So…it's that time of the week again. Olympic One Shots…and while I know it isn't Friday still in some places, it is in England. If you have no idea what I am talking about then there are a lovely group of girlies taking turn in writing one shots. This is the second time round and I have Hermes . Check out the rest, they are all gorgeous. So agrainne24, alwayssmilingsam, Emmy1512, chartreuseian and Dobby-the-HAP. You are all fantastic and I love you. Next week is Chartreuseian and she has...Demeter. Enjoy my lovely. Loves you all, now enjoy Oh and blame Emmy1512 for backing up my idea that we needed a sad oneshot…sorry…
Whistle on the Wind.
There had been many things during her life that Helen had always wanted to try and as she walked through the meadowsweet that had grown far beyond to a level just below her hip, she gave in to the urge to trail a hand through the mature heads. In her other hand were her shoes, of course there were many questions about wandering through most open spaces barefoot, but Helen wasn't too bothered. She held her bag across her shoulder and her heels in her hand. She felt light and she felt free.
Stopping for a moment she turned around. She waited before lifting the hand that was trailing through the meadow sweet and offered it out to the little girl behind her. 'Come on sweetheart.' Her voice was quiet as she spoke, but she was careful to make sure that it was gentle.
'Coming Mumma.' The little girl had a song like quality to her voice, and in response to her Mother's hand being offered she quickly skipped towards her and slipped her smaller hand into the comforting embrace of her mother. 'Are we nearly there, Mumma?'
'Are you tired, beba?' Turning around and gently crouching she rested a hand against her daughters face before leaning towards her and pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.
'A little…but it's ok.' She gently smiled before nodding towards her. 'Shall we begin?' She gave a little grin as she spoke the phrase she had read so many times in the records of her mothers work.
'Oh I think so.' Hand in hand they continued to walk through the field talking about stories they had read together, and the times they loved. Since she had been small Helen had chosen to tell her daughter stories of her adventures with the 'friends' as she called them. They seemed so much more appropriate than the normal fairy tale stories other children went to bed with. Of course she had made sure to be careful, she loved that her daughter was so interested in her work yet even the bravest children had nightmares.
'We're nearly there sweetheart.' Helen gave her daughters hand a squeeze. Without giving her another moment to think she bent down and scooped her daughter up into her arms and held her tight.
'Mummmaaa.' The little girl squealed as she wriggled in her mother's arms, yet despite her protest she quickly relaxed. She was much more tired than she wanted to tell her Mumma but now in her arms she felt safe.
As she started walking Helen nuzzled into her daughters stomach before carrying her to the place they had been walking to for the past hour or so. 'Thank you for coming along sweetheart.'
Poppy looked up at her Mum and lifted her hand to stroke it down the side of her face before gently pressing a finger and her lips so her Mum could press a kiss against it. 'I miss him too…' The six year old was smarter than the average, but at the same time she liked to make sure that everyone around her was happy.
Helen let the tear that had been building roll down her cheek, the ground underneath had quickly become the gentle sand of a beach, and within a moment Helen stopped at the edge of the ocean.
Placing her daughter down, she quickly spread a sheet out on the ground below them before sitting down on it and pulling Poppy onto her lap. 'Now darling, what story would you like today?'
'Tell me about Daddy…'
…
Poppy had never been planned, but from the moment they found out it seemed that it was completely inevitable what the outcome would be. So as Helen sat there rocking their daughter backwards and forth she looked up at Nikola's face and couldn't help but smile. 'She's ours…she's us…' Tipping her head up she let Nikola place a kiss on her lips, in that moment they were complete…they were perfect.
So as they stood in the Sanctuary grounds playing among the sprinklers Nikola watched from him latest confines, yet this time it wasn't a hole he had found himself in, nor was it trouble he had got himself into with someone else. No it seemed cruel, but it had turned out that even an immortal couldn't fight acute leukaemia. Nikola's confines were the wheelchair he sat in to watch his girls play.
While Helen loved the time with her daughter she couldn't stop herself from looking up towards where he sat. She could only wait so long before looking down at Poppy. 'Poppy…will you do something for me?'
So it was that afternoon that Poppy held her father's hand as their old friend pushed his wheelchair down the aisle of the Sanctuary chapel, his eyes were covered with a silk blindfold and despite the pain he couldn't help but smile at the feel of his daughters hand in his. 'Are you going to tell me the secret my darling?' He squeezed the small hand he held in his.
The wheelchair pulled to a halt and grinning Poppy walked around to stand in front of him and carefully climbed onto his lap before reaching around to undo the blindfold before carefully removing it. 'Love you Daddy…' She leant forward to carefully kiss him on the lips before leaning back so Nikola could see Helen stood in front of him. Looking at her he couldn't help but feel a little ashamed. Helen looked stunning on a bad day, but in her dress and made up she was nothing short of glorious. There he was wearing a suit that was hanging off him, with the hair he had so much pride in falling out around his shoulders. 'You deserve more than me.' The words were meant to be silent, but he heard them leave his mouth in the quiet chapel.
Helen stood in at the end of the Sanctuary chapel with the priest they had all gotten to know, Helen in a white dress and her hair curled and half pinned to her head. There were flowers woven through the curls that Poppy had picked out. Her bouquet was simple and in the centre rested a perfect red poppy. 'Oh that I doubt very much. However for now the big question is whether you are ready to become Mr Magnus?' Helen smiled towards the man she had loved for years before walking to stand beside him.
'Always pushing your luck Mrs Tesla.' Attaching his surname to hers suddenly made everything seem more real, as though this was truly happening, and then he let himself believe that she had chosen him. His voice was weaker than she had ever heard it before, but the twinkle in his eyes was still there. 'So shall we my love?' Reaching out he took her hand and the service began.
'You may now kiss the bride.' The words meant more than anything either had heard since their daughter was born, but Nikola and Helen made the most of the words, and the moment as their lips touched and the friends around them cheered and clapped. Opening her eyes Helen wanted to cry, the man in front her meant more to her than she could ever explain, and it had taken too long for them to get to this point, yet here they were.
And there they were two months later in that same chapel. Helen holding her daughter on her hip as the watched the coffin of a father and husband lowered into the space made in the chapel. It had seemed only right that Nikola was laid to rest in the only place he had ever known as home. The tears rolled down the cheek of everyone stood in the chapel as they watched the two females, hearts breaking as they said their final goodbyes.
…
Helen found herself struggling not to cry as she remembered the moments they had shared in the past months, the happiest day of her life and the worst. So here was with Poppy getting ready to send one final message. Reaching into the bag she held she pulled out the simple green bottle, carefully placing it onto the ground between them.
'I love you Poppy…' The words were quiet but she reached across and took her daughters hand as she looked towards her with a sheen of tears once more glistening in her eyes.
Poppy looked towards her Mum before placing a hand on the bottle and together they gently pushed the final message into the water and watched as the waves took it.
Dear Nikola,
Never in my wildest dreams did I believe I would be writing this while you weren't here. Through the years I have written such a number of letters to you. Most of which have ended up in the bin, and I have to admit to making a start to this one multiple times before finally becoming happy with it. So this time I decided not to think about my words, and simply write the ones I feel…it seems like the simplest way forward now.
I told you so many times that the one thing I regretted was not admitting my love for you any sooner, and that it something I firmly stand by. For so many years I have watched you from the side lines wandering what it would feel like to be loved by you…what it would feel like to have you by my side, and here I am. Not only did I become the lucky woman who got to love you through your final days, but also the lucky woman who was able to give you a daughter. Poppy.
It seems so strange that while agreeing to choose names separately we both came up with names that represented us. The poppies from the first world war seemed to show the resistance we stood for, and while you always made sure everyone around you knew that you certainly weren't British, we all quickly realised that somewhere is your heart lay a soft spot for out great empire. Then you came back with the biggest surprise of all Vienna…Poppy Vienna. There have been many moments in my life that I will treasure forever, and I have more beautiful memories than any human had right, but through all of them Vienna will remain one of the most treasured.
After so many decades of chasing each other around, while avoiding each other at the same time. It seemed that in Vienna everything caught up. Standing next to the fountain I will never forget your face when the child splashed your new suit, nor forget my surprise as your lips met with mine.
They say dreams are made in cities, well cliché as it sound it was certainly true for me, in Vienna I found not only myself, but. And in Vienna we became lovers for the first time. Of course Poppy will cringe if she ever finds out that she is named after the city where her parents first 'did it,' but I am sure she will cope.
It still seems unreal that you are gone my darling, I was naïve enough to believe that immortal meant forever…it seems that even scientists get things wrong, but know that we are happy…and know that we are well.
But most importantly my love, know that I do, always have and always will love you with every piece of my being. My Nikola…my ljubjav.
Yours Forever, Helen. Xx
Daddy,
I promised I wouldn't cry, but I let you down. I let a few cheeky tears roll down my face as I think about you…but only because I love you Daddy.
I know that Mumma misses you, and I know that she cries sometimes too, but she says that you are peaceful now, and that you are always watching us. I hope that's true, maybe then you will see how big I am now. The big guy says he will have to stop feeding me, I think he is joking, at least I hope so.
Mumma says we will see you again one day, I hope we don't have to wait too long. Mumma's hugs are lovely, but yours were always better. I love you Daddy…
Poppy. Xx
…
It was hard to sum up a lifetime in such few words, but they had tried. As Helen Magnus and her daughter watched the small bottle float out across the sea they let their minds flow back to the times they had, and the memories they held. In the knowledge that one day they would be a family once more.
