Chapter 9 (Return to the Lair)

For two weeks, the only words passed between Daisy and Helen were civil and polite. They avoided each other as much as possible and made little eye contact. They behaved like shy lovers, schoolgirls with no idea how to react to each other.

Helen was timid around Peter and Sophie, waiting for the terrible moment in which she would find herself in Peter's office, possibly with Daisy's father there to, and the young Goth. Sophie would be there, shaking her head and telling Helen how she had destroyed everything that they had built up in Daisy. A year of healing gone. Peter would condemn her to unemployment and she would never work as a councillor again. She imagined herself as a waitress, perhaps that was all she was good for.

The weather turned cold and the grounds were covered with frost every morning. Certain patches remained frozen, untouched by the sharp winter sun. The shifts in the wood shed doubled to keep it stocked and the students started wearing thick, winter clothing. Protection from the elements but not from themselves.

Helen sat on her porch, chain smoking, watching the remaining seasonal birds leave. Soon she too would be a vagrant, a gypsy, and a woman without a home. She sniffed; she found it strange how her feelings about Daisy remained the same. She was overly cautious, negligent perhaps.

She saw Peter approach and killed the cigarette, hiding the box in her pockets.

"Hi." She greeted.

"Hello. It's a bit cold to be sitting outside, don't you think?"

"I guess so."

"Can we go in? I want to talk to you."

Helen's blood iced. The moment had arrived. Daisy had told Peter about the incident in the shed and he was there to ask her to leave. He would be tactful, but what it came down to was, she was fired. On the streets, so to speak. At least she had a car, perhaps she it was more hopeful to think of herself as on the road.

"Helen?" Peter asked.

"What? Oh, right. Can I make you some coffee?" she stood up and opened the door, Peter followed her in, gazing around the cabin. Helen realised he hadn't seen it since she had moved in.

"I love what you've done with the place." He said.

"Thanks. Take a seat." She said, putting on the kettle. Her heart was beating at optimum speed. She was terrified. Too terrified to remember excuses and reasons she had come up with.

"Helen, Sophie and I are worried about you. You haven't been yourself lately." He looked at her with his caring Peter eyes and Helen was overcome with respect for the man. His heart was a borderless as the woods and mountains.

"I'm fine." She smiled weakly.

"We are also concerned that it is affecting your work. Your reports have been outstanding on all the Cliffhanger's, except Daisy. If she has told you something important, we need to know about it."

She was flooded with fear and relief at the same time. The feeling made her nauseous. Daisy had not said anything to Peter or Sophie. Yet, the silence had aroused as much suspicion as her behaviour.

"She hasn't said anything. There is little to report on her, that's all."

Peter stood up and approached Helen. "There is a certain amount of trust and confidence given to the employees at Mt. Horizon. I'm afraid I have to demand the best you have to give. And you aren't giving it. I can't tell you to snap out of anything, but if you need to talk, you know where I am."

"Thanks, Peter, but it's nothing I can't handle." She lied.

"Alright. But if it gets too much. Please, come to me."

"I will." Helen said. She had become a student to him. He was concerned about her, as he was about his students. His words made Helen feel young and naïve, as lost as a new Cliffhanger.

Peter left, apparently satisfied. The fact that he had not drunk his coffee left Helen with a feeling of relief. He had left. Her heart slowed down and she decided to take her job more seriously. She would pretend nothing had happened with Daisy and do what she had studied to be. She was a councillor, and nothing else. She would give her best to Peter, hide her distress and it would blow over. If she ignored her situation for long enough, it could disappear.

Her chance however did not come immediately. The next day she developed flu and the doctor had insisted on a week's bed rest.

Peter entered the lodge. As usual, it was packed full of students. He made his way to the Cliffhangers. Shelby and Scott were cuddling on the sofa; Juliette was helping Auggie with homework. For once Ezra and David were not bickering; they were playing cards on the floor, silent and peaceful, Peter thought that strangers might mistake them for brothers had they seen them at that particular moment. Daisy was curled up on a chair, reading a book. It was her that he was looking for.

"Hey guys." He greeted.

"How's Helen?" Ezra asked eagerly. The entire group focused their attention on Peter. They had become increasingly fond of the young councillor and her illness and absence had made them curious about her well being.

"I'm not sure. She hasn't eaten today, I was wondering if one of you would take her a plate."

Ezra started to stand up.

"Sit down, I'm not done with you yet." David said, and gave Ezra a menacing glare. Ezra sat down and shrugged. Peter saw the matches lying next to them and assumed they were gambling. He frowned with disapproval, but then again gambling wasn't technically against the rules.

Peter looked over the group and had an idea. "Daisy."

"Me?"

"Yes. It's in the kitchen, next to the fridges." He left, not giving her a chance to argue.

She stood up and looked around. Shelby gave her a wink. Daisy smiled and went to the kitchen. She found the plate and scowled. It looked better than the usual food they were served. She suspected it had been specially prepared and wondered why the students never got served in bed when they were sick.

As she left the lodge and made her way to the cabin, a wave of nervousness hit her. She had not been alone with Helen for two weeks; she had no idea how to react. She realised she had no idea what she wanted. She thought about what was the worst thing that could happen.

"She could kiss me." Daisy said to herself. "Or she might do nothing… either way is it so bad?" she found herself on Helen's porch. Both outcomes were bad. She knocked on the door. No answer. She knocked again.

"Yes." A groggy voice called, followed by a fit of sneezes.

Daisy pushed open the door. The cabin was a mess. Tissues were strewn everywhere, the coffee table was covered with pill bottles and mugs. Freddy was lying by the fire. He acknowledged her entrance with a thump of his tail. Helen was lying on the couch, covered with a blanket.

"I brought you some food. Peter sent me."

Helen looked up and their eyes met. Daisy challenged her, not breaking the gaze. Helen sat up. "Come in."

Daisy entered the cabin. "Do you want me to heat it up for you?"

"No, I'm not hungry right now. You can just put it down next to the microwave."

Daisy crossed the room and put the plate down. She breathed in deeply turned around and started to leave. As she passed the couch a Helen grabbed her wrist. Daisy's body flooded with heat and she knew at that moment what she wanted. Helen.

"Daisy, we need to talk." Helen said, releasing Daisy. "Take a seat."

Daisy nodded and sat down on a stool, facing Helen. She felt a light sweat break out under her jersey. Her heart fluttered nervously.

"Why didn't you tell Peter?"

Daisy cocked her head, looking at Helen. Her nose was red, her hair tangled, her eyes puffy. She was still flawless. "It's none of his business."

"But I," Helen hesitated. "I violated the student-councillor relationship."

"You did." Daisy sighed. "But I violated it too."

"You did nothing."

"That's what you think."

Helen stared at Daisy. There was no way to know what the Goth was thinking. Daisy was an abyss of mind and thought. In what way could she possibly have violated Helen? "What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure." And in one fluent movement Daisy was kneeling in front of Helen. Daisy had no idea what was going on. She felt as though she had lost control of her mind and was simply watching. She was an outsider to her actions. "Why didn't you kiss me?" she asked the question that had been burning in her mind for two weeks.

Helen shifted back, away from Daisy, her eyes sparkling with confusion. "It wouldn't be right."

Daisy bit her lip. Frustration overwhelmed her, irrationality overcame her. "Then I'm going to kiss you." she stood up and straddled Helen. Helen looked up at her, her obvious confusion making her look like a child. Daisy smiled and cupped her face in her hands.

She lowered her face to Helen's, watching her closely. Helen closed her eyes and Daisy pressed her lips against Helen's.

Authors Note: It's not over yet! Sorry it took a while to post again. Christmas ran away with me. Thanks to those of you who are reading and reviewing. And the positive responses I've been getting. You guys are giving me the energy to complete this. This is the longest fic I have ever written. It is not as easy as I imagined. I dedicate this to you. As lame as that sounds, but I honestly appreciate you guys. Thanks.