Summary: John stumbles into the Hollow City where Gregory finds.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary

Rating: T

Pairing: Helen and John.

MATES:

John hurt all over; his body was bloody and bruised. The confrontation with Adam and his pale cohorts took more of his strength than he thought he would use. Deep down he knew something was wrong, Helen was in trouble. John had fought free and made it to the outer edges of the city before collapsing. Not only was something wrong with Helen, but there was something terribly wrong with him as well. John felt slow, felt weak. His mind was going black as he fell to his knees, collapsing to the ground. The last thing he saw was the face of a woman surrounded by armed guards. All was darkness.

"We should take him to Gregory." Rana said to her security team. She had already gotten the bodies of Magnus and the others to the Doctor and he was already reviving them. This new man, the one she thought to be Druitt, would just be another patient of his.

"Yes ma'am."

After gathering the man up, they set out along the back streets of Praxius. Rana couldn't be seen helping the outsiders, not if she was to remain useful to Gregory.

SECRET LAB:

Gregory had been working for hours, reviving his daughter and her team. They all were well on their way to healing; only Helen was still unconscious. Gregory knew she would remain so until Druitt came close to her. For some reason the proximity of John Druitt did more to heal Helen than any medicine in the world. Now, Gregory only hoped that Rana and her team found Druitt.

"Gregory!"

Turning the Elder Magnus saw Rana's security team with an unconscious Druitt on a stretcher. He didn't need to get any closer to see that John needed some serious care. "Bring him over here." Gregory motioned the bed besides Helen.

HOURS LATER:

John woke up feeling every inch of pain that Adam's cohorts had inflicted upon him. He hadn't thought he had sustained as much damage. Trying to sit up he felt tugging along his biceps, hi torso, and his back. Those things that had restrained had some wicked claws. John had gotten sliced up, but it was more than that, he felt weak; drained. Looking around he saw Helen lying on a bed just out of his reach, just beyond her were the bodies of her friends. John sat up and saw a cuff on his upper right arm with a tube of iridescent blue liquid flowing into his veins. He reached to remove it, but a hand closed over his wrist.

"I wouldn't do that, not just yet."

"Gregory?" John said. He knew Helen's father was down her, but he hadn't expected to see the Elder Magnus tending to his wounds.

"That's anti-venom. Adam's friends are toxic." Gregory answered checking the flow rate of the fluid as well as the bandages. He saw no blood and the wounds were a nice pink color. Druitt was healing rapidly. In a few days his wounds would be nothing more than pale pink scars.

"Helen?" John turned his head to gaze at his love. She was paler, but alive. He looked at her vitals, they were stable and yet she wasn't awake, not like her team who were just now coming out of their state of unconsciousness. Attendants were checking the vitals of the others, getting them to stand, to walk.

"She needs you, now more than ever. John you need to heal her." Gregory knew of the link between Druitt and his daughter. It had occurred the night of the Source Blood injections.

"How?" John was at a loss. The last time he was in need of the healing it had been Helen to give it to him. How was he going to be the one to heal her? She barely tolerated being close to him for any long periods of time. Over the last few days that tolerance had gotten better, but he still didn't want to cross that line. John had to let Helen come to him, had to let her make the choice. He knew where he wanted to be; he wanted to be with her. If he was truly still the monster she thought him to be, John never would have said he loved her. That was one thing the energy elemental couldn't take from him. His love for Helen was all he had left of his former self.

"You know how. I've done all I can, you need to finish it." Gregory removed the cuff from John's arm. There was enough anti-venom in his system to stave off the effects. "I know what you are to my daughter."

"You know about that?" John inquired trying not to give away more information. He wasn't sure if Gregory had all the details. "Helen told you?"

"She didn't have to. I have eyes; I can see how you were together, before and after." Gregory answered without looking at Druitt. "I know you and my daughter are bound closer than two people have the right to be. It's that bond she needs now." Moving away Gregory left Druitt alone.

John waited for Gregory to move away before trying to get to his feet. He swayed lightly but remained upright. The pain had dulled, yet still present in his body, his whole body. Still, that didn't stop him from walking around the length of the bed to stand over Helen. She seemed small, fragile; not anything like the warrior she presented to the rest of the world. Slowly, he reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. It didn't matter to him that the others could see him. John only cared about Helen, cared about healing her. He knew how to make her well again. The bed she was resting on was large enough to accommodate two full grown humans. John lifted the blanket to allow him room to crawl next to her. He settled on his side pulling Helen into his arms and relaxing into the feel of her skin on his. Just having the rise and fall of her chest against his made John feel stable. Helen wasn't the only one healing from this; his state of well being was being replenished from holding her.

Helen had a feeling of being cold, so cold, deep down to her heart, and then there was warmth. It was safe and comforting; healing her. With desperation she latched onto that warmth, held tight, and just let it soothe her. This feeling brought back so many memories, so many feelings; it was easy for Helen to cling to them in her weakened state. Arms were around her, lips rested at her temple, and legs tangled with hers. Again she had that feeling of home as only John could give to her. She knew it, in her heart and her soul, that John was holding her. As much as she knew she should push him away, Helen didn't want to. This was her comfort, her only medicine. With as much strength as she could muster Helen tried to wrap her arms around him in return, tried to hold him closer, but she still felt drained.

Rana stood in the shadows next to Gregory watching Druitt being in bed with Helen. She turned to Gregory and asked, "They're Mates aren't they?" Looking at them it was obvious. Druitt's body molded to Helen's. Even from her vantage point Rana could see them breathing as one.

"Yes, through blood they were bound." Gregory answered turning to gaze at Helen and John.

"They're Ikaru?" Rana questioned.

"Not strictly speaking," Gregory stopped what he was doing. "My daughter acquired untainted vampire blood. Through that she, and her fellow scientists, were able to derive a serum from it. That serum altered them. But for Helen and John, it…"

"Mated them," Rana said.

"Yes, and for a time it benefited them, until John…" Words alone could not convey what he had learned about Druitt's activities over the last century. Still, John had a way of making Helen happy. It was something Gregory didn't understand.

John felt his body, his injuries; pull him back down into the blackness of sleep where he could heal. Everything was going to turn out fine because he was back in Helen's arms. It reminded him of a dream he had in Cambodia. There he had tried to end it all, tried to take his life, but Helen came, she saved him, and brought him some small measure of warmth. That warmth was what he was feeling now and he was giving it back to her in the only way he knew how; he held her close. Their bond had always been special, unique. Skimming his hand over her waist, under the covers, John laced his fingers with hers just needing that last connection to her.

Helen was so comfortable that she hated feeling her body starting to wake up. She snuggled closer to John trying to beat back the wave of consciousness creeping up on her. Helen wanted to stay asleep, wanted to stay safe and warm. John was her haven against the waking world. If only for a short time Helen wanted to cling to that feeling. Almost as if he had heard her thoughts, John tightened his hold on her form. He kept away the cold, made her heart beat again with new life. For so long she had denied that truth, denied her mate, but now she didn't have that luxury. John was hers and she needed to bring him back home. That couldn't happen so long as that energy elemental corrupted his soul. With her mind working Helen opened her eyes; there was no way she could continue to sleep. In her arms John still slept, his face relaxed. Angling her head Helen kissed the underside of his jaw and tightened the hold he had on her hand.

John shifted closer to Helen but did not wake. He was locked in dreams, back to the night of the experiment that had altered him. Looking around he saw Nigel standing next to James while Nikola drew the Source blood into a needle. He was, as was his customary place, by Helen's side as she waited for the first injection. "Are you positive about this?" John asked. He had to know.

"Yes, I should be the one to test it. After all it's my experiment." She smiled but under that smile lingered apprehension. The side effects were unknown. Looking up at Nikola she nodded, "You may proceed Nikola." Then she felt the sharp sting of the needle, the rush of blood, and then pain; immense pain. Her hand gripped John's harder while she locked her gaze with his. Her whole body burned. Just as quickly as the pain came, a rush of euphoria flowed over her chasing away the last remnants of the pain.

"Helen?" John whispered still holding her hand.

"You should go next," she muttered. Helen made a move to get up from the chair, only John's hand on her shoulder kept her in place.

"Stay sitting, I'll be right here." John looked to Nikola and nodded. He held out his arm and waited.

"I'll hold your hand." Helen smiled and tightened her grip reassuring him.

"I will endeavor not to squeeze too hard." The sting of the needle permeated his skin; John barely winced. It was then the pain started, his whole body wracked with knife like pain. Helen's hand tightened on his. John felt dizzy, he wanted to fall foreword, but remained in his crouched position next to her. He felt it then, a tiny spark, a tiny piece fo Helen twining around him…

That feeling had John surfacing from sleep. Helen was still with him and she was awake. She saw him wake up and still stayed in his arms. Looking at her in return John saw a curious emotion in her eyes; it was contentment. Too long had he been with out that sight. "How are you feeling?" leaning back marginally John brought her entire face into perspective. She was no longer deathly pale; there was color in her cheeks as well as a smile gracing her lips.

Helen shrugged as best as she could, "I'm warm now." Only, she knew that wasn't what he meant. It was how she felt. Talking was a waste of time right now; Helen didn't want to talk. She closed her eyes and snuggled deeper in to John's arms. He winced. Pulling back out of his arms Helen looked him over. His bare chest was covered almost entirely with bandages. Fear and worry flooded her system. "What happened to you?"

John winced again sitting up against the headboard. "I came after you with Adam's aide not knowing that I was playing into his hands." He looked away feeling foolish for falling into a trap. John had been Jack the Ripper, a feared predator of the London streets. Though, as soon as Adam had mentioned Helen was in trouble, he was too easy. She was his one main weakness. It was a weakness that he would never get rid of, nor did he want to.

Helen cupped his cheek urging him to turn to look at her again, "John, you came for me, that's enough." Gently she wrapped her arms around him once again feeling the warmth and contentment fueling her.

Tentatively he wrapped his arms around her waiting for the pain to slam into him again, but there was nothing. "I think we've healed each other." John nuzzled his cheek against her hair feeling the softness. She was truly his angel.

Helen laughed lightly, puling back. "Is it ok?" She motioned to his bandages. John rested back against the headboard, a signal to her that she could check his wounds. Helen lifted the edge of one of the bandages. Her eyes roamed over pale, perfect flesh. Not a scar could be seen. Taking the bandage all the way off, she lightly ran her fingers tips over his flesh. She didn't just stop wit one. Helen examined all of them. The last bandage was covering the left side of his ribs. When she traced the flesh over his ribs leaned away trying no to laugh. Helen looked up, "What?"

"That tickles just a little." John answered with a shy smile gracing his lips. Only Helen had the power to tickle him. Normally the feel of her skin against his caused electricity to coarse over him, but the gentle whisper thin touch was too light and enough to make it tickle.

"You've never been ticklish before." Helen smiled changing her position to sit with her legs crossed.

"First time for everything," John replied. He felt stronger and stronger. There was no doubt that he would have to rest more and he wasn't sure if he would ever get another chance at holding her. For a few hours he was the happiest man in the world just having Helen in his arms again. Sighing John held his arms open hoping Helen would settle back down.

Helen smiled a warm genuine smile at him. Taking what she wanted she stretched out along his side, pillowing her head on his chest and draping her arm over his waist. Then his arms enveloped her in warmth and she felt safe. With her ear resting against his heart she could hear the steady beat. That soothed her more than anything and had her eyes falling closed. Sleep was taking her away on gossamer wings while John held her. A more perfect nap couldn't have been had.

John knew the instant Helen was asleep. Then, and only then, did he follow her. For now they were safe in Hollow Earth. But eventually they would have to leave and face Adam. John could only hope for a rematch with Adam and his pale minions. If that happened there would be no level to the brutality he would use to finally destroy Hyde. Only, that time was far off. All that mattered now was Helen resting in his arms. Tomorrow could wait and the fate of Adam Worth/ Hyde could wait.