Helena L'Amour

Helena wasn't sure that she truly believed Mateo. Not that he didn't mean what he said, she knew him well enough to know that he didn't say much of anything that he had time to think through that he didn't mean--impulsive comments made in the heat of the moment, however, were usually regretted the next day. No, she believed he meant it. She also knew that it was a promise that he couldn't keep if his emotions got the better of him again. And this time she didn't have the stability to be the rational one between them. Cautiously, she walked closer to him. She stood a couple feet away. Close enough that he could reach out and touch her if he wanted, but she kept her arms crossed. Her last few months had been hell without him. She wasn't going to make this easy for him. She deserved an apology and she would be damned if he got one ounce of affection before he gave it to her. As Mateo stated that she knew him, she quirked her brow. If he was willing to admit that, perhaps he would be more willing to understand why she waited to tell him that she had anticipated. She wasn't going to relax her guard just yet. He had promised her the world before, and pulled it away from her the second he didn't like how she handled something. That was not the foundation for a stable relationship, and that's what she needed for her and her child now: stability. "Yeah, I do know you... it's almost like that might have been why it was so hard to tell you in the first place..." She cut herself off as he continued to speak and tell her about that day. He blamed the shame he felt for leaving, but Helena wasn't sure that she could believe that. After all, he had taken months to contact her. She hadn't even been showing when he left, and now she couldn't hide her bump anymore. She continued to look down at him, arms crossed over her stomach as he spoke, not saying a word. Levi hadn't told her about the hole being punched in his wall, but Helena supposed that might have explained why things had been so quiet around her since Mateo left. She had assumed it was because he hadn't want to admit that she had been right about how Mateo would react. "What do you want me to say, Mateo? Thank you? You left me for months. I'm pregnant with your child and I didn't know if you cared... I didn't know if you were alive. You were just gone for months!" Tears came to her eyes. She didn't bother to try and hide them or look away. He was going to see them. He was going to see exactly what his actions had done to her, and she was going to get her apology. "I get it, you got distracted by things... and you're trying to do the right thing, I guess, by building a place for us. But I don't want it..." That wasn't exactly true. She did want it. But... "Not like this..." She looked at him, meeting his eyes. Letting him see her cry. "I want it when you can tell me you love me. When you can tell me that you want to build a life with me. I want it when it's more than just... a shotgun response to knocking me up!" And that's what she was afraid all of this was. Not that she couldn't feel his love for her--she felt it now just as much as she had felt it when things had started to grow serious between them. But she had learned that just because he felt it didn't mean he could recognize it or act in alignment with it. He had proved time and time again that just because he loved her didn't mean he couldn't hurt her. "Mateo... I want you to want to be with me because of how you feel about me. Not because you feel like I'm some obligation because we forgot to use protection." Her tears kept flowing down her cheeks as she continued. "So... if that's all you have to say for yourself..." In that moment Helena got a look on her face of slight discomfort. "Not the best timing little guy..." She said to her stomach. The baby had started moving recently, and Helena knew it was a good sign, but it also could be uncomfortable at times. Even when it wasn't, it was always distracting. And she needed to be able to focus on this conversation until it was over.

Mateo drove Lena wild with his ministrations. Each pass of his thumb across her clit brought out another moan from her as Helena rode his cock as quickly as she was able. She found a moment's reprieve as his hand moved up to her breast. He still knew exactly how to handle her to make her feel good, but at least for that moment she was able to slowly come down from the high his thumb had been keeping her in. She was able to focus on giving him the pleasure he needed to finish. And focus on it she did. Before she knew it, Mateo had pulled her into a passionate kiss. Her lips collided with his, and she nipped and sucked on his lower lip. She gasped for air briefly as he cried out, and felt his hands press to her hips. She let him guide her, feeling in that moment completely entangled with him. They were the only two in her world, and she wanted nothing more than his gratification and praise. As the kiss broke, she pleaded and begged him to cum for her--but never commanded, she was very careful to never use her charmspeak on him. She moaned and writhed until suddenly she felt the reward for all her efforts filling her. His cock pulsed inside her, spilling load upon load of warm cum into her waiting--and unbenknownst to them, eager and ready--womb. Helena watched as his head fell back on the pillow, and leaned down to kiss him softly, blissfully unaware of the life that this encounter would create. He rolled her over, not bothering to remove himself, and held her against him. Helena sighed contentedly. "Mmmm... I am a very lucky woman." She said, kissing his nose softly, completely high on the adrenaline and dopamine their moment of passion had caused to course through her.

"No! I don't want you to ignore me. But I don't exactly want you to get mad at me when I answer your questions either!" She spat out before she could stop herself. More clothing went on. Before she knew it, Mateo was completely out the door, and she was there holding onto the frame like an idiot, waiting for him. Tears began to fall down her face as she watched her nightmare come to fruition. Mateo was leaving her. Pregnant and alone, just like she had been afraid of. She fell to her knees and began sobbing into her hands. ~End RP~

"I'll tell him as soon as I get a good moment Levi... I promise." In that moment, she meant it. She really wanted to tell Mateo. She wanted his support through all this. She wanted to know if he even wanted to be a father. Wanted to plan a life with him. But she was also terrified. Her boyfriend wasn't exactly known for settling down. She had been the first girl to get him to agree to date since his ex. And even that had taken Herculean efforts it felt like. What if he thinks I did this on purpose to trap him? That sent another panic coursing through her, but she tried to fight off the tears. She hugged tightly onto Evelyn. A team. She thought to herself. I'm not alone. That was the only thing that gave Helena any relief in this moment. She didn't have to go through this pregnancy completely alone. Even if Mateo freaked out, she would have people to support her. At least one cabin. She would have to just take it a day at a time. Eventually her tears dried, but she had exhausted herself. Looking at her brother and sister, Helena began to stand. "I...If Mateo comes looking for me for my birthday or Valentine's stuff... come get me. But otherwise I need a nap." She walked slowly, as if dazed, to her bed and plopped down. ~End RP~

People told her that she was crazy for thinking Mateo would ever return. Helena was even starting to think that perhaps it was a bit far-fetched to think that he might ever come back. But she never really gave up hope. She believed to her core that her mother had given her the gift of charmspeak at the cost of only being able to fall in love once in her life--and that Mateo was it. She also believed, though, that because it was a once-in-a-lifetime love, that it would work out in the end. She wouldn't let her life be the next Greek tragedy. She went to their beach every day before the letter had arrived, so strong was her faith that he would return. So when Mateo's letter arrived, Lena felt all at once vindicated, furious, and relieved. Vindicated. She had been right. Not just about the fact that he was coming back, but, if her intuition was correct about the letter, Mateo would finally have come to his senses. He will finally have realized his own emotions. And if that was true, Helena knew they could weather any storm. Even if that storm was her... Furious. Helena was absolutely enraged that he had even left in the first place. That he had waited four months to contact her. And it was insane that he had the audacity to assume she would just be sitting there waiting for him. Even if he is right. For all he knew, she could have moved on. The nerve! The least he could have done was let me know he was alive! Relief. But he was alive, and he was on his way home. Back to her. And he had gotten them an apartment. He had made her so worried when he hadn't let her know that he was at least safe, and now she knew that he was. Things will be okay... She hadn't quite forgiven him. And it was going to be a long road before she really trusted that he wouldn't run out on her again. A very long road. But at least they would get that opportunity. And that was more than enough for Helena for now. Helena made her way to the beach. He had called it 'their spot' and she couldn't agree more. It had been just her spot until he found her that day. If she had known then what would befall them, she might have played her cards a little differently--though not much. She was, overall, happy with the outcome. At least, she thought she would be, after today. Hope. It was the first time she had managed to really feel it since he had left. Before now it was a conscious decision she had needed to make, not to lose it. Now it came naturally again. If things worked out, Helena would be sure to thank her mother for not letting her faith be in vain. As she neared the beach, she saw him standing there. Just as perfect as ever. Helena couldn't say the same for herself anymore. She was five months along now. Her belly was really starting to show now. She had started taking to wearing only her yoga pants, and she wasn't even sure how much longer that was going to be an option before she had to send her siblings into town to get her some actual maternity clothes. Her back hurt, her feet were swollen half the time, and she could hardly remember where she put things anymore. Being pregnant was not exactly a walk in the park, and she didn't make it any easier by trekking out to the beach every day. But the air coming off the bay and the belief that Mateo would return had soothed her each day, and now she had only to reach out and he would be there again. Don't just give in. You deserve someone who will stay. Don't let him decide everything just because you want him back. You have to look out for your child's heart too. She reminded herself. But Mateo was pacing. It was easy to see that he was nervous too. So, perhaps, this would be an easier conversation than she anticipated. Stopping a few feet shy of him, Helena spoke. "...Please don't make me regret my decision to come today." The words were snarky, but there was an actual plea behind them. If he listened for it, Mateo could have easily heard the worry and fear that Helena had in her voice. Her heart was in his hands. Her future depended on what happened today. And Helena was terrified. But she was also angry. And anger often overwhelmed her ability to be rational before being pregnant. The hormones had only made that worse.

To the person who ran away, exactly like I said he would, I was scared too... and you made me live my nightmare... so forgive me for not having much sympathy for your side of things here. I kept the key. We'll talk about it when you come back. I won't promise anything. Not even that I'll show. ~Lena♡

Helena grimaced as Novalie said she was sure that the cravings would come soon. She wasn't sure which would have more power over her. The child growing inside her, or the broken heart. At the moment, she ate because she knew she needed to for the baby, but she didn't really feel hungry. It was a conscious choice not to starve herself because she knew the baby needed her to eat. She wondered if the hormones kicking in would produce a strong enough desire for food that she could crave something. Part of her hoped it did. While she had always known that her heart would break if Mateo left, she hadn't realized just how devastating it would feel. This is worse than when I never had him at all... She thought miserably to herself. Sitting and waiting for Novalie to go grab her things, Helena chewed gently on her lip and lost herself to thought. It happened more and more these days, her going back to her old, introverted and avoidant self. She hadn't realized how much her desire to impress Mateo had made her grow and change into someone more outgoing and less socially anxious. Without that urge to push past her natural inclinations, Helena found herself once more the quiet girl in the corner. Only speaking to her siblings unless someone approached her. She tried to put on a brave face when her sister came back. Everyone in Cabin 10 had been incredibly supportive, and she tried her best to show them how appreciative she was. With a gentle smile, she laid her head on Novalie's lap. "Thanks Nova." Her voice showing sincerity. "I truly am grateful." Say what you wanted about Aphrodite children, but they appreciated love in all its forms. That included family. They were some of the best people to have around you during times like this. Closing her eyes, she let Novalie run the makeup remover soaked pads over her face. There wasn't any to remove, but the soft touch of the pads and the quick evaporation of the cleaner against her skin helped cool her down a bit. She always felt so hot these days. "I'm usually at the beach when I'm not here. It's where he first spoke to me. So... maybe he'll look for me there again. I know it's silly, but..." She sighed. "I wouldn't be me if I didn't wait for him." Keeping her eyes closed, as Novalie continued to work on her, Helena listened as her sister spoke. A crush? Run girl... The jaded part of her thought. But Helena forced that thought aside and tried to remind herself that she, too, was once a girl with just a crush and that her sister deserved to have hope and faith in love still. "Oh? Who is it?" While Aphrodite children couldn't psychically know who people crushed on, they could make informed guesses easily enough if they paid attention. They could feel when others felt love, and as such if they paid attention they could eventually put two and two together if the emotion spiked every time a certain individual walked in the room. However, Helena hadn't left the cabin, so she hadn't really noticed her sister developing the crush at all. It tugged at her and made her feel a little guilty for not being as attentive to her siblings as they were being to her lately.

Samantha >.>

Helena balled her fists and squeezed her nails into her palms to try and keep herself from saying things she would regret. Her mood had been all over the place lately, and the last thing she wanted to do was push him further away. She wanted to beg him to stay, not to leave. But she didn't think it would make a difference. He was angry. "I was scared you would leave, Mateo. Made it pretty hard to tell you..." She bit her lip. The small amounts of pain from her nails and teeth on her skin were enough to help keep her grounded in the moment. It wasn't much, but she was doing everything she could to keep this from getting worse. "It is love, Mateo. Even if you won't say it. I know it when I feel it. I'm Aphrodite's daughter." She knew what she felt, and she knew it was real. She knew that even now, as angry as he clearly was, Mateo loved her. But her own emotions were spinning out of control thanks to the hormones in her system. Helena struggled to maintain her composure. Each article of clothing that Mateo put on sent a pang of anxiety coursing through her. Helena's words became hurried and less thought out as her anxiety took over. "You asked! YOU ASKED WHAT WAS WRONG!" She couldn't hold back her tears. They flowed freely down her cheeks. "I don't want to be right Mateo. I want to be wrong. Please, prove me wrong. Please, stay." Helena cried out. "You can show me what an idiot I was for being scared. You can stick around." She didn't think her words would work. She deliberately chose them so that they weren't commands. With her emotions high like this, she didn't trust herself not to accidentally use her gift unintentionally. She watched as he finished putting his clothes on. He's leaving. She could feel the panic building in her chest. She felt like she was going to fall completely apart. Tears streamed down her face as she watched everything that she had worked so hard for over the last few months start crumbling away before her. The life she thought they could have, falling just beyond her reach once more. Helena's breathing became uneven, as the panic began to set in. "Please, don't leave me..." She said softly, begging. She knew she could make him stay, make him turn around. It would only take just a small amount of effort. But she didn't want him like that. She didn't want to use her Charmspeak to keep him. If that was what it would take, then he was gone anyway. So instead, she just hoped that her pleas would reach him. "Please... I love you... I'm... sorry." Each word more quiet than the last as her tears welled within her. The instant he turned the corner, the floodgates would break and she would be a sobbing mess. She knew it. She finally confessed how she felt, openly and honestly, and it was going to be too late. She could feel it in her bones.

Helena sighed softly. "I'm okay with waiting..." Waiting meant that Mateo had time to come to his senses and return to her. There was still a chance that she wouldn't have to raise this child alone. Helena already loved her baby, she would have made the same decision a thousand times over, even if it meant losing Mateo as many times. Still, for the baby's sake as well as her own, she hoped that the father would come around and want to be in their lives. "Not really craving anything yet, but my boobs hurt." Helena whined. "It's like being on your period all the time but without the mess..." She groaned a bit. There wasn't really much anything could do for her yet. Things were still really early along, so once she got over her morning sickness, things were mostly pretty easy. "I mean... I guess I'm getting more breakouts. If you really want, I could use a facial, but that seems like a lot to ask." Helena chewed her lip. She wasn't used to relying on her siblings yet. She loved them, but they had never really been the most reliable bunch of kids. The Aphrodite cabin was known for producing a lot of people who tended to let their hormones get the better of them, rather than reliable and steadfast support. So when the whole cabin banded together to support Helena, she just about cried from being overwhelmed by their love and support. "I suppose I'm the 'as long as it's healthy' kind of girl. Whatever it is, it will be loved with everything I have to give it." Helena pressed her hand gently over the small bump in her belly. It was barely noticeable, and mostly just looked like she was a little bloated, but it was there. Our baby.

Helena had been quietly reading on the couch. In the week since Mateo had left, she pretty much spent all her time either reading or on the beach in her favorite spot. Our spot. Helena had the ridiculous idea that if he truly loved her, as she felt he did, that Mateo would find his way back to her and apologize. And she figured that if he wanted to find her, the two places he would look first would be her cabin or their spot on the beach. She would give him until the baby was born to figure things out. After all, she knew that the baby was going to be a surprise and that Mateo struggled with commitment. If he came back before then and apologized, she would forgive him. After all, she loved him. However, if he couldn't bring himself to make amends before their child was born, Helena wasn't going to wait for him. She wouldn't love again, she knew that, always had. But she would move forward with a smile, for their child. It was in the middle of thinking about this, and reading about her pregnancy, that her sister came over. Helena rolled her eyes as Novalie cuddled up to her and asked what she'd learned. "Nothing I didn't already know. I'm going to be as big as a house, moody, and should probably talk to an Apollo kid..." Helena crinkled her nose at the last one. It wasn't that she disliked children of Apollo. Generally, she got along with them rather well, to be honest. But right now she didn't really want to talk to anyone at camp that wasn't one of her siblings. She felt like they were the only people who weren't gossiping about her. "Also I need new pants already..." She wrinkled up her nose again. "These are starting to get tight." "Apparently it's the size of a pea pod right now." Helena said as she flipped the page.

Helena had barely recovered her breath when Mateo gripped her hips more firmly and pushed himself deep into her. She let out a long and slow moan as his cock filled her. He told her to make him cum, and that was all it took to spur her back into action. Lena wanted to give Mateo the level of pleasure that he had brought her. She wanted to apologize to him for her behavior today with her body. She wanted to show him how much it meant to her that he was finally willing to commit to her, even if it was only a label for their relationship. She wanted to give him everything she had to give, and then some. Hearing his threat, she picked up the pace as she bounced her hips. She brought herself up and down along his cock at an eager pace. His thumb against her clit kept her moaning. She wasn't sure she even could cum again. He was wearing her body out, and she loved every second of it. She would continue to ride along his shaft until she physically couldn't anymore if that was what it took. Her rhythm quickened as she tried to make him cum. That had been his order. And she didn't even stop to think about the fact that neither of them had any form of protection. All that she cared about was giving him what he had asked her for. Bracing her hands on his chest, Helena pounded her hips up and down along his cock. Her moans grew louder, and she could feel her pussy growing tenser around him as he seemed determined to bring her towards another climax of her own, showing that he was willing to make good on his threat. "Please Mateo... please cum for me." She said, blushing.

Helena watched as Mateo's face went from almost sleeping, to wide awake, to panic, to anger. She had anticipated this. Him projecting, making it her fault, lashing out. It was part of what had kept her from telling him. That and the fear that he would just turn around and walk away from her. There was no going back now, though. The words had been spoken. "I didn't want to wait. But I was scared Mateo." She bit her lower lip. "I'm only 17 Mateo..." Sure, she had always been mature for her age. Even though both Evie and Levi were older than her, she tended to be the rational and level headed one of the house. But no matter how mature she acted, she was still just a kid herself. As soon as he mentioned that she gave him no choice in the matter, Helena rolled her eyes. Her own temper and anger flared at that point. "If you don't want children, maybe you should be more careful. But from what I remember it took two of us to make this baby, but it's still my body. My choice." The one thing she wasn't going to stand was letting him tell her what she should or should not do with her own body. Her own child. "But sure, let's make this about you. Nobody's forcing you to be a Dad, Mateo. If you want to walk, you know where the door is. But I'm not going to give up a child that was conceived out of love. Whether you're ready to admit it or not." Her temper subsided, and Helena continued. "I'm sure you believe otherwise, but didn't keep it from you to be malicious or to trap you. I kept it from you because I was afraid. Afraid of you leaving. But you're going to anyway, right? Nothing I can do to stop that now... At least I got to have a few happy months with you..." Could she have told him sooner? Sure. She had been trying to figure out how. But every conversation she planned in her mind seemed to end up like this. "I'm not convinced telling you sooner would have changed anything. You were going to leave either way." Silent tears ran down her cheeks. She couldn't contain them, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of watching her break down. She could save that for when she was safely back in her room in Cabin 10.

As Levi sat next to her and rubbed her back while she cried, Lena just kept thinking to herself. I'm such an idiot. I'm such an idiot. They had been so careful before they were dating, that Helena hadn't even thought to remind Mateo that night. They had been too consumed by their passion and desire for one another to even stop and think about protection. "I'll tell him... I promise..." She knew she couldn't hide it forever. Taking her brother's hand, Helena stood up and let him lead her through cleaning her face and guiding her to the couch. She could feel her siblings helping coax her to wash her face and tie back her hair. She let them guide her to the couch without any difficulties, shuffling slowly along behind them. "I... I know..." She said, knowing that she needed to tell Mateo. He deserved to know. "I will..." She didn't even know how she was going to begin that conversation.

Helena hadn't expected Mateo to wake so quickly. She had done her best to try and hide her emotions, but he had caught her efforts to dry her eyes. She could hear the exasperation in his voice already, and she hadn't even told him anything yet. She could feel her panic deepening. If he's already upset, this isn't going to make him happier. Lena thought to herself. She knew that she had to tell him, it had already gone far too long without her telling him. But the fear was growing within her. "I... It's not wrong exactly. It's just... hard to tell you." Helena began. Helena sat herself up, straightening her back to look at his face. Not looking at him would have been safer. It would have spared her some pain to not see his reaction the second he told her. But she knew that if she didn't, she might regret it in the future. Knowing his true feelings about what she was about to tell him was the only way forward. Still, it didn't make it easy. "I know I've been a little strange lately. A little more... distant than I normally am." Helena hadn't gone quite so far as to avoid Mateo. She still spent time with him, sought him out, and did everything she could with him once her morning sickness subsided every day. However, she had definitely been quieter and less chatty then normal. Her mind had been preoccupied with so many worries and fears. Whenever he would ask, she would find a way to brush it off and force herself to be more attentive and cheerful. "There's really no delicate way to say this. But I promise there was a reason..." You're making it sound like you cheated on him. Hurry up, idiot! "Remember that night that we made everything official and I spent the night with in your cabin? Do you happen to remember us ever putting on protection?" Lena chewed her lip nervously. They hadn't. She knew they hadn't because of her present condition. Usually they were very careful when they were intimate. But that night their passion had consumed them. "We... we didn't. And you... you finished..." Helena couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence so she just made gestures with her hand to indicate what she was trying to say. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. You're pregnant Helena, you really should be able to talk about sex. She chided herself. "Anyway... my period never came. And I started getting sick a few days before my birthday. And Evie made me take the stupid test when I told her. And..." Helena started crying again, unable to hold the tears back. She refused to let it impact her voice though. After a few breaths, she said, "I'm... I'm... I'm pregnant."

After the events at the bonfire, Helena had gone back to Mateo's cabin with him for the night. Nobody bothered them when he brought her over, and she imagined that nobody would bother them if she stayed one night. I just want one more night with him... Two months had passed since she had found out she was pregnant. Two months that she had been keeping this information from Mateo. The secret was killing her. The last thing she wanted to do was break his trust or his heart. Right now she felt like she was stuck in a damned if she did, and damned if she didn't situation. Sure, she could look at getting rid of the child. But she didn't want to. It was born from love. She loved Mateo and, even if he hadn't said it yet, he loved her. She knew it, thanks to the gifts from her mother. And Lena couldn't bring herself to even consider getting rid of a child of hers and Mateo's. At least if he leaves, I'll still have proof that he loved me once. Helena curled up and rested her head on his chest that night. His heartbeat acting as a soothing lullaby. They were both too tired to do much more than cuddle and sleep. It wasn't long before Helena drifted off, content to be in her lover's arms for at least one more night. ~~♡~~♡~~♡~~♡~~ As the sun rose the next morning, Helena also woke. She traced her finger across the contours of Mateo's chest, as tears slowly filled her eyes. Today was the day. She knew that she had to tell him. It couldn't wait any longer. Once she did, however, she knew that everything would change. Mateo wasn't someone who had ever intended to let himself be tied down again. The fact that he had let her in at all was a miracle, especially after the stunt she had pulled with Theo. She couldn't believe how careless they had been that night, brought on by the heat of their passion. But now there was no denying it. Helena tried to dry the tears from her eyes as she felt Mateo begin to stir from under her. She had to tell him, but that didn't mean she wanted to do it the instant he woke up. She tried to hide her upset, struggling to contain her emotions. She felt nauseated, and not just because of the baby. Why did it have to happen now? @ Mateo Sanz

As Evie sat beside her and stroked her hair, Helena leaned against her for support. Her mind raced with all the thoughts of her current situation and all the fears that she now held. Helena was still a teenager. How was she supposed to raise a child of her own, when she was still one herself? What would Mateo think? Would he even stick around? Getting him to declare them in a relationship had been hardship enough. She wasn't sure he was ready to be a father. Ready or not, he is though. Helena had never been with anyone else. Mateo had been her first and her only. Anyone who knew her knew that she had never had eyes for anyone else. Not really. Several moments passed before she finally calmed down enough to be able to speak with Levi. "I... I... I'm." Helena stammered, her anxiety still winning out over everything else in that moment. But she knew she had to tell him. She couldn't leave it vague and ambiguous. "I'm pregnant." She finally managed to say before starting to sob again as the fear of Mateo leaving her overwhelmed her once more. "Please... Please don't tell him... please... I... I... I'll do it... but... please..." She begged. Helena knew she would have to tell Mateo eventually. She couldn't exactly hide it from him for long. But if he heard it from Levi before she told him herself, Mateo would never forgive her. "Please... for once can you be my brother more than you're his friend?" She turned her eyes to look up at him, pleading.

The minutes while they waited for the test results were agonizing. Helena leaned into her sister's hug. "Thanks Evie..." Her words were genuine, but the fear had a hold of her. She truly appreciated her sister's support, but couldn't muster the strength to portray it in her voice. She was overwhelmed by anxiety. She had only just gotten Mateo to commit to being with her. If she was pregnant that could scare him away all over again. As Evie walked over to the test, each step seemed to take an eternity. Helena could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Her blood rushed in her ears. Lena tried to keep breathing, but it was difficult. The words hit her like a freight train. Lena stopped breathing and her eyes went wide. It couldn't have been more than a few seconds, but it took her real effort to force herself to breathe again. Suddenly her breathing went the complete opposite direction and was hyperventilating as the panic set in. "No. No. I... I can't be. We... we just..." The rapid gasping for air, caused her to get dizzy and she sank to the floor. Suddenly she started sobbing. "It's just a bad dream... it's just a bad dream..." Helena started rocking softly, tears streaming down her face. She was so distraught she hadn't even noticed when another of her siblings--the one she least wanted to know, because he was best friends with Mateo--walked up. @ Levi Jones .

Helena rolled her eyes at Levi as he tried to tell her that the book was where Evie could find it. She might love her brother, but he was an incorrigible ass. His next words made her sit bolt upright in her seat. "Levi Jones... I swear, if you say one word..." The problem with your brother being best friends with the man you were currently sleeping with was that he had way too much dirt on you. Helena didn't mind talking about her sex life, on her terms. Him revealing things she didn't need spoken was not something she was going to let happen. "Don't make me ask him for dirt on you." Her threat thoroughly delivered, Helena turned to her sister. "I found a series that's a more 'adult' retelling of Sleeping Beauty." She smirked. "I'm learning lots of interesting things." She had picked up her book in part to learn more about the lifestyle that Mateo was involved in. If she wanted to be his partner for any length of time, she would have to learn about it and find out what her interests and limits were. The safest way to do that was reading about it. "Anything interesting on your reading list?"

Helena continued to hold the washcloth against her forehead. "Yeah. As soon as I wake up. I'm nauseated for a few hours, and then it goes away." She shrugged like it didn't bother her. Helena was convinced that she didn't have much to worry about. Her periods tended to be cruel when they were late. This one seemed to be no different. "Evie, I'll be okay..." She said when her sister said it wasn't good and then walked out with a direction to stay put. Helena raised an eyebrow, but she stayed. It wasn't until she came back with a pregnancy test in hand that Helena's eyes widened. "Evie... you're joking. You can't be serious." But somewhere in the back of her mind, it clicked. It made sense. And she knew her sister wasn't crazy for thinking it would be a good idea to check just in case. "I... no... you... you don't need to explain it..." Panic began to set in. Helena closed the door, and paced back and forth for a moment. I'm not... I can't... I... But she thought back on things with Mateo. They hadn't been as careful lately, since they had started dating. Mateo hadn't always used a condom, or pulled out. Stupid, stupid girl! Lena chided herself for not forcing him to wrap his appendage before sleeping with her. After a few minutes she took the test. The time it took for the test to finish was excruciating for her. She counted the seconds down. But when it was finally over, she couldn't bring herself to look at it. Opening the door, Helena called out "Evie... look for me. I can't." She bit her lip and pointed to the counter where the test lay, ready to be read.

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The wretching continued for a few minutes while Lena leaned over the toilet. Once it finally stopped she leaned herself up against the cool surface of the shower door. Tears streamed down her face, not from sorrow, but from the pressure of her repeated wretching. "I'll be fine... I... I think..." she gasped out, catching her breath. It seemed to be calming down once more. When she finally found the strength, she stood up, unlocked the door, and grabbed a cool washcloth to dab against her face. Patting her forehead, the cool water felt amazing against her skin. Helena chewed softly on her lip. "I don't know what's wrong with me, Evie. I've been sick all week. It goes away pretty quickly, but every morning when I wake up I just feel awful." Helena had been trying to figure it out all week. She hadn't eaten anything new nor had she eaten anything different from everyone else. She hadn't been around anyone that was sick, or gone anywhere outside the camp. The only thing that had been off was that she had missed her period 2 weeks ago, but she chalked it up to the stressful situation a month ago throwing things off, and figured it would start any day now. "I think Aunt Flow is probably just extra angry this month because she's late... very late." It didn't occur to Helena that she might be late for an entirely different reason. The thought never entered her mind that the one time her and Mateo hadn't taken every precaution had been just enough to accomplish something entirely different. She was, as far as Mateo was concerned, a bit blind at times, especially towards things that could challenge or test things between them. This was no exception. Unless it was pointed out that she might have another option, given her current symptoms, Helena would likely remain ignorant of the possibility until she could no longer ignore it.

Helena woke that morning completely sick to her stomach. She had been nauseated every morning this week. It usually cleared up by midday, but she was getting absolutely sick and tired of feeling like hell for the first half of the day. Today seemed to be extra bad, though, as she actually ended up vomiting for the first time. Just what I wanted for my birthday... Lena lay next to the toilet, head resting on the seat, exhausted after emptying her stomach of its limited contents for the last 10 minutes. She knew her siblings could probably hear her, and hoped they would call an Apollo camper to come check her out. Or, if not finding someone to heal her, at least bring her boyfriend to comfort her. Helena felt awful because she had barely gotten a chance to spend any quality time with Mateo this week because of her stomach. They were supposed to meet up later today to celebrate her birthday, but now she wondered whether that would even happen. She could hear the knock on her door, and someone complaining on the other side that she had been in there for a while. "I'm sick..." She said and began to wretch again. @ Evelyn Scott

He wouldn't let her have her release. She begged and pleaded with him. The struggle to contain it was both thrilling and infuriating. When everything was said and done, she would look back and realize how incredibly exhilarating it was. In that moment, however, she was incensed. He seemed completely hellbent on pushing her over the edge, making her fail. It was just cruel. Helena wouldn't give in though. She fought to control her body and obey his commands. It took everything in her, though. When he finally told here she could cum, Helena let out an cry of pure bliss. His thumb teased her clit and set that peak even higher. Her pussy pulsated around his cock as she felt her climax wash over her. Her free hand ran up into her hair, ruffling it. "Oh gods yes Mateo!" She scratched down his chest riding out her release as he continued to thrust into her. As her climax started to subside, she bit on her lip and looked down at him. "You're so good to me..." Helena slowed her grind, needing a moment to recover from her release. She didn't stop completely, feeling Mateo still firm within her. She knew he hadn't finished yet, and she wouldn't deny him his release. Not after he had been so generous with her tonight. But she took a moment with the slower pace to really look at this man. I can't believe he's really mine. She thought to herself. With a smile, after she had regained her composure, she cooed, "Are you sure you're not a god?"

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