Summary: Helen is missing John and she knows that the small window of time for them to be together is fast approaching. A/U story!
Rating: T+ for mild sexuality
Pairing: Helen and John….. Duh!
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary.
3 DAYS:
Helen sat behind her desk and looked at the calendar; just over a week. She had been anxious for this date to come again. After nearly fifty years Helen could once again have her three days with John. It was something that she had looked foreword too and a day she had cursed all in one breath. Helen let her mind wander back to the early fifties when she had last seen John. He had been dressed in his usual manner but he had seemed calmer, more himself. And that had frightened her as well as made her heart melt the ice. John had looked at her with love and that night they had set the heavens on fire with their love. Three days had passed and John was back to being the murderer she had encountered all those years ago in White Chapel.
Glancing at the calendar again Helen made up her mind. She wrote a short note and then fled her office to one of the cars she had housed in the garage. There was a spot in Old City that John had loved that last time they were together. Helen went there. She had to leave the note for John. Helen wasn't focused on driving; she just drove. After what seemed a few seconds Helen stopped her car in front of an abandoned building. She got out and looked strait up. On top of the building was a second structure, smaller and nearly invisible. Helen breathed in and then breathed out slowly before she carefully walked through the dilapidated doors and up the creaky stairs to the roof. Once at the top the door opened with barely any resistance. Walking towards the opening Helen dropped the note on one of the plush pillows. She knew John would find his way to this place, to this Bedouin tent.
Looking out at the city Helen sighed. She was doing that a lot lately. This tent would be their oasis for three days. 'Three days is not enough.' Helen thought sinking to her knees on the carpeted floor. She loved John with all of her heart and now she had a chance to be with him, to have him. The last time she had seen him had been in her Sanctuary and he had sacrificed his freedom for her. That small act had hurt Helen more than John saying he loved her. Helen closed her eyes and a lone tear slide down her cheek. Shaking her head Helen left the tent and headed back to her car so she could return to her Sanctuary. There was work to do and she needed to not think about John for a while.
John watched from the shadows as Helen slid behind the wheel of her car and sped off. He smiled to himself. The time for them was growing closer and closer again; he could feel it. John waited until he was sure that Helen was gone before he teleported to the roof of his second favorite building in the world. John had stayed here many a time before just for the surreal view of Old City. If the sun was at the right angle then Old City would look to be on fire. The first time John had seen that he was enamored with this place that he kept returning.
The smaller structure that was on the roof had to be at least ten years old and on the inside it looked like a Bedouin tent. 'Morocco.' He thought with a wry smile. After gaining their powers John had taken them to Morocco for a summer where they lived in a tent just like this one. For a time they seemed to be the only two people in the world as their love grew and deepened.
Moving inside the tent John saw the hand written note lying on the larger center pillow. Picking up the note John read the three little words over and over. It's almost time. He smiled. Three little words with such a depth that he couldn't help but to smile. John had just under a week before his three days of respite from the creature inside of him. Even now he could feel the creatures hold on him weakening. For three days he would be free to be the man who loved Helen, who would love Helen for all eternity.
BACK AT THE SANCTUARY:
Helen walked through the front doors of her home, her Sanctuary, and ran up to her office. She had lingered too long down in the old district that she was running lat for a video conference with the other heads of house about new security measures. Helen would have stayed longer, wanted to stay longer, but she had a network to run. She couldn't waste her time in a place that wouldn't be in use for another week, and that week couldn't fly by fast enough for her. The more she thought about John the more she wanted to sit in her office and just laze about. No, work first. Helen had to actually remind herself of that.
She walked into the main lab just as the images of the Head's of House flicked on the screen. "Forgive my lateness; there was a matter that I had to attend to." Helen spoke and then got right down to business.
For the next hour she went over security upgrades that Henry had implemented for them. She explained how the new security measures would protect from outside interference from other people seeking to steal information. And then she had to listen to some of the others fight over who would receive Henry's skilled touch in the upgrades. For the moment Helen stood by and listened to them all. She wanted to mute them all. It would have been petty and childish but it would have kept her headache at the back of her mind and not have brought it boiling to the point she wanted to scream.
Helen had had enough. She pressed a button and one by one the monitors went dark. There was so much work to be doing, but all she wanted to do was wait until the week was over and she had her three days. 'That's never enough.' Helen thought again and rubbed at her temple where the headache had settled. "Here." She turned to see her loyal friend and Man servant holding a cup of tea.
"How did you know?" she asked taking the cup from him and tasting the first hint of nirvana.
"Because I know you." he responded. "And I know something is on your mind."
Helen smiled over the rim of her tea cup. "Yes, something has been on my mind." She set the cup aside and then continued. "Next week I will be gone for three days on personal business. I trust you to see to my affairs here." Helen hadn't needed to say it, but still, she was his employer as well as his friend. Maybe it was because she needed something to say.
"As always," His curiosity was peeked but he knew better than to ask. If Helen wanted to talk about it she would have.
ONE WEEK LATER:
DAY 1:
Helen left her Sanctuary at 9:36pm the night before her three days with John would start. She drove along the silent streets and was amazed at how quiet her city seemed to be for now. No abnormals were in trouble, no one was trying to attack them, and she was free to have her respite. Putting her brain on automatic Helen made it to John's building and trudged up the stairs to the roof, to the tent she had there. Rolling her shoulder's Helen slipped out of her jacket, kicked off her shoes, shed her vest and shirt, and removed her slacks all before she sank down into the comfort of the large pillows that would serve as a bed. She pulled the warm blankets over her and let all the exhaustion of the past week flow out of her as sleep claimed her mind and healed her body. Tomorrow when she woke up John would be there and she would have a break.
John listened to the tolling of a clock tower that signaled the midnight hour. Inside he felt his mind suddenly calm; there was no trace of anger or hatred or the compulsion for murder. Starting now and lasing for three days John would be a calm rational non murderous human being, and he would be able to be with his woman. For the first few minutes he would content himself with walking over to his building. He had to let his mind settle. The last time he had felt this calm was more than five months ago and that was only because the creature had been separated from him, what they finally learned was a creature. John believed that this thing inside of him was the soul cause for his blood lust, but Helen hadn't been convinced. It was more like she didn't want to believe and risk being hurt again. If hadn't been himself then he wouldn't have admitted so freely his love for her.
It was more of a mystery as to why John got three days at all. The first time he had felt that he and Helen had been on the roof of that same building. She had tracked him after a series of murders that he had nothing to do with. But he had been keeping tabs on the killer as well simply because the killer was copying his style from London. Just as he had tracked the real killed the internal shock overtook him and he was clear headed again. There was no red haze of hate clouding his eyes or his mind. John was free, but that freedom had been temporary. That night John had fallen to his knees just as Helen found him. He went to her and pulled her into his arms so he could kiss her. She had never been able to resist him once he had kissed her. Reluctantly, and after hours of sex, she even considered the fact that he could be lucid and sane.
Shaking his head John looked up and found himself in front of his building. He had walked the entire way and never even noticed. That was unlike him, but then again so many things were these days John was lucky to even recognize himself in the mirror. Teleporting to the roof John saw the gentle glow of candles. Helen was already here. Trust her to be a head of him. Slipping quietly into the tent John saw a trail of her clothes leading to the pallet in the center where she was sleeping soundly.
John shucked his jacket, removed his shoes, and he pulled off his shirt. Slowly John crawled under the covers. He spooned up behind her; her skin was so warm and soft. John carefully draped his arm over her waist as he used his other arm for a pillow. Instantly his body relaxed and John was able to sleep deeply for the first time in years.
Slowly John was opening his eyes to the first rays of light from the sun that peeked in through the slight crack in the tent flaps. It seemed only moments ago that he was falling asleep behind Helen. Sitting up he saw that she was still asleep and he would leave her like that. He had not watched her slumber in ages that he had missed the sight. John rose to his feet and trudged over to the flaps of the tent so he could gaze out on the world that was just starting to wake. To his eyes the world looked innocent, all gleaming glass windows and shimmering steel, but there was an undercurrent to the city, a life that was barely detected.
John was still gazing at the dawn when he heard shuffling behind him. Turning he saw Helen rolling over on her other side and still deep asleep. He smiled easily and walked back to the pallet where the blanket had fallen to her hips. The simple black lace bra was nothing special but it set John's blood on fire just at seeing it. John reached out, hooked his finger in the edge of the blanket and pulled it up and over Helen's shoulder. He smiled and once again stood at the tent entrance feeling the warmth of the sun on his skin. Right now in this moment he was reveling in the calm of his mind. This was what he wanted, how he needed to be for Helen.
Helen's eyes fluttered open to warm rays of sun light. They cut across her in thin lines. At first waking she was disappointed not to feel John beside her. She would have thought he would have been here by now. Maybe he wasn't coming. Maybe she got the date wrong. A slight movement caught her eye. Turning her head she saw John standing at the tent flap with his back to her. Helen smiled. He had come and he looked gorgeous standing half in shadow and half in light. John always reminded her of a Gothic Angel that had fallen to earth. Sometimes she could picture him with broken wings.
She arched her back and stretched out her arms. Helen sat up and held the blanket to her chest just as John turned to her with a gentle easy smile gracing his lips. It was the smile she had loved so much. Helen didn't have to speak John just came to her and lounged beside her. There was never another like his in the world, except for the smile Ashley had. That smile had been all her father. Still raw with pain Helen felt tears gathering in her eyes. Closing them she hoped to fight them back but they slipped free no matter how hard she fought. But they didn't fall, John kissed them away. Out of habit she turned away from him. But John wouldn't let her. He pulled her back against his chest and just held her as she cried.
"I know you're in pain." He whispered to her. John made sure his voice was low and soothing. "Let it all out. I'm here for you." He kissed her shaking shoulders and rocked back and forth while Helen grieved still for their child.
Minutes passed by as if they had been hours and Helen felt drained. She had never cried so much. Just being with John was a release of emotions; positive and negative. He was a force and she still loved that about him "I'm sorry," Helen sniffed.
"Don't be. I once told you that I loved all of you, even your tears." John had run down a list of all the things he loved about Helen one night when they had been in his bed back in London. She had smiled at all of them. The one thing he loved most about her was the light that came to her eyes when she was happy.
Helen turned in John's embrace and wrapped her arms around him. She didn't know why she believed this was him, but this was John, her John; the John she loved so much. He was warm and alive and he made her feel warm. All the ice she had built up around her heart and soul rapidly melted just by his skin on hers. This was how it was supposed to be; they were supposed to be together. For three days she had John with her. She could pretend, for a little while, that she was happy and in love with the only man her heart desired. For a while they would be alone in the world and nothing but heat and passion would rule their minds.
John held Helen and just felt her chest rise and fall, felt the beat of her heart. It wasn't for a few more minutes that he realized that she had fallen back to sleep. He just smiled and held her close like the precious treasure she was to him. John pulled away and watched the delicate lines of Helen's face. He had tired to recall her face in the past and he could never remember the way she slept. One of the things John missed the most was the way Helen slept; the way she looked so peaceful. Now he could indulge in one simple pleasure. Gently he traced his finger under her left eye, wiping away the last of her tears. Next he traced the corner of her mouth and smiled with her tongue darted out. 'Some things never change.' John thought as he traced her jaw line, the side of her neck, and her collar bone. In sleep Helen's hand came up to his and laced their fingers together. When they had spent the night with each other she would always hold his hand. 'Maybe she wants to be sure this is real.' John kissed her forehead and settled down next to her. Sleep wasn't going to come for him; his mind was too active, but he could have this chance to watch Helen and enjoy the sight, the feel of her, against him. Each hour ticked by, marked by the sound of a distant bell tolling. John didn't care.
A FEW HOURS LATER:
John felt Helen stir against his side. When he looked down he saw the clear cut grey blue of her eyes. "Hi," he whispered and kissed her temple. Looking at her again Helen only smiled. She looked past him to the open tent flap and sighed.
"Hi," Helen smiled rubbing the rest of the sleep out of her eyes. The afternoon sun was streaming through casting them in a gentle glow. She glanced over his broad chest and saw the trail of her clothes that led to the pallet and instantly she blushed. Helen had been to weary last night that she had put her mind on auto pilot and just wanted to sleep. She sat up, the blanket falling down to her lap and stretched again.
"How did you sleep?" John asked nuzzling her neck. Her skin smelled like Roses.
Helen laughed and replied, "I haven't slept like that in years." She shifted position, reaching past him to gather his shirt in her hand before she slipped it on and buttoned the bottom three buttons. Rising to her feet Helen walked on the sun warmed carpets to gaze out at Old City. John followed her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his cheek against her temple. This was another moment she missed; John holding her. His arms would hold her as if she were a wisp of cloud that would evaporate if he held too tight. She had never met another man who made her the center of his world. Even when he had turned on her, she was still the center of his world. John had never strayed far from her side for too long.
"You looked so peaceful that I hadn't the heart to wake you." John lightly squeezed her.
"What time is it?" Helen turned to him.
"Three o'clock in the afternoon." John answered. Helen had tried to pull away but he would let her move from his arms.
"You should have woken me." She set her jaw and glared at the horizon.
"And miss seeing you in the grips of a deep sleep?" John asked. "I would never wake you. I wanted to see your face while you slept. I'd almost forgotten…."
"You could see my face everyday." Helen interrupted.
"I could, but not like that." He nipped her ear and laughed when she arched her back into him.
Helen turned so she could drape her arms over his shoulders. She had nothing to say to that. Instead she rose up on her tip toes and kissed him like she had wanted to after he told her he loved her the last time he had been in her Sanctuary. John tasted the same, deadly and sinful. His hands came up and cupped her face as he took control of the kiss. Helen didn't care. All she cared about was that he continued to kiss her.
John would lose his mind again in three days, but this was as close to Nirvana has he was gong to get. Helen was his paradise, his heaven, and it wasn't fair that she suffered for his demon. But none of that matter so long as his lips fed at hers. He drank down her moans like a man longing for water. Helen revived him, renewed his sense of self. Dropping his hands from her face to the back of her thighs John picked Helen up and moved back to the pallet.
Sinking down to his knees John sat with Helen astride him, each still kissing the other in a heated passion. He hadn't had the intention of taking her on the first day, but their passion had no reason. Lying down John inched his shirt up so he could feel the softness of her thighs as they opened further for him. The first time he would try to be gentle, but Helen was making that difficult. She was a living breathing bon fire in his arms. Her heat drove his to higher levels until they only needed to burn together. John felt her hand snake down between their bodies as she roughly opened the front of his trousers. "Desperate…?" John huffed out between kisses.
"I want… you…" Helen replied and ravaged his mouth again as her hand griped him. She wasted no time with four play. Arching her back Helen took him into her body and moaned in utter bliss. They moved against each other in fast movements. It wasn't enough to be joined; the release is what Helen sought. She needed it. Too many months had she been feeling like a ghost, but now to have John back and moving inside of her she felt human. He slid in and out of her in quick deliberate thrusts. Soon, too soon, she felt that tight dam of pleasure break and flood her system. John was not that far behind her.
He broke their kiss and drew in a ragged gasp of air. By shear force of will John levered himself up on his forearms so he could take some of his weight off of Helen. She arched her back again and kissed the underside of his jaw. John moaned and felt as if he had come home. He fell to the side and felt that it was his turn to slumber once more. To his delight Helen stayed by his side. In an instant John was asleep.
LATER THAT NIGHT:
Rather than fall back to sleep Helen felt energized. She was sure that John was asleep before she stepped to the mouth of the tent to watch the full moon. This was how they had spent their time fifty years ago. John had taken her over and over and over again. Helen hadn't minded. It was what she had wanted. She smiled at the memory. John still knew how to set her body on fire and leave her wanting more of him. And more she would have. For three days he would be hers to do with as she pleased and the same could be said of her.
Helen moved from the mouth of the tent and over to the canvas bag she had stashed a few days ago. Pawing through it she pulled out a par of black pants and another black button up shirt. She shed John's shirt before she pulled on the black jeans and the black shirt. Now she felt more like Dr. Magnus rather than Helen.
"You know, I prefer it when you are undressing rather than dressing."
"Can't have everything you like." Helen replied with a wry grin when she turned to see him. His left arm was behind his head as a pillow and his right arm was draped over his stomach. He was a sinful sight that he yearning to take him this time. She sank down next to him putting her lips barely touching his. "I want you to take me somewhere, I'm hungry." Quickly she backed away and let John growl at her.
John had dressed as fast as he could with Helen eyeing him in a provocative manner. But he had managed it some how and they were now on the street walking hand in hand through a crowd of people who looked to be from out of town. John was a little nervous at first to have some many people staring at him. Helen only tugged on his hand and pulled him across the street to the other side. Even on the opposite the group of people still felt compelled to stare at them. "They are still staring."
Helen was feeling playful, it was hard not to because she was so damn happy. Turning into him Helen brought his mouth down to hers for a soul searing kiss that had the people across the street staring even harder. She could even hear the tell tale sounds of pictures being taken. "Now, that is worth staring at." She said.
John was stunned. First she had taken his hand and now she was kissing him in public. This was enough to make him happier beyond all reason. Taking his hand out of hers John draped his along her shoulders while her arm snaked around his waist. "Where would you like to go?"
"We could try the Thai place or get Chinese, or Italian." Helen picked the places that were in walking distance off the top of her head. It didn't seem odd to her that they were acting like a normal 21st century couple trying to find a place to eat. This sort or normality was always just beyond her reach and yet for three days this would be her life.
"Or, I could simply take us to Rome for some real Italian." John proposed.
"No," Helen shook her head, "Walking or driving distance only. We're not leaving this city." She informed and then laughed when John pouted playfully. Helen wanted to feel normal for a little while.
"Italian it is then." John spoke. Together they walked and it felt like old times.
Helen and John turned a corner and saw the quaint little Italian restaurant. It looked to be nothing more than a hole in the wall but it held a certain charm. The lighting was low and light lilting music played. Romance was the signature of this establishment. Helen hugged John closer and smiled at him. This place reminded her of the last time they had had dinner together. She had wanted to tell him that she thought she was with child and then he left all of a sudden. Only later, when she followed him, did she realize that he was the killer roaming the streets. That was long ago and now they had time, limited as it may be. She and John were together. Tonight would be as close to perfect as they could manage.