Hours passed with only the sound of the crackling fire and the slow and steady, if not slightly labored, breaths of his beloved friend. Upon the third hour Nikola was immensely relieved when Helen finally stirred, groaning as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings.
"Nikola-?"
"I'm here." Came his reply, his voice barely managing more than a whisper.
Helen breathed a sigh of relief, meeting his familiar gaze as he regarded her from the shadows by the window. She winced as she shifted further upright, her voice husky from the smoke and lack of use.
"Where are we?"
"Safe," The vampire replied, pouring her a glass of wine as he moved to place another few logs in the hearth, "At least for now."
She followed him about the room curiously, the usually ostentatious scientist quietly reserved as he returned to his post.
"Nikola?"
"You should get some more sleep." He offered, turning back to his perusal of the window as he sipped from his glass, "There's a room made up in the back."
She watched as he twirled the stem of his glass between his fingers, his thoughts seemingly everywhere and not all at once.
"The great Nikola Tesla at a loss for words?" She teased lightly, "Now I really have seen everything-"
"You think this is a joke?" He replied curtly, his tone just above a whisper despite its ferocity. The vampire refusing to meet her eyes but did not fail to miss the way she flinched at the remark.
"I beg your pardon-"
"We thought we'd lost you." The strain in his voice clenched her heart painfully.
"Oh Niko-" Her tone softened but the vampire appeared unmoved.
"You know I almost had to knock the poor pooch out lest he attempt to retrieve what might've been left of your crispy corpse?"
"Where is Henry?" She interrupted his tirade as she glanced about the small living room.
"Asleep." He replied into the depths of his glass.
"Nikola?" She watched him in confusion. She'd known he'd be upset, but this she hadn't expected.
"The bathrooms at the end of the hall." He offered quietly, not trusting his voice, "You'll feel better after a nice long soak-"
"Niko please-" She all but begged, "Talk to me-"
"I'm fine Helen," He snapped, slipping his free hand into his pocket with a little more force than necessary, "Though I'm not sure my well-being figured greatly into your little scheme."
"You know that's not true," She sighed with a shake of her head, "There were too many variables to consider-"
"Well then," He snorted humorlessly, "I'm glad nearly three hundred years finally brought you enough clarity to decide that I wasn't one of them."
His biting remarks made her flinch yet again, his sarcastic barbs hitting their mark as he returned his glass to the table and strode for the hall.
"I'll be out of your hair by morning."
"Nikola Tesla don't you dare walk away from me." She stood, far too quickly for her current condition if she were honest, managing to catch his arm as he tried to exit.
He growled but stilled at her touch, his feet riveted to the spot as he glanced down at the small hand clutching at his shirtsleeve.
"You know for a genius," She remarked wearily, "You can be awfully dense at times."
His brow lifted incredulously as he turned to face her. "Excuse me?"
"I mean really," She added in exasperation, her hand still remaining in place on his arm, "You of all people I would have expected-"
"It's been a long night," He snapped, hurt flashing briefly in his pale eyes as he crossed his arms in irritation, "You'll have to excuse my inability to keep up with your little games."
"We've been playing games for the better part of two centuries Nikola," She shot back, "Or have you conveniently forgotten who's borne the brunt of your fleeting comings and goings throughout that time?"
"You're bringing this up now?" He gaped. "Way to hold a grudge Helen."
"That's not what I meant, and you know it," She shot back indignantly, "Do you feel it though Nikola? That sense of foreboding? The icy clench of fear you feel sitting around your heart-"
His eyes widened in recognition. "I-"
"Do you really think so little of yourself?" She shook her head in amazement, "Assumed your absence somehow went unnoticed? Wasn't keenly felt-"
She swallowed around the lump in her throat as his mouth snapped shut, the vampire remaining silent as he glanced away from her penetrating gaze.
"The first time you disappeared for sixty years," She began, her eyes burning through him, "And then you tried to kill me-"
"That was a mistake," He interjected petulantly, "I don't know how many times I should have to apologize for that minor error in judgment."
"That's not the point-"
"You had James," He rolled his eyes, again avoiding hers as he carried on, "As much as I'd enjoyed playing the third wheel, twice no less-"
"Always so close yet so far away," She countered, of course she'd known where he'd been and what he'd been up to, "Sixty years Nikola-"
"A hundred and thirteen, Helen." He retorted sharply, hurt flashing across his pale features as they stood off against each other.
"I had my reasons."
"Yea?" He snapped back, "Well so did I. Look, what do you want me to say Helen? Should I admit it took me that long to try and get over you?"
"No of course not-"
"Well it did," He continued undeterred, "And then guess what? It didn't work. And you- you couldn't leave well enough alone could you? Not this you. I know what you've been up to my girl, genius remember-"
"You always pretend to be so full of yourself," She scoffed, "But it doesn't take a genius to realize it's just a front to alienate everyone who cares about you, ensure no one gets too close-"
"Pot," He quipped sarcastically. "Meet Kettle."
"I thought we'd moved past this," She shook her head in disbelief. "What happened to you Nikola?"
"You left me out of the loop," He hissed, "Again. And I nearly lost you – again."
"I had no choice-"
"Of course you didn't," He laughed humorlessly, turning on his heels towards the exit, "Well, I hope your precious Sanctuary was worth it-"
"This wasn't just for the sake of the Sanctuary Nikola," She growled, following after him, "Don't be such a fool-"
"Then tell me, Helen," He turned abruptly, their faces mere millimeters away, the beast within barely contained and his breath hot against her lips, "What could possibly be worth giving up your life-"
"Us."
Admittedly that had not been the response he'd expected as the air left his sails and he stumbled back slightly, mouth agape at the woman shaking as she stood before him.
"What?
"I did this for us, Nikola." She replied softly, a pained smile lifting her lip.
"I don't follow."
"Tell me," She raised a brow knowingly, "Did you never consider your conveniently timed departure from SCIU? That you came back to me when you did?"
He looked suddenly more confused than he'd been with her previous admission.
"Come on Nikola," She urged with a small smirk, "I've had over a hundred years to plan this little venture out-"
Suddenly his brow drew together in a scowl.
"You witch," He accused unbelievably, "You sabotaged me, didn't you?"
"Of course you'd see it that way." She rolled her eyes at the vampire now glaring daggers at her but remaining uncharacteristically silent.
"Oh don't look at me like that." She chastised, arms falling to her sides. "Work it out, Nikola."
"All my efforts, my research-" He hissed, throwing his hands towards the sky incredulously.
"Your place was never with them." She pressed on, "Your entire life's work to date wasted on those that would turn your best intentions against the world."
"I had them eating out the palm of my hand." He objected vehemently, "I could've done great things, Helen."
"And you will, my dearest Nikola, I guarantee it," She took his hand, her eyes pleading with him to understand, "But I couldn't wait around any longer for you to grow up-"
"Grow up?" He scoffed, snatching back his hand, "My dear, you've done the world a great disservice."
Her hands fisted harshly at her sides at the implication, reminding herself it wasn't his fault that he didn't understand what she was offering him. A wave of pain and exhaustion washed over her, the fight leaving her as her shoulders slumped.
"This world isn't ready for you. Not yet."
He hadn't expected the softened tone of her voice as he watched her collect herself, pacing the narrow space behind the sofa as his thoughts raced to find the explanation, she'd been so adamant he'd be able to grasp.
"January 7th," She murmured with a soft sigh, "1943."
He stilled, eyes widening in realization and lips agape as the air rushed from his lungs.
"They think we're dead."
"Three bodies," She murmured with a relieved sigh, "Barely distinguishable from whatever remains, abnormal DNA, two males-"
"One female," He finished incredulously.
"Exactly."
He would've found her relatively smug expression endearing had she not doubled over in pain with a hiss as she clutched at her ribs.
"Come on," He led her back to the sofa, "Sit down before I have to sedate you permanently."
"You wouldn't." She chuckled as he reached for her abandoned glass.
"Don't be so sure of that Missy." He warned, allowing the vampire to take over as he sliced a claw across his wrist.
"What the bloody hell-" She gaped, reaching for the flannel on the table to help steep the flow.
"Relax," He mumbled, voice dark and rich as velvet as he watched his blood falling in tiny droplets into the wine, "I have a theory."
She watched curiously as he retracted his hand and swept his tongue across the wound, his other hand swirling the dark liquid thoroughly before holding it out. "Here."
"You're not serious." She eyed him suspiciously.
"Perfectly," He retorted, pushing the glass into her rather reluctant fingers. "Now drink."
"I'd much prefer a nice hot-"
"Wouldn't we all," He smirked, raising her hand and the glass closer to her lips, "Now enough flirting, it'll help, trust me."
"You say that an awful lot you know."
"Yes, well," He offered with a petulant roll of his once more human eyes, "Some of you need reminding apparently, now drink already."
Cautiously she brought it to her lips, downing the remaining mouthful before he lifted the glass from her fingers and placed it on the table. A second ticked by, Nikola watching her patiently.
"Were you expecting- urgh-" Whatever she'd meant to say was stolen away in a rush of air, her vision white as an agonizing pain tore through her body. "Nikola what-"
"Just relax," He soothed, taking her hand as she gripped onto him for dear life, "It'll pass soon enough."
She looked like she might've objected if she could have moved as another wave of what felt like fire tore through her body, her hand suddenly tingling where the two of them touched.
"To be honest I wasn't quite sure if there was enough vampire in you for it to work," He offered softly, his eyes watching her intently, "I can't tell you how glad I am to have been wrong in that respect."
"Bloody hell." She grit her teeth, "Is this what it's like-"
"Every time." He offered almost sadly, "But worth it."
"Gods, Nikola-" She groaned through another wave.
"Dearest Helen," He sighed, a rather pleased expression curling his lip, "If only you knew how long I've waited to hear that particular prayer fall from your lips."
"Shut up." She smacked him with her free hand, "Stop teasing it's not fair to kick a woman while she's down."
His smirk was suddenly sinful. "I could think of far more entertaining things-"
"Oh for the- I walked right into that didn't I?" She chuckled despite the pain when suddenly he shifted, eliciting a gasp from her cracked lips as he lifted her legs up onto the sofa in his place and pulled the blanket up around her.
"What-"
"Healing takes quite a bit out of ones energy reserves," He offered by means of explanation, "You stay put, I'll see to that tea."
"Oh, no-" She glanced up at him in surprise, stilling him with a hand on his arm, "Really you don't have to, no doubt I'm not the only one bordering on exhausted-"
"You know one day, Helen," He took her hand in his with a rather dramatic sigh, "You're going to have to come to terms with the fact that sometimes," His voice softened, "You need to let go and just let someone take care of you."
She squeezed his hand affectionately, her reply teasing, "And you'd willingly volunteer for such a position?"
"Haven't I always?" He offered a small smile in response, his voice barely a whisper but his eyes, oh those marvelously pale orbs, she'd never seen them quite so serious.
"Yes," She mused, a small smile gracing her lips as he released her and moved off into the kitchen, leaving her to her thoughts. "Yes, I suppose you have."