I apologise profusely for the wait, I had immense trouble with this chapter for a while. And I'd also like to apologise for the time jump in the last chapter. As a Brit, I'm not the best with American geography, and as I was so kindly made aware, there wasn't sufficient time between the call and Helena appearing. This did occur to me as I wrote it, but I didn't want to write a ton of filler while Myka waited and I just wanted the story to move forwards, so I'm sorry to people who might have been offended by my mistake and for future mistakes. Thank you for taking the time to read and I look forwards to your comments.
"I'm truly sorry."
"I know."
There was a long moment of silence when neither woman spoke. They just found themselves caught in each other's eyes, unable or unwilling to break the contact. But, of course, they weren't done yet.
"Myka, I… I left Nate," said Helena. When Myka's face remained passive, Helena swallowed her fear and continued. "I tried to have the normal life I was forced to miss out on. But it didn't work. It wasn't me. I didn't belong there. I belong here… with…" Helena looked up. She wanted to finish the sentence, but the look on Myka's face made her stop. Helena dropped her gaze, feeling her emotions gaining control over her. She wanted to run again. It was what she was used it. It took so much for her to remain sitting where she was, opposite the one woman in the world who could completely destroy her without even lifting a finger.
"At the Warehouse?" suggested Myka. Secretly, the agent wished Helena to correct her. She wanted to know that her efforts, her pain over the last few years that was caused by HG Wells was worth something. But more than that, she wanted Helena. That's all.
"With… you," she said, taking a leap of faith. Silence fell again as Myka's green eyes glinted with some deep emotion Helena couldn't label. When the pause became too much for Helena's mind, she just had to fill the void. But then she lost her nerve, opening her mouth but nothing came out. Myka, choosing to take pity on the mentally flailing Victorian, spoke.
"With me?" she repeated quietly.
"Yes," replied Helena. "You were the only one to trust me. You made me feel welcome in this new world. And I can never forgive myself for what I did to you." Helena felt her emotional walls crumbling as she felt tears brimming in her eyes. She looked down, hiding her face from Myka as a tear dripped down her cheek. Myka set her mug on the table and enveloped Helena in a warm hug.
"Thank you for coming back," said Myka softly in Helena's shoulder. They remained in the comfortable embrace for much longer than standard, but eventually had to break away.
"So, what're you up to for the rest of the day?" asked Helena, laughing as she subtly wiped her eyes, still trying to hide form Myka. Myka smiled at her actions, finding it utterly adorable.
"I have the day off," she replied, smiling. Though they were no longer embracing, her hand was on Helena's.
"Excellent," replied Helena, unable to believe that Myka was letting her back into her life again after all she had done.
Myka padded into the kitchen about ten minutes later, closely followed by Helena and was surprised to see Abigail still standing there, watering some plants she had placed on the windowsill.
"Oh, hello, Myka," she said, quickly putting down the glass of water she was using to water the plants that Myka recognised to be rosemary. "Just give me a second and I'll be out of your way."
"No, no, it's fine," replied Myka. "Abigail, this is Helena."
"Hello, Abigail, I'm Helena George Wells," said Helena, switching her charm back on, offering Abigail her hand. Abigail took it, interested to see that the raven haired woman's earlier nerves had evaporated.
"H.G Wells? Were your parents a fan?" asked Abigail with a smile. Helena quickly glanced at Myka, with a look that the brunette read as 'She-doesn't-know?' Myka shook her head.
"Abigail, this is HG Wells," said Myka, slowly. Abigail's eyes widened as she looked over the counter at Helena, who had a little grin on her face.
"The HG Wells?" gasped Abigail. "But you're-"
"A woman?" suggested Helena.
"I was going to say dead, but that too," replied Abigail, transfixed on Helena, eyes wide with wonder.
"It's a long story…" said Myka with a sideways glance to Helena.
"So she's the therapist?" asked Helena as they left the kitchen about twenty minutes later, after discussing the bronzer and Helena and Victorian London. They had been interrupted from a delightful conversation; Abigail eager to learn about Helena, the Victorian only too happy to talk about herself and Myka looking on, interjecting little clarifications where needed, but then Artie had called with the order of getting down to the Warehouse as soon as possible. When Myka had asked, he instructed her to bring Helena too.
"Yes, she's helped Artie a lot," replied Myka as she pulled on a pair of boots by the door.
"She'd have a field day with me, I bet," laughed Helena.
"That's true," said Myka, straightening up and grabbing her jacket and keys and opening the door, shouting a goodbye to Abigail as Helena followed.
"Your car or mine?" asked Helena. Myka gave her a look. "What?"
"You drive like a psychopath," said Myka with a laugh. Helena looked appalled as Myka laughed even harder, unlocking her car and sliding into the driver's seat. "You coming?" she called through the window. Helena, still sporting a dismayed expression but couldn't suppress a smile as she pulled open the door and climbed into the SUV beside Myka.
The drive was pleasant to say the least. The sun shone down on the car as Helena lounged in the passenger seat, unused to the heat. Myka had turned on the radio and was humming along to the song, one that Helena had heard Adelaide singing at one point over the past few months. She smiled at the memory.
"Something amusing?" asked Myka with a grin as she watched the road.
"Just thinking," replied Helena, her arm hanging out of the window as the breeze ruffled her hair a little. Myka glanced in her direction and found herself mesmerised for a moment. The sunlight streamed over her pale face, her dark eyes glinting as her hair buffeted gently. Myka was transfixed until she realised she was driving and refocused on the road, which was pretty quiet anyway. She hoped Helena hadn't noticed.
They arrived at the Warehouse and walked side by side through the umbilicus. Helena had stepped out of the car and looked up at the magnificent building which she had missed so much. Now that she was here, she didn't know how she could have left. Looking at Myka, who was striding over to the door, she smiled. It was good to be home.
"Hey Artie," greeted Myka as she waltzed through the door, closely followed by Helena.
"Myka, Helena, excellent!" he exclaimed in reply, turning away from the computer and looking at the pair. Claudia, who was sitting, spun around in her chair at the mention of the inventor, and leapt up, throwing herself onto a rather shocked looking Helena. She froze for a moment as Claudia wrapped her arms around her, but then she embraced the young techie, holding her close, only just realising how much she had missed her. After a few moments, with Myka smiling at the pair and Artie awkwardly clearing his throat and shuffling back over to the computer, Claudia backed off, flushing slightly.
"Oh my God, hi," she said, caught between her genuine excitement at seeing her mentor and trying to play it cool. Way to go, Claud, she thought, mentally kicking herself. Helena merely smiled fondly at her young friend, patting her shoulder.
"Hello, my dear. How've you been?"
"Uh, good. Great. Warehousey stuff, y'know?" she paused, glancing at Myka. "Are you… back for good?" she asked, looking between the pair. Myka noticed that Artie had stopped looking through piles of paper and trying to busy himself during the reunion. He too was waiting for the answer.
"If the Regents allow. And all of you, of course," she replied after a moment of thought.
"Of course! Big yes from the Claudster!" the redhead said happily.
"Are we done with the hugging now? Can we get back to work?" interrupted Artie. "Claudia, I need those results two minutes ago."
"Alright, Granpa, geez," replied Claudia, rolling her eyes. She quickly hugged Helena again before throwing herself back into the spinning chair and typed furiously.
"So, Artie," said Myka, clearing her throat, stealing a glance at Helena, who looked a little emotional after Claudia's reaction. "What's up?"
"What's up? What's up?" replied Artie, turning, throwing two sheets of paper into the air. Helena glanced at Myka, shuffling backwards ever so slightly in case she was the cause of Artie's ire. "The Warehouse is going insane!"
"Insane?" asked Myka.
"It's like it's on PMS or something, Mykes. It's crazy!" interjected Claudia, still typing away.
"It seems fine-" started Helena, but that was when the floor shook, sending Myka and Helena flying to the floor, Artie falling against a desk and Claudia holding onto said desk as the tremors rocked the office.
"I thought we dealt with the screw incident!" yelled Myka across the room as papers flew everywhere.
"We did!" replied Claudia.
"Then what's this?"
"I have no idea!" said Claudia, reaching forwards and grabbing the computer screen before it fell. Finally, it subsided. Myka helped Helena up, brushing away a sheet of paper that had fallen on her back.
"Is everyone alright?" asked Artie, looking around his office, which looked like a bomb had gone off. Papers were scattered everywhere, books on the floor… he would have to coerce one of his agents to clean it up later.
"Yes," chorused the three women. Pete and Steve were off on a snag-and-bag.
"Oh my God," said Claudia shakily as she got to her feet, staring out of the window into the Warehouse.
"What is it?" asked Helena urgently, glancing in her direction. Claudia pointed, and Artie, Myka and Helena's eyes followed.
"No. No, no, no, this can't be happening," muttered Artie as he raced out onto the decking, the other three in tow. They looked out over the Warehouse floor, a breeze picking up and ruffling their hair.
"Artie?" said Myka, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight.
"This is bad," he replied. A cry of anguish made all of them turn as Claudia collapsed to the ground, curling into a ball, her eyes tight shut with pain. Artie was the first by her side.
"Claudia! Claudia, what do you feel?" he asked urgently. "Claudia!"
"It hurts, Artie!" she yelled in reply, writhing in pain.
"What do we do?" asked Helena, desperate to stop Claudia's pain.
"Get her into the office," he ordered. Helena nodded and helped the squirming Claudia to her feet, looping one arm around her waist and holding her close.
"Myka?" she said, wondering why she wasn't helping. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Myka staring down at the Warehouse floor. Helena followed her gaze. Far below was a great, blue pulsating ball of energy.
"Don't look directly at it!" demanded Artie, covering Helena's eyes with his hand.
"What is it? What's wrong with Myka?" she asked, verging on panic. The wind had grown stronger, buffeting against them. They had to duck a few times as a small object blew past them. From the middle of the energy ball, electric bolts would shoot out as it grew steadily bigger.
"I don't know!" replied Artie, reaching forwards and grabbing Myka's arm, trying to pull her back from the edge. "Myka!" he yelled.
"Artie…" she replied, her voice strangled and soft. "Artie, something's wrong," she said, turning to him, tears in her eyes.
"What?" he asked, as Helena looked on, holding a groaning Claudia tightly, supporting the red-head's weight.
"Something's wrong… with me," she said. "I can feel it…" Her eyes were strangely glassy.
"Myka! Clear your head! Don't look at it!"
"Artie, it knows everything… How? How can it know…?"
"Know what?" Artie demanded. The wind had increased ten-fold; Helena had to hold onto the door, her eyes barely able to remain open as she watched Myka's pale, tear-stained face as flashes of blue light reflected off of it, the mixture of light and shadows mesmerising.
"I'm dying…" she whispered, as if to herself, before an arc of electricity struck her in the back. She threw her arms out wide as she froze; the light from behind casting her in darkness for a moment, before she crumpled to the floor.
"Helena!" yelled Artie, snapping the woman back to reality – Helena was still processing. Myka had mouthed something before she was shocked, but she couldn't hear over the wind. "Get Claudia inside!" Helena nodded and dragged her into the office, laying her down on the rug. Artie ambled in, dragging Myka along with him. Helena ran over to help him as he slammed the door.
"Artie, what's happening?" she demanded, running a hand through her hair as she looked over the two bodies, one writhing in pain while the other was motionless. Helena dropped to her knees as she absently heard Artie muttering to himself, checking more bits of paper he picked up from the floor. She checked Myka's pulse, which she was glad to say was just a little higher than normal, her breathing regular. Checking her pupils, she sighed, relaxing. Myka was just unconscious. Hopefully. With the Warehouse, there was no telling.
"Artie!" shouted Helena, rising and turning to him. He paused, turning to her.
"I think… I think there's been an artefact disturbance."
"No, really?" replied Helena, her sarcasm easily hiding her fear and anxiety. "What was your first clue?" Artie glared at her.
"We need to find which is causing this."
"Well, we can't exactly go out and look," said Helena, gesturing to the window just as an arc of lightning struck the decking outside, making the floor quake slightly.
"Does the computer still work?" asked Artie. Helena glanced at the screen.
"Yes," she replied, before she was pushed out of the way as Artie hurried to sit and began typing. "Artie, how bad is this?" she asked, fearing the answer.
"I really don't know," he replied. "But we need to fix it. Fast."