1/?

She had to admit she'd expected it. When Helena walked back into her life, the astrolabe no longer needing to be guarded, she had known that she wasn't going to let the author out of her life again before telling her she needed her.

Helena had looked at her for a long moment, before taking her lips in a bruising kiss. They'd had each other everywhere – the wall, the bed, the shower and, even memorably, Myka's dresser. It had been a flurry of fingers, lips, teeth, tongues and hot, wet flesh that had been pleasured by eager lovers discovering each other for the first time.

And the pleasure. Dear god, Myka could never have imagined the pleasure from that night. She had forgotten how many times she had come, Helena's name falling from her lips over and over. The next day she had barely been able to move, but to her delight, neither had Helena.

That led them to now, three weeks later. Myka was awake and staring at the ceiling. Helena was curled up in her arms, still asleep. Myka was contemplating words.

She had never said 'I love you' to anyone before. That included Sam. She had never really thought about a life with someone – with Sam that hadn't been possible. But with Helena here, lying next to her, she wondered if maybe, just maybe, it might be.

"You're thinking very loudly, darling."

Myka tightened her hold on Helena. "Not really. Just wondering if we have time for me to have you before we go to work."

A slow smile appeared on Helena's face. "I'll make you a deal. You can have me here, as long as I can take you in the shower."

Myka pretended to ponder the thought, before moving above Helena and leaning down so their lips were mere millimeters apart. "Deal."

Helena closed the space between them and they kissed slowly. Myka ran her hands downwards and spread Helena's legs beneath her. She moaned when she realized how wet her lover already was.

"What were you dreaming about?" Myka whispered.

Helena's eyes were dark with arousal. "What do you think?"

Myka took Helena's lips in another furious kiss as her fingers skimmed over wet heat. Helena whimpered and her hands went around Myka's neck, keeping her in the kiss.

One of Myka's hands trailed up to fondle an already hard nipple, caressing and tweaking it in a way that sent bolts of pleasure through Helena's body.

"Myka…stop teasing…"

Myka chuckled and trailed kisses down Helena's body, down her neck, her collarbone and over her breasts. She sucked and licked on Helena's nipples, making them swell even more with arousal. By the time her tongue trailed over Helena's abdomen, the author was writhing beneath her, her breath coming in small, breathy gasps.

Myka settled herself between Helena's legs, urging them further apart and resting her hands on Helena's thighs, trying to keep the bucking to a minimum.

Helena's gasps turned into a long, drawn-out moan as Myka's tongue trailed over her folds. Her hands fisted themselves in Myka's curls, and she whimpered as Myka's tongue thrust deeply inside her.

The agent moved her tongue towards Helena's clit and thrust two fingers deeply inside her lover. She moaned as she felt Helena's walls clench around her fingers, and she quickened her thrusts and the lashing of her tongue against Helena's clit.

Helena's grip on Myka's hair tightened as her entire body froze and she came with a groan of Myka's name. The younger woman continued her ministrations; eagerly lapping up everything Helena gave her.

When she could take no more, Helena tugged at Myka, urging her upwards for a kiss.

"That…is a wonderful way to start the day."

Myka smirked. "I agree." Her fingers ran over Helena's lips. "You taste incredible, sweetheart."

Helena sucked Myka's fingers into her mouth, watching Myka's eyes darken with arousal. When she finally let them go, she nudged Myka with her hips. "Start the shower. I want to taste you too."

Myka grinned and eased herself off the bed, grabbing a robe and heading to the shower. She had almost fallen to her knees and worshipped the new owner of the B and B when the woman had decided they needed more than one bathroom.

She went inside and started running the shower. Helena joined her a few moments later, locking the bathroom door behind her. Myka dropped her robe and got into the shower, the hot water instantly plastering her curls to her skin. Helena smiled at the sight and got in the shower beside her, and she immediately ran her hands over Myka's wet skin.

"I need you," Myka whispered.

"Mmm, I know." Helena's fingers found Myka wet and hot. She smirked and pressed soft kisses and licks to the rest of Myka's body, before settling on her knees and urging Myka's leg over her shoulder. "Hold on, love."

Myka braced herself and her hips jerked as Helena began to pleasure her. "Fuck," she groaned, her head hitting the tiled wall of the shower as Helena hit a particularly sensitive spot.

Helena found Myka's potty-mouth when she was being eaten out particularly amusing and she chuckled against Myka's sex.

"Shut up," Myka muttered, her face flushing.

Helena replied by pushing two fingers deep into her lover. Myka arched her body towards Helena, who, wary of the fact that there were other people in the house who used the bathrooms, focused her tongue on Myka's clit and she hooked her fingers inside. Myka's fingers went to Helena's head, tightening and keeping Helena as close to her as possible.

"Helena….please…" Myka could feel her body hovering on the edge of a powerful orgasm, and she ached for the release she knew her lover would bring her.

The author sucked Myka's clit into her mouth, running her tongue around it and hooked her fingers once more. Myka fell into her pleasure with a long, drawn-out "Fuck", as she shuddered against Helena's touch.

As her body struggled to keep upright afterwards, Helena eased Myka down onto the floor beside her. She then rocked back on her heels and gave Myka an amused look.

"Don't say a word," Myka warned her.

"I wouldn't dream of it, darling."

Myka stood in the library of the Warehouse, still looking up things on Sutton and his new friends. She was so engrossed that she didn't notice a despondent Helena enter the room until the other woman said her name.

"Myka."

The agent looked up and a broad smile filled her face. "Hey." As she looked at Helena, she noticed the look on her lover's face. "What's the matter? What happened?"

Helena walked over to where Myka stood and hovered nervously in front of her. "Mrs Frederic needs me to do a job for the Regents."

Myka put the book she was holding down. "Oh."

Helena reached out, her fingers cupping Myka's cheek. "I don't want to leave you."

Myka felt the love swell in her heart. She had to tell her, she needed to tell her, but she couldn't form the words. "How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know." Helena watched Myka's face fall and she felt her heart breaking. "Myka, please know that I have no choice in this. My being at the Warehouse is contingent on me being useful. Mrs Frederic is adamant that there is no one else that can perform this job but me."

"Is it dangerous?"

Helena smiled sadly. "Our job is always dangerous, love."

"You're leaving now, aren't you?"

Helena nodded, not willing herself to speak. Myka stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Helena. The author welcomed the embrace, holding Myka tightly to her body.

Finally, Myka pulled back. "Stay safe. I expect you to come back to me."

Helena nodded again, and leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Myka's lips. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Forcing herself to walk away, Helena turned and left the room. As she closed the door behind her, she gritted her teeth, willing herself not to cry.

On the other side, Myka curled into one of the library chairs and sobbed.

Weeks passed. Sutton's power to be a pain was growing, and his new alliance was causing more danger as time continued. Myka hadn't heard a word from Helena, and when she had approached Mrs Frederic, she had been told that the work was top secret, and Helena had not even been supposed to tell Myka she was leaving.

Inwardly, the thought that Helena had completely ignored instructions made Myka's heart soar. Outwardly she just nodded.

Finally, as Myka, Pete, Claudia and Steve stood in Artie's office, listening to him give them assignments for inventory, Mrs Frederic appeared and mentioned that Agent Wells would be returning that day. Myka noticed that the caretaker seemed to be directing the information to her.

"I expect you all to be on high alert today," Mrs Frederic continued. "The threats against the warehouse and everyone in it have not stopped, and we cannot underestimate Sutton and his new alliance. He may have ways into the Warehouse that we are unaware of, or he may have weapons that we cannot comprehend."

After she had disappeared, Claudia heaved a huge sigh.

"Well, that was cheery."

Pete glanced at Artie. "Do you really think Sutton and his new friend could get into the Warehouse?"

"It's possible. So keep your Farnsworth's and Tesla's ready."

Myka had wandered into the library again. She was certain there was something they were missing about Sutton, and, as always, she was certain the answer would lie in a book.

As she perused the shelves, her mind wandered to Helena's impending return. The time apart had given her a lot of time to think. The ultimate conclusion had been that she loved Helena. She wanted to build a life with her. She didn't want there to be any confusion as to their relationship. She wanted Helena to be with her as much as possible, and more than that, she didn't want Helena disappearing all the time.

Myka needed Helena like she needed air. Whenever they were apart, it felt like part of her was missing, and her life never became whole again until she heard that voice, saw those dark eyes staring into her own.

Yes, she was definitely going to go toe to toe with Mrs Frederic and the Regents about the issue of Helena's little "jobs".

"Myka, hand over the book."

Myka broke from her thoughts and turned to see Sutton and another man standing at the doorway. She frowned and went for her Tesla, but found Sutton's accomplice had a gun pointed at her.

"He's a very good shot," Sutton shrugged. "I'd hate for anything to happen to you, Myka, so perhaps if you just hand over the book, I'll be leaving and you'll be alive."

Myka looked down at the book in her hands. "It's just a book. Why would you want it?"

"Books are so much more powerful than anyone gives them credit for. I thought you might have known that, since you grew up in a rare bookstore."

Myka paused momentarily; the unpleasant thought that Sutton might visit her parents running through her mind. She tightened her hold on the book. "What are you going to do with it?"

Sutton began to speak, but his accomplice muttered something under his breath. Sutton looked at him for a long moment, before turning back to Myka.

"Just give me the book, Myka."

"No. Not until you tell me what you want it for."

Before Sutton could reply, his accomplice fired his weapon. Myka felt an intense pain in her abdomen and collapsed to the ground. Sutton looked at his accomplice, slack-jawed. The other man shrugged and grabbed the book.

"Let's get out of here, before anyone sees us."

TBC