Title: I'm in the Dance, and it's a Chance

Rating: T

Summary: Would you please get out from under my skin?

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

{{{}}}

So, the thing about HG is she gets under your skin.

It's not in a bad way though, which is sort of the problem.

You actually kinda wish you found her aggravating or annoying or something and you probably should considering she's arrogant, a bit insolent and in possession of a smarmy sort of charm that you've never encountered before but she's also brilliant and witty and so…lovely and that tends to override the other stuff.

HG gets under your skin in a way that reminds you of secrets and lies and Sam and that…well, that's a problem too.

You've read the Warehouse handbook backwards and forward, you even know parts of it by heart but one day, after you spend half the afternoon walking around Univille with HG and watching her eyes widen in awe at the simplest things, you reread the section on fraternization just for reference.

And its not like you have a crush on HG or anything because she's The HG Wells and the notion of you having a crush on her is just…ridiculous. Besides, its fascination more than anything else and really, who are you to not be awestruck by HG Wells and all of her brilliance?

"Myka?" You stop filing papers as HG breezes into Artie's office, Claudia and Pete trailing behind her with matching grins. "Myka, do you also have one of these iPods?"

You smile a little as HG holds up what looks to be Claudia's bedazzled iPod, a look of disbelief in her eyes as she flips it over in her fingers.

"Mykes, its crazy!" Pete yells, "She doesn't know what anything is! It's like she's an alien or something! I swear, she played with the Velcro on my sneakers for, like, hours!"

You roll your eyes a little bit at Pete before focusing on HG's glowing face and sigh. "I do."

"As Claudia has explained it to me, this little gadget can hold thousands of songs or films, even television programs." HG beams and you nod, your own face splitting into a grin. "That is just aces. Though, I have to admit I find Claudia's taste in music a bit too bitter for my own palate. I'd much prefer something a bit calmer, maybe without so much screaming."

"Aw, HG, you're not feeling my screamo?" Claudia glowers a little and when HG glances at her Claudia's eyes widen and she more or less scurries across the room.

"Maybe I could use your iPod." HG wonders, twisting the last word around her mouth awkwardly. "Peruse your music section. I have the sneaking suspicion that you and I share a lot of the same tastes."

"Of course." You say easily even though your stomach does a funny dropping thing that makes you bite down on your tongue.

"Fantastic." HG says, eyes lingering on your for a moment before turning back towards Claudia and Pete.

And you totally do not have a crush on HG because that would just be…ridiculous.

{{{}}}

Somewhere along the line, you think it was between the search for the a wrongfully terminated but still disproportionately scorned history professor using the original Bagdad Battery to turn his colleagues into crispy critters and the hunt for a lonely housewife using Marilyn Monroe's infamous white dress to seduce the husbands in the neighborhood into affairs, HG took to completely dismantling things around the B&B.

A vacuum cleaner here, a TV remote there, all taken apart and put back together quicker than your brain could ever comprehend so you're not entirely surprised when you jog into the kitchen, sweaty and breathless to find HG hunched over the table with Pete's laptop completely dismembered in front of her.

"Pete's gonna be pretty bummed he won't be able to watch any cat videos for a while." You huff, circling HG on your way to the refrigerator and HG glances up, smirking at you.

"Yes, well, I'm nearly positive there are more appropriate things for Pete to be doing with the ridiculous amount of time he spends watching kittens become trapped in cardboard boxes." HG laughs, setting down the screwdriver she used to take apart the laptop before sitting back in her chair to watch you pull a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

"So, you're helping him, then?" You ask, twisting until the bottle cap comes undone with a crack. "By completely taking apart his computer?"

You take a long swallow, bottle crunching and groaning in your hand and when you finish HG is watching you, eyebrow cocked and mouth twisted up in that nearly constant smirk and there's a flutter behind your ribs that you don't care to examine.

"I'd like to think so." She murmurs after a moment. "So, what have you been doing to leave you in such a state?"

You feel yourself blush a little, reaching up to tuck damp curls of stray hair behind your ears. "Pete and I went for a run. He's passed out on the stairs right now."

"Does your prowess often leave others so …exhausted?" She wonders innocently except not really because her eyebrow is arching slowly and her mouth is curving upwards just a bit more and you shake your head, try to ignore the blush that only deepens under HG's steady gaze.

"I, uh, I don't…" You trail off into nervous laughter, capping your water bottle carefully.

"Nothing to be ashamed of, you know." HG continues, hands folded in her lap and legs crossed. "Ability such as yours is something to be proud of."

"Do you…" You pause, staring at HG for a moment and she meets your gaze almost defiantly. "Why do you say things like that to me?"

"Because you're just so lovely when you blush." HG murmurs softly and her honesty only makes you blush deeper which in turn makes her chuckle softly. "I hope I don't upset you because that is far from my intention."

You shake your head 'no' quickly, embarrassed. "No, its just…I'm not exactly use to hearing stuff like-like that."

"Darling, it is a crime that you are not being complimented every moment of every day." HG says softly and you suck in a slow breath while your insides flutter again, like you haven't felt since high school, since Sam.

"Myka? Do you know why Pete is unconscious on the stairs…?"

You're both a little relieved and a little disappointed when Leena walks into the kitchen, glancing away from HG before draining the rest of your water bottle.

"Yeah, actually I do." You mutter, dragging a hand over your mouth.

"It would seem Agent Lattimer was on the receiving end of a butt kicking." HG grins proudly and Leena smirks at you but her eyes are focused on the air around you, reading your aura you assume.

"I'm gonna go drag him the rest of the way upstairs." You say, clearing your throat and leaning away from the counter quickly while Leena eyeballs you in that way she has.

"Will I be graced by your presence again tonight?" HG asks casually but her eyes are dark and you just know she sees it when your gaze flicks down to her mouth.

"Yeah, sure." You swallow, glancing away as your cheeks flame again, completely averting your eyes from Leena's knowing gaze as you bound out of the room.

{{{}}}

"So…" Claudia starts, dropping into the dining chair across from you, legs all folded up underneath her like origami and you take the way she draws the word out as your cue to stop reading, slipping a bright red Twizzler between the pages of your book like a bookmark.

"So?" you grin, setting your book down on the table and tugging another Twizzler from the package sitting in front of you. "What's up, Claude?"

"Nothings up with me." She's bursting with excitement, you can see it in the way her nose is scrunching up and her hands are clenching. "What's up with you?"

Claudia's eyebrows are arching and her head is bobbing and she's gesturing like you should know what she's talking about and you originally thought she wanted to talk about a boy or plan a practical joke on Pete but now you're just lost.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." you laugh as Claudia leans forward against the table, wood creaking under her eagerness and bright eyes wide.

"Dude I'm talking about you and HG!" Claudia literally squeals but your brow bends in confusions and she rolls her eyes like you're the one being incomprehensible.

"Me and HG? What…?"

"Look, I'm not trying to get up in your grill or anything I was just curious how long you guys have been, ya know, doing the horizontal tango, making the beast with two backs, getting the B&B a rockin', doing the dance that makes angels cry."

"Are-are you talking about sex?" A strange mix of horror and embarrassment and a little bit more horror swells inside of you because Claudia is sitting across from you asking about sex and HG and you are definitely not having sex and you're definitely not having it with HG Wells.

"I know I'm asking for TMI but you and me are both mature, modern women and what's a little girl talk between two worldly gals like us? And don't worry, I'm not gonna narc to Artie or anything because we both know he's still all grumpy walrus about HG being here in the first place and finding out that you and HG are getting it on would make his brain leak out of his ears." Claudia offers while you blink at her stupidly, jaw hanging open and Twizzler floating near your mouth. " But I need to know when you guys started hooking up and thank you because HG is way less scary when she's making googly eyes at you…"

"We're not!" You blurt, cutting Claudia's rambling off abruptly. "I'm not…and we're…we don't…"

"Dude…" Claudia sighs, rocking back in her chair as realization dawns, chewing her Twizzler thoughtfully. "Really?"

"Of course I'm not sleeping with Helena." You cry, Twizzler clutched tightly in your hand now.

"Well, why not?" Claudia asks, frowning now.

"Because I'm not gay!" You exclaim before taking a calming breath. "I mean I-I'm not… and fraternization…that's a-a violation of rule 467B in the manual…Why would you think that?"

"I don't want to rock your straight girl world but the way you guys look at each other is a sixteen on the gaydar and that thing only goes up to ten."

"My brain is breaking, literally, I can feel it." You huff, pressing your forehead into your palm. "Claudia, HG and I aren't…sleeping together and-and this entire conversation is so inappropriate."

"Alright, well if you say you're not then I guess your not." Claudia sighs like she's disappointed and you wonder when Claudia got so comfortable around you. Comfortable enough to ask you stuff like this.

"We're not." You affirm once more, watching Claudia snake another Twizzler out of the pack and you glare at her. "Stop eating my candy."

"Alright, alright, sorry." Claudia laughs and you shake your head, crossing your arms over your stomach in a vague attempt to quell the rolling, twisting feeling going on behind your ribs while you watch Claudia pop out of her chair. "But there's no way you can say that HG doesn't make you feel all tingly in your pants. Its so obvious she gets you going."

"I don't know what your talking about." You say, folding a Twizzler into your mouth.

"Aw, look. I'm making you all red." Claudia sighs, shoulders dropping like you're some pathetic, love sick puppy. "Also, Artie is looking for you and he looks pissed."

"Great." You sigh, watching her circle back around the table, heading for the door.

"And BTW in case your curious, gay or not gay, HG totally has the hots for you." Claudia disappears through the door and all you can do is gape after her.

{{{}}}

The search for Coco Chanel's love potion is your first real mission with HG as a part of the team and it goes relatively smoothly, only relatively though because you receive a full, flowery yet citrusy, blast to the face and from what you know about the artifact, that is bad.

"So, she's going to go insane?" HG asks calmly after the artifact has been neutralized, glancing between where you're sitting cross-legged in the middle of the narrow hotel bed and where Claudia is tapping furiously at her laptop at the desk while Pete paces the room over and over.

"With lust, yeah." Claudia glances at you apologetically and you roll your eyes, dropping your chin into your palm.

"How bad is this going to get?" HG wonders, glancing at you again and you bite your lip.

"Very…Artie says it'll wear off eventually but…it gets worse before it gets better. Like 'we may have to tie her up and put her in a cage so she can't murder someone' worse." Claudia sighs. "Hypersexuality followed by fixation, obsession and violence…really violent violence… Sorry, Dude."

"Fantastic. So I'm going to end up like the guy we got it back from? Putting the moves on anything with a pulse then trying to chop everyone into little pieces because my crush won't take me to prom?" You huff, watching Pete walk back and forth across the room, your eyes trailing over him absently. "Pete? You have a really nice ass."

It's out of your mouth before you even realize it and suddenly three pairs of eyes are on you while you flush a ridiculous shade of red.

"What was that now?" Pete sputters, brows arching and you squeeze your eyes shut with a groan, reaching back to scratch at your neck.

"I said, we need to get back to the Warehouse. ASAP."

The trip back to the Warehouse is agonizing.

Pete struts around in his best jeans, dragging compliments from your mouth and while its incredibly annoying its also ridiculously distracting and there's an awkward moment in the crowded airport where you declare yourself, somewhat hysterically and loudly, a pedophile after you find yourself trying to put the moves on Claudia despite her own assertion that she's both legal and flattered but doesn't want to make your working relationship 'all weird'.

The plane ride is awful, mostly because you fondle exactly 2 stewardess and pass a filthy note to the gentleman across the aisle before HG switches her window seat for your aisle seat and you spend what very well may be hours staring at HG's hands, HG's lips, HG's breast and its just…

"Myka, darling, you're staring." HG murmurs sweetly, glancing up from her magazine and if you weren't wound so tight, you'd find HG's consumption of trashy magazines endlessly amusing. "Reign yourself in."

"I'm sorry, I just…" You trail off, licking your lips and shifting in your seat. "I want to kiss you. On the mouth…really badly. I mean, I won't do it but I just can't stop thinking about dong it..."

HG's eyes flare, just a little bit but you see it and it sets something off in your brain, something that makes you want to fist your hand in the thick, glossy strands of her hair and pull her mouth to yours.

You know it's the stupid potion slowly and surely taking over your hormones but suddenly you need her.

"Besides that urge, how're you feeling?" HG murmurs after a moment and you watch her mouth move a moment too long before dropping your head back against the head rest.

"Um, Excited." You offer honestly, glancing in HG's direction again and at HG's confused expression you elaborate while a flush rises high in your cheeks. "Aroused. Wound up. Like my skin is too tight…horny?"

"Oh, I see. Horny, hmm? That's a delightfully crude word isn't' it?" HG hums in understanding and you gaze at the pale, soft line of her throat. "Well, Artie says this whole ordeal should be over in the next few days."

She's trying to help but a few days feels like forever and you sigh and blink upwards at the ceiling of the airplane, eyes skimming over buttons, vents and lights before squeezing shut.

"How about you guys just knock me out until this thing is over?" You groan, tossing your arm over your eyes.

"I can't do that but I can suggest performing a bit of…self service to help relieve tensions." HG offers and when you look at her from beneath your arm, she's smirking.

"That isn't funny." You huff, dropping your arm. "This isn't funny."

"You're right, it isn't and I do not envy you at the moment though, I must applaud you because other than a few minor infractions and giving Pete quite the unwarranted ego boost, you've showed admirable self control. I have no doubt you'll get through this no worse for wear." HG says quietly, reaching over to squeeze your hand reassuringly and before you can stop yourself your snagging her fingers and tugging her forward.

You're not kissing her but you're thinking about it, about kissing her hard and desperate with your free hand tangled in her hair and your tongue twisting past the ridge of her teeth and your heart pounding in your ears but you scrabble together an ounce of self control, your lips hovering over hers and your eyes squeezed shut.

"Myka…" HG whispers warningly, voice low and soothing and you exhale in relief when your fingers finally relax enough for her to ease out of your grip.

The slip of control only lasts a few seconds before you jerk backwards and stare at HG with wide eyes.

"Oh my god." You exhale, letting go of her slowly. "I am so, so, so sorry."

Pete pops up from the seat behind you, head appearing over the back of your seat while HG laughs quietly, brushing fingers against her bottom lip but her eyes focused sharply on you.

"Hey, hey, hey! What's going on up here?" Pete wonders eyeing you and HG with far too much glee while you glare at him.

You make it back to the Warehouse and as predicted, its gets worse.

Over the next couple of days you manage to kiss nearly everyone square on the mouth , Pete, Leena, Claudia, Pete again, who's not exactly trying to avoid your suddenly amorous attention and even Kelly once much to Pete's joy. Not even the plumber or the mailman are safe because you offer to let them each 'clean your pipes.' and 'put his package in your slot' respectively.

Then there's HG who you have to actively stay away from because there's this hot, dense, feeling that settles in your chest when you see her and the urges you have when you're around her are a little disconcerting.

But when you find yourself trying to kiss Artie, the only thing stopping you being Claudia's desperate arms around your waist, hauling you backwards and Pete's wide hand over your mouth and a roomful of desperate 'No's!" You, and everyone else, decide its time to for you to be quarantined.

As forewarned by Artie, it gets bad. You don't usually admit this but you kinda hate when Artie's right.

It's only a day later when you loose complete control.

You're not really sure what happens, can hardly remember any specifics when you come to two days later handcuffed to your bed Exorcism style with gritty eyes and tired muscles and a very broken nose.

But you do know that your widespread affection had eventually centered on HG and of course an unknowing HG had attempted to deliver you dinner and things had gone bad.

Really, really bad.

You can remember thick hair curled around your fist and heat and surging emotions so strong that you couldn't think straight.

There's a lot you can't recall but you will probably always remember the completely necessary but still extremely painful head butt that shattered your nose and made you loosen your grip on HG.

You tug at the handcuffs weakly, metal clanking against the headboard, and you notice Pete slumped at the side of your bed, head resting on the mattress near your hip.

"Pete." You croak weakly, pulling at your arms again. "Pete."

Pete wakes up eventually, after you knee him in the skull, rubbing his head and gazing at cautiously.

"Myka, are you…you?" He asks and you notice a three bright red scratches down the side of his neck.

"Yeah, I am." You answer hoarsely as Pete eyes you suspiciously, straightening in his chair and for the first time you see how trashed your bedroom is.

"Are you sure?" He asks. "Let me ask you something…wanna make out?"

"Pete, I already feel like crap, my face is smashed and it whistles when I breathe. Please don't make me vomit right now." You mutter tiredly, closing your eyes and completely missing Pete's look of insult. "Was it bad?"

Pete releases your arms carefully and you wince as you bring them to your side while Pete sighs, rubbing a tired hand over his eyes.

"It was." Pete finally mutters. "But on the bright side, you didn't chop anyone up into tiny pieces so I'm going to count this mission as a success."

"I'm sorry."

{{{}}}

No one has really talked about what happened, apparently you completely loosing your mind is kind of a sore subject so its just sort of been added to the ever growing list of Warehouse related things that no one really brings up.

But you've been staring at HG's forearms since the artifact wore off, the finger shaped bruises smeared there refusing to fade away and you can still feel her bones under your fingers and hear her careful, strained voice against your ear and you have to say something. Especially since she's going on like it never even happened and its all you've been able to think about.

"For what, exactly, are you apologizing?" HG murmurs, glancing at you over her shoulder for just a moment before refocusing on the clipboard in her hands and you swallow, frowning at her.

"I, uhm…" You croak helplessly, trailing behind her as she continues down the long aisle, jotting things down on her clipboard and heeled boots loud on the warehouse floor. "HG, can-can you just stop doing inventory for a second?"

You watch her stop, spine straightening before she turns on her heels to face you. "What can I do for you?"

"You can let me apologize." You blurt, eyes trailing to her arms where there crossed over her chest, keeping her clipboard tucked under her chin like a shield. "I'm so, so sorry for hurting you. For-for forcing myself on you."

"Myka, you were under the influence of an artifact." HG interrupts gently and you know she's right but that doesn't make you feel any better, doesn't make it easier to see the bruises on her arms. "I won't hold you responsible for actions you had no control over."

"Still, I want to apologize."

"Fine. Apology accepted." HG smiles indulgently, tipping her head to the side and you can't help but smile a little bit. "Also, I must apologize for the injuries I've inflicted on you as well."

You roll your eyes a little bit at that, reaching up, self-consciously, to touch the bandage more or less keeping your nose attached to your face. "I deserved way worse than a broken nose."

"I must respectively disagree." HG whispers, arms dropping from her chest while she takes a step towards you.

You don't realize you're holding your breath as HG sidles closer, reaching up to trace the bandage covering the bridge of your nose lightly, making you hiss out a breath in pain.

"It's quite painful, isn't it." HG hums softly and you nod as her fingers trail over the bruises underneath your eyes.

"Yeah, you got me pretty good." You croak as your heart pounds in your chest and you have stray thoughts about lingering effects of the artifact because there's a feeling spilling into your chest that reminds you of that night, muted and less intense but there.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I've never felt more remorseful about heading someone." She murmurs and you grin at her, wincing a little at the pull of muscles in your face. "I would never voluntarily mar your beautiful face."

"I deserved it." You swallow. "HG, I'm so sorry."

"Darling, I must insist you stop apologizing." HG grins, eyes shining while her fingertips brush over your cheekbones.

"I don't think I can." You admit weakly, swallowing thickly and HG chuckles, thumb brushing against the corner of your lips.

"Myka, I intend on kissing you right now." HG says softly and your eyes widen. "I can't do that if you keep speaking."

And you're brain, the logical part, is screaming at you to pull back, run away, to get out of there now but you find yourself suddenly struck mute as HG leans in, lips upturned and eyes sparkling.

You exhale shakily when her lips brush against your cheek, so soft and so sweet.

"Myka, you will always be forgiven."

{{{}}}

Even with Claudia's somewhat dubious observations and the growing tension between the two of you, you try not to look too much into the things involving you and HG.

But that doesn't mean there's not a sudden swell of realization every once in a while, like now for example, as HG throws an impish smile at you over Artie's shoulder while you watch her and Pete poke and prod at him until he caves and gives you all the day off, if only to be left alone by the completely annoying force of nature it turns out Pete and HG form when they work together for a common goal.

Pete gives a whoop of joy, bouncing out of the office in search of Claudia, yelling about tacos and mechanical bulls and you watch HG more or less saunter towards you, the sway of her hips distracting and the smile that quirks her mouth makes heat bloom up the back of your neck and your stomach flutter and those feelings are kind of like a nightmare.

Because burning blushing and twisting insides are feelings that you associate with wanting and desire and Sam.

"Pete claims to know of the best place to get a stiff drink." HG offers, moving to half sit on the table separating you from her and you swallow, hand moving upward to press against your stomach, sitting back in your chair and your surprised to not be able to actually feel your stomach fluttering against your palm. "Is it safe to assume you'll be joining us?"

"Oh, I don't know. There's some inventory to do and…" You trail off nervously, scratching your head.

"Oh c'mon. I'd love for you to escort me my first time at a modern, American tavern." She says brightly, fingertips dancing on the tabletop.

"Escort?" you ask dumbly, blinking at her hand and HG smiles teasingly. "Like a date?"

"If you insist." HG grins and you roll your eyes a little while your heart thumps too hard. "Should I take your affectionate exasperation as a yes?"

"Yeah." You exhale, shaking your head and rubbing the back of your neck. "Yeah."

"Fantastic." She beams and when she's looking at you that way, its hard to remember why this is probably a mistake.

The night is a drunken blur.

The bar Pete drags you, Claudia and HG to is full of faux western décor and friendly people who have no qualms about buying uptight strangers a drink and probably the only people in Univille who don't hate all of you. The alcohol probably helps with that.

Pete rides the mechanical bull too many times to count and the bartender keeps sliding drinks in front of you and more than once you glance to your left and realize that you're drinking with HG Wells. HG Wells, who is literally surrounded by men who're completely enchanted by her.

You can't say you're surprised.

You spend some time with a very sober Claudia, who gets a kick out of seeing you giggly and drunk, while you two eat the best tacos you've probably ever had.

The night seems to go by fast and before you know it you're climbing into the backseat of the car with HG while Pete hops into the driver seat, belting out Bon Jovi at the top of his longs and Claudia joins him from the passenger's seat.

You don't move as HG's fingers trail up your arm carefully, thumb stroking the inside of your elbow like it's a place more special than it actually is while you make your way back to the B&B.

"How are you feeling, Darling?" She whispers quietly, hand curling around your bicep before tracing downward again and you grin at her crookedly, wriggling your fingers as she traces the lines of your palm.

"I feel…" You start thoughtfully, wondering how exactly to put into words how you feel with too much alcohol in your veins courtesy of Pete and the run down bar he dragged you and HG to because it apparently been too long since he got his 'groove on'.

You're at that place, that place that only drinking too much can take you, where your feeling borderline amazing and marginally terrible simultaneously and you have no idea how to tell that to HG because the words won't form together right.

"I feel great. Fantastic." You say instead, bumping your head against HG's lightly while she laughs against your ear and Pete starts singing Captain and Tennile in the front seat. You glance at the rearview mirror and meet his eyes for just a moment before you have to look away.

"Ladies, its been a pleasure. But I think I broke a rib on the bull, so I'm going to bed." Pete declares in what is possibly the loudest whisper ever once you get home and up the stairs and you giggle a little as he bows deeply with a wince.

"Me too. Though this night is going into my memory bank forever." Claudia declares, grinning at you. "Drunk Myka. I thought I'd never see the day. Goodnight chicas."

You watch both of them wander to respective bedrooms before glancing at HG.

"You're quite intoxicated." HG smiles easily as you stagger towards your own bedroom while simultaneously regretting every single shot you took tonight.

"I'm not the only one." You laugh, leaning back against your door as the walls dance a little. "Did you have a good time tonight?"

"I did." HG sighs, moving to recline back against her own bedroom door across the hall from yours. "Though I think it had more to do with your company than the drinks or male attention."

"You're…You are…" You trail off as HG smiles at you in the dark, door knob digging into your hip and you want to tell her that she's drunk, that she's beautiful, that she's so scary but all you can manage is a grin.

"I'm what?" HG exhales, leaning against her own door across the hall, hands tucked behind her in a way that should be sort of innocent but just isn't, not with the way her hips are cocked forward and her head is tilted. "What am I, Myka?"

"You're so far away." You murmur finally, dropping your head back against your door with a thud and squeezing your eyes shut as the world tips and spins just a little.

You hear HG push away from her door, listen to her move across the hall until she's right in front of you breathing slow and even.

"Consider that problem remedied." She whispers after a moment and you open your eyes to gaze at her.

"Who says it was a problem?" You ask and HG grins widely at you, edging into your personal space like it never existed at all. "Maybe it's a solution."

"You're speaking in riddles." HG hums, eyes dark and mouth playful and when you think about kissing her, about tipping your chin down and pressing your mouth to hers, you drop your head backwards in the opposite direction, against the door with a loud thud once, then you do it again harder.

"I'm too drunk to be speaking at all." You huff eventually, reaching back to fumble with your doorknob. "I need to sleep."

"I could help you." HG offers quickly, biting her bottom lip and you stare too long at her mouth. "Assist you in getting to bed, I mean. You know, tuck you in. Maybe a bedtime story to help you doze off."

"Yeah, that's definitely not a good idea." You exhale slowly, twisting the knob until the door clicks open and ignore the blush burning high in your cheeks. "Because when you say 'Tuck you in' it sounds like something else."

HG moves, planting a hand on the door jam and you squeeze the doorknob hard. "You're blushing."

"Aren't I always?" You swallow, licking your lips before grinning at HG. "Oh my God, I can't believe I got drunk with HG Wells tonight. That is just…."

"You can do much more with the infamous HG Wells if you'd like." HG offers suggestively, teeth sinking into her bottom lip and something inside of you, something important, throbs so hard that your knees nearly buckle.

"I want to." You finally croak after a long moment and you see HG's eyes flare hotly, watch her wet her lips slowly as she edges closer to you. "But you're drunk and I'm drunk and-and…oh my god, I cant believe I spent the night drinking with HG Wells…and Pete rode a bull…and-and…"

"And?" HG whispers, fingers tightening on the door frame and you exhale slowly as your sense of responsibility, your obligation to follow every line of the rule book, this compulsion to do the right thing that never ever seems to go away, kicks in full force.

"And we both need to go sleep it off." You finally mumble because it's the right thing to do as much as it sucks and you're surprised when HG just chuckles lowly, easing away from you just a bit.

"Myka," She sighs your name reverently. " So honorable. Always doing the right thing."

"Yeah." You groan, gripping the door knob so tight you're sure your palm will bruise. "I guess."

"You do know, it was worlds easier to entice your partner into a kiss." HG teases gently and you shake your head.

"Yeah, well, I've also seen Pete make out with a cookie so that's not really anything to proud of." You mutter softly and HG tips her head in assent.

"Either way, I'd like it to be known that I'm more than prepared to take on a challenge." HG says softly before straightening slowly and taking a backwards step towards her bedroom.

"Goodnight, Helena." you laugh and HG smiles just a little.

"Goodnight, Myka."

You don't let yourself fall into bed until you hear HG's door click open then shut.