A/N - because I really do think that something has happened between them. This will be a two part fic, because I wrote all of this first chapter in one hit after hearing Nightswimming by R.E.M. Listen to that. AMAZING. This is set before the Source blood has been injected. At this point in time they are working on it and Helen is promised to John *shudder*. Massive thanks to Maki1131. Also, I dedicate this chapter to the one and only LoveActuallyFan, whose stories make me weep. Go read them. After this.
Helen laughed jovially as she stripped down to her undergarments before plunging into the dark lake, lit only by the night's bright moon. Nikola watched her with amusement, sitting on the edge of the jetty, his feet dangling in the water. His shirt was sitting next to him tangled in the pile of Helen's clothing. It always amazed him that the brilliant Helen Magnus, so refined when it came to her work, could lose all inhibitions when it came to nightswimming. It was one of the first things that they had talked about during their friendship. Nikola asked her what her favourite summer pastime was, and she had answered this. Just a few year had passed, but Nikola and Helen's friendship was deeper than ever. Nikola loved her with all his heart, and Helen hid the same feelings.
Druitt was courting her, of course, but he was away for the next month. Nikola was unashamedly ecstatic about the opportunity to spend more time with Helen again. Of course, the Five spent near every day together, working on their project. They were so close to success, they could feel it. But Nikola had dearly missed the time that Helen's smile was his alone to observe. He watched as she dove under the water, and he could see her shadow moving toward him in the water. He didn't move as she came back up just inches from his legs. Without warning her hands grabbed hold of his ankles, a conspiratory grin on her face.
"Oh no, darling. No, no." He tried to stop himself from laughing as the tickling sensation hindered his attempts at pulling his feet from her hands.
"You promised you'd swim tonight, Nidza..." A small pout playing on her lips. She knew that he couldn't resist her when she used his Serbian nickname.
"Oh Helen, but I forgot to bring my swim trunks..." he said, although he knew it would do nothing to help the situation. Helen had seen him in nothing before, more than once, although no one else knew that. She was embarrassed at first, but now Nikola knew that if it meant he was in the water, Helen wouldn't care if he had nothing on but his undergarments.
"Then wear your underwear! Get in the water!" Helen pulled insistantly on his ankles. She was strong, but Nikola's grip on the jetty was stronger.
"Okay, but look away for a moment."
Helen let go of his ankles, and used her kicking feet to keep her afloat as she held her hands over her eyes. "Not looking." A grin formed against her hands as she tried to resist the urge to peak. A flicker of shame flooded through her, before disappearing as quickly as it began. She knew that she shouldn't want to see Nikola near naked. She was promised to John. Yet a part of her knew deep down that Nikola had at least a small piece of her heart that no other man could ever have.
With a splash, Nikola dove into the water next to her, opening his eyes underneath he took a moment to admire her wonderful legs before popping up behind her and gently placing his own hands over hers before she could move them from her eyes and took her hands to spin Helen around to look at him.
"Cheeky..." Helen's eyes shone in the moonlight as she looked at Nikola.
"Happy now, my dear?" Nikola grinned widely as he looked at Helen's blonde mess of hair cascading past her shoulders.
"I'm always happy when you're here, Nikola. I would've thought you'd know that by now. I'm just sad it's taken us so many years of coming here to get you in the water!" Helen laughed as Nikola splashed water toward her. Before Helen could splash back Nikola was under the water swimming away. Helen ducked under the water, following him deeper into the lake for a couple of seconds before Nikola surfaced again. He looked around a moment before he felt Helen surfacing right in front of him. Her face was no more than a couple of inches away from his now, and their feet were touching as the both kicked to stay afloat.
"You're beautiful..." Nikola gasped as he let the words slip from his tongue. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." he trailed off, a blush creeping to his skin. Only Helen could make him feel so insecure and yet so alive at the same time.
"You didn't mean that I'm beautiful? Am I to think that you think me unattractive? Oh the pain!" Helen mocked him in jest as she brought a hand to her forehead, letting her body slip back so that she was floating on her back on the surface of the water. "You wound me, Nidza."
Nikola laughed gently, thankful that she didn't let it ruin their mood, but at the same time disappointed that she hadn't realised what he had meant behind the words. She wasn't just beautiful to him. She was the beauty in his life. She was more beautiful than the way the moon danced on the water. He leant back allowing his body to float next to Helen. He stretched out his hand, letting it softly touch hers. Her fingers grabbed one of his, wrapping her hands inside his.
Nikola's heart thumped violently in his chest, his body racked with nerves. He had trouble keeping his breath even. Helen had always had this effect on him, and it was moments like this that gave him hope he had the same effect on her.
Helen turned her head slightly to try to look at Nikola, he had his eyes closed and a small smile graced his lips. She didn't think, nor so much as try to stop herself, as she gently allowed her body to go vertical once more and move silently over to Nikola, trying very hard not to let him notice what she was doing. When she was no more than an inch away from him, she leaned her head forward, pressing her lips against the side of his mouth.
Nikola's breath caught, and his eyes flew open. He moved so that he too was vertical. He looked deep into Helen's eyes.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." Helen stammered as she began to push back away from him, but he grabbed her wrist pulling her back, his hand wrapping around behind her neck and gently pulling their bodies flush together.
"If you feel as I do, Helen, you most certainly should have. For that matter, it is something that I should done. I should have a very long time ago..." With that he pressed his lips firm against hers. Helen's body sank into the kiss, her lips parting allowing Nikola's tongue to flick against hers. She moaned as she felt Nikola's erection begin to grow, pressing into thigh, subconciously she used what little propulsion she had in the water to rub against him. A deep growl escaped Nikola, distracting Helen for long enough to realised that he had began to slowly move them toward the edge of the lake.
"I love you," Nikola whispered. Helen's body froze, causing Nikola to panic once more. "I just... I thought because... This... And... Damn it!" Nikola pulled away, now close enough to shore that he could stand.
"Nikola, wait..." Tears formed in Helen's eyes.
"Wait, Helen? Damn it, wait for what? Do you want to break my heart some more? Because there is only so much you can crush something before it can't be crushed any more."
His words stung, and the tears forming began to run freely down Helen's cheeks. "No, Nidza..." her voice was timid. He had never heard her speak without confidence before. "I was going to tell you that I loved you too... But I'm supposed to marry, John. You know that. I am supposed to love him, and I do. He is a wonderful man. He loves me, he cares for me."
"Helen, if this is just going to end up as you telling me that we can never be together, then can we please just cut to that part. Because I really don't think that I can handle you telling me about how wonderful Johnny is to you. We both know that would be a downright lie, and I didn't take you for a liar."
"He isn't a bad man, Nikola."
"No, he isn't. But he certainly isn't the best man for you, Miss Magnus." With that Nikola stepped out of the water onto the warm sandy dirt that formed the shore of the lake.
Helen jumped out of the water, following him quickly as he walked away. She grabbed his elbow and spun him around. Before she could stop herself she raised her hand and slapped Nikola deftly across the cheek.
"Don't you ever call me Miss Magnus again, Nikola Tesla. If you do I promise you that the stinging on your cheek will be the least of your worries."
"Helen..." Nikola sighed. He already hated himself for what he'd said.
"I know, Nikola..." Helen whispered. "I love you, I want you to know that." With that Helen walked away, with tear stained cheeks. She picked up her clothes from the jetty, slipping them over her wet undergarments. She too one look back to see Nikola on his knees on the sand, his head in his hands. His body was shaking as sobs ripped through him.
"Oh Nidza... Please wait for me..." she whispered to no one in particular before turning her back for the last time and making her way across the paddocks until her father's house was in sight. The sun was starting to make it's first appearance for the day, and she couldn't help but let out a small sob as she thought of how much easier things had been before John had come along. If only Nikola had asked earlier... if only...
A/N - Oh my god I broke my own heart just now. Give me a review, I'll give you a naked Tesla. Fair? *kisses*