. Did you not see all the expensive stuff in that room?" Barbara rolled her eyes. "Come on. Lets go back in before they get all curious as to what's taking us so long."

BACK IN THE LIBRARY

"Look who’s talking Care. You have been shamelessly flirting with Helena all night." Carolyn blushed. "At least I don't have a boyfriend." Carolyn glared at Dinah as Barbara and Helena came back into the room. "So can you guys stay?"

"Yeah," Barbara said. "We can stay. Should we get some work done on our projects?" Everyone nodded and sat down at a table in the room. "So who wants to start?" Everyone looked at each other. "Okay I will. Dinah what's the first question?"

"Um," Dinah looked at the papers in front of her and tried to find the paper with the questions on it. "Give me a minute." Carolyn smirked and pointed to the paper on the top of the stack. "Oh, thanks. Okay, the first question is what is your full name?"

Helena snorted and Barbara glared at her. "Barbara Alexandra Gordon." Everyone was trying not to laugh but only Dinah was completely successful. "Go ahead and laugh." Carolyn and Helena looked at each other and burst out laughing. Dinah only chuckled. "Are you done?" she asked once they seemed to have calmed down. They nodded. "What's your whole name Dinah?"

"Dinah Lance Redmond." Barbara quirked an eyebrow. "Lance is our mother's maiden name." Barbara nodded and nudged Helena.

"What?" Helena asked glaring at Barbara. Barbara shook her head and dropped it on the table. "Stop being so dramatic. My full name is Helena Lilo Kyle. Don't ask or laugh." Carolyn nodded and wrote it down. "Yours?"

"Carolyn Anne Lance." Barbara and Helena looked at her skeptical. "What? That really is my full name. Not everyone in the world has weird middle names or initials." Everyone looked at Helena and laughed. She just rolled her eyes and huffed. "Alright, lets finish this first page of questions then call it a night. Everyone agreed?" Carolyn asked. Everyone nodded and the questioning began.

Chapter 4

THE NEXT MORNING

Barbara was sitting in a dark room all by herself. She had no idea where she was but she knew she wasn't in any danger. She couldn't see a thing but knew there were other things in the room. There was no echo whatsoever. Barbara couldn't hear a thing, not even the creaks of old floorboards.

She sat in the dark for a long time until it started storming outside. She watched out the window as the rain pounded down and lightening flashed. The storm was close fore the thunder was loud and often. She stood like that, memorized, for what seemed like an hour. Suddenly she heard a crash from outside, in the hallway.

She left the room and entered a dark hallway. She saw a shadow run across the hall. "Who's there?" she asked in a shaky voice. No one answered. She rounded the corner that she thought the person whom she thought had caused the shadow had run into. She ran into a body and screamed.< All of a sudden she woke up and looked around. "Where the hell am I?"

Helena rolled over and hit her in the stomach. "Carolyn's. Now, go back to sleep." She then rolled back over and buried her head in her pillow. Barbara looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand next to her and poked at Helena. She sat up and threw a pillow at Barbara's face. "What do you want now?"

"I think we should get up. Its eleven o'clock." Helena glared at her. "What? We are guest and can't be rude." Helena grabbed another pillow and smack Barbara in the face again. "Helena."

"You just want to see what Dinah sleeps in."

Barbara blushed and ducked her head. "Not true."

Helena laughed. "Yeah, that's why you blushed." Barbara glared at Helena. "Stop glaring at me. What are we supposed to wear today?"

"Carolyn said they would lend us some clothes." Helena got out of bed and walked around to the foot of the bed. "Where are you going?"

"Bathroom. Why?" Barbara shrugged. Helena looked at Barbara and saw a weird look in her eyes. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure?" Barbara nodded. "Alright. I see two piles of clothes in the bathroom. I'm guessing that's what we are supposed to wear today. You sure you are alright? We can go home if you aren't feeling good."

"I'm fine. Go get dressed." Helena nodded, walked into the bathroom, and shut the door. "What they leave you?"

IN THE KITCHEN

Carolyn and Dinah were sitting at the counter eating cereal. They were both reading the morning paper. Carolyn suddenly looked at Dinah and asked, "Should we wake them up?"

"No. They probably had trouble sleeping last night, being in a strange place and all. Who knows what time they were able to fall asleep." Dinah smirked. "Besides, I know why you want to go wake them up."

"What are you talking about?" Carolyn huffed as she rolled her eyes.

Dinah blushed but looked Carolyn in the eye. "You mean, you haven't heard the rumors?" Carolyn looked at Dinah, quirking her eyebrow. "Everyone thinks Helena is a wild child and sleeps in the nude." Carolyn broke eye contact and looked at her bowl of cereal. "I knew it! Come on. Even if she did, don't you think she would wear something at someone else's house or when she's sharing a bed with Barbara?"

"You jealous?" Carolyn challenged.

"No, are you?" Dinah quirked an eyebrow at Carolyn.

"No. Why would I be jealous?" Dinah shrugged and went back to eating her breakfast. Carolyn put the paper down and looked at her watch. "You sure we shouldn't wake them up?" Dinah chuckled and shook her head. "How can they sleep this long?"

"I don't know but look at this, a cockroach is what stopped someone chance at beating the domino world record. It knocked down eight thousand domino's. A whole days worth of work for the guy doing it."

"What? Let me see that."

IN THE GUESTROOM

"Are you almost ready?" Barbara asked, knocking on the bathroom door.

"Hold your horses Babs. I'll be out in a minute."

"Come on. It can't be that bad."

"Yes it can."

Barbara rolled her eyes. "Helena." Helena came out of the bathroom. It took all of Barbara's will power not to laugh. Helena, in a white skirt and baby blue top was just … too funny. Barbara finally ran out of will power and burst out laughing.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. Wait `till you see what was left for you." Barbara's eyes went wide. "Yeah, I'd be scared too if I were you." Barbara groaned and went into the bathroom to get dress. "I can't believe they gave me a skirt to wear. When in hell have they ever seen me wear a skirt?!" Barbara could be heard laughing through the door. "Stop laughing and get dress!"

"What's your hurry?" Helena shrugged even though she knew Barbara couldn't see her. "Could you verbally respond please? I don't have X-ray vision you know."

"How the hell do you do that?"

"It's a gift."

"Are you almost ready?"

"Calm down, I'm done." Barbara came out of the bathroom wearing green cargo pants and a white peasant top. "You said I should be scared but I like it." Helena just nodded, the sight of Barbara had rendered her speechless. "Does it look that bad?" Helena shook her head. Barbara smiled and blushed. "Come on. I know you're hungry." Helena just nodded again. "What no argument? God, I must look good." Helena blushed and followed Barbara out the room.

Barbara and Helena followed the sound of laughter down the hallway into the kitchen. As soon as they opened the door, the laughter stopped as Carolyn and Dinah looked up, their mouths dropping open at the sight of them. "Morning," Carolyn croaked. Barbara and Helena looked at each other and blushed as they sat opposite Carolyn and Dinah. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah. That bed is huge. Couldn't even tell I was sharing it with somebody," Helena said. Carolyn blushed and looked down at the paper. Barbara quirked an eyebrow at that, again looking at Helena. "What were you guys laughing at?"

"Just some story in the morning paper I found. You guys want some breakfast?" Both Barbara and Helena nodded. "What do you want?"

"Cereal is fine." Barbara looked between Carolyn and Dinah. "I have to ask. Who's idea was it to leave out a skirt for Helena?" Helena blushed again as Carolyn laughed as she handed Barbara two bowls and a box of cereal.

"Alfred's. He put out the clothes for you guys."

Helena blushed even more and put her head down on the table. "Kill me now." Barbara put a bowl of cereal in front of Helena who immediately perked up. "Ooh, thank you."

"You're welcome. So, what are we going to do today? We finished all the questions we had to and more. Mr. Grayson hasn't told us how to write this thing up so we don't really have anything else to do with it right now."

"We could go shopping." Barbara, Dinah, and Helena looked at each other, made a face and tried not to laugh. "Or not. Are there any good movies playing? We could see an early show."

"Neither me nor Helena have any money on us. We weren't planning on doing anything besides the project."

Helena nodded, her mouth full with cereal, milk dripping down her chin. Carolyn reached over and wiped it away, stopping only when she realized what she was doing. "You had milk dripping."

Helena swallowed hard. "Thanks." Barbara and Dinah smiled, trying not to chuckled. "How about we go bowling or putt-putt golf?"

"I thought you guys didn't have any money on you?"

"We don't." Helena smirked. "I happen to know people who work at both those places who could get us in for free. Have yet to make friends at the new movie theater but it should only be a couple more weeks." Helena grinned wickedly. "Then we can go see a movie."

"Well, I've never been bowling before," Carolyn said, ducking her head behind the newspaper.

"Really?" Helena asked in disbelief. Carolyn nodded. "Well, I can, um, teach you if you want."

"When did you develop a stutter?" Barbara asked. Helena kicked her from under the table.

"Really?" Helena looked at Dinah and nodded. "Well, I'm all for bowling then. What about you guys?"

"I don't know Hel. You know how I hate bowling." Helena glared at Barbara with a look that could kill if looks killed. "Well, how about you Dinah? If you're game, I'm game."

"I'm game. We can play doubles. You and me, against Carolyn and Helena. That alright with you guys?" Barbara nodded and glared at Helena as she also nodded trying not to laugh. "Alright. Lets go."

BOWLING ALLEY

The girls all got their shoes and bowling balls and were on their lanes getting ready. Helena was putting their names in the computer as Carolyn tied her shoes. "Hey, Dinah?" Dinah looked at Barbara. "I'm not that good at bowling. That's the reason why all the people here were surprised to see me. Helena doesn't bring me that often."

"Don't worry. Carolyn wasn't lying when she said she's never bowled before. You can't be worse then her." Barbara shrugged and grimaced. "You're that bad?" Barbara nodded. "Well, maybe I can help you since Helena is helping Carolyn."

Barbara smiled at Dinah. "I don't see why not. That'll be cool. Thanks."

Dinah blushed. "No prob."

Helena hopped up from the computer. "Are we ready? Dinah and I are up first." Both girls went up and bowled a strike. "Alright. Carolyn, you want to bowl one ball by yourself first? That way I can see what you'll need the most help on." Carolyn nodded. "Dinah, you gonna help Barbara?" Dinah nodded.

Okay, well Babs, you should do the same thing then. You two are up." Barbara and Carolyn looked at each other. They both got up and both bowled gutter balls. "Alright. Dinah, you go ahead and help Barbara first."

Dinah walked up to Barbara, grabbed her ball, and lead her to a spot on the lane. Helena turned to Carolyn. "I told you I never bowled before."

"You weren't kidding." Helena turned back around when she heard Barbara's ball hit the lane. "Seven pins. Good job Barbara, personal best." Barbara glared at her and stuck out her tongue. Helena laughed as she turned to Carolyn. "Alright, blondie. Your turn." Carolyn grimaced and followed Helena onto the lane. "Alright. Now put your middle and ring finger in these smaller holes and then your thumb in the big hole. Good. Stand on these line of dots, right there," Helena said as she pointed to a spot on the floor. She then moved behind Carolyn and grabbed her hands. "Now you want to bring the ball back as you go forward. As you take your last step bring it forward and release when it's even with the floor. Ready?" Carolyn nodded. "Go."

Helena watched as Carolyn did exactly as she had been told. She only knocked down five pins. "I thought you were supposed to help me here? Barbara hit seven."

Helena chuckled. "Yeah, well, Barbara's bowled before." Carolyn just huffed. "Alright, Dinah, me and you are up again." They both went up and yet again bowled strikes.

"Its not fair. You two are too good," Barbara whined.

"That's why we aren't on the same team. You want help again Barbara?"

"Nah, I want to try it myself." Barbara stood where Dinah had placed her earlier. She had perfect ball going until it curved right before it hit the pins. "Well, nine is better then seven, and I can always pick it up. Carolyn, you want to go or should I finish my turn?" Carolyn just waved her on. "Alright." This time the ball went perfectly and Barbara picked up the spare. "I did it!"

"Good job Babs. You ready Car?"

"Car?"

"Yeah, Car. You got a problem with that?" Carolyn smiled and shook her head. "Are you ready?"

"I guess."

Helena stayed behind Carolyn the entire way. She watched the ball go down the lane, straight for the right pocket. "Come on," she heard Carolyn mumble. "Strike! I can't believe it! I bowled a strike!" Carolyn continued shrieking as she jumped up and down, hugging Helena. "Thank you! Thank you!" Carolyn's lips were right next to Helena's and had to fight the urge to kiss her. "Thanks," she whispered.

"No prob," Helena said as Barbara and Dinah took off to the arcade. She watched them go. "You know? We should work together in getting Barbara and Dinah together."

"Thank god I'm not the only one who noticed it," Carolyn said as she tried not to laugh. "Where are those two anyway?"

"They went into the arcade. Come on. Lets go. I don't feel like bowling anymore." Helena went and picked up two balls then motioned for Carolyn to follow her with the others. "Lets start `Mission Matchmakers'."

Chapter 5

IN THE ARCADE

“The two of them need to get over whatever is stopping hem from getting together,” Dinah said as she and Barbara walked into the arcade.

“I know. They are driving me crazy, especially Helena. She’s had a crush on Carolyn since the sixth grade.” Barbara pointed to the pool table. “Wanna play?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been any good at pool.”

“Well, then I can return the favor and help you out. I’ve actually beat Helena once or twice and that is saying something. She didn’t take it very well though.”

Dinah laughed. “Why does that not surprise me? She doesn’t seem like the type of person who loses very often.”

Barbara shook her head and started racking the balls. “She’s not, and when she does, you wish you had lost. You can break.” Dinah looked at her. “All you have to do is hit the balls with the cue ball. If one goes in, its still your turn.”

Dinah lined up the cue ball and got ready for her shot. She hit the ball but it just went around all the others. Barbara looked at her with a quirked eyebrow. “I told you I wasn’t any good.”

“That still doesn’t explain how it completely went around the others.”

Dinah just shrugged and gave Barbara an innocent look. “Show me how to break?”

“Ah. Now I understand,” Barbara said, smiling as she moved behind Dinah and put her hands on top of Dinah’s. “Okay. Now line up your shot,” she said as she and Dinah leaned over. Dinah looked back at Barbara and smiled. Barbara just blushed and ducked her head. Dinah nodded and looked back at the table, neither of them had noticed Carolyn and Helena standing in front of them. “Now, you want to hit the cue ball right in the center.”

“Hey, whatcha two doing?” Helena asked right as Dinah pulled back to take her shot. Both Barbara and Dinah’s heads whipped up to look at Helena. Since Dinah wasn’t paying attention, she hit the bottom of the cue ball causing it to jump off the table and hit Helena right smack dab in the middle of her forehead. “Watch what you’re doing, why don’t ya?”

“God, Helena, I am so sorry. I got distracted when you said something and so I wasn’t paying attention to where I hit the ball.”

Helena just smiled. “Are you sure it was me that had you distracted?” Dinah blushed as Barbara glared at Helena. “Carolyn and I are tired of bowling already. Lets do something else.”

“Like what?”

Helena grinned wickedly. “There’s a carnival in town. We can stop by Barbara and mine’s houses so we can get some money.”

“Helena,” Barbara said hesitantly. “What are you up to?”

“I have no idea what you mean,” Helena responded, giving Barbara her most innocent look possible, which isn’t very innocent.

“Thats what I was afraid of. You do know that you can’t lie to me and not know it.” Helena nodded. Barbara squinted and looked at her.

Helena just smiled. “Come on. Lets go.” Helena then grabbed Barbara’s hand and pulled her to the door as Carolyn grabbed Dinah’s and did the same thing.

BARBARA’S HOUSE

“Hey Dad!”

“Hey sweeite,” Mr. Gordon said as he walked into the kitchen. He hugged his daughter then turned to the other girls. “Helena, how are you?”

“I’m fine Mr. Gordon. How are you?”

“I’m good thanks.” Mr. Gordon looked at Barbara and then shifted his gaze over to Carolyn and Dinah.

“Oh, yeah. Dad these are my friends that I stayed with last night. Carolyn and Dinah.” Carolyn and Dinah smiled at Barbara’s father. “Dad, can I borrow some money?”

“What for?”

“We want to go to the carnival but I spent the rest of my money on that jacket I bought last week. You know, the one I had been wanting for months.”

“Sure, here you go.” Mr. Gordon handed Barbara a twenty.

“Thanks Dad.” Barbara looked at Carolyn and Dinah. “I actually need to get that jacket, so you guys can either wait in the car or in here. Wherever you’re more comfortable.”

“We’ll wait in here,” Dinah said

“Kay. Helena, come with me and help me find my jacket,” Barbara said as she dragged Helena into her room.

Carolyn, Dinah, and Mr. Gordon looked around the kitchen, fidgeting. They all kept on nodding so for no reason what so ever. “So …” Dinah started.

BARBARA’S ROOM

Helena looked around Barbara’s room. “How do you keep this place so … clean? I mean, I have never been in your room and it be messy. Mine is always messy when you come over.”

“I know.”

“Funny Babs. You do know your jacket is hanging on your door, right?”

“Oh, thanks.”

“That’s not why we’re in here is it?” Barbara looked at everywhere but Helena. “What’s wrong Babs?”

Barbara sighed. “I don’t know. Its just … for some reason, I’m really nervous about going to the carnival. Knowing you, you have something up your sleeve.”

“Yes, I probably do, but you know I would never do anything to hurt you or make you mad, at least not intentionally.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s the unintentional things that sometimes happen that has me worried.”

Helena went over to Barbara and hugged her. “Don’t worry Babs. If I can tell that anything is going wrong with my plan I will stop right away. Okay?” Barbara nodded. “Kay. Come on. Lets go rescue the others from a tension filled silence.” Barbara laughed as she grabbed her jacket and they left the room.

BACK IN THE KITCHEN

Carolyn, Dinah, and Mr. Gordon were standing exactly where they were before as Barbara and Helena walked back into the room. Carolyn was the first to notice them. “You guys ready to go now?”

“Yeah. Bye Dad.”

“Have a good time girls.” They all said their thanks and good byes. Helena was the last to go out the door and as she did, Mr. Gordon slipped her a twenty as well. “Take it Helena. I know you gave Barbara some money to buy that jacket.”

“Mr. Gordon ...”

“No. Just take it.” Helena shook her head. “Helena.” So that’s where Barbara gets it from, Helena thought trying not to smile. “Please, Helena. Just take it.”

Helena sighed in defeat. “Fine. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now go.” Helena started out the door. “”Wait! One more thing.” Helena turned around. “About this Dinah girl ...”

Helena just smiled. “Don’t worry Mr. Gordon. See ya.”

Mr. Gordon watched Helena climbed into Barbara’s car and the four of them take off. “I hope you’re right Helena.”

ON THE HIGHWAY

“What took you so long to come out?”

“You’re father just wanted to talk to me. Oh, and no need to stop by my house.”

“Why not?”

“You’re father slipped me a twenty as well. You know, for the jacket.” Barbara nodded. “I tried to refuse but he wouldn’t let me. I said no three times and then he actually said please. You know I can’t say no to that.”

Barbara nodded again. “I know. You tried at least. You sure you don’t want to stop by your house though?”

Helena nodded. “Yeah. Why would I want to stop by my house?”

“What about changing into pair of pants?”

“Oh. Nah, who knows if my mother will let me leave the house again.”

“Well, we can stop by our place and you can borrow something from Dinah or me again.”

Helena looked at Carolyn. “Last time you said that I ended up in a skirt. The whole reason why we are having this conversation in the first place.”

Carolyn and Dinah laughed. “I won’t let Alfred pick them out this time. You can look in my closet and find something else.” Carolyn looked over at Barbara. “You too Red. Don’t know if you like what Al left out for you. You haven’t complained at all.”

Barbara chuckled as Helena pouted and glared at Carolyn. “Thats alright Carolyn. I haven’t complained because I actually like what was left for me.” Barbara looked at Helena in the rearview mirror. “Stop that Hel! You know we were just joking around with you.” Helena shot Barbara and evil look and stuck out her tongue. “Real mature Hel.”

“Be quiet Babs and leave me alone. I want to continue moping. You got a problem with that?” Everyone shook their heads. Helena crossed her arms and slumped into her seat as she mumbled, “I was only talking to Barbara.”

“Hey Barbara,” Dinah asked. Barbara looked over at Dinah. “You really like the outfit?” Barbara hesitantly nodded. “You can have it if you want. I can’t remember the last time I wore it.”

Just then Barbara pulled into the Lance’s driveway. “You wore it Tuesday, Dinah. Besides even if you never wore it I can’t accept these.”

“Why not? They look better on you anyway.” Barbara blushed. “I want you to have them Barbara. Please just take them.”

“Barbara, just say ‘yes’ so we can go inside. The sooner I get out of this skirt the sooner I will be a much more pleasant person to be around.” Barbara glared at Helena who just huffed and looked over at Dinah. “She says ‘yes’ and ‘thank you’. Can we go in now?”

Carolyn laughed as Barbara and Dinah shyly smiled at each other. “Come on. Lets get in the house before these two start something else to stall us.” Barbara and Dinah blushed as they looked away from each other. Carolyn and Helena climbed out of the car. “Hurry up you slow pokes!” she yelled as her and Helena ran to the door. Barbara and Dinah looked at each other and laughed.

IN CAROLYN’S ROOM

“There’s my closet. Just go ahead and look for something you like.”

“Cool.” Helena opened Carolyn’s closet. “Holy shit.”

“What?”

“You are definitely a blonde cheerleader.” Carolyn glared at Helena. “I’m sorry but you have a buttload of clothes in here and I’m guessing you have a lot more.” Carolyn blushed. “See?”

“Just pick something already.”

OUTSIDE IN THE CAR

“Those two are perfect for each other,” Barbara said in between gasps of breath. Dinah nodded in agreement, still not being able to get her breathing under control enough to actually talk. “We might as well wait out here for them. Unless your sister had a lot of stuff Helena likes, they should be out soon.”

“Unless they finally realize their love for one another.”

“I doubt it,” Barbara said as she chuckled. “Helena is pretty dense when it comes to that sort of thing.” Dinah quirked an eyebrow at that. “What’s with the raised eyebrow? You don’t believe me?”

“No, I believe you. I’m just wondering how you would know just how dense she is.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Barbara snapped.

“Nothing Barbara. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just being a jerk.” Barbara looked away from Dinah. “Barbara. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. Its none of my business.”

“No, It’s alright. You were just asking a question. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like I did.” Barbara let out a huge sigh. “Its just that you were closing in on something that I have never admitted to anyone.” Dinah nodded and looked at Barbara, waiting for her to continue. “I’ve always –“

“Hey. You guys ready to go?” Barbara and Dinah jumped and looked at Helena. “Are you guys alright? I mean, Barbara, you were looking right at us and I still managed to scare you.”

“We’re fine, Helena. We were just talking and I wasn’t really paying attention to what I was looking at,” Barbara managed as she wiped her eyes.

Helena went around to the driver’s side and knelt down so she was eye to eye with Barbara. “If you’re fine, why are you crying?”

“The sun was in my face.” Helena nodded and looked Barbara in the eye. “Helena, I don’t want to talk about it anymore, alright. Can you please just drop it?” Helena continued looking in Barbara’s eyes as though she was searching for something. “Please? I’m practically begging you here. Please, just drop it.”

Helena gave Barbara one more look over then looked at Dinah, who just shrugged one shoulder. Helena nodded. Barbara started sighing in relief. “But, we will talk about this later. Understood?” Barbara nodded. “Good. Now, come on. Lets go.”

Helena and Carolyn climbed back into the back. “You look good Hel. Black is definitely your color.”

“Shut up Babs and drive. I’m not wearing all black. I kept the blue shirt on underneath the jacket,” Helena said as she pouted.

“Would you stop with the pouting? You know I was just messing with you. Touchy much?” Helena caught Barbara’s gaze in the rearview mirror and lazily quirked her eyebrow. “Alright. I’ll leave you alone. I’m sorry, okay?” Helena nodded and smiled.

Chapter 6

THE CARNIVAL

When the girls arrived the first thing they noticed was the carnival was not very crowded. Actually, there was almost no one there. Barbara, Carolyn, and Dinah, all looked at Helena. "What? How was I supposed to know this place wouldn't be cool? Besides, just because no ones here does not mean that its not cool." The others rolled their eyes. "Come on. Lets give it a chance."

”Okay. Dinah and I will go buy some tickets. Then can we eat first? I'm hungry."

Just then Helena's stomach made a grumbling sound. "I think Hel's stomach just answered your question Care," Barbara said as she tried not to laugh at Helena. Helena just rolled her eyes. "We'll go find food." Barbara then linked arms with Helena and the two of them were off for food.

Dinah looked at Carolyn. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything," Dinah said as she chuckled.

"Yeah, well, I know what you want to say." Dinah just shrugged. "So, what were you and Red talking about that upset her so much? You profess your love for her?"

"No, I did not and I can't tell you what we were talking about. Its none of your business." Carolyn nodded. "Where is there a ticket booth?" Carolyn looked at Dinah and raised an eyebrow. "What?" She looked to the left of them. "Oh." Carolyn chuckled. "Shut up."

"Oh, cool, look, its bracelet day."

Inside the booth was a woman who looked ancient. Her nametag said her name was Millie. "Can I help you?" she asked, sounding bored as she filed her yellow and brittle fingernails.

Carolyn and Dinah looked at each other. "Four bracelets please."

Millie looked at Carolyn as though she was a bug about to be crushed. "That will be twenty dollars," she said with a yawn. Carolyn handed her a twenty. Millie gave her four bracelets. "Thank you for coming to Joker's Carnival. Hope you have a wonderful, smile-filled time." She then turned around and starting filing her nails again. Carolyn and Dinah looked at each other and then took off to find Barbara and Helena.

AT THE FOOD BOOTH

"So?"

"So what?" A dark brow rose. "What to do you want Helena?"

"I want to know what was happening before Carolyn and I interrupted you guys in the arcade earlier."

"We were playing pool." Helena nodded. "What?! I was showing her how to break."

"Yeah, but not the pools balls," Helena mumbled. Barbara glared at her. "Breaking is pretty self explanatory Babs. You don't need to show someone how to break."

"Shut up. What about you and Carolyn? Anything happen when you went in to change?" Helena blushed. "Oh my god! Something did happen. What happened?"

"Nothing happened. Hey, here they come. Just in time too." Barbara rolled her eyes as Carolyn and Dinah walked up to them. "What you guys want?" Helena looked at Carolyn.

"Just a slice of pizza and soda." Helena turned to Dinah.

"Same thing."

"Same for you too Babs?" Barbara nodded. "Okay." Helena turned to the man in the booth. "Four slices of pizza and four sodas please."

"Twelve dollars." Helena handed him a twenty. "Out of a twenty. Your change is eight dollars. Here's your food. Have a nice day."

Barbara and Helena each grabbed a tray and the four of them sat down. "You guys get the tickets?"

"Nope, better." Carolyn held up four strips of brightly colored plastic. "Bracelets. All we have to do is ride three rides each and we save money."

"Cool. So what we wanna do first?" Barbara asked.

"Well, I wanna go through the haunted house," Helena said.

"Not first. I am not going through the haunted house right after eating," Dinah protested. "No spinning really fast rides either."

"You do realize you just threw almost all the other good rides out the window?"

"Helena, I agree with Dinah. No spinning rides right after we eat. There are other rides we can go on that will not make any of us sick."

"Like what?"

"The Ferris wheel, the merry-go `round –"

"I will not be caught dead on the merry-go `round. Nuh-uh. No way."

"Helena." Helena glared at Barbara. "Please?" Helena shook her head. Barbara pouted.

"Not going to work Babs. Sorry." Barbara looked at Dinah who then also pouted. "Please, like Blondie pouting is going to make me break." Helena crossed her arms over her chest. Carolyn looked at the other girls and shook her head. Helena quirked an eyebrow as Dinah kicked Carolyn. "Alright! Lets go on the merry-go `round," Helena said before Carolyn could pout. She had no idea what would happen if Carolyn had pouted.

"Yes!" Barbara and Dinah shouted as they gave each other high fives. Helena just rolled her eyes at the whole scene. Barbara came up behind Helena and hugged her. "Thank you," she whispered in her ear. Helena nodded and hugged her back. "Come on. Lets go."

"Here, give me those plates and I'll throw them away." Helena dusted her hands off after she threw everyone's plates away. Sighing, she asked, "You guys ready to go?" Everyone nodded and got up, walking over to Helena. "Lets go on the merry-go `round."

Barbara and Dinah got on moving horses and waited for the ride to begin. Carolyn and Helena looked at each other then picked the sled looking thing behind the other girls. Barbara looked back and winked at Helena who blushed and pointedly looked at Dinah. Barbara rolled her eyes and turned back around.

"That was nice of you to give in and agree to coming on this." Helena jumped at the sound of Carolyn's voice. "Sorry, didn't realize you were lost in thought."

"No prob. It doesn't happen often." Carolyn chuckled. "Thanks, but what are friends for, huh? Barbara knew she wouldn't lose. I can never say no to her. She's like a sister to me." Carolyn nodded. "I'm sure you know what I mean, you do have a real sister."

"Yeah, I could never say no to Dinah unless it means her wearing my cloths. Then I say `hell no'." Helena laughed as the ride started moving. "Yeah. It's moving. The sooner this is over the better." Helena nodded and looked ahead at Barbara. "I don't think I've seen Dinah so happy since she moved here."

"I don't think I've seen Barbara this happy since … she started going out with Bruce." Helena's eyebrows crunched together in deep thought. "You'd think she would be happy that she has a boyfriend."

Carolyn nodded. "Maybe the thing she was gonna talk to Dinah about is what is bothering her and has been bothering her since then."

"Maybe, but, I'm her best friend. Wouldn't she tell me if something was bothering her?" Carolyn shrugged. Barbara and Dinah looked back at them and smiled. They smiled back. "Looks like we'll both get to do the traditional big brother speech." Carolyn chuckled. "Babs's father could tell."

"Could tell what?"

"Something was going on between Barbara and Dinah. When he finally let me go he asked `About this Dinah girl?'. I just told him not to worry. He knows I wouldn't let anything bad happen to Barbara." Helena started looking around. "Is it me or is this ride slowing down?"

"It's slowing down, thank goodness. This music is getting on my nerves." Helena and Carolyn chuckled and stood up. They walked over to Barbara and Dinah when the ride stopped. Both of them were stuck on top of the horses. "Want help?"

"Please." Carolyn helped Dinah down and Helena helped Barbara down. "What should we ride next?" Everyone looked at Helena. "Helena, since you so kindly gave in and let us ride this, you get to pick."

"Is everyone alright to go on a fast spinning ride?" Everyone nodded. "Cool. Tilt-a-Whirl then. We can all get in one … thing."

"That is actually a good idea. Lets go." Surprisingly enough, considering how empty the carnival had looked, the line for the Tilt-a-Whirl was actually kind of long. Luckily, though the people running the ride were not letting anyone ride by themselves, so the girls went through it pretty quickly.

When they piled into one seat Helena looked at the others. "Everyone lean to one side so we'll spin more." Everyone nodded and waited for the ride to start. When it did everyone leaned sideways, just not all to the same side. Helena and Barbara both leaned to the right while Carolyn and Dinah leaned to the left. This caused Helena and Carolyn to bang heads and Barbara and Dinah to bang heads. "Maybe I should have specified which way to lean," Helena said as they four of them got off the ride rubbing their heads.

"That might have helped us avoid head injuries, Hel."

"Shut up Babs. How was I supposed to know we would all lean in different directions? Most people lean in the same direction as the thing is already going, not the opposite."

"Hey, don't blame us. We always lean the opposite way. That way the whole ride is spinning one way and you are spinning the other. Its more fun that way." Helena glared at Dinah. "Don't glare at me. You were the leader on that ride and should have told us to all lean to the right."

Just as Helena was about to say something Barbara clamped a hand over her mouth "Don't even think about it." Helena glared at Barbara. "No. There is no need to argue over whose fault it is that we didn't all lean to the same side. Carolyn, why don't you pick the next ride."

"The Ferris Wheel?"

Barbara nodded. "Is everyone else alright with that?"

"Yeah."

"Helena?" Helena nodded since Barbara was still holding her mouth shut. "Alright" Barbara looked at Helena. "You promise to be good?" Helena nodded again and Barbara moved her hand. "Now, you remember you promised me."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Lets go get in line for the Ferris wheel." Everyone followed Helena over to the Ferris wheel. "Who wants to sit with who?" Carolyn and Dinah looked at each other and Barbara and Helena looked at each other.

"Well, Carolyn and I would like to sit together, if you guys don't mind."

"No, that's fine Dinah. I think Helena and I were wanting to sit together anyway. Right Helena?"

"Yeah." Carolyn and Dinah got in a car and Barbara and Helena waited till another one came for them to get in. "You alright Babs?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just wanted to talk to you about some things and didn't want Carolyn or Dinah to hear." Helena nodded. Their car started up. Barbara sat on one side, silent, staring at a point just beyond Helena.

"Barbara, are you alright?"

"What? Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking on how to phrase what I want to ask you." Helena nodded at watched Barbara. "If I ask you something, do you promise not to laugh?"

"Barbara, you know I wouldn't ever actually laugh at you. You can ask me anything."

"I need your advice on something." Helena nodded. "How do I know if Dinah feels something for me?" Helena smiled at Barbara. "You said you wouldn't laugh."

"I'm not laughing, just smiling at how dense you are." I'm dense, you're the one who hasn't noticed my big secret, Barbara thought. "Its completely obvious she has feelings for you."

"How do I know that?" Helena rolled her eyes. "No, seriously Helena. How do I know for sure that she likes me?"

"Well, how bout this. We'll all go into the Haunted House together but I'll talk to Carolyn and then her and I will get separated from you two."

Barbara smirked. "You'd do that for me?" she asked as she batted her eyelashes.

"Shut up." Barbara laughed. "Do you want to hear the rest of the plan?" Barbara nodded. "While you guys are in the haunted house grab her hand and just hold it, or pretend to get scared and jump into her arms."

"You know a lot about this Hel."

Helena blushed. "Well, I watch a lot of TV."

"Sure you do." Helena glared at Barbara but couldn't keep a straight face for long and chuckled. "You know? We haven't joked around like this since this morning. We are different around Carolyn and Dinah."

"I know. We're just, well, at least I know I am, trying to impress them." Barbara nodded. "So, you wanna kiss her?" Barbara blushed.

Carolyn looked down to see Barbara and Helena laughing. "Wonder what they are talking about." Carolyn looked at Dinah. "Hey, Di, you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why you ask?" Carolyn shrugged and just looked at Dinah. "What? Nothing is wrong."

"Then why are you fidgeting? And don't say you're afraid of heights cause I know you're not." Dinah blushed. "Ah ha. Its Red, isn't it?"

Her name is Barbara."

"I know that. We use to be friends before middle school. I've known her since kindergarten. I think I know her name." Dinah rolled her eyes. "You like her, don't you?" Carolyn asked, with a slight twinkle in her eyes.

Dinah looked everywhere except at Carolyn. "I don't know." Carolyn quirked her eyebrows. "Okay, maybe I like her a little … alright a lot. Doesn't mean she likes me." Carolyn rolled her eyes.

What?"

"Could you be any more dense? I bet they are talking about you right now."

"How do you know they aren't talking about you?" Carolyn blushed and looked down at Barbara and Helena.

"So, what about you? You still think you like Carolyn?" Helena blushed and nodded. "I'm telling you, I think she's interested." Helena blushed even darker. Barbara laughed. "Alright, I'll leave you alone." Barbara and Helena were now stopped at the top. "Look at the view," Barbara said in awe as she looked around the park. Helena just chuckled. "What?"

"Look down." Barbara did and blushed. "You are right. That is a nice view."

Barbara slapped Helena's arm. "You know that wasn't what I was talking about." Helena laughed. "You are evil." Helena pouted. "Not gonna work Hel. I am immune to your pouting." Helena added the puppy dog eyes. "Now, that's playing dirty."

"I know. I'm sorry," Helena said with a smile. "You're right. The view is nice, and yes I mean the view of the park." Barbara chuckled. "Can't wait to get off this damn thing." Barbara laughed. "What?"

"You just wanna go on with the plan." Helena blushed as they made the rest of their descent. Once they were on the ground they met up with Carolyn and Dinah, who were laughing and leaning against each other. "You guys have fun?"

Dinah nodded. "You guys ready to go?" Carolyn asked.

Barbara looked over at Helena who was slightly pouting. "We promised Hel we would go in the Haunted House." Helena smiled.

"Alright, lets go." Carolyn linked arms with Helena and they headed for the haunted house. Barbara and Dinah looked at each other and blushed then followed Carolyn and Helena.

"This looks a little more scary then normal haunted houses. You sure you want to go in Hel?" Barbara asked.

"The scarier the better Babs. Come on." Helena dragged Carolyn and Barbara who in turn each grabbed one of Dinah's hands and pulled her in as well. The first room they walked into was fully lit. There were wax monsters on platforms. They looked funnier then they did scary. "See? This isn't that bad." All of a sudden all the lights went off. "Maybe I spoke too soon."

"Ya think?" came a voice right into Helena's ear.

"Carolyn?"

"Yeah."

"Where's Barbara and Dinah?" Carolyn shrugged. "How can you not know? You were holding Dinah's hand and Barbara was holding hers."

"Okay, 1. You were holding Barbara's hand as well and 2. How did you know I shrugged? I can't even see my hand in front of my face."

"That's because its actually in front of mine."

"Oops. Sorry."

"No prob. We need to find Barbara and Dinah and then a way out of here. I don't think its supposed to be like this." Helena looked around. "Barbara! Dinah!" She waited a few minutes but there was no answer. "Shit. Where could they be?"

"I don't know but I am really getting scared. I let go of Dinah's hand as soon as we walked in. If Barbara let go as well Dinah could have left before the lights went out."

"And I let go of Barbara's so they both could have left." Helena looked at Carolyn. "I guess we'll have to just find our way out of here." Helena heard Carolyn gulp. "Grab my hand and don't let go. Okay?" Carolyn nodded. "Good. Lets go."

Helena and Carolyn walked down a narrow hallway. There was a little more light in the next room. It was a circular room. Along the wall were portraits of people who were old and ugly. Some had warts and moles all over their faces. "These are some nasty looking pictures. Let's get out of this room before anything else happens like in the other room."

"I completely agree." Helena took one step forward and the room began to spin. "Shit. Too late." The room stopped spinning but now they couldn't find the door. "Was the door one of the paintings?"

"They are all doors. Which one do we pick?"

"Well, the wrong ones are gonna have something creepy in them."

"Maybe they all eventually lead out?" Carolyn asked hopefully. Helena just looked at her. "Didn't think so. Which one do you think we should pick?" Helena looked around at all the paintings and pointed to the nastiest one. "That one? Why would you pick that one?"

"The picture is the ugliest. That way people think that is the wrong one and will have the scariest things in it." Carolyn nodded and they moved to the door. Helena took a deep breath and opened it. "See? Nothing scary."

"Why do you always say that?"

But Helena was right. There was nothing in the room. The walls were black and there was still little light. The next one didn't have anything in it as well. As a matter of fact, they went through two more rooms before they came up to anything. "Well, I wanna say something but don't wanna jinx us."

"Thank you. At least there is enough light to see in this one." Helena lightly cuffed Carolyn in the back of the head. "What you do that for?"

"You just jinx us. Watch the lights go out now."

"Well, lets get out of here fast." They both looked around for a way out. "Um, Helena. There's no door leading out of here." Helena didn't answer. "Helena?" Carolyn looked over to see Helena looking at the floor. "What you looking at?" Helena pointed to the floor. Carolyn looked at it. "Oh. You wanna go first?" Helena looked up fast and quirked an eyebrow. "Or we can go together?" Helena nodded. "Oookay."

They walked right next to the trap door in the floor. Helena looked at Carolyn. "How you wanna do this?" Carolyn looked at Helena and then just wrapped her arms around Helena's shoulders. "Okay. Ready?" Carolyn looked at Helena and nodded. "Here we go." They took one step on the door and fell threw.

When they landed they were outside. "Do you remember ever going upstairs?" Helena shook her head. "The spinning room maybe?" Helena shrugged. “Find Dinah and Barbara?"

"Yes." Helena stood up and moved over to Carolyn and helped her up. "You all right?" she asked as she helped brush leaves and dirt off Carolyn. Carolyn looked up at Helena and nodded. Helena looked into Carolyn's eyes and gulped. "Good," she squeaked. They continued looking into each other's eyes.

Chapter 7

OUTSIDE THE HAUNTED HOUSE

“You sure they won’t be mad?” Dinah asked yet again.

“Well, I know Helena won’t. Do you think Carolyn will be mad?” Dinah shook her head. “Alright. Then what are you worried about?” Dinah shrugged. “Besides, you think they’ll even notice we’re gone?”

“Not very likely. I mean they are the ones who let go of our hands.”

“Yep. Come on. Let’s go on some other rides or play some games.” Barbara grabbed Dinah’s hand and they walked towards the games. Dinah looked at their joined hands. Barbara noticed she was staring at them. “Is this alright?” Dinah looked up at Barbara, smiled, and nodded. Barbara smiled back.

Good. Come on.”

THE MIDWAY

“What you wanna play first?” Dinah asked Barbara as they looked around at the different games. None of them had any wait.

“I don’t care. Just win me something.” Dinah quirked an eyebrow. “What? I suck at these games. Usually Helena would get me something but she’s not here so you have to.”

“What do you want?” Barbara smiled in triumph. She then looked around and pointed to a booth. “A penguin?” Barbara nodded. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough to get to the very top.”

“They make it easier for women and children. Come on, I made it to the top once. I think you can.” Barbara pushed Dinah towards the game. “You chose the biggest mallet you can carry and lift high enough to get some momentum. Hold it in the middle and then just bring it down as hard as you can.”

“If you’re such an expert, why don’t you do it?”

“Because the one time I actually won, Helena was helping me.” Dinah quirked an eyebrow. “What?” Dinah shook her head. “Would you pay the man and win me a penguin already?” Dinah laughed and paid the man. She picked up the medium mallet. “You can’t lift the bigger one?” Dinah glared at Barbara. “Sorry.”

Dinah turned around and stepped up to the base and lifted the mallet above her head. She closed her eyes and brought it down fast. The machine started making all kinds of noises and lights were flashing. “Congratulations. Pick any prize,” the carny said as he pointed to a bin filled with different colored penguins.

Dinah walked over to it and was about to grab one but stopped. She turned around and looked at Barbara. “What color you want?”

“Blue please.”

Dinah pulled out a blue one and walked back over to Barbara. “Here you go. Happy?”

Barbara pouted and hugged the penguin. “Are you mad at me now?”

“No, I’m not mad. Sorry,” Dinah looked at Barbara and smiled. “What you want now?” Barbara smiled and headed towards another booth.

Forty dollars later, Barbara had an arm full of stuffed animals and Dinah had a huge monkey on her back. “I wonder where Carolyn and Helena are.”

Dinah shrugged. “Who knows? Hey, you wanna put these in the car and then go on some more rides?”

“Sure. They’ll let us back in right?” Dinah nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”

Barbara and Dinah put all the stuffed animals in the trunk of the car then headed back. “What you wanna go on now?” Barbara shrugged. “You okay?” Barbara nodded. “Then what’s with the non-verbal answers?” Barbara looked at Dinah, smiled, and then shrugged. “Very funny.”

“I know.” Dinah looked at Barbara then laughed. “What?”

“Nothing. What you wanna do next?”

“How about some cotton candy. My treat.”

“Yeah your treat. I just spent almost all my money on games to win you a bunch of stuffed animals.”

“That I will cherish forever.” Dinah smiled at that and threw her arm around Barbara’s shoulders. Barbara blushed. “So, cotton candy?”

Ten minutes and twenty sticky fingers later Barbara and Dinah were on the merry-go round yet again. This time they were sitting in one of the sled things. “So, you wanna finish that conversation we were having before when Helena was changing?” Barbara glared at Dinah. “Sorry, it’s just that you seemed like you wanted to tell someone and then we were interrupted right as you were going to tell me.”

“I know and I’m sorry. Like I said, I have never admitted what I was gonna say to anyone.”

“Not even Helena?”

“Especially not Helena.” Dinah quirked an eyebrow at that. Barbara sighed. “See, when we were in the eighth grade Helena asked me out.” Dinah’s eyes widened with shock. “I, of course, said ‘no’ and we became best friends.”

Dinah nodded. “May I ask why you said ‘no’?”

“I was scared.”

“Of what?”

Barbara looked at Dinah and then at her feet. “What my feelings meant at the time.” Dinah nodded and stayed silent, waiting for Barbara to continue. “See, my father is majorly religious.” Dinah nodded, trying to keep the hurt from showing on her face. “Not that I care now but then I did and well, being gay, is completely against his religion but then my cousin came out and my father doesn’t treat him any different.”

“But it’s different when its your own kid.”

“Exactly. So I turned her down.” Barbara looked at Dinah. The song that was playing changed. “Ohh. I like this version much better then the original.”

Oh Mickey You're so fine, / You’re so fine you blow my mind. / Hey Mickey (Hey Hey) / Hey Mickey (Hey Hey) / Oh Mickey You’re so Fine, / You’re so Fine You Blow My Mind / Hey Mickey (Hey Hey) / Hey Mickey

Oh Mickey what a pity you don’t understand / You take me by the heart / You take me by the hand / Oh Mickey You’re so pretty / Can’t you understand? / It’s guys like you Mickey / Oh what you do Mickey / Do Mickey / Don’t break my heart Mickey.

“Who was singing that?”

“B*Witched.” Dinah nodded. “It’s from Bring It On.”

“Okay, now back to what we were talking about…” Barbara glared at Dinah. “Glaring will not work this time. Now, on with your confession.” Barbara pouted. “Not gonna work, Babs.” Barbara stuck her tongue out. “Come on already. We are not getting off this ride until you tell me. There is no one here to interrupt or that you know besides me. Now, tell me.”

“Alright, alright. Geesh, you’re stubborn.” Dinah glared at Barbara. “Okay, well, before now I had always had feelings for Helena. I mean, I still do but now they’ve been shadowed.”

“Shadowed?”

“Yeah, by feelings for someone else.”

Dinah nodded. “Feelings for Bruce.”

“No. Feelings for another female.” Dinah looked at Barbara as she scooted closer to Dinah. “Feelings that I just can’t ignore this time.” Barbara looked at Dinah. Their faces were only an inch apart.

Chapter 8

NEAR THE HAUNTED HOUSE

“We should really try to find Barbara and Dinah.” Carolyn nodded. They didn’t move, just stared at each other. Helena finally turned around like she was going to move but she faced Carolyn again and said, “Screw it.” She suddenly closed the distance between them and kissed Carolyn. They broke apart but not wanting to be completely separated, they left their foreheads touching. Carolyn smiled and Helena kissed her again. “Okay, now we REALLY have to try to find Barbara and Dinah.”

“Yeah. They might be worried about us. Wonder where they went after the room went dark?” Helena shrugged. “Well, lets go.” Carolyn looked around tying to decide which way to go. “Where are we?”

MERRY GO ROUND

“May I ask for whom these feelings are for?”

Barbara looked into Dinah’s eyes. “You.” Then she leaned forward and kissed Dinah. They broke a few seconds later.

Dinah let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. You were scaring me a little there.” Barbara laughed. “You need to laugh more often Babs. When you do you glow.” Barbara quirked an eyebrow. “Yes, I know it was lame but it was the truth. Come here.” Dinah put her arm around Barbara’s shoulders and pulled her closer. They rode the merry-go round for a while like this, completely content.

After several turns Barbara shifted and looked at Dinah. “Ferris Wheel?”

“Sure.”

HAUNTED HOUSE

“Umm. I don’t know?” Carolyn glared at her. “Okay, okay. Lets see.” Helena looked around but all she could see were trees. She looked up and saw the trap door from which they had fallen through. “Okay, well we know we’re outside.” Carolyn gave her a look that said ‘No duh!’. Helena just rolled her eyes. “What direction were we walking?”

“What does that matter?”

“Well, if we follow the building we will eventually end back up in the front but if we knew what direction we came from we could take the shorter way around.”

“Do you think this is still part of it?” Helena looked at her with a quizzical expression. “The haunted house. Do you think this is just another room in it?”

“I highly doubt it. There’s no way they could make it this realistic. There are probably very few people who notice the trap door. Therefore they go back the way they came and go through a different door in the spinning room. They probably don’t have a mapped out way back cause no one ever goes this way.”

“Or we went into a room that we weren’t supposed to go through.”

“Possibly. Come on. Lets just follow the walls of the building.”

“I wonder where Barbara and Dinah are.”

ON THE FERRIS WHEEL

“I wonder where Carolyn and Helena are?” Barbara shrugged and looked over the side. “We’ll have to come on this after dark to see the carnival all lit up.”

“Yeah. Carnivals always remind me of this one road my father and I always drove on when we went to Hawaii. For some reason we always went to Oahu, probably cause of Honolulu. Anyway, the first time we went we drove on this road that was on a hill. When you got to the top you could see the city below. I immediately thought it was beautiful in the day but then at night … it was like ‘Wow!’ You could see lights for miles. It was beautiful.”

“I can tell by the way you are talking about it. It must have been memorable.” Dinah looked into Barbara’s eyes. She leaned over and chastely kissed her. She quickly deepened the kiss through and asked for entrance to Barbara’s mouth with her tongue. When oxygen became an issue they broke apart just enough to be able to breathe.

“We should try to find Care and Hel when we get down.” Dinah nodded. “How many more buckets before ours?”

“Two.” Barbara sat up. “Are you alright with … everything?” Barbara nodded and smiled. “Good.” Dinah leaned over and quickly pecked Barbara on the cheek.

Barbara blushed and hid her face behind her hair. As they got out of the bucket Barbara said, “Time to get looking.” She looked at Dinah. “For real this time.” Dinah blushed and looked away as Barbara chuckled. She grabbed Dinah’s hand and off they were looking for Carolyn and Helena.

HAUNTED HOUSE

“Helena, we’re still lost.” Helena spun around and glared at Carolyn. “Sorry.”

Helena turned around to hide her eyes as they had changed. These stupid powers had to come now. I need to learn to control my feral side. “No, I’m sorry. This is just frustrating that we can’t find our way back.” As they turned a corner the carnival suddenly came into view. “Finally! I’m was getting sick of the woods.”

“Hey, there’s Barbara and Dinah. Are they holding hands?”

Helena was about to squint when her eyes change. “Yep. They sure are.” She shook her head and her eyes changed back. Cool. “Wonder what happened between them.”

“Lets go scare them.” Helena looked at Carolyn with a gleam in her eye and nodded. They slowly and quietly walked behind Barbara and Dinah. Helena mouthed a countdown and on three she grabbed Barbara as Carolyn grabbed Dinah.

“Ahhhhhhhh!” scream Barbara and Dinah as they tried to fight off Helena and Carolyn. They just laughed and let go before Barbara and Dinah could do any real damage to them. Barbara and Dinah spun around and glared at the two laughing girls. “Where the hell have you two been?!” Barbara asked.

Helena held up her hands. “Down Kujo. You two are the ones who left us in the Haunted House. Its not our fault we got dumped in the middle of the woods.” Both Barbara and Dinah got a confused look on their faces. “Don’t ask. Are you guys ready to go?”

“Well, we kind of wanted to stay till at least dark. We wanna see the carnival all lit up from the Ferris wheel.” Helena sighed. “Please?” Barbara pouted.

“Stop with the pouting already! Fine, we’ll stay till after dark but as soon as we get off the Ferris wheel we are going. I’m getting bored now. What are we supposed to do till then?” Suddenly Helena’s stomach grumbled.

“Well, it sounds like we’re going to eat now. We figured out the rest after that.” Helena grumbled something as the four of them headed towards a food booth. “What do you guys want this time?”

“How about … corn dogs and nachos?”

“You want corn dogs and nachos?” Carolyn nodded. “I’m falling even more in love with you.” Carolyn blushed as Barbara and Dinah’s eyes widened in shock. “What about you two?”

“Pizza again is fine with me. What do you want Dinah?”

“Pizza is fine.” Helena nodded and her and Carolyn got in line for the food. Dinah looked at them then looked at Barbara. “Did Helena say what I think she said?” Barbara nodded, still speechless with shock. “Okay, just wanted to make sure I wasn’t hearing things.” Barbara nodded again. “Carolyn didn’t seem surprised.”

“No, she didn’t. Wonder what happened in the haunted house.” Barbara looked over at Helena and Carolyn. They were laughing about something and lightly pushing each other. “They seem pretty chummy. They weren’t like that before the haunted house.” Dinah shrugged. “Well obviously they said something about their feelings for one another.” Dinah nodded. “Are you in a delayed shock or something? You haven’t said a word since I started talking.”

“Sorry. I’m just memorized by your voice.” Barbara blushed. “Okay, I’ll stop with the cheesy lines.”

“Thank you.” Dinah stuck her tongue out at Barbara. “Real mature Dinah.”

“Shut up and kiss me.” Barbara looked at Dinah as though she was crazy.. “Come on. You know the only reason Helena said what she said was to makes us think we were ‘behind’ in the love department. Lets show them that they are wrong.”

“Insane troll logic … but I am obviously an insane troll cause I completely agree.” With that Barbara grinned and looked over at Carolyn and Helena who waved at them. As Barbara waved back Dinah leaned forward and kissed her. When they broke apart Barbara couldn’t help but laugh at the completely shocked look on Helena’s face. Now it was Dinah’s turn to look at Barbara as though she was crazy, but Barbara was laughing so hard she couldn’t talk and just pointed at Helena. Dinah saw the look on her face and began laughing as well. The look on Helena’s face was priceless, even Carolyn had joined in the laughing when she saw it.

When Carolyn and Helena came back with the food, Barbara and Dinah were just starting to calm down and stop laughing. When their pizza slices were placed in front of them they looked at the nachos, their faces turning green at all the stuff on top of them. Both Carolyn and Helena had gotten the works, jalapeno, red, and green peppers, black olives, bacon bits, tomatoes, and guacamole. “I can’t believe you guys are actually going to eat those,” Dinah said as she clutched her stomach with one hand and pushed her plate away. “I’m not that hungry anymore.”

Barbara also pushed her plate away. “Neither am I.” She looked around and noticed the lights were starting to come on. “Since Dinah and I aren’t hungry anymore, do you guys mind if we go on the Ferris wheel without ya’ll?”

“Well, I was kind of wanting to go on as well.” Carolyn looked at Helena. “What about you Hel?”

“Either way is fine with me. I mean, I wouldn’t mind going on the Ferris wheel but if you guys are ready to go, I know you really wanted to see the lights.” Barbara nodded. “How about you guys go on ahead and we’ll eat then come and catch up? The line will probably be long considering what the view will be.” Barbara nodded. “Do you guys want to take the pizza home?”

“Helena, don’t be mad, but no. I don’t think I could eat that after seeing those nachos, which I do not believe you have almost finished already.” Helena sheepishly shrugged and looked down at her tray. “You are going to be sick tonight. Come on Dinah. Lets go wait in line.” Barbara grabbed Dinah’s hand and they started walking towards the Ferris wheel. “Oh! Wait.” She turned around and looked at Carolyn and Helena. “Hey Hel!” Helena looked over at them. “Were you guys wanting to all sit in one bucket this time?”

Helena looked at Carolyn who shrugged. “Sure, why not. We’re both done eating anyway. Give us a sec.” Helena stood up and quickly gathered the plates. She looked around for a trashcan. “Where is the trashcan?” Carolyn pointed over next to Barbara and Dinah. “Oh, well, come on. I’ll throw these away when we get over there.”

Chapter 9

“We left the carnival that day with light hearts. All of us were happy and thought we were with our soul mates. So, that is how Aunt Carolyn and I got together. Both of you already know the ending and I am not going to rehash the whole thing for you. We thankfully ended as friends and that’s all you need to know.” Helena walked over to the cupboard and put away the dishes she had just finished cleaning.

“Mommy! You still haven’t told us how you and Mama got together! Tell us! Tell us!” Helena turned to the counter where two little girls were eating ice cream. “Please?!” Helena smiled at them and pretended to think about it. The girl on the left had very blonde hair and brown eyes. She was two when she was adopted but now she was six. The other girl looked just like Helena, dark brown, almost black hair, and very blue eyes that looked almost violet. She was three years younger than her sister.

“Alright, alright. You guys really wanna know?”

“YES!”

“Okay.” She put down the dishtowel she had on her shoulder. “Summer lovin’, had a me blast. Summer lovin’, happened so fast.”

“MOMMY!”

Helena laughed at the two kids. “Brats.” All she got in response to that were two pouts and two pairs of puppy dog eyes. “I’m gonna kill your mother for teaching you guys how to do that.” They smiled in triumph, the younger one missing a front tooth. “Alright. Get in bed and I’ll tell you guys the story.” They ran into bed and looked expectantly at Helena who returned their looks with a loving smile. “Okay. It was our sophomore year of college and I was still a little upset about the whole Carolyn thing.”

10 YEARS AGO …

GOTHAM UNIVERSITY DORMS

“Have you seen my leather duster?”

“No I haven’t.”

Helena looked over at her roommate. “My, my, my. Someone’s dressed up. Going out?”

“Yes as a matter of fact I am. Why are you looking for your duster?”

“Going clubbing with Carolyn.”

“Didn’t you guys break up?” Helena nodded. “Yet you’re about to go clubbing with her?” Helena nodded again. “Ookay. So you guys ended as friends?”

“Yes we ended as friends. Are we done with the third degree here, Princess?”

“Geesh. What’s your problem? And you’re never going to let me live down that play are you?” Helena glared at Princess and shook her head. “Don’t glare at me. You’re the one who just snapped at me.”

Helena hung her head in shame. “I know and I’m sorry. Its just … the whole thing with Car is still a sore subject for me.” Helena stood up and hugged Princess. “Have a good time. I probably won’t see you till tomorrow morning. Wake me up at 7? Please?” Princess nodded. “Thanks.” Helena ran out the door. Princess shook her head and finished getting ready.

CLUB BLUE DEVIL

Helena sauntered into the bar and grinned as all eyes fell on her. She looked for Carolyn and once she was spotted sashayed her way over to the bar. “Vodka on the rocks please.”

“ID.” Helena glared at the bartender. “ID.”

Helena groaned. “Give me a Sprite.” She turned to Carolyn as the bartender went to get her soda. “He better not have given you a drink. Did he?” Carolyn shook her head. “Everything alright?” Carolyn nodded. “Then why did you call me here?”

“I know.”

The bartender placed Helena’s soda in front of her. After she paid for it she turned back to Carolyn. “Know what?”

“Why we broke up.”

“Well, you should know considering you were the one who dumped me.”

Carolyn finally face Helena. “I only broke up with you cause I didn’t want to get hurt when you finally get bored of me and dump me.”

“Car, you know I wouldn’t do that,” Helena said trying to keep the hurt out of her voice.

Carolyn sighed. “I know you wouldn’t get bored of me and I am sorry that I said that. What I meant, was when you finally realize you are in love with her.”

Helena froze and her eyes widened. She started playing with the straw in her soda. “What do you mean in love with her? In love with who?”

“You know who I’m talking about Helena. Your not that discrete about it.”

Helena looked at Carolyn and saw her grinning. “You’re alright with this?” Carolyn nodded. “You’re not mad?”

“Well, I can’t say that I’m not upset but I want you to be happy. If she makes you happy then so be it.”

Helena hugged Carolyn. “Thanks Car. We’re still friends?” Carolyn nodded. “Good. Now you have to tell me.” Carolyn looked at Helena. “Anyone new in your life?” Carolyn laughed and then proceeded to tell Helena about this new girl in her psychology class.

GOTHAM UNIVERSITY DORMS

Helena walked through the dormitory hallway, stopping every now and then to talk to someone or write on a dry erase board on someone’s door. When she finally made it to her door she quietly opened it and snuck in. To her surprise, Princess was up and crying. She walked over to her. “Hey, whats wrong?”

“I got a call on my cell phone during my date saying that my father had been in a car accident. They aren’t sure if he’s going to make it or not.” Helena knelt down and wrapped her arms around the wracking, frail, body of Princess. “He’s in ICU at the hospital.”

“You want me to drive you there?” Helena felt her nod against her shoulder. “Okay, come on. Lets get you dressed and cleaned up first.” Helena stood up and headed towards their shared closet. “You never know there might be some cute nurse that you’re willing to dump you know who for.” A pillow hit her in the head, but it just caused her to laugh. She turned around and saw her roommate glaring at her. “I’m sorry. I was just trying to cheer you up.”

Princess grinned. “I know and thank you.”

Helena handed her some clothes. “Go take a shower then get dressed.”

Princess got up and headed to the shower but stopped right outside their dorm room door. “Are you alright? Everything go okay with Carolyn?”

“Yeah. Everything went alright.” Princess nodded. “We probably had a better time tonight as just friends then we ever had while we were going out.”

Princess chuckled. “Yeah, its like that sometimes. Well, I better go before you carry me in there yourself.” Princess left but popped her head back in a few seconds later. “Love ya.”

“Love you too Princess. Now go take a shower.” Princess nodded and was gone. Helena waited a few minutes to make sure this time then got up and closed the door. She turned around and leaned against it. “Damn. Car was right. I am in love with her.”

Chapter 10

PRESENT TIME

“Yes I realize that.” Barbara was sitting behind her desk talking on the phone. “Dinah, I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to lunch yesterday but Diva surprised me with a romantic picnic.”

<You guys are hopeless romantics.>

“You’re just now realizing that?” Someone knocked on the door. “Dinah, I gotta go. Someone’s here.”

<If its Diva, you guys are pathetic.>

“Its not Diva. She would have just barged in unless I had a patient.” The door opened and Barbara waved a young man into her office. “Yes Dr. Lance. Thank you for your help.”

<Obviously not a friend. Laters.>

“Goodbye Dr. Lance.” Barbara hung up the phone and looked at the young man. “How can I help you?”

“I’m a new intern and was told to come in here.”

“Ah. You must be Scott. I’m Dr. Gordon but when we’re not around patients you can go ahead and call me Barbara.” Barbara grabbed a stack of papers and stood up. “Well, would you like a short tour of the hospital?”

“Please and don’t get mad at me but –“

“I’m due any day now. Today is actually my last day coming in.” Barbara looked over and saw the stricken look on Scott’s face. “Don’t worry. I’ll give you my home phone number and you can call me. If I do not answer ask for Babs or Red, okay?”

Scott nodded. “May I ask why?”

“My wife and daughters are really protective of me and you do not want to get on their bad side.” Scott nodded. “Okay, this is, obviously, the reception desk. You will be working with Dr. Bruce Wayne. He’s not here today but he will be expecting you to meet him here tomorrow.” Barbara gave Scott the rest of the tour. “So, any questions?” Scott shook his head. “Good, because my maternity leave starts …” Barbara looked at her watch, “…now. Call me if you need anything. It was nice meeting you. Good bye.”

2 DAYS LATER …

“I understand Scott. What do you need?”

<I don’t know how to find a patient’s family.>

“How old?”

<Six. School called 911 because they were unable to get the child’s parents.>

“Okay. Explain why she is there.”

<Was on the way back to school from a field trip when the bus hit a car. The little girl was standing up in the aisle.>

Why would the little girl be standing up? “Have you found the family for the people in the car that was hit?”

<No.>

Holy shit! “Did you ever think the girl was standing cause she was waving to her parents?”

<We already checked. Unless the girl was adopted the other victims weren’t her parents.>

“Okay. What’s her name? I know almost everyone in this town.”

<Anna G. is what her school ID said. School is saying the phone line at home is busy.> Barbara was laying in bed, in complete shock. Anna? <Barbara? Dr. Gordon, your daughters … how old are they?>

“Tell the school you got a hold of her mother. I’ll call my wife and tell her. Thank you Scott.”

<Are you going to be all right Dr. Gordon?>

“I’ll be fine Scott. Goodbye.”

<Bye.> Barbara hung up the phone and broke down crying. She kept crying for what seemed like an hour when she heard the front door open and tried to calm down.

“Diva?!”

“Yeah. I’ll be there in a minute.” Barbara looked around her bedroom, at all the pictures of her family, trying hard not break down before Diva came into the room. “Hey Barbara. How you feeling?” Diva saw the stricken look on Barbara’s face. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“I just got a call from the hospital. Anna was in an accident.” Diva practically fell on the bed. “Scott was the one who called me. He’s her doctor.” Diva looked at Barbara and both of them broke down. Diva leaned over and hugged Barbara. “Are you gonna be all right to drive? We can call a cab.”

“Nah. I’ll be fine. Lets get going.” Barbara nodded and Diva helped her up. “Hey, you wanna stay here? I can go by myself if you don’t think you are up to it.” Barbara glared at Diva. “Okay, I’ll go get the car started while you get ready to go.” Barbara nodded and waved Diva away. “Okay, need help?” Barbara shook her head and glared at Diva. “Okay, I’ll go.”

Barbara looked around the room and then looked down at the floor. Grr! “Diva!”

Diva was in the room right away. Barbara quirked an eyebrow at her. “I knew you would need help. I ran out, started the car, and then ran back in.” Diva put one of Barbara’s arms over her shoulders and wrapped her arm under around Barbara. “Ups a daisy.” Barbara glared at Diva again. “Sorry. You all right?” Barbara nodded. “Okay. Lets go now.”

A HALF HOUR LATER

“God, we had to have gotten stopped at every freaking red light there is in this city.” Barbara just laughed as she and Diva walked into the hospital.

One of the nurses came up to Barbara. “What are you doing here Dr. Gordon? I thought you were starting your maternity leave?”

“I was but Scott called me and told me about the young girl that was in the car accident?” The nurse nodded. “Well, I believe she’s my daughter. May I see her?”

“Of course Dr. Gordon. You and Diva can follow me. I didn’t even see her so it very well could be. Which one is it?”

“Anna.” The nurse pointed into a room. “Thank you Abby.” Abby nodded and went back to the reception desk. “Diva?”

“I’m right here Barbara. Come on. Lets go in.” Barbara and Diva walked into the room and gasped. Lying on the bed was Anna. She had tubes running all over the place and her head was wrapped in bandages. Barbara broke down crying again. Diva hugged her and led her over to a chair next to Anna’s bed. Just then Scott walked in. “You Scott?”

“Yes. You must be Dr. Gordon’s wife. Please to meet you.” Scott shook Diva’s hand.

“Yeah, you can call me Diva. What can you tell us about Anna’s condition?”

Scott looked at Barbara who was holding Anna’s hand and whispering soothing words into her ear. “While, she fell into a coma in route to the hospital. She hasn’t woken up since. Other then that she has a couple broken ribs, a sprained ankle, and few other bumps and bruises. She’s one lucky girl to have come out with only one serious injury.”

“How bad is the head wound?” Barbara asked, without turning around.

Scott took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Unfortunately there is some brain damage. We won’t know how bad it is though until she wakes up, which I’m sure you already knew.” Diva nodded and turned to look at her wife and daughter.

“Thank you Scott.” Scott nodded and left the room, giving the two mothers some privacy. “Barbara?” Barbara turned around to look at Diva. “You want some coffee or something?”

“Please. If you go to the reception desk they can give you some that will actually be good and fresh.” Diva laughed as she headed out to get their coffee.

When she got back she saw that Barbara had fallen asleep with her head leaning on the bed. She put her coffee on the night table. Just then a nurse walked in with a blanket. “I walked pass here and saw she was asleep. Here you go.”

“Thank you.” Diva put the blanket over Barbara as best as she could and then sat in another chair. An hour later she woke up and saw that another nurse must have come in because she was also covered in a blanket. She stood up and stretched, looking at the clock. I should call the daycare … but first Dinah, see if she can watch Tahna. Diva picked up the phone and dialed.

<Hello?>

“Dinah, its Diva.”

<Hey. Whats up?>

“I’m at the hospital with Barbara. Anna got in a car accident and is in a coma. I was wondering if you could watch Tahna for us?”

<Of course I can. Do I need to pick her up at the daycare center?>

“Yeah, I’m going to call them and make sure they have your name on file to be able to pick her up and tell them that you will be picking her up.”

<How’s Barbara holding up?>

“She’s in Anna’s room sleeping. The stress can’t be good for her in her condition. I tried to get her to stay home, although I knew she wouldn’t.”

<Sounds like Babs. What time do I need to pick up Tahna?>

“You should head over now. You know where it is right?”

<Yeah. Okay, well, I hope Anna’s all right. Call me when you find out anything new.>

“Of course. Thank you Dinah.”

<What are friends for? Bye.>

“Bye.” Diva hung up the phone and called the daycare, telling them Dinah Lance would be picking up Tahna. She went back into Anna’s room and saw Barbara was awake.

“Where did you go?”

“Called Dinah to see if she could watch Tahna and then called the daycare center to let them know she would be picking her up.” Barbara nodded. “How you doing?”

“I’m all right. Wish she would wake up.” Diva nodded as she walked over and hugged Barbara. “Scott came in and told me that from what they can tell, she most likely won’t be able to walk when she wakes up.”

“Its going to be hard but we’ll get through it. We did when your father got in that car accident and was in a wheel chair for a couple of months, we’ll do it again. Want some fresh coffee?” Barbara nodded. “Okay, I’ll go get you some.” Diva grabbed Barbara’s old cup of coffee and headed out the room.

All of a sudden Barbara grabbed her stomach and bent over. “Diva!”

Diva turned around and ran to Barbara’s side. “What’s wrong? Barbara, honey, tell me what’s wrong.”

“I think I am going into labor.” Barbara looked at Diva.

“Has your water broken?” Barbara shook her head. “Scott!” Scott ran into the room. “We need to get Barbara into the maternity ward. She’s going into labor.”

“Oh my god. Okay, I’ll go get a wheel chair.” Scott ran out of the room and quickly came back with a wheel chair. “Okay, Dr. Gordon can you get into the wheel chair?” Barbara nodded and as Diva went to help her into the chair, her water broke. “Alrighty then. Lets go.” The three of them ran down the hallways. Scott stopped Dr. Wayne and told him what was going on.

“Congrats Babs. I’ll keep an eye out for Anna for you.”

“Thank you Bruce.” Bruce nodded and took off towards Anna’s room. “Diva?”

“I’m right here Red. Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I love you Helena.”

“I love you too Princess.”

Chapter 11

AN HALF HOUR LATER

“Ahh! I hate you Helena! You did this to me!” Barbara was screaming while her contractions got closer and closer together. Helena stood next to the bed holding Barbara’s hand, trying to help anchor her throughout the contractions.

“Barbara honey, breathe. Just breathe.”

“Don’t tell me to breathe. You’re not the one going through this excruciating pain.”

“Maybe not now but I have. Remember Tahna? You know, our youngest?” Barbara glared at Helena. “Right. Wrong time to mention that. Sorry.”

“All right Barbara. Its time to push. Are you ready?”

“No!”

“Barbara sweetie. The sooner you push the sooner all this is over. Okay?” Barbara nodded.

“Okay, Barbara. On the count of three, push. Okay?” Barbara nodded again. “Okay. Lets take a break and then try again.” Barbara nodded as Helena smoothed back her hair hat had become plastered to her forehead. “Okay. On the count of three. One, two, three. Push! Okay, I see its head.”

“No more! No more!”

“Come on Barbara. One more push. You’re almost done!” Barbara violently shook her head. “Barbara. This last push will end the pain and your new daughter will be in the world. Ready? One, two three, push!” Barbara squeezed Helena’s hands as she pushed. All of a sudden it was over and Helena cut the umbilical cord. The doctor handed Barbara the baby. “What are you going to name her?”

Barbara looked at Helena, an evil thought forming in her mind. “Lilo.” Helena’s eyes widened and she gave a soft growl. Barbara smirked. “I’m kidding Helena. Her name is Alexandra.”

Helena nodded and smiled at the baby. She kissed Barbara on the forehead. “She has your hair and complexion.”

“Yeah but she has your eyes.”

Helena shrugged. “Most babies are born with blue eyes. Who knows if they will change when she gets older or not.”

“True. Tahna’s eyes haven’t changed yet.” Just then Scott walked in. “Hey Scott. What’s up?”

“I just thought I‘d come tell you Anna’s waking up.”

“Helena go. I’ll be all right.”

“You sure?” Barbara nodded. “Okay. Come on Scott. I don’t know how to get to her room from here.” Scott nodded and the two of them were out the room.

Barbara looked down at the baby and smiled. “Welcome to the world Alex.”

ANNA’S ROOM

Helena smiled at Anna when her eyes focused on her after several minutes of roaming around the room. “Mommy?” she whispered, too weak to talk any louder.

“Its me sweetie. How you feeling?”

“Not so good. Where’s Mama?” she asked as she noticed Barbara was not there.

“She’s in another part of the hospital.”

“Why?”

“Well, you got a new baby sister about twenty minutes ago.” Helena patted the mattress. “Can I get up there with you?” Anna nodded as she scooted over. Helena carefully sat on the edge of the bed.

“What’s her name?”

“Alexandra, but Mama and I will probably call her Alex for short.” Anna nodded as she yawned and tried to keep her eyes open. “Go ahead and go to sleep sweetie. I’ll have Mama come visit you with Alex when you wake up again.” Anna nodded and immediately fell asleep.

“How was she?”

Helena spun around and saw Scott standing in the doorway. “You weren’t here the entire time?” He shook his head. “Oh, well she seemed fine although she didn’t ask anything about her legs.”

“She might not have noticed. Sometimes when people just wake up and are still tired they don’t notice things, even those things you think would be obvious.” Helena nodded as she watched Anna sleep. “What should I do if she asks about them and neither you nor Dr. Gordon are here?”

“Tell her to ask use when we come to see her. I don’t want anyone breaking the news to her without us being there. It’s always been her dream to be a great gymnast like Barbara.” Helena wiped a tear from her eye. “I need to make a phone call. I’ll be right back.” Scott nodded as Helena went out to the payphone.

<Hello?>

“Dinah, its Helena. How are things?”

<Hey. Everything is fine. Tahna just fell asleep. Do you want me to wake her up?>

Helena looked out a window and noticed it was dark. “Wow, I didn’t realize how late it already was. No, don’t wake her up. I just wanted to make sure everything was fine with Tahna.”

<Yeah, everything is fine. How’s Anna and how is Barbara holding up?>

“Oh, that’s right. I forgot I didn’t tell you. Anna is fine and Barbara … well she went into labor and Alexandra was born a little more than a half hour ago.”

<Oh my God! Well congratulations! I take it Anna woke up?>

“Yeah. The doctors say she will be all right except she might not be able to walk now. She messed up her back.” Helena leaned against the wall and watched Scott check Anna’s vitals. “She’s going to be crushed.”

<Have you called Carolyn?> Helena grimaced. <I’m going to take your silence as a ‘no’. You know you need to. Just because you and Barbara adopted her doesn’t mean Carolyn doesn’t care about her daughter.>

Helena sighed. “I know but …”

<Anna knows she is adopted right?>

“Of course but she doesn’t know Carolyn is her mother. How do I tell her Anna is probably going to be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life?” Dinah didn’t respond. “You think I should call her?”

<I know you should. She deserves to know, besides, Carolyn can help her deal and teach her how to get around in the wheelchair.> Helena sighed. <Hey, Tahna’s up. You wanna talk to her?>

“Of course, put her on the phone.”

<Hi Mommy!>

“Hey sweetie. Why aren’t you sleeping?”

<I heard Auntie Dinah on the phone and came out to see who she was talking to. How is Sissy and Mama?>

“Anna is going to be okay and Mama had her baby.”

<Really? What’s her name?>

“Alexandra.”

<Cool.>

Helena heard her yawning. “Okay, time for you to go back to bed. Goodnight.”

<Night Mommy. Do you want me to give the phone back to Auntie Dinah?>

“Please.”

<Helena?>

“Yeah. Just wanted to say goodbye and thanks again for watching Tahna.”

<No problem. Are you going to call Carolyn?> Helena sighed but otherwise did not respond. <I’m going to take that as a yes.>

“I’ll be by to pick up Tahna in the morning.”

<Okay. Bye.>

“Bye.” [Time to face the music. Carolyn’s going to flip.]

<Hello?>

“Hi. May I speak to Carolyn Lance please? This is Helena.”

<Hey, Hel. What’s up?>

“Nothing much. I have some good news and come bad news.”

CAROLYN’S HOUSE

<Which do you want first?>

Carolyn contemplated this as she poured herself a cup of tea. “I don’t know. How bad is the bad news?” Carolyn wheeled over to her desk.

<Well, pretty bad I guess. Depends on how you look at it.>

“Bad news first.”

<I’m at the hospital because Anna was in a car accident.> Carolyn stopped typing and almost dropped the phone. <She’s going to be all right except for one thing.>

“Which is?”

<She may be paralyzed below the waist.>

Chapter 12

{Carolyn walked out of Club Blue Devil and over to her car. She kept on looking over her shoulder on her way. The night hadn’t gone as bad as she thought it would. She somehow was able to talk Helena into believing she wasn’t even a little bit drunk although, if she were honest with herself, she would know that wasn’t true. She just didn’t want Helena to know the real reason she had called her.

She pulled out her keys, which now sported a small yellow can of mace, and looked around before getting in her car. "Come on Lance. Get over yourself. It’s very unlikely that it will happen again especially only a month later." She started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. She was doing really good and not swerving all over the place. When she saw a light ahead turn yellow she stepped on the gas, trying to make it. The light turned red but she was going too fast to stop in time and she ran into a red truck with a familiar face in the window, the headlights blinding her before she lost consciousness.}

Carolyn woke up with a start, her hair plastered to he forehead and her camisole stuck to her back. The nightmare had been so real. She could remember the thoughts that had been running through her head and the terrified look on the other driver’s face. She looked at her alarm clock and sighed when she saw it was only six o’clock. The loss of her legs wasn’t the worst consequence of her driving under the influence.

She carefully transferred herself into her wheelchair, making the bed once she was settled. She went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. [I look like crap.] She grabbed a brush, with the intention of getting some of the tangles out before she got in the shower. She jumped when she heard the phone ring. "Get a hold of yourself Lance. It’s probably just Dinah calling to check up on you. I’m sure Helena called and told her as well." Carolyn went and answered the phone, the caller ID saying unknown name, unknown number.

"Hello?"

<Hey Care.>

[Oh my god. It’s Barbara. Why is she calling?] "Hey Red. How are you doing?"

<Pretty good considering. Have you talked to Helena recently?>

"Yeah, I talked to her last night actually. Congratulations."

<Thanks. So, you know about Anna?>

"Yeah," she said slowly.

<Well, we were wondering if you would show her how to get around in a wheelchair. I’m sure Helena told you about the situation.>

"Yeah. No problem. I would be glad to help her out."

<Are you all right Care? You don’t sound too good.>

"I’m fine. Just didn’t sleep very good, couldn’t get certain things off of my mind." Carolyn grimaced as she pictured the look Barbara would have on her face.

Barbara sighed. <I know what you mean. You should get some rest as should I. I’ll talk to you later.>

"Yeah, laters Red." Carolyn hung up the phone and ran a hand through her hair, remembering she was going to brush her hair before Barbara called. [I need to call Dinah.] She sighed and headed into the bathroom, grabbing a towel on the way.

DINAH’S HOUSE

"Mommy!"

Helena held out her arms for a shrieking Tahna. She picked her up and spun her around. "Hiya cutie! How was your day yesterday?"

"It was great! Aunt Dinah took me to the park and then we rented movies."

"Cool!"

"Yeah! We rented Tarzan, The Little Mermaid, and Lilo and Stitch."

Helena groaned and glared at Dinah as she tried to stifle a laugh. "Well, why don’t you go get your things and we’ll go see Mama." Tahna ran off to get her stuff without even responding to Helena. Helena turned to Dinah. "Thanks again for watching her."

"No problem. You want some coffee? No offense, but you look like you need it." Helena nodded and followed Dinah into the kitchen. "How are Barbara and the baby?"

"They’re fine as is Anna and yes, before you ask, I called her. Happy?" Before Dinah could say anything Tahna came back into the room.

"Called who, Mommy?"

Helena turned around and saw Tahna dragging her book bag behind her. "What all is in your book bag?"

"Yesterday was show and tell. Every Friday is."

Helena shook her head. "Did you bring everything in your room?" Tahna stuck her tongue out at Helena who just chuckled. She quickly finished her coffee. "Ready to go?" Tahna nodded. "Okay. Let’s go then. I’ll get your book bag, you just head out to the car and wait for me. Okay?" Tahna nodded and headed out to the car.

"You okay Hel?"

"Yeah, I’m fine. You should call Carolyn; make sure she’s all right." Dinah nodded and hugged Helena. "I’m all right Dinah. Worry about your sister, not me."

"You know she’s gonna come by." Helena nodded. "What are you going to do?"

"I have no idea." BEEP BEEP!! "Sounds like Tahna really wants to go see Barbara. I better go." Dinah nodded. "Thanks and not just for watching Tahna." Helena hugged Dinah. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!! "God, we’ve spoiled that child."

"You and Barbara have spoiled both her and Anna and now you will spoil Alex as well. You two wouldn’t have it any other way." Helena shrugged and rolled her eyes. BEEP BEEP!! "Go before she wakes up the whole neighborhood." Helena nodded and picked up Tahna’s bag on her way out. Dinah watched her carry the bag out to the car with one hand. RING RING!! "Geesh, I stop the beeping and now I get ringing." Dinah stomped over to the phone mounted on the wall. She picked up the receiver and in an annoyed voice said, "Hello?"

<Hi, Di. Is this a bad time?>

"Hey Care. No, it’s not a bad time. How you holding up?"

Dinah heard Carolyn sigh. <I’ve been better. I was wondering if you would drive me to the hospital. I don’t think I’m in any shape to be trusted behind the wheel.>

"Of course I’ll drive you. Give me an hour to finish getting ready. Helena just picked up Tahna so we probably wouldn’t be able to see either of them anytime soon any way."

<Okay. So, see you in about an hour?>

"Yep. Do you want to meet me outside or do you want me to come in?"

<If I’m not outside go ahead and come in.>

"Okay. Bye Care."

<Bye, Di. Thanks.>

Dinah hung up the phone when she heard Carolyn hang up, sighing. Dinah grabbed a towel and headed into the bathroom. [I hope they don’t freak when they see her in the hospital. Hopefully, Mr. Gordon isn’t there.]

THE HOSPITAL

BARBARA’S ROOM

“You know Carolyn is going to come here. Probably today even." Barbara nodded as she watched Helena pace. "What are we going to do?"

Barbara shrugged and said, "I don’t know but could you please stop pacing. You’re making me nervous and sick."

Helena grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. I should go save Anna from Tahna’s rambling."

"She got that from you." Helena stuck her tongue out as Barbara chuckled.

Helena kissed Barbara on the forehead. "Be right back. Why don’t you get the nurse to bring Alex in here? I know both the girls want to see her." Barbara nodded and Helena took off.

ANNA’S ROOM

"And then my new best friend Janie, she showed us a picture of her old house in Georgia. It was big and looked like one of those houses out of that movie, Gone With the Wind."

Helena watched Anna nod from the doorway. "Hey you two. You guys wanna see Mama and Alex?"

"Yeah! Come on Anna!"

Anna looked down at the bedspread while Tahna ran to the door. "Tahna, you go ahead to Mama’s room. Tell her I’m helping Anna." Tahna nodded and ran to Barbara’s room. Helena turned to Anna. "You all right Anna?"

"I’m fine Mom. I just … I don’t know. I don’t want to need help every time I want to get up."

Helena nodded and rubbed Anna’s shoulder soothingly. "I know sweetie, and soon you won’t need help every time. We are all here for you. Mama, Tahna, Aunt Dinah, me, and even Aunt Carolyn. She’s going to help you learn how to get around and do things on your own."

"Really?" Helena nodded. "When did you talk to her? I thought you and Mama hadn’t talked to her since Tahna was born."

"We hadn’t, not really, but with what happened to you we thought it would be best for us to call her and ask her for help." Anna nodded. "That and we wanted to reconcile with her. Ready to go see Mama and Alex?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, put your arms around my neck and hold on. Okay?" Anna nodded. "Okay." Helena carefully lifted Anna and put her into a wheelchair that was right next to her bed. "Ready?"

"Yeah. Let’s go see Mama Red." Helena chuckled as she head out into the hallway, pushing Anna in front of her.

WAITING ROOM

Dinah looked down at Carolyn as they came into the waiting room. "Are you all right Care? Do you want to go home?"

"No. I’m fine Dinah." Carolyn took a deep breath and slowly released it. "I’m just not sure how to go about this."

FLASHBACK

10 YEARS AGO

Barbara and Helena ran into the emergency room, frantically looking for Barbara’s mother. She was nowhere in sight. "You don’t think she was in the car as well?" Helena shook her head. "They told me there was another person involved, a female."

Helena grabbed Barbara’s shoulders, stopping her from her pacing. "Red. There was most likely another car involved. Your mother is fine. She just probably got stopped at even more lights then we did. Okay?" Barbara nodded and hugged Helena. Helena rubbed circles on Barbara’s back, kissing her temple and whispering soothing words. "Did you tell Dinah what happened?"

Barbara looked up, her confusion evident from the look on her face. "No. She had already left by the time I got the call. Why?"

"Because she’s here. Dinah?" Dinah looked over at Barbara and Helena. "What are you doing here?"

"Carolyn was in a car accident. They told me they were bringing her here. What are you guys doing here? Everything all –"

Just then the ambulance bay doors busted open and paramedics came rushing in with two stretchers. A doctor ran up to them. "What do we have?"

"One white female around twenty years of age and one white male around forty. Both involved in a car accident on Twenty-second Street. Female seems to be drunk and is in better condition then the male. He had to be revived once on the way here. Both were found unconscious on the scene."

"Okay. Put the girl in one room and the man on the other. Give them both an IV and get some blood into the man. It looks like he’ll need a transfusion." The paramedics followed their orders as the doctor walked over to the reception desk. "Have we found the victims family members yet?" The nurse behind the desk pointed to Barbara, Dinah, and Helena. "Thank you." He walked over to them. "Which one of you is Mr. Gordon’s daughter and which one of you is Ms. Lance’s sister?"

Helena pointed to Barbara and Dinah. "They are."

The doctor nodded. "Well, you obviously heard what condition they are in. Unfortunately because Ms. Lance was under the influence, Mr. Gordon or you, Ms. Gordon, have the right to press charges against her. The cops will be here soon to talk to you." Barbara and Dinah nodded. "We’ll try our best." The doctor then ran into one of the rooms.

Helena dropped in a near by chair. "Oh my god. It’s all my fault."

Barbara and Dinah spun around to look at Helena. "How is it your fault, Hel? Carolyn was the one who was stupid enough to drive while drunk."

"Yes, but I could have driven her home. I didn’t have anything to drink tonight. I believed her when she said she was fine and hadn’t had anything to drink. I knew something was wrong with her, I just thought it was what we were talking about." Helena put her head in her hands, resting her elbows on her knees. "It’s all my fault."

Barbara dropped down to her knees in front of Helena. "Hel, don’t blame yourself. Whatever you guys were talking about was obviously serious if you thought it had upset her, because that would mean it upset you, too. Don’t blame your self for Carolyn’s stupidity."

"Yeah Helena. It’s not your fault. She’s my sister and even I think what she did was stupid."

A WEEK LATER …

Carolyn was lying in her hospital bed, staring out the window when Helena came into the room. "Hey Helena. What do you want?"

"I came to see how you were, Car."

"I’m fine, just a little paralysis. It’s nothing really." Helena didn’t have anything to say to that. "How’s Barbara’s father?"

"He’s doing all right. The doctors say his ribs are healing well and he should be out of here in another week." Carolyn nodded. "Carolyn, there is something we need to talk about."

"What?"

"Well, I happened to overhear the doctors tell Dinah something." Carolyn nodded, tears coming to her eyes as she realized what had been said. "I just want you to know, Barbara and I, or at least I am, here for you. If you ever need any help with raising this child …"

"What makes you think I’m going to keep it?" Helena’s mouth dropped open in shock. "I’ve been thinking about putting it up for adoption. I don’t think I could stand having to lie to her about her father and how she was born because some man on the street raped me when he saw me walk out of a gay bar."

"Carolyn. I had no idea. I’m sorry."

"Yeah, well, don’t worry about it, okay?" Carolyn looked over at Helena. "How is Barbara?"

"She’s all right. Really worried about her father though."

"Have you told her?" Helena hung her head in shame. "Do me a favor."

"Anything." Helena looked up at Carolyn.

"Don’t let the chance to tell her fly by. You never know what could happen." Helena nodded turned to leave but stopped short. "What?"

Helena looked at her, squinting her eyes. "Nothing, nevermind. Bye Car."

"Bye Helena." Carolyn watched Helena walk out the room, tears freely streaming down her face.

*END FLASHBACK*

Dinah looked down the hallway and saw Helena coming towards them. "Doesn’t look like you’ll have to think about it any longer."

"Huh?" Carolyn asked, looking up. She saw Helena and Anna. Her mouth dropped open when she saw Anna. "She’s beautiful," she whispered, trying to keep back the tears in her eyes.

When Helena and Anna came upon them they stopped. "Hey Aunt Care and Aunt Dinah. What are you guys doing here?"

Helena looked at the two of them, waiting for an answer. "Aunt Dinah and I came to see you, your mother, and your new baby sister." Anna nodded. "How are you sweetie?"

"I’m all right. Much better now that Mom talked to me. She told me you were going to help me … since you’ve been through the same thing, sort of."

"Of course I’ll help you. If you ever need anything just ask your parents if you can call me. Okay?" Anna nodded, smiling at Carolyn.

"Well, you guys wanna go see Barbara and the baby?" Anna, Carolyn, and Dinah all nodded. "All right then. Let’s go." With that Helena pushed Anna down the hallway and into Barbara’s room, Carolyn and Dinah following behind them.

Chapter 13

HOSPITAL

BARBARA'S ROOM

Barbara smiled as she saw Helena pushing Anna into her room. Her smile got even bigger when Carolyn and Dinah followed her in.

"Aunt Carolyn! Is it really you?" Tahna jumped off Barbara's bed and jumped into Carolyn's lap.

"Careful Tahna," Barbara warned. Carolyn mouthed `thank you'. Barbara smiled and nodded.

"Where have you been? I've been wanting to meet you ever since I saw your pictures in Aunt Dinah's house and Anna told me who you were." Everyone looked at each other. They all were hoping to avoid this question. Carolyn looked up and saw Tahna staring at her with her big blues eyes. "Aunt Carolyn?"

"She's been in Europe Tahn. Right Aunt Carolyn?" Anna smiled at Carolyn who smiled back.

"That's right Anna."

Tahna still looked at Carolyn. "Why didn't you write?"

"I couldn't because I was moving around so much that I didn't have an address for you to reply to."

"What about e-mail?"

"Didn't have access to the Internet." Tahna still wasn't happy. "I'm sorry kiddo. Look, I promise to make it up to you … somehow."

"Okay." Tahna moved around so she was still sitting in Carolyn's lap but was facing Barbara. "Mama, are they going to bring in Alex?"

Barbara shook her head. "Unfortunately she has a slight fever so they want to keep her in the nursery." Tahna nodded and leaned back into Carolyn.

"Mommy?" Helena looked at Anna. "You never finished your story."

Helena's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "Yeah Mommy," Tahna said. "You never finished the story on how you and Mama got together."

Barbara and Helena looked at Carolyn. "You know Helena, I would like to hear this story too. I don't believe I have heard it before." Helena smiled at Carolyn. "Come on, we want to hear it before visiting hours are over."

Helena chuckled and sat on the bed with Barbara. "You might want to sit down, Dinah. This could take a while."

*FLASHBACK – TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT*

Barbara woke up in her room to find Helena asleep in her computer chair. [She looks so beautiful and peaceful.] Barbara smiled as Helena woke up. "Hey Hel. How's your back?" Helena stood up, her face contorting in pain. "That bad, huh?" Helena nodded. "Come here." Barbara scooted over and lifted the covers for Helena.

"Nah. I'll be fine. Are you hungry? I can make breakfast."

"Helena, get you ass in this bed right now. I know you have slept in that chair for the past two weeks, watching over me, worrying about me since I've been so stressed about my dad. You've been a big help with my dad. Come on. Will you please come lay down with me?"

"Je ne sais pas."

Barbara looked at Helena with concern. "What's wrong Helena? You never speak French unless something is seriously bothering you."

"Tu ne sais pas."

"What don't I know?" Helena started pacing at the foot of Barbara's bed. "Helena, please stop pacing. You're making me sick."

"Desolé. Tu ne sais pas?"

"No, I don't know. I have no idea what is going on. Will you please tell me?"

"Je t'aime."

"I know you love me Hel, but-" Helena covered Barbara's mouth with her hand.

"Non. Je t'aime." Barbara's eyes widened. "I never stopped loving you." Helena removed her hand. "Je suis tres desole."

"Helena, don't be sorry. There's something I never told you." Helena's eyes flashed. "Helena, don't worry." She looked away, knowing her eyes had changed. "Helena, look at me." Barbara sighed when Helena shook her head and forced her to look at her. "I love you too Hel. I was just too scared before and then you got a crush on Carolyn so I made myself think I liked Dinah. The reason why she didn't bring me to the hospital was because we broke up. I told her I wasn't being fair to her because I was still in love with you."

"That's why you were giving me the third degree before I went clubbing with Car that night." Barbara nodded as a couple tears ran down her cheek. Helena wiped them away as she said, "Aww. Come on Princess."

Barbara chuckled. "I should start calling you Diva." Helena gave Barbara a weird look. "Cause you acted like one during the play the summer before our sophomore year."

"That was a great play," Helena said dreamily.

"You're only saying that because you got to kiss Carolyn." Helena stuck her tongue put at Barbara. "Put that away unless you're gonna put it to work."

Helena wiggled her eyebrows as she leaned forward and kissed Barbara, putting her tongue to work.

*END FLASHBACK*

"I thought you said this could take a long time?" Dinah asked.

Helena glared at her. "Well, I never finished the story before because these two," she pointed at Anna and Tahna, "wouldn't stop asking me questions."

"I didn't know you spoke French Mommy."

Barbara looked at Tahna and said, "Your mother was born in France."

"Really?!" Tahna asked, her eyes alight with wonder.

"Yep. I was born in Paris, France. Your grandmother was over there for work. We stayed there till I was seven."

"Cool!" both Anna and Tahna said.

Just then a nurse walked in. "Okay, visiting hours are over."

"We'll see you guys later," Dinah said. Barbara nodded. "Take care Barbara."

Helena kissed Barbara. "See ya Babs."

"Bye Hel." Barbara looked at Carolyn and smiled. "Bye Care."

Carolyn smiled. "Bye Barbara."

Chapter 14

THREE MONTHS LATER

A PARK NEAR THE GIRLS’ SCHOOL

Anna and Carolyn were on the basketball court playing a game of half court one on one. Barbara, holding a sleeping Alex, Dinah, and Helena, all stood on the sidelines watching them, cheering for whoever had the ball. Tahna was on the other end of the court drawing with sidewalk chalk.

Barbara looked at her watch. “All right guys. Time to go home.”

“Mommy!” Anna yelled as she tried to wrestle the ball out of Carolyn’s hands. “We’re tied! You have to let us break the tie.”

“Yeah, come on Babs. Just one more minute and I will win,” Carolyn said while winking at Barbara.

“All right. One more minute so Aunt Carolyn can win.”

“MA!” Anna yelled as she was finally able to get the ball out of Carolyn’s grip. She wheeled underneath the hoop and threw it up in the air. The ball rolled around the rim. “Come on! Go in!” The grown-ups all laughed at Anna as Tahna just stared at her and Alex continued sleeping in Barbara’s arms. The ball fell in the hoop, letting Anna win the game. “YEAH! I won!”

“Good job sweetie,” praised Helena.

“I let you win,” huffed Carolyn.

“Sure you did Aunt Carolyn. You’re just a sore loser. I won fair and square.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Carolyn grumbled as she wheeled over to Barbara and Dinah as Helena helped Anna get in her normal chair.

“Why are you grumbling? I thought the wink you threw to Barbara was you letting her know you were going to let Anna win.”

“It was but she got the ball from me before I was going to let go of it. She actually won on her own,” Carolyn said, with pride in her voice. Dinah nodded as the two of them watched Anna chase Helena around the basketball court. “She’s really accepted what has happen to her.”

“Yes she has. She’s a strong, brave, little girl with four people who really care for her. She’s lucky, she has three mothers, two aunts, six grandparents, and two little sisters. Who could ask for more?” Dinah looked down at Carolyn and saw her wearing a sad smile. She still doesn’t know, does she?”

“Carolyn, we want to tell her. She knows she was adopted, just not from whom.” Carolyn looked at Barbara. “Helena and I have been idiots concerning the identity of Anna’s mother. She deserves to know.”

The three of them watched Anna again, this time Helena was chasing her. “She deserves to know,” Carolyn mumbled as Helena caught Anna and lifted her out of her chair, twirling her around once she was free of the arms.

TWO DAYS LATER

Carolyn wheeled into her kitchen. It was Anna’s birthday and there weren’t enough candles on the cake. “Dinah! Come check the higher cabinets for me!”

Helena walked into the kitchen. “Dinah’s pushing Tahna on the swings. She sent me to help.

Carolyn sat up from searching through a drawer. “Don’t need it anymore. Found what I was looking for.” She held up a box of candles and a box of matches. “Thanks though.”

“We want to tell her.” Carolyn turned around and looked at Helena. “We figured the reason you didn’t want to before was because it was only Barbara the first time.”

“That’s not why. She’s happy. I don’t want to ruin that.” Carolyn moved to the door. Without looking back at Helena she said, “I’m afraid she would hate me if she found out.” She then went outside to rejoin the party. Helena watched her from the doorway as she made her way to the picnic table where the cake was. She shook her head and went outside as well.

Carolyn saw Anna sitting on the ledge of the pool, watching her feet dangle motionless in the pool and everyone else swimming around, having fun. She quickly made her way over to her. “Hey Sweetie.”

“Hey Aunt Carolyn. Did you find more candles?”

“Sure did. What are you doing here all by yourself?” Anna shrugged. “Why aren’t you swimming with everyone else?”

“You need to kick your legs to swim.”

Carolyn chuckled. “Dinah!” she yelled as she waved her over. “Put me on the edge of the pool please.” Dinah picked Carolyn up and put her right next to Anna. Carolyn pulled her t-shirt off and carefully slipped into the pool. “Anna, carefully slip in and hold onto the ledge.” Anna did as she was told. “Now watch.” With that Carolyn swam the length of the pool and back. “See? I didn’t kick my legs once. You can swim with just your arms. You want to try?” Anna shook her head. “Okay, you want to just go around the pool by holding the edge?”

“I don’t know. What if my hands slip?”

Carolyn looked up at Dinah. Dinah looked at Anna. “Tell you what sweetie,” she said as she climbed into the pool. “I’ll stay right next to you incase you slip. I won’t even let your hair get wet. Okay?”

Anna smiled. “Okay,” she said as she nodded. The three of them slowly went around the pool, everyone else getting out of their way.

Tahna swam up to the three of them. “Anna, wanna play Marco Polo? Aunt Dinah can help you or I can get an inner tube or a noodle and you can use your hands to help you. I’m sure everyone else will help you as much as they can as well.”

Anna looked at Carolyn and Dinah. “I don’t know Tahn.”

“Please Anna? We all want you to play with us. Please?” Anna looked at Tahna and saw her big blue eye looking up at her. She sighed and reluctantly nodded. “Yea! I’ll go get an inner tube for you.” Tahna jumped out of the poll and ran to the pool shed.

“Stop running Tahna!” scolded Barbara.

Tahna sheepishly walked out of the shed. “Sorry Mommy.” Barbara nodded and turned back t her guest. Tahna started running across the lawn.

“Tahna, you better stop running before you’re off the grass,” Barbara said sternly, without even turning around.

“Yes Mommy.” Tahna slowly walked back over to the pool and threw the inner tube next to Anna.

“Thanks Tahna. Aunt Carolyn, will you help me get in the inner tube?”

“Sure thing sweetie. You’re going to have to go under a little bit to get your head through correctly.” Anna nodded and went under, Dinah holding her and bringing her up once she was under the tube. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“Okay, I’m going to help you but we’re not cheating. Both our eyes will be closed if you get tagged.”

Anna looked at Dinah. “I don’t think anyone is going to tag me but I figured we would both have our eyes closed. I would have said that if you hadn’t.” Dinah nodded and moved Anna to the center of the pool, where everyone else had gathered to start the game.

“You’re going to play?” Helena asked when she noticed Anna and Dinah were right next to her. Anna nodded but Helena could tell she was scared. “You’ll be alright. Aunt Dinah won’t let anything happen to you and I’ll be watching out for you. Okay?”

“Okay, Momma.” And the game began.

Barbara walked over to where Carolyn was trying to get out of the pool. “Need some help?” Carolyn grinned and shook her head, then quickly pulled herself out.

“Just takes a couple tries. Thanks though.” Barbara nodded. “I could use some help getting back in my chair.”

“Of course. You want a towel on the seat so you don’t stick?” Carolyn laughed and nodded. Barbara spread a small towel down. “There ya go.” She then picked Carolyn up and set her into the chair.

“Thanks.”

“No prob.” The two of them watched Anna playing like a normal kid, with just a little help from Dinah, who wasn’t even holding onto the inner tube anymore because Anna was moving too fast for her to keep up. “She’s having a lot of fun. Thanks for getting her in the pool. We’ve been trying for a long time now. Doctors said it would be good for her.”

“Doctors said the same to me.”

“Carolyn-“

“Not today Barbara.” Barbara nodded. “I want to tell her, and I know I have to. I saw so many things in her, while I was talking to her in the pool, that I use to see in myself, before I just gave up on everything.” Barbara put her hand on Carolyn shoulder. “I’m so sorry I screwed things up between the two of us. I wish the accident had never happened but I think the only way it wouldn’t though would mean Anna wouldn’t be in the world. I was drunk because I didn’t want to tell Helena the truth. That was the whole reason I called her there that night.”

*FLASHBACK*

“Carolyn, you should really tell your friends and family. They’re going to find out eventually,” said a female doctor. Carolyn just looked up at her. “I know it’s going to be hard …”

“No you don’t. I don’t even know how they will react and they’re my best friends and family. How could you possibly know?” Carolyn glared at the doctor.

“I’m sorry Carolyn. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You never mean to Doctor Quinzell, but you almost always do. Are you sure you’re a real doctor?” With that Carolyn walked out of the room and into a long hallway. As she walked down the hallway she mumbled to herself. “This is crazy. They all love me, why would they freak out. They’d be more worried about me than anything else.” She turned a corner and walked outside. “But I’m not ready to have a baby yet I can’t even consider an abortion. Just the thought makes me want to throw up. I know, I’ll tell Helena and she’ll help me figure something out.” Carolyn pulled out a cell phone as she walked outside and started dialing.

*END FLASHBACK*

“I never knew you were seeing a therapist.” Carolyn shrugged. “You tell her whenever you want, but you have to tell her.”

“Why can’t you and Helena tell her? Why does it have to be me?”

“Because it will be best coming from you, coming from her mother.” Barbara walked over to the playpen to check on Alex and to leave Carolyn with those last words, and her thoughts.

Chapter 15

A WEEK LATER

“Carolyn, its been a week since they both told you to tell her. When are you going to stop being such a wuss and let her know?” Carolyn turned around and glared at Dinah. “Don’t look at me like that. Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you’re smarter. Get over your fears and just do it.”

“Dinah, you have a child and give it up to two people who, at the time, hate your guts, then you can tell me what to do.”

“Carolyn, its your own fault. You didn’t have to give her up. You could have kept her.” Carolyn went into the living room. “Don’t you move away from me! I’m talking to you!”

“Dinah, just leave me alone okay. I’m trying to decide the best way to tell her.”

“The best way would be sooner rather than later.” Dinah sat on the coffee table in front of Carolyn. “Look, I know this is hard for you. I don’t have any idea how you are feeling right now, but I do know that no matter what, Anna will always love you. She knows the story behind why Barbara and Helena haven’t talked to you in all these years. Yet I’ve seen the way she looks at her. She looks up to you.”

“She’ll ask who her father is.”

“Then you’ll tell her the truth.”

“Dinah-”

“No Carolyn. You’re going to tell her or I am. Which do you think would be better? Coming from me, her aunt, or coming from you, her mother?” Carolyn looked at Dinah as the doorbell rang. “That’s them. Are you going to tell her today or am I?”

“I’ll tell her. Just go answer the damn door.” Dinah smiled and went to answer the door. “You freakin’ pain in the ass.”

“Aunt Carolyn!” screamed Tahna as she ran into the house and jumped into Carolyn’s lap.

“Hey there Tahna. How are you today?”

“I’m great! Guess what Mommy got me?”

“What?”

“A puppy!”

“A puppy? Momma allowed Mommy to get you a puppy?”

Barbara came over and kissed Carolyn on the cheek. “No, Momma did no such thing. It was all Mommy’s idea.” Helena walked over and glared at Barbara. “And now she’s in the doghouse.”

“Barbara, you go to the mall with her next time and watch her eyes get all big and innocent when she sees a puppy in the window and turns to you, asking if she can have it.” Helena hugged Carolyn. “Hey Car. How are you today?”

Carolyn smiled. “I’m doing alright. You?”

“Well, like Princess said, I’m in the doghouse. At least the dog will keep me warm.” Carolyn laughed and Barbara shook her head.

“Where’s Anna and Alex?”

“We’re right here Aunt Dinah.” Anna came in holding Alex, Alfred pushing the wheelchair.

“Ms. Carolyn, how are you?”

“I’m fine Alfred old man. Thanks for helping Barbara and Helena.”

“Its my pleasure. I’ve got to run a few errands now. I’ll be back soon.”

“Bye Alfred!” Tahna said.

“Bye Miss Tahna.” Barbara, Carolyn, Dinah, and Helena all looked at each other and laughed.

“I always hated that.”

“Momma?”

“Oh, here, give me Alex sweetie. You guys can go ahead outside. We’ll be out in a minute.” Anna nodded and her and Tahna made their to the backyard.

Carolyn watched as Helena set up the playpen and Barbara put Alex in it. “She’s beautiful.” Barbara looked at Carolyn and smiled. “Um, there’s something I want to talk to you guys about.”

“We already know. Dinah called us on our way here and said she was going to try to talk you into telling Anna and then she told us you were going to when she let us in.” Carolyn glared at Dinah who just smiled and walked outside, a bowl of fruit in her arms. “Don’t be mad Care.”

“I’m not. I just, don’t know how to tell her or when.”

“We’ll put a movie in and you can tell her then. The two of you can get the popcorn or something and don’t worry about how. Just tell her.” Carolyn nodded and looked out the window. She saw Anna sitting by the pool again. “She really loves that pool. I wish we had one.”

“She can come over whenever she wants.” Barbara nodded even though she knew Carolyn couldn’t see her. “I’m glad we’re all talking again. I really missed you guys.”

Barbara and Helena came up behind Carolyn and hugged her. “We’ve missed you too Car.” Carolyn laughed and hit Helena.

“Shut up Lilo.” Barbara shook her head and patted Helena on the back. Lets get out there before they think something is happening.”

AN HOUR LATER

“Alright, time to put in a movie.”

“Momma, I want to watch Lilo and Stitch.” Helena growled but pulled the movie out of the bag they had brought with them. “Yea! Thank you Mommy!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go sit on the couch with Momma and Aunt Dinah. Car, why don’t you and Anna get the popcorn.”

“Yeah, sure. Come on sweetie.”

Helena put the movie in and sat down next to Barbara. “Are you going to be listening?” Helena looked at Barbara, her eyes glowing. “I should have known.”

“Would you guys quiet down please?” Dinah said as the volume turned up. Helena looked down at the remote control in her hand and gave Dinah a weird look. She just smirked.

IN THE KITCHEN

“Aunt Carolyn, are you alright?”

Carolyn smiled at Anna. “I’m fine sweetie. What kind of poporn do you want?” she asked, pulling out a low drawer. Anna looked in the drawer.

“Wow, you have a bunch of different kinds in here. What about we make a bag of original butter and a bag of caramel?”

“Sure.” Carolyn pulled out two bags and put one in the microwave. “Hey, Anna. Have you ever thought about who your real mother is?” Anna looked up at Carolyn, a little scared. “Don’t worry, even if Momma and Mommy could hear, they wouldn’t mind.” Anna nodded. “Who have you thought she was?”

“Well, I don’t think she’s a bad lady. Momma told me why my real mother had to give me up. I know I’ll never know who my real father is.” Carolyn was shocked by this news. She had no idea if Anna was talking about the truth or not. “I mean, I understand she was … raped, but I still don’t understand why. I love having two mothers, I just can’t see why anyone would have anything against that.”

“Well, it depends on how people were brought up. You were brought up with it being a normal thing. Not everyone lives with it in their lives.”

“I’ve always thought that maybe I actually know my real mother.” Carolyn allowed a slight grin at that. “Like she’s one of my teachers or one of our next door neighbors. I just think that would be so cool.”

“You wouldn’t be mad at them or anything, for not telling you?”

“Nah. Mommy said that the real reason my mother gave me up was because she didn’t want to have to tell me that she didn’t know who my father was. She didn’t want me to know the way I was born.” Carolyn nodded and took out the first bag, shaking it and putting it in a bowl. She put in the second bag. “Aunt Carolyn, why are you asking me all this stuff?”

Carolyn took a deep breath then looked out into the living room. She saw Helena’s eyes and she could see the encouraging smile in them. “Well, I’m asking you all this stuff cause I know who your mother is and was wondering if you wanted to know who she was.”

“Well, I’d love to know who she was but I don’t know want to hurt Mommy and Momma.”

Just then Helena walked into the kitchen. “It wouldn’t hurt us sweetie. It was wrong of us to keep it from you this long.” Anna looked at Helena. “Do you want to know?” Anna looked at Carolyn, then Helena, then back at Carolyn and nodded.

Carolyn took another deep breath. “Anna, your mother is … I’m your real mother.”

Anna looked at Helena. Helena nodded. She looked at the floor then back up at Carolyn. “I knew it.”

Carolyn looked at Anna shocked. “What?”

“I knew you were my real mother. I’ve always looked at the pictures of you around Aunt Dinah’s house and have always thought they look a little like me. Once I actually mistook one as a picture of me.”

“So, you’re not upset about this?”

“Of course not.” Carolyn looked at Helena and saw that all this was a surprise to her as well. Just then Tahna came running into the kitchen.

“Mommy, you’re middle name is Lilo?” Anna and Carolyn burst out laughing, Barbara and Dinah could be heard laughing in the living room, and the baby started crying. Helena just glared at Anna and Carolyn, softly growling. Tahna just looked at everyone, completely confused. “Mommy?”

Helena face softened as she looked down at Tahna, the growling stopped. “Oh, everyone’s just acting like a pack of hyenas and yes sweetie, my middle name is Lilo.” Tahna giggled until Helena gave her a look. “You laughing at my middle name?” Tahna got a scared look in her eyes. “I’ll give you something to laugh about.” Helena swooped Tahna up and started tickling her mercilessly.

“Mommy, stop, please Mommy stop tickling.” Helena stopped tickling her and set her in Carolyn’s lap. She wrapped her arms around Carolyn’s neck. “Protect me Aunt Carolyn.” Carolyn winked at Helena and grabbed Tahna, acting as though she was going to keep her away from Helena but instead started ticking her. Tahna laughed so hard she was crying until she wrestled her way out of Carolyn arms and ran back into the living room, jumping into Barbara’s lap.

Helena looked at Anna. “Are you okay?” Anna nodded and smiled. “Good.” Helena hugged Anna. “What about you Car? You still seem a little shell shocked there.”

“I’m fine but you are right. I’m shocked to say the least.” Helena nodded and hugged her as well.

“Now you two hurry up with the popcorn and come join us. Besides, you might need to stop me from killing one of those two for slipping and letting Tahna know what my middle name is.” Carolyn and Anna laughed as Helena went out to the living room and they put the second bag of popcorn in a bowl. They looked at each other, smiled, then went into the living room as well.

Chapter 16

A MONTH LATER

Barbara watched, tears coming to her eyes, as Anna made her way across the bars. She hated it that they were doing this just to strengthen her arms, not to see if she could walk. It had been over four months since Anna’s accident and there was still no change. Her eyes widened as she saw Anna fall. She ran to Anna’s side and looked in her eyes. She saw pain but she also saw something else. “Anna, what’s wrong?”

“I hurt my knee,” she calmly answered. Barbara nodded and picked Anna up, helping her into her wheelchair. She turned around and started walking back to the bars to pick up Anna’s water bottle. “Mom?”

Barbara stopped dead in her tracks. She spun around and looked at a smiling Anna, her eyes wide with surprise. She pointed a finger at Anna, her face scrunching up in confusion. “Did, did you just say that you, that you hurt your knee?” Anna nodded, her smile never wavering. Barbara’s face brightened as she smiled and ran back over to Anna, picking her up and spinning her around.

“Mom, you’re making me dizzy.”

Barbara laughed and set Anna back into her chair. She smiled and looked at Anna. “Sorry sweetie. Come on, let’s get home.” Anna nodded and the two of them left the gym, smiling like never before.

BARBARA AND HELENA’S HOUSE

“Helena! Where are you?” Barbara asked, as she put Anna and her jackets on the rack right next to the door.

“I’m in the kitchen. You guys are home early.” Anna came into the kitchen first, grinning ear to ear. Helena looked at her and quirked an eyebrow. “Why are you guys home?” she asked again as Barbara came into the kitchen, also grinning from ear to ear. Helena looked between the two of them. “Okay, you two. What’s going on?”

Barbara looked at Anna and nodded. “Well, I have some bad news and some good new. Which do you want first?” Helena quirked an eyebrow again as she thought about that question. “Come on Mom, it’s not that hard of a question.”

“Well, I guess give me the bad news first.”

“I hurt my knee.”

Helena went over and hugged Anna. “Oh, sweetie I’m sor-” Helena’s eyes slowly widened as what Anna just said hit her. She looked at Barbara. Barbara excitedly nodded. Helena’s head whipped around to look at Anna. “I take it that’s the good news as well?” Anna nodded just as excitedly as Barbara.

Tahna came skipping into the room. “Hey Momma! Hey Anna!” Tahna tried to open the refrigerator. “Can someone help me please?” Helena silently got up and opened the refrigerator for her. “Thanks Mommy.” Helena closed the door and watched as Tahna skipped back into the living room. Her eyebrows scrunched together and she looked at Barbara and Anna, their faces complete mirror images as her own. Barbara got a twinkle in her eyes and suddenly started laughing. Anna and Helena looked at each other and laughed as well. Tahna came stomping into the kitchen. “Could ya’ll quiet down, I’m trying to watch Lilo.” Everyone immediately calmed down but Anna and Barbara looked at each other, then at Helena, seeing the slight blush on her cheeks, and started laughing again.

“You guys are a bunch of hyenas. I’m going to go check on Alex. You guys should call Carolyn and Dinah. I’m sure they would love to hear this good news.” Barbara nodded as she calmed down and wiped the tears from her eyes. Anna handed her the cordless phone and she dialed.

CAROLYN’S HOUSE

Carolyn stared at the phone as it started ringing. She shook her head and picked it up. “This better be good.”

<I promise it is.>

“Hey Babs.” Carolyn set her glasses down on her desk. “What’s up?” She rubbed her forehead and pinched the bridge of her nose.

<Well, this may seem like bad news …>

Carolyn sat straight up in her chair. Her eyes widened in fear. “Barbara, what happened? Is Anna okay? What about Tahna or Helena? Or Alex?”

Carolyn heard Barbara chuckling over the phone. <Well, if you had let me finished you would have heard me say its not really bad news.> Carolyn nodded. “I really hate it when you and Helena respond physically even when you know I can’t see you.>

Carolyn chuckled and shook her head. She put her glasses back on and looked at the computer screen, studying what she had been working on all day. “Okay, so then, what happened?”

<You’ll never believe what happened at Anna’s physical therapy session.>

Carolyn stopped short. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she wait for Barbara to continue. After several seconds of silence she opened her eyes and nodded to herself. “What happened?”

<She hurt her knee.> Carolyn smiled as she looked at the screen again. She clicked on something and a big picture of a girl’s bike came on the screen. Her smiled got wider as she started chuckling. <What’s so funny?>

“Nothing. Tell Anna I’m ordering her Christmas present right now.”

<What are you getting her?>

“A bike.” Carolyn could tell Barbara was smiling from the soft chuckle that came over the line. “Think she’ll like it?”

<Of course she will. Hey, once you’re done ordering it come over here. We’re having a party. Also, I still have to call Dinah.> Carolyn heard the doorbell ring. <Nevermind. Helena instant messaged her. We’ll see you in a few?>

Carolyn started nodded but laughed and said, “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

BARBARA AND HELENA’S HOUSE

Everyone sat around the dinner table, laughing and having a good time. Alfred watched from the kitchen, an amused smirk on his face. He remembered how the four adults in the room were like when they first came to be a group. They were inseparable. Barbara and Helena had already been like that for a long time, and Carolyn and Dinah and been like that for their entire life, it only made sense that the four of them would bind together. He only hoped it would last.

The doorbell rang and he went to answer. Doctor Wayne nodded to him and walked into the dining room. “Sorry I’m late. I got held up at the hospital.” Barbara smiled as she turned around and looked at him.

“Don’t worry about it Brucey. Come on, sit down and help yourself to some of Alfred’s wonderful cooking.” Bruce glared at Helena but laughed when Alex threw a spoonful of mashed potatoes at her. This time Helena glared at him, right before she threw a spoonful of mashed potatoes at him. “Never laugh at me, because you’ll be laughed at for the same reason.” Bruce rolled his eyes and sat down.

“Mommy, is grandma and grandpa coming?” Tahna asked, giving Helena her puppy dog eyes.

“Barbara, I swear, its not fair that you taught them to do that.” Tahna pouted.

Barbara laughed and pointed at Tahna’s jutted lip. “And you taught them that, so don’t even start on me about the eyes.” Helena shook her head and stuck her tongue out at Barbara. Tahna jumped up when the doorbell rang and ran to the door. “I guess they’re here.” Helena nodded as she stood up to usher her guests in. Selina Kyle and James Gordon walked in. Carolyn glared at Barbara as did Mr. Gordon as he sat down next to her. Barbara ignored them both.

Ms. Kyle sat down next to Helena. “Now where’s my new granddaughter and are you going to introduce your friends?” Helena smiled at her mother.

“Alex is asleep in the nursery Ms. Kyle,” Barbara said, smiling at her. “You’re welcome to go get her, or Helena can get her for you.”

“Oh, no let the baby sleep and you know you can call me Selina.” Barbara nodded and Selina looked at Carolyn and Dinah. “And, Helena, you’re friends are?”

“Well, mom, you remember Dinah, right?” Selina’s eyes scrunched up. “Maybe, you don’t. You only met her a couple times but I know you remember Carolyn. You just haven’t seen her in a long time.”

“Yes I remember Carolyn. How are you dear?” Selina asked, looking at Dinah.

Helena’s eyes filled with worry. “That’s Dinah mom.”

Selina chuckled. “Of course it is. I was just messing with you.” She slightly elbowed Helena. Helena looked at Barbara.

“Dinner is served,” Alfred said.

“Thank you Alfred.” Alfred nodded and looked at Helena. Barbara shrugged and he went back in the kitchen. “This looks good. Shall we?” Everyone nodded and dug in. Barbara looked up and caught Helena’s attention, she smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. Selina suddenly disappeared and Barbara opened her eyes, the sunlight coming through the bedroom window blinding her.

Chapter 17

Barbara wheeled into the Clocktower, a sullen look on her face. Dinah and Helena looked at each other as Barbara poured her coffee, not even noticing as she spilt some on the counter. Dinah went and cleaned it up as Helena followed Barbara over to the Delphi. Helena looked at Barbara with concern in her eyes. Something was definitely up. Helena looked at the clock and saw that Dinah was late for school, which meant Barbara was late as well. “Barbara, are you feeling alright?” Barbara just nodded as she scrolled through the information that came up on the Delphi overnight. “Are you going to work today?”

“No I’m not. Will you drive Dinah to school please? I already called and said that I wasn’t coming in and that she would be late.” Dinah touched Helena’s shoulder as she came up to the two of them.

“Barbara, it’s the first day.”

Barbara finally turned around and they could see the bags under her eyes. “I know Dinah. I’m just too busy with things right now, okay? I’ll be in by next week if not sooner.”

This time it was Helena’s turn to be surprised. “You mean you’re actually planning on not going in for the whole first week? Barbara, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m just busy working on a getting the rest of the bugs out of the system. I did a total update after Harley and there are still some glitches.” Barbara turned back around and stared at the computer screen.

“Barbara.”

“Helena, will you please drive Dinah to school? She’s already late.” Helena nodded, see her reflection on the monitor. “Have fun Dinah.” Dinah nodded and the two of them entered the elevator. As the doors closed Dinah turned to Helena, trying to figure out what she knew, as she leaned against the wall.

“Look, Blondie, I have no idea what is wrong with her. You’re the one living with her. Has she been like this all summer?” Dinah shook her head. “When did she get like this?”

“This morning.” Helena looked at Dinah, her eyes wide. “Yep, you saw her like this for the first time the same time I saw her like this.” Helena shook her head and looked down at the floor. “What are we going to do?”

“We’re not doing anything. You’re going to school and I’m going to figure out what’s wrong with her.” Dinah opened her mouth to protest but Helena threw her an icy stare. “No, Dinah. We don’t want her mad and you know she’ll be mad if you skipped school for us to plan what to do about her. I mean, she could be listening right now, already pissed as it is.” Dinah nodded and fell against the wall. “We need to get this damn elevator fixed. It shouldn’t be taking this long.” Just then the doors opened and they were in the garage. “Come on. I know you wanna see your girlfriend.”

“Gabby is not my girlfriend!” Dinah protested as she got in the H2 and buckled her seatbelt. Helena chuckled and the two of them were off.

BACK IN THE CLOCKTOWER

Barbara watched as Helena peeled out of the garage. She had been watching their decent in the elevator but she couldn’t hear what they were saying. She hadn’t turned on the speakers. Several windows opened up on the screens around her, all surveillance footage of the streets en route to New Gotham High School and to Helena’s apartment. She could watch her two protégés the entire time. When she saw that they were both inside their respective safe havens, she relaxed a little.

She sighed as she brought up a window on the computer monitor and double clicked on an icon. A word document opened and Barbara scanned down the past couple nights’ entries of her journal. No one knew about her journal, not even Helena. She was sure Alfred knew about it, but he would never invade her privacy like that. For the past couple of week, Barbara had been having very strange dreams. They all seemed to weave together. There were happy times but there were also bad times. She read the entry from the first night.

I just had the strangest dream ever. In it Helena and I were in high school, and I was going out with Bruce Wayne who was in our grade. Our English teacher was Dick and Helena had a huge crush on Carolyn. Reese was Helena’s brother and Selina was still alive. The strangest part was when I met Dinah, same grade, and I was attracted to her. I drove her home and then when I called Helena, she said I had a crush. I also found out that Helena had once had a crush on me.

Barbara sighed as she rubbed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She hated dreams. They always showed her a part of herself she didn’t want to see, or was scared to admit. Barbara knew she was in loved with a woman, but she also knew it wasn’t Dinah. The next couple entries were about the same. The second one was about a school assignment that they all had to do, turned out Carolyn and Dinah were sisters. The third night was about them actually doing the assignment over at Carolyn and Dinah’s house, what looked a lot like the Wayne Mansion. That night she also had a dream within her dream. The fourth and fifth night, the dream was about bowling, pool, and Barbara almost confessing something to Dinah. The sixth, seventh, and eighth nights were about a carnival. The seventh, being the most telling. She was in love with Helena. After that, the dreams got weirder.

This is the ninth night in a row that I’ve had these dreams, at least I think it’s a continuation of the dreams before. Helena was older in this one, even older than she is now. There were two kids with her, the younger one looking just like her and the older, looking somewhat like Carolyn, even more so than Dinah. She was talking like the dreams before were a story she was telling the kids. Then she started telling a story about how Carolyn had broken up with her and that she did it because Helena was in love with her roommate.

The next one was about her. Barbara played a tape from the camera in her room, dated the night of the tenth dream. She watched as she saw herself gasp. She knew it was because a very pregnant Barbara had just stood up.

This time I was talking on the phone with Dinah and I was a doctor. Even in my dreams I’m helping people. We were talking about someone named Diva. Then a new doctor walked in, I showed him around a little, then said I wasn’t going to come back until after the baby was born. I also mentioned that I had daughters. Then the dream became a nightmare.

The other doctor called the house, needing help finding a kid’s parents. The kid was in a bus accident, she had been standing up when the bus had to do a sudden stop. The kid was mine, Anna. I apparently lived with Diva cause she came home and when I told her about Anna she drove us to the hospital. Weird thing was until right before I woke up, the face of Diva was blurred. As I went into labor her face became clearer. It was Helena and she had been Princess, Helena’s roommate that she was in love with.

Barbara sighed and went into the kitchen. She didn’t need to read the other entries. She’d already read all of them so many times she could recite them word for word by now. Everything afterwards was great. A happily ever after affair. She only worried about what the next night would bring.

HELENA’S APARTMENT

Helena paced at the foot of her bed. She had actually been noticing something off about Barbara for a couple days now, just didn’t seem serious till now. She sat down on her bed and put her head in her hands. She stared at the floor as she went over the past five days. Barbara had been kind of … weird around her. When Helena came home after sweeps the first night she noticed something, Barbara didn’t do her usual inspection. All she did was ask if Helena was hurt. Helena sighed and stood up, continuing her pacing. I’m gonna wear down the carpet doing this, she thought. She looked at the clock, then grabbed her jacket, and headed outside.

THE CLOCKTOWER

Barbara looked up and frowned as one of the Delphi’s alarms went off. She quickly moved and saw Helena climbing into the H2. Her eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Helena usually slept all day unless Barbara asked to her to do something else. She pushed a couple keys and watched as Helena drove. She wasn’t heading to the Clocktower, that was for sure but Barbara had no idea where she was headed. None of the addresses for the cameras made any sense. Then Barbara thought she was heading towards No Man’s Land but Helena just drove right past it. Barbara turned the speakers on, hoping Helena had on her comms. Suddenly she ran out of cameras to use and brought up the GPS tracking system. That was when she figured out where Helena was going. She was going to Wayne Manor, but why?

WAYNE MANOR

“Hey Alfred,” Helena said as she walked into the Manor.

“Ah, Miss Helena. Does Miss Barbara know you are here?” Helena rolled her eyes and headed towards the bookcase.

“Of course she does Alfred. Like I wouldn’t notice cameras following me everywhere I went. She’s not very good at hiding that she’s been following Dinah and I from the Clocktower to where ever we go.” Helena pulled a book and walked down to the Batcave, Alfred not far behind. “Right now she’s probably going through every single thing that could possibly bring me here and not a single one of them correct.” Alfred chuckled as Helena walked up to the Batgirl costume that still hung up in the Batcave. “Does she know this is still here?”

“Who knows Miss Helena? Miss Barbara may appear to know everything but as you know, she does not.” Helena nodded and moved in front of a computer. She sat down and brought up a program. “Miss Helena, are you sure about this?”

“Alfred, ever since Harley, Barbara has been so busy working on the Delphi and making it harder and harder to get in the Clocktower. The codes change every other day. Do you know how hard it is to remember that many codes? I’m always setting off the alarm by putting in the wrong one. I’m actually scared to be in the Clocktower by myself.” Alfred nodded and sat down next to Helena. “This is the only solution I can think of.”

“Have you talked to Miss Barbara, or even Miss Dinah?” Helena sighed and looked over at Alfred. She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. Alfred chuckled. Helena gave him a weird look. “Its just that you looked like Miss Barbara for a minute.” Helena chuckled as she realized Alfred was probably right. She stood up and started pacing. “Does Miss Barbara know you are this good at computers?”

Helena shook her head again. “Nope and I plan to keep it that way. You’re going to tell her you did all this, I just happened to ask you to.” Alfred quirked an eyebrow. “Please?”

“As you wish Miss Helena but may I assure you, she won’t believe that I did it on my own. She’ll think someone else was in on this.”

“Well, we’ll bring Dinah into it and she can be the other person. She’s good at computers and Barbara knows it.” Helena sat back down at the computer and started typing furiously. “I just hope this works without her knowing about it.”

“You’re hacking into the Delphi, do you actually think she won’t know?”

“I’ve done it before.” Helena smirked as Alfred stared at her. “I was at school and bored one day so I got a pass to the library and hacked into the Delphi. I read up on my mom and that was it. When I realized Barbara hadn’t noticed, I kept doing it. She never caught me.”

“Oh she didn’t want you to know she knew. Maybe she understood your need to read about your mother after her death. Maybe that need overshadowed the hacking.”

Helena chuckled as several screens came up. “Online. She’s watching the Manor though. Are there cameras in here she can hack into?” Alfred shook his head. “What about other parts of the house?”

“Yes. There’s a camera in the training room and the library. There are also cameras all over the perimeter of the manor, many aiming into windows. I’m sure she can guess where you are.”

“Well, as long as she can’t guess what I’m doing.” Helena wheeled over to another computer and brought up the security cameras in the Clocktower. Her eyes scrunched in confusion. “She’s not even at the Delphi. Where could she be?” Helena turned around and looked at Alfred. The look on his face told her everything she needed to know. “Oh crap. How am I going to explain all this?”

Alfred gestured for Helena to move. She did and he started pushing some keys on the keyboard. Helena watched as a shield came up on one of the costume cylinders. It was her mother’s. Helena looked at Alfred as he minimized all the other windows open. “I’m sure you won’t have to explain anything.” Helena nodded as she walked up to the cylinder. “You know, I actually helped her design and make that?”

Helena nodded. “I asked her once and she never lied to me or kept anything from me.” Helena heard the bookcase open. “She’s here.” Helena turned around and watch Barbara carefully make her way down the ramp. “What are you doing here Barbara?”

“I check the security cameras every now and then and saw the Hummer. I could ask the same of you but I can already see. Are you alright?” Helena nodded and turned back to her mother’s costume. “She was beautiful when she wore it. I’d never seen anyone as graceful as her, until I saw you in training.” Helena smiled and leaned her forehead on the cool glass of the display case.

“Maybe I should start wearing a mask, like the one my mother wore.” Barbara looked at Helena with wide eyes. “I could probably talk Dinah into wearing one too. I know how much you’ve wanted us to be wearing one and now I agree with you.”

“Umm, we can start tomorrow. I’ll have to get some supplies to make them. Some of them might be here but …”

“They should all be here Miss Barbara. I’ve kept the supplies all up to date just in case you were in need of something.” Barbara nodded and looked at Helena, watching as her hands sort of, pawed at the costume. Barbara smiled.

“Come on Helena. Lets get you home. Can you drive?” Helena nodded and the two of them headed back upstairs. Helena stopped at the top and looked down at Alfred. He smiled and she winked at him then turned around and left. Alfred knew he was blushing and just chuckled.

Chapter 18

Dinah walked into the Clocktower after getting a ride home from Gabby. She became worried when she couldn’t find Barbara or Helena anywhere. She looked in the kitchen, thinking if Helena was here that would be where she was. She saw a note on the counter.

Hey Kid-

Knew you would look in here for me. Barbara and I went shopping for some supplies. Me and you and gonna be wearing masks from now on. I’m planning something and it was the only way to stop her from interrogating me. We’ll get her out of her funk soon enough. By the way, I’m offended that the first place you thought to look for me would be the kitchen. See ya soon Sidekick!

The Greatest,

Helena

Dinah rolled her eyes and threw away the note. What was Helena planning and how could it get Barbara out of her funk? Also, how did us wearing masks come into the equation? Dinah poured herself a coke and sat on the couch in the living room, picking up the remote and turning on the tape of her soap.

“Today on All My Children …”

MAIN STREET

“Helena, I’m glad you finally realized the advantages of wearing a mask while you’re doing sweeps.” Helena rolled her eyes as she and Barbara made their way down Main Street to where the Hummer was parked. Luckily, everything they needed was in town and in stock. The sooner these masks were made the better. Helena knew the process in making them.

“Is there more than one way to make these things?” Barbara looked up at Helena and shook her head, trying to suppress the smile itching to show. She knew Helena was going to want to find a different way to make the mask but there wasn’t one that would make sure it stayed on her face. “Damn. I was hoping there would be.”

“I’m sorry. There are no other ways to make it and have it fit right. We want this to stay on your face.” Just then they came up to the hummer and Barbara threw the bags she was holding into the back and Helena did the same. “You know I understand why you’re asking and I wish that there was.” Helena nodded and leaned up against the car. “You could always have an elastic band to keep it on.” Helena empathically shook her head. “Didn’t think so. Here,” Barbara threw Helena the keys. “You drive home.”

“Are you sure about that Barbara? You hate being in the car when I drive. You say I drive like a maniac even though I drive slower than you.” Barbara glared at her and Helena knew that if she could, Barbara would be tapping her foot impatiently. As it was she was drumming her fingers on the arm of her wheelchair. “Okay, okay. Get in the car and lets go home.” The two of them got in the car and Helena took off.

“So, you wanna go first?” Helena looked over at Barbara quickly, quirking an eyebrow in her direction before giving her attention back to the road. “I’m talking about the masks.”

“I know what you’re talking about and you should already know my answer to that question.”

Barbara chuckled and looked out the window as they passed New Gotham High School. “I’ll call in sick tomorrow again and we’ll make yours then. Hopefully I can talk Dinah into getting hers done tonight. You can do a sweep while I make hers. Both of them should be ready by sweep time tomorrow night.”

“Sounds like a plan, but how ‘bout we eat before we set the plan in action. I can’t help tricked the kid into going first on an empty stomach.” Barbara laughed as they pulled into the garage and Helena smiled. That was the first time she had heard Barbara really laugh in a long time.

AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER – CLOCKTOWER PENTHOUSE

“This so isn’t fair,” Dinah said as she climbed onto the counter in the penthouse. Helena had suggested they make the masks in there so they didn’t have to worry about any interruptions. She didn’t want to scare Dinah and mess up the whole process when she came in from sweeps.

“I know Dinah but it’s the only way this would work and the city stay safe.” Dinah grunted and Barbara rolled her eyes. She would have expected this kind of behavior from Helena but not from Dinah. The teenage girl had never disagreed about wearing masks but the subject had never been brought up before now. Barbara didn’t think Dinah would have minded. “Dinah, would you please stay still. This is taking longer than I thought and if you don’t stop moving Helena will be back and you know she will tease you merciless.”

“Too late.” Dinah groaned as Barbara forced her to put her face in the plaster. “Don’t worry. I won’t make fun.” Barbara grunted at Helena absurd comment. “What? I know how long this takes and I wouldn’t mess it up. I’ll tease her afterwards.” Barbara shook her head and looked down at Dinah. “You alright Kid? Answer with your mind.”

Barbara quirked an eyebrow then her eyes went wide with shock as she heard Dinah answer Helena’s question in her head. “I’m just peachy Hel. You know they say Plaster of Paris is good for your complexion.”

“Stop being smart Kid. I’m gonna go take a shower. I smell.” Helena left the room with a flourish.

“Why is she such a drama queen and why did she never noticed that she smelled after sweeps before now?”

Barbara shook her head as she wasn’t use to communicating with Dinah this way. “She’s a drama queen because it’s in her nature and she did realize it before. She also realized her smell bugged you. She’s taking a shower because she knows you can’t smell her right now and doesn’t want me to suffer for no reason.” Barbara knew if she could see Dinah’s eyes they would be rolling right now. “Will you be alright by yourself for a few minutes? I want to check on the Delphi.”

“Sure thing Barbara.”

CLOCKTOWER

Barbara wheeled into the living room and saw Helena lounging on the couch, watching TV. “I thought you were going to take a shower.”

“Did.” Barbara quirked an eyebrow and wheeled behind the couch. She touched Helena’s hair and found it wet. “Told ya.” Barbara chuckled and went to the Delphi. “Why didn’t you believe me?”

“Its not that I didn’t believe you, just couldn’t believe you took a shower that fast.” Helena shrugged as she stood up. “Also wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be assaulted with a horrible stench when you decided to look over my shoulder.” Barbara tilted her head back and saw Helena right behind her. She smiled and ruffled Helena’s hair. “You look so adorable when you’re hair’s all messy.”

Helena glared but didn’t touch her hair. “I don’t look adorable. I’m sexy and mysterious. I’ve never been called adorable.”

“Oh I’d beg to differ. You’re mother always called you adorable as did Alfred when you were younger.” Barbara turned around and watched as Helena pulled a chair from the kitchen over next to her. “What are you doing?”

Helena turned the chair and sat on it backwards, facing Barbara. “Tell me more about my mother.” Barbara quirked an eyebrow. “You always talk about my mother with fondness even when you’re discussing when she was a thief and when you would come up against her.”

“That would be because I looked up to her in some way.” Helena nodded and placed her head on her hands, which were crossed on the back of the chair. “You really want me to talk about your mother?” Helena nodded again, not lifting her head. Barbara looked at the clock. “Let me go tell Dinah.”

“I’ll go tell her. You stay right here.” Barbara watched as Helena jumped up and bounded over to the elevator. She knew Helena was going to tease Dinah but she didn’t have the heart to stop her. Although she knew Helena would never admit it, Dinah was like a little sister to her now. That’s why she teased her so much. Barbara chuckled and shook her head as she heard Dinah yelled at Helena telepathically. Helena ran back to the chair she had vacated earlier and sat back down. “Okay, story time.”

Barbara chuckled again and looked at Helena for a minute. “You know, you remind me so much of her sometimes I can’t believe it. Whenever she knew something was bothering me, she would sit me down and tell me to talk to her. Once she had realized that I was finally giving in, which happened every time, she would say ‘Oh, goody, its story time.’ At first that offended me, like she thought my problems were just petty but I soon realized it was her way of saying she was all ears.”

“Sounds like my mother. She did the same thing with me. I hated it when my stories had a bad ending because then she would lose the twinkle in her eyes. I hated being the reason that twinkle went away.” Barbara nodded and watched as Helena’s eyes went out of focus. She knew Helena was remembering one of those times that Selina had gotten mad at her. “I’ll never forget the look she would get when I made her really proud.”

“Helena, that would be because she was always proud of you, even when she was mad. I remember one time when she was ranting to me about something you did. I remember looking in her eyes and, yes, there was disappointment, but there was also pride. She was always proud of you for sticking up for yourself, no matter what that meant you did.” Helena nodded and looked at Barbara.

“What about you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Were you proud of me for standing up for myself back when I was in high school?” Barbara leaned back and studied Helena. “Didn’t think that would be that hard of a question.”

Barbara smiled as she saw Helena’s insecurity rear its ugly head. She knew she was one of the few people who actually ever saw this side. “Helena, I don’t know if I was proud or not for you standing up for yourself. I was proud of you because you were living your life. You weren’t letting your mothers death stop you from doing anything. You continued living just like you knew your mother would want you too.” Helena looked up and Barbara noticed something in her eyes. Something she hadn’t seen there, or at least hadn’t noticed before, except in her dreams.

“How much longer do I need to stay like this?” Dinah said telepathically, slightly panicked. “I mean, maybe now wouldn’t be a good time to mention I sometimes become claustrophobic.”

Chapter 19

Barbara carefully lifted Dinah’s head. “Sorry Dinah. We kind of forgot about you.” Barbara grimaced at the look on Dinah’s plaster covered face. “We were talking and kind of got hooked into it.” With that Dinah glared at Helena.

“Hey Kid, don’t look at me. You need to learn how to whine more. Maybe if you have mentioned something earlier we wouldn’t have forgotten about you.” Helena handed her towel. “Now wipe off your face and I’ll go get some Chinese take-out or something to make up for it. My treat.” Dinah smiled and practically skipped into the bathroom to wash her face. Helena turned to Barbara. “Can I borrow some cash?”

Barbara chuckled and headed out of the room. “What happened to it being your treat?”

“Well, I just realized I didn’t have any cash on me. I’ll pay you back tomorrow. You know I’m good for it, even if you don’t actually get paid back tomorrow.”

“Here’s thirty bucks.”

“Thanks. Usual?” Barbara nodded and Helena ran and banged on the bathroom door. “Usual Di?!”

“Yeah! Thanks Hel!” Helena nodded and went into the elevator. She smiled and winked at Barbara as the doors closed on her. Barbara smirked as Dinah came out of the bathroom. “Whatcha smirking at Barbara?” Barbara laughed as she saw Dinah. She still had plaster on her face and her hair was soaking wet, bunches of hair sticking out of the quick ponytail she had put it in. “What’s so funny?”

“Dinah come here.” Dinah walked up to Barbara and looked at her. “Sit down in this chair.”

“Why is there a kitchen chair next to the Delphi?”

“Helena brought it out here when we were talking.” Barbara quickly pulled Dinah’s hair out of the ponytail and put it back in a neater one. “You had hair sticking out all over the place and,” Barbara handed her a mirror, “you still have plaster on your face.”

Dinah looked in the mirror and grimaced. “Geesh, my face is going to be raw by the time I scrub all this off.”

“I told you to let me put some Vaseline on your face. Would stop it from sticking and making you have to scrub your face raw as you put it.” Dinah sheepishly grinned and ran back into the bathroom.

<Oracle.>

Barbara looked at the Delphi and Dinah ran out of the bathroom, a soap filled washcloth in her hand, dripping on the floor. “What is it Huntress?”

<Nothing serious. I just … kind of … didn’t have enough cash.>

Dinah groaned and went back in the bathroom. “Huntress, I gave you thirty bucks.”

<No, you gave me twenty-one. The ten turned out to be a one. I only need five more.>

Barbara chuckled. “Okay, I’ll send Dinah with more.”

<Thanks Babs. Going back in.>

“Dinah!” Dinah came out, pulling her jacket on and Barbara handed her a five. “Here. Thank you.”

“What happened to this being her treat? She had to get cash from you?” Barbara chuckled and shoved her towards the elevator. “Fine, fine, fine. I’ll go get our dinner. She owes me for this.” Barbara nodded as the doors closed. She rolled her eyes and pulled up all the cameras on Dinah’s way.

GOLDEN CHINA TAKE-OUT

Dinah walked into the restaurant and saw Helena chatting it up with the guy at the counter. “Got the cash.”

“Thanks Di. Hey is she listening?” Dinah shook her head. “Come on.” Helena walked over to a secluded booth and sat down, motioning for Dinah to do the same. “I’ve got a plan.”

CLOCKTOWER

Barbara turned around as the elevator doors opened and Dinah and Helena walked into the Clocktower. “What took you guys so long?”

“Sorry Princess. They messed up the order and we had to wait for them to make it right.” Barbara stared at Helena and her face was pale. “Is something wrong Barbara?”

Barbara shook her head, thinking it had to be a coincidence. “Nothing. Sorry, just, why’d you call me Princess?” Helena shrugged as she pulled some plates out of the cabinet.

“Helena’s just being a diva. You should have heard her at the take-out restaurant. I was about to risk my life and slap her to get her to shut up.” Helena glared at Dinah but she just laughed and ducked behind Barbara.

Barbara tensed as things being said hit a nerve. She looked at Dinah and Helena, they didn’t appear to notice the mood she was now in, but was she wrong. After dinner Dinah and Helena went into the training room. “Okay, she didn’t even chuckle at my diva comment. What’s going on?”

Helena blocked a punch before answering. “I don’t know. That should have worked. Something is up and she’s not telling us about it.”

“You don’t think its another person from her past as Batgirl do you?” Helena shook her head and ducked as a pair of plastic Chinese throwing stars flew over her, right where her neck would have been. “Then what could it be?” Helena shrugged and knocked Dinah down with a roundhouse. “Maybe its all about the dreams she’s been having for, like, the past two weeks.” Helena fell as Dinah swept her feet out from under her, when she was distracted. “Helena, you should have been able to avoid that.”

“She’s been having dreams? Bad dreams like Harley and Joker or, other dreams?”

Dinah looked down at Helena. “Well, I don’t think they involved Harley or Joker but some of them sounded like they weren’t happy dreams. She didn’t have any, um, very happy dreams, but it was weird. She mumbled weird things. She was talking to someone but she kept calling them … OH MY GOD! She kept calling them Diva!” Helena jumped up at that. “I can’t believe I didn’t remember that earlier. I thought it was strange her calling someone Diva.” Helena ran to the door. “Helena, where are you going?”

“Batcave. If Barbara asks where I am tell her I remembered I had to work a shift at the Darkhorse tonight.” Dinah watched as Helena ran down the hallway.

“Dinah? Is something wrong?” Dinah looked at the intercom. Shit, she thought “The intercom wasn’t working earlier. What happened?”

“Nothing,” Dinah said, breathing a sigh of relief. She walked over to the bench and picked up a towel and a water bottle.

“Is Helena still there?”

“No, she remembered she had to work a shift at the Darkhorse.” I hope she remembers Barbara’s new tendency to follow us with cameras. Dinah heard typing over the intercom.

“Want me to help you train some more?”

Dinah looked at her shirt and saw it was soaked in sweat. She ran a hand through her hair, chunks of which had fallen out of the ponytail Barbara had put it in. “Nah, I think I’m gonna hop in the shower. I smell to the high heavens.” Dinah could hear Barbara chuckling as she walked out of the training room.

BATCAVE

“Are you sure she didn’t follow you here with cameras?”

“Yes Alfred I’m sure. I drove to the DarkHorse then walked here.” Alfred looked at the state Helena was in and nodded. “I can’t believe it freaking started pouring right before I made it inside the gates. I wouldn’t have gotten as soaked as I am.”

“Well, I would suggest calling Barbara when you get back to the bar and telling her you’re just going to stay home. That way she doesn’t track you here.”

“I would do that but I have the car. Need to bring it back.” Helena sat away from the computers and took the towel Alfred offered her. She quickly dried her hair then took off her jacket. Alfred cleared his throat and handed her some sweats.

“They were Miss Barbara’s. Sorry if they smell kind of musty. They have been here for a while.”

“Thanks old man.”

Alfred nodded. “I’ll go upstairs for a few minutes while you change. I might be a while. I was doing some chores before you called.” Helena nodded and watched as Alfred walked up the ramp and chuckled. She had seen the slight blush on his cheeks when she took of her jacket. She quickly unbuttoned her pants and changed in the sweats, just putting the sweatshirt over the shirt she was already wearing. “Miss Helena?”

“All clear Alfred.” She heard Alfred’s shoes clacking against the ramp as she turned to the computer. That’s weird, she thought, I didn’t hear his shoes earlier.”

“What are you looking for exactly?”

“I’m not sure.” Helena typed and suddenly the Delphi security cameras came up and she could see everything Barbara was doing. There was one window, the view being of the Hummer parked outside the Dark Horse. Helena shook her head and brought up a bunch of files. She found one labeled Journal. “Hey, Alfred, did you know Barbara keeps a journal on the Delphi?”

“Yes I did Miss Helena. Let me guess, you think its what you’re looking for?” Helena stared at the screen and nodded. “Well, if you think it’ll help … read it.”

“But I don’t want to invade her privacy like that.” Alfred nodded and pulled a chair next to Helena. Helena turned and looked at him.

“Its up to you Miss Helena. Yes, Miss Barbara would be angry if she found out you were going through her personal journal but would it be worth it? Would you have what you want?” Helena quirked an eyebrow. “I may be an old Englishman Miss Helena, but I’m not blind and I’m not prejudice either. I see the way you look at Miss Barbara. Would reading her journal shed some light on her, or would you learn things you don’t want to learn?” Helena nodded and turned back to the computer. She closed the folder with the journal then start searching for something else. Alfred smiled and nodded, then stood up and walked over to the case with Batgirl’s costume in it. He could feel Helena’s eyes on him.

“I still can’t believe she ever wore that, even though I’ve seen her wear it since, I still can’t believe it.”

“She was a wonder in it,” a voice said from the shadows near the ramp. Helena turned around, trying to see it was. The stranger stepped out form the shadows.

“Dad?”

Chapter 20

"Hello Helena." Helena stood up and faced her father. "What are you doing?"

"Um, helping Barbara with something."

"Helping her involves hacking into the Delphi?"

"Its for her own good. She know you're here?" Bruce shook his head as he walked father into the Batcave. "Well, I'm sure you'll say its for her own good. Am I right?" Bruce just glared at her. "Just because I called you dad when I first saw you doesn't mean you're my father. You've never been there when I've needed you the most so why are you here now?"

"I just got back from getting my doctorate in business management. That's where I've been the past eight years. Took a long time because all my files were lost in the fire that night. I had to retake a bunch of classes."

Helena nodded and sat back down at the computer. "You need to let her know you're in town."

"She's Oracle. I'm sure she knows by now." He looked at Selina's costume. It was open because Helena couldn't bear to know it was there but not be able to see it.

"You really think so Batman?" Bruce turned around and looked at her. "Well, you've been gone for a long time. Things have changed. Barbara has changed and not just physically. She recently lost her boyfriend because Harley Quinn was able to break into the Clocktower. Ever since then she's used all her survelliance to watch over Dinah and I."

"Dinah?"

"Yeah, Dinah. You know, the late Black Canary's daughter?"

"Carolyn's dead?"

"Yeah. She died right in front of Dinah's eyes yet that asshole Hawk lives. He blew up the building she was chained to. We have no idea how he survived."

"How do you think? Carolyn's not dead. She wouldn't let him die. She would want him to live and suffer like the families of his victims." Helena rolled her eyes and looked at the security cameras for the Clocktower. She could see Barbara asleep in front the Delphi, her glasses pushed up her onto the top of her head. "She's even more beautiful than she was before. Whoever catches her is going to be a very lucky woman."

Helena whipped her head around, her body following only a few seconds later. "WOMAN?"

THE CLOCKTOWER

Barbara awoke to the sound of boots hitting the ramp leading up to the Delphi. She turned around and saw Helena, soaked to the bone, crying. "Helena, what's wrong?"

"He's back." She sat down in the kitchen chair that hadn't moved since earlier that evening. "After all these years he decides to come back."

"Who?"

"Bruce Wayne, or should I say Dr. Bruce Wayne. That's where he's been, or at least that's what he says." Barbara's eye widened with shock. `Dr. Bruce Wayne?' she thought. "Did you know he was coming?"

"No, Helena I swear I didn't. Did he say I did?" Now Barbara was getting angry.

"No he didn't but he said he was sure you knew he was here by now."

"Where were you that he find you? Were you at the manor again?" Helena nodded as she stood up and took her jacket off. "Lets get you some dry clothes." Barbara moved towards her bedroom and Helena followed. "Sweats alright?"

"That's fine." Barbara opened a drawer and pulled out sweatpants and a sweatshirt. She threw them to Helena. "Did you know he was working on getting his doctorate?" Barbara shook her head as Helena peel off her shirt then quickly out the sweatshirt on. "He said some of his files were lost in the fire. Why weren't they on computer?"

Barbara turned around and grabbed some clothes for herself out of her open drawer. "I don't know. It was Bruce. He probably asked for them not to be, not even considering that they may get destroyed by accident." Barbara could hear Helena struggling to get her leather pants off. "Maybe now you won't wear leather when you go on sweeps." Barbara turned back around and saw Helena on the floor, her legs tangled in the pants. She covered her mouth as a laugh threatened to escape.

"You laugh and I hurt you. Also, help me please." Barbara couldn't hold it in any longer. She busted out laughing. The site of Helena, on the floor, looking like a giant pretzel, was just too much for her. "Hardy har har har. Are you done yet?" Barbara calmed down and nodded. She noticed Helena smiling. "Good. Now help me with these damn things." Barbara helped Helena untangle her legs then pulled the pants right off. "Thank you." Helena stood up and Barbara couldn't help but noticed Helena was wearing a Sylvester thong. Helena put on the sweatpants. She looked at Barbara and saw a slight smirk. "What?"

"Sylvester?" Helena's eyebrows crinkled in confusion but then she blushed bright red and her eyes became downcast. "I think its cute."

"I'm not cute. Stupid Dinah and her stupid gag gifts. I didn't have any other clean underwear and I figured you wouldn't want me to be going commando when you might have to pull off my pants to clean up a wound or something."

"How thoughtful of you." Helena rolled her eyes at Barbara's sarcasm and moved up closer to the head of the bed. Barbara moved herself to the foot and pulled off her shirt. Helena looked at Barbara's back and saw the scars from her accident. She moved closer and ran a finger along them. Barbara gasped as she felt a shiver run up her spine. "Helena, what are you doing?"

"I didn't know the scars were on your back too." Barbara looked down at the floor. "They're not from the accident are they?" Barbara shook her head. "Then what are they from?"

"My father and I were in a car accident a while back. You were still in Paris with your mother so you probably don't remember." Helena nodded. "Can I put my shirt on now?"

"I wasn't stopping you." Barbara glared at Helena. Helena stood up and knelt in front of her. "Barbara, what's going on? Why have you been so distant recently?"

"Helena I don't wanna talk about, especially not when I'm half naked." Barbara put her shirt on.

"You're not half naked anymore and we are going to talk about this." Barbara glared at Helena yet again but it didn't phase her. "I'm surprised you never noticed that your glares do nothing to me. They never have. I always thought you just look plain sexy when you did." Barbara blushed and looked away. "Barbara don't look away from me, please. Let me in. Don't keep me locked out. You've always been able to talk to me before. Yet can't you talk to me now?" Barbara shook her head and pulled herself to the head of the bed, pulling the covers up with her. "I'm not going to leave you alone."

"Fine, you can talk to a sleeping me then." Barbara turned off the light on her bed, knowing Helena could still see but hoping she would get the point. She didn't. Barbara felt Helena make her way up to the head of the bed and climb under the covers. She felt Helena press up against her back. Her mind raced with the different ways this could turn out.

"Barbara, stop calculating every move I make. Stop analyzing everything. Why can't you just trust me? I trust you with my life everyday. You're not trusting me with your life, this should be simple. Just tell me what's wrong."

"I can't," Barbara whispered so softly that even with her heightened sense, Helena had trouble hearing her. Helena turned Barbara around so she was facing her.

"Why not?" she asked, looking right into Barbara's eyes. A cloud moved and light from the moon came through the window above Barbara's headboard. It shined right on their two hands entwined. Barbara looked down at them. Helena pulled their hands up to her face. "I've been holding your hand this entire time Barbara."

"I know." Barbara looked back up and into Helena's eyes. "And I do trust you with my life but this is just something I can't talk to you about. I'm sorry."

"I don't accept that. Why can't you talk to me about it? Barbara, I love you and will love you no matter what. Talk to me. Please."

Barbara noticed the tears forming in Helena's eyes and was shocked when one actually made its way down her cheek. She stopped it with her index finger and dried its course. "I didn't love him."

"What?"

Barbara sighed and looked back at their hands. "I didn't love Wade and he died thinking that I did. I let him think that I did love him and then I let him in the Clocktower."

"No you didn't. Barbara, Alfred let him in the Clocktower. Alfred told him the code to get in." Barbara shook her head and buried it in Helena's shoulder the started sobbing. Helena tried to soothe her, stroking her hair and rubbing circles on her back. Just as her cries started to subside, the Delphi went off. Barbara's head whipped up. "Barbara what is it? Its just the Delphi. I'll go out and take care of it."

"No!" Barbara hissed. "That alarms means there's someone in the Clocktower."

"Oh, its probably Dinah."

"No, she said she was going to spend the night at Gabby's."

"Bruce?"

"He wouldn't know the code on his first try and a different alarm would have gone off every time her put in the wrong code."

"What was so special about the code?"

"It's Dinah's birthday Hel." Helena's eyes widened. "What is it?"

"Something he said. He said Carolyn wasn't dead and he seemed very sure of it."

"You think its her?" Helena nodded and slowly stood up. As she turned towards the door Barbara grabbed her hand. "Be careful."

"I always am." Barbara let go of her hand and Helena walked out the door.

Helena slowly and quietly crept along the hallway. She stopped right before she would enter the main part of the Clocktower. She carefully peered around the corner and saw someone at the Delphi, a couple of lights turned on but the person had their back towards Helena. She quickly moved and squatted by the couch. Now she could tell the person was a woman and she was in a wheelchair, one that looked almost identical to Barbara's. She ducked down as the woman turned her head towards the screen. Helena prayed that she hadn't seen her then peeked back out. She wasn't there. "What the fuck?" Helena said under her breath as she felt something cold and metal on her neck.

Barbara kept nervously glancing at the door, waiting for Helena to come back and say it was a false alarm. She knew if it was Carolyn that it was going to be messy and emotional. She hoped Dinah would decided to come home tonight if it was. She wanted to yell at Carolyn and tell her she had no right to make us think she was dead. She had come back just to disappear again. IF she only knew how heartbroken Dinah had been. How she became so focused that her powers were growing at an alarming rate, only recently, after Harley, did they slow down.

Barbara finally had enough and threw the covers to the side. She slowly pushed herself to the foot of the bed and got back in her wheelchair. She pushed a couple buttons, reached under the arms to fell for her escrima sticks, then silently headed out of the room. She went down the hallway and when she got to the corner she used a mirror to see into the other room. She silently gasped as she saw Helena, on the floor next to the couch, with a gun to her neck.

Chapter 21

Helena stayed as still as possible. She knew Barbara was nearby, she could smell her fear. Barbara had obviously seen what was going on. Helena didn’t know what to do. She knew if she moved, she might not live through the night, so she did what she does best, open her mouth. “Who are you?”

“Just someone looking for some information and now helping out a couple friends.” Helena felt the stranger switch hand on the gun, now was her chance. She tensed her arms, about to flip herself over when she felt the gun dig in her neck. “Don’t even thing about it.”

“What information do you want? Maybe I could help?”

“And let you have free reign on the Delphi? I don’t think so.” <Huh? This person doesn’t know who I am. They must have seen a lot of criminals wearing sweats.> “Who do you work for?”

“Nun ya.” <I might as well play along,> thought Helena. “Who do you work for?”

“Well, I use to work for Batman so try any tricks.”

“Batman huh? Well, your not Batgirl, Robin, or Oracle and Canary is dead, so who are you?” Helena could tell that threw her off. “Weren’t expecting me to know anything about Batman were you? Well, that shows you don’t know everything.”

“How do you know I’m not any of those people?”

“Well, because Robin was male, I know Batgirl and Oracle, and again, Canary is dead.”

“Who the fuck are you?” Helena closed her eyes then pushed herself backwards, turning herself onto her back and jumping to her feet. She spun around and saw the gun pointing right between her eyes. “Helena?” said a voice that she now realized was from her past.

“Mom?” she said but then shook her head and saw Carolyn Lance. “How did you do that?”

“Sorry.” Carolyn put the gun in a hidden pocket in her wheelchair. She removed what appeared to be a choker from her neck. “I got it made to disguise my voice. I knew it sounded familiar.”

Helena stood up and saw Barbara in the hallway. She smiled and walked over to her. “I’m going to bed. Is the guest bed made?”

“Very unlikely. You can sleep in my room tonight. If you look in the second drawer you might be able to find a different shirt.” Helena nodded and headed towards Barbara’s room. Barbara looked at Carolyn. “What happened?”

“I broke my back and got some serious nerve damage. They don’t know if its permenant or not.” Barbara nodded and looked over at the Delphi. “I was trying to get some information. I want to continue to help fight crime. I wanted to see if I could figure out what to do now.”

“You mean you want to do something like me?” Carolyn nodded. “I don’t know what to tell you Carolyn. You’re not very good on computers, otherwise you would have known that an alarm was going off in my room.”

“Didn’t mean to wake you guys,” Carolyn said, emphasizing the ‘guys’. Barbara glared at her as she moved up the ramp to the Delphi. Carolyn moved out of the way. “What? You’re telling me there’s noting going on between you two.”

Barbara turned back towards the Delphi and brought up a screen. “Have you hear of Le Penseur?”

“Le Penseur? Sounds familiar.”

“Its ‘the thinker’ in French. Selina use to call me that.”

“What’s that have to do with anything?”

Barbara glared at Carolyn over the rim of her glasses. “Well, I can tell you that no one else has used the name. I also know that Selina use to talk about me as ‘Le Penseur’ meaning you would already have a reputation.”

Carolyn’s eyebrows scrunched up. “You’re saying that you’ll create a persona for me?” Barbara nodded. “I see how you’ll get the name but what will I do?”

“Well, Dick needs a more localized helper. An ‘oracle’ who closer.”

“You mean you want me to move to Bludhaven?”

“And stay the hell out of New Gotham.” Carolyn’s head whipped up at the venom in Barbara’s voice. “You’ve broken Dinah’s heart twice now and the second time was by far, worse than the first time.” Carolyn hung her head in shame. “Look, I’ll create you a persona, you’ll head over to Bludhaven, and I’ll have a computer shipped to you, databases and all. The technician will set up your alarm system for you.” An alarm suddenly went off. “Shit!”

“What is that?” Barbara furiously typed and the elevator was heard coming to a screeching halt. “Barbara?”

Barbara turned around and glared. “Dinah’s home.” Carolyn nodded and headed towards the balcony as Helena came back into the living room. “Helena, when I get Dinah into her room, you rush Carolyn to the elevator.” Helena nodded as the elevator started up again.

Dinah walked into the penthouse and walked over to the Delphi where Barbara was, typing away furiously, yet again, and Helena was sitting on the edge of the desk, eating a frosted pop tart. “What happened with the elevator?”

“Sorry, wasn’t paying attention and accidentally stopped it. What are you doing here?”

“Well, I know I said I was going to stay the night at Gabby’s but I left my chemistry book here. Is everything alright?”

Barbara looked up. “Everythings fine. Do you know where you left your book?”

“Yeah I think I left it in my room.” Barbara nodded and Dinah went down the hall towards her room.

“Helena.”

“On it,” Helena said as she stood up and headed towards the balcony. Barbara followed Dinah down the hall. “Carolyn come on.”

Carolyn rolled into the room, tears in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away as she made her way towards the elevator. “Thank you Helena.” Helena nodded then the elevator doors opened and Carolyn olled in. “Take care of her Hel.”

“Of course we’ll take care of her.”

Carolyn shook her head. “I wasn’t talking about Dinah.” The doors closed, leaving Helena with several unanswered questions running through her head.

Barbara knocked on Dinah’ door and waited for her muffled reply. “Come on in Barbara.” Barbara chuckled as the door opened and she saw Dinah throwing things out her closet, sitting on her bed, just close enough for her to see inside. “What’s up?”

“Getting some serious studying done?” Dinah nodded as her chemistry book floated in front of her. ‘Okay, have fun.” Dinah nodded and left the room. Barbara shook her head and chuckled as she looked around. <Looks just like it did when Helena lived here.> Barbara left Dinah’s room and headed back out to the living room.

“Hey Princess.” Barbara looked up at Helena and grinned. “What’s so funny?” Barbara shook her head and grabbed the remote, turning on the TV. “OH no you don’t missy. What are you grinning at?”

Barbara laughed at that. Helena smiled. <Looks like my plain is working. I guess Dinah’s room is messy.> “Sorry, its just that Dinah’s room, well it looks like it did when you were still living there.” Helena chuckled and sat on the couch. She looked up at Barbara, a serious expression on her face. “Helena, are you alright?”

Helena nodded and reached over, patting the other side of the couch. “Sit. Barbara looked at Helena.” “Sorry, please sit.”

“That wasn’t why I looked at you. I’m trying to find out what you’re up to.”

Helena sighed. “I just want to talk to you. Our conversation was interrupted earlier.”

WAYNE MANSION

Alfred looked over at the computer as he dusted different things that were on the desk. Bruce was sitting in front of it, staring at the same file he had been staring at for the past two hours, the same file Helena had been debating opening before Bruce had walked in, Barbara’s journal.

“Alfred, did you know about this?” Alfred silently nodded, putting down the duster and saw down next to Bruce. “I shouldn’t read iot but Barbara use to always tell me everything.”

“Ms Barbara isn’t the same person she use to bed Master Bruce. She hasn’t been for a long time now.” Bruce nodded and brought the crusor over the icon. He smiled as he heard Alfred click his tongue. Bruce moved the crusor again and exited the window.

“I’m going for a walk Alfred. I think the Dark Knights are staying in tonight.” Bruce walked up to the cylinder holding a Batman suit. He pushed a few buttons and the cylinder slip open. “Batman is back for the night.”

THE CLOCKTOWER

“Barbara, you’ve been blaming yourself for something after all these months. Why?”

Barbara shook her head and moved away. She was very grateful she had decided to stay in her chair. “Not for months. I only recently realized that I didn’t love him.” This shocked Helena, yet again. All the stuff Barbara said earlier made it sound like she had been carrying around this guilt for a while now. “Why don’t we watch a movie? Your choice.”

“It won’t be that easy Red. We need to talk about his.” Barbara groaned and hung her head. “Barbara please tell me what’s going one with you. There have been several little things that you’ve done lately that make me think something is wrong.” Helena stood up then walked over to Barbara and knelt down in front of her. She put her hands on Barbara knees and tried to look at her, underneath the curtain of red hair. “Barbara, please look at me.”

Barbara groaned but looked up. “Helena, why can’t you just please leave me alone.”

Helena got a grim look on her face. “No. Why can’t you talk to me?”

“Because I don’t understand it myself!” Barbara screamed, throwing up her arms. “How can I talk about it when I don’t know what ‘it’ is?” Helena blinked. She hadn’t been expecting Barbara’s outburst. Barbara sighed and continued, this time softer. “I’m in love with someone but I can’t have them, okay?” Helena nodded. “Are we done? I’m really tired.”

“Yeah. I think I’m just going to go home.” Helena stood up and headed towards the elevator.

“Helena, wait. Its still raining. I’m sorry about my outburst, its just that I’m frustrated about not knowing what to do.”

Helena came back in front of Barbara. She leaned down, resting her hands on the arm rests of Barbara’s chair. She looked straight into Barbara’s eyes. “Let me help you Barbara. I can help you, really.” Barbara shook her head. “Why not?”

Barbara hung her head, she couldn’t stand to look in Helena’s eyes anymore. “Because its you.”

Chapter 22

Helena stared at Barbara. She couldn’t believe her ears. Had Barbara just said what she thought? Helena stood up and started pacing the room. Every now and then she would glance at Barbara, who hadn’t moved at all. Helena had no idea what to do.

Barbara sat in her chair completely still, looking at the floor. She knew Helena was pacing. She hadn’t seen her but she knew it. They’d lived together for too long for Barbara to not know how Helena would react. Barbara started silently sobbing.

Helena stopped. Something was different all of a sudden. She looked over at Barbara and saw her whole body wracked with sobs. Helena felt tears coming to her eyes and she fell to her knees.

“I’m sorry,” she heard Barbara softly say. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll eventually get over it.”

Helena looked up and knew right away that, Barbara getting over her, was not something that she wanted to happen. She stood up and walked in front of Barbara, then dropped to her knees again. “Barbara.”

Barbara looked up and saw Helena. The first thing she noticed was Helena’s eyes. They were wet and were feral. “I’m-“ Barbara was interrupted by Helena when she sat up, grabbed Barbara’s face and kissed her.

Helena slowly pulled away just enough to be staring right in Barbara eyes. “Don’t be.”

With Helena looking right in her eyes, Barbara felt safe. Her walls started crumbling, the dam was about to break, and Barbara wanted it to. She didn’t call on the “little dutch boy” to stick his thumb in the hole. She grabbed Helena, pulling her closer, and kissed her passionately. All her inhibitions were gone. She might regret this in the morning but right now she didn’t give a damn.

WAYNE MANOR

Bruce tossed and turned, trying to fall asleep, but he couldn’t. Finally he groaned and got out of bed. He robe hanging on the back of his bedroom door but her opted against it. Alfred heard his barefoot feet slapping against the cold tiled floors. He started a kettle and stood at the counter.

“Good evening Master Bruce. Can’t sleep?”

Bruce chuckled as he pulled out a stool and sat down. He shook his head and crossed his arms on top of the counter. He looked at Alfred. “You think I should have kept my mouth shut.”

“Of course not sit. You did what you thought was right.”

Bruce nodded and thought back.

*Flashback*

“A very lucky woman?” Helena asked, glaring at Bruce. He nodded and sat down at the computer. He opened a file. “What are you doing?”

“I’m showing you something.” Bruce brought up a picture of three women, one of which was unmistakably Barbara. “The blonde on the left is Carolyn. The one on the right is her sister, her daughter’s namesake, Dinah.”

Helena squinted at Bruce, her feral eyes glowing through the silts that they had become. “What’s your point?”

Bruce brought up another picture, this one just of Barbara and Dinah Sr. “Barbara and Dinah were close, really close if you know what I mean. The two of them were inseparable. They really loved each other.”

“What happened to them?”

Bruce brought up a newspaper article and moved so she could read it. “Unfortunately, Dinah had a drinking problem.” Helena looked at the picture that was with the article and gasped. “Some of those scars on her back are from the accident. Unfortunately, Dinah didn’t make it alive.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you’re just like your mother. You wear you heart on your sleeve. Every time either of us even say her name, your eyes light up.” Helena blushed and ducked her head. “You love her.” Helena looked up and nodded.

*End Flashback*

“Helena loves Barbara and I just hope that Barbara feels the same.” Alfred nodded and poured Bruce a cup of coffee. “Sorry Alfred but I think I’m going to have to call it a night and try to sleep again.”

“No problem Master Bruce. I hope your tries end up successful.”

“Thank you Alfred.” Alfred watched Bruce head to his bedroom. Alfred shook his head then turned and headed towards his room as well.

CLOCKTOWER

A couple hours later …

Helena woke up and smiled. She looked down and saw a very naked Barbara draped over her own naked body, sleeping. Helena felt happy, the happiest since her mother died and Barbara lost her legs (which she obviously didn’t need). Helena smirked as she felt Barbara stir.

The first thing Barbara realized when she started waking was that she wasn’t alone. The events of the night before came back to her and she smiled, looking up into the blue eyes of Helena.

“Morning beautiful.” Barbara smiled and leaned forward then softly kissed Helena. “Very good morning.” Barbara chuckled. “How are you?”

Barbara smiled sweetly at Helena. She knew Helena was not the tough chick everyone else saw but having Helena show all this concern to her meant the world. “I’m fine. What about you?”

“Well, my back is a little sore. We need to cut your fingernails.” Barbara blushed and buried her head in Helena’s shoulder. “I think you were rougher than me last night. Barbara lifted her head and grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. “You animal.”

Barbara laughed then rolled over to look at the clock. She felt Helena tracing her scars. The clock was on her table. “Where the alarm clock?” Helena chuckled and reached over, pointing to the ground. Barbara looked down. “Who did that?” she asked, picking up the now ruined clock. Helena pointed at her. “Me?” Barbara asked, pointed at herself and batting her eyelashes.

“Barbara, that innocent act will never work with me again.” Helena laughed as Barbara blushed and pulled herself into an upright position, the sheet pooling around her waist. “We should get up and get dressed. You’re obviously cold and we don’t want Dinah finding us like this.” Barbara blushed even darker as Helena stood up and picked up their clothes, throwing Barbara hers as she came to them.

Two hours later …

Dinah came home to a very quiet house. “Too quiet,” she whispered as she set her bag down and carefully walked to the Delphi. No one was there. Dinah freaked and spun around, having seen the reflections of Barbara and Helena on the couch. She ran up to them to check their pulses but she didn’t have to. She could feel their emotions, and dead people don’t have emotions.

Dinah smiled but suddenly yelped when she noticed Helena’s eyes were open. “Quiet kid!” Helena hissed. Luckily Barbara was still asleep.

“Is the plan working any?” Helena smirked and nodded. She gazed down at Barbara lovingly. “What happened last night?”

Helena shook her head as she felt Barbara stir. “Barbara?”

“I’m awake and have been since Dinah yelped.” Barbara opened her eyes and looked up at Dinah. “How was your night?”

“It was alright.” Helena wiggled her eyebrows down at Barbara causing Dinah to blush slightly. Barbara rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m going to go get something in the kitchen. Do you guys want anything?” Helena shook her head. “Barbara?”

“Yeah, Helena, will you get me something to drink please?” Helena nodded and and carefully stood up so not to knock Barbara off the couch. “Thanks Diva.” Dinah chuckled until Helena’s glare was turned to her.

The two of them walked into the kitchen. Dinah went straight for the fridge as Helena went straight for the cabinet above the fridge. “I don’t believe she meant that kind of drink.”

“Shut up and hand me the orange juice please.” Helena climbed onto the counter and pulled out a bottle of champagne. “I’m making mimosas.”

Dinah leaned against the counter next to Helena. She watched as Helena carefully measured out the two liquids. <Forever a bartender,> thought Dinah. “What happened last night Helena?”

Helena sighed and jumped on the island opposite Dinah. “Well, I found out what’s been bothering her.” Dinah raised her eyebrows. “She didn’t love Wade.”

Dinah rolled her eyes. “I could have told you that myself, a long time ago.” Helena looked at Dinah, mouth agape. “What? Helena, Alfred was the one that let him in on our little secret.”

“That’s not all I learned.”

“Which was what exactly?” Helena grabbed Dinah hand and showed her what happened the night before, well not everything. “Wow.” Helena nodded and smiled. “Well, you should bring Barbara her drink before she starts worrying about you.”

Helena nodded. “Yeah, you’re right kid. I’ll talk to you later.” Helena jumped down, grabbed the two glasses and headed towards the living room. Dinah shook her head as she poured milk into her cereal.

Barbara felt Helena behind her before she heard or saw her as she sat at the Delphi. “Hey, took you long enough.” Barbara took her glass and pulled Helena into her lap.

“Well you know Dinah and her endless streams of questions.” Barbara nodded and set her untouched drink on the desk. “She wanted to know what happened last night.

Barbara chuckled. “Sounds about right especially if the two of you had something going on.” Helena nervously chuckled and tried to stand up but Barbara had an iron grip on her. “What were you two up to?”

Helena sighed then gulped down her drink and set the empty glass nest to Barbara’s. “Well, we kind of had a plan to get you out of your funk. Everything before your confession, with the exception of you know who and Bruce showing up was orchestrated.”

“Everything?”

“Down to Dinah forgetting her chemistry book and her room becoming a natural disaster area.” Barbara nodded and loosened her grip. “Are you mad?”

“After I told you …” Barbara gestured with her hand.

“The plan went out the window.” Helena moved so she was facing Barbara, straddling her waist. “I swear it Barbara. I’ll swear on my mother’s grave if you don’t believe me.”

“Don’t do that. I know you’re not lying.” Helena nodded but could tell something was still wrong. “I’m sorry Helena, I’m just tired.” Helena chuckled causing Barbara to shake her head. “I should have realized you would do that.”

“Yes you should have.” Helena smiled and stroked Barbara’s cheek. “I’m sure you really did though.” Barbara smirked and nodded. Helena leaned down and kissed Barbara. “You know me too well to not have known that or anything else about me.”

“Same for you. I’m surprised neither of us realized this.”

Helena nodded. “Especially since Dinah realized it, without her abilities.” Babrara laughed. “I never believed that whole outsiders are better at seeing things than the people involved.

“You never believe any of those things.”

Helena moved back into her original position and snuggled into Barbara. “I know.” Helena looked at the screen. “What are you working on?”

“I wanted to show you something.” Barbara moved the two of them closer to the desk and brought up a window. Helena instantly recognized what it was. “I had been having these dreams and I kept a journal of them. I want you to read it.”

“Okay.” Helena sat up and started reading what was on the screen.

Chapter 23

Helena finished reading Barbara’s journals. She sat in front of the computer, silently for a few minutes then turned around. She saw Barbara asleep in her chair. She smiled and watched for just a few minutes, then decided to bring her into her room.

Helena picked Barbara up and carried her to her room. She carefully laid Barbara on the bed and covered her with a blanket. Then she went and got her chair, bring it into the bedroom in case she was gone in the morning. Helena then lifted the covers and crawled under next to Barbara, pulling her close.

Helena listened to Barbara’s heartbeat. Helena heard Barbara’s feelings and now she had read that Barbara had obviously had these feelings for a while but was just in denial. Helena blinked trying to stay awake. The calm sound of Barbara’s heartbeat was lulling her to sleep. She fell under its spell, wrapping her arm around Barbara’s waist and grabbing her hand, falling into a deep dreamful slumber.

THE NEXT MORNING

Barbara woke up and noticed she was in her room. She also noticed she wasn’t alone in her bed. She turned around and saw Helena asleep. She smiled and pushed the hair out of Helena’s eyes and noticed that they were fluttering. Helena opened her eyes and smiled at Barbara.

Barbara smiled again but then looked away. Helena sighed and sat up. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked back at Barbara. Barbara was looking at her, tears streaming down her face. Helena moved and leaned over her, wiping away the tears. “Why are you crying?” Barbara shrugged. Helena closed the distance between the two of them and softly kissed her. “I love you too Princess.”

There was a sudden flash of light and the two of them suddenly fell back asleep. A figure loomed over them at the foot of the bed smiling. She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a little vile of liquid then sprinkled the water-like substance on the foreheads of Barbara and Helena. “Dream my dear charges, dream.” Another flash of light and she was gone.

DREAMLAND

Helena looked around, trying to figure out where she was and where Barbara was. She looked down a tunnel and saw Barbara, standing with her back to her. “Well, obviously this is a dream.”

Barbara jumped and spun around. “Helena?” Helena nodded and walked closer to her. “What’s going on? What are we doing here?” Helena shrugged and looked around. “We’re in the tunnels underneath the city.”

“I know. Let’s walk and try to get out of here.” Barbara grabbed Helena’s hand, stopping her from moving. “What’s wrong?” Barbara pointed at a shadow on the tunnel wall. The two of them looked in the opposite direction and saw something very surprising. “That’s Batman, but Batgirl is no where to be seen.”

“And the Joker is behind him.” Barbara ran towards Batman and tackled him to the ground. Her cape billowing behind her.

“Where’s the cape come from?” Helena watched as Barbara wrestled with the Joker as a perplexed Batman finally jumped in to help. Suddenly, Helena’s pocket seemed heavy and she pulled a pair of handcuffs out. She ran into the room. “Batgirl!” Barbara looked up and Helena threw her the cuffs. Barbara looked down at them then back at Helena. “Don’t ask!”

“Batgirl, who is that?” Batman asked, looking between the two of them. Barbara just shook her head as she knocked the Joker out and cuffed his hands behind his back. “Batgirl, what is going on?”

“I don’t know Batman. I can’t answer your question because I don’t know the answer. Now lets get him to jail already.” Batman looked at Helena then back to Barbara. “Batman.” He nodded and the three of them headed out of the tunnels, Batman and Helena carrying the unconscious Joker between them.

NEW GOTHAM PRISON

Batman and Batgirl stood around the corner as Helena made sure the Joker was put into a cell. Barbara had a million things going through her mind. She wanted to get to the restaurant where Helena’s mother was murdered but she didn’t want to upset Helena. Something had changed and Barbara thought it was this dream. She thought this dream had changed reality.

Helena walked up to the two of them. “He’s in a cell.”

Batman nodded. “Thank you for your help. I’m glad Batgirl has some civilians that can help.” Barbara rolled her eyes as Bruce glared at her. “We must be going.”

“Batgirl, will you walk me home please?” Barbara nodded and looked at Bruce. He nodded as well then took off. “This is weird Barbara.”

“Yeah, it really is. Do you mind sitting out here for a while? I want to make sure he doesn’t get loose. I know it’s a dream but still.” Helena nodded and she sat on a low wall that was nearby. “If you want, you can try to stop-“ Helena shook her head and Barbara nodded. They sat there for hours. Barbara looked at her watch.

“This is one weird dream. When did you change into street clothes?” Barbara looked down at her clothes and laughed as she shrugged. “What time did it happen?”

“An hour ago. I wonder if there is another me back in my apartment.”

“There’s only one way to find out.” Barbara nodded and the two of them headed towards Barbara’s apartment.

BARBARA’S APARTMENT

“No one’s here.” Barbara nodded as she turned on the TV. The news report had only changed a little. “Well, at least the Joker didn’t get out.” Barbara looked at Helena as she stood beside her. She had been a teenaged girl until now. “I noticed it as soon as we walked in.” Barbara nodded and headed towards her bedroom. Helena followed. “Do you feel different?”

“Yeah, I do. Its almost like this dream isn’t a dream at all.” Helena nodded and sat down on Barbara’s bed. “Everything seems so real.” Barbara looked down at Helena. “I love you Helena.”

Helena smiled. “I love you too Barbara.” She stood up and walked to Barbara, wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling her close. Barbara was the one to close the distance this time and kissed Helena hungrily. “Barbara.” Barbara nodded and they backed up to the bed, falling on it as their kissing became more intense.

They made love for hours. The rest of the world was a blur to them. They never even noticed the flash of bright light or that they were back in Barbara’s bedroom, back in their time, and that Barbara still had the use of her legs.

Chapter 24

Barbara woke up and sighed as she realized she was indeed back in her bedroom in the Clocktower. She looked down and saw Helena laying next to her, her arm draped over her waist and her head on Barbara’s bare chest. Barbara’s eyes widen as the little fact that her and Helena were naked clicked in her mind.

“Helena,” she quietly said as she slightly shook Helena’s shoulder to wake her up. “Helena, wake up.”

Helena’s eyes fluttered as she slowly woke up. “What is it? What’s wrong? I don’t hear the Delphi.”

“It wasn’t a dream.” Helena bolted up at that then noticed the state of dress she was in and grabbed a blanket, wrapping it around herself. “This is very strange.”

“Barbara, it had to have been a dream. You were using your legs.” Helena looked at Barbara’s legs. She ran a hand up to Barbara thigh. “It was a dream. Don’t worry about it.” Helena looked up and smiled at Barbara but her expression quickly changed when she saw the look on Barbara’s face. “Barbara, what’s wrong?”

“It wasn’t a dream Helena. I just felt that.” Helena’s head whipped up and she quirked an eyebrow. Barbara nodded and pulled the blanket off her legs, they didn’t look any different. “Helena, what’s going on?”

“You’re asking me? How am I supposed to know if you don’t?” Barbara rolled her eyes and started like she was going to stand up but Helena stopped her. “What do you think you’re going to do?”

“I’m going to get dress. I want to see if this is for real.” Helena shook her head. “Helena, don’t worry about it. You’re here to catch me if I fall.” Helena reluctantly nodded her head, knowing she wouldn’t win this fight. Barbara sat up, swung her legs over the side without any aid from her arms. She looked at Helena and gulped then slowly stood up. She carefully walked a few steps and Helena noticed something a little odd.

“Barbara?” Barbara turned around and smiled at Helena.

“I’m walking! Helena, I’m walking!” She spun around in circles. “You can know how freeing thing is.” Barbara stopped spinning and looked at Helena. “Helena, what’s wrong?”

“Where are your scars?” Barbara quirked her eyebrows. “Your scars are gone and you can’t just say that they’re covered because you are completely naked.” Barbara looked down and blushed. “You should get dressed before Dinah walks in.” Barbara nodded and walked to her dresser. “Damn, that’s going to take some getting use to.” Barbara laughed but stopped suddenly as she opened the top drawer. “Barbara?”

“These aren’t my clothes.” Helena stood up and walked next to her. “They’re yours.” Helena walked over to the closet and threw the doors open. “Some of those are but not all.” Barbara walked into the closet and opened a drawer in the dresser that was in there. “Now, these are mine.”

Helena looked at Barbara. “What the hell is going on?” Barbara looked back at Helena and the two of them dressed very quickly then ran into the living room. Nothing seemed different. “Okay, we have to figure out what’s goings on. You check the Delphi.” Barbara nodded as she ran over to the computer and started searching,

“What do you think I should be looking for?” When no one answered Barbara turned around and saw Helena staring at a large photo on the wall. “What is that?”

“A family photo,” Helena mumbled, touching on of the faces. “This looks new. What’s the date?”

“The same as what it should be if it had just been a dream.” Barbara stood up and walked over to Helena. “Why?” Helena just pointed at the picture. Barbara looked at it and gasped. “Is that-?” Helena nodded. “And-?” Helena nodded again. “How?” Helena shook her head and shrugged. “But-“

“I know.” Barbara walked back to the Delphi and plopped down in the computer chair. “This is really weird Barbara. Why would you have a normal computer chair right in front of the main station of the Delphi?” Barbara looked down and shrugged. Helena shook her head and sat down on the couch. “What are we going to do?”

Barbara was about to shrug but the elevator suddenly started moving. Both of them whipped their heads towards the elevator, just waiting for the doors to open. “Is that-?”

“Mom?” Helena said, then fainted as Selina Kyle walked into the living room.

Chapter 25

Helena opened her eyes and blinked, trying to make everything come into focus. She slowly sat up as she heard voices coming from the kitchen. She stood up and walked around the couch, trying to figure out what was happening. She just couldn’t remember. Her and Barbara were sitting on the couch, talking, when someone came up in the elevator, but who was it? She sat back down to think but jumped right back up as she saw the picture and remembered everything. “Mom?”

Selina and Barbara walked out of the kitchen. Selina set a tray of drinks on the coffee table then sat next to Helena. “Hey Sweetie.”

Helena jumped up and started pacing in back of the couch. Selina looked at Barbara who just shrugged. “Helena, maybe you should sit and calm down.”

“No. This isn’t possible. You’re dead … or at least you were before that freaky dream.” Helena glared at Selina as she continued to pace.

“Would you please let me explain Helena?” Helena looked away and crossed her arms over her chest. “I really want to explain what’s going on. If you would please just sit down long enough to listen, I could.”

“I’m not moving anymore. Explain.”

“Okay. Well, powers that be have been afoot lately. The dreams Barbara had were planned, although they did happen earlier than scheduled.” Helena quirked an eyebrow and looked at Barbara as if saying, “you don’t actually believe any of this?”

“Helena, after you fainted, I looked up a few things on the Delphi. Helena, I’ve never been shot. There are no newspaper articles in the archives about a shooting. If I was actually shot, being the commissioner’s daughter, there would be something about it in the newspapers.” Helena nodded and sat on the arm of the easychair that Barbara was sitting in. “There’s something else.”

Helena quirked an eyebrow. “There’s more? What else could there be?” Helena looked at Barbara. “Well, are you going to share?”

Barbara sighed and leaned back so she could look right at Helena. “The Joker never escaped and Bruce never left. The training room has places holding a Batgirl suit and another one.”

Selina looked at her daughter and Barbara. Their loves was obvious. “Helena.” Helena looked at Selina. “What you two thought was a dream was actually you guys traveling back in time, only something strange happened. You were supposed to come back as soon as you made sure the Joker wouldn’t escape and you weren’t supposed to remember your other life. Everything has changed. Someone else is Oracle. Catwoman is no longer a thief and no one calls her one.”

“Why do we remember then? How come our whole lives are different because of one thing?’

“That one thing changed everything. So many things were effected by Barbara’s shooting and my death. Eventually, the memories you are supposed to have will come to you and you two will forget the lives you once had. Everything will change and soon, even I will forget what once was but no longer is.”

Helena looked up at her mother as she stood up and walked towards the elevator. “Where are you going?”

“You and Barbara have a lot to talk about. Tomorrow you will learn everything that has changed. So many things are different. Everyone will be by tomorrow.” Selina smiled. “Today is the last day of your honeymoon.” Barbara and Helena looked at each other with quirked eyebrows. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”

Barbara and Helena watched as Selina left the Clocktower. “This is very weird.” Barbara nodded as Helena slid into her la. “IF all this is true, I can’t believe one little thing, well, maybe not so little, but I can’t believe that one thing could change so much about our lives.” Barbara nodded as she rubbed Helena’s stomach.

“I wish I knew what else has changed. I don’t like not being in control of something like this. We have no idea what to expect tomorrow.” Helena nodded. “What should we do for the rest of the day?”

Helena smirked and turned as she straddled Barbara’s lap. “I know something we could do. I mean, we are supposed to be on our honeymoon.” Barbara chuckled as Helena started unbuttoning her blouse. “Its what we’re supposed to do.”

Barbara leaned up and kissed Helena. “I think we should do something a little more productive.” Helena pouted, sticking out her lower lip. “Now stop that. I think we should be prepared for whatever might happen tomorrow. There will probably be some people we would never expect.”

“Why do you always have to be right?” Barbara chuckled as Helena stood up and stomped over to the computer. “Okay, what exactly are we looking for?”

“Newspaper articles with names we happen to know. We need to know who’s dead and who is alive.” Helena nodded and started typing away. “Start with the local papers then spread out and search the national.” Barbara pulled another chair up to the Delphi. “Who are you starting with?”

“Well, we know my mother is alive and so is Bruce, but what about Dick and Carolyn?” Barbara nodded and moved to another station. “I’ll search Carolyn and you look up Dick.”

“Already on it.” The two of them sat in front of their respective computers. “Oh my god.” Helena spun around and looked at Barbara. “Dick died. He joined the police and died on the job.”

Helena stood up and walked behind Barbara. “I’m sorry Princess. I know you guys were close.” Barbara nodded. “Does it say anything else about him?”

“He was a teacher before going to the police academy. He taught high school English.” The two of them looked at each other, shock evident in their eyes. “My dreams.” Helena shook her head and rubbed her eyes as she walked towards the kitchen. “Where are you going?”

“The kitchen. I need coffee. You?”

“Yes please.” Barbara watched Helena walked into the kitchen. “Did you find anything on Carolyn.”

“Not yet, but I have a feeling about what we’re going to find. If your dreams about everything else have been true so far …”

“Then Carolyn is Oracle. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“But then the accident hasn’t happened yet or it’ll never happen.” Barbara nodded and turned back to the computer when Helena came out with two cups of coffee. “What about Anna? Or Dinah for that matter?”

“Which Dinah?”

“Both.” Barbara shrugged. “In your dream it was the Dinah I know but she was Carolyn’s sister, right?” Barbara nodded. “Tomorrow is going to be very interesting.” Barbara nodded again as she continued to search names. “What about Gibson?”

“Still owns No Man’s Land. Wade isn’t dead but I don’t think I’ve met him because I can’t find any records of him working at Gotham High but I can’t find any records of me working there either. Oh, and there is no New Gotham. Its still just Gotham.” Helena nodded. “You work at and own the Darkhorse. I work at … the hospital. Okay, I’m guessing we know almost everything that is going to happen tomorrow because of my dreams.”

“I agree. Except, we still don’t know anything about the Dinahs and Anna. I’m guessing by pictures that Anna isn’t with us yet, or at least we haven’t adopted her yet.” Barbara nodded and yawned. “What time is it?”

“Almost one in the morning. We slept all day.” Helena nodded. “Which makes us being tired not make any sense whatsoever but that’s okay.” Helena chuckled and sat on the couch. “No way are we prepared for tomorrow.” Helena nodded, her arm thrown over her eyes. “Want to go to bed?” This time Barbara didn’t get any kind of response. She walked over to the couch and lifted Helena’s hand to see that her eyes were closed. “Well, that answers my question.” Barbara grabbed a blanket to drape over Helena then went back to the Delphi and started her search back up.

Chapter 26

When Helena woke up again she saw that Barbara was still at the Delphi and that is was morning already. She shook her head, figuring that Barbara had never gone to bed. “You’d be wrong about that Helena. Went to bed when I noticed you had fallen asleep and woke up about an hour ago.”

“How do you do that? Seriously, how?” Barbara grinned and pointed at a mug on the coffee table. “I love you even more than I did before.” Barbara chuckled and turned back to the Delphi. “Find out anything interesting that I might need to know?”

“Well, the Dinah we know? Doesn’t exist, but, Carolyn’s sister Dinah, still does. Don’t ask me how that is possible. I’m guessing she was never dead in the first place, like how we thought Carolyn was dead until she showed up here in the Clocktower.”

“Okay, that will cause some major confusion on our parts, for a while at least. I wish we would just lose these old memories and get the new ones already.” Barbara nodded and as stood up and stretched. “That’s still strange.”

“You think it’s strange? I’ve been in a wheelchair for a good part of life and all of sudden I’m walking again.” Barbara walked up to Helena and kissed her. Helena smiled. “More?”

“There’s still more? Geesh, this is going to be a long couple hours before everyone gets here.”

“Carolyn is Oracle. I’m still Batgirl as we have already deciphered. Carolyn is in a wheelchair. We have a daughter, well, adopted daughter.”

“Anna, Carolyn’s daughter?” Barbara nodded. “Wow, those dreams of yours were really true, well, except for the us being the same age and stuff. That didn’t change.” Barbara nodded again. “Does my dad work at the hospital?”

“No, but he does have a PhD in Business, so he is technically a Doctor, just not of medicine.”

“What about you?”

“A PhD in English.” Helena chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Guess what you do?” Helena’s eyes widened in fear. “You own the Dark Horse and co-own No Man’s Land with Gibson.” Helena rolled her eyes. “Not as exciting as mine, but still.”

“So, what time are they getting here?”

“Well, actually-“ DING DONG “Now?” Helena rolled her eyes and went out into the house part of the Clocktower just as the doors opened.

“Mommy!” Anna ran into the room and into Helena’s arms. Helena looked at her and blinked.

“Hey sweetie!” Helena picked her up and swung her around. Barbara watched, slightly confused at how Helena was acting and just fell right into the right personality. She blinked and walked up to the two of them.

“Momma!” Anna hugged Barbara while still in Helena’s arms.

“Hey, sweetie, have fun at Auntie Dinah’s?” Anna nodded and jumped down. She ran to her room and brought out a bunch of her toys, throwing them on the floor. All the grownups laughed. Selina looked at Helena and Barbara and smiled, then she blinked a couple of times and sat with everyone else in the living room. She looked up as Barbara stood back up. “I have an announcement to make.” Everyone else looked at her as she looked down at Helena for support. Helena smiled and squeezed her hand. “I’m pregnant.”

Dinah’s eyes widened as she stood up and hugged Barbara. “OH MY GOD! Barbara! That’s great! Congratulations you guys!”

Helena nodded as Dinah and Barbara started jumping up and down then looked at her mom. “You’ll be a grandmother to another little girl mum. How’s it feel?”

Selina smiled at her extended family. “It feels great.”

“You’ll tell Dad?” Selina nodded and Helena got up and hugged her, quietly whispering, “You’re first grand daughter, you have to be happy.”

Selina pulled back from the hug and nodded. “I am but I am just as happy as I was when Anna came into the family.”

Just then an alarm went off. “Sorry to break up the happy moment but we have a robbery on Fifth Street. Batgirl, Black Cat, you guys ready for your first sweep as a married couple?” Barbara and Helena looked at Carolyn and smiled then quickly jumped up and ran into the training room to change out of their clothes from the night before and into their suits.

THE END