But Helena couldn’t forget, not those words, tonight or this past week.  ‘Alexa come spend some time in Los Angeles with me,’ she said suddenly.

Alexa sat up suddenly, ‘Are you serious?’ she asked wondering if she was still delirious.

‘I mean it, would you like to come back with me for a couple of weeks?’ asked Helena, determined to talk Alexa round to her way of thinking.

Alexa laughed nervously.  ‘Of course I would, that would be completely amazing but I can’t just take two weeks off work here, maybe a few days a week even but I have finals and credits still to gain for this placement.’

Helena thought for a few seconds, realising she was being selfish, Alexa had a degree to finish, she wasn’t going to be the one to screw that up for her.  Disappointment set in until she had a realisation.  ‘What if you could do both?’

‘How?’ asked Alexa eagerly.

‘You know how I told you I’m taking four students from here back with me to gain some experience before they take on some of the research work over here?’

‘Vaguely, I told you the ones you chose were all total freaks!’

‘I know but the point is it counts as work time right?  Those students are exempt from their hospital placements, you could be too.’

‘Only I’m not a research geek Helena. I couldn’t pull that off I know nothing about the project.’

‘You wouldn’t need to!’ insisted Helena.  ‘What the deans think you are doing and what you are actually doing doesn’t have to match up.  I can swing this for you, if you want me to that is.  Believe me I know how crazy this sounds…it’s just…’ she didn’t finish.

Alexa bit her lip and considered her options.  This had been the craziest time of her life. She knew how to have fun, she wasn’t adverse to bending rules but she also wasn’t used to following whims, letting her heart rule her head or any of that stuff she reserved in a box marked clueless fool.  Going away this close to finals half way across the world with a woman she’d known just a week and faking research could be a tragic mistake for her career, could she make it work?

Helena saw her hesitancy, the inner battle she was contending with.  ‘You know what forget I said anything, it was a silly idea.’

Alexa shook her head.  ‘No there’s just a couple of things I have to ask you first.  If I came I’d have to do some study and I’d need to know there was no way they’d find out I’m not on the official research team…’

‘Alexa I can totally work that out for you’ assured Helena.

Alexa continued.  ‘And there’s something else…’

‘What?’ asked Helena curiously.

‘Look I’m trying to be heavy by asking this.  I don’t want to pressure you or be weird because it’s only going to be for a couple of weeks but if I’m going to be flying half way round the world risking my degree I hope I’m something a little more than one of several fuck buddies around the world that you bring home for a while.’

Helena sat back on her hands.  Alexa really hadn’t got a clue.  She didn’t invite people she met on tours back to her home, this just wasn’t how Helena behaved.

‘Alexa I’ve never asked a girl to fly home with me before.  I want to introduce you to my friends, show you what it’s like not to have to hide all the time in a place you don’t have to feel afraid.  Mostly I just want us to spend more time together, to find out why I can’t bear the thought of leaving you tomorrow.’

Alexa leaned forward and kissed Helena, smiling into her lips.  ‘But you’re not leaving me tomorrow.  I’m coming with you!’

‘You are?’ asked Helena excitement creeping into her voice.

‘I am’ she nodded and hugged Helena tightly both of them laughing at the absurdity of their situation.