Hey. So this chapter delves into Leena's story a little further, so slightly less Myka/Helena stuff for the Bering and Wells fans, but there is a little. There will always be some in each chapter. This story is one of my favourite ones; I honestly feel like it's writing itself and I'm just providing the hands to type. Also, please don't hate me... I told you this would be one bumpy ride to get our girls together. Enjoy!

[rated M]

Leena's eyes blinked open when she felt a dip in the mattress and she brought her fist up to rub at them tiredly. "Hey," Claudia soothed. "How you feelin'?"

The innkeeper sat up in bed with a heavy sigh. "I'm fine," she shook her head, "don't fuss." She noticed Myka's presence in the room and cleared her throat.

"Made you breakfast." Claudia supplied helpfully. Leena grimaced. "What?" Claudia actually scowled. "You haven't even tried it yet."

"I'm not quite sure I want to," Leena shared a grin with Myka. The tall brunette's head tilted slightly to tell Leena to ease off a little. She turned to Claudia with a quirk of her lips. "You made this?" She looked down at the oatmeal with sprinkles of nuts and a drizzle of honey, the glass of orange juice next to it and a small sliced banana in a dish next to them.

"Sure… I can make things," Claudia huffed. Leena looked up, her eyes warming. To say she was touched was an understatement. Myka felt like she was walking in on a first date as the women stared at each other and she cleared her throat awkwardly once more.

"Call if you need anything," she said gently and slipped out of the room, closing the door and rushing to H.G to tell her she needed another backrub.

Claudia sighed and crawled over to the other side of the bed, sitting up and punching the pillow behind herself to get comfortable. "Eat your breakfast."

"When did you get so bossy?" Leena chuckled, but winced at the sting in her head.

"Oh… here." Claudia scattered a few Advil onto the tray. "See? I'm prepared."

"Bossy," Leena muttered with a smirk, then took a spoonful of oatmeal. She winced.

"You could at least pretend you liked it." Claudia grumbled.

Leena shook her head hastily, her eyes darting like she was on the verge of panic. She rubbed her throat and swallowed. "Sore…sorry."

Claudia's lips thinned. "'S'ok…" She began to chuckle. "Myka is convinced we're gay for each other. She's running around like the damned Easter Bunny."

Leena chuckled and took her pills with a swig of her orange juice, half closing her light sensitive eyes. "Don't you mean Cupid?"

"Cupid?" Claudia's mouth opened. "Come on… Cupid has way more grace."

Leena smiled and felt her friend snuggle closer. "You saying you've met the Easter bunny?"

The redhead laughed heartily and nodded. "Well… she's about 5"10', curly hair… and these crazy green eyes."

"Does she have ears?" Leena played along and ate a few more mouthfuls of her oatmeal

.
"Yep. Tiny little ears… for an Easter Bunny." Claudia smiled and swiped up a piece of banana. "How're you really feeling?"

"Everything sucks."

"Woah," Claudia got herself more comfortable. "Must be bad if you're saying 'suck'."

"I say suck," Leena muttered and closed her eyes. "My head…"

"Hurting?" Claudia watched the slow nod and felt for her friend. "Sorry you feel sucky."

A gradual smile spread across Leena's face. "I've got a good friend looking after me. Can't ask for anything else."

oxoxo

After another day, Leena had made a full recovery. Her fever had broken shortly after her breakfast from Claudia and they'd spent the day watching DVDs, while Myka, Helena and Pete strangely enjoyed a day of chores. They'd discovered that with the right company, doing the laundry, cleaning and shoveling the driveway was actually quite fun, though in the end it had turned into a ridiculous snowball fight, which then turned into a heavy make-out session between Myka and Helena in the deep mounds of snow. Pete had just grumbled and stomped inside mumbling something about gooseberries.

With the driveway clear, Leena took her chance. "I'm going to Allen." She said chirpily down the Farnsworth. "You guys need anything?"

Claudia shrugged and moved a pile of records out of her way before she rested her elbow on Artie's desk. "Nothing for me…" She turned to the rest of the room. "Guys?"

"Twizzlers…" Helena replied automatically causing a groan from Pete. Two Twizzler maniacs? It was too much for him to handle.

Claudia watched Leena nod, then turned around for a little privacy, lowering her voice. "You gonna be okay?"
Leena gave a strange smile. "Something I've got to do, I guess. I'll see you when I get home."

The redhead nodded, an unsure expression clouding her face. "Okay… see you soon." Claudia shut the Farnsworth and sighed. She wanted nothing more than to tag along… make sure this 'Melissa' wasn't actually a psycho bitch… or just be there for moral support. She felt a hand on her shoulder and Myka's gentle eyes blinking back at her.

"You okay?"

Claudia shrugged off the attention with an elbow. She was a little fed up with Myka making these little digs at her about Leena. She was fed up with how she was just adding false pretenses to everything. "I'm good." She replied and buried herself back into the old file she'd got her hands on.

Leena took a breath as she stood outside the tiny shack-like house that her date lived in and sighed. This was one of the most desolate places she had ever been to, and she knew South Dakota well. She grew up here. Allen was poor. Like, seriously poor… and her SUV stood out like a swollen, infected thumb. She knocked on the wooden door of the house and pondered how Melissa could be making any business. She also wondered how Melissa could own such a nice car, and live in such a place that would be easily named as a hovel. Truth be told, Leena had only ventured into the quaint little bookshop because she was out of gas, and she would never had stepped foot into Allen had her car threatened to stop. She sighed and heard the soft footsteps approach the door, then smiled instantaneously when Melissa opened it, mucky and dirty from a day of labor. The American Indian woman was dressed in ripped jeans, a baggy t-shirt and a cooking apron on. It was one of the most adorable sights Leena had ever clasped her eyes on. "Hi…"

"Hey there, wasn't expecting you," the smaller woman curled her lips into a smile. "Come in…"

Leena shuffled forward, frozen to the bone until she was greeted with warmth from the fireplace. She looked around the tiny house. A mattress lay on the floor, surrounded by cushions, and trinkets. The bed hadn't been made, but looked comfortable enough. In the corner of the room was a tiny television. There was a makeshift kitchen at the end of the room, an old rocking chair, and various pieces of items from Melissa's heritage hung on the walls. "Now this, is what I call homely," Leena grinned and found herself being tugged by the belt loop of her jeans into an embrace.

"Feels homelier now…" Melissa murmured and grinned inwardly when Leena finally bent down to give her a kiss.

Leena opened her mouth and tried not to moan when fingers twisted into her blouse and began to undo the buttons. "Wait," she pulled back. "I…I need to talk to you."

Melissa frowned, and nodded, pulling back until she was in the kitchen. "You want a drink?"

Leena sighed and looked around the place once more. It was very dark, save the three small lamps giving house light. Romantic. No, no…not romantic. Leena rolled her eyes at herself. "A tea?"

"Sure thing," Melissa grinned and put the kettle on, before joining Leena on the couch. "What's up?" She tugged Leena's feet up onto the couch and began to remove her snow sodden boots until navy blue wooly socks were revealed.

Leena had distractedly started to play with Melissa's dark brown hair, weighing the pros and cons of what she was going to say. Melissa stayed still at the attention, trying not to smile when Leena's eyes crossed slightly as she thought. "Sweetie?"

"Hmm…" Leena's eyes darted to the angular face in front of her.

"You were going to tell me something," Melissa chuckled. What she didn't count on was Leena suddenly straddling her. "Or not." She gasped. Grinning, she felt her lips being taken up in several kisses. They fell into each other, lips brushing in a more heated fashion, minds beginning to swim as the desire between them kicked in. Without a word, Melissa lifted the larger woman into her arms and fumbled over to the bed before safely placing her on top of the fluffy covers.

"I love your house." Leena murmured, looking up as Melissa threw off her apron.

Melissa frowned. "You do?"

"Yeah," the innkeeper sighed. God damn she was really happy. She wished she wasn't happy, but she was. And Melissa's aura was oozing contentment and warmth, something she needed right now.

"What about the tea?" Melissa still had her eye on the kettle yards away from them.

Leena began to chuckle and eventually managed to shrug off her blouse. "Fuck the tea…"

The bookkeeper grinned and placed herself between Leena's widened legs, letting Leena paw awkwardly at her t-shirt. "Don't swear, it's so not you."

Leena's fingers stilled momentarily as an image of Claudia chastising her for 'speaking geek' flashed through her mind. Her breath fluttered and she put on a smile. "You wanna take that back?"

Melissa thought about what they were about to do and let out a shy titter. "Okay…"

Guided by Leena's hands, the woman peeled off her bra, then her own and was tugged down by the innkeeper. "Come here…" Leena husked with a grin. Melissa lay down in her arms and fell into the kiss that was being offered. She closed her eyes and felt Leena arching up after each brush against her lips.

Their breasts pressed tighter together and the women became more frenzied as their thighs connected, moans filling the room. Rolling them over, Leena got up on her hands for support and cradled her lover's head in her arms as she kissed her. Melissa's lips parted further to let her in. She trusted her. The innkeeper shook slightly on her hands and knees and eased herself down.

Adrenaline was sometimes a curse, and right now, it was causing her to shake. She shook even more when the dark eyed woman placed her hand between her legs and entered her with perfect precision. Melissa smiled warmly at the woman who was trying to act as if she wasn't about to collapse. Time to change positions. She eased herself over and peppered the woman's face with kisses as they moved together until Leena sunk into the mattress and wrapped her legs around the bookkeeper's waist. She hadn't done this in so long, but now she was doing it, she had no idea why she'd waited such a long time. Even though she'd told Claudia she couldn't date anyone, she could date. She could if she wanted to, right? Why live your life miserably just because you were 'connected to the Warehouse' as Pete had put it that first day she'd met him. She could date. "Harder," she whined, shutting off her brain and letting herself get lost in the experience. Melissa did as she asked and it was then she finally focused, locking Claudia, Myka and everyone at the Warehouse out of her head. This was the best thing about being able to read auras. You could tell when someone was faking and right now, Melissa was into this, and so she would damn well be into this too.

oxoxo

Leena grinned down at the woman who clutched her middle tightly. "You okay?"

"Dead," Melissa chuckled back then popped her head up so fast, Leena would have broken her nose had she bent down to kiss the bookseller's hair like she'd planned. "Cookies!"

"Cookies?"

The naked brunette pranced into the kitchen hastily and took out some oven mitts from the top drawer, then pulled a tray of chocolate chip, freshly baked cookies from the bottom shelf.

"Ohhh, hence the apron, I get it now…" Leena sat up in bed and drew the duvet around herself to stop the cold from getting in.

"Yesss," Melissa chortled and dropped some onto a plate, then shuffled back to bed.

I don't deserve you, Leena thought with a shake of the head. She could have cried. This woman was completely and utterly adorable and she was falling hard and fast. "Oh god," she began to laugh. "Whatever you do, don't burn your tits."

"Pffft," Melissa grunted as she sat back down, a few cookies scattering onto the duvet. "Careful, they're hot." Leena took one of the cookies and bit down, smiling at the taste. "And? You like?" She nodded and licked her lips. "Ahem…" Melissa's long, dark eyelashes batted at her and Leena looked up to the clear of the throat. "Kiss for the chef?" The B&B owner rolled her eyes, then swallowed and moved the plate onto the floor, took the cookie that Melissa was about to chomp on, and flicked it onto the plate. "Hey!"

"I thought you wanted a kiss," Leena sighed, crawling under the covers.

"Oooh, I do," Melissa smiled and let her new lover settle in her arms, kisses being dotted against her chest before the innkeeper moved up to her lips. They made out leisurely for a few minutes until Leena pulled away with a hum. "Soo… I guess this our 6th date." Melissa whispered, twisting a finger around one of Leena's most prominent curls like it was a corkscrew.

"I guess it is," Leena rested her head on the thin shoulder, Melissa's left breast in her hand. "I've loved our 6th date."

"Me too," Melissa smiled and rubbed the soft chest, swirling her fingers around the skin gently. "You got enough time to sleep?"

"Sure," Leena yawned and rolled onto her side, grinning slyly when her lover covered her back and wrapped around her possessively. "Only a few hours though. Wake me up?"

"I will." The young woman smiled and caressed her middle. "Sleep well."

By 6pm, everybody was at home but one. Claudia had begun to pace. "She should be here by now."

"Claud… chill," Pete rolled his eyes. "Probably getting a little loving in, am I right, ladies?" He grinned at the women who were lying on the couch.

Helena scoffed and shot Pete a death glare. "Claudia, come and sit down." She patted the space next to her.
"I'm good," Claudia shook her head.

"Here, let me ring her." Myka flipped her Farnsworth open and contacted the woman.

Leena woke up to the incessant buzzing coming from her purse. She wiped her eyes and looked down at the hand splayed across her belly. Leaning over, she turned the light on and groaned. "Shit," she picked up the Farnsworth and blinked. "Myka," she cleared her voice. "Oh god, I am so sorry."

"Hey there, sleeping beauty." Myka began to laugh. "You alright?"

Leena covered herself up with the quilt and nodded, trying to clear her throat from its husk. "I'm… I am so sorry, I'll be home in an hour."

"Hey, no… take your time. It's all good," she smiled but Leena wasn't so sure.

Leena felt the woman behind her shift and mewl as she woke up slowly. "Who is it?" Melissa croaked and began to kiss Leena's back with a grin.

Leena automatically shivered, "I gotta go." She whispered to Myka who gave a big wink. Hanging up, Leena turned in her lover's arms. "Sorry… I meant that both ways, I really have to go."

"Everything okay?" Melissa bent down to press comical sloppy kisses across Leena's chest, licking at a nipple with that same grin.

Leena tried not to chuckle. She really did but it tickled so much and she batted Melissa's head away with a feigned huff as her laughter died down. "I have to leave, I'm sorry…they were checking up on me."

Melissa merely shrugged and took a stone-cold cookie in her hand, offering it to her lover. "One for the road?"

Leena smiled and leaned forward, taking a little bit in between her teeth. She slowly began to get changed, until finally she was stood at the front door, wrapped in her coat and scarf. "Thank you for the cookies." She held up the bag, knowing Pete would love her forever should she give them to him. Two cookie obsessed people now in her life. Three, counting Artie and his oatmeal scotchies.

"Thank you for the visit. It was pretty awesome," Melissa grinned somewhat bashfully and shuffled on her feet. Her dark hair was scattered everywhere, mussed from sleep and sex. "Text me when you get home?"

Leena nodded and stepped forward, pecking her lover on the lips. "Enjoy the rest of your evening."

"Books and cookies, I can't fault it." At the quirk of Leena's eyebrow, she grinned lecherously and pulled her in for another kiss, then gave her a tap on the ass. "Night."

"Goodnight." And with that, Leena was gone, and headed down to Univille.

"Sorry, sorry," Leena dashed through the front door to see all four B&B residents sat at the kitchen table, tucking into dinner.

"Well they there, lover girl," Myka grinned, earning a kick out of Helena.

"Here," Helena smiled at the woman who awkwardly tugged off her coat and hung it up. "We've saved you some dinner just incase you haven't eaten. I hope chicken casserole should suffice?"

"Lovely," Leena rushed. "Thank you." She sat down and tried to get Claudia's attention, but the younger woman was having none of it. Sighing and taking a bite, she smiled. "This is great."

"Claudia made it, I helped." Pete shoveled some potato into his mouth.

Leena's mouth widened. "This is amazing, Claud."

"Thanks." The redhead said. "Excusing myself now." She'd had enough and ruffled a hand through her hair. Half of her was screaming at herself for acting like such a brat. The rest of her was pissed off that one of her best friends had said no word about where she was, or if she was okay, or when she'd be home. "Night." She stood up and left the table before jogging up the stairs.

"Did I do something wrong?" Leena coughed back some really stupid irrational tears.

"Nah," Pete shook her head. "Methinks it's a little PMT," he whispered the last bit as if it were a huge conspiracy. "Ow!" He rubbed his shin and avoided Myka's glare.

Myka put a hand on the woman's wrist. "She's fine. Hard day… Artie was a little tough on her."

"Should have been there," Leena mumbled, helping herself to some wine.

Myka shrugged, "It's fine, okay? You had stuff to do."

Helena perked up. "Did you, by any chance, pick up my Twizzlers?" Leena groaned and covered her eyes. "Ah…" The older woman sat back with a nearly invisible pout, "not a bother, another time perhaps."

She smiled and left the table with a casual kiss to Myka's lips. Leena looked at the two left at the table. There was only one thing running through Leena's head. Something had to change. She couldn't go gallivanting around because she was starting to fall in love. She couldn't neglect her duties as an innkeeper. She couldn't slack off, she couldn't miss cooking meals, and she couldn't piss off Claudia more than she already had. She'd end things. Tomorrow. Before anything got too deep. Easier said than done. She rolled her tear filling eyes and took a bite of chicken.

Easier said than done.