CHAPTER ELEVEN
Helena loses herself in the stacks and the endless rows that make up Warehouse 13. She doesn't know where to look, or what she is even looking for. She hopes that maybe the Warehouse values Myka enough to want to save her life and maybe it will help her do it. Helena wants to smell apples, she wants something to feel good.
The once mighty British woman allows her fist to meet the rack which sets off a reaction in multiple artifacts on the aisle. She ignore the ominous buzzing that has just started and falls onto her knees. A sound that she cannot make in public erupts from her throat stretching into a series of sobs. Helena cries until she feels like her insides are raw and used up. Maybe they are. Maybe she should just give up this pointless venture of being happy. Maybe it isn't in the cards for her. But then again, Helena Wells has never been a woman that allowed such a thing as fate to hinder her plans.
"H.G.?" A quite voice comes from around the corner.
Helena quickly wipes her face with the back of her hand and throws on the smile she has rehearsed far too often.
"Claudia, I didn't see you there"
Claudia's eyes are wide with panic and fear, her lips curved into a thin line.
"Is Myka? Is she- is she-"
The lines on Helena's forehead curve in confusion until she registers the terror on the young red head's face.
"No! Oh no, darling, Myka is out of surgery. It was successful. But it doesn't look good going forward"
"Oh" Claudia's muscles ease. "How is she?"
"I don't know, I haven't called yet"
"You didn't stay for her to wake up?"
Helena doesn't meet the younger woman's eye and looks away ashamed.
"I couldn't"
Claudia doesn't mention weary madness that is apparent in the other woman's eyes. She doesn't question why she was weeping alone in the depths of the Warehouse, she knows. She understands because she has done the same countless times, only she never got caught.
"What are you doing here?" Helena asks.
"Oh the disturbance set off a red light,"
"I'm sorry, I just-"
Claudia does not let her finish. She knows it would take away a chunk of her pride and she can see that Helena is already running low on a lot of things that made her so her.
"No it's cool, you go on ahead. I'll sort this mess out."
Helena smiles and nods as she make her way out.
"Mykes, hey. You're up" Pete stands up to grab a glass of water as Myka opens her eyes.
He hands it over to her but she hesitates, "I probably shouldn't" her voice comes out raspy.
Myka rubs her throat.
"It's okay the doc said to give you some after you came to"
Myka thankfully accepts the glass that Pete holds too close to her face and sips it slowly. She doesn't ask how it went, she waits for him to tell her.
Pete bounces from one leg to another which cues Myka to his awkwardness.
"Pete stop, you're making me dizzy"
"Oh sorry"
She raises her eyebrows expectantly and finally he gives her what she wants.
"They did the surgery"
She points to bandages, "I figured"
Pete chuckles. Myka smiles her eyes still giving away her trepidation.
"But it's worse than they thought so now you have to fight harder. You hear me, keep fighting. There'll be chemo and it'll suck but you can't give up, Myka, please don't give up. We have a world to protect and who is going to make sure your crazy girlfriend doesn't return to her world ending antics if you're not around"
Myka laughs, the sound lights up Pete's eyes.
"Is she your girlfriend?" He raises an eyebrow. "I know you've been doing your love making but what do we call her"
"Pete! I don't know but she did say she wanted to marry me"
"What! Oh my god! So did she propose? Are you like engaged or something?"
"No but she said she will"
"All the more reason to fight"
There is a pause and Myka does not want to unsettle the light mood that as been absent for a while but the question keeps nagging and she finally relents.
"Did they say how much time?"
Pete shakes his head. Myka's vision fogs and she gulps.
"Can I please have a moment alone?"
Pete nods, "I'll be just outside if you need anything"
Pete leaves the room and Myka breaks out into sobs. She can't fight. She can't. Her entire body aches and she feels sore and worse than she did at the beginning of the day. Maybe the fighting is making it worse. Maybe she should just go home and spend the time she has left with the people she loves.
Pete walks over to the nurse's station and tells them Myka is awake.
A blonde haired nurse that faintly resembles Leena comes into the brightly lit, pristine white room and examines Myka.
"Everything looks good, the doctor will be in to see you in a while" she smiles leaving the room with her tray.
Myka falls in and out of sleep during which Artie sits by and hovers, Vanessa comes to check up on her and even Claudia and Steve stake turns watching her. Everyone comes by except Helena. Myka's eyes search for the woman before losing to the tiredness and giving in to the oblivion only to come to again searching for the face of the woman who seems to be avoiding her.
Dr. Wilder comes to see Myka late in the evening when dusk has fallen and everyone huddled in her room is weary and exhausted. She asks everyone to give the doctor and her some privacy and they quickly oblige.
"Myka the surgery we went in to perform was successful however the growth we encountered means that we will have to be more aggressive with our treatment options. Once you are up to it we will start a round of chemo and then some radiation and we'll see how it goes from there"
Myka nods.
"How much time?"
Dr. Wilder looks at her with glum eyes, "A few months at best"
"At least?"
"One maybe less"
"Thank you doctor"
Helena pauses as her eyes settle on a page in the manifest.
"Marie Anne Heartly's Necklace," she whispers closing the dusty book.