Chapter Fifteen

Helena and you walk alongside one another comfortably. The living sectors aren't heavily regulated so there isn’t necessarily a dress code, but since you’re coming from the medical sector, nobody would take another glance. So you had no issues just slipping one some socks and following Helena out, shorts and a sports bra be damned. Everyone on the ship is well trained and the men no better than to ‘attempt’ some sort of courtship with you two. Well, they’d have better luck with Helena, you on the other hand always stuck to yourself for the most part. You’ve always had your eye on someone else. Halfway to the cafeteria and you felt exhausted. Your lungs expanded in your chest as you fought to regulate your breathing. Feels as if you ran a few miles in space gear.

“You, professing your love for me? That did catch me by surprise.” Your hands slap across your face as you bury yourself into your palms, a disquieted moan escapes your lips in frustration.

“Jeeze, I don’t remember the cafeteria being this far away!” You complain trying to draw attention away from your embarrassment.

Helena’s light laughter caressed the shell of your ear. A small sensational pin pricks traveled down your spin, a warm wave rolled in your belly. Unable to contain it any longer you reach down and twine your fingers with Helenas. She was tentative at first, unsure of herself before she relented after a second. Her welcoming fingers coiled around yours in a static inducing embrace. She squeezed back with a heart melting smile that sent your body ablaze against the sterile coldness of the Titanus long white halls.

“Who said we were going to the cafeteria?” It took a minute to process what she said. Your brain was still cooling itself down

Nudging her you look up at her as she stands almost a foot taller, “Oh, and what has ‘Mighty’ Helena have planned?” You emphasize ‘Mighty’ as you know she’s been beating herself up since you’ve been back. It isn’t hard to notice that she blames herself for your capture.

The blonde haired Angel uncharacteristically blushes and avoids eye contact as she shyly stares at the floor. A pink blush crept into her cheeks, even the tip of her nose carried a pink hue. Her eyes were cast downward with intense interest. “Let’s just say I have other plans.” Butterflies fluttered rapidly in your stomach. You bat your eyelashes at her sheepishly.

“ Well, I for one am certainly excited. I feel even better too, so what’s it gonna be? Are we going to practice hand to hand combat? Oh! How about some target practice at the gallery? I feel like I've been out for too long, I may get rusty and lose the edge.” You tap your finger against your bottom lip thoughtfully. “Though I do have to say, I am famished, not sure if I’d last long running on fumes.”

Helena stops abruptly pulling you to a halt next to her. You follow her gaze to a bunk room door. You realize that it’s the bunkroom door you both share. Your mouth opens but you’re not sure what to say so you opt for silent confusion. Helena must have read the warring state of your mind as you attempted to deduce the reasoning for coming here and not to get food at the cafetaria which you also realized you can’t remember where that’s at either.

“I knew you’d be hungry and well...figured I’d do something I’ve never done before.” Something cold dripped down your cheek. Raising a hand you felt fresh tears running down your cheeks. Guess she has a way of doing that to you, making you feel completely vulnerable. Not in a bad way though because as you look into her kind, soft eyes that resemble ice crystals, yet behind them is a fierce, protective woman. You feel nothing but an all encompassing warmth enveloping your senses and body.

“Are you crying!?” Helena starts to freak as her eyes widen in fear. You wave her worries away with your hand, “No! Just, sometimes...my eyes...just sometimes…” You attempt to explain but fail as you keepin wiping away the fresh tears.

“Damn you, Hel.” You giggle and Helena’s laughter was like music as she opened the door ushering you inside with a hand burning a brand in the small of your back. “Oh….Wow!”

The bunk room isn’t very large by any means. Roughly the size of a shipping container. Each bunk room is set for a pair of individuals, with a partial kitchen which does well enough, if you can cook real food that is. Problem is everything is synthesized and loses quite a bit of it’s natural flavor. The beds were separate but across from each other with enough space to walk between them. A small table and a tidy lounging area for those rare and random sparks of needy relaxation.

Knowing Helena cooked actual food was almost more than you could take. Instead of embarrassing yourself against unbridled tears, you magically closed off that saltyducts and settled for a most gracious hug.

Helena arms come fully around you. Since she’s a good foot taller, she dipped and rested her head in the crook of your neck, her nose tickling the spot below your ear, her breath fanning across your skin. Your fingers demanded to grab her shoulders and throw her on the bed and tell her how you finally feel, but you smothered their needy wants by gripping the fabric of her shirt tightly. Feeling the comfort of her arms was what you missed, the feeling of safety and familiarity.

“I thought I lost you...Me and Sorn both did.” She forced herself to add the last part. Her breath stuttered as she recalled the memories. You smooth your hands up her strong back and rub soothing circles, eventually her breathing leveled out.

“Me too.” You admit. There were so many times you felt like giving up but Helena kept your moving, kept you fighting. “After I woke up in that cell the first time, I wasn’t sure what I’d do. By some miracle the slugs missed the knife you gave me. It was safely tucked away in my boot. Seeing it gave me renewed hope.”

“I’m sorry, Nel.” Helena’s eyes cast downward and dulled in their vibrancy, her expression turned stricken with grief. You can see the guilt riddling her beautiful face.

“Hey…” You smooth your thumb and finger over her chin and force her head up to look at her from her hiding spot in the crook of your neck. Helena quivers as you whisper to her, making sure her eyes remain on you. As much as you relied on her, you want her to know that she can rely on you as well. Be her shoulder, be her rock, be her weapon, be her life, if she wants that.

“You had to bring the cube back at all costs. The Captain ordered it. I had to, you had too. It had to be done, for the mission.” The ice blues flashed darkly.