A/N: this chapter is rather short but I intended it to be just a intermediary chapter of sorts, so that the next chapter is not overly long. I hope you enjoy it =]

Will dodged another car as he sped hell-bent back to the Sanctuary in the van. Nikola swore loudly in his native tongue as the sudden jolt to the right caused him to fumble the needle he was holding which caused Will to look into the rearview and say,

"Maybe I should have…"

"NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR SEMANTIC'S ZIMMERMAN JUST DRIVE!"

Will revved the engine of the van past 90 miles per hour while Nikola flicked off the protective top of the needle then hurriedly but gently rolled up Helens sleeve and slipped the needle beneath her skin. Pushing delicately he injected the sedative into her bloodstream, thinking how wise it had been of Helen to pack it, he gave her the highest dosage of it that he could bring himself to administer. Nikola put the empty needle back into the enhanced first aid kit, and returned to his previous position kneeling beside Helen's body.

Her face was deceptively peaceful, for he knew what was happening within her and it made his own blood boil and his mind fume. He should have shoved Helen out of the way. He should have stepped in front of her the moment they were in the lab. He should have killed that guy. He should never have allowed himself to get de-vamped. He should have told her he loved her again and again and again. Reaching out a trembling hand Nikola cupped her face and rubbed his thumb across her cheek. He hung his head in shame. All of this was his fault.

Only a few minutes later Nikola was draping Helen over a gurney in the Sanctuary infirmary, and strapping the titanium webbing restraints to her. Big Guy stood in the doorway, hovering, next to Will asking him questions relentlessly.

"What happened?"

"She got hit with one of those darts," Will explained in a voice tinted with worry.

"Where are Henry and Kate?"

"They stayed back in the cabal laboratory getting all the information that they can before coming back here and giving it to Nikola so he can use the research to augment his own."

"Then what?"

Nikola brushed past the two snapping,

"Then I fix my mistake."

Big Guy and Will watched Nikola disappear down the hallway, then turned back to look Helen's prone figure each too afraid to say what they were thinking.

Nikola buried himself in his lab, pouring over all the research he and Helen had done looking for something they may have missed, something that could help. Finding nothing he picked up the research where the two of them left off, trying not to think too much about what would happen should he fail. Two hours into it Henry appeared at the doorway of Nikola's lab, but went unnoticed by the genius who was scribbling away furiously on a piece after checking his microscope. Henry stood there, awkwardly hoping that Nikola would look up and see him but after five minutes passed he had no such luck. So he plucked up his courage, stepped inside and cleared his throat,

"Ahem. Uh Dr. Tesla?" He said hesitantly as Nikola lifted his anguished eyes, "I have everything I could get from the cabal lab."

Nikola swiftly walked around the table and snatched from Henry's hands the files of research and the vial of Source Blood he was holding.

"Good work."

Was all Nikola said to Henry before turning his back, placing the vial next to the microscope and then spread out the files to begin combing over them.

"Do you need any…?"

"No."

Picking up a paper to read it closely Nikola did not even turn around to reply to Henry's question. Henry nodded his head and turned to go, hands jammed into his pockets but stopped in the doorway turning back around.

"I know you can save her Tesla." Henry choked out.

Nikola put down the paper and turned around to face Henry who was still standing in the doorway, eyes glistening with the unshed tears.

"You've got too. I need her."

A tear slipped from Henry's eye at these words as a pang clenched Nikola's heart. He strode forward and took the young man by the shoulders as who tried to hide the tears from the approaching scientist. Nikola looked Henry deep in the eyes and said,

"I promise you, I will work until my dying day if I have too." He gave Henry's shoulders a squeeze, "Now go be with her."

Releasing his grip on Henry's shoulders Nikola turned his back to the door as Henry stepped out, and he once more picked up the files. Nikola sighed mournfully,

"She's the only women I've ever loved Henry, I need her too, more than you could ever know."

As the last syllable sounded, Henry turned and walked away as swiftly as possible so Nikola would not hear him starting to cry.