Author's Note: No. 13 in the "No Destination in Mind" series or can stand alone without reading all of that. :) The whole team is involved in this one! Going to keep it teen rated as much as possible so all can enjoy. Of course, I own nothing of Sanctuary or its characters. My words, however, are my own. Please review and let me know what you think! Will be posting chapter 2 soon! :) Thanks as always for reading! Peace. NCS

The Shadow Men
Chapter 1: Figures in the Dark
(Copyright 2011, NoCleverSig)

The knock on Will Zimmerman's door was bold and precise just like the man who delivered it.

Will looked up from his file to see John Druitt, dark slacks, grey shirt, blue eyes, standing in his doorway. The team had returned from Guatemala and their encounter with the mysterious Kukulkan nearly three months earlier. Since then, life at the Sanctuary had, more or less, returned to normal. Druitt, who'd been freed from his energy creature by Tesla the year before, was once again a member of the Sanctuary team and working side by side with Kate. The partnership was as productive as it was endearing. Henry had taken up where he'd left off, teaching John about the Sanctuary's computer systems. Even the Big Guy had started to warm up to him, perhaps smacking him a bit harder than necessary on the back of his bald head, but still smacking him nonetheless.

And of course, there was Magnus.

Druitt and she had reunited in the jungles of Guatemala, although Magnus kept the details of their reunion to herself. The two, Will thought, were like rare-earth magnets; the attraction so strong it generated a field of energy that was almost palpable to those around them.

All Will knew and all that Magnus would tell him was that she'd forgiven John and that his clothes were back in her closet.

Will had grinned at that revelation, and Magnus had too. He knew full well how much the head of the Sanctuary Network valued her personal space. To admit that she was once again sharing her room with John Druitt said everything Will needed to know about the state of their relationship.

"Do you have a moment, William?" Druitt asked, his deep voice resonating. Looking at who he was now it was hard, even for Will who had spent countless hours counseling the man, to imagine the depths of violence Druitt had once committed.

"Sure. Come in," Will motioned with his hand and scooted his chair back to move around the table and join John on the couch. John closed the door behind him and signaled for Will to stay put. He did, and Druitt pulled up a chair in front of Will's desk.

"Don't get up, William. I know you're busy. The number of new intakes is remarkably high these past few months. It appears Helen has found a renewed sense of purpose," Druitt smiled.

Will chuckled. "You could say that." What Will and John both knew was that Magnus was happy, and that translated into a variety of things including, oddly enough, more work for everyone.

"What can I do for you? Trouble with the new Xenophobes?" Will asked. He knew the capture had been a rough one for Druitt and Kate despite their abilities and speed.

John shook his head. Something in Druitt's expression, his demeanor, made Will uneasy.

"What's wrong?" Will asked, learning forward, concern on his face.

Druitt flashed him a quick smile. "You read people well."

"It's what Magnus pays me for, and under the circumstances it's not that difficult. We've been working together for awhile now. Have the nightmares come back?"

Months ago, when Tesla first rid Druitt of the energy creature, the gravity of the Ripper's crimes had come crashing down on John. Consequently he suffered almost continuous nightmares that left him screaming and shaking in the dark. Although the entity that possessed his body was gone, its crimes had been forever burned into John's consciousness. Will was the only one able to help Druitt work through it, and although John might never be able to sleep soundly, at least he slept.

"Not exactly, no."

Will waited a beat. He'd counseled the man long enough to know to let him take the lead. John Druitt came from another time and place, and opening up about his feelings, his fears, wasn't exactly his strong suit.

John held his hands as if in prayer. After a moment, he began talking.

"Something has been happening to me, William. Something I can't explain…can't put my finger on. At first I dismissed it as nothing…the stress of the last few months, Helen's abduction, my departure," he added sheepishly. "But now…I'm not so sure." He paused. "Frankly, I'm afraid."

From someone else the admission might have had less impact. From John Druitt, it was positively jaw dropping

"Of what?" Will asked, trying not to act as concerned as he was beginning to feel.

"Of slipping. Of becoming what I once was."

Will nodded his head in understanding. They'd had this conversation before, albeit early in John's days at the Sanctuary. "You and I have discussed this. You were violated andpossessed, John." Will said, waving his hand in the air. "You didn't commit those crimes, the creature inside you did. You were a vessel, a pawn. If it hadn't have been for you, the creature may have killed more…maybe thousands. You kept it at bay."

"Small comfort, particularly to those I did kill…and their families," Druitt sighed, his eyes dropping.

Will nodded. "I know. But you understand what I'm saying."

"I do, William. But that's not what I'm talking about this time." He scooted forward resting his clasped hands on Will's desk. "I know I could never commit such heinous acts on my own. It is not in my nature. You convinced me of that."

Will nodded.

"But what," he hesitated. "What if it were to happen again?"

Will cocked his head. "I'm not sure I'm following you, John."

Druitt sat back, obviously gathering his thoughts.

"What if I was to become haunted once more, William?" he whispered.

Will leaned back in his chair, hands folded. For some reason the hair on the back of his neck stood on end and he shivered. "Magnus has taken precautions. The drugs you're taking…" he countered.

John nodded his head. "Are designed to make my cellular structure unappealing, shall we say, to creatures of that sort, yes, I understand. Helen and I have discussed the theory behind her and Tesla's creation. But what….what if it isn't working?"

There it was, Will thought, the root of whatever it was that was bothering Druitt.

"What's happening, John?"

Druitt looked at him and swallowed hard, obviously hesitant, fearful even.

"I'm seeing things, William. Things that shouldn't be there."

"Such as?"

"Shadows. Figures. Dark shapes. From the corner of my eye. But when I turn to look, they're gone."

Will narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure they aren't dreams?"

Druitt shook his head and stood up, pacing the floor, jamming his hands into his pockets.

"At first I thought they were, since it happens only at night. Some sort of waking dream perhaps? But over the past week it's happened more and more often, now during the day as well when I'm fully awake. I see a figure, a dark shape, just out of my peripheral vision, but when I turn to look…." John shook his head and leaned his forehead against his arm gazing out the Sanctuary window. "They're gone. I'm not sure they were ever there in the first place."

Will started to speak, but John turned around, cutting him off.

"What if I'm going insane William? What if the creature's possession of my body for so long left some sort of permanent psychological damage? What if what I'm seeing is a similar creature wanting to repossess me? What if…"

Will stood up and raised his hands. "Whoa, hold on a second. First off, that's a lot of 'what ifs.' Second, nothing that you've just told me leads me to believe you're going insane. How long has this been happening?"

"Almost two weeks now."

"Have these figures tried to attack you? Approach you in any way?"

Druitt shook his head. "No. It's as though they're watching me…waiting."

Will walked around from behind the desk to stand in front of John. "If they'd wanted to possess you, don't you think they'd have tried it by now?"

John nodded. "Perhaps."

Will leaned against the edge of his desk. If he were calm, perhaps John would follow suit. "There could be a lot of explanations for what's happening to you including physiological ones. We should get your eyes examined, and some neurological scans done. And of course, there's always the possibility that there is some sort of Abnormal at play here."

John looked up at that. "But no one else has seen it."

"As far as we know. We don't know that for sure. We need to check, interview some of the residents, see if they've noticed or sensed anything unusual. But first we need to rule out the most plausible explanations, and that involves testing. Have you told Magnus about this?"

John shook his head emphatically and paced the room again. "No. The last thing I want to do is worry Helen, not after…well after everything that's happened."

Will bit his lip and nodded. "I understand, but you're going to have to tell her. She'll need to conduct the tests. And if you're concerned that the medicine she's giving you isn't working, she needs to know that too."

Druitt sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I know. I just…" he turned to look back at Will.

"Tomorrow night is an anniversary of sorts. April 24, the day we would have…Well, let's just say it's special and leave it at that," he said enigmatically. "Anyway, Helen and I have a date planned, and I have a gift for her as well. Can it wait until after ?"

Will wanted to say no. Magnus needed to know what was going on and she needed to know right now. What if the drugs weren't working? What if there was some sort of undetected Abnormal loose in the Sanctuary? Or worse yet, what if Druitt was right? What if he was going insane?

Magnus could be at risk. They all could.

He might get fired over this, or worse, but Will found himself nodding, giving in to John' request. "Okay. One day, but that's it. We'll go see her together the day after tomorrow…first thing in the morning," he added for emphasis. Will put his hand on Druitt's shoulder. "We'll work through this, John. I'm sure there's a perfectly logical explanation for what's happening here."

Druitt smiled and nodded.

He wasn't convinced.

"Oh, Johnny, you did gooooood!"

Kate Freelander oohed and awwed at the sparkling piece of jewelry peeking out from the velvet box in her hand. Druitt had just picked it up from the jeweler that morning and planned to give it to Helen that evening at the conclusion of their special date.

"Do you really think so Miss Freelander? Do you suppose Helen…Dr. Magnus," Druitt corrected himself, "Will like it?"

Kate closed the box, looked up at Druitt, and put her hands on his shoulders, catching him off guard.

"She will love it, and she will love you even more so for going to all the trouble to fix it. Seriously, Johnny, it's…" Kate shrugged. "It's extraordinary…" she sighed. "Damn, I wish I had an old school romantic like you in my life," she mumbled absently.

"You don't think it'll bring back…bad memories?" He asked hesitantly.

Kate shook her head. "Nope. Not in the least. Fresh start, that's what this is all about. She'll get that."

John grinned, pleased with himself. "Good, I was hoping that is how she would see it."

"Excuse me. Am I interrupting?"

Helen Magnus walked through the doorway into the new intake holding area with arms crossed and eyebrows raised.

John turned to look at her and grinned, knowing full well how the scene might appear to any other lover. He also knew that Helen would know better. Kate, however, was less informed.

"Nope, not interrupting a thing. Nothing going on here. Zilch. Nada," she said in hasty succession yanking her hands off of Druitt so fast he might as well have been electrified. She tucked the velvet box behind her back, hands clasped.

Magnus nodded, trying to look slightly cross while doing her best to fight off a wicked grin.

"Well, if you two are finished with…whatever it is that you were doing, I'd like a word with John, please."

Kate paled. "Sure. Fine. No problem. I'll just be...uh," she pointed her thumb toward the stairs. "Out of here. Johnny I'll give you back that *thing* in a few." She rushed out as fast as possible.

Helen walked over to John, lavender dress swishing, heels clicking, and hips swaying. Druitt smiled, not only because he found her game amusing but also because, as usual, she took his breath away.

"Should I even ask?" Helen asked when she got a foot away from him.

John stuck his hands in his pockets. "I was seeking Miss Freelander's advice on a topic of peculiar female interest and, as usual, she became a bit overenthusiastic, that's all."

Helen laughed. "So I don't have to vie for your attention or, God forbid, fire her. Good help is so hard to come by these days," she frowned playfully.

"No, I think we're fine on all counts. How are you, my dear?" He reached up and held her arms loosely, caressing them with his thumb. "Tired?" he smirked, eyebrows raised.

Helen looked up at him and grinned. "My, we are full of ourselves this morning aren't we Mr. Druitt?"

He gave her a cocky look. "Just trying to make sure I pleased my lady last night."

He could have sworn he saw a faint blush sweep across Helen's face, but it was gone so quickly, he couldn't be sure.

"Your lady," she emphasized the words, "was quite pleased and intends to return the favor tonight, which is what I'm here to talk to you about."

"Oh?" he asked surprised.

"I have a conference call with Declan late this afternoon and it might run over. He's staying up well past his bed time so we can talk about the situation with the UN. I hate to cut him short. Would it be all right if we pushed our reservation back an hour?"

"Certainly," John nodded. "I'll call the restaurant."

Helen smiled, reached up, and kissed him on the cheek. She didn't abide for public displays of affection, particularly in front of her staff. But since she'd scared off the only one in the vicinity, well…

"Good, then I'll see you tonight?"

"You most certainly will."

Magnus turned to walk away, then stopped suddenly and turned back around, her long brunette hair sweeping over her shoulders as she did so.

"Oh, and John?"

"Yes dear?"

"Tell Kate to keep her hands off of my boyfriend." She smiled sweetly and left the room.

John Druitt laughed.

(to be continued…)