A/N: This little gem of mine is in response to the challenge of the month over on the Nikola/Helen shipper thread at GW and thus i would like to dedicate it to my fellow Shippers and Troopers. Spoilers from Sleepers. I own squat of Sanctuary though I am trying to get them to lend me Nikola ;) As always enjoy =]

It was day four of the storm over Old City and it did not show signs of slowing anytime soon. This would not be a problem if it had been April, or June, or even October, because then it would be raining. But it was not those months however or any of the months in between, it was January and it was a blizzard. Three mornings prior, the gray clouds had rolled over Old City and waited until about two in the afternoon when the last frantic people had arrived home with their supplies and settled in for the storm. It was then the fury of nature was unleashed in the form of miniscule flakes of white. They quickly drenched the city and by the end of three hours there was almost a foot and a half on the ground. The next morning the snow was even higher and everything was closed, including the roads since the snow had accumulated too quickly for the plows so the city was just going to wait and then dig themselves out after the storm had finished its tantrum and hope against hope the power did not fail and they lost heat.

Thankfully, the Sanctuary did not have any of those worries, well about the power anyways. They were still just as snowed in as the rest of the city. The residents did not mind, and neither did Will or Henry as it was going to give them a chance to catch up on work and just relax. They were both thoroughly enjoying this snowed in deal, especially Henry who was taking the opportunity to do various marathons and attempt to convert Will into a fellow fan-boy.

True to form, Helen was barely resting despite the fact this was the perfect opportunity. She was spending a lot of time in her office, working. Other than that she was doing rounds, ensuring the residents were comfortable and feed. The moment she had heard a storm was headed their way, Helen stocked up on food.

"So much food not even escaped, multiplying, Nubbins couldn't eat it all," Helen smirked to herself.

As she watched the Nubbins eat she hoped she'd bought wine enough for Nikola. He had been staying with them every since he was de-vamped and although he had been careful to drink more tea than wine now that alcohol affected him like everybody else she knew him very well and knew that being trapped here, despite all the other things he could get up to, would no doubt cause Nikola to drink and drink and drink from sheer boredom.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing him drunk." She laughed a little, "Oh the things I could get up to if he was drunk…" She shook her head, "I see the Nubbins are affecting me. Ah well, perhaps I will go see if he is drunk now that...he's…mortal!'

Helen's thought trailed off as she had another pop into her head. How she had not thought of this sooner, she was not sure, and she felt like an idiot. All this time not only had Nikola been wallowing in his so-called "soul crushing depression" but she had felt her own heart breaking. He had always been very dear to her, more than she ever admitted to anybody because she barely admitted it to herself. Even though he had been trouble for her every few decades, she had not minded so much. In fact, she was secretly intrigued every time he would reappear with some new scheme as to how to control the world. And even enjoyed the little excursions they went on together, everything about them excited her. She knew she wouldn't come to harm with him around and the way he looked at her, well, let's just say it was like being in a room full of Nubbins. And now she had an idea that could end all the hurt, but she would not say anything to him, not until she was done and positive this would work.

Day six of the storm Nikola was staring out the window in his room, one hand on his hip the other holding a glass of wine. Watching the snow falling, or more accurately, crashing down he suddenly saw a small bird flit from one tree on the grounds below to another. Smiling slightly he took a sip of wine.

"Perhaps," he thought to himself, "after this blizzard and things get back to normal I'll speak to Helen about getting myself some pigeons."

He had actually been thinking about asking her this for awhile now. Since he had become ordinary and facing his mortality he had been reminiscing about his early years, and his beloved pets. They had been great company in those days, very good listeners as well. This however, is not where his mind returned as he sipped his wine. It went instead to Helen. He thought of her smile and her legs and her eyes and her laugh and her everything. They had spent a fair amount of time together, mainly over afternoon tea in her office, as well as the occasional glass of wine or evening meal. But, he realized, it had been two days since he had seen the woman to whom his heart belonged for however long he was to live. Placing down his glass Nikola had just resolved to go and find her when there was a knock on the door before it swung open.

Will peered in cautiously at the man now facing him, hip on hand, who was clearly upset at the intrusion into his room.

"You're suppose to wait to be invited in after you knock," Nikola chided, "You think somebody as expendable as yourself would have some manners."

Will only sighed slightly exasperated; mortality had not changed the guys' snark.

"Yeah, look Tesla I'm just the messenger. Helen wants to see you in her office in about fifteen minutes. I don't know what she's been up to in her lab for the past two days but she seems pretty excited."

He shrugged and then closed the door behind him. Nikola, his curiosity peaked, swept off to return the bottle of wine to the cellar before meeting up with Helen. Precisely fifteen minutes later Nikola tapped lightly on the door of Helen's office. Her soft voice, coated in eagerness, invited him inside. Upon entering he found Helen lounging on the couch, a warm smile playing on her lips, and waving him over to sit beside her. He shut the door behind him and as he lowered himself down beside her, carefully avoiding trailing his eyes over her crossed legs, he noticed a small vile and a syringe beside it on the table. Helen saw him catch sight of the syringe and his eyes become question marks.

"I will tell you what that is, but first I have something I must confess." Helen told him.

"I am not a priest Helen. They drink wine only once a week, that is not nearly enough for me." He jested.

Helen smiled at him and then said,

"As much as I appreciate your humor Nikola, this is serious."

Nikola removed the smile from his face but the glint remained in his eyes as he waited for Helen to speak again while the wind picked up a little bit outside tossing the snow around. It was a long moment before she finally said,

"After that night with you in the catacombs in Rome I realized something Nikola, something that I have known for years but was afraid to admit. I care about you, a great deal. And," Helen took a breath before continuing watching Nikola's expression changing, "that is why seeing you the way you have been lately and having to think about the fact that one day I would lose you has been breaking my heart. It's why I tried so hard to find a way to re-vamp, and why I didn't realize sooner I did not have to re-vamp you to keep you with me."

Helen stopped talking and Nikola was speechless as he was not sure where to begin. On one hand he wanted to take Helen in his arms and kiss her long after the storm had ended, as he had only dreamed of the day when Helen would say she cared about him the way he cared about her. On the other hand he did not exactly follow where Helen was going with her train of thought. He did not have to wait long to find out as Helen spoke again.

"You see Nikola up until two days I, along with everybody else, had been assuming that the only way to make you immortal was to return you to your vampiric state. But, that's where we were all wrong. Using your work, I was able to create this," Helen explained picking up the vile handing it to Nikola.

As he took the vile from her their hands brushed slightly. He examined it intently, turning it this way and that, then asked the obvious question.

"What is it?"

"That, my dear Nikola, is a serum which according to your work should bind with your DNA and keep you alive for many years to come."

That brilliant smile returned to Helen's face as a small grin appeared on Nikola's face and the glint grew brighter in his eyes.

"But what, my dear Helen, is the serum made of?"

"Not 'made of' but 'derived from'."

Helen did not explain further even though the quizzical look returned to Nikola's face. Instead she moved to sit on the table in front of Nikola then reached out, unbuttoned the cuff of his left sleeve and then delicately rolled it up above his elbow. She took the vile from his hand with her left hand, with her right picked up the syringe and emptied the vile into it. Placing the vile down she then went to inject the needle in his vein but he reached his right hand up to stop her.

"I can do it Helen."

"Nikola," She smiled gently, "I made this, it's my blood, and I want to do this. Besides, as I see it, it's my turn anyway."

He smiled remembering how it had been him who had injected her with the serum the first time around. Releasing his light grip on Helen's hand he settled back into the couch. She then lifted the needle, pushed into Nikola's vein causing him to wince but only slightly, and then released the serum into his blood stream. Removing the syringe she placed it beside the vile on the table next to her.

Taking his hand in hers Helen carefully searched his face for any signs of distress. Nikola held Helen's hand, aware of her eyes searching his face for any signs of distress. He could feel the change starting, and a moment later he felt the sting of pain like he had never felt before. Crying out as the pain suddenly got worse he unknowingly gripped Helen's hand tighter as well as the arm of the couch beside him. Alarmed, Helen reached out and took his other hand in her own bringing both to rest on his knees. He closed his eyes as he gritted his teeth against the pain and various objects around the room rattled loudly over the storm outside. A few moments passed, in which Helen kept her grip on Nikola's hands. Then the pain was gone, the objects stopped rattling and the only sound was the wind asking the window to let it inside and Nikola's labored breathing. After another moment Nikola slowly opened his eyes and found Helens already fixed on him. Another moment passed during which Helen stroked the back of Nikola's hands with her thumbs in a reassuring manner for both of them.

"Well?" She asked him in a quiet but anxious tone.

Nikola removed his hands from Helen's and cupped her face with them, stroking her cheek gently with his thumbs.

"Beauty and brains a lethal combination indeed," He smiled, "and why I love you."

With that he leaned in kissed her gently, feeling her smile beneath his lips before she kissed him back. No sooner had she leaned into the kiss than Nikola pulled back. He held her gaze in his own and was about to thank her when she spoke.

"Don't thank me. I want this as much as you." Reaching up she grasped Nikola's hands holding her face saying, "I want this as much as you."

As Nikola grinned Helen slid her hands up his arms to his face pulling his lips back to her own. Nikola ran his tongue over her bottom lip and she leaned in as she parted her lips to let him inside. She moaned a little as their tongues entangled and Nikola groaned lightly at the sound. He started to pull back and Helen nipped his lip playfully. In response he growled and forced his way back into her mouth. Helen invigorated by the growl shifted her hands to Nikola's shirt and began undoing it digging her nails in ever so slightly as she trailed her fingers from one button to the next. Nikola moved his hands from her face, placing them on her waist and leaned back into the couch pulling her on top of him without breaking the kiss. Helen settled on his lap and as she felt Nikola tighten his grip on her hips to pull her closer she deepened the kiss.

Minutes passed and the two remained entwined in their passion. Finally, needing air, Helen pulled back but she kept her hands running through Nikola's hair. Nikola watched Helen, soaking in her scent and lavishing in the feel of her.

"I've been thinking," he announced quietly, "that you and I should establish a Sanctuary in Alaska, or maybe even Antarctica."

"And why is that?" she asked in a low tone.

"Because then this snowed in deal would happen all the time." He winked at her mischievously.

Helen laughed a little, leaning forward kissing Nikola gently, saying,

"Why don't you just enjoy this one while it lasts?"

"Don't mind if I do."

Nikola leaned forward and captured Helen's lips with his and then Helen, sliding sideways off his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck tugging Nikola down on top of her.

The storm raged for another two and a half days before it finally ended. Old City began to dig itself out, the Sanctuary and its' inhabitants were no exception. That is, minus two lovers locked away in a bedroom that had no intention of leaving each other, ever, and planned on taking plenty of snow days together.