A/n just a quick thank you to all my readers. It'svery encouraging to have my first W13 ff so well received. Special shout to all the Trinis reading. I was super elated to see I have some local readers :)
"Myka I'm sorry for leaving you," Helena sobbed.
"Hey, shhhhh, you have nothing to be sorry for Helena. You were brave and strong, you sacrificed your own life to protect others. To protect me."
With that, Myka pulled Helena into her arms, holding on to the young woman as five years of pent up anguish found release in her tears. After five years of feeling that sense of loss, of feeling incomplete, Myka finally felt the pieces of herself falling into place. She held on to Helena for dear life.
As Helena's tears subsided, she pulled away to look at Myka.
"Gosh I'm terribly sorry Myka. I show up after five years and all I'm doing is crying my eyes out here."
Myka silenced Helena with a single finger on her lips before resting her forehead on Helena's.
"Helena, please stop apologizing. I admire you for what you did." she paused, looking into her friend's eyes.
Myka felt this strange urge to close the remaining distance between them and press her lips to Helena's, just so she could convey what she couldn't say to her friend. To be honest, Myka knew that she had always felt more than friendship towards Helena. Even before she could understand what it was she was feeling, she knew that there was something more to what she felt for her friend. Five years ago there was an innocent joy she felt every time she was around Helena. She would feel restless until she could see Helena again. She would wait impatiently to play in the park with her or to explore the woods had in hand with her friend. But in this moment there was more than just innocent, child-like joy she felt. There were butterflies fluttering in her stomach and she couldn't keep her eyes from the curve of her friend's full lips.
As if right on poorly-timed cue, Pete's truck pulled up again and he alighted the vehicle and jogged towards them. The moment now gone, Myka pulled away from Helena and scooted away on the bench.
"Hey-o, all good here?" he asked, looking from Myka to Helena.
"Yes Pete, we were just catching up on lost time," Helena responded, stealing a glance at Myka.
Helena had felt the change in her friend just before Pete's return. Something had changed in Myka's eyes, in the way she was looking at Helena. Myka's shifting gaze to Helena's lips hadn't gone un-noticed, and the older girl wished Pete hadn't shown up in that instant. There was so much hope for more in that moment.