Helen/Nikola and James/John are the main pairings, but you will see reference to: James/Nigel, Helen/John, Nigel/Nikola, and Helen/James. I firmly believe that all of the Five were, to an extent, in love with one another.
I'm pretty happy with how this one turned out. I mean, as always, there are things I think could have been better, and things I would like to have included but couldn't find the place. On the whole, I'm happy with this. Enjoy.
Times Like These
A Brief History of the Five
Nikola Tesla and Helen Magnus were the first to meet. They had taken a chemistry class together at Oxford. Of course, Helen wasn't actually enrolled in the class, she wasn't allowed, but her father had pulled a few strings, allowing her to audit classes of her choosing.
"You are a brilliant scientist," Nikola told her over tea one afternoon. "It's a shame you can't pursue a degree. You're smarter than every man in that room."
"Does that include you?" she asked with a smile, sipping her tea.
"Perhaps," he replied, sending her a flirtatious grin back.
They had been instant friends, perhaps because they were both outcasts, in their own way: she the woman, he the foreigner.
Around the same time, John Druitt and James Watson met elsewhere at Oxford.
"You're a bit of a creepy bastard," James had told him, a smile resting on his lips just the same.
"And you're cruel," John shot back.
They too had been fast friends. John respected James' analytical intellect, while James appreciated John's often brutal honesty.
(Times Like These)
"Would you care to join me on an adventure, tonight?" Nikola asked Helen one evening, several months after they had met.
"Adventure?" she asked with a smile.
"You know," he grinned. "Dinner, drinks, dancing perhaps."
"It would be my pleasure, Nikola," she laughed as he placed a gentle kiss to the back of her hand.
Her father, of course, wished to meet the man that intended to take his daughter out, unescorted, on the town.
"Nikola Tesla," he introduced, shaking her father's hand. "It's good to meet you sir."
"I'll be the judge of that," Dr. Magnus replied.
"I think he likes me," Nikola said smugly as he and Helen exited her residence.
"Ever the charmer, aren't you?" she smiled. "No, tell me, Nikola, where are we going?"
"You'll see."
(Times Like These)
"I was going to head into town this evening," James announced, shelving a small stack of books that he had earlier been reading. John was standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame, watching the man.
"Continuing your search for a nubile, young lady worthy of your attention?" John asked.
"What else would I be doing?" he asked. "Join me?" he added, grabbing his coat.
"Certainly."
(Times Like These)
Helen grinned as Nikola spun her around in circles to the music. As the song switched to something slower, he pulled her close and she wrapped her arms around his neck, a smile still playing across her lips.
"I was thinking," he began and they danced around slowly.
"That's never good," she joked.
He smiled. "Of asking your father permission to court you. But I thought it would be unfair not to ask your opinion of it first."
Helen gave him and odd look, but the smile didn't leave her face. "You are like no other man I've ever met, Nikola. Most men have no regard for my opinions. In fact, I know of three men who have approached my father to ask that very same question. I hardly knew the men, and I told father as such. He sent them away at once and I never heard from them again."
"He cares for your opinions," Nikola observed.
"As do you," she replied. "You may ask my father's permission, but it is not his decision, it is mine."
"And what would your answer be?" he asked.
She smiled mischievously. "Why don't you ask me and find out," she dared.
(Times Like These)
"Any inclination for tonight?" John asked. "What type of woman will you seek out?"
"Equally beautiful and brilliant, of course," he replied, though he realized finding such a woman sounded good in theory, but it was not so likely in practice. He would find someone to amuse himself for the night, nonetheless.
"And, by the looks of things, you've spotted someone," John said, noting the expression on his face. He followed his gaze to a young, dark haired woman drinking alone at the bar. "Good luck with her."
James grinned. "And you, dear friend. Have your eyes spotted someone you wish to pursue?"
"Yes," John answered simply. It was a moment before he indicated to the woman at the opposite side of the room, sitting at a table for two.
"Then good luck to you as well," James replied before departing.
John watched the man walk away, before approaching the young blonde sitting alone.
"A beautiful young woman, unescorted," he started, sitting down across from her. "You ought to be careful. Never know what kind of troublesome men you might run into."
"And are you such a troublesome man that I should be watching out for? Should I be afraid?" she asked.
"Not of me," he replied.
"You're not very good at this, are you?" she asked, noting his discomfort. "Wooing a woman, that is."
"Not terribly so," he admitted.
"I'm Helen," she introduced, shaking his hand.
"John," he replied, surprised by her action.
"Before this goes any further, I must inform you that I am not, in fact, here unescorted. However, I wouldn't be terribly bothered if you remained here with me, for a few moments. If only to convince your wingman that you are fine on your own."
"My wingman?" he asked.
"The man you came in with," she replied. "He spent a moment with the woman at the bar, but I think he's moved on to a different prospect."
John looked up to see that James had, in fact, departed the company of the woman, and was moving on to someone else. He briefly wondered how she had known, given that she was facing the opposite direction.
"So tell me, John," Helen said, drawing his attention back in. "Have you little experience with women?"
"Is it that obvious?"
"Only to an observant eye," she smiled. "Forgive me for being blunt, but my curiosity often get the better of me… may I ask a personal query?"
"That all depends on the question, I suppose."
"I have seen you before I believe, you and the other man. You attend Oxford."
"Yes," he nodded. "How did you know?"
"I've audited a few classes," she replied. "The two of you seem to be… good friends, yes?"
"Yes, very good."
"Does he know that you're in love with him?"
John's face fell at her question.
"I apologize," she said. "I should have kept my mouth shut."
"It's alright," he assured her. "The answer is no; no, he doesn't know."
"Perhaps you should tell him," she suggested.
"I could not," he shook his head.
"Perhaps," she nodded. "I enjoyed our conversation, but my friend is returning from the lavatory, and your friend has moved on to a rather attractive man in the far corner."
At that moment, Nikola appeared at the table, giving John an odd look.
John stood and nodded politely at the Serb before departing their company.
"Who was that?" he asked, retaking his seat.
"Just a man," Helen replied with a shrug. She then noticed the look on his face and narrowed her eyes at. "I am not yours alone, Nikola," she informed him. "I can speak to whomever I please."
"I know that," he said. "I never said you couldn't."
"No, but you're jealous."
"Perhaps," he said. "He was an attractive man, I can understand why you would like him."
Helen smiled, clearly trying to hold in a laugh.
"What?"
"I think you would have better luck with him than I," she said. "He's gay," she added in a whisper.
(Times Like These)
"So the man you came in with," Nigel said, his face slightly closer to James' than was entirely appropriate. Then again, James' arm was draped over his shoulder in a way that was even less appropriate, but there was no one in this bar that was likely to call them on it. "Is he the one you've told me about?"
"Yes," James nodded. "John."
"Hmm," Nigel nodded. "He's attractive. In an untraditional way. I can see why you love him."
"Nigel," James began. "I did not come to you to talk about him."
"No," Nigel shook his head. "You came to me to forget about him." Nigel kissed the man lightly. "But perhaps, it would be better if, instead, you just told him how you feel."
"Since when d you go on about feelings?"
"Since I just watched the love of your life storm out of here angrily. I believe he saw us together."
"What?" James asked, practically jumping away from Nigel. He ignored the 'love of his life' comment.
"You should go talk to him," Nigel suggested.
"Yes, of course," James nodded, and walked away, quite distracted.
(Times Like These)
"Oh, I do hope they work things out," Helen said as she watched James leave the bar.
"Who?" Nikola asked, far too distracted by her lovely hands, which he was holding in his own.
"John and his friend."
"Hmm," Nikola nodded absentmindedly.
"Nikola," she laughed, pulling her hands away.
"What?" he asked, looking into her eyes.
She shook her head with a smile. "Let's go for a walk. It's a lovely night."
"As you wish," he smiled, holding out a hand for her to take as they both stood.
(Times Like These)
"John, what you saw…" James began, trying to find words to explain. "It wasn't…"
"You are gay," John stated.
"I… I prefer not to limit myself to one sex over the other. Please John…"
"Why did you not tell me?" he asked, unable to look at his friend.
"I-I did not want you to know… for fear that you would not approve," James replied, focusing intently on the ground beneath his feet, the thin layer of snow, the crushed leaves.
"What does my opinion matter?" John asked, shaking his head. It hurt. It hurt that his friend had kept this from him. It hurt that his friend was so willing to pursue perfect strangers, but not him. It hurt.
"It matters," James said. "It matters."
"Why?" John asked, looking up at him now. There was a hint of sadness, a hint of pain, in his eyes. That James had not expected. He had expected hatred, disgust.
"I could not bear the idea of… of the look in your eyes when you discovered my secret. I could not have you look at me like I am a freak." He wished he could just say it. Everything would be so much easier. Even if it did ruin everything.
"You are not a freak," John assured him.
"It's good," James said, stepping closer. "To hear you say that. Your opinion… it matters to me. More than any other."
"Why?" John asked again. He was trying so hard to understand, but he could not seem to see what was right before him.
"Because I am in love with you," James nearly shouted. Moments later, it dawned on him what he had said. He backed away from John, appalled that he'd vocalized his feelings.
"What did you say?" John asked, looking at the man who now refused to look at him.
"Nothing," James said hastily. "Forget I said anything." He made to walk away, but John's hand around his wrist stopped him from getting very far. "Please John," he begged. "Please, let us just forget this night."
John was standing in front of him now. He carefully laced his fingers around James' own, causing the man to look up at him in shock. "How can I forget?" John asked before kissing him deeply.
"John?" James questioned, looking up at him.
"I have wanted to do that," John said. "For a long time."
James smiled, and, in fact, he nearly laughed at the obliviousness they'd had.
(Times Like These)
"It's a beautiful night, don't you think?" Helen asked her suitor as they walked through the snow together, hand in hand.
"You're more beautiful," he told her.
She giggled. "Nikola, what has come over you?"
"It's not as though you didn't know," he said. "I am merely stating the obvious."
Helen rolled her eyes. "If this is some kind of ploy to get me into your bed, it won't work," she informed him playfully.
"Ah, but that is where you are wrong," he replied. "It will work. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day it will."
"Perhaps. Ah, here we are," she said as they arrived at her house.
"I suppose this is where I must depart your company."
"Indeed it is," she replied, giving him a light kiss on the corner of his mouth. "I had a lovely evening, thank you."
"Any time, Darling," he replied.
(Times Like These)
Helen Magnus sat alone at a table in the middle of an Oxford courtyard, reading over a passage of one of her texts.
"Hello there," a voice interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see John sitting down across from her.
"We have got to stop meeting like this," she smiled up at him.
"I didn't entirely believe you when you said you were taking classes here," he said. "It seems I was wrong."
"Have you been following me?" she asked, but did not seem bothered by the prospect.
"Only a little," he replied with a smile, which she returned. "I thought it was time for a proper introduction. I'm John Druitt."
"Helen Magnus."
"As in Dr. Gregory Magnus?" he questioned.
"I prefer to think I found my own way into my classes, but yes."
"He's a good man."
"He is," she nodded. "So how have you been?"
"Rather well," he replied. "And yourself?"
"Wonderful," she smiled.
"Your gentleman friend, he is well, too?"
"Very much so," she nodded. "Yours is well too, I hope."
"Indeed his is," John smiled. "Perhaps you could meet him some day. You seem like a bright young woman."
"Most men don't view my intellect as a one of my finer points."
"James would," John assured her. "And your friend doesn't seem to mind."
"No, he doesn't," she agreed. "Nikola has always appreciated my insights. He believes me to be the only person smarter than he is."
John laughed. "Perhaps the four of us could all get together sometime. You seem like rather fascinating people."
"As do you Mr. Druitt. And what did you say your friend's name was?"
"James," he said. "James Watson."
"Well then, I look forward to meeting your Mr. Watson."
(Times Like These)
"I met a man in my biology lecture," Nikola told Helen over lunch at her home. "Nigel. He's really quite charming. Smart too."
"Maybe you should court him then," Helen suggested playfully.
"Maybe I will," Nikola said. "He is rather attractive. Not as beautiful as you, of course, but attractive nonetheless. I would not decline a date with him."
Helen shook her head with a laugh.
"I think I would like meet the man that has stolen your heart from me."
"Never," he said, kissing her hand lightly. "My love for you will never be stolen. Perhaps momentarly misplaced when something beautiful walks by, but I will always return to you, my love."
Helen rolled her eyes. "You are so corny," she said, but was smiling just the same.
(Times Like These)
"You are like no woman I have ever met," John told Helen one afternoon in the library.
"I've heard that many times," Helen said.
"Because it is true. You have an incredible mind."
"Your mind is incredible as well, John."
"But it's nothing like yours."
"Don't sell yourself short. You're easily smarter than almost every man here."
"Perhaps."
"It's true. You are brilliant."
"So is this the great Helen Magnus I've heard so much about?" a new voice asked, joining them. John and Helen looked up to see James standing behind them.
"Mr. Watson, I presume," Helen greeted, rising to her feet and offering him her hand.
"Indeed," he said, kissing her hand. "You are even more beautiful than John made you out to be."
Helen turned and glared at John. "Have you been talking about me?" she asked.
"Constantly," James answered for him. "He hasn't stopped talking about you for nearly a month."
Helen blushed.
"All good things, my dear," John assured her.
"If John is to be believed, there is nothing bad about Ms. Magnus."
"Please, call me Helen, Mr. Watson."
"Very well, but only if you call me James. Mr. Watson makes me sound like an old man."
Helen giggled. She then noticed a third man approaching their table. "Nikola," she greeted with a grin. "Finally we are all together."
"This is the young man that has won dear Helen's heart?" James asked.
Helen blushed again. "Yes."
"And who are these gentlemen?" Nikola asked.
"James Watson," James said, offering his hand. Nikola shook it.
"John Druitt," John introduced when Nikola turned to him.
"Ah, yes, we met briefly."
John nodded.
"Join us, Nikola," Helen said, offering him a seat. "We were just beginning a discussion on the viability of genetic testing."
The spoke for a short time before yet another man came to join them.
"Nigel," James and Nikola greeted, surprised to see him, also surprised that they both knew him.
"Mr. Griffin," Helen greeted, standing. "I've heard a great deal about you."
"You are Ms. Helen, I assume." Nigel asked. Helen nodded. He then turned to John. "And you're Mr. Druitt."
John nodded, shaking the man's hand, but he clearly found the situation rather uncomfortable. This was the man that had been seeing James off and on for several months. That was before, of course, but John couldn't help but feel a little jealous.
"Relax," Nigel whispered, so only John could hear him. "I have no wish to take him from you."
(Times Like These)
The five of them were friends for many years. Five friends who loved each other deeply. Five scientific minds, far smarter than the times would suggest. At every opportunity, they pushed boundaries that most people didn't even know existed. Helen's father had introduced her to his world, and she, in turn, introduced her friends to it.
"Adam Worth," John shook his head after the man left their lab. "If only the poor boy knew what it was he was trying to become a part of…"
"Perhaps he knows exactly what it is, and that's why he's trying so hard," Helen replied with a laugh.
(Times Like These)
"I am not good at this, Helen," John said, as she traced her fingers along his arms. "I've told you that. I'm not good with… women."
"I know," she said, kissing him. "It's okay. It'll be okay."
(Times Like These)
"Do you love him?" Nikola asked in a fit of jealousy.
"Yes," she replied honestly. "Just as I love James and Nigel."
"Do you love me?" he then asked.
"Of course I do, Nikola. But it's different with John. He's different."
"You love him more than me," Nikola said.
"That is not what I said! I do love him. But you're the one I am with."
"And yet you go running around having random trysts with him."
"Oh, please, Nikola, don't act as though you are so innocent. I know what happened between you and Nigel. Don't deny it."
Nikola remained silent.
"Can we please stop arguing?" she asked. "It's time we go meet the others. I believe it's nearly time to test the serum."
(Times Like These)
"How are you, Helen?" James asked.
"I am well, James. How are you?"
"I have been better."
"As have I," Helen admitted. "Nikola is… he is different. We all changed. But Nikola… I miss the man he was."
"John is different too," James said. "He has been distant lately. Perhaps… perhaps you could speak to him for me? He cares for you. Maybe you can reach him."
"Have you spoken to him?" Helen asked.
"I have tried. But you know John, he can be rather thickheaded at times."
"Aren't we all," Helen replied.
(Times Like These)
Helen hadn't intended to sleep with John after that first time, especially not when her mission was to repair his relationship with James, but it somehow just happened, as it had the first time.
She also hadn't intended to get pregnant, but that had somehow happened too.
And what she expected least of all, was to discover, only days later, the true reason that John was so distant.
"Oh god," she breathed before running. He couldn't know she was there.
(Times Like These)
"Helen?" James asked when, opening the door and allowing her into his house. "Helen, what is the matter?"
"It's him," she cried. "It's John."
"What? Has something happened?" James asked, pulling her close. "Is he okay?"
Helen shook her head violently. "He's the Ripper, James. It was him all along."
"What?"
"He's the Ripper!" she said again.
"No. No, it isn't possible."
"Yes, James, it is. I saw him with my own eyes. I watched him kill a girl. A young blonde whore. You'll see. It'll be in the paper in the morning."
James blinked, trying to comprehend the information he was being told.
"James, there is more…"
(Times Like These)
Helen never told Nikola that she was pregnant. She never told Nigel, or her father, or John. She only ever told James. They worked together to find a way to preserve the fetus, to keep it from coming to term. It was not that she didn't want a child, but that she feared. Perhaps one day she would be able to carry the child to term, but not today.
Part of her believed she should have told Nikola, but she found two reasons not to.
The first was that she could not bear the argument that would follow. They had argued many times before, always about their illicit affairs. Their last argument had been because she had agreed to John's false marriage proposal, a marriage proposal whose only purpose was to show his parents that he was not gay. She had no desire to argue with Nikola again, not when that was all they seemed to do, if they did, in fact, speak at all.
Which lead to the second reason. Ever since they'd taken the Source Blood serum, Nikola had been different. Hostile at worst, indifferent at best. He was not the man she loved, and he didn't seem to be the man that loved her.
(Times Like These)
"I find it ironic," James said many years later when they received knowledge of Nigel's marriage. "That he is the only of us five to truly settle down."
"It is, isn't it," Helen smiled, taking his hand. "It's good though. That he's happy. At least one of us is."
"I'll have you know I'm quite happy," James told her.
"Yes, of course," Helen smiled. "I never meant to imply-"
"I know what you meant, Helen."
(Times Like These)
Some time later, Helen finally had her child brought to term. She had grown so lonely without Nikola and Nigel and John, and even James spent most of his time in England. She couldn't bear the loneliness.
She bore a daughter, a daughter she loved very deeply. She often reminded her of John, but also of James, and Nikola, and Nigel, and even of herself.
(Times Like These)
It was a long time between the time that Helen had faked Nikola's death, and the time that she next saw him. To say the least, she was shocked by his presence. Part of her had believed that he was dead, while part believed that he would never return.
But there he was, standing before him, asking for a kiss.
And when he told her he loved her, she was beyond shocked. He had been gone so long, but even before that, he'd hardly loved her. She hadn't heard him say those words since before he became a vampire.
(Times Like These)
"It was that it was you!" James shouted in John's face. He found that he was having trouble breathing, but it had nothing to do with the fact that his suit was utterly failing.
James turned away and tried to breath regularly again, then turned back to their puzzle. A few minutes later, they were standing inside a large room, the first key resting just a few feet away.
"The second key is undoubtedly within the second door or indeed this key may unlock it outright, in which case you might leave me here to die."
"Yes, I might."
"Well then why don't you?" he practically begged.
John didn't answer him for a long moment. "As I once said, I have lost the toast for the sport," he said before teleporting the both of them out.
James looked up into his old friends eyes, his breath caught once more. He wanted so badly to embrace his former lover, but could not.
"I wish that you could forgive me," John said softly, his face inching far too closely to James'.
"I have," James said, just as quite.
"No you have not. Not completely." John wanted to kiss him, to hold him, to be together as they once were. But things had changed too much. They couldn't go back.
"I love you," James said fearfully, but he could not keep this to himself. He knew he was dying, that he didn't have much time left, and he could not die with this regret. "I never stopped."
John cupped his face in his hands before placing a kiss to his lips.
"I only wish that there was more time," James said, steadying himself on John as they walked away.
"What do you mean, old friend?"
"I am dying, John. I will be lucky if I make it back to the Sanctuary with my life."
John stopped and stared at James, his heart aching.
"It's alright, John. I've lived a full life. I've been alive far longer than any human should live. It's my time."
"I wish I had been able to make things right sooner."
"If wishes were horses."
(Times Like These)
"Will I ever find a way to win back your heart?" Nikola asked, tearing himself away from the holographic city. "Will you ever love me again?"
"Nikola…" Helen began.
"Or was it all just a lie? Did you ever love me?"
"Of course I did."
"Then what happened? What changed?"
"You did!" she exclaimed. "You changed. After we all took the Source Blood. We all changed, but you… you were so different. You stopped loving me."
"I never-" he started, but Helen didn't allow him to proceed.
"Yes, you did," she cut in. "I know you hate it," she said, after a moment's thought. "Being human. I know you would give anything to be your old self again, but… but that isn't you. Since you became human… you are more like you than you have been in a century. The vampire is not the man I love, but you are." She reached out and stroked his cheek with her thumb. "And it hurts… that you would rather be that thing, than be yourself."
"Helen," he said softly.
"I miss you, Nikola," she breathed. "I miss the way my heart would flutter when you walk into the room. I miss the feeling of your arms around me. I miss you."
Nikola reached out for her, wrapping his hard around her tightly. She buried her face in his neck, as he breathed in the scent of her hair.
"I love you, Helen," he promised her. "I love you, and nothing will ever change that."