A/N: Alrighty... was supposed to get a bunch of stuff out this weekend but that ended up going to hell because I got pulled into a meeting and then there was a family party so no chapters. But I promise promise that I will try to update quicker this week on the few stories I have going right now. Thank you for staying around to read these. I appreciate it. I hope you enjoy. :)
No beta... ever. So all mistakes are my own and any inconsistencies are my fault. My sincere apologies.
Helena woke before dawn, sweat dripping down her face; evidence of the nightmare she had just suffered through. It was still so dark out but she could feel everything around her waking. She turned over and looked at the stranger in her bed; still wary of her presence. As she looked upon the young womans sleeping face, she didn't see the evil she had once witnessed in that family, the evil that the Berings had brought out of her. She couldn't help but feel that perhaps Mrs. Fredric was right; that this Bering may be different than the rest. Even so, she didn't know how to trust her just yet, but she was willing to try.
An hour later, Helena was sitting in a large chair, engrossed in a book of love and adventure, the sun now peeking over the mountains just enough to filter light through the room. Myka stirred and Helena's gaze shot up from her book to see if she was awake. Then the young woman turned and stretched, her eyes fluttering open against the sunlight coming in through the now open windows. The cold morning air left goosebumps along her arms and Helena just watched, intrigued as Myka slowly woke, sitting up with her legs hanging off the bed.
"Good morning." Helena whispered, closing her book and placing it down on the table next to her. "Did you sleep well?"
"I did, thank you. Good morning." Myka's voice was still cracked and hoarse as she shook out her curls and yawned.
Helena stood slowly and walked over to Myka, kneeling in front of her. "Let me just check your arm." She pulled off the bandages and got a good look at the wound. "Well, considering how it looked yesterday, it's healing nicely." She wrapped it back up with a new bandage. "Not too tight?" Myka shook her head. "You feel okay? It doesn't hurt much does it?"
"I feel fine. It stings a little, but I'm not bed ridden." Myka said quietly, still just as cautious of the strangers as they were of her.
"Good. We have a busy morning, so we'll have some breakfast and we're off." Helena stood quickly, walking to her closet where she pulled out a pair of covered shoes for herself, and a pair for Myka. "You'll have to wear these, and trousers. No dresses today."
"Where are we going?" Myka asked confused, already rummaging through her pack for some clothes.
"You are now my responsibility according to Irene so you'll be joining me today. We're going apple picking." Helena noted the smile that crossed the woman's face. "I'll leave you to get dressed." Helena walked out of the room, and made her way to the kitchen where everyone was sitting, eager to officially meet their guest.
"So H.G." Claudia was sitting on the counter, with an orange in her lap, picking at it nervously. "Is she up? Is she coming down for breakfast? Is she mad that I cut her arm? I just had to check if she drank..."
"Claudia please, it's too early for nervous rambling. She's awake, she'll be down in a moment, she didn't seem upset by the cut so much as being well... kidnapped. She's fine and she didn't drink from the well so please no more talk of it." Helena said, reaching for the tea kettle.
"Okay..." Claudia hunched over, feeling defeated and a little guilty for treating Myka the way she did. If she had just kept her cool and asked her to leave, they might not be in this ordeal.
"Good morning!" A man who Myka recognized from the day before was standing by the redhead that she didn't trust at all. He looked pretty sweet. "I'm Steve Jinks." He reached a hand out and Myka hesitated before accepting his greeting with a brief hand shake and a small nod. "This is Claudia." He pointed to the girl who was almost caving in on herself, Myka took pity on the young girl and gave her a smile.
"Good morning Claudia." She offered, feeling like the girl was just scared the day before and didn't know what to do.
"Morning." She said back, reaching behind her into a bowl and pulling out a banana. "Hungry?" She awkwardly held her arm out to their guest who jumped a little, startled by the same hand that attacked her. "Sorry! I was just..."
"It's okay. Thank you." Myka took the fruit and gravitated toward Helena who stood by the stove watching the entire exchange.
"You'll meet Peter later. You may not have seen him yesterday. He walked in a little after the fact, but he was there. Kind of stalky, peculiar, a little disgusting when it comes to food, but when you get to know him he's rather sweet." Helena said into Myka's ear when she got closer. "Leena lives here as well. She's wonderful and I'm sure you'll love her."
"I'm sure I will." Myka said, peeling her banana.
"Would you like anything else? Tea?"
"I'm okay thanks. If you want to, we can go. Fresh air sounds so good right now."
"Okay." Helena replied. "We're going to the orchard. See you guys later."
"Together?" Claudia gaped, her gaze flicking between the two women.
"Yes. Myka is with me for the duration of her stay here, so she's coming to the orchard." The glare she shot in Claudia's direction was one that had the girl bite her tongue.
"Got it. See you H.G. Myka." Claudia and Steve said as the women left the building.
...
To Helena this walk to the orchard was one she took many times before. It felt like a haze, one minute she was at the warehouse, the next minute she was standing amongst a field of apple trees. For Myka it was a different experience. She had never made this walk before, and it felt like the longest walk of her life. She wasn't used to the terrain and ended up tripping over everything in her path. At one point, Helena was tired of catching the younger woman and decided to walk next to her, hooking their arms together. Even though Helena was there with her, Myka could see that her mind was elsewhere.
"We're here." Helena unhooked their arms, and walked to the first tree. Myka looked at the field in awe, hundreds of apple trees in the middle of the woods, lined up in perfect rows.
"How... how is this here?" She stuttered, tripping over herself as she walked to stand with Helena.
"I planted them."
"But... you'd have to have started all of this when you were little and worked on them literally every single day for your whole life. There are so many of them."
"I know. I've been tending to them for years." Myka could hear a shadow of sadness tinting Helena's voice.
"Hey, Claudia said 'together' like it was strange for you to have someone come here with you."
"Is there a question in there?" Helena asked as she reached up and picked a low hanging apple from the tree.
"Well, I guess... why was she so surprised?"
"I'm the only person who comes here. This is my place, just mine."
"Except... now you've brought me here."
"Yes. I didn't have a choice and I needed to come here, so you're the first person to see my life's work. There was only one other person who knew of this place, back when there was only one tree." Myka wanted to ask about this mysterious person, but the way the other woman's eyes shined with unshed tears made her hold off. Helena tossed the apple to Myka who fumbled, but caught it. "Have a bite."
Myka slowly bit into the fruit, an amazing crunch that had her closing her eyes, juice running down her chin. Helena chuckled a little, bringing Myka back to the present moment. "It's delicious."
"Thank you. I take a lot of pride in them." Helena said as she pat the tree trunk in thanks. "Here." She handed Myka a basket and they walked along picking some apples. A while had passed and Helena was surprised by Myka every step of the way. She saw how Myka's eyes lit up when a small creature would pass by, when a butterfly landed on her basket, or the way her lips would curl up when she picked an apple.
With every step, Myka got more confident, the tripping up was less frequent and by the time the sun passed over them, the young woman looked like she belonged there. Helena didn't understand what the pull to this stranger was, but with all the hatred that she had in her heart toward the Berings, this one woman was almost enough to make her forget it completely. She wanted to be closer to her, and that scared her.
"I saw you looking at this book specifically last night." Helena stopped and pulled a book out of her pack that was slung over her shoulder. "A Midsummer Nights Dream. You enjoy Shakespeare?" She handed the book to Myka.
"I do. I'm sorry... I didn't mean to intrude on your space like that... I was just so amazed by your..."
"Nonsense. That is my room library, my collection, but you weren't intruding on anything. I love my books, but even though I wasn't pleased with the sleeping arrangements and your presence in my life at first, I have to admit that your love of books countered all of that. I did a lot of thinking throughout the night Myka and I don't know what it is about you, but you're different. Different enough to allow you to come here with me." Helena was surprised with her honesty, smiling kindly.
"Is this your happiest place or something?"
Helena's smile faded. "Not really, no. There are happy and sad memories here, but it's just where I seem to find peace." Then there was that look. Myka had seen it a few times already since meeting the strange woman, but she knew all too well that it was a look of someone who had suffered great loss.
"Thank you for letting me join you. I know you said you didn't have a choice, but I really think you did... because I would have stayed back if you wanted."
"I know. There's usually just a lot on my mind. Maybe I'll tell you about it some other time. We should be heading back soon, but perhaps a rest first?"
"Sure." Myka agreed, pulling the book against her chest protectively. "Want me to read out loud?"
"Hmmm... I haven't been read to in many years. It sounds lovely."
The two women found a spot under the largest apple tree that was in the middle of the orchard. Helena was laying down in the grass, her hands behind her head and her eyes closed lightly. Myka was laying a few feet away from her with the book opened up, she started to read.
A while had passed and the afternoon breeze started blowing through, rustling the leaves of the trees. Helena was enjoying Myka's voice. She could tell that there was a lot of emotions running through the young woman just by how she read; she read as though she were searching for something in those words. If anything, she was just as lost as Helena was and for the older woman, that was an interesting thought.
Helena cracked open her eyes to look at Myka and what she saw took her breath away. Myka hadn't been reading the book at all, but reciting it from memory; word for word. The book was propped open on Myka's stomach, her hands behind her head and her eyes closed as Helena's had been. She observed the crinkle of the corners of closed eyes when Myka recited a funny bit from the play, and she had instantly found Myka's toes tapping together in synchronicity with her words utterly adorable. Helena rolled onto her stomach, watching the young woman telling this story; amazed that even though she had traveled the world, seen so many beautiful things, this was probably one of the most beautiful things she had seen in years.
Myka stopped when she felt Helena staring at her. Her eyes opened slowly, she cringed to think that she was being watched and when she looked at the older woman, she was right. Helena was still staring with a smile plastered onto her face. "I'm sorry..."
"Why are you sorry Myka? You're amazing."
"I just have a really good memory... I wouldn't call that amazing." Myka replied flatly, closing the book and handing it to Helena.
"It really is. So you don't actually need a book in order to read it do you?" Helena asked with amusement as she took the book and put it in her bag.
"No I don't. If I've read it before, I don't need it but I love... nevermind."
"You love what?"
Myka turned away, blushing. "I love the way they smell, and the way they feel in my hands. I love pages that are worn, where you can see they've been loved so much. So no, I don't need books, but I want them with me always."
"I understand completely." Hazel eyes looked to Helena, but even more than that, they looked into her; into her heart and mind. There was a connection, a unique bond. "We should get back to the warehouse before it starts getting dark." Helena stood up and held her hand out. When Myka accepted the help, she tugged softly, bringing the woman to stand next to her. She didn't let go, instead they made the walk back hand in hand.
...
Dinner was interesting; Claudia was still avoiding making eye contact with Myka, Steve was being a sweet guy, and Myka met Leena and Pete. Leena could apparently read people like Myka could read books, quickly and with no problems at all. Leena was the person who called out Claudia for acting weird and telling her that Myka didn't hold a grudge against her so she should stop feeling guilty. Myka who was surprised that the woman had read her so well, nodded in agreement, smiling at the young girl. Pete was just as disgusting as Helena had made him out to be, inhaling everything on his plate without chewing; but Helena was also right about him being sweet. Myka actually felt like she could be good friends with him.
Myka excused herself, going up to the room she was sharing to wash up, change and get some sleep. On her way to the room she spotted an abandoned piano in the corner. Memories of her lessons with Artie crept up on her. She hadn't been thinking much about home this day; Helena had done a good job of keeping her mind off things. She slowly walked to the piano, her mind buzzing with so much noise but she pulled out the bench and sat down and it's like the world stopped. There was nothing, but her memory of sheet music running through her mind and her fingers found the keys as naturally as breathing.
"What is that?" Helena was still in the dining room with everyone, they all listened and heard the familiar music floating through the warehouse. Helena's eyes widened and she flew out of her seat, running toward the sound. When she got to the room, she peered in slowly, seeing Myka sitting there playing flawlessly. She took in how those beautiful eyes closed, how her body moved with the sweet melody and she could feel Myka's heart opening up; and in that moment she saw joy and a little bit of sadness as a tear rolled down the young womans cheek.
Myka jumped, opening her eyes and looking toward the door. "You watch me a lot."
"Well, you're my responsibility." Helena said, her own heart racing as she stepped into the small room.
"I'm sorry, I didn't ask if it was okay but I couldn't help it."
"You were remembering something just now weren't you? I could see it on your face." Helena questioned while sitting on the bench next to Myka.
"Maybe... I'll tell you about it some other time." Myka smirked, mimicking Helena's earlier words in the orchard.
Helena bowed her head slightly, a blush pouring through her cheeks and down her neck. "You play wonderfully. Is this your happiest place or something?" It was Helena's turn to repeat Myka's words.
"No. Just the place I seem to find peace." Although Myka kept at their little game, her eyes were full of hurt and sadness.
"Come here." Helena said quietly, pulling Myka into a hug. When Myka relaxed against her, she realized that this was something Myka had been needing; a friend, someone she could trust. Helena wanted to be that for her, and although she didn't know it, Myka wanted that too.
"Thank you." Myka whispered into Helena's hair. "I don't understand all of why I'm here Helena, I don't know why I can't leave, but something is telling me that I'm not meant to leave just yet."
"I know what you mean. When I found out who you were, all I wanted was for you to leave and never come back. But just one day with you and you've started to change my mind. How did you do that?"
"I don't know. Maybe our paths were just destined to cross? Destiny is undeniable." Myka's hand found Helena's on the bench between them.
"No wonder Irene likes you so much. You both believe in destiny." Helena rolled her eyes, looking away.
"You don't?"
"I don't know... maybe."
They were quiet for a while, Helena's fingertips ghosted over the keys lightly as she tried to figure out how to get out of the silence.
"What are we doing tomorrow?" Myka asked, drawing the other woman's attention over to her.
"Um... what would you like to do?"
"I don't know... an adventure of some sort? I've always wanted to explore the woods but I was never allowed."
Helena smiled, already planning a great adventure for them both. "I'll take you on an adventure then. It'll be a surprise though so you should get some sleep because we'll leave when the suns up." Helena instinctually leaned in and kissed Myka's cheek. It was innocent, but caused both women to pull back, breaths catching in their throats and eyes glowing with questions and uncertainty. "Well, I'll see you..." Helena stood up and left the room awkwardly.
When Myka knew Helena was out of ear shot, she giggled a bit and shook her head.
...
Myka got to the room a little while after Helena had already fallen asleep. She had already showered and changed, slipping into her side of the bed. "Goodnight Helena." She whispered, knowing that she wouldn't hear her, but feeling the need to say it anyway. "Thank you." Myka fell asleep, much more easily than the previous night, now trusting the person next to her a little more and feeling like their friendship would grow even stronger throughout her stay. She felt in her heart that they were destined to find each other for some reason; and they were.
Sorry for ending it there. Some fluffy stuff coming up in the next chapter. Relationship building... friendship, romance. Still early for romance, but it's gonna be apparent that there's more than just a friendship type of bond here. I hope you guys liked this chapter. It was a little slow, just getting Myka and Helena out there and their thoughts about opening up to each other.
Thank you for reading, please comment and let me know what you think. Love you all. XO