Hell Hath No Fury

Helena had never seen Myka quite like this. Her body was stiff and her eyes were locked on her. There was nothing soft about the glare and Helena got out of her chair just to back away.

"What is it Myka?" Helena said and as Myka moved around the desk, Helena put the chair between them. She didn't plan on it, it was instinctual.

"Do you know where I just came from?" Myka said slowly.

"Of course I do. The waiting room," Helena said slowly keeping distance between them.

"Don't be coy with me, Helena George Wells. I know what you were doing this morning and I can't believe you agreed to it," Myka said. Her voice layered with emotions, but Helena was having trouble figuring each one out.

"Oh you mean about ….," Helena started and almost took a step towards Myka until she moved forward.

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean. You don't see this as foolish at all?" Myka said. She started to move closer, unsure of what she would do, but she had to be able to grab her if she had any hope of shaking the sense God gave her into her head.

"But it is low risk and we'll make sure that every precaution is taken care of," Helena said trying to calm Myka.

"Every precaution? As if you can take into account, everything that can possible go wrong?" Myka said and now they were slowing moving around the desk. Helena wanted to stop moving, to touch Myka, but her legs kept going in the opposite direction.

"You are the one who told me I should give people second chances," Helena protested.

"Not to harm you," Myka said annoyed Helena was trying to get out of this.

"He won't even be near me," Helena said.

"I thought the idea was to let them get near you," Myka said.

"Mr. Lopez won't be near me," Helena clarified.

Myka stopped and looked at Helena trying to figure out what in blue blazes she was talking about. Then she remembered what Claudia said.

"Helena, did you offer Mr. Lopez a job?" Myka asked.

"Yes," Helena said waiting for the cold stare to warm up ….and the apology to begin. Helena really did think she was being thoughtful – keeping quiet while Myka realized her error. It happened to everyone. Rarely Helena, but most people.

Instead what she heard was – "I am not talking about that idiot!" Myka rarely called people names.

"But I thought …," Helena said looking around. Now the women's dance in unison had moved them to the round conference table. Helena put her hand on the back of the chair as she moved past each one.

"No, I am talking about your meeting with Pete and Detective Tierney. They think you agreed to be part of a sting operation, but I told them – no, Helena is far too bright to do something as foolish as that!" Myka said. "And why wouldn't I say that, Helena? Who knows you better than I do? Well apparently everyone because I had to find out from someone other than you that this is a done deal!" Myka said and Helena wanted to hug her because she heard the hurt in her voice. Hugging Myka right now would be akin to grabbing a tornado and so, Helena just stopped moving.

"Darling, I am sorry. It all happened in a meeting and I had no idea they would suggest that, but it made sense to me. Don't you want to get these guys off the streets?" Helena asked.

"What I want to do is wring your neck! What I want to do is tell you there is no way in hell I am going to let that happen, but you have given them the green light and they are downstairs drawing up the goddamn path you're going to take!" Myka yelled.

"Oh this is not good! This is not good!" Eileen almost cried outside because she could hear them. "What do I do?" she asked herself and ran to get tea. No, this was going to take more than the perfect cup of tea. She went to the phone.

"Mrs. Frederic, please come up right away. Ms. Bering is very upset. She's very upset with Ms. Wells," Eileen said quietly into the phone.

"As well she should!" was not the response Eileen was expecting. "I'll be right up!" Irene said.

Eileen threw the phone down and looked at it. Did she just throw fuel on the fire?

"Myka dear," Helena said reaching out her arm's length to touch Myka's arm in an attempt to calm her, "If you think about it, we're doing a very good thing." Helena watched and when Myka didn't say anything she took that as a good sign. She was wrong. "If we can set up a …a …sting operation, the men who are trying to come after me would indeed do so, but the police will be there to get them," Helena said feeling more confident.

"Helena?" Myka said in a lower tone and Helena was encouraged.

"Yes darling?" the Brit said smiling thinking she had dodged the bullet.

"WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO ASK ME WHAT I THOUGHT?" Myka shouted and hit Helena right between the eyes.

Everything was happening so fast for Helena – she had never been in this position – literally. She was never on the retreat; she was always the aggressor. She had an answer for everything, never stumbling over her reply. The difference was – Helena had not considered someone was caring about what happened to her in a very long time. Myka was right and Helena pondered telling her that, but she knew Myka already knew it. Myka stood there waiting –

"I …was," Helena said running her finger over the back of the chair she was up to. "Going to ask you …as soon as …I saw you," Helena said and it wasn't a lie.

"You know maybe I should go up there," Jane said to Pete after they witnessed Myka's reaction.

"You're only saying that because you carry a gun," Pete said of the dangerous combination.

"Maybe if I assure Myka that we're all taking every precaution she'll let up on Helena," Jane said.

"You know you're trying to help them right?" Pete smiled because he knew Jane was tough on the outside, but did have a good heart.

"Yeah, yeah, look I'm just trying to look good to the brass," Jane lied.

Jane went upstairs to the 17th floor. She had witnessed Eileen nervous before, but never with so much movement.

"Oh my God, what did I do?" the younger woman kept repeating thinking she had just alerted Irene who would go marching in there any minute.

"What's up Nancy Drew?" Jane asked the informant.

"They're fighting," Eileen said of the disturbance inside.

"All couples fight, kiddo. Especially when one makes a decision without consulting the other," Jane winked. Should have seen that coming, Jane thought.

"Helena, I know what you were thinking. Oh, I'll just lure these guys into the park and the police will capture them," Myka said and then saw the thing she didn't want to see. Someone in those ebony pools that stared back at her was a glimmer. It was tiny and Helena didn't mean for it to show. In fact, she did everything to keep that thought quiet, but it found an opening in her eyes.

"Oh-my-God!" Myka said with emotion. "You….you're not afraid….you agreed …because ….," Myka said and pulled Helena's jaw to face her. It was still there. "You're going along because you think you can take these guys!" Myka said. "Helena, you think you can defend yourself, don't you?"

Helena was caught. She had no intention of going in there alone and agreed when she heard how much coverage there would be, but was she worried that she could not defend herself? No.

"I only agreed because …," Helena tried, but Myka still had her face in her hand.

"Don't lie to me!" Myka warned. Helena tried to pull back, her feelings hurt, but Myka wouldn't let go.

"Myka, I am not lying. I agreed because what Detective Tierney proposed made sense. They want to come after me, yes? So better we stage it than allow it to happen without any support. They will protect me, I promise you," Helena said.

"So I guess you're okay with making decisions like this without even telling me?" Myka said and now it was easy to hear how hurt she was.

"Myka, I would have told you – I would have asked that you be here if I had known what it was about," Helena tried.

There was a knock at the door and Jane came in. "Hey, maybe I could help out in here?" she asked. She was expecting a scowl from Helena, so it threw her when it came from Myka.

"You!" Myka said turning her interest away from Helena for a minute.

"Oh good, switching personalities," Jane said as she came in and closed the door. "Look, Myka I know you think this is dangerous," Jane tried.

"Dangerous? Dangerous? You want this woman to take a stroll through the park hoping, just hoping that a gang of over zealot boys looking to earn their stripes can find her?" Myka yelled.

"Well, that's basically it, yeah, but you're leaving out the part where the entire force is watching Ms. Wells and we grab these guys before they can do anything. I've got cops who will look more like gang members than the gang members and they'll be close to her the whole time," Jane explained.

Helena was hoping this explanation would ease Myka's mind a bit, but it didn't.

"So you've already got this plan in place don't you?" Myka asked Jane.

"Yes, we're set for Sunday morning. Ms. Sullivan's friend has the info to give back to his associates in Brooklyn and hopefully that gives them enough time to make their plans to show up," Jane said. "Don't worry, Myka, I promise you nothing happen to her."

Myka walked over to Jane, her green eyes flashing her anger. "I am holding you personally responsible for this, CJ. If you let anything happen to her…..," and Myka couldn't complete the sentence. She stopped talking because she didn't want to lose touch with how angry she was and dissolve into the fear behind it.

Helena was glad for the momentary respite while Myka focused on Jane, but it was over quickly.

"I'll speak with you later," Myka said to Helena and walked out.

Jane had seen many a couple argue, but rarely where they exchanged dispositions like what she just witnessed.

"She's upset because you didn't ask her?" Jane inquired.

"Yes," Helena said quietly.

"Let me know if there's anything I can do to help, ok?" Jane said.

"Thank you, Detective," Helena said. As much as she appreciated the offer, this was not the counsel she needed. She needed Irene. Or so she thought.

Jane had no sooner closed the door when Helena jumped to her desk and began thinking of ways to make it up to Myka. Eileen was summoned to order a bouquet of flowers to be delivered immediately with her heartfelt apology which she dictated. She called Leena next and explained that dinner had to be special. She ordered a charm from Tiffany's that symbolized 'faith' and implored them to have it ready before the end of the day. She did all this before Irene appeared in the door way like the sight for sore eyes that Helena needed.

"She's angry with me!" is what the Brit uttered and it was clear to Irene that Helena was dumbfounded by this. She had never known Helena to care if someone was angry with her, but she was not surprised at the remark now. Of course this would take Helena by surprise.

"As she should be!" Irene said and Helena recoiled at her tone.

"I beg your pardon?" Helena said but meant – we're not going to talk about your feelings, are we?

"Helena!" Irene said in full parental tone and her boss was not only surprised, she didn't like it – at all.

"Do not lecture me, woman," Helena said as her first verbal strike. It landed short of its target.

"Lecture you?" the woman said putting her hands on her hips. "I don't think for a minute I could get through that thick skull of yours, but I do know somewhere else I think I could get my message through," Irene threatened and looked at the area in question.

Helena pulled back aghast. "You wouldn't dare!" she said – and put her hands behind her to cover it.

"I would dare, make no mistake about that, Helena. I can think of no one in this world who deserves it more than you and I am against any form of physical punishment. I'm willing to make an exception just for you," Irene said getting too old for these skirmishes.

"I did not summon you here to insult me!" Helena said feeling like the world was turned upside down.

"You did not summon me. Ms. Sullivan did and I'm glad because you have gotten yourself into a very bad mess," Irene said sitting down in one of the chairs.

"I do not think …I believe Myka is being unreasonable," Helena said because Irene was supposed to take her side.

"Then why did your order flowers, and if I know you – dinner and jewelry," Irene asked right about both.

"I do not wish her angry with me. She is very upset," Helena explained.

"And you think flowers and dinner are going to undo what you've done?" Irene asked.

"I think they will show …," Helena started but Irene didn't have time for the long version.

"Helena, sit down here," Irene ordered and Helena hesitated to be that close. For a woman who was proficient in martial arts, it seemed odd that she would fear being subdued by a woman who was more than slightly out of shape.

Helena sat in the chair, her back stiff as a board, her escape route mapped out in her head in case she need to move out of the chair quickly.

"You are used to doing things alone, Helena. You rarely consult people when your mind is made up and in business that works sometimes," Irene pointed out.

"I consult my staff!" Helena said defensively.

"Don't make me list all the times to the contrary. The fact is Helena; you've been alone in the world for a great many years and never had to refer with someone about your decisions. But that isn't true anymore, is it?" Irene asked taking Helena's hands. "You and Ms. Bering are soul mates, Helena. She is your One, and more. And this foolish idea –regardless of the precautions – will put you in danger and I'm sure the idea of that scares the hell out of Myka," Irene said.

Helena knew all of this already – somewhere in the recesses of her mind.

"What am I going to do?" Helena asked sincerely. Having never cared if she was upsetting someone before, she had less experience in getting out of the mess she made.

"I don't know," Irene said and stunned Helena.

"What? What do you mean, you don't know?" Helena said pulling back.

"I'm not an answer book on life, Helena," Irene pointed out. "You got yourself into this mess, now you have to figure a way out of it. And it's not with flowers, dinner or jewelry. They're nice, but Myka needs something else, Helena," Irene said getting up.

"Well how the bloody hell am I supposed to figure that out. This is why you are here," Helena pointed out.

"No, I am here because I must have been very bad in another lifetime and am paying for it," Irene thought out loud.

"That is not funny," Helena said upset that her adviser did not have the plan all thought out.

"Give it some thought before you….," Irene was suggesting when Helena pressed the phone and demanded Millie get Myka to her office immediately.

Irene's speech and lack of providing the answer made Helena panic, an emotional state that Helena did not do well in. She flew into barking orders and demanding things because that is how she solved her business problems.

"What do you mean she is gone for the day?" Helena snarled.

"I mean Ms. Bering has a luncheon meeting and she told me she would not be back," Millie said over the speakerphone with the right amount of fear in her voice.

"With whom is this meeting?" Helena demanded.

"It wasn't on her calendar, Ms. Wells. I don't know,' Millie said.

"She did not tell me this!" Helena barked and the woman's voice became very shaky. Helena disconnected the call. She dialed Myka's cell, but it went to voice mail.

"How am I supposed to fix this if she is off and does not tell me where she can be reached?" Helena said with a 'so there' look at Irene.

"It's frustrating...not knowing isn't it?" Irene said and Helena said yes before she realized she just walked straight into one of Irene's life lessons. She hated when that happened.

"Aarrgghhhh," Helena yelled knocking Newton's Cradle with steel balls off her desk and sending it flying.

"Now that's a good use for that thing," Irene said because it was the first time she thought it was purposeful. "I know it doesn't feel like it yet, Helena, but you know what to do," Irene said as she got up.

"I wish next time instead of traipsing me through this poor imitation of your quintessential seditious analysis which led me back from whence I started, you would just administer the damn spanking. I swear it would be less painful," Helena ranted.

"That's exactly why I don't," Irene smiled as she opened the door and started out.

"Like the bloody hell you could," Helena said beneath her breath.

"Don't tempt me, Helena, do not tempt me, " the HR Director said as she closed the door.

"Do not let anyone disturb Ms. Wells for at least an hour, if she can last that long," Irene instructed Eileen.

"What is she doing in there?" Eileen asked because she could hear things falling or were they being thrown.

"Ms. Wells is very busy …..…learning," Irene said confident that the Brit would indeed emerge more scholarly.

"Bridget thanks so much for meeting on such short notice," Myka said to the only person she could think of to have lunch with. "I just had to get out of the office."

"Oh, my pleasure Myka," Bridget said.

Anyone surprised by Myka's choice of lunch date?