Author's Notes: (Written a few months ago) Oh, woopty-doo. I accidentally forgot to do this and the disclaimer. Oops. This goes to prove why you shouldn't be doing five things at the same time. I always enjoy Steve being able to talk to Myka and figure stuff out. So... Here's my attempt. Enjoy! -S.R. Wells
Disclaimer: I don't own Warehouse 13 or its characters. If I did, the show would have never been canceled.
It was late at night and everyone in Leena's Bed and Breakfast was fast asleep, all except two.
Steve had heard the legendary story about former Warehouse agent H.G. Wells many times from Claudia. He also got the rant from Artie and Pete's dodgy story telling. With all of them he felt something just didn't add up. Now, he didn't get vibes like Pete did, but he was able to start piecing together some theorizes about what he was missing. All he needed to do was talk to Myka about them. For that, he was grateful for his lie detecting ability; he had learned that Myka didn't like to share anything that might make it seem like she was weak. All he needed to do now was to get her cornered alone.
Steve found that chance one night after Pete and Claudia had gone to bed after a particularly trying case. They had had to run around a lot for the case and had gotten covered in gunk by the artifact. Steve was grateful not to have been given the case because it looked really uncomfortable to have goo in 'all sorts of highly unmentionable places' as Claudia put it. The duo had took showers, quickly ate one of Leena's hot meals, and quickly went to bed. Artie talked to Leena for a little while, before returning to the Warehouse. Steve wasn't sure if it was aura reading or what, but Leena must have sensed the need for space and privacy, because she vanished soon afterwards. That left Steve alone in the middle of the night to talk to Myka.
Steve moved quietly through the dark house to the living room. He stood in the door way for a second and looked at the scene in front of him. Myka was sitting on the couch, twirling and chewing on a piece of hair, with the lamp turned on to shed light onto the book she was reading. Steve squinted his eyes a little bit to make out the title of the book she was reading. 'The Time Machine by H.G. Wells' he read. It was interesting that she was reading a book written by the very person he wanted to speak to her about. While he might stand there and ponder what significance there might be about her reading that specific book, he had a mission to complete.
He stepped into the room and cleared his throat a bit.
Myka jumped up slightly from where she was sitting, slammed the cover of her book shut, clutched the book to her chest, and jerked her head up to look at him. She gave him a weak smile and relaxed a bit, "Oh, Steve. It's you."
"Umm. Yeah. Do you mind if I come in?" He gave a small gesture to the room.
She gave him a small nod, a waving gesture for him to come into the room, and another smile, "Of course."
In turn, he gave her a smile and a nod and entered into the room. He took a seat on the other end of the couch, sitting up straight and grasping his knees. Where was he going to start? He felt that jumping right into the issue might be a bit drastic, but the general topic he felt was going to be hard to approach with her. He took a deep breath.
"So, Steve? Claudia going on that mission with Pete. That might have been a bit stressful to not be there for Claudia." Myka started talking.
"Uh… Well, really," Claudia on the mission with Pete? Yeah, he had been a bit worried about that. Claudia was still young and reminded him of his sister, but she was a grown up. Well, sort of. But Pete was there to help protect her, and they had both come back safely, just a bit more goo covered. Steve wasn't all too worried about that.
"I know that Pete can come off as childish at times, but you know that. He can be mature though! He would never endanger Claudia intentionally ever! She's like our little sister, and we want the best for her! She's a grown woman too! I remember the first time I took her on a mission when she was an apprentice. She was a bit skittish, but she handled it really well! Even though she got whammied by the artifact and had to be saved by-" Myka's ramble cut off abruptly with a hint of a hitch in her breath. She closed her eyes, "I'm rambling, aren't I?"
He gave a nod and a grin, "Oh, yeah."
"Sorry," she said with a self-depreciating smile and a small shake of her head.
"Don't be," after all, she had just broached the topic he wanted to talk to her about. He cleared his throat a little bit, "She was saved by H.G. Wells."
"Yeah…" Myka said softly, her eyes cast downwards.
"Claudia told me about her. Artie and Pete, too. I was wondering…"
Myka's eyes latched onto his sharply, "You were wondering about what?"
Steve shifted a little bit, "I was wondering if you might tell me some more about her."
"Oh. Okay. Sure!" Steve watched as Myka went from a little bit down to looking enthusiastic; it was a little bit disorienting, and it made Steve slightly suspicious. He couldn't decide whether it was true enthusiasm or false cheer to cover something up. She set her book down on the coffee table, cover down. She wiped her hands on her pants before talking, "I don't know what Artie or Pete told you, but she wasn't all that bad. She just fooled us all. Where to start? Well, Pete and I went to London this one time to…" Myka recounted the story that Steve had already heard from the others. Steve noticed that whenever she mentioned H.G. Well's name she got this look in her eyes. It was a slightly tearful one of sadness, but there was also a spark of fondness. She grew to be quite animated with the story, waving her hands about. Steve couldn't help but smile in the good parts of the tale and frown in the worse parts. When the trident part came, Myka barely managed to keep tears from overflowing. Steve didn't fare so well himself because a tear or two did fall from his eyes. But finally the story did come to its end, "So, that's it." Myka said with a small smile, sadly.
Steve nodded a few times: here was his chance, "It sounds like you really liked H.G."
Myka turned her head away from where he sat and said, "Yeah, I did," She turned back around to face Steve, "but she still was a bit of a psycho who wanted to destroy the world."
Lie. Steve barely held in the urge to say the word, he still had one more thing to say, "You loved her, didn't you?"
Myka jerked away and stood up. She barely restrained the urge to shout, for fear of waking someone up. She crossed her arms across her chest and shook her head, "No. I didn't love her."
Lie! Steve had to keep his mouth clamped shut, and he tensed for a second before he was able to speak clearly, "Are you sure? You sound like you really loved her. Romantically loved her."
Myka gave as small growl and said furiously, "I don't love her! Not romantically! Not anything!" Myka's face was a sight to behold with its fury, Steve didn't care.
LIE! LIE! LIE! Steve couldn't hold this one back, "Lie."
"What?" that word seemed to throw her a loop, "I don't love her!"
"Lie. You do love her. But why won't you admit it to yourself?" Steve questioned her. Myka was looking around uneasily. Steve took a breath and stood up and put a hand on one of her crossed arms, "Myka. I'm gay. You know that. I'm very accepting and I promise I won't breathe a word of this conversation to anyone. You don't even have to tell me why, but I don't think it's healthy for you to keep this in." Steve looked her in the eye trying hard to convey his honesty.
Myka blinked for a second and looked indecisive. She finally sat heavily back down on the couch and seemed to be contemplating something in her head. Steve sat down next to her, waiting. After a bit, Myka broke down into tears. Steve was surprised, but he was quick to try to offer some form of comfort however awkwardly. That's how Myka ended up crying into his shirt before she pulled away, saying softly, "I do love her." She sniffed a few times and wiped her eyes.
They both stood up and stood there uncomfortably for a minute or two. Steve was the first to break the silence, "Well…"
"Thanks," Myka said with a small nod to him. After a few minutes of standing around she reached down and grabbed her book. Steve turned the lamp off and they both went their separate ways to bed.
Steve didn't know if what he did was the right thing, but he hoped that it might help things out in the future. Steve didn't get the full explanation he would have hoped for, but it still seemed to him that he had done something right. With that feeling of strange content, Steve crawled into his bed and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.