Thank you to AsgardianBlade for her suggestion of what Pete and Steve would use here.
And to everyone reading - Happy Holidays. I hope spring is finally reaching you all.
Many thanks for the posts. I know they take time and appreciate your suggestions, questions and reviews.
She's Got a Way About Her
Myka insisted on getting Helena something to eat and went downstairs to get it. Irene had been sleeping most of the afternoon, but Helena had not left her side. Myka stopped briefly outside the private room and watched as Helena pushed a hair off of Irene's face and cupped her cheek gently as the woman slept. Myka thought this was a bond that even she didn't have with her own mother. She passed the nurses' station and heard them complaining about the woman in Room 105 and knew they didn't mean the patient.
'That's Helena Wells in there,' one of them finally explained.
'Well, I've had a bunch of celebrities up here and none of them bit my head off like that,' the complainer said.
Myka smiled and thought to herself – 'You don't stand a chance in there if you're not on your top game taking care of Irene.'
A few minutes later, she returned with what the rest of the world would consider tea - and toast. Myka entered the room to see a very worried Helena pacing the floor.
"What is it Helena?" Myka asked worried that something happened in the short time she was gone.
"Why isn't she awake? Why is she still sleeping?" Helena whispered. "She should be up on her feet after what I gave her."
"Helena, you fixed her heart. She's had a very trying day and I'm sure she's just exhausted by it all," Myka said, taking Helena's hands in hers. She could feel Helena's hands shaking. "Look at me, Helena," Myka said, gently pulling Helena's chin to face her. "She's going to be okay."
"What if….?" Helena said, but was interrupted when the patient came to and asked her to complete that sentence.
"What if what, Helena?" Irene said; awake now from her much needed slumber.
Helena jumped and Myka looked at her with raised eyebrows – her expression easily readable as 'now what will you do?' Now Myka had a pretty good idea what Helena looked like as a little girl when she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
"What if …," and Helena hesitated which was the surest sign she was lying. Myka learned a long time ago the Brit could make thoughts flow like water unless she was not telling the truth and then gaps in her speech occurred. Helena walked back to the bedside.
"What if….." and Helena waited for the rest to come. "….you must be watched more carefully? Your diet is atrocious and you need to exercise. Surely, the doctor will recommend you improve on both these things. Who is going to oversee that?" Helena ranted.
"We will," came the answer as Irene's sons came into the room. Both of them had been in Boston and as next of kin, they were contacted by the HR Department as soon as Irene was taken ill.
"Mom, are you okay?" Gerald asked. Terrance went to the side of the bed where Helena stood and walked in front of her so he could lean down to kiss his mother.
"I am fine. You didn't have to come," Irene assured her sons even though she was happy to see them.
Myka watched as a fury of expressions came over Helena's face. She was genuinely surprised – and displeased – to see Irene's children there. Of course she understood it, and Myka watched as Helena put the required smile on her face and said hello to them. Myka saw Helena's eyes narrow as she tried to reconcile the emotions inside. She stood next to Helena, taking her hand in hers and pulling her in.
"What are they saying, Mom?" Terrance asked. It was obvious both men were concerned and wanted to speak to the doctors.
"I'm fine. It was some chest pains, but it's fine now," Irene explained, not wanting to worry them.
Myka smiled at Helena who was looking around as if she couldn't find the right place in the room. In fact, she couldn't now that Irene's own flesh and blood was at the bedside.
When Myka suggested - "Please try to eat something, Helena," it was met with a wave of the hand.
"Thank you so much, Ms. Wells," Gerald said when Irene told them it was Helena's quick thinking that got her to the hospital so quickly.
"She saved my life," Irene said, looking down at the end of the bed where Helena stood.
"Don't be ridiculous. I did no such thing," Helena said, sounding every bit as annoyed as she was.
Myka smiled at them, hoping to appear like everything was really all right. This was Helena – jealous, Myka thought, and the Brit was struggling with how to handle it.
"She'll need someone to watch her," Helena said and Irene protested.
"You watch, the doctors are going to say I am fine," Irene said and that's not what Helena meant.
Helena realized no one would know what was actually going on and so they might not suggest Irene be watched. Helena couldn't tell any of the doctors what she did. When faced with the dilemma, Helena turned to her Chief Counsel to make it right.
"She's going to need to be watched," Helena said, grabbing Myka's wrist and looking into emerald pools of calmness. Myka heard pleading in Helena's voice.
"Yes, I think you're right," Myka said and nodded her head. She knew what to do. She would talk to Vanessa and suggest Irene come home with them if she had to.
"Oh not you too, Myka. I thought you were on my side," Irene complained from the bed. She immediately looked to Helena who was doing her best, and failing, to look innocent.
"Mom, let's see what the doctor says. You can stay with one of us," Terrance said and Helena shouted – 'NO' - and they all looked at her.
"I mean, let's see what the doctor says of course," Helena tried to recoup.
Irene looked past her children whom she loved, to the woman she adored. She didn't think it was necessary, nor did she want to stay with anyone. She was an independent woman who always took care of herself. She also knew that look on Helena's face. It was the one she got when she was not in control of a situation and wrestled with doing the right thing.
"I appreciate your offers, I really do. But I think Ms. Wells is right. If I have to stay with anyone, she has the room and staff at the house to help out. It won't be a burden, will it Helena?" Irene asked.
If Irene had wrapped up Helena's favorite gift with ribbons and bows and presented it to her on Christmas morning, it wouldn't have been a sweeter gift than she just gave her. She was choosing Helena – over her own children – because she innately understood who it was more important to. Her sons were just happy that Irene would be taken care of.
"Of course not," Helena said, trying to hold back the absolute pleasure she felt in the woman's decision.
"We really appreciate all you've done," Terrance said and then he and Gerard kissed their mother goodbye and promised to call her later. Helena's demeanor changed immediately to all smiles.
"You must be very proud of them," Myka said to Irene.
"All of them," she winked at Myka in response.
Vanessa came in later and Helena cornered her about Irene's care.
"Ms. Wells, granted we can't explain what happened, but all the tests indicate that she's doing fine. I will release her in the morning after we monitor her tonight. I am not sure further observation is necessary. She should see Dr. Lazard in a couple of days, but …" Vanessa tried.
"No, I prefer she come home with me so that I can watch …she might need something and I don't want her exerting herself," Helena tried.
"Well, why don't we let Mrs. Frederic make that call?" the Doctor tried, believing Irene was capable of making the decision.
"You don't know her like I do, Doctor. She's very, very stubborn," Helena whispered.
Vanessa nearly laughed out loud, but bit her lip hard instead. "Mrs. Frederic…," the doctor said walking over to the patient, "How are you feeling?"
"Like I want to go back to work," the HR Director said.
"See?" Helena said as if the woman had just proven her point.
"Well, I wouldn't recommend that just yet," Vanessa said. "We'd like you to stay overnight though."
"I would like to go home. I feel fine," Irene said.
"Well, how about just until tomorrow?" Vanessa said and smiled as she left the room, thinking everything was settled.
"Get my clothes," Irene said to Myka.
"What? But…," Myka said as the woman sat up in bed.
"I don't know what she did, but she did something that she feels compelled to keep an eye on. So let me make it easier on both of us and go home," Irene explained.
"To the townhouse," Helena said just to clarify.
Irene rolled her eyes. "Are you sure you don't mind this, Myka?" Irene asked.
"Of course not, no, not at all," Myka said.
"Because you know she won't give us a moment's peace if she does not get her way with this," Irene explained as Helena huffed in the background. Myka knew Irene was right.
"It will be our pleasure," Myka said.
"Oh no it won't. I'm not going to be the perfect guest. I'm demanding and obstinate. I am a very finicky eater and I can't sleep on a mattress that's too firm," Irene said. Myka could see the twinkle in her chestnut eyes as she said it.
"Oh you sound like a handful," Myka said loud, trying not to laugh.
"She has no idea," Irene said back quickly.
Against the doctor's orders, Irene signed herself out of the hospital. She knew the one who would watch her and who needed to watch her was Helena. Irene didn't know what she did, but she knew Helena was concerned with possible side effects. Papers were signed and Irene was wheeled to the front of the hospital where Pete was waiting for them.
"The Eagle has …SEE? THIS is why we need code names," Pete said into his wrist communicator.
"Roger that, Jane's Main Squeeze," Claudia said back to him.
"That's not – never mind," Pete said back.
"Where to, boss?" Pete asked after helping a very able Mrs. Frederic into the car.
"The townhouse, please," Helena said.
"Mrs. F too?" he asked.
"Yes, she will be staying with us a few days," Helena said and they all heard Irene shout from the back seat, "ONE, Helena, ONE DAY."
"Boss, Steve and I are going to dinner tonight," Pete said before Helena got into the car. The look on his face told Helena this was about the intruder.
"Very good. You will gather solid information?" Helena asked, and Pete understood.
"We're using a parabolic dish amplifier and miniaturized bionic ears that Claudia made," Pete said in a hushed voice. "We are set to go."
"Good. I expect to be home most of the evening. Update me when you have something," Helena said.
She got in the back of the car and immediately began texting instructions to Claudia and Eileen.
"Hey, the boss wants me to text her as soon as Pete and Steve are in place at the restaurant," Claudia said. She had reversed the sniffer program on the laptop and now could use the camera to view the user. She saw Adelaide call someone and tell them she had the information he had been waiting for.
"OK good. Did she say how Mrs. Frederic was?" Eileen asked.
"They're taking her back to the townhouse," Claudia said.
"Oh, thank God," Eileen said, worried the hospital staff wouldn't know what to watch for.
"What did you get from the lab?" Claudia asked out of curiosity and then saw Eileen hesitate. "It's okay, I get it. No problem." Claudia meant it. She knew now that it was out about Eileen, their lives were going to get more challenging. She decided after discovering that Eileen was related to Helena, that she could accept that there would be obstacles or get out.
She decided to stay.
"I'm sorry," Eileen said sincerely. If she could tell anyone, Claudia would be that person, but not until Helena said it was okay.
"No, hey I get it. We're going to come up against this from time to time. We're going to have to work it out, ok?" Claudia said.
"How did I get to be so lucky?" Eileen asked. Claudia misunderstood her question.
"I think it's called...genetics," the techie answered.
"No," Eileen said, moving in closer to her girlfriend. "I was terrible to you in that meeting, but you accepted my apology. I can't tell you what Helena asked me, and you say it's okay, we'll work it out. How did I get so lucky to wind up with you?" Eileen asked. She leaned in and kissed Claudia – whose face was getting red from the sincere compliment.
"I…don't…. know," Claudia stammered. "We have work….you know…," the techie said – pointing to the elevator, but not moving. Lightheaded didn't begin to describe how she felt.
"Okay, but when this is over and that bitch is caught, I want to make this up to you, okay?" Eileen said, still very close to Claudia's face.
"Sure," Claudia said, smiling. It took a minute for her to get her thinking back on track. "Oh my God! Did you just say bitch?"
Eileen looked at her quizzically and frowned. "Oh my God, I think I did!" she said, covering the mouth that just uttered the word.
"Another badass Wells. I like it," Claudia teased. "I like it a lot."
The two women left in the elevator to go back to Claudia's apartment and wait for Pete's updates. Eileen was typing away into her phone.
"This is odd," Eileen said, feeling this was something she could share.
"What's that?" Claudia asked.
"Ms. Wells wants Adelaide Nathanson's address," Eileen said, looking up at Claudia.
"Oh that's not good," Claudia confirmed.