When I couldn't sleep, I left a note on the fridge saying I went for a drive. The only place that was open at midnight was that bar and grill outside of town. I made sure to turn my phone off so no one could trace me. I wanted to be alone to think. "Hey, I'll take a diet coke." The waiter gave me a nod and I walked outside. I couldn't help but chuckle when I saw H.G. sitting at a table.

"I was wondering if I'd see you here. Hello Myka." It was good seeing her again.

"Hey. Why did you leave earlier?" I pulled a chair closer to Helena and took a seat. "Claudia and I wanted to thank you for saving us."

"No need to thank me. Is it safe to assume you can't sleep?" H.G. took a sip of her drink as the waiter brought my coke.

"Yeah, too much adrenaline I guess." I wanted to talk about the kiss but wasn't sure how to bring it up.

"And then you put caffeine on top of that?"

"Okay mom." Shaking my head, I took a sip. "Can we talk?"

"That's why I came here. I had a feeling you would want to talk about that night. So I came here. As I said, we're okay. I don't hold it against you."

"I know." I hated feeling vulnerable but I needed to get this off my chest. "Over those days when I didn't see you, you plagued my thoughts when I wasn't busy."

"What plagued your thoughts?" Helena kept her voice even and soft. She didn't want to scare me off.

"How I feel when I'm around you. How it felt to kiss you." Damn. I'm trembling. Why does she have this effect on me?

"Myka," H.G. placed her hand on mine. "Look at me." I did as she asked. "Being with a woman is very different than being with a man. Obviously. And if you would have given me the chance, I would have kissed back. You're a brilliant woman Myka Bering and I find that very attractive. You're a lot like me. You're strong and independent. You have a love of literature that almost matches mine."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Almost." Helena always made me feel at ease.

"If you want a relationship with me…"

"I do. But," my voice trailed off as I thought about Artie. "It'll be complicated. And we'd have to sneak around and you don't deserve that."

"Maybe we won't have to sneak around for long. Remember, I'm trying to prove that I am still a good agent. Maybe I'll be able to rejoin the warehouse and we won't have to be a secret."

"Artie would have an aneurism." I could only imagine his reaction to finding out I've been seeing her and then dating her. "Oh Lord…" Turning towards Helena, I paused a moment. Okay Myka, just do it. Don't think. And for God's sake don't freak out. She doesn't bite. Oh shit. I didn't need that mental image. Leaning in slowly, I hesitated when I was a whisper from her lips.

"It's okay Myka." Feeling H.G.'s breath on my lips made me want to continue. Helena kissed back and my body hummed. As she deepened the kiss, H.G. laced her fingers in my hair. "Are you okay?"

"Yes..." I want this woman. God how I want this woman. Breaking for air, I let my forehead rest against Helena's. "Can we go somewhere more private?"

"Sure."

Xxx

I waited as Helena opened the door to her apartment. "This is it. It's not much but it's a place to stay." The apartment was a one bed one bath. The kitchen was small and the living room was full of books.

"Leave it to you to have your whole living room covered with books." I took a seat on the small leather sofa.

"The bedroom is too." I couldn't help but laugh. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"No thank you. I'm fine." Why am I still nervous? I've already kissed her. And she knows I like her.

H.G. came to sit beside me. "You're still nervous."

"I am. But I don't know why. You already know that I'm attracted to you. And I know you're attracted to me. You made that clear when we first met in your London home."

"Yes, I did flirt with you a bit." Helena chuckled. It was nice hearing that. She had a beautiful smile as well.

"What's funny is before we met Pete said the perfect boyfriend for me would be H.G. Wells or someone like that." I couldn't keep from laughing. The look on H.G.'s face was priceless.

"And look at you now." H.G. leaned back and laid her an arm behind my shoulders. "I'm sure he was quite happy when he realized who I was and that I kept flirting with you? By the way, he's not a great kisser." Helena scrunched her nose at the thought.

"Huh. And here he says he's great in the sack." There was a flash of disgust across the inventor's face. "And no, we've never…done…anything sexual. Period."

"That's good to know. May I ask a rather personal question?"

"Sure." I had a feeling I knew what she was going to ask.

"Since you've never kissed another woman, have you ever had relations with one?"

"No. I've not. I've only been with men. Why?" Please tell me you're not about to throw me out. Not that I know if I want to have sex with you….Oh who am I kidding? I do but not right away.

"I was just curious. I know I dated men first and it was interesting being with a woman for the first time. If felt," H.G. paused to choose her words, "more comfortable. This was after I had Christina." Sadness washed over Helena at the mention of her daughter.

"Who knows your body better than another woman?" H.G.'s brow rose quickly. "I mean, I guess."

"It's true." We talked until about one thirty and then I had to get home. I didn't want to leave but I had to. "Well, you need to get back before someone tries to track you down."

"I turned off my phone and took out the battery. No one can trace it. Not even Claudia." I stood and walked towards the door.

"Thank you. I'll drive you back to the bar and grill." Before she opened the door, Helena kissed me gently. I tried to keep the passion reined in but neither of us could stop ourselves. I moaned into Helena's mouth as she pressed herself against me. Clearing her throat, H.G. took a step back. "Well, that's never happened before." Flipping hair behind her shoulders she continued. "I've always been able to control myself. But with you I can't…or not very well. I want to take this slow."

"I do too. I'd rather not screw things up by jumping into bed."

xxx

When I got back, I went into the kitchen to throw away the note. "Went for a drive?"

I jumped at the sound of Pete's voice. "Good God. Really? Must you sneak up on me like that?"

"I really didn't sneak up on you. You know I always get hungry between two and three in the morning." Taking a bite of his sandwich, Pete pushed out a chair with his foot.

"Yes, I went for a drive. I couldn't sleep." Pete and I had an unspoken conversation. He knew that I saw H.G. but he wasn't going to rat me out. "What kind of sandwich?"

"Ham and cheese. I made you a peanut butter and jelly one."

"In the fridge?" Pete gave me a nod as he bit into his sandwich again. "Thanks." There was something about a PB&J sandwich I couldn't say no to. "Mmm homemade strawberry freezer jam."

"How is…"

"Good."

"Good. Did you…?"

"No. Just kiss." We finished eating in a comfortable silence. "Well, I'm going to bed. See you in a few hours."

"Night Mykes."

Xxx

Days later, Pete got a call from his ex girlfriend Kate Logan. He answered it in his normal childish way but then stopped. "What?" I turned and looked at him. "It's about Dickinson…someone's killed him." A moment later, Artie's computer pinged.

Artie read over the information quickly. His whole demeanor changed. "Guys, we need to go to DC."

xxx

When we got to the hospital, Kate said he died of massive internal bleeding and shock. As I looked over the x-rays, it looked like every bone in his body had about half an inch between them. He died in a lot of pain. "Can you give us a minute?" There was something very wrong with Artie. Cases normally didn't affect him much but this one was tearing him apart inside.

"I don't care what it takes…we're going to find the person who did this." Pete was pissed. Both of us were upset about Dickinson. He was our old boss.

"Guys…it's me." We both turned to Artie slightly thrown. "This is my fault."

"Artie," I paused to take in the information. "How is this, your fault?"

Artie sat and debated on an explanation. "I didn't know this would happen. I just thought it was a rusty, old chain. It's Tokomada's chain." Pete and I waited for him to continue. "The holder, if he pulls it tight then the victim feels the same agony as they felt in the Spanish Inquisition when they were put on the rack." Artie glanced towards Dickinson's body. "I'm so, so, so sorry."

There were still some holes that needed to be filled but Pete beat me to it. "Artie, how is this your fault?"

"As you know in the 70's I had some run-ins with the Russians and worked for the NSA."

"Yeah we know all about that. Mrs. Fredrick fixed all of that though." Pete could never, not interrupt someone when he was upset.

"You didn't trade secrets…you traded artifacts." I folded my arms as Artie became more uneasy.

"Old trinkets, antiques that I thought the soviets wanted. I traded artifacts for people. I didn't know this would happen. It was a different time back then. They were rotting away in the Gulags. I didn't know they were artifacts and then my contact let it slip that they had powers. I couldn't live with myself and Mrs. Fredrick gave me an offer I couldn't refuse."

xxx

At the funeral, I had to be alone. "I'm going to take a walk." A few yards away, I found a single bench that was far from people.

"It's a bloody rotten business." I jumped and saw Helena standing behind me. "May I?"

"Hey, what are you doing here?" It was good seeing her. She always brightened my mood.

"Same as you; tracking Tokamada's chain. It was a top list want in Warehouse 12. I'm sorry about your friend."

"Thank you." I couldn't help but rest my head on H.G.'s shoulder. "You're on Artie's most wanted list. He's against your existence."

"Still? I saved your life and Claudia's life…I've proven I can be trusted and that I'm of value."

"I know. I know." Helena wrapped her arm around my shoulders to pull me closer. "I'm not questioning your value. I know you're valuable. And I want you around. I hate having to sneak around to see you." I paused to sit up. "Why did they bronze you?"

"I asked to be bronzed. After Christina died I combed the shelves of warehouse 12 and twice I was discovered and brought before the Regents. Twice they were lenient but when I was discovered a third time…it cost the life of my partner." Regret was clear in Helena's voice.

"The bronzer was your time machine."

Helena gave me a sad smile. "Closest I could come."

It was my turn to pull H.G. close. "I'll talk to Artie."

"Thank you Myka." We sat in silence a moment. Finally, I let go and stood. "I'll see you around. Here's how you can reach me in DC." Helena handed me an envelope. "Until next time." H.G. kissed me quickly and left. I wanted to go after her but I knew I couldn't. Artie and Pete were too close to take that chance.

The next victim was found in an office. When we walked in the thermostat said it was seventy five degrees. The strange thing was, the cause of death was hypothermia. "Another artifact?"

"Yes. A piece of drift wood from the Titanic. It became connected with certain properties when it was pried from one of the victims. It was another I traded. This place isn't the easiest to kill someone so what they wanted must be on this computer." Artie sat and put in the code breaker to hack the computer files. The last file opened was a bunch of names and addresses. "They are the names and addresses of the family members I traded artifacts for."

"Hey guys, so I went through the feeds and there's something you want to see." Pete brought up the video and Helena was caught coming through the front door. Shit. This is not going to end well.

"H.G. Wells? What is she doing now?" Artie paced back and forth. "And why is she coming after me?"

"Maybe she was here for another reason?" I tried to calm him down and turn the spotlight off of Helena.

"Like what? Applying for a job?" His voice was nearly a hiss.

"No. Maybe she's tracking down the artifact to prove she's still of use to the warehouse and hopefully rejoin?" Artie stopped and glared at me. This was not going to end well.

"Myka…how do you know that?" If looks could kill, I'd be dead. Artie was beyond livid.

"I may have…spoken to her." I was about to be ripped limb from limb verbally and maybe literally.

"You spoke to H.G. Wells about official warehouse 13 business and you didn't tell me?" His voice rose with each word.

"I was waiting for the right time to tell you." Here it comes. I mentally braced myself for the worst.

"You, of all people, accuse me of keeping secrets and then you do this?"

Pete stepped in. "Artie, maybe she can help us?'

I took the piece of paper H.G. gave me out of my pocket. "She's at the..." Pete ripped the piece of paper from my hands and started out the door. "I guess we're going."

xxx

When we got to the room, it was empty. To be honest, I was glad. The phone rang and Artie answered it; putting it on speaker phone. "Took you long enough." Why must she be so sassy sometimes? Artie looked back at me. I just closed my eyes and sighed. Mentally I was kicking myself.

"The chain, where is it?" His voice was flat.

"Well I don't have it. I've been looking for it since 1894." Helena told us that she didn't kill the two men and that we should really be looking for the person who was photographing Artie at the funeral. She told us that she followed him but after he got into the NSA she lost him. H.G. did find something on Sweetwood's body though. It was a king of hearts. Artie explained that his old contact would send him that when they needed to meet.

"Why was your contact sent to prison?" I tried to brush off the deadly glare Artie gave me.

"After I turned myself in, they saw him as useless and a traitor. By the time I knew that…it was too late. I need to get to Moscow."

"We're coming too." Pete and I followed him quickly.

"No it's too dangerous."

"Oh don't even bother." As if I was going to let him and Pete do this alone.