Part 3
*****
As the week started, Barbara looked exhausted and in a bad mood, lost in her thoughts, she barely showed any emotion. Her eyes looked vacant and lifeless. I swear I could see tears in her eyes but I couldn't be sure. What I did know was that Barbara missed Helena, so much that she was broadcasting and I could feel it. We kept expecting her to show up at any moment after getting over her tantrum, but as the week went on, I would see Barbara sitting out on the balcony at night, watching, waiting, wanting to feel her presence and calm down because Helena was back. However, as the week ended Helena still wasn't back; I knew something would happen. You could call it instinct or metahuman sixth sense.
On Friday evening, I was laying on the sofa waiting for Barbara to get back from her weekly dinner date with Wade and his parents, a dinner that had been taking place since the announcement of their engagement. This dinner was to discuss the wedding arrangements. It had been a week since Helena had left and since it was the weekend, I figured Barbara would send me to do patrols even if they were short. At least she would send me if Delphi detected some emergencies or break-ins she thought I could handle.
When the elevator finally opened, Barbara came in alone, which was strange because Wade always came back with her to spend the night at the tower, but that night Barbara returned alone, her demeanor more sullen than ever.
"The wedding has been canceled," She announced as soon as she saw me. "I broke off my engagement with Wade."
"WHAT!" I yelled in surprise. "But, you love him! Why!" I couldn't believe it, when I said that she loved him for a second it seemed as if a shadow had passed over her eyes. Something that I couldn't quite define was there; Barbara immediately covered it up with her cold indifference.
"Now that Helena isn't here, I can't give myself the luxury of having any distractions." That was her response, one that left me dumbfounded. I could certainly understand the distractions and Helena's absence, but that Barbara would consider Wade a distraction in that offhanded and cold way, well I just didn't understand. For God's sake, he was supposedly the man she loved and with whom she was getting married.
"My responsibilities are with New Gotham, something that Helena seemed to have conveniently forgotten, but I can't give myself that luxury Dinah. The engagement and the wedding are cancelled and that's final.
"But you're still..." I didn't dare finish, the look that Barbara gave me cut off anything else I might have said.
"No, it's over between Wade and me. I told you, I can't permit myself to have any more distractions."
I understood her clearly, not only was Wade a distraction, Helena was also one; her absence was something that had her tense and worried. The search for her had left New Gotham without proper vigilance; fortunately for us with the capture of Harley Quinn who was now locked away at Arkham the criminal element in the city was now very low as far as archenemies. But it was only a matter of time, after all it was New Gotham, there was always someone willing to take up the baton, a new criminal, a new goal to take over the New Gotham underworld and Oracle was determined to be prepared when that happened. She knew that as soon as the grapevine started talking about the mysterious disappearance of Huntress the crime in the city would gradually increase and grow more dangerous if it wasn't controlled in time.
It was vital that I was prepared to take over for Huntress, it was necessary that I be ready to brazen out that responsibility and it was imperative that I do it now. Things couldn't be clearer. The break was over.
"I spoke with Dick last night; he'll be here on Monday. He'll be staying with us for a while to help you and finish your training Dinah. We cannot take the time to relax. Without Helena you will now be my eyes and legs" She said this last part almost in a whisper. It had always been like that, Barbara was the brains, the intelligence, the technology, and Helena was the brawn, the muscle, the sly fox. It was now my turn and for God Sake I did not feel sure I could do it. Helena was...she was Huntress! She was rash and didn't fear anything; she never hesitated.
"Oh God" I paled. "I understand" I couldn't say anything else; I was still in shock about her breakup with Wade. Oh God, the very reason Helena had left no longer existed. However, of course, if she hadn't gone everything would be the same damn, what a mess.
Barbara left me in the living area while she went to reveal Delphi. Since Wade was supposed to have come over I had put up the screen, but now there was no reason to hide it. I saw the way she posted herself in front of Delphi and saw that it was no longer Barbara who would be telling me to go stop a robbery, but Oracle. That night was my first night alone, truly alone, before when they would let me go out on my own rounds, I could always count on Helena to cover my back if any bad should happen. Now I had to rely only on myself, or at least until Nightwing arrived. I was so nervous and at the same time, I felt an immense responsibility. Just as Barbara was my mentor, Helena had been in my real life training and for her I would do it. Somehow, I could feel Helena telling me that she trusted me not only to protect New Gotham but also to protect what she valued the most in her life, Barbara. I couldn't fail.
Dick Grayson arrived on Monday as he promised; he spent several hours locked away with Barbara in the training room. From what I could hear after returning from classes with Barbara, she was doing some training with Dick. From the noises coming from the training room, it was obvious that Barbara was taking out her rage and anger. I could hear grunts and groans coming from Dick several times, you could definitely tell Barbara was furious. Then there was silence, but they didn't emerge until it was time for dinner. Barbara barely ate; she only did so because Alfred would not leave her alone otherwise.
That was my first night with Nightwing at my side; later just before going into the tower; we stopped on the rooftop in front of the clock tower. He indicated that we should turn our comms off and asked me point blank what had happened.
"Canary, what happened? Where is Huntress?" I know we didn't get along very well, but even so I knew she took her responsibility seriously. At first I had my doubts, but...I don't understand!"
"I don't know Nightwing" Moreover, in a way it was true, I didn't know what originated the explosion that caused the fight and for Helena to leave. I knew the reason, but not the cause. "I know that Huntress argued with Oracle the day after she woke up from a wound that she got on her back after trying to stop a bank robbery. After that she left running, she jumped from the tower in the middle of the day. The next thing I knew was that Huntress contacted me, she told me to stop by her apartment and when I went it was empty except for a couple of boxes and a letter saying goodbye. Nothing else and that was a week ago"
Nightwing stared at me as if he sensed that I knew more than I was saying. I held his gaze, aware that Helena was counting on me and that I couldn't betray her trust. After a few minutes of starring at me as if he would read my mind I said, "Nightwing that's my specialty, remember?" He grinned and accepted my word. I know he didn't entirely believe me but he had no other choice but to trust in what I said and at the same time I felt that he knew the real reason for why Helena had left.
After that, we returned to the tower. Dick took care of giving the report and I went to bed. The next day I had classes. Normally I didn't go out during the school week, but now Barbara couldn't give me that option and it was my responsibility to get used to the new demands of being a vigilante for NG.
After Dick gave his report he left for the mansion. He wasn't planning to stay at the tower with us much to my relief. I didn't want Dick to take Wade's place. Helena hated Dick because of his past relationship with Barbara and if she ever found out that Dick was at the tower now it would be worse. Of course there was no way for her to know, but still, it was better to be safe than sorry.
To say that Alfred wasn't ecstatic that Dick was back if only for six months at the mansion, would be absurd, no one had lived there in a long time. Helena had never wanted to live there, Barbara preferred the tower for its central location, and that it was the perfect hideout right in plain sight.
The days turned into weeks, weeks into months and Barbara couldn't get any clues as to where Helena might be. It worried me to see her like this. Something inside of her had died when Helena left. It was obvious to anyone that knew her that the light in her eyes had gone out. Oh, she was still the same Barbara, intelligent, wise, and decisive but there was no longer a spark in her eyes, which only Helena had been able to ignite.
After the first few months, I'm not sure what Dick told her, but Barbara began to eat regularly once again, she had lost weight and looked tired with dark bags under her eyes, an obvious effect of the sleepless nights.
I tried in my own way to get her to smile; I wouldn't stop talking when I was with her. About school, what I wanted to study in college, what options I had, about Gaby and many other things, whatever occurred to me. Finally one night Barbara told me that I didn't have to keep her company, it wasn't necessary. She was grateful for my intentions, but she was fine. Everything was fine. I knew it was a lie and she knew that I knew. However, I agreed and spent more time away during the evenings. Barbara was grateful but I continued to try to care for her, even if it was only from a distance. Helena had asked me after all.
At the end of the school year, summer and the start of my first year at New Gotham University we got another surprise from Barbara. After eight years of teaching at NG High, she resigned as English Teacher. She had two reasons, her priorities had changed, and she had decided to spend her free time in the investigation of nanotechnology at the Wayne Laboratories. Dick had told to her that the Wayne Foundation Scientifics were working on nanotechnology such as regenerators. This interested Barbara very much. They had been working with rats to see the possibility of regenerating damaged tissue and seemed to be progressing well.
Barbara was determined to walk again, perhaps not to be Batgirl again, but to recover some of her mobility and sensitivity in her legs. She had not abandoned the idea of her neuronal belt even though the second prototype had nearly killed her when she tried it. Helena had gone crazy and had been upset with Barbara; she still did not give up on the idea but did put it aside for some time. Now Helena wasn't here and Barbara had decided to continue with her research.
I didn't know what to do; a part of me didn't want to lose sight of Barbara. For a while now, her eyes were guarded, almost cold. They had lost the warmth that characterized them. I'm not going to say that she looked at me in that disinterested way but when she did look at me there was a kind of warmth, but that happened rarely anymore.
Oh, she talked to me after all the routine remained the same. Dick was teaching me a lot and the patrols were ok, but the emptiness of Helena's absence instead of becoming easier seemed to be getting worse. She was like a ghost in our lives. I suppose it was worst not knowing where she was than knowing she was dead. At least if she were dead we would know where she was, but her disappearance only caused permanent anguish. I knew she was fine because deep inside I could feel it, at least physically but I couldn't tell Barbara what I felt. I couldn't tell Barbara no without exposing what I already knew, that I knew the real reason for why Helena had left.
Several times, I could feel her looking at me, as if she wanted to say something, ask me something, and I had to remember that I was doing it for Helena, but it was so difficult. How do you lie by omission to the woman that was more a mother to you than your own mother ever was? Someone you considered your sister had left because loving her was killing her slowly.
"You owe me big-time Hel!"
I don't know what woke me up one night, I was thirsty but it was something else, a sixth sense if you must, but I could sense something, a noise, I don't know... something. I got up and left my room, I checked Barbara's room and saw she wasn't there, it was past three in the morning, it was strange, yet it wasn't. Barbara slept little since Helena had left. I went down the stairs by the light that Delphi emitted while on standby, which told me, she wasn't there. As I turned my gaze, the doors to the terrace were open, I saw Barbara's form in her chair, her back was shaking slightly which is when I realized she was crying, and my heart broke. I didn't know what to do, whether I should approach her or leave her alone. However, her cries had so much pain that I couldn't myself from approaching.
Barbara must have sensed me because she straightened up and tried to wipe away the tears, to stop them, but they refused to do so.
"Is something wrong Dinah?" She asked in a raspy voice from her tears.
"No" I didn't know what else to say.
Barbara didn't say anything, her gaze towards the city and another wave of tears struck, this time I kneeled next to her and hugged her, comforting her, I couldn't do anything else.
"Why did she leave?" She asked in a tormented whisper. "I miss her so much Dinah, Oh God, do I miss her.
It had been several months that I had been able to control my touch telepathy. Before just touching someone I would be able to see what was in their minds and feel their emotions. Now I can control it, however, when the emotions were so strong they would envelope me. What was coming from Barbara almost made me gasp out of reflex as all she was feeling was being reflected into me. I could feel the regret the desolation that was so great that it felt physically painful.
I hugged her tighter wanting to give her my unconditional support, but the pain was so great, so deep that the emotions I was getting from Barbara were overwhelming. However, what was worse wasn't the pain, the regret, the yearning, and the suffering she was feeling, but an emotion that was stronger, an unsatisfied wish, a wave of deep love that left me breathless.
Oh my God, Barbara loves Helena! My mind screamed when I recognized the feelings, totally shocked by the revelation. Nevertheless, I couldn't help but ask myself, was it something that Barbara had just discovered or a love that had always been there but had never permitted herself to feel or demonstrate? Either way, Helena had left, it didn't matter if Barbara loves her or not, it was too late. If she had stayed, Barbara would have married Wade anyway and the result would have been the same...Helena devastated.
Oh God, I kept lamenting repeatedly without letting Barbara go and continuing with my consoling words, but deep inside me I knew that it didn't matter what I said to her, Barbara was suffering, her heart was broken in a million pieces, and the only one who could help her was gone for the very same reason. Barbara kept crying, both of them loved each other yet neither of them had been courageous enough to express it.
Perhaps, I thought inside me, if Helena had confessed her love, maybe and that's maybe, Barbara wouldn't have become engaged to Wade, maybe she wouldn't have acted in favor of that love that she now saw in Barbara. But maybe Barbara would have thought about it, I honestly don't know but I did know that in one way or another, the outcome would have been different. But what if's didn't matter and the reality was that Helena had gone and Barbara had finally realized what she'd had in front of her all along when she lost it.
I asked myself if Barbara had yet tried to guess the real reason for Helena's abrupt departure. If now that she herself felt the love she had for Helena, her rational mind would eventually conclude that Helena loved her too. Not just as a mentor, guardian, or best friend, but as a woman. Unless Hel returned, I would never have an answer to my questions.
That night I stayed with Barbara in her bed. I lay with her in my arms, giving her all my sympathy and hope. She slept for a few hours but I couldn't close my eyes. The emotions that Barbara continued to broadcast even as she slept were too much for me even to allow me to relax. Several times that I had dozed off, I would awaken to hear Barbara murmuring, begging Helena to come back. I knew that Barbara wouldn't stand to see me at her side when she woke up, so when she had calmed a bit I got up and went to my own room, hoping with all my heart that Helena would return, but what you desire and what you get are two very different things.
Part 5
*****
Almost a year had gone by since Helena had left, things were as normal as they could be. I split my time between school and my nightly sweeps. I didn't always do them, but I made sure that I was always ready in case my presence was required. It had been four months since Dick's return to Bludhaven, once he reassured himself that I could take care of myself against crime. I must say that I was more than ready to do rounds by myself, but I never stopped wishing that Helena were close by, despite the fact that she loved to bug and pick on me all the time. Of one thing I was sure Helena always had my back, I could always count on her support and now that empty spot was something that no one would be able to fill.
I was on break between semesters when strange things began to happen in New Gotham. It looked like a new organized crime family was trying to take over the city. They called themselves the Red Dragons, they were a Chinese mafia, and their modus operandi was very distinctive. They were ready to take over the city and in order to do that they intended to eliminate all their adversaries. From one day to the next, crime bosses and lieutenants from small gangs began to show up dead. Some from groups we knew existed and some they were gaining control of, but the Red Dragons were coming in and just killing everyone off indiscriminately with no remorse or any kind of self-control. They never left strings untied, killing any witnesses or anyone else that might have the misfortune of being in their path were killed. A new menace was taking over the City and I wasn't sure that I would be able to handle the situation.
Barbara was worried, so much so that she asked Nightwing for help to try to breakup this new evil in the city. I was thankful. The few times that I had to confront them I barely survived the encounter and only because of my metaphysical abilities, otherwise I would have never been able to protect myself from the hail of bullets and stars that they sent my way during those occasions. It was because of this that Dick came back to help me, we never imagined what we would find in this battle.
Once the crime bosses and lieutenants from the smaller gangs began to show up dead around New Gotham, Barbara became determined to find a way to stop the Red Dragons. There was something distinctive in all the killings, there was always a Lotus Flower painted on the clothing along with the word
Forgive written in Japanese. This had disconcerted everyone, who could be killing these people? Sure, they were bad. However, that was no reason they should be killed in the way they were. They would cut the jugular with what looked like a sword, more than likely a Katana. On more than one occasion, I thought I had seen someone dressed as a samurai leaving the crime scene.
Just before classes resumed, Barbara managed to find the Red Dragon hideout. We weren't sure it was the main headquarters. On the other hand, just where they met but it was the only lead we had. Once we had spotted one of them and followed, Barbara had managed to triangulate the position. Nightwing and I went the following night to scout and confirm our suspicions and from there call Reese to initiate an investigation.
"Nightwing, what do you see?" I heard Barbara's voice just as we were waiting outside of the warehouse."
"Oracle, it looks like there is security setup all around the outside of the building, you can see several security cameras and armed men at the windows."
"Canary?"
"Affirmative Barbara, there are guards posted at strategic points of the warehouse, it will be hard to get in."
"It looks like they have the place surrounded Oracle, perhaps we can infiltrate during their shift change, a minute max to avoid the cameras."
"Copy, be careful."
With extreme caution, Nightwing and I managed to enter the warehouse. We concluded that it wouldn't be prudent to knockout and secure any of the guards that we managed to avoid so that the alarm wouldn't be raised.
"It seems to me you do not understand Aiko. I am not asking you to do it, I am ordering you, or do you plan to dishonor your father by permitting your brother and mother to die? Your father has already failed them. Will you?"
"My father is dead; I will not dishonor his memory."
"Your family is under my power Aiko, do not forget."
You could hear several punches and more voices before the door opened and three Chinese men jumped out.
"Nightwing, Canary remove the girl, she's been abducted."
"Copy" They both responded quietly.
Canary went in and Nightwing remained outside as backup. The first thing that Canary saw was a young woman chained to the wall. She was almost on her knees, her face was bruised and blood dripped from her nose and mouth.
She ran towards her and noticed that she didn't even lift her head; it was obvious that she was unconscious. Canary removed one of the gadgets that Barbara had recently given her from her toolbelt and managed to cut the chains. Aiko was only slightly shorter than she was, but having been trained several times a week she had the strength to easily do a firefighter's lift and carry Aiko.
Nightwing alerted her that someone was coming, telling her that she should hide next to the door so that she would get out before they discovered her; It would be difficult to escape with a package 'under her arm'.
Someone came in and Canary had to knock them out, she ran out with Aiko. Nightwing tossed her across his back and they began running, they didn't have time for subterfuge, they would soon find out that someone had broken through their defenses. Suddenly a shout let them know that they had been discovered and that Aiko was gone.
Nightwing and Canary ran towards the roof, they didn't have time to lose as bullets sped over their heads. Canary managed to avoid the bullets with her powers, she was now covering Nightwing who was carrying Aiko and couldn't turn around to defend himself.
"Oracle, send in Reese now or it'll be too late!" Nightwing yelled.
"He's on his way, get out of there!"
Yelling could be heard everywhere. Canary and Nightwing scrambled over the roof thanks to Canary's protective power field. They managed to escape almost unharmed from the bullets that rained down on them. It was total chaos at the warehouse. The Red Dragons were surrounded by the police, it was a full out no holds barred battle. Nightwing and Canary knew that they couldn't stay to help. They had to get Aiko to safety, beside Nightwing's arm had been injured by a bullet, it was just a scratch but he was bleeding a lot.
That night was a real triumph for the police, thanks to the evidence found by Nightwing and in turn sent to Reese by Barbara. They managed to identify various gang members and to confiscate a large cache of firearms and drugs. The Red Dragons would not reign in New Gotham, at least not now. Dinah had a feeling though that they would be back seeking vengeance.
In addition, this is how Aiko became a part of Birds of Prey. Once they had rescued her, they took care of her injuries, she regained consciousness, and after her initial surprise at finding herself in the tower, she recounted what had happened. Her father had been an Old School Samurai from the Silver Lotus clan. The Red Dragons had captured the whole family and had force her father to commit the assassinations that had caught Barbara's attention. It was when they wanted him to kill Nightwing and me that her father, Sato, had refused and he was murdered in front of her very eyes. They had wanted to make her -the heir to the Silver Lotus- to do the same by threatening her family, but her father before his death had signaled her that it was a lie and her mother and brother were already dead. They had only left her alive in order to force her father to slay them, but Sato trusted in his daughter and they she would be able to escape.
It was a true tragedy; it would seem as if the New Gotham super heroes were destined to suffer. Bruce had turned into Batman after his parent's murder, Dick into former Robin now Nightwing after his family's shooting. Helena into Huntress after her mother's killing and Barbara who began as Batgirl had been left an orphan at the age of 13 when her father, an alcoholic, crashed, killing himself and her mother, dying instantly. Now she was Oracle after another tragedy left her paraplegic by Joker's hand; finally me whose mother was killed by Al Hawke. We were all victims of the same pain that had made us go out and defend the weak. We had turned our tragedies into a standard to fight for justice. We could not bring back our loved ones to life but we could try by any means possible that the same would not happen to others. That's the difference between heroes and villains, there is nothing wrong in the fact that the tragedies from your past or present being the reason for your existence, but to where that pain lead, whether it is good or bad.
Aiko had no family left, nowhere to go, and there was a price on her head. Barbara asked if she would like to join us, she gave her a room and education thanks to Bruce's generosity. Bruce had created a permanent trust fund for Barbara's care therefore the Birds of Prey. Moreover, this is how my expenses and education were taken care of and this would be how Aiko would be cared for in turn. She had the education of a samurai, she did not need to be taught how to defend herself, but we did teach her to work as a team and how to fly with cables. Aiko was sweet and serene. You could always see the sadness in her eyes at the loss of her family but in the usual sense of honor of the Japanese she was dedicated to honor their memory by being strong and being happy and she would always tell us that she was happy with us.
Time continued to march on. Gabby and I had been a couple ever since she had confessed her love for me at the Graduation dance. I was delirious with happiness since I had felt the same for her, but had never had the courage to say it. I didn't know how to tell her that not only was I Dinah Lance, but also
Black Canary. I knew that confiding in a stranger was dangerous, not only could they betray the confidence, but also you put their life in danger. However, I knew that Gaby was the love of my life, don't ask me how I knew, but my heart knew the instant it recognized the other half of my soul. I knew deep inside that she would be the only one in my life. Perhaps I am still very young but love is the way it is and the life of a super hero is full of dangers and I didn't want to waste my life in fear of that. They don't say it's better to die standing than on your knees for a reason. I knew what it was to deny your love, Helena and Barbara were a clear example of that and it hurt that they were suffering and I didn't want Gaby and I to suffer the same way.
I was still undecided about when to confess to Gabby about my double identity, but after several interrupted evenings and my suspicious absences, she began to suspect that I was cheating on her with someone else, I had no other choice but to tell her the truth. To have her believe that I was cheating would have been the worst possible reason, I didn't intend on losing her because of my secret. Much to my surprise Gaby took it very well. She told me that somehow she had known that I was special and she knew that being who I am made me more special en her eyes. She loved me and preferred to love me the way I was than not to have me at all.
Before I knew it, a year had gone by, between college, my life as a vigilante and Gabby I didn't have much time to even notice. Nevertheless, I could see the sadness in Barbara's eyes, even thought the months had passed the hope of seeing Helena seemed to be more and more remote, and that was slowly killing her. She didn't have to tell Aiko or Dick we could all see it. Even though she was healthy, the spark in her eyes was dead. Barbara was not truly living but merely surviving. She was like an empty husk, because in reality wasn't with us any longer. Aiko was worried, she had not known the Barbara that I had known but it was so obvious that anyone would have noticed.
"Dinah?" Aiko asked one day, we were alone, it was the weekend, Gaby had classes, and I was trying to take advantage and rest a bit. Barbara was at Wayne Laboratories and wouldn't be back until at least 9 if not later. "Who is the girl in the picture?"
Barbara had placed Helena's picture on the living room table that sat in front of the TV since the day she had left. Aiko never asked anything, but she surprised me as I looked at the picture sadly. She confessed that she had noticed Barbara doing the same; she thought that Helena was dead.
"Helena Kyle aka Huntress, the other member of the team." I said sadly, even though almost two years had passed since she had left, it still hurt as if it was yesterday.
"What happened to her?" Aiko asked, curiously but with respect.
"It's complicated." How could I explain the reason? "She and Barbara had some differences, Helena left and since then things have not been the same."
"Hmm, but there is something else, yes?" She looked at me "I have noticed Barbara sometimes leaving the room next to hers, the one that's in front of yours." Aiko's was downstairs. "Was that her room?"
"Yes Helena and Barbara had a long history between them." I began to say and recounted Hel's history, without giving away Hel's secret. I knew I could trust Aiko, I told her who her father and mother were. How Clayface had stabbed her to death that Batman left shortly after finding out Helena was his daughter. The reasons for his departure were not clear at least not for me, but she did know that he had left without saying goodbye to anyone. I recounted Barbara and Helena's history, how both of them torn by their own tragedies had helped each other out in order to move ahead. How Barbara was Helena's guardian then later became her mentor before becoming Huntress and how they were best friends. I told her without going into great detail how things had changed when Wade came into the picture and how little by little things began to deteriorate between them until things just fell apart.
"Helena is in love with Barbara." Aiko said after a long silence. "That is why she left, is that not so?"
I didn't know what to say, but I didn't have to say it, my silence was enough.
"And Barbara is in love with Helena." She said with conviction, putting all the pieces together. Aiko was truly perceptive. She had not been witness to their interaction but even so she had managed to fit the pieces together.
I looked into her eyes and told her, "You know that, I know that, but they don't. And that is the way it will remain until she returns Aiko." With those words, I begged for her silence.
"Do not worry, I will not speak of it, after all, I am not aware of this. I do not know Helena, and Barbara has not confided in me."
"It's complicated, before Helena left, Barbara was different. She has always been reserved and complicated, but Helena always knew how to make her smile, she always brought out the best in her and the worst as well." I couldn't help but laugh at the memory. "They were always fighting, but they complemented each other totally."
"Ying -Yang" Aiko said.
"Exactly"
"I feel so sad for Barbara, in the time that I have known her I have come to care for her as a sister, a sister that I never had, and it saddens me to see her melancholy all the time. She does not exhibit it but..."
"I know Aiko, I know."
Both fell silent when they heard the elevator open. Barbara had returned sooner than they had expected. We turned to look at her and we almost fainted at the sight of her walking in. We both jumped to our feet in surprise.
"Barbara!" I shouted when I saw her "You're using the belt" I accused surprised and angry.
"Calm down Dinah, it's true that I am using it but it isn't painful anymore." She smiled calmly, her eyes shown mischievously.
"But how?" I exclaimed not quite understanding.
"The research Dinah, remember? The one that I've been working on. the regenerative nano technology?"
"Yes, but...?" I was still in total shock at seeing her walking. Barbara walking!
Barbara smiled and motioned to us to take a seat once again.
She explained to us with lots of detail what she had been working on in the Lab. Thanks to the nano technology, they had been able to recreate the regeneration of DNA from every part of the human body, trying to create a way to help the organs to regenerate themselves even if it wasn't a huge advance. The research was in the early stages, but Barbara had used the same technology to regenerate damaged nerves, in this case her own damaged spine. No one knew that she had been working on that specifically. She had been using the Lab to create nanos that would connect amongst themselves and be able to bridge the gap between the severed nerves and the healthy ones.
The belt was just used as a precaution since she was still at the preliminary testing stage, but she had managed to get the electrical impulses of the belt to a minimum, just enough to impulse the nanos to function and not risk the body itself.
"I can't walk for extended length of time yet, only for short periods of time. No one knows that I can walk for bits at a time. The important thing is that I can do it and the best part is that I have been able to recover the feeling in my waist and below thanks to the nanos."
Aiko and I happily hugged her; we knew that the fact that Barbara had regained some of the sensibility in her lower extremities was really a major victory aside from walking I knew that Barbara was conscious that her days as Batgirl had ended. But to have been able to recover the feeling and the possibility of walking for short periods or at least enough to defend herself or help in case it was necessary was more than she could have dreamed of.
"No one knows what I've been investigating, and no one knows I can walk." She looked at us seriously. It was obvious what she was asking of us. "I don't want anyone to know, not even Alfred or Dick. At least not yet, I still haven't been able to walk permanently and I doubt that it would be viable that we can reproduce this as a widespread discovery. It would be cost prohibitive and nearly impossible; at least to make this advanced technology available to the public. It would be unfair to others to give them hope when each case is different."
Aiko and I promised to keep the secret and we certainly understood the repercussions that Barbara was able to walk might cause. Evidently, Barbara had been testing the nanos on her own body, and that was illegal and could damage Wayne Industries if that was not the case. After all Barbara had many enemies and if anyone should find out that she could walk, it would generate questions that we wouldn't be able to answer without putting her identity in danger, but everyone's especially Wayne Industries, that after all was the mainstay of New Gotham.
Barbara was ecstatic, more than I had ever seen her in years. I was happy for her; I knew that her fight to walk and feel again made her feel complete as a human being and a woman. One of the things that hurt Barbara was that, after being the reckless and courageous Batgirl, not being able to walk or feel had been her deepest regret. That is until she had lost Helena and she realized that her fight to walk and feel again was a goal driven by the emptiness left behind by Helena's absence.
Finally some light shown in the tower, and I was happy for Barbara. I hadn't seen her smile like that in a long time so much so that I was upset about going with Gabby to a convention in San Francisco I didn't want to leave her side in fear that in my absence that happiness would disappear.
Barbara encouraged me to go, she had Aiko to do the rounds, and she could do without me for a week. While we were in SF Gabby would be busy during the mornings at different conferences and I would be touring the city while I waited for her to get back afterwards we got together and went out to dinner or took a look of the nightlife.
I loved the city; it had an air and vitality so different from New Gotham that was so dark and depressing sometimes. Of course, that was its charm, but sometimes it was refreshing to see new places.
I was walking the streets when I went past a gallery and saw a painting that caught my attention. It had an air that reminded me of New Gotham. I wasn't sure why but I went in. I had read in the paper the night before that the artist was the new sensation, especially for their desire to remain anonymous. Their work sold like hot pancakes and was sought after by everyone.
I must say that when I began to go through the gallery I was impressed; many of the scenes definitely had an air of New Gotham. I didn't understand why but I felt a strange connection with the paintings.
They were quite good and vibrant, they exuded passion, but at the same time and air of melancholy and sadness, a mournful longing. Not all of them were like that, but the ones that drew my attention and reminded me of the city definitely had that air about them. As I turned, I found myself with a painting that left me speechless. I knew that face perfectly, I recognized the tower and most of all I recognized the horizon.
I began to shake, my whole body was trembling, my palms were sweaty; I slowly moved nearer as if I was afraid of what was in front of me. I closed my eyes and opened them again. I wasn't hallucinating, the painting was still in front of me and the same unfathomable eyes stared back at me.
The painting said untitled and not for sale. I examined every detail of the painting carefully, confirming with my eyes what my mind already knew. I lowered my gaze and noticed in the corner what my heart wanted to find. There just off to the side and barely visible were two initials, HK.
Those eyes that stared back at me from the painting, that looked so alive, full of promise and determination, those eyes that I had seen hundreds of time for the past four years, the ones I had not seen sparkle like that for over two years, they were hers. Beautiful, majestic, impressive...
Continued...