Protecting
"Friends." As the SUV pulled away Helena's heart sank. Having had a long, unique, life she had endured enough good-byes to fill multiple lifetimes but Myka driving away had to be the hardest. "There was only one way for this to play out," Helena reminded herself as she took a deep breath.
Sneaking away from Myka's bed in the middle of the night so many months before had been painful but not as painful as looking into her hurt and confused eyes as she offered up support for the path Helena was seemingly on. Had Myka fought, any resolve Helena had left would have been destroyed.
Thankfully, despite Myka's book smarts and grasp of language, the brunette with the curly hair and the shy smile hadn't managed the words Helena knew we're bubbling under the surface. Hearing the unspoken would have been enough for Helena to climb in the SUV with Myka and go wherever she asked. The problem, Myka would have wanted them to go back to the Warehouse and that wasn't an option. Helena had a debt to repay the Regents and obviously, as she was still assigned, they weren't yet satisfied that she had done as they required of her. Fighting back the emotions that were creeping to the surface Helena hated how her poor choices had brought such pain, yet again, to a woman she fit with so perfectly.
A cool breeze crept into the air. "Next time I go it alone," Helena's words weren't to the night but instead the figure that she knew had appeared in the driveway. The rest of the Warehouse tended to jump when the figure appeared but Helena was used to the unexpected. Before she had the chance to turn and face the guest, Helena's statement got a reply.
"I am very sorry it had to play out as it did," the tone was sincere and the voice unmistakable.
"Centuries of experience protecting the world from artifacts and you insisted I reach out to them, to her," Helena exclaimed as she turned to face Mrs. Fredric. "I was more than capable of solving this by myself."
"The priority was protecting Adelaide and we nearly lost her even with the team involved. The Regents felt that splitting your focus between the artifact's retrieval and the child was too great a risk."
"Believe me when I say, my focus was split."
Mrs. Fredric nodded. "But you all persevered."
"No thanks to me dragging her through an unnecessary reunion."
"It was unfortunate that an artifact landed in your lap but the safe retrieval was crucial."
"Above all else," Helena mumbled under her breath. "If there is ever a next time I will not put her through that again."
"Or yourself," Mrs. Fredric offered kindly but pointedly.
"I can handle it but Myka is in the dark and that makes none of this fair to her. The last she knew I was sent away by all of you to complete a task. To her it now looks as if I have finished that task and settled into a stable existence without even a word."
The older woman politely ignored the true meaning behind Helena's poorly veiled explanation. "Despite the personal connection the two of you share, Agents Bering and Lattimer were the best warehouse agents for the job."
"Any of them could have handled this," the comment brought no response, which only made Helena angry but not wanting to continue stirring things up she re-focused the conversation. "So my cover is blown. I assume I will be replaced."
"The Regents don't believe that will be necessary."
"How can that be? Continuing to lie to Nate is futile. He knows I'm not who I claim to be."
"You are Helena Wells, a former federal agent in witness protection."
"So, more lies."
Compassion filled the older woman's face. "They are necessary."
"So you keep saying."
"The child has grown fond of you and so her father will get over his concerns."
"To what end?"
"May I remind you that the child's mother was killed trying to protect her."
Mrs. Fredric's reminder wasn't necessary but certainly trumped Helena's moment of selfish longing. Turning back towards where the car drove away Helena sighed. "I know why I am here."
"And we are very grateful for your commitment."
"Obligation." Helena said with the guilt of her past mistakes influencing each syllable. Turning back towards Mrs. Fredric it wasn't surprising that the old woman was gone.
Alone in the driveway of a suburban home Helena G. Wells sighed.
Myka had been right. Adelaide's presence in her life had caused Helena to cherish her as much as she had her Christina. The death of her own daughter, so many years before, had broken Helena's spirit and hardened her soul. The actions she had taken since Christina's death were selfish and destructive and then Myka Bering came along. The smart, savvy, and beautiful Warehouse agent had made Helena want to be a better person and yet the ache of losing a child still lingered under the surface. It had even led Helena to place a gun to Myka's temple but somehow the connection Helena felt for her fellow Warehouse agent began to heal some of the old, deep wounds and she surrendered.
Since having to walk away from Myka, it was Adelaide who had unknowingly helped Helena to hold onto her rediscovered humanity. The child had begun as a task assigned by her superiors but had turned into a touchstone. The smart, grounded, child, who the Regents were so focused on protecting, reminded Helena of the innocence of youth and the wonder of learning; so much so that not even brief possession of the astrolabe or access to the Warehouse had tempted Helena to do anything drastic with the powerful artifacts within arms length. There was a peace within Helena she never thought possible.
She and Myka Bering had switched places. Where before Helena had been the unpredictable loose cannon it was now a world of suburban calm for her, while Myka ran around saving the world. Helena told herself the assignment wasn't forever but she feared it might be. Helena told herself Myka would understand in the end but feared she wouldn't.
Having spent a few days with Myka close enough to hold in her arms, Helena realized the time for being the good solider was over. Suddenly a curiosity as to why Adelaide needed protecting crept into Helena's mind.
When Jane Latimer had assigned her the task of growing close to Nate and his daughter in order to keep them safe, Helena had seen it as a means to an end. Protect the marks and some day she would be allowed a clean slate and maybe a chance to return to a life of adventure, maybe even get the girl. The problem was the time frame was no longer to Helena's liking. After seeing the pain her new, secret, life was causing Myka it was time to stop playing house and start being H.G. Wells. There was a mystery to solve and she was determined to solve it.
Author's Notes: After the rather dramatic, but in my opinion shortsighted reactions to the season 4 episode "Instinct", I saw an opportunity to show a version of what could really be going on in HG's world. This does live just outside of the series cannon as I have written it also as a sequel to my previous Warehouse fic "Longing". Interestingly enough, both pieces, for the most part stick just close enough to the series storytelling that they could be lost episodes. Not sure if this will be vastly expanded on or will remain a short few chapters worth of story. Either way I hope this possible reasoning brings hope to many as to how things could really be playing out in the lives of Wells and Bering.