You know when people say I own nothing and all mistakes are mine?There's the strong possibility of a great deal of ownership about to happen here.

25 Expressions

Fortunately for the entire nation, Pete Lattimer was on duty July 4th and had accompanied his boss to the White House. The Secret Service may have had their protocol, but Pete had his when it came to watching out for Helena and Myka. So when both of them disappeared, Pete was casually walking the hallway to make sure everything was alright.

When he heard his boss lower her voice to a snarl, he moved swiftly in her direction.

"Oh, it's you," Sam said when he saw who was standing there, threatening him. "Still can't let her go to the ladies room alone?" he asked thinking back to the night he first met Helena.

Myka had been so nervous that night, that she gulped glasses of wine and became inebriated. Helena offered to take her to the restroom, but they never made it. Myka passed out and the next thing Sam knew, he was escorted to a hotel and Helena took Myka to her lair.

When Pete realized who his boss was speaking with – he looked at the light carpeting and thought – they'll never get the stains out.

"Sam!" Pete said loudly, to announce his arrival. His boisterous bellow caught Sam's attention, but Helena didn't flinch. She kept Sam in a steely gaze. Pete decided it was safer to touch the armed Secret Service agent than his boss and so he put his hand on Sam's shoulder and he greeted him.

"How are you, Sam?" Pete said and tried to pull Sam back a little, but he wouldn't budge.

"Mr. Martino is mine," Helena said as if they were ordering entrees.

"Hey, hey ….," Pete whispered out of the side of his mouth, trying to calm his boss. "No….hurting. Myka will be super pissed," Pete reminded Helena, who rolled her eyes at his comment.

"Oh, the shoe's on the other foot, is it? Taking orders from Myka?" Sam said, because it was coming back to him how Helena had played him.

This was more back talk than Helena every stood for. She had already planned how she could render him unconscious, drag his large body to the nearest closet, and dump it in there – all undetected. Now Pete was reminding her that Myka wouldn't like that plan.

"Helena respects my opinion. Something you never did," Myka said from behind Sam.

"Myka! I mean, Ms. Bering," Pete said, very happy to see her. He released Sam's shoulder and stood there, unsure of what would happen next.

"That's not true, Bunny," Sam said as he turned to Myka.

That name infuriated Helena and Pete grabbed her shoulder and arm to stop her from pouncing. Helena's head snapped to look at Pete who - may – or may not have – actually yelped - out of fear.

"You….. have a thread," Pete said, picking at the imaginary strand and letting his hand fall when he realized Helena was glaring at him.

"Don't call me that, Sam," Myka said. Myka had been in the bathroom fixing her hair, when she had this feeling something was going on with Helena – something intense. She walked out to see Sam still in the outside room, and Pete was trying to hug him. She knew Helena was on the other side as she approached.

"Sorry Myka, old habits die hard," Sam said.

"I can make them die quickly," Helena said, her mind back on Sam.

"Are you threatening a Secret Service Agent? Because that is a federal offense that comes with real jail time," Sam said, turning back to the woman who was still invading his space.

"Sam," Myka said and put her hand on his arm. In that instant, he remembered her touch – how gentle it was, how soft she was, how he believed with all his heart she was the one for him. He looked back into those green pools that once reflected his whole future with Myka.

Now he saw – Myka happy.

Those emerald eyes shone brighter than he ever remembered. How could that be? How could she possibly have forgotten all their good times together? All their plans? Was he really the idiot all his friends told him he was to lose a woman like Myka?

"I should have fought harder," Sam said sincerely to Myka, wishing the others would disappear.

"You still would have failed miserably, Mr. Martino," Helena said, trying to listen to the voice inside her head that advised her to be calm. It was getting fainter and fainter.

Now Myka touched Helena's arm lightly – and in that touch – conveyed that Helena had nothing to worry about. In that touch – Myka reminded her, Sam was her past; Helena was her present and future.

Suddenly, Helena relaxed her body, took a deep breath, and moved back a little. "Perhaps we should give Ms. Bering a moment to be alone," Helena said to Pete who was surprised by the change of heart, but offered his arm nonetheless.

Myka knew what Helena was doing – she was telling Myka she trusted she knew how to handle this situation and it needn't get physical. Yet.

"Good job, boss," Pete said as he escorted Helena back to the dinner.

"I may need your necktie, Mr. Lattimer," Helena said, because she was always a few steps ahead and knew what she was going to do if Sam so much as put a finger on Myka.

"Sam…..," Myka tried to say, but he was taking full advantage of their moment alone.

"Myka, I should have done something. I was stupid. I let you go and I shouldn't have. I was an idiot, ok? And I'm sorry. But please, Myka, you don't have to do this," Sam said, pointing behind him to indicate Helena.

"Sam, I'm only going to explain this one more time," Myka said, because the man knew how to play on her sympathies. "…there was nothing for you to do. I didn't run to Helena because of something you did or didn't do. I chose Helena. I am meant to be with her and she is meant to be with me. Sam, she and I were destined to be together."

Just saying those words made Myka smile – and her eyes looked back at the direction Helena went. She just wanted to be with Helena now, and not with a man who couldn't get it through his head that she didn't want to be with him.

"Take care, Sam," Myka said and started to walk away.

And he grabbed her arm. He didn't mean to be rough – he just couldn't believe after admitting he had make a mistake, that Myka would walk away. Myka turned and looked down at his fingers wrapped around her arm and then looked right at him. Her look was as threatening as she intended it to be. This was Sam going after what he wanted, even when she made it perfectly clear she didn't want him.

"Let go," Myka said through her teeth – and he did. She stayed long enough to give him one last warning look and walked back into the ballroom where the dinner was.

And then Helena saw her – and immediately scanned her to make sure she was okay – and saw Myka holding her arm in an attempt to cover the mark. It didn't hurt, but it was red. Helena was a former trained agent who could size up body language at fifty paces. Myka walked back to Helena's side and joined the conversation.

"Ms. Bering, I was just telling the Prime Minister here that in spite of her dual citizenship, if the United States called upon Ms. Wells, we know her allegiance would be with us," the President kidded his fellow head of state.

"Well, we'll just see what her Majesty has to say about that, Mr. President. After all, she's been our Queen longer than you've been on earth," the British Prime Minister joked back and Helena laughed as she put her arm around Myka and rested it on her hip. "Perhaps we can persuade Ms. Bering here to bring you to London soon?"

"I think that would be wonderful," Myka said, trying to keep Helena's attention on the conversation.

Just as Helena was wondering how she could excuse herself again – the First Lady approached the group. "The girls have been watching the new show about HG Wells and when I told them that Helena Wells was here, well they just wanted to meet you. Would it be an imposition if I stole you for a minute? They're in the other room," the President's wife asked.

Helena smiled – almost too broadly - as she saw this as her opportunity. Myka was about to follow, but Helena suggested that Mr. Cameron expound on all the reasons they should visit London. A request he was most willing to oblige.

"I might help him out, but I want him to work for it," Helena said to the President and smiled.

"You don't stand a chance, David," the President played along, but the Prime Minister believed Helena to be serious and proceeded to tell Myka how much the Queen would enjoy their visit.

Myka was caught between the President and Prime Minister and couldn't accompany Helena.

"I really do appreciate this," Mrs. Obama said as she walked ahead of Helena.

Pete was at the door and noticed the hand signal from his boss – a swirly movement of her fingers near her throat. He immediately untied the knot in his tie and was about to ask her what she needed it for, when Helena whipped it out of place around his neck with one hard tug.

"Geez!" Pete yelled as the motion pulled his neck down. Eyes turned to look at him – as he stood there dressed in a suit with a button down white shirt – and no tie. "It's hot in here," he said in an attempt to cover up the fact that he had just been left void of his accessory. He tried to follow Helena, but was informed by his boss that she was visiting the Obama children and would be right back.

He wasn't sure how Helena was around kids, but he didn't think she'd tie them up.

Helena laughed with the First Lady and proceeded to the private residence as she shoved the borrowed accessory into her pocketbook. The girls were very excited to meet the descendant of HG Wells, and told Helena it was the only show their entire family watched together. They asked Helena questions about the show and the story until their mother reminded them that Helena had to return to the dinner. Helena was charming and gracious – the entire time planning on what she was going to do when she left.

The First Lady kissed her daughters goodbye and she and Helena were on their way back to the party when Helena said she wanted to get something from their car. She assured her hostess she would be right back.

Then Helena walked down the hallway looking for the man who had the audacity to put his hand on Myka. An internal struggle took place as she thought about how Myka would not approve of this. She stopped for a second – and considered turning around – and then she heard him. He was approaching from another hallway with what sounded like two other agents. If Helena was right, they would be walking down the stairs in a few seconds - - right next to that closet.

Sam was listening to his superior about how they would handle the guests leaving in a few minutes. "Now get on that Agent Martino," his boss said as he and the other agent started down the stairs. "He's good," the other man said when they looked up and saw that Sam indeed had already proceeded with his marching orders. He was nowhere in sight.

Sam never saw the closet door open. He only felt the smooth hand covering his mouth before being jerked back into the darkness. A sharp pain in his throat is all he felt before he melded with the blackness of the tiny space and passed out. He would awake minutes later to find his hands tied securely over his head and attached to the coat rack, his own monogrammed handkerchief stuffed in his mouth.

Helena returned to Myka's side without a hair out-of-place and a smile from ear to ear. Myka's face lit up as soon as she saw Helena approaching.

"There you are," Myka said, leaning into Helena as soon as she was close.

"There you are," Helena said, returning the same words, as was their way.

"So is the HG Wells show the Obama Family favorite?" Myka asked.

"Apparently it is," Helena said, sipping a glass of sparkling water. Dragging a large man into a closet apparently builds up a thirst.

"I'm not surprised," Myka said, pushing her shoulder into Helena's.

The evening drew to a close; the President thanked his special guests for coming. "I'm really interested in getting your take on a few things, Helena. Can I call you?" the man who held the highest office asked.

Was the President of the United States asking Helena if he could call her? Myka wondered, her eyes widened with surprised. Unfortunately, Helena's eyes were on Myka and she was momentarily oblivious to the question. Myka nudged her with her hip.

"Pardon? Oh yes, of course, anytime," Helena said – finally.

Pete met them at the door and escorted them down the hallway. Myka looked at him wondering what would possess him to remove his tie at a formal affair. Before she could even ask, they all heard a commotion at the end of the hallway. Sam had managed to get loose and was banging the closet door open.

"Do we have an intruder, Agent Martino?" another agent asked as the guests started to gather in the hallway.

Sam looked up to see Helena staring at him, smiling. Was he really going to try and convince someone that a woman in a cocktail dress apprehended him and dragged him into the closet? That wouldn't bode well for protecting the President – and Helena knew it. Myka looked at Sam as the agents asked him what happened.

"Door got stuck," Sam finally decided on. Better to be humiliated than fired.

"Shall we go?" Helena asked - a distinct lilt in her voice.

Myka took her hand and they descended the long staircase. It took Myka only a few seconds to remember where she had seen the tie that Sam was holding. It had been around Pete's neck. She waited until they were all in the car.

"Well I must say, you do make the most of the nation's birthday," Helena said cheerfully.

"Yes, but it's good to see we've kept….. strong... ties ….with our former mother country," Myka said and Pete's head shot up to look in the review mirror – as if to say – "Boss, the jig is up!"

Helena stared straight ahead as if she didn't make the connection. "Yes," she smiled.

"Your partner in crime up there isn't breathing," Myka pointed out.

"Really, Mr. Lattimer," Helena chastised him for giving them up.

"Don't blame him. I know it was your idea," Myka said, trying to sound firm.

Helena turned to look at Myka. Thoughts raced through her head. She knew better than to try a faux defense on the woman who stripped through her fabrications like a hot knife to butter. So she told the truth.

"Myka, I know you can handle any situation. I know you are strong enough to get your point across even with a thick headed person such as Mr. Martino. I refrained from causing any bodily harm because I know you …don't like …that," Helena said, casting her eyes away for a moment. "But I will not allow anyone to touch you – not even to get your attention or to …how dare he!" Helena said, her anger bubbling up from inside her. "I should have …..," Helena shared, her thoughts turning darker.

"Helena," Myka said softly, taking Helena's clenched fists into her hands. She could feel the tension in Helena's body. "I'm okay. Look at me, Helena, I'm fine."

Myka's words of assurance took a minute to get through the Brit's head. Most of her brain power was being used on deciding if she shouldn't go back and finish the bloody job. But Myka's green eyes had a way of pulling Helena out of her trance and into theirs.

"Yes," Helena said – because she would have agreed to anything Myka said at the moment.

"Thank you for defending me," Myka said, kissing Helena lightly on the lips.

Both Helena and Pete let out a breath at the same time.

Pete relaxed now that everyone was okay and drove them home to Manhattan. It took Myka almost the entire trip to come up with something to help. Pete opened the car door as the paparazzi let loose a round of flashes as the two women got out of the car. Pete put his arms around them as they walked up to their home.

"Thank you, Mr. Lattimer," Helena said, hoping he would understand she meant for all his help.

"Sure boss," Pete said, wondering how he would explain to Jane that her favorite tie was back at the White House.

"We'll get it back," Helena said because the man of the house would be calling her in a couple of days and she would ask him to procure it for her.

"Thanks," Pete said, much relieved.

"Pete," Myka said as he was about to go outside. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Anything," Pete said and meant it.

Myka started to speak to him about her idea. Helena couldn't hear her, but she did notice Pete looked up and over at her – almost worried. Then he talked a little more to Myka who seemed to be able to allay his concern because he smiled and said 'sure'. Then he said goodnight and left.

"What was that all about?" Helena asked curiously.

"I think I came up with an idea to help you ….get out ….some of your …tensions," Myka worded her idea …poorly.

"Darling, I can think of a few ways to relieve my tensions and not one of them involves Mr. Lattimer. Nor anyone else for that matter," Helena said, pushing Myka up against the wall gently, but firmly.

"Yes, well I was thinking ….he could help you by teaching you boxing," Myka said pulling Helena in even harder so that a slow heat started to build.

"Teach me? Boxing?" the genius said, trying to remain insulted, but losing the battle to her libido.

"Yes," Myka said, kissing Helena's neck down to her protruding breasts that this dress was designed to expose.

"O…kay," Helena said, forgetting how she believed it was the rare case that someone could teach her anything. She was wrong though.

She was about to be schooled in the fine art of temptation.

"You know what a turn on I find it when you're a badass," Myka whispered in Helena's ear and made the future pugilist's ankle give out.

Myka grabbed Helena's arms and caught her. "We'll have to work on those ankles though."

Helena leaned in for another taste of Myka's lipstick. "I think...," she said in an almost breathless tone, "...I'd rather make love, not war."