Entering the Danger Zone

(Moments before Helena came home ...)

As much as Myka enjoyed leaving Wells Corp with Helena most nights, sometimes she liked getting home first. It gave her some time to get things ready for Helena. Often, she asked Leena to bring dinner into the library or the living room. This way, Myka and Helena could sit back on the couch, eat their meal, and talk about their day.

When Myka rushed through the door that night, Leena was there to greet her.

"Everything all set? I hope it wasn't too much trouble," Myka said, taking her coat off and about to rush upstairs.

"Myka?" Leena said and there was something about her tone that struck Myka. Something was wrong.

"What is it?" Myka said, taking Leena's arms in her hands.

"Where is Helena?" Leena asked.

"She's at work. She'll be here shortly. What's wrong?" Myka asked because it was obvious that there was.

"Your…. sister….. is here," Leena said in a hushed tone and watched the expression on Myka's face change instantly.

"My sister? Tracy? Here?" Myka asked in rapid succession. Leena nodded her head to all three.

"I put her in the library," Leena said, and had thought the basement might have been the better choice. She had been present for conversations where Helena expressed her disdain for the younger Bering.

"Why didn't she call me?" Myka asked to the ceiling. "OK, I have at least a half hour before Helena comes home. I'll deal with her. I'll get her to leave," Myka said, trying to convince herself.

"I'll go make Helena tea," Leena thoughtfully said.

Myka smiled, but she knew even Eileen's tea couldn't calm the woman who had heard the stories about Tracy and indicated to Myka that she couldn't wait to meet her sibling. When Helena couldn't wait to meet someone, it was because she was having trouble waiting to chew them up and spit them out.

Myka put her hand on the doorknob and hesitated. What was it about facing her younger sibling that made her so anxious? Was it the fact that Tracy was prettier, more socially graceful, and more confident? Or was it the way she seemed to reach back to Myka's past and always hit the target when highlighting Myka's awkwardness or defeats? Tracy often started her sentences with 'remember the time' and it always ended with how she, the younger sister, always tried to help Myka be less geekish. In Tracy's mind, she was being kind for admitting her own defeat – always with the undertone that Myka was simply beyond help. Myka may have been able to stand up to her parents, but Tracy always got under Myka's skin before she could mount a counter attack.

Tracy Bering always seemed to hold the mirror that reflected Myka at her worst. Now standing at the door, she didn't know if she was more concerned that Helena would harm the woman inside or if Helena would get a glimpse of a part of Myka she wouldn't like. She decided Helena should at least have a warning. Myka sent her a text, and then pushed open the door.

"Tracy!" she said, making sure to close the door behind her. "What are you doing here?"

"Myka, can't I check up on my little sister?" Tracy said and gave her a big hug.

"I'm your older sister," Myka said, but knew what Tracy meant by 'little'.

"Myka, this is some house," Tracy said, looking at the floor to ceiling bookcases filled with books. "She doesn't look like a nerd."

"Tracy, why didn't you tell me you were coming? What are you doing here?" Myka couldn't help but ask again.

"Myka, look, let me be honest," Tracy said as if that wasn't already her nature, " …..we see the stories you know on the news, in the magazines, in the gossip columns. At first we just ignored it, but as it became bigger news, well everyone started to notice. The neighbors are always asking mommy and daddy when they're going back to New York to talk some sense into you."

"Daddy was already here. I think we reached an agreement," Myka said.

"Yeah, well that doesn't mean I'm satisfied. Myka, you're my sister," Tracy said as if that should explain her presence. "How do I know what this woman's intentions are?"

"What? You came all this way to find out what Helena's intentions are?" Myka asked incredulously.

"Myka, Myka, Myka," Tracy said and thought she was being patient. Myka thought if she said her name one more time, she'd scream. "You never were socially savvy. Is it okay I put it that way?" Tracy asked and Myka didn't answer. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. Tracy was already on the ground floor of Myka's insecurities and was going to be in the basement any second. "You're too kind, naïve even. This woman could pull the wool over your eyes and you'd think it was an Irish sweater," Tracy laughed.

"Tracy, we're just back from vacation. Maybe we could meet tomorrow, for lunch," Myka said, aware of time passing by quickly.

"Seriously, Myka? You let daddy stay here, but you want me to go to a hotel?" Tracy asked, hands on her hips.

Where to begin, Myka thought. And then she heard the front door and knew she better start with Helena. "Stay here," Myka said to Tracy and meant 'in this room'. Tracy mistook it for an invitation to stay at the townhouse.

"Finally, Myka," Tracy said.

In seconds, Myka formulated her plan. She'd tell Helena that Tracy was there with good intentions and that she would set her up in hotel that night and it was just for a short time and ….. then Myka saw the woman standing in the hallway. Instantly, Myka felt the difference - Tracy made her feel vulnerable and emotionally naked. Helena made her feel incredible and emotionally strong…even when she was naked.

Myka's plan disintegrated when she saw Helena and rushed at her instead and kissed her. God, Myka wanted to take Helena right there and thank her for all she had done to restore sanity to her brain. She hardly let Helena breath; she was kissing her so hard.

When Myka informed Helena about their guest in the library, Helena rushed at the door. Now the three of them stood in the library, Myka's hands pulling their handshake apart.

"I decided to surprise Myka," Tracy said.

"A condition many of you Bering's seem to suffer from," Helena said without blinking.

"I wanted to go to a hotel, but Myka just insisted I stay here. Didn't you, Myka? " Tracy said.

"I meant stay here ….in this room," Myka explained but really was thinking - How could she ask her sister to leave? It went against everything she knew about hospitality.

"So you want me to leave?" Tracy asked confused. She could only assume her sister's erratic behavior was because of the raven haired woman staring at her.

"No, we have plenty of room, don't we Helena?" Myka asked and tried to convey in her eyes that this is what she thought the right thing to do was.

Helena read the expression with her usual Myka acuity. "Of course," Helena said smiling. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, flashed through the Brit's mind behind that smile. "It will be our pleasure," Helena added and only Myka worried about that. She knew what pleasure Helena took in dismantling people and if she had given Helena reason to do that to anyone, it was Tracy Bering.

"OK then," Myka said not sure anything was really okay. "Do you want to eat? We were going to have dinner."

"Sure. I have to say, Helena, you're far more beautiful in person than in the newspaper," Tracy said truthfully.

"So I've been told," Helena said unimpressed.

"Were you a cheerleader or Homecoming Queen?" Tracy asked and then added quickly, "I was, but I'm sure Myka has told you that." Helena looked at her like she had as many heads as the roles she listed.

"Why don't we eat in the dining room?" Myka said, hoping Tracy would stop talking if her mouth was full.

Tracy started to walk ahead of them and said -

"Well I just have to say, I didn't see this coming. I mean, I set Myka up with so many boys in high school and then even college that I figured she hadn't met the right one. I never would have thought to set her up with a girl," Tracy said walking out of the room.

Myka's years of fencing gave her incredibly agile footwork and she needed it that night. She immediately stepped in front of Helena and blocked her. The Brit was actually leaping towards the unsuspecting Bering and would have pounced on her had it not been for Myka's quick action. Helena bumped right into Myka.

"I know," is all Myka said as she kissed Helena to calm her down. She got Helena to stop moving, but her nostrils flared from the heavy breathing. Myka had planned a night of labored breathing – just not for this reason.

Tracy waited for Myka to show her to the dining room where Leena had everything set up. Once the residence director heard there was no screaming, she figured Myka's sister was staying.

"Daddy says you moved in permanently. I mean, the papers say that, too," Tracy said. "Do you find her obsessive neatness annoying? I did. All her shirts were in color order like the colors of the rainbow. Red, orange, yellow, green, violet, blue," Tracy said.

"Green, blue, indigo, violet," Helena corrected her in an authoritative manner.

"No, I remember. She would have all her Lacoste polo shirts. The green next to the yellow, the violet next to the green, then the blue," Tracy said.

"I find it hard to believe that Myka does not know the color order of the short and long wavelengths as a result of light being refracted, reflected, and then refracted again before appearing as a rainbow," Helena said.

"Huh?" Tracy asked back.

"You're mistaken," Helena clarified.

"Oh, well anyway, her neatness can be a little over the top," Tracy said, getting back to her point. "I wouldn't call it obsessive compulsive, but it's pretty darn close."

Myka quickly put her hands over Helena's as she gently pried Helena's fingers off the crystal goblet that contained water. Myka was afraid the tight grasp would make the glass explode. "Okay," Myka said gently removing the glass.

"I find Myka's sense of order and neatness an attribute, both at home and at work," Helena said, trying to expand on the compliment.

"Oh yeah," Tracy said looking directly at Myka. "The 'rents are really worried about that."

"They have nothing …," Myka was explaining when Helena demanded to know what that meant.

"You know, because Myka is working for you. One big blowup and you could fire her. Although I figure Myka spent so many hours with those law books, she'd know how to sue you but good," Tracy said as a compliment to her sister.

"Don't be ridiculous," was the best comeback Myka could think of. Helena was beginning to notice Myka's halting responses.

"What exactly is it that you do?" Helena said exasperated.

"I am the Director of Marketing for an advertising agency in Colorado Springs. You've probably heard of them - Burke & Sons? They're very big – twenty million in revenue last year, " Tracy asked proudly.

"I eat companies like that for breakfast," Helena said and meant it to be snarky. She looked at the Tracy's hazel eyes. If she tried really hard, she could see the slightest similarity to Myka in her sister. It seemed to disappear as soon as the younger sibling opened her mouth. She had none of the grace that Myka possessed.

"Yeah, I've read all about your prowess," Tracy said and now she stared right at Helena. Helena had the sense that she was being challenged.

That was the whole purpose of her visit in a nutshell. While her mother and father started to read the papers once their daughter appeared in them, Tracy had been a long time celebrity gossip column reader. She knew a lot about Helena's past – even more than her sister did perhaps. She knew Myka wasn't a good judge of character and she was there to do what good sisters do - she was swooping in to save Myka.

Tracy was about to hit the brick wall that was Helena.

"Madam," Helena said leaning across the table towards the guest, "You are flirting with danger, and I'm willing to bet you sorely lack the seduction skills to see it through."