Disclaimer: The characters and background stories of "Sanctuary" do not belong to me, unfortunately, but to Damian kindler and Stage1Media. I just take them out to play. No copyright infringement is intended, no profit will be made.
A/N: Written for the Sanctuary Bingo Round Three, Prompt: "wine cellar / Catacombs"
Rating: teen
timeline: set in season three, shortly after "Awakening".
Pairing: Helen / Nikola (implied)
summary: for once Nikola Tesla comes bearing gifts instead of drinking Helen's wine cellar dry.
An Absinthe Dalliance
By
romansilence
Will rounded the corner in the Sanctuary's catacomb corridors and almost ran into Henry who was pushing the cart laden with the supplies for the two a. m. feedings.
Henry looked up not really surprised at having encountered someone at this time of the day, "Hey, dude, I know you like to wander the corridors at night to combat your chronic insomnia, but what are you doing here, now? You usually prefer the upper corridors over the catacombs."
"I'm worried about Magnus. She wanted to meet for a short informal budget briefing about two hours ago, but did not show up, that's not her style, at all. And then I heard from the Big Guy, that of all people we don't need here Tesla showed up earlier and that they went to the wine cellar together. That does not bode well. Now, that he's a Vampire again he will be even more insufferable than before. He can't be trusted."
"The Doc knows how to deal with him, Dude. She knows what makes him tick, whatever else he may be, he's one of her oldest friends; and don't forget, he unarguably has one of the most ingenious minds on Earth; even though he also is a selfish prick with his own agenda."
"So, Henry, tell me, Tesla and Magnus, are they still in the wine cellar?"
"I don't know, dude, I'm not the doc's keeper. But if I should hazard a guess, I'd say, yes."
"It's been more than six hours since the Big Guy, saw them going down here."
"Did he also mention that for once Tesla came baring gifts? A whole crate full of dusty bottles, and did he tell you that the Doc's face lit up like a kid's on Christmas morning?"
"I might not have given him the chance to say anything beyond the point that he's alone with her in the wine cellar."
"She is Helen Magnus, you do not own her, Will Zimmermann, she's so outside of your league.
"I'm in love with Abby, Henry."
"But you would not say 'no' to the Doc, should she offer."
"But you doubt that will ever happen, Henry, right?"
"If there is one thing you should have learned by now about the Doc; it's never a good idea to presume about how she will react or what she will door not. She's not just any woman, dude, she's Helen Magnus."
"Yes, she's Helen Magnus. Her experience is unparalleled but she's still just one woman."
"The Doc does not stand alone. She has the Sanctuary Network and the Abnormals on her side, and if push comes to shove, even Praxis."
"I could give you a whole lecture just in answer to that last little tid-bit of wisdom, Henry. The other heads of Houses were more than willing to dispose of her, not once but twice in the last few years, and there's no telling how often they have plotted against her in the past. But instead of talking you to sleep, Henry and keeping you from doing your job, I'd rather check on Magnus and the wine cellar."
Will and Henry continued along the corridor and then followed a smaller one that branched off to the right after about twenty yards. The entrance to the wine cellar was in this corridor. The thick wooden door stood slightly ajar. And Will heard a very unusual sound when he walked past it. Helen Magnus was giggling; he had heard her laugh a few times, but he never would have expected to hear her giggle; he would never have taken her for someone able to giggle. Which he reluctantly had to admit to himself proved Henry's point, never to make presumptions about his boss and friend.
Judging from the sound, Magnus seemed alright, but his curiosity got the better of Will and he walked up to the door and peered inside. His eyes widened and the colour of his face changed almost instantly to a dark scarlet. He quickly turned to the side and pressed his back against the wall next to the door. He took a deep breath and stared pointedly past Henry who asked,
"What's going on, dude? Let me have a look."
"I'd rather you wouldn't, Henry, or you might end up scarred for life."
"It can't be that bad, dude. Though I have to admit that the idea of Tesla and the Doc doing the nasty in there gives me the creeps. Don't forget she raised me and taught me everything I know."
Will took his time answering, more than to recover from his surprise than to see Henry squirm, though that might have played a role as well.
"And Tesla happens to be one of your personal heroes. I know, it would be like watching your parents having sex."
"Uhh uhh, even the idea is gross. I do not much like the man, but his scientific achievements and ideas are revolutionary. He really is the genius he claims to be."
"Henry, what's going on in there, it's worse than Tesla and Magnus having sex. He was on his knees, with his shirt off, reciting poetry, and she was giggling like a school girl. Creepy, and scary and traumatizing. And spooky, worse than Mulder at the height of his Alien Conspiracy paranoia, believe me."
Will once again turned to the side and blocked Henry's access to the door; then he got down on his knees and pushed the door a bit wider open the get a better viewing angle, but there was no sign of Magnus or Tesla. He leaned forward to see even more of the room, leaning half against the heavy door. The door suddenly swung inwards, Will lost his balance and landed stretched out flat on the floor.
"Will Zimmermann, Dear God, what are you doing here? Spying on me?" Helen asked and managed to convey outrage and disappointment with the tone of her voice.
Will looked up and tried to look innocent, "No, Magnus, I was worried about you, so, sue me. Tesla always has a hidden agenda, you can't trust him, especially not now that he's a vampire, again."
"I know how to take care of myself, Will. And what do you think Nikola had in mind when he walked in here, his arms full with a crate of 110 years old Absinthe? Take over the world?"
"No, I guess that he wanted to get you drunk and then get into your skirts."
"What makes you think that he not already has, in the past. The Victorian age was not as prude and sexually repressed as historians are wont to believe now-a-days. And that I need to be drunk to let go of my inhibitions. And now, that you have seen for yourself that I'm not in any danger, kindly refrain from assuming that you know better what is good for me than I do…"
"But, Magnus, I didn't mean anything by it."
"Be that as it may, Doctor Zimmermann," Helen's voice held such chill that Will decided that the best thing to do would be to retire for the night.
But before he had a chance to get back on his feet Nikola called from the back of the wine cellar, or more precisely, it sounded very much like whining, "Helen, I'm lonely. Do send the boys to bed, please, it's way past their bedtime already, and if you could be so kind as to prepare another drink for us."
"No whining, Nikola. Will is a grown-up man, capable to see himself to bed, and Henry, yes, I know you're lurking around the corner you should already be finished with the 2 a.m. feedings, instead of just starting with them."
Will used the distraction to get up and take his leave. The almost imperceptible creaking of the food cart was the only indication that Henry was even near.
"Good night, William." Helen said and walked towards the back of the wine cellar.
"Good night, Magnus."
Before he turned himself to finally go to bed, he saw that she was not as steady on her feet as he was used to, probably due to the amount of Absinthe she already had consumed with Tesla.
He pulled the door closed and heard Helen's laughing voice, "Nikola, what did you do to yourself? I was not gone that long."
Will heard the soft tinkling of crystals clinking together before the door snapped shut
THE END