A/N: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. I was inspired by the Bering and Wells AU week. Seriously, there are some amazingly talented people out there! Anyways, this is one chapter as of now. Depending on response and time, I might expand the story. No beta, so all mistakes are mine or your imagination's! Title comes from a Pablo Neruda poem. Please comment and review! Be gentle but firm :)

Without further ado...

Myka made her way down the empty dorm hallway. This was one of her favorite parts of being an RA, she got to return to school early during breaks. Oh sure, enforcing rules had its own appeal but she enjoyed the time alone. Being an RA also paid for her room and board and she got to do laundry for free, but she needed the solitary time to recharge. And read. Oh! How she loved the time alone to read. Her coursework kept her pretty busy so she used time during school breaks to read for herself. Living above her family's bookstore meant she always had access to books when she went home.

Her musings on the written word were interrupted by a scream, "Bloody hell! Subpar...machinery...not worth the price of parts!"

Since she thought she was the only one in the building, Myka was taken by surprise by the outcry. Not to mention that the choice of words weren't really the typical University of Colorado fare.

Walking into the laundry room, Myka was greeted by quite the sight. A slight, dark haired woman stood shaking one of the dryers and when she wasn't shaking the machine, she was kicking it. All the while letting the accented curses fly.

"Ca..can I help you?" Myka slowly approached the girl, not wanting to agitate her any more.

"You can sod off!" The girl swung around to face Myka with fury still storming across her face. The anger swiftly dissipated as brown eyes found green. "Or you could allow me to make a better first impression. Hello, my name is Helena Wells." Helena walked forward with her hand outstretched and a winsome smile on her face.

Myka's head swam from the abrupt switch in Helena's mood. She was also distracted by the deep shade of the other girl's eyes that was only matched by the inkiness of her hair. And she'd be lying if Helena's smile didn't make her look like she already knew Myka's secrets.

Shaking out of her reverie Myka responded, "Hi...I'm Myka Bering the RA for this floor. Maybe I could write-up the dryer for misbehaving?" She grimaced as she heard the lame joke tumble out of her mouth.

"Well, maybe this time we could let it go with a warning," said Helena, still with a smirk firmly planted on her face.

"Are you visiting one of the other RAs or athletes?" Myka knew everybody on her floor and she was sure she would have noticed the charming British girl in her dorm. She also knew that the only other students on campus would be residence life staff or on a sports team.

"Oh no darling, I just moved here from London," Helena answered. "Your university was kind enough to allow me to move in early. I suppose they thought it would help me acclimate to my new surroundings. Perhaps you could show me around campus? I would be ever so grateful!"

"Sure. I suppose that would fall under my job description. We can get started tomorrow?" Myka asked.

"Aces!" Helena replied hitting Myka with a full-fledged smile. Myka felt a grin slowly make its way across her face. She had the sneaking suspicion she wasn't going to get too much reading done this break.

"No, Pete! I don't know! It's not my fault the football team doesn't have to be on campus! Actually, she'd be considered English I think. All right, all right. I promise to show her your picture. Although I don't think that's part of the typical tour. Hey, hey, hey to you too." Myka chuckled as she closed the phone on the conversation with her best friend. In typical Pete Lattimer fashion, he had wanted details on the "hot, British chick." As she went back to picking her outfit, she wondered how the school's star quarterback managed to be both charming and disgusting at the same time. He'd say it was a gift!

Myka had called Pete after trying on her third outfit that morning. She wasn't sure why, but she wanted to make a stellar second impression on Helena during her tour. Not that she hadn't given campus tours before, but this one felt different. Special. "Ugh! It's fine! It's winter anyways!" She exclaimed while giving herself one last look in the mirror. She knew most of her ensemble would be covered by her winter coat, but what if they stopped for lunch? Myka ran her fingers through her curly hair before slamming her knit cap down on them, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

Helena saw Myka approaching the Library-their designated meeting spot-before the RA caught a glimpse of her. Helena had some books to gather for the upcoming semester; otherwise they would have just met in the hall. Besides, it gave her a chance to admire the long strides that Myka took, even through the slick snow that covered the sidewalk. The American looked determined and...nervous? Myka kept fidgeting with her hat like she couldn't decide whether to keep it on or toss it in the nearest trash can. Helena found it all endearingly charming. A sentiment she decided to keep to herself, for the time being, as Myka opened the door to the Library.

"Morning! Ready to get this tour underway?" Myka greeted her new charge. Helena smirked and inclined her head toward her tour guide as a sign that she was indeed ready to get started. Myka had to wonder if she would ever get used to the effect that Helena's smile had on her. Probably not.

/

"...and that building also has a bunch of Engineering classes in it."

"Oh yes darling, I know! I had a small bit of an orientation there as a mechanical engineering major. It was the closest I could come to my work in Engineering Science at Oxford," Helena said with a mix of pride and just the tiniest bit of embarrassment.

"Oxford, huh? Soooo...what brings you all the way to this side of the Colonies?" Myka asked. She tried to sound casual, but her heart had been pounding the entire tour and not because they had climbed a lot of stairs. She couldn't help but be intrigued by the other woman. Throughout the trip across campus, Myka had been impressed with the questions Helena had asked and how her eyes had lit up when they came to the research facilities. Myka loved Pete, but he did not share Myka's appreciation of the academic. Apparently Helena was a kindred spirit.

Helena ran her hands through her hair and took a deep breath. "That is a story for another day. And I believe this is the part of the tour where you drop me off in front of the door to my room and we go our separate ways, both looking forward to the next time when we two shall meet again." Before Myka knew quite what was happening, one of her hands was clasped between both of Helena's and the Brit was leaning forward to plant a quick kiss on her cheek. Helena chuckled at the look on Myka's face as she disappeared into her dorm room. Myka walked down the hall, smiling to herself as she thought, Maybe I could get used to this whole sharing space thing after all.