Title: New beginnings

Author: eccentricrabbit/Little Miss Defensive

Summary: "It's one minute to midnight," Will smirks, he thinks I didn't know what his plan was all along. - Will/Helen. :)

Dedication: For Kat, my beautiful best friend and her darling son. xO

Disclaimer: Not mine!

I don't normally celebrate the new year anymore. In my youth (meaning before the age of fifty or so when I was beginning to lose all my loved ones) I would celebrate with my friends, my family. But now? I tend to think of it as another day of the year. Ashley & Henry learned very quickly to celebrate without me - no amount of coaxing could bring me to celebrate another year. Will has been in our team for three years now. The first year he celebrated with friends out of the Sanctuary, the second year he attempted to get me to celebrate with everyone else at the Sanctuary... But this year he hasn't said anything to me at all. I really didn't think he would give up asking so fast - if I'm honest to myself, I'm a little disappointed he hasn't tried to get me to celebrate with them this year. I know my answer would have been no, so it's irrational to feel disappointed.

I move to my bedroom window and look down at the gardens below now blanketed in darkness. I can see the bonfire Henry lights every year burning high and I can make out the slim figure of Kate, Henry himself standing on a table (for whatever reason) and even the Big Guy's hulking figure. I can't see him, I can't see Will. I wonder who he could be spending the new year with, maybe Abby. It seems unlikely though, things between them have been frought with difficulties recently. A quiet knock on the door brings me out of my thoughts.

"Will?" I opened the door a little and see him standing there looking uncomfortable.

"Hi Magnus," he says softly. "I know you don't celebrate new years..." He looks over my shoulder, and I realise he's probably never seen the inside of my bedroom before, I watch his eyes rove over the room - as much as he can see over my shoulder anyway.

"No," I say as kindly as I can, my heart skips a beat and my disappointment fades as I realise in a way he's probably about to ask me to celebrate it again this year.

"I can't sleep." He runs a hand through his already mussed up hair. "And I was wondering if you would come up to the tower with me," he shrugs as if he doesn't care what my response is, but I see that it means a lot to him by the way his brow furrows and his eyes don't meet mine. I mull over his words, I could go with him. I had been thinking earlier a visit to the tower and the fresh air and view up there would be good for me tonight. At the same time I feel he may be tricking me into celebrating. I lick my lips nervously.

"Yes," he looks up suddenly, his eyes meeting mine in surprise. He thought I was going to say no. "Let me get my shawl." I open the door wider and step back. He takes the hint and walks into my room. I know he wants to see what my room looks like. It's funny how men are like that. I watch him from the corner of my eye as I retrieve my shawl from my wardrobe and try not to laugh as the young man tries to take in as much as he can - knowing he won't be in the room for long.

"I didn't think you would come," he finally says as we walk back out of my room.

"I wasn't sure I would either." I admitted. "I need to keep you guessing though, don't I?" I smirk at this. He turns to look at me - his psychologist eyes trying to figure me out. I shrug and chuckle quietly.

"You certainly do keep me guessing." He says, and smiles. We walk in companionable silence up to the tower, and I wrap my shawl tighter around my shoulders as we step out into the open. The wind has picked up and whips my hair around my face. He steps closer to me and tucks his arm through mine, I squeeze his arm gently and we step forward to the edge together. As we look out to the city I hear and see the odd fireworks going off early, and I look down to the bonfire, but now we are so high up I can't make out my staff below. "It's one minute to midnight," Will smirks, he thinks I didn't know what his plan was all along.

"I know you were attempting to fool me into celebrating new years with you, Will." I laugh lightly. "But I'm not stupid, and I wouldn't have agreed if I wasn't ready to do so." He looked over at me in surprise, but said nothing. "Happy new year, Will." I lean close and whisper the words into his ear. He turns in surprise and our faces are mere centimetres apart. I hear the others cheering below, it must be the new year now. I don't move away, and Will seems unsure whether he's allowed to kiss me or not - so I close the distance for him. His lips are warm and soft, and I find that what I meant to be a quick kiss on the lips has become something more, and I open my mouth to him. It's not until I have to pull away for air that we stop. I give him a big smile. He looks shell shocked.

"Happy new year, Helen." He says once he gets his breath back. I lean against him, and we both look back out to the city. I don't understand why after all these years it's Will Zimmerman who convinces me to celebrate new years, but he did.

The End.