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SPOILERS: Season Two.
Dusty Footprints in Time
By Athena
Part 13: The Morning Gift
Myka giggled as she woke up to soft lips kissing the tops of her breasts and long silky hair tickling her body. She cupped Helena's face and smiled at her.
"Good morning."
"Good morning Mrs. Bering-Wells."
Myka's eyes grew large and then suddenly misted a little. "Oh Helena."
Helena kissed her softly and then knelt next to Myka on the bed.
"In my family we have a tradition of giving a morning gift to the wife on the first morning after the wedding," Helena said a little shyly.
Myka sat up and waited for Helena to continue.
"It was very difficult for me to decide on what to give you," Helena confessed. "My first thought was to give you a horse, but since we don't live here, it would be difficult."
"A horse?" Myka said and gasped.
Helena laughed. "I have made arrangements to buy a thoroughbred, you see. Not for you, for me," she explained. "I thought that it might be wise to purchase a horse for you too so we could go riding together. As you know the stables here are quite large and they can easily accommodate another two horses. Then again I felt that I should discuss it with you and probably involve you in the selection."
"But… horses are expensive," Myka whispered. She looked at Helena. "And I haven't exactly been on a horse since I was a teenager."
"Pish tosh," Helena said and made a face. "All Wells ride."
Myka grinned. "I'm a Wells too," she whispered.
"You most certainly are," Helena said happily. She pulled out a small box and handed it to Myka. "When going through the numerous crates of things that Charles had put away after my disappearance I came across this. I thought that you would like it."
Myka gaped and looked at the small box in her hand. "This is from back then?" she whispered.
"It is. I hope you don't mind that I did not buy you something new. If you don't like it I will gladly purchase anything you desire. You know I will."
Myka looked up at her and smiled. "This is much better."
Myka opened the box with trembling fingers. She gasped as she laid eyes on the Victorian necklace inside.
"Oh Helena, it's beautiful," she whispered.
She held it up and the gold reflected the sun coming through the window. Several gold chains were intricately connected with pearls and precious stones. It was very Victorian and, Myka suspected, very expensive. She held it up to Helena.
"Will you put it on me?"
Helena nodded. She swallowed, choking back tears as Myka swept her hair to the side bending her neck a little. Helena balanced on her knees behind her as she slipped the necklace onto Myka's neck and rearranged her curls over her shoulders. Myka turned and smiled at her. Helena covered her mouth at the sight of her. Myka was stunning. Dressed in nothing but the beautiful necklace and with a glow on her cheeks she was breathtakingly beautiful. Helena whimpered and pulled her into a fierce hug.
"You are so incredibly beautiful," she whispered and again choked back a sob. "I am so very, very lucky."
"I think we're both lucky," Myka mumbled. "I love my gift, but honestly Helena, you didn't have to give me anything." She pulled away and cupped Helena's face. "You already gave me the greatest gift you could ever give me when you agreed to marry me."
Tears rolled down Helena's cheeks and she nodded. She tucked a lock of Myka's hair behind her delicate ear.
Claudia stretched and smiled as she woke up. As she became alert she chuckled at the memories from the night before.
"A smile on her face must mean that the lady has no regrets," a teasing British voice said cheerfully next to her.
Claudia's eyes popped open and she stared at the man in her bed.
"Oh my God," she whispered. Then realizing that she had yet to brush her teeth, she covered her face with the sheet.
Mark laughed and pulled her closer. He kissed her closed eyelids and pulled Claudia on top of him. She laughed and let go of the sheet. She bit her lip and smirked as she sat up, straddling his waist.
"Seems like someone is happy to wake up in my bed."
Mark nodded and grabbed her hips as he pushed her down his body. They both sighed as Claudia slowly moved on top of him.
Artie scowled at the two when Claudia rushed into the dining room with Mark in tow. He huffed when the two sat down across the room from where he and Vanessa were sitting.
"Arthur, she is not a child," Vanessa mumbled gently.
"Of course she's a child!" he hissed. "And that actor is taking advantage of her innocence. How old is he anyway? Thirty? Probably older. Damn British cradle robber."
Vanessa gently touched Artie's chin, forcing his gaze away from Claudia. "Artie, if Claudia didn't appreciate his company I know she would've made that very clear to him."
Artie huffed again and continued to glare at Mark over the rim of his coffee cup.
"Soooo, Claudster," Pete said with a teasing grin. "Seems Myka was not the only one to get some British nookie last night."
Claudia blushed beet red. "I… Pete!" she said and made a face at him.
"It's okay," he said and grinned. "Was it good?"
"Pete!" Claudia stared at him and then looked worriedly at Mark who was returning with a plate filled to the brim with eggs and sausages. "Yeah, it was awesome," she mumbled.
Pete snickered and winked at her. "Our little Claudia is growing up," he teased.
"Shut up," she mumbled.
"I brought enough for two, love," Mark said and eased into his seat.
"Yeah, have some sausages Claudia," Pete said and grinned.
"You don't like sausages?" Mark asked concerned.
"I do, but they are just so fatty," she said and made a face.
Mark turned the plate so the side with toast and fruit faced her. "How about this?"
"Oh, you're the best."
Pete made a face and was just about to say something when he spotted Gemma entering the room. "Later my peeps. Gotta give my moves one last try."
Claudia chuckled and held up her hand for a high five.
Helena smiled at Myka from her spot across the table. They were both in their robes enjoying their teas and coffees after a late breakfast brought to them at the Cottage.
"You know we really should get dressed and join the others up at the house."
"Why? Don't they assume that we're already off on our honeymoon?" Myka mumbled.
"They know we're not leaving for another three days. No matter what, I'm sure Pete or Claudia will come looking for us."
"Nope," Myka said and popped another grape in her mouth.
"No?"
"I told them exactly what you'd do to them if they bothered us today," Myka said with a smirk.
"Me? Why do I always have to play the villain?" Helena said in mock horror.
Myka laughed and took Helena's hand. "Because you do it so well?" Helena glared at her. "They wouldn't believe that I would ever hurt them, so I had to involve you."
"I see," Helena mumbled. "That means you owe me."
Myka chewed on her lip and got up. She eased down on Helena's lap and wrapped her arms around Helena's neck as she kissed her slow and long.
"Oh God," Helena mumbled against Myka's lips. She slipped her hand inside Myka's robe and caressed her soft thigh. "Upstairs darling. To hell with those bloody wedding guests."
Myka laughed out loud and got up. Hand in hand they rushed back upstairs.
It was close to tea time when Helena and Myka finally made an appearance. Pete whistled and winked at them as he spotted them.
"Ladies, how nice of you to finally grace us with your presence. I assume that you were otherwise more pleasantly engaged earlier, and quite unable to make a decent appearance," he said in a terrible attempt at a British accent.
"Shut up Pete!" "Exactly!"
"Helena," Myka hissed and shot her a warning look.
"Darling, I'm fairly sure that everyone knows what we've been up to since we disappeared last night," Helena purred and stepped closer to Myka.
"Yeah, but you don't have to announce it, you know," Myka said a bit embarrassed.
"I want the world to know that you are the best lover in the universe and that you…"
"Helena!" Myka said alarmed and pressed her fingers against Helena's smiling lips.
Pete snorted and winked at Helena.
Claudia came closer and gently touched Myka's arm. "Don't worry Myka, he's just jealous. Of both of you." She looked at Pete. "He didn't get any last night."
"Well it seems you got plenty," Pete muttered.
Claudia blushed and looked away.
"Did you have an encounter darling?" Helena purred and linked her arm with Claudia's. "You absolutely must tell me all about it."
"No! I can't do that," Claudia exclaimed and blushed again.
"Of course you can, sweetheart," Helena assured her. "I hardly think that anything you've done will shock me."
"Perhaps not, but anything where I'm playing a major part will sure as hell embarrass me," Claudia muttered.
"He seems like a wonderful young man," Helena said and smiled. "You have excellent taste my dear." Helena leaned closer and whispered in Claudia's ear. "Was he any good?"
Claudia made a strangled sound and looked at Myka. Myka just laughed and shook her head.
A few days later things returned to normal at Wells Hall. Helena and Myka had left on their honeymoon. After their initial check in to let HP and Artie know that everything was fine, no one expected to hear from them again for several weeks.
Soon after their departure, the Warehouse team returned to the United States. Claudia had said an emotional farewell to Mark, promising to visit him in London soon. Artie still glared at him, which seemed to have absolutely no effect on Mark, who just smiled at Artie.
HP slowly flipped through the scrap book that Sarah had started to put together which held the fabricated story of the wedding. It appeared as if the artifact had worked exactly the way it had been designed to. HP sighed, wishing again that things were different and that they did not have to hide Helena's true identity. Putting the scrapbook aside he opened the official wedding album. As he flipped through one stunning photograph after the other he finally settled for the one of Helena and Myka down by the swing. Myka was sitting on the swing with Helena standing in front of her. Myka's arm was wrapped protectively around Helena's slim waist as Helena gazed down at her. The picture radiated the love between the two and it was so intense it made him feel warm inside every time he looked at it.
HP flipped to the end and there it was – the perfect picture: Helena and Myka standing by the window, sharing a kiss as if oblivious to the world around them. As he closed the album and leaned back in his seat he wondered if perhaps there would be another gathering with official photographs before the first anniversary of this astounding wedding. He sent a silent prayer to whoever was listening for things to go well.