I swore after seeing Into the Black that I was never, EVER gonna even try and touch it because my mind was just reeling but here I am, writing about it...

This story is also my way of fixing the rather massive slip up I had when I wrote the very first chapter to She Had Him At Hello. Even though I'd seen Awakening and knew that they met in Autumn, while she was wearing a crimson dress, my mind clearly went to mush and I completely blanked when I wrote my take on how they met! You can, in essence think of this as a companion piece for that particular fic but it does stand alone.

This story came to me while I was trying to write the final chapter for Five Near Misses and a Bullseye and I briefly considered using it for the bullseye but by the time I'd written the first line, I knew that it wouldn't work but I had to write it anyway...

Now, time for massive gratitude! When I was trying to get my Nikola head on, I flicked to my absolute favourite Teslen video on YouTube created by the incomparable ZaraShade (who also happens to write stellar fics that you should all go and read). It's called Perfection and it is just that. I've seen the video about a bagillionty times and at least half of them were for this story alone. While it doesn't all match up to the fic, the story interwoven in the video was a massive inspiration for the story... Especially the opening shots of all the black and white footage. Basically, she has my eternal gratitude for being so talented and you should all go watch her videos and read her fics because not only is she just a giant ball of talent but (according to her profile) is also and Aussie which makes her even cooler! Well, not all Aussies are cool but considering she's so awesome and I'm super cool and Damain Kindler was born here... I'll let you make up your own minds :P

There is a picture of Helen's dress. Let me know if you want to see it :) It makes me salivate just looking at it.

Last point, I promise:

Also, the inspiration for the grassy knoll (because I didn't actually find any picture of Oxford that suited my mind) was the Great Court at UQ... I know that will mean squat to most people but go and google if you really care...

Imma go and finish my other two stories now...

Enjoy

xx

"Do you remember the leaves of Autumn that time we met at Oxford? That crimson dress you were wearing… a sensible woman would have worn black, you know, to fit in… but not Helen Magnus, oh no."

"Nikola!"

He was delirious, he had to be.

Nikola Tesla arrived early for his first class. His very first class. Saying he was excited seemed like an understatement. As he sat on the bench under a tree, he tugged absently at the cravat knotted high under his chin. So much for dreary old England he thought. The sun was out, the sky was clear and the grounds were filled with joyful laughter of old friends reuniting. It was a picture perfect autumn day. Although he truly wanted nothing more than to be one of the laughing masses, Nikola was happy to watch, comfortable with the idea that, for now at least, he would be an observer.

Letting out an impatient sigh, Nikola stood up again. He'd overestimated the amount of time it would take him to get to class. Well, that and nothing could dampen his enthusiasm at this point. Straightening his jacket, Nikola began a slow meander towards the shaded relief of the corridors surrounding the grassy knoll. As he made his way along the gravel path, Nikola thought back over his trip to England. It had been long and messy and altogether unpleasant but now as he looked around the campus he could call home, he had to admit it was worth it.

Just as he reached the cool shadows, Nikola became aware of a presence watching him. Spinning on his heel, he prepared for whatever was stalking him. His curiosity was cut short however as he found a pair of soft lips devouring his own in an intense, all consuming kiss. Raising his hands to steady himself, Nikola recognized the distinctly feminine curves pressed against him. Not that he had any experience with such curves but there was no way this body could belong to a man. Slowly, Nikola's senses returned and he began to fight the embrace of this woman.

"Nikola," she whispered against his lips. Her softly accented pronunciation of his name made him melt and his urge to fight her started to crumble.

"Who are you?" he whispered back, his hands knotting in her loose, brown hair as she forced him further into the shadows of the deserted corridors.

"Shut up," she growled at him as her tongue swept into his mouth, tasting him. He stiffened at her words, words he never expected to hear from a gentle English woman but then he became aware of her hands, roaming his chest and he forgot his shock. Her lips were possessive against his as she forced him against the cool sandstone wall. One of her hands made its way to the back of his neck, pulling him closer while the other slid down to his hips, pulling them into contact with hers.

"We can't do this," he stuttered between her frenzied kisses.

"Like hell we can't," she responded angrily as her lips became more and more demanding as desperation began to tinge the encounter.

Nikola moaned and she began to nip at his bottom lip. Suddenly he found himself the owner of two very adventurous hands, one was fisting in her hair as the other slid down her back. Her body was now flush against his as she continued to devour his lips. His hands ran down her sides, caressing her waist before moving without conscious thought lower and lower until he felt a strange, hard contraption strapped to her hip under all that fabric. He tried to pull away but she let out a frustrated growl before ducking her head to his neck.

"Don't ruin it Nikola," she whispered between wet, open mouthed kisses along his jaw, ending just under his ear.

"How do you know me?" he whispered throatily as his head fell back.

"Shut. Up," she whispered, her voice harsh as her lips reclaimed his for another bruising kiss. At this point he noticed that she was, in fact the exact right height for activities such as these. He felt her begin to pull away but soon realised he was unwilling to relinquish her attentions. He raised his hands to her face, cupping her cheeks gently as he began to kiss her back properly for the first time since their encounter began. Her reaction was instantaneous, she whimpered against his lips and her whole body changed. Gone was the almost violent grinding, instead she seemed to sag against him, her arms winding around his waist as she pulled him closer. The kiss slowed to a gentle roar but Nikola could still feel this mystery woman's desperation.

With one last lingering press of her lips, the woman pulled back. She was still too close for Nikola to make out anything other than her bright blue eyes as they held each other gingerly.

"I'm sorry Nikola," she whispered and he felt her breath against his lips.

"For what?" he asked, unable to fight off his thick accent.

She said nothing, simply letting out a soft half laugh but he could see the tears forming in her crystalline eyes.

"You are brilliant," she said after a pause, the reverence in her voice shocking him. He knew he was a genius but unfortunately it wasn't a view most of his colleagues shared.

He opened his mouth to say something but all too soon she'd pulled out of his embrace, spinning away. She began to sprint down the corridor, her crimson dress hitched up to hasten her escape but exposing her ankles at the same time. Her dark hair was streaming out behind her and the few dead leaves that had landed under the shelter swirled around her skirts as she dashed away.

His lips were burning, the ghost of her lips still on his. Nikola was no novice when it came to kissing but that was different. It made him feel alive, his blood was singing and every nerve ending was on fire. This certainly wasn't the way he'd expected his first day to turn out.

All of a sudden Nikola found himself believing in fairytales. He had to find her, his girl in a crimson dress who kissed him as the autumn leaves fell. His girl who didn't even turn around for a last look as she made her escape.

For as long as he lived, Nikola would never forget that kiss, he knew he couldn't if he tried. That dark haired angel that had shown an emotion through her kisses he couldn't place for at least another 4 years. Actually, it was exactly four years, almost to the day. Four years after some voracious snogging with a mystery brunette Nikola Tesla realized he was head over heels in love with Helen Magnus.

Pity this realization occurred the very day she announced her engagement.

When he felt his heart break, he turned back to his memories, choosing his mystery lover over the heart ache he felt for the love of his life. She loved him. She loved him even though he wasn't the perfect English gentleman. She loved him enough to break every strict English protocol the rest of them seemed to trust so implicitly. She kept him from being lonely. She was the only thing that took away the pain Helen had inflicted. She was had been there for him before, when he was lonely and picked on and she was there for him now. She was his.

He barely even noticed when, in his fantasies, he started to call her Helen.

One Helen fixing the mistakes of another.

When she walked through doors to the Sanctuary, Nikola was gobsmacked. A month ago Druitt, after a near miss had reported her dead, certain that even if she had made it through the time portal, the radiation would have killed her long before she could have made it back to them. His rage had gone unchecked as he blazed around the world, killing without rhyme or reason. To stop him, Nikola had to abandon his silent vigil for his immortal love. He wasn't entirely sure whether or not John was dead but he figured until Jack the Ripper stories started popping up everywhere, he'd have some peace.

But here she was. Helen Magnus was standing before him in a dark red silk dress and he was…. Well, look at that! Nikola Tesla may be many things but he knew at this very moment he was absolutely speechless. They stood in the foyer for a few seconds, drinking in each other's image.

"Nice dress. Crimson and everything," he croaked out eventually, taking in the rather figure hugging outfit.

"When did you figure it out?" she asked breathlessly as she walked straight towards him, her black, patent heels highlighting her footsteps. Her hair was longer than he remembered, maybe a touch darker too and she looked a little older but her eyes were blazing bright.

He took a few seconds to register her question and then another few to figure out what she was referring to.

"Adam."

She smiled her trademark smile at him before closing the last of the distance between them, wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed him.

"You are brilliant," she said into his mouth and he smirked as he wrapped his arms around her waist. They swayed in each other's embrace for a few seconds, lips connected consensually for the first time in over a hundred and thirty years.

"You're not half bad yourself," he responded smugly between kisses.

She chuckled darkly before slapping his arm lightly. Stepping out of his embrace, she took his hand and pulled him to the doorway.

"Helen, as much as I'd love to admire the view, there is another that is equally as lovely and I'd like to get to know it far more intimately. And there are questions that beg for an answer," he whispered, coming to stand behind her. She said nothing and he wound his arms around her waist. "I don't see it," he said after a beat.

"You are remarkably imperceptive," she said and he could almost hear her roll her eyes at him. After a few seconds of silence, she let out a soft sigh. "It's autumn, Nikola."

He smiled at that, turning her in his arms until he could press her against the doorframe.

"We really should stop meeting like this," he whispered into her neck as she pulled him closer.

"Does that mean you don't like my dress?" she asked, arching her back.

"I can think of only one place it would look better." His answered was muffled by the skin of her throat as he began to nibble. "There are questions…" he started between kisses.

"Now is not the time for talking," she instructed, her voice a low growl in her throat.

"You never were a sensible woman, were you?" he asked as he drew level with her eyes.

"Genius, remember?"

He laughed at that.