Work Text:
Toronto's cold winter had melted away into a balmy spring.
Rachel was determined to strengthen her muscles and remove that frustrating ache that would often leave her limping around her hotel, so she took up jogging.
She meticulously decided on the best place to jog. Within walking distance of her hotel, but far from anymore potential 'reunion' locations.
The park she chose was a large square, swarming with other joggers currently in the middle of their runs. Rachel limbered up, stretching her legs before setting off at a measured pace. She knew she could make at least four laps of the park before fatigue would set in.
Her eye drifted about the people she passed occupying the park that morning. A young couple laying on the grass talking animatedly. An old man enjoying the morning newspaper on a bench. A young girl on a skateboard, casually drifting between people walking on the path. A group of kids playing soccer on a large patch of grass.
She stopped dead in her tracks.
That familiar face again.
Towards the edge of the field, sprawled out on a blanket, happily eating a sandwich while trying to marshal a pair of babies crawling around her. Wild, blonde hair flowing in the spring breeze.
Rachel realised she hadn't moved or stopped staring for at least a minute, when Helena's eyes met hers.
A small smile emerged on her face as she beckoned Rachel over to them.
Rachel's brain screamed to turn around. To run back to her hotel. But her legs began dragging her towards them.
She glanced around to see if any one else was on their way to join Helena's little picnic, but no one else was present.
"Hello, Helena." Rachel couldn't hide the nervousness of her voice.
"Rachel, what are you doing in park?" she asked, mouth still full of bread.
"I was jogging."
"Why?"
"... I don't know. Something to do I guess."
"You are hungry after jogging? Sit, Alison made too many sandwiches for us anyway." Helena rummaged through a bag and pulled out another tightly wrapped sandwich and held it in Rachel's direction. Rachel hesitated for a moment.
"You know, I don't think your sisters would be happy to know I spent time with you and your babies, Helena."
"I will tell them it is ok. They are your sisters too, Rachel."
Rachel wasn't sure why she felt a lot calmer in Helena's presence than in any of the others. She had always been the most dangerous, the most unpredictable. Maybe it was the fact that she could snap Rachel's neck with little effort and without a second thought . She had no reason to worry about anything Rachel could do to her. It was worryingly comforting, that Helena had this effect on her. Rachel knelt down on the blanket and took the sandwich offered to her. Her eyes glanced down at the two wriggling babies, both eyeing her with odd curiosity.
"You have not yet met my boys. This is Arthur." Helena said, picking up one of the babbling bundles and placing a kiss on his head, plopping him back on the blanket.
"And this is Donnie." she repeated the process with the other twin. Rachel couldn't help but chuckle at her choice of names.
"This is your auntie Rachel." she whispered to the babies, pointing at Rachel as her spine stiffened. Arthur crawled over and began crawling onto Rachel's lap. She looked up at Helena, who gave a small nod of permission, and picked him up into her arms.
"Hello, sweetheart." she bounced him gently, listening to the small giggles leaving his toothless mouth. A warmth came over Rachel that she had never experienced before, and it took every ounce of control she had to stop a tear from escaping.
Helena had picked up Donnie, who had started to cry, and was singing a hushed Ukrainian song to him, trying to settle him.
"How are you finding motherhood? I can only imagine how much of a handful these two must be." Rachel said.
"It is very tough sometimes. I am lucky I have my sestras to help. They say I am a good mother. Like duck in water." Helena smiled.
"You should eat, Rachel. All this jogging is making you too skinny." she said, unwrapping another sandwich of her own.
Rachel placed Arthur down gently, took the sandwich next to her and unwrapped it, lifting the top slice of bread to inspect the filling. Peanut butter and some kind of sausage. She couldn't help but turn her nose up and put the sandwich back in it's wrapper.
"Do you have anything else in there, perhaps?" she asked Helena, who rummaged through the bag again, producing a tupperware container filed with boiled eggs and pork pies.
Rachel gratefully accepted a pork pie and took a few bites, only now realising how hungry she was.
They ate in silence, the occasional cry or gurgle emanating from one of the twins puncturing the peacefulness. Rachel was never one to find silence uncomfortable and was relieved that she seemed to share that with Helena, who was quite content to enjoy the picnic without the need to talk to Rachel. To ask her questions. To make her explain herself.
After a while, Helena's phone buzzed, breaking the silence.
"It's Sarah, she is coming to have lunch break with us." Helena read the text.
"Well, this was wonderful Helena. But I'm afraid I have to go." Rachel began to stand up.
"Where?" Helena asked innocently.
Rachel froze, realising that she had no other plans for the day. If she wanted to, she could spend all day with Helena and her babies. She could already imagine Sarah's reaction if she found out about the picnic they had shared, never mind if she was to spend a whole day with her nephews. Rachel looked down at the boys, rolling around the blanket.
"I'm sorry Helena, you're sister already thinks I'm up to something. I don't want to cause any trouble between you all."
"It's no trouble to me Rachel. Sarah can be angry sometimes. I will come here again for picnic next week. Same time. You are most welcome to join us again."
Rachel considered her for a moment.
"I think I would like that, Helena."
Helena stood up and strode over to her, pulling her into a rib crushing hug and whispered in her ear.
"I forgive you sestra. I used to hurt people too. We can still both become better than we were."
This time, Rachel was powerless to stop a tear trailing down her cheek. They broke away from the hug, Helena's penetrating gaze disarming Rachel completely.
"I'll see you next week then." Rachel wiped her cheek, waved bye to the twins and turned. Breathing deeply, trying to settle herself down. She refused to look back at them as she walked away.