Merry Christmas!

Dawning

Helen woke up with Nikola. "Mm..." She tried to close her eyes again and go back to sleep, but Nikola was awake. "Helen, I know you're awake."

"Damn," Helen swore playfully.

Nikola laughed. "Helen, my dear, I think you're still drunk."

"Very possible," she muttered into his chest.

"Hangover kicked in yet?" he asked a moment later.

"God yes," Helen said.

"You know, you should really drink less, Helen - you have a Sanctuary to run. Fortune for you, you little alcoholic, it's Christmas."

Helen groaned. "I don't get the day off on Christmas."

"What?" Nikola asked indignantly. After a moment, he said, "Well, put protégée to work like a canary in a coal mine, and take the day off."

"How is Will like a canary in a coal mine?" Helen blinked, confused.

"I don't know, he's fragile and blonde?" Nikola snapped.

Helen sat up, looking at the clock. The hands pointed to 8:30. Helen moaned in distress. Her hair was a mess, her clothes were rumpled, and she was lying on the couch with Nikola. Helen got up quickly, and stood. Nikola was drinking a bottle of wine. "This early?" Helen yawned.

"Late by my standards," he yawned too.

Helen sighed, and walked out of the room, closing the door after her.

"Hey, where are you going?" Nikola yelled.

*.*

Helen, no longer dishevelled, had called in a meeting. "Firstly, I'd like to say you are all given the day off."

Kate cheered.

Helen smiled. Nikola was sulking in the corner. "Nikola, did you get it to work?"

"Yes," the vampire grumbled.

"Good." Helen smiled. "Also, from-" she checked her watch, "-12 o'clock this morning, all the lights in the Hollow Earth Sanctuary will be turned off. We're turning the habitat of the Arctic Carnivorous Coral Plant into a place for snowball fights." Helen grinned. "Merry Christmas, all."

Nikola clicked a couple of buttons on the tablet he had stolen fro Henry, and the lights went off. Since there was no sunlight, it looked like night time. Nikola clicked another button and a soft gold glow came from the bulbs instead.

"Now, shoo," Helen said. "Meet me in the room with the fire at 3 o'clock."

"Where are you going?" Henry asked.

"Work," Helen looked at him in surprise.

Will crossed his arms. Next to him, Kate smiled. "Not exactly."

Will said, "Well, I may not be able to give you a month of sick time, but I pulled the strings to get you Christmas Day off."

Helen stared at him, dumbfounded. To tell the truth, she wasn't quite sure whether she was glad or not. It had been quite a while since she had really celebrated Christmas. It had been quite a long time since she had celebrated Christmas with Nikola, too.

*.*

"Helen, you really did go over the top for this one." Nikola commented under the soft glow of the Christmas lights. They were watching Will, Kate,and Henry having a snowball fight in what had been the habitat of an Arctic Carnivorous Coral Plant. The water was frozen, making them skid as they dodged snowballs. "I wanted them to be comfortable in the new Sanctuary," Helen said softly.

"It's late," Nikola said. "You've had at least two glasses of wine, despite already having a hangover. Are you going to join in?"

Helen shook her head. She and Nikola were leaning against a table, drinking wine and looking through the glass. "I think I'll watch."

"That sounds dirty," Nikola smirked.

"Only to you," she sighed.

Nikola did not try to persuade her, just stood by her. They talked about Sanctuary, about his ideas, wine, and after quite a lot of wine, the conversation turned to something else. "Helen, am I staying?" Nikola asked quietly.

She turned to him, somewhat surprised by the question. She was saved from answering by the arrival of three people. Abby, Erika, and Garis walked through the doorway. Helen stood up, smiling. "Erika, Garis, Abby. It's good to see you."

"Likewise, Helen." Erika smiled.

Abby smiled and waved. "Hey!" she said brightly.

Garis muttered a greeting in his own language.

"They're over that way," Helen pointed and watched the fight go on and on. After about half an hour, they came out. They followed Helen to the room with the Christmas Tree, and sat down on the sofa. Or rather, everyone but Nikola and Helen sat down on the sofa, or a chair. The problem was that it left only one armchair. Nikola grinned widely. He sat down. "Sit down on my lap?"

Helen rolled her eyes, but much to everyone's surprise did sit down on Nikola's lap. Nikola himself was rather surprised.

The rest of the evening went by in a blur of presents and wrapping paper. After everyone had given Helen a present, she realized Nikola hadn't given her anything. She realized too, she shouldn't really be surprised, after all, this was Nikola.

Around one in the morning, everyone had gone to bed and Helen was still sitting on Nikola's lap. He leaned towards her, and whispered into her ear, although there was no one else there. "Don't think I've forgotten you, my dear. Look up."

Helen smiled; typical. Above her head, there was a sprig of mistletoe. She leaned up and kissed him gently.

He smiled. "Come on, you owe me a snowball fight," Nikola said out loud.

Helen laughed, and they both ran for the enclosure. For a while, they threw snowballs, until they both collapsed into the snow, laughing. Nikola's hair was covered in snow, and Helen's front was white and powdery.

Helen smiled and rolled toward Nikola. She let her head rest on his chest, and that was how they spent the rest of Christmas; wide awake in the snow.