Chapter 1: First Impressions
She grabs a glass of champagne off a passing tray. She's only just arrived to the party and she's already regretting being there. She takes a sip and is thankful that they at least didn't skimp on the champagne. As she takes a step further into the room, she spots the man who gave her this job, Dean Arthur Nielsen, and waves. This is the first time they meet in person but she'd recognize his eyebrows from their brief skype conversation anywhere.
The man hurries towards her, his face set in what she guesses is his most welcoming smile but it looks more like he's in pain. "Doctor Wells! How wonderful you could join us."
"Dean Nielsen, of course! I couldn't wait to meet everyone." She greets the stocky man and inwardly rolls her eyes, of course she could have waited, she just thought it would be rude considering how much she pushed to get the job. Her credentials had made it easier, of course; tenured professor at Oxford, PhD's in engineering, literature and biology, numerous publications in all those fields and half a dozen science fiction best sellers. Getting the dean to agree to give her a job wasn't hard; he had jumped at the opportunity. Getting him to agree the week before classes started had been more difficult, but getting the great HG Wells in his faculty at the University of South Dakota was something Arthur Nielsen couldn't pass up.
"Very well then, let me introduce you to everyone." He walks her to the nearest table where a short redhead is sitting next to a tall blonde man and Leena, the woman in charge of the faculty residence building who she met earlier when she arrived. "Professors Claudia Donovan and Steve Jinks, and I believe you've already met Leena at the residence. Professor Donovan is on the engineering department and Professor Jinks is part of our law faculty. This is Doctor Helena Wells."
The short red-head jumps and grabs her hand, shaking it vigorously. "OMG I can't believe I'm shaking THE HG Well's hand. I'm a huge fan. HUGE fan. Your paper on the solutions of the modified Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation blew my mind. I'm working on something related to that, maybe you'd like to come visit my lab sometime, Doctor Wells?"
It all came out in a single breath and Helena laughs, amused by the red-head's enthusiasm. "I'm impressed; I'd love to look at your research. And please, call me HG." The red head squeals and shakes the arm Steve was holding out to shake HG's arm, making them both vibrate.
She's trying to still herself from all this shaking when she hears someone laughing behind Steve. She moves to try to get a look at where that glorious, carefree sound is coming from and when she finds it, she is sure the Earth's 465.1 m/s rotational speed slows down to at least half of that. The woman's head is thrown back in laughter, exposing her long neck. Some of the more unruly curls that got lose from the multitude of pins holding back her hair are trembling from the movement. She's wearing a black, strapless dress that ends just before her knees. Her amazingly endless legs perfectly supported by a pair of black stiletto heels. Helena's gaze travels from her head to her heels and as its travelling back up, she catches the smirk on the woman's face when she's caught openly ogling. Green eyes connect with hers and she immediately feels completely naked. She feels those green eyes piercing straight through her soul. The gorgeous brunette gives her glass to the guy she's conversing with and walks over.
Helena can hear her heart beating and she's sure everyone around her can hear its deafening sound as well. She feels like she's being sucked into a black hole except, in this case, what is pulling her forward, and bending light, time and space, is a pair of green orbs who are seemingly able to read her entire being.
"Doctor Bering!" Artie grabs the brunette by the arm and brings her closer to Helena. "Doctor Wells, this is Doctor Myka Bering, head of the literature department. You'll be working under her."
Helena snorts. There's nothing she'd love more than to be under this wonderful American. She takes the proffered hand and smirks when she notices the brunette blushing. "A pleasure, Doctor Bering." She lets her hand linger a little longer than necessary and is delighted when the previously noted blush intensifies.
Myka clears her throat and shakes off her embarrassment. "Please, call me Myka. And believe me, the pleasure is mine, we're very lucky to have the great HG Wells on our faculty. I was really surprised when Artie told me you were joining us, it's kind of a big change moving all the way from Oxford to Vermillion, South Dakota"
Helena swallows nervously but manages to school her features before anyone notices; anyone but Myka. "I just needed a change of scenery and I've heard wonderful things about the work you do here."
Myka raises an eyebrow but is interrupted before she gets to reply. "Mykes, what's up? You left me talking to myself back there." The man Myka was talking to before comes over and gives Myka her glass back. He notices Helena and gives her his best smile. "Well hello there, who do we have here?"
Myka rolls her eyes and moves closer to Helena. "This is my new 19th century literature professor, Doctor Helena Wells. Doctor Wells, this is our football coach, Pete Lattimer." Helena smiles at the territorial tone Myka uses and her sudden closeness.
Pete leans down and kisses Helena's hand "At your service, my lady. I hope to see you at out opening game next month."
Helena scrunches up her nose and pulls her hand back as soon as his lips lose contact. "I certainly hope you have an excellent season, Mr. Lattimer, unfortunately American football isn't really my cup of tea."
Pete looks shocked at HG's reply and confusedly mouths "American football" at Claudia who sniggers half hidden behind Steve.
"Very well then, Doctor Wells, if you'd like to come with me, I see the head of the Medical school, Doctor Calder, over there; I'm sure she'd like to meet you." Artie lightly touches her arm to steer her away from the group.
Helena turns back towards the group and gives them an apologetic nod "I guess I'll be seeing you around. And Myka, I can't wait to start working under you." She makes sure to emphasize the last words and winks at her before walking away to catch up with Artie.
Myka watches her retreating back, mesmerized. Pete's voice brings her back to reality. "She's kinda full of herself, isn't she?"
Myka can't really put into words what she thinks about her. "She's… really something" Pete scoffs as they turn back to the table. Claudia smacks him as soon as he's close enough. "Dude, she's HG Wells. She's allowed to be full of herself. Man, if I'd done half the things she has, I'd be full of myself, right Mykes?"
Myka can only nod as she sits there thinking about this absolutely stunning Brit who she's sure is about to turn her whole world upside down.
AN: I'm still not sure where I'm going with this, I have a couple of ideas but I haven't made up my mind yet but I decided to post it before I chickened out. Comments are highly appreciated.