Disclaimer: I still don't own any part of Warehouse 13 and honestly, I really don't want to. It's much more fun to play with the toys and put them back to play with later.
A/N: Thanks to all comments and reviews. Always appreciated and considered. Keep crying, keep laughing. Without one, you can't have the other.
"Stop! Stop right where you are. Do not move from that spot!" A royally pissed voice rang from the rafters above.
Claudia froze on the spot. That was NOT a voice she was ever going to cross. "Not moving. Frozen."
"Bloody Hell..."
"Why don't you lock your door?" Claudia inquired still confused.
"Claudia, how many bloody times have we bloody well been through this? Our place. You visitor. Visitor knocks first before entering." Helena's voice joined the profanities from above.
"I did knock. You didn't answer," she whined. She could hear the whispering, swearing and rustling from above.
"Did it ever occur to you that there may be a reason someone might not answer a door? Like, oh, I don't know, maybe they don't want to be disturbed?" Myka came down the stairs in a shirt that was obviously not hers and zipping up a pair of jeans as she came down the staircase, her hair more out of control than usual. Standing behind the sofa, she pointed at the seat. "Sit!"
Claudia hastily sat on the sofa, trying to make herself as small as possible. It was one thing to piss off HG, another to piss off Myka.
"It's not like I heard anything…" Claudia started.
"Don't even, Claudia. This is about privacy. That's one of the reasons we live here now, remember? Everyone was tired of 'hearing' things…Lucky you, we didn't get to the really good part yet."
"What? You can't be serious?" Helena, never one to be conventional nor modest, had pulled on a pair of Myka's boxer shorts and was pulling on a thin tank top over her bare torso just as she landed at the foot of the stairs. Pulling her hair free of the shirt, she ignored the girl's presence on the sofa. Completely stunned, she haughtily replied, "I believe it was more than good, thank you very much. I'd think you would appreciate having such experience at your finger tips, or rather mine."
"Helena…" Myka warned. Even HG backed up a step at that tone.
"Claudia," Myka started, "How many times do we have to go through this? You moved us in here so we could have the privacy to act like a couple, when we wanted, however we wanted…" Helena cleared her throat, hiding a grin, just to be glared at, "without risk of creating an awkward situation for us or you. Hate to tell you Claud, this is pretty damned awkward!"
"Not as awkward as it would have been two days ago…" Helena smirked with a glint in her eyes, remembering the events of that evening where they were presently standing. Myka glared at her once more.
Claudia sunk into the seat further. "I'm sorry. I miss you guys. I'm used to you always being across the hall. I never see you anymore." She looked up at the two women with pitiful eyes. "I knocked, okay? I didn't hear anything…really. And we all know I've heard worse…and seen worse." It was Helena's turn to frown at her. "Uh, Tenerife? Talk about a shock to the system. I mean, we all knew it was inevitable, but seriously, I had a key to the room, too." Claudia wasn't getting anywhere. "You need to lock the door. That's why you have a key…you know, that shiny metal thing I handed over to you…"
"Which I'm pretty sure you have a copy to." Myka assumed correctly.
"Well, someone has to have the spare," Claudia complained. "I don't use it! Fine, here it is." She dug into her front pocket and dropped the extra key into Myka's outstretched hand.
"Claudia," HG began, sitting down next to her, resting a hand on her knee, "We love you, truly we do, but we must establish boundaries. Our living in this cottage is part of that. It is for us to decide if we choose to lock or answer our door. It is not optional for you to enter at your choosing. My understanding is that even in this century that is the socially acceptable practice."
"I knocked…"
"And proceeded to enter without permission!" Helena was now aggravated. "Myka, please," she pleaded looking over her shoulder at the woman standing behind her for help
"I think you're doing just fine," Myka said encouraging her. She sat down on the other side of Claudia and took her hand.
Sighing deeply, Helena continued, "If one does not answer the knock on a door, it is frequently for one of two reasons. First, we are not here, and you should not enter without our consent, or second, we are otherwise occupied or do not wish to have company. As everyone was so eager to point out, it is assumed that it is because we are otherwise occupied. I must say though, that after a great deal of analysis, I would like to say that assumption is completely inaccurate."
"Helena, please…" Myka halted the digression from the discussion regardless of how true it was. "Claudia, I know this is an adjustment for all of us; more for the three of us than the others," Myka pleaded. "We can appreciate that. We want you to be a part of our lives and to feel safe. We expect you when you need comfort or an impromptu sleepover. Hell, we miss you crawling in between us sometimes! We can even set aside a Claudia night. I know you are going to pester Helena or me when the other is away. That's why we chose this arrangement. But, you have a phone and a Farnsworth, the original I might add. Please, just give us a call first, and give us a warning when you get here. We are not obligated to lock the door. We never were. All we need is five minutes."
Claudia stared at the floor.
Myka kneeled in front of Claudia and HG wrapped an arm around her, hugging her close. Myka started again, "Claudia, you are welcome here anytime. Just five minutes warning. That's all we ask, unless it is an emergency but even then we'd appreciate a knock on the door." Claudia stared at the floor, dejected. "Claud…we all agreed on this." She took a deep breath and blew it out loudly. "I'm going to really embarrass all of us right now." She looked up Helena beside Claudia. "Well, at least you and me, okay? Right now, Helena and I have a...um...healthy sex life which, as I think you are well aware of, is not limited to evening hours." Myka stared at the ceiling, red faced.
Helena jumped in, saving her lover more embarrassment. "Claudia, dear, this arrangement was partially based on that fact. A very small part I might add. Apparently, we partake in some rather passionate arguments as well. We need to be allowed to express ourselves as we wish without upsetting our familial environment. This includes not only you, but also us. If you continue to intrude upon that arrangement, then it was all for naught. Honestly, most times we just want to spend quiet time with each other. If need be, we can have a family meeting to reevaluate the guidelines we all agreed upon. One of the first agreed upon rules was knocking on doors…for everyone, either here or in the main house."
"I know." Claudia avoided looking at either woman, finding the pattern of the area rug more interesting. "I'm sorry. I'll just leave and let you guys get back to…uh, I'll just go."
"Ah, well, as you would say, the mood has been broken, darling. Pick out a movie and pull out the blanket. We'll just go upstairs and get more suitably dressed." Helena ruffled the redhead's hair like a child's, knowing she hated it, before going up to the loft to change.
In the process of changing Myka asked Helena seriously, "Do you think she gets it?"
"I don't know, Myka. She's used to having us readily available to the little girl in her, especially you. She had you before I came along, and then she had both of us. In many ways, she's had that shut off from her since I started sleeping with you regularly, and then, eventually, I never left your room. When one of us is away, she has the other's undivided attention again. Maybe we are just as much at fault. We do spoil that little girl part of her you know."
"Well, we need to lock the door. Let's go make some popcorn. I think we're going to have a bed bug tonight." Myka sighed heading down the stairs.
"That's what I mean about spoiling her," Helena grumbled in the empty loft. "I certainly did not anticipate sharing you tonight."
"Helena, what are you doing?" She was at the front door taking measurements, making notes and drawings.
"Oh, just playing, my love." She climbed a ladder examining the ceiling and taking more measurements.
"Do I want to know?" Myka watched Helena intent on her thoughts, pencil in her mouth.
"Doubtful," she replied, neither looking at Myka nor taking the pencil from her mouth.
"Does this have anything to do with why you've locked yourself in the basement all week?"
"Quite possibly." Helena looked down from the ladder at Myka, her face full of delight and amusement.
"Okay. I'm heading over to the main building to watch a movie with Claudia and Steve if you want to join us. Artie made some cookies. I'll bring some back if you don't."
Steve was just setting up the table in the living room, when Myka entered. "Hey, Myka. Isn't HG coming over?"
"No. She's been locked in the basement all week playing. Now she's busy taking measurements."
"That sounds kind of scary." He looked at her skeptical of what master plan was being put into motion.
"Not really. It keeps her busy and mostly out of trouble. She still hasn't come up with a use for the key from the desk, at least not that I know of. She has, however, made a new hiding place for it and no, I don't know where."
Claudia jumped onto the sofa beside Myka. "Where's HG?"
"Playing."
"Uh-oh."
"What is it with you two? We all knew she was going to redesign the place with secrets. It's keeping her busy and she's happy. As long as I don't get caught up in any of her projects, it's fine."
Claudia looked at her curiously. "And if you do?" Steve sat down starting the movie.
"Oh, I've already explained in no uncertain terms that if I become a victim, she gets cut off." Myka grinned.
Steve roared holding his stomach. "You are brilliant."
It had been a long week at the warehouse. Both teams were sent out twice, rarely overlapping their time at the warehouse. Myka and Helena decided to pass on dinner with the others and have a light meal in the cottage instead. They would spend the rest of the night with each other and a bottle of wine. Recently, they had taken to sitting together on the sofa reading to each other. Tonight, Helena sat between Myka's legs laying back against her, her head resting back on Myka's shoulder with her eyes shut, enjoying the warmth of the body behind her. Myka wrapped her arms around the smaller woman holding the book between them as she read, her voice soothing Helena into a calmness no one else ever got to see.
The door swung open as Claudia bounded through the door.
"Hey, guys….aaagh!"
The bottom of the floor fell from under her feet and down she went. At the same time the ceiling opened above her and five gallons of purple goo dumped on top of her.
Myka stopped reading, her mouth dropping open. Helena hadn't moved a muscle in reaction.
Helena casually took a sip of her wine and calmly stated without opening her eyes. "Claudia, you really must learn to knock on our door and wait for us to answer. You never know what you'll find on the other side." Taking another sip of the wine, she placed the glass back on the table and sweetly asked Myka, "Where were you, darling? I was rather enjoying this quite before we were so rudely interrupted."
Myka smiled and continued where she had left off, leaving Claudia to take care of herself and the mess.