SamIAm
04-04-2003, 11:09 PM
All of the characters and story lines and everything else I can think of are the property of DC comics and the WB network. The only bits that’re mine are the words and the voice.
For your convenience, since this story is a continuation of my previous story, BEGINNINGS: The Awakening, I have provided a link to the first chapter in case you missed it. All the chapters are linked.
BEGINNINGS: The Awakening (http://www.birdsofpreyonline.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2188)
Links to other chapters:
Chapter 1: The Secret (http://www.birdsofpreyonline.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2566)
Chapter 2: Dick's Story (http://www.birdsofpreyonline.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2584)
Chapter 3: Maternal Instincts (http://www.birdsofpreyonline.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2601)
Chapter 4: Finding Helena
Pausing wearily on a rooftop to rest, Dick tried not to allow himself to grow worried. He’d taken time off work to sweep the city day and night, searching for Helena, to no avail. He wondered if anything had happened to her. The kid usually put in an appearance by now. Where could she be? He gazed across the rooftops in the direction of the hills which surrounded New Gotham, mentally ticking off the areas he’d already covered in his search. An unexpected, yet familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
:: Nightwing, have you found any sign of her?
:: Bat...er…Babs? What…where’s Alfred?
:: Upstairs, sleeping, I imagine. It’s nearly four in the morning, you know! Even over the communication device, he could hear the laugh in her voice at his confusion.
:: You’re in the Batcave?
:: No, I’m in my living room, surrounded by millions of dollars worth of computer equipment. Of course, I’m in the Batcave! Where else would I be?
:: Uh… Dick found himself at a loss for words.
A tinny sigh sounded in his ear. :: Look. I needed to be able to use the system. I found Helena’s freshman picture in last year’s yearbook. I needed to be able to access video surveillance systems in stores all over the city. I’m in process of setting it up so that it’ll alert us if an image that matches that photo is captured on any of those systems.
:: Uh…okay…but I don’t think she does much shopping.
:: Dick, she has to eat. I seriously doubt she’s hunting down rats in the alleys. And, unless she’s running across the rooftops naked, I imagine she’s getting clothes from somewhere. Eventually, she’s going to have to go into a store. And when she does, we’ll know where she is. Have you had any luck on your end?
:: No sign of her at all…and that’s really unusual. She’s been shadowing me nearly every weekend for at least a month. I’m starting to get a little worried.
:: Well, look, it’s useless searching at this hour. She’s probably sound asleep. I’m about done here. Why don’t you come on back and have a cup of tea with me before I head home? You sound exhausted. I hope you’re not working tomorrow.
:: I’m not—Scott’s got my shift covered all this week. Told him I had a family emergency. Tea sounds good. I’ll be there by the time you’ve got it brewed. Nightwing out.
Well, damn. Why hadn’t he thought of it earlier? Dick smiled. Thank you, little sister.
**********
Out. I need out. Somebody get me outa here. Help. I need out.
Helena paced back and forth in front of the bars of her cell, fighting down panic. She had a horror of cages.
Out. Out! Out!!!
She’d just had to play with the rent-a-cops.
Growing increasingly frantic, she paced until she exhausted herself. Then, she curled herself in a ball on the furthest corner of the bunk and shivered until she fell asleep.
**********
“Master Richard?”
“Mmmm—hmmm?”
“Master Richard.”
“Huh?” Dick shook off the dream and sat up, wiping dampness from his cheek and chin. Dang—he’d fallen asleep right at the kitchen table. He knew he should have gone straight upstairs to bed when Barbara left. He rubbed his eyes with one hand and yawned. Holy crud, was he exhausted. He attempted to uncrumple the expression on his face as he turned toward Alfred, who was standing in the doorway.
“Hwhhhaaazzzup,” he yawned.
“I beg your pardon, Master Richard?”
“What’s up,” Dick inquired more clearly, stretching. He rubbed his forehead and tried to jump-start his thoughts.
“You have a telephone call from a Ms. Kaufmann from DCFS. It appears to be rather urgent.”
Now, Dick was awake. Wide awake.
**********
“Barbara!” Dick burst out of the elevator. “Bar—where are you?”
“Gimme a minute…” Barbara’s voice echoed hollowly from the direction of the kitchen. Dick entered to see her legs protruding from underneath the sink.
“I would have done that for you.”
Barbara emerged with difficulty, clutching her wrench, glaring at him. “I can handle it.”
Definitely a good time to change the subject. “Guess what—they found her.”
Barbara didn’t need to ask who she was. She scooched herself over so that she could lean back against the dishwasher. “Where? When? What happened to her? Why couldn’t we find her? Who are they? Where is she now?”
Dick grinned and slid down to sit against the fridge. “Pretty inquisitive, for someone who thinks we shouldn’t take it home and keep it.”
“That’s not what I said. I said we shouldn’t just take her in without thinking it through.”
“And, have you thought it through?” Dick’s gaze was level, penetrating.
Thought it through…Lord, she’d thought of nothing else. She’d tried to talk herself out of it at least a thousand times. No luck. It was obvious where her heart was. Gulping, she nodded.
“What did you decide?” Dick tried his best not to sound like he was pressuring her.
She gulped again. Took a breath. “I’ll do it.”
They stared at each other for several seconds, digesting the enormity of the decision which had just been made. Finally, Barbara broke the silence. “Where is she now?”
Dick hesitated. “In Juvenile Detention.”
Barbara’s right eyebrow leapt toward her hairline. Dick braced himself for the burst of legendary Batgirl invective. Woman had a tongue on her that could strip paint off a Chevy. With some relief, he watched a half grin appear. Barbara slowly shook her head. “Lord love a duck! What in the world am I getting myself into?”
Yeah…Dick was wondering that, too.
Chapter 5: Preparations (http://www.birdsofpreyonline.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2701)
.
For your convenience, since this story is a continuation of my previous story, BEGINNINGS: The Awakening, I have provided a link to the first chapter in case you missed it. All the chapters are linked.
BEGINNINGS: The Awakening (http://www.birdsofpreyonline.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2188)
Links to other chapters:
Chapter 1: The Secret (http://www.birdsofpreyonline.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2566)
Chapter 2: Dick's Story (http://www.birdsofpreyonline.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2584)
Chapter 3: Maternal Instincts (http://www.birdsofpreyonline.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2601)
Chapter 4: Finding Helena
Pausing wearily on a rooftop to rest, Dick tried not to allow himself to grow worried. He’d taken time off work to sweep the city day and night, searching for Helena, to no avail. He wondered if anything had happened to her. The kid usually put in an appearance by now. Where could she be? He gazed across the rooftops in the direction of the hills which surrounded New Gotham, mentally ticking off the areas he’d already covered in his search. An unexpected, yet familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
:: Nightwing, have you found any sign of her?
:: Bat...er…Babs? What…where’s Alfred?
:: Upstairs, sleeping, I imagine. It’s nearly four in the morning, you know! Even over the communication device, he could hear the laugh in her voice at his confusion.
:: You’re in the Batcave?
:: No, I’m in my living room, surrounded by millions of dollars worth of computer equipment. Of course, I’m in the Batcave! Where else would I be?
:: Uh… Dick found himself at a loss for words.
A tinny sigh sounded in his ear. :: Look. I needed to be able to use the system. I found Helena’s freshman picture in last year’s yearbook. I needed to be able to access video surveillance systems in stores all over the city. I’m in process of setting it up so that it’ll alert us if an image that matches that photo is captured on any of those systems.
:: Uh…okay…but I don’t think she does much shopping.
:: Dick, she has to eat. I seriously doubt she’s hunting down rats in the alleys. And, unless she’s running across the rooftops naked, I imagine she’s getting clothes from somewhere. Eventually, she’s going to have to go into a store. And when she does, we’ll know where she is. Have you had any luck on your end?
:: No sign of her at all…and that’s really unusual. She’s been shadowing me nearly every weekend for at least a month. I’m starting to get a little worried.
:: Well, look, it’s useless searching at this hour. She’s probably sound asleep. I’m about done here. Why don’t you come on back and have a cup of tea with me before I head home? You sound exhausted. I hope you’re not working tomorrow.
:: I’m not—Scott’s got my shift covered all this week. Told him I had a family emergency. Tea sounds good. I’ll be there by the time you’ve got it brewed. Nightwing out.
Well, damn. Why hadn’t he thought of it earlier? Dick smiled. Thank you, little sister.
**********
Out. I need out. Somebody get me outa here. Help. I need out.
Helena paced back and forth in front of the bars of her cell, fighting down panic. She had a horror of cages.
Out. Out! Out!!!
She’d just had to play with the rent-a-cops.
Growing increasingly frantic, she paced until she exhausted herself. Then, she curled herself in a ball on the furthest corner of the bunk and shivered until she fell asleep.
**********
“Master Richard?”
“Mmmm—hmmm?”
“Master Richard.”
“Huh?” Dick shook off the dream and sat up, wiping dampness from his cheek and chin. Dang—he’d fallen asleep right at the kitchen table. He knew he should have gone straight upstairs to bed when Barbara left. He rubbed his eyes with one hand and yawned. Holy crud, was he exhausted. He attempted to uncrumple the expression on his face as he turned toward Alfred, who was standing in the doorway.
“Hwhhhaaazzzup,” he yawned.
“I beg your pardon, Master Richard?”
“What’s up,” Dick inquired more clearly, stretching. He rubbed his forehead and tried to jump-start his thoughts.
“You have a telephone call from a Ms. Kaufmann from DCFS. It appears to be rather urgent.”
Now, Dick was awake. Wide awake.
**********
“Barbara!” Dick burst out of the elevator. “Bar—where are you?”
“Gimme a minute…” Barbara’s voice echoed hollowly from the direction of the kitchen. Dick entered to see her legs protruding from underneath the sink.
“I would have done that for you.”
Barbara emerged with difficulty, clutching her wrench, glaring at him. “I can handle it.”
Definitely a good time to change the subject. “Guess what—they found her.”
Barbara didn’t need to ask who she was. She scooched herself over so that she could lean back against the dishwasher. “Where? When? What happened to her? Why couldn’t we find her? Who are they? Where is she now?”
Dick grinned and slid down to sit against the fridge. “Pretty inquisitive, for someone who thinks we shouldn’t take it home and keep it.”
“That’s not what I said. I said we shouldn’t just take her in without thinking it through.”
“And, have you thought it through?” Dick’s gaze was level, penetrating.
Thought it through…Lord, she’d thought of nothing else. She’d tried to talk herself out of it at least a thousand times. No luck. It was obvious where her heart was. Gulping, she nodded.
“What did you decide?” Dick tried his best not to sound like he was pressuring her.
She gulped again. Took a breath. “I’ll do it.”
They stared at each other for several seconds, digesting the enormity of the decision which had just been made. Finally, Barbara broke the silence. “Where is she now?”
Dick hesitated. “In Juvenile Detention.”
Barbara’s right eyebrow leapt toward her hairline. Dick braced himself for the burst of legendary Batgirl invective. Woman had a tongue on her that could strip paint off a Chevy. With some relief, he watched a half grin appear. Barbara slowly shook her head. “Lord love a duck! What in the world am I getting myself into?”
Yeah…Dick was wondering that, too.
Chapter 5: Preparations (http://www.birdsofpreyonline.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2701)
.