Helena reads to distract Myka from the pain.

It's Myka's first night home from the hospital, and Helena had made no move to leave after settling Myka into her bed. She had simply glanced at the pile of books on the bedside table and asked which one Myka wanted to hear.

"My wife pointed out to me the brightness of the red, green, and yellow signal lights hanging in a framework against the sky. It seemed so safe and tranquil." Helena finishes the chapter and looks over at the woman beside her. Myka's eyes are closed and there is a small smile on her face.

"I loved this story as a little girl," Myka tells Helena, "I never imagined that I would hear it read to me by the author."

"I believe the author would be inclined to give a repeat performance tomorrow."

Myka's eyes flutter open. "Would she now?"

"Do you want to sleep?" It's only 9 o'clock, but Helena is certain that Myka had been dozing off during the chapter.

Myka nods and hates the way that her body already feels like it is no longer her own.

"May I stay with you?" Helena asks, "You shouldn't be alone tonight, but if you would prefer I'm certain that Pete or Claudia would be happy to stay."

Myka rolls her eyes. "As much as I love Pete, I would rather not share a bed with him. As long as you don't mind staying with me that is."

Helena had slept in a chair besides Myka's hospital bed every night, but now there are other places that Helena can sleep. And that means that they might finally need to talk. "Of course I don't mind. Can I get you anything before we turn in?"

Myka shakes her head. Helena sets The War of the Worlds down on the night table and turns off the light.

Helena wants to reach out and hold Myka, but she is uncertain of whether it would be welcomed. "Good night Myka. Please wake me if you need anything at all."

Myka feels her eyes fill with tears. She hates the fact that she will almost certainly need to wake Helena for help to the bathroom during the night. Myka hates feeling weak, she hates needing to rely on someone else to take care of her. "Helena?"

"Yes."

"Why did you come back?"

"For you," Helena whispers.

"Because I'm sick?"

Helena turns on her side so that she can look at Myka. The uncertainty in those green eyes makes Helena's chest ache; she hates herself for causing it. She needs to make it better, needs to erase that pain from Myka's eyes.

"Because I love you."

"How long?" Myka demands. "How long have you loved me?"

"Quite a while, but it seemed terribly unfair to you."

"To love me?" Myka asks. She wants to cry for all the time she lost, all the time she could have spent loving Helena.

Helena nods. "I hurt the people that I care about."

"Do you have any idea how much it hurt to see you with Nate?"

"I'm sorry."

Myka doesn't need Steve's abilities to hear the truth in Helena's voice. "Why were you with him?"

"You were right when you told me that I was running from myself. I'd hurt so many people. I'd hurt you."

"You've also saved my life," Myka reminds Helena with a soft smile, "so maybe we can just call it even."

"You shouldn't forgive me so easily."

Myka's exaggerated sigh and eye roll makes Helena smile. She hasn't seen a playful expression on Myka's face since returning to Univille. "I can tell that I'm going to need to say this to you a lot. You're not a bad guy Helena, and I forgave you a long time ago." Myka can see that Helena isn't quite convinced; she reaches out and rests a hand on Helena's cheek. "I'll keep reminding you."

"I may need that," Helena agrees, and she thinks that even if she doesn't deserve forgiveness then perhaps she will find a way to try to accept it so that she can be strong for Myka.

Myka loves the way Helena's skin feels under her palm, loves the way that Helena pushes her face gently into Myka's caress. "We must have the worst timing in the world," Myka sighs thinking of how wonderful it would be to touch Helena properly.

"I don't agree. I finally came to my senses when you needed someone."

"Not someone," Myka corrects. "I need you."

Helena smiles. "And I'm here."

"Yeah, well lucky you and your great timing. You showed up just in time to watch me lose all my hair and vomit constantly and then maybe die."

Helena reaches out the cup Myka's cheek, the women's positions mirroring each other, their faces only a few inches apart. "I consider it a privilege that you are trusting me to help see you through this. I'm certain that isn't easy for you, and I am very grateful."

Of course Helena understands, Myka thinks. Of course she understands that being vulnerable like this is impossibly difficult for Myka. It's been too long since Myka has felt understood like this. She moves forward slowly – both because any movement at all still hurts and because she wants to give Helena time to pull away if this isn't what she wants. Myka's heart is beating harder and harder as Helena moves forward to meet her.

Myka gasps as Helena's lips meet hers, and softly, ever so softly, Helena is kissing her. Helena swipes her tongue across Myka's bottom lip, and in that moment Myka forgets everything else.

When they pull apart all Myka can think is that she could easily spend the rest of her life – no matter how short of long – kissing this woman. Myka smiles and informs Helena, "I've kind of wanted to do that since we first met."

Helena laughs. "Since you were handcuffing me to a chair? And what do you mean by kind of?"

"I've never kissed a woman before. It was confusing to want to be so close to you."

"Ah, how was it then? Kissing a woman?"

"Definitely something that I want to keep doing. Kissing you, I mean. Not just random women."

"Glad to hear it."

"Oh crap!" Myka suddenly exclaims. "I didn't say it back."

"You don't need to."

"Oh no I do. You just distracted me."

Helena smiles nervously, and Myka finds the shy expression on the normally self-assured woman's face endearing. "I love you Helena."

"I love you too," Helena replies. She might not deserve this, but she won't turn away from it again.

"Pay up," Claudia says, extending her hand towards Pete when she spots Myka and Helena at the kitchen table the next morning.

Helena's arm is resting on the back of Myka's chair and her body is leaned in close to the younger woman.

"How can you tell?" Pete asks, "They look like they always do."

"It's so obvious. Look at the way they're leaning towards each other."

"Like I said, just like they always do."

Claudia looks over at the table again. "And there are scones. Myka and Abigail don't cook and Artie isn't awake yet, which means Helena made breakfast for Myka."

"Scones!" Pete runs for the table and wastes no time biting into a pastry. "Chocolate chip! These are amazing. HG, why didn't you tell me that you could bake?"

"Would you have taken a shine to me sooner if you knew?"

"Hell yeah. Have you tasted your scones?"

Myka looks up at her partner. "We can hear from across the room you know. I can't believe you two were taking bets on us."

Claudia at least looks embarrassed at being caught. Pete on the other hand is grinning stupidly. "So who won?" he asks.

Myka gives Pete her best scowl. "What exactly was the bet?"

"When you two would get together."

"Pay the lady," Helena instructs Pete, smiling widely and wrapping her arm around Myka. "Are there any other milestones that we need to keep you apprised of?"