HG emerged from the bathroom shortly afterward, wrapped in the towel Myka had left for her. With the Shakespeare book in hand, she stepped into the bedroom and looked around. Myka was nowhere to be seen, but the window was open and the curtains flapped in the warm evening breeze. HG set down the book and quickly dressed herself in clean pyjama pants and a light sweater. Approaching the open window slowly, she stuck her head outside.
Myka had climbed up onto the roof and was sitting just to the left of the window. She was hugging her knees close to her and staring up into the sky. Her eyes were dark, but they also held the starlight Myka was gazing at. HG climbed wordlessly next to her and looked up.
"It's a lovely night," she remarked. When Myka failed to respond, HG looked over at her. "I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you, I can go back inside…" She moved to stand up, but Myka rested her hand on HG's thigh.
"No, stay," she said absently. "I was just thinking."
"About what, darling?" HG asked gently, returning her gaze to the star speckled sky and noting that Myka had not yet removed her hand.
"Oh, nothing..." Myka knew that her answer was unconvincing, but HG made no further move to question her. She tore her eyes from the stars and studied HG's face. "How are you feeling, Helena?"
"Refreshed, thank you," she answered. "Not to mention fully awake and alert. I have the feeling it will be a long night for me."
"Well, you've got me to spend it with," Myka answered with a smile. But somewhere behind the smile HG detected a sense of trepidation. She put her hand on top of Myka's, which still rested on HG's thigh.
"Myka, you seem terribly unsettled," she said with concern. "I want to help you if I can."
Myka flipped her hand to hold HG's, giving it a soft squeeze. "Thank you, Helena," she said softly. "But I don't know if it's something that can be helped… Which is part of what terrifies me." She gave HG a lopsided smile. HG put her arm around Myka and moved to stand up.
"Come now," she said. "Let's go inside. The chill of the evening is beginning to set in, and I have a bed in need of reassembling. I hope I can count on your help for that." She smiled reassuringly at Myka, hoping to lift her out of her sudden change of mood.
After climbing back inside, the two women wordlessly put the bed back together and replaced the couch cushions before collapsing onto the mattress and leaning back on the headboard. Myka closed her eyes and yawned.
"You should sleep, darling," HG suggested gently. "Goodness knows you've been running around on my behalf all day and you deserve some rest."
Myka put up minimal resistance, needing only one more prodding from HG before she retreated to her own bedroom to put on pyjamas. She returned a short while later and climbed under the covers next to HG.
"I'll be right here just in case you need me," she said. "Promise me you won't hesitate to wake me if you want something– anything at all." HG nodded in affirmation, raising her hand to cup Myka's cheek for a brief second.
"Sleep now," she insisted. "I'll be fine." With that, Myka closed her eyes and settled into her pillow. HG couldn't help but smile as she watched the agent sleep, pursing her lips in a dream. It was terribly endearing, but HG forced herself to focus her attention on Shakespeare once more, waiting patiently for Myka to wake again.
It was near dawn when Myka began to stir uncomfortably. HG, who had read Hamlet and Macbeth and was working her way through Henry VI, set down the book and reached out to touch Myka's shoulder. At the contact, Myka startled awake with wide-eyed terror and sat upright.
"Myka, are you alright?" HG said, concern filling her eyes. Myka's gaze flitted around the room as she re-oriented herself in the real world. Eventually her gaze met HG's, and it settled there for a long moment.
"I'm fine," she said unconvincingly. "Just a little shaken up… Nightmare."
"Well, come here," HG said, settling down under the covers and holding out her arm to Myka. After a moment's consideration, Myka moved closer to HG and allowed herself to be comforted. Resting her head on HG's shoulder and feeling her arm encircle her with confidence, Myka sensed her anxiety leaving her body.
"Everything's alright," HG reassured her. "Now then, shall we sleep?"
Myka nodded into HG's shoulder, closing her eyes in the security of her embrace. Through her eyelids, she perceived that the bedside lamp had been switched off. She smiled when she felt her curls being brushed out of her face by HG's soft touch.
"Happy dreams, darling," was the last thing Myka heard before she put her arm around HG's waist and drifted back into peaceful sleep.