Okay so this is probably the fluffiest of chapters. It'll probably get a bit darker afterwards. Hope you enjoy - this was so, so much fun to write. Tell me what you think.

oxoxoxoxoxo

After Artie had arrived and they had finished breakfast, Claudia noticed Leena getting sicker by the half hour. "Go to bed."

"What? No!" Leena scowled and shook her head. "I'm not tired."

Claudia rolled her eyes and threw a tissue at her friend just before she sneezed. "You're sick. Go to bed."

Leena had had enough of the younger woman bossing her about. "Claudia, stop fussing. I am perfectly fine." Pete snorted at the women before putting his head back down to read his comic.

"Then why did it take you nearly an hour to unload the dishwasher?"

Leena's eyes squinted scrupulously. "You're timing me now? I'm older than you, I don't have to do what you tell me to."

"Oh boy," Pete groaned quietly. There they go again.

Claudia just laughed at her. "Come on…" She pulled the woman by the hand and felt Leena drag her feet. "God, and they call me the kid sister? Lie down…"

"I'd do as she says…" Artie smiled fondly at the bickering, then looked back down at his budget invoice. They really did need some new lights, he wasn't going to lie… It didn't mean he needed to tell Claudia yet.

"Claudia…" Sunken dark hazel eyes looked up at her as Leena sat, then lay down the couch with a heavy sigh. She did what her friend said and finally smiled when the younger woman tucked her in. She was only doing this because she was fed up of being ordered around. If she just succumbed to Claudia's wishes, there would be no more whining and her headache would go away.

oxoxo

Helena bit her lip nervously as she looked around the terminal. Myka had updated her and said she'd be 15 minutes. 20 had past. She'd been there for two hours and was chilled to the bone. A finger poked at her shoulder and she turned, on edge, but saw nobody there. Suddenly warm arms wrapped around her and the scent she knew only as Myka filled her nose. "You're here…"

"I'm sorry." Myka whispered sincerely and smiled when Helena finally turned in her arms. "You okay?"

Helena merely shrugged. "I must admit, it wasn't the nicest of trips."

The younger agent nodded in understanding and pulled the woman in for a soft kiss. They kissed again, deeper this time. "I'm so sorry." Myka whispered again and rested her forehead against Helena's.

"Oh do stop apologizing," Helena rolled her eyes, unable to stop the smile worming its way across her face as Myka chivalrously took her suitcase. An arm tucked inside hers as they walked towards the exit. "You said you had an excuse and I'd like to hear it…" She paused and looked at Myka's face. Walking a few steps, she began to speak. "Or you could just admit that you've not been sleeping."

"Whh…" Myka literally squawked. "Excuse me? I've been sleeping…"

"On what, a rock?" Helena chuckled. "Darling, I don't mean to be rude but you look like a panda bear."

The other woman still hadn't shut her mouth, gawping at her girlfriend who had magically figured everything out. "Well…" She flustered. "I may have missed you. Just a little bit. It was hard to sleep."

Helena smiled widely now, her first warm smile she felt grace her lips in two weeks. "I may have missed you too, Myka." They walked arm in arm to the car where the taller woman dutifully hefted the luggage back into the trunk of the car. "So… Drama."

"You are such a gossip queen," Myka rolled her eyes but started the car when they were all strapped in. "It seems that Ms. Leena had a date last night."

"Did she now?" Helena idly played with the buttons on the radio, switching stations until she found something reasonably listenable. "With whom?"

"A woman." Myka chirped.

Helena turned with wide eyes and an intrigued smirk. "Keep going."

"I have no idea who she is. But Leena came in, a little buzzed, a little floaty," Myka saved the best till last. "And then… Claudia stormed off."

"No!" Helena squealed.

"Yes." Myka chortled back, alert eyes focusing on the road in front of her. "Didn't come down for the rest of the night." She paused and recalled something. "They were sitting pretty close this morning, though…"

"Myka," Helena chided, "you shouldn't speculate."

"Says you!" Myka laughed. "Wait…I shouldn't?"

The Englishwoman waved it off. "They're just friends. I'm sure of it. You know this year's been hard for the both of them. They've become very close. It's merely a comfort thing, I'm sure of it."

Myka went silent and nodded, then shrugged. "I dunno," she sing-songed suddenly. "Just you wait, you'll see what I mean."

"I doubt it." Helena turned her nose up.

"If you see something, you have to give me backrubs each day for a week."

The other woman sighed. "Very well, but if I don't, I get foot rubs for a week"

"Deal," Myka grinned and lowered her hand for Helena to shake it before she placed it back on the wheel. "I am so gonna win."

oxoxo

"Leena…" Pete sighed as the woman hastily put on her boots. It was an hour later and the innkeeper had 'magically' cured herself of all ailments. Having received a text from Melissa, she suddenly decided it was a good idea to go out and drive to the woman's place to talk. It had just started snowing. "Come on…go sit down."

"Nope," the woman chirped back and rubbed her nose as she put her coat on. "Need to do this."

Pete looked at Claudia who was at a loss of what to do. He lowered his voice and sighed. "Sweetie… You're sick." His soft tone surprised even Claudia, but the innkeeper hadn't even noticed.

"I am not sick," Leena rolled her eyes and shrugged on a scarf with a splutter. She did not get sick. Not after one cold night out in a dress, no… it didn't happen. She had clothes to wash, and dinner to make later, and she needed to change the sheets to H.G's room, should she need to use it when she got back. "I'll see you in a few hours." As she touched the door, two hands fell to her shoulders and kept her from moving.

"Leena? You are not going out there." Pete said. The force in his voice had Claudia taken aback and she tried to get Leena's attention. Pleading eyes finally turned to the redhead but Claudia shook her head firmly.

"Another time." She said gently. "Go lie down." Leena huffily pulled away and kicked off her boots, then shrugged off her coat and stomped off to the couch.

"Jeez…" Claudia's eyes widened and she closed the space, moving closer to Pete with a whisper. "Umm… do you know why Leena is suddenly acting like a five year old?"

Peter held up his hands and shrugged. "Nothing to do with me… I thought you knew…"

Claudia thought about it. "I do…" she muttered.

Pete pulled her over to the clothes rack. "And?"

"I kinda…I kinda made her tell me about her date, which she really didn't want to…and now," she shrugged, frowning at herself. "I think that's what this is about. She's private, a… she's a secretive person and I think, Pete… I think I pissed her off."

Pete's eyes warmed at the young woman's sincerity. "This place can feel a bit like a prison, huh?"

"Totally…" Claudia nodded. "You think she'll be okay?"

"Sure… just go in there and cheer her up. Everyone knows you're the one for the job." Pete smiled and chucked her chin.

"I am not." she swallowed.

To this her friend frowned at her. "Sure y'are…"

"Ugh," Claudia rolled her eyes to distract him from seeing her tears. "You are such a sap."

"No, I just like to make little girls cry." He wiggled his fingers at her and laughed, feigning a wince when she slapped him on the arm.

Claudia snorted and approached the living room with caution, grateful of the man as he made his way up to his room to go play some games and leave the friends to it.

"You okay?" She asked awkwardly. Silence. Claudia sighed. She didn't deserve the silent treatment. She hadn't technically done anything wrong. "Leena? Look, tomorrow you go talk to her… but now you'll just give each other cooties and it'll be gross." More silence. "And then you'll get stuck in the snow and we'll have to dig you out and defrost you."

She lowered herself to the floor and crawled around the couch to see Leena fast asleep, her chin rested on her fist and the same pout etched firmly on her face. Claudia couldn't hold in the laugh and she eased herself onto the couch, placing herself under her best friend's legs. She re-covered them with the blanket and paused as Leena stirred slightly. Best friend? Wh… no, Steve. Steve was her best friend. Steve was her BFFEWYLION.

The tears that had been threatening to fall did just that and Claudia covered her face with her hands in frustration. She wanted Steve back. He wasn't here for her while she needed him. She wanted him back at the Warehouse and cured of his PTSD and just… She wanted things to go back to normal. He'd become irritable and vicious towards everybody after he'd been brought back. They all knew the cause of it, and they all knew that taking some time away from South Dakota would help him in his recovery. And he'd met a nice guy. She should be happy, right? She should have been ecstatic but she missed him dearly. As if sensing her discomfort even in her slumber, the aura-sensing woman shifted and curled up closer to the redhead, resting her head on her shoulder. Claudia sighed heavily and slowly lay down, pulling the woman on top of her, then used her free hand to take the TV remote hostage. "Creature From The Black Lagoon? Don't mind if I do," she grinned and wriggled a little to get more comfortable, occasionally swiping the tears from her cheeks. She was completely and utterly stuck.

With every breath, the older woman lay a little heavier on her. Leena started to snore quietly and Claudia tried not to giggle. She could hear Pete upstairs cursing and the unmistakable sounds of COD gunshots floating down through the floorboards.

Leena suddenly sneezed into her chest and curled her fingers around her sweater. "Oh eww…eww." She cringed. Things you do for love, right? Claudia rolled her eyes. Wait, no.. not love. As in…love love, but love. Like friends love. That kinda love. Not actual love. She sighed at herself. Despite her bravado, she knew she'd be a little edgy around Leena after finding out her friend was with a woman. It wasn't that she found it disturbing, it was more that she didn't want her home life to be complicated. She didn't want to freak out that maybe one day, the innkeeper had the hots for her or something. Leena snuggled further against her chest and let out a little mewl. Claudia couldn't help but smile and turned her face back to the television, watching the monster sink further into the murky depths of the Amazon.

"Welcome home, sweetie." Myka smiled at her lover and turned the doorknob to the B&B, closing her eyes in bliss at the warmth that instantly greeted her cheeks.

Helena gripped her hips, following her into the inn. They'd put up Christmas decorations up already. She smiled, trying to force the tears back. She was home. After two weeks of torturous grieving, H.G had tried to push back the painful memories of mourning her daughter and swap it with happy moments, bedtimes and tea dates with stuffed bears. London didn't feel like home anymore. Not by an inch. This was homely and special, and though living and working in the Warehouse was potentially fatal, (she'd learnt that much already) she wouldn't swap it for the world. That realization scared her. Two years ago, she would have given the world to have Christina back. She nearly did, in the metaphorical sense. Now though, she wasn't so sure. She loved Myka, and Pete, Claudia, Leena and Artie. She even loved that bloody dog.
Myka stopped and turned, pulling the smaller woman into a soft kiss. They hugged and stepped into the living room. "We're back," Myka's eyes glued themselves to the couch. Leena's head lay on Claudia's shoulder, her hands gripped tightly in the younger woman's sweater. "Hi…"

Sleepy eyes blinked back at her as Claudia came to from her little doze. "Oh! Hey!" She gave a wide grin and slipped out gently from Leena's hold then jumped up to greet them. "Welcome home!"

Helena's mouth had not shut at what she'd just walked into. "Oh my…" She looked between the women and growled at Myka who tried not to squeal. Back rubs for a week. "Bollocks." she muttered angrily and stomped out of the room, hefting her suitcase up the stairs.

"What's up with her? She still mad at you?"

"Jet lag," Myka grinned. She turned to the conked out innkeeper on the couch. "She okay?"

"Sick," Claudia sighed, "and has been using me as a body pillow for the past few hours." She rolled her eyes, "this is why you will never see me in a dress with the hem above my knees in freezing temperature."

"Ohh dear," Myka chuckled.

"You gonna help me get her up to bed?" Claudia looked down at the woman, still a little confused about H.G's grumpiness.

"Sure," Myka smiled. She was just glad to have her girl home, she wasn't going to lie. Bending down, she placed a hand on Leena's forehead. "Leena? Honey, time to wake up. God… she's warm."

"Right? I dunno what to do," Claudia shrugged. "She was gonna go see Melissa. I wouldn't even wish it on a Xindi Reptilian to get lost out there…" The reference was lost on Myka, but the agent purse her lips with a smirk.

"Soo…Melissa is her name," she mouthed.

"Finally got it out of her," Claudia giggled and bent down to help rouse their friend. "Hey… Leena. Dude, you gotta wake up."

Leena finally smacked her lips and squinted her eyes open. "Wh…Is something wrong? Is there something wrong with the warehouse?"

"Nah," Claudia smiled. "But there is something wrong with you, and you're going to bed."

"Up you get," Myka helped her up and they slowly walked the groggy woman upstairs. Leena had begun to splutter and cough, each breath getting heavier. "You okay?"

Leena nodded and clumsily pushed her bedroom door open. Myka had never actually been inside the woman's room and looked around. It was more modern than any of the rooms. Purple silk cushions lay on the bed, with matching curtains draped at the windows. Clothes from the night before were strewn across a loveseat. "Where are your pajamas?"

Leena cleared her throat, trying to get rid its sting. "Th-There…" She pointed to the headboard and Myka picked them up and turned to see Leena struggling out of her sweater dress. She threw it to the floor and took the penguin patterned button ups back. Myka looked up to see Claudia's head turned, her neck flush with red.

"Umm… I need to just…" the younger woman became flustered, much like she had at Tampalpais university. Myka quickly nodded, trying not to laugh as Claudia's eyes became glued to Leena's generous chest before she frantically stumbled out of the room.

"So gay," Myka shook her head and turned back to see Leena shivering. "Jeez, Leena, where did this come from, huh?"

Leena's arms quaked and she shook her head, then shrugged. "Don't know…"

"You wanna take the bra off?"

The cold woman nodded then whined out a "don't look."

Myka snorted. "I won't, here…" She unclipped the undergarment and got her friend to turn around, then helped Leena into the pajamas. "In you go," she said gently and pulled back the covers to the woman's bed.
As soon as Leena's head hit the pillow, she closed her eyes. "M-Myka?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry…"

The tall woman frowned and sat at the edge of the bed. "What for?"

"I..I might not be able to make breakfast tomorrow," she swallowed with a wince, "but if you go into the pantry there's a bread mix and you just have to put a little water in, then…" she paused to cough, "then just put it in the maker."

Myka smiled fondly. "I think we can figure something out, hon. Sleep well." Leena nodded and nuzzled her pillow sleepily. Myka switched off the light and eased herself out of the room then shut the door. "Out like a light," she smiled at Claudia who seemed to come to her senses.

"She okay?"

"She will be," Myka nodded. "Here, come downstairs, I think Helena's got some presents for you."

"Presents?" Claudia brightened. "I love presents!"

"Well I think you're gonna love this one." Myka smirked, then turned to tap on her own bedroom door. "You still sulking?" She called through the old wood with an even wider grin.

"Pardon me, but I think you'll find you are the sulker." The door swung open to Helena with one hand on her hip giving a pretend death glare.

"Ugh," Claudia groaned, "so married." She shook her head and turned to go back downstairs.

"I do not sulk," Myka smirked in a tone that suggested otherwise. She narrowed her eyes at her lover who held up her hands with a chuckle. "She so checked out Leena's rack."

"Myka!" Helena hissed. "Stop."

"Come on…" Myka's eyes twinkled. "You saw it."

"I saw a platonic 'snuggle-session'" she made air-quotes, something she'd learned from Pete a long long time ago, "between two friends."

"Nooo," Myka shook her head. "You stomped upstairs because you're giving me backrubs because," she poked at her girlfriend's chest. "You saw something."

"I may have seen something slightly questionable, however, I don't believe we should discuss this further. They're our friends."

"No fun," Myka huffed and trudged down the stairs with slumped shoulders.

"We have got to do something about you conversing so heavily with Lattimer," Helena shook her head.

"You two are becoming far too similar." She smirked though when she heard Myka cluck her tongue, then grabbed her small hold all and followed the woman down to the living room.

oxoxo

Helena smiled at the young woman sat on the floor next to the fire and took out a small box. "This is for you."

"Wait…first, can I give you a hug?" Claudia asked, hopping up.

"Of course," Helena chuckled and let the redhead embrace her.

"Welcome back, H.G." Claudia grinned.

"Why, thank you, now…" Helena choked from the vice-like grip the woman had on her. "Open your gift. I think you'll like it."

Claudia pulled a face, trying to work out what it could be. She took the small oblong box and peeled away the wrapping paper, then pulled the plain black box out of its sleeve. "Hey, I dunno how Myka feels about you giving me jewelry," Claudia tutted with a mocking glare.

Helena sat on the couch and rolled her eyes, welcoming Myka on her lap who lay back and soaked in the moment. Claudia pulled off the lid, and, if she hadn't eaten and drank in the last hour, would have most definitely fainted.

"Ohhh god…" Claudia felt like she was about to cry. She put the box down and moved away from both her friends. She knew what it was, she remembered seeing it in Fury From The Deep for the first time and asked Joshua each birthday if she could have one. "That…is…" Helena grinned. "Please don't tell me that's real. H.G… what, no… please…"

Helena smiled widely now and shuffled so that Myka could give her space to move. She plucked the device out from its bed and pointed it to the fire. "Victor Pemberton's original design and idea. He actually made a prototype… genius man if I may say so myself. Kept it all to himself of course. I ran into him," she turned to Myka, "did a little favor or too and here we are." She pressed the button and they watched as the flames in the fireplace 'turned down'.

What the two older women didn't expect for Claudia to do was to burst into tears there and then. "You got me a sonic screwdriver," her lip quivered. "You got me… you got me a…" She buried her face into her arms and openly sobbed.

Helena and Myka's eyes were wide and they looked at each other for help. Helena stood up slowly and approached the young woman. "I got you the sonic screwdriver. But don't overuse it, it works but I don't think it could take a good beating. I don't think anybody would welcome any of the side effects should it malfuncti-" She was cut off by another crushing hug as Claudia held her tightly.

The redhead couldn't help but blubber. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She sniffed. "You are the best."

oxoxo

"Well, I think she likes it." Myka chuckled, kicking the sheets happily as she waited for Helena to join her.
"I wasn't expecting so many tears," Helena smiled back, wiping her mouth with her thumb to rid her lips of residue toothpaste.

"What's that?" The curly haired woman looked on curiously at the small bottle in Helena's hand.

"Massage oil. I lost fair and square." Helena nodded at her failure. "But I refuse to bet about them anymore. What they do in their own time is none of our business," she chided. "We mustn't snoop." At Myka's nod, she waggled her eyes and shook the bottle in her hand.

Myka giggled and shook her head, opening her arms. "I wanna say hi first."

The older woman rolled her eyes, "Very well." She leaned forward, settling into her girlfriend's arms and smiled, greeting Myka with an Eskimo kiss. "Hi."

The woman below her grinned and promptly kissed her soundly on the lips, not expecting Helena to reciprocate with such passion. She lost herself into the sensations and closed her eyes, arching her back when the Englishwoman conveniently settled her thigh in between hers. She broke away with a gasp. "I really, really missed you." Her voice broke. "It…it felt like before, when you weren't here and we, we thought you were gone forever." Tears rapidly filled her eyes and she did nothing to stop them.

"Shhh…How much sleep did you get last night, sweetheart?" Helena smoothed a finger around Myka's eyes tenderly.

"About 3 hours," Myka replied meekly.

"Well then, this," she suddenly flipped the woman over causing a massive sudden giggling fit from the lighter haired agent, "will be much needed and hopefully, much appreciated." She peeled off the woman's t-shirt taking advantage of the fact that Myka wasn't wearing a bra, raked her fingers up and down the soft back, then straddled her lover's hips, grasping the small bottle and squeezing a little oil into her palms. She grinned at Myka's moan. "I haven't even touched you yet."

"Well then what are you waiting for, woman!" Myka snorted. "Come onnn…" She finally sighed when warm hands spread deliciously around her back, just the right pressure. Not too hard, not too soft. This was awesome. Soft kisses were delivered to her shoulders, and she closed her eyes, resting her head on her crossed arms.

Though Helena was counting on lots of sex, she had to admit she wasn't exactly surprised when Myka promptly fell asleep, tiny snores coming from her mouth. Helena laughed to herself, and wiped the residue oil off with a tissue, before pulling up the covers and settling into bed knowing they had plenty of time to make love in the morning.