Oh wow we're getting close to the end. Only two more chapters left after this one. Hope you're still enjoying the ride, let me know what you think. Hope you also enjoy the special guest star…
oxoxo
Myka looked at the door for a few seconds before turning to Mrs. Frederic, hands on her hips. "Did you know? Did you know Melissa was going to die?"
The old woman sighed and leaned against the banister of the stairs. "I knew of her heritage."
Helena was visibly shaken and paced furiously around the lobby. "Mrs. Frederic, if I may be so bold as to ask, will Claudia be punished?"
Mrs. Frederic turned to her with a held breath, "I will deal with Claudia accordingly," she replied smoothly. "I'm sure you'll keep this matter between Claudia and I between yourselves?" Both agents nodded, though Myka looked rather murderous. "As you were, ladies." And with that, for once, the two lovers watched Mrs. Frederic excuse herself out of the front door.
Myka watched as Helena worked herself up a little more and took her hand before pulling her into a long hug. "Hey…"
"Myka, this actually sucks."
Myka pulled back with a gentle grin. "Did you just say suck?"
"Am I not allowed to say it? Because frankly, I can't think of a better way to describe the situation." H.G huffed, her head resting comfortably against Myka's shoulder. She didn't want to move.
"No, no," Myka swayed them slightly. "You're allowed to say it. I know you're worried…" She was shocked to hear Helena sniffling lightly. "Sweetie, come on! You know they're stronger than this…"
Helena sighed and bashfully looked up as Myka wiped her tears away. "But what if Leena doesn't come back? I'll miss her."
"Helena, come on... She's gonna come back. She has to." Myka pecked the tears away, a little baffled as to why this was shaking the smaller woman up so much. "Want me to make you feel better?"
Helena pressed her forehead against her girlfriend's and sighed, her eyes closing. "You can try…" Myka smiled sadly and pressed her lips against the other woman's to fix the pout.
"How's that?" Myka stroked her cheek.
"A little more," Helena's breath fluttered across the agent's chin. Myka nodded and kissed her a little harder, running her hands up and down her back.
When they separated, Myka gave one more peck on the lightly quivering lip and murmured softly. "She'll come back." She smiled, "You made friends, huh?"
"I did." Helena nodded. "I didn't think I'd meet anybody besides Chaturanga who shared my deep love of tea." Myka chuckled softly and tapped her lover gently on the backside. "Come on, let's go make some breakfast while we wait for Artie." Helena nodded and let herself be taken over to the kitchen, wondering what would happen without their innkeeper.
oxoxoxo
Claudia's first place to look was Melissa's house. It was eerie. Using the sonic screwdriver she'd obtained from Helena, she looked around the area once, then twice before discreetly letting herself in. The house was empty, abandoned and there was no sign of the innkeeper at all. "Leena?" She called out just in case. Nothing. She looked through some of the paperwork on Melissa's desk and found the address to the bookstore. Next place on her list. Typing the zip code into her GPS, she left the house and got into the car. The bookstore was just as empty, and the only thing out of the ordinary was the abandoned paperwork on the cashier's desk. She looked around with a sigh. All these books, left to waste without an owner. Suddenly she touched her face in wonder, fresh tears running down her cheeks. She was crying for a woman she didn't even know, but she knew that the young woman had made her friend happy. That made this whole situation even more screwed up.
Claudia left the shop and locked up, not sure what was going to happen with the repossession of Melissa's belongings. Closing her eyes, she leant against the wall and tried to focus. She was about to freak the fuck out, and she knew it. She thought back to last night when Leena's mouth was on hers, the gentle press of tongue against her lips. In instinct, she tasted her own lips in memory, letting out a sigh. She'd never even had time to consider sexuality as a teen. She'd distracted herself with blueprints, with schematics and wires. Now though, she was exposed to strong women, Myka… then Helena came along, and though she had initially not liked Leena, her aura reading skills had always been alluring. Leena's beauty was at times intimidating, but once she'd got passed the initial threat, the fact that Leena really just was that generous, and that kind, made falling for her even easier. Realizing she'd been stood against the building for at least ten minutes, she cleared her throat feeling entirely embarrassed before making her way back to the car. She drove out a few miles before finding herself distracted by her thoughts.
Before she knew it, she was edging near Wounded Knee. Sighing, she pulled over and looked out at the snowy expanse of the Big Foot Trail. "Leena," she sniffed, "where the fuck are you?" Closing her eyes, she placed her head on the steering wheel and let her mind clear. She'd basically just inherited a B&B. Startled suddenly by the unmistakable whir of her Farnsworth, Claudia wiped tears from her cheeks and answered to find Myka gazing back sympathetically.
"Hey…"
"Has she gone?" Claudia mumbled in annoyance.
"She's gone," Myka hushed. "Artie's just left. He's pretty shaken up. Where are you?"
Claudia looked around the area and shivered, the cold beginning to get to her. "Wounded Knee. Something just… made me drive here."
Myka bit her lip and nodded. Both women cleared their throats and looked away to keep composure. "Hey sweetie?" Claudia looked up and sniffed as she looked at the screen again. "H.G's made some real tasty soup, you gonna come home and try some?" Claudia knew she was trying to cheer her up and she half heartedly nodded. "I guess…umm, no luck huh? In finding her?" Myka asked, wincing.
"Nope," Claudia swallowed and shook her head. "She's gone. For good I think. Does Mrs. F know where she is?" Myka's low-spirited gaze was all she needed in answer. "Fuck…"
"I know," the older woman nodded. "Come home, it's nice and warm here." Claudia nodded, frantically wiping tears from her sunken in eyes and closed the Farnsworth. Taking a deep breath, she restarted the car and made her way home.
oxoxo
With the longest ten days behind them, the Warehouse 13 staff refused to believe it was only two days until Christmas. Claudia had spent most of her evenings in Leena's old bedroom, listening to music. Leena was well and truly gone. "Mind if I come in?" Claudia jumped and whirled around, having spent the last fifteen minutes cleaning up after lunch. Pete was sick suffering from the flu, while Myka and Helena were in Ukraine, tracking down and artifact that was causing people to suddenly disappear; a mere statue left in their wake. Mrs. Frederic stood rather shyly at the door of the kitchen. Claudia could have fainted at the woman's uncharacteristic posture.
"I don't think my say in the matter will change anything, do you?" Claudia bit her lip.
"Perhaps not," Mrs. Frederic said quietly and sat down on the nearest barstool.
Claudia sighed and shrugged off the rubber gloves she'd been using to wash up, finding her skin sensitive to the soap suds after she'd taken over the inn herself. "I'm guessing you're gonna arrest me, or fire me or something? Took your time."
Mrs. Frederic stayed silent for a long moment before she began to speak in a hushed tone, "Claudia, as much as it pains me to say this, I have to admit you were right."
"I'm…I'm sorry?" Claudia choked.
Irene tried not to smile. Despite her depressive state and her recent maturity, Claudia's persona was still so full of star-stricken wonder. "Claudia… you won't be punished."
"I won't?" the redhead was finding it hard to breathe.
"No, you won't." Mrs. Frederic merely said. "Yet we won't speak of this matter ever again, and you will not, and I stress will not, speak to me in that way ever again, do you hear?"
"Yes," Claudia nodded, feeling her knees go weak. "I promise." Silence fell upon them and Claudia dared to slowly raise her eyes to the caretaker. "Have you seen her? Do…do you know where she is?"
Mrs. Frederic shook her head in dismay. "The tracking system I have often used to trace Leena isn't working. She's blocking any connection between our bond, and I have no way of finding where she is."
Claudia felt a little nauseous. "You… you mean you monitor her movements? Her… you see what she's done?"
Mrs. Frederic raised her eyebrow. "Are you referring to your sexual relationship with Leena? I assure you, I give her the utmost level of privacy-"
"Just…just stop talking," Claudia shuddered and shook her head, waving her hands around. "Please, I can not talk about this with you… you're…you're Mrs. F.. just," she grimaced and covered her ears, humming and hopping around the room to pretend as if nothing ever happened.
Mrs. Frederic had the decency to smirk, a smile that graced her lips for the first time since Leena had left. "Claudia, I will let you know if something comes up, you know that, don't you?"
Claudia looked at the caretaker with an untrusting gaze. "You will?"
"You and Leena share a unique bond. I'm confident that should she choose to come back to the Warehouse, it will be your doing." Claudia tried not to puff out her chest in pride, she really did. But her ego was being stroked and to have Mrs. Frederic have that much confidence in her was terrifying, yet also pretty awesome.
Soon after, Mrs. Frederic left, and Claudia kept herself busy, throwing in the bunch of bed sheets from Myka's room into the washing machine. She never thought that doing chores would become her life, but here she was. Even Artie didn't like it, and promised he'd try to talk to Mrs. Frederic about somebody else taking on the job. She also knew that if it hadn't been for Leena giving the B&B to her, she wouldn't be seen dead doing this. She was given a job to do, and she'd do it.
After checking on Pete half an hour later, and giving him some soup, Claudia tried to keep herself company by playing a few chords on her guitar in the conservatory, gazing out gloomily through the small-paned windows.
A rap at the window caused her to look up from the heartbreaking tune she'd strummed out, and the guitar in her arms clanged to the floor when she looked up in shock. She looked at the hand, pressed against the window pane, condensation flickering around the fingers and knuckles. Standing up, she tried to forced herself to breathe, face to face with one Steve Jinks, luggage bag slung over his shoulder. "J-Jinksy?"
Steve pressed his face close to the window and hollered out, "You gonna let me in? Or are you gonna let me freeze to death?"
Claudia just about managed to run to the French windows, flinging them open with such strength, the man thought the doors would come off the hinges. She dived into her friend's arms and clutched him tightly, not entirely sure if she could physically let go. Steve just grinned widely and held her close, glad to be finally home.
Claudia Donovan was never one for keeping her composure. Once, Leena caught her crying at How To Train Your Dragon and though it was embarrassing at the time, she'd give anything to have the both of them snuggled under a blanket having their usual Wednesday sleepover, when Myka, Helena and Pete had all gone to bed. She'd do anything to get that moment back.
A sudden sob shocked Steve and he tried to pry the redhead away from his chest, until sad eyes blinked back up at him. "Claud?"
Claudia choked back tears, shaking her head furiously to pretend she was okay. In her time of need, Steve had returned and though she didn't know the reason, she felt like this very moment was a gift from whoever called the shots. Finally, she caved. "It's all fraked up. Everything is totally messed up," she found herself murmuring.
"Wh…what do you mean?" Steve frowned, rubbing his hand up and down her back to soothe her, though he had no idea why he needed to.
"Leena… Leena left. Her girlfriend was killed by an artifact," Claudia blubbered. "And she left me this place, and Myka and H.G are in Ukraine… Pete's upstairs reenacting the black death and I'm alone, Steve," she vented, "I have never felt so alone in my life." She let her friend wipe her tears away, then went quiet until she, rather suddenly, punched him in the shoulder. She lifted her head in shock. "Wait… you're back. Why are you back?"
"Nice to see you too," he rolled his eyes with a grin and helped them off the floor. "Can't spend Christmas without my BFFEWYLION, now can I?" There was slight sadness in his eyes, the B&B still triggering mild sensations of discomfort. Claudia somewhat excitedly pulled him into the living parlor until they were seated on the couch. "Talk to me, Claud… tell me what's going on." He took his hands in hers and she looked down at him before opening her mouth and letting out a month's worth of locked up thoughts.
After Claudia had finished, Steve's face hadn't moved for about a minute. "Wow," he soon whispered.
Suddenly the redhead began to laugh and she lay along the length of the couch looking up at the old gothic ceiling. "Yeah, you missed a hell of a lot." she gave a sniffling laugh and wiped her eyes. "Steve?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you back?"
"For Christmas," Steve nodded with a gentle smile.
"Back for Christmas meaning the perfect Christmas present ever, or, back for Christmas and only for Christmas?" Claudia asked excitedly.
"Well…" Steve shrugged. "If Mrs. Frederic and the Regents give me clearance… Hopefully not just for Christmas." He watched as Claudia's shoulders began to shake once more, her body wracked with sobs, this time happy, bittersweet tears rolling steadily down her cheeks.
"Hey…" He soothed and rubbed her knee.
"I just… I'm so happy you're home," she sniveled. "I want Leena home too… I just want her home." He stayed quiet and carried on rubbing her kneecap gently with his thumb.
"You haven't seen her? Or spoken to her since she left?"
Claudia shook her head. "Woman's like the Ellen Austin… she literally vanished." She leaned forward and grabbed a few chocolate coins lying in a bowl on the coffee table, as if that would make her feel more into the Christmas spirit. They hadn't even put up a Christmas tree. It was amazing that without Leena, they'd pretty much come to a standstill as a family. It wasn't so much that they couldn't do it, it was that Leena brought domesticity to the B&B. She lived to make sure people were comfortable, that they were well looked after, healthy and happy. And apparently that wasn't enough. "She just… left me."
Steve's heart broke at the young woman's sorrow and pulled her close for a hug. He looked at the bare corner of the room. "Hey…"
"Huh?"
"How about we go out, go find the scrawniest looking tree and you can talk to me some more about it." He was slightly surprised at the shake of the head and Claudia tore away from the hug, scrubbing her face.
"Not much point. It's not the same…"she muttered and stood up, beginning to pace. "You know what's the worst thing? She didn't give me any warning. We were making out, she was grieving… I told her I couldn't, not yet and boom." She smacked her hands together. "Gone. Like I had no say in the matter."
"Woah, wait, back up…" Steve's eyes crossed slightly in confusion. "You were making out?" He jumped up from the couch. "You were making out…..with Leena."
"Oh god," Claudia groaned and gripped her head, covering her face with her hands. "No…?"
He didn't even have to tell her she was lying, it was so see-through. "You and Leena have a thing?" He hopped up excitedly. "Why didn't you tell me you had a thing?"
Claudia's face darkened and she shook her head dismissively, moving around the dining table to pick up crumbs from her solo, pathetic excuse for a dinner. "We didn't have a thing. We couldn't, because she took off." She paused and looked him squarely in the eye. "I'm glad my sorry excuse for a love life is making you so excited, Jinksy. Seriously?" He lost his smile with haste, "I mean I know you've been around the world loving it up with Liam, but things aren't made of rainbows and unicorns over here, okay?"
"Ow," he muttered and scratched the back of his head, watching the young woman moving around the room clearing bits and bobs. "Shit, Claud, what happened to you? You're… older…"
She looked up at him in disbelief. "Well," she spluttered slightly, trying desperately not to lose her voice. "Firstly, you died." she ticked it off her index finger, "H.G died… Mrs. Frederic died, and what do you know, the Warehouse did too… remember? Kaboom. Dead." She watched his face fall but felt no remorse. "Secondly, you came back, but you left again… you left me, Steve. And Leena? Leena looked after me, and held me, and talked to me… she told me all about how my aura was changing, that it was getting darker, but grander, special… And then, she starts seeing Melissa…" Steve stayed mute, realizing there and then that the situation this Christmas was in fact very grave indeed. "And Melissa…sure I was jealous, okay? Because okay, I'm in love with Leena…" she gave a sad nod. "I know I am, but I never, ever wanted Melissa dead." she hissed, "I never wanted to see her telling Leena she loved her as she was taking her last breaths." She made no move to brush the tears from her face. "I didn't want to see Leena suddenly become a person I don't even recognize, and I really didn't want her to leave me."
Steve blinked and nodded, stuffing her hands into his pockets. "I'm sorry…" Claudia's lip shook at the apology and he opened his arms, relieved when she walked into them. "Shhh, I'm so sorry," he wrapped his arms firmly around her small frame and kissed the top of her head. "I'll do anything I can not to leave you again."
"W-What about Liam?" She sniffed and pulled back, looking up at him after a few moments of composure.
Steve bit his lip. "He's here… In Univille."
Claudia squawked, "In Univille?"
Steve smiled then, a bright smile that she hadn't seen in so long, she was about to lose it again. "He's my one, Claud."
Claudia blinked. "For real?"
"For real, for real." Steve nodded awkwardly. "And he's uhh… pretty okay with it. Although he's met Mrs. F and I think he's still having nightmares."
Claudia let out a hearty chuckle and moved her way over to the kitchen. "Well, I think this calls for a celebration, don't you? When am I going to meet this hummer of a man?" She flung open the fridge and took out a beer, then offered one to him, to which he politely shook his head. She held up a carton of grape juice and he grinned, nodding. Snapping open the bottle of beer, she took a long glug, then poured Steve's drink and handed it to him.
"Drinking beer, I see…" he muttered.
"Finally can," she shrugged and squinted her eyes at him. "You're changing the subject. I wanna meet him."
"Well," he shrugged, "He's pretty lagged, how about… we come over for Christmas day? That okay with you?"
A strong smile wormed its way across Claudia's face and she nodded, licking her lips before taking another swig of her pilsner. She nodded again, more positively this time. "Sure." She watched him smile. "I'd love that."
After another hour of persuading, and another bottle of beer down for Claudia, she happily let herself be driven to the tree farm. "Pick one," Steve smiled, watching as Claudia hemmed and hawed, pacing, and plucking at the fir needles until she finally pointed.
"That one," she chirped. Forcing the image of Leena's face into the back of her head, she closed her eyes and opened them to focus on the present. It was starting to get a little tedious. One moment she was in the middle of something, then the vision of Leena crying her eyes out in the middle of nowhere would haunt her
and she'd be forced to close her eyes and try to wish it away.
"Positive?"
Claudia took a deep breath and nodded to the medium sized tree with a comically wide girth. "It's cute."
"Okay," Steve nodded and pulled out a few bills, handing them to the man who watched them eagerly. "The cute tree it is." he smiled, but noticed Claudia's vacant look. That wasn't the beer talking, the young woman was well and truly lost. He sighed and tried to make light of the situation. "Here, help me with this thing…"
Claudia sprung to life and nodded, shifting her coat so that her arms could move a little better and they both trudged back in the snow towards the car with the new Christmas tree in their arms.