Myka smiled, pushing a stray curl behind her ear as she handed a small plate of cheese and fresh fruit over to Helena. The sun highlighting the dark locks of both her girls as the rays shone through the oval leaves of the Sea grape tree that swayed gently from the warm sea breeze wafting through the branches.
A picnic by the shore was a perfect retreat for the three of them, Myka humming in her contentment as she laid back, resting on one elbow, nibbling on their treats she had packed for them. Myka let her head fall back, eyes closed as she listened to the happy coos from their little girl as Helena softly sang an old song to their daughter. The rays of the sun warming her face, her heart full as she inhaled the cold, metallic air?
Her head rising up to match Helena's retreating form, their daughter snug in her wife's arms.
"Mummy?"
"Elizabeth, Helena?" Myka shouted as she tried to follow them, the distance growing greater with each strain at her struggle. Myka starting to claw and grab at the tree branches that held her back, her arm outstretched as she cried out to her families retreating form, slowly sinking under the waves.
"Myka?" Helena's voice a mere whisper, her eyes clouding over, her arms held at her side, trying to grab at their retreating form.
"Helena!" Myka strained to yell, her voice rough, her throat as dry as the sand that washed out with the tide that was covering her girls, drowning her heart.
"My, Darling, I'm here." Myka feeling the warmth of her hand cradling her cheek, her eyes straining to focus on the blacken mass that was filling her sight as Helena's words swept that horrible image from her thoughts.
"Just a dream?" Myka wondered, her words coming out in a low rasp.
"Sweetie, my, Love." Myka felt the warm press of fingers entangling hers, the press of a warm palm against her cheek, slowly bringing the room into focus.
"Will she be … is she becoming lucid?" the faint, familiar voice slowing ebbing away as Myka was crying out, trying to sit up, Helena's voice becoming clearer as she heard the cries of her wife.
The mumbles of strangers voices mingled with Helena's, the strange sounds became more focused for Myka as she struggled to sit up. The rough sheets chafed at her skin, her arm pinched as she tried to move. With all her energy draining away, she fell against the sorry excuse of a pillow.
Helena had demanded that everyone leave, needing time to be alone with her wife. Myka heard Helena commanding those voices to leave them be, "Leena, please take Claudia home. I will call you when Myka is up to par," Myka hearing the soft but gently command in her wife's voice. Her head still fuzzy as she turned her eyes to meet strong, loving brown.
"Elizabeth?" Myka whispered as she used what little strength she had left, gently squeezing the fingers entangled with hers.
"Elizabeth, it is?" Helena bringing their entwined hand together to meet her lips. She watched as Myka nodded, those green eyes becoming more focused as Helena let out an audible sigh, her head falling down to Myka's shoulder as they both reacted to the closing of the door.
"Is she …" Myka stopping as she felt Helena's head shake against her shoulder, her IV taped hand then threading through those dark locks. Her brow furrowing as her fingers were halted by a tangle in those glorious black locks.
"Our girl … our Elizabeth, is in capable hands," Helena's voice was muffled as she spoke into Myka's neck. Her shoulders stilling to a slight shake as Myka rubbed between her shoulder blades, soothing her wife's shaken nerves.
Her sight and thoughts becoming focused as her eyes darted around the room; the hospital, the monitors. Then realizing that Helena was seated next to her bed, the 'baby' bag tossed in the corner, the TV on mute with a stack of crumpled newspapers next to the hard chair Helena was seated on.
"How long?" Myka asked gently, still soothing at Helena's back.
"Twenty three hours since they wheeled you in," Helena sniffled, wiping harshly under her nose as she sat up.
"You were, she was … two months early and they had to deliver with a C-section …" Helena was wiping at the bottom of her eyes, trying her best to regal Myka with that trade mark Wells grin.
"Have you been here the whole time?" Myka cupping Helena's face, her wincing as she tried to sit up, the stitches pulling at her.
Helena nodded, "Between the OR, then your room and the nursery …" Helena's voice dropping with each word from her exhaustion.
"You have watched over us?" Myka whispered, her eyes strained with worry at Helena's worn down, deflated shoulders. Her eyes just on the edge of bursting, a flood of emotions held back behind mahogany.
"More like a Webley match," Helena sniffled, her lips curling to strain up with her light quip as she caressed Myka's cheek.
"Bouncing between you and our girl," Helena smirked at the slight furrow of Myka's brow, knowing her thoughts before she spoke them aloud.
"All ten fingers and toes," Helena smiled as she brushed against Myka's cheek, finishing her thought.
"Have you seen her?" Myka worried.
"Yes, my darling. And her wailing like a Banshee in the ward," Helena said, "Must be from your Irish side of the family," Helena smiled softly as she bent her forehead down, gently touching with Myka's. Trying to alleviate the heaviness of the moment.
"When can I hold her?" Myka's smile dropping, her hands pulling Helena up to meet her eyes.
"Soon, Love. Let me speak with Dr. Frederick," her lips smiling into Myka's as she drew away from them.
XXX
"Is she? I mean …" Pete stumbling over his words as he jumped from the plastic hard seat outside of Myka's room when Helena came out.
"Easy there," Helena said, her hand pushing against Pete's chest. "I ...just give her …" Helena's voice faltering as her eyes met his. The well of tears that were pushing behind her eyes finally broke as her's met his.
"Come here," Pete whispered as he enveloped Helena into his arms.
All her fears came flooding out, her body collapsing from having to be strong these last twenty three hours. The last forty eight hours in hell from the fight and now the baby, waiting as Myka was sent straight to surgery, their baby then being rushed to ICU after the delivery;
"Her lungs and immune system are not fully developed where I would like them. So, please, Helena, let me do my work" Helena wanting to scream at Dr. Frederick's words, clenching her fists at feeling helpless to do anything.
"Go, be with her," Dr. Frederick had said as she pushed Helena into Myka's room that night.
"Helena? Here, have something warm," Amanda smiled, guiding Helena out of Pete's arms.
"Is Myka awake?" Amanda asked as she guided them down to the ICU nursery. Them both leaning against the glass, watching as the baby slept.
"Myka wants to hold her," Helena stated, then sipping on the lukewarm cup of tea Amanda had given her.
"Of course she does," Amanda smiled. "I would be going stir crazy if I couldn't hold little Jane after she was born,"
Amanda watched side-eyed as a shadow crossed Helena's face, her hand coming up to comfort Helena as the new mother ran her hand up the glass barrier between mother and daughter.
"Her first few hours in this world and I cannot protect her," Helena's fingers splaying on the glass as she watched the nurse change the IV bag on her little girl. Her tears falling unabated down her cheeks.
"Come on, when was the last time you ate anything?" Amanda's arm wrapping around Helena's shoulder, leading them away after the nurse finished settling her little girl down for the night.
X
Helena smiled as she entered Myka's room, her hand holding a steaming cup. "The doctor said you could only have a little broth," Helena shrugged, smiling to Pete as he got up from her chair.
"Okay, well, I'll just be going," Pete said, his thumb pointing over his shoulder as he backed to Amanda.
"Baby?" Helena rushing to Myka's side as she grunted, trying to sit up in bed.
"Here, Love." Helena said with a whisper as she rushed to Myka's side, helping her to sit up as Amanda grabbed Pete by his arm, ushering them out of the room.
"Elizabeth?" Myka asked, sipping the broth Helena handed to her.
"She is doing just fine," Helena was saying, adjusting her chair to move closer to Myka's bedside. "You shall hold your girl soon enough. Come hell or high water, I shall make sure …" Helena was saying as she moved her chair closer, readying to settle in for the night.
"Baby, Helena?" Myka's soft pleading pulling Helena's head around, her eyes trained upon those pleading green.
"Yes?" Helena then smiling as she watched Myka set her cup down, holding the white, scratchy blanket up, the plea in those eyes melting her heart.
"If I must," Helena rolling her eyes in a mock surrender as she pushed the chair away from the bed, her heart swelling as the small grin curled around Myka's lips.
"I need you," was the smallest of whispers as Helena adjusted gingerly under the upheld blanket.
"As our girl needs us," Helena whispered, settling her face just so into the nook of Myka's shoulder. The white, thin blanket enveloping them as Helena's eyes fought the strain of the last twenty three hours.
X
"Do NOT," Dr. Frederick holding onto the knob of the door as nurse Brown was about to enter.
"But …" the nurse then backing off, looking down at her tray.
"If only for a brief, shining moment let them rest." Dr. Frederick's eyebrow shooting up, her eyes darting to the nurse's station. She tapped her low, sensible heel softly as she watched the nurse retreat back to her station.
"Umm, Doc?" The faint tapping on her shoulder caused her to spin around, the death glare falling as quickly as it formed.
"And you are?"
"Just concerned friends," Pete holding up his hands in surrender, his eyes shooting to find his wife's.
"Babe? A little help here?" he pleaded as he backed away from the intimidating Doctor.
"What my not so subtle half is wondering … "Amanda backing away a bit, her swallowing hard at the look from Myka and Helena's doctor. Her then squaring her shoulders, her jaw tilting up a bit as she then spoke;"my two friends are racked with worry over their little girl and I want to …"
Amanda bowing her head, following the down path of the OBGYN's eyes, her jaw jutting up at the single eye browed that rose.
"Is there, I mean … Myka needs to see her, to hold her little girl," Amanda, her insides curling but her face remaining calm as she spoke.
"I know that she can be wheeled, in her incubator, into their room. Just, please …" her hand then gently resting on the doctor's elbow.
"Please, just let them both see her," Amanda's eyes swelling back the rush of tears.
"In a few hours, Mrs. Lattimer," the gentleness of the voice was matched by the tender hand on her arm. "Both need time, but I promise," Her hard eyes then softening as she leaned in, "Time is on their side,"
X
Helena curled up in the strong arm that wrapped her closer, her nose buried in the semi-soft curls.
"My, love?" Helena asked, her voice rough from the sleep that had washed over them both. Her arm gently squeezing just above Myka's waist. Helena had opened one eye, watching as her fingers gently traced over the red, angry line just above Myka's hips.
"Is she?" Myka gulping down her fears as she swallowed hard, her arm squeezing Helena closer, her sighing just a bit as Helena's leg snugged around hers. Her foot securing around her ankle as Helena nestled into them.
"She has blue eyes," Helena stated, trying her best to balance a bit of teasing with the crushing oppression of Myka's worry. "Is there something you want to tell me?" Myka then feeling the trademark Wells smirk pressing against the skin of her neck.
"Yes, baby. Amanda and I made a love child behind your back," she smiled into soft, dark locks.
"Smartarse," Helena then squeezing a bit tighter around Myka's waist. "All babies have blue eyes when first born," Helena mocked huffed.
