Sanctuary For All
Chapter One - History Repeats
As Helen Magnus stood and stretched, her back popped slightly as her spine realigned. She dusted her hands on her pants and sighed. She, not for the first time, felt a little old. It was too expected but this week had been a long one, even by Sanctuary standards. Three new abnormals, a fire in Sydney meant that almost twenty abnormals needed a short term home and then there was the fact that there was a bad flu making the rounds.
"Can we go home now?"
Kate looked just as tired Helen felt, dirt smeared across her cheeks, her arms hanging by her sides.
"I like that idea. Pack up boys"
Will and Henry started packing the gear and Helen headed out of the tunnel, the new abnormal now securely in it's cage. It only took ten minutes for them to be on their way home, all desperate for a hot shower and bed. Within a hour, Helen had settled herself in bed, sorting through the paperwork for their new abnormal. The Sanctuary was silent, the occasional shifting of pipes the only real sound to be heard. Helen found this time the best. The abnormals, her team, the Sanctuary itself was completely at peace. Which is why, when the building vibrated with the heavy brass knocker, it took Helen a moment to realize what was going on. She pulled on her robe, grabbed her gun and headed for the front door. She pulled open the door, slowly, carefully, opening it a crack and peeping around the corner. There was no one there. It was freezing outside, the wind slicing through Helen's thin robe. She was just about to close the door when she heard a soft whimper. She opened the door more fully and there on the front step was a basket. And something was shifting beneath the blankets. Helen, weighing her options carefully, grabbed the basket and pulled it inside, kicking the door closed behind her. She reset the locks before turning her attention back to the basket. With slow and careful movements she pulled back the layered folds. She sighed heavily when she saw what lay within. The baby was a healthy pink, sleeping peacefully, unaware of the cold or the fact that it was dumped on the steps of a strange building.
"Who in the world would do something like this?"
The baby moved slightly, it's small hands curling into fists. Helen moved and pressed the intercom that sat near the door. She was going to need the team for this one.
"She seems perfectly healthy. She's lucky she wasn't effected by the cold. It was freezing last night"
Kate smiled down at the baby, her fingers tugging gently on the tiny pink foot.
"Do we know anything? Like how old is she?"
"She's about six months old. I checked the basket and could only find this"
She laid a small slip of paper on the table and the team gathered around to read the words written in small, hurried scratches.
I'm sorry. She's too important, she needs to be safe. I can't protect her. Her name is Lily.
"It's tells us nothing. Except her name that is"
Will glanced at the baby then at the letter again.
"Why is she important? Is she an abnormal?"
"No. I ran every test in our database and all I found was a normal, healthy baby. Apart from this"
Helen picked up Lily and started removing her soft, pink jump suit. She turned Lily to Will and pointed to the child's lower back. It was a thick tattoo, a five sided star and judging by the lack of scabbing, Helen estimated that it was done some time ago.
"You've got to be kidding me? A tattoo? On a baby?"
Helen shrugged as she re-dressed Lily and placed her carefully back on the table.
"I need more time to see what it means."
Will frowned.
"And what do we do from here? With Lily I mean?"
Helen looked down at Lily, her finger now in the baby's tight grip
"Sanctuary for all, remember?"
"The police - "
"She won't be on any database. The Sanctuary isn't known by just anyone Will, you know that. She was left her for a reason. Someone wanted to protect her."
"From what?"
"That's what we need to find out."
"And what do we do with her until then? I mean, is this really the place to raise a child?"
Helen narrowed her eyes at Will.
"I raised Ashley here"
"I didn't mean-"
"Yes you did. Supplies will be arranged and I'll care for her from here. She won't be in the way"
Will watched as Helen left the room, Lily tucked against her shoulder. He didn't mean what he said, he just didn't consider his words more carefully before he spoke them. He sometimes forgot that the wound of losing Ashley was still there, that it always would be. He forgot because there were times that he looked at Magnus and never considered the idea that anyone or anything could hurt her. She could talk or fight her way out of any situation and still have her hair and smile firmly in place. He had never seen the damage that Ashley's death had inflicted other then the one time he glanced at her pain when she was convinced that she was alive, trapped somewhere in the EM shield. He had always been convinced of her strength and vitality but sometimes he forgot that under those layers there was still a woman who hurt, who bleed and who needed comfort. He just sometimes wished that she remembered it too.
Helen watched as Lily slept, her mind and her heart heavy. It had been a while since the crib had been used and she was surprised to find that she had never gotten rid of the old baby clothes that she had always intended to dispose of. The still bright yellow baby-grow fit Lily well and Helen was grateful. All they needed to worry about was diapers and food. Helen had drawn a copy of tattoo and sat at her desk, one hand rocking the crib gently. She did remember how much Ashley used to love the movement. The knock on her door made her pause and glance at Lily, who seemed undisturbed by the sound. Helen slipped from the chair and opened her door as silently as possibly. Kate stood there, in an old pair of shorts and Cub's shirt.
"Kate?"
"Sorry Doc, were you sleeping?"
"No, just studying the tattoo. Is everything ok?"
"No, of course, it's fine. Do you have a few minutes?"
Helen nodded and stepped back, letting Kate into the room. Helen was surprised that she moved straight for the crib, her face pulled into a soft smile as she looked down at the sleeping baby.
"Kate, I never knew you were a baby lover"
"Hey don't judge me! There is something terribly appealing about a person that not only smells good but has yet to become bitter and cynical"
Helen laughed quietly.
"I agree. Now, how can I help you?"
Helen watched Kate move to the other end of the desk, glancing at the drawing.
"Do you know what it means?"
"Not yet but there isn't much to go on? A symbol like this could mean anything at all."
"But if she's not an abnormal-"
"Then that makes it even worse. At least if she was an abnormal, there might be a reason for this"
"Otherwise we are stuck with just plain bad people"
"Precisely. So, why the visit?"
Kate shifted in her seat.
"You know that Will didn't mean to upset you, right?"
Helen frowned.
"It's worse then I thought if you are coming to Will's defence"
"It's not like that"
"Then what is it?"
Kate sighed, chewing her lower lip.
"My family kind of disintegrated after my father died. I had nothing. Then I came here and find myself in a family of sorts. And I don't like the fighting"
"I'm afraid that's part of being in a family. That's what they do best."
"I know. But I know what Will was trying to say"
"And that would be?"
"He's just worried about the effect having Lily here would have on you. You're still healing."
"Well, he needs to calm down. It's not like I'm going to adopt her or anything."
"But that's just the thing Doc, there is nothing stopping you from doing that. You have pretty much unlimited funds and resources."
"I'm not that stupid. Or that impulsive."
"You are a little more then you used to be. Losing Ashley made you become….something else."
"Well, he's worrying about nothing. I'm going to help Lily and hopefully reunite her with her family. If we can that is. I'm not too comfortable doing it if they don't have a reason for that damn tattoo."
Kate studied Helen for a moment before accepting the change of topic and allowing her boss to slip away from the discussion. Maybe this is what she needed.
"Can we sort them out if they don't have a reason?"
Helen raised an eyebrow.
"Define 'sort them out'?
"Me, guns and five minutes? Oh and Biggie with me. I'm sure he'll having something to say about all this"
Helen laughed slightly and before she could comment. Lily chose that moment to wake up and cry. Kate moved before Helen did, picking the baby up with surprising ease, placing her gently over her shoulder. Kate's nose curled.
"Someone is due for a change."
Helen located the pack of diapers that she had gotten dropped off a little while ago and set about changing Lily, who had now settled to a happy gurgle. She smiled widely at both Kate and Helen, gurgling and putting her fist in her mouth.
"She really is a beautiful baby"
"I know. And those eyes-"
"They will most likely change as she gets older."
Kate studied Lily, smiling down at her.
"I don't think they will. This little girl is special."
Lily looked up at them with crystal clear blue eyes and Helen saw something there that she hadn't noticed before. There was almost a wisdom behind her look, as if she knew why she was here and who they were. She didn't fuss the way that a normal child would when in the hands of strangers. Odder still, she didn't react at all when the Big-Guy himself was towering over her. She had merely giggled and tugged at the hair on his face. Helen felt silly thinking it but she had seen odder things. She also knew that despite the fact that she had run all the tests that meant nothing about her not being an abnormal. She may be something that they had never seen and therefore their database did not cover it. It had happened before and she was fairly certain that it would happen again.
"She really should be heading back to sleep. Poor girl has had a hell of a day."
Helen settled Lily back into the crib and rocked it gently until her breathing was deep and even. Kate exchanged a quick smile with Helen before slipping from the room. Helen took off her robe and settled into bed herself. Feeling every second of the hard day in her muscles and joints, she slipped into an effortless sleep.
Helen didn't even know Lily was awake until she peeked into the crib. She was laying on her back, one foot in her hand, gurgling to herself. She gave Helen a stunning smile, nothing but gum and dimples and Helen felt herself smile in return. She really was a pretty baby. Helen changed her quickly, putting her into a red jumpsuit today and headed out of her room and toward her office. The rest of the team were waiting there, Kate was the only one not sitting, pacing impatiently. She frowned as Helen walked into the room.
"Finally. What took you so long?"
Helen indicated to Lily, who had her arms out towards Kate.
"Baby remember?"
Kate took Lily from, swinging the baby gently to her own hip. She waited until she didn't think anyone was looking before pressing her nose into the soft rolls on Lily's neck, breathing in deeply. As far as Kate was concerned, there was nothing like the smell of a baby.
"Ok but I have something I need to show you"
Helen moved closer to her desk, following Kate, who pushed a large book towards her.
"I found it."
Helen pulled the book closer and there was Lily's tattoo.
"I didn't know how to translate the meaning of it though. It was some sort of old language and no one I knew could make any sense of it"
Helen studied the book closely. She wasn't familiar with the language herself but she recognised enough to know who could translate.
"I know someone"
Kate frowned.
"Who?"
Helen sighed heavily, wishing that the name on her tongue was a different one. A name that didn't make her heart race and her stomach twist.
"We need John."