Chapter 10

Myka walked through the front door of Leena's Bed and Breakfast and dropped her bag on the floor of the foyer. She breathed deeply, reveling in the smell of fresh-cut flowers and something baking in the kitchen. The agent realized that she associated this smell with "home," and sadness washed over her. She would miss this place and these people, these wonderful people, who made up the fabric of her day-to-day life. Tears welled up in her eyes and she rocked on her heels as the enormity of what she was giving up crashed down on her.

Myka was so engrossed in her thoughts and feelings that she did not notice Leena standing in the doorway to the living room. The innkeeper simply watched the other woman, observing the shift in her aura and sensing that Myka needed a moment to process her thoughts. When the colors of the agent's aura re-settled into some semblance of the woman she knew, Leena simply stated the obvious.

"It's good to have you home, Myka."

Myka's eyes found the welcoming face of the innkeeper, and she couldn't contain her sorrow any longer. Leena stepped forward to catch Myka as the agent's knees buckled, carrying them both to floor. The innkeeper simply held the agent in her arms, rocking her and stroking the unruly curls. Finally, Myka stopped crying and reached for the tissue box that Leena always kept on the hall table. Neither woman moved to get up from the floor and sat in companionable silence until Myka said, "It is home, Leena. But she's my home now, too. I have to choose."

"You love Helena, Myka," Leena nodded in understanding. "That much has always been obvious."

Myka shot the other woman a horrified look, and Leena amended her earlier statement. "It was always obvious to me, anyway."

Leena wrapped her arms around the agent and said, "This doesn't have to stop being your home just because you leave. We're family, and family is always together, no matter the miles between. We're in your heart, just as you're in ours. You'll always be welcome here."

Myka's heavy sigh belied the lightness she felt at Leena's words. "I just wish…"

"You wish?" Leena prompted.

"Nothing," Myka said quickly. "It can't happen, so there's no use in wishing for it."

Myka missed Leena's knowing smile as she got to her feet. "I need to pack, and I might as well get started before everyone gets back. I'm not going to feel like doing it after I tell them this evening."

"There's no rush, you know," Leena said quietly. "And I will help, if you want me to."

"Thank you," Myka said with a shake of her head, "but I think I need to be alone for a while."

"Okay," Leena acquiesced as the agent started up the stairs. "Let me know if you change your mind."

"I will," Myka said as she disappeared around the corner, leaving Leena standing alone in the foyer with a small smile on her lips.

Two hours later, Myka smiled as she heard Claudia's voice carry up the stairs, obviously yelling at Pete. "You didn't have to eat all of them! I wanted a doughnut, too, you know."

Pete's muffled voice reached her ears, despite talking with his mouth full. "You should've grabbed one before you gave me the box."

Myka headed for the stairs as the door slammed, desperate to see the two people she loved like siblings. She clattered down the stairs and stopped on the landing as Claudia and Pete stared up at her. Before she knew it, she was wrapped in strong, masculine arms as Pete rushed up the stairs and picked her up in a bear hug. She felt Claudia's slender body pressed against her side as the small redhead pushed her way into the embrace. The brunette was unaware of the tears streaming down her face as she wrapped one arm around Pete and the other arm around Claudia, hugging them both to her as tightly as she could.

"Oh, I've missed you. Both of you." Myka kissed the top of Claudia's head and rested her head on Pete's shoulder.

"Can I get one of those?" Artie's voice startled her, as she did not see him come in.

Myka released a smiling Pete and a teary Claudia and descended the stairs to Artie's waiting embrace, the small man hugging her tightly. "Of course you get one, too."

"Are you back for good?" Artie asked her quietly, not letting the other agents hear him.

Myka's nearly imperceptible shake of her head was not lost on the older man, but Claudia and Pete missed the exchange. "We'll talk after dinner. I'd like to have one last dinner together before I break the news."

Artie nodded and turned away before the younger agents could see his eyes fill up with tears. "Wash up for dinner. You never know what you've been touching in that warehouse."

"He's always so grumpy," Claudia grumbled as she came back down the stairs to wrap her arms around Myka's waist.

"You wouldn't have him any other way, and you know it," Myka responded as she hugged the younger woman again. "He has a point about the stuff in the warehouse. Go wash up for dinner. We're almost ready to eat."

"I want to hear about your trip with H.G.," the redhead protested.

"Later," Myka said. "We'll talk about it after dinner."

"Okay," a petulant Claudia said as she turned to go back up the stairs. She turned back to look at Myka when the older woman said, "Wait."

The brunette was confused as she asked, "How did you know I was with Helena?"

"She left us a note," was Claudia's simple reply before she headed back up the stairs.

Of course she did, Myka thought. She would never let them worry about me like that. She really has changed. I love her so much. This is the right thing to do.

Myka shook off the last of her lingering doubts and went to help Leena finish the dinner preparations.

After an enjoyable dinner, the agents and Leena gathered in the living room to chat over coffee. Their incessant chatter had lasted all through the meal and carried over into the living room.

"Myka," Claudia got her attention. "Tell us about your time with Helena."

Myka nodded. It was time. "Well, Helena took me to her house in Colorado. It's a very nice estate in the mountains. We spent all of our time there, except when we went to visit my parents. She only lives about an hour and a half from them."

"Is she okay?" Claudia asked, her concern for the author clear in her voice.

"She's okay," Myka confirmed. "She needed time to come to grips with what happened that day in the warehouse. She's gotten there, but she realized some things. Which brings me to something I need to tell you."

Myka took in a deep breath as she surveyed the faces in front of her. "Helena loves me, and I love her."

"We know that, Myka," Pete said around a mouthful of cookie.

"Well, you don't know that I've decided that I need to be with her. All the time."

Myka was confused as Pete, Claudia, Artie, and Leena all broke into brilliant smiles. "No, you don't understand..."

"We do understand, Myka," Claudia beamed as she got to her feet and rushed past Myka.

Myka turned to see the redhead enveloped in the arms of H.G. Wells, with Mrs. Frederick standing beside her. The brunette's shock got the better of her, and Myka stood there with her mouth hanging open as everyone took their turn to hug the author.

"Myka," Mrs. Frederick said as she approached the other woman. "I've made Helena an offer she can't refuse."

"What?" the agent managed to stammer out. "What's going on?"

Mrs. Frederick smiled and said, "Agent Wells is returning to the warehouse. She's been reinstated with all of her rights and responsibilities. I know that you were planning to leave to be with her, but I could not stand the thought of losing you, Agent Bering. You belong here, and so does Ms. Wells."

H.G.'s eyes locked with Myka's, and the author crossed the room to stand in front of her lover. "She came to me right after you left and offered to reinstate me."

Myka reached out to touch H.G., still in shock at finding her in the B & B. "What does this mean?"

"It means that you don't have to choose. We can both have everything we want. I'll have you, and you'll have me and the rest of the warehouse team."

"But this isn't what you wanted, Helena," Myka protested.

"That's where you're wrong," H.G. replied. "All I wanted was to be with you. You were going to give up this life that you love for me, but you'd have resented me for it someday. I could not bear to be the cause of your resentment. When Mrs. Frederick offered to reinstate me, I realized that I miss this life, too. I want to come back."

"Are you sure?" Myka was still unable to accept that her wish was coming true.

"I'm as sure as I could ever be," H.G. replied with a sensual smile as she pulled the younger woman into her arms for a hug and a light kiss.

Pete and Claudia cheered while Mrs. Frederick, Leena, and Artie looked on with serene smiles. The team was back together and that deserved a celebration.

Later that night, H.G. and Myka snuggled in the younger woman's bed. The author rolled on top of the agent and ran her hands under her shirt, seeking more skin-on-skin contact. Brown eyes met Myka's hazel eyes, brown in the dim light, seeking permission for more. The younger agent reached up and pulled H.G.'s head down for a passionate kiss. The author broke the kiss and whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Myka asked, kissing a trail down the other woman's jawline.

"I made you feel like you had to choose. If it wasn't for Mrs. Frederick…"

"No 'ifs' allowed here, baby," Myka said. "And you don't have to be sorry."

"Why is that?" H.G. asked, losing herself in the other woman's touch.

"I love you, Helena G. Wells, and love means never having to say you're sorry."

"Sweetheart…" H.G. sighed and wiped away her tears, happy to learn that she was not the only person in their relationship with a flair for the dramatic. She pulled off her clothes and divested Myka of her clothes, too. As she found herself under the younger woman's body looking up into Myka's eyes, H.G. whispered, "I love you, too."

~Fin~

A/N: Thank you very much to everyone who has read this story. I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. I'm currently working on a Sanctuary fic and a Law & Order: SVU fic that will eventually be loaded. However, I will not be loading either fic until it is complete. If a Sanctuary fic or a L&O:SVU fic is something you're interested in, please add me to your alerts so you'll know when it gets posted. As you can see from my history with this fic, I'm not a prolific poster, so you'll not be inundated with tons of alert e-mails.