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thebisexualdogdad · 5 years ago

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Being Claudia Donovan's brother and dating Steve Jinks

Co written with @inhumanshadows

· You didn't start dating Steve until a year after he joined the team

· For one reason you thought dating a co worker was a bad idea

· And more importantly your sister was his best friend

· And that was another can of worms.

· However after a year... you decided to talk to her about it.

· And by talk you meant “frantically run to her room shouting ‘crisis!”

· "What the hell is wrong with you?"

· "I uh.. Want to ask Steve out on a date"

· "Well finally"

· "You knew i liked him?"

· "Everyone knows dude, even Pete figured it out"

· “Wow... that’s uh... kinda sad honestly...”

· “Yeah... so go ask him out.”

· You asked Steve and out and he happily said yes

· There isn't much to do in south dakota so your first date was just to a dinner in town

· The date was pretty nice. You guys just sat there and tried not to talk about work. But with your job kinda the only thing.

· Then Steve wanted to know about the other cases you guys had before he came along.

· You spent hours telling him all about the dumb shit Pete got into before Steve joined

· And how Claudia accidently magnetized herself to the warehouse

· “Wait wait she what?”

· “Oh yeah. Alessandro Volta’s lab coat. Then there was the time the place almost exploded cause of silly string.”

· You end up kissing him goodnight outside his bedroom at the inn and Pete see's who tells Claudia

· You definitely heard someone scamper down the hall.

· but you didn't care, you just wanted to kiss steve again

· You made out in the hall until Myka left her room to find Leena and stumbled upon you guys

· "Oh come on Myka don't ruin the mood" Pete yells from down the hall

· "Great Pete you ruined our cover" Claudia then yells

· "Claudia, Pete knock it off," you yell at them

· Said guilty parties pop up from around the corner.

· “Really? Really what are we 5?” You ask.

· “It was Pete’s idea!” Claudia points

· “What!!”

· You guys go on a few more dates and eventually have the are we officially boyfriends talk

· You’re laying in your room, away from the nosey coworkers and family.

· “So... boyfriends?” You ask.

· Steve nods. “You know Claudia had a pot going for how long it would take you to ask me out?”

· “I’m gonna kill her....”

· Nobody ships you guys more than Pete not even Claudia

He's always trying to set up cute moments for you two

· Like putting up the mistletoe on christmas

· “Haha very fun Claudia...” you say, pointing to aforementioned plant.

· “Wasn’t me I swear. You guys are cute but I don’t need to see my brother and bestie sucking face.”

·"Where's Pete"

· "Damn i was so close"

· You shake your head and give Steve a quick peck.

· Pete: “aww I missed it.”

· One of the perks of dating another warehouse agent is getting to see the world with him

· Granted most of those involve artifact related high jinks and chaos. Of course you claudia and Steve are a team.

· Which means many times your delightful sister has gone “hey lovebirds! Artifact!”

· Claudia now makes Artie book her a room on a separate floor after the incident where she could hear you guys going at it next door through the thin hotel room walls

· Josh is very nonchalant about his younger siblings dating

· When he met Steve it was just alright cool and that's it

· You look to Steve “Relax. He’s telling the truth.”

· double dates with Myka and HG often

· Going out for drinks and having to help HG carry a tipsy Myka home

· Or HG casually dropping that she knows whatever historical figure Steve brings up

· She’s like “[insert historical name here] Very homosexual. Revolving door of men.”

· Arties like a dad, the moment he sees you kiss even just a peck he looks away

· You wear Steve’s jacket and artie is like “is that new?” Pete and Claudia : “it’s steves.”

· Or having to hurry to get dressed in the morning for a mission and not realizing you're wearing each other clothes until later

· You guys have a break and you realize you got your pants right but shirt and jacket and even your underwear once got swapped

· You and Claudia tried to throw a surprise birthday party for Steve and it was a disaster

· There was screaming and flying cake. but it did end in laughter

· And Steve pretended like he didn't know but he secretly got Pete to tell him days ago

· You find out while you and Steve share a shower. “Pete Really told you....”

· “Yes. But I appreciate the effort.”

· You and Steve are always trying to set Claudia up on dates

· You also debated tracking down Todd

· "I do not need help finding a boyfriend"

· "And how long have you been single for again?"

· "Shut it"

· “What was that? T-t-two years?”

· “I’ll murder you...”

· You and Steve end up getting a dog who becomes the team dog

· You guys come home and announce “trailer has a brother!”

· You got him mainly because you were jealous that Artie was trailers favorite

· He’s a corgi named Max

· You guys spoil him, he has so many toys and everyone always sneak him treats

· He’s your little loaf. And myka wants to steal him

· He's a bandana boy with a rotating attire

· He even has a pride bandana that Pete got him

· "What kind of gays are you not even getting your pet a pride outfit"

·“We have you pete. We knew you’d do something.”

· “Oh yay! Points for uncle Pete.”

· When you get hurt Steve drops everything to nurse you back to health

· He’s a mother hen and goes a bit overboard but it comes from places of love.

· Max's new home is your chest when you get hurt

· "Did i just get replaced by the dog?"

· "Babe there's enough space for both of you"

· He's such a cuddler

· Claudia Totally secretly plans a wedding

· And denies the hell out of it

· "Claud, Steve and i aren't planning on getting married for many many years"

· "You can never be too prepared bro"

· Pete: “especially in our line of work!” “See pete gets it!”

· Oh boy. Steve’s mom meeting you.

· She won't stop telling Steve how handsome you are

· And she’s just so happy. Steve is blushing and hoping she doesn’t bring up any stories

· And she sneaks Steve the family ring

· "For when you're ready dear, I know you're gonna marry that man one day"

· Meanwhile you’re over by the family photos. “Is this you in high school?!? You had BLUE HAIR??!”

· "The teenage angst was real in high school"

· "Oh god i can't believe you had a nose ring"

· His mom is like: “he had his he combat boots and eyeliner too...” “ma!!” “Please go on!!” Steve: “what have I done...

· You feel bad so you share some of your own embarrassing stories from high school

·“I once got caught making out with the coach's son

· "No way"

· "Yeah i got banned from the locker room"

· “What else?”

· “Um... can’t tell that one in front of your mother... oh I once made got into class through a three story high window”

· "You could have gotten seriously hurt"

· "I was 16 i wasn't thinking"

· “Unbelievable.”

· “Oh come on. You have to have done stupid stuff

·"I guess i did ride a skateboard into a pool once..."

· “A full pool” His mom tacks on.

· “Ma!”

· Vacations with Steve are tough because he's constantly checking his phone for an artifact sos

· You helped Claudia build more tiny artifact ping things and have them on your person.

· "Steve we're on a beach in the Bahamas, they can handle the warehouse for one week without us"

· “I know... I just... you know?”

· “I do... and I get it. But right now you and I are on mandatory vacation so let’s enjoy it.”

· You make Steve turn his phone off and take a long walk along the beach

· That walk is empty enough for the occasional ass grab from you.

· Once Steve truly starts to relax you guys explore the island taking in all the information the tour guides give you

· You guys spend the rest of the first day getting ideas on what to do. Now you’re back in the hotel room. You decide to shower, now covered in sand.

· one of the days you found out there's a hot surfer giving paddle boarding sessions

· After your paddle boarding lesson you returned to your room both you and Steve blushing about how hot the guy was

· “Can I just say that instructor was very hot!! Not as hot as you Steve but...”

· "That was one gorgeous man, think we should try to set him up with Pete?"

· "Honey Pete is straight"

· "You sure about that?"

· You think for a minute. “Well... now that you mention it....”

· You keep that idea on the backburner as you grab the phone to order some room service

· "Tomorrow's the last day what do you want to do?"

· “Honestly? Let's relax here maybe get a massage and then order in.”

· The next day you do as Steve suggests and just relax

· You sleep in and have lunch

· Get a couples massage and end the day with one last walk on the beach

· At the end of the walk Steve stops you before you return to the room

· "Y/N there's something i want to talk about"

· "What's that?"

· "Us"

· “Okay... should I be worried?”

· “No! No! Nothing like that.

· "What is it then?"

· "You know i love you and i want to spend the rest of my life with you"

· "This is sounding like a proposal Jinksy"

· "Don't worry I'm not proposing, we're not ready for that right now but one day I want to"

· You smile. “I’d like that too... one day... that isn’t today.”

· “I love you Y/N.”

· “Love you too Jinksy”

· "Wait till Claudia finds out"

· "I'm more worried about Pete, he's been waiting for the engagement since our first date"

· "We really need to set him up with the hot surfer"

· "Yes, yes we do"

#warehouse 13 imagine #steve jinks imagine #steve jinks x reader #headcanons #co write #co written

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sistersin7 · 6 years ago

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Whose Sister are You?

Merry Bering and Wellsmass, @lady-adventuress!

I hope the festive season is treating you well!

You asked for family stuff in a Warehouse AU, exploring B&W with Claudia, maybe bringing in Christina and possibly a crossover.

So… I hope this ticks the boxes. The AU below upholds the show’s canon till Where and When (towards the end of seasons 2), where it diverges at the end of that episode because of something Claudia does. Christina is in there, too, but in a different guise than you might expect. And the crossover… I have to apologise about this. The only fictional show I watched in 2018 was The Good Place and couldn’t figure out how to cross that over with what I’ve started. The only other shows I watched this past year were news-related… so the crossover is subtle and potentially disappointing… (sorry).

Anyway – I hope you like and/or enjoy! Here’s to a fantastic, B&W 2019.

(And thanks again to @bering-and-wells-exchange for facilitating endless wonder!)

* * *

“I don't know, Claud,” Myka said, semi-defeated. “it's not something I've ever wanted to do and it’s not something I ever thought I'd be good at,” she pulled the brake on the hand truck at the entrance to Barbour 118. “But thank you for the vote of confidence”.

Claudia was three paces behind, seemingly absorbed in a clipboard, mumbling to herself words that Myka could barely discern. She did manage to get ‘GPS’ and ‘upgrade’ and ‘stupid Artie’.

Myka narrowed her eyes as she watched Claudia walk by and wondered if she'd even listened to anything Myka said in the past three minutes.

For a while, it seemed Claudia didn't. Mostly because she stepped into Barbour 118 and stood very still and very quiet for about 20 seconds before abruptly turning around, exclaiming a loud and decisive “Nope,” and turned to her left, to carry on walking in the same direction they were headed before they stopped.

“I get it, Myka,” Claudia started suddenly, while marching down the Warehouse corridor, “because your entire life your brain and your work were what defined you and gave you purpose and meaning,” Claudia declared to the dark walkway, Myka trailing behind, pushing the artefact-laden trolley. She then turned on her heels to look at Myka, a piercing look, the kind that startled Myka because Claudia meant business when she looked at anyone like that, and added “People never defined you let alone children. Relationships never defined you. And kids are the sorts of people and relationships that not only define you, but you define them. For a lifetime,” she enunciated the end of her argument, then turned around again and continued walking. “Their lifetime, you know, not just yours,” she all but shouted, to make sure Myka heard her.

Myka did, and didn’t need the added volume. Shocked by the accuracy and depth of insight, Myka stood still, frozen, as if a tonne of metaphorical bricks landed on her where she stood, and kept her from moving.

Another minute had gone by before Claudia turned around to check on her new friend, to find her a good 100 yards behind her. “You okay there, Bucko? We better hustle if we intend to make it back in time so there are enough of Leena's cookies left for us.”

And Myka had to dig herself out of the pile of said bricks and follow her young friend, who she was still getting to know, and wondered how could anyone so young have so much wisdom.

* * *

Claudia was lining up the panels of the crate to HG Wells’ Time Machine while Helena sat quietly in one of the armchairs, elbows on her knees, rolling a screwdriver between her fingers.

She watched the inventor, her eyes cradled in tears, bloodshot, glassy, unfocused. It looked to Claudia like HG was settling into a place in her mind that didn't feel particularly safe. Claudia knew that look from her sister, way back when. And her brother too, more recently.

So she coughed lightly and paced across the panel to stand next to HG Wells, who a couple of hours ago revealed to Claudia just how dark past was.

“Uhm, HG?” she near as dammit whispered, “Did you disable the circuits, like Artie asked?” she raised her voice only ever so slightly, so it was just about barely audible. She didn’t want HG to hear her, really, she just wanted to nudge her back to the here and now.

That did the trick. Helena blinked slowly, took a sharp breath and straightened in the chair. “Not yet,” she answered, her voice hollow and her face blank.

“Do you want me to?” Claudia asked and extended her hand towards the screwdriver in HG’s hands.

Helena blinked again, sighed, examined Claudia’s palm, then traced the extremity all the way up to its owner’s face, and placed the screwdriver in Claudia’s hand, gently.

As Claudia closed her fist around the tool, Helena wrapped her palm around Claudia’s fist. Helena looked into Claudia’s eyes, and Claudia looked into Helena’s. It was an intense moment, but not due to tension between them. It was tense due to tension between Helena and someone else. Someone who wasn’t there.

Someone who hadn’t been there in over one hundred years.

Claudia felt the ghostly presence of that person, too, and suddenly she had all sorts of odd comments to make and worse questions to ask, like “but even if she had lived she’d be dead now”, and “even if she had lived, you might have still ended up in Bronze, which would mean that…”, and “would you have ended up in Bronze?”, and “did they bronze you because of Christina?” and “how bad was it, really, how you tortured those guys?”

And because these were all terrible, terrible things to say, Claudia kept quiet and let whatever was about to unfold between her and HG unfold without interruption.

Whatever it’s going to be, she knew it wouldn’t be bad. She knew HG won’t hurt her. She didn’t know why, though.

“I had always imagined her to grow up to be a young woman a lot like yourself,” Helena said, her voice cracking and hoarse.

That’s why.

“Do you want to tell me?” Claudia knelt so she was level with HG.

Helena’s face brightened suddenly, a deep, affectionate smile tore through the dark storm clouds that surrounded her. Her body relaxed and every aspect of her seemed to have warmed up instantly. “Oh, darling,” she breathed and tightened her grip on Claudia’s fist. “We’d be here all day if I did.”

“I’ve got time,” Claudia made herself comfortable on the floor next to Helena - she was definitely Helena now, and no longer HG. No longer former resident of the Bronze sector, no longer someone that Myka suspected and Artie detested, no longer a hero to worship for saving her life.

Helena Wells looked like a person in distress, a person who was facing a life and death decision.

Claudia knew what facing death was like, far too well for a person of her age. She knew how important it was to have someone believe in her, someone to help. She felt it her duty to repay a favour for all the times she was pulled away from the brink, for all the times someone believed in her, for all the times someone helped.

So she listened.

* * *

“Did you, then?” Claudia cut into Myka’s long and, frankly, rather dull story about the latest retrieval she went on with HG.

Myka sighed heavily and looked away. “This isn’t helping,” she said, borderline whined, after a few seconds.

“Holy bananas, the never-ending story,” Claudia rumbled and turned back to her desk, where umpteen Warehouse systems were waiting for her say so, testing a new sensor network to replace the ridiculously old and mostly faulty disturbance notification system.

Myka grumped quietly and scanned through her mission report. She noticed how her heart fluttered every time she read ‘Agent Wells’ and fought a compulsion to touch her fingers to the letters on the screen. She recalled moments throughout the missions when they bantered, collaborated, brainstormed. She remembered how alive she felt in those moments.

But she couldn’t. She knew she couldn’t act on any of it.

Myka knew why Claudia was pushing her to make a move with Helena, and Claudia was nothing if not insistent, but the assertive persistence of the young agent made Myka deeply uncomfortable. Not because of the gay. She didn’t care an ounce about the gay. She did care about the hero worship (a little), and she cared about how vulnerable it made her (a lot), and she cared about how something like this would completely wreck the equilibrium the Warehouse team settled into.

It was matter of empirical fact that when two people in a group started dating, the whole group dynamic got shot to hell, and Myka knew right there and then she was getting ahead of herself, because she was assuming that Helena would actually date her and-----

“You know I won’t stop,” Claudia leaning over Myka’s shoulder, all of a sudden. “You know that I can’t stop,” she stated, matter of fact, like she often did when she had these kinds of conversations with Myka, “because right about now you’re getting into some bizzaro circular reference in your brain,” she looped her right index finger in the air, “and you think that dating HG is a bad idea for a million and thirty eight reasons, none of which have anything to do with your wellbeing, or hers, for that matter,” she turned her head to look at Myka, to sprinkle the telling off with a hint of gravitas. “There are endings other than crazy, evil or dead, you know, you just need to make them happen.”

Myka looked at Claudia, dumbfounded by the depth of insight, again, and not for the last time, either.

“But---” Myka started.

Claudia shook her head curtly to halt Myka as soon as she started. “You think you are bad with people and you think you are bad at relationships,” Claudia said, “but that’s the kind of bull that’s left at the end of a week-long rodeo,” she sat down next to Myka. “You’re not bad at either. You’re just better at other things.”

Myka stared back at Claudia.

“But HG is exactly the same as you,” Claudia upped the ante, “it looks like she’s crap at relationships because she’s so brainy, and good looking and con-artist-y, with the hair and the eyes…” she cleared her throat having noticed her mind wandered. “And you know it better than anyone. Just put you two in the same room together for thirty seconds, and ugh,” she pulled a face of mock disgust, “everyone is all ‘get a room already’.”

Myka tilted her head to the left and gave Claudia a distinct side eye.

“What? You think I’m the only one who’s picking up on this barely latent attraction?”

Myka blinked.

“Fire up your boosters and set the clock for t-minus-ten, sister, because I’m happy to report that you can actually see it from space,” Claudia huffed, mirroring Myka’s body language.

They stared at each other for a few minutes, until Claudia began to feel her resolve cracking under Myka’s scrutiny.

“Just do it,” she said as she got up and walked back to doing whatever it was she was doing, that Artie would hate but the Warehouse would love, and the Warehouse always wins.

* * *

On the second Friday of every month Claudia, Leena and Pete played Call of Duty online. It was a known fixture in the B&B’s calendar, because if one wanted to get any form of internet during those nights, they’d better go elsewhere, because the bandwidth was spoken for. They each sat in their own rooms to maximise screen capacities. They ran kickass missions and were virtually unstoppable.

“I’m taking ten,” Pete announced on through to his team, “I call the bathroom on the top floor.”

“Don’t forget to open the window,” Leena reminded him. “I call the basement.”

“Lightweights,” Claudia retorted.

“Yeah, well, I’ll see what your kidneys are like at 37,” Pete shouted as he rushed past Claudia’s room, and up the stairs to his favourite bathroom.

Claudia chuckled and logged into her private training server, to practice some sharp shooting, only to be joined by someone - much to her surprise.

“Knock, knock,” a familiar, surly British tone greeted her through the headset.

“HG?”

“Good evening, darling,” Helena spoke and materialised on screen as the generic, stock male character.

“You can hack my private training server, but you can’t customise your avatar?”

“I’m not here to play, Claudia, I’m in need of urgent advice, and this is the only way I could get a hold of you tonight.”

Claudia straightened in her beanbag. “What’s up?”

“I require access to your subject matter expertise, as well as some insight as to common and appropriate practices.”

“Shoot,” Claudia fired, and corrected quickly, “as in, the breeze. As in, go for it.”

“I’m at a loss as to what I should do with Myka.”

Claudia blushed slightly. She wasn’t sure where HG was headed with her need for advice. She knew Myka and Helena were dating, she knew that things were going well. Myka had shared with her (not without due pressure and coaxing on Claudia’s part) that Helena and her were physically compatible, they talked about emotional compatibility too… So which part was Helena having issues with? “Uhm…” Claudia muttered, thinking how to best phrase her question. “Which… uhm… specifically…” she stuttered.

“Oh, apologies, darling,” Helena chuckled, “it is a matter of twenty first century dating decorum. More specifically, the celebration of the monthly denominations of the commencement of our romantic involvement,” Helena smoothed the definition like butter on freshly baked bread. “The remaining aspects of romance and relationships have changed little in a hundred odd years, not least my familiarity with the female---”

“You mean monthiversaries?” Claudia jumped in. She did not care to have that mental image stay with her for the rest of the evening. She had a mission to win.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Monthiversaries, like anniversaries, but - as you pointed out - the denomination is monthly.”

“These exist, now, do they?”

“Yeah,” Claudia nodded and shoved some pretzels in her mouth, “they’re a thing,” she crunched loudly. “But I’m probably not the best person to ask about this, you know. I don’t exactly hold an exceptional dating record,” and almost so she could feel better about her lack of dating credentials, she brought up her achievements list on screen.

“To be fair, Claudia, dear, you’re probably as good as any of the options at hand.”

Claudia contemplated HG’s statement. While Pete had more experience dating, he wasn’t exactly a source for romantic inspiration. Heaven only knew what Leena was doing and who she was seeing and how (even though Leena had always been Claudia’s go-to for advice concerning humans), and Artie was… well… Artie. Appeased, and feeling a bit better about herself and the situation, “So what’s the issue with monthiversaries?” she asked.

“How would one celebrate them?”

“I hear dinner and dancing are all the rage these days,” Claudia answered with a smirk.

HG was silent.

“Wow, tough crowd,” she whispered. “Why is this coming around now? This isn’t your first one, HG, you guys have been going out… what? Six months?”

“Precisely.”

“Precisely what?”

“I was given to understand that six months are a ‘big deal’, as you say,” Claudia could hear the veritable struggle HG had using a 20th century colloquialism.

“I understand why they’re a big deal,” Claudia rationalised, “I mean, I get the logic of it for being half a year and all, but I really wouldn’t know the specifics. My longest relationship lasted four months and three and a half weeks.”

“And did you celebrate each of the months as it concluded?” Helena pressed.

“Errr,” Claudia raked through her memories, “yeah, I think.”

“Sounds like they were memorable events,” sarcasm dripped through the headset.

“We were kids, HG, our resources were limited.”

“We haven’t celebrated any thus far,” Helena admitted.

“You haven’t?”

“‘Fraid not.”

“I see your predicament,” Claudia sank back into her seat, contemplating HG’s stakes and position. Would six months follow the rule or set the exception.

So she reverted to a WWMD – What Would Myka Do: whenever she talked to Myka about Helena and about dating, Myka would get a little coy and a little dopey. She would get a stupid smile plastered on her face and a dreamy look in her eyes, all of which were rather endearing. It was incredibly sweet to see Myka so shamelessly in love.

While she knew Myka was smitten, she didn’t know how soppy she was. Scratch that. Claudia knew exactly how soppy Myka was, and that was nil. What she didn’t know was if Myka’s infatuated state altered her default setting of utter non-sop.

Myka was so non-sop that she could just about tolerate annual cycles when it came to celebrations of any sort. She got even worse when it came to celebrating her, and she would attempt to extend the cycle for as long as she possibly could, or avoid it altogether. For that reason, Myka’s birthdays were forkin’ painful, and Claudia didn’t envy HG in the slightest for having to deal with that.

So given her defaults, it stood to reason that Myka wouldn’t be one to celebrate monthiversaries, but six months… Would that be big enough a deal for her?

And then the penny dropped. The subject of which Claudia was an expert wasn’t dating. It was Myka.

“Look, if Myka didn’t fuss about monthiversaries until now, I don’t think she’ll fuss about this one,” Claudia went straight to the point, now she knew what it was.

Helena was silent once more.

Claudia sensed there was more to that silence. “Do you want to celebrate it?” Claudia asked slowly, trying best to mask her disbelief that Helena was the sentimental sop-ball.

Silence.

“Well, if you want to, then you go for it, HG,” Claudia took a sip of soda. “You mark the occasion the way you want to mark it. Dinner or dancing or your extensive knowledge of the female anatomy…” she trailed off.

Still - silence.

Claudia waited for a minute or two for a response of some description. When none came, she checked whether Helena was still there. “Hello?”

“Many thanks, darling,” Helena answered. “I’d appreciate it if you breathed not a word of this conversation to anyone.”

“Scouts honour,” Claudia vowed, even though she was never a scout.

“Especially not to Myka.”

“My lips are sealed.”

* * *

On her birthday, Claudia’s Warehouse family took her out to a club in Featherhead where they arranged an open stage for her favourite local indie artists.

Steve got her a signed Siouxie Sioux vinyl. Pete got her a lifetime subscription to Spotify. Leena got her vintage sheet music of Blues and Gospel standards. HG got her steampunk tool belt. Artie got her a second-hand Honda. Mrs. Frederick got her a blank acceptance letter to any government agency of her choosing. Myka got her nothing to open at the club.

When they got back to the B&B, well after 2am, Claudia, drunk on endorphins and happiness and possibly alcohol, too, gave everyone one last hug and headed up the stairs.

“Wait a sec,” Myka called after her.

Claudia turned her head towards the door, where Myka kissed Helena and whispered something in her ear, then walked towards Claudia. “Not quite over yet,” Myka smiled at the young caretaker and walked past her and up the stairs.

“Why are you not tired or drunk?” Claudia asked sort of quietly, as the adrenalin of the evening faded, and tiredness began to take hold.

“Because,” Myka answered sweetly and waited for Claudia to walk past her and to into her room, on the second floor of the B&B.

Myka leaned against the doorframe without walking in. Without looking in, even. She waited patiently for the excitement she knew would come.

And it did, with a loud “Squee!”, followed by an “Oh my god, it ISN’T…” followed by a shriek of “IT IS!” and the soft sound of bouncing that got closer to where Myka was standing, until arms were flung around the tall agent, who was all too quick and eager to hug Claudia back, and share with her a delighted giggle.

Claudia rocked them in the excited embrace. “I can’t believe you found a Gretsch Electromatic Pro Jet in silver!” she sang to the rhythm of the to and fro of the hug.

“Anything for you, Claud,” was all Myka said.

But then Claudia stopped abruptly and squeezed Myka tightly before running back into the room to look at her new bit of kit more closely. She found what she was looking for behind the headstock – the serial number of the guitar. She then placed it carefully back in its flight case and looked at Myka with a dropped jaw. “You didn’t find it, you naughty vixen,” Claudia gaped. “You commissioned it.”

Myka smiled a small, shy smile and nodded. “Anything,” she said.

“Are you out of your mind?”

“Anything, Claudia,” Myka asserted quietly.

“This is stupid expensive, I can’t keep it.”

“You can and you will,” Myka pushed herself off the door frame and walked in. “Seriously.”

“But Myka---”

“I know it’s expensive, and I get the reluctance,” Myka rationalised. “But it’s not every birthday of yours that I know just what to get you to celebrate the amazing person that you are, and the amazing person you are becoming.”

Claudia’s shoulders slumped. The alcohol and the happy and the tired were translating into tears and joy and love for the family she found and the life she had made for herself.

“I couldn’t possibly wish for a better bestie and colleague, and partner and sort-of sister, Claud. Every single day you do something that makes me proud to know you, that amazes me. Every day you do something that makes me want to be a better person, that helps me be that better person - even if I’m the one doing the helping.”

Claudia bit her lips together to stop the tears. She hated it when Myka got emotional, because Myka’s emotional was like super fine wine, or aged whiskey. Myka would only crack the bottle open when it really mattered, and by god, that stuff was strong and extremely effective.

“This is just me saying thank you,” Myka continued. “For everything.”

Lip biting was of absolutely no use and the tears came rushing down Claudia’s cheeks, washing away remains of sweat and mascara and eyeliner and blush.

“Damn you,” she spat as she walked towards Myka stiffly, then into her, and Myka wrapped her arms around her, and took the act for what it was - a declaration of love and friendship and sisterhood and their unique bond, the likes of which they shared with no one else.

* * *

“It saddens me a great deal once in a while,” Helena said while revising the connections on the exposed circuit board of a WiFi hub.

Claudia examined the artificer’s work. “That diode, HG, always look for the diode.”

“Ah! Thank you,” Helena exclaimed and leaned in to achieve the desired effect, expanding the range of the device and extending the number of transmission bands. “I’m simply overwhelmed by her love, by our love, and I think to myself how wonderful it might have been if we accidentally fell pregnant, the way heterosexual couples do.”

Claudia looked up at her trainee and sighed.

“It’s when I see our merry band of misfits and the lives we’ve built in this world of endless wonder that I want to share this love with a child,” Helena continued, her voice ringing with hope and happiness. “With our child.”

Claudia pursed her lips. This wasn’t the first time she and Helena had a conversation like this. This was the third time, to be exact. It came once every two years or so, after a week or two of relative calm in the Warehouse, when HG had a lot more down time with Myka and a lot more time to watch the people around her.

“Not sad enough to do anything untoward about it, of course,” Helena looked back at Claudia, “after all, and irrespective of the myriad of artefacts one might use to overcome the biological limitations, Myka had made it abundantly clear that she didn’t wish to conceive and I daren’t try given we know so little of the effect of the bronzing process on one’s reproductive system.”

“But also…” Claudia coaxed gently.

“You’re right, of course,” Helena sat back and her smile fell from her lips with a sad sigh and she reached for the locket at her chest. “Christina is still very much alive within me. I don’t believe I would cope with a pregnancy even had I been able to safely carry a child.”

Claudia walked around the table she and Helena was hunched over and wrapped Helena with a hug.

For a while, they shared an occasional sigh amidst the silence.

“You could always adopt,” Claudia said, eventually.

* * *

Myka and Helena’s adopted daughter was just two years old when her mother handed her to the son of a neighbour, a 15 year old boy who was brave and fit enough to walk from Venezuela to the United States of America.

By the time they crossed the border in Mexicali, the son was 16 and child was 3 and 3 months. He stayed in Arizona with his mother’s family and the child was put up for adoption.

The agencies assumed it will be hard to find parents for a child who lost their mother, who spent a third of their lifetime on the road, with a boy they barely knew as their only family, only to lose him as well. It turned out to be the opposite.

It may have been because Myka was a government employee that her name popped up at the top of potential parents upon the first search. That, and the preferences Myka and her partner marked on their form: age: preferably under 10; gender: unspecified; physical features: unspecified; ethnic origin: unspecified; spoken language: unspecified.

The recommendation letters could have also helped. Specifically, one from a Claudia Donovan, which detailed the practical, financial, physical, mental, spiritual and emotional support she had received from Myka and her partner over the 10 years she had known Myka and the 8 years she had known them as a couple. It was a letter that spoke of the love and devotion Myka and her partner shared, not only in their relationship, but with their family at large.

Claudia was in the room when Myka and Helena received the pack with the child’s details, and she witnessed how joy and pain were two sides of the same coin. How palpable was the excitement when the pictures of the little girl fell out of the envelope. But then, how the energy changed, expressions shifted, after Myka pulled out the paperwork, almost in an instance. How smiles vanished and voices hushed as they read through the documentation.

And Myka, so gentle and careful, swept Helena’s locks from her cheek to cradle it. And Helena held Myka’s hand to her while reached with her other to her locket, until Myka let the papers drop to the coffee table to hold Helena to her and whisper a declaration of devotion to Helena, to her past and her present and future, all in one. “We don’t have to, Helena, we don’t need to. I love you. All of you. Who you were, who you loved, who you are and everyone you carry with you. And that’s more than I could ever hope for, that’s more than I could ever want.”

It was then that Claudia could see the papers, that she could see that it was beyond oddly and unintentionally accidental that the child Myka and Helena were presented with was named Christina.

* * *

The B&B was always immaculately dressed at Christmas, almost as if it was built and decorated to celebrate the winter holidays in an impossibly safe and warm place, while the unforgiving North Dakota tundra raged outside.

It was a particularly merry time of year over the past few years, when their family ballooned over the holidays, with Joshua and his wife and kids, Myka’s parents and her sister’s family, with Pete’s mom and sister and kids.

And like any large family gathering, it was loud and drunken and overfed and filled with laughter and drama.

And like any large family gathering, birds of a feather would flock together, in quiet, unassuming corners, to collect their wits and strength whenever they could. And these two birds, most definitely of a feather, even though there were almost three decades between them.

And yet, they were the ones sat by the banister on the first-floor mezzanine, eating M&Ms and drinking milk, away from the proper adults of the household, who were still at the dining room table, having two loud conversations at once - one about taxes and one about cars. Neither conversation held particular appeal to either Claudia or Christina, now nearly 8 years old.

“Grandad and Grannie are Mom’s parents, right?” Christina asked Claudia.

Claudia nodded slowly as she munched on a green peanut M&M.

“And I know Mummy’s parents are dead,” the child continued with their enquiry. “And I know that Aunt Tracey is Mom’s sister.”

Claudia’s nod slowed. “Where are you going with this, Mini C?”

Christina looked up at her other auntie, auntie Claudia, otherwise known as Auntie C. “So if you’re also my auntie, whose sister are you?”

* * *

#Bering and Wells #bering and wells gift exchange #b&w holiday gift exchange #lady-adventuress

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mfangeleeta · 6 years ago

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Last Call for Vodka (update)

I lost my mentor today. So here’s a little something for all those people who changed your life so profoundly you’ll never be the same.

Untitled

Myka looked up from the report she had spent the past two hours on. The office was empty, the others either back at the B and B or with Artie doing inventory. When she had started working on the case file, Helena had been working on some research for the Regents.

Now she was alone.

She hadn’t heard the door to the umbilicus open so her partner must be somewhere further in the Warehouse. With a shrug she went back to the report.

After a few moments of lost concentration she shut the file. She didn’t get vibes but she could tell something was going on.

When her feat hit the concrete floor of the Warehouse proper, she paused. And listened. Over the low hum of the lights and the crackly of baby static balls she could hear music. For a moment she wondered if Pete had gotten into trouble again but he was off with his mom visiting his sister and his new nephew. No, this was classical music and Pete would never willingly pick it as his music of choice.

Using her best instincts, Myka headed towards where she thought the noise was coming from. If an artifact had gotten loose it would definitely need to be neutralized. And fast. Once one got going, another seemed to follow until an entire aisle was creating a level 4 emergency and…

Artie will never find out about that.

Before long she found the source of the music. It was coming from the Pete Cave. They still called it the Pete Cave but all of the Agents now made use of it for various reasons. Myka would slip away and read, Claudia would tinker, Steve would meditate or they would all play hooky and watch bad movies instead of doing inventory.

The door was open enough for the music to escape and for her to see Helena sitting on the couch, a photo album in her lap. The room was mostly dark, with only a small lap on next to Helena and the soft glow of the TV.

Slowly Myka pushed open the door and stepped into the room. After making sure the door was shut properly she looked at Helena whose head was bowed over the album. The TV was playing something off of YouTube (how Claudia got the internet in here, she would never know).

“I see you’ve found me,” Helena spoke softly.

“The music lead me here,” Myka sat down on the couch. She could tell that Helena had been crying.

“Come here,” Myka reached out and Helena leaned into her body, the album falling on the floor. Myka knew that she would find out what was bothering her soon. Instead of pressing she leaned back into the couch and looked again at the TV.

“Brahms?”

“Yes. One of my favorites thanks to him.”

“Him?”

There was a long pause then as the violins swelled. Helena had picked an old recording from the 1960s by the Cleveland Orchestra.

“Chataranga.”

The movement ended. As the next started, Helena explained.

“He was such a fan of German romantics. Mahler, Brahms, Schumann. I was more of an opera person but Chataranga would drag me to the symphony every chance he could. We would discuss a case on the way, enjoy the performance, and discuss the latest trend in art and music over a late supper.”

The Victorian paused again and music took over the room.

“This case,” Helena’s voice broke a little, “the one I’m working on for the Regents. It involves research into cases at 12 and 11. Chataranga’s cases.”

“Oh.”

Helena leaned out of Myka’s arms to look her in the face.

“Do you think he knew how much he meant to me? I have never had a truer mentor or friend. I was so angry, so beside myself with grief that I was positively evil to both he and Wolcott before the bronze. Gods,” she chocked. “I can’t bear that was their last memory of me.”

Myka pulled Helena down again as she sobbed.

It was some time after the last movement that Myka and Helena were able to leave the Pete Cave. Myka’s heart broke for partner. Seeing HG with the current Warehouse team, she knew that Helena could love her friends fiercely.

As they prepared for bed that evening, Myka handed over a faded brown envelope.

“I know this won’t change what happened,” she explained as Helena opened the file. “But I thought you might like to see this after today.”

The first time HG Wells had appeared Myka had spent hours researching her history, her cases, and the people that knew her best. It was both fascinating and appalling. But one thing had always stuck out to here, how Agent Well’s fellow Victorians had felt about here.

“They knew.” Myka smiled. “They always knew.”

#bering and wells #warehouse 13 #last call for vodka series #my heart is so heavy today

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ariadnedionysia · 7 years ago

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fandom meme : hit me up !

I was tagged by @flintvane and am genuinely embarrassed that i didn’t see this before now omg i’m so sorry babe

I’m tagging @sherlock-and-other-things , @girlwhowasntthere , @deinonychus-1 , @frodobagginsess , and @sherlokiofpigfarts ! and anyone else who would like to do this meme!!

putting it under the read more bc it’s hilariously long sO

1. YOUR CURRENT OTP(S)/OT3(S)/OTX(S)

oh gosh i have a bunch so i’m going to try and limit myself but pythacarus ( always ), gwen / leon and gwaine / percival from merlin, foggy / matt from daredevil ( i don’t watch daredevil anymore but i just watched the defenders so they’re on my mind ), jane / michael from jane the virgin, tom / sybil from downton abbey will always be a fave, dean / seamus, lavender / parvati, harry / ginny, and remus / sirius from the harry potter series, and then caleb / ben and robert / abe from TURN are my final two

2. A PAIRING YOU INITIALLY DIDN’T CONSIDER BUT SOMEONE CHANGED YOUR MIND (BONUS POINTS: WHO WAS THAT PERSON).

i’d never considered korinna / heptarian until @girlwhowasntthere mentioned them and now i actually really love the ship i’d never thought about it before

3. A PAIRING YOU USED TO LOVE, BUT IT ALL FELL APART FOR YOU.

oh god. um. you know i used to watch reign and i was a really big fan of mary and francis, whom i still love don’t get me wrong, but they took mary on a really uncomfortable plotline for me in i think the second season that was unnecessary and clearly purely for //drama// and i just couldn’t quite get over them doing that and what it did to the ship it just made me uncomfortable with them and with watching the show altogether

4. HAVE YOU ADDED ANYTHING CRACKY/HILARIOUS TO YOUR FANDOM, IF SO, WHAT.

i don’t know if this counts but i did the emily watches atlantis series? i don’t know if that counts but i think they’re funny so i’m putting it on the list?

5. WHAT’S THE LONGEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN IN A FANDOM

harry potter. i’m super proud to be a part of that fandom and i’ve been in it since the first book came out so that’s definitely the fandom i’ve been in the longest.

6. DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST OTP, IF SO WHO WAS IN IT.

i’m trying to think and it might’ve been richard / kahlan from legend of the seeker ( the show, not the books, i never actually read the books oops ), though i’m not sure.

7. NAME A FANDOM YOU DIDN’T CARE/THINK ABOUT UNTIL YOU SAW IT ALL OVER TUMBLR.

copying @flintvane ‘s answer and saying black sails !

8. SAY SOMETHING GENUINELY NICE ABOUT A CHARACTER WHO ISN’T ONE OF YOUR FAVES (CHARS YOU’RE NEUTRAL ON ARE FAIR GAME, AS ARE CHARS YOU DISLIKE)

oh god. there are a bunch i have things to say about and i can’t decide bUT i’m gonna go with petra from jane the virgin. i used to really hate her at the beginning of the series, i thought she was horrible and i just couldn’t stand her, but as the series has continued she’s really become this amazing and realistically flawed woman that i just want to see happy. i wouldn’t say she’s my fave, but i do want to see her happy.

9. NAME THREE THINGS YOU WISH YOU SAW MORE OR IN YOUR MAIN FANDOM (OR A FANDOM OF CHOICE)

i’m gonna say atlantis for this one sO

1. another season. i mean come on, guys. come on.

2. more pythacarus, we just got the one kiss ( which was amazing a+++ ) but that was pretty much it, i know they’re not the main focus of the show, but i do love them dearly and would’ve loved to have seen more

3. where the hell are the rest of the argonauts and why did jason not go back for them i need that reunion like. two years ago. pls.

10. CHOOSE A SONG AT RANDOM, WHICH SHIP OR CHARACTER DOES IT REMIND YOU OF

i just put my itunes on shuffle and “oceans” by seafret was the first song to come on, and it reminds me of ariadne / jason

11. A PAIRING YOU SHIP THAT YOU DON’T THINK ANYONE ELSE SHIPS

gwen / leon from merlin. i know merthur is the Big Ship of merlin, i don’t really see many other ships there except that one. but i think a lot about gwen being pretty much abandoned by everyone she loves / loved after arthur dies, since gwaine and arthur and elyan and morgana are all dead and merlin just decided to peace tf out, but the last shot we have of her is with leon and her being a queen on her own and bringing peace to albion, etc etc, and i just think. i mean. they said they were childhood friends somewhere back in i think season two, and they were really the two people besides gaius that knew arthur the longest, and i just think that after arthur died, they would’ve been each other’s main supports, and eventually, they could’ve ended up together. this is unnecessarily long but i just have a lot of feelings about them okay and i don’t know anyone else that ships them so they’re my ship for this wOO

12. YOUR MOST SCANDALOUS HEADCANON FOR YOUR CURRENT OTP(S)/OT3(S)/OTX(S)

i don’t think i really have any scandalous headcanons?? i’m very boring with my ships haha sorry, all my headcanons are angst or fluff

13. DO YOU HAVE ANY HARD AND FAST HEADCANONS THAT YOU WILL DIE DEFENDING, ABOUT ANYTHING AT ALL (GENDER IDENTITY, SEXUAL OR ROMANTIC ORIENTATION, EXTENDED FAMILY, SEXUAL PREFERENCES LIKE TOP/BOTTOM/SWITCH, RELATIONSHIP WITH POETRY, SERIOUSLY ANYTHING)

pretty much any poc harry potter hcs i will defend to the death, bisexual remus lupin, myka and hg wells in warehouse 13 dated at some point, bisexual harry potter, remus / tonks was unnecessary. i liked them and everything, but i didn’t really see the point of downgrading such an amazing woman like tonks to the Love Interest. she deserved better. even remus lupin knew that. danny in the defenders needs to say “i’m the immortal iron fist” less pls and thank. putting caleb and ben ( show: TURN ) with women ( that we never actually got to see ) at the end of the show was weird. bisexual musketeers. there aren’t enough lesbians in any shows m/m ships are easier to ship since there actually are some, but f/f ships are too rare and that’s a Problem. more women friendships, i’m super tired of the women being nasty to each other bc they like the same guy or whatever. peter pettigrew had a snape/lily -esque love for sirius, which is why he turned in the potters, so sirius would think remus was the secret keeper and have no one to turn to except peter. james potter grew up and evolved, pls don’t compare him to snape. neville longbottom is pure and must be protected. luna’s family can just be whimsical!! you don’t need a Dark and Edgy reason behind it, they can just be wonky and happy and weird!! every single nickname in the harry potter series is fckin hiLARIOUS. ginny weasley deserved better than she got in the movies, they did her a massive injustice.

14. 5 FAVORITE CHARACTERS FROM 5 DIFFERENT FANDOMS

1. ariadne ( i adore pythagoras but i’m gonna go with ariadne bc reasons ), atlantis

2. constance, the musketeers

3. cosima, orphan black

4. ginny, harry potter series ( /quietly pushes movie!ginny into a corner book!ginny for life )

5. ben talmidge, TURN

15. 3 OTPS FROM 3 DIFFERENT FANDOMS

i’m gonna put ones that i didn’t put in the first question :

1. nomi / amanita ( sense8 )

2. korinna / ariadne ( atlantis )

3. luna / ginny ( harry potter series )

16. 5 FAVORITE SHIPS

THESE ARE SUCH HARD QUESTIONS OH MY GOD i’m going to try and put ones i haven’t mentioned before all of my ships that i’ve mentioned are favorites though okay

1. captain james / molly ( our girl )

2. fleur / tonks ( harry potter )

3. hernando / lito ( sense8 )

4. athelstan / ragnar ( vikings )

5. sirius / peter ( harry potter )

17. JUST RAMBLE ABOUT SOMETHING FAN-RELATED, GO GO GO (PROMPTS OPTIONAL BUT ENCOURAGED)

i came late into the atlantis fandom, so i didn’t get much of a chance to be there before the series was over, but i remember seeing it all over my dash before season two came out, it was like the day before the second season started, and i was like. i gotta check this series out. so i watched the first episode of the first season, and proceeded to marathon the entire first season so i could start the second season with you lovely people in the atlantis fandom, and honestly, i’ve never been part of a better, happier, drama-free fandom. i love it so much and i love all of you so much and this is slightly cheesy but i just think everyone in the fandom is amazing.

other things. um. okay well this is sort of fan-related, but i’ve met the most amazing group of people through my group, @orderfromchaos-rp. it’s such a talented and fantastic group of incredible writers, and i just love all of them to pieces, i’ve never had such an amazing rp experience.

i’m hardcore worried about johnny depp and jude law playing against each other in fbawtft. i’m not a fan of jude law for this role and i actively, adamantly hate johnny depp, so i’m honestly worried that’s going to ruin that ship for me.

i’m super excited about being a part of all the fandoms i’m in, honestly, i don’t totally know what to do for this part of this meme so i’m just ranting but i’m seriously hoping i can be in a fandom that doesn’t have its show cancelled soon after i enter it, because being longterm fandom buddies with new material sounds amazing and i would love to be a part of something like that again, i’m not really active in many fandoms rn and i wanna change that, so hmu with any suggestions for things i should watch!!!!

#emily answers stuff #fandom memes #this was so hard but so amazing to do!!!#flintvane #emily yells about stuff

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zenlesszonezero · 14 days ago

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As the conspiracy reaches its finale, the Void Hunter joins the fight.

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#Zenless Zone Zero #Miyabi #Harumasa #HoYoverse #zzzero #zenlesszonezero #Mobile Game #Anime Game #Gaming

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1agentofchaos · 8 years ago

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The Spawn of the Great Joraffe and the Unicorn Queen

Notes: So, I know it’s the end of January, but this was an unfinished story I was attempting to write for Christmas which had made me frustrated because I couldn’t figure out how to end it. I needed a break from my other stories, so I went back to this one, and it actually began to flow, even though I had a number of holes to plug.

There is a book I mention at the very end titled “Unicorn Giraffe.” This children’s book actually exists. It’s by Teddi Rutschman and Laura Botsford (whom I hope would be pleased at the free press they are getting right now). While I’ve never read it, from what I can tell, it looks beautiful with a lovely story perfect for a child of Helena and Myka’s. The sentence Helena reads to her son is the actual sentence at the beginning of the book.

This story came to mind partly because of an inside joke in the Bering and Wells fandom regarding Jo and Jaime. For various reasons, Jo became known as the “Great Joraffe” and Jaime as the “Unicorn Queen”. I also was given a plush animal that looks very much what I described and couldn’t help but think how it could be the love child of the stuffed animals the Great Joraffe and Unicorn Queen with a rainbow mane.

Also: Fluff. So very much fluff! But we all need that right now, I think.

—

Summary: The big eyes of the little multi colored spotted plush animal with a little unicorn on top of its head stared at Helena with what could only be described as wonderment…if the bloody thing was alive.

The big eyes of the little multi colored spotted plush animal with a little unicorn on top of its head stared at Helena with what could only be described as wonderment…if the bloody thing was alive.

Which it most definitely was not.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes! I’m going to buy it. You can’t tell me Choo Choo Charlie won’t love this?!”

“While he may, Myka won’t.” Helena rolled her eyes. “And why on earth must you call Charles ‘Choo Choo Charlie’? Is it just to aggravate me?”

Pete grinned. “While I do love to aggravate you, HG, it’s an American thing from an old TV ad. Besides, it’s your own fault; you bought him that train set to begin with.” He elbowed Helena, teasing, “And don’t act like you’re all upset about it. You love to play it with him as much as I do.”

Helena did her best to hide her smile. She really did enjoy it to the point of making her son an intricate train track, and buying him additional pieces and train cars. Sunday afternoons were often devoted to Thomas the Tank Engine, building model trains together, and playing with the train set in the basement.

The inventor’s special surprise for Charles on Christmas Day: a brand new Steampunk train designed and built with the help of Claudia. There was also an even more detailed track that for one thing, required one to solve puzzles along the way.

“Oh my god! Squeal of delight!” Claudia rushed over, and seized the plush animal-thing out of Pete’s hands.

“Hey! I wasn’t done yet! Me and the spawn of the Great Joraffe and the Unicorn Queen are creating some awesome dance moves.”

Shoving Pete out of the way, Claudia squeezed and hugged the garish toy. Closing her eyes, Claudia cooed, “Oh, you are so precious, aren’t you, little…uh…” Claudia’s eyes opened, and she regarded the plush animal thing. “I’m thinking we need a name here, H.G.”

“Oooo, yeah!” Pete placed his hand under his chin, rubbing it as if contemplating some great universal question.“Now, let’s see: Joraffe Jr.?”

Claudia waved a hand, dismissing him. “Too easy, and too boring, Pete.”

“Well, what do you have?” Pete snagged it out of her hand and held it high above Claudia, who kept jumping and swatting at it to no avail.

“Come on, Pete! Give it back!”

“Weeeee! Look what I can do!” Helena was surprised Pete could make his voice go that high pitched, and watched the man child make the plush animal thing do various jumps and impossible athletic endeavors.

Helena rubbed her temple. She knew her four month pregnant wife would likely show up any minute and feared Myka’s reaction.

It was one week before Christmas. Helena and Myka were visiting Mr. and Mrs. Bering in Colorado Springs, and decided to revisit this charming store featuring all kinds of wonderful baby and nursery items. This was their second child, but now it was Myka’s turn to carry the child, and she was not happy about it. Not one bit. Helena refused to give her a free pass stating, “I’ve already done this twice now. Besides, Dr. Calder doesn’t think it would be safe for me to carry another.”

When they were married, the idea of children was not on the list, but the Warehouse had other ideas. Helena did not come to the Warehouse often but Myka had needed some help with organizing and deciphering some of Warehouse 12 files, not to mention Caturanga’s illegible writing. One thing led to another in the library…and now nine months later, Charles Christopher Peter Bering-Wells was born. (“That’s what you get for being naughty in the Warehouse, Mykes,” Pete had teased.)

Everyone was in shock it was a boy. Myka kept babbling about how science is science and they both had no y so why is there a y…

Pete was ecstatic, declaring the Warehouse knew another male was needed, and swore there were days he felt like he was swimming in estrogen. Steve took exception to this, pointing out there was also him and Artie to help in the testosterone department. Pete came back with the rebuttal that if you add Abigail, all the guys were out numbered. Plus, there were days Pete could have sworn Myka multiplied just to torment him.

Myka on the other hand was pissed Pete made this all about him, but her eyes were full of happy tears when little Charles was born. For her part, Helena was just happy to have a healthy baby.

She was also in a way relieved. Helena didn’t think she could have stood giving birth to another little girl. It would have been overwhelming, bringing back too many memories. It seemed strange to say, but somehow she felt the Warehouse sensed this, which would explain why she gave birth to a son.

Charles was now four, and the apple of everyone’s eyes, and he knew it. Helena swore there were days she could see her brother in little Charles’s mischievous expressions. It brought back happy memories of her and her brother Charles as children. Helena was usually the instigator, as most of the ideas were hers, but Charles was always a ready and willing comrade in arms. The days she saw that expression on her son’s face were the days she missed her brother the most.

Adding to Charles was always open ended: they simply never discussed it. Helena suspected Myka knew having Charles was a blessing, but was well aware of the spark of darkness within Helena. If anything happened to Charles, Helena doubted even Myka could hold her back. To add another child…

Now a consultant to the Warehouse, Helena held a non related Warehouse job as well. She was still afraid of the lure, the temptation to use artifacts no matter how many times everyone else (including the Warehouse) knew she would not.

The Regents it seemed were in agreement with her as they disapproved of her returning as an agent (despite the protests of the rest of the Warehouse team). There was the discussion of Helena becoming a Regent, but she simply didn’t want that sort of connection anymore. However, Helena did enjoy acting in a consulting capacity, and the Regents gave their approval. Helena’s expertise from situations relating to Warehouse 12 was invaluable, as well as her genius level intellect. And much to the delight of one Claudia Donovan, Helena was allowed a certain…leverage as well.

Or really, it was more of a plausible deniability on the part of the Regents. Claudia Donovan originals (or improvements for that matter) were never officially sanctioned. However, considering these inventions improved life in the Warehouse and the field (especially achieving a higher retrieval rate), Helena’s role was overlooked.

Claudia had declared working with Helena as “the most awesome of awesome”. Helena still did not understand the girl’s use of language, but understood enough to know this was a good thing. Helena was simply pleased her version of the MicroRay had saved Claudia’s pseudo father’s heart.

Afterwards, Artie’s attitude towards Helena as Claudia’s mentor softened. His gruff paternal demeanor towards anything connected with Claudia was still there but the ire towards Helena for past misdeeds had disappeared with the cravat that Helena hurting Claudia in any way, shape, or form would carry serious consequences up to and including bronzing. Helena got the message loud and clear, and felt an odd kinship with Artie as a parent.

The need to invent, to discover, to imagine, had never really left. She found that out with Nate who seemed mystified, and while not the exact cause of their relationship ending, was at the least a symptom of the cause. Emily Lake was a mask, and after the jaw bone incident, Helena G Wells started to peel the rest of the torn mask away; and that person was not someone safe enough, not someone who could be the PTA soccer mother Nate and Adelaide needed.

When Helena and Myka finally admitted their feelings, the urge intensified. It was like rediscovering a part of her she’d buried for so long and she reveled in it.

Once Helena and Myka were married, they bought a house in Univille, and between consulting for the Warehouse and inventing, Helena worked part time at the local bookstore, much to Myka’s delight. It gave Helena solace, being surrounded by literature. They were all like old friends; the smell and texture brought to mind her days in London with informal scintillating intellectual discourse in a group much like the Algonquin round table.

There was also a laboratory in the basement of their home. When she became pregnant with Charles, it was decided this must change. Helena simply bought one of the pieces of land nearby and built a laboratory, much to Claudia’s excitement.

While Helena enjoyed the computer, her love for the physicality of the written word on parchment had never ended; the feel of crisp paper between her fingers, and the smell of the ink as it dried. To Myka’s elation, the Victorian began to write again.

Eventually, Helena gained the nerve to submit a story to a science fiction magazine. Initially rejected (Myka threatened to fly to the company’s headquarters and tell them off), Helena retooled a few things, realizing her style of writing came off a bit antiquated.

At last, she had a story published, and decided to focus on a novel next. Helena loved her wife, but Myka hovering around her as she wrote proved too much. Eventually, they came to an understanding; when Helena was writing she was not to be disturbed, barring an emergency.

With that understanding, things flowed easily enough. While Helena becoming pregnant with Charles was unexpected, she was determined to not make the same mistakes she made with Christina.

One or both of them were always with Charles. During those moments when they were unable to, Uncle Pete, Aunt Claudia, Uncle Jinks, or Grandpa Artie would keep careful watch. It took a long time before Helena would even allow this; there were continual flashbacks to Christina’s death. Not just the fear, but the guilt at having left Christina with a young weak maid unable to fight off the huge men during the robbery.

At last, with time, patience, and convincing, Helena was assured her friends were capable of protecting Charles. Myka had pointed out they were all Agents, and were more than capable of shooting and fighting off intruders.

So, Helena relaxed. And with it, came the enjoyment of motherhood again; just simply the true joy of sharing things with her son.

There had been questions from Myka’s relatives (especially her mother and Tracy) over when they would add to their family. They had been convinced Charles was the result of a experimental procedure allowing two women to procreate, and the insistence to add another child intensified.

Myka at first was annoyed, but as time went on, the thought to share things with a daughter as well grew.

Charles had a lot of Wells in him, and Myka was hoping to have a child with more Bering, even if she would never admit it. Their son was never keen on athletics, and while he loved to read, his love of trains and anything mechanical, took precedence. Helena knew Myka wanted to have a child that would someday fence with her, perhaps join the debate team, and read as if the books were the very essence of life itself.

Every so often, Myka brought it up. After many nights of talking and crying about Christina, Helena was ready to try for a girl. This time, they used an artifact. As Myka put it, “we are never, ever doing it in the warehouse again!”

As Charles was considered some sort of fluke, they expected a girl this time, as “science was still science” (as Myka put it). Once Myka was pregnant, they eventually discovered they were indeed having a girl.

Myka was taken off retrievals, and while she knew it was coming, it made Myka agitated. The inventor had faced certain restrictions while pregnant but she was still able to tinker, write, and work at the bookshop. Myka wasn’t able to go out and do what she loved best: be a Warehouse Agent.

So here they were, joined by Pete and Claudia. It had just so happened there was a curiosity nearby Colorado Springs, which was snagged, bagged, and tagged in record time. Artie graciously granted Pete and Claudia an extra two days to spend in Colorado Springs. Pete was very happy to see Mrs. Bering and most especially, her cookies.

Helena’s iPhone buzzed in her pocket. It was Myka, and she would be here any minute.

“Just stop!” Helena reached over and grabbed the plush animal thing, and predictably both fussed like two little children.

“Aw, come on, HG!”

“Yeah. We haven’t settled on a name yet.”

“I don’t really care. Myka just finished at the bank, and will be here in a couple of minutes. You both know how she has reacted to your incessant teasing about that…animal…family…you seem to have created for Charles.”

Helena dimly registered the tinkle of a bell but was focused on this ridiculous conversation involving the…offspring?…of two plush animals in Charles’s room.

“I thought she liked it,” Pete lamented.

Helena’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Every time you mention it, she hits you!”

“She always hits me! How am I supposed to tell the difference?”

Helena did have to concede a point there.

“The difference between what?” Her wife said evenly behind her.

Pete’s eyes widened and he grabbed the stuffed animal thing from Helena’s grip prompting a glare from the inventor. Pete whipped the garish animal thing around his back out of sight so fast Helena would have been impressed if she wasn’t more worried about the situation at hand.

The situation called for her best charm. She sauntered over, and wrapped her arms around her wife. Whispering in her wife’s ear, Helena intensified her British accent, knowing for some reason she had never been able to understand, her accent was a turn on for Myka.

“Now, come, come my darling. Just ignore Peter. Let’s instead think about having a wonderful candlelight dinner at the Mediterranean restaurant we saw on the way into town. We can leave Charles with your parents overnight, and have a lovely dinner and return to the hotel where I can pamper and make love to you.” She softly kissed Myka’s ear. “Je vous adore, mon amour.”

Myka’s body however remained rigid, and when Helena pulled back, Myka’s face was expressionless. Drat. Not even her best seduction method was working. Helena absently wondered if she was losing her touch.

It was obvious that not only would Myka not let this pass, she would most likely yell at Pete in the store when she learned the meaning behind Pete’s statement.

But fortune smiled upon the group, as little Charles Bering-Wells and Mrs. Bering entered the store. The little boy ran to Helena, hugging her legs. His little arms reached up to be lifted into Helena’s arms.

“Mummy!”

Helena’s eyes lit up and she gave him the smile reserved only for her son. Charles was getting to the point where he was too heavy to hold for any long period of time, but Helena refused to acknowledge this. Her body however had other ideas, as she felt the strain in holding him for a length of time. Helena knew it wouldn’t be long before she had to stop (most likely a month, if she were lucky) but she was determined to make the most of this cherished ritual other parents enjoy. Christina had reached the point of being beyond this stage when she was killed, but just holding her own child in her arms again returned that joy to her heart.

Helena adjusted her arms a bit, and said, “Hello, my little engineer. Have you been having fun with your grandmother?”

Charles nodded enthusiastically, his engineer cap bobbing slightly on his head.

“Where’s your new hat, Charles?” Myka reached over to fuss with Charles’s cap, and the young boy scrunched up his nose, and wiggled so much Helena was forced to set him back on the ground.

“I want to wear this hat, Momma. Mummy said I could wear it.”

Helena cringed as Myka turned, giving her a hard look, and Helena knew she was in trouble.

“Well, Mummy seems to have forgotten that the temperature is thirty degrees outside-much too cold for wearing your engineer cap.” This statement was more for Helena’s chastisement rather than directed at their son.

“Darling, it is true I said Charles is allowed to wear it while we enjoy our time together with the trains…” she looked down at her son “I did not mean everywhere.” Her son was wearing his puppy dog face which Helena had a hard time resisting, but Helena knew Myka was right; Charles would be sick with the lack of warmth on his head, and no covering on his little ears.

Kneeling down, Helena caressed her son’s cheeks.“You know, even engineers get cold, and need the extra warmth. Besides, it would be terribly difficult to enjoy Christmas in bed. You would miss Grandpa Artie’s cookies, going caroling, decorating the tree, opening your presents under the tree, and our Christmas feast with Christmas crackers.”

A small pout was almost Helena’s undoing as she removed the engineer’s cap, smoothing down his chestnut hair. “Now, darling, they have some lovely stocking caps right over there.” Helena pointed to a display next to the cash register. “And you may pick whichever one you like.”

Helena rose, and noticed a contrite expression on her mother-in-law’s face. "I’m sorry, Myka. I couldn’t get him to put on a warmer hat before we left the house.“

"Charles, is this true?” Helena looked down at her son, frowning. “You know to obey your grandmother.”

The little boy bowed his head in shame, and then mumbled,“I’m sorry, Mummy.”

Helena sighed. “All right, no punishment this time, I suppose.” Charles looked back up at her, and smiled. “But next time this happens, young man, there will be no Thomas the Tank Engine and playing with your train set for at least a week.”

The smile dimmed, and Charles grew serious. “Yes, Mummy. I will listen to Grandmother from now on.”

“Good.” Helena nodded approvingly.

“Mom, we can take it from here.”

“What time will you be coming over for dinner?”

“Soon. I’ll give you a call,” Myka replied.

“Okay.” Mrs. Bering kissed Myka on the cheek, and glanced at Helena. “I’ll see you two later. Make sure Myka gets to the house all right, Helena.”

“Mom! I’m not an invalid. I can get myself over there just fine, thank you very much.” Myka crossed her arms, and pouted, looking very much like Charles at the moment. Helena bit her lip not to smile; Myka was adorable.

Mrs. Bering rolled her eyes. “Goodbye, Charles.”

“Goodbye, Grandmother!” Charles hugged her and then Mrs. Bering walked out the door.

“Mykes, I’m still invited to dinner, right?” Pete was wearing his best puppy dog face.

Myka sighed, relaxing her posture. “Yes, you and Claudia are both invited, like I told you.”

“Yay!” Pete cried happily, as he and Charles gave each other high fives.

“I don’t think I can deal with going over there tonight, Helena.” Myka whispered.

Helena kissed her wife’s hair. “It’s only for tonight, love. And we will most definitely be returning to the hotel later.”

At that moment, Pete demonstrated his bull in a China shop tendency, and knocked down the display of stuffed animals behind him which just happened to have more of that god awful multi colored plush animal…thing.

Various forms of Pete’s name were cried all at once.

“Pete!”

“Peter!”

“Dude!”

“Uncle Pete!”

“Whoops.” He bent over to pick up the animals while Claudia began to reorganize the display.

“Don’t worry, Mykes and H.G., we got it. No problemo.” Claudia said, waving off the clerk who was set to come over. “Sorry about that!” She called, and smiled at the clerk, who seemed to hesitate, but was interrupted by a customer ready to pay.

A quick glance at her wife revealed Myka with closed eyes trying to regulate her breathing. Helena placed her hand on Myka’s back, rubbing soothing circles through her coat, and was very thankful Myka didn’t push her away.

Opening her eyes, Myka leaned into Helena, who just wrapped her arm around her wife. It was time to go home. Just as Helena was about to open up her mouth and relay just that, her son exclaimed, “Mummy, look! This animal looks like both you and momma!”

The little boy grinned as he held up the prized ghastly thing.

Myka didn’t answer. Helena saw a mix of confusion and incredulousness on her face.

“Charles, darling-” Helena began.

“Told ya!” Pete smiled wide at Helena as he pranced a bit in place and Helena feared another accident.

Helena felt Myka’s back grow rigid again, and she withdrew from Helena’s touch. Helena internally sighed. Why must Pete be so…Pete?!

“What the hell are you talking about, Pete? That-that thing does not look like us.”

Undeterred, their son informed, “It looks like the Great Joraffe and the Unicorn Queen mixed up together.”

Helena feared Myka would blow a gasket, but then Charles continued, “It’s like me being a mix of you and Mummy!”

Helena immediately sensed Myka’s body relax and thought she heard sniffles.

“Myka, darling, are you coming down with a cold?”

Myka turned, causing Helena to only hear a muffled answer. Her wife drew out of her pocket a Kleenex, and blew her nose while still sniffling.

Charles tugged on Myka’s coat. “Are you sick, Momma?”

He sounded so concerned and sweet it was no wonder Myka turned back and bending down slightly to hug him close to her legs, kissing his dark hair.

“No, no, baby, I’m fine. Momma is just a little…out of sorts today.”

Charles raised his head to stare at Myka with worried wide eyes. “Why are you out of sorts?”

“Um…it’s just sometimes when women are pregnant, it gets hard to control their emotions.”

“Does this mean you won’t be able to have Christmas with us?”

Helena decided to take control of the situation as Myka appeared to be on the verge of losing it again.

Leaning down, Helena looked her son in the eyes. “Momma will be just fine, Charles. Now, be a good boy, and go find which hat you would like to wear. After that, we will all go back to Grandmother Bering’s house, and have hot chocolate.”

Glancing one more time at his momma, Charles withdrew slowly from Myka’s grasp. “Okay, Mummy.”

Helena smiled and then instructed, “Hand Claudia the plush toy to return to the display before you leave.”

Claudia jumped in, and held her hand out, saying,“Come on, Charlie. Let’s put this animal back on the shelf, and go over to the hats. I bet we can find one you will totally rock.”

When Claudia and Charles were over perusing the hats, Pete tried to make his escape. “You know, there is this new restaurant I saw open in the next town over. I’m gonna go get the car, and then Claud can meet me outside when her and Charlie are done.”

Myka laid her hand on his arm. “Pete, it’s okay. I’m sorry. I’m just tired.”

“It’s okay, Mykes.” He grinned sheepishly.

“I know you meant the best…in your own way.” Then she added, “But that animal thing-” she pointed at the garish toy “does not look like-like-”

Pete grinned widely.“The spawn of the Great Joraffe and the Unicorn Queen?”

Helena scoffed, while Myka pinched her nose. He grabbed the plush animal again, and once more did a (admittedly more subtle) dance with the thing.

“Pete! Fine! You can give it to him for Christmas.” Myka gave in.

"Yippee!”

“Just put it back, and come in later to buy it please.” Myka glanced at Helena who was rolling her eyes.

Helena sucked in a breath, and conceded, mumbling, “Righty ho, then.”

Pete grinned widely at Helena. She shook her head at his enthusiasm, knowing he really did have a good heart.

“Now, if you will excuse me, I think it’s time to buy Charles’s hat, so we can leave.”

“Agreed,” Myka responded, and Helena was pleased to see the smile on Myka’s face.

Walking towards Charles, Helena called, “Have you found a hat, my little man?”

Holding up a hat with the craziest, most obnoxious design Helena had ever seen, he exclaimed happily, “Yes, Mummy!”

Helena closed her eyes, and wondered if this day would ever end.

—–

It was the beginning of February with Christmas long since over.

The snow softly fell in the chilly dark night, while inside Charles’s bedroom, Helena tucked her son into his warm bed with Thomas the Tank Engine sheets and comforter.

“Mummy, read the story to me again.”

“Which story, darling?” Helena asked.

“The one about the giraffe unicorn.”

“You mean 'Unicorn Giraffe’?”

“Yes. That one.”

“All right.” She walked over to the windowseat where the book rested next to the Great Joraffe, the Unicorn Queen with a rainbow mane, and a garish plush toy sporting a tiny engineer cap fashioned by Claudia.

“Mummy, can you bring Choo Choo Joraffe Jr. too?” Charles asked in a sleepy voice.

Helena rolled her eyes, but did as asked. Bringing it over with the book, she commented, “Have you considered a nickname, Charles? 'Choo Choo Joraffe Jr.’ is rather a mouth full.”

Charles happily accepted the offered toy, and hugged it fiercely to his chest.

“No, Mummy. Choo Choo Joraffe Jr. is his name.”

Helena internally sighed, but looking at her son so happy with the little plush animal thing softened her feelings.

“All right, my darling. Choo Choo Joraffe Jr. it is then.”

He grinned.

“Now scoot over, so I can come onto your bed and read the story.”

Charles happily complied, and Helena crawled up to lean against the headboard, book in hand. As Charles snuggled into her side, she opened the book, and began.

“It was in a land called Lemony a place faraway from where we are now where only friends of the Aftertime could visit.”

As Helena read the story, she felt at peace, full of happiness and love, emotions she never expected to find again.

—–

The story finished and Charles fast asleep, Helena gently extricated herself from her son’s grip and rose from the bed.

She kissed his tiny head, whispering, “Sweet dreams, my little lamb.”

Helena replaced the book 'Unicorn Giraffe’ on the windowseat, and as she closed the bedroom door, she mused, wondering how such a little garish plush animal thing could bring so much so much happiness.

Maybe she should listen to Uncle Pete more often.

#Bering and wells #The Spawn of the Great Joraffe and the Unicorn Queen #my fic #so very much fluff #myka bering #helena wells

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