She was still as beautiful as the day he first saw her all those years ago and it had nothing to do with her longevity. Helen Magnus was a stunning woman, a brilliant woman, and a courageous and bold woman. How could he not have fallen in love with her? He still loved her. Being forced to leave her life, to watch her from a distance, had been apart of his punishment. It had not been much of a punishment until now. The pain he saw her going through was too much for him to cope with. Stepping out into the moonlight he spoke her name for the first time since the night Samantha was taken from them. "Helen."

Helen turned from the view of Old City to see who had called out her name. She knew instantly she didn't know the voice, and as she took the man in she knew she didn't know his face either. Her reflexes were quick and before he could draw another breath she had her gun on him. Since the Cabal's attack whenever Helen ventured out of her study she always had a weapon on her, even in her own home. It was just one more thing to hate them for. "Who are you? How the bloody hell did you get in here?"

"You don't remember me, Helen." Thomas said as he took a careful step closer to her. She always did love standing on the edge of the tower's parapet. That square block of mortar and stone was her sanctuary within her Sanctuary. "But you will."

This would alert the others to what he was doing but it was worth it. Thomas moved closer. Helen's gaze never left him; the aim of her gun never wavered. He reached for her and she fired but it went right through him. He took hold of her forearm and smiled. "Remember, Helen."

Helen went limp and he caught her. He held her in his arms protectively for a long moment before laying her down on the roof, propping her up carefully against the cool stonewall. Reaching out he brushed hair from her face before caressing her cheek. "Take back what was stolen from you."

Helen picked up the newspaper from the silver tray her manservant had brought her morning tea on. She sighed and shook her head as her sharp blue eyes scanned the headlines. It was going to be a long summer full of upheaval and unrest a long time coming. Helen had been around long enough now to sense the shifting tides in the former colony she now called home. Setting the paper aside Helen reached for her tea just as the door to her study opened to admit her young new protégé, Barney, who grumbled at her manservant who offered him tea.

"Coffee, Fuzzy." Barney complied. "Coffee."

"There's no time." Helen said after sipping her Earl Grey. The Big Guy, so named by her last protégé, had been with her for a while now but still couldn't manage a decent cup of tea. Well, at least it was somewhat consumable and she no longer flinched with each sip, so there was improvement. "There have been reports of abnormal activity in Buffalo. We leave in thirty minutes."

"Buffalo is full of abnormals. It's Buffalo." Barney grumbled. He finally accepted the offered tea, loaded it down with heaps of sugar, and then turned to leave so he could get ready for another mission. Helen watched him over the rim of her teacup and then smirked as she set it down on its matching saucer. "Americans are such an acquired taste."

The Big Guy grunted his agreement.

The riot was caused by the civil unrest the country was facing, not the abnormal, but the creature was feeding off the mayhem. She and Barney managed to herd the creature away from the epicenter of the violence and destruction, getting it and themselves out of harms way, or at least out of the way of the riots. The creature caused quite a bit of harm while putting up a struggle. Helen had a bleeding gash over her left eye and bruises in places no lady dare speak of to anyone but her own mirror.

"Well, I have to admit that was pretty impressive."

Helen didn't know the voice. Turning towards it her right hand went to the pistol in the pocket of her jacket. A handsome man with long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and eyes the color of a stormy winter sky smiled at her. "You really shouldn't be here."

"Why?" The man asked. "You've caught the creature and you managed to do it without doing it to much harm." He took several steps towards her while pulling a bandana out of his pocket. He reached up to press the cloth against her bleeding wound but she was quick to catch his wrist before he could touch her. "You on the other hand, don't worry it's clean."

"I'm fine, thank you." Helen said without letting go of her grip on him. "What do you know of the creature?"

"I know that it's one of the, if not the, very last of its kind." He answered. "The species was thought long dead in fact."

Piercing blue eyes narrowed as Helen's grip tightened. "Were you hunting it?"

"No." The man answered. He flashed her a smile as he said, "That would be you. I was simply observing it."

"Observing?" Helen questioned.

He nodded. "That's what I do. I observe." When she loosened her grip he gently pulled his wrist free. He offered the bandana but didn't move to tend the wound again. "What will you do with it?"

Blood was starting to get into her eye so Helen took the cloth to clean it away. "Protect it."

"Good." He replied.

For a long moment she simply looked at him. Something about him intrigued her. "Who are you?"

He smiled again, a bright smile with dimples. "My name is Thomas, and you are?"

"Helen." She replied.

"Magnus?" Will called out as he stepped out onto the tower roof. He knew he'd find her out here standing or sitting on her parapet looking out over the city without actually seeing a thing. He wasn't expecting to see her slumped on the ground out cold. Rushing to her he dropped to his knees beside her. "Magnus?" He called out again as he reached for her neck to check her pulse. "Helen!"

Will couldn't see him, but Thomas stood close by and watched as the young man carefully looked out for his friend. It was clear the young man cared for Helen and Thomas took comfort in that. The young man called someone and a few minutes later Helen's old friend appeared. The sight of him made Thomas smile. "Its good to see you again, friend." He reached out his hand towards the Bigfoot. "You'll need to remember too."

Thomas watched as Helen's 'Old Friend' cleared away the dishes from their meal. He hadn't stopped eyeing Thomas since he arrived. "I don't think your friend likes me much."

Helen waved the comment away with an elegant sweep of her hand before reaching for her wine glass. "He's bit overprotective, bit of a mother hen really."

"I will have to make sure I reassure him that I mean you no harm." Thomas said as he reached for her free hand.

Helen allowed him to take it and even smiled ever so slightly when he began running his thumb over her knuckles. He was still a mystery to her, one she wanted to solve, but he was more than that as well. She could not deny the attraction. He was handsome, clever, and funny. She enjoyed spending time with him. It had been quite awhile since she'd had this kind of companionship, and she was quickly realizing she missed it. She flashed him a daring smile as she said, "Perhaps he worries that I will be doing the harming."

"Impossible." Thomas replied as they moved towards each other. "You're as sweet as a kitten."

That actually made Helen laugh just moments before their lips met.

Walking back into the room with dessert the Big Guy grunted and growled at the sight.

"Big Guy?" Will called out when the Bigfoot staggered a little. "You ok?"

"Yes." Biggie grunted. He shook his head to clear it and then walked over and gently picked Helen up in his arms.

"She's alright my friend." Thomas said as he put his hand on Biggie's arm. "She'll wake soon. I promise."

The Big Guy sensed something but didn't see anything. He grunted. Something familiar pricked at his fur. "She just needs rest."

Will argued that she needed to go to the infirmary but the Big Guy took her to her room instead. He shooed Will away, sending him off to help Henry, while he looked after Helen. Thomas smiled fondly as he put his hand on Biggie's shoulder. "It's just a cat nap, my friend. Humans are a bit more frail than you or I. Remembering isn't always easy on them, not even one's as remarkable as she."

"So the kitten has claws." Thomas chuckled, and then hissed as Helen pressed the cloth soaked with antiseptic to the fresh, rather deep, scratches on his back.

Helen blushed as she pressed a little harder than she needed to with the cloth. "Oh do shut up."

"And here I was thinking English girls were all prim and proper." He continued to tease despite knowing Helen had iodine easily at hand.

Setting the cloth aside Helen ran her hands over the unmarred skin of her new lover's back. "I am English, yes, and proud of it." Her hands moved over his shoulders and down his chest as she pressed her lips against his ear. "A girl however I am not."

"No," Thomas said as he reached up to wrap his hands around her arms. "You aren't."

"I have existed longer than even you could imagine." Thomas said as he brushed at Helen's hair. "But I had never truly lived until I met you." He smiled as he brushed the back of his fingers down her cheek. "And then she was born and first the first time since I came into being I knew joy."

Perhaps it had been spending the spring in London or maybe it was because she'd fallen in love with him, though she would never admit to that, but something had made her careless. She had always been so careful when she took on a lover. She had a child, the little boy or girl she'd created with John, frozen and waiting for her to be ready, for it to be safe to bring them into this world. Now he or she would have to wait because their big brother or sister would be coming first. Helen glanced at the test results one more time before closing her eyes and sighing softly. Her mind flashed back to London, the spring rain, their laughter as they pulled away rain soaked clothes.

"I told you both to stay away." Biggie grunted as he hauled Thomas and Barney into Helen's medical lab. "You do not listen."

"He was curious!" Barney huffed. "Its his fault!"

Thomas glared at the younger man and then huffed. "I was just observing, at a distance, you're the one who got to close."

Barney shivered. "I'm going to have nightmares for weeks."

Helen took in the sight of them and pinched the bridge of her nose. Their clothes were torn, Barney's more so than Thomas', and they both had visible bleeding wounds. Even from a distance she could tell some would need sutures. "What the bloody hell happen to the two of you?"

Biggie snort grunted. "Phoebe is in heat."

Helen's eyes went wide. "You could have been killed!"

"Thankfully I wasn't her type." Thomas said easily.

Biggie laughed. "Phoebe knows you are claimed."

Thomas blinked. "Claimed?"

The Bigfoot nodded and jerked his head at Helen. "Her scent is all over you."

Gentlemen!" Helen snapped as a blush colored her cheeks. "If you please, we'll have enough of that." She shot her old friend a look that made him laugh which just made her flush worsen. Turning her glare to Thomas and Barney she said, "Sit down." Shaking her head she collected what she would need to treat them. "You're both bleeding all over my floor."

"Aw man," Barney moaned as he sat on a stretcher. "She's pissed. This is gonna hurt."

"When you told me you carried our child." Thomas said from across the room while he watched Biggie and a returned Will fuss over Helen. He sighed softly as the emotion washed over him. "It was the most amazing feeling. You were so beautiful pregnant, so radiant, and yet just a little sad. I understand why now." Walking over to the bed he sat beside her and put his hand on hers. "You'll get them back, Helen. You'll have them both back I promise. I just need you to remember the rest."

She was exhausted and weak, unsure if she could do it anymore. Not even the source blood had hurt quite this bad. Thomas was supportive and encouraging, and all she wanted to do was hit him with something large and heavy. This was all his bloody fault after all.

"Not long now, Helen." Thomas said softly as he ran a cool wet cloth over her forehead and down her jaw line.

All grace flew out the window as she growled at him just as another contraction hit. Luckily for Thomas the midwife drew Helen's attention, telling her to focus and push. Push. Push. She wasn't sure where it came from but something almost superhuman came over her, driving her to the final moments, and then the most amazing sound she'd ever heard filled the room, and she felt the tiniest bit of weight on her chest.

"It's a girl, Helen." Thomas said. His stormy grey eyes filled with pure wonder and awe. "She's amazing."

Holding her newborn daughter in her arms Helen felt a sense of peace she had never known in all her one hundred and eighteen years. Ten little fingers, ten little toes, two stunning blue eyes and a surprising amount of golden blonde hair; Helen held seven pounds of perfection in her arms.

"She's beautiful." Thomas said, his voice thick with emotion. "Like her mother." Reaching out he brushed the back of his index finger along her cheek; it was a smaller version of the affectionate gesture he used with Helen. "So what is this little angel's name?"

For months Helen had debated on a name. Even when the baby began moving, when Helen first realized just how real it all was becoming, she couldn't decide on a name. Seeing her now, holding her in her arms, listening to her soft breaths, seeing those bright eyes look up at her, Helen smiled. When her daughter was most restless in the increasing cramped space of a womb that could only grow so much, and caused Helen the most discomfort she would sit and just talk to her or read to her from her father's journals or her own scientific texts. She would then rub her swollen stomach and laugh as she told the baby she was the only one in the whole Sanctuary that listened to her. "Oh I know the perfect name for her."

Helen bolted upright with tears streaming down her face, her breath coming in quick gasps as she cried out, "Samantha!"