Chapter One
Myka leaned back into the car as the window rolled up beside of her, her body still warm from the embrace. Myka reached a hand to her shoulder blade to soak up the last bit of warmth she could find before the cold reality of the situation stole it from her. She wanted Helena to be happy, she knew that she had wanted nothing more than to have a family. Myka could never forget the loss that Helena faced when Christina's life had been taken or longing in her eyes as the petite brunette she reached for the locket around her neck. Helena had long wanted a family and now Nate was offering her his entire world. It was a perfect match, a woman longing for her child and a single father longing for someone to love his daughter as much as her mother would have. Myka knew it made sense; she had come to terms with Helena's search for happiness and meant it when she told Helena to fight for him. That she was meant to care for someone and that this should be her home. Afterall, Myka could think of no one who deserved a happy ending more than Helena G. Wells. She had also meant what she had said about her fear of losing a friend, Myka had grown close to Helena. Long ago Myka would spend hours in her father's bookstore reading about time machines and grappling hooks, she longed for the adventures written in these books. The day she met Helena, Myka's heart skipped a beat. The very author whose books she dedicated much of her childhood to was standing just before her not a day older than her now. Instantly Myka felt a connection to witty brunette and her brash ways.
For a moment she thought to look back at Helena in the side mirror of the silver SUV, she imagined Helena standing there alone in the driveway of Nate's home wrapping her ams around her body just as she had. She inhaled sharply at the thought of seeing the fair features once more, her dark hair framing her thin face and sharp jaw. As the SUV took a left turn out of the sight of the small suburban house, Myka knew her chance had passed. The muscles in her stomached tightened at passed moment, she saved herself from seeing Helena standing there as Nate came out to see what had kept her so long. She wouldn't have to witness the way he slipped his strong arm around her dainty waist as they drove away. She imagined Helena snuggling into his broad chest after their taillights had disappeared behind the house on the corner, allowing herself to be lead back into the house to the little girl that waited inside.
No, Myka wouldn't have to see Helena stand there with everything she had ever wanted as felt herself lose the one person who knew her better than anyone else. Instead, she looked to her left at Pete who had been uncharacteristically silent as he drove the SUV out of the neighborhood and onto a country road. His eyes were sad and stared straight ahead as if he wasn't sure what to do or say. Myka let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, sunk back into the comfort of the passenger seat, and wiped away the tears that had collected on her cheeks. She tilted her head against the window and looked out upon the vast amount of field that now surrounded them. The lightning bugs were slowing growing in number and could be seen dancing between the stalks of wheat. She remembered her parents taking night drives through the country when she was younger. Myka would lean her head against the cold window of the car and listen to the crickets chirp. Almost as if Pete had known what she was thinking, the windows of the SUV rolled down and the cool breeze blew through Myka's wild curls and onto her cheeks drying the tears trails down her face. At first it was cold and pained Myka's face but soon Myka lost herself in the song of the crickets. When she was younger Myka pretend to know what the crickets were saying to one another, some nights they would be singing, others they would be reciting love poems, but tonight, Myka thought to herself, they were just as sad as she was.
Pete had left the windows rolled down most of the trip back to the warehouse until they had reached the interstate. The wind had became too strong and Myka's hair was whipping about the car as if it were having a hysterical protest against the open windows. Pete looked over at Myka fighting to keep her lively curls at bay and reluctantly rolled the windows back up sealing the two back into a bubble of solemn silence. Noticing Pete's hesitancy Myka leaned forward and turned on the radio. It was the least she could do seeing as how she hadn't made a single effort to acknowledge Pete since they left the driveway. As her finger left the button, Kansas came blaring through the speakers and jumped in excitement Pete was drumming along on the steering wheel. Pete always set his presets to the classic rock stations an knew each song by heart. It wasn't long before he was screaming along with the chorus of Carry On My Wayward Son; Myka stifled a laugh as she noticed the veins in Pete's neck strain against his vocal chords and she felt a happiness she thought she had forgotten. Myka allowed herself to bob to music and join along when the chorus came once again.
"Carry on my wayward on, there'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest. Don't you cry no more…"
The music fade into the background as Myka's eyelids became heavy and she laid her head once again against the cool window the sound of the vibrations of the rotating tired lull her to sleep and she drifts off.
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Myka and Pete arrived at the B&B early the next morning, the drive to the airport consisted of Pete whispering the lyrics to the songs on the radio as Myka slept against the car door. The plane ride wasn't much different. Myka was silent and still going through security and stared out the plane window with a look of defeat painted across her usually furrowed brow. Her head tilted towards the plane window and once again Pete was left alone with not knowing what to do. The car ride back to the inn was seemingly normal, Pete was rambling about what would want for breakfast and even took a moment to remember Lena and the amazing breakfast spreads she would have prepared for the team.
"As if she wasn't easy enough on the eyes, she sure was easy for the stomach. You know Mykes?" Pete asked as he had come to an end reminiscing about the scones Lena would make.
Myka smiled at Pete's simple desires and agreed, "Yeah, they were pretty good if you didn't eat them all first! I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. Abigail isn't Lena, you may just have to learn how to cereal and milk yourself!."
Pete was happy to see that Myka still had her sense of humor.
Abigail, Claudia, and Jinks were already sitting at the dinning room table when the pair walked in. Artie had been working late cataloging artifacts for the past couple of weeks and had become prone to showing up after breakfast had been devoured. Pete made a straight line for the kitchen when he spotted Claudia' scones.
"How'd it go with HG?! What's she doing in Wisconsin? Is she coming back to rejoin the team?" Claudia asked excitedly. She had always like HG's wit and fast thinking.
"Good to see you too, Claudia. It was a good snag and bag. Helena is seeing a man named Nate and his daughter Adelaide and she's happy there."
Claudia gave a doubtful look that the great inventor Helena George Wells would be happy anywhere that wasn't the warehouse.
Noticing her disbelief Myka added, "I think it's great to know that a normal life it still possible after all she's been through. She deserves to have be happy and Nate and his daughter are dong just that."
Jinks was too busy finishing off his orange juice and guarding his last scone from Pete to hear Myka's less than truthful reply. Pete had managed to sneak one of the baked goods off of his plate and was now running around the table, stuffing as much of the pastry into his mouth as possible.
Seeing this as the ideal moment to sneak upstairs, "Well I'm going to take a shower and I'll see you guys later…" she trailed off as she ascended the stairs looking forward to some alone time to gather herself before the next "ping".
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Back in Wisconsin, the sun was just beginning to break through the shades of Nate's bedroom. A stream of light shone brightly on Helena's eyes and she was forced out of her slumber and into a brand new day. Sliding out from under Nate's arm, Helena tiptoed to the end of the bed where her silk robe and slippers were waiting for her. It had grown habitual that she would get up before Nate and Adelaide to enjoy a cup of tea and the news paper before the day officially began. Last night's conversation had taken a long time to explain and at this point, Helena wasn't entirely certain Nate understood it at all. How could she blame him though, it's not everyday you find out your girlfriend is the 147 year old father of science fiction. Luckily, the exposure the artifact had made Nate more susceptible to nontraditional ways of thinking. After Myka and Pete left, Helena had taken a deep breath and walked back into the house expecting a large fight to take place. Instead Nate was calmly sitting on the couch waiting for her to return.
"Nate…" Helena began, not sure how to start.
"Emily… Helena?" Nate looked at her curiously.
"Yes darling, my name is Helena. Helena George Wells." She replied, her voice shaky.
"H.G. Wells, the science fiction author?" Nate tried to put the pieces together.
"Yes Nate, H. G. Wells. Mother, Author, Inventor, and Warehouse Agent."
Helena decided her titles were a good summation of who she was. Nate looked at her blankly. Helena then spun into a rant trying to fill in Nate on everything that had happened, how she lost Christina, when she was brought to the warehouse, how she was bronzed, when she was unbronzed, how she became a part of warehouse 13, and Myka but none of Helena's words seemed to land in Nate's mind. Nate's eyes were fixed on the coffee table before him and waited for a moment before he interrupted Helena she was attempting to explain her relationship the agent that had just let their home when he finally found his strength,
"Stop, stop Helena. Just stop." Nate looked confused, hurt, but mostly confused. Helena braced herself for what would come next.
"Do you love Adelaide?" He asked vulnerably.
"Yes, most dearly. I love your daughter as if she were my own." Helena replied while reaching out for Nate's hands and holding them tightly as a tear began to form in the corner of her eye.
"And you would protect for from everything and anything you could, right? He asked trying to find some stability in the conversation.
"I would never let anything happen to Adelaide. Nate you must believe me. I called Pete and Myka so that I could stay out of it. I'm done with that part of my life." Helena squeezed his hands tightly as she began to fill with regret for making the call in the first place.
Her mind spiraled into a world of possible outcomes that could have occurred that would have kept Adelaide out of danger's way.
Seeing her eyes searching for answers, Nate asked, "Do you love me?".
"Nate how could I not love you. You are a solid, honest, kind, and wonderful man. You have welcomed me into your home and into your lives. I need this, I need you." Helena replied as tears fell onto her cheeks and Nate wiped them away as he pulled her into his arms.
Helena turned on the kettle and quietly opened the front door to collect the daily news. As she stood a large yawn escaped her, the night had been long but it had also been beneficial. The pair decided that drudging up the past was not the key to their future together. Anything he needed to know, he would learn in time. All that mattered to Nate was that the feelings they shared all along were hoped that she would be able to keep the lifestyle she had grown accustomed to her in her life as Emily Lake, she created a game for herself whilst reading the paper, she would read through the international news section and try and find articles headlines that fit the work of the warehouse had found a few that she was certain were due to artifacts and enjoyed the reporters work to explain the odd phenomena. Ignorance is bliss, at least that is what they say, Helena thought to herself as she laughed. Truth be told, she was beginning to miss the adventures before the most recent event. She was almost pleased to be able to hear Myka's voice on the other end of the line. She hadn't wanted to bring the warehouse back into her life but bringing parts of it wouldn't cause too much harm she assured herself. It had been quite a while since Helena had been able to contact the agents. After returing the astrolade, Helena sought out a new life away from the artifacts but despite her efforts an artifact had found its way into her life. Helena's mind drifted from the paper to her last encounter with the agents. Myka was different, distant. Her demeanor much more stiff and uncertain than in the past and her tone was quizzical and almost hurt when she found out that Helena had not contacted the warehouse out of her own will. The fallen face of Myka Bering burned in her mind she hadn't meant to hurt her. Just then the kettle began its harsh, loud squeal and Helena was jolted from the memories.
The petite brunette sprung from her seat at the table and lunged at the kettle hushing its squeals in hopes of not waking Adelaide nor Nate for a bit longer. She fixed her cup of tea and once again took her place in front of the large bay window in the kitchen. This feels right, Helena thought, a roof over my head, a cup of tea in my hand, a darling girl who loves me, and a man that I adore. Helena sighed with relief and picked up her paper and began her reading. Not long after, small footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs and Helena's heart warmed at the sight of the groggy little girl in her night gown. Adelaide's hair was matted to one side and one of her socks had gone missing in the night but Helena thought she was the most darling sight she could see. Greeting the little girl half way across the kitchen, Helena kissed the top of the little girl's head and whispered in her ear, "I believe your father is still being visited by the sandman, how about we go and interrupt?" Helena said with a wink. She and Adelaide quickly ran into the master bedroom and onto the large king size bed, waking Nate from his slumber and ending in a large tickle fight for all. This, this is home, Helena thought as the three slumped back into the bed exhausted from the valiant efforts to tickle one another to death. For the first time in nearly a decade, she felt like she belonged.