Helen spent her time divided between her underground project and running around the world getting supplies. Trying to stay in contact with the twins. Being eaten up with guilt about everything she'd done and not done since following Adam through the portal. All while trying not to bring attention to herself or her babies.
I don't own the Sanctuary characters, I just like playing in it.
February in Montana can be beautiful after a big blanket of snow falls on the farm. It was Saturday and Gregory was complain the storm should have waited until Monday. Then they could have had a snow day. Georgina who was now wanting to be called Georgie, grab her sled and went out to play, dragging her brother with. They were 10 and a half now and everything had fallen into a rhythm. Helen would try to call around the 10th of every month from a pay phone, and stopped by 2 or 3 times a year. She was supposed to be at the farm yesterday. But the storm delayed her flight. Jess knew Helen and that she would no doubt show up as soon as the road were cleared.
The roads weren't good but Helen had already missed one day with her kids and she wasn't going to miss any more. With her flight leaving Thursday evening, she had rented a nice big SUV. Picked up some (what she considered) junk food for the kids, wine for her and some Irish whiskey for Jess. She slid a little as she turned into the driveway. Blue the old dog, was now too old to run down the drive so he simple barked for the porch, to greet her.
Jess opened the front door as she was putting on a jacket. Jess was wearing her typical dark blue jeans and t-shirt. Helen thought she looked thinner, even thou she still had a full figure and the busty chest she had inherited from her grandmother. "H, I didn't think we'd see you until later" Helen was getting out and laughed to herself. Jess had taken to calling her H, because of how she signed her post cards HB. "You think a little snow would stop me?" Jess helped her inside with her bags as she grabbed the goodies. When they got inside Jess went right into hostess mode. Bring her into the kitchen and sitting her at the table. Filling the tea kettle with water for the tea and hot chocolate. Helen laughed at Jess as she tried to sound British by saying 'help yourself to some biscuits'. "You've been watching BBC comedies again, haven't you?" Jess smiled, Helen knew how she loved her BBC. Going to the back door, Jess opened it and blew a whistle 2 times.
The children made a ton of noise stomping up the steps dropping their sleds on the back porch. "Mummy!" They screamed, seeing her at the table. Both kids dropped their coats and boot in a pile and almost knocked her out of her chair, with their hugs. Both children started telling everything they have seen and done since she was last there 5 months ago. They both talked so fast, they barely took time to breath. Jess smiled, picking up the coats and shaking them out. She took her time hanging them up. She liked the little family to get caught up, alone.
Helen's heart was both delighted and sadden. She was so happy that they were safe, and that they loving being on the farm. But she was sad that she was missing so much. Someday they would understand, she hoped.
Gregory was now into comic books Batman was his favorite. His brown hair was longer and he had started spiking it. He still didn't care much about clothes, but that would change later, Helen guessed. Georgie was trying to get her hair to look like Hermine Granger. Although she did jeans around the farm. She preferred to wear dresses to school. Every time Helen came, Jess told her to take her shopping for clothes. Because Jess lived in jeans and a t-shirt. Even when she dressed up it was either black jeans or slacks and a button down shirt. Having Helen do the more girly thing took a load off. And Helen loved doing it!
The rest of Saturday and Sunday all 4 of them were outside playing in the snow or inside playing card and board games. Monday while the kids were at school, Jess went to work. She had gotten a part-time job at the feed store. It got her out of the house and stopped some of the local gossip. About how she could afford to raise two foster kids.
Jess had given Helen a pile of school papers, art work and videos to go through to keep her busy, in the empty house. Helen was happy to be at the farm. For some reason this house had a calming effect on her. Jess had gotten a few new pieces of furniture. The living room had been painted a cream color. There was a new suede couch and 2 new recliners. In the corner was a desk and table, with a computer and printer. No doubt that was the homework corner. The only other thing that was new was the TV. Otherwise it was still the same house. Jess had kept her grandma's old Victrola and records. She played it almost every night.
Having a very rough 5 months, she was doing her best to hide it from the kids and Jess. She just wanted to spend these few days being 'Helen, a mother of twins and a good friend to Jess', no life and death situations. She was in the kitchen making a large dinner when Jess and the kids got home. After dinner and the evening chores were done the kids sat in the corner doing homework. Jess had put on some Chopin. Helen and Jess were playing chess. When the clock chimed time for the kids to start getting ready for bed. Jess smiled and said "Who wants their mom to read them a bedtime story?" Helen smiled she was about to beat Jess... again. "Go get ready and pick out a book, I'll be up in a few minutes." Helen was three moves from winning. "Oh come on H. You know you beat me again... I concede." "Fine, why don't you get out some big girl drinks and the cards." Helen stood and tussled Jess's hair as if she was 10.
30 minutes later Helen came down the stairs. There was Jazz play very softly on the radio now. Jess had glasses and the bottles on the coffee table. Helen smiled, it had be a long time since she had a friend like Jess. Georgina mothered Helen, which normally would have driven her crazy. But somehow Helen looked forward to it. With Jess it was different, more like a sister. Jess loved and was fairly knowledgeable about Victorian life. Her favorite subject in school besides animal science was history. She had quotes from Niche, Churchill and Nikola Tesla on the frig. Helen thought, someday I will introduce her to Nikola. What a surprise that will be.
"What game would you like to beat me at now?" Jess joked as Helen sat down. Helen had her hand on the wine bottle as Jess continued "Or would you like to talk about what's bothering you?" Helen tried to laugh it off "What are you talking about? Who said something was bothering me?" Jess took a drink from her glass and then picked up the card. "Ok, if you change your mind. I don't mind listening." Helen looked at Jess, bloody hell she was just like Georgina. She would call you out but not pressure you at the same time. Helen took a drink and then another before she put her glass down. With a sigh "Well, I haven't told you everything about me." Jess smiled "If you were born in 1850 and we've been friends for 2 and half years. I'm sure there are many things you haven't told me yet." Helen smiled. Will had wanted to know everything right away. But Jess was content to learn about things as they went.
"I have or rather I had another child. A daughter named Ashley." Jess stopped shuffling the cards, her face long with sympathy. "She was kidnapped as a young adult and used against me, to hurt me and the Sanctuary Network. That's one of the reasons the kids are her with you." "Is that's why you don't sleep and when you do you have nightmares?" Helen hung her head, she didn't think Jess knew about that. "That is a big part of it, but there are other monsters and tragedies in my life that keep me awake." Helen smiled all of a sudden and chuckled "If I was here when Harold was gone. Your grandma and I would stay up late in her bed talking until one or both of us fell asleep." "Sound like grandma" Jess held up the cards. Sensing Helen wasn't going to say much more on the subject of what was bothering her.
Helen smile as explained a game she and Georgina would play. They would play High Card and whoever won got to ask 1 question of the other person. If you choose not to answer it you had to take a drink. Or accidentally asked 2 questions, you took a drink. Jess never thought her grandma played drinking games but it sounded fun so they gave it a try. Jess won the 1st and 2nd round. She choose to ask about the lock ness monster and fairies. Helen won the next 1 and asked when the last time Jess had been on a date was. This went on for about an hour and 3 drinks each. Before they called it quits and stumbled to their beds.
Tuesday and Wednesday went the same with Helen cooking dinner and when then kids finished their homework they all play a couple of games. Gregory won both games of Clue to Helen's amusement. The kids made a bit of a fuss at bedtime, Wednesday night. Knowing that their mother would leave after they had gone to school, the next morning. Helen reassured them they were much better off here then with Jessica. And that she would bring them to the new house she was having built. That settled them down, even though she said it won't be ready for a while.
Jess was having a fitful night for some reason. She got up used to bathroom and look in the mirror trying to figure out why she wasn't sleeping. She decided to check on the kids, but they were both a sleep. She was going to go back to bed. Then she heard sniffling coming from Helen's room. She gently knocked and opened the door.
Helen didn't like seeming weak, but as her door opened. She couldn't hide her sniffling or the tears rolling down her face. Jess looked at her with such concern. She immediately and quietly closed the door and went to the day bed. Helen was sitting up in the middle of the bed. So when Jess came over she moved the pillows and sat with her. Jess said nothing, just sat there with her arm around Helen. That was Helen's undoing. She leaned into Jess and continued to cry. Jess was stroking her hair and slightly rocking her, as if she was a small child. Helen couldn't remember when someone had last done that for her. It would have been James. That was the only person she ever showed her vulnerable side too.
Jess took a pillow and put it behind her back so she could lean against the wall. Helen started to get control of herself and decide to tell Jess almost the whole story about Ashley. Jess, like the friend she was listened. When Helen had finished telling how Ashley died and that she had travel through time. That Ashley was now 15 and even though Helen was trying not to effect the time line. By trying make money for the new sanctuary (she left out it being underground) having the twins, bring them to Jess and all the traveling to the farm and back. Had to be altering the time line. When she finished she looked at Jess and waited. Helen just let all the guilt she had been holding in, go. She even told Jess who Ashley's father was. How she had not told Ashley and the guilt she carried about that. Helen did feel a tiny bit better after her confession. Now, she looked at Jess and waited to see what she would say.
Jess looked at her with compassion. "This all sound all a bit Doctor Who, but no way could you have just sit in the middle of nowhere and waited 100 years. Knowing you, you would have gone mad. As for having the twins you waited so to cause little to no time line altering. And if you are worried about me." She paused and tucked Helen's hair behind her ear "I would be alone. My family barely cares I'm alive. But thanks to you, I have a sister, a niece and nephew."
A sister, Helen thought about her younger days. How she had always wanted a sister. Jess would be a very, very young sister. Although right now she felt like the little sister.
Helen leaned on Jess for a moment before Jess asked "Would it be possible to save Ashley, but hide her somewhere until you rejoin your time line?" Helen explained that things were getting even crazier. When she had gone through the portal. But she had been trying to decide even if she could save her life. She had no idea how to change her back. If Ashley would be able to live with what she had done, when under the control of others. (Although Helen didn't want to go into details about Ashley actually killing people.) And there would be no one she could ask for help.
Jess shifted herself, she could see she wasn't going back to bed anytime soon. Helen pulled the blanket as Jess sighed "I haven't know you as long as grandma did, but I think if you don't try to save Ashley. It will be your greatest regret. However you need to brace yourself for failure or if you do save her. The road to recovery may take a very long time." Ashley was not a horse or dog, but Helen knew some of the animals Jess recused took months and months before they were ready to be re-homed. And there had been a few that were little better then semi tame. Living the rest of their lives in permanent sanctuaries.
They both started to yawn and fell asleep, even as Jess continued to make a case for saving Ashley and hiding her somewhere... but not at the farm, please. Jess didn't think she could handle a teleporting vampire.
Hope you enjoyed this little trip
I thought Helen needed a friend that was to some degree the opposite of Will. He was a truth seeker, but not very patient about it. Jess worked with animals, which you have to be patient with. Which is why she is such a patient person.