Hi sanctuarians !

This is me trying to translate one of my former fics from French to English. So, as you can imagine, English is NOT my first language and I'd be glad if a generous and friendly soul here accepted to beta- me and gave me a hand with my not so perfect English. This being said, I hope you'll enjoy it despite the mistakes…

Tell me what you think! Love to you all!

Chapter 1 :

' ... If someone took something ? Helen, how do you want me to remember? It was 100 years ago! Of course I wouldn't be surprised if your beloved detective, with his wandering hands…'

'Nikola! Did you see someone take something? Yes or no?'

'Wow, Helen, tell me my dear, why is it that I always find you more aggressive -and therefore even more attractive- on the phone?'

'Nikola!' The man in question continued on as if she hadn't complained.

'By the way, Helen, how did you get my new number?'

'Come on! You underestimate me Nikola, I know you by heart.'

'Uh! I'd like it so much for that to be true… So much…'

'Don't beat around the bush Nikola! Who stole them?'

'Oh! For crying out loud, I don't know! I told you, maybe Watson! He and Dogson got along well when dealing with aromatic herbs, coca leaves, et cetera… So why not mushrooms? You know, I hope you're aware that you're interrupting my work at this point!'

'It's always a pleasure to hear you, Helen, said Nikola Tesla!' Helen answered, something bitter and somewhat dangerous rising in her voice as her irritation increased. 'You really don't remember, don't you?' .

'Ok, I admit that I only vaguely remember the funeral but I can still see you in that mourning dress as if it was yesterday. My my Helen, what a dress! Far too low-cut for a mourning dress by the way, and the long lace gloves. Oh I liked them but James thought it was a little bit too much… wait! That's exactly why you were wearing them, isn't it? Come on, admit it! There certainly were some cute chick back then but nothing compared to you, the one everybody noticed. Well, actually everybody noticed Griffin too, but that's because he had his head in the clouds for the whole ceremony. He really should have turned invisible this day. Maybe it's him who stole at the Dodgson's. Stealing was his specialty after all. Ah…Those were the good old days..."

'As usual, you are absolutely useless Nikola. What a shame, I'd really appreciate your help on this..."

'Hey! I'm not responsible if the memory is selective! Anyway, why the sudden interest in botanic? What are you planni… Nikola started, but she hung up before he could finish, if he had any idea, he'd call back. Or not, after all, this is Nikola Tesla we're talking about.

To hearten herself, Helen readjusted her heel back in the stiletto she had let slide down her foot and uncrossed her legs before standing up just when Will appeared. He burst in, hobbling along, with his phone wedged between his right shoulder and ear, gripping a tablet and a coffee mug with one hand and carrying in the other a skyscraper-like stack of folders that threatened to spew out at any moment. Helen, her eyebrows raised in a silent mockery, couldn't remove the smile haunting the corner of her lips. Will reached her desk, which was cluttered, as usual, with wide open books and other unidentified and more or less flying objects, and looked at her while talking dryly on the phone, seemingly made a face when he realized there was no place left for him to put his files down. Watching him, Helen settled cozily in the armchair and offered him a bright and compassionate smile without even trying to clear out some space for him. Mumbling "thank you, bye" before hanging up, Will looked daggers at her as if asking for a rematch and let his folders spread on the already chaotic mess of the desk. For her part, she often found something so adorable in his clumsiness that she preferred taking delight in it and contemplating what Nikola named "the spontaneity of youth" rather than fighting it or preventing it. Anyway, this was Will and this was the relationship they had since the day she had knocked him down with her car. She couldn't help but tease, tickle, titillate and in the end, properly annoy him. In fact, sometimes, she purely and solely played to be his own personal Tesla.

'Magnus! he protested, pointing the desk with both hands 'If this is to remind me you're the boss, I already got it! But if this is your sadistic tendency creeping in, then I suggest we begin some therapy, right now!'

Helen chuckled. Despite everything, she had to confess she had a certain fondness for him. Will was smiling back, his eyes slyly darting a glance in her direction as if secretly asking "don't do that to me again', and in respond, she whispered a not so earnest apology in that somehow insolent voice she could sometimes have. For a second, he looked outraged and his desire vacillated between angrily slapping her and angrily kissing her, yet he just shook his head, getting rid of both ideas, before slowly sitting face to her.

'What's up?' he asked

'Nothing concrete, I'm afraid. The other Sanctuaries have never seen something like this. London staff seems to be the only ones infected, but still… I had an idea, but it doesn't lead anywhere since Nikola…'

'Oh, no, no, no, don't tell me he has something to do with it! Will said, making an horrified face. She smiled.

'No, not really. He knew Charles Dogson too, that's all.

'Wow Magnus! Wait, Dogson? As in Charles Lutwidge Dodgson alias Lewis Carroll, as in Alice in…'

'Yes Will, Dogson himself.'

' Okayyy, now you've got my attention!'

' Well, that's my theory. Do you remember the mushrooms Alice eats so that she can change size?

'Don't tell me that you think Declan's 2IC is now barely a foot tall because he had a dream where he drank a flask with a 'drink me' tag and followed a white rabbit down its hole?

'No, what I mean is that Nikola, James, Nigel and I where there the day Charles' parents emptied his flat after he died. We suspected him to have hidden some floral abnormals and insects and many of the plants we found there appeared to possess amazing properties…'

'As in "shrinking" properties ? Come on Magnus ! It's a novel !'

'Actually it's a more a count. But a literary debate will have to wait since Henry, you and I are flying to London in less than two hours. Go get ready!'

With this, she stood up and headed toward the door, letting a wide-eyed Will follow her with his glance.

'What about our team week-end in Tang…?'. His voice echoed through the doorway.

'Two hours, don't be late!' She called back sharply, her heels clicking and echoing as she walked down the corridor.