A.N.: This is a bit of a character study into the friendship between Helen and Nikola, the way that they seem to work on the same wavelength but start from different ends. I find these characters really difficult to write, and this is the first piece of fanfic I've posted in a long time, and my first ever Sanctuary fanfic. I would really appreciated any comments on my characterisation, however I apologise if the narration moves too slow.
Nikola had nestled himself into the lab, conducting further blood tests, hoping that looking at the development of the radiation affects on Adam's blood compared to the early stages of Helen's would reveal something, but so far radiation poisoning was radiation poisoning. Helen entered wearily after he'd been there for hours, her mannerisms reflective of the fact she'd been informed of her condition. She didn't say a word when she noticed his presence, just gave him a glance in which he recognised a faint fear of uncertainty.
Helen crossed the room to reach the table with all the medical equipment, she stood and stared, her eyes lazily wandering over the multitude of tools. Nikola felt uneasy seeing her hover, there were few times that Helen seemed lost, she could usually find something to follow and investigate.
The noise from Nikola's chair made Helen start, her hand going to reach for an analysis tool. Beside her now, Nikola reached out to stop her movement.
"Nikola," she began in a tired tone. "I need to sta..."
"Let me do it." he interrupted, gentle removing the tool from her hand, whilst gesturing with the other for her to sit down. She relented seating herself with a small humph.
"I'll need to have a full body scan as well." she said absent minded as she watched his preparations.
At her words his eyes flashed up with a smirk. Upon seeing that, Helen let out a brief laugh finishing in a smile, stating "You're impossible."
"A gentlemen should take every chance to make a lady smile." He declared calmly, their conversation pausing as he swabbed her arm with alcohol and inserted the needle, before reaching to grab the available vials.
"It's been a very long time since you were a gentlemen and I was a lady." She commented giving him a daring glare.
"Now, now. Don't suggest such things." He mocked.
Silence fell in between them, all their focus on the filling third vial. Helen's agitation was evident as Nikola removed the needle and vial, handing her a swab to stem the bleeding.
His had his back to her labelling the vials, when she spoke next, the words coming straight from her mind.
"Ever since the war, I've wondered what would get me. How could the world ever touch people like you or me?" Nikola's movements paused, before he came to rest his hands on the table top, her words echoing amongst buried wounds.
"But in the end it was always us. We do it to ourselves, Mother Nature need do nothing."
A cheap laugh escaped her, encouraging a feeling that she was heading to hysteria.
"You might just beat me to this discovery." Nikola said solemnly, expressing his worry.
She really was beginning to feel hysterical, a smile forming when she looked to him.
"Us, forever the scientists."