Disclaimer... I don't own Sanctuary. Or I would be a no aging millionaire...
Vienna
It was one of those extremely rare, quiet and calm nights. She wasn't in the mood for being seen so even though she loved to stand in the corner of the north tower; she decided that her room was the only place where no one would dare to interrupt her train of thoughts. She was sitting on the sofa under her window, looking at the stars as she remembered one earlier conversation.
"What did you expected?" She said
"I don't know; something cooler; like the Matrix… Or Vienna in springtime." He said. She turned chewing her lower lip "Remember? "He added, lowering his tone. She turned and quickly changed the subject.
How he dared to ask her if she remembered; how couldn't she? She could never forget that spring in Vienna; she never went back there so she wouldn't have to fight those memories…
Those memories that she thought were safely guarded on the particular part of her brain used for beautiful memories that she wouldn't dare to revive. Those Memories were too special, too powerful, too painful and too damn dangerous to revive. And still, she just was about to dig that one out.
Vienna, Spring 1960
Helen wasn't young, but she was feeling like the teenager that she never was. They were walking hand in hand, and she was so happy that she couldn't hold her face still, her smile never faded. It was the first time in a long time that she was able to go out and just be happy. She decided that she had to stop overthinking things and just enjoy the first two weeks vacation that she took since college… or was it high school? The violent shook of her head made her companion stop and stared at her. They looked straight into their eyes, having a whole conversation that none of them was ready to speak. Then, she smiled brightly and tilted her head a little.
"You know, I really hate your mustache," she said, even though she had never seen him without it.
"Is that right?" She nodded, biting her lower lip "Well if you must know, I don't really like you with red hair you look kind of, you know? Kinky" he grinned
"Oh, you don't like my kinky hair, but you didn't complain when we were doing some kinky things." She said with a smirk.
"Well, you know the same concept applied to different things could render different outlets."
"Very well, I hate your mustache; you hate my hair. What shall we do about that?" She said with her eyebrow raised suggestively
"Oh, I definitely love the way you think, Darling."
"Then which color do you suggest? Please don't say go back to blond I never really liked the whole ' I'm smart blond get over it'"
"I'll go with brown, but I have my suspects that you rather use black."
"Then black it is. Can I leave some red strands?"
After a couple of hours, she looked herself in the mirror. Her dark hair was running freely down her shoulders. She turned around to look at him, he looked… exquisite.
The two weeks passed all too fast; it was like the saying 'the time flights when you are having fun.' They were pretending not to be bothered, they both pretended not to feel. They were just living the moment, and they both were excellent at that.
The minutes turned into hours and all too sudden they were at the train station. She was having difficulties with not let her tears fall. "Something else to add to my list of first," she thought, He in exchange was making the best impression of not being disturbed, and he was trying hard not to go and comfort her. They both knew it would be a long time before they would be able to see each other again. Maybe they didn't even get to see each other again. "That's what happens when you die" Tesla realized.
Despite their surroundings, the silence fell as they both held in the memories of the last shared kiss, the soul searching, breathtaking, loving kiss, in which both tried to share what they couldn't bring themselves to say. However, believing in that kiss or in what that kiss had shown to them it was pointless. So both held on that kiss, knowing that in the days to come that would be a memory to recall.
She smiled sadly when the chimes let her know that her train was about to depart sounded. He smiled sadly too. She looked at her hands, at the darn ticket that she was holding.
"Fare thee well," he said theatrically giving her a reassuring squeeze in her hand.
"Fare thee well," she said without taking her eyes from her hands. With his index, he lifted up her chin, and they locked their eyes. A timeless moment passed and finally; out of the nothing she got the strength to move away.
"I'll see you in another lifetime, my dear!" He screamed at her and smiled.
Before going in, she stopped at the wagon door. She smiled, looking for closure. He smiled back. That was it. Her heart broke in thousand pieces once more; she knew that his heart was broken too. She sighed and went in
"She is just your maverick, Tesla," he said, watching her getting lost inside the wagon. "See you in a couple of years, my dear Helen," He said to no one before slowly getting lost in the middle of the floods of people.
She got to her compartment just in time to let herself cry. She cried until she got no tears left and then she fell asleep. Not before swearing to herself to never fall in love again and to try and forget that miserable day.
"I'll see you in another lifetime, Nikola" She whispered to herself
And there she was now; she broke once more her promise to herself. Remembering what she wasn't supposed to, and it was because of him and his darn charm.
How was she supposed to go now? He made her remember, didn't he remember too? Did he not suffer that last day at all? Clearing one tear that was about to fall, she got to her feet and stormed out of her room through the dark hallways and into her wine cellar.
"What the hell were you thinking? Why? What kind of heartless creature do you think that I am?"
He turned on the angry comments coming from her
"Helen?" She was in her nightgown, her hair was messy, and eyes were glistening with anger and tears, his mouth dropped. She felt embarrassed at being observed in that state. "Oh my god, I forgot that you look beautiful in whatever state you are."
"Stop it, Nikola… just tell me… why?"
"First, I have to say that I think you are one of the most caring and loving people that I know off, I would never even believe that you are a heartless creature. I know that you love, I know how you love. I know that once you loved me."
"Then, why?"
"Then why what, Helen?"
"Why did you ask…" she said almost whispering
"Why did I ask what… oh! You want to know why I asked if you remembered," she nodded
"I… I was happy … and the only memory that I have of being completely happy, at peace and … I don't know what else… the only memory that I have is of our time together that springtime. All these years I wondered if you remembered if you remember how it felt."
"How it felt what!"
"Being loved," he said, looking to the floor, a light tint of pink covering his cheeks
"I do," she whispered, her anger went out of her with his words "For God's Sake Nikola Tesla, you are still the same annoying charming guy that I …" she went silent. He closed his eyes; waiting for words that he knew wouldn't come and yet he wanted to hear. He needed for that to be true.
"You know, you were the only woman that broke my heart, and you are the only one capable of mending it back together."
"I didn't do such a thing."
"Oh, yes you did. The last day of that spring, you broke my heart, I knew you would, and I couldn't do anything to change it. However, I found you in another lifetime as we said that we would, and that day at the catacombs; you've changed me again. That day I remembered. Not only the horrible feeling of my broken heart, but I remembered the laughter, the happiness… I remembered … the love." he said, caressing her cheek with a hand "After that all my plans went out of the sewers because any of them would make me powerful or scarier but no plan would bring me back those days. So, you'll see Helen. I loved you, and then when I thought that hated you because you had such power over me, I was wrong. The great Nikola Tesla was mistaken! The reality was that I was scared and madly in love and desperately needing you. I love you, Helen, I always did … and after more than hundred years trying not to, I can tell you that I still do."
"I… you... you love me?" she said. He nodded with his head down feeling embarrassed. "You know what? You could have just said that and we would be kissing before. But now I have to go and say nice words to you. Because you know darn well that you broke my heart, but you were the one that fixed in the first place... And now I know for sure that you are the one that will fix it again."
"Are you saying?" he said, looking at her, his eyes full of hope
"Dear God, Nikola, Yes! I'm saying that I remember, I remember not only feeling loved; I remember loving as much as I was being loved. You'll see, My dear Nikola… I love you, and I have loved you for a very long time."
He hugged her firmly and then lowered his head to kiss her, a kiss that brought back memories of a cheap hotel, the sun shining brightly in the window, the curtains moving slowly with the outside wind and a soul searching; breathtaking; loving kiss shared a long time ago. However, now they already said what they were feeling, and they already knew what the other wanted to show. And it wasn't pointless to know anymore. They knew that from now on they would not need a bittersweet memory; they could just go ahead and grab the real one.
"You really look better without your mustache," she said when they broke apart.
"And like I told you it would, brown does really suit you," she scowled at him, and he laughed "it was that or something more in the lines of "we will always have Vienna, " but I think that a movie stole that line already."
"Yes and that movie do end up with the girl going to one place and the guy to another." She smiled "However we are going to the point."
"The point being?"
"I love you; you love me … kiss me and shut up?"
"Oh, I do love the way you think." And then, her laughter was muffled with his lips.
She sighed, forgiving herself for thinking of that memory. Now she was done with thinking and was ready for living it… again.