So here's the last part of the first half. There will now be a break whilst I get up to date with other fics, and actually plan out (properly) the next bit.

Slight reference to a certain book series in here, not meant in either a positive or a negative way.

Just realised I didn't put this in earlier - this half is set early season two, but you've probably figured that out by now. And for the sake of this story, Nikola and Helen are the same blood type. Please excuse any mistakes, my sudden change of POV style, and enjoy :D

Chapter 6 – Talking/How it always ends

"Just give me some painkillers and I'll be fine." Helen was starting to get frustrated with Dr. Patrick Robson and his endless poking, questioning and doubting. He'd also accused her of lying about the pain at which just about everybody else in the room had rolled their eyes. London's green skinned Dr. Pat was obviously the only one who hadn't heard of Helen Magnus' indomitable will.

"You're already on painkillers." Dr. Pat gestured to the IV he hadn't let her take out of her arm yet.

"In that case I'll be fine."

Nikola watched the proceedings with grudging amusement from his corner, and saw that Will seemed to be doing the same from his place by Helen's bed side. After the Doctor had invaded Helen's room the others had all come piling in, the two girls from earlier shooting him embarrassed – although not as much as he thought they should be – glances, whilst everyone else made certain not to look at him. Included in that little group apart from them and Dr. Pat had been Will, Henry and Decking – still couldn't remember his name – but Nikola was surprised to see that the hairy manservant hadn't shown up. Miss Freelander hadn't turned up either, but that didn't bother him so much – he didn't think that her and Helen were on the best of terms.

Helen too had noticed the absences, but hadn't in fact expected them to be there – someone had to look after her Sanctuary after all. What had surprised her was that both Will and Henry had been at London waiting for her, but after some enquiries she found out that Henry had just flown in yesterday to pick up some equipment, and would be heading back later today. He'd enquired about the abnormal she'd been attacked by, and what they were going to do about it as it had so far evaded capture. She'd told him that they were to leave it alone as it wasn't dangerous - which of course had got her many disbelieving stares.

Decklan had left shortly after he'd found out she was fine – by her own prognosis she had noticed; Dr. Pat had been protesting even then – and Henry had followed to catch his flight, promising to see her soon (something else that the foolish doctor was currently protesting about). That left herself, Nikola – who still hadn't moved, Dr. Pat – who still hadn't shut up, Will - who was staying silent, and the two girls – who were now openly staring at Nikola. Helen couldn't stop the groan that escaped her lips at the sight: the man did not need his ego inflating anymore – it was already miles too big.

The Doctor suddenly broke off from his tirade, not that she'd been listening. Helen looked up to see him glaring at the girls, who were also being grinned at by Nikola.

"Girls, shoo! Or you can have those flu jabs early!"

The girls looked at each other, looked at the glaring doctor, looked at Helen and then finally at Nikola (who waved) before fleeing.

In the brief silence Helen took the opportunity to turn to her protégée.

"Will, tell Declan I'll be going home tomorrow." Will raised an eyebrow before reluctantly nodding and hurrying out of the room.

Dr. Pat looked momentarily dumbstruck. Unfortunately it didn't last for long.

"Just what do you think you're doing! I'm in charge here, not you! And I will say when you can go home; not you!"

Helen just looked at him, her face saying quite clearly that if he truly believed anything he'd just said then he was an idiot.

"I've been away from my Sanctuary for more than a week: I'll be going home tomorrow."

Nikola watched as the poor doctor turned an interesting shade of purple.

"Now you listen here young lady!"

Nikola winced, but then had to bite back a chuckle at the expression Helen's face had taken on: something between patronising, vaguely amused and downright indignant. It was made even worse by the fact that the doctor wasn't even going grey.

He tuned out the following argument; well, he said argument, but it was really just Helen digging Dr. Pat's grave, with the occasional help from the man himself. It was really quite fascinating how Helen could do that to people: turn their own words against them, manipulate their actions, their minds. She'd done it to him more than once, much to his chagrin. She did it a lot at Oxford to the students, professors and lecturers alike; friend or foe, she'd obviously enjoyed making them stutter and stumble, and Nikola had been more than happy to laugh when she did, except when she did it to him of course: then, it wasn't quite so amusing.

A quiet cough from the doorway brought Nikola from his thoughts and stopped Helen burying the poor Dr. Pat. They all looked over to see a young woman in a lab coat standing nervously there.

"Dr Pat?" He looked over at her, jaw still tense. "You're needed in Med One immediately." With her message delivered she scurried off, not even pausing to return the smile Nikola had been giving her.

Dr Pratt – Nikola was insanely pleased with that one – had taken one step towards the door before freezing. He looked suspiciously at Helen.

"I...I...I...don't move."

Helen smiled. "Don't worry; Nikola will look after me – won't you Nikola?" She turned to see the man had slumped once again in his chair, this time backwards with his face towards the ceiling.

He hummed. Silence followed, silence without the distinctive sound of footsteps that should have been there. He looked up to see the younger man staring at him, obviously expecting something more.

"I'll look after her." Nikola rolled his eyes but the feet stayed put. "Someone's dying – go save them."

That did it: Dr. Pat paced out of the room without another word or backwards glance.

Nikola looked at Helen. Helen looked at Nikola. The temperature in the room immediately dropped several degrees as their last 'conversation' came back to them.

Nikola was the first to break the sudden silence.

"You could have died." It was an echo of how they'd left things earlier, but now there was no anger in his voice which was barely above a whisper, only drifting over to Helen's ears because of the lack of any other sound.

"I know." The reply was just as quiet. "But you wouldn't let me."

"Did you expect me to?"

"I didn't expect you to stay."

"And yet here I am."

"Thanks." The corners of her mouth twitched upwards briefly.

"Well, I couldn't exactly leave you in the hands of Dr. Pratt could I?" That got a bigger smile from her, and Nikola couldn't help but reply in kind.

Silence fell again though and all the levity drained away through a metaphorical plughole, gurgling as it went. Helen bit her lip as Nikola leaned back in his chair, running his hand through his hair in frustration.

"Why did you go?" Helen wouldn't meet his gaze, refusing to answer. Nikola sighed before playing a card he'd rather not. "I saved your life Helen – don't I deserve to know why?"

She still wouldn't look up. Nikola had almost given up hope of an answer when she finally replied.

"Teleportation."

Nikola's head shot up. "What?"

"You heard me. These creatures - they could teleport." She looked up to see he'd got up and was walking towards her bed.

"Helen...I thought you'd accepted that Ashley's gone?"

"I..." Helen looked down again, embarrassed. Nikola picked up on it.

"Oh, I get it. Still trying to cure Jackie boy are you?" The disgust was palpable in his voice, causing Helen's anger to flare up once again. She looked up at him, eyes blazing.

"How could I not? I failed him Nikola! I should have been able to save him; or at least recognise what was going on! People died because I thought I was in love! I owe it to him, and to them, to find out what happened to him, and see if there's a permanent cure!"

Nikola had quickly realised that her anger wasn't directed at him, or even at John, but rather at herself.

"So you don't think he's actually come to his senses?" Helen kept worrying her bottom lip; something some part of Nikola wasn't going to admit looked quite cute.

"I wish I could but..." she trailed off, sure that Nikola would understand.

He did. Moving the rest of the way over to the bed – which he was quite surprised she hadn't moved out of yet – he sat down beside her and put one of his hands on hers, the other under her cheek to force her to meet his eyes.

"Helen, it isn't your fault, never was. Everyone else knows that, it's only you that's left to convince."

Helen tried to shake her head, but found that that was almost impossible to do when someone was holding your face. She brought her hand up to move his, but instead found herself just holding it in place. Nikola was the one that spoke again.

"Helen, I need you to promise me you won't do something like this again."

This time Helen did shake her head, pulling both their hands away and into her lap as she did so.

"You know I can't do that; just like you can't promise me not to do anything reckless." Nikola grinned at that.

"You know me." Then his face became serious again. "However Helen, I can't be killed – you can."

"I'm doing alright so far."

"Really? Because by my count you've almost died at least fifty times on thirty nine separate occasions, actually died three times, and those are just the ones I know about."

Helen smiled. "I'll be more careful next time."

Nikola leaned closer, looking directly into her eyes. Helen bit back a gasp at the intensity or his gaze, the raw power that she could see swimming in their depths. It sent a shiver down her spine. She could feel his breath starting to ghost along her cheeks.

"You'd better be. I won't always be able to fly in and save you."

"Really? And here I thought you had nothing better to do with your time."

"Well, I get the odd job here and there, invent something to baffle the masses for a few decades, clear out casinos for a few million, pick up rich and beautiful ladies." Helen scoffed; Nikola leaned closer. "Seriously. You're not the only gorgeous damsel in distress I have to rescue; although they're normally more...grateful."

Helen turned her head towards Nikola's ear. "I think you'll find..." she whispered, "that I can be very grateful."

It was Nikola's turn to shiver. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." She pulled back slightly. "Now where are my clothes?" Nikola cast his eyes downwards, taking in Helen's hospital scrubs.

"Tut tut. You shouldn't lead a man on like that; it's very unladylike."

"I wasn't 'leading you on'." Helen leant forward, brushing her lips against his cheek before pulling back further. "There, see. Now go get me my clothes."

Nikola pulled back and grinned. "So demanding – I like that."

"Go." He jumped off the bed, bowing low.

"Your wish is my command milady."

Helen couldn't help but smile as he swept out of the room.

He returned moments later, carrying...

"Those aren't my clothes."

"You don't say. You see Helen, you're clothes were torn, tatty and covered in blood – you couldn't possibly wear them, even if they hadn't been binned. So, I got you the best I could do."

He dumped the clothes on the bed next to her, where she picked them up to examine them.

"Jeans?" she asked incredulously, holding up the offending item. "And...what's this?"

"A shirt."

"Yes Nikola – a man's dress shirt."

"Well I didn't exactly go shopping for a woman did I?"

"I have clothes upstairs!"

"Then you can go get them as soon as you're done here; which judging by the fact you're ripping that IV out of your arm I'm assuming will be very soon."

Her task complete, Helen hopped out of the bed and grudgingly picked up the clothes Nikola had brought for her; it wasn't as if she'd be wearing them long anyway. She looked at Nikola significantly. He didn't move.

"Turn your back."

"Why?"

"I need to get changed."

"Oh right, that little thing called modesty – I get it. Honestly, it's not as if I haven't seen it all before."

"Yes, it is. Back. Now."

Nikola rolled his eyes but did as he was asked. A minute passed in silence.

"Stop peeking!"

"I'm not. Are you done yet?"

"I'm done."

Nikola turned back to see Helen doing up the buttons on his shirt – well, it wasn't really his shirt, he'd only bought it recently, never worn it. She didn't do it up to the top, leaving the last few undone.

He studied her carefully. Her hair was loose around her shoulders, ruffled from sleep but still a lot neater than it should have been. The shirt suited her, in an ill-fitting, baggy sort of way, and he thought it strange that he should like the look of her wearing one of his shirts, almost as if he were her boyfr- Nikola pushed that thought away and carried on: he liked the shirt, but the jeans looked plain odd. They were straight, loose men's jeans that he'd bought as a joke, but also because he was tired of wrecking so many suits. In fact he'd ditched his particular outfit next door – someone's office, but they were never in – as he'd decided he wouldn't actually wear them: neither of the items felt like him.

"Stop gawking."

"I'm not gawking, I'm staring; there is a difference you know.

"Oh really?"

"Yes really. Now Helen, if that's all, I really must be off."

"Already? I thought you were meant to be looking after me?"

Nikola raised an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't need looking after?"

"I thought you thought I did, otherwise you wouldn't have flown halfway across the world to rescue me."

Nikola sighed; he hated Helen's particular brand of infuriating logic, especially when it made perfect sense. "Yes, I did, at great personal cost to myself I might add, and I've already spent much too long away from my work."

"So take a holiday."

"I will take a holiday when you take a holiday." He cut her off before she could interrupt. "A real one, not a pretending-to-take-a-holiday-to-track-down-a-possibly-mythical-creature-that-could-cure-my-evil-ex-without-any-back-up kind." He sighed at the downcast look on her face at his words. "Besides Helen, I have a world to conquer and a species to raise from the dead, and although you might object that I have eternity and I don't need sleep we both know it's only a matter of time before someone comes up with a way to kill or contain me, and whoever heard of evil geniuses taking a break? Jeesh Helen, you wouldn't want me to break a stereotype would you?"

Helen couldn't resist a smile at that.

"As long as you don't sparkle." That put a look of affront on the vampire's face.

"Never."

He headed towards the door: he wasn't going to say goodbye and they both knew it – it just wasn't his style.

"Thanks...Polly."

Nikola paused at the threshold.

"Your welcome." And then he was gone, shoes echoing down the hallway, and Helen wondered what tragedy would have to befall them next before they would see each other again. She hated herself for it, but she couldn't help but hope that whatever it was, it would happen soon.

End of Part 1

I can't say when the second part will be started, sorry, just depends on what happens.

Feedback = very happy me :D