Title: The Talk
Author: NoCleverSig
Summary: Helen Magnus had faced presidents and kings. But talking to her 16 year old daughter about sex? That she'd never done.
Categorization: General, Humor, Helen/Ashley, Helen/Henry
Season: Set ca. 2002, when Ashley is about 16
Spoilers: Season 1, through The Five
Warnings: Teen
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary or its characters and am making no profit from my playtime with them.
Author's Note: I loved the fact that Magnus was a mom and had to deal with all of those mom issues in addition to, well, her "regular" life. I miss Ashley because I miss seeing that dynamic between them and the maternal side of Magnus. Here's what I think I might have gone down between them in the past. Hope you enjoy. Let me know

The Talk

"So, Dr. Magnus, what d'ya think?"

A young Henry Foss stood clean shaven in front of Helen Magnus, hands clasped behind his back, nervously bobbing up and down on the balls of his feet. Helen sat at her desk, scanning the catalog pages Henry had laid out in front of her, nodding. That was a good sign, right? Henry thought to himself. Nodding? Right?

A moment later Magnus closed the book, handed it back to Henry, a broad smile across her face. Her blue eyes alight.

"I think it's a brilliant idea, Henry! You know how much I like you to further your education."

"Really? 'Cause you know the courses their offering at the city college aren't really that expensive, I could pay for them myself, and…."

"Henry," Helen shook her head, stood up, and came around to lay a hand on his shoulder. "You're not paying for anything. Sign up for whatever you think will be beneficial. The courses you've highlighted look perfectly reasonable to me. I'll take care of the cost. Textbooks too, of course."

"Seriously, doc?"

"Seriously, Henry." She smiled.

He hugged her. Henry had always been a hugger, and Helen appreciated it, particularly since she herself wasn't one to generally initiate such contact. Magnus flashed back to the small, frightened boy she had known so long ago and felt a parent's surge of pride at what he had become.

"You know," she went on, returning to her desk. "Kylee will be retiring in a year or so. He's grooming you to take over for him. The more knowledge you have of computer systems and programming the better." A fleeting thought crossed her face and she crinkled her brow. "You do like it, don't you? Computers?"

Henry beamed. "I love it, doc. Why?" he asked, puzzled by her concern.

"Because I don't ever want you to feel that you have to do something just because it's something I want or something I need. I want it to be your choice, Henry. I want it to be what you want, not me."

"I know, doc. But this is something I want. Really."

She smiled again, satisfied. "I'm glad." She handed him the course catalog back. "Well, then" she said, sending him off with a wave of her hand and returning to the report she'd been working on all evening, "Off with you. Go sign up, order your textbooks…oh, and whatever other materials you need too, by the way, "she added.

"Will do," Henry said, practically skipping out of the room.

"Oh, and Henry," she said looking up, stopping him in mid bounce. "When you see Ashley, will you send her up here please? I need to go over her calculus homework with her. There are a few concepts in differential equations she's not quite grasping."

Henry paused, an awkward look on his face.

"What is it?" Helen asked. Henry had never been good at schooling his emotions.

"Uh…."

"Henry..." she said slowly.

He could practically hear the tapping of Helen's high heels waiting for his response. Damn, it Ash, he thought. Between a rock and a hard place. More like a mountain, he thought, thinking of Dr. Magnus.

"Uh, Ashley isn't exactly here right now," he mustered. True, but vague enough not to get him clobbered when she got back. Good move, Foss, he thought giving himself a mental pat on the back.

Magnus rolled her eyes. She'd specifically told Ashley to see her about the calculus homework after dinner.

"Where?" Helen asked, not even trying to hide her irritation now.

"Oh, doc….," Henry hesitated, shaking his head. "Don't put me in the middle. You know how much I hate the middle."

"I know you're trying to protect her, Henry, but if she went after that carastat in Old City alone…I specifically told her to wait. We need proper preparation for an abnormal of its kind. We need to understand its habits, anticipate its responses. She's not ready to do this on her own yet…."

"Whoa, doc, no," Henry stopped her. "She's not out in the field or anything."

Helen raised her eyebrows.

Henry sighed and dropped his arms to his sides, resigned.

"She's at a movie with Raj. Some new flick they really wanted to go see. Spider Man or something, I think. Hey, I'm sure she'll be back soon."

"Oh," Helen replied, trying to hide her surprise. "Thank you, Henry.'

He started to leave but turned around.

"You know," he said shyly, "She and Raj have gotten pretty close. I think she really likes him."

Helen looked up. "Really?" She'd noticed, of course. Couldn't help it. She was just surprised that Henry had noticed it too.

"Yeah. Hey, I'm glad for her. I mean…she seems really happy."

Helen paused. "It doesn't bother you, does it, Ashley and Raj?" She was fairly certain Henry's feelings for Ashley were purely brotherly, but still, Ashley had been…distracted lately. And the two of them had always been close.

"I kind of miss playing Grand Theft Auto with her, but she usually kicked my ass at that anyway, so we're cool," he said, laughing it off. He really did miss her, Helen could tell. Unfortunate, but probably inevitable. Ashley was growing up after all.

"Well, when she does come in, tell her I'd like to see her please."

"Sure thing, doc. G'night. Hey, and thanks again," he added, beaming at her.

"Goodnight Henry. And you're welcome, again." She smiled back.

Rajendra (Raj) Malik had been interning with Helen Magnus for the past 6 months. Eighteen and brilliant, he wanted to be a doctor of crypto-zoology like herself. He came by it naturally. His father and his father's father before him had all been doctors, scholars, or priests. They were also shapeshifters. A trait that had been passed from generation to generation for millennia.

When James Watson suggested she allow Rajendra to work with her, she agreed enthusiastically. She'd known Raj's great, great grandfather many years ago in British India. They'd been close; their relationship a special one. She felt good knowing that although Raghavendra was no longer here, she could still do something for him by helping his offspring succeed in a career he so clearly had a passion for as well as a talent. And besides, when she looked at Raj, she couldn't help but see Raghavendra staring back at her. Brilliant and handsome. No wonder Ashley was attracted to him. She'd had the same reaction to Ragh so many years ago.

Ashley, Helen thought. She was sixteen. No longer a child. Sometimes she wondered if she ever really had been, ever had the opportunity to be. But no, she'd worked hard to give her, if not a normal life, a happy and fulfilling one. Every parent has regrets. If hers were a bit more…unusual…shall we say, so be it.

"Hey, you wanted to see me?"

Ashley came bounding in, looking cheery and a bit breathless. She wasn't normally one for makeup, but Helen noted she wore some tonight. And more tellingly, a dress. Not jeans, not leather pants, a dress. Last time Ashley wore a dress someone had died, and Helen had forced her to clothe herself appropriately for the funeral. This was definitely more serious than she had thought.

"We were supposed to go over your calculus homework tonight. Differential equations? Remember?"

"Oh," Ashley looked up, "Yeah, about that. Look, I'm sorry, mom, I completely forgot. Raj and I had been talking about seeing Spider Man this afternoon and it opened tonight and I just thought…"

Helen took pity on her.

"It's all right. Just make sure before you do anything else tomorrow that you stop by in the morning so we can go over it. I have to leave for Vienna tomorrow afternoon, and I want to talk with you about it while it's still fresh in both our minds."

"Oh, right, sure" Ashley said, grinning from ear to ear. "I'd completely forgotten about Vienna. I bet you're gonna have a great time."

Vienna. Helen had completely forgotten about Vienna too. Bigfoot was here and Kylee, they'd look after things. Henry would be fine, of course. But Ashley. Ashley would be alone…with Raj. And she was acting far too happy about her mother's departure.

Bloody hell, Magnus thought. Bloody, bloody, hell.

"Ashley, why don't you sit down, I think we should talk," Magnus said, gesturing to the couch, trying to keep any panic-like note out of her voice.

The Talk. The Conversation. The one she'd been meaning to have with Ashley since…well…since she noticed two months ago how close, literally, she and Raj had become.

They "hung out" as Ashley called it, almost every night in her daughter's room, listening to CDs, playing video games, doing, God knows what on the Internet. She walked in once to find them doing a bit more than that, just kissing, but in her day simply being alone with a gentleman, let alone in your room, would be considered, well, the word "scandalous" didn't even come close to touching it. Of course, she'd never abided by the popular mores of her time, but still. Some things did run deep.

Ashley sat down, looking nervous, fidgeting with her rings and bracelets. When had she acquired so much jewelry, Helen wondered?

"Is that my bracelet?" Helen asked, looking at Ashley's wrist.

Ashley rubbed the said bracelet and hesitated, "Yeah, I was going to give it back to you tomorrow. I just thought it looked…nice with this dress."

Helen looked into her daughter's face. Ashley was blushing. Oh my, Helen thought. This was more than just an infatuation. Ashley was in love. Or at least believed she was. Either way, it was a delicate time, Helen remembered. It'd been long ago, but she'd been a young girl too once.

Helen reached over and gently grasped Ashley's hand, turning the bracelet over to look at it.

"You're right," she said softly. "It goes nicely with your dress. You look beautiful, darling."

Ashley smiled. It wasn't the kind of compliment her mom usually paid her.

"Thanks, mom. So do you."

Helen smiled back and took a deep breath. No time like the present.

"So Ashley, about you and Raj." She could feel her daughter tense beside her. "I've been meaning to talk to you about that."

"Oh God," her daughter uttered.

"What? I haven't said anything yet."

"You don't like him, do you? You think he's too old for me, a shifter, whatever."

"No. Of course not. I never said any such thing," Although Helen had to admit to herself that she was a bit concerned about his age, 18, getting ready for university, while her daughter was only 16. But still, that wasn't the point, and she was absolutely not going to bring it up. Not yet anyway.

"Ashley, I like Raj very much. I think he's a brilliant, wonderful young man. Just like his great, great grandfather was. I have every respect for him, and I believe he has every respect for you."

Ashley nodded, seemingly satisfied with her mother's answer.

"It's just…."

Ashley looked up.

Damn the consequences, Helen thought. She had to say this.

"I know you have feelings for him. I can see that. And I know he has feelings for you too. The two have you have grown very close lately."

Ashley looked down at her hands.

"What I'm saying is…what I'm asking I guess is…have you acted on those feelings?"

Ashley's head popped up. A look of horror on her face.

"Are you asking me if we're having sex?"

Helen cringed. Force of habit from living through Victorian times. One would really have thought she would have gotten past that by now.

"Yes," Helen said finally, nodding. "Yes, I am. Because if you are, well…I'm a doctor, as you know, and I can prescribe certain, well…medications. Help you to take, well, certain…precautions."

Ashley started giggling. It started small, as Helen stammered on about "precautions," but it ended up with Ashley rolling on the couch, laughing hysterically, working hard just to catch her breath.

"And what on earth is so very funny young lady?" Helen asked, miffed at her daughter's insensitive response to such a sensitive topic.

"You, mom," she said, hiccupping. "I've seen you take down 1,000 pound pterodactyls, wrestle a 12 tentacle cenapod, kick bad guys in the ass in high heels and not break a nail. You are one of the coolest moms on the planet, but this," she giggled again, "Talking to me about sex? CONTRACEPTION." She said, deepening her voice to make it sound all serious and placing imaginary quotes in the air with her fingers. She laughed again. "This is kicking your ass, and it's just too funny."

"Well," Helen started, working to gather her composure. "I'm glad you find such a serious subject so amusing." Ashley giggled again. "You're my daughter and…." Ashley, was holding her mouth with one hand now and her stomach with the other, trying not to hurt herself from laughing so much and afraid of angering her mother any more. "And yes," Helen finally acquiesced, trying to hold back the giggles herself, "You're right, this is kicking my arse."

They both finally bent over in hysterics. Laughing and giggling to the point of tears. Finally, after several minutes of trying to catch their breath, they settled down, both far more relaxed, heads back on the pillows of the couch. Helen's hand on her daughter's.

After a few moments of just sitting there quietly Ashley said, "Mom, if it makes you feel any better, the answer is no."

"The answer to what?" After their giggling fit, Helen had lost track of the conversation.

"No," Ashley said, her tone serious now. "Raj and I aren't having sex."

"Oh," Helen breathed an audible sigh of relief. Thank God, she thought to herself, carefully refraining from saying it out loud.

"But," Ashley continued shyly, "I've been thinking about it."

Helen simply nodded. Tread lightly, she reminded herself again. "He's not pressuring you, is he?" She asked it quietly.

Ashley shook her head. "No, Raj is a good guy."

Helen was glad to hear it or else her next conversation would be with Raj and it wouldn't be quite so pleasant.

"It's just, I really care about him. A lot."

Helen swallowed hard, took her other hand and tucked back a stray blonde hair that had fallen over Ashley's eyes during their giggle fit.

"I can see that Ashley," she said softly. "And although, quite frankly, I think you're still young, and I'd prefer you to wait...If you care about him, love him. Well, in the end, it's your decision not mine. You just need to understand that it's an adult decision with adult consequences."

"I know that, mom," Ashley said, squeezing her mom's hand tight.

"And if you decide it's what you want to do, well….Just know that I'm here for you. If you need me."

Ashley smiled at her mom and intertwined her fingers with hers.

"Mom, you're always here for me." Ashley leaned over then and hugged her. And Helen hugged her daughter tighter in return.

"Don't worry, mom." Ashley said, still holding on to their hug. "We'll be good while you're in Vienna."

Helen laughed. "Thanks."

Finally, they broke apart. Ashley got up to leave. And Helen went over to her desk, the report could wait one more night.

"Hey, mom?" Ashley said, stopping at the door.

"Hmmm?'

"Was it this way with you and Dad?"

The remark caught Helen off guard.

"What do you mean?" Helen asked, bracing for what question might come next. Ashley still didn't know about John Druitt. About her father. And if Helen had her way, she would never know.

"I mean… I know it was a long time ago and times were different and all, but did you want to be with him? Like, you know, physically be with him because you cared about him so much?"

Helen sighed, thinking back. A flood of memories, good and bad, washed over her. But Ashley looked so sincere, so curious. She couldn't lie to her daughter. Not about this.

"Times were indeed dissimilar then, Ashley, it's true. Morals were different, stricter. But…I loved your father. And honestly? Yes, I wanted to be with him. Very much." She smiled then. "If I hadn't you wouldn't be here, and then what would I do?"

Ashley grinned a mischievous grin. "You wouldn't have to have an awkward sex talk with a 16 year old daughter?"

Helen smiled and nodded. "True enough. But awkwardness aside, I think it's been worth it."

"Me too mom."

"I love you, Ashley."

"I love you too mom. Always."

END