A/N This is the last chapter, I swear. See notes at the end. Thank you for all the follows and favs and your great reviews. This story was written long before I knew about FF, when I was writing this on my old IBM type writer. Thank you for all the help. Thank you Muriel, for making me promise to finish this. This story is for you, my love.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of SyFy.
I pulled my jacket a bit tighter around me as I walked across the deck. My breath hitched at the sight of her standing against the railing, the ocean breeze gently kissing at a few stray locks.
"Mrs. Bering-Wells," Helena hummed as I wrapped my arms around her waist, melding myself further into her warm form. My lips curled into a smile as I tasted the sea upon her skin, a sweet saltiness from the ocean mingled with her own unique essence.
I rested my chin on her shoulder, both our eyes watching as we drifted by the statue. "I can hear that beautiful mind of yours toiling away," Helena whispered, her ring hand rubbing over mine, the soft clink of our bands lulling me into a relaxed state.
"I was just thinking how we came to be here," I said as I let my lips brush against the side of her sweet skin feeling goosebumps rising up from the fall of my lips upon her neck.
"An epic tale that I am sure will keep our grandchildren amused for years to come," Helena softly replied.
…
Helena wrapped her arm around my waist, pulling herself closer to me as we headed toward town, her head resting on my shoulder as we rode through the countryside. "My love?" Helena asked.
"Yes?" I whispered as I kissed the top of her head, her soft black locks caressing my lips.
"When you were in America, were you … did you ... long to back here?" her hand gently rubbing across mine. Her fingers brushed over the reins that I gripped a bit tighter.
"Sometimes," the wistful tone was not lost on her as she snuggled closer into me.
"I would not change a thing. I was blessed to have been there. It felt almost as if I had found my true home," I said as I guided Tilly to a secluded meadow off the main road. I set the reins down so Tilly could enjoy some sweet grass in the hidden spot where we'd stopped. I turned to Helena, my hands clasping hers as I brought them up to my lips, softly kissing each finger. My lips stilled as they rested upon the cool band of gold.
"Like earlier this morning, with you loving me the way you did," my head dipping as a slight blush rose up. "My life, my heart, my home is with you and Christina."
"Then we should make plans? Settle our affairs to prepare to leave?" Helena questioned. I leaned into her, my hand cupping her cheek. I felt a shiver run down my spine and my heart swell beyond anything I had ever felt as it pounded in my chest from utter joy.
"You are my life," I whispered as she pressed her cheek into my palm. I felt myself drowning in her eyes when she looked up from my hand against her cheek. "Where you lead, I will follow," I said, my lips kissing away the stray tear that fell down her cheek.
"Myka Ophelia, the road will be long and the woods dark and deep at times. With you by my side, I feel there will be nothing that will impede our life together as a family," Helena said, resting her brow against mine as we both gently sighed.
"I will need you to trust me, to give me some time," Helena pleaded. "I wish to see my brother. Alone," Helena was whispering against my neck. I felt my heart pounding in my ears and my body becoming rigid at the thought of her having to placate him.
"I will come get you after I have had some diligent time with him," Helena was saying, her palm pressing against my chest to try and calm me as I felt my anger towards Charles continue to rise.
"We are near the Lattimer's, yes?" Helena whispered near my ear as she held me.
"Yes," I replied as I tried to control my emotions, not trusting my voice to say more. My anger dissipating with the brush of her lips and each gentle stroke of her hand upon me.
"I will drop you off with Amanda and then meet up with you at home. Yes?" Helena asked, trying to reach agreement.
"NO!" I shouted, giving in to my emotions. I did not want her away from me or anywhere near that pathetic excuse of a sibling she called brother.
"Please, my love. Now is the time to put faith in me, to trust me," Helena's lips brushing against my forehead. My head was bowed, resting against her shoulder. Her fingers then lifted my chin to meet my gaze. I just kept shaking my head, turning away from her, knowing with just one glance, one moment of our eyes meeting that I would agree. My heart screamed not to let her go but my mind knew she needed to do this. She needed to confront Charles for herself.
I cleared my throat as I turned to face her, gently taking the reins from her hands. "I trust you as you trust me with Christina, with both your lives," I whispered as I started to guide Tilly back to the road.
Just before I jumped from the cart, I grabbed Helena, giving her a bruising kiss as I tried to pour every ounce of trust, of longing and love into that very moment. Helena broke our kiss reluctantly, her chest rising and falling as her lung's need for air protested. Her forehead pressed against mine as we both struggled to speak.
"Good morning! To what do I owe …" Amanda's words trailing off as she neared the cart. Her head turned away, as if our intimate moment had raised the walls of Jericho around us. As she waited for us she kept her eyes downcast while petting Tilly, allowing us our privacy.
"I shall see you soon, my love" Helena whispered as the back of her fingers grazed my cheek.
"Perdition's flames could not keep me away," I said, my lips brushing against hers as my body started to move away.
"Moby Dick," Amanda chuckled to Tilly and more to herself, her eyes still downcast as I climbed down from the cart. Helena then kissed the inside of my wrist as she stilled me from backing away.
"You will look after my love," Helena told Amanda.
"I will. You have my word," Amanda said as she straightened her shoulders and gave Helena a reassuring look. Her eyes then flitted to mine with a questioning look.
"Mo Ghra," I whispered as Helena then bent down, my head straightening to meet her lips as she bent down from the cart for one more kiss. "I will be waiting for you at home."
...
As I watched the dust settle from the cart's wheels Amanda turned to face me. "If you don't mind, I need your help to start packing up the cottage after you take me to the warehouse," I asked as I went over to tend to the buggy and horse near the house.
"So, you are really going?" Amanda said, not really a question as we rode to the warehouse. Stopping the buggy just before the door, Amanda sighed as she turned to face me. "Something really bad is about to happen, isn't it? Something that will make you leave?" Amanda asked, her head hanging low, not daring to look over at me.
"I don't know … I think so," I whispered. "We can't stay here Amanda. You see how most of the town treats us. How bad it is for Christina," I sighed. "I cannot force the townspeople to accept us."
"Myka, not everyone feels that way. You have friends who love and support you and your family," Amanda smiled as she held my bruised hand.
"Damn right she does," Liam's voice cutting between the two of us as we led the horse over to a hitching post. Liam wrapped his arm around my shoulder, placing a quick peck to my cheek as we both looked at Amanda.
"My, my, don't you two look the part of a happy couple," Amanda grinned. Liam and I looked at each other, his grip tightening on my shoulder as we faced Amanda.
"I won't tell your wife if you don't tell mine," Liam grinned, winking at me as we all started to laugh.
"Beard, Mrs. Bering-Wells," The sound of Mrs. Frederic's voice caused us all to turn.
"I'm sorry. What?" I stuttered as we all turned to face her.
Clasping her hands together as she approached us. "Beard; to cover, to hide. Mr. Liam and Steven have a job awaiting them at the new warehouse. Seeing as Mrs. Bering-Wells will be the new caretaker, Steven and Liam will make for the perfect 'husbands' or beards, so to speak, when the warehouse is up and running in America."
"Myka, a moment of your time in private, if you please?" the caretaker then said to me, her hand extended as she turned. Amanda and Liam stood back as I cast a look over my shoulder at them, nodding that it was okay to both of them as I walked with Mrs. Frederic towards the warehouse.
"You will be in need of these," she said, handing over six small slips of paper to me. I looked up with questioning eyes as she held her hand up.
"But why?" I asked. An arched eyebrow was raised at me, as if my questioning of her was asked by me having three heads. "Right. Why do I bother asking? It's only my life that you seem to know so much about before it happens," I mumbled to myself.
"These are Trans-Atlantic passage tickets for the ship getting ready to leave out of the harbor tonight. Ask for Captain Kosan and he will see to everyone's needs, including Tilly's," she smiled. Then turning back, her hand holding a heavy pouch. "This is Helena's pay. Use it wisely. Captain Kosan will expect a hefty sum."
...
Amanda and I went to the cottage and pulled out the steamer trunks. I stared at the bookcase, trying, but failed on which books to pack. My chest tightened as I tried to control my breathing. "I have no clue. Dickens? Helena read that to me when I was sick," I said as my fingers ran over its spine, trying to quell my panic as to why we needed to pack in such a hurry.
"Myka! Where are you, girl?" My father's voice booming thru the door. The panes of the window vibrating from the timbre of his voice.
"Mykes, what is going on?" Claudia rushed into the cottage behind him with Christina in tow and straight into Christina's room. The sound of things falling and being shoved around reverberated throughout the cottage.
"Claudia, what is happening?" I asked, watching as Claudia spun around the room, throwing everything of Christina's into the trunk she pulled out of the closet.
"No time, that is all Josh said," she stated, out of breath. I grabbed the young girl, halting her whirling dervishes of packing up the little Miss' things. Her eyes were wide, her breathing rushed. "HG did something to Charles. I don't know what, but she … he wants HG thrown in jail and Josh is trying to stall him while…" I turned around. My father coming into the room halted Claudia's rambling.
"Myka, you need to come with me," my father gripped my arm, dragging me out of Christina's room into the main room of the cottage.
"My girl, you need to leave. Take them with you to the port," he said. My father's words fading as I looked around the cottage. Amanda was packing as fast as she could while Pete had come in and started dragging trunks out the door.
Liam and Steve were close behind, helping Pete with the trunks as Claudia and Amanda packed them. My heart stopped, the air ripped from my lungs as I spotted my little Miss. Her dolly clutched to her chest while tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Mumma?"
I wrenched my arm out of my father's grip and rushed to her side. I picked her up, my hand cradling her head as I kissed the side of her tear-stained cheek.
"Come on. Let the others finish," my father was saying. His words but a blur as his hand wrapped around my waist as he helped me and Christina up into his buggy and drove us to his home.
My lips were still pressed against Christina's cheek as Father gently coaxed us down from the cart and into the family home. Charlotte came rushing up, trying to ease the little Miss out of my arms.
"No, stay with Mumma," was all she said, her little hands gripping harder at my shirt as she buried her head into the crook of my neck.
"Charlotte, go pack for Myka," my father's voice commanding as he guided us to the sofa. "Sit, I shall be just a moment," he whispered against the unruly curls of my head.
Christina and I clung to each other for dear life, cooing into her ear as I soothed her now ebbing sobs. My eyes darted around the room, watching as my father came into the room at the same time as Charlotte.
"This is for where you are going," my father said, shaking me from the worry of Christina. I looked, questioning the sack in his hand. "Take it. You have had this due to you from your Mema since she passed," his voice rough as he cleared his throat. "Just send me a letter or two letting me know you are all settled."
Charlotte's muffled sob caused us both to turn our heads away from the soft leather sack that he held in his hand.
"Photos if you can," Charlotte sobbed into her hand as she set down the basket full of provisions. "Please, take care of our girls," she whispered, and then turning with both hands covering her mouth she rushed back into the kitchen.
…
Father had given me grandmother's purse, plus extra he threw in, making the sack a bit hefty. He drove us back to the cottage refusing to tell me what was going on. "Let your One do the telling," he said as he halted the horse in front of the cottage. His hug was fierce, his kiss to my temple soft. As I pulled back, his fingers softly stroked Christina's cheek.
We both turned at the sound of rough breaths from Tilly. The cart shook as it rambled down the road. Helena was a sight with her raven locks billowing across her shoulders as she drew Tilly to a halt in front of the cottage, smoothing her trousers after jumping down from the cart.
"A moment of your daughter's time if you please, Sir Bering," Helena stated, not waiting for my father's reply as she wrapped a possessive arm around Christina and myself and began to lead us both into the cottage. My father hooked his hand around Helena's arm, stopping us all.
"You will take care of my girls?" his voice commanding as we all halted. Helena smoothed her waistcoat down as she held her head high.
"They are and will always be safe in my charge. That I promise," Helena's eyes bright, her voice clear as she stood toe to toe with my father, her arm never leaving my side as she spoke. My father started to approach, his eyes questioning. "I assure you, Sir Bering, that my brother will no longer darken your door or the Orchard. I have seen to that."
Her last words caused shivers down my back as we approached the cart. We watched as Pete, Steve and Liam loaded my poor mare. "You will tell me as to why and what you did," I murmured slowly into her ear as Pete came over to us.
"So, this is goodbye, again?" Pete stuttered, trying to hide his tears as he came up and hugged me.
"Yeah, I guess it is," I whispered next to his strong shoulder. "I am depending on you and Artie to take care of things. I even put it in the contract a few months ago with Artie. You and Amanda, equal partners in the Orchard," I smiled as I pulled back from his embrace, watching over his shoulder as Amanda fought her tears.
"Hey, take care of him," I said over Pete's shoulder to Amanda. She smiled through her tears as she nodded to me.
"I am not going to question anything. If this is what you want then I will support you," Pete said, desperately trying to hold back his sobs. "Besides, you know me. I don't do well with people leaving me," he said as he started to slug my shoulder, halting when he realized I still had Christina cradled against me.
Pete placed a gentle kiss on my brow, squeezing Christina's hand as he walked back. "I will see you again," he silently mouthed to me.
"Come on he-man, you have to stay here and take care of me," Amanda joked as she pulled back from hugging Helena. Her sorrowful look hidden well as she hugged me. "Take care of Liam. He is a baby in the woods," she whispered next to my ear as she pulled back, squeezing my upper arms as she stepped back. "If we missed anything, we will send it in care of the warehouse," her smile curt as she then held her brother close.
"Don't play the hero," she said, wiping away a smudge of dirt off his cheek, smiling. He went back to Steve's side, checking out the cottage as they finished loading the trunks into the cart.
I hugged my father, wrapping him tightly in my arms after Helena had taken Christina from me. She stood close by, her head bowed as my father tilted my face up, "Remember, you have a family. The most precious thing in the world is in your hands." We both turned as we all heard the low muffles of carts and hooves. The light from the lanterns piercing the apple trees as they slowly approached.
"Do not worry, girl. We will give you time," my father said, waving his hands over to the other group of workers that had emerged from the trees. "Block them! Halt them! An extra shilling in every pouch for each man."
"I am not a girl," I whispered as I hugged him close.
"No, you are not for your family but you will always be my little girl," he said as he pushed me back. I wanted to run back to him and ask what that meant when Helena then jumped into the cart with Christina wrapped around her, dragging me up with her. Liam and Steve pushed at its back then jumped in at the last second as Helena handed Christina over to me, grabbed Claudia's arm and pulled her up into the crowded cart.
...
The soft lull of the crickets gave way to the hypnotic clopping of Tilly's hooves as Helena's head jumped from resting on my shoulder. She looked back into the cart to see Christina cradled in Claudia's arms, Liam and Steve's legs were her pillows.
"Are you going to tell me what you did to him?" I sighed, unsure if I wanted to know what she really did to him. "Did you kill Charles?" I whispered as I felt her hand grip at my thigh as she set herself upright.
"No, my love, though I had to withhold that last blow, wanting no more than to see his …" Helena sighed, running her fingers through her hair as she sat back from me.
"You would love me less if I had taken his life?" her voice but a mere whisper that barely rose above the clops of Tilly's hooves.
"I don't know," my honesty shaking us both.
"You realize that he put that … that man up to trying to harm you, to filling his child with hatred toward us, to instigate Christina?" Helena mumbled, her head dropping as she turned away from me. I turned away from her, my eyes trained on the road as I lead my family away from our home.
Darkness had surrounded us as we had been riding for hours. No sight of anyone behind us and not a word spoken. I shook my head no, picking up from our conversation from earlier that day, my hands gripping the reins tighter as the faint glow of the harbor came into view.
"What did you do to him? What was so extreme that caused us to leave our home?" My anger causing my hands to shake.
"I tried to reason with him. I swear, my love, but then things became heated when he threatened to take Christina away from me. He knew I had the Ledger in my possession and we struggled for it," Helena reached for my hands, slowly caressing them as I tried to pull away. Her grip was strong, her resolve solid as she refused to let me recoil from her touch.
"I would be lying if I told you that the thought of ending his life was not my plan as I went there," her head bowed as we both turned from the gaze of each other's eyes.
The harbor lights becoming almost blinding as we rode down the docks, looking for this 'Captain Kosan'.
I drew in a shaky breath, my eyes then finding these pools of heavenly forgiveness. "I would be a hypocrite if I said I did not wish him removed from our lives," I whispered.
...
As I handed Captain Kosan our tickets, a stray light from his lantern shone on Helena's blouse, small droplets of crimson dotted her sleeves. Her eyes then fell upon the small rucksack I held as Kosan showed us to our small cabin. Claudia and Christina in one next to us. Steve and Liam on the other side.
Helena sighed as she shut the small door with her body, leaning against it as she tried to roll her sleeves down. I rushed at her, my hands gripping her fingers to still them. "No, do not hide what you did." I tried to control my growl, my fingers tracing over her now reddened and bruised knuckles as my body pressed hers against the door.
"Did you … is he still breathing?" my head turned aside, not really wanting to know her answer.
"Yes. Why would we have to flee our home if not for his bluster of wanting me incarcerated for my actions?"
A knock on the door interrupting us caused me to growl in a low timbre. My head slid around hers; our gaze unlocking as I bent my head against the wooden barrier. My body pressing further into hers, refusing to let her even draw a long breath.
"You will not leave my side, not an iota," I whispered in her ear as I pushed nearer to the door. "What is it, Claudia?" I asked, clearing my throat, trying to keep an even timbre to my voice. Her body refusing to fight against mine as I leaned further against my forearm that rested next to her head, all my weight pressing against her.
"Just wanted to let you two know that Chrissy is settled for the night. Liam is checking on Tilly below deck with all the other livestock and our things are stored with that creep Kosan." Claudia whispered her last words.
I keep my voice even trying to reassure the girl. "Mrs. F gave me her word that Kosan is a good man. Go get some rest, Claudia," I said though the door as I released Helena from my body's grip. I turned, listening as Claudia closed her cabin door. "At least our little Miss and Tilly are well cared for," I mumbled as I poured some clean water from the pitcher into the basin that sat across the room of the cabin.
I let out a small breath as I watched Helena's bruised fingers trace around the basin then over to the pitcher of water I had sat down. My hand cradled her bruised hand as I gently washed them. My lips pressed against them, feeling the heat radiate from the bruises as I kept my lips on them. Helena's other hand started to play at the buttons of my blouse as she leaned further into me.
I stood us both up and slowly undressed her, my hand tracing over the slight bruises forming on her skin. I settled her into the small bed and turned my body away as I finished undressing. I pulled back the covers and settled next to her on the bed.
We laid in each other's arms, listening to the sound of the ocean lap gently against the ship. The darkness of the room was illuminated by the faint glow of the crescent moon that poured through the port window. I felt my body relax a bit as I felt the sway of the boat and saw the countless sea of stars visible on the open ocean.
Her leg entangled with mine as she rolled me closer to her soft form. "You will not distract me," I mumbled as my head lulled back against her shoulder. My fingers playing at the buttons of her night shirt. "You do not think Charles would succumb to his wounds, do you?" my shaky breath whispering against her soft neck as I turned my head further into hers.
"No, I held back. Although he will have a slight limp, I would hypothesize," Helena's words brushing against the soft, tender flesh of my neck. My control was but a wisp of a fleeting thought as her bruised hand slid across my buttons, releasing the restrains of my nightgown. Her hand then gently resting on my chest as my heart beat against her palm.
"America it is?" her breath warm against my ear.
"Yes," I hummed, hugging us closer together, wrapped in the warmth of our love.
"Our new home."
A/N Okay, this is the end. Some have asked about an Orchard part 3, America. Thoughts?