A big thank you to those reading along. I do appreciate it.

And this was supposed to be the 'short' installment. lol

A Handful

There was a time when Helena would have given no thought to getting the Bering's on the phone and blasting them for upsetting Myka. But as Sui attempted to reach them, she knew what she had to do first. "Never mind," she said to her secretary android as she took the elevator downstairs. Walking up to Myka's door, she turned to Millie and waited. "She's free," Millie responded, surprised at Helena's hesitancy. Then, Helena knocked and waited. Yes, waited, before going in.

Millie wrote down the date and time, should she ever need it for her memoirs.

"Hello, you," Helena said softly as she peeked in.

"Hello, you," Myka responded and Millie 'aww'd outside because she knew her boss' face just lit up.

"I was just going to do something and thought perhaps," Helena started as she walked to Myka's couch and met her. She kissed her before finishing with - "….I should ask you what you thought first."

"Su-re," Myka responded, the word drawn out a bit while she tried to guess what this was about. The two women sat next to one another, Myka's right knee touching Helena's left knee.

"I was going to call your parents," Helena said and Myka interjected as she smiled, - "Oh, for tea and a chat?"

Helena frowned at how Myka just used the same words she had. "Well, I don't know if they're having tea….," Helena tried.

Myka laughed at how literal her wife could be. She reached out and held Helena's hands. "What exactly were you going to say to them?"

"Well," Helena hesitated as she thought about it. Had she called them from her office, she was sure the words would come, but telling Myka ahead of time proved more challenging. "I want them to understand …" she continued.

"That you scientifically engineered a way for our child to have both our genes?" Myka asked, the slightest smirk on her face. Myka was, of course, assuming that they were keeping to their decision not telling anyone. Helena knew she was right.

"Then, let me assure them we chose the highest quality in our selection," Helena said.

"Fine," Myka agreed, because if anyone deserved a call from Helena, it was her parents. "But, Helena, please remember that once they start talking, we just never know where they're going to go." The concern in Myka's voice was evident.

"We'll manage," Helena said, kissing Myka as she motioned to dial them.

Myka pressed speed dial for their number and Jeannie answered. "Your father and I were just sitting down to lunch," she said and that was good because her father never liked to talk personal stuff when he was downstairs at the store.

"How is business, Mrs. Bering?" Helena asked, still unable to call her mother-in-law anything else.

"Oh, it's booming, Helena," Jeannie said, but Helena already knew that. One of the projects Eileen was in charge of was making sure the inventory at Bering & Family Bookstore included hard to get books and first editions, many of which came from Helena's own library. Eileen had to practically bend Warren's arm to also be the sole distributor of the HG Wells television show collectibles, which included action figures, games, and such. "We can't get that HG Wells stuff on the shelves fast enough, which is amazing because, you know; it depicts HG…..as a woman!" Jeannie said her mouth full of laughter.

"Yes, I knew that," Helena said, her tone dripping in syrupy sarcasm.

"Mom, I thought it might help you guys if we told you ….a little more….about the pregnancy," Myka started and her mother interrupted her.

"We just want what's best for you, honey," her mother said.

"Fortunately, what you want is what I gave her," Helena murmured, but not too low they couldn't hear her.

"What does that mean? You picked the father?" Warren asked and Helena flailed about on the couch, until Myka put her hand on her knee to steady her. "I hope he was a quarterback," he whispered.

"Mom, Dad, there is…no father," Myka started, but her father protested that there had to be because that's what it took to make a baby. "Maybe we should take this one step at a time," she whispered to Helena, who knew she was right.

"We just wanted to make sure that you went to a reputable place. You know, one who only takes smart people with good jobs," Jeannie said because naturally they believed their daughter was impregnated with a donor sperm.

"I assure you, Mr. and Mrs. Bering that the ….donor….," Helena said, and she nearly choked on the word, "….. is of the highest caliber God has ever made." She knew she was being haughty, but she didn't care.

"Yes, that's very true," Myka said, smiling and kissing Helena's almost pouting lower lip.

"What about family medical history?" Warren asked, not to be outdone. "You want to make sure his family isn't lunatics."

Helena lunged forward, but Myka gave her the – we knew what we were getting into by making this call – look. "Everything was checked, Dad," Myka said, giving them the short answer.

"Although if mental illness is a concern, Mr. Bering, we could always send out an investigative team of psychiatrists to Colorado Springs," Helena spat out. Myka covered her mouth to keep from laughing at the sarcastic remark.

"What could we tell them?" Jeannie asked, thinking that Helena meant about the donor.

"Oh, plenty I'm sure," Helena remarked, unable to hold her tongue.

"Mom, everything is fine. I'm feeling good and Helena is great, so we're all good," Myka assured her parents.

"Okay, if you say so, honey," her mother answered, which Myka knew meant – well if you won't tell us, we'll have to accept what you're saying, even though we think there's more to it.

"Okay, Mom, we have to go," Myka said when she knew Helena couldn't take another minute.

"Oh, your father has a question, Myka. Go ahead, Warren, they're on speaker. They can hear you," Jeannie said and in spite of that, Warren yelled his question.

"Why don't they make real HG Wells action figures? I mean, I really think the boy ones would sell much better," Warren suggested and Myka grabbed the phone before Helena could reach it, and shouted their goodbyes quickly.

"Oh, sweetie," Myka said, kissing Helena's head because she had turned and fallen into Myka's lap out of sheer exhaustion from that conversation. "I know that was hard."

"I think we should have them tested, Myka. Perhaps you're not related after all," Helena wished, hoped and dreamed.

Myka let her finger run the length of her wife's dark eyebrows, a soothing gesture that relaxed the furrow in Helena's brow. "I know they're …..," she started and Helena was more than happy to fill in the blank.

"Exasperating? Vexing? Annoying? Troublesome? Taxing?" and she only slowed down when Myka covered her mouth in a kiss. Even with that – Myka could hear Helena still trying to say - maddening, irksome and wearing'. When she stopped her litany, Myka finally released her lips.

"You know, I was thinking," Myka said, now playing with a strand of Helena's straight hair. "Maybe you should tell Irene."

She immediately saw Helena's eyes light up and she turned quickly to sit up. "Yes, that is a good idea," Helena said, thinking it over. Myka saw it as the safely valve on Helena having to keep this secret. Irene surely would safe guard it and Helena would at least have the satisfaction that one person in the world knew the truth. "You don't mind?"

"No, and I think it should come from you," Myka said, knowing Helena might hold back bragging in her presence. A little. Maybe.

"I'll tell her now," Helena said, showing her gratitude in a hard kiss before she rushed to the door. "Thank you, Myka," she said, because she knew why Myka was suggesting this.

Helena wasted no time in getting to Irene's office and of course, did not pause to be announced. Slamming the door behind her, she found Irene alone at her desk.

"What I am about to tell you is nothing short of amazing, but it should come as no surprise," she announced and then thought about that and added, "If it does surprise you at all, I will have to reconsider my thoughts about your slightly above average intelligence," she pondered out loud.

"Oh! Well, I wouldn't want you to have to do that," Irene said, putting down her pen and paying attention.

Helena sat down in the chair in front of her desk and waited. Irene turned her head slightly, knowing she was supposed to 'get' something, but wasn't quite sure what it was. Helena's deep sigh told Irene she was stretching her patience. When Helena finally arched her eyebrow and tilted her head toward the chair next to her, Irene finally realized she wanted her to sit there. Biting her lip and then uttering – "Oh, yes, thanks for reminding me," she got up and went to the chair. Had she not explained the purpose of the more intimate setting to Helena just the other day?

"So tell me, Helena, what is your news?" Irene asked, now that she was in position.

"There is no donor," Helena said, proudly and slapping the arms rests for punctuation.

"There …is…no….," Irene repeated slowly, praying a spark would ignite.

"The baby is truly Myka's and mine," Helena said, smiling.

Irene pushed back in her seat to think about this. "You did something to the egg before in vitro?" she guessed wrong. Upon hearing the news of the pregnancy, Irene was so thrilled that she never even thought to ask the how's. It was none of her business; an attitude she wished the world would adopt.

"No, I built the spermatozoon like bio-vehicle that carried my genetic material to Myka's egg," Helena said, practically swooning.

"So…the…baby…is…?" Irene said slowly, trying to grasp this fantastic notion. When she finally realized that this baby would truly be Helena's too, tears formed in her eyes. "….Yours?"

"Yes, mine and Myka's," Helena repeated, glad Irene was impressed, surprised she was going to cry.

"Oh, I don't know what to say. Helena….," Irene said, grabbing her flat pocketbook off the desk and pulling out a tissue to wipe her nose. "I'm ….so happy for you both."

Irene was so taken with the fact that Helena would have the chance that she was robbed of years ago – to have her flesh and blood – a piece of her – to carry forward. "You are…remarkable. You are a genius," Irene gushed as she considered that this had never been done before.

"Thank you, Irene," Helena said and wished Myka's parents had a fraction of this woman's warmth.

"Your… baby," Irene said, beaming as if she were truly the grandmother, which she was for all intents and purposes.

"I needed someone to know," Helena said, relieved that she could share the secret.

"And you chose me?" Irene asked, genuinely impressed. "I'm honored." In spite of being Helena's former One, Irene never assumed anything.

Helena spent so much time bantering with the woman, that heartfelt moments like these took her a moment to process. "Of course I would choose you," Helena almost chastised her friend. "You are the closest thing to a grandmother this child will know," Helena blurted out and then quickly added – "Don't tell Myka I said that."

Irene pressed her lips together not to let out the laugh that bubbled inside at that remark. "Do you really think I'm old enough to be the grandmother?" she asked Helena, who was rising out of her seat.

"Some days you're old enough to be my grandmother," Helena said, having her fill of being emotional for the day.

Irene let that one go.

When Helena left Irene's office, she felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She was ready to take on the world. "I'll take that test now," she said to Gloria when she saw her in the hallway.

"Now would be fine," Gloria said and went downstairs with her boss to the floor where they were conducting the assessments.

"You know, I have my own lab at home," Helena bragged, but the nurse took note of that.

"Is that so?" she asked as she informed the PhD in charge that they were there for the safety test.

"And I can make my own amino acids," Helena said, because – that was damn impressive.

The nurse was fascinated, but was more concerned about dangerous chemicals that might be in the home. "I'd like to suggest that you have someone take a look at the lab in your home to be on the safe side," Gloria suggested.

Helena looked at the woman. She had a good point, but she made it before Helena thought of it.

"Are you always going to be this annoying? Because I already have someone in my life that does that job with aplomb," Helena said, staring at the shorter woman.

"You do?" Gloria asked, smart enough to play along.

"Yes, and she's been at it long enough now that she has it down to a science. So, please, find someone else because I cannot bare two," Helena said – and meant it.

"I'll tell you what," Gloria said, smiling up at Helena. "You pass this safety test and I'll do my best not to get in your way," the woman proposed.

"Madam, you couldn't create a test that I couldn't pass," Helena said because this woman didn't know her.

Instead of being flummoxed by the confident CEO's declarations, Gloria smiled and said - "I like you, Helena." Irene was right - she had never met anyone quite like this woman.

Someone alerted Irene that Helena was taking the test and she was quick on her heels to get down there. It seemed Irene was getting more protective of Helena without realizing it. She rushed into the room in such a manner that was so unlike her that everyone turned and stared. Suddenly, Irene realized her actions. "Good luck," she said, and cringed at how bad that sounded. She knew Helena would stare at her the hardest.

Instead, Helena pulled back a little and whispered to the nurse: "Check her blood pressure."

"Trust me, Helena, you two are next on my list," the woman said as the scientist asked Helena to name the ten security risks they had staged in the lab.

Helena took one glance, named nine of them and then pondered the last one. She looked over at a table and noticed two combustible chemicals near one another. She was bored by what she considered to be a less than challenging exam. "This is the best you could come up with?" she asked walking over to the table, and Gloria explained that it was a safety test, not the entrance exam to Harvard.

"Pfft! Harvard," Helena scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Now remember, Nurse Brown, once I name the tenth error du jour," the Brit reminded her, "You will stay out of my way."

With that, Helena went to point to the two chemicals that should never be near one another and accidently knocked one of them over, spilling the contents onto her hand when she instinctively grabbed for it. The sulfuric acid instantly scorched her skin and people ran at her to take immediate action. The scientist on duty jumped and put a soapy water solution in a container and submerged Helena's hand in it. Gloria ran to get the first aid kit, but it was Irene who was right next to Helena, as the Brit demanded they all stop carrying on.

"Who was responsible for that beaker?" Irene shouted because someone had not done their job. The man in charge said he would investigate it, but that ultimately it was his responsibility. As Gloria examined Helena's hand and put it back in the wet solution, Irene leaned over towards the man responsible and growled in a low voice – "I want to see you in my office later." Never had Irene used such a harsh tone and people took second looks to make sure it wasn't Helena who just barked that order.

"I'm okay," Helena said in a low voice because she had never seen her friend so heated looking. The sound of Helena's calm voice got through to Irene who turned her attention back to her.

"Shouldn't she go to the hospital?" Irene asked the attending nurse. She was already alerting Pete.

"We should have a doctor look at it, yes, but I think she'll be okay, thanks to Dr. Campbell's quick thinking," she said, picking up Helena's hand out of the solution to examine it again and trying to help the man who was fearful of losing his job at the moment.

The mention of the man's name made Irene stare at him again – hard. Even though Gloria knew Irene the least amount of time, she too, thought this was unusual behavior for the typically very calm woman. "She's going to be okay," the nurse said, gently touching Irene's hand and taking her pulse without being detected.

Pete burst through the door, his one arm in his jacket, the other thrashing about as he demanded to know what happened. Irene told him that it was an accident and that she thought it best that a doctor see Helena's hand.

"You got quite the army here," Gloria said to Helena as Pete wondered out loud if he should get Myka and Irene said she would take care of that. The two danced momentarily in the doorway as Pete tried to come in and Irene tried to exit. "Out of my way, Mr. Lattimer!" Irene demanded and won the struggle.

"I'm not going to the doctor, I'm fine," Helena told Gloria because she was the only one listening.

"Not sure you gonna have a choice," the nurse replied.

"Don't be ridiculous," Helena answered and winced when the nurse took her hand out of the solution, patted it gently and applied salve and gauze.

"Mmm, mmm, mmm," the nurse uttered as Irene marched back in with Myka.

"Are you okay?" Myka asked and her face got pale when she saw the bandage on her wife's hand. "I want to see it!" she demanded and Gloria obliged her and picked up the gauze.

"I don't think there's any permanent damage," the RN said, trying to calm their fears.

"I want her to see a doctor," Myka said and Irene second the vote. She said she would call Vanessa to get the best dermatologist to look at Helena's hand.

Gloria looked at Helena as if to say – 'You've got no choice now.'

"I want you to come with us," Myka said and when Helena tried to say that this was too much of a fuss because she had done the exact same thing in her own lab in the basement, the room fell silent.

"A…very…long time ago," Helena added weakly.

With minutes, Pete had the car ready and Myka held Helena's hand like it was fine crystal as they walked out of the building. Helena tried to assure them she was okay, because Myka was always the antidote, but no one would listen.

Myka was trying to tell Pete the best way to go to the Upper East Side as she sat on one side of Helena, and Irene was asking him to take the short cut through Central Park so they could save time. Gloria sat in the front seat and prayed for all of them because Pete was swerving in and out of traffic.

When they arrived at the doctor's office, Pete approached Helena like he was about to carry her in, and she pulled back to make sure he didn't. "Get the door, Pete," Myka commanded and the man rushed to open the door and hold it. Inside the office, a few patients were already sitting there, but Myka made such a fuss at the nurse's desk – demanding that Helena had to be seen immediately – that they finally asked Helena and her entourage to come back into the smaller waiting room.

The one most surprised by Myka's outburst was Helena, who cautiously remained silent. Myka's mind was racing and although it didn't look awful when Gloria lifted up the bandage, she could definitely see burn marks where the chemical had splashed. Myka paced the room, even though there was no space to do so. "What happened?" she finally asked and Irene explained that it was an accident.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're back," Helena said of Irene's calmer demeanor. "I thought I lost you to the dark side for a moment," she said, trying to make light of the situation. No one laughed. Not even Pete who taught Helena about Star Wars.

The doctor was informed by her nurse that Helena Wells was there with an entire group of people and they were making all kinds of noise. The only one not making noise was Gloria, as she watched the drama play out in front of her. Helena assuring them she was okay was met with Myka yelling that someone was careless in the lab, Irene asserting she would write them up and Pete stating that he thought someone should be assigned to his boss to make all her calls because it was her right hand. "How will she eat?" he asked with great concern.

The doctor could hear them down the hallway and decided to see for herself. When she opened up the door to the examination room, everyone quieted down and had to shift around to make room so the doctor could step in.

"Ms. Wells, I'm Doctor Chen," the 30-something dermatologist introduced herself and Helena greeted her. Then three people started talking at once to tell her what happened.

"I really don't think you should be chit-chatting when she needs attention," Myka blurted out and everyone heard Pete say .."Oh, snap!"

Finally, Gloria introduced herself and explained the scenario of what happened and what actions had been taken. Again, people moved around so the doctor could examine Helena's hand. She donned special headgear that allowed her to examine the skin closely.

"You know sometimes when they do grafting, they take it from your butt," Pete blurted out because he was so nervous and then everyone yelled at him to stop talking. Myka stood next to Helena and rubbed her shoulder as the doctor examined her. Irene watched intently from the other side of the table and Pete bit down hard on his own hand when the doctor touched the wound and Helena flinched.

"She's going to be fine," the doctor finally said. "Fortunately, your quick acting stopped the chemical from doing any permanent damage. I'm going to give you some salve and I want this dressing changed every day. Also, an oral antibiotic in case of infection," she said directly to Gloria.

"I told you I was fine," Helena said to Myka who asked the doctor ten more questions.

"It's going to be tender and I would not use your hand if you can help it," the doctor said and wrote out the scripts.

Helena thanked the doctor and then Myka, Irene and Pete all walked her out, while the doctor handed the prescriptions to Gloria. The nurse followed them out, watching as Pete scrambled to get the doors, Myka snarled at a photographer who followed them up there, and Irene put herself between Helena and anyone curious onlooker who approached.

"Oh, Lordy, what will they be like when the baby comes?" the nurse wondered to herself as she watched.

The woman had no idea.