"Orphans Beloved: "Razor's Edge…"
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.
Disclaimer: No copy write infringement intended…
"I'll be back in a couple of hours." Art Bell noted, eyeing the two in the room before him.
"Oh, I will get home ok by myself, Arthur." Helena smiled.
"I can take her back to New Path." Sarah, calmly.
"Actually, I like to take the bus…Nice to see places and peoples." Helena, hastily.
Art frowning… "Helena's staying with me now, Sarah. I told you she would be now that she's finished with her first course at New Path."
"Just temporary…They don't want me to go too much too fast." Helena, carefully. Smile at Art…
"Nice. After six months, I guess you'd like to get away from the place. And of course you'll need to get used to living together, won't you?" Sarah, again calmly. "Cos and Ally couldn't contain themselves…Congrats."
Art eyeing her carefully. "I hope you mean that, Sarah. We want you to be a part of our lives."
Sarah, noncommittal shrug. "I want what's best for the both of you, natch. Beth would…"
"Thank you, seestra." Helena, warmly…But hastily, sensing…As did Art…
"You must be going, Arthur…" she turned to Art. "Go fight the crime and help the poor crazy peoples like me." Kissing him on check.
"Sure…" nod. "Have a good time with the 'sistra'. Sarah? Could I speak to you?"
Helena, calm glance… "Arthur…You don't have to read law to seestra. She is concerned, yes…Understandable. But we will talk, it will be fine. Please…" plea in face. "Leave to me…"
"Yeah, Helena and I will talk things over…No worries, Art." Sarah eyed him.
He hesitated, but finally nodded.
"See you latre, Sister Helena…" he kissed her and headed out.
"Bye, dipshitter…" grin, wave.
A last look to Sarah's unreadable face as he paused at the door…
Please…
"Just joke…" Helena noted to Sarah as they sat down…In Mrs. Sadler's living room…
"Yeah, I imagine you're hardly keepin' vows." Calm nod.
"So Kira is well? Her new school is ok?"
"She's fine…I just wanted to have her away from all this. I'm moving to her school's neighborhood soon. I need to get Dr. Sadler's memory out of our lives."
"I 's good…Give her my best from her auntie."
"I've said I won't have any communication between you and my daughter, Helena." Coolly.
"Sorry…" apologetic look. "Just meant…"
"Hardly matters…I don't mean to hurt you, it's just the way it has to be." Hard stare.
"I understand…Of course." Placating tone.
"What Ally chooses to do regards her kids and you is her own business, whether I approve or no."
"Yes…Certainly." Slight, placating wave of hands. "Sarah I would never wiolate my promise."
"Good." Calm nod.
"So…You're settlin' in nicely." Sarah noted…Helena looking rather well in modest yet fashionable open overcoat, blouse, sweater, and skirt. "You look good. Nice to see they finally got the roots. Nice coat, big improvement. What, is that one of Beth's?"
"Arthur got it for me."
"Wouldn't have thought he was the sort who'd remember. Going all 'Vertigo' is he? That's an old film where…"
"I have seen it…And we heard the joke before." Calm tone. "I only wish I could be Beth for him." wan smile…
"But…You can't. Can you?" hard stare.
"No…But many times I have wished I could give up my body and let him have her back. Yet he says no…He says that is the past and a past that never existed. We have the future."
"Beth loved him, whatever he chooses to believe…" Sarah coolly. "She had to try and work it out with Paul, that was her way. But she loved him."
"I know…" pause…Rather a long one…"Art and all of you have been very kind…Oh, Cosima sends her love. The last treatment seems to have ended her symptoms completely."
"Thank God…I appreciate what you've done for her, Helena. Don't think I haven't. And I suppose it could help Ally and maybe even me too, in time, if something pops up."
"Dr. Leekie says my serum and study of my genes might help with Allison's barrenness, Sarah. I do hope so…"
"That's nice…Though I don't put much stock in what Leekie says…He's anxious not to spend the rest of his life in prison, but if the science bears out, that's good. I know Ally wants kids of her own if she can still manage it."
"Well, she loves her angels…She says she won't be concerned but brother Donnie is pleased, for her health's sake."
"It's good news." Sarah, quietly.
Helena, bowing head slightly then looking her in the eyes… "Why did you wish to see me, today, seestra?"
"It's a big day for you…Out of New Path, free and clear…"
"Only for two weeks, then I must go back, start next course of therapy on day basis. You never came to see me." She eyed her. "Sarah, I offered to go to prison…"
"And we spoke for you…All of us…And the judge ruled you weren't mentally or emotionally responsible. I wasn't lookin' to see you jailed, Helena. I'm not sorry to have helped you there. And I'm glad you got good help…I know you suffered."
"But…" Helena stared her full in the face.
"But…I have to say it, Helena." Sarah nodded.
"Yes?"
"What are you bloody well thinkin' ?" she shook her head. "That you can forget everything you did and marry Art? You'll settle down and raise a few kids? Join Ally in the soccer mom squad?"
"He says…Sarah…He says he loves me. I know he thinks of Beth when he sees me…He will always love her…But I thinks…I have come to think…He does care for me and needs me, a little…And I do love him. I need this, I admit freely." Helena, nervously. "I was insane, abused. I won't be that woman again, I swear to you. I'm better, seestra." Plea on stricken face… "Seestra, I saved you all at Dyad and from the Proleithians…I cannot change the past. But, the future…"
"Helena…You think you've changed because you saved a few of us? Because you didn't kill Rachel and Leekie when Art asked you not to? You killed our mother, Helena, your own sisters…" grim, insistent tone… "What happens when you bleedin' flip out again? You're a killer, Helena. You'd always be a threat to Art…And God knows, to any kids you ever have together. He doesn't deserve that. It's not fair to him. I'm sorry, but he's saved my life and he loved my sister, tried to save her…I have to say my peace."
"I…I am getting well. Sarah? I wouldn't hurt Arthur. I never harmed a child…Not Kira, not even crazy Proleithian girl who tried to kill me. That Helena was Tomas' creation. I won't be her. No. Mama has forgiven me. I know she has."
"Yeah…Keep tellin' yourself that." Sarah, coldly. "But I'm not going to sit waitin' to hear you've gone off your nut again and killed poor Art and your whole family…"
"Sarah…" stricken look. "Why do you say this to me? Sarah…I need your support."
"Art Bell's a good man…Who wants to do this for Beth's sake. That's what he sees in you…Beth. He's thinkin' he can make it up to her, for not savin' her by throwin' his life away keeping watch over you. If it hurts him, that's a shame but I'm seein' to it he's safe and you're kept safe. I owe him and Beth that much. And maybe even you…"
Helena eyed her…Careful look…
"Kept safe? You mean, confined? At some place like New Path? Sarah…You cannot do that. Allison and Arthur…Cosima…They believe in me, they won't let you."
"With your record? I think a judge'll listen…Maybe the others will stop me. But, if you love Art, truly, you wouldn't put him in this situation, Helena. Does he have to see any friend who gets too close torn apart, or his kids, murdered, by their own mother, when she goes off her nut again , raving about Jesus and the Holy God knows what?!"
"I would never do that!" cry…Rising. Calming as Sarah eyed her. "I would die first, seestra. I will not be that person again, ever."
"Yeah, by the Holy Virgin and all that…Tell it to Katja and Danielle and Janika and all the others you killed. Tell it to my mother…" icy tone.
"Sarah…" anxiously…
"You killed our mother! You killed her and you spit in her dyin' face! What, you think I could watch that and walk away, whistlin' a happy tune?…Welcome you back into the family with open arms? Auntie Helena, visitin' my Kira and Ally's kids?"
"Allison believes in me…Cosima…"
"Ally and Cos didn't see you in action, except when you saved their lives. They want to believe what they see…After all they've been through, I can't blame 'em. But I don't have to go along." glare.
Helena…Trembling…
"What, you going to threaten to kill me for sayin' what we both know is true?" Sarah eyed her. "I spared you for Mama's sake and because I didn't want to be like you. It's got nothing to do with letting you ruin a good man's life."
"I am not that person…" calmly. "I should go, seestra." Hard stare.
"You know I'm right, Helena. For once in your life, think of someone else…Don't do this to Art."
"We will decide what we wish to do, seestra. Thank you for visit." She said, calmly…Moving to the door, buttoning coat.
Sarah, watching her.
"You can't be Beth for him…You can wear her clothes and try to act like her. You'll end up destroyin' his life. I'm sorry, but that's how it is and you know that."
"I see…Please give my best…To your foster brother." She went to the door, halted. "I love you, seestra. But you are quite wrong…I would die for Arthur."
"Yeah? Well, maybe you should…" grim stare…
….
Ally in black, weeping, stroked by Donnie…Gemma and Oscar at her other side.
A stunned Dr. Leekie, in manacles, allowed to attend on Cosima's recognizance. She, with Delphine standing by. Finally, tentatively…Startling both herself and Leekie…Patting his arm gently. He eyed her…A tear running. She nodding hastily.
Art standing by the coffin grimly as it was lowered. Finally eyeing Sarah, standing on the other side, Fee by her side, tearing…
The Orthodox service complete…Ally and Cos came over…Ally kissing Art…
"Arthur…"
"I'm grateful you came, Allison…" he smiled at her, patting her.
"Of course…OH…I wish…"
"It wasn't your fault…"
"She was doing so well…I was sure…I was so sure…"
"Ally…" Cosima embraced her. "She loved us all, in the end…We got her back. That's what important, even if she couldn't stay. She's with Beth now…And at peace."
"She loved you, Art." Ally reached to take his hand. "Don't think she was running from you. I know she loved you."
"I know." Art nodded.
"Fee…" Ally stepped to hug him as he came over…Sarah following beside him,
"Sarah?" Art, quietly. "Lets take a walk…"
Cosima eyeing Sarah…Then Art…
"Sure…" nod.
…
"I could have saved her, Sarah. She wanted to be saved."
"Art…"
"I understand why…" he nodded. "She killed your mother…But, you knew what she'd been through. How much she loved you and Kira."
"Art…She wasn't your responsibility…Beth didn't need for you to do this."
He shook his head gently…Sarah…
"I loved Beth. I did…Everything I did for you and the others was for her. But…With Helena…I had the chance I never had with Beth."
"She loved you…Beth did…It was only that Paul got in the way…Art? I didn't…I only tried to make her see…"
"I'm sorry Cal let you down…I'm sorry Paul chose to try and help Rachel. But I don't need a Beth, Sarah…I know what Helena and I faced…And I believed in her. I loved her." He sighed, smiling… "In fact…" shrug….
"I thought Helena would be my reward for leading a good life." He smiled wanly at her stunned face, walking past her back to the others without responding to her call.
Sarah staring after him…
…..
