Honeyed Cabernet | H. Bartinelli ✔

[40]

Dora woke up to the sound of light laughter and music coming from downstairs. It was very early in the morning as the sun's rays were rather faint or else her whole room would have been illuminated by then.

She slipped her feet into her slippers and got off the bed, heading to the bathroom to freshen up first. Either Steph or anyone from Eliza, Susan or Tyler had come up early because she knew Alex hadn't been in the mood to laugh or play music since the past few days.

She sighed softly, thinking about her brother and the troubles he was in with his girlfriend. Watching her brother suffer due to it was really troubling her. 

It was no doubt that Alex truly loved Helena and the fact that she had shut him out just because he cared for her was troubling him most.

Deciding to talk to Helena about it herself, she descended the stairs and went to the kitchen. Though the sight that met her eyes was rather unexpected.

Alexander was making breakfast as usual but he wasn't alone, instead Helena was there too, her arms gently wrapped around him as she watched him work, placing kisses on his cheek every now and then.

By the looks of the moment, it seemed as if the two had sorted out whatever that was keeping them apart earlier. And while Dora was happy that they were back together, because Alex hadn't looked that alive in all the days he had been apart from Helena, she still needed to have a word with his brother's girlfriend.

She was the one who had seen Alex deteriorate slowly due to Helena's decision of shutting him out from her life and she did not want it to happen again.

Dora cleared her throat to gain their attention and as expected, a deep scarlet downed on Alex's features upon seeing her there, "Dora, you're up early..."

"And you aren't? Also, what a shocking surprise..." Her voice was noticeably cold as brown irises locked with Helena's grey eyes.

Alex could feel the tension in the atmosphere, "yeah well, I... We..."

Helena had retrieved her arms from him as she stood by the counter, feeling Dora's clear look aimed towards her. She knew the girl wanted to talk to her alone so she spoke up, "Alex, darling, I think you forgot your phone upstairs. I can hear it ringing. Go check, please?"

Alex looked at her as if surprised because his phone was in his pocket and she knew that very well but seeing her nod and her eyes pierce through his again, he left the kitchen to go up to his room.

He had no idea why she had wanted him out of the kitchen, but he hadn't stopped to question either.

"Dora, I can explain..."

The girl shook her head as she approached her, "I don't need an explanation. Helena, I like you, I really do. But if my brother comes to any harm due to you, I would never forgive you."

She retrieved her gaze, guilt flashing in her eyes, "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to say sorry to me. You should apologize to him, he was a mess after you shut him out."

"I did... I apologized," she replied, "I have realized I was wrong, Dora. I promise you it would never ever happen again."

Dora looked after the breakfast Alex had to leave in the middle but resumed her conversation with her, "he loves you so much, do you know that?"

"Yes."

"And because he loves you, that's why he automatically cares for you. He gets concerned when you're worried and he gets anxious when you're in danger. That night when you got hurt on patrol, he went through a panic attack back here. It was terrible..."

Alex had always been the one to comfort Dora through her panic attacks so it was no wonder she found it terrible to see him go through one as well.

"Helena, I don't know why you don't trust Al, but he would never even think of hurting you," she looked back at her finally, eyes softening upon seeing the guilt and regret on the woman's features, "Alex would never betray you."

"I know."

"Then please stop shutting him out. Stop pushing him away from you because if you do that it would hurt all of us. You would get hurt because even if you don't admit it, you love him just as much. He would get hurt just like he was doing so in the past few weeks. And I would get hurt because I can't bear to see Al in pain."

Helena stepped closer to her, hand gently resting on her shoulder, "I know that very well. I'm sorry, Dora, I promise you it would never happen again."

"Thank you," she nodded, "now call Al back because I know he would be fidgeting thinking that I have probably hit you with my floor mop."

Helena laughed a little as the tension between them eased, "oh yeah, that floor mop. I've heard a certain Bat vigilante is scared of it too."

"As he very well should be," her smile widened recalling how Tim still got uncomfortable each time she mentioned her floor mop.

Helena dialed Alex's number from her phone and told him to come downstairs.

A minute later he was back in the kitchen, eyeing the two suspiciously, "what were you two doing that required me to be absent for some time?"

"Oh we just felt the need to have a girls talk without you eavesdropping," Dora remarked lightly, a smile playing upon her lips.

"Wait what?"

"Nothing you should worry about," Helena added, her hand gently entwining through his as she brought him inside, "sometimes it is good to have a heart to heart without other people listening in. Right, Dora?"

"Oh so I'm other people now?" Alex looked evidently hurt, "Dora and Len, I seriously did not expect that from you two."

Helena laughed at his adorable expression, leaning closer to brush her lips with his delicately, "sorry, love, but it was important. Anyhow, breakfast is getting cold, why don't we eat first then talk about it?"

He nodded, a smile flickering upon his face, "alright, as you both say."

Dora had laid out the plates on the dinette as well, "yeah food first, everything else later." She turned to see Helena and Alex kissing once again and sighed, raising her voice a little, "I said everything else later, didn't you hear me the first time?"

Alex as usual was quite flustered while Helena merely chucked as the two spoke in unison, "of course..."

***