Chapter 7
The next morning Myka was stolen prematurely from dreamland by the blaring of her phone. Groaning, she floundered around with a flimsy arm before her hand landed on the object and brought it to her ear.
"Hello?" Her voice cracked with sleep.
"Myka!" An exuberant voice answered back.
"Charlotte." She replied, pushing herself up onto her elbows.
"Did I wake you up? You sound so sleepy. I'm sorry baby, usually you are awake by now."
"What time is it?" Myka asked, running a hand over her face before pulling her phone from her face in order to look at the time.
"It's almost 9:00!" Came the reply.
"9! I wonder why Pete didn't wake me up?"
"You must be exhausted. I hope you aren't working too hard."
Myka rolled herself over to the side of the bed and sat up, putting her feet on the floor. "Eh, you know. How much work can you get done with Pete around really?"
Her girlfriend laughed. "So when do you think you will be home?"
"I'm not sure yet. Hopefully we can find the- uh hopefully we finish up today."
"And how's the evil ex-girlfriend? Acting like a civilized human I hope?"
She felt guilt rise into her stomach. "She's not-" She started in defense of Helena but stopped herself. "She is, acting civilized that is."
"I couldn't imagine seeing one of my exes, let alone working with them. Horrifying."
Myka pushed herself off the bed and started to pull what she needed for the day out of her suitcase. "Just a hazard of the job I guess."
"Oh god, this one time-" And Charlotte started into a tirade that Myka stopped listening to after the first few words, adding a "Hm" or a laugh here or there as she rushed to prepare for her day.
"Are you okay? You sound distracted."
"Hm- Yea, sorry, I'm fine. I'm just running a little late. Can I call you later?"
"Of course!" Came the chipper reply. "I miss you!"
"I miss you too Bye, Char." She pushed the end button on her phone with the shameful feeling that she might have just lied to her girlfriend for the first time.
"So wait, you actually knew Oscar Wilde?" Myka's eyes were wide, enraptured by Helena's stories of her previous life. Even Pete was engaged. They were in the hotel restaurant celebrating the close of their case. The artifact was snagged and bagged and they had somehow convinced Artie to let them have the night off before venturing home in the morning.
"Oh very well." Helena smirked taking a sip of her wine.
"Did you-"
Pete laughed loudly interrupting her question. "He was gay as the Fourth of July, Mykes, even I know that!"
"I'm not sure I understand that phrase but Pete's quite right. Homosexuality was not just frowned upon in my time, it was against the law. Oscar and I- well, we accompanied each other to parties and the like in order to keep gossip and suspicions at bay."
"So he was your beard?" Pete asked before lowering his lips to his straw and blowing bubbles.
Helena scrunched up her nose. "Pete, my brain is apparently too finite for your immense vocabulary, I'm afraid."
Myka put her hand over her mouth to prevent wine from escaping as she giggled.
"Your beard, you know. When you're "homosexual"" He used air quotes and used an awful English accent. "And you bring someone of the opposite sex to parties or family events." He glanced over at Myka. "Like the time when Myka took Jinks home for Thanksgiving."
"Pete!" She slapped him on the arm. "I wasn't using him as my beard." She blushed and looked into her glass.
"When your sister assumed he was your boyfriend did you correct her?"
"No." She muttered rolling her eyes.
"Ha! Beard. Beard. Beard! Beards, all around." Myka found herself laughing at her friend's antics despite herself. And Helena joined in.
Helena had missed this, being around people who were such close friends they were practically family. Hell, she missed being around people in general. And she really missed being around Myka. She could listen to the other woman laugh forever. And seeing her smile made her heart move in ways she didn't think were physically possible. Sighing, she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms watching her friends interact with a smile on her face. She hadn't been home in quite some time. Over a century in fact. But being right there with Pete, and especially Myka, she began to feel the familiar sense of being at home.
As Pete ordered more wings and drinks for the women from the waitress Helena felt a gentle squeeze at her thigh. She looked up into concerned green eyes. "Are you okay?"
Helena gave her a slow smile and put her own hand on top. "Yes. More than okay, in fact."
"Good." Myka said, squeezing again before moving her hand away and turning her attention back to Pete.
As the night went on Helena found her stomach muscles aching from laughing, her mind bubbling as she got more than a little drunk off her wine, and a sadness starting to creep in when she realized she would have to leave this all behind the next morning.
"Well ladies, I think it's time for the Petester to go catch some zzz's. I have a feeling Myka is going to make me drive in the morning and if I fall asleep at the wheel she will killll me."
"You got that right." She agreed.
"HG, you better come say goodbye in the morning. None of this disappearing in the middle of the night stuff you're so fond of."
"I will Pete. Besides," She chuckled. "I'm really in no condition to drive." This, for some reason put Myka into hysterics.
"Oookay. That's my cue. Good night." He started to walk away then looked back over his shoulder. "Behave yourselves."
This made Myka laugh even more and Helena laughed at her laughter.
"You are drunk, darling."
"And you're not, dahhling?" Myka leaned towards her.
"Oh no, I am." She smiled and Myka giggled.
They spent another hour in the restaurant sharing stories and jokes. At some point Helena made them both switch to water but they were both still feeling the effects of the alcohol.
Helena smiled when Myka let loose a gigantic yawn. "I believe that means bedtime."
"But I'm having fun!" Her face turned disobedient like a child's.
"So am I. But it is getting rather late and I'm afraid the bar is closing." She motioned to the bartender wiping down the bar.
"Fine." Myka stood up and held out her hand. "Walk me to my room?" With that one phrase her face transformed from adorable to utterly sexy as she bit her lip and batted her eyelashes and Helena found it a little harder to breathe than in the moments before.
She cleared her throat and took the hand Myka was offering. "Of course." Myka laced their fingers together and led the way to her room. She didn't loosen her grip the entire elevator ride and neither woman said anything. They shared side glances. Myka pulled her along down the hallway to her room, passing her own along the way. Helena's stomach became tight as she thought that maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
When they got to Myka's door they still had not said anything and neither woman released their grip on the other's hand. Myka made no move to take out her key but instead leaned back against her door. She looked down at their hands then looked up to meet Helena's eyes. Helena was sure she would stop breathing at any time. She was even more sure that she should leave. Right then. But she remained frozen in her spot as if some invisible force held her there. Then a real force held her there as Myka let go of her hand and brought both of her hands to Helena's waist pulling her body into her own. Helena let out a small moan of partial protest as their lower halves clashed together. "Myka." She managed to breathe out.
"You are sexy." She could see that Myka's eyes were cast downward to her lips.
"We can't." She breathed out.
Myka brought her face even closer if that was possible, her lips a breath away from her own. "I know." She answered. And Helena shivered at the air that passed over her lips.
"I want to." Helena answered pressing her forehead to the other woman's and closing her eyes.
"Me too." She opened her eyes again and gasp escaped her throat at the sight of Myka licking her own lips.
"But we can't." Myka looked down as well and shook her head back and forth, causing Helena's to do the same.
"Maybe just-" Myka started, then cut herself off by moving her lips the last few millimeters in order to meet Helena's. It was just a brush at first. An entirely intoxicating brush of wet lips. And Helena couldn't help herself, she had to feel more. She had to taste more, until she couldn't get enough. Until she was drunk. And their lips were together again, both women moaning softly, both reaching their hands into the other's hair. Their bodies pressed together as they drank in more of each other, each womans' hands clinging to various parts of the others' body with desperation.
Helena's head was spinning, her brain giving her far too many conflicting directives. She should stop. She should keep going. She should push Myka away. She should throw her against the door and ravish her right there in the hallway. Any attempt she made at clearing her mind kept getting cut off by Myka – a moan, a caress, a movement of hips, a hand squeezing her breast. And her head spun on.
After several minutes of passionate kissing her mind finally began to function as she registered Myka's hands pushing gently against her chest. She reluctantly pulled back and shivered at the loss of contact. Her eyes remained closed as she felt Myka's warm hand rest against her own cheek. "Come inside, Helena." Her eyes snapped open at this and she opened her mouth but no words escaped her tongue as she looked into pleading green eyes.
When her brain finally allowed speech her voice was raspy as she breathed out. "Darling, I- I don't think that's such a good idea."
The hand resting against her cheek dropped down and gripped her free hand. "We don't have to do anything."
Helena chuckled and bumped her forehead against the other woman's. "You give my self control far too much credit. We both know that's not what would happen."
Myka sighed and closed her eyes. "I know I shouldn't have done that but I just- I just couldn't help myself."
She reached up and caressed the other woman's cheek. "I know, darling."
Her voice became softer as she opened her eyes. "I'm a horrible person."
Helena felt her grip on the other woman tighten. "Don't say that." She all but scolded. "You have a true, noble, caring heart." She ran her fingertips over her cheek. "Which is one of the reasons why I can't seem to help myself when I'm around you."
Myka moved to push her lips closer but Helena resisted against her. "But you are, however, for the moment, attached. Which is why I must go to my own room." She took a few steps back.
Myka nodded, casting her glance downward. "This isn't me Helena, I hope you know that. I'm not this person. I'm not a-" She swallowed heavily. "I'm not a cheater."
She gave her a soft smile. "I know, darling." She stood up on the tips of her toes and placed a gentle kiss on the other woman's forehead. "You're perfect."
And with that she turned and proceeded to her own room, leaving Myka alone at her door, resisting her desire to look back. If she gave in to her desire for one last look she knew she's end up walking the wrong way.
A/N: Sorry for the delay. I find my time to write diminishing as my life gets more hectic. One more chapter after this! But I have a lot of one shot ideas floating around. And one story started. For those of you who have reviewed asking for Myka not to be a cheater: sorry! This is the story I wanted to tell. I've always been intrigued by the concept of the inexplicable pull you feel toward one person and wanted to explore that. Hopefully I can do my thoughts some justice in the neck chapter. Thanks for reading!