So here we are, the final chapter of The Bridge, other than an epilogue I hope to write by next week. I expect that epilogue to be brief, sweet and tantalising, but who knows; this part of the story has already drifted at least five chapters longer than intended!
Thank you for the amazing reviews!
Reunion ahoy; brace yourselves!
Chapter Twenty-two
Having expected Mrs Fredrick to lead her back to the office to talk, Helena was surprised when they ended up in the Pete Cave and the caretaker sat on the couch as if she wasn't surrounded by the remnants of bachelordom.
Irene patted the space next to her, not appearing the least bit anxious considering the inventor's history with the looming topic of conversation. "Helena," she began, surprising the Brit further by using her first name and placing a calming hand on her knee. "First off, I want to congratulate you on the successful control you've shown this week. I apologise for my part in making this experience deliberately harder for you."
Helena's frown deepened as she absorbed the woman's words. "You forced me into a corner to see how I would react?" she asked indignantly. "For what purpose? You treated me like a lab rat."
"I do hope you'll understand the imposition once I explain out intentions." Irene placed her hands in her own lap. "We live in dangerous times, Agent Wells. The future of the Warehouse is uncertain and we need to protect those of us who would see to its survival. I am certain that you understand by now the unique position you and your family hold. It is imperative that you remain with us... and Myka."
"How the bloody hell does torturing me protect me?" HG demanded, though some of her anger had evaporated with the caretaker's words.
Irene took a deep breath, her usual stoic manner fading. "Unfortunately, there remain amongst the regents, disruptive elements. Not all were convinced of your redemption and underhand steps were made to ensure that you would be dealt with permanently should you step out of line again."
Helena gritted her teeth and shifted in her seat, resisting the urge to jump up and pace. "So why attempt to elicit a reaction from me? It seems contradictory to your intention to keep me out of trouble." She was aware that her tone was bordering on petulant and tried to rein it in.
"There was no benefit in pandering to your every whim, Helena. That behaviour was not likely to improve your reputation but only prove to some that you were still un-trustable. You had to be tested, and with Christina present, it seemed the best time to try. I hoped that she would help to keep you grounded and she did," the caretaker explained and then sat back to await the inventor's reaction.
It occurred to Helena that she should probably show some level of appreciation for the thought put into preventing her re-incarceration, or worse, but she was too indignant at their audacity to think that her life was something they could play with. She couldn't deny that even she was happily surprised by her level of control. There was an almost childlike level of excitement bubbling inside her at the thought that she would have so much to be proud of when Myka returned. She was much too annoyed to admit that at the moment though. As a compromise, she decided to put the issue to one side and focus on what she had sought the caretaker out for in the first place; there wasn't much she could do about events already passed.
"Very well, I can do little about the petty squabbles of those in the ivory tower. I will not however, sit by while you allow my child to throw herself on the cross of self-sacrifice." Her explanation was stern and immovable as she stared the caretaker down. "Is she not destined to give enough for this place? My family has suffered enough."
"It is precisely for that destiny that she must be willing to sacrifice a part of herself," Mrs Fredrick insisted, watching calmly as the inventor jumped from her seat and stalked the length of the room while running her fingers through her hair.
"No! She's been through enough!" the Brit's voice exploded across the room.
Irene's eyebrow rose as her lip quirked at the corner. "Agent Wells, I think you've misunderstood my meaning. She must be willing to make the sacrifice. That is all."
HG stopped at half-stride and stared suspiciously over at the poised woman. "A more detailed explanation would be helpful," she griped.
Before Mrs Fredrick could comment, a scrambling noise approached the door, followed by a thump before the red-headed techie appeared, holding what looked like a miniature tablet sewn into the front of a vest, which was bedazzled with wires and buttons.
"I got it, Mrs F! I'm a genius!" Claudia barged into the room and grinned at the two women who were still reeling from her entrance. "Hey, HG. Are you totally thrilled about this or what!?"
Helena glanced at the caretaker, who now appeared somewhat smug. "Thrilled about what exactly?" she asked as she stared back at the enthusiastic young agent.
"About wha...?" Christina hesitated and pointed back and forth between the pair before she suddenly clicked. "Oops, premature entry? My bad."
"It's ok, Agent Donovan," Irene nodded and smiled with approval. "Go ahead."
Claudia bounced on the spot and turned her attention to the Brit. "Ok, so she told you about the deal with the sacrifice, right?"
Helena looked suspiciously between the pair. "Mrs Fredrick was just getting ready to explain why I should ignore the fact that the Warehouse is playing with my family."
Taking a half-step backwards, the red-head took a second to suppress her instinctive need to fidget and drop things when the inventor gave her that look. No matter how long she'd been cheering for team HG, the Victorian would always make her nervous. "Sure, ok... awkward," she whispered in an aside. Remembering why she was there in the first place, Claudia literally waved away the feeling and picked up her home-made accessory. "So, CJ's the next gen in martyrdom, right? She has to prove that she'd got what it takes to put the welfare of others before herself, but she's smart and tough; she wants time to live her life too. So she volunteers for the bronze. She knows it might not be an easy ride but at least she'll emerge roughly the same age that she left her time."
"That part I know," HG insisted, feeling only a little guilty for continuing to terrorise the young woman. "She thinks that using an artefact to create a state of lucid sleep will help to keep her sane and trick her into thinking that time is passing quickly." She was still sceptical and her disapproval showed in her expression.
Claudia however, grinned. "It will help, but here's our guarantee." She held up the vest and activated the small screen. "Once she's bronzed, we'll dress her in this. It monitors electrical impulses in the body and brain, sending data back to the app I programmed, allowing us to track her emotions and stress levels. We can also send positive feedback to her if she appears to be in any distress. The entire experience will be like a spa retreat. Neat, huh?"
It appeared to take a moment before the significance of this information sank in. Helena looked between Mrs Fredrick, Claudia and the vest for several seconds, trying to see a downside to the plan. Eventually, she moved to inspect the invention. "You're sure it will work?" she asked, beginning to feel hopeful. She could see how it was supposed to work and almost kicked herself for not having considered it. Though given that she had only had a day to think about it, that wasn't surprising. From the looks of things, Claudia had had advanced warning.
"I'll walk you through it," the techie enthused, jumping at the chance to talk shop with one of her idols.
Mrs Fredrick watched calmly as the two genius' talked through the ins and outs of the vest's capabilities, noting the way that the older agent's expression morphed from tight-scepticism to relaxed acceptance. She sighed inwardly with relief; this would only work if Agent Wells was on board and it was best if they were all on the same page before Myka's return, which was imminent.
"Why could you not have told me about this earlier in the week?" Helena retook her seat, holding the vest like a lifeline as she voiced her grievances. "Was this all part of the plan to drive me to the brink of madness?"
"I had every confidence in Miss Donovan's abilities but I have never been one to rely on something that does not yet exist." Irene shifted minutely. She wasn't one to apologise for what was necessary either but on this occasion, she wished that there had been a better option. "In answer to your question, yes I kept this information from you deliberately. Your control had to be tested and Christina should not be made aware of any tampering in her plans."
HG carefully placed the vest down and pushed her fingers into her hair as she took a deep, steadying breath. "Lord, you have turned give and take into an art form, do you know that? I would like to know what I am allowed to do in retaliation to test your limits of control." There was a long, pregnant pause before she shook her head and looked sideways at the caretaker. "How can you expect me to keep this a secret from her? To let her think that she might be in for ten years of mental anguish?"
Irene closed her fingers gently but firmly around the inventor's wrist. "You will do it because she needs it. Because she needs to believe in herself. This is her journey and she has to see it through. That inner strength could go a long way to saving many lives. Your family included."
Helena stared into the intense gaze holding her captive and slowly nodded. "Very well. What am I to tell her in the meantime?" She was conflicted. She felt like she already kept too many secrets from her daughter, but she was inclined to trust Irene. If keeping this information to herself would help her little girl, then she would do it.
"It is a moot point; she will push the subject soon enough and will demand that you let her make the choice." Mrs Fredrick retrieved her hand and returned it to her clutch as she sat up primly. "You will simply have to make your performance believable. I don't think that will be too difficult for you."
Frowning with the effort to rein in her sudden need to shake the woman for information, HG continued to stare. "You know this because...?"
A jarring klaxon sound filled the room, interrupting the inventor's quest for answers, and Claudia scrambled to pick up her Farnsworth. "Hey, King Arthur, what's up?"
"Is HG with you?" he asked impatiently.
"Yup, she's here. Not touching anything I might add," she teased the vest out of the Brit's fingers and tucked it under her arm. "We're just having a cosy little chat with Mrs F. What's the buzz?" She studied his face a little closer. "Are you smiling? Careful; your face might crack; your eyebrows could lose cohesion and fall off!"
"Stop that! I like my eyebrows," he grumbled. "If you're finished picking on my epidermal follicular features, would you mind telling Agent Wells that I have a call waiting for her?"
"I like picking on you from a distance; you can't throw things at me," Claudia stuck out her tongue and then jumped guiltily when a hand reached from behind her and tore the device out of her grasp.
"Who is calling me, Artie?" HG demanded, a hand resting on her churning stomach. She watched a hereto-unknown expression of compassion pass over the grumpy director's features and felt her breath catch. "Myka?" she managed with a croaky squeak.
Agent Nielson nodded and, when he noticed the tears beginning to fall from the Victorian's tired eyes, hastened to confirm her hopes. "They're home," he concluded quickly. "I'll have Pete take you back to Univille as soon as you're ready."
Claudia caught the Farnsworth as it slipped from the inventor's fingers and watched with fascination as HG's face cycled through several emotions. She couldn't stop a joyful grin from spreading across her own features and felt giddy at the thought of the reunion that was soon to happen. "Aww, you're giving me super feels, HG. Get out of here," she insisted. "I want all the deets later!" She called after the retreating form.
With no mind for anything but what awaited her at home, Helena ran straight passed her own section of the Warehouse before she remembered who she was leaving behind. Torn, she came to a halt and deliberated for a moment before turning back.
"Christina?" She called into the shelves, hoping that the teen wasn't far. The sound of approaching footsteps allowed her to release a breath of air and she waited impatiently for the young woman to reach her before launching into an explanation for her haste. "She's here… there… at home. They both are… Well, I mean to say that you're there. They're there…" She tripped over her words uncharacteristically, making the teen smile with sympathy and understanding.
CJ held her mother's hands in her own and tried to share her calm. "It's ok, Mum; I get it. I'm fine here. I don't mind annoying grumpy Gramps while you're gone."
Helena frowned. "Are you not coming with me?"
Shaking her head, the young woman smiled gently. "I don't think it would be a good idea for me to be in the same room as… Well, me. She's been through a lot recently and this would just be one more thing to confuse her with."
"Yes, I suppose you are right. I don't want to cause her… You… Any more consternation than necessary." Thinking of the conversation she'd just had with Mrs Fredrick, the inventor wrapped her arms around the teen's shoulders and hugged her tight. "Myka will want to see you. Can you promise that you will not make any lasting decisions until we are all together?"
"Within reason," Christina cautioned. "No more than three days."
"I think that's reasonable." She kissed the girl's forehead and cautioned her not to touch anything before telling her how much she loved her and turning for the exit.
Having expected the spinning this time, Myka had crouched down after reaching out for the artefact, giving her stability to hold onto her daughter and stay on her feet at the same time. There was no reason to believe that they might be in danger when they emerged from the time portal but there were no guarantees and she wanted to be ready for anything.
As it was, she needn't have worried. While their journey ended and their surroundings came into focus, it was quite obvious that they had returned from whence they'd started. A sense of calm and relief filled her for several seconds until her hearing caught the sound of every little tick and buzz but no other human movement. Habitually, she covered her daughter's eyes as she dropped the artefact into a static-bag, but was not surprised this time when nothing happened.
Where's Helena? She immediately wondered. The dimly lit hallway indicated the lateness of the day and the agent reached for the nearest wall-switch, hesitating for a second to appreciate the simplicity of the action before the immediate area filled with light.
Christina was the first to move, wriggling from her mother's tight hold and beginning to inspect the house to make sure that it wasn't an illusion. "We did it, Mama. We're home," she concluded in a cautious tone. She returned to the adult's side and held onto her sleeve. "Do you think everyone's alright? Where's Mummy?"
"I'm sure they're all fine," Myka insisted, forcing her voice to sound confident. "If your mother isn't here, then she'll be at the Warehouse or Leena's. Why don't we have a look around and see if we can find any sign of her?"
It didn't take long for them to search the house from top to bottom. Myka knew within the first couple of minutes, when her fiancée didn't instantly appear at the sound of their voices, that Helena wasn't in the house, but for her own peace of mind, she completed the search to check that there was nothing else out of place.
In the study, she found her cell phone on the desk and started with Leena's number while opening up her laptop and switching it on. The date on her phone told her that she and Christina had only been away for a quarter of the time that they'd spent in 1890, but she still needed to know if anything catastrophic had occurred in that period. The eight year old flitted in and out, sometimes running upstairs to fetch things from her room and other times, simply holding onto Myka's arm, her head resting on the adult's shoulder, eyes closed while her mother stroked her hair.
With no luck at the bed and breakfast, Agent Bering tried Artie. After seven rings, she was almost ready to give up and just get in the car, but then she heard a click and a familiar grunt in greeting and kept the receiver by her ear.
"Hello?" An ever-impatient tone sounded through the line.
"Artie, it's Myka," she announced tentatively. She held her breath, hoping that they hadn't been blinked out of existence as a result of their little adventure to the past. It seemed unlikely that the Warehouse would allow it considering the trouble it had gone to in setting certain things in motion, but her imagination couldn't help the occasional spinning tangent. There was a scrambling on the other end of the line, followed by a short silence. "Artie?"
"Myka? You're back! Where are you? How are you?" Agent Bering pictured the director blustering about and as much as she'd enjoyed interacting with Caturanga, she realised now how fond she was of her own superior.
Myka smiled to herself. "We're at home and we're fine. A little exhausted, mentally and ready for a long soak in hot running water, but otherwise, we're ok." There was a tiny pause before the question on the tip of her tongue came tumbling out. "Is she there? Is Helena with you?" She wanted to add an inquiry into the whereabouts of the young woman who'd sent them the artefact but with Christina once more clinging tightly to her arm, she resisted. Helena would tell her everything she needed to know in good time.
"Yes, she arrived this morning. Do you want me to call her?" he wondered aloud.
"Yes," Myka answered without thinking. She felt her heart rate pick up at the mere thought of her fiancée's presence and suddenly knew that she didn't want to talk to her over the phone. Overhearing the Farnsworth conversation, she felt her grip on her cell tighten. She needed Helena to fill all of her senses at once. Needed to feel those arms around her before she broke down. Needed that anchor to keep her grounded right now. "Artie, would it be ok to do my de-brief at home, maybe tomorrow? I could really do with a goodnight's sleep."
"Yes, of course. I trust that you've contained the artefact appropriately?" She agreed that she had. "I'll have Pete return it to the Warehouse tonight. I want Vanessa to give you a check-up tomorrow though. That's not up for negotiation."
Myka chuckled and allowed her amusement to chase away some of the tension she was feeling. "No problem. I was hoping to talk to her anyway. I need to get off the phone now. Please tell Helena to travel safely. I need her in one piece."
Picking up on his agent's strained vibe, the director nodded to himself. "I'm having Pete drive her over." He expressed his happiness at her return in his usual minimalist manner and returned the receiver to its cradle seconds before one anxious inventor entered his office.
At her end, Myka placed the phone down with a shaky hand and pulled her daughter into her lap as best she could in the plush office chair. The initial excitement at successfully arriving home was beginning to wear off. Thoughts of the past few weeks were starting to creep in. She swayed with the girl for several minutes while actively storing her swirling thoughts in neat little compartments to revisit at a later date. Feeling Christina in her arms went a long way to helping her mind stay calm and she soon found herself whispering little comforting words of wisdom into the girl's ear as she reminded herself that every moment of heartache had been necessary to bring them back together. She tried not to think of her baby and the years she had missed; it had to be enough that her daughter was alive and well now, in her arms.
Eventually, she decided that being busy would help them while they waited for Helena to return and encouraged the eight-year-old in the direction of the kitchen. She opened several cupboards, searching for inspiration, before turning back to Christina with a sigh.
"Do you think your mother would be amenable to take-out for once?" the agent asked with a small, knowing smile. "I don't think I have the energy to cook." She glanced at the clock and read 'ten past five'. How long had they sat in the study? How long ago had Helena left the Warehouse?
"Can we have pizza?" the girl asked with sudden enthusiasm. "It's been so long since we had pizza," she groused.
"We made pizza shortly before our little trip to London. That wasn't so long ago," Myka argued and then added, "But something simple and comforting does sound good right about now."
A wavy-haired head bobbed along in agreement. "Can we invite everybody over? I think they would like to see that we're alright."
Myka hesitated, knowing that company meant noise and chaos, but that she was also keen to see her extended family together after a month apart. "We'll wait and see how we all feel when your mother gets home. We might end up wanting a quiet night to ourselves. On the other hand," she continued, seeing the disappointment rising in her daughter's expression. "Pizza just isn't the same without Pete and Claudia around."
Christina agreed to curb her enthusiasm in the end and they spent five minutes 'playing' with the household appliances before the sound of a car pulling up outside diverted their attention. Frozen in mid-motion, the pair waited until they heard hurried footsteps on the path and exchanged happy, relieved grins. The eight-year-old took off like a shot the moment the sound of the opening front door reached them, leaving her Mama to gather her strength as Helena's frantic voice rang out through the house.
"Christina, Myka!?"
"Mummy!" Christina cried joyously as she bolted from the kitchen and charged the length of the hall towards her mother.
HG's reaction was reminiscent of her astounded relief several months earlier, upon seeing her daughter alive and well. She fell to her knees and braced herself for the weight of the girl running towards her, enveloping her arms around the small figure and holding on like she would never let go.
"Oh, my darling," she cooed into a close ear. Tears slipped from beneath closed lids as she pulled her daughter into her body further and began rocking them back and forth. Dark orbs opened at the sound of heals on the wooden floor and she gazed up through her blurred vision to take in the approaching woman.
A week away from her fiancée had sent her into withdrawal and catching sight of the magnificent image before her sent a series of mixed emotions into her system, flooding her veins and wiping all logical thought from her mind. She watched with baited breath as Myka reached them and carefully joined them on the floor. Soft lips met her own and she finally remembered to breathe, taking small gulps of air each time they parted, ignoring the salty tang of their combined relief.
Not caring about the pain of her knees on the hard floor, Myka continued to sink into the inventor, feeling a need to drown herself in her mate's presence. "Helena," she whispered fervently, her lips brushing across a cheek and temple.
Perhaps if they hadn't had an active eight-year-old between them, they might have stayed on the floor all night. As it was, Christina quickly grew bored by their inactivity and pulled them all into the living room. Myka's fingers had found their way into silky, black hair and fell as far as the nape of the inventor's neck while they were ushered from the hallway. With Helena's arm wrapped firmly around her waist, she brought them to a halt in front of the couch and twisted round into a loving embrace.
Christina giggled as her parents lost themselves in each other and managed to sneak from the room to find her Mama's cell phone. She punched in the password from memory and scrolled through the contacts until she found the one she wanted.
"Hey, Mykes!" Agent Lattimer's voice came through the receiver loud and clear. "How was the trip?" he asked jokingly.
Sniggering again to herself, the young girl stood by the door between the living room and hallway and began to put her plan for a welcome home party into action. "It's me, Uncle Pete," she stage-whispered to her Mama's best friend.
"CJ?" Pete frowned to himself, thankful for the fact that he hadn't opened with a rude joke. "Where are your moms?"
Christina peeked round the edge of the door. Her parents had stopped kissing but they were still fairly oblivious to their surroundings, eyes locked, hands touching faces and conversing in hushed tones as if any loud noise would break the spell they were under.
"They're in the living room, saying hello," she summed up.
"Does that 'hello' include kissing and staring?" he guessed.
"Yes... They were kissing. Now they're staring." She turned her back on the scene and thought about what she wanted him to do. "Mama wants pizza for dinner and she says that it's not the same without you and Aunt Claudia. Can you come over for dinner and bring some pizza... Please?" She held her breath, hoping he would say yes before her Mama came looking for her.
Sensing that he was missing something, Pete decided that since he was still outside where HG had left him, that he would go in and investigate for himself anyway. "Sure thing. Though I've gotta take that artefact back to the Warehouse first."
Her expression falling slightly, Christina tried again, injecting a note of pleading into her tone. "Would you be able to pick up the pizza first? I am awfully hungry, Uncle Pete. My tummy is rumbling and everything."
Experiencing a light-bulb moment, Agent Lattimer smiled to himself. He wasn't going to conspire with the kid against Myka and HG. Not this way at least; he knew that they wouldn't if it was his kid. Taking pity on the young Brit though, he was sure he could help out somehow. "I'm right outside kiddo; I dropped your mom off. I'll be there, uno momento."
"Oh," the girl replied, feeling mildly disappointed.
"Hey, no big sighs. Trust the Petemeister, ok?" In no time, he'd jumped from his vehicle and locked it behind him, bouncing up the steps to rap on the front door.
Jerking from their trance, the two women glanced towards the door, Myka's expression going from content to concerned in a split second as her eyes immediately searched the room. "Christina?" she called.
"Here, Mama," the girl in question entered from behind the door and, realising that she couldn't hide what she'd done, held the phone out to the adult. "It's just Uncle Pete," she added as her Mummy walked passed her to answer the door.
"You called Pete?" She asked in confusion.
"Mmhm," the girl nodded proudly. She had taken the situation into her own hands, not waiting for her mothers' approval for once and felt a sense of satisfaction over the decision. "He's going to take our artefact back to the Warehouse and bring Aunt Claudia back here, along with pizza for all of us."
Myka's expression twitched between several conflicting emotions. Pride and amusement rose up with the knowledge that her little girl had the nosce to take charge and be defiant like her British mother. Concern and disappointment were hot on their heels as she realised that Christina had deliberately gone behind her back after they'd agreed to wait until they'd discussed their plans with Helena.
"Ok," she agreed reluctantly, letting her eyes speak her disapproval for her. She watched a spark of regret pass over her daughter's gaze and immediately felt bad. "I'll overlook your loose interpretation of our discussion in the kitchen this once," she smiled softly as she spoke, showing the girl that she was forgiven.
"HG," Pete greeted as he entered and immediately sought out his best friend, crushing her in a hug. "Mykes. You scared us all with that stunt. I thought we were time travel buddies!" he teased.
The agent hugged him back, feeling more tears prick her eyelids at the knowledge that her 'big brother' was there. "I found a more compliant co-pilot," she responded in kind and winked down at the eight-year-old. She felt Helena's arm slip around her waist and turned to meet curious eyes. "Our child seems to think that we need a welcome home party," she began to explain. "What do you think?" She knew that they were both exhausted but she hoped that her love was amenable to company too.
"So long as company doesn't mind the lack of hospitality while I snuggle with my family, I approve," Helena answered happily. "If Peter is willing to bring food also, so much the better." She brushed her lips against Myka's cheek and was met with a radiant smile, eliciting duel sniggers from the onlookers.
Pete took the artefact, left with their orders and returned with Claudia, Lila and Leena in tow less than an hour later. Christina commandeered the techie's attention the moment the door closed behind the visitors and took over the serving of the pizza, while her parents welcomed everybody and insisted that they make themselves at home.
Leena took one look at the couple and recognised immediately that this gathering was mostly for the eight-year-old's benefit. HG sat on the couch with her feet pulled up behind her and her head flopping against the back cushions while Myka was curled up against her lap, her eyelids fluttering shut every now and then as the inventor's fingers ran through her hair. They were quite obviously content to let events unfold around them, happy in the knowledge that their extended family would keep an eye on their little girl.
By the time there was nothing but crumbs left of their communal meal and the chatter had begun to die down, Christina had collapsed on the floor between Claudia's legs and was clinging to the young woman's jacket. Pete set the ball rolling by announcing that he and Lila were heading home and soon after, the rest followed suit, the red head struggling with the teary child that didn't want to let her go.
Helena managed to untangle her daughter's limbs from Agent Donovan's clothes and cajoled her daughter for several minutes until she agreed to brush her teeth and put her pyjamas on.
Surprised by the girl's difficult behaviour, HG struggled to get her from the bathroom to her bedroom and then into bed while Myka took a much anticipated shower. She almost regretted insisting that she could manage by herself; Christina hadn't been this obtuse since she was about three years old. She breathed a sigh of relief when her fiancée entered, her hair washed and dry and smelling like coconut. Beneath the relief, there was a foreign sense of failure. Why couldn't she get this right? What was wrong with her?
"Christina, it is time for bed. If you want a story, then you must choose one quickly." She had tried explaining this already but the girl simply replied 'I am!', while emptying her shelves of every book. There were piles gathering on the floor and there was no sense of urgency about her efforts.
As the brunette entered and surveyed the scene, she gathered that things weren't going well. "Sweetheart," she tried in a firm-friendly tone. "Mummy said it's time for bed. You have one minute to choose a book." She turned to Helena, raising her eyebrows, silently asking if anything else had happened to cause this. The inventor shook her head, bemused. As they watched the clock and a minute passed, the adults braced themselves. "Minute's up. What have you got?"
"I'm still deciding," Christina's answer scrambled over the growing fortress of books.
Myka swallowed her misgivings and linked her arm with Helena's, guiding the inventor towards the door. "Ok. Goodnight then." Her tone was firm but not unkind as she began to pull the door to behind her.
"No, wait!" A panicked voice followed the adults onto the landing, halting them in their tracks. "I have this one," the eight-year-old announced as she pulled any book from the nearest pile and stood forlornly by her bed.
Agent Bering immediately felt a wave of guilt settle in her stomach but she fought any contrition out of her expression. She had known that this was going to be a difficult transition. It wasn't surprising that the girl was testing their limits but she didn't want Christina to think that her behaviour was acceptable. There had to be some sort of compromise though; she didn't want to be like her parents had been.
"Five seconds to be in bed," she warned softly. "Ready? Five... four..."
Christina scrambled beneath the covers, alarmed by this sudden change in their night-time ritual. What will happen if she gets to one? she wondered. All night she had been dreading this moment. It was illogical to think that she could avoid going to bed indefinitely but that hadn't stopped her trying. Tears gathered as she lost the will to fight them back and as her parents sat across her bed, she buried her face against her Mama's big tummy.
"I don't want to sleep alone," she sniffed. She felt her Mummy's hands massaging her legs through the quilt while fingers brushed her hair behind her ears.
"I know," Myka soothed. "I understand that this is difficult after sleeping with Mummy or me for a month. You're a big girl though Christina and you have your own space that you love. Remember how excited you were to have it? You will feel that way again, you just need to give it time."
"You know we are just across the way if you need anything, love," HG reassured her, still playing with the feet beneath her hands. "You will learn to enjoy your room again, I'm certain." Christina said nothing and the inventor shared a worried glance with her partner.
"What book did you find for me then?" Myka tried after a short silence.
"It's not my favourite," the girl complained sulkily as she reached behind her to where she'd thrown her book. "You didn't give me enough time to find a better one."
The American swallowed her response, guessing that her daughter was trying to provoke her and drag out this conflict. Getting into an argument would only end in more tears and further stress for all of them. "The Jungle Book will do for tonight. If you go to bed earlier tomorrow night, you'll have more time to search, won't you?" she added pleasantly.
Myka read, making sure before she started that Christina was tucked under the covers to prevent hands and fingers from clamping down on her limbs and clothes. The entire ordeal was a struggle and she was beyond tired herself, but with the occasional reassuring look from Helena, she managed to stay cool and calm, finally kissing her daughter's forehead as she left the girl's room in favour of her own.
There were so many things that she wanted to discuss with her fiancée. So many questions she wanted to ask. When were they going to get time to sit down and have an actual conversation with so many disruptions around them? The last thing she wanted was to feel resentment towards her baby, but really, all she had wanted for tonight was to return to their life, including the time she had to spend alone with the woman she loved.
She sank down onto the bottom of the bed and let her head fall into her hands. Scant seconds passed before the bed moved to accommodate another body and she felt strong arms pulling her close. Hands moved back and forth along her skin, the motion allowing some of the tension in her body to dissipate.
"I had thought we might have some time to ourselves to catch up. I don't know about you though darling, but I think I would prefer to simply crawl into bed with you and finally sleep." Helena pulled back and coaxed Myka's head up to meet her gaze. "What say you?"
A head of messy curls bobbed up and down approvingly and the couple forced their bodies to move as they made their final preparations for the evening.
Myka lay on her side and pulled Helena's arms around her middle, savouring the feeling of finally having her fiancée beside her in bed. "Helena?"
"Hmm?" A sleepy voice murmured.
"Is... Was it her? Was it Christina who sent the package?" This she had to know.
HG nodded into the back of her lover's neck and stroked a hand over her belly. "Yes, darling. She promised not to take any action that would make her unavailable until you have had a chance to see her, though she did stipulate that she would like to be on her way within the next three days."
Myka closed her eyes and breathed slowly as she placed this knowledge amongst her thoughts. She had suspected as much but hadn't wanted to base too much of her thinking on an assumption. "Do you think I could see her tomorrow?"
"You will have to go to the Warehouse," the inventor explained. "She doesn't wish to complicate the situation further for our stubborn little princess."
A smile crept across the brunette's features as she considered their daughter's tiresome antics. Much as she disliked fighting against the girl, she appreciated the fact that they were both there to mark the experience.
Neither adult was sure when their muttered conversation died away and sleep fell upon them. Nor were they particularly cognizant of waking up a couple of hours later to reluctantly allow a small figure to climb in and settle between them. Come morning, there would be raised eyebrows and confused glances as they wondered which of them had given in to the girl's pleading. Eventually, they would decide that it didn't matter and that they would make the most of the morning cuddles.
After all, this was their miracle. One that they would cherish, even if that did mean they occasionally made bedtimes harder to establish.
Any thoughts or suggestions you want to share with me for the epilogue (and beyond) are welcome. Anything I've missed or points that have been laboured over too long? Best to get them in now while I start planning for the next addition to this series!
Addendum: FFN editing tool decided to moved bits of the text around for no particular reason other than to drive me mad. Hopefully fixed now.
Nope, still wasn't right... Third time lucky?