Two Steps Forward, One Step Back (2/4)
Myka’s eyelashes fluttered as she started to wake up. She knew instantly that she wasn’t in her own bed. Then she remembered. Janet had kicked her out. She blinked a couple of times and when her eyes focused she found herself looking straight into Helena’s warm dark eyes. She was smiling at her.
“Good morning, darling.”
“Morning,” Myka mumbled a bit embarrassed.
“How do you feel?”
Myka sighed. “Like I could use a toothbrush and coffee and a new place to live. Not necessarily in that order.”
“What about all this?”
Myka sighed. “I’m sorry Helena. It’s just a bit much to take in at once.”
Helena sighed. “I guess it’s too much to ask for a miracle over night.”
Myka smiled. “At least you got to undress me.”
Helena chuckled. “Yes that was fun,” she said sarcastically. “You are not very cooperative when you’re sleeping darling.”
Myka made a face. “Sorry. You could’ve woken me up.”
Helena gently caressed her cheek. “I didn’t want you to leave. I know this is where you belong and I cherish every second I have with you.”
“Thanks. I do have mixed feelings about this, but it felt really good falling asleep in your arms last night,” she admitted softly. “You still make me feel safe in a way no one else ever could.”
Helena inched closer. “Then let me be strong for you now. Try and trust me one more time.”
Myka opened her mouth but closed it when she felt Helena’s slender fingers touch her lips. She looked at her.
“Come back to the Warehouse with me. Stay at the inn for a month and then make your decision. They all miss you and no matter what, I know that they want to see you. You are family Myka.”
Myka sniffled as she felt tears in her eyes. She smiled when Helena tenderly wiped them away. Helena leaned closer and pressed her lips against her forehead in a soft kiss. Myka made a strangled sound and pulled her to her.
“I missed you so much,” she whispered.
“I know darling. I missed you too,” Helena whispered and kissed her cheek.
Myka sighed softly and rested her head on Helena’s shoulder. “Hold me,” she whispered.
Helena bit her lip. She wrapped her arms around Myka and caressed her back. She felt her relax in her arms and smiled against her hair. She slipped her hand under Myka’s shirt and just left it there, palm flat against the small of her back. When Myka didn’t object she slowly rubbed her back in a comforting caress. There was nothing overtly sexual about it. She only wanted Myka to feel safe and loved, and she knew her well enough to know that this caress calmed her more than anything. Her efforts were rewarded by a soft content sigh. She smiled again.
“You always knew how to touch me,” Myka mumbled.
“It brings me a lot of joy to see you happy, darling,” she whispered and kissed her temple.
They stayed like that for a long moment. Helena slowly caressing Myka’s back, and Myka cuddled close to her with her head resting on Helena’s shoulder. Finally Myka’s stomach made an unmistakable sound that made Helena laugh.
“It seems like I need to feed you, darling,” she said with a chuckle.
“I didn’t have dinner last night,” Myka confessed in a quiet voice.
“Myka!” Helena said shocked. “Why didn’t you say something? I would’ve ordered you something to eat.”
“I wasn’t hungry,” Myka mumbled.
Helena sighed. “Well, that ends now. You have to eat.” She rolled over to grab the phone. With Myka still in her arms she dialed room service.
“Hello. Yes, I’d like to order some breakfast please. One coffee and one tea. Do you have English Breakfast tea? Excellent. One order of toast, scrambled eggs and pancakes and two orange juice,” she said, chipper to the person on the other end. She listened for a moment as the order was repeated back. “That’s right. Oh and some fruit. Do you have a fruit cup or something like that?” Again there was silence and then she smiled. “Brilliant. Thank you. Yes, right away please.” She hung up and put the phone down on the bed behind her. She smiled at Myka who was looking intently at her. “What?”
“That’s what you ordered for us in Egypt,” Myka whispered.
Helena nodded. “I’m glad you remembered.”
Myka closed her eyes. “It’s my last happy memory of us. Of course I remember.”
Helena gently caressed her cheek. “I remember feeding you little pieces of fruit,” she whispered. “I dropped one and it left a sticky trail on your chest before it fell on the sheets. Your skin tasted so sweet as I licked the juice off your warm breast.”
Myka whimpered softly. “Please Helena, don’t do this to me.”
Helena cupped her chin. “Don’t tell you how much I miss loving you? Not revel in my memories of you? Those are cherished moments for me too, even though they’ve kept me awake many nights until I finally succumbed to sleep from sheer exhaustion, only to wake up with tears on my cheeks.”
Myka chewed on her lip as she looked at Helena with sad eyes. “This is so hard Helena.”
“Why does it have to be? I still love you, and I believe that you still love me. What really stands in our way is your refusal to trust your heart.”
Myka sat up. “I’m not ready to do that quite yet. If you’re willing to give me time, I might, and I say might, consider trying.” She hugged her legs and rested her chin on her knees. “You know, I wanted you to be good. I’ve worked through the events step-by-step so many times, trying to figure out when you had started to slip, and why I didn’t see it. I never managed to figure it out. To me you were the same all the way up until the end, down in Warehouse 2."
Helena opened her mouth to say something but closed it when Myka jumped out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom. She lay down on her back staring up into the ceiling and sighed. This was going to be quite a ride. Then she smiled. Of course it would. It was Myka after all, and she never did anything easy. She turned her head when Myka came out of the bathroom. Helena watched her pull on her pants; she sighed again and got out of bed.
*** *** ***
To Helena’s delight Myka had finished her breakfast. She was glad that she had been able to keep her grave concern for Myka’s eating habits to herself. She smiled at Myka over the rim of her tea cup. “Darling, I would be delighted to add your name to my reservation so you can stay here.”
Myka put her cup down. She chewed on her lip contemplating the offer. “I don’t know Helena. Perhaps it’s not such a great idea for us to be this close right now.”
“Myka, I think I have proven to you in the last twelve hours that I can be trusted not to ravage you,” she teased. “You have my word that I will not touch you in any way intimate until you are ready. What I do know is that you craved my touch last night. You reached out for me to comfort you, and I did. You fell asleep in my arms and you woke up in my arms. And even when you were awake you reached out for me. Please don’t deny the fact that I’m the one you turn to when you need comfort.”
Myka looked at her for a long moment and then nodded. “I do trust you when it comes to that. I know you would never hurt me that way,” she said softly. “Okay, I’ll stay for now.”
Helena felt her heart flutter with joy. She beamed at Myka. “Thank you, darling.”
Myka glanced at the time. “I need to get to work.”
Helena made a face. “Are you sure? Perhaps today would be a good day to call in sick?”
Myka shot her a murderous look. “You know I can’t do that.”
“And why not? You are emotionally unstable right now. I don’t think that’s a good thing to share at work. Do you?” Helena argued.
Myka winced and was just about to shout something just as hurtful back when she realized that Helena was actually right. “You’re right. I’m sorry,” she said with a tired sigh.
Helena felt the change in her and sat down next to her. She opened her arms. “Come here.”
Myka leaned against her and sighed when Helena wrapped her arms around her. She could almost feel the strength radiate from Helena’s body and seep into her own emotionally drained body. She smiled. “Are you using an artifact on me?”
Helena chuckled. “You know I would never dare doing that. You would hurt me if you found out.”
Myka grinned. “I would kick your ass, but I guess you’re still too classy to say that.”
“And you obviously have not improved on your language even though you’ve been away from Pete and Claudia,” she countered. “So why do you think that I’m in possession of an artifact?”
“Because I feel stronger when I’m in your arms,” she mumbled a bit embarrassed. “It was just a joke. A lame one I admit.”
Helena kissed the top of her head. “I’m trying to be strong for you. If you can feel it, I’m obviously succeeding. You can give and you can take energy when holding someone, and I am most definitely giving right now.”
Myka smiled at her new age type explanation. “I think you’ve been around Leena too much. You’re starting to sound like her.”
At that Helena laughed out loud. “I have been driving her insane. She will be more pleased than anyone to have you back. I have tested her energy to the limits.”
“Poor Leena. You really are very intense at times you know. And she can’t even tire you out,” she teased.
“You are going to pay for that someday Myka Bering,” she growled. “And no, no one has been there to tire me out as you so elegantly put it. Perhaps it would’ve been easier on everyone if there had been someone.”
Myka looked up at her. “Are you telling me that you’ve not had a lover in three years?” she asked stunned.
Helena nodded. “My heart still belongs with you, darling. How could I even consider taking another lover when you are the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I think of before falling asleep? That would not be fair to her, would it?”
Myka chewed on her lip again and nodded. “I guess not. I’m sorry that you didn’t find someone Helena, but at the same time I’m not above feeling a little joy over not having shared you with anyone. I know, it’s selfish, but it’s the truth.”
“I know we never exchanged vows or talked much about the future, but you should know that I think of you as my wife. I don’t need fancy words or a ceremony to know that in my heart. And that’s why I could never take a lover while you were still out there, lost God knows where. If you decide that you don’t want me, and tell me to break this bond between us, then perhaps with time it could happen. I just don’t see it happening anytime soon.”
Myka just stared at her. “Helena,” she whispered. “Is that how you think of me?”
Helena nodded. “In my heart I am tied to you in the strongest of bonds. I love you with my heart, body and soul Myka Bering.”
Myka brushed her fingertips over Helena’s cheek. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Then don’t say anything. Think about it and when and if you’re ready to share your life with me again, then the words will come to you.”
Myka nodded. “I do love you Helena,” she said softly. “I just don’t know if I am ready to share my life with you again.”
Helena swallowed trying to not show how Myka’s words stung. Myka saw the sadness sweep over her face and winced.
“It seems like I’m just hurting you more with my words. Clearly I haven’t kissed the Blarney stone.”
Helena smiled. She took Myka’s hand. “It’s all right darling. I know what you mean. I will try to be patient. I know that you’re worth waiting for.”
Myka smiled. With a sigh she got up. “I better get my suitcase so I can change clothes or you will definitely not want me in your life or room for very long.”
Helena chuckled and nodded. “True and we know how funny my clothes look on you.”
Myka shot her a dirty look. “Not one word from you about a flood or I will hurt you.”
Helena laughed; glad to hear the old Myka again. “But it’s so much fun darling. And my pants really are a couple of inches too short for you. It’s quite funny actually.”
Myka huffed and stomped off to the door. “Will you be here or should I take the key?”
“Take the key. I’m going to take a shower. We’ll get you a key later.”
Myka nodded and grabbed the key card from the desk and left. Helena sighed and leaned back against the couch. She jumped when she heard her Farnsworth buzz. She scrambled to her feet and walked over to the night stand. She picked it up and sat down on the bed.
“Good morning Artie,” she said and smiled at the extreme close up of Artie’s face.
“Morning, yeah, whatever. Did you get it yet?”
“Not yet, but I have a solid lead. I’m going to an event this evening. There’s a high likelihood that it will be there.”
“Finally!” Then his face got closer to the screen. “Why didn’t you report in earlier? Do you need backup? I can send Pete.”
She shook her head. “It’s too late. He won’t get here in time. I only learned about it late last night,” she lied. She chewed on her lip.
“What aren’t you telling me?” he asked as his eyes narrowed. She smiled. He always picked up on the in between the lines stuff.
“Are you alone?” He nodded. “I found Myka,” she said softly.
Artie gaped. “You found… How is she? Let me talk to her.”
“She just stepped out to get her things from the car. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to talk to her yet. And please don’t tell the others.”
He nodded. “How is she?”
“Upset and a bit angry with me. Mostly hurt and confused. Still I plan on bringing her tonight. She is a good agent and she can be my backup.”
“Helena, no. She’s not an agent anymore.”
Helena smiled. “She doesn’t need a badge to be an agent. She has it in her blood. And her senses are still sharp. I know I can count on her if I need to.”
Artie sighed. “Okay, but keep a close eye on her.”
“I promise. You know that I would give my life for her. I will not let anything happen to her.”
“I know Helena,” he said softly.
“If we find the artifact tonight we might be able to leave tomorrow.”
“We? She’s coming with you?”
“I hope so. I’m still working on it. I want to bring her home Artie. That’s where she belongs. With me and you and the others. She just needs to remember that again.”
“I know you’ll do what’s right. I trust you Helena.”
Helena smiled. “You now that I cherish those words from you every time I hear them,” she said softly.
“Ah, well, whatever. Don’t go and get all mushy on me now,” he huffed, but she could tell that he appreciated the words. They had come a long way since the early days of mistrust and painful stabs at each other. Artie had even comforted her at one point when she broke down crying in frustration over being unable to find Myka. He had just held her as she cried, gently stroking her hair.
“I know you love me,” she teased. “See you soon papa bear.”
“Oh you…” she missed the end of his tirade as she closed her Farnsworth when she heard the door open.
“Were you talking to someone?”
Helena sighed. “I was. Artie just called to check in.”
“I see.” The question was hanging in the air. Helena looked at her and nodded.
“I told him.”
Myka sighed and hung her head. “I wish you hadn’t, but I understand why.”
“He promised that he wouldn’t tell the others. For now.”
Myka nodded. “Thanks.”
“Look, I need to go to this event this evening. I’m hoping that I will be able to get my hands on the artifact there. I would very much like for you to come with me.”
Myka stared at her. “Why? I’m not an agent anymore.”
“You will always be an agent Myka. It’s in your blood, in your soul. Your instincts haven’t changed. I could use your help.”
Myka took a deep breath. “Okay, just this once.”
Helena beamed at her. “Thank you. Now all we have to do is get you a dress.”
Myka made a face. “Not fair. You could’ve told me that before I accepted,” she mumbled.
Helena grinned and patted her cheek as she walked past her. “But I didn’t and now you have accepted, so I get to go shopping with you and watch you try on beautiful dresses. What a delightful day this is turning out to be.”
Myka made a face at her back.
“I saw that.”
“No you didn’t,” Myka made a face again. “How did you know that?” she said slightly annoyed. Helena just laughed.
Continued in Part 3
“Good morning, darling.”
“Morning,” Myka mumbled a bit embarrassed.
“How do you feel?”
Myka sighed. “Like I could use a toothbrush and coffee and a new place to live. Not necessarily in that order.”
“What about all this?”
Myka sighed. “I’m sorry Helena. It’s just a bit much to take in at once.”
Helena sighed. “I guess it’s too much to ask for a miracle over night.”
Myka smiled. “At least you got to undress me.”
Helena chuckled. “Yes that was fun,” she said sarcastically. “You are not very cooperative when you’re sleeping darling.”
Myka made a face. “Sorry. You could’ve woken me up.”
Helena gently caressed her cheek. “I didn’t want you to leave. I know this is where you belong and I cherish every second I have with you.”
“Thanks. I do have mixed feelings about this, but it felt really good falling asleep in your arms last night,” she admitted softly. “You still make me feel safe in a way no one else ever could.”
Helena inched closer. “Then let me be strong for you now. Try and trust me one more time.”
Myka opened her mouth but closed it when she felt Helena’s slender fingers touch her lips. She looked at her.
“Come back to the Warehouse with me. Stay at the inn for a month and then make your decision. They all miss you and no matter what, I know that they want to see you. You are family Myka.”
Myka sniffled as she felt tears in her eyes. She smiled when Helena tenderly wiped them away. Helena leaned closer and pressed her lips against her forehead in a soft kiss. Myka made a strangled sound and pulled her to her.
“I missed you so much,” she whispered.
“I know darling. I missed you too,” Helena whispered and kissed her cheek.
Myka sighed softly and rested her head on Helena’s shoulder. “Hold me,” she whispered.
Helena bit her lip. She wrapped her arms around Myka and caressed her back. She felt her relax in her arms and smiled against her hair. She slipped her hand under Myka’s shirt and just left it there, palm flat against the small of her back. When Myka didn’t object she slowly rubbed her back in a comforting caress. There was nothing overtly sexual about it. She only wanted Myka to feel safe and loved, and she knew her well enough to know that this caress calmed her more than anything. Her efforts were rewarded by a soft content sigh. She smiled again.
“You always knew how to touch me,” Myka mumbled.
“It brings me a lot of joy to see you happy, darling,” she whispered and kissed her temple.
They stayed like that for a long moment. Helena slowly caressing Myka’s back, and Myka cuddled close to her with her head resting on Helena’s shoulder. Finally Myka’s stomach made an unmistakable sound that made Helena laugh.
“It seems like I need to feed you, darling,” she said with a chuckle.
“I didn’t have dinner last night,” Myka confessed in a quiet voice.
“Myka!” Helena said shocked. “Why didn’t you say something? I would’ve ordered you something to eat.”
“I wasn’t hungry,” Myka mumbled.
Helena sighed. “Well, that ends now. You have to eat.” She rolled over to grab the phone. With Myka still in her arms she dialed room service.
“Hello. Yes, I’d like to order some breakfast please. One coffee and one tea. Do you have English Breakfast tea? Excellent. One order of toast, scrambled eggs and pancakes and two orange juice,” she said, chipper to the person on the other end. She listened for a moment as the order was repeated back. “That’s right. Oh and some fruit. Do you have a fruit cup or something like that?” Again there was silence and then she smiled. “Brilliant. Thank you. Yes, right away please.” She hung up and put the phone down on the bed behind her. She smiled at Myka who was looking intently at her. “What?”
“That’s what you ordered for us in Egypt,” Myka whispered.
Helena nodded. “I’m glad you remembered.”
Myka closed her eyes. “It’s my last happy memory of us. Of course I remember.”
Helena gently caressed her cheek. “I remember feeding you little pieces of fruit,” she whispered. “I dropped one and it left a sticky trail on your chest before it fell on the sheets. Your skin tasted so sweet as I licked the juice off your warm breast.”
Myka whimpered softly. “Please Helena, don’t do this to me.”
Helena cupped her chin. “Don’t tell you how much I miss loving you? Not revel in my memories of you? Those are cherished moments for me too, even though they’ve kept me awake many nights until I finally succumbed to sleep from sheer exhaustion, only to wake up with tears on my cheeks.”
Myka chewed on her lip as she looked at Helena with sad eyes. “This is so hard Helena.”
“Why does it have to be? I still love you, and I believe that you still love me. What really stands in our way is your refusal to trust your heart.”
Myka sat up. “I’m not ready to do that quite yet. If you’re willing to give me time, I might, and I say might, consider trying.” She hugged her legs and rested her chin on her knees. “You know, I wanted you to be good. I’ve worked through the events step-by-step so many times, trying to figure out when you had started to slip, and why I didn’t see it. I never managed to figure it out. To me you were the same all the way up until the end, down in Warehouse 2."
Helena opened her mouth to say something but closed it when Myka jumped out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom. She lay down on her back staring up into the ceiling and sighed. This was going to be quite a ride. Then she smiled. Of course it would. It was Myka after all, and she never did anything easy. She turned her head when Myka came out of the bathroom. Helena watched her pull on her pants; she sighed again and got out of bed.
*** *** ***
To Helena’s delight Myka had finished her breakfast. She was glad that she had been able to keep her grave concern for Myka’s eating habits to herself. She smiled at Myka over the rim of her tea cup. “Darling, I would be delighted to add your name to my reservation so you can stay here.”
Myka put her cup down. She chewed on her lip contemplating the offer. “I don’t know Helena. Perhaps it’s not such a great idea for us to be this close right now.”
“Myka, I think I have proven to you in the last twelve hours that I can be trusted not to ravage you,” she teased. “You have my word that I will not touch you in any way intimate until you are ready. What I do know is that you craved my touch last night. You reached out for me to comfort you, and I did. You fell asleep in my arms and you woke up in my arms. And even when you were awake you reached out for me. Please don’t deny the fact that I’m the one you turn to when you need comfort.”
Myka looked at her for a long moment and then nodded. “I do trust you when it comes to that. I know you would never hurt me that way,” she said softly. “Okay, I’ll stay for now.”
Helena felt her heart flutter with joy. She beamed at Myka. “Thank you, darling.”
Myka glanced at the time. “I need to get to work.”
Helena made a face. “Are you sure? Perhaps today would be a good day to call in sick?”
Myka shot her a murderous look. “You know I can’t do that.”
“And why not? You are emotionally unstable right now. I don’t think that’s a good thing to share at work. Do you?” Helena argued.
Myka winced and was just about to shout something just as hurtful back when she realized that Helena was actually right. “You’re right. I’m sorry,” she said with a tired sigh.
Helena felt the change in her and sat down next to her. She opened her arms. “Come here.”
Myka leaned against her and sighed when Helena wrapped her arms around her. She could almost feel the strength radiate from Helena’s body and seep into her own emotionally drained body. She smiled. “Are you using an artifact on me?”
Helena chuckled. “You know I would never dare doing that. You would hurt me if you found out.”
Myka grinned. “I would kick your ass, but I guess you’re still too classy to say that.”
“And you obviously have not improved on your language even though you’ve been away from Pete and Claudia,” she countered. “So why do you think that I’m in possession of an artifact?”
“Because I feel stronger when I’m in your arms,” she mumbled a bit embarrassed. “It was just a joke. A lame one I admit.”
Helena kissed the top of her head. “I’m trying to be strong for you. If you can feel it, I’m obviously succeeding. You can give and you can take energy when holding someone, and I am most definitely giving right now.”
Myka smiled at her new age type explanation. “I think you’ve been around Leena too much. You’re starting to sound like her.”
At that Helena laughed out loud. “I have been driving her insane. She will be more pleased than anyone to have you back. I have tested her energy to the limits.”
“Poor Leena. You really are very intense at times you know. And she can’t even tire you out,” she teased.
“You are going to pay for that someday Myka Bering,” she growled. “And no, no one has been there to tire me out as you so elegantly put it. Perhaps it would’ve been easier on everyone if there had been someone.”
Myka looked up at her. “Are you telling me that you’ve not had a lover in three years?” she asked stunned.
Helena nodded. “My heart still belongs with you, darling. How could I even consider taking another lover when you are the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I think of before falling asleep? That would not be fair to her, would it?”
Myka chewed on her lip again and nodded. “I guess not. I’m sorry that you didn’t find someone Helena, but at the same time I’m not above feeling a little joy over not having shared you with anyone. I know, it’s selfish, but it’s the truth.”
“I know we never exchanged vows or talked much about the future, but you should know that I think of you as my wife. I don’t need fancy words or a ceremony to know that in my heart. And that’s why I could never take a lover while you were still out there, lost God knows where. If you decide that you don’t want me, and tell me to break this bond between us, then perhaps with time it could happen. I just don’t see it happening anytime soon.”
Myka just stared at her. “Helena,” she whispered. “Is that how you think of me?”
Helena nodded. “In my heart I am tied to you in the strongest of bonds. I love you with my heart, body and soul Myka Bering.”
Myka brushed her fingertips over Helena’s cheek. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Then don’t say anything. Think about it and when and if you’re ready to share your life with me again, then the words will come to you.”
Myka nodded. “I do love you Helena,” she said softly. “I just don’t know if I am ready to share my life with you again.”
Helena swallowed trying to not show how Myka’s words stung. Myka saw the sadness sweep over her face and winced.
“It seems like I’m just hurting you more with my words. Clearly I haven’t kissed the Blarney stone.”
Helena smiled. She took Myka’s hand. “It’s all right darling. I know what you mean. I will try to be patient. I know that you’re worth waiting for.”
Myka smiled. With a sigh she got up. “I better get my suitcase so I can change clothes or you will definitely not want me in your life or room for very long.”
Helena chuckled and nodded. “True and we know how funny my clothes look on you.”
Myka shot her a dirty look. “Not one word from you about a flood or I will hurt you.”
Helena laughed; glad to hear the old Myka again. “But it’s so much fun darling. And my pants really are a couple of inches too short for you. It’s quite funny actually.”
Myka huffed and stomped off to the door. “Will you be here or should I take the key?”
“Take the key. I’m going to take a shower. We’ll get you a key later.”
Myka nodded and grabbed the key card from the desk and left. Helena sighed and leaned back against the couch. She jumped when she heard her Farnsworth buzz. She scrambled to her feet and walked over to the night stand. She picked it up and sat down on the bed.
“Good morning Artie,” she said and smiled at the extreme close up of Artie’s face.
“Morning, yeah, whatever. Did you get it yet?”
“Not yet, but I have a solid lead. I’m going to an event this evening. There’s a high likelihood that it will be there.”
“Finally!” Then his face got closer to the screen. “Why didn’t you report in earlier? Do you need backup? I can send Pete.”
She shook her head. “It’s too late. He won’t get here in time. I only learned about it late last night,” she lied. She chewed on her lip.
“What aren’t you telling me?” he asked as his eyes narrowed. She smiled. He always picked up on the in between the lines stuff.
“Are you alone?” He nodded. “I found Myka,” she said softly.
Artie gaped. “You found… How is she? Let me talk to her.”
“She just stepped out to get her things from the car. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to talk to her yet. And please don’t tell the others.”
He nodded. “How is she?”
“Upset and a bit angry with me. Mostly hurt and confused. Still I plan on bringing her tonight. She is a good agent and she can be my backup.”
“Helena, no. She’s not an agent anymore.”
Helena smiled. “She doesn’t need a badge to be an agent. She has it in her blood. And her senses are still sharp. I know I can count on her if I need to.”
Artie sighed. “Okay, but keep a close eye on her.”
“I promise. You know that I would give my life for her. I will not let anything happen to her.”
“I know Helena,” he said softly.
“If we find the artifact tonight we might be able to leave tomorrow.”
“We? She’s coming with you?”
“I hope so. I’m still working on it. I want to bring her home Artie. That’s where she belongs. With me and you and the others. She just needs to remember that again.”
“I know you’ll do what’s right. I trust you Helena.”
Helena smiled. “You now that I cherish those words from you every time I hear them,” she said softly.
“Ah, well, whatever. Don’t go and get all mushy on me now,” he huffed, but she could tell that he appreciated the words. They had come a long way since the early days of mistrust and painful stabs at each other. Artie had even comforted her at one point when she broke down crying in frustration over being unable to find Myka. He had just held her as she cried, gently stroking her hair.
“I know you love me,” she teased. “See you soon papa bear.”
“Oh you…” she missed the end of his tirade as she closed her Farnsworth when she heard the door open.
“Were you talking to someone?”
Helena sighed. “I was. Artie just called to check in.”
“I see.” The question was hanging in the air. Helena looked at her and nodded.
“I told him.”
Myka sighed and hung her head. “I wish you hadn’t, but I understand why.”
“He promised that he wouldn’t tell the others. For now.”
Myka nodded. “Thanks.”
“Look, I need to go to this event this evening. I’m hoping that I will be able to get my hands on the artifact there. I would very much like for you to come with me.”
Myka stared at her. “Why? I’m not an agent anymore.”
“You will always be an agent Myka. It’s in your blood, in your soul. Your instincts haven’t changed. I could use your help.”
Myka took a deep breath. “Okay, just this once.”
Helena beamed at her. “Thank you. Now all we have to do is get you a dress.”
Myka made a face. “Not fair. You could’ve told me that before I accepted,” she mumbled.
Helena grinned and patted her cheek as she walked past her. “But I didn’t and now you have accepted, so I get to go shopping with you and watch you try on beautiful dresses. What a delightful day this is turning out to be.”
Myka made a face at her back.
“I saw that.”
“No you didn’t,” Myka made a face again. “How did you know that?” she said slightly annoyed. Helena just laughed.
Continued in Part 3