Chapter III

A/N: Much of this chapter wouldn't have gotten out of the drawing room without the help of Haku2009. Thank you. There will be some light Twilight bashing in this chapter. Hope everyone enjoys the chapter!

He'd been on his way to the wine cellar from his lab. It was actually still well stocked despite his depleting it. Nikola wondered how Helen managed to do that while he was around.

"Then again, she has enough money to use as she wishes. If that involves indulging her wine habit and by extension mine, I'm not going to complain."

Just as he was about to get another bottle of wine, Nikola sensed an EM field that he'd never noticed around the Sanctuary before. It seemed to be coming from outside the Sanctuary building, but still on the grounds. His interest piqued, he went outside to go and have a look around.

Henry couldn't believe it. There was a sentient airplane and he was the one poking around her. He was used to talking to his machines, but having one "answer" back was amazing. Mercifully, Tesla had not yet found out about their being a sentient airplane on the premises and that there was another half vampire, and a girl at that!

Helen had told them not to mention what/who they'd found on their trip to New Mexico to Tesla. At least until the other vampire, Cassie arrived and they found out a little bit more about her.

Henry had gone back to the tool table when he heard the airplane make a noise, one that seemed to say "Somebody else is here". Then the wind shifted. An all too familiar scent was in the hangar.

"What are you doing here Tesla?"

"I was merely trying to find out what was giving off an EM field that I'd never felt before around here. What is Helen doing with this old relic when she's got the private jet?"

Gwen made a growling noise. Obviously she did not like being called a relic. Tesla unfortunately was paying too much attention to the plane's noises.

"Heinrich, is this plane… alive in a way?"

Crap. He wasn't supposed to know that.

Judging from Henry's lack of answer that he was correct, Tesla started to move closer to the airplane to investigate. Knowing that Gwen could be skittish, Henry suggested,

"Tesla, you might want to introduce yourself before you go digging…" The vampire waved him off.

"Relax wolf boy, it's just a machine. What could it possibly do to me?" He proceeded to start opening a panel on the side of the airplane. Gwen, who was spooked, started firing her guns.

Tesla got blown back towards the entrance by the force of the .50 caliber rounds. Once the short burst of bullets stopped, Tesla got back up and stretched.

"I admit that those .50 caliber bullets pack a punch, but it'll take more than that to stop me." He then began to use the magnetism ability to try and take the plane apart.

Henry's only thought was, "This will not end well!"

Racing into the room, Cassie quickly assessed the situation. Gwen was firing multiple rounds at another vampire! He was managing to dodge several but judging by the holes in his suit he had taken a few good hits. He was also taking her airplane apart. Jumping between the airplane and the other vampire Cassie positioned herself in an attempt to stop the fighting before they brought the room down around them.
Gwen cease fire!" she ordered the airplane. The sound of her guns turning off and being placed on safety signaled she had obeyed unhappily. Cassie then used the telekinesis to put everything back in place. Now that she didn't have to worry about being caught in the crossfire and shot she whirled around on the other vampire.
"I liked this suit." Nikola's fangs retracted as he tried to straighten his clothes out but due to the bullet holes and the scorch marks there was no saving it.
"Who the hell are you?" she shouted marching up to him. "And what the hell did you do to my airplane?" Her fangs protruded as she gripped his collar raising him into the air.
He stared at her in shock. "You're a vampire."
"No shit. Now answer the question! What did you do to Gwen?" Her grip tightened as she slammed him into the wall.
Nikola smiled widely. "Well now this is interesting." His eyes blackened and his fangs returned. "Very interesting," his voice darkened.
Slamming a fist into her chest, Cassie went flying backwards into the opposite wall. Her rage exploded. She was going to kick his ass. Deepening her voice and letting her fangs out, Cassie said,

"Finally, someone worth trying to kill."

"I don't disappoint!"

All hell then broke loose.

Helen walked into the room to find what all the commotion was about. Cassie and Nikola exchanged blows tossing each other across the room like rag dolls. Henry was picking himself off the ground after being tossed into a wall. Getting between two vampires fighting was a dangerous thing to do.

Making her was across the room towards them her voice boomed out, "Enough!"

The two suddenly froze mere inches away from each other fists poised to strike. Panting their eyes fell on Helen seeing the anger and annoyance at their behavior in her steel gaze. The two stood up straight adjusting their clothes awkwardly.

"Helen my dear how nice to you to join us," Nikola spoke fixing his suit. "Just so you know the plane started it."

Cassie's eyes narrowed. "She did not! You tried to disassemble her!"

"Semantics." He waved her off.

It took all Cassie's willpower not to send the other vampire flying. Helen groaned rubbing the bridge of her noise realizing that perhaps the others were right. Two vampires in a room together was not the best idea she had ever had.

Sitting on the examination table Cassie watched as Helen and Biggie prepared her "medication". Nikola leaned over them instructing them on what to do.

"I was the one to invent this medication for you Nikola," Helen countered trying to get him to back off.

"Well I'm the one who had to take it. I think that makes me the expert," retorted Nikola.

"Childish, completely childish," Helen muttered pouring it into a small glass.

Nikola smirked ignoring the comment. "You know after we're done here how about you let me finally take you out on that date?" Helen ignored him handing the glass to Biggie. "Oh come on. One date wouldn't hurt you. You could dress up, let me take you to a gorgeous restaurant and show you off."

"You are impossible." Helen shook her head.

Cassie found herself enthralled by the scene before her. She only wished she had a bucket of popcorn for the in flight movie she was getting to witness. They definitely had chemistry. Filing away this new information for a later date, she accepted the glass from Biggie.

"Thanks," she mumbled out not really wanting to take the stuff. But if it helped with the cravings and kept her from going vampire on some poor sap she might as well give it a try.

"All you have to do is drink it," Helen explained.

"Don't worry you'll get used to the taste," added Nikola with a smirk.

"Well down the hatch." In one motion she swallowed the liquid and immediately wanted to throw it back up. Coughing, she shot Nikola a dirty look. "Used to it? Why on God's green Earth would I ever want to get used to that?"

"Have some wine it helps." Nikola held out his glass.

She shook her head. "I don't do wine. Got any whiskey?"

Nikola smirked. "Well you certainly are interesting."

Parked on the couch Cassie downed a glass of Bush Mills whiskey in an attempt to burn away the flavor. She had to admit Nikola had been right alcohol did keep it down. Smiling across from her Nikola was quite happy with himself probably by the fact that he had been right not that Cassie would say those words allowed. She'd rather kill herself first, if she could that is.

Leaning forward he poured her another glass.

"Is what just happened a regular occurrence, because if so, I'd like to keep popcorn handy?" Cassie questioned sipping the drink.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," retorted Nikola.

Cassie raised an eyebrow in question. "Really? So you didn't notice all the sexual tension in the room?"

"I can't help it if women fall all over me. I really am a catch." He sipped his wine.

This almost caused Cassie to choke on her drink laughing so hard. "Please! I think someone has a crush on the Doctor."

"Jealous?" he quipped back.

Cassie sighed, suddenly being serious, "I mean it. What's between you too? There is something there."

He shrugged. "We've know each other since Oxford. Over a century. It makes you close."

Narrowing her eyes she wasn't buying it. "Come on."

"There isn't much to tell. She was engaged to John Druitt and after him she couldn't get serious with anyone again." He filled his glass to the very top.

"Why don't you show her you're serious instead of the constant flirting," Cassie suggested.

Nikola shrugged apparently serious conversations weren't his thing.

Several hours later, Helen went by what was now Cassie's room. Just as she was about to knock to check on her, her telepathic "voice" said,

"You can come in. It's not like you have to knock."

"It is a common courtesy, Cassandra. How are you settling in?"

"I'm settling in alright. I'm more used to sleeping in a hangar with Gwen when I do sleep."

Helen looked around at what Cassie had done with the room. She had a few books, some of them older than others. She also had pictures that showed her throughout the past century. Many of the faces Helen recognized, but there was one picture that seemed to stand out from the others. It was on the bedside table, and it seemed to be the oldest of the photos. Noticing which photo Helen was looking at Cassie said,

"That's my family. It was for my brother Seamus's wedding. That was the last time we were all together as a family. My brothers Matthew and Luke were on leave from the Army and Royal Navy for the wedding and they were going out for long tours after that. My twin brother Victor left for America about a month later to work on the railroads. I was the only one that stayed at home. I was unhappy that nothing happened to me that year. I didn't know what was going to happen to me."

"Where's your mother?"

"My mum died when I was ten. We moved to London shortly after."

"My mother died when I was young as well"

An awkward silence resonated through the room. Deciding to get back onto a more neutral topic, Helen asked,

"Do you like the room?"

"The room is great. It's definitely going to be more comfortable than sleeping in a hangar.

The next several days were actually rather uneventful. Cassie and Tesla didn't kill each other; they'd actually reached an arrangement concerning Gwen. It was a "look but don't touch" arrangement as long as Cassie herself was in the hangar, and if it was violated… Cassie mentioned that there would be consequences.

However, about a week after the "look but don't touch" arrangement had been reached; the entire Sanctuary heard the firing of six .50 machine guns ringing out in the night. When Cassie came out, sure enough there was Nikola right outside the hangar.

"You were told that I had to be in the hangar if you wanted to examine my airplane. I can't say that I'm surprised that you decided to ignore the possible consequences, but what's done is done. Now leave of your own volition, before I decide otherwise."

For the next few days, a particularly tense atmosphere permeated the Sanctuary. On the morning of the fourth day after the incident, when Nikola went to put on his shoes, his feet came into contact with something soft that did not belong. Removing the foot from the shoe, he saw that about the first inch of the sock was covered in what looked and smelt like cream cheese. Abandoning the one pair, he got out the other three pairs of shoes he owned. Upon further examination, all of the shoes had cream cheese stuffed inside them. After removing the cream cheese from the shoes, he quickly washed his hands, getting the cheese off his hands.

Nikola didn't have to think very hard to figure out who had done this to his shoes. There was only one person that really had the guts and the motive to do this to him. Well, he'd show that Irish She-devil just who she was messing with.

"Tesla!" the sound could be heard throughout the entire compound, through the entire city.

Henry looked up at the smirking vampire working before him. Henry had no idea what he had done but whatever it was all hell was going to rain loose. He and Cassie had been working with Gwen for three days straight and had only come back when it was decided that they both needed showers and a clean change of clothes.

The doors to the lab where thrown open with enough force to dent the wall from where the doorknobs had connected with the wood. Henry stared wide eyed at the image before him. Standing there in full rage was Cassie dressed head-to-toe in hot pink. Henry correctly assumed that this change in wardrobe was not voluntary. Now that the shock was over Henry was trying with all his might not to crack up. She looked ridiculous and he knew that if he let one sound leave his lips she would kill him. Plus if he ever wanted to get near Gwen again it would be best not to piss off the woman who Gwen actually listened to.

Nikola looked up from his microscope turning around to face her looking completely innocent. If they didn't know better even Henry would have thought so. He could be very convincing.

"Cassie what brought on this sudden change in style?" he questioned her, sounding like he actually cared.

Her eyes darkened. If looks could kill. "You fucking bastard."

"Me?" He pointed to himself. "What did I do?"

"You know exactly what you did. You will pay for this." With that she whirled back around staking out of the room right past Will and Kate.

Both stared at her for a moment before breaking out into fits of laughter and turning red faced. She stopped fangs out glaring at them. This caused the sounds to immediately silence.

Biggie walking towards Helen's office with a tray of food stopped when he came across them almost dropping his tray. He said nothing only his eyes traveled around the group standing there. Cassie then stalked off to get her revenge leaving them all there. The instant she was out of earshot Will and Kate were dying of laughter. Biggie shook his head with a smile continuing on his way.

Henry, still trying to be somewhat respectful, stared at the vampire like he was insane. "Do you have a death wish?"

"Please, what could she possibly do to me?" he questioned smiling and returning back to his work.

Henry knew this was not going to end well. Nope, not in the slightest.
Helen glanced up from her desk as she watched Biggie step into the room. "What's going on out there?"

He crossed the room laying the food out before her. "Tesla decided to change Cassie's wardrobe to something a bit more colorful. She didn't take it well."

"Children, I work with children." She shook her head thanking Biggie before returning to her work.

A few hours later, Cassie knocked on the door to Helen's office. She was still wearing entirely pink attire. The coveralls that she normally used when she worked on Gwen were filthy.

"Hey, Doctor Magnus, could I borrow one of the cars here, I need to go out and get some new clothes."

"Sure. Do you have a valid license?"

"Look, if I get caught, I'll just use the "Jedi mind trick" on the officer."

"I'll take that as a no then."

Later that evening…

"Cassie, have you ever seen Twilight?"

"No I haven't. What's it about?"

"Long story short there are vampires in it. What's your take on what the film industry has done to vampires?"

"Most of the time I find it amusing to watch. Why do you ask?"

"Just watch this movie with us. And you'll see why."

"Sparkling vampires?" Cassie stared at the screen as the credits began to roll. She turned to Henry. "Why? Why did you have me watch that? Are you trying to scare me for life?" Her gaze fell back on the screen. "My God what has this world come too?"

Henry asked,

"So do you still only find it amusing what popular culture has done to vampires?"

"This is probably the most… obscene take I've ever seen on the vampire legend. Vegetarian vampires, please. And the sparkling in sunlight, UGH!" Cassie then got an evil grin on her face. Noticing this, Henry asked,

"Whatever you're thinking, it can't be good. Do I want to know?"

Cassie got up and got ready to leave the room she replied,

"I'm not going to tell you because I want you guys to have plausible deniability. But it's going to be funny, just wait."

Right after she left, Kate spoke

"Vlad didn't know what he was getting himself into when he ticked her off, did he?"

"God help us all!" Will replied.

The next time a yell shook the Sanctuary was the following morning only this time the voice was not that of Cassie but of Nikola. Cassie at the sound looked up from her spot on the couch and just smiled. It was like music to her ears. Will, who was sitting at the table, eyes fell on her and he got a very bad feeling. Cassie had gotten her pay back and he could only guess what she'd done.

Kate walked into the room red faced and gasping trying to breath. "Oh my God! Oh my God!" She collapsed into one of the chairs.

"What? What happened?" Will questioned.

"Nikola, he… Oh my God!" she couldn't finish a sentence laughing so hard.

"Breath!" Will ordered. "Now tell me what's happened to Tesla?"

She didn't have to answer because said vampire walking into the room. If Will thought the pink clothes had been funny this took the cake. Nikola, fully vamped out, was standing before them with hot pink hair. It was so shocking that Will couldn't even laugh all he could do was gape like a fish.

"Cassie!" his voice hissed.

Looking up from the book she was reading, her face gave nothing away. "Wow Nikola. What's with the new look?"

"You bitch!" he shouted walking slowly up to her in an attempt not to go on a murderous rampage.

"Bitch? Now that's mean. What did I ever do to you?" She just smiled at him.

"My hair! You crossed a line! This stuff will never come out!" He gripped the back of the couch his nails digging deep into the material.

"Me? You think I did this? Why would I even dream of doing that? It must have been the same person who turned all my clothes pink. We've really got to track them down before anything else mysteriously changes color." Her smile only grew with each word.

Nikola stormed out of the room growling, tossing one of the chairs into the wall causing it to smash into a million pieces. Cassie had never been happier. Sweet sweet revenge.

"You're crazy. I mean it, insane," Will told her.

"He started it. Why do you think I went out yesterday?" She laughed laying back into the couch. The look on his face was priceless.

Henry walked into the room icepack on his face and collapsed onto the couch opposite Cassie.

"Dude what happened to you?" Kate asked when she was finally able to speak again.

"I laughed," that was all he had to say.

Nikola stormed down the hall straight towards his office to attempt to find a way to remove the horrific color from his hair. Tossing opened the door a sound caught his attention causing him to look up just in time to watch a bucket dump its contents all over him. The sticky substance covered him from head to toe.

"Cassie!" he roared.

Perking up at the sound Cassie sat up from her spot on the couch. The others all turned to her staring wide eyed in horror.

She shrugged. "What? He ruined every outfit I had. You know how much it's going to cost to replace it?" She got up making her way for the door. She wanted to see how her handy work came out.

Will, Kate, and Henry stared after her for a moment before jumping up and scrambling after her.

Cassie went straight to his lab only to find a trail of footprints leading away from the door. Following them she came up to Nikola's room. She decided on the direct approach and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" a surprisingly calm voice of Nikola called.

Unsure she turned the knob on the door only to find the room empty except for the ruined suit tossed into the trashcan.

"Cassie?" Will spoke from behind her his eyes falling on the suit. "What did you do?"

She never got to answer as the door to the bathroom opened. They turned to see Nikola step out in nothing but a rob drying off his face with a towel.

Kate stuck her head into the room. "Is it safe?"

"I'm not going to attack if that's what you mean," Nikola replied tossing the towel onto his bed.

Henry stepped inside looking Nikola over. "So." Nothing seemed different about him. Well except for the pink hair. "What was the shouting about?"

Nikola said nothing, he only glared at Cassie. She smiled back cheerfully.

"What are we missing?" Kate asked.

Nikola still said nothing only make his way over to his closet. It wasn't until he passed by the window that they saw. The light shined on him briefly.

"Oh my God!" Henry gasped. "You're sparkling!"

"What?" Nikola raced over to the mirror. "Dammit!"

He whirled around on Cassie who said, "Glitter is a bitch. You never seem to be able to get it off."

Nikola clinched his fist but said nothing. Actually to all their surprise all he did was head back into the bathroom slamming the door shut.

"Cassie! You're asking for this to get out of hand!" Will scolded.

"Please. I've only done anything out of retaliation. He can stop this at anytime." She left.

"You know this is going to get crazy right?" Kate questioned.

Will rolled his eyes. Two stubborn vampires in a building together. How did they not think this wasn't going to happen?

An explosion sounded across the Sanctuary. Cassie was thrown back into the wall as glass shattered. The Nubbins were frozen in fear for a brief second before disappearing right before her eyes. She could hear the patter of their feet as they all made a mad dash out of the enclosure. Some brushed past her in their haste. She didn't move, didn't even blink until silence filled the room. Finally her gaze drifted to the other vampire frozen in the doorway.

"Oops." He smiled nervously the realization of what had happened hitting him.

Helen was going to kill them.

"What the hell were you two thinking?" Helen shouted at the two vampires sitting before her. They cowered in fear. "You could have destroyed this Sanctuary! The Nubbins caused massive damage as it is! All over some stupid prank war!" They flinched as each word left her mouth.

"It was just a minor-" Nikola never finished as Helen cut him off in all her rage, "Don't even think of justifying this! It never should have gotten to this point!" Helen breathed in trying to calm herself. "Now you both are going to clean up the damage that was done and then you both are going to clean the Canis Locor's enclosure."

"But-!" Cassie began but one look from Helen quickly silenced her. "Yes ma'am."

They had been cleaning the enclosure for about two hours. Cassie had managed to find an old gas mask for herself so she could still breathe.

Cassie shot a particularly nasty glare at Nikola.

"This is all your fault!" she hissed.

"You started it!" retorted Nikola shoveling dung trying not to breathe.

"I started it?" She laughed. "Please! I wasn't the one that set those invisible rats loose with an explosion!"

"I didn't start but I sure as hell finished it." He smiled in triumph.

"You're the one who started this whole thing because you wouldn't listen to me! All you had to do was obey my rules about Gwen but oh no Nikola Tesla is too good to obey a simple rule!" She slammed the shovel into the ground harder than she meant to.

"Please you where being ridiculous! It's just a plane!" He tossed down the shovel ready to fight.

"Take that back." She whirled about eyes black.

"Make me," he taunted.

As Cassie was about to tackle him to the ground Helen's voice came over the speakers, "Both of you stop talking and get back to work!"

Grumbling they complied not wanting to get into anymore trouble. They had no intention of getting stuck doing this again.

It seemed to take forever until they were finally done. Both smelled like something had died and rotted for several months and both where too tired to even fight anymore. Cassie was making her way to the door forgetting about the wet freshly cleaned section of floor. Slipping she was sure she was going to face plant right into the floor when suddenly she stopped falling.

Arms wrapped around her waist. Glancing up she found the owner of said arms to be Nikola and for once he didn't have his signature smirk on.

"Thanks," she grumbled standing up. He nodded silently heading for the door. That was the first time since she'd met him that he hadn't acted like a superior ass. And though they had gotten in trouble the prank war had been kind of fun. Nikola was cleaver. "Nikola, wait!" She rushed over to him. "Okay, um, listen, I've been thinking." She found herself for once completely unsure of what to say. "You're not really so bad and I don't want to get in any more trouble with Helen so how about a truce?"

Nikola scanned her face. If he was being honest he liked her. She was the only one who could match wits with him not in the basic knowledge thing but exchanging remarks. She had quite a tongue. Besides she is the only other vampire out there.

"Okay." He held out his hand. "Truce."

She smiled accepting. "I'm hungry. Want to go out to dinner?" Nikola instead crossed his arms saying nothing. Her eyes fell on his hair still very much pink. "Never mind. How about a drink instead?"

He nodded. "After a show."

"Definitely." She bumped her shoulder with his. "See you in thirty."

Okay so perhaps they didn't start off on the right foot, but hey she could see them being pretty close friends; at least between the bouts of trying to kill each other. No more prank wars, just straight out brutal murder.