I watched the season 2 premiere and thought of this. I just really wanted some more Sarah and Helena fics so I wrote my own.
She doesn't know how she got here.
She remembers Art telling her someone matching Helena's description was found in the hospital and the shock that ran ice through her veins, and then it's just a blur of running.
It's funny how easy it's always been for her to run.
But now she's here. In front of the hospital room of someone who tried to kill her just a day ago, someone she thought she killed a day ago.
Why the bloody hell is she here?
(Deep, deep down she knows but she refuses to admit. The haunting echoes of Helena's voice. She can feel it too, no matter how terrified that makes her.)
One hand is inches from the door knob but her feet are ready to run far away from here and the struggle between the two has kept her frozen to her spot.
She hears the sudden sounds of a struggle and Helena's broken screams, and something just snaps inside of her and before she knows it, she's bursting through the door, pushing the doctors and nurses away to get to her, yelling at them to stop.
And she could see the emotions that run past her face when she sees her. The relief, the anger, the hurt, the confusion, the exhaustion. She's not quite sure what Helena's going to do to her. Doesn't know if she'll hug her or kill her with her bare hands or something else entirely. But to be honest, Sarah doesn't know what she's going to do either.
Helena acts first, grabbing two fistfuls of her jacket and jerking her close so that she could bury her head in Sarah's chest.
"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah," she croons, wrapping her arms tight around her waist. Sarah jerks away reflexively but Helena holds tight like a child in need of comfort after a nightmare. There's something unexplainable about her that twists at her heart and makes her question everything about them.
So she does what she does with Kira, bringing a cautious hand to the blond hair, before running her hand gently through the curls, "shh, it's alright."
With every breath and every stroke, Helena slowly calms down, and it's only then that Sarah notices that the doctors have left them alone. She drops her cheek on her twin's head, exhaustion making its way deep into her bones. Why was everything so fucked up?
"You gotta let them help ya, alright? They're just trying to help you."
A nurse knocks softly on the door, before peeking in, so Sarah extracts herself away from Helena, even though Helena cries out for her as soon as she does, arms reaching for her warmth. Her own bright eyes plead at her for comfort and safety, so she extends her hand as a compromise.
The nurse asks softly and cautiously, "I'm going to need some ask you some basic questions. Is that alright?" Helena meets Sarah's eyes for a brief moment and with her encouraging nod, she agrees just as softly.
"What's your name?"
"Helena." There's something about the almost child-like tone to her voice that tugs on her heart.
"Last name?"
Her eyebrows knit and her head tilts just a little and it takes a moment for Sarah to realize with a horrible sadness that she doesn't have one. It's such a minor detail, something most people take for granted but Helena doesn't get that luxury. She didn't get a family name. And while her own last name didn't tie her to anyone, it in a way, gave her a place in the world. It was another thing that made her an individual.
"Manning," it comes out of her mouth unexpectedly and Helena's head whips around to meet hers, eyes wide, tears already pooling in her eyes and her lip begins to wobble.
She clears her throat, making sure their eyes met, "her name is Helena Manning."
She doesn't know if she could ever trust Helena or if they will ever get along and forgive each other, but she could try and start again. Whatever relationship she has with Helena is fifty shades of fucked up but she could give her this. She could give Helena a new place in the world and a tie to her. She could try to be her family.