Their Truth
From the moment Myka discovered Artie's hiding place, the temptation was overwhelming. Really, it was only a matter of time and opportunity.
The opportunity came one evening, when the her family were all occupied in their own ways; Artie was out with Vanessa, Claudia and Pete were watching movies in Pete's room. Thankfully, Steve was out with old friends. Myka made excuses about wanting to read, and no one suspected any differently. And anyway, she planned to be interacting with an author, just not in the... traditional way. She wondered whether her half lie would have made it past Steve, and was glad that he wasn't around to test her.
Getting the orb was easy, once you knew where to look. Myka snuck back to her room, holding the cold, precious, device in her hands. For one of the few times since living in the B&B, she locked her door.
She placed the orb on her bedside cabinet, and took a moment to wonder why she was so breathless. She just wanted to talk to her friend. Her heart skipped at the idea. That was all it was, wasn't it? their relationship was... complicated; no one else understood them. And she was breaking the rules - Artie's rules - that must be the source of her nerves.
She wasn't sure what was the source of her excitement.
Either way, they could not even touch; Helena couldn't harm a fly, even if she wanted to. It was safe.
Myka listened to the B&B, her own room pressing down around her, silent. At last, she heard Pete and Claudia say their good nights, and separate to their own rooms. It was time.
Myka took a breath, braced herself, and turned the orb.
The familiar, yet alien, blue light bounced around the room, and then finally, Helena was in her bedroom. She looked around, dazed, trying to catch up.
"Is there another case?" Helena said, too loudly. At the sight of Myka's scared eyes, she lowered her tone. "Is this your bedroom?" she raised an eyebrow.
Myka nodded, listening intently to see if anyone had heard her companion. When she decided it was safe, she took a moment to look at Helena. The hologram, the essence of her friend looked confused, and of course intrigued; this encounter was another puzzle to be solved. It was a marvel; over a hundred years on the planet, in one form or another, and Helena's eyes were still filled with endless intrigue: endless wonder.
The last time they had met, Myka had longed to hold Helena. As with most times when Helena was involved, certain feelings crept up out of nowhere, unconscious. It was funny, really. Myka had made a life out of noticing the little things - of catching the smallest details, analyzing them, and following their trails back to the truth. Well some things she was afraid to analyze further. And the way her pulse quickened at the sight of her friend was one of those things.
Their last words together weighed heavy on her heart: we made a good team, didn't we? we did. I just wished you'd figured that out sooner. And then, the look. The look in Helena's eyes that had haunted her ever since: regret, sadness, and something else. No. Myka couldn't leave it like that -so unfinished.
It was her instinct to unravel mysteries, to follow leads back to their inevitable truth. Each encounter with Helena left a frayed string in her mind, and the urge to pull at them was becoming too hard to resist.
"I... I've missed you." Myka said, into the silent room. Every intention to keep closed and guarded fled. Her body betrayed her, as usual. Helena smiled, surprised. She took a step closer to Myka.
"Myka, how long has it been?" Another step.
"Only a couple of weeks." How did they end up so close? You can't touch her, Myka's mind announced through the haze. That was good. She was safe.
"Is there a case?" Helena asked, looking Myka up and down, taking note of her pajama bottoms and tank top. "Does Artie know I'm here?"
"No one does."
The mood heightened, as Helena was finally in on Myka's secret.
"This is a risk. If anyone found out-"
"No one will. I took every precaution."
"Thank you. I'm sorry to put you in jepordy. I'm grateful." Helena laughed to herself and ran fingers through her hair. Myka watched, almost jealous. "It seems I'm forever trying to kill you, save you, impress you or apologize to you." The sound of Helena's laughter broke the tension, and Myka was just back with her friend again, lost in one of their moments. She folder her arms and smirked.
"Do you try to impress me?" The idea was absurd; she was H.G. Wells!
"Of course I do. You're an impressive woman, I need to keep up." Myka found herself closer yet again to her secret companion. How had this happened? It was like gravity.
"Are you safe, wherever you are? What does it feel like?" It was something Myka often wondered about, in the middle of the night.
"I'm safe. My consciousness just... pauses, when I am in the orb. It's just like cutting out all the boring things, and stringing all the exciting parts together." Helena joked, but there was a sadness in her voice.
"Well, at least we can talk now. I can keep you company." you can keep me company, Myka thought.
"I don't think so, Myka. It's too much of a risk. You left the warehouse because of me once already. I won't be a part of you getting into trouble. Not again."
Myka raised an eyebrow, and counted on her fingers.
"So, first the apology, now you're saving me. Are you going to try to kill me, or impress me next?"
"Well, I think it would be pretty damned impressive if I tried to kill you when I can't even touch you. Maybe I can do both at once." She really did have an answer for everything. Her brain worked at a speed most people couldn't even comprehend. It must have been maddening, being bronzed for all that time. In a way, it explained a lot.
"Helena, I wish... I wish things were different. I wish you were back here, with us."
"I wish a hundred things were different. I wish I'd never been so full of darkness. I wish I'd never hurt you." Helena looked away. Myka wasn't sure if it was even possible, in her current state, but her dark eyes were filling with tears. "Maybe it would be easier just to wish we had never met at all-"
"I forgive you. Helena, I forgave you a long time ago. My world is better with you in it." Her words brought Helena's attention back.
Words escaped them for a moment, as they just contemplated one another. It was a painful cycle they were on. But it had its moments.
Seemingly of it's own volition, Myka's hand lifted up to Helena's face, until she realized their constant barrier. She shook her head with a shy smile.
"No, go on. I think you'll find I have a vivid imagination." Helena smiled her most devious smile, and as ever, Myka could never refuse her. She placed her hand, soft as a whisper, to where Helena's cheek would be. The blue framework appeared, shimmering. Myka could feel the smallest tingle in her fingers, like pins and needles. Helena closed her eyes, concentrating on the slightest touch.
"Did it work? Can you feel me?" Myka asked, as she took her hand back and rubbed her thumb over her tingling fingertips. Helena opened her eyes.
"I could, but back in my body, where ever that might be. A sort of buzzing. It was quite erotic actually." Myka blushed and looked away as Helena let out a small laugh. "I've missed you too." The words brought Myka's gaze back to Helena's face, lingering for longer than she should on her lips, then finally back to her dark eyes. "I miss this. Us. Do you have an imagination?" Her tone was loving and flirtatious; she was in her element; she seemed lighter somehow. Maybe Myka's forgiveness had finally sunk in.
"I do. I read a lot of H.G. Wells, growing up." Myka was electric. How had she ever lasted these weeks without seeing Helena?
"Then use it now, Myka." And without warning, Helena's delicate hand ran up Myka's side to her shoulder. The blue light fazed in and out all the way back to Helena's collar bone.
"Concentrate, darling." Helena whispered, half teasing, half enthralled. And she did. Myka focussed all her energy towards her shoulder, and now up to her neck, following Helena's ghost touch.
"I can feel you!" Myka whispered. The tingling was exquisite; intimate in a way that was more than touching. As Helena's hand reached her cheek, their eyes locked like the world might end if the other looked away. Myka could see the blue light dancing in her peripheral vision.
Helena bit her lower lip, and lowered her gaze downward. Myka's breath caught in her throat. Lost in the moment, Helena moved a thumb to Myka's parted lips. The tingling followed, causing Myka to half gasp, and half moan. She watched, mesmerized, as Helena continued to bite her full bottom lip, contemplating.
"Want to try something?" Helena whispered, and Myka could only nod. Helena moved closer, eyes never leaving Myka's lips. She closed her eyes in anticipation.
Myka's entire body began to tingle, and she realized that Helena had stepped into her space, so that they were connected from head to toe. Yes, this was much more intimate than touch. Then, at last, she felt it; her lips tingled and her imagination filled in the gaps and she was kissing Helena. Behind her closed lids, the world was blue and electric.
The longer they both consumed the same space, the more physical the feeling became. Sometimes, when you are millimeters away from touching a person -achingly close- the feeling is more intense; and that was how it felt. shivers danced up Myka's spine, and the tingling ran through her entire body.
The blue haze began to recede, as Helena pulled away. Myka opened her eyes, and watched the smile play on Helena's features. Her fingers traced the outline of her own lips, in awe.
"That was..." Myka said, and she traced her own lips with her fingers; the ghost of the sensation remained, and she wanted to savor it all.
"I always wondered if you'd ever let me kiss you. I knew if you did, it would be wonderful, but... that exceeded even my expectations."
"I've wanted you to kiss me for a long time." Myka said, almost to herself. At last the clues lined up, and her observant mind had arrived at their truth.