I know, I know, I'm ridiculously slack with this series. I just kept getting sidetracked and then wrote out two other episodes which won't come in until season three but I'm here now and have got a fair bit more than what you see here :D

So, it turns out, I'd never actually seen End of Nights Part 1 (I know, shocking!) so, naturally I've had to watch it a few hundred times :P There is much more to this one, this is only the first piece of part 1. Probably this size again for the rest of the episode and then I'll move on to part 2. *sob*

I really didn't want to make this one smutty but that's just how it happened and... oh god, how it will continue :(

Also, y'all should go check out my profile... Just sayin' :P

xx

"I dunno, the U.K Sanctuary is kinda growing on me," the spunky one said, her voice distorted by the low quality speakers of the protégé's computer. Smiling to let him know just how much of the conversation he'd overheard, Nikola waved at the young man, enjoying the tiny spark of fear and embarrassment in his eyes. Fighting the urge to interfere in the conversation, Nikola hung back, inspecting the empty wine bottle in his hand, allowing his presence to make the protégé more and more uncomfortable. After all, if Nikola couldn't have the woman he loved, why should the protégé be allowed to swan around with that goofy smile upon his face?

"Yeah, yeah," the spiky haired boy said, clearly bristling at the interruption. "I heard you're doing really well out there."

"I miss you. A lot," the young girl said, her distress apparent and Nikola felt something he hadn't ever expected to feel towards the tots who had decided to do a nudy run back at Bhalasaam. Pity. But then the protégé turned to look at him, clearly wishing for privacy and he could do nothing but smirk.

"I... uh... miss you too," Huggybear said, shifting in his seat.

"Are you sure you can't catch a red eye and come out, just for a few days?"

"Do it..." Nikola urged impulsively, smiling at the confused young man. As much as he hated to see such an insolent child happy, getting him out of the way mightn't be too bad. "Just do it."

"I'd love to but I'm kinda minding he shop here," he told the girl, shooting Nikola a sketchy look before trying to focus once more on his little girl friend across the pond."Listen I gotta go."

"O.K," she said, sounding chirpy enough at the prospect that Nikola felt confident in his assertion that this was simply puppy love between two children who acted on adrenaline filled impulses after nearly dying in the rockslide. "Be good."

"You too."

Nikola heard the smack of an air kiss and almost chortled, only reining himself in with the thought that then the protégé might not grant his request of more wine. He was remarkably pleased with himself for holding back when the young man with the bad hair did the same in return. Air kisses? Really?

"Actually, I'm fine to cover things here if you two want to go moon over each other in Covent Garden," Nikola began with a smirk, strolling around to the front of the desk as the protégé snapped the laptop closed and let loose a heavy sigh. "There's a lovely café were Churchill used to gorge himself on pastries..."

"Thanks, but uh, I think I'll take a raincheck," Will muttered, pulling a face. Fine then, Nikola thought. If he couldn't get the place to himself, he'd have a little fun with the pup before him.

"Young love is so... heartbreaking to observe as a scientist," he began. "So passionate, so innocent and yet so utterly doomed."

"So I'm guessing you've never been in love?" Protégé said, leaning back in his seat with a smirk unbecoming of someone so young.

"Countless times my friend," Nikola replied smoothly. "See the difference is I recognise the emotion for what it is, an irrational self destructive impulse which disguised as joy." Also, very painful when that pesky little concept of unrequited love came into the picture, a traitorous part of his mind whispered. He cut the thought off there, unwilling to suffer further when it was clear he'd never be allowed to hold her hand, let alone anything else.

"Was there something you wanted or did you just come here to ruin..." the protégé trailed off, raising his eyebrows and Nikola found himself thankful for the distraction.

"Yes, your shaggy friend is still refusing treatment and frankly I'm insulted."

"Oh yeah, right, I forgot 'cause it's all about you."

Snarky protégé, he thought angrily. Surely Helen taught him better than to disrespect a genius.

"I have spent weeks creating a working treatment for the Lazarus virus," he ranted, working hard not to throw the wine bottle at the young man. "I spent weeks more travelling the earth disseminating it to the affected abnormals, effectively stemming an outbreak and in the end the creep in the room with the hair doesn't want to take his medicine. It's personal and we both know it is."

"What do you want me to do?" he asked, shrugging like the insolent child he was. Why this young nobody was worthy of Helen's affection and not him, he'd never understand. "Henry's talking to him."

"Does your Hirsute friend understand he's facing probably the most unpleasant, slow lingering death in all creation?"

"I'm sure you made it abundantly clear."

If the man wasn't insufferably dishevelled, his attitude would be more than enough for Nikola to hate him.

"Also, Huggybear, we're out of wine."

And with that he walked away, unwilling to spend another moment in that idiot's presence.

"That's not my nickname."

"Huggybear!" he called venomously over his shoulder. Striding from the cavernous library that somehow smelt of her, Nikola headed for her office, certain he wouldn't be disturbed. Plus he'd spotted a rather fine vintage in her bottom draw and if he could have her, he'd take his fill of her wine. He'd been working through the cellar at a steady rate, demolishing it far more quickly than he'd anticipated. His original plan was to save the day, drink some wine and then go to her, tell her the wine was gone and he'd need something else as reward. He'd let his grin say the rest. It was the grin he knew she couldn't resist. Every time he flashed it at her, her heartbeat picked up, her breathing grew that little bit more shallow and a certain something was released into her blood, making her even more mouth-watering.

Sure it was only a superficial reaction but deep down, Nikola was a realist. Helen would never truly want him for more than his body. He loved her in an all consuming way that tainted every other relationship he tried to have. It hurt to look at her sometimes, knowing how much he could do for her, the companionship he'd be able to provide but there was no way she'd ever be able to see that. All she might ever want from his was a quick bonk and maybe a lovebite or two.

Sighing heavily, Nikola pushed open the door to her office, striding over to her desk without a single bead of guilt in his body. She thought him to be the bad boy, unwilling to respect her boundaries so he'd play the part. He'd try and feel her up, ply her with wine and leer at her. Because maybe, one day she'd require his body in the way he required her very being. After all, everyone loves a bad boy.

He knew he was the first person to know she was back. He'd been sitting by his bedroom window, waiting for the pigeons to come for the daily feeding when he'd heard it. That telltale pop of energy down in the gardens. It was pure luck, he knew but that stupid romantic part of him he'd spent decades trying to squash kept whispering things about fate, about how it was his soul that knew she back. Stupid.

In a second he was standing, bag of seeds hastily scattered on the windowsill as he listened once more. Ah, there, he heard it. Both of them were back and, by the sound of it, Helen wasn't talking to good old Johnny. Trouble in paradise then. They were walking quickly up the garden path, John trying to ask her to talk to him, to give him a chance to prove he'd given up his murderous habits. Nikola snorted at that, startling the first pigeon that had crept onto the ledge.

He felt a swell of pride when she said nothing to him, hurrying despite the stunning sunset that would have made for a beautifully romantic encounter. Perhaps Helen had lost the whimsical side of her that would have allowed John to drag her off into the rose garden for a quick romp. They were getting close to the house now and Nikola realised he'd have to move, lest they look up and see him. Deciding on a new course of action, he turned from the window, striding out of his room and towards the stair case that would lead him to the door they'd be arriving at shortly.

"Get inside John," he heard her hiss as he hurried down the final few steps. "I'll call for you when I need you." He could very clearly imagine how frosty her charming blue eyes would be at this point and the sick and twisted part of him (which actually grew larger and larger the more time they spent with John) did a little happy dance. He waited until he heard John's disapproving mutter followed by his heavy footsteps before he hurried down the rest of the stairs, quip in place.

But then he saw her.

She was sitting on the floor, back pressed against the stone wall by the door. Her knees were drawn up to her chest, brown curls cascading around her shoulders as she rested her forehead on her knees. He could hear her steady breathing, as if she were trying to calm herself and everything fell away, the smartass comment about her long hot welcome home bath, the offer to wash her back, the way he'd planned on copping a quick feel.

"Helen," he said softly as his heart began to throb painfully. Damn it! Life would be so much easier if he wasn't so irreparably tied to her.

She looked up suddenly, her wide blue eyes watering painfully at him for a moment before she hardened, setting her jaw.

"Go away Tesla," she ground out, pushing herself up off the floor. His heart sunk a little, she never referred to him by his last name unless he'd blown something up. Something valuable and irreplaceable. Like the day he'd set fire to her favourite green dress. He'd been 'Tesla' for a good week then.

"Helen," he tried again, walking towards her as she dusted her hands off.

"Did you finish the treatment?" she asked, crossing her arms as she tried to pretend she wasn't close to tears.

"Of course," he said, brushing her off as he took another step towards her. "What about-."

"No, nothing," she said curtly but he noticed the quiver in her bottom lip. Glancing around, Nikola swallowed, hoping she'd not shoot him too many times for this.

Before she could protest, he grabbed her by the arm, darting to the door and shoving her outside.

"What the hell are you doing?" she all but shrieked as he closed the door behind them.

"We're going for a walk," he said firmly as he dragged her towards the garden path off to their left. She continued to protest, telling him she'd put some serious thought into killing him but he paid no attention, continuing on further until he was certain it would take her several minutes to stalk back to the main building. Carefully he released her arm, ducking out of the way of the fist she tried to smash into his face. What he didn't anticipate however was the booted foot that swung up and into his abdomen.

"It's just a walk," he wheezed, taking a few steps back until he hit the outer wall of the small garden he'd dragged her into.

"I have things to do," she hissed, eyes narrowing as she grabbed her gun from where it was stowed in the waist band of her pants. Giving her a punching bag wasn't exactly his plan but if it took her mind off of the lack of information she'd gathered, he'd be happy to take a bullet or two. So long as she didn't aim any where precious though.

She was breathing heavily, gun pointed straight at his forehead but Nikola didn't move, simply watching her shaky hands.

"I'm sorry," he began slowly. "But you can't go in there like this. You need to remain composed Helen and you know it."

She glared at him for a long minute, still panting as her hands shook but then, with a heartbreaking and badly muffled sob, she lowered the weapon turning away from him. Instinctively he stepped away from the wall, reaching out to her as she placed the weapon on the nearest stone bench. It didn't escape his notice the way her shoulders shook or the swipes of her hands to her cheeks.

"Helen darling," he whispered as his fingertips landed on her shoulder. He wasn't sure what more he could say, the loss of a child wasn't something he understood and he'd never been good at sympathy but something inside him was urging him to try. Screw the ick factor of human contact, this was Helen and she was sad, something that overrode every other quirk of his personality.

She gasped at the contact, tensing for a moment before she spun around. He expected to be slapped, maybe even shot but what he did not expect was the look of utter determination in her eye.

"Nikola," she growled, hands flying to his chest. Maybe she intended to hold him steady as she brought a knee up into his groin, he mused as he fought the urge to grab her by the shoulder. She needed this, she needed to take out her frustrations on someone, anyone.

But then she pulled him closer, craning her neck to crash her lips against his and he was at a complete loss. One of her hands slipped to the back of his neck, holding him close as she continued her assault on his mouth. Pressing her body against his, she began to writhe angrily, slamming her hips into his as she forced him backwards, managing to keep their lips locked. His head hit the cold stone hard, the impact forcing their lips apart but, as she reclaimed his with a not so gentle nip, her hands moved to the front of his vest, fumbling with the buttons.

"Helen," he growled when he finally came to his senses. He grabbed her shoulders, holding her back from his body as he panted. "What the hell was that?"

"I want you to fuck me Tesla," she growled, fighting his grip in an attempt to return to her previous task of tearing apart his waistcoat. "I want you to pin me to that wall and fuck me until I can't walk let alone think. O.K?"

Every fibre in his being told Nikola to give in to her demands, to rip off that gorgeous cream leather jacket, to tear at her beige pants until he could sink into her. He wanted to, he wanted to so very much but he could see the fear in her eyes. She didn't want him, as he'd always suspected, she just wanted a good fuck with someone who'd oblige. But god did he want her. She was breathing heavily, her lips a little swollen and hair dishevelled.

So what did he do? He grinned. He grinned the one grin he knew would guarantee him access to her pants. And she responded just as she always had, pupils dilating, heart rate picking up and... yes, that little something extra in her blood. In a second he pulled her back to him, spinning around to pin her to the wall as he kissed her hard. She groaned into his mouth, nails scraping over his chest as she finally managed to undo the last few buttons.

"This isn't going to be pretty," he growled into her ear as she sucked down oxygen. "I'm going to fuck you Helen, I'm going to fuck you until you scream my name for everyone to hear. You aren't to be quite, understand?"

"Shut up and do it," she bit back and he chuckled before yanking down the collar of her jacket, allowing him access to the creamy skin of her neck. She bent it to the side obligingly and he ran his nose along the length of it, enjoying her scent. And then he bit down hard enough to leave a mark. She screamed but clutched him closer, thrusting against his already tight pants. He released her, stepping back to rake his eyes up and down her still clothed body. She glared at him angrily but soon enough he reached for the zip of her jacket, tugging it down and she threw it to the side carelessly. He admired the thin silk top she wore for all of a second before moving back towards her once more.

This time, however, he didn't waste time with teasing her. Something was creeping up his spine, something that would make him stop ravishing the woman who was growling and moaning and begging him without words for his touch. He grabbed her belt, yanking it apart before attacking the zip. Somehow it all came apart easily, as if designed for his one handed fumbling. He felt her hands on his belt, struggling with the contraption but ignored it, knowing that if he touched her hands, her strong and capable hands that were always rather fascinating to him back in their youth, he'd lose it. Instead he tugged at her pants until they hung around her knees.

"Now," she ordered before tugging his lips back to hers. She sunk her teeth into his bottom lip, thrusting her hips forward into the hands that were still lingering around her thighs. He groaned, knees almost buckling as he realised what the new scent in the air was. It was her. Pure, unadulterated her. For him. She was wet. For him.

His hands flew to the edge of her panties, hooking two fingers under the pale pink lace before he dragged them down her shapely legs. Carefully he traced his hand back up to her exposed core, fingers brushing over the damp curls before one finger slipped into her heat. And boy was she hot. Nikola moaned at the feel of her swirling her hips but then she was attacking his belt again and a moment of clarity flew through his mind.

What the hell was he doing? He couldn't do this! He couldn't take advantage of her like this! Whether she sensed his change in mood or it was just good timing, her hand caught his wrist just as he went to pull away.

"Niko," she whispered, holding him tight. "Niko please."

"Helen," he muttered, her name falling from his lips in a sob. God he wanted her, more than anything but he couldn't, he just... couldn't.

"Please Niko," she whimpered and he began to move his finger again, stroking her as softly as he could and hating himself for it. "I'm sick of it, of all of it, of being tied to John," she whispered in explanation. "I need you Nikola, I need to feel like me again, I need to be Helen, not his ex fiancé. I need to be Ashley's mother, I need to be me."

And at that he pulled back, looking into her lust clouded eyes. She was so beautiful, so delicate, so Helen and he wanted her, all of her.

"Fuck," he growled as she mewled in her ear. Her hands went for his belt again but with his free hand he batted her way. "No," he muttered. "No, let me do this, just let me do this for you Helen. Ljubav."

He sped up his fingers, diving in and out of her, brushing her tight little clit as he kissed her cheek. He tasted the salt of her tears but she threw her arms around his neck, holding onto him for support and he couldn't pull away. He knew it was over, that the moment after she came she'd never look him in the eye again. She'd say it was her fault because she asked such a thing of him but they'd both know the truth. He should have been stronger. He should have said no to temptation.

"Niko," she whimpered as she began to shake. Her lips sought out his one last time but this time the kiss was sweet, loving, tender. "God, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she whispered, eyes scrunched shut as he sought out her clit once more, pressing against it in tight circles until her back arched, her legs gave out and she cried his name in ecstasy.

"I love you," he whispered. "I love you, I love you, I love you." He knew she couldn't hear him, he knew his words would make no difference but it made him feel better to know he'd said it, that he was a little less of a coward.

"Niko," she whispered, shuddering as she came down. He pressed a kiss to her cheek before ducking down to grab her pants, pulling them and her panties up carefully. It took him a few moments with shaking fingers to refasten her belt and zip but soon enough he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her loosely as she continued to pant, head pressed against his shoulder.

"Come on," he muttered, voice gravelly but there was nothing he could do for that. He wanted desperately for everything to be normal, to be able to pretend it was fine but he couldn't. The change in their relationship was tangible, it rang out in every laboured breath she took and pierced his heart at the same rate. He was an idiot, he was the dumbest man alive. She'd have coped with rejection, then maybe there'd be hope but now she'd hate him for taking advantage of her fragile state. Hell, he hated him!

She nodded and her arms around his shoulders loosened just enough for him to get the message. Slowly he straightened up, letting his arms drop. She shuddered one last time before placing a hand on his chest. He watched as she swallowed heavily, he saw the shake in her lips but as she turned and bent to pick up her discarded jacket, he did nothing. He was stuck. She paused, eyes grazing his for a fraction of a second before she turned and walked away, slipping into the jacket as she went. She paused at the entrance to the garden, flicking her hair out from her collar before smoothing it down expertly. He knew from experience that no one would be able to tell what she'd been up to, she'd look pristine, the flush in her cheeks easily explained by the tension she was feeling.

The only tell would be her scent, thick around her and obvious to him but no one else. He knew even the HAP wouldn't be able to pick up on it. It was only because he knew her, knew her and her past so very well that he could pick it up. As the crunch of her boots on gravel faded, he let his mind sweep back over the countless times she'd arrived home looking just as composed as when she'd left but that unmistakable musk of pleasure lingering on her. Usually Druitt's scent was intermingled but over the years Nikola had become an expert at tuning that particular piece out.

There was the time after the picnic when she'd returned with a tiny flower tucked behind her ear. Then the day he'd caught her sneaking from the underused study at the far end of her father's house though having John stumble out just behind her had been a bit of a giveaway. Worst of all were the mornings when she'd come down to breakfast, serene smile in place and scent floating in a heavy cloud around her. Nikola knew he didn't have to take up her offer of accommodation every time they worked late but part of him relished in being able to pick up on her indiscretions. Of course the scent of her on John was more than distasteful but the fact that, even after bathing, her arousal hung around her pleased him in a perverse way. Maybe it was because he alone knew when she was getting or had been randy or maybe it was just that if made him feel superior to John in at least one way. Honestly, he didn't care.

And he could smell it now. Her fluids on his fingers, unclean and dirty yet painfully arousing. She had come for him, she had called his name, he had brought her to such a state that she'd allowed him to tear away her clothes in broad daylight.

Well, he mused, not broad daylight. Then he smirked. He'd seduced her in the rose garden at sunset.