They were fully back in the swing of the semester, and that meant the Caretakers were back in session on Thursdays. Myka had offered to babysit for Christina, but Helena had asked her to come and be there for the first performance of the year.

"As my girlfriend, I should clarify. Or something less… teenage-y," Helena had said, nose twitching with distaste.

"Girlfriend is just fine, Helena. For now," Myka had replied, with a tiny smirk.

So here she was with a pint of bitter and the company of Joshua and Abigail as they watched the rest of the gang get ready for their gig.

"So who is looking after Christina, now that frosty fanny's gone?" Abigail asked. Myka snorted so hard that some of her beer went up her nose.

"I am gonna assume that you mean Giselle? And it's Charles who's looking after Christina; he's the only one Helena will trust, now," Myka said, once she'd recovered. Her eyes wandered to Helena, who was wearing the most ridiculously tight blue jeans and a white shirt with a waistcoat. She looked every inch the 90's lesbian icon, and she was unashamed. She shot Myka a wink, and Myka smirked at her, trying not to lick her lips.

"She trusts you," Abigail pointed out.

"That's… different," Myka said, distracted.

"Is it?" Abigail asked, nudging Joshua, who rolled his eyes.

"I think what my subtle girlfriend is trying to ask, Myka, is whether you and Dr Wells are an item yet, or whether you're just bumping uglies," Joshua said.

Abigail punched him on the arm.

"And there was me thinking that it was Claudia who had the foul mouth in your family," Myka said, raising an eyebrow. "Bumping uglies? Really?"

Abigail snickered at that, and then pinned Myka with her gaze.

"Out with it, then. Banging or U-Hauling, which is it?" she asked.

"Um… neither? I don't think? Do you guys even have U-Haul here?" Myka asked, mystified. "We're together, okay? In what capacity, I guess we're still working out. But she did call me her girlfriend, so it's not a one-time thing. Is that what you wanted to know?"

"Well, yes," Abigail asked, but she looked a little disappointed.

"What else do you need to know?" Myka asked, shaking her head. Abigail was way, way too much.

"Is she as incredible in bed as she looks like she will be? Because I look at that," Abigail indicated Helena studiously warming up with headphones in, and it was true that she looked as hot as sin, "and I just think… she has got to be wild. Like, seriously filthy. So?"

Myka's cheeks were blazing, and her mouth was open.

"Do you really, really think I'm gonna answer that, Abigail? Because I'm so not even dignifying that with a response," Myka said, finishing her pint quickly, and standing up. She leaned over to Abigail, though, and whispered in her ear. "Whatever you're thinking, double it. She's amazing."

She strode off to the bar, and only looked back once she'd ordered her drink, laughing when she saw that Abigail was blushing and staring up at Helena in awe.

Family time was a precious addition to Myka's life. She'd never enjoyed being with her own family and was just discovering what it could feel like when a person was in the company of people who loved them and didn't judge them. It was sweet and uncomplicated. They all wanted to spend time together, and so they did. They watched television or played simple video games or built Lego figures – whatever Christina's particular obsession was that day – and then when it was time for her to sleep, one or other of them read to her until she dozed off.

"She's so amazing, Helena," Myka said, one evening when Helena came down from reading to Christina.

"She is. I'm just so glad that she has someone like you around; someone who really sees her for the marvel she is," Helena said, and the look in her eyes made Myka's eyes fill.

"She has you for that," Myka murmured, as Helena leaned down to kiss her.

"She does. But it's nice when she has someone else around who knows it, too. I hate to think what Giselle's lack of interest has done to her self-esteem," Helena said, every bit the worried mother.

"She has you," Myka gently repeated. "No matter how Giselle made her feel, she has always had you here, loving her and telling her that she can take on the world. And believe me when I say that I think she will, just as soon as she is tall enough to see over the dashboard of a car. She is a great kid, Helena, and she will be fine. One day she will have forgotten all about Giselle, but she'll always have you."

"Thank you, love," Helena said, leaning a little to kiss Myka again. "I am so glad you're here."

"Me too," Myka said, before returning to the kissing, which was one of the best things about being with Helena Wells. She was a superb kisser, and she'd spent time learning exactly what Myka liked and what she didn't, unlike most of the dudes Myka had kissed in her life. They tended to stick their tongue in there like they were trying to unclog a drain, but Helena was subtle and sweet and hot, kissing and licking and biting in exactly the places she knew would make Myka hot and bothered.

"I love every minute that I spent with you, Myka Bering," Helena murmured, as she kissed her way down Myka's neck.

"The feeling is… mutual," Myka managed, though her breath was not coming easily, with Helena touching her that way.

"You should move in," Helena said.

Myka was pretty sure she could hear the Ally McBeal record scratch echoing in her head. She pulled back a little, staring.

"Are you serious?" she asked, looking at Helena incredulously.

"Why not?" Helena asked, looking a little defensive. "Christina loves you, and I love you. Why wouldn't you want to move in?"

"I would. I do. That's the problem, Helena. We only just started seeing each other, really. I'm all in, you don't have to worry about that, but I just want to make sure we're all ready before we take a step like that. We haven't even told our colleagues about us yet, aside from Abigail. I don't think it's a good idea, Hel," she said, apologetically, as Helena moved away, blowing her hair away from her face. She looked frustrated.

"I… I'm sorry, darling. Of course you're right; it is far too early. I just… each time you come here things are so good. Christina loves you, and I mean what I say, Myka. I love you. I don't want you to live somewhere else. I want you here, with me, in my bed. I can't really bring myself to care about what we should or shouldn't do," Helena said, sighing.

"Helena. It's tempting. It's too tempting, really. I would live with you and Christina in a heartbeat. But I think we all need time to adjust to this, to our new reality, before we take that kind of a step. We're still in the honeymoon period, and everything is new and so, so exciting. We still need to get to know one another. So please don't be upset, okay? It's not a rejection, it's a… let's put a pin in it, and come back to it. Things are good now, and I know you told me not to, but I want to make sure that I don't hurt Christina. She deserves the best from both of us, and I just… I think it's too early."

Helena nodded, and though she still looked a little sad, she was also beginning to smile.

"You're something else, Myka Bering. You're so level-headed, and you care about Christina so much. It's… incredible."

They kissed again, and then again, and soon enough they were making love on the sofa, one ear trained on the stairs to make sure they weren't interrupted by Christina. Later, though, when Helena was asleep, Myka brooded. She did want to move in, and part of her was yelling that she should do it as soon as possible. But the other part was wary. She wanted Christina's childhood to be better than hers, better than long silences and glares and the constant feeling of walking on eggshells. She wanted her relationship to be stronger than this new, fragile, untested thing that they had between them before they took the next step.

She drifted off eventually, but she didn't regret saying no to Helena. It was the right thing to do for all of them, Christina especially. She held on to that thought, using it to strengthen her resolve when she weakened.

It was getting towards half-term for Christina, and there was a break coming up for Easter, so they made a plan to get away for a while, trying out their first holiday as a family. It had been several months and things were still good between them, with only a few arguments and the odd difficult conversation between them. When Myka was overwhelmed by things, she tended to withdraw, and it only took one occasion for Helena to realise how much Myka needed her space. Myka had had a difficult week at work, one of her students having left the course in really shitty circumstances, and she was overwhelmed and upset. She told Helena she wanted the night to herself, and Helena had initially agreed, but a little later she'd texted a few pictures of her and Christina sitting together watching Dr Who, inviting Myka to join them. Myka frowned, a glass of Scotch in her free hand. She loved both of them, but what part of "I want to be alone," didn't Helena get?

She texted back a terse refusal, not even regretting it, and a few minutes later Helena called her. She swore under her breath before answering.

"Sweetheart, why would you reply like that? It was only an invitation. I thought you might feel better if you were with us both, that's all."

"Helena, I told you, I needed a night to myself. It's nothing to do with you, you are fully aware of what happened this week with Charlotte," Myka said, in a controlled voice.

Helena continued to talk, and Myka probably responded, but after a while she couldn't, anymore. She cried quietly, trying not to let the full-throated sobs out, her abdomen shuddering with the effort of holding it in.

"Jesus, Myka. Are you crying?" Helena asked, in a hushed voice. It was rare for Myka to cry; she viewed it as weakness, and Helena knew that.

"No," Myka said, stubbornly. Sure, she cried sometimes; she'd cried over Helena. But she tried never to do it in front of others, it only made her feel worse.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I'll leave you alone. Just… if you need us, we're here. Call me when you are up to company, love."

Helena hung up after Myka's whispered, "goodbye" and from then on, if Myka said she needed time to herself, she got it.

The same went for Helena. She was generally quite sunny and enthusiastic, but when overly tired or worried, she was snappy and cold. She didn't withdraw the way Myka did – Myka almost wished she did; that would be easier to deal with. Tired/worried Helena was a bit of a bitch, truth be told, and Myka told her so after Helena brought up her parents during an argument.

They decided to give each other a little space after that argument, and when they spoke about it later, Helena agreed to take a little time to think before speaking when she was in that sort of a mood, because a badly-timed comment could be all it took to break them, if she wasn't careful. What she'd said about Myka's parents could have done it, if Myka hadn't been understanding about it all.

Their holiday was looming, and they'd decided to hang the expense and go to Disneyland. Myka had never been, despite growing up in the States, and Christina was dying to go.

Myka happened to mention the trip to her sister in an email, and all of a sudden it turned into a family get-together the likes of which she never would have anticipated. Tracy, her sister, had a baby daughter who Myka hadn't met yet, and she and her husband had decided that they should bring the infant to Disneyland. It didn't sound like fun to Myka, but then the kid – Jessica – wasn't hers, so it wasn't her business. She wasn't looking forward to seeing her parents again, though.

"We can pretend that Christina is ill if you want, darling," Helena said, when Myka got off the phone with Tracy. "We'll get some of the money back, at least."

"I don't want Christina to miss out because of my stupid issues, Helena," Myka said, moodily. "It's not fair on her. We promised her a week in Disneyland, and the last thing I want to do is disappoint her.

"You are such a sweetheart, do you know that?" Helena asked, pulling Myka down into her lap, where the height difference meant that she had to strain to kiss Myka. But she managed it, grinning triumphantly. "We'll get through this. They can't be that awful, surely?"

Myka smiled at her, but she was pretty sure it looked like a horrible grimace. Her parents were that bad; always had been. But then maybe they'd be a bit politer to someone like Helena, with her upper-class English accent and obvious wealth. They'd always worried a lot about appearances, so maybe that would stop them from being complete assholes.

"If they say a thing to hurt Christina, I swear to God I will kill them," Myka said, as she thought through the possibilities.

"You won't have to. If anyone's going to murder them, I'll be the one holding the gun. But you are hot when you get all… mama bear like that," Helena teased, biting Myka's bottom lip. Myka glared at her.

"I know what you're doing. You're trying to make jokes so I won't worry," she said flatly.

"Yes, I am. Is it working?" Helena asked.

Myka sighed.

"Yes."

"Good," Helena said, before tipping Myka onto her back on the sofa, legs akimbo. Christina came in a minute later and jumped on top, causing a squealing mess that ended up with all three of them on the floor in a tickle-fight to the death.

The trip to Florida took far too long, leading to an irritable pair of Wells ladies. Myka, who'd slept fairly serenely through their flights and various transfers, was feeling okay, but Christina was tired and whining, and Helena was ready to murder someone. Thankfully, it didn't take long for them to check in to their hotel, and to Myka's relief, both of the Wellses were asleep within half an hour, having showered and changed before collapsing on their beds. Myka was awake and ready to explore, so she called Tracy and went to meet her at a nearby coffee shop. Her parents weren't due until the following day.

They hugged for ages, not having seen one another for over a year, and Myka marvelled at the little being that Tracy had actually created inside of her body. It was crazy to think of Christina ever being that small, and she said so.

Tracy looked at her fondly.

"Look at you, Bering, with that look on your face. You're a mom now," she teased, and Myka blushed a little.

"I love that kid, like, so much," she said, chuckling a little. "It's crazy; she's not even mine but she just wormed her way into my heart and I couldn't love her more," she said, fondly.

"I never imagined how it would feel," Tracy said, staring down at little Jess, her face red and wrinkled. "She changed everything. Some days I just stare at her, and I am just so… happy."

Myka smiled at her sister, delighted to see her so joyful. She looked different, less drawn, less severe. Myka had always worried that Tracy would turn out to be one of those loveless executive types that was married to a job and laughed at the idea of love. She was really glad Tracy had turned out like this, instead. She softer, sweeter, and Myka was glad to see her at least.

They talked for a while about Helena and Christina and Kevin and Jessica, and then the subject of their parents came up.

"Do you think they'll be, you know, pleasant?" Myka asked.

Tracy raised an eyebrow.

"Do you?"

Myka sighed.

"Then why? Why are they coming here?" Myka asked.

"Honestly? I don't know. Kevin and I were talking about it, and he thinks dad wants to try to persuade you to come home and take over the bookshop. But look, Myka. If they say anything to make Helena or Christina uncomfortable, you have my blessing to just get the hell out of there. We can meet like this again before you go, right?" Tracy said.

"Sure," Myka said, shaking her head. Her father never ceased to amaze her. Why would he try to convince her to come back to Colorado when she was so happy with Helena, with Christina, with her job (most of the time)? What good did he think it was going to do?

Her parents had never been homophobic as such, but it was understood that they would prefer their bisexual daughter to date a guy and not a girl. Myka had always shrugged it off; she fell in love with the person, and that had always been how it was for her. Her parents' outdated attitudes couldn't change that. Marrying Sam hadn't been to appease them; she'd just fallen in love. And now she was in love again, and that was that, as far as she was concerned. If her parents were rude to Christina, she would leave, and that would be that. Life was too short to live it for other people.

Myka and Tracy talked of more pleasant things for a while, and then parted ways with a hug. Myka headed back to the hotel to find her girls stirring. She ordered up some room service, deciding that Helena and Christina would both probably pass out again as soon as they ate. As for Myka, she was going to try to stay up for a while and try to beat the jetlag.

Helena's hair was wild, her face criss-crossed with red marks from the pillow, and her eyes crusty with sleep. She still looked beautiful to Myka, more beautiful than anyone she'd ever met, and regardless of whether she was wearing a ballgown or covered from head to toe in mud, she was stunning to Myka.

"Good morning, love," Helena said, giving Myka a peck on the cheek. "Or whatever. Where have you been?"

"I went to visit with Tracy, and I met my niece. She's so squishy, Helena. I couldn't believe that she came out of my sister, you know?" Myka said, with a wide smile.

"They're incredible," Helena said, looking off into the distance. "I will never stop being grateful for Christina."

"Me either," Myka said, hugging the girl to her when she walked out of her bedroom towards them. "You ready for some food, kiddo?"

"Yes," Christina said, with the air of someone who is having an unfair burden placed on her. "Why did I have to get up?"

"You'll feel a lot worse if you don't," Helena warned, and Christina pouted.

They ate quickly and fairly quietly, the meal punctuated with yawns from all three of them. The travelling was catching up with Myka, but she was determined to try and stay awake until a decent hour, so she could get used to the different time zone as quickly as possible.

Christina went back to bed almost immediately, despite her mother warning her that she might feel ill as a result. But it did afford them an opportunity to talk.

"You looked a bit concerned when you came back from seeing Tracy. Did something happen?" Helena asked, wrapping her arms around Myka and pulling her close.

"Nothing happened with Tracy. She's actually a lot nicer than I remember. But she did say that she thinks my dad might have come here to try and convince me to take on the bookstore."

Helena frowned.

"I know that you and I don't know everything about each other, but that's not something you remotely want, is it? I mean, I know you love books, but you've never shown any interest in leaving the teaching profession," Helena said, looking at Myka with those dark, piercing eyes. The way she looked in that moment – focused, beautiful, a little angry, almost – it caught at Myka, somehow, and she ended up staring for a long moment, forgetting what they were talking about.

"Darling, are you okay?" Helena asked, eyebrow rising.

"Yeah, sorry," Myka said, blushing a little. "I have no interest in taking over the store. Not only is it likely to be in the red, because my dad is so traditional that he refuses to stock most popular fiction, but it's the place where I spent most of my childhood, and I did not enjoy my childhood. Not even a little bit. So, no thank you to that," Myka said, shaking her head.

"And how is he likely to respond to that?" Helena asked.

"Not well. He doesn't like it when people don't do what he wants, and he especially doesn't like it when it's me. I don't know why, so don't ask me, seriously. But he hated it when I talked back to him or refused to do something. Like, so mad that it wouldn't have surprised me if he'd had a stroke," Myka said, sighing.

"Maybe you should have said 'no' a bit more often," Helena muttered darkly.

Myka chuckled.

"You don't like my dad much, do you?" she teased.

"Do you?" Helena countered, and Myka sobered. No, of course, was the answer. Warren Bering was a nightmare, his horrible behaviour backed up by Myka's mother Jean, who pretty much had to be part of the invertebrate family. She could no more stand up to Warren than she could take off and fly like Supergirl.

"Anyway, Tracy and I talked, and if he says a single thing that makes you or Christina uncomfortable, we're leaving, okay? We'll meet with Tracy another time. But you just give me the signal and we're out of there," Myka said.

"Okay, darling. Don't worry. I'm sure I can hold my own if needs be, but as you say, if he says a word to Christina we shall leave them to enjoy their own private bell jars. We are happy and that is all that matters."

Helena was looking at her intently, and though she was clearly tired, there was a slight quirk to her mouth that indicated that she might be in the mood for a little fun. Myka smiled, leaning forward to kiss the corner of her mouth, lingering for a second to breathe Helena in.

"You make everything better, Helena Wells," she murmured, and then Helena was kissing her, and not long after that Myka was entirely incapable of speech, because Helena hoisted her onto the small correspondence desk that some hotels seem to think are still used, and the combined efforts of her tongue and fingers made Myka completely incoherent for almost ten minutes afterwards.

It was a better way to combat the jetlag, it turned out, than just staying up watching television alone. A much better way.