Disclaimer: I still don't own any part of Warehouse 13 and honestly, I really don't want to. It's much more fun to play with the toys and put them back to play with later.
A/N: As always, thank you for your comments and reviews. They are always appreciated and thoughtfully considered. They help keep me on track at times and always honest. Keep crying, keep laughing. Without one, you can't have the other.
"Are you still…what was it you said? Flying?" Helena asked coyly. She held Myka loosely, fingers slowly playing across her shoulder and arm, her hand drifting periodically to caress the flushed face.
"Cloud nine," Myka murmured dreamily against the crook of her neck. Myka suddenly erupted into a fit of giggles. "Five minutes?"
"A challenge well met, my dear," Helena joined in the mirth, hugging her closer.
"That was no challenge," Myka accused. She crawled over her, settling fully on top and traced the curling lips. "That was a demand," she whispered, tickling Helena's ear.
"And one I shall be certain to remember in the future when you decide to ply such audacious methods upon me." Helena's eyes were bright with amusement, scraping her nails up Myka's back to her shoulders. "Darling, you do get heavy at times like these. You are crushing me at the moment," Helena grunted, flipping her over. Their positions reversed, she settled slightly to the side, leaning on her elbow. She played with the rogue locks of hair looking into an arrogant face she so rarely saw. She caressed Myka's cheek, softly kissing her, feathering a kiss on each eyelid and returning to her mouth for a slower, much deeper kiss. "That electric blanket is no substitute for your warmth. This is just the beginning isn't it?"
Confused, Myka frowned, cocking her head slightly. "Beginning of what?" she asked, brushing the falling hair behind Helena's ear.
"Oooh," Helena sighed heavily, rolling onto her back, resting her head on her arm. "Of cold, lonely nights again." She turned her head facing Myka. "I fear I'm getting a taste of my own medicine, as they say. I am getting ever so vague a sense of what I put you through. At least I get the advantage of being back here on this side of things. You did not. I am so sorry."
"Helena, I know it's not easy, but I'm trying not to dwell on any of that anymore. I wish you would too. The future, remember? The cold, lonely nights suck for both of us, but we're just doing our job, sort of, since it's not really official. Artie did say I would be called out a lot though. He's got something up his sleeve and he's not saying."
"I'd already considered that. He was very evasive with me. More so than usual." Helena's stomach rumbled, making them both laugh. "Well done, love. Not only have you nearly worn me out, you've once again succeeded in creating a voracious appetite, in more ways than one." With a quick kiss, she jumped out of bed looking around the floor. "Where are my clothes?" she asked, grabbing Myka's blue shirt.
Myka sat up leaning back on her elbows rolling her eyes, dumbfounded. She threw a pillow at her. "Downstairs, you dolt. Remember? Where this all started?"
"Ah, yes. And how did we get up here, again?" Helena asked perplexed, her stomach growling again.
"I carried you!" Myka exclaimed. "You were a little preoccupied at the time, but my back is sure to remember. My hand certainly does. Where are you going?"
"To get something to eat, of course. I told you. I'm famished. I think there's some leftover spaghetti and meatballs in the refrigerator. Oh, and I bought a new jar of pepperoncini and found kimchi. Ooohh, and seasoned seaweed." She smiled. "The cupboards are stocked now," she shouted, running down the stairs.
Myka fell back onto the bed, covering her eyes with her arm. "Why can't you eat normal food after having sex?" she yelled, knowing Helena couldn't hear her, when her own stomach growled. She got up grabbing her robe. "I'm not eating kimchi right now," she mumbled to herself trotting down the stairs, "Or seaweed."
"Mmmm… are you sure you don't want any? I thought you liked it?" Helena grabbed another full fork and passed the bowl over in front of Myka.
Myka cringed away from it, pushing the kimchi back. "I do like it. I just don't want any right now. We do have some zucchini relish somewhere," she said sarcastically. "What did you eat at times like this before you were bronzed?"
Helena shrugged, finishing off the bowl and dove into the spaghetti, swirling the cold pasta around her fork. She stopped mid-swirl for a moment before continuing, "No one has ever had this effect on me before," she pondered. She sat back in the straight-backed chair, bringing her knees up and resting her heels on the edge of the chair. "Only you. Mostly, I was more interested in getting them out of my bed so I could sleep, or finish off what they were unable to accomplish." She smiled brazenly and popped the fork in her mouth, a loose strand of pasta leaving a streak of red along her chin. "Is it the spicy relish?" she asked suddenly.
Myka watched fascinated, eating a bowl of cereal. "Probably. It's in the pantry. Will you please tell me, and don't give me the same answer you always do; why are you always white and Claudia is black? Aren't you cold? It's like 5 degrees out and the only thing you're wearing is my shirt, which I have to admit is a little more than distracting with you sitting like that."
Helena smirked brazenly, lifting an eyebrow."Is that so? I'm freezing, actually." She picked up the rest of the spaghetti and the glass of milk and wandered into the living room. She picked up her clothes pulling on her jeans, throwing everything else in a pile to the side of the sofa before wrapping up in the blanket. "You surprise me, Myka. You really don't know?" she asked, watching Myka pick the fallen chess pieces off the floor, diligently setting them up in place on the marble board for the next match.
Myka settled in under the blanket, stealing the last meatball. "No, I really don't. I wouldn't be asking if I knew."
Setting the empty bowl on the table, Helena guided Myka up against her chest and between her legs. "That day we argued, when my chess set..," Myka turned her head around quickly scoffing at the choice of words. "Alright, the day we fought and the board shattered against the wall, you replaced it and the lost queen. It was the first thing you ever gave me. It was the white queen, Myka. I've never played with that set since with any other piece than that queen. I'm always white because of you, Myka. You are my queen. It is a part of you. It's as simple as that."
"But you gave it to Claudia before we left."
"I know. And now that I am truly home, she will return it. I knew there would be no one else I was likely to find to match my skill, and no I'm not being arrogant and you know it. It was Claudia that searched for that set and brought it out of hiding. Well hidden it was, I assure you. Not only was it the first time she ever stood up to me, but she had no intention of backing down. Poor thing was shaking in her shoes. She humbled me that day and no one else can I think of deserves the right to protect it. She earned that right. Claudia understands why I'll always play white. It was the primary reason I conceded to teach her. I think somehow I always knew we would come back. That queen, like you, is my anchor."
Helena felt Myka shake against her, chuckling. "You really are a sentimental old fool, aren't you?"
"I am not old! I'm only a century or so older." Myka snorted. "And no fool am I, either! Very few material things in this world hold any sentimental value to me, and yes, that is one of them. That gesture of yours meant more to me than anything at the time." Helena readjusted her shoulder dislodging Myka from her comfortable position. "I need to get that key back, too," she grumbled.
Myka rolled on her side, closing her eyes, listening to the steady thump of Helena's heart. It would be so easy to fall asleep like this. Even with Pete speeding home, it was a long ride. Sleep, she thought. Her eyes flew open. "How are the nightmares? Did you have Claudia stay with you?"
"No change really. The brotherhood has decided to join the fun and games though," Helena told her ruefully. "And, no, I wasn't going to ask Claudia to stay. She only just started talking to me again. Artie threw us in storage. Apparently we were not as 'team oriented' as he wanted."
Myka shook her head. Abigail put a board up on the outside to keep track of who was thrown in, when, and how long. Helena had decided to prove the point it was not she and Myka as often as everyone thought it was. It was too early to tell.
"Wait a minute. Get back to this brotherhood thing." Myka sat up looking at her.
"Oh, yes. Well, the dream itself has changed a bit. One of the brotherhood has his cryptic moment now, standing at the end of the aisle. I don't really see him, I just know he's there. Let me think…something about broken seals and queens playing. Like most dreams, it makes absolutely no sense. I'm sorry, that's all I remember. Oh, but I know, maybe we can play the dream game tonight," she added sardonically.
"Every night," Myka guessed.
"Afraid so. This is why we are down here and not up there. I'm afraid to go to sleep, Myka."
Myka knew it was a significant admission on Helena's part and she wasn't going to say her own dreams remained equally disturbing.
"Well, I'm home now and you're awfully cute in my shirt." She stood up holding out her hand. "Let's try a back rub and see if we can get you to sleep. You can tell me what you've been playing with under our cloud of gloom and doom."
"I haven't had time. You three kept us too busy. Maybe tomorrow. I know there is something there." Helena let Myka pull her up. "I like the idea of a mutual back rub better," Helena commented following her up the stairs, "or frontal even."
"I've heard there's a connection between nightmares and weird food..." Myka joked.
"I don't eat weird food," Helena complained.
"Sweetie, I've repeatedly witnessed what you eat after we've had sex. It's weird."
"Is not."
"Is to."
"Is not."
"Whatever…give me my shirt back."
It was the third quiet groan that finally cut through the fog in her head. Opening her eyes in the dim light she managed to roll over, surprised to stare at Myka's bare back far across the bed, a filmy sheen down its length. She groaned again, curling into a tighter, fetal position.
"Myka? What's wrong?" She quickly slid over to the other side, a slight panic rising in her chest, reaching out a tentative hand to touch the clammy shoulder.
"Don't touch me," Myka choked out in a whimper.
"Oh," Helena breathed out a relieved but resigned sigh. "Bad?"
"Oh, yeah." Myka breathed through another wave of pain.
"Well, at least it's finally you getting some Lamaze practice for once and not me," Helena commented, attempting to lighten the situation. It was rare Myka experienced such severe cramps, but when she did it was nearly debilitating and didn't want to be touched.
"Not funny. Your job," Myka mumbled.
Helena ignored the statement getting out of bed. She managed to slip on her sweatshirt on her way to the other side of the bed. Attempting to step into her holey jeans, her foot slid into one of the holes and she tripped, falling flat on the floor in front of Myka. "Don't make me laugh," Myka grunted.
Helena shimmied into the jeans and kneeled down before the face crunched up in pain. "Sorry. It wasn't exactly my first choice of graceful acts. I am, however, thoroughly awake now." She kissed the wrinkled forehead gently. "Be right back."
She rummaged through the bathroom, swearing, not finding what she wanted, still unfamiliar with the new set up.
"Myka?" Helena pleaded from the bathroom, pressing her hands against the door frame on either side, her shadow crossing the bed.
"Downstairs."
"Right. I'll start some tea, too. Just…hold on." She headed out the door.
"Not going anywhere," she grumbled into the pillows.
Helena turned the stove on under the kettle and continued her feverish search for the ibuprofen in the small bathroom. "Damn it!" Three drawers later she located the half-full bottle. Grabbing Myka's water bottle from the fridge she sprinted up the stairs.
"Myka? I've got it. Can you sit up for me?" She put her arm under the woman's head, tipping it up slightly and handed her the pills and water. "No, you need to drink more water than that. Now come on. Down with it."
Myka glared at her, reluctantly drinking more water. She grimaced through another wave of pain as Helena eased her back down. "Wow. It's not like this very often," she breathed again, rolling back on her side.
"Well, I think we should be thankful for that. I can't imagine you suffering through this every month. I've got the water on for tea." Helena rubbed the creased forehead gently. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Yes, I know…don't touch you," she growled in frustration, reluctantly taking her hand away. "It is ever so hard, you know," she complained sympathetically.
"Yes, I do. You don't like to be touched either and you get them more than me."
"This is true. I'll just pop down for that tea. The ibuprofen should start to help soon I hope. Be right back."
Ten minutes later Helena was back, chamomile tea in hand with a splash of whiskey and honey. She leaned against the door frame and smiled. She should have expected it. It happened every time she didn't feel well. Myka had already rolled over to the right side of the bed and wrapped herself around Helena's pillows, finally drifting off again. She set the tea on Myka's night stand and went to the guest room to grab the extra pillows, grabbed her book and settled in next to Myka, covering the damp body before she got chilled. Leaning over, she placed a soft kiss on the side of her head and rubbed the pained wrinkles away from the forehead of the relaxing body falling deeper into sleep. Pulling up her knees, she placed the book up against them drinking the tea, allowing herself to be pulled into another world, hoping at best to doze off.
Helena's light sleep broke when she heard the Farnsworth on the furthest dresser. She eased herself out of bed, quickly reaching for the device, looking to see that Myka still slept. She tripped over her jeans on the floor in her haste out the door, catching herself against the office door when her knee cracked against the edge. Swearing, she flipped the annoying object open.
"Problem?" Artie inquired staring back at the flustered face.
"Nothing that an ice pack won't take care of," she snapped, rubbing her knee. "We certainly have plenty of those. What do you want?"
"Where's Myka?" He watched as the consternation crossed her face and she turned her head looking at something.
She ran her hand through her hair refocusing. "Yes. She's not very well at the moment. Anything I can do?"
"Tell her to get better and fast. I need to send her and Pete out," he barked back.
"Ah. I see. Well, can't Steve or Claudia go instead?" she asked looking to the side again.
"Steve left after dinner solo and I need Claudia here. So, no, they can't. Just wake her up or whatever and send her over."
"Look, Artie, that's not going to very well happen over the next 24 hours I'd say." Once again she looked at her sleeping partner knowing she'd be waking soon in need of another dose of Ibuprofen.
"Artifacts don't wait 24 hours," Artie rubbed his forehead, "Especially this one."
"Fine. I'll go," Helena declared with a heavy sigh, glaring at the ceiling.
"I thought you said you didn't want anything to do with this?" he asked looking at her skeptically.
"Well, it doesn't exactly look as if we really have another option at the moment, does it?" she quietly snapped back, frustrated. "I'm cleared for the field. Consider it a moment of temporary insanity on my part to come out of retirement. We all know my personal experience in that department and Myka is not bloody well going! I'll meet Pete in 15 minutes. I have no bloody idea where anything is, so it will take a bit longer for me to find what I need. Now, is Claudia there? I need to speak to her...privately, please." Helena's insistence caught Artie off guard and he handed the Farnsworth over to Claudia.
"Claudia, are you alone?" Helena asked, not completely trusting Artie.
"Uh, hold on." Helena heard the bickering on the other side and smiled when a door slammed. "Yeah, I'm alone. What's up?"
"You are still able to work remotely from here, correct?" Helena looked into the bedroom again, hearing Myka waking in pain again.
"Yeah, we built in a sweet set up with the remod. Why? What's going on?"
"Nothing major, just a bit sensitive. Quickly now, I need you to check in on Myka for me…"
"Here you go," Helena handed the pills and water over again. "I'm sorry I forgot to put the water back in the refrigerator, but I don't think you very much care about that at the moment. I'll put it back on my way out." She kneeled down in front of the pained face. "It's quite bad this time, isn't it, Myka? I know how it's been before for you and I honestly don't remember it this severe before." She struggled not to touch the woman, knowing it provided the opposite of comfort for her.
"Was last month, too," she grunted into the pillow, burying her face.
"Really? That is unusual. Perhaps we should call Vanessa." Helena's worried voice hung in the air.
"It's just cramps. I'll be okay. I already have an appointment anyway. I'm due for my physical. I'll tell her then."
"Sweetheart, I'm really sorry I have to go. Claudia is going to check on you for me. Keep your phone close, okay? I hate when you don't feel well." Ignoring Myka's protest, she took her hand, kissing her fingers and rubbing her cheek against them. "Now, just where is my field bag and everything else I'll need that goes into it?"
"I can't believe you're doing this," Myka grumbled. "It's in the closet in the unfinished room. It's all packed except for fresh clothes. I never emptied it. Just double check it first to make sure I didn't miss something."
"I have no other option. Remember? You are my priority, especially when you don't feel well." She smiled tapping the tip of Myka's nose before she stood up to find her bag. "I doubt you've forgotten anything. You've probably packed it for me more often than I have myself."
Helena dropped her bag at the door. Fighting not to sit on the bed, she kneeled down again staring at the closed eyes. "I hate leaving you like this."
"You've done it before," Myka murmured, face scrunching again.
"I hated it then, too," Helena lamented. She leaned forward placing a soft kiss on the forbidden lips. "You know, there is another more natural and very effective alternative way to deal with your situation that I'd have been more than happy to help you with," she whispered in Myka's ear, smirking. Eyes bright with mischief, brushing her lips across Myka's, she husked, "One of us did not live with the luxury of ibuprofen. Endorphins are a wonderful thing and definitely one of my favorite discoveries. Somethings have not changed all that much." She leaned back with a deep sigh. "Unfortunately, even with my expertise we don't have enough time."
"That's my charming, egotistical girl. Always trying to find a way to get into my pants," Myka smiled weakly before grimacing in pain again. "Sometimes I really hate being a girl," she whined.
Helena laughed. "Well, I for one am very pleased that you are." She stole another kiss. "I love you, Myka Ophelia Bering. I promise to come home soon. Pete will make sure of that. Now, I must go." She stood up heading to the door. "Be nice to Claudia. She means well. And keep that suggestion of mine in your head."
Helena picked up her bag, taking another worried look at the bed from the door. "Myka, you really are the Bering to my Wells."
"Good. You're the Wells to my Bering. Now go. I'll be fine. It's just cramps. Pete is waiting and you're already late. You can tell me all about your big adventure when you get home."
"You don't have to be here, you know. It's not like it's never happened before," Myka grumbled into Helena's pillows, preferring to be left alone.
Claudia handed her another dose and the cold water from the other side of the bed, leaning back into the pile of pillows Helena had left behind from the early morning. "Well, yeah, I know, but I promised HG. She's a nervous wreck when you're sick. More so this morning."
"I'm not sick," Myka griped swallowing the pills and drinking half of the water before Claudia got on her case.
"Might as well be. You function better when you have a cold. I've known you for how many years now? I've never seen you like this. I live with the freaking bottle in my hand. You're even breaking into a cold sweat. You got hit hard last month, too." Claudia looked at her friend's back, in the same place she was when she'd arrived an hour ago.
"Great. Anyone else want the play by play of my female plumbing?"
"Don't need to worry, Mykes. The only reason I know is I had to cover for you last month and spent half the day with you then too. HG was just worried. Speaking of which…" Claudia picked up her phone from the night stand at a soft ring, reading the text. "She wants to know how you're doing." Claudia looked down at her still curled around Helena's pillows.
"I'm fine. I have cramps. I'll live." Myka grumbled, inhaling the scent of the pillow she buried her face into.
"Oookaaay. That translates into," her fingers started to fly across the phone, "'Hugging your pillows and still cranky. I'm not you.'" She hit send.
"You did not just do that." Myka turned her head around to look up into diabolic eyes. She rolled her eyes, burying her face back into the pillow. "You can leave now."
"Nah. I'll work better here. Artie's a bear after Vanessa leaves and he's not really comfortable about HG being out in the field. Grumbling about 'complications' and 'unknowns'." She paused, unsure how much she should admit knowing. "It was the Regents' call, you know. They've been pushing him to throw her out there and this was the perfect opportunity that he didn't want to use."
"I know. I've accepted what she fights against. I know they want her back out there, and we all know it's what she lives for, at least now, but they don't trust that we are not each other's weakest link. She's afraid she'll like it too much. She needs to find her place on her own."
"Yeah." Claudia sat thinking. She already knew the answer. "It'll work out. Can I use your desk? It's not a, uh…"
"Disaster area? Sure. It kills me. She knows where everything is. I think some of hers is migrating onto mine again. I'm starting to regret moving them front to front."
"Yeah, right. Like I believe that one." Claudia's phone dinged again as she was getting off the bed. "Uh, she wants to know if you threw up yet. You're not going to, right?" Claudia asked nervously. No one said anything about vomit when she said yes to this day.
Myka rolled over, instantly regretting the speed in which she moved, holding her hand out. "Don't worry, Claud, it already happened." Claudia handed her the phone. After a couple of minutes of breathing through her teeth she hit the dial button.
"I'll just go set up and make some tea. Say 'Hi'." Claudia left, chuckling over the one sided conversation she could hear from the office.
"Yes, I threw up. She says 'hi'. Now leave her alone. She's trying to help you guys from here, remember?" Myka started in before Helena could finish her greeting.
"Helena, what would you do differently if you were here? Besides that…you'd have to actually be able to touch me first…We'll talk about THAT later…Fine…Exactly…Yes, I know that…Well, I'd rather it was you too, but that's not an option…Yes, MY phone is right by me, so leave Claudia's alone. I love you too. Text me when you get there…okay…okay…yes, I did…Bye." Myka rolled over, phone still in hand, not turning it off. She felt it gently removed from her hand. A cool washcloth was placed on her forehead.
"I found the heating pad, too. The tea is right here and I thought you might want this." Claudia shoved a soft shirt between the pillows. "I'll be across the way. Try to get some more sleep and take more ibuprofen when you wake up. Bet you didn't think Omaha would seem so far away, huh? Hey, she's going to be fine. It's HG." Soft steps padded out of the room and partially shut the door.
Myka drank half the tea. Hugging Helena's sweatshirt, she dozed off, silent tears spreading on the pillowcase with each drop.
The door opened slowly, shutting with a soft click. Claudia was laying on the new love seat, her legs hanging over the side and the remote in the hand hanging to the floor. She turned her head with a finger to her lips. An old episode of 'Dr Who' flashed from the television in the dim light, barely audible. They all knew the dialogue by heart at this point. Myka lay on the sofa asleep, looking much more relaxed then before when Helena last saw her.
Helena pulled her boots off placing them gently beside the bag she set next to the door. Gingerly, she tip-toed over to the sofa, squatting down beside Myka. She placed a soft kiss on Myka's forehead and looked at Claudia, eyes silently asking for an update.
"She's better. She fell asleep again a little while ago," Claudia whispered. "She kicked me out at lunch and she'd moved down here by the time I came back from checking in with Artie. He sent me back with fresh chicken soup. She hasn't eaten anything though."
"No, I wouldn't expect her to. She rarely does. Artie's soup does sound delightful. I didn't know when we'd get back and I'm famished. I'll manage to get some into her. I expect she'll be ready for some now."
Claudia sat up stretching the kinks out of her back from the small sofa. "I'll go heat some up if you want." She wrinkled her nose waving her hand in front of her face. "Dude, you smell like...like I have no words."
"Yes, I do. That happens when you spend the day playing with cattle. I have a good sense of what it must be like to run with the bulls in Pamplona."
"So that's what I smell," Myka mumbled. "Have fun?"
Helena leaned in closer whispering, "Yes. Actually, I found it exhilarating. How are you feeling, sweetheart?"
Claudia pointed to the kitchen. "I'll just go get that soup started."
Helena smiled. "Thank you, Claudia."
Myka watched her nursemaid leave the room before whispering back, "She is such a mother hen."
Helena sat on the edge of the sofa gently. "Yes, she is, and I love her for that. Can I touch you yet?"
"Yes, but not smelling like that. You really stink. I just feel kind of crummy."
Laughing softly, Helena brushed back the fallen hair out of Myka's face and tenderly rubbed her forehead. "Let me take a quick shower and we'll see about getting a bit of soup into you. I'm considering simply burning these clothes. And I don't care if I smell." Helena leaned down taking her time kissing her lover.
"Ahem," Claudia cleared her throat. "The soup is on low and I got out bowls and stuff. You should have time for that shower, Stinky-poo. So, I'm just gonna head on out and hope Pete took a shower already."
Helena walked her to the door. "Thank you, Claudia."
"Yeah, sure. No biggie. She was, uh, really worried about you being out there I think. Not that she said much. I just got that…"
"I know. That's the reason I asked you instead of Abigail. I knew you'd understand our position on this whole warehouse business. She'll be fine by tomorrow."
Claudia scratched her head. "You know, I'm kind of jealous of you two sometimes. You guys really are unique. I can't explain it."
"I wouldn't say that." Helena gave her a dubious look. "No more than anyone else here. Now, I need a shower, hot food and a quiet night being used as a pillow. Come give me a hug. Thank you," she said earnestly pulling Claudia into her arms.
"Man, HG you smell beyond bad." Claudia reluctantly returned the hug. "Something tells me the real thing is better than your pillow and sweatshirt."
Helena laughed softly, gazing at the sofa over Claudia's shoulder at Myka sitting up slowly, dressed in the sweatshirt. "I certainly hope so, otherwise I need to reconsider my options. And quite frankly, I'm beyond happy with what I have."
"God damn it! Why can't I find anything I want in any of this? It might just as well sit under that bloody cloud with all the rest of the bloody useless garbage we apparently have no use for, for all the good it's doing us." She kicked an empty box stuffed with packing paper across the room to the door, almost in tears.
"What the Hell. I can't believe I'm actually going to ask you this, but dude, when is the last time you got laid? You have got to be the bitchiest person around, HG. Artie won't let you anywhere near the warehouse right now like this. Just chill or you won't be going back to that garbage anytime soon." Claudia opened another box, finding Myka's scary, big, white bear. She quickly shoved it back in the box closing it up. "Ugh, why does she keep that thing? It's creepy."
HG dropped to the floor drawing her knees up. "I'm sorry, Claudia, and none of your damned business!"
"Well, that answers that question," Claudia snickered.
"Oh really, Claudia," HG snarked back. "Myka keeps getting sent out and has been gone for four days. I know Artie is up to something! He bloody well better not send her out on Valentine's Day! For once in my life it actually means something to me and it's not as if anyone else has a reason to stay home. No offense, darling."
"None taken, much."
"I miss her, the damn cloud isn't going away, I'm tired, apparently being rather bitchy and…"
"And you're still having the same nightmare or rather variations on a theme." Claudia finished for her. She slid down against the wall across from the crabby woman. "You didn't really think Myka was going to leave you behind all those times and not tell me, did you? She didn't tell me what and she never has. All she said was that you guys have had a rough go of it since the blizzard. That's a long time, HG to foot it alone. Only reason I'm not here at night is because she wanted it to be up to you to ask and I know she told you to. I'll stay with you, you know and so will Steve, when he's home. We can even take turns."
"Yes, I know that, but we are very much trying to remain independent. Atlanta had its good points."
"Whoa, wait a minute, HG. I get you guys wanting to have your space and all. You made that very clear," she said rubbing her still slightly sore arm, "but that's kind of what family is all about. We take care of each other. That's what's so great about you guys being here. But no one knows what's going on over here. We can't help if you don't clue us in. So really, you ignoring us when we are here kind of hurts. You'd let me stay here if I was sick or having nightmares wouldn't you? Or stay at the house with me?"
"Of course, Claudia. You're always welcome." She sat staring at the floor running her fingers through the fresh carpet. "I think I understand your point. They should be home tonight. Claudia, would you stay with me the next night Myka is gone if these nightmares do not resolve?"
"Now was that so hard?" Claudia wadded up some paper and threw it across the room watching it bounce off HG's head.
"Game of chess?" Helena stood up abruptly. "I tire of this job. And where is Myka's queen?"
A/N: Please note - there will be no following of story line of season 4. Myka's circumstance within this chapter is purely coincidental. In fact, I'm rather embarrassed that there was an unintentional parallel created in the process as I prefer to be at least a little bit original in my thoughts. In fact the thought never even crossed my mind. Let's just say I had a blank day when that little snippet was written a long time ago and fits within my world and remains to be revealed in time. I apologize for any distress this may have caused and thank all who have brought this to my attention.