So…this has been sat on my computer for a while, I have been slowly working on it. It's finally up to around 10,000 words and I decided that I would finally share it to find out what people think. It started off as being an Ashley/Helen story…then Nikola…James and well everyone else came to play. There is some obvious Helen/Nikola ship as well as a relationship of sorts between James and Helen. It's sort of AU, but there are canon elements… I guess the main difference being that Ashley is still alive. Anyway, let me know what you think and whether anyone is interested in reading anymore. Shouts to agrainne24 for being my sounding board, and the girls for reading all my ramblings…

Oh and one last thing, anyone on Twitter go and get involved in the #sanctuarykeepsakecampaign. Gillian Hovarth is essentially selling off pieces of Sanctuary history…donate to Sanctuary 4 Kids and you will get a chance of getting something from the series.

Anyway, enough plugging, I quite simply hope that you enjoy. Tasha. Xx

Running High

'Ashley we're not done.' Helen heard her voice getting louder as she took a step towards her daughter. The tension in the room had been growing in the past moments. There was no doubt that the arguments between the two had been getting more frequent and stronger.

'I've got somewhere to be.' Ashley reached down to grab her bag and jacket from the chair next to her. She was careful not to look over at her Mum, knowing that this was likely to get very loud very quickly.

'No Ashley, we need to talk.' Helen walked past her daughter and pushed the door to the room close. Standing in front of it she found herself tempted to cross her arms. She took a deep breath before looking straight up at her daughter. 'I would recommend sitting…' It wasn't very often that Helen pulled rank with her daughter. Through the time raising Ashley she had tried to be lenient, she had wanted her daughter to become the independent woman she had always hoped she was herself, however occasionally she found herself needing to stamp her authority. To remind Ashley that she was her mother, and not the older sister she might like to think.

'Come on Mum…we talked about this…I have an appointment.' She swung her jacket over one shoulder and started walking towards her and the door.

Helen looked up before looking at her daughter. 'I need you to sit down Ashley.' She was trying so hard to stay calm. This could very quickly turn into a shouting match, and she wasn't sure that she could face it quite yet.

'I'm not a child…' Ashley turned away. Of course she had known that this was coming. However she really wasn't ready to have this argument, and she wasn't sure that her Mum was ready for what she had to say.

'Then you need to stop acting like one…' Helen's tone was stern, but she had, had enough of this. 'We need to talk Ashley…and until we do that you are not going anywhere.'

Ashley shook her head before looking back at her Mum, she truly bought the meaning to 'staring daggers.' 'For my whole life you've wanted me to fight for my independence, to stand up for what I believe in…and now what? You want something completely different, I shouldn't fight for it…'

'Of course I want you to fight for your independence…but I will not let you put yourself recklessly in danger…' It had been a long day and Helen found herself become more and more angry.

'Come on Mum…it was nothing, just a cut…' Of course they both knew that it wasn't true. Everything had started as a routine mission, what everyone else would call a bag and tag…

'Really Ashley…do you really want to do this?' Helen bought her fist down on the counter harder than she had intended. Of course every time Ashley was in danger she found her heart in her mouth. She hated that she put her daughter in danger, every time she found herself putting in new stitches, or cleaning up multiple wounds.

'Why not? How was this any different from every other mission we go on Mum? So it went wrong…' That was a slight understatement, Ashley had broken the line, she had seen a shot and taken it, only to find herself being thrown backwards by the abnormal they didn't have a large amount of information on. She had been lucky, a cracked rib and cuts across her body, but it didn't change the fact she had been injured, and how much worse it could have been.

'You broke the line Ashley…and you were lucky. How do you know that next time it wouldn't be worse…that you don't get injured to the extent that I can't sort it…what if you get killed Ashley?' She winced as she said the words. Neither of them liked to acknowledge the worse that could come from the work that they did but if they had to be completely realistic.

'Oh come on Mum. I have somewhere to be…' Ashley had never liked facing up to her mortality. Of course it was a possibility, but she was good…why couldn't her Mum ever see that. 'I'm not a kid anymore Mum…you need to see that…'

'Fine…I can't do this Ashley…go if you want to…' She walked away from her daughter and sat back down behind her desk. She watched her walk away without looking back to her. She waited for the door to shut with a bang before letting her body collapse with the emotion. There were too many things to get her head around.

…

Helen unwrapped the simple robe from around her body. There was something special about being away and able to use the excuse to bring out her favourite swimwear. It amused her that everyone saw her very much as a lady of one piece swimsuits. So it surprised rather a lot of people to discover her rather extensive two piece selection. As far as she was concerned she got now where near enough time in the sun, so when she did she chose to expose as much of her creamy skin as she dared.

This holiday saw a simple black two piece. It flattered her curvy shape and made her feel rather good about herself. Taking hold of the robe she draped it over the back of the closest chair before lowering herself down onto her chosen sun-lounger. It was no secret that she was a woman of very few holidays, and even less time to relax. Letting her body relax she picked up the book she had favoured and started to read.

Nikola was feeling a little confused, of course she hadn't come out to ask him to visit her…but he did have the address for where she was staying. This was Helen they were talking about after all, it seemed the closest to an invitation he would ever get.

So here he was, standing outside her holiday apartment trying to decide whether or not to step through the door. Looking around there was no doubt in this mind that this place was quintessentially Helen. It was classy and beautiful, yet at the same time incredible simple. There was nothing around for miles.

He took a moment and another deep breath before stepping towards the building.

Helen rested the book on her chest before gently closing her eyes. There were no words for the day and feeling coarsing through her except for glorious. She could feel the warm sun kissing her skin, of course she would have to move soon to top up the sun cream. She may be well over 150, but it didn't take the sting out of a sun burn. It was only when a shadow came across her face that her eyes began to flicker. Opening them she let out a small squeal as a piece of material came across her eyes and down covering them.

'Do you trust me?' Nikola's smooth voice came across her ears, she was a little ashamed to admit to the tingles that even the simple words sent coarsing through her body. She was careful not to speak. If she was completely honest she didn't want him to realise just how happy she was that he had come to find her. There was a gentle breath against her lips as he spoke again. 'I said…do you trust me?'

Helen found her mouth straining upwards and betraying her as she sought for his lips. 'I do…' The words were no more than a whisper, but they were enough for Nikola, no sooner had he heard them then he crushed his lips flush against hers.

…

The sun had dipped behind the house and Helen gently ran her fingers up and down his perfect arm. The strong sun had left a rosy glow across both of their bodies. It took her a moment before through her post orgasmic haze she realised that near of them were wearing any clothes. She should have been worried, but there wasn't another house for miles around, and being completely honest she was far too comfortable curled into his tight body to move.

'I could get used to this.' He spoke before gently kissing the top of his head. He kept finding himself looking up and down her nude body. He was determined to imprint the sight onto his mind. She was truly incredible.

Helen nodded with a gentle sadness. 'You know that it can't happen my love…' She lifted a hand to run it down the side of his face. 'But this was gorgeous…' She lifted her head to kiss him.

…

How had she been so stupid? Helen wanted to cry thinking back to the time she had spent with Nikola. It had been years since she had been with anyone, and being so caught up in the moment had completely forgotten about anything practical. She hadn't been able to face up to visiting a store to buy a home test. Instead she found herself hidden away in her lab drawing enough blood to run the test herself.

Setting all of the machines in motion she took a step before sitting down. Resting her head against her hands she felt her body release a gentle sob. She had a twenty-three year old who seemed to be fighting against her at every turn, and she was here waiting to find out whether she was expecting another baby. She wanted to kick herself, and the vampire who had got her into this mess.

A/N: I love feedback, good or bad. Criticism or praise, chuck it my way.