timelessinventor | August 2012; Leena's Bed and Breakfast, Univille, South Dakota

Helena has rather not been having a good time of it, lately.

Pete's moping about, not seeming to realise that they all miss Myka terribly, and yet he's the only one still so affected by her absence that he isn't functioning normally. Artie and Joshua are constantly arguing. Claudia's withdrawing into herself (not that Helena can entirely blame her; she knows that means of coping with stress quite well). Artie won't let her do anything more than work inventory and look for new cases, and that only grudgingly. Joshua's off at so many Regent meetings, what with the pending new hire, and so busy hiding in his lab the rest of the time, that she's barely seen him in a week and a half. If she doesn't get something more interesting to do soon, she's going to stop fighting the temptation to fall back on old obsessions (with a little help from Joshua's dissertation, this time, which is surely the last thing Artie wants to see).

So it's rather the last straw when she comes into their room for the night - only to find Joshua packing a bag. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"

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She all but attaches (and may start crying a bit). "No, Joshua, running from the problem isn't going to help anyone. Believe me, I know the impulse. And perhaps we're all hurting because you came in at a time of transition. Pete can't see past Myka's absence, Artie's hurt that there's more authority in his everyday life than there has been in the last four decades, not to mention you represent one of his greatest cock-ups, and I can't even get into town to relieve my boredom, not that it would help much if I could."

At least at Warehouse 12, if there was nothing to do, she had all of London at her feet. She understands the logic behind moving to such a remote location, but it is rather starting to wear thin.

"And Claud's hacking everything in sight because she's in the middle." He sighs, pulling her closer. "I'm sorry, Helena. I wish I knew how to fix this. That's all I want to do. I want to make things better for the Warehouse, not just the Artifact, but for Her family too, and all I seem to be doing is driving a wedge in it."

"Oh, dear." Helena sighs. "I don't know how to fix it either, darling, but I can assure you that running away won't help anyone. Unfortunately, the easiest solution to see for any of us is the one you can do the least about." If Myka returns, it'll have to be in her own time (and if she chooses not to, Pete will have to accept that in his own time as well).

"You and Artie, I suspect, need to have a proper conversation. One where he doesn't interrupt you every other sentence and one where you don't shut him out in response."

"I'm not trying to shut him out! I'm just trying to deal with the fact that he refuses to even let me finish when I'm trying to say something. He and I also just... we have such different styles. I might be able to accept more of what he does if he fucking told me why." He sighs.

"You're not trying to shut him out, but that's what you end up doing. He's so used to not having to justify himself that he prickles every time someone questions his methods." And what greater questioning of his methods is there than a live-in Regent? "You both know what you're doing, and you both have valid reasons for doing things the way you do them, but if you don't both acknowledge that Claudia's likely to knock your heads together."

(She understands Artie awfully well, sometimes, for as little as he's let her in.)

Joshua sighs, burying his face in Helena's shoulder. "I just... I don't know what to do Helena. I never wanted or intended to be in Administration. I just wanted to study shit. I can't back down from the Regent thing now, though. I... I don't know if I can explain it, but I just know I can't."

Helena smiles a little, finally (it feels like it's been months). "Of course you can't walk away now. They wouldn't offer it to someone who would change their mind in a few months' time. You'll learn how to find the balance, and it'll be easier when you're not juggling so many people at once every other day."

Joshua pulls back just a bit to wipe the tears off of her cheek. "I'm sorry, Helena. I'm not used to dealing with people just yet. I guess you're right. Running away wouldn't help anything." He's sure that she knows the feeling, but it's still a thing.

"Trust me, darling, it never does." She's done enough running in her time to know (even the bronzer was running, in a way, from having to actually address her grief). "Claudia and I are quite happy to help when you're overloaded, you know."

"I know, Helena. I'm just... I'm getting used to people who can actually help. When Claud was little, I didn't want to bother her with things, and I just got into that habit." Sarah was never really one to do well with others' problems.

"She's older than that now. I dare say she can help you navigate these murky waters."

"I know. And she's a hell of a lot stronger than even she knows." He smiles. "I'm sorry, Helena. I didn't mean to scare you that much. I really didn't."

Helena smiles. "I forgive you, darling. And clearly, we both need to put more work into that 'spending time together' problem." They may have discussed it earlier, but they seem to have left it at discussing, what with everything that's come up since.

"You have me now, Helena. I won't do anything for the rest of the day." He smiles. "Whatever you want, even if you want to go somewhere."

"At the very least, what you can do is unpack that bloody bag. We can sort out the rest from there."

"Alright." He smiles and her and unpacks the bag. Whatever they do from there, it will all be alright.

August 2012; Leena's Bed and Breakfast, Univille, South Dakota

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