AN: Once again you have my apologies for the wait but it couldn't be avoided. So this piece is actually related to one of the earlier stories - The Promise, though not too much, and this is also only the first part. I still need to re-draft the second but it should be up soon. I've put this in this collection because of its relation to The Promise, but also becasue it is Helen and Nikola locked in a room together - although this isn't that kind of story. Hurt/Comfort, unbeta'd. I don't own Sanctuary. Oh, and you're either going to have to make up your own tune or treat the little song as a poem. Set shortly post Eulogy, spoilers for that and End of Nights. Italics are flashbacks once again :p

Thank you so much to everyone for all your reviews, I really, really appreciate it and I'm sorry I haven't been able to update in a while.

Not Alone - 1

Helen knew she wasn't alone as she wriggled out of sleep; even with her eyes closed she could tell who it was. His presence could be felt in all her room's corners; he positively exuded determination, mixed with something darker, speckled with coloured strands. And let's not forget the arrogance: sometimes Helen thought he wore it as aftershave.

She opened her eyes and sat up in one movement. Unsurprised to see his figure outlined in front of her curtains, she got straight to the point.

"What do you want Nikola?" She was sure she could see his grin even through the darkness.

"I've locked the door." Nikola replied, throwing the key between his hands. He knew it infuriated Helen when he ignored her questions, and he did so enjoy making her angry. He liked it when she snapped; it reminded him of their youth.

Helen ground her teeth in frustration and got out of bed. She was dressed only in a white night gown but she didn't care; after living more than 150 years one tended to learn not to be embarrassed around old friends. And of course the only light in the room was that let in by one open curtain, (she'd been sleeping with one open now, just to remind herself the world was still there, still turning, even after all that had happened).

She paced over to the door and asked again,

"What are you doing here Nikola?"

Nikola smiled, enjoying the exasperated look on her face when she confirmed that the door was indeed locked. She stalked back into the room and he took the chance to run his eyes appreciatively over her gowned form.

"I came to see you."

For once his answer was clear and serious, free from his usual tone. Helen was startled by it.

"What?"

"Honestly Helen, I think you're going deaf." The teasing was back. "I said I came to see you."

Nikola lifted his head from his hands to look at the woman standing metres away from him. Their eyes locked. Helen looked away first.

"Why?"

"Now there's a good question." He pointed to her with the key. "One, I might add, I don't know the answer to."

Helen raised her eyebrows. "And you say you're a genius." If he was playing games she wanted to know it.

"Alas, even the genius must be fooled sometimes; how else are we to learn?"

Helen didn't reply. Nikola sighed.

"I came to see you Helen; to make sure you're alright." Nikola slowly moved closer as he said this; he didn't think Helen had noticed. He watched as she stiffened at his words and turn away slightly: she was still facing him but he could no longer see her expression by the small amount of light the open curtain let in.

"I'm fine." Even Helen, having just woken up, could hear the lie in her voice.

It told Nikola everything he needed to know. He quickly walked over to the suffering woman and pulled her into a hug.

Helen had expected smiles or words of condolence; she hadn't expected the seemingly insensitive vampire to hug her. She immediately tensed, but Nikola held on, knowing she needed this as much as he did.

***~~~***

Nikola watched from the darkness as Helen finally laid the beads in the empty coffin. He saw the pain in her eyes, but also the acceptance. He was glad; he never wanted to see the Helen Magnus of the last few days again.

He watched as she finally walked away, tears staining her face.

He was tempted for a while to go after her, to try to offer some words of comfort, or apologise for leaving so quickly. But he didn't; he knew his words would fall on deaf ears.

Instead he did what he had come to do: dropping down from the roof, he slowly made his was towards the casket, head bowed in respect.

"Ashley," he began, and then stopped, feeling self-conscious for the first time in a while. He didn't like the feeling but it had invaded all the same, and now his previous courage has deserted him.

He walked closer to the symbol of death and carefully gripped the side.

"Thanks for keeping your promise."

For a moment the vampire could almost believe a hand rested upon his shoulder. A shiver ran down his spine as a draft flowed past his ear, whistling as it went: "Look after her for me, okay?"

Nikola whispered back: "Always."

***~~~***

Eventually he felt Helen relax in the embrace and drew her closer towards him, at the same time hooking a chair leg with his foot and pulling it under them both.

Helen didn't notice they were sitting down until she suddenly realised she was sitting on Nikola's lap. Almost instantly she tensed again, thinking she should pull away: Nikola held her tighter. He could feel his shoulder starting to get damp with the tears neither of them knew had started falling. But he didn't mind; as long as it helped.

Helen hadn't heard Nikola sing for more than a hundred years, so she almost didn't recognise his rich voice as he began to softly sing to her.

"There's nothing I can do
To stop you feeling blue.
There's nothing I can say
To make the pain go away;
I'll just sit here and hold you and hope that it helps.

Some people might lie:
Say everything will be alright.
Some people might smile,
Try to talk for a while;
I'll just sit here and hold you and hope that it helps.

The pain you're going through
Could be something quite new
Or it could have been buried deep inside of you.

The hurt that's always there
Sometimes is hard to bear
Feeling like your heart is about to tear

You can tell me about it if you like.
You can keep your mouth shut if you like.
You can smile if you want,
You can cry if you can't;
And I'll just sit here and hold you and hope that it helps."

***~~~***

Helen woke up a couple of hours later according to the moonlight. Nikola was gone but now she knew she was no longer alone.

The key to her bedroom door was lying on her table; beside it was a note that read:

Until we meet again,

Nikola.

PS: You still look hot