A/N: Sorry about the delay in updating. Fail! I'm trying to make time for each story and I'm gonna post one at a time to be fair. lol. I love them, they're my babies and deserve equal amounts of attention, although if I'm hit with inspiration, I might post a few chapters of one fic pretty close together. :) (That is not foreshadowing so don't expect multiple chapter updates.) Anyway, here it is... can't say I'm 100% happy with it, but it didn't make me want to kill myself so there's that.
Enjoy! :)
The three Bering-Wells sat on the couch at the B&B, Myka leaning back against the armrest, Helena between her legs and Sarah between hers.
Helena was braiding Sarah's hair as Myka ran her fingers through her damp hair. The regents had moved the meeting to the library when Claudia mentioned that she sound proofed the room; not mentioning that the reason why was sitting on the couch.
"Mom?" Sarah turned her head and looked at Myka. "What's gonna happen now?" There was a fear in her voice that shook both of her parents to the core. They never wanted this life for their daughter and now they might be getting an out, but something about the way Sarah asked, made them question everything.
"I don't know sweetie." She really didn't. No one knew what the decision would be regarding Myka or Helena's involvement with the warehouse. There were a number of possibilities, and only one seemed to be popping up in everyone's head.
"Do we have to leave?" Even though their daughter was now a teenager, it was easy to forget when she sounded so small to them, so scared. She was still their baby.
Myka opened her mouth to answer, but Helena beat her to it.
"Darling, even if for some reason your mother and I are no longer working with the warehouse, this is our home and our family and we wouldn't take you from them. They can ask us to leave the warehouse but not South Dakota love." Hoping that would soothe her daughter, Helena gently turned her head back to the front and finished making her hair.
"Why do you think they're talking about you guys? You didn't do anything wrong?"
"When your mom was affected by that artifact, I hurt the person who did that to her. Sweetie, when your sister was killed, I was racked with grief and anger and hatred and I lost myself for a little while. I think the regents were wary of having me near that artifact because they didn't want me to lose myself again." Helena never confessed to her daughter how she dealt with Christina's death, and although she was sharing a little, she refrained from telling her the details. "I think they are afraid that if something were to happen to you or your mom, that I would be lost again and then no one will be able to reach me."
"But you're not the same person Helena." Myka leaned forward and kissed the back of Helena's neck. "You've changed and you've come so far. They can't deny that and they can't punish us for something we didn't do." She whispered the last part into Helena's ear, kissing her one last time before leaning back.
...
Claudia paced back and forth, listening impatiently to the regents talk one at a time, like it was rehearsed. She hated that they were so mechanical, so cold.
"Both Myka and HG are a danger to the warehouse." One of the regents said from the corner of the room. Claudia observed him; he was small in stature, his hairline receding, but he wore a clean cut suit, nice shoes, his nails were manicured probably at the same place that waxed his eyebrows. Then she realized they all had the same type of look. They were all so clean cut, and small.
"They make the warehouse weak, the team weak. They make you all vulnerable." A woman sitting in front of the fireplace said. Jane looked at her as if to bite her head off, but she bit her tongue instead, allowing the regent her chance to speak.
They all made their remarks about team Bering-Wells and besides Valda and Jane, they all said the same thing, but Claudia had had enough.
"That's it!" She shouted, she could see the caretakers eyes widen in surprise.
"Ms. Donovan." Irene warned, but Claudia ignored her.
"No! I won't stand here, listening to you guys talk about my family like this! You have no idea what's going on out there. You sit up in your comfortable homes and offices, while people like Myka, HG and Pete risk their lives for you and for the world!"
"Claudia that's enough."
"No Mrs. F. I'm sorry, but I can't listen to them talk about Myka and HG like this anymore." She approached the group of regents. "You say they make the team weaker, they make the warehouse vulnerable. Without them, this place would fall a part. We are all here for a reason, the warehouse chose us."
Irene took a step back and sat down, sipping some tea that Leena had left for them and watched as Claudia made a stand.
"We all have a purpose here, our destinys. The warehouse saved us countless times, we saved each other. I can't tell you where I'd be without Myka and HG I'd be dead without them here and you'd never find two agents that could come close to loving the warehouse as much as they do. And if you have any doubts about HG because of something that happened a hundred years ago that got her in the bronzer, then you have to open your eyes and look at how far she's come. The warehouse chose this, it kept her here and saved her from herself and put her in our world. If that's not proof of the warehouse wanting her here, I don't know what is."
The regents looked on, some of them impressed, some contemplative, and some of them annoyed.
"Look. You can't ask me to fire someone. You can't ask one of them to leave."
"Why not?" The small man in the corner asked, intrigued.
"Because if you do, you will lose everyone. Pete, Leena, Artie and me. I feel the connection to the warehouse just as much as Mrs. Fredric does..."
"More actually."
"What?" Claudia looked at the caretaker.
"We are having you choose because my bond with the warehouse is fading and yours is growing stronger." She turned to face the regents. "But Ms. Donovan is correct. You will lose everyone, the warehouse will lose everyone. And the warehouse needs them, you need them together. I fought you on this because unlike you, when speaking of any of these agents leaving, I can feel sorrow."
"Huh... I just smelled fudge." Claudia mumbled into her hand. Some of the regents heard her, Jane and Irene chuckled and shook their heads.
"Perhaps it's time to bring in outside help." Irene walked around the room while she spoke. "I've called in a couple of friends to join the warehouse. They will be working together doing Psychological evaluations."
"Woah!" Claudia shot forward, nearly falling over. "Head shrinkers!?"
"They are a special team Ms. Donovan. It's not what you think."
"Dude! I won't let you put them through that. I've been through that, people picking a part your brain it just makes you feel crazier than you actually are! Plus, HG and Myka will take it personally."
"They won't pick anyones brains a part. They will simply work together to help each person sort through things that could cloud their judgment in the field. And they aren't the only ones required to do these evaluations."
"Caretaker say what!?"
"Claudia, everyone will have to undergo psychological evaluations once a month to make sure everything runs smoothly. If not, we will lose everyone and we will lose the warehouse."
"This is gonna suck." Claudia plopped herself between two of the regents on the library couch and sunk back into the cushions while they eyed her suspiciously. "Dudes I don't bite."
...
Pete was the first to get up, practically tackling Claudia when she stepped through the doors. Holding her with her feet barely touching the ground, he carried Claudia away from the regents before setting her down, then placed his body between the regents and his family.
"Not cool guys." He pointed his finger at them, glaring. "Whatever happens, if HG or Myka have to leave, I'm out of here too."
"That goes for me as well." Leena stood up next to Pete.
"And I won't be able to stay with the warehouse if they leave." Artie didn't stand, but his voice made enough of an impact to have Leena, Pete, HG and Myka turn around.
"We are not asking anyone to leave." Mrs. Fredric walked to Pete, putting her hand on his shoulder then looking at the rest of the team. "We were asking Ms. Donovan to make a choice because yes, the regents pushed for one of the two of you to be removed." She looked at Helena and Myka, just as Myka slipped her hand into her wife's hand. "Claudia made some good points that I had a feeling she would make and we proposed a different solution."
"The rapist..." Claudia whispered.
"What?" Helena looked up from staring at Myka's hand in her own. "The what?"
"Man! Girl interrupted. Guess we never got to that one. A therapist. We're getting a therapist for the entire family because we're all a bunch of crazies!" She feigned excitement. "Congratulations! Psych evals for everyone!"
Before the others could react, there was a knock at the door.
"Our guests have arrived and I hope beyond all hope that you will be polite and welcoming. I believe Arthur made cookies." Mrs. Fredric walked to the door and opened it. "Abigail Cho, Steve Jinks. Welcome."
So there it is. Thank you so much for reading. I hope it wasn't terrible. Um... I apologize for the lack of Bering and Wells in this chapter but don't worry, there will be more to come. :) Some fun Abigail, Steve and Family times coming up. I hope this was okay. Thank you for hanging in there and if you have any questions or ideas, please let me know. Love you all for reading! XO