Authors Notes: My first fanfic ever so please be kind! I'd appreciate concrit though.

If you guys think this sucks be polite but let me know, I'll probably keep writing but won't post any more then.

Next point, this is unbeta'd, excuse my stupidity, but I haven't figured out how you go about getting a beta reader (really, is there a FAQ somewhere on the site that has this stuff or is it really obvious and I'm missing it?) So yeah grammar, spelling mistakes, extra commas, misplaced semicolons etc are all my bad.

This story starts as a history of The Five, how they meet and how the various relationships develop. Annoyingly (and admittedly) pretty boring at this stage, I've got plans for this story spanning a LONG time but that depends on how you guys like this :)

Disclaimer: Sanctuary is not mine etc.

Rated T, due to some descriptions of Nikola's fantasies, back to K after the first few chapters.

Pairings: Nikola is into Helen so Teslen angst but obviously going to have to be Helen/John for a time.

Characters: First few chapters are just Helen Magnus, Nikola Tesla and Gregory Magnus. Introducing the rest of The Five later; John Druitt, James Watson and Nigel Griffin.

Helen and Nikola may seem a bit OOC now, I am going with the assumption that after they take the source blood then they become closer to their current personalities.

3 April 2011 Update: Got a story plan sorted, This story will be 30 chapters long. I am currently in the process of reviewing and editing some of these older chapters I'll post another update when I'm happy with the story.

Chapter 1

"Mr Tesla?"

A soft voice interrupted his reverie, annoyed he turned and his disdainful remark died on his lips when he saw who it was that had spoken to him. It was a beautiful woman, the one he had seen in several of his classes at Oxford, she smiled and Nikola somehow felt out of breath, her blonde curls framed her face and her big blue eyes twinkled.

Dumbly Nikola Tesla nodded and the woman smiled, "I hope I am not interrupting" she looked down at the pages of scribbled notes he had been pouring over.

Managing to find his voice he shook his head "No ma'am, I was uh" he faltered, "thinking" he finished lamely. Nikola frowned, annoyed at the accent that crept into his voice that so clearly marked him as different.

She didn't stop smiling and said "I have heard of your genius Mr Tesla I would be surprised to hear of you not thinking" Nikola flushed at her compliment and gave her his wide toothy grin back. "May I.." she indicated the empty seat next to his and again Nikola feeling flustered just nodded.

"So, uh, I was unaware Oxford permitted females entrance" Nikola enquired "I have seen you in several of my lectures Ms. Uhh" He faltered a third time, not knowing her name and now thinking his rudeness inexcusable.

"Helen, Helen Magnus, and they do not, yet at least we are working on it. I am lucky enough to have an influential father, he pulled a few strings and they allow me to audit the classes here, so while I do not complete assignments or exams at least I have the opportunity to learn."

Nikola nodded and struggled to think of a suitable reply, all he managed was a simple "Ah." Helen raised her eyebrows at his apparent lack of interest.

She cleared her throat "I sought you out Mr Tesla, I have seen you rip apart professors and doctorate students alike and I have need for a mind such as yours"

Nikola looked at her, his eyes skimmed down her body and then back up to her face, as if sizing her up and checking her out all at once. She remained calm awaiting his reply. "Excuse me Miss Magnus-"
"Helen, please"
Nikola nodded "Helen then, I have more than enough of my own projects and experiments, while I am flattered that you sought me out however I must respectfully decline."

Helen gave a light giggle "Mr Tesla I was not asking you to join in some assignment of my own, forgive my presumptuousness but I was hoping we could become friends, you can bounce ideas off me and I could do the same with you" she paused as if unsure if she should continue.

Nikola smiled "Helen, you do not know what you are asking, sometimes I get so caught up in my work I don't eat or speak to another soul for days, and I have my moods.."

Helen flashed her own dazzling smile at Nikola "Mr Tesla that does not put me off, I think someone such as yourself that is sincerely interested in the pursuit of knowledge would be a perfect companion to someone such as myself, if you don't mind my own idiosyncrasies."

Nikola met her determined eyes, he had never met anyone like her before, she was stunning, both physically and as he was beginning to discover mentally. She was also the first person to actually show a friendly interest in him, he had been approached by those that wanted to use his genius for their own benefit before, but not friendship, not what Helen proposed. He nodded, graciously admitting defeat "I think I could spare time for friendship especially with someone as lovely as you"

Helen rose "I must be off Mr Tesla, but will you save me a seat at your next lecture? I am looking forward to hearing your opinion on Professor Lewis."

Nikola shuddered and made a face, "I can tell you that now Helen but I won't ruin the surprise for later" he gave her a wary smile and in his accented tone added "you can call me Nikola by the way" he caught her hand and gave it a shy kiss.

Helen smiled again and nodded to him "thank you Nikola" she said before confidently walking off alone.

Nikola sat watching her leave, Helen Magnus, she was so different, so sure of herself so.. beautiful, this was going to be a completely different kind of experiment for Nikola.

Over the next few months their friendship grew, while they often differed in opinion they got along surprisingly well. Nikola was a hopeless flirt and Helen; unwed and not courted was clearly not attached to anyone, rumours and scandal spread but in truth the friendship was surprisingly innocent. It was an odd pairing, both seemed to ostracise themselves from others, more so than her gender and intelligence; his strangeness and genius would normally occur. Nikola, due to his arrogance and condescension and Helen, while always polite and gracious, was also standoffish and guarded.

One warm spring evening they sat together at Helen's house, she had tea and Nikola, as always, wine. It was an event to be marked as, for once, the two agreed. The lecture they had earlier attended had proved to be the worst form of drivel.

"Well that was a complete waste of a day Helen, we might as well have taken out a little row boat and quoted poetry to each other all day, it would have been more informative than that lecture"

Helen grinned, "What an extraordinary idea Nikola! I'll arrange a day for us to go sailing"

Nikola sighed and rolled his eyes but leaned in close to Helen "If that is what you desire my dear I shall get us a boat and I will read to you all day". To emphasise his point he quoted:

"You would wish long and long to be with him—you would wish to sit by him in the boat, that you and he might touch each other."

"Oh Nikola, Whitman, really?" Helen interrupted recognising one of his favourite poets, even so she flushed at the line he quoted.

Nikola grinned cheekily at her "and here I was thinking it was quite apt."

Helen blushed a deeper red and it was her turn to roll her eyes at him, however that did not stop Nikola as he continued with the poem.

"I have perceived that to be with those I like is enough, to stop in company with the rest at evening is enough, to be surrounded by beautiful, curious, breathing, laughing flesh is enough, to pass among them, or touch any one"

Nikola reached out and tenderly caressed Helen's cheek at this line and continued with the poem despite her brushing his hand away.

"Or rest my arm ever so lightly round his or her neck for a moment—what is this, then? I do not ask any more delight—I swim in it, as in a sea."

"Oh honestly Nikola stop now" Helen demanded as she moved close to him putting her hand over his mouth Nikola only grinned and stood up backing away but continuing with the poem, now seemingly doing so to taunt Helen

"This is the female form; a divine nimbus exhales from it from head to foot; it attracts with fierce undeniable attraction!"

Helen shook her head but Nikola's grandiose gesture towards Helen's body did not go unnoticed.

"I am drawn by its breath as if I were no more than a helpless vapour"

To Helen's surprise Nikola's voice softened, it did not seem like he was saying the poem out of mockery, now it was as if he was speaking to her.

—all falls aside but myself and it; books, art, religion, time, the visible and solid earth, the atmosphere and the clouds, and what was expected of heaven or feared of hell, are now consumed; mad filaments, ungovernable shoots play out of it—the response likewise ungovernable"

His eyes locked on Helen's as he continued.

"Hair, bosom, hips, bend of legs, negligent falling hands, all diffused—mine too diffused;
Ebb stung by the flow, and flow stung by the ebb—love-flesh swelling and deliciously aching"

His eyes suddenly left Helen's and were fixed on something behind Helen, she quickly turned and at the doorway to her room was her frowning father, Gregory Magnus. Helen chagrined, looked guiltily from her father to Nikola. She had not yet introduced her intelligent foreign friend to her father, neglecting the fact she was spending most of her time with him. This was not the introduction she had planned.

Nikola waited a moment to be introduced but when Helen made no move to do so he walked around the couch and politely shook Gregory Magnus's hand "Nikola Tesla, Sir, may I assume your are Helen's beloved father?"

The elder man nodded "Yes, Gregory Magnus" he seemed somewhat lost, unsure why this gentleman was in his house, speaking of aching flesh no less.

Nikola, ever the gentleman, continued "Helen speaks very highly of you, Sir. I hope you'll excuse our awkward introduction I was simply teasing Helen with my love of free verse"

Gregory Magnus looked Nikola up and down, and merely grunted in reply.

"I have spoken of Nikola to you, Father" Helen said finally finding her voice some of her embarrassment diminished. "He has been helping me at Oxford"

Gregory turned his gaze onto Helen, he paused and said "The genius? The foreigner boy?"

Nikola frowned at that statement, it had been many years since someone had called him a boy. Helen moved off the couch standing by Nikola now wondering what to say, this was the first time she had really been friends with someone outside her fathers circle, especially a male that had the option of courting her, what would her father make of Nikola?

Gregory turned back to Nikola "That accent, Croatian?"

Nikola smiled lightly "Serbian Sir" he corrected.

Gregory nodded and then bluntly asked "And Mr Tesla, what are your intentions toward my daughter?" Nikola, who had braved a sip of his wine, began choking on it.

While Nikola recovered from his coughing fit Helen got Gregory a glass of whiskey and he sat in the armchair, Helen reclaimed her seat on the couch and when Nikola recovered he sat on the same couch as Helen. "Alright there boy? Not handling the drink so well?"

Nikola frowned immediately and icily countered "Firstly Mr. Magnus I am nearing 30 I am hardly a boy, secondly I can handle my drink just fine, I was merely caught off guard by your question, I had assumed Helen had filled you in on the particulars of our relationship"

Gregory grunted again "Firstly Mr. Tesla, I am Doctor Magnus, secondly my daughter has as you say 'filled me in'. However I asked about your intentions. Not my daughters." Gregory gave Nikola a hostile look and Helen's heart sank, definitely not the meeting she had planned. Nikola seemed to realise his possible future encounters with Helen would depend on what he said now.

He paused before continuing "My apologies Dr. Magnus, I misunderstood." Another pause, "Helen sought me out, she asked for my insight into a variety of topics, she came to me offering friendship and I gladly accepted. I have found your daughter stimulating on numerous levels, she is courageous and brave and has a way of teaching me something new every time we speak. I have never met anyone quite as remarkable as Helen. Sir, believe me when I say I would never do anything untoward with your daughter, I am, when all is said and done, a gentleman."

Helen was always surprised at the sincerity Nikola could manage, much of the time the man was arrogant and obnoxious yet there were times when a completely different person seemed to shine through, one not as arrogant, much more vulnerable, and infinitely superior to the one he showed the world. This other Nikola had a streak of honour so deep, this one had principles and gentility that Nikola Tesla seemed to lack.

Gregory nodded at Nikola "Helen has said you have been a good friend to her, and winning my daughter over shows you have a great deal of character. Though you must show more than what you displayed when I walked in" Gregory threatened.

Nikola flashed his usual toothy grin "again Sir I apologise, sometimes my teasing gets away from me I won't let it happen again" Nikola turned and met Helen's eyes and winked, Helen did not even need to see his wink to know that was left unspoken "at least while you are nearby".

Nikola then drained his glass and excused himself, "Thank you for the drink Helen, and it was a pleasure Dr. Magnus but I must be off, I have experiments to check on before tomorrow."

This piqued Gregory's interest "Mr Tesla, just before you leave, what are your experiments on?"

Nikola hesitated before answering "Electricity, Dr Magnus, I am working on proving that alternating current is better than Edison's direct current" he shrugged and flashed another grin "just some projects going on in the background while I study. There will be more time once I have finished here at Oxford".

Gregory nodded "Nice to meet you too Mr Tesla" his face thoughtful.

Helen rose quickly, "I'll walk you out Nikola." They walked silently to Helen's front door.

Nikola hesitated when he got to the porch and turned to face Helen. "Helen, I apologise most sincerely for.." Nikola shrugged and nodded towards her house "that. It was never my intention to cause trouble with your father, had I known he was around I would have been on my best behaviour"

Helen laughed, "I did not realise he was home myself, but do not worry no trouble caused, I think you convinced him that your are actually a decent human being"

"Watch your tongue Miss Magnus!" Nikola teased, his grin faded, "I think there may be a little trouble, even though you rush to say there is none, I expect your father will have words with you"

Helen nodded, she suspected Nikola was right. Instead of going inside again she stayed, watching Nikola leave, leaning on the door frame as he disappeared down the path, Helen stayed there even when he had disappeared from sight.

She sighed quietly to herself. This evening had been.. interesting, they had attended a lecture that had proved not only incredibly boring but highly incorrect, Nikola was able to fault every single one of the lecturers premiss's and Helen had very nearly fallen asleep on Nikola's shoulder. But the poem Nikola had read... She knew it was Whitman, but wondered at the lines he quoted, she did not recall that poem being one of love, but his tone had been so reverent.

As Helen stood at the door she also considered Nikola's answer to her fathers question. It seemed so clear he had no intention of courting her, Helen frowned, why didn't he? Nikola teased and flirted with her in equal degrees. Was his answer the truth, did he really have no interest? Did she even want him to show interest? Nikola could be such a delight to be around but sometimes he acted like a petulant moody child.

"Helen?" her fathers questioning call shook her from those thoughts "Your letting in quite a draft there."

She gave her father a quick smile and closed the door. "Sorry was lost in thought, why are you home I didn't expect you back for days."

Gregory raised his eyebrows "Well that was clear".

Helen blushed but attempted to laugh off the embarrassment "Oh father that was Nikola teasing, there was nothing meant by it, do not read too much into it" Helen hesitated at her own words. Easy to say, less so to do as she remembered his eyes, locked on hers.

Gregory shook his head at his only child. "I managed to capture the abnormal much faster than anticipated, it is in my lab while the London base is prepared." Helen screwed up her face, "Abnormals still sounds like such a cold-hearted phrase". Gregory laughed "Would you rather mutant or monster? It is simply a name we give them, like Human or Vampire no offence is meant by it, anyway you didn't ask about London"

Helen grinned, she wanted to draw it out seeing her father as excited as a schoolboy to tell her his news but she didn't dare "Ah, yes Father how is your London Sanctuary coming along?"

"Base, Helen, its a base not a sanctuary" Gregory growled "and it is well, I have secured funding and I have a few friends there hunting for a good location for us to build"

Helen frowned, "you intend to build a grand new building, surely you have not secured enough funding for your designs."

Gregory sighed "No you are correct that would cost the earth. My plan is currently a little more modest. Perhaps not a new building, more likely a renovation of a current one. Anyway did you want to come meet the new abnormal?" Helen didn't have to answer, each new abnormal was not only fascinating but a delight for her, she was always willing to work with her father.