Who's the Boss?

Helena stared at the young man in her office, who just announced they had a rodent issue. Surely, he didn't think she was in charge of extermination. She didn't mind showing off to Irene that she could handle anything from romantic crises to business issues, but infestations? No!

"Mr. Jinx?" Helena asked, wondering why he was bringing her this news. "Does Mr. Lattimer know?"

"Well, actually…," Steve said, looking over at Irene who was settled into her seat on the couch. "…he's afraid of them," he whispered and the coughed.

"Don't we have people who handle this?" Helena asked and looked over at her HR Director who raised her index finger as if to say – 'wait'.

"Oh yeah, we have people taking care of that, but they chewed through the security camera wires and we have to rewire a few of them. I was letting you know so you'd know the elevator cameras were out as well as your floor," Steve said, proud of his security update.

"Thank…you…Steve," Helena said haltingly. She wondered why he felt it necessary to give her a trivial update when he added –

"I know you like to turn the cameras in the elevators off sometimes, for privacy? So I just wanted you to know they're down anyway," he explained.

"I certainly do not…..," Helena protested loudly at the audacious assumption when she realized this was the human lie detector. She could already sense Irene's eyebrow raised at her declaration. "….want to hear about this unless it is to tell me that it is fixed!" she awkwardly segued.

Irene bit her lip and turned her head. "Thank you, Mr. Jinx," Irene said, after composing herself.

"No problem," Steve said, as his speechless boss just watched as he left.

Before Helena could stop Steve from allowing the next one in, Artie was through the door. Of course, the newlywed spent some of his time telling Helena about the beautiful honeymoon they had and then how he felt guilty because apparently while he was away, the place fell apart. Irene watched as Helena gritted her teeth and smiled, her politeness disappearing almost as quickly as her patience.

Artie dropped some financial reports on her desk and said he enjoyed the talk, but he had tons of work and had to get back to it. Helena's mouth opened to point out the piles on her desk, but he was already out the door.

Irene looked at her list. "Are you sure you don't want to take a break?" she asked, but Helena waved her off and said – "Don't be silly," as if Irene ever were.

"This must be what your day is like," Helena asked, making the comparison.

"Excuse me?" Irene asked to make sure she understood.

"Listening to people? Letting them talk and then be on their merry way? I don't really see the challenge in it," Helena admitted.

Irene sat erect on the couch and put her pad down on the table. "You don't think my job is challenging?" she asked slowly, giving Helena every opportunity to think clearly.

Helena was really thinking about it as she gazed up at the ceiling. "Not really, now that I think about it. I mean I know you think it is and I'm sure some days are worse than others," Helena thought out loud.

"Take today for example," Irene said more to herself than her boss.

Coming back to work and taking over the reins was one thing; stepping on toes as she did it was another.

"Is it possible that you don't quite grasp what I do?" Irene said, trying not to be defensive. She was watching the CEO agree to stage proposals and write acceptance speeches. She also knew Helena jumped into the deep end of the pool before checking the depth.

Helena laughed her response as if there were anything she couldn't grasp. "Oh, I don't mean you can't do it and with aplomb," Helena started and should have shut up, but didn't. "It just seems incredibly easy."

"I guess after splicing DNA," Irene said getting a better understanding of what her boss meant. "Oh, I am going to enjoy this."

"Think of it as a refresher course," Helena said, sincerely.

"Excuse me?" Irene said for the second time.

"You know how people need brushing up on their skills? Well, watching me handle these issues will help you in the future," Helena said, believing what she was saying.

"I don't know…where to begin to thank you," Irene said and didn't mean it.

"No need," Helena said.

"It amazes me how little rope you need," Irene commented about her boss hanging herself.

"No need to be amazed. Just watch and learn," Helena said convinced she could do this with her eyes closed.

"Okay, Madam CEO," Irene said and yelled – "Next!"

Helena was a little surprised to see the next person come through the door. "Helena, thanks for taking time to see me on what must be one of your busiest days," Ted said, and wouldn't even sit down.

Helena looked up at him and wanted to ask what the hell he was doing there, but she noticed Irene out of the corner of her eye and decided not to. "What …in the world…brings you here?"

"I begged Irene to squeeze me in today," Ted shamelessly admitted.

"She's quite good at squeezing people," Helena said, but Irene never raised her head from the pad she had in her hands.

"You have to come back to the High School Business Workshops, Helena. We tried to hold it together while you were away, but these kids ….they want to see you and when you don't show up, they're…..unhappy," Ted put it politely. He had had board meetings with people who were more civil than some of these kids.

"I would think you would fit right in with all those adolescents, Ted?" Helena asked smartly, because she wasn't use to him being sincere.

"Good one, but really," he said and Helena realized he was being serious. "We need you back this week!"

Irene didn't want Helena getting ahead of herself and attempted one more time to intercede on her behalf. "Ted, Helena is just back from being away. Let's give her some time to get settled in before we commit….," Irene tried to interject.

But every attempt to save Helena was flatly dismissed. The more people came in with issues and the more Helena felt like she handled them, the bigger her head got. It theory, all of this was a piece of cake compared to what she had been doing for three weeks.

"When's the next workshop?" Helena asked in spite of Irene's suggestion.

"Tomorrow at 7:30 AM," Ted said because school started early.

"I'll be there!" the kind CEO said. The all-knowing look she gave Irene made the HR Director believe Helena was turning this into a game. One that she was going to win and then dearly pay the price.

"Oh, thank God. Thanks, Helena," her kinder, gentler nemesis said, shaking her hand, and leaving.

"Did you cross him off?" Helena asked, because it seemed that was all Irene was doing. "Why don't you try one?"

"Try one?" Irene asked as if she had just been instructed in something. "You want me to talk to the next person?" Irene asked, knowing who it was.

"Sure," Helena said, feeling benevolent. "It's like solving puzzles and saving the day," she mused, laughing at her own joke.

"You really think you can do my job, don't you?" Irene asked, getting up from the couch.

"I'm not saying anyone can do it," Helena clarified just to be sure Irene wasn't getting insulted.

"But you can," Irene stated, before she opened the door.

"Of course I can," Helena asserted. "Now, go and deal with the next person so I can clear my head."

"That's a lot of clearing," Irene muttered at her boastful guru. Irene was perhaps the only other woman who could allow Helena to go to the brink, and then prevent her from falling over. Irene allowed this because, unfortunately, the brink is where Helena learned most of her lessons. "Okay," Irene said, "If you insist."

The truth was, Helena was getting tired of listening. She usually did the talking and was finding this harder to do than she thought. Although she'd never admit that. Then Helena heard Irene say –

"I'm sorry, Myka, but Helena has insisted that I handle whatever issue you might need to see her about." Before Myka could ask what was going on, the woman smiled warmly and winked. "I hope she doesn't trip over her coat and bag getting here," she whispered out of the corner of her mouth, as Helena began her protests and ran to the door.

"Don't be ridiculous," Helena chastised the woman who was following her orders.

"But you distinctly told me…," Irene reminded her.

"I didn't know it was Myka!" Helena answered. "She has things to go over on me. With me! She wants to go over …," and the poor woman got lost in her thoughts.

"Oh," Irene said and slowly moved at of Myka's way. "In that case, I guess you need to go directly to Helena."

Myka clenched her eyes closed at her wife's faux pas and felt the blush rise in her cheeks. She smiled at Irene and wanted to say something, but her mouth was dry and her voice cracked when she said 'thank you'.

Irene chuckled and closed the door after Myka went through.

Inside the office, Helena melted into Myka's body and kissed her. "That was some Freudian Slip, Mrs. Bering-Wells," Myka said as she pulled her in closer.

"I can't help it," her wife pouted. "Since you made that declaration, I have not been able to think of anything else.

"Is Irene okay?" Myka asked because she looked a little more exasperated leaving Helena's office than usual.

"She's flustered because apparently, I excel at this HR stuff," Helena said, her mind on other things now.

"Oh, you do? I'm not surprised. You can do anything when you put your mind to it," Myka teased as her hands played freely over Helena's hips.

"That's… why I'm….. in charge," Helena said, trying to form full sentences.

"Yes, I heard you were the big cheese around here," Myka said, her breath now blowing near Helena's ear. Myka's hand cupped Helena's derriere to hold her in place when her ankles became jelly like.

"I am. I can…do…any…thing I like…really," Helena said, closing her eyes as Myka slowly unhinged her ability to speak.

"And what is it you would like to do now?" Myka said, slowly kissing Helena's neck in between those words.

"I …want…you," was all the CEO could utter. "Oh, God, Myka," she said, the words coming from the back of her throat as she felt tingling erupt all over her body.

Myka loved it when Helena's need was palpable. She turned quickly and pushed Helena up against the wall in one quick motion. Helena sucked in the air as the rough, yet gentle movement excited her. There was nothing more stimulating to Helena than to have Myka take charge.

"I'm wearing your favorite perfume," Helena said, exposing her neck. Of course she didn't have to announce that, but she wanted to feel Myka's tongue on her skin.

"That's nice," Myka said, her hands sliding up Helena's thighs. "But that's not where I'm headed."

Helena's knees joined her other joints in collapsing and Myka had to steady her before making good on her promise. "I can't….," Helena said, unable to will her strength back.

"Not to worry," Myka said, pushing her shoulder into Helena's and using her hand as an adept alternative method. "Just as well. This way, I can cover your mouth when you scream," Myka said, a second before she found that maneuver necessary.

Minutes later, she helped her wife to the chair, straightening out her dress and kissing her before excusing herself. Helena panted, pushed her hair off her face, and tried to regain her composure. Myka returned to her side.

"You're lucky the next employee didn't barge in," Myka said as she sat on the arm of the chair, playing with Helena's hair.

Helena grabbed Myka's hand to her face, still flushed from the redistribution of blood in her body. "Well, had they, it would solve the mystery as to why you're my favorite employee," Helena said.

"I am? I didn't think you were allowed to have favorites," her Chief Counsel noted. "Does HR know this?" She was sorry she said something that reminded Helena.

Helena turned and pulled Myka into her lap, her legs dangling over the edge of the chair. "I'm practically a member of the HR Team," Helena recollected.

"I love it when you play fantasy games," Myka teased and grabbed Helena's jaw to pull her into a kiss before she could protest.

Helena's mind returned to her favorite person and she took advantage of her wife's position at the moment. Her fingers trailed slowly up Myka's leg until they rested on the inside of Myka's thigh. "I do enjoy our lunches together," she whispered as her long fingers circled their way and slipped under Myka's underwear. Helena's smiled when she felt how excited her wife was and teasingly stroked Myka until she grabbed Helena's forearm to bring her relief. Biting her lower lip and moaning, Helena made no attempt to cover Myka's mouth. She didn't care if the world knew how wonderful it was that could spend time like this.

In spite of the small space they occupied, they cuddled until it was time to go back to work. After freshening up, Helena walked Myka to the door. Myka was going back to her office and Helena was going back to reflecting on what had played out in her office.

"I think I'm very good at this HR stuff," Helena said, reflecting out loud.

Myka wasn't really sure what Helena meant, although she was certain it had to do with the crowd of people that had been in her waiting room. She also found her wife's unwavering self-confidence a turn on. "Helena, there isn't a job here you couldn't do I'm sure. But you already have an important one as the Chief Executive Officer," Myka said in a breathy tone.

Those words that Myka said were translated by Helena to mean – "Helena, you can do whatever you want. No one can really tell you what to do!"

Helena eyes widened and sparkled as she interpreted what Myka had just said. "You are so brilliant, do you know that?" she stated, kissing Myka goodbye.

Myka smiled all the way back to her office. The kind of smile that told those in the know her mind was somewhere else.

"Welcome back," Millie said as Myka walked into her office. "I love it when they have lunch together," the assistant mused.

While Myka floated through the afternoon, finishing her work in a wonderful mood, her wife was on the floor above her – ready to take charge and get things done – her way.