"He is a warrior." - A voice interrupted the thoughts of Helena, who turned around.
"Yes, he is. He must have inherited from the mother." - Helena smiled with corners of her lips, turning to observe the premature in incubator, while the nurse, one of the responsible for the neonatal intensive care unit, looked at the chart.
"Madam, we need you to release her, you can't stay here." - One of the nurses tried to separate Helena from Myka, who was being raised by nurses and two doctors.
Helena, in the end, released her after hesitating and realizing she could lose Myka and son. While she was backed by the nurse and being taken to the corridor, noticed the shutters of the room being closed.
"What happened? What are they going to do?" - Helena asked worried, wanting to be back to the room, but knew her presence wouldn't do well. All emotions of loss and agony came back to haunt her.
"Because of the pregnancy, she is more sensitive to emotional stress, which may have been triggered by today's events, resulting in cardiac arrest, something common and waited in a crisis of emotional stress." - Panic immediately broke into Helena's mind.
"And the baby?" - The nurse looked at her, knowing she would have to give a new she didn't wanted to give in the moment.
"It may be necessary a cesarean, so they can save both."
"What?!" - Helena didn't know if she had heard correctly.
"In situations like this, in which the mother suffered a cardiac arrest, deprivation of oxygen and blood can bring several consequences to the fetus, as well as mother. Not to mention that a mother's heart works more during pregnancy, being more likely to suffer miscarriage, so there may be the necessity of cesarean." - She explained calmly, while Helena seated down.
Helena had been watching the door and windows of the room, feeling herself in the edge of crying, while her mind was in a tour around memories, still painful, trying to understand the whole situation. Soon, she saw Myka being taken to OR, which was the moment she burst crying.
"Are you okay, madam?" - The nurse asked, with a worried look; she had asked a few times before getting any response by putting her hand on Helena's shoulder.
"Yes, only memories." - Helena crossed her arms, almost hugging herself.
"He has been surpassing every expectation. He had been gaining weight, and despite the small health's problems, he has managed to develop. He truly is a warrior. If he keep this pace, in two months he can be home." - The nurse said after checking the chart, which was being put in the right place. Helena smiled with her comment, nodding.
After few moments in silent, she thanked the nurse, who continued to check charts from neonatal intensive care unit. When she left, did the usual procedure, meeting Jeannie.
"How is he?" - Jeannie asked, curiosity mixed with anxiety, while rising to follow Helena to Myka's room.
"Surpassing every expectative. There is the possibility of being home in two months."
"Myka will like this good news. She still blames herself for what happened." - Helena sighed, knowing that would be long days and talks about it, until Myka accept that she couldn't have avoided what happened.
"I assume Warren started the physical therapy today, no?" - Helena asked, remembering the reason Jeannie was walking around the hospital, and also of the physical therapy he would have to do as post operative. Jeannie nodded, then commenting.
"It will be a long road until he gets used to."
Both talked until they arrived at Myka's room, where Myka was still recovering from the surgery, although she would be discharged soon.
It had been one week since Myka had to be taken to OR. It was necessary the interruption of her pregnancy, due to risk of life of Myka and baby, but the medical team were capable to save both, running against time, taking right decisions in right time, even facing a delicate and risky situation.
"Helena?" - Myka noticed, when she woke up from surgery, the presence of Helena, whose head were resting on free space of the bed, with her hand stroking Myka's hand.
Helena immediately opened her eye and noticing Myka was really awake, she settled into the chair, which she had pulled near to the bed, but without losing Myka's contact.
"What happened?" - Myka automatically asked, before putting her hand in her belly, noticing something was wrong. She looked at Helena, panicked and afraid. Helena noticed the mixed feelings in Myka's face turning into a sad face, almost crying. Myka repeated the question, what made Helena take a deep breath before answering:
"You had a cardiac arrest, consequence of emotion stress and of your already overwhelmed heart. And because of your situation, a surgery was necessary to interrupt your pregnancy." - Helena stopped when she noticed tears rolling down Myka's face, rising up and then sitting in the bed. She started to wipe the tears of Myka with both thumbs, also trying to calm down her.
"He survived, darling. He is in neonatal intensive care unit." - Myka smiled, relivied, but also releasing a breath she didn't know she had held, when she knew her worst fears wasn't confirmed.
"And we need to name him." - Helena finished speaking and stopped wiping tears.
"Andrew Bering-Wells." - Myka said after thinking for few moments.
"Wells-Bering." - Helena smiled while she corrected.
"We will discuss it later."
"Will you enter?" - Helena asked Jeannie.
"Later, I need to check how Warren is adapting, and you both need a moment alone." - Jeannie observed Helena, who nodded, enter the room, before continuing her walk.
Helena smiled when she saw Myka seated in the armchair with a book balanced in one hand and the head in another hand. Myka had received the authorization to do small walks, although she preferred to stay in her room, wasting time with books she couldn't read before for lack of time, since she wasn't authorized to enter the neonatal UCI. Helena leaned again the door, observing Myka's face and the concentration lines.
"Seeing something interesting?" - Myka noticed Helena's presence, looking at her.
"Your facial expression when you are concentrated is something interesting." - Helena took some steps closer to armchair.
"Only interesting?" - Myka tried to sound offended, but without success.
"And a beautiful lady." - Helena knelt, caressing the face of Myka, who had put her book aside, marking the page mentally.
"News?"
"Andrew is surpassing every expectativ. With luck, he can be home in two months." - Helena said, still knelt, noticing the expression in Myka's face.
"Darling, soon you will see him. I know that not seeing him can be a torture, but it's for his well." - Helena continued in the position she was, still caressing Myka's face, noticing a worried look across her face, together with other feelings.
"A penny for your thoughts?" - Helena asked with a small smirk; Myka looked at Helena's inquisitive eyes.
"Nothing important." - Myka received a glare from Helena, who knew Myka enough to doubt her.
"Months ago, I made a promise to you, remember?" - Helena only received a curious look from Myka.
"Your memory have every and all details, but if I remember well, the promise was to be faithful and to accept you in joy, sorrow, sickness and health. I always will be here for anything you need." - Myka gave a shy smile, when she remembered this day.
Silence fell in the room for few moments, in which Myka debated with herself if she need to tell Helena or not, deciding that would be better to tell.
"I wish I had more time." - Helena sighed, sitting in front of Myka, on the floor.
"Nothing that happened is your fault. You did the best you could do, and we know our emotional can play tricks and even unpleasant events, but none of it was your fault. You couldn't predict what would happen."
"Sometimes, I have this feeling that I'm not prepared to be mother, that I always will suffer with decisions because I don't feel ready for it."
"What happened?" - Jeannie asked as she arrived where Helena sitted staring at the door, which moments before Myka had been through, still trying to process the whole situation.
"Myka was taken to the OR." - Jeannie didn't know if she had understand what Helena said, looking fairly incredulous, - "The emotion stress was too much for her." - Helena completed when she noticed the look of Jeannie.
Jeannie didn't need to know Helena profoundly as Myka knew her to say that Helena was being haunted by memories and personal experience, the pain in her face enough to be noticeable, even to stranger's eyes.
Jeanne sat next to Helena, thinking about what she could say to appease the pains of Helena, although she knew there wouldn't have enough words to appease the loss of a daughter, even more in brutal ways, which leaves a space in soul. And though we try to fill this space, it isn't possible, since memories will always be there to remind us, and eventually to trick us, taking the soul in a painful road, filled of fears, the worst being the betrayal of memories. She looked at Helena, putting her hand in Helena's shoulder as to console her.
"We always hear from people that we will see friends and family die, but as much as we hear it, we never will be prepared. If we were, friendships and relationship wouldn't be necessary, since most of our existence is based on our fear of dying. The best we can do is to try to free ourselves from the pain, sharing it. I know that when we lose someone, we don't want to forget them, but it only makes our lives harder." - Jeannie paused, noticing a pair of brown eyes observing her, trying to understand where she was going.
"You shouldn't suffer alone with your loss, for fear of forgetting. Don't let your pain to define you are, and yes be a part of who you became." - Jeannie finished, while Helena rested her elbows on her knees, crossing her hands. Helena didn't know what she could say, knowing Jeannie was right.
"I don't feel I'm capable of doing it."
"I remember when Christina was around 1 year, I asked myself everyday and almost every moment if I would be capable of taking care of her. I was single, without knowledge. I asked myself if it wouldn't be better to have Christina in another family, one that wanted children but weren't able to have one because of any health reason, or if I would be able to raise a daughter alone while working in Warehouse. My brother helped me when he could, but it was rare. Our relation was a mined territory." - Helena, who had looked away from Myka, made a pause, noticing tears rolling down her face, although she didn't made any effort to repress, not caring about that detail, after all, she was trying.
"I was alone, with little family support, with no friends. I simply passed to worry about with one day each, but also, I would worry about her future. I started to believe that hard times are going away, one day, and every day was precious." - Helena looked up, searching the bright green eyes of Myka, who didn't know how to react to this moment that was in a way, rare. She never had heard Helena talk about Christina without been asked to or seen something.
Myka placed carefully the book in the table near the armchair, and then, took Helena's hand, signalizing her to get up with her. When Helena was standing, Myka just hugged her for long minutes, feeling tears dampening her scrub.
"Then, let's live one day at time, and together."
None of both would be able to say how much time they stayed in this position, but they could say what had interrupted them: slight knocks on the door, announcing the entry of the doctor responsible for Myka.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything serious. I can get back later, if you prefer. "
"No problems at all. Please, come in." - Helena said, moving away from Myka, knowing they could finish the conversation later. Helena also used the moment to wipe her face with the back of her hands.
"I have good new, Myka. Until the end of day, you will be discharged, and will be able to visit your son in neonatal ICU. I only would recommend that you get back to work gradually, so your body can get used to the stress, if you want to get back at work in the next days."
The doctor stopped to look at Myka's chart, to verify any other recommendation.
"I also recommend physical activities gradually to prevent any disturb to your final steps of wound healing, also to allow your body to get used to. About sex, only when your wound healing is complete and your body recovered. At most, I believe that's all." - He putted the chart in its usual place, while Myka and Helena looked at each other, being noticeable Myka's excitement.
"Any question?" - He asked moving towards the door, preparing to leave the room.
"I believe not, if anything pop up I'll just ask when I'm being discharged. Thanks." - Myka answered after looking at Helena, who demonstrated that hadn't questions in the moment. The doctor then left the room, after excusing himself, leaving the two women alone again.
Myka sat in the bed, waiting Helena to do the same, which happened few moments after. Instinctively embraced Helena, not forgetting what she had shared moments before.
"You never told me about the first years of Christina." - Myka played with some few strands of hair, while saying.
"Thank your mother for that. She made me notice some things about my post-Christina period." - Myka smiled, making a mental note to thank her mother.
"No matter what happen in future, you did your best, and it's all that matters, that you be your best version. "
"What have I done to deserve someone like you?" - Helena asked some moments after thinking with herself.
"What have I done to deserve and be spouse of H.G. Wells?" - Myka's answer came almost immediately. Helena chuckled, feeling her body relax into the warmth of Myka's body.
Myka was discharged at end of afternoon, preferring to go to the home of her parents, so she could have a decent shower and a night well spent before visiting Andrew. Helena went along to help out in anything.
"It's strange to sleep in this room after so many years." - Myka said as she entered the room, noticing nothing changed much.
It was a relatively simple room, with a single bed, a beanbag, a desk and a bookcase with many books, some of them new and others completely worn out, with a window that allowed the natural light almost all day. It wouldn't be a problem to share the bed, since it was big enough to both. The problem started with the bathroom, since it was shared by everyone.
Myka spent more time at bath, which was expected after spending a week in hospital. Meanwhile, Helena got a book from the bookcase, reading it with pleasure. Jeannie and Warren arrived some time after Myka left the bathroom, feeling more rested, although she knew only a night with Helena would definitely feel better than a hot bath, but it was a good start.
The night fell quickly, and with it, came the nervousness of Myka. After eating a light dinner, Helena and Myka decided to go early to bed, both wanting to enjoy as much as possible the night and company.
"You know we won't have much freedom at bed, right?" - Myka said looking at bed and then at Helena.
"Darling, I don't care about it, I only want to sleep with you." - Helena said while getting comfortable in bed. Myka looked at her settling down, biting her lower lip.
Myka, after few moments, settled beside Helena, who was with open arms to welcome Myka in a warm hug, both immediately settling into their favorite position before Myka's pregnancy.
"I missed it." - Myka mumbled almost asleep, smelling the familiar smell of Helena's hair, and the warmth from Helena's body involving her, giving the sense of belonging.
"Me too."
Helena felt part of Myka's body relaxing, noticing something might be worrying her.
"What are you thinking about?"
"In tomorrow. It's just… I don't how I should feel…"
xxx 2 months after xxx
The day most waited by all finally came after 2 long months. Andrew would be discharged after fighting a battle against every probability, beating pneumonias, gaining weight, and conquering nurses, Helena and Myka with his each victory.
Helena and Myka decided that the best would be pass some initial months in B&B, so every agent could be part of Andrew's life, also to get used to him around. The old room of Helena was modified to receive Andrew as well as the old room of Myka was modified to allow a couple living there.
Andrew's room was already fully prepared to receive him, which also has warning systems developed by Claud, and some superheroes decorations provided by Pete, alleging that no kid should go through childhood without knowing at least one comic character.
Since it was a special occasion, the day that Andrew was discharged and could go home, would be day off for every agent, except some event of high importance appears. Everybody hoped that wouldn't be the case.
"They should be already be here!"
"Claud, chill dude, soon they will be here." - Claud looked at Pete not believing him. The time was too much slow.
Leena was busy at kitchen, preparing a light and refreshing lunch, since it was a hot day. Pete was trying to read a comic, but Claud bouncing around the house wasn't allowing him to concentrate.
Everybody was anxious, it was the day they would have the life changed, which was a big step. Claud finally could pass forward all her knowledge. Pete could influence in sports and comics (it would be pretty hard). Leena could teach the cooking art. Artie… Well, he certainly would teach artifacts aren't toys.
The noise of a car motor turning off called everybody's attention and the suspicions were confirmed when they heard voices of Helena and Myka, and then hearing the front door being opened.
"Finally!" - Claud said running down the stairs, to greet the newcomer.
Pete followed Claud, arriving some moments after Leena, being possible the comment of Claud, about how cute he was. Artie was the last to arrive, noticing the conversation had evolved into animated commentaries about Andrew and future. In certain moments, Myka would warn Claud or Pete about some determined plans.
Helena and Myka were happy by quick acceptance of the new member of family, even though they knew rough days were coming in. By now, they would be happy about the small pleasures of development and growth of Andrew.
The family had just grown and to reunite again, after two long months of waiting, but what mattered now was that everyone was present.
Hey! Long time, I know.
I'm sorry for disappearing, but university was sucking all my life (film school isn't for everybody) , and then precious vacations came and it's pretty filled with travel planning. I'll try to write the 2 left chapters before my travel that will be next week. It will be a challenge, but I already have the ideas for these two chapters. I just need to sit down and write.
Oh, before I forget, if there is anybody going to San Diego Comic Con, I'll be there as volunteer! And I will try to be at Warehouse 13 panel! yay! So if you want to meet me, chat a little (I'm shy at person, remember it), feel free!