The Sanctuary was quiet, peaceful even when normally the house was alive with commotion. All the guests were lazing about downstairs and the Sanctuary staff were out and about. The abnormals throughout Old City seemed to be behaving to give the Sanctuary staff a break this warm Friday. Even Helen Magnus, head of the entire Sanctuary Network had little to occupy her time today. She sat on the sofa in her office, the summer sun warming the room through the open windows. Helen sat with her bare feet curled beneath her body reading quietly. Her half-filled glass of wine perched just within reach.

Helen smirked, Oh Catherine you should have married Heathcliff, she thought amused. She enjoyed the quiet that rarely filled the halls of the Sanctuary. If Helen admitted it to herself, she needed a rest. She'd worked for days without rest to reverse Will's transformation into a Cillobar. Helen lowered her book, moving the thin piece of black ribbon marking her place before setting Wuthering Heights aside.

Helen put a hand through her brown curls and breathed deeply, hoping to calm her thoughts of almost losing Will. Will was across the house, safe in his room most likely reading a book he'd picked out from the library. A small smile tugged at her lips as she pictured his boyish face donned with glasses, his blue eyes serious as he read.

Other than the two of them, the house was empty. Kate and Henry were out for the day, enjoying a day off. They'd mentioned something about a movie or lunch, their faces reddening in earnest. Helen had long since noticed the quiet chemistry between them. Biggie, on the other hand, had ventured out onto the grounds to read his latest Nicholas Sparks novel.

Helen pulled herself from her thoughts and decided to go speak with Will. The two had had little time to talk since Will's recovery, the Sanctuary pulling them all back into their respective work. Helen got to her feet and left the room, images flashed in her mind of Will's disheartened face as he asked her to dial a phone number for him.

xxxx

Will sat behind his desk, his phone to his ear as he listened intently to the female voice on the other end. "Will, I just can't do this. I'm in the FBI and this is too much for me. I didn't hear from you for over a week because you were turning into a monster. Kate put me off every time I called for you," Abby said exasperatedly.

Will sighed loudly and replied, "Abby, monsters don't exist here. They're abnormals and we keep them safe at whatever cost. It's not just my job, it's my life. Do you understand?"

Abby stayed quiet for a moment then said, "Magnus is always putting you in danger, Will. I don't understand how you can call that a life. A life is finding someone and being with them no matter what."

"Abby, don't you ever blame Magnus for anything. She gave me the chance to live with a purpose. I chose this life and what is a life without purpose," Will replied his voice tightened in anger.

Abby huffed, "So maybe we're not right for each other, Will."

Will leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "Then I guess there's nothing more to say," he replied curtly.

He listened to her breathe a moment before she said, "Goodbye, Will."

He threw his phone down on the desk and opened his eyes. He was surprised to see Magnus standing in his doorway. He put his hands on his desk and looked up at her, a strained smile stretching his lips and asked, "What's up?"

Helen merely looked at him from the threshold, a gleam in her eyes he couldn't quite place. Will, not wanting to talk about what had happened with Abby, asked, "Did you need something, Magnus?"

Helen blinked quickly and replied, "I was just wondering if you'd like to have some fun?"

Will chuckled and asked, "Fun?"

Helen smiled, her eyes ablaze with mischief as she said, "What is it, Will?" You think I don't know how to have fun?" She placed her hands on her hips and smirked as the young man's eyes widened.

"No, no you just never seem to have time for fun," Will replied quickly, his bright blue eyes traveling from Helen's bare feet to her brown hair curling around her shoulders.

Helen smiled softly and replied, "No I don't but when I do have the time I have quite a bit of fun."

Will had never seen Helen Magnus completely relaxed so he decided to humor his mentor. "Well I'm all yours, what fun are we having?" Will asked jovially, rising from his chair.

Helen grinned broadly as she said, "How about we get out of the Sanctuary for a bit? So get dressed and meet me in the foyer in ten minutes."

Will paled as he realized his attire, black sweatpants and no shirt. He felt his cheeks burn as he raised his eyes to Helen's. She cocked an eyebrow suggestively as her broad smile turned teasing, Will's embarrassment quickly faded and he matched her smile with one of his own.

Helen took notice of his taunting grin and asked, "What?"

Will laughed and murmured, "You're barefoot."

Helen laughed as she left, calling "You're down to seven minutes, Zimmerman."

xxxx

Will made his way through the halls of the Sanctuary, his thoughts changing in rapid succession. First his mind flew to Abby, but she was quickly replaced with thoughts of his boss. Magnus was acting like a cooped up teenager, seeing Helen Magnus barefoot was shocking on its own. The thought of spending a work-free day with his mysterious mentor excited him a bit if he was completely honest. Will checked his watch as he entered the foyer; he was only three minutes late.

Helen quietly made her way down the stairs to see Will waiting for her and couldn't help coming up short. She stood with her hand on the railing and watched as the young psychiatrist lost himself in his head, something he did quite often. She smiled softly as he raised his head and took notice of her. His thoughtful expression quickly faded into a goofy grin.

"What happened to seven minutes, Magnus?" Will questioned teasingly, putting his hands on his hips jokingly.

Helen smirked, "Well, I can't go out in the world for fun in my usual attire, William," gesturing to her clothes.

Will's eyes roamed over her body from her tight fitting jeans, to her tasteful crimson top that dipped dangerously low into the valley between her breasts, to the black boots that completed her outfit. Helen squirmed a bit under his gaze but held fast as his blue eyes finally came to rest on hers.

"You look wonderful, as usual," Will complimented quietly. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his favorite pair of jeans and waited.

"Thank you. Well, shall we be off?" Helen asked excitement creeping into her words as she slid her arm through her young protégé's.

Will chuckled as she dragged him through the large doors of the Sanctuary and out into the summer sun. He chanced a look at the woman beside him as they walked, her radiant smile completing the beauty that was Helen Magnus.

Will cleared his throat as they strolled through the market and asked, "So where are we headed?"

Helen smiled and replied, "I have no idea, isn't it wonderful? Having no plans means anything can happen, we could end up anywhere doing something crazy."

Will slowed to a stop and turned to her; Helen stopped as well and gave him a curious look. "Wait, who are you and what have you done with Helen Magnus?" Will asked, smiling broadly.

Helen's musical laugh reached his ears, a sound he could listen to all day if given the choice. "Oh Will, I assure you I am myself. I told you, today is about fun so why wouldn't I act as such?" she replied taking his arm once more.

Will merely grinned and followed her lead as they reached the end of the market and headed into the heart of Old City. The pair talked as they strolled past clothing stores, bakeries and flower boutiques. Nothing had quite caught their eye as something to do, but both were simply enjoying time together without the chaos of the Sanctuary hanging over their heads.

Helen came to an abrupt stop and asked, "Will, how do you feel about dancing?" The excitement in her voice amused Will to no end.

Will swallowed and replied, "I never learned how to dance, actually. I'm up for anything today; I told you I'm all yours."

Helen took his hand and pulled him across the street to a small dancing studio with a large sign that read, "Put your best foot forward today! All classes have been canceled, today only you have the opportunity to rent out the studio to put some pep in your step!" Will cringed inwardly, oh this is going to be magical, he thought as Helen pushed open the door and rented out the studio for an hour.

xxxx

Helen sighed loudly as she waited for Will to finish changing; he'd been in there for almost ten minutes. She walked up to the door and impatiently said, "Will, honestly we only have an hour. What's going on in there?"

Will huffed from inside the changing room and turned the doorknob, exiting the cramped room looking disgruntled. "Well, I look like a male stripper for one and I can't dance for two," he replied moodily as he made his way to her.

Will had donned black dress pants and a tight black tank top with black suede shoes completing the outfit. Helen's eyes drank him in from mere inches away, my God, she thought. Her eyes were somewhere around his navel when Will clapped his hands loudly.

Helen's eyes snapped to Will's face and there she found a broad grin, his eyes alight with mischief as he said, "Eyes up top, Magnus."

Helen flushed as she made her way to the changing room. On a hanger by the door was a light black dress the owner had said she could wear. Helen quickly undressed and slid the dark material over the curves of her body. By the door were a pair of black heels she assumed were to be worn with the dress. Helen tugged them on and turned to the mirror to assess herself. The woman looking back at her in the mirror was someone Helen hadn't seen in a long time. The woman was young and full of life, with no weight constantly dragging her down; it was a freedom she'd missed. Helen quickly tugged her curls up into a loose ponytail and exited the small room, feeling better than she had in years.

Will's jaw dropped as his boss came out onto the floor wearing the tightest black dress he had ever seen. All articulate thoughts fled his brain and his mouth formed the word, "wow," causing a crimson blush to creep up Helen's bare neck. Will's eyes could have feasted on her all day, but he was more excited to be in close quarters with this magnificent woman.

Will mentally calmed himself and asked, "So, what dance are we learning? Waltz? Tango? Salsa?"

Helen cocked her head to the side and asked, "Who said we were learning anything? Haven't you ever just gone with the music, Will?"

Will shook his head and gave her a puppy dog pout, Helen merely laughed and made her way over to the large stereo in the corner and chose a CD and returned to his side. Mirrors lined the walls of the room, reflecting Helen and Will at every angle. A soft, slow jazz melody issued from the stereo sending a soothing heat throughout the room. Will turned to Helen and sheepishly held out his hands to her.

Helen smiled softly and placed one of his large hands on the swell of her hip and took the other in hers. Will tried to relax, but he felt as though he would be so clumsy dancing with a woman who learned to dance in the 1800's.

Helen took a step closer to him leaving only a hairsbreadth between them and murmured, "Will, relax. It's all in fun, just go with the music."

Will took a deep breath and pulled her flush against him as they both began to sway to the sensual music slowing their bodies in time with the song. Will, feeling bold, spun Helen and pulled her back to him cautiously. He was rewarded with a soft, "there you go," from the woman in his arms.

Will smiled down at her and moved his body to the music, which involuntarily caused his body to melt into hers as they moved slowly across the room. His hands found their way to the small of her back, hers laced behind his neck. Helen felt the temperature rise in the room, feeling beads of sweat form on her body as she pulled herself closer to Will losing herself in the music. Jazz had always been her favorite type of music. It reminded her of new lovers, embracing for the first time in slow, sensual passion. Helen reveled in the feel of Will's arms around her; it had been so long since a man had made her feel this safe.

Helen turned in his arms pressing her back against him, bringing his hands to rest on her stomach. Helen raised one hand and laid it on the nape of his neck playing with the soft hair she found there. Will breathed in her ear causing a short gasp to pass her lips. A soft warmth began to burn low in her abdomen as she felt herself grow wet. His hands fisted her dress as they stopped moving their feet and simply let their bodies move against one another. Will's mind had ceased to function as something inside him continued to move his body against hers. He lowered his head to the skin of her shoulder and breathed in the delicious scent of flowers that encompassed her.

Helen moved her hand through his hair and was answered with a soft groan from Will. Helen's eyes snapped open at the sound and found a mirror reflecting she and her protégé dancing so close that she couldn't tell where she began and he ended. Oddly she found that she didn't care that it looked as though she and Will were, oh stop it Helen you know what you feel, she thought. Helen felt Will press his lips to her shoulder. The world they'd created shattered as Will hastily let her go and stepped away.

Helen spun on the spot and found a very distraught Will Zimmerman before her. His blue eyes were wide, a hand running through his hair nervously. Helen took a step towards him and held out her hands. Will gaze traveled to her outstretched hands then back to her face, his eyes searching hers. Helen nodded slightly and said, "Will, it's okay. We were just dancing," even though her mind and body were screaming that there was more than just dancing going on.

Will nodded and replied, "I just got a little carried away, I wasn't expecting to be good at this." He still looked a little nervous as he spoke, but he was slowly relaxing. He took her hands and pulled her towards him once more, keeping a fair bit of distance between their bodies.

Helen sighed inwardly, disappointed in his reaction but aloud said, "You're a natural, Will. I honestly think it may have been your partner."

Helen watched as Will stilled his eyes momentarily sad but the sadness disappeared just as fast as it had come replaced by a soft gaze. He smiled at her then, causing Helen's insides to melt as they began to sway once more. The jazz melody seemed to sweep them under its spell as their feet moved slowly across the floor. Their reflections danced just as slowly, smiled just as softly and breathed just as shallowly. Helen lowered her gaze to his lips, contemplating taking his lips in a kiss but something held her back.

Will looked over Helen's shoulder, hiding his eyes from her. He knew his reaction from moments ago was on both of their minds. He wondered if she thought him foolish for kissing her shoulder, or if she felt what he felt. His heart was pounding against his ribs as he felt her tug at the hair at the nape of his neck.

He brought his eyes to hers and whispered, "What?" his voice low.

He watched as she pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth, seeming to be in thought. Then she whispered, "Will, I really want," but a voice from the door cut her off.

xxxx

"We have a couple behind you guys, so if you don't mind we need the studio," it was the owner who had ruined not only the mood but the one moment in which Helen Magnus could have said what was in her heart.

The pair stepped apart and hurried to change. Once back in their own clothes Helen and Will exited the small studio feeling quite drained and rather sweaty. Neither spoke as they headed down the street, the temperature cooling as the summer sun began to set on the horizon. Will, too keyed up to think, decided he needed to break the ice. More than that, he wanted to hear her laugh again. Will turned to her, his feet coming to a stop before her. Helen merely looked at him quizzically, her bright eyes trying to figure out what he was up to.

Will smiled and said, "How about a snack? On me?"

Helen's face remained serious, the only inkling Will had of her impending laughter was a mild upturn of her lips. Will retained his composure and walked down the street to the bakery and came back minutes later with two cookies and two bottles of water. She stood in the same spot, watching him with amusement as he seated himself on the curb.

Will looked up at her and exclaimed, "Come on, it's just a cookie. I don't bite, you know." He paused then and smirked, before continuing "unless you're into that sort of thing."

Helen cracked a smile and sat down beside him, sighing loudly as she said, "Will, what am I going to do with you? You're like a walking innuendo."

Will faked astonishment and replied, "What did I say? Oh Magnus, get your mind out of the gutter."

That did it, she broke into laughter and soon he joined in. Will didn't know where this day was going but he was enjoying every unplanned minute of it. She had so many sides that he hadn't seen, but this was by far his favorite. After all she'd seen she could still laugh and act completely improper despite her upbringing.

Helen quickly finished off her cookie and commented, "That was delicious, but I'm still starving. What do you say we head home, change and order in for dinner?"

Will shoved his cookie in his mouth and nodded eagerly. Helen reached over and swiped away a crumb from the corner of his mouth with her thumb as she smiled at him. Will swallowed his cookie as they began their way back towards the Sanctuary and replied, "That sounds fantastic."

Helen took his arm once more as they headed down the streets of Old City, returning home to the Sanctuary.

xxxx