Disclaimer: I don't own Warehouse 13

Helena

Myka had waited with her while Irene and Kosan conferred with Arthur - likely over her fate. They didn't say much, just waited quietly, finding solace in the other's presence after the numerous distressing incidents of the last days. Even when Myka slipped her hand into Helena's, twining their fingers together, Helena squeezed her hand reassuringly, but they said nothing. Neither offered hollow words of comfort or promises of the future they might not be able to keep. So when Irene and Kosan returned to collect Helena, there was no tearful goodbye or requests to keep in touch. Myka dropped her hand and pulled her into a tight embrace that Helena returned just as desperately, and when Helena climbed into the car after Irene, Myka just climbed into her own vehicle with Pete rather than drawing out the departure.

"What did you make of Arthur's behavior?"

Irene had waited some time, giving Helena time to decompress, before she brought up what they had all noticed.

Helena pushed thoughts of Myka to the back of her mind, for now. "His behavior was… curious," she said thoughtfully. Actions that she had not questioned too thoroughly at the time, she mulled over more critically now that they weren't under Sykes' threat. "There were a lot of behaviors that don't quite add up."

"My thoughts exactly."

"Arthur also seems to have had a change of heart regarding you," Kosan added.

Helena raised a brow, and Irene smirked, the barest twitch of the lips, in response.

"Yes, I thought that was peculiar as well, given your history. Arthur seems to be withholding some information. Besides that, there is also this," Irene gestured to the silver streak that Helena had noticed earlier. "I'm sure you're aware of how linked the Warehouse is to the caretaker, especially now that I am well past a normal life expectancy. For something of this nature to occur, it would require that something impact the Warehouse drastically."

"Any thoughts, Ms. Wells?" Kosan prompted.

Helena ran a hand through her hair. "The bomb," she said finally. "It just doesn't make sense that Arthur knew to go back to the chair. The only reason that makes sense is if he already knew the bomb was there. Then, he instantly knew to retrieve Gandhi's dhoti. All the clues seem to point to time travel."

"You're certain?"

Helena nodded to Kosan. "All the pieces seem to fit. I think that the bomb did explode, but Arthur somehow managed to survive to undo it. It explains how he knew, as well as Irene's changed appearance."

Kosan nodded. "The phoenix, perhaps?"

"No," Irene shook her head slowly, "that was stored in its proper place. Arthur would not have had time to retrieve it. He would have tried to disable the device."

Helena closed her eyes for a moment, imagining the situation: a bomb they couldn't disable in time, the shield kept them from retreating… Myka would die. "I would have tried to divert the shield." She opened her eyes and met Irene's gaze. "I would have to analyze the Warehouse's power system to confirm that it's possible, but it's the most likely scenario that comes to mind. I would have tried to shield Myka, even if I could do little else."

Irene nodded. Her piercing gaze never wavered, but Helena saw the understanding that tempered the look. It probably should have made her uncomfortable - that all-knowing look, but this was Irene Frederic, the woman who had taken the time to converse with her during her time as an incorporeal memory of herself. Irene probably knew her better than anyone, except Myka.

"That would explain Arthur's change of heart," Irene said finally. "Especially, if you gave your life to do so."

Thoughts of her own death pulled at something in Helena's mind uncomfortably. "But… you're out there." Helena tugged at her sleeve. It covered the mark she knew would be branded across her wrist. It had always been an obscure phrase, but if her thoughts were correct…

She could almost hear Myka's voice, full of confusion. Helena wouldn't have let them in on her plan - no false hope if it didn't work, no one to stop her if it would. She didn't have to imagine the way Myka would look to her, distraught, knowing that she could do nothing to save her. She had already seen that look, when she'd tried to sacrifice herself in the forest so Sykes could never get at the Warehouse (Myka) through her.

"This gives us an idea of how Arthur might have survived, but how could he have managed to undo an event like that?" Kosan inquired. "The time machine would have been destroyed with the Warehouse. Magellan's astrolabe could have achieved it, but the watch was lost with MacPherson."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. MacPherson was Arthur's partner, after all," Irene said.

"But would Arthur have even known how to use the watch or even what it was?"

"I trust he could have figured it out."