Fic: Lady Luck (Myka/HG, Warehouse 13, 2/3)

[fembuck]

Title: Lady Luck
Author: Janine
Fandom: Warehouse 13
Pairing: Myka/HG
Rating: PG
Disclaimer:  I don’t own them.
Summary:  Myka comes across H.G. on an assignment, but even though she knows she should stay away from her, she just can’t.
Note:  The story takes place during Season 2, after “For the Team” but before “Vendetta”. 

( Part One )

 

xxx

Part Two

Water dripped down Myka's back as she hurriedly reached for her robe and draped it around her nude body. There was a relentless pounding at her hotel room door that could only be Pete hoping that he could talk her into watching some no doubt terrible 'best worst movie' that was airing on TV. Myka was tempted to ignore him – she was sure that he would get bored and leave sooner rather than later – but the constant knocking was seriously impairing her ability to enjoy her bubble bath, so Myka decided she would go to the door and deal with Pete so that she could enjoy the rest of her bath in peace.

"No," Myka said, finger already raised in a disapproving shake as she flung the door brusquely.

"I've not had time to even pose a question," H.G. commented, looking over at Myka with great big, sad puppy dog eyes that immediately tugged on Myka's heart-strings. Myka's lips parted to apologize, but before she could H.G. glanced down at the robe Myka was wearing and her lips curved up into a playful smile. "Fluffy."

"Yeah … hey," Myka breathed out, drawing her disapproving finger back into her body as snapped out of the stupor H.G.'s sudden appearance had sent her into. "Sorry, I wasn't … I thought you were Pete," Myka stammered in an attempt to excuse her rudeness upon opening the door.

She hadn't expected to see H.G. again for a while. It had been almost a month since she had last seen H.G., and when the woman had disappeared so skilfully at casino earlier Myka had assumed that it would be weeks before she saw H.G. again. She was pleased that she was wrong, however. Probably too pleased, but she choose not to think about that at the moment.

"Agent Bering," H.G. drawled, still smiling in that breathtaking way that made Myka's heart race and her head spin, "That might be the cruellest thing anyone has ever said to me."

H.G's eyes were shining as she spoke, and in the face of the Brits full on attack of charm, Myka found herself grinning over at the other woman.

"I think you'd better have a drink with me to prove we're still friends," H.G. went on a few seconds later, halting her words to draw her right hand and a bottle of scotch from behind her back. "We are … friends, aren't we?" she asked softly when Myka made no move to let her into the room.

"Of course," Myka said, smiling quickly before hastily stepping back to make room for H.G. to enter. "Sorry. I … I just wasn't expecting to see you again so soon. My manners just went completely out the … come in, please. Sorry about the robe," Myka rambled, blushing a little when H.G. smiled at her affectionately.

"I'm sorry I interrupted your bath," H.G breathed out, pausing beside Myka on her way through the door. "However, I do plan to make it up to you," she continued, looking up to meet Myka's eyes with an intimacy that momentarily took Myka's breath away.

But then H.G.'s hypnotizingly dark eyes were gone as the woman continued into the room, and Myka nearly gasped at the sudden loss of the connection between them. She began to wonder at how powerful her reactions to H.G. were, but before she could start to agonize and brood about her feelings, H.G. was grinning and speaking again, and Myka found herself swept up in H.G.'s magic once again.

"I should get some ice," Myka murmured as H.G. leaned attractively against the dresser.

"Let me," H.G. replied smiling. "I suspect they're actually really quite mundane, but I find myself quite fond of those machines, curiously noisily as they are. Besides, you're a little … underdressed for a sojourn into the world."

H.G.'s eyes traced the length of Myka's robe as she spoke and Myka blushed slightly as she realized that she really wasn't dressed to be roaming through hallways.

"I'll just …" Myka began.

"Slip into something a little less comfortable?" H.G. interjected, eyes dancing playfully as she looked over at Myka.

Myka smirked at that and H.G. smiled back and picked up the ice bucket before moving towards the door which she disappeared through a few moments later. Myka stared at the back of the door for a moment and as she did a smile slowly made its way across her lips. When she realized that she was grinning at a door, Myka shook her head and moved towards the closet, but as she thumbed through her clothes trying to decide what to wear she realized that she was still smiling, and that only made her smile even more.

xxx

"Thank you, by the way," Myka said as she took a seat at the small hotel table while H.G. busied herself at the dresser pouring them both a drink. "You took off so quickly I didn't get a chance to say it before."

"You're very welcome, darling," H.G. responded, smiling gently as she turned to face Myka, two drinks cradled in her hands. "I do apologize for my hasty exit, but considering Artie's less than warm feelings towards me, I thought it would be easier for both of us if Pete didn't lay eyes on me."

H.G. handed Myka one of the sweating glasses of scotch in her hands and Myka smiled her thanks before nervously glancing down into the amber liquid.

"Artie's …" Myka began before trailing off and sighing. "He just needs a bit of time." She brought the glass up to her lips and took a small sip. "As diabolical as he was, McPherson was his friend and … Artie hasn't gotten a chance to know you yet so when he thinks of you, he just … hurts – even though he wishes he didn't. If he worked with you, if he got to know you then he would see how …"

Myka trailed off, uncomfortable with the track her words were taking. Adjectives like beautiful, enchanting, charming, vulnerable, passionate and protective were running through her brain and Myka was worried that she wouldn't be able to stop them from tumbling past her lips, so she took a moment to compose her thoughts.

"He would see how valuable an asset you would be," she continued, finally settling on words that were truthful but not too revealing.

A smile spread across H.G.'s lips and her dark eyes danced mischievously as she gazed over at Myka.

"I do have some very lovely assets, don't I?" H.G. asked, glancing down at her long, lean, elegantly clothed body, a thrill running through her a moment later when she looked back over at Myka to find that Myka's eyes were scanning her 'assets' as well.

The ice in H.G.'s glass clinked against the side and the sound jarred Myka enough to make her realize that she was staring.

"Professionally speaking," Myka murmured stiffly a second later, blinking more rapidly than normal, drawing her gaze away from H.G.'s body and lowering them to consider her drink so that her traitorous eyes didn't reveal any more of her inner-longings.

"Of course," H.G. said, drawing her eyes down her body again before she reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a small case which she placed on the table between them. "Perceptor Glasses," H.G. said proudly as she popped the case open, revealing the glasses she had allowed Myka to wear earlier. "Quite handy, don't you think?" H.G. continued, wearing one of the soft smiles that made Myka tingle all the way to her toes. "To what did you think I was referring?"

Myka's eyes widened and her cheeks flushed as she gaped at H.G.

"No, I … of course, that's what I meant. I wasn't … I didn't mean to imply that … if you thought …"

"Myka," H.G. interjected gently, stopping the other woman's fit of nervous rambling. "It's okay. I was only teasing. I'm sorry, darling. I didn't mean to perturb you."

"I'm not perturbed," Myka murmured, smiling at H.G.'s choice of words even as she focused her gaze on the amber liquid in the glass in her hands. "I just … you know," Myka continued, looking over at H.G. briefly before shrugging and looking down again.

"There are many things I know," H.G. began as Myka continued to gaze into her drink. "I know that Camel's milk does not curdle," she said, smiling winsomely at Myka when the other woman looked up and over at her with a quizzical expression. "I know that a hippopotamus can open its mouth wide enough to accommodate a child four feet in height," H.G. went on, drawing a smile from Myka with that one. "I know that America once issued a 5-cent bill … we had a good laugh about that one," H.G. confided, winking playfully. "And I know that the word 'Checkmate' comes from the Persian phrase 'Shah Mat,' meaning 'the king is dead'. However, my dear Myka, I'm afraid that 'what you were just' is one of the few things I don't know, though I am very curious to find out."

Myka wasn't quite sure how H.G. managed it considering how tense, nervous and uncomfortable she had been when H.G. started speaking, but by the time H.G. finished Myka was smiling and felt almost relaxed.

"I was just explaining because I didn't want you to think that I was ... perving on you or something," Myka said, meeting H.G.'s eyes for most of her answer though she looked away from H.G. at the end.

"Perving?" H.G. asked, arching a curious and amused eyebrow.

"Yes, as in … sexually objectifying you," Myka mumbled, that uncomfortable feeling that had momentarily lifted returning with a vengeance.

She normally found H.G.'s antiquated vocabulary charming but at the moment she cursed it. Explaining was bad enough, but having to explain her explanations was cruel and unusual.

"Sexually objectifying?" H.G. asked, giving Myka an apologetically helpless little shrug when the other woman looked over at her.

"It refers to a … uh, tendency among some – not me – to judge the value of another person based on …" Myka shifted uncomfortably in her chair and looked away from H.G., "how sexually appealing that person is."

"Ah," H.G. breathed out, finally enlightened, "I see."

Myka nodded stiffly.

"I am still a trifle uncertain about one thing however," H.G. said a moment later.

"Oh?" Myka asked looking up warily.

H.G. looked positively impish and that made Myka nervous.

"About what?"

"Were you perving on me?" H.G. inquired.

"No!" Myka responded immediately, too immediately to be convincing actually.

"Oh. So you don't find me sexually appealing?" H.G. asked in a more subdued tone than Myka had heard from her all evening.

"No, I mean … H.G.," Myka whined. She really, really, really didn't want to be having this conversation. "You're stunning, you know you're stunning. If you were born in 1966 instead of 1866 you would've been Homecoming Queen and captain of the cheerleading squad."

"Are those laudable achievements?" H.G. wondered out loud.

"A lot of people seem to think so," Myka muttered darkly, momentarily overtaken by a fit of teenage book-worm angst. "But the point is … I mean, of course, you're gorgeous but that's not why I like you."

"So you like me?" H.G. asked grinning smugly.

Myka's lips immediately parted to respond, but she stopped herself from speaking when she recognized the teasing glint in H.G.'s eyes.

"Not right at this moment I don't," Myka finally replied, though the small smile playing across her lips took any sting there might have been out of her words. "You're messing with me on purpose now, aren't you?"

"Perhaps a little bit," H.G. responded, smiling as she held her right thumb and index finger a few millimetres apart. "But it's not entirely my fault. You're exceedingly cute when you're flustered. I simply couldn't help myself."

Myka blushed at the compliment and H.G. laughed softly before murmuring, "You're so very fetching."

"I'm not …" Myka rolled her eyes and looked down into her lap self-consciously. "I'm not fetching," she continued, practically whispering the last word as if it was too ridiculous to say at regular volume.

"You are," H.G. replied immediately, her voice as serious as Myka had ever heard it. "Darling, you're as comely as you are intelligent, which is to say exceptionally so. Never think otherwise." H.G. gazed at Myka for a moment after that and she sighed softly and shook her head. "There are many amazing thing in this new world, but that a woman such as you could doubt her allure is one of the tragedies of this age."

H.G.'s words were unexpected and the emotion with which they were spoken surprised Myka but left a wave of warmth rolling through her body.

"Helena," Myka breathed out, too choked with emotion immediately follow up with more.

"I like the way my name sounds on your lips," H.G. whispered as Myka gazed at her softly. "That's the first time I've heard you say it. I don't mind H.G., of course. It's just that at times it seems so … impersonal," she continued, her lips curving up into a smile though this time her eyes remained serious. "I don't wish to be impersonal with you, Myka. The world is a very big, very lonely place these days and I would very much like to be Helena with you."

Myka took a shuddering breath in and closed her eyes briefly as she released it. Helena had told her once how strange this new world was to her, but she was so full of life and excitement most of the time, so curious about everything around her that Myka sometimes forgot how disconcerting, how alien the world must be for her. To dream up a future civilization was one thing, but to suddenly find yourself alone and trapped in one was something else altogether.

"Are you very lonely, Helena?" Myka asked, testing out H.G.'s name on her lips consciously for the first time.

Helena shrugged lightly and said, "I've become quite used to keeping my own company."

She kept her voice light as she responded and she almost managed to convey playfulness, but Helena couldn't keep all of the pain she was feeling hidden and Myka heard it in her voice. She heard the sadness and she saw the hauntingly vacant expression that momentarily came into Helena's eyes.

"Even so, I must admit that the idea of a friend is … exceptionally appealing, even if I must skulk in the shadows waiting for an opportunity to speak with you alone. The truth is, I've thought of you quite often since our last meeting. Have you thought of me too, or am I being a pest showing up like this?"

"You could never be a pest," Myka said softly, the vulnerability in Helena's tone making her feel more comfortable meeting the other woman's eyes and letting her see the vulnerability that lay within her. "I've thought of you, too." Myka looked down at her lap shyly as she tried to pull her thoughts together. "One of my favourite authors once said, 'The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone.' I'd like to know you, Helena. I'd like for us to be friends."

Helena smiled at Myka and Myka smiled back, then Helena began to blink more rapidly than usual and dipped her head to fight the tears that suddenly formed in her eyes and threatened to rain down upon the cheap surface of the hotel table. When she felt in control of herself again, Helena offered Myka an embarrassed smile before she looked down and shifted her hand on the table, moving it tentatively until her fingers brushed against Myka's. When the tips of their fingers were touching, Helena looked up again, her eyes silently questioning and immediately Myka extended her fingers, running them over Helena's gently before she took the other woman's hand into her own and squeezed it tightly.

Helena breathed in sharply at the contact and her eyelashes fluttered shut.

It felt so good to be touched.

"Thank you," Helena whispered when her eyes opened again. "I … thank you," she simply repeated, not quite able to find the words to express to Myka how good it felt to feel the touch of another human after being bronzed for so long.

It was true that she had been out in the world for months, but as she had said earlier, the world was a big, lonely place and she'd had no meaningful contact – physical or otherwise – with anyone since her release. Myka's hand, holding hers so gently, was a revelation to her, it was a pool of water in the desert and Helena held onto it tightly and immersed herself in the feeling.

"Was that George Eliot, you quoted?" Helena asked, a happy smile touching her lips again, though she did not release Myka's hand nor loosen her hold.

"You recognized it?" Myka asked smiling brightly.

"Of course," Helena grinned. "I always wanted to meet her, but alas, even with my advanced age I was born too late."

"Pete would've asked who 'he' was and then wandered off to microwave some pizza pockets," Myka sighed though the affection she held for her partner was clear in her voice. "I'm so glad you read books," Myka continued squeezing Helena's hand.

"People don't read books now?" Helena asked sounding scandalized. "How on earth do they … learn?" She sounded bewildered and Myka wanted to hug her because she didn't understand how people that managed to function without books either.

"Google," Myka sighed.

"I despair," Helena moaned causing Myka to laugh which in turn brought a smile back to Helena's lips.

They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, holding hands until a great desire to kiss Myka surged up in Helena and she realized that she had best do something before she given into the urge.

"Your drink's gone to ruins," Helena commented, her eyes moving to take in the glass of scotch sitting in a ring of water on the table top.

Myka looked down and to the side, her eyes widening slightly when they landed on the glass as if she'd forgotten that she ever possessed it.

"So it has," she breathed out.

"I'll fix you another," Helena said, stroking the back of Myka's hand with her thumb before reluctantly pulling her hand away so that she could stand.

"Helena, no," Myka exclaimed, reaching out to grasp Helena's hand again, which Helena was more than willing to let her catch. "My father's a scotch drinker so I know that bottle you brought was expensive. The drinks fine, really. We shouldn't waste …"

"It's not a waste," Helena interjected. "Scotch is a fine drink, you are a fine lady and I shall fix you a properly neat drink. To do otherwise would offend my sensibilities."

"Well, we wouldn't want that," Myka replied, smiling and blushing slightly as Helena once again stroked the back of her hand with her thumb.

"You're blushing," Helena commented softly, smiling as she gazed at Myka affectionately.

"You're very ... gallant," Myka replied, blushing even more deeply though she did not try to hide her face this time. "According to Pete feminism killed chivalry, so such … courtly behaviour is, I guess, pleasantly unfamiliar."

"In that case, I shall have to endeavour to show you how civilized people treat a lady," Helena breathed out mischievously, gazing into Myka's eyes for a moment before she dipped her head down and kissed Myka's hand. "How was that?" Helena breathed out as she drew her lips away from Myka's skin.

"Very chivalrous," Myka replied softly. "Very …" Myka bit down on her bottom lip and sucked on it for a few moments to quash the moan that rose up in her throat at the memory of Helena's lips on her, "…educative," Myka finally breathed out.

"Educative," Helena laughed, caressing Myka's hand with her thumb one last time before she gently disentangled their hands. "I suppose that will do for now," she murmured softly.

Then Helena was in motion, reaching for both of their glasses before turning and sauntering back to the dresser where the bottle of scotch reposed.

Myka's lips curved up into a smile and she leaned back in her chair, appreciatively watching some of Helena's non-professional 'assets' as raven-haired beauty sashayed away.

To be continued …

Comments

[leavethesky.livejournal.com]

Loving the slow, romantic buildup in this...and H.G.'s charm. It's hard to write charm (especially when it masks such vulnerability), but you've really captured it/her. Who wouldn't fall for your H.G.?

[alonwy.livejournal.com]

Well said, I second everything you said.
Well done, fembuck. A very lovely read :)

[mayireadtoday.livejournal.com]

I adore these lines especially because this reads as canon: "She began to wonder at how powerful her reactions to H.G. were, but before she could start to agonize and brood about her feelings, H.G. was grinning and speaking again, and Myka found herself swept up in H.G.'s magic once again."

You write an incredible Helena.

[yukivampyra.livejournal.com]

Oh, this was lovely, especially how Myka could just barely glimpse the hollow vulnerability in Helena that will (eventually) lead to what she does. And the charm! The swoon-inducing charm!

I do, however, think my favourite part was when Helena asks how people learn without books. It's a question I ask myself daily. Google just isn't the same as a good book, so I think I'll join her in despairing.

[dreamshadower.livejournal.com]

Another awesome story of yours. You portray the characters so well. You manage to convey Helena's charm wonderfully, even while it masks her tender side.

Scandalized Helena was cute, people not learn from books? Outrageous. :P

[confuzzedly.livejournal.com]

Ahhh as romantic as I imagine Helena would be. Beautifully realized Helena and Myka.

Love your stories. Thank you.

[korenap.livejournal.com]

Wonderful follow up. You really write them both very well.

[ana-khouri.livejournal.com]

This is wonderful - both of them are very well captured (I can totally picture a flushed Myka explaining perving and Helena goading her on half out of innocence and half just to push her) and I love the slow but tense build up. Can't wait for more! : )

[gabatron123.livejournal.com]

Oh i love your writing! You capture Helena and Myka perfectly!

[orange-creative.livejournal.com]

"According to Pete feminism killed chivalry, so such … courtly behaviour is, I guess, pleasantly unfamiliar."

*grin* Myka would be the type to spearhead the independent woman posterchild campaign, and swoon so heavily to Helena's particular brand. ;)

[spanishtvjunkie.livejournal.com]

Gah! Why do I find this all so completely swoon-worthy? I guess because chivalry HAS died and I don't even know if people know what
it is anymore. Don't get me wrong, I loves my smut and all but this whole thing is really sweet and wonderful and well, swoon-worthy.

"In that case, I shall have to endeavour to show you how civilized people treat a lady,"

Alright Helena, school us!

(but the author and her muse are away cavorting in the waters so we shall have to be patient on the schooling:)

[commasplice103.livejournal.com]

well, I suppose I should finally drop a note saying how much i am enjoying this. =)

[jesterradiobird.livejournal.com]

This was a really nice story, I love how wonderful it was!

It was so cool how Helena was making all these moves and I thought it was really cute how awkawrd Myka got. Then it showed how vunerable Helena was and just revealed a wonderful aspect to their growing relationship.

Bravo, you pulled it beautifully.

Just these lines didn't make complete sense:

'Probably too pleased, but she choose not to think about that at the moment.'
Chose would have been better.

'she realized that she had best do something before she given into the urge.'

And gave would have been better, I hope I wasn't being annoying.

[plaguetalon.livejournal.com]

maybe I should start watching this one.

[mondoshawan555.livejournal.com]

*groan* This is so good...

[ajel.livejournal.com]

Oooo, great fic. You have captured them so well. Hopefully this will be looooooong fic.

And now, because I am ever so nitpicky, 'Shah Mat' does not mean 'the king is dead' it means the king is helpless or defeated or any number of synonymous things, but definitely not 'dead'.

Still, great, great fic, like yours always are :D