Part 7
****
Every morning around 10 a.m. Helena would always go to the Café that was a couple of blocks from the gallery, she would sit and have a coffee while she read the paper and sometimes she would share the table with Leah, a writer who took her coffee at the same time as she did. On this morning, Leah only stopped by briefly, because she had an appointment with her editor.
"I'm so nervous Hel, I'm sure that he will tell me to rewrite everything all over again." The small blonde said.
"Oh come on Leah, that's not true, for God's sake, I've read the manuscript and it's excellent." She praised.
"You think?" She looked at her hopefully.
"Hahaha, you are incredible Leah. I have read all your books. Of course I believe it."
"Hehe" Leah blushed a little "I always feel this way when I have an appointment with my editor".
"Come on, smile, everything will be fine." She took her hand and squeezed it softly.
"Ok." She stood and took a deep breath. "I have to get going sweetie, I'll see you tomorrow."
"'Til tomorrow" Helena got up and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.
Leah, smiled and left.
Dinah arrived a few minutes earlier than expected and from afar, she witnessed the exchange between Helena and the blonde woman. She took advantage of the extra few minutes to observe Helena. She looked so different, more relaxed, she even looked like a whole new person. She had let her hair grow out, but still wild, she looked physically stronger, athletic, and bronzed. Boy, if Barbara could see her now. She thought before drawing nearer.
"Is she your girlfriend?" She asked when she was behind her.
"Not yet" she turned slowly; she had felt her presence five minutes ago, listening, as she got closer. "But she could be. Hello Dinah." Her eyes twinkled and a huge smile graced her face.
Dinah let a small cry escape as she threw herself at Helena, hugging her tightly.
"Oh God Helena, I've missed you so much!" Dinah exclaimed between chuckles and tears.
"And I've missed you kid." She returned the hug. "You're not reading my thoughts are you?" She asked cautiously.
"God no Hel, no way, I can so control what I want to see completely." She said offended and pulled away. "I'm so insulted that you would even think it."
"I'm sorry kid." She looked contrite.
"Don't worry about it, when you left I still didn't quite have it under control and I was like a damn receiving antenna." She laughed at herself.
"That's true. Well, let's go, I don't want to talk here." She turned serious.
"Where are we going?" Dinah asked.
"To my apartment, it's close by here."
"Oh, great." She began walking next to Helena.
They walked in silence all the way to Helena's apartment, Dinah stopped short when she realized they were standing in front of the gallery and she looked over at Helena questioningly.
"I live above the gallery; you see some things never change. I used to work here before..."
"Before becoming a painter?" She understood.
"Yes." Helena looked at her seriously, she blew out a breath of air that she didn't know she had been holding. "I only have one condition before we go up."
"Tell me." Dinah looked at her nervously.
"Not a single word about Barbara, I don't want to hear anything about her. Absolutely nothing Dinah" her voice was dead serious, her body tense.
"But..." Dinah wanted to protest but Helena stopped her short.
"If you can't Dinah, you can leave the way you came and forget that you even saw me."
Dinah looked into her eyes and she knew she was serious; Helena didn't want to know anything about her. God, this was the main reason that she had searched her out and she didn't even want to hear it.
"I understand." She disappointedly agreed, she had to accept it, it was better than nothing. "I won't talk about her."
"Thank you, please understand, this Helena that you see now D, she's not the one that left New Gotham two years ago. I'm someone else and she doesn't belong here."
"Alright Helena, I understand." She smiled in understanding, but the truth was she didn't understand a thing. Damn! This was going to be harder than I thought. Why must you be so damn stubborn Hel? Dinah thought worriedly as she followed Hel. Oh well.
They went up to the third floor, where Helena's apartment was. The first impression that Dinah got as she walked in had been a total surprise and a completely flabbergasted feeling. The apartment was beautifully decorated in a minimalist Japanese style but not too extreme. It was elegant but simple; even so, it did not feel cold on the contrary had an air of a well-used warm space. Light streamed in from the windows at each end of the room, it was large and occupied the entire length of the room. There were Japanese orchids and three bonsai trees strategically placed around the room. The walls had black and white photographs from different parts of the world. They were beautiful. Dinah turned towards Helena with an incredulous smile.
"This is your apartment?" She asked surprised.
"Yeah, surprised?" Helena laughed.
"Well Hel, you can't blame me, your old apartment was a Spartan alter you barely had what was necessary to live in it." She smiled crookedly, she opened her mouth, but then she remembered the 'No Barbara' rule, so she closed it then said. "Will you give me a tour?"
"Gladly, as you can see this is the living room, at the far left is the kitchen, on this side are the bedrooms, there are four, mine has a great view of the San Francisco sunset. Which is why I chose it even though it wasn't the master bedroom, come on and I'll show you?"
Helena's room, as well as the rest of the apartment was decorated in a Japanese theme, in this case the wood was Canadian maple, with the bed almost sitting on the floor. A silk privacy screen sat in the corner, in front of the bed was a home theater entertainment system along with a large selection of DVD's. The room had clean lines but not sterile, you could see Helena's influence everywhere.
"I had the bathroom totally redone, it was functional and elegant, but I wanted some extra luxuries." Helena explained as she opened the door.
Dinah was left speechless when she saw the bathroom. It had a shower with individual water massage jets, and a Jacuzzi in the corner. It was just like a spa bathroom.
"Always the hedonist right Hel?" She teased.
"What can I say D?" She smiled her eyes full of mischief. "I'm part cat, you know how we are."
"Hahaha, that's the truth."
They left the bedroom and Helena stopped before opening the next door, Dinah didn't know it, but she always had it open, because of her visit she had decided to close it on this occasion.
"This room is my studio; here I keep my paintings, sketches and photograph proofs. I have a small dark room here, I converted the existing closet and since it backs up to the adjoin bathroom I was able to install a sink as well.
Dinah nodded and held her breath, this room was the Helena she had never met, the one she had become, and she wasn't sure what to expect. Helena opened the door and let her in. She had put away the paintings of Barbara in a closet where she had her stock of paints and other materials. She didn't want her to see them. The only one she left out and was leaning against a wall as if it was forgotten, was the one Dinah had already seen.
"Wow." Dinah said reverently, the walls were covered in paintings some finished and works in progress, there were three easels with partially done canvases. A table to the side held painting supplies, to the side of that she had installed a drawing table with a strategically placed lamp so that she could get the best lighting possible. Next to this was a large window, the light was excellent for the studio. The window had Japanese style coverings like the rest of the apartment. "I would never have imagined Hel, you an artist, God, it's all... I don't have words to express myself, I am so totally surprised."
"Is that good or bad?" She looked at her nervously, after all, it was Dinah, and what she thought was important to her, even though she wouldn't admit it aloud.
"Are you kidding? For God sake Helena, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that you were such a talented artist, you are wonderful! More than that, I am envious and proud of you." She hugged her. "I'm so happy to know that you're happy."
"Thank you, really." She hunched her shoulders. "I always had the ability and my mother knew it too. I took painting and drawing classes with the best teachers in Paris. One of the things we used to talk about was going back to Paris after I finished High School so that I attend the Sorbonne to study art. Her death changed everything. After she was killed I lost all interest, I left behind my dreams and plans." She said sadly.
"I'm sorry Hel." She said sincerely after all she knew first hand what it was to lose a mother and in her case twice. Once when she left her with the Redmonds and then later when she died right in front of her eyes in the explosion caused by Al Hawke, just when she had found her again. She had also lost a life lived alongside her mother.
"I know, but well, after I made the decision to leave New Gotham I had a lot of time to think." She began to say as they exited and made their way to the third small guestroom, which by the way she never had anyway. "On the road I knew I had to start a new life and once I arrived here and found work as Kate's assistant in the gallery it was almost as if it had been destined to be and I don't believe in destiny. She gave me a job immediately and I decided to get into Art school and get my Art Degree."
"You have an Art Degree?" She said shocked. Helena had always been reluctant to go to the university after High School. She was a bartender during the two years they had known each other and from what Barbara had said she never had any ambition to study anything.
"Believe it or not, I took a couple of years at NGU, except that I never told anyone, it was just mine D. It was a part of my mother that I didn't want to share with anyone." It was obvious that no one included Barbara. She didn't have to say it, it was quite evident. "So it was just a matter of finishing and that's what I did."
"Wow, I'm so shocked, you really are another person?"
"You know D, I think I am the person I would have been years ago if my mother hadn't died. I am the Helena Kyle that died with her mother, so you could say that it's me reincarnated."
"I have no words Hel." She smiled in comprehension, what she was seeing up until now had her completely astounded. In front of her was a Helena that she didn't know and she wasn't sure if that was good or bad. Suddenly she wasn't sure if finding her again was the best thing for Helena.
"And this is my gym." She opened another door. "As you can see not everything was forgotten. I still have too much energy and too many years of training to just forget it. So I setup one up for my personal enjoyment."
"Impressive".
"I'd invite you to train with me a bit, but the truth is I'm a bit out of form. I limit myself to just staying in shape but not for combat. That was left behind me. Huntress is a thing of the past." She said with finality.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." When Helena looked at her suspiciously, she rushed to explain. "I'm referring to your form; I don't think you're out of shape. I mean that stuff is like a bicycle, you just have to get back on again to know what to do."
"That's possible; do you want to give it a try?" She challenged, the truth was that Helena was dying to see how much Dinah had matured and to appease her conscious and convince herself that Dinah was capable of taking care of herself, she was sure that she continued on being a vigilante.
"Oh, I'd be glad to Hel. Do you have something I can use?" She rubbed her hands enthusiastically.
"Of course, let's to go my room and I'll lend you something. However, we are only going to train all right, no powers just a good clean fight. Keep in mind that it's been two years that I haven't done this."
"Of course Hel. Did you know that I finally learned my mother's signature Canary Cry?"
"Really" God that's great and to think that you thought you didn't have it in you." She congratulated.
"Tell me about it, but one day I had five thugs surrounding me and when I took a breath as I tried to think what to do next. I felt some type of energy infuse my throat and without knowing how I did it, it came out. I think the one more surprised by it was me, hahaha, the thugs fell like sacks of potatoes, just as Lotus arrived to give me a hand."
"Lotus?" She asked curiously.
"Oh, she's the new member on the team; she's been with us for about a year. Her name is Aiko Haragashi, her story is very sad; it would seem that it is the destiny of Super Heroes. She and all of her family were kidnapped in order to try to make her father kill off all the heads of the New Gotham mafia when the Chinese mafia tried to take over the city. They killed her father when he refused to continue with the killings. They tried to force her to take his place. Her father was a Ninja master, from the old school of the Silver Dragons and she was his student. As her father lay dying he told her that the rest of the family had been killed and not to give in to their demands. That if she had to die to do it with honor and not become like him. We rescued her just in time."
"We?"
"Nightwing was in New Gotham then. Barbara asked him to come as backup when all those strange murders began, it was too much for me. Oh, I'm sorry I mentioned it but..." she blushed when she realized whose name she had said.
"Don't worry about it, I understand, it's a necessary evil." She shrugged her shoulders indifferently.
"Yes, well once we heard her story and gave her options, she asked Barbara if she could stay with us and fight against crime to honor her family and father. Besides as she said, she was a trained ninja she didn't know how to do anything else."
"Really, does she do anything else?" She looked at her inquiringly.
"Oh yes. She's going to High school; she's only 17 years old."
"Well, it sounds like a prerequisite of 'How to Become a Super Hero-101." She said with certain irony.
"I don't think it's on purpose." She commented.
"No I guess not." She barely responded.
Dinah changed for their training session and soon both were immersed in a good battle. Helena's movements were as good as ever, fast, and agile. She was really surprised at how much the blonde had improved in her style, kicks with double spins, mortal jumps and fast punches. It was a deadly dance for anyone not properly trained, but for them it was like second nature.
A double spin and a kick surprised Helena and she went flying before landing on all fours.
"Good one Dinah." She praised as she stood, rubbing her chest.
"Thanks." She smiled shyly, for Helena to praise her on her style was a great reward. She recalled her first few months when she would beat her repeatedly and refused to take her on sweeps for fear that she would get hurt.
After half an hour more, Helena managed to beat Dinah, with her on the floor and she ready to give the final stroke she halted. Both breathed deeply after their exertion.
"I am very pleased and surprised D, I'm glad that you are now so good" she smiled widely.
"Thanks, without your first training sessions I would never have accomplished it. Nightwing is good, but he doesn't have your agility and dexterity. After all you have the grace of a cat." She winked.
"Hahaha, thanks. Are you hungry? We can order something or if you want while you shower I can prepare something." She offered as she cleaned the sweat off her arms and face with a towel.
"You know how to cook?" She asked in confusion because the Helena she remembered only knew how to cook in the microwave and ate pop tarts.
"Hahaha, it was that or try to survive on take out. The truth is that without Alfred to cook for me, it was the logical thing to do. Kate had taught me how to cook."
"From what you've told me Kate took you under her wing, right?" She was intrigued and wanted to know more about this unknown Helena that had her surprised by her personal growth.
"Yes, let's just say I am like a daughter or granddaughter however you want to look at it that she never had. She and her husband had a son, but sadly, he died in a car accident when he was just 20, then Mark, her husband died four years ago from cancer. We adopted each other."
"I'm happy to know that you have someone to look out for you Helena." She smiled. "Ok, I'm gonna take a shower and you can surprise me" she winked mischievously and ran out before Helena could catch her. Laughing Helena headed for the kitchen to see what she could quickly cook up.
While Helena showered, Dinah looked at the pictures that were on the mantel more closely. They were pictures of Helena in different parts of the world. In all of them she appeared with someone new or alone. That's how Helena found her when she came out.
"One of the things I do now is travel." She didn't go into detail of how she did it. "I tend to take off for about a month and come back for two more or less. The time I spend on traveling you could say, is to get inspiration and when I return I begin to paint, among other things."
"I see. I hope to be able to do that after I graduate. Take a couple of months free of any worries and travel the world. I'd like to go to Europe" she sighed.
"Beautiful, but I don't recommend you go during the summer because that's when most of the tourists go, but September and October is an excellent time, it's not cold yet and there are less tourists." She advised knowledgably.
"That sounds great, I'll tell Gabby, I want to go with her." She smiled.
"Speaking of, how are things with her?" Helena asked with interest.
"Great!" Her face lit up when she talked about her. "One of the reasons that I accepted to go come with her for this seminar, is because I wanted to spend some quality time with her. As you know, the life a vigilante is pretty demanding and unpredictable. Add my classes to that and we have very little time to spend together."
"I'm glad, tell me about university life."
During the next couple of hours, Dinah told her everything she did, about her classes, her friends, how she tried to balance her normal life with the vigilante one. On two occasions, she mentioned Barbara and quickly begged forgiveness until Helena told her not to worry about it.
"Dinah I understand if you have to mention her. For God's sake, you live with her you're a team. What I asked is that you don't talk about her. I understand if you mention her if it relates to you, but I don't want to know about her as a person, that's all."
"Ok." Dinah said a little disappointed, Helena simply didn't react at the mention of Barbara's name; she didn't know what was happening. It was her painting at the exposition what had her there now. "Can I ask you something?"
"You can, but I don't guarantee an answer." Helena looked at her warily.
"If you don't want to know anything about her why did you paint her portrait?" She looked directly into her eyes, daring her to lie.
Helena smiled crookedly, shook her head, and answered. "It's my way of saying goodbye D. For a long time I couldn't think about her without sad feelings, I was dying slowly, but with time, I managed to forget her. That portrait is like a memory of the Barbara that was my friend when I met her when I was a young girl. That is the memory I have of her. The rest is history. It's for the best my wound has healed D. Do you think I want to make it bleed again? I prefer to remember that woman and not the one that literally broke me."
Dinah closed her eyes for a second; trying to find the words to tell Helena that Barbara was slowly dying due to her absence. That her leaving had opened her eyes and that it was no longer necessary for her to remain in exile on the other side of the country. However, how do you tell that to the person that has made it quite clear with both words and actions that her past life is just that the past. That everything that was left in the past, that her life now is what is she always wanted. How?"
She got to her feet slowly as she noticed the time, Gabby would be leaving the seminar soon and they had agreed to meet on Castro.
"I have to go Gabby will be waiting for me on Castro in half an hour."
"I'll take you, someplace in particular?" She stood, and picked up the glasses from the table.
"Hmm, not really, I have to call her and ask."
"It's not far from here; I would think you'd get there before she does. Does she know I'm here?"
"Yes, but don't worry about it, she won't say anything." She hurried to say when she saw the concern in Helena's eyes." I had to tell her, when she returned to the hotel yesterday I was a mess, between seeing that portrait, knowing that you were here somewhere, asking myself if I would see you. She's very sensitive to my moods, she knew right away that something was up."
"No problem." She shrugged her shoulders as if nothing. "If you trust her fine with me, 'sides it's good to trust in each other, don't keep secrets from each other, it will only destroy your relationship when you lose someone's trust D. There is absolutely nothing you can do to recover from that." She added. "At least never completely, there will always be doubt."
"I know I almost lost her when I refused to tell her about my double life. She thought I was cheating on her," she confessed.
"At least in her case, she had years to get to know you; you knew how she would react. You knew that you could confide in her, it was just that you didn't want to put her in danger somehow. But I feel that not knowing is more dangerous, don't you think?"
"Definitely" she looked at her uncertainly, would she see her again? Would they exchange phone numbers? What? Fortunately, Helena spoke first.
"Are you leaving tomorrow?" She asked.
"Yes, mid afternoon."
"What do you say if I invite you and Gabby to lunch and from there I take you to the airport?"
"That would be great." She smiled happy to know that she would see Helena the next day. It would give her time to come up with a plan to talk to her about Barbara.
Helena took her jacket from the coat rack; she grabbed her keys from a hallway table. Another surprise for Dinah was to see a Jeep Liberty that belonged to Helena, with a bike rack attached.
"I practice mountain biking and rock climbing." Helena explained when she noticed her look of surprise.
"Oh, no wonder you have such fine muscle definition and are in such good form."
"Hahaha, don't let Gabby hear you say that, she always believed that you were in love with me."
"Ewww, Hel, that's incestuous!" She looked at her in horror.
"But you can't deny that I'm sexy and attractive right?" She gave Dinah that Helena distinctive wink. Flirting was like second nature to Helena, it was as natural as breathing. She exuded a sensual sexiness that captured whoever saw her, it didn't matter the sex. Helena left her at a popular lesbian café, reminding her that she would stop by around noon to take them out to lunch the next day.
****
Instead of returning home, Helena went directly to the Golden Gate Park to her favorite spot; she liked to sit in that hiding place to think and she needed to do that. To see Dinah again was not as difficult as she thought, however, she couldn't deny that the pain was still there, she had forced herself not to think about Barbara, but it was unavoidable.
Once she parked her Jeep Liberty, she walked slowly to her secret place. She felt in peace living in SF, although she had decided long ago that perhaps she would live alone for a while. Sometimes, she couldn't avoid feeling alone; to see Dian again reminded her, what it was to live with someone else, to having someone to confide, to have fun and spend a good time with family.
Since she had been living in SF, although she had made several friends, actually they were more acquaintances than real friends, only Leah O'Shea was something more, discounting Kate of course. She knew something was missing, she also knew perfectly well what it was, but how do you give something that isn't yours? Since she was a young girl, she'd been in love with Barbara Gordon, how could you forget a love like that? How do you learn to live day by day with this feeling inside without going mad? How many times, she really believed that she was about to lose her mind? From jealousy, hopeless agony, burning desire and a secret passion.
That was the real reason why she was wounded several times those last few weeks, when her mind couldn't stop thinking about Barbara and her imminent marriage with Wade, listen to the smooth voice of Oracle in her ear night after night, desiring to fall at her feet and beg her to love you, or wanting to shout out from the top of the tower that she was dying of love for the redhead. That she would give gladly her life for the red hair without a doubt, that Barbara was her only reason to live.
For her, trying to stop loving Barbara would be as trying to stop breathing, hence she ran away. So, she could lick her wounds, to stop her heart from bleeding out each day that she had to see Barbara's smiling face, happy because of him. It hurt too damn much, and she didn't want to be the cause of the red head's pain as she would have been. God, just thinking about it, to see her roll away toward the altar where he would be waiting for her, the sweet and disgustingly boring Wade Brixton. She knew that she would have done something crazy. She couldn't have handled it. Her temperament could have been more than her reason, her love for Barbara would have blinded her and no, she couldn't do that to Barbara... No. she is not for me, she will never be.
It's better this way she thought watching the sun go down slowly on the horizon, she is happy now, and I have found something, a life that my mother have dreamt for me and I believed that could never have.
"Goodbye Barbara" she whispered softly when the sun set down, she closed her eyes when she felt a tear rolling down her cheek, when she opened her eyes, Barbara's smiling face appeared in her mind, I love you, and the tears pooled in her eyes blinding her, she hug herself and fell down on her knees. She didn't know how long she was there, as she wept non stop, her body shaking with painful sobs, the ache was too much for one soul, a woman who had lost everything that she loved, her mother, Barbara. Everything she held dear.
She cried for a father who never knew neither wanted to be. She hated him for running away, she hated for leaving her alone when she needed him most, and she hated him for being like him, because she now understood what meant to lose, what to lose your one true love could do to you. The despair was too much, you drown, and you don't have the strength to fight, when the despair and the emptiness of that loss are too intense that you are unable to see beyond the pain, to care for others. How to do so? If you're hollow, a mere shadow, just an empty shell.
When she finally recovered from her emotional meltdown she stood up slowly, she cleaned her face and began to walk towards the exit, she felt exhausted, empty, but ironically, a lot better, accepting once and for all that she had lost Barbara had been cathartic. Maybe now she could begin to really live her life, perhaps Leah would be willing to help her to achieve that. She had to start somewhere and she was a good friend, interested too. Possibly not for something serious, but at least it would be something. Finally, she could see a glimmer of hope at the end of the road.
"Will I be brave enough to do it?" She asked herself, it hurt too much to love someone, and she wasn't sure she could do it. She could have arrived to the conclusion that loving Barbara was pointless, but could she really forget her?
Well, it's useless to think about the ifs. She reminded herself.
****
The next day at twelve o'clock sharp, she was at the hotel lobby, waiting for Gabby and Dinah to get down. When Gabby saw her she was left open-mouthed staring at her in silence, Wow, thought to herself, she looks more gorgeous than I recall. The years had been good to her.
"Wow Helena, you're beautiful!" she said as soon as she was in front of her.
"Ha, ha, thanks Gabby, you also look very well" Helena flirted with her checking her out from top to bottom, making her blush furiously for the blatant appraisal.
"Ahem...The girlfriend is here, hello!" Dinah, said with false anger.
"Ah, wow Dinah, you can't deny that Helena looks gorgeous! She turned around to face her girlfriend a little bit flushed.
"She is like my big sister Gab, I so don't think of her that way!" she shook her head vehemently.
"Come on, are we going girls, those are your suitcases? Helena asked dispelling the awkward moment pointing at a couple of suitcases at their feet.
"Oh, yes" Dinah said.
Soon, they went on their way to the restaurant that Helena had chosen, it was relatively near the airport in order to avoid unnecessary delays.
The lunch was a success; Gabby took the responsibility to carry on the conversation flowing easily telling fun stories about Dinah and her life at the university. Dinah corroborated with some of her own and Helena put her bit telling about her travels, however, when the time to leave neared, Dinah was saddened, Gabby went to check in their baggage, leaving Dinah and Helena alone to say goodbye privately.
"Promise that you will not disappear again, don't be a stranger Hel, please. I have missed you so much and I need you in my life," she whispered between the tears.
"I won't," she promised, "you know where I live, you can come to visit whenever you want, 'sides" she pulled out a card of her pocket "this is my card, there are my phone numbers, my e-mail, and address. It is possible that if you call I will not answer, but in that case leave a message or write me, you know that I go on travels constantly, and at times, where I am going there is no signal. Ok?
"I will. As soon I arrive home I'll write you, please let me know if you go out on a trip, please, so at least I'll know why you don't write or call back, ok?
"I will." Helena was also on the verge of tears, but made an effort to be calm.
After more hugs and promises, Dinah had to leave to the boarding gates, with the new security measures it was always a mess. Helena saw her leave with sadness, after all she was like her little sister; there are two kinds of family, the one that you are born into and the one that you make along the way. Dinah was part of the latter; actually was the only one she had left.
With a sad smile she began to walk toward the short-term parking lot, she had a date to go to dinner that night and she wanted to be ready on time. Leah was delighted and accepted to go out with Helena that night; she had many things to tell her.
When Dinah was in the duty free zone, she rushed to buy a couple of stamps; wrote Helena's address on the front and took it to the nearest mailbox. Now, it only was a matter of waiting, she couldn't do anything more. When she was on the way back to New Gotham she couldn't stop thinking in the women that would almost certainly be waiting for her at the airport, ignorant of the truth that Dinah carried on her shoulders.
Please, Hel please open the letter and read it. She pleaded in silence she needs you and I know that you need her too. I'm still sure that you still love her, please, please.
One day after her arrival in New Gotham, Dinah received an e-mail by Helena telling her that she was going to the mountains for a while; Leah had invited her to her cabin in Colorado. Damn, you couldn't have chosen a most awful moment to go Helena, Dinah cursed when she read the email; that meant that the letter she had sent to Helena, that wouldn't take more than three days to be delivered will have to wait to be opened. "Darn!"
Two days later the letter arrived at Helena's empty apartment.
Continued...