A/N: Seemed only fitting to post something on HG Wells' birthday. Thanks for reading along and for all the feedback. Much appreciated.
"Talent perceives differences; genius, unity." William Butler Yeats
Jane Tierney-Lattimer woke up that morning and found her husband sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for her.
"Oh, thanks," the Chief of Detectives said, reaching out for the much needed cup of coffee. "You're my hero."
Pete had wanted to tell his wife about the invitation to Helena's designation event, but she was working late and got in at two in the morning.
"This case is kicking my butt," she admitted as she sat up. "Where's Pete Jr.?"
"He's sleeping," her husband assured her. "Listen…"
"Now, they want me to consult with a guy who's dealt with this kind of stuff before," Jane lamented, unaware that her husband was trying to tell her something.
"Well, that's good, right?" Pete said.
"Yeah, the dude is with Scotland Yard, so no way am I going over there," her nard nosed New Yorker said.
"Well, speaking of going to merry old England," Pete said.
"I'm not leaving you two," Jane said because she made it a daily promise that her family came first.
"I have a way for us to all go," Pete smiled.
"Air fare, hotel, Pete, it's so much money," the woman said.
"Actually, I think we can hitch a ride," Pete said because Myka shared that if everyone was going, they'd used the rarely used private jet.
"You know there's that big pond between us and them, right?" Jane laughed, thinking her sweet husband was just trying to help.
"Helena is going to be knighted and we're invited!" he yelled, standing up.
"What?" Jane asked, thinking she might have a harder time solving the cryptic message her husband was relaying than the terrorist linked case she was working on.
"HG is being Damed!" Pete explained.
"What does that even mean?" Jane asked. "Like Judi Dench? Maggie Smith?"
"Well, yeah, except HG is getting it for being a genius and like…," he whispered, looking around even though no one was there; "… you know, like a hundred and fifty years old!"
That fact, shared among the couple's closest friends, was still hard for some to get their head around. But Jane took it at face value because she had come to respect Helena and she always trusted Myka.
"She was there…," Jane said, thinking about it.
"When it was Queen Victoria!" Pete said.
"Damn!" Jane uttered.
"No, it's Dame, I checked," Pete explained.
"And she wants us to go?" his wife asked.
"Yep! And we have to wear hats. Do you have a hat?" Pete asked.
"You know I do; but I don't think a fedora is on the acceptable list. I'm not wearing one of those flowery things, Pete," Jane said.
"Okay, okay, but there's a list of things and we have to read them on the way over," Pete said.
Jane could tell how excited he was to be invited and she knew how much the Brit meant to him, after all these years of devoted service to her.
"Okay, then…," Jane agreed, making life easy for him. No man wants to be caught between two of the most important women in his life.
"GREAT!" he shouted and started to talk in a faux British accent.
"Pete?" she said, making his turn to look at her. "Whatever you pack, leave that accent home."
Myka knew that going back to Wells Corp would be a big deal for Helena. "Would you like Cate and me to come with you?" she asked over tea that morning.
"Yes," Helena said, because she didn't want to admit she was hesitant, but the fact that this was her first visit since she left said it all.
The woman how had a longer history than anyone, didn't like looking back. As much as her past had held the seeds of her genius; it was also the place of loss and torment.
Irene arrived bright and early and was delighted when Myka said they were all going.
"I know this is big," Myka whispered to her as she helped Cate on with her coat. "I'm sort of glad you insisted she go."
"I am afraid it's like removing a Band-Aid," Irene confessed. "Sometimes, with her, you have to rip it off."
Helena came down the stairs, dressed impeccably. "Oh, thank God," she said upon seeing her friend.
"Glad to see me, Helena?" Irene asked.
"Glad to see you found something to wear," Helena said of the woman's pink suit.
"I don't think she likes my attire since I retired," Irene commented to Myka.
"I've never liked your attire," Helena corrected her. "But your retirement clothes are especially…," and Myka coughed to make sure her wife chose her words wisely in front of the two year old listening. "… interesting."
Irene stifled her laugh because she knew Helena was serious. The woman was easily offended by other's wardrobes.
"Oh, by the way," Helena said on their way to the building, "... we're all going abroad tomorrow."
"Are you?" Irene asked and looked at Myka.
"By all…," Myka started to explain.
"So, please, get your best outfits together. You're meeting the Queen," Helena said, with the least amount of information possible.
"Right!" Irene laughed.
"Helena is invited to be… designated. For real," Myka explained. "She wants us all to be there tomorrow."
"Actually, she wanted us today, but I knew what a fit you'd throw if we upset your plans, so here we are," Helena said, throwing her hands up at the building she built from the ground up.
The news was enough to distract Irene from her purpose for accompanying Helena. She forgot to warn her about the many changes she was about to see.
"Bullocks," Helena said, when Irene remained motionless, taking in the story. "Shall we?" she said, going through the main doorway.
Then, the woman who had designed the entire Well Corp stopped short in her tracks.
"Oh, Helena, I meant to tell you…," Irene said, rushing in after Myka and Cate joined the Brit.
"SO BIG!" Cate said, throwing her arms up in the air.
The interior that once housed a paneled entrance with a bank of elevators and a front desk was now one large opened space with large glass windows. There were stations behind a glass wall where individuals worked at desks next to one another. Groups of people gathered at stations or around large screens as they collaborated on projects.
A screech announced Claudia's arrival as she rushed towards them. "Where my CATE!" she yelled, making a fuss over her favorite toddler.
"I'm here!" Cate said, as if she needed to clarify that.
"She is so… you know who," the techie said, bending down to pick her up. "Hello, hello," Claudia said, leaning in to kiss her friends. One look at Helena's wild-eyed expression told her Irene had not done her job. "You didn't tell her?"
"I… there… she's…," Irene started three separate thoughts.
"Oh, oh, Helena, you finally broke Irene?" Claudia teased.
Just then, a staff member flew out of the long tubular structure that connected to an upper floor. He landed at the high-heeled feet of the former CEO. He didn't quite have a handle of the shoot transportation system and seemed dazed when he stood up to face the dark eyed woman glaring at him.
"Holy crap! You're…," he stammered.
"…Not amused," Helena completed his thought. "What…?"
"Oh, that's our slide so people can slide…," Claudia stumbled over the explanation.
"Looks like fun," Myka whispered.
There was an entirely new look to the space that once was Helena's reign. When Eileen and Claudia took over, they created a very different feel with open spaces and no offices.
"My office?" Helena asked and Claudia gulped.
"We… sort of left that intact," the techie explained because no one could bring themselves to dismantle it.
Helena nodded, but bore no expression. Then, she caught sight of her brother's great-great granddaughter behind a glass partition. She walked over slowly as she watched the young woman conduct a meeting with at least twenty people. Helena couldn't hear anything, but she could tell from the way the young woman moved, everyone knew she was definitely in charge.
Irene and Myka caught the smile of satisfaction that crept across Helena's face. She was proud of the woman who once occupied the desk outside of her office. Eileen had come a long way.
When Eileen caught sight of Helena, she quickly concluded the meeting and rushed out to greet her. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to meet you," she apologized and hugged Helena warmly. Then, she did the same with Myka and Irene and gave Cate a big greeting.
Helena listened as Eileen and Claudia explained the architectural design of the interior and the purpose behind each selection. She raised an eyebrow when Eileen introduced her to a group of young women that she shared were among their top programmers.
"You're not surprised they're all women are you, H?" Claudia joked.
"I'm surprised they're all of legal age," said the former CEO who felt the group looked so young.
"Hurts, don't it?" Irene said to Myka.
The groups were appropriately intimidated by Helena's appearance, even though she eventually warmed up to them and remained polite.
Irene looked around and sighed. There was definitely a feeling of nostalgia as she thought back to how she first came to work for Helena. And how Myka came to be the love of Helena's life.
"There's such history here, isn't there?" Irene said to Helena.
The taller woman looked around; her dark eyes gazing out on the place. But she never said a word.
This is what worried Irene.
"I do hope the two of you can take the next couple of days off," Helena said.
"Oh, I have this huge project," Claudia was saying Myka offered more information.
"Helena is going to be designated by the Queen and we're all invited," she smiled.
"Designated?" Eileen said.
"By the Queen?" Claudia added. "What… what does that mean?"
"It means the Queen is knighting Helena," Myka said proudly, her chest naturally protruding with pride.
"And I already put her off one day because of this one," Helena explained, casting an eye at Irene. "So, tomorrow it must be."
"You … really put the Queen off… because of me?" Irene asked astounded.
"Yes," Helena said. "Believe it or not, she does not whine as badly as you do."
And with that, Helena concluded her tour of the new Wells Corp and started to walk out of the building.
"God, I miss her so much," Eileen admitted.
"We are so going to England," Claudia concluded.
