It had been a difficult slog for Carla. Everything she once had was now confiscated. Her sub, her mansion in China along with her labs, the Quad Tower. Everything Simmons had given her, had all been taken back from her. She didn't mind as she knew it was what she deserved, she'd work her way back up if she hadn't gone mad by that time.

'Just try to stay focused,' she told herself.

She hated having to work under these conditions. People in suits were watching her constantly, making sure she wasn't planning on world domination, which was stupid as she never wanted any of that. All she ever wanted was to bring pain and suffering to the one that had brought it upon her.

"Derek," she now sighed.

The man was dead and yet she just couldn't accept it. She really didn't want to tell Ada of the cocoon, but having no other choice in the matter as Ada had clearly seen it anyway. All she'd ever wanted was to have him for herself, to make Simmons love her. The real her, but that had been too much to ask for.

oOo

Helena now pulled up in the underground car park after finally getting the authorisation to allow her to come through.

"State your business!" the man on the door had now stopped her.

"I'm here to see Carla," Helena sighed heavily.

"Dr Radames is to see no one," he told her straight.

"You'd better check with your higher ups. I have permission."

He gave her a stern look before turning his head away to call it in.

"I've got a woman here to see Dr Radames, but I was strictly told not to allow any visitors in to see her."

Helena huffed in annoyance, all this for one woman.

"Yes, sir." The man was now nodding. "Yes, I'll hold."

He turned to look at her before turning away what with her glare, soon enough someone else was on the line.

"I was told... Yes, ma'am. No, I..." He nodded again. "Sorry. Yes, ma'am, I understand."

He lowered his hand as he turned back to her.

"Go on through," he gestured to the door.

Once inside it was clearly no better as another man in a black suit, now headed right for her.

"Come with me, please."

Helena did as she was told, passing both men and women in labs coats. Some glancing her way, while others were deep in conversation with each other. Soon enough the man in the suit stopped at a room to open the door for her.

"I ask that you wait in here, ma'am." He told her.

She headed on inside, seeing the windows reflected the outside world. The twilight sky made it look rather nice and relaxing.

"You have half an hour!"

Helena turned to see other man now stood holding open the door.

"It's disgusting how they allow scum like her to work here," someone else was now heard.

"They should have locked you up and thrown away the key!" another joined in.

"Move on!" the man at the door scowled as Carla now made an appearance.

Helena looked to her, seeing how differently she was looking. Tired and possibly fed up with everything and everyone.

"Well this is a surprise," she smiled at setting eyes on the younger woman.

"I brought you these," Helena now held up a bouquet of flowers for her as the door was now closed. "As a thank you."

Carla took them and gave them a sniff.

"They're beautiful, but I don't want your thanks. Not when I was the one to start all this."

"You cured my sister," Helena reminded her.

Carla sat herself down on the large settee with a heavy sigh, seemingly glad to be off her feet.

"Would you do me a favour?" she now asked looking to the younger woman.

Helena looked a little worried at what it would entail.

"Would you come visit me again?" she asked, putting Helena at ease. "I can't stand not having anyone to talk with, and it's not like people jump for joy when they see me."

Helena took a seat next to her. Admitted the woman had started this virus, but she wasn't the one to start it in the first place. She was now willing to set things right and that was good in Helena's eyes, as she wasn't exactly a saint either. They were two of the same.

"I'll come visit you again and again until you're free of this place."

Carla smiled at this. "Thank you."

Helena now smiled back, something she felt was rather genuine as she rarely even smiled any more. What was there to smile about anyway? Being around Carla now had that effect on her and everyone around her could now clearly see the big difference in her.

xXx

As the weeks progressed, Carla was finally done with the cure and with her imprisonment which now meant she was free to move on with her life. She never expected to be offered a place alongside another child prodigy and survivor of Arklay's very own Rebecca Chambers.

"Carla Radames," Carla greeted the slightly younger woman.

"Rebecca Chambers," Rebecca smiled at her. "I look forward to working alongside you."

"Likewise," Carla smiled back.

She was glad to be in her own personal lab once again, admitted Rebecca shared it alongside her, but here she was free to do as she pleased without anyone breathing down her neck watching for any little thing that would start a virus up and running again. No, she'd soon come to enjoy Rebecca's bubbly personality as they now worked together.

"Brought you a coffee," Rebecca's cheery voice rang out behind her as she gave her the coffee.

"Thanks," Carla took it gladly. "Just what I needed."

The pair started up a conversation as they now took a well deserved coffee break before both were then drawn into a difficult calculation brought to them by a co-worker and now close friend of Rebecca.

"Dr Chambers, Dr Radames." He walked over to them, a clipboard in hand. "I'm a little embarrassed to ask this as the answer may be right in front of my face, but could you help me out with this small problem."

Rebecca was on it in an instant, taking the clipboard from him to look over it with Carla.

"I've tried combining the two, but the results are always the same." He sighed.

"You could try..."

"Dr Radames!"

The three looked up as another scientist stood by the door.

"Visitor," he gestured.

"Mind if I?"

Rebecca shook her head. "Of course not, I think I've worked out the problem anyway. I'll see you tomorrow."

Carla slipped out to now be greeted by Helena, who she immediately hugged.

"Was I interrupting anything?" she asked.

"Nothing Rebecca can't handle," Carla shrugged as she led Helena out of the labs and back to her lavish apartment in her red Porsche, she'd drop Helena back off for her car later.

Helena was quite surprised to hardly see anything the new apartment, but what Carla did have was quite extravagant and all in all it was rather homely. In the very corner of the room stood a thick imitation tree trunk with a long thick branch protruding from it, on which a large snake was wrapped around.

"Make yourself at home," Carla had said as she headed for the kitchen while taking off her lab coat.

"Nice place," Helena commented before sitting herself down on the large L shaped sofa.

"I suppose," Carla had sighed in return, remembering back to when it used to be her and Simmons.

Now it was just her and the snake.

"Herbal tea," she said as she handed Helena the steaming cup of liquid.

Helena took it to then have a sip of it. Carla sat down beside her to do the same before setting it down on the coffee table.

"I really am surprised that you still come to see me."

"What can I say, I enjoy your company." Helena shrugged as she set her cup down.

"How's your sister getting on?"

"She's doing good," Helena nodded. "College has been a huge distraction for her, and her friends have been really supportive too."

Carla smiled in response.

"But what about you?" Helena now asked.

Carla reached over for her drink again in hopes of eluding that question.

"Carla, I want to know." Helena scowled as she grabbed her wrist.

Carla turned away from her.

"Tell me," Helena now pressed.

"I'm fine," Carla reassured her.

"I'm not stupid," Helena glared at her fiercely.

"Is this the only reason you came, to give me more therapy? Because I've had more than enough of that."

"No," Helena now sighed. "I just want to know that you're doing alright."

Carla dropped back against the settee, arms crossing over her chest like a child.

"We've both been through a lot. Admitted I can't compete with what Simmons did to you, but..."

Carla now looked to her again. "I'd like for you to stay with me."

Helena looked a little taken aback by this. She never expected things to move this fast, especially if she was asking her to stay, stay.

"I..."

"I would just like the company for one night only," she went on. "But I know you have your sister to look after."

Helena shook her head, one night was fine. Deborah was more than likely staying with friends once again anyway, until she got a new place.

"No it's fine," Helena reassured her, getting a smile in response.

"Thank you."

Helena couldn't help but feel somewhat towards the woman as time went on, and she came to find Carla was getting more and more forwards with her as well. As she watched TV, Carla would lean up against her, sometimes she'd even fall sound asleep. Helena wasn't complaining, she really liked Carla's company in more ways than one.

xXx

She had thought things were progressing well between them, until one day she received a call while she was working on a report with Hunnigan.

"Mind if I take this?" she asked.

"No," Hunnigan shook her head. "I'll continue until you get back."

"Thanks," Helena smiled as she walked off to take the call. "Helena here."

"Hi, Helena! It's Rebecca."

"Everything alright?" Helena now asked, not really used to having Rebecca call her like this.

"Carla's not feeling too well," Rebecca informed her. "I didn't know if you wanted to take her home or you'd prefer I call for someone to..."

"I'll come pick her up, it's fine." Helena was quick to get in.

"Alright, see you in a little while then."

Helena cut the call to now head back to Hunnigan, passing Leon as she went as he was now talking with Sherry.

"I really hate to skip out on the paperwork, but Carla's not well and needs..."

"Say no more," Hunnigan smiled. "Go take her home, I'll finish up here."

"Thanks so much," Helena smiled at her. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Hunnigan shook her head with a smile as she typed away at the keyboard. Once out in the car park, Helena climbed into her car and started it up to drive over to go pick up Carla. She pulled up in the car park and headed inside the large building, making her way through to get to Rebecca and Carla's lab.

"Hey, Rebecca." She greeted as soon as she stepped into the lab. "Where is she?"

"Med bay," Rebecca told her with a sigh as she picked up a needle. "She's injected herself."

Helena shook her head, a look of annoyance on her face.

"Come on, I'll take you to her."

She followed Rebecca on, until coming to stop at a room in which Rebecca then opened the door for her. Carla was laid upon one of the beds there, looking rather sickly and pale.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?" Helena snapped at her.

"I want you to see the real me, not some copy of someone Simmons wanted me to be." Carla replied weakly.

"You're an idiot!" Helena glared before taking her hand and softening up. "I like you for you. So please don't try anything else on yourself, alright?"

Carla gave a nod in return as Helena helped her sit.

"Time to get you home," she sighed as she wrapped an arm around Carla's waist to keep her standing.

Rebecca followed them out, getting the door for them each and every time.

"Helena, I don't feel so good." Carla whined as she leaned on her for support.

"That's because you're an idiot," Helena glared at her. "One stupid genius."

Carla groaned as Helena got her into the car, once she was back on the road Carla was now sleeping, at least until she was back home and heaved back into the apartment.

"Get your stupid ass on the couch," she told her as she helped lay her down upon it. "Apart from a cold cloth, what else do you need?"

"You," Carla groaned into the back of the settee.

Helena rolled her eyes, damn she was so needy but so damn lovable. She set off to dampen a cloth to then place on Carla's head.

"Keep it on!" Helena glared as Carla moved it away from her head.

"Don't need it," she groaned.

"Then you clearly don't need me, do you?" Helena threatened.

Carla turned to her, looking as though she was about to cry.

"I'm joking," she smiled as she disappeared into the kitchen to then return with a nice cold beer. "You really think I'd leave you in your state?"

"Maybe?" Carla now smiled as Helena dropped a cushion on her head before sitting herself down on the end part of the sofa, so that she could rest her legs upon it.

Carla moved the cushion from her head as she now sat up to lay back down with her head resting upon Helena's lap. Helena looked down upon her and frowned, now having to reach back over for the cold cloth to place back on the woman's head, to then leave her hand there to keep Carla from moving it.

"Get some rest, you idiot genius." Helena teased as she turned on the TV, making sure to keep the volume down a little for her.

"Yes, my butch darling." Carla teased her back.

"Hey!" Helena frowned. "I'm not butch!"

"No, you're beautiful." Carla now yawned.

Helena smiled. "I love you for who you are, Carla. Just remember that."

"I know," Carla sighed as she felt the tears threaten to fall. "I love you too."

And with that she fell asleep, while Helena watched over her until she was well again. Thankfully after that Carla had learnt to live with looking as she did, 'cause as long as she had Helena, she was happy.